Inside Texas Politics Power, Policy, and Personality of the Lone Star State

by Rottinghaus, Brandon

• ISBN13: 9780190928391
• ISBN10: 0190928395
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2018-12-18
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The second edition of Inside Texas Politics provides an exciting insider's perspective on the world of Texas government. The book's focus on how power struggles have shaped Texas institutions and political processes offers a fresh perspective that differentiates it from all other texts on the market. Brandon Rottinghaus, a well-known political scholar, media commentator, and Dallas native, fills the text with his own insider anecdotes, making Inside Texas Politics, Second Edition, fun and relevant for today's students. The text's visual representations of data help students foster the skills they need in order to understand and think critically about the political world around them.

Author Biography

Brandon Rottinghaus is Associate Professor of Political Science and the Senator Don Henderson Scholar at the University of Houston.

Table of Contents

About the Author
Preface
Acknowledgments

1 The Struggle for Texas: Demographics, Culture, and Political Power
2 The Texas Constitution
3 Federalism
4 Voting and Elections
5 Political Parties: Texas in Blue and Red
6 Interest Groups
7 The Legislature
8 Governors of Texas
9 The Plural Executive and the Bureaucracy
10 The Texas Judiciary
11 Criminal Justice
12 Local Government
13 Budget, Finances, and Policy

Glossary
Notes
Credits
Index


About the Authors
Preface
Acknowledgments

1 Cultural, Demographic and Political Trends
The Origins of Texas
Native Americans
Spanish Settlers
Tejanos
Anglos
African Americans
Continuity and Change in the Texas Economy
Food and Fiber
Fuel
King Cattle (And Other Four Legged Friends)
Manufacturing
Military and Defense Industries
High Tech
Health Care
Recreation and Retirements
Assessing the "Texas Miracle"
Great Texas Political Debates: Raising the Minimum Wage
Continuity and Change in the Texas Demographics
State Population Growth
Is it Bigger in Texas: States with the Largest Population Increases
Challenges of Population Growth
Racial and Ethnic Trends in Texas
Challenges of Shifting Racial and Ethnic Trends
An Aging State
Challenges of an Aging State
Continuity and Change in Texas Political Culture
Insider Interview: Joe Holley, Houston Chronicle Writer
Individualistic Political Culture
Angles of Power: Individual Rights, Equality, and Religious Freedom
Traditionalistic Political Culture
Culture Conflicts

2: The Texas Constitution
Constitutional Government
The Roots of Rebellion and the Declaration of Independence
The 1836 Constitution of the Republic
The 1845 Constitution of the (New) State of Texas
Succession, Reconstruction, and the Constitutions of 1861, 1866 and 1869
Constitution of 1861 "The Confederacy Constitution"
Constitution of 1866 "The Readmission Constitution"
Constitution of 1869 "The Reconstruction Constitution"
The Constitution of 1876-The Current Constitution
The Crafting of the 1876 Constitution
Principles of the Current Texas Constitution
Insider Interview: Former Chief Justice Tom Philips
Great Texas Political Debates: Confederate License Plates and the Battle over Free Speech
Amending the Constitution
Constitutional Amendments
Recent Major Reform Attempts
Is it Bigger in Texas: Number of Words in State Constitutions
Angles of Power: Debates About Amending the State Constitution

3: Federalism
Organizing the Constitutional System
The Supremacy Clause
Enumerated and Implied Powers
Reserved Powers
Concurrent Powers
Full Faith and Credit
Advantages of Federalism
A Stronger Central Government
Angles of Power: Texas, the Military, and Jade Helm
Representation
Policy Innovation
Trust in Levels of Government
Texas and Federal Funding
Is It Bigger in Texas: Federal Aid as a Percentage of General Revenue
Styles of Federalism
Dual Federalism
Cooperative Federalism
New Federalism
Coercive Federalism
Insider Interview: George Kelleman, President of the Texas Retailers Association
Texas and Conflicts Over Federalism
Texas Versus Washington
Tidelands Controversy
Immigration
Voter Identification at Election Places
Great Texas Political Debates: Sanctuary Cities
Common Core Educational Standards

4: Voting and Elections
Voting in Texas
Registration
Types of Elections
Early Voting
Mobile Voting
Election Day
Suffrage Struggles and Their Consequences
Literacy Tests
Poll Tax
White Primary
Hispanics
Angles of Power: Political Machines
Insider Interview: Victor Morales, U.S. Senatorial Candidate in 1996
African Americans
Women
Asian Americans
Voter Turnout in Texas
Why Texans Don't Vote
Is It Bigger in Texas: Voter Turnout By State, 2016
How Can Voter Turnout be Increased?
Voter ID
How to Campaign, Texas Style
Building Campaign Infrastructure
Image, Limelight, and the Media
Negative Campaigning
Courting the Base
Micro-Targeting
Surfing National Trends
Funding Elections
Who Wins and Why
Money and Election Outcomes
Parties and Straight Ticket Voting
Great Texas Political Debates: Straight Ticket Voting
Incumbents and Voter Turnout
The Electoral System
Will Texas Turn Blue?

5: Political Parties: Texas in Blue and Red
The Functions of Parties
Simplifying Electoral Choices
Recruiting Candidates
Mobilizing Voters
Articulating Interests
Organizing Government
Party Organization
Precinct Chairs
County Party Chairs
State Party Chair
Party Executive Committees
Party Conventions
State Party Platforms
Rise and Fall of Political Parties in Texas
Democratic Reign in the Postbellum Era
The Decline of the Democrats
The Rise of the Republicans
Tea Party
Fissures in the Republican Party
Lessons from Texas Party Politics
Insider's Interview: Jared Woodfill, Harris County Republican Party Chair
Party Competition
Redistricting and Party Competition
Is it Bigger in Texas? Party Competition: 1972-2015
The 2001 and 2003 Redistricting Battles: The Drama Begins
Redistricting in 2011: Maps and More Maps
Angles of Power: The 2003 Redistricting Battle and the Killer Ds
Redistricting in 2013: Back to Court
Party Switching
Great Texas Political Debates: Switching Parties
Third Parties and Independents
La Raza Unida PartyLibertarian Party of Texas
Green Party of Texas
Independents

6: Interest Groups and Political Power in Texas
Interest Groups in the Political Process
Pluralist Theory
Elite Theory
Transactional Theory
Why Join Interest Groups?
The Free Rider Problem
Selective Benefits
Types of Interest Groups
Business Groups
Trade Associations and Professional Organizations
Labor Unions
Is It Bigger in Texas? Rates of Union Membership
Identity Groups
Public Interest Groups
Single Issue Groups
Government Interests
What Interest Groups Do
Education
Citizen Campaigns
Electioneering
Lobbying the Courts, the Legislature, and the Executive Branch
Lobbying: The Third House
The Role of Lobbyists
What Lobbyists Do
Insider Interview: Andrea McWilliams
Iron Triangles in Texas
Is It Bigger in Texas: Number of Years Elected Officials Must Wait Before Becoming Lobbyists
Scandals and Reforms
Sharpstown Scandal
The 1991 Reforms
"A Session of Ethics"
Oversight of Interest Groups
Texas Ethics Commission
Great Texas Political Battle: Enforcing Ethics Violations
Recusal
Disclosure

7: The Legislature
The Functions of the Legislature and Legislators
Powers of the Legislature
Texas House v. Senate
Casework
Position Taking
Credit Claiming
The Texas Legislature in Context
The Legislative Session
Is It Bigger in Texas: Length of Legislative Session
Legislative Staff
Legislative Boards and Councils
Great Texas Political Debates: Should Texas Have Annual Legislative Sessions?
Salary
Incumbency and Turnover
Consequences of the Texas Legislative Structure
How the Legislature is Organized
The Committee System
Speaker of the House
The Lieutenant Governor
The Legislative Process
In Committee
On the Floor
House and Senate Agreement
In Conference Committee
The Real Enemy: The Calendar
Rules Rule the Chambers
Angles of Power: Politics Sometimes Makes Unlikely Bedfellows
Working Together
Insider Interview: Ellic Sahualla, , Chief of Staff and General Counsel to Representative Joe Moody.
Slowing It Down
Speeding It Up
Increasing Partisanship
Demographic Representation
Women Legislators
African Americans
Hispanics
Race, Religion, and Other Factors

8: Governors of Texas
Rules of the Office
Eligibility
Informal Qualifications
Terms
Removal from Office
Succession
Is It Bigger in Texas: Governor Staff Size
Salary and Staff
Formal Powers of Texas Governors
Execution of Laws
Appointment Powers
Is It Bigger in Texas: Unilateral Executive Orders by Governor in Select States
Legislative Powers
Military Powers
Angles of Power: Governor Perry's Veto of Corruption Unit Funds
Judicial Powers: Pardon and Clemency
Informal Powers of Texas Governors
Legislative bargaining
Insider Interview: Former Democratic Governor Mark White
Agenda Setting
Great Texas Political Debates: Personal Relations Between Governors and Lieutenant Governors
Weak and Strong Governor
Sheer Length of Term
AppointeesIs It Bigger in Texas: Governor Power by State
Party Power
Criticisms and Reforms

9: The Plural Executive and the Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy in Texas
The Size of the Texas Bureaucracy
What the Texas Bureaucracy Does
Is It Bigger in Texas? State Employees per 10,000 Residents, 2015
The Structure of the Texas Bureaucracy
Independently Elected Officers
Lieutenant Governor
Angles of Power: The Power of the Lieutenant Governor Beyond Politics
Attorney General
Insider Interview: Bill Hobby, Former Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Texas
Is It Bigger in Texas? State Attorney General Cases Filed: 1980-2013
Comptroller of Public Accounts
Commissioner of the General Land Office
Agriculture Commissioner
Plural Executive Feuds
Governor-Appointed, Single-Head Agencies
Secretary of State
Commissioner for Health and Human Services
Department of Insurance
Governor-Appointed, Multimember Agencies
Public Utility Commission
Department of Transportation
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Multimember Elected Commissions and Hybrid Agencies
Texas Railroad Commission
Texas Ethics Commission
State Board of Education
Controlling the Bureaucracy
Selection of the Bureaucracy
Sluggish Policymaking
Oversight and Change
Great Texas Political Debates: Sunset Sunset?

10: The Texas Judiciary
The Role of the Court
Dispensing Justice
Is It Bigger in Texas: Total Trial Courts
Interpreting the Law
Trial Courts
Local Courts
County Trial Courts
State District Courts
Appellate Courts
Intermediate Appellate Courts
Appellate Courts of Last Resort
Quality of Justice in Texas
Angles of Power: Two Supreme Courts?
Caseloads: Overworked Judges?
Length of Court Cases
Salary: Underpaid Judges?
Is It Bigger in Texas: Salaries of Judges in Five Most Populous States
Turnover of Judges
Access to Justice
Judicial Selection and Removal
Judicial Selection in Texas
Is It Bigger in Texas: Primary Judicial Selection Process by State
Insider Interview: Former Chief Justice Tom Philips
Censure and Removal from Office
Judicial Qualifications
Problems with Partisan Elections
Great Texas Political Debates: The First Negative Judicial Race
Who Are the Justices?
Women
African-Americans
Hispanics
Asians
Reforming the System
Non-Partisan Elections
Public Financing of Elections
Limiting Fundraising Totals
Merit Selection

11: Criminal Justice
Texan Justice
Rights of the Accused
Victim Rights
Types of Crimes
Misdemeanors
Felonies
Drug Crimes
Juvenile Crime
Criminal Justice Process in Texas
Pre-Trial
Trial
Punishment
Angles of Power: Race and Finances in the Texas Prison System
Is It Bigger in Texas: Comparing State Community Supervision Populations
Incarceration
Is It Bigger in Texas: State and Federal Prisoners under Jurisdiction of Correctional Authorities
Great Texas Political Debates: Prison Conditions in Texas
Death Penalty
Life After Prison
Restricted Licensing, Employment and Access to Programs
Voting Rights
Is It Bigger in Texas: Restrictions on Voting Post Felony by State
Parole
Reforms
Alternatives to Incarceration
Bail Reforms
Addressing Prison Suicides
Insider Interview: Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Cathy Cochran
Grand Jury Reform
Death Penalty Reform

12: Local Government
The Powers and Functions of Local Government
Dillon's Rule
Great Texas Political Debates: Ban the Bag?
Local Regulation Angles of Power: Holding Out for a Hero
County Government
Is It Bigger in Texas: Number of Local Governments
County Judge and Commissioner's Court
County Sheriff
County Prosecutors
County Administrators
County Finance Officials
City Governments
General Law Cities
Home Rule Cities
Insider Interview: Local Activist Barry Klein, Texas Property Rights Association
Types of City Government
Mayor-Council System
Commission Government
Council-Manager System
Special Districts
Is It Bigger in Texas: Special Purpose Districts Nationwide
School Districts
Special Improvement Districts
Junior/Community College Districts
Library Districts
Municipal Utility District (MUDs)
Hospital Districts
Home Owners Associations
Elections
County Elections
City Elections
Minority Representation in Municipal Governments
Low Turnout in Municipal Elections
Voting and Corruption
Issues in Local Government
Local Governments Short on Cash
Rising Debt
Cooperation Across Governments
Sprawl
To Zone or Not to Zone
Pensions

13: Contemporary Public Policy Issues
Taxes and Other Revenue Sources
Sales Tax
Is It Bigger in Texas: State and Local Sales Taxes, 2016
Property Tax
Franchise (Business) Taxes
Oil and Natural Gas Taxes
Car Taxes: Motor Fuel Tax ("Gas" Tax) and Motor Vehicle Taxes
Sin Taxes
Fees and Fines
The Rainy Day and Other Funds
Why No Income Tax?
Debates Over Taxes
The Budget
Budget Cycle
Budget Limitations
Budget Players and Process
Policy Priorities and Expenditure
Health Care and Welfare
Medicare
Insider Interview: Eva DeLuna Castro, State Budget Analyst, Center for Public Policy Priorities.
Medicaid
CHIP
The Affordable Care Act
Is It Bigger in Texas: Health Care Sign Ups
Social Security
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
Great Texas Political Debates: Drug Testing for Benefits
Workers' Compensation
Immigration and Border Security
Education
Sources of K-12 Funding
School Finance
Angles of Power: School Finance
Teacher, Student, and School Performance
Diversity in Education
Higher Education
Transportation
Energy and the Environment
Water
Energy Sources

Glossary
Notes
Credits
Index