Government and Politics in the Lone Star State: Theory and Practice

by Gibson, L. Tucker; Robison, Clay

• ISBN13: 9780130340504
• ISBN10: 0130340502
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Pearson College Div

Summary

Reflecting the insights of authors who have written about, taught, or participated in Texas government and politics for over 30 years, this extremely readable book explores Texas government and its relationship to the people it serves and to the federal and local governments that form the American political system. It improves readers' civic literacy, and will start them on a lifelong journey in developing the concepts, skills, and behaviors that will make political and governmental institutions more responsive to their needs, interests and expectations. Chapter topics cover the social and economic milieu of Texas politics; the Texas constitution; intergovernmental relationships; interest groups and power in Texas politics; the mass media; the party system; elections, campaigns, and political behavior; the Texas legislature; the Texas executive; bureaucracy and policy implementation; the judicial system; local government; and contemporary public policy issues in Texas. For anyone who wants a better understanding of the legislative theory and actual practice of state politics and government—especially the citizens of Texas.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
The Social and Economic Milieu of Texas Politics	1	(32)
Challenges of the 2000s	3	(1)
The Myths of Texas's Political Culture	4	(4)
The Political Culture of Texas	8	(2)
The People of Texas	10	(5)
Politics, Race, and Ethnicity	15	(1)
Population Growth and Changes	16	(1)
The Size and Geographic Diversity of Texas	17	(1)
Urban Texas	18	(2)
Income, Wealth, and Poverty	20	(1)
Education and Literacy	21	(1)
The Economy of Texas	22	(4)
Economic Regions of Texas	26	(3)
Summary and Conclusions	29	(4)
The Texas Constitution	33	(33)
Constitutionalism	35	(1)
The Constitutional Legacy	36	(10)
General Principles of the Texas Constitution	46	(2)
Weaknesses and Criticisms of the Constitution of 1876	48	(3)
Constitutional Change and Adaptation	51	(11)
Summary and Conclusions	62	(4)
Intergovernmental Relationships	66	(29)
Structuring Regional and National Interests	67	(1)
Defining Federalism	68	(3)
Changing Patterns in Federal Relationships	71	(9)
The Impact of Federalism on State Finances	80	(2)
Reactions to the Expanded Role of the Federal Government	82	(1)
Transnational Regionalism	82	(8)
Summary and Conclusions	90	(5)
Interest Groups and Power in Texas Politics	95	(32)
Interest Groups Defined	98	(2)
Interest Groups, Pluralism, and Democratic Theory	100	(2)
The Elitist Alternative	102	(1)
Hyperpluralism, Policy Subsystems, and Single-Issue Interest Groups	103	(1)
Resources of Interest Groups	104	(1)
The Dominant Interest Groups in Texas	105	(8)
Who Are the Lobbyists?	113	(1)
Interest Groups and the Policymaking Process	114	(8)
Summary and Conclusions	122	(5)
The Mass Media in Texas Politics	127	(31)
The Mass Media and the Policy Agenda	128	(2)
The Mass Media and the Electoral Process	130	(6)
The Mass Media and Public Ethics	136	(1)
Guardians of Open Government	137	(3)
Media Bias	140	(2)
The Development of the Press in Texas	142	(7)
The Capitol Press Corps	149	(2)
Governmental Public Relations	151	(1)
Media and Pack Journalism	151	(1)
How Well Informed Are Texas Citizens?	152	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	154	(4)
The Party System in Texas	158	(32)
Political Parties and a Democratic Society	159	(1)
Political Parties in Perspective	159	(2)
The Functions of Political Parties	161	(2)
The Party in the Electorate	163	(13)
The Party Organization	176	(6)
The Party in Government	182	(1)
Third Parties in Texas	183	(1)
Why a Two-Party System?	184	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	185	(5)
Elections, Campaigns, and Political Behavior	190	(32)
The Functions of Elections	191	(1)
Characteristics of Texas Elections	192	(6)
Political Suffrage in Texas, A Struggle for Minorities and Women	198	(4)
Political Gains by Minorities and Women	202	(4)
The New Campaign Technology	206	(3)
Media and Advertising	209	(3)
Money and Campaigns	212	(3)
Political Participation	215	(3)
Summary and Conclusions	218	(4)
The Texas Legislature	222	(49)
Legislative Functions	223	(1)
Institutionalization of the Texas Legislature	224	(1)
The Organization and Composition of the Texas Legislature	225	(8)
Representation and Redistricting	233	(1)
Legislative Leadership	234	(8)
The Committee System	242	(4)
Rules and Procedures	246	(5)
The Emerging Party System	251	(4)
Other Legislative Caucuses	255	(1)
Legislators and Their Constituents	256	(1)
Legislative Decision Making	257	(3)
Legislative Styles	260	(1)
The Development of Legislative Staff	261	(1)
Legislative Ethics and Reform	262	(4)
Summary and Conclusions	266	(5)
The Texas Executive	271	(39)
A Historical Perspective on the Executive Function in Texas	272	(1)
The Structure of the Plural Executive	273	(2)
The Qualifications of the Governor	275	(3)
Impeachment and Incapacitation	278	(1)
The Salary and ``Perks'' of the Office	279	(1)
The Powers of the Governor	279	(5)
Informal Resources of the Governor	284	(3)
Leadership Styles of Recent Texas Governors	287	(12)
Other Offices of the Executive Branch	299	(7)
Summary and Conclusions	306	(4)
The Bureaucracy and Policy Implementation	310	(19)
Defining Bureaucracy	311	(1)
The Growth of Government in Texas	312	(1)
The Bureaucrats and Public Policy	313	(3)
Political Control and the Responsiveness of the Bureaucracy	316	(5)
Whistleblowing	321	(2)
Regulation	323	(1)
Merit Systems and Professional Management	324	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	325	(4)
The Judicial System in Texas	329	(41)
State Courts in the Federal System	330	(1)
The Legal Framework for the Judicial System	330	(1)
The Structure of the Texas Court System	331	(6)
Judicial Reform	337	(1)
Court Personnel	338	(3)
Judicial Procedures and Decision Making	341	(2)
A Mixed Selection System	343	(1)
Judicial Concerns and Controversies	344	(9)
The Difficult Search for Solutions	353	(1)
Minority Judicial Appointments	354	(3)
Women in the Judiciary	357	(1)
Crime and Punishment	358	(3)
The Politics of Criminal Justice	361	(2)
Increased Policy Role of the State Courts	363	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	365	(5)
Local Government in Texas: Cities, Towns, Counties, and Special Districts	370	(44)
Local Government in the Texas Political System	371	(1)
Municipal Government in Texas	372	(4)
Forms of City Government in Texas	376	(7)
Municipal Election Systems	383	(4)
City Revenues and Expenditures	387	(1)
Urban Problems in Texas	388	(2)
County Government in Texas	390	(7)
Criticisms of County Government	397	(1)
Special Districts in Texas	397	(2)
Independent School Districts	399	(3)
Councils of Government	402	(1)
Solutions to the Problems of Local Governments	403	(5)
Summary and Conclusions	408	(6)
Contemporary Public Policy Issues in Texas	414	(37)
The Policy Process	415	(4)
The Budgetary Process	419	(3)
State Taxes	422	(6)
Educational Policies and Politics	428	(9)
Criminal Justice	437	(4)
Health and Human Services	441	(3)
Environmental Problems and Policies	444	(3)
Summary and Conclusions	447	(4)
Glossary	451	(14)
Photo Credits	465	(2)
Index	467