While Americans' interest in politics
has been stable or even
growing over the last three decades,
and some forms of participation
that require moving a pen,
such as signing petitions and
writing checks, have increasedsignificantly, many measures of
collective participation have
fallen sharply (Rosenstone and
Hansen 1993; Putnam 1996), including
attending a rally or
speech (off 36% between 1973
and 1993), attending a meeting on
town or school affairs (off 39%),
or working for a political party