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• Cover
• Introduction
• What Is Politics?
• Why You Need This Book
• How to Use This Book
• How This Book Is Organized
• Icons Used in This Book
• Where to Go from Here
• Part 1: Politics and You
• Chapter 1: It’s Politics, Baby!
• Elected Politicians — a Quick Look
• Politics versus Government
• What Do You Want from Your Elected Officials?
• Chapter 2: The Money-versus-Vote Analysis
• The Factors behind Any Political Stance
• Money Makes the World Go ’Round
• Hatred Is a Greater Motivator than Love
• Your Stake in the Election
• Part 2: Making Your Voice Heard
• Chapter 3: Be a Part of the Solution — Vote!
• Should You Register to Vote?
• Why Vote in Primaries?
• Do Elected Officials Care What You Think?
• Chapter 4: Contributing Your Time or Money
• Donating Your Time
• Money Talks
• Which Kind of Contributor Are You?
• Chapter 5: Telling Politicians What’s on Your Mind
• Reaching Out and Touching Your Representatives
• Town Meetings
• Putting It in Writing
• Teamwork Is the Name of the Game
• Part 3: Politics is a Team Sport
• Chapter 6: Partying with Politics
• Why We Have Only Two Parties
• Those Were the Days
• Straight-Ticket Voting versus Ticket Splitting
• Political Parties Serve a Purpose
• Choosing the Candidates
• Chapter 7: Taking Sides
• Putting Parties in Their Place
• Identifying by Political Party
• Separating the Democrats from the Republicans
• Making Your Own Choice
• Chapter 8: Joining a Special Interest Group
• Identifying Special Interest Groups
• Enlisting Lobbyists
• Making Political Contributions
• Getting the Same Access as Special Interest Groups
• Are Special Interest Groups Contributing Your Money?
• Chapter 9: Getting Political Online
• Understanding Politics on the Internet
• Government Websites versus Campaign Websites
• Engaging with Elected Officials and Candidates Online
• Part 4: It’s All Marketing
• Chapter 10: Harry Handler Meets Carly Candidate
• Handling a Campaign
• Developing a Marketing Strategy
• Responding to a Handler’s Controls
• Chapter 11: Selling the Candidates, Warts and All
• Fixing the Warts: A Nip Here, a Tuck There
• Preparing for the Worst: Handlers Dig for Dirt
• Beware of Your Opponent: Fending Off Attacks
• Highlighting a Candidate’s Beauty Marks
• Chapter 12: Truth in Advertising
• Truth Plus Truth Doesn’t Always Equal Fact
• The Media Can Help You
• Whose Side Are the Media On, Anyway?
• If You’re on Your Own
• Don’t Let Either Side Manipulate You
• It’s Go-Time: Demanding Answers to Your Questions from Candidates
• Chapter 13: Casting That Vote!
• Reach Out and Ask Someone: Others Can Help You Decide
• Making Up Your Own Mind
• Part 5: Let the Campaigns Begin
• Chapter 14: Who Says Talk Is Cheap? (Where Your Contribution Goes)
• Campaigning at the Local Level
• National and Statewide Campaigns
• Getting Out the Vote: Just Do It!
• Where Your Money Won’t Go
• Campaigns Never Say, “Enough!”
• Chapter 15: For Whom the Campaign Polls
• The Role of Polls
• Polls Are Expensive
• Benchmark Polls
• Is the Candidate’s Message Getting Through?
• Chapter 16: Dodging the Issues: What You Can Do
• Tough-versus-Trivial Issues in a Campaign
• Using Diversions to Avoid Risks
• Stick to Your Guns!
• Chapter 17: Campaigning for Your Vote
• Launching a Direct Mail Campaign
• And Now a Word from Our Sponsors …
• Attack of the Killer Phone Calls!
• Chapter 18: Negative Campaigning: The Dark Side of Politics
• The More Things Change …
• Two Important Principles of Campaign Communications
• Separating the Good from the Bad
• Selling Negativity
• Why Use Negative Advertising?
• Countering Negative Campaigns
• Chapter 19: The Money Thing: Is Reform Possible?
• Campaigns Cost Too Much
• Campaign Finance Reform
• Getting More Good People Involved
• You Can Improve the System
• Part 6: Presidential Politics
• Chapter 20: Throwing Their Hats in the Ring
• Welcome to Iowa
• Welcome to New Hampshire
• Staying in the Spotlight
• Conducting Straw Polls
• Introducing the Nominees
• Chapter 21: Getting the Party Started: National Party Conventions
• Sending Delegates to the National Convention
• The Politics of the Conventions
• Playing Your Role as a Voter
• Chapter 22: The Electoral College and the 2000 and 2016 Presidential Elections
• Explaining How the Electoral College Affected the 2000 and 2016 Elections
• Examining the Electoral College’s Messy History
• Changing the Electoral College
• Chapter 23: Filling Some Really Big Shoes: Electing a President
• Contributing to the Nominee
• Shaping a Candidate’s Message
• Acquiring the Information You Need to Vote for President
• The Electoral College and You
• A Game of Strategy
• Part 7: The Part of Tens
• Chapter 24: The Ten Commandments of Modern Politics
• All Politics Is Local
• You Can’t Beat Somebody with Nobody
• Dance with the One That Brung Ya
• Never Say Never
• The Three Most Important Ingredients in Politics: Money, Money, and Money
• It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over
• The Harder You Work, the Luckier You Get
• The Best Defense Is a Good Offense
• You’re Never Too Far Ahead
• Most Political Wounds Are Self-Inflicted
• Chapter 25: Ten Things to Teach Your Children About Politics
• Voting Isn’t Only Your Right — It’s Your Duty
• Public Service Is a Good and Honorable Profession
• Never Pin Your Future to the Outcome of the Next Election
• Never Trust Anyone Who Lies, Including a Politician
• Democracy Is the Best System of Government
• Avoiding Politics Makes You More to Blame for Its Failures, Not Less
• Learn the Facts and Form Your Own Opinions
• You Have to Wait ’til 18 to Vote, but You Don’t Have to Wait ’til 18 to Help Others Vote Wisely
• Politicians Are Just Like the Rest of Us
• When Politicians Make You Promises, Make Sure You Want What They’re Promising
• Chapter 26: Ten Common Political Mistakes
• Believing That Anything Is Secret
• Giving a Reporter an Interview “Off the Record”
• Failing to Answer an Opponent’s Attack
• Promising Not to Run for Reelection
• Not Taking a Poll
• Taking a Poll and Ignoring the Results
• Not Knowing When to Retire
• Believing That Public Officials Can Have a Private Life
• Thinking That the Federal Treasury Is Your Piggy Bank
• Failing to Follow the Strict Letter of the Law
• Chapter 27: Ten (or so) Quotable Quotes
• On Politics
• On Being President
• Did I Really Say That?
• On Participation
• On the Press
• Appendix: State ID Voting Requirements
• Index
• About the Author
• Connect with Dummies
• End User License Agreement