Black & white print. American Government 3e aligns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and arranged to provide a logical progression from the fundamental principles of institutional design at the founding, to avenues of political participation, to thorough coverage of the political structures that constitute American government. The book builds upon what students have already learned and emphasizes connections between topics as well as between theory and applications. The goal of each section is to enable students not just to recognize concepts, but to work with them in ways that will be useful in later courses, future careers, and as engaged citizens. In order to help students understand the ways that government, society, and individuals interconnect, the revision includes more examples and details regarding the lived experiences of diverse groups and communities within the United States. The authors and reviewers sought to strike a balance between confronting the negative and harmful elements of American government, history, and current events, while demonstrating progress in overcoming them. In doing so, the approach seeks to provide instructors with ample opportunities to open discussions, extend and update concepts, and drive deeper engagement.

This report shows that in FY 2011, the federal government provided $607 billion in grants to state and local governments. Those funds accounted for 17% of federal outlays, 4% of gross domestic product (GDP), and a quarter of spending by state and local governments that year. Over the past 30 years, those “intergovernmental” grants -- financial transfers from the federal government that support a wide range of state and local programs -- have fluctuated as a share of federal outlays. Federal grants for health programs, primarily Medicaid, have grown rapidly, and grants for programs and initiatives not related to health -- such as those associated with income security, education, and transportation -- have also increased, albeit at a slower rate. In total, the federal government reported outlays in 2011 for more than 200 intergovernmental grant programs, which were administered by 30 federal departments and independent agencies. Figures. This is a print on demand report.