Politics and Policy in American States and Communities

by Dresang, Dennis L.; Gosling, James J.

• ISBN13: 9780321087065
• ISBN10: 0321087062
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-06-01
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley

Summary

This text distinguishes itself through its extremely accessible writing style, relative brevity, inclusion of unique topics such as tribal governments, and its focus on the relationship between government and the governed. As the authors have done in previous editions, their approach to the study of state and local governments personalizes the material, making it more meaningful to the student.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION
Face-to-Face Governance	1	(13)
Scope	3	(1)
Capacity	4	(3)
Participation	7	(5)
Plan of this Book	12	(2)
SECTION 2 LAYING THE FOUNDATION
State Diversity, Growth and Decline, and the Contemporary Urban Dilemma	14	(34)
Values	16	(2)
Political Cultures	18	(3)
An Introductory Tour of the States	21	(7)
Metropolitan Development	28	(5)
Patterns of Interregional Growth and Decline	33	(8)
The New Immigration and Metropolitan Growth	41	(2)
The Consequences of Growth and Decline	43	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	44	(4)
Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations	48	(30)
Constitutional Developments	50	(4)
The Phases of Federalism	54	(13)
The Plight of Local Governments in the Federal System	67	(3)
Regulatory Federalism	70	(3)
Relations among the States	73	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	75	(3)
Constitutions and Charters	78	(26)
History of State Constitutions	80	(9)
Major Features of State Constitutions	89	(7)
Local Government Charters	96	(2)
Types of Local Governments	98	(3)
Summary and Conclusions	101	(3)
Policy-Making Processes: The Framework for Participation	104	(30)
Public Policy Instruments	105	(2)
Individual and Group Participation in Public Policy Making	107	(4)
The Centrality of Lawmaking in Shaping Public Policy	111	(1)
The Substantive Bill State Legislative Process	112	(9)
The State Budgetary Process	121	(10)
Summary and Conclusions	131	(3)
SECTION 3 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Grassroots Participation	134	(19)
Access to Government	135	(2)
Who Participates?	137	(3)
Ways of Participating	140	(3)
Direct Democracy	143	(7)
Summary and Conclusions	150	(3)
Interest Groups	153	(22)
General Trends	154	(2)
Internal Characteristics	156	(7)
Functions and Activities	163	(7)
Impact of Interest Groups	170	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	172	(3)
Political Parties and Elections	175	(26)
The Roles of Political Parties	176	(3)
Party Organization	179	(3)
Informal Organizations	182	(2)
Party Nominations	184	(1)
Campaigns	185	(3)
Campaign Finances	188	(5)
Term Limitations	193	(1)
The Election	193	(1)
Party Competition	194	(4)
Summary and Conclusions	198	(3)
SECTION 4 THE INSTITUTIONS OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Governors	201	(21)
Historical Developments	202	(2)
Formal Powers	204	(9)
Roles	213	(5)
Governors as Individuals	218	(1)
Governors and Mobility	219	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	220	(2)
State Legislatures	222	(29)
What Legislatures Do	226	(1)
Legislative Organization	227	(2)
Legislative Leadership	229	(5)
Legislative Committees	234	(2)
Members	236	(2)
Legislative Reform	238	(4)
Calls for Term Limits	242	(1)
The Changing Executive-Legislative Balance	243	(4)
Legislative Decision Making	247	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	248	(3)
Local Government Executives and Legislatures	251	(22)
Community Power	253	(2)
Executive and Legislative Institutions in Municipal Government	255	(3)
Patterns of Executive and Legislative Relations in Municipal Government	258	(7)
Country Governments	265	(1)
Townships	266	(1)
School Districts	267	(2)
Other Special Districts	269	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	270	(3)
Bureaucracies	273	(27)
The Nature of Bureaucracy	275	(3)
Profile of Public Employees	278	(2)
Personnel Management	280	(6)
Agency Discretion and Accountability	286	(3)
Independent Regulatory Agencies	289	(6)
Privatization	295	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	296	(4)
Courts	300	(24)
State Federal Courts	301	(3)
State, Tribal, and Federal Courts	304	(1)
Structures	305	(3)
Role of State's Attorney or Attorney General	308	(1)
Process	309	(6)
Judicial Actions	315	(1)
Selection of Judges	316	(2)
Discipline and Removal of Judges	318	(1)
Juries	319	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	320	(4)
SECTION 5 PUBLIC POLICIES
Crime and Corrections	324	(20)
The Nature and Incidence of Crime	325	(5)
Approaches to Crime	330	(8)
Incarceration	338	(3)
Crime and the Constitution	341	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	341	(3)
Educational Policy	344	(31)
Primary and Secondary Education	345	(11)
Educational Alternatives	356	(5)
The Equity of Excellence Debate	361	(2)
The Court's Renewed Interest in Fiscal Equity	363	(1)
Higher Education	364	(7)
Summary and Conclusions	371	(4)
Social Welfare and Health Policy	375	(32)
Social Welfare Policy	376	(3)
Public Assistance Programs	379	(2)
Who are the Poor?	381	(3)
Welfare Reform	384	(10)
Health Policy	394	(6)
The National Debate Over Health Care Reform	400	(2)
Implications for the States	402	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	403	(4)
Environmental Policy and Economic Development	407	(26)
Federalism and Environmental Policy Making	411	(1)
Federal Initiatives in the Environmental Decade	412	(2)
Reagan's Redirection of Environmental Regulation	414	(2)
Bush and Clinton: More Environmentally Friendly Administrations	416	(5)
The Environmental Challenges Lying Ahead	421	(1)
The Allure of Economic Development	422	(5)
Environmental Protection and Economic Development: A Strained Relationship?	427	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	428	(5)
Fiscal Policy and Financial Management	433	(25)
The Economy and Taxing and Spending	436	(2)
Taxing and Spending Comparisons among the States	438	(4)
Financing State and Local Governments	442	(4)
Evaluating State and Local Taxes	446	(3)
Executive and Legislative Balance in Fiscal Policy Making	449	(2)
State and Local Financial Management	451	(4)
Summary and Conclusions	455	(3)
SECTION 6 CONCLUSION
Responding to Pressing Public Problems	458	(11)
The Individual Citizen's Perspective	460	(1)
Perspectives of Organized Interest Groups	460	(1)
The Perspective of Local Government Policy Makers	461	(1)
The Prespective of State Policy Makers	462	(1)
Perspectives and Politics	463	(1)
Government Responses	464	(3)
Responding with Solutions	467	(2)
Index	469