Maryland Politics and Government

by Smith, Herbert C.; Willis, John T.

• ISBN13: 9780803237902
• ISBN10: 0803237901
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-01-01
• Publisher: Univ of Nebraska Pr

Summary

Tucked between the larger commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia and overshadowed by the political maneuverings of its neighbor, Washington DC, Maryland has often been overlooked and neglected in studies of state governmental systems. With the publication of Maryland Politics and Government, the challenging demographic diversity, geographic variety, and dynamic Democratic pragmatism of Maryland finally get their due. Two longtime political analysts, Herbert C. Smith and John T. Willis, conduct a sustained inquiry into topics including the Maryland identity, political history, and interest groups; the three branches of state government; and policy areas such as taxation, spending, transportation, and the environment. Smith and Willis also establish a "Two Marylands" model that explains the dominance of the Maryland Democratic Party, established in the postCivil War era, that persists to this day even in a time of political polarization. Unique in its scope, detail, and coverage, Maryland Politics and Governmentsets the standard for understanding the politics of the Free State (or, alternately, the Old Line State) for years to come.

Author Biography

Herbert C. Smith is a professor of political science and international studies at McDaniel College. He has written numerous articles of political commentary published in the Baltimore Sun and works as a campaign consultant and television political analyst. John T. Willis is an executive in residence and director of the government and public policy program at the University of Baltimore. The author of Presidential Elections in Maryland, he has served as a party official at the local, state, and national level and was Maryland's secretary of state from 1995 to 2003.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	p. vii
List of Maps	p. ix
List of Figures	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
The Maryland Identity	p. 1
A Maryland Political History	p. 18
Contemporary Political Patterns	p. 50
Maryland Public Opinion	p. 89
Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Corruption	p. 108
The Maryland Constitution	p. 134
The Maryland General Assembly	p. 152
The Maryland Governor and the Executive Branch	p. 176
The Maryland Judiciary	p. 207
The Politics of Taxation and Spending	p. 225
"Pleasant Living" Policies and Politics	p. 253
Maryland in the Federal System	p. 268
Local Governments in Maryland	p. 282
Maryland's Future	p. 301
Further Reference for Maryland Study	p. 314
Notes	p. 321
Index	p. 363
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