The document discusses political thinking and culture in America. It describes how political thinking involves carefully gathering information to form knowledgeable views on issues. Barriers to political thinking include unwillingness to self-inform and consumption of biased media. Core American political values discussed are liberty, individualism, equality, and self-government. While America ideals were not always met, movements helped move closer to meeting them. The document also discusses how politics in America works through a democratic, constitutional, and free-market system with power widely shared.