The democracy you live in today is different from the democracy into which you were born. Poking into forgotten corners of history, translating political science into plain English, and traveling the country to meet experts and activists, David Litt explains how the world's greatest experiment in democracy went awry. With generous helpings of wit and an eye for the surreal, Litt introduces the Supreme Court justice charged with murder, details how James Madison's college roommate broke the Senate, and encounters a citrus thief who embodies what's wrong with our elections. Litt also offers an optimistic to-do list of bold yet achievable changes—a blueprint for restoring the balance of power in America before it's too late.