The New American Democracy, Fifth Edition, emphasizes the centrality of elections in American politics today-and examines our country's evolution from a pluralist democracy to a more populist one-helping you understand how both have profoundly changed the way our political system operates. New to the Fifth Edition. Complete up-to-date coverage and analysis of the following topics: Historic 2006 congressional campaigns and elections, Concerns about terrorism and the governmental steps to combat it, Complexities of immigration-legal and illegal, Latest developments in the area of campaign finance, Civil rights of Latinos, Asian Americans, and gays and lesbians.