THE ENDURING DEMOCRACY helps readers understand that debates and events being played out in American politics today have occurred before in different forms-and that our government endures. Updates in the Fourth Edition include complete coverage of the 2014 midterm election; the policy agenda for the final two years of the Obama administration; a primer on the polls, parties, and context for the 2016 presidential election; substantial coverage of the growing impact of social media on American politics; and new historical perspectives on implementation problems associated with major federal programs such as Obamacare. Also included are updated timelines that highlight significant events in each chapter and a new feature that emphasizes the relevance of major U.S. Supreme Court decisions and how they influence students' everyday lives.