Ford/Bardes/Schmidt/Shelley's AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS TODAY is renowned for its balanced, unbiased and contemporary coverage of constitutional, governmental, political, social and economic structures and their processes. It equips students with the knowledge to make informed choices, encourages them to play an active role in the decision-making process in their community and delivers the tools they need to get involved. The 19th edition explores the roots of U.S. political polarization. Completely up to date, it also includes expansive coverage of the 2020 primary and general elections, climate change, gun violence, race and gender dynamics, migration and immigration, and social media's role in politics. Fully integrated with the text, the MindTap digital learning solution offers anywhere, anytime learning solutions -- ideal for online learning necessitated by the COVID-19 outbreak.