ABSTRACT
The 1994 midterm legislative elections marked a watershed event in American political history. To illustrate the impact of American government's institutional design, consider what could have happened during the 104th Congress if the United States functioned under British-style parliamentary rules. The possibility of American politics functioning under a parliamentary system in which a governmental majority would be able to dominate the political system is ripe with promises, challenges, and perils. Many Americans associate the political structure of government created by the Constitution with the very definition of modern democracy. The Framers of the American Constitution devised the system of intergovernmental relations known as federalism, in which powers are divided between the national and state governments. Political scientists favoring an institutional explanation have pointed to the problematic relationship between the executive and legislative branches under presidential rules. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
