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9780495410676

Texas Politics Today

by
  • ISBN13:

    9780495410676

  • ISBN10:

    0495410675

  • Edition: 13th
  • Format: Paperback
  • Copyright: 2007-04-02
  • Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing
  • View Upgraded Edition
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List Price: $200.00

Summary

TEXAS POLITICS TODAY continues to be a best-selling overview of Texas Politics because it offers students a wide range of viewpoints, drawing on the diverse political and social perspectives of its contributing authors to give students rich, nuanced insight into the political system and decision-making processes of the Lone Star State. Current issues and candid analysis of government increase student awareness of the real effects of state policy on their lives, and encourage them to get politically involved.

Table of Contents

Prefacep. xi
Texas History and Culturep. 1
Politics and Government: The Early Yearsp. 2
Joining the Unionp. 2
Early Statehood and Secession: 1846-1864p. 3
Post-Civil War Texas: 1865-1885p. 3
Politics and Government: 1886-1945p. 5
Governor Hoggp. 5
Farmer Jim: 1914-1918p. 5
World War I, the Twenties, and the Return of Farmer Jim: 1919-1928p. 6
The Great Depression: 1929-1939p. 8
"Pass the Biscuits, Pappy": 1938-1945p. 9
Politics and Government since World War IIp. 10
The 1950sp. 11
The 1960sp. 12
The 1970sp. 12
The 1980sp. 13
The 1990sp. 13
The 2000sp. 14
Texas Political Culturep. 17
Moral, Traditional and Individualisticp. 17
Political Culture and Political Participationp. 18
Texas Cultural Regionsp. 19
East Texasp. 20
The Gulf Coastp. 20
South Texasp. 21
Southwest Texasp. 23
German Hill Countryp. 23
West Texasp. 26
The Panhandlep. 27
North Texasp. 27
Central Texasp. 27
Cultural Diversityp. 28
Conclusionp. 30
Key Termsp. 30
Review Questionsp. 31
Logging Onp. 31
Get Active!p. 31
Essay: Illegal Immigration and Texas Ideologyp. 33
How Texas Comparesp. 36
The Texas Constitution in Perspectivep. 41
The National Constitution and the States: Federalismp. 42
Division of Powersp. 42
Limits on Statesp. 43
The Texas Constitutionp. 45
The Texas Constitution in Historyp. 45
The Texas Constitution Todayp. 47
Bill of Rights and Fundamental Libertyp. 49
Separation of Powersp. 49
Legislative Branchp. 50
Executive Branchp. 52
Courtsp. 54
Local Governmentp. 55
Suffragep. 55
Amending and Revising the Texas Constitutionp. 55
The Texas Constitution Comparedp. 57
Conclusionp. 59
Key Termsp. 60
Review Questionsp. 60
Logging Onp. 61
Get Active!p. 61
Essay: Governor E. J. Davis and His Legacy for Texasp. 62
Essay: A Square Peg in a Round Hole: The Regime of Governor Edmund J. Davis Reconsideredp. 65
Voting and Electionsp. 69
Political Participationp. 70
The Participation Paradoxp. 70
Who Votes?p. 70
The Practice of Votingp. 72
Voter Turnout in the United States and in Texasp. 73
Reasons for Low Voter Turnout in Texasp. 77
Elections in Texasp. 80
Primary Electionsp. 80
General Electionsp. 85
Special Electionsp. 86
The Conduct and Administration of Electionsp. 87
Election Campaigns in Texasp. 96
Who Gets Electedp. 96
The General Election Campaignp. 97
Money in Political Campaignsp. 99
Conclusionp. 102
Key Termsp. 102
Review Questionsp. 103
Logging Onp. 103
Get Active!p. 103
Essay: Electronic Voting: Savior or Destroyer of American Democracy?p. 105
Political Partiesp. 109
Functions of Political Partiesp. 110
Characteristics of American Political Partiesp. 111
Pragmatismp. 111
Decentralizationp. 111
Two-Party Systemp. 112
Development of the Texas Party Systemp. 113
The One-Party Tradition in Texasp. 113
Ideological Basis of Factionalism: Conservatives and Liberalsp. 114
Conservative and Liberal Factions in the Democratic Partyp. 115
Rise of the Republican Partyp. 117
Conservative and Moderate Factions Within the Republican Partyp. 118
Organizational Basis of Party Machinery in Texasp. 120
Temporary-Party Organizationp. 120
Permanent-Party Organizationp. 123
A New Era of Republican Dominancep. 124
Conclusionp. 127
Key Termsp. 127
Review Questionsp. 128
Logging Onp. 128
Get Active!p. 128
Essay: The Impact of the 2003 Redistricting of Texas: 2004 & 2006p. 129
Interest Groupsp. 133
Constitutional Guaranteesp. 135
What Interest Groups Arep. 136
What Interest Groups Dop. 137
Direct Means of Influencing Governmentp. 138
Lobbying the Legislative and Executive Branchesp. 138
Filing Suit in Courtp. 139
Advising and Serving the Statep. 139
Organizing Public Demonstrationsp. 139
Indirect Means of Influencing Governmentp. 140
Electioneeringp. 140
Educating the Publicp. 140
Socializingp. 140
Why People Join Interest Groupsp. 141
Types of Interest Groupsp. 142
Economic Interest Groupsp. 142
Noneconomic Interest Groupsp. 142
Mixed Interest Groupsp. 142
Factors That Affect Interest Group Powerp. 143
Culture of Nonparticipationp. 143
Party Competitionp. 143
Part-Time Legislaturep. 144
Decentralization of Executive Branch Powerp. 144
Lawp. 144
The Mediap. 145
Constituent Influencep. 145
Interest Groups as Checks on Interest Groupsp. 146
Campaign Contributionsp. 147
Conclusions About Balance in the Political Systemp. 148
The Regulation of Lobbyingp. 149
Who Must Register and Report Lobbying Costs?p. 149
What Does a Lobbyist Report?p. 150
What Is Not Reported as Lobbying That Affects Lobbying?p. 151
Access to the Reports of Lobbyistsp. 152
Reporting to Clientsp. 152
The Craft of Lobbyingp. 152
Before the Legislaturep. 152
Before Administrative Agenciesp. 153
Before the Courtsp. 154
Which Interests Are Powerful?p. 155
Interest Group Dynamics and Powerp. 156
Conclusionp. 159
Key Termsp. 161
Review Questionsp. 161
Logging Onp. 162
Get Active!p. 162
Essay: When Powers Collide: School Voucher Politics in Texasp. 163
The Legislature: Organization and Structurep. 169
Geographic Districtsp. 170
Qualifications for Membershipp. 176
Formal Qualificationsp. 176
Informal Qualificationsp. 176
Organization of the Texas Legislaturep. 179
Presiding Officersp. 179
Legislative Committeesp. 181
Legislative Staffp. 183
Citizen Legislatorsp. 184
Termsp. 184
Compensationp. 185
The Limited Sessionp. 185
Conclusionp. 187
Key Termsp. 187
Review Questionsp. 188
Logging Onp. 188
Get Active!p. 189
Essay: Are Texas Legislative Elections Becoming More Competitive?p. 190
The Legislative Processp. 193
Powers of the Presiding Officersp. 194
Procedural Tools of Leadershipp. 194
Institutional Tools of Leadershipp. 207
Restraints on the Powers of the Presiding Officersp. 209
Personalityp. 209
The Teamp. 209
The Lobby and Bureaucracyp. 209
The Governorp. 210
Political Climatep. 210
Political or Economic Ambitionp. 211
Other Legislatorsp. 211
Conclusionp. 211
Key Termsp. 212
Review Questionsp. 212
Logging Onp. 212
Get Active!p. 213
Essay: Lobbying Didn't Let Up when the CHIP was Downp. 214
Essay: Swarming Capitol Paid Off for SBCp. 218
The Governorp. 221
Qualifications, Tenure, and Staffp. 222
Formal Qualificationsp. 222
Informal Criteriap. 223
Tenure, Removal, and Successionp. 224
Compensationp. 224
Staffp. 224
Tools of Persuasionp. 226
Legislative Tools of Persuasionp. 227
Executive Tools of Persuasionp. 231
Governor as Party Chiefp. 236
Conclusionp. 237
Key Termsp. 237
Review Questionsp. 237
Logging Onp. 237
Get Active!p. 238
Essay: Governors and Texas Agenciesp. 239
The Bureaucracyp. 243
The Texas Administrationp. 244
Elected Executivesp. 245
Appointed Executivesp. 249
Boards and Commissionsp. 249
Characteristics of Bureaucracyp. 251
Sizep. 252
Neutralityp. 253
Hierarchyp. 256
Expertisep. 257
The Bureaucracy and Public Policyp. 257
Clientele Groupsp. 257
The Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speakerp. 258
The Governorp. 258
The Iron Texas Starp. 259
Public Supportp. 260
Expertisep. 261
Informationp. 261
Administration of the Lawp. 261
Accountabilityp. 261
Conclusionp. 265
Key Termsp. 265
Review Questionsp. 266
Logging Onp. 266
Get Active!p. 267
Essay: Agencies and Influence: Electricity Deregulation (Last One Out, Turn Off the Light)p. 268
The Judiciaryp. 273
Civil and Criminal Casesp. 275
Original and Appellate Jurisdictionp. 276
Court Organizationp. 277
Municipal Courtsp. 277
Justices of the Peacep. 279
County Courtsp. 281
District Courtsp. 282
Courts of Appealsp. 283
Court of Criminal Appealsp. 284
Supreme Courtp. 286
Juriesp. 287
Grand Juryp. 288
Petit (Trial) Juryp. 289
Selection of Judgesp. 290
The Politics of Judicial Selection in Texasp. 291
Conclusionp. 294
Key Termsp. 295
Review Questionsp. 295
Logging Onp. 295
Get Active!p. 296
Essay: Runaway Campaign Contributions in Texas Supreme Court Races: Causes, Impact, and Proposed Reformsp. 298
Law and Due Processp. 305
Civil Lawp. 306
Types of Civil Lawp. 306
Issues in Civil Lawp. 309
The Elements of Crimep. 310
The Crimep. 310
The Criminalp. 312
The Victimp. 313
Law Enforcementp. 315
State Agenciesp. 315
Local Agenciesp. 316
Prevention of Crimep. 316
Detection of Crimep. 317
Enforcement of Lawp. 317
Gathering Evidencep. 317
Arrestp. 318
Detentionp. 318
The Courtsp. 320
Pretrial Court Activitiesp. 320
Formal Chargesp. 322
Pretrial Hearingsp. 322
Plea Bargainingp. 324
The Trialp. 324
Posttrial Proceedingsp. 326
The Special Case of Juvenile Courtsp. 327
Rehabilitation and Punishmentp. 327
Texas Department of Criminal Justicep. 328
Clemencyp. 329
Texas Youth Commissionp. 329
Jailsp. 330
Conclusionp. 330
Key Termsp. 331
Review Questionsp. 332
Logging Onp. 332
Get Active!p. 332
Essay: Texas Is Still No. 1! Statistics and Controversy in the Death Penalty Debatep. 334
Essay: In Search of a Solution to America's Drug Problem: Will History Repeat Itself?p. 338
Taxing and Budgetingp. 345
Revenuesp. 347
Taxationp. 347
Issues in Taxationp. 349
Other Revenuesp. 354
The Budgetary Processp. 356
Conclusionp. 358
Key Termsp. 359
Review Questionsp. 359
Logging Onp. 359
Get Active!p. 360
Essay: Possible Texas Tax Reformsp. 361
Essay: Is Texas Last? An Examination of Political Culture and Health Insurance for Childrenp. 366
Spending and Servicesp. 369
Education in Texasp. 371
Elementary and Secondary Schoolsp. 372
The Politics of Public Educationp. 373
Higher Educationp. 378
The Politics of Higher Educationp. 380
Health and Human Servicesp. 382
Income Supportp. 382
Health Programsp. 382
Unemployment Programsp. 385
The Politics of "Welfare": Myths and Realitiesp. 385
Transportationp. 387
Highway Programsp. 387
The Politics of Transportationp. 388
Conclusionp. 390
Key Termsp. 391
Review Questionsp. 391
Logging Onp. 391
Get Active!p. 392
Essay: Health Care in a Texas County: the Indigent, the Undocumented, the Uninsured & Republican Compassionate Conservatismp. 393
Essay: The Impact of Texas's Fiscal Conservatism and Anti-Government Philosophyp. 397
Local Governmentp. 403
Municipalitiesp. 405
General Law and Home-Rule Citiesp. 405
Forms of Governmentp. 406
Municipal Election Systemsp. 409
Revenue Sources and Limitationsp. 410
Issues and Trendsp. 412
Countiesp. 415
Functions of Countiesp. 416
Structure and Organization of Countiesp. 418
Issues and Trendsp. 421
Special-District Governmentsp. 422
Issues and Trendsp. 424
Councils of Governmentp. 425
Conclusionp. 426
Key Termsp. 426
Review Questionsp. 427
Logging Onp. 427
Get Active!p. 427
Essay: A Nationwide Civic Organization Promotes Local Distinctivenessp. 429
Essay: Ethnic Polarization: A Major Factor in Corpus Christi's At-Large Electionsp. 431
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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