Texas Politics: Ideal and Reality

Cover
Brief Contents
Contents
Texas Politics Helps You Meet the State Learning Outcomes for GOVT 2306
Letter to Instructors
Letter to Students
Resources
Acknowledgments
Reviewers
About the Authors
Chapter 1: The Context of Texas Politics
	Texas History: A Chronology
	Texas as a Democracy
	Texas and American Federalism
	Texas in the International Arena
	The Texas Political Culture
	Economy, Taxes, and Services
	The People of Texas
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 2: The Constitutional Setting
	American Federalism
	Purposes of Constitutions
	Texas Constitutional Development
	The Present Texas Constitution
	Constitutional Change
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 3: Interest Groups
	Interest Groups
	Who Is Organized?
	Activities
	Regulation of Interest-Group Activity
	Major Interest Groups in Texas
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 4: Political Parties
	Functions of Political Parties
	Ideology
	Political Socialization
	Interests
	Texas Political Parties: A Brief History
	Party Organization
	Two Parties, Three Factions (or Perhaps Four)
	Third Parties in Texas
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 5: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
	Voting
	Texas Turnout
	Election Campaigns
	Public Elections
	Recent Elections in Texas
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 6: The Texas Legislature
	Functions of Legislative Bodies
	Basic Facts about the Legislature
	Membership Characteristics
	Legislative Officers, Committees, and Staff
	How a Bill Becomes a Law in Texas
	Legislative Dynamics
	The 86th Legislative Session, 2019
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 7: The Governor
	Basic Structure of the Governor's Office
	Qualifications for Governor
	Roles of the Governor and Limits on Those Roles
	Formal Roles and Limitations
	Informal Roles and Limitations
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 8: The Administrative State
	State Administrative Agencies
	Big Government: How Did It Happen?
	Characteristics of Bureaucracy
	Bureaucratic Survival Techniques
	What Happens to the Public Interest?
	Harnessing the Administrative State
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 9: The Judiciary
	The Myth of the Nonpolitical Judiciary
	The Players in the System of Justice
	The Court System
	Juries
	Police
	Removal and Reprimand of Lawyers and Judges
	Issues Facing the Texas Judiciary
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 10: The Substance of Justice
	Civil Liberties
	Civil Rights
	Capital Punishment
	Torts and Tort Reform
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 11: Local Government
	Counties: One Size Fits All?
	Cities: Managed Environments
	Special Districts: Our Hidden Governments
	Local Government: Prospects for the Future
	Leadership in Local Government
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 12: The State Economy and the Financing of State Government
	The Texas Economy
	Where Does the Money Come From?
	Fairness and Equity in the Revenue System
	How Are Budget Decisions Made?
	Where Does the Money Go?
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 13: Public Policy-People
	The Public Policy Process
	Poverty, Welfare, and Health Care
	The Players and the Major Programs
	Public Education Policy
	Texas Higher Education
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Chapter 14: Public Policy-Resources
	Climate Change
	Water Supply
	Energy Supply
	Protecting the Environment
	Transportation
	Summary
	Critical Thinking
Notes
Glossary
Index