Book excerpt: American Democracy in Jeopardy is about how rapid advances in technology, the internet, and the growth of Cable TV has drawn the attention of viewers looking for a quick and entertaining sound bite to reinforce their political beliefs. This book shows how a person's beliefs are formed and how their beliefs control their actions, and influence what they see, and what they want to hear. The book also demonstrates why people tune into political entertainers with strongly biased and emotionally charged content who serve to reinforce their biased beliefs. Our hope for a thriving American democracy and for the future lies with our children's educational system and the need to focus more on developing critical thinking skills and less on content and in teaching to tests.