A class analysis of the American political system -- Theories of government, early American history, and the politics of class conflict -- A constitution in question : how democratic is the founding document? -- Federalism and the struggle for democracy -- Interest groups and the upper-class perversion of political power -- Congress : the dysfunctional branch -- The presidency : class politics, the imperial presidency, and the threat to democracy -- The bureaucracy and the neoliberal threat to the common good -- The courts and judicial process : ideology, conflict, and class elitism -- Political parties : a crisis of confidence -- Elections and voting : electoral capture by elites -- Politics and the media : bias in pursuit of business interests -- Public opinion : the rise of neoliberal politics and mass resistance -- Civil liberties and the quest for corporate personhood -- Civil rights and the fight for equality -- Economic policy : growing inequality in the neoliberal era -- Imperialism and U.S. foreign policy : protecting business interests abroad -- Conclusion : where do we go from here?