To many, the angry protestors at town hall meetings, the death threats toward politicians, the inflammatory language online and over the airwaves, and the language of politicians themselves are making American politics an ugly, mean-spirited, and nasty affair. "Can We Talk?" presents a dream team of scholars and journalists who ask: Is politics really as nasty as many news commentators perceive? What forces are changing the political discourse and who is to blame? How will this change transform the very nature of our democracy? Civility in politics is one of the great issues of our day, making "Can We Talk?" a must-read for all students of American government.