With Ars Americana, Ars Politica as our guidebook, this seminar tries to peel American democracy out of the candy wrapper to see if it tastes as good as advertised. After puncturing a few myths surrounding the birth of democracy, we highlight some of the anomalies of the current electoral system, tour the alternatives to the "one man, one vote" clunker we have in place, and travel abroad for a short lesson in history and in people's power.