The State of Texas: Government, Politics, and Policy, 5e

Table of Contents and Preface
	Cover Page
	Front End Sheets
	Texas Podcast Assignments
	Title Page
		Government, Politics, and Policy
	Copyright Information
	Preface
		Developing Foundational Knowledge and Honing Skills
		Understanding Impact
		How To
		Informing and Engaging Students on Texas Government . . . as It Happens
		Concept Clips
		Focus On
		Emphasizing Texas Voices
		Content Changes
		Instructor Resources
		Learning Outcomes and Core Objectives
		Learning Outcomes and Core Objectives Correlation Table
	Brief Contents
	Contents
	About the Author
	Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Introduction to Texas History and Politics
	Chapter 1 Introduction
	Flags of Texas: From Spain to Statehood
		Spain
		France, Briefly
		Spain Returns
		The Republic of Mexico
		The Republic of Texas
		The Twenty-Eighth State of the Union
		The Confederate State of Texas
	Civil War and Reconstruction: A Time of Transition
		Effects of the Civil War
		Reconstruction in Texas
	Post-Reconstruction Texas
		Land
		Transformation of the Texas Economy
		Texas’s Economic Regions
		Texas Politics: From Democrat to Republican
		Demographics: The Road to Majority-Minority
	Challenges in Texas
		Recession in Texas
		National Issues
		Immigration and In-Migration Today
	Texas Political Culture
		Types of Political Culture
		Populism, Progressivism, and Other Ideologies
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 2: The American Federal System and the Texas State Constitution
	Chapter 2 Introduction
	The American Federal System of Government
		The Federal Structure
		The Evolution of American Federalism
		Relations between States in the Federal System
	Conclusion to Federalism
	Principles of Constitutional Government
	Characteristics Common to State Constitutions
		Separation of Powers
		Bill of Rights
		Supreme Law of the State
	Evolution of the Texas Constitution: 1824–1876
		Constitutions under the Republic of Mexico
		The Republic of Texas Constitution of 1836
		Statehood Constitution of 1845
		The Civil War and Reconstruction Constitutions of 1861, 1866, and 1869
		The Constitution of 1876
	Culture Drives Institutions
	Important Sections of the Texas Constitution
		Article I: Bill of Rights
		Article II: The Powers of Government
		Article III: Legislative Department
		Article IV: Executive Department
		Article V: Judicial Department
		Additional Articles
	Comparing the Structure of State Constitutions
	Amending and Revising State Constitutions
		Patterns of Constitutional Change
		Amending the Texas Constitution
	Criticisms of the Texas Constitution
	Conclusion to the Texas Constitution
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 3: The Texas Legislature
	Chapter 3 Introduction
	The Structure and Size of the Texas Legislature
	General Characteristics of the Legislature
		Sessions and Session Length
	Qualifications and Demographics
		Salary
		Staff and Facilities
	Single-Member versus Multimember Districts
	Reapportionment and Redistricting
		Equity of Representation
		Minority Representation
		Political and Racial Gerrymandering
		Redistricting in 2001
		2003 and the Texas Eleven
		Redistricting in 2011 and Beyond
	Getting Elected
		Competition for House and Senate Seats
		Term Limits
		Turnover in State Legislatures
	Leadership Positions in the Texas Legislature
		Speaker of the House
		Lieutenant Governor
	Committees in the House and Senate
	Functions
		Lawmaking
		Budget and Taxation
		Oversight
		Impeachment
	Procedures
		Formal Rules: How a Bill Becomes a Law
		The Governor
		Legislative Workload and Logjams
	Legislative Roles
		Representational Roles
		Partisan Roles
	Legislative Professionalism versus Citizen Legislatures
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 4: The Executive Department and the Office of the Governor of Texas
	Chapter 4 Introduction
	Qualifications
		Formal Qualifications
		Informal Qualifications
		Salary
	Succession to Office and Acting Governor
		Postgubernatorial Office
	Removal from Office
	Formal Powers of the Governor
		Election of Other Statewide Executives
		Tenure of Office
		Governor’s Appointment Powers
		Budgetary Powers
		Legislative Powers
		Governor’s Control over Party
		Administrative Agencies of State Government
		Legislative Agencies
		Judicial Agencies
		Judicial Powers
		Ex Officio Boards and Commissions
		Multi-Appointment Boards
		Democratic Control and Bureaucratic Responsiveness
		Sunset Review
		Powers of the Texas Governor in Comparative Context
	Informal Powers
		Roles
		The Governor’s Staff
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 5: The Court System in Texas
	Chapter 5 Introduction
	The Legal System
		Types of Law
		Grand Jury
		Petit Jury
	Judicial Federalism
	The Structure of State Courts
		Trial and Appellate Courts
		Magistrate or Minor Courts
		County Courts
		District Courts
		Appellate Courts
		Supreme Courts
	Judicial Selection
		Appointment by the Governor
		Election by the Legislature
		Partisan Election
		Nonpartisan Election
		The Merit, or Missouri, Plan
	Judicial Selection in Texas
		Partisan Elections
		Appointive-Elective System
	Is There a Best System for Judicial Selection?
	Challenges to the Judiciary in Texas
		Familiar Names Can Skew Judicial Elections
		Straight-Ticket Voting
		Campaign Contributions
		Gender and Minority Representation in the Texas Judiciary
	Removing and Disciplining Judges
	Court Decision Making
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 6: The Criminal Justice System in Texas
	Chapter 6 Introduction
	Elements of the Criminal Justice System
		Law Enforcement and Policing
		Criminal Law and Civil Law
		Criminal Justice Policy
	Juvenile Justice
		Government’s Duties to Minors
		Procedures Involving Juveniles
	Correction and Rehabilitation
		The State Prison System
		Managing the Prison Population
		Private Prisons
		Local Government Jails
		The “Three R’s”: Recidivism, Rehabilitation, and Reform
		The Death Penalty
		Texas, the Death Penalty, and the Harris County Factor
		Poverty and Access to Legal Services
	Problems and Reform: Implications for Public Policy
		Overcriminalization
		Sentencing Reform
		Police Militarization
		Civil Asset Forfeiture
		Mental Illness in Prison
		Fine and Fee Practices
		Suicide
		Technology and Crime
		Exoneration
		Race, Gender, and the Criminal Justice System
		Misconduct in the Justice System
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 7: Local Governments in Texas
	Chapter 7 Introduction
	Federalism Revisited
		Creatures of the State
	General Law Cities and Home Rule
		Incorporation: The Process of Creating a City
		Annexation
	Types of City Government
		Council-Manager Government
		Mayor-Council Government
		Commission Form of Government
	Municipal Elections
		Texas Municipal Election Systems
		Nonpartisan Elections
		Voter Turnout in Local Elections
	County Governments
		The Structure of County Government
		Weaknesses of County Government in Texas
		Possible Reform of County Government
	Special District Governments
		School Districts
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 8: Public Opinion and the Media in Texas
	Chapter 8 Introduction
	Public Opinion
		What Is Public Opinion?
		How Can It Be Measured?
		Why Is It Important?
	The Media and Their Functions
		What Are the Media?
	Media Sources: Print, Broadcast, and Online
		Print Media: Newspapers and Magazines
		Broadcast Media: Radio and Television
		New Media: The Internet and Social Media Networks
	The Media in Political Campaigns
		Traditional Media
		Digital Media
		Digital Campaigning and Citizen Participation
	Media Bias
		Perceptions of Media Bias
		Reality of Media Bias
	Regulating the Media
		Federal Regulation of Print and Broadcast Media
		Federal Regulation of the Internet
		State and Local Regulation
	Whose Media?
		Who Owns the Media?
		The Future of Media
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 9: Voting and Political Participation in Texas
	Chapter 9 Introduction
	Political Participation
	Voting in Texas
		Current Voting Requirements
		Ongoing Controversies with Voting
		In Comparison with Other States
		Voter Turnout in Texas
	Explaining Voter Turnout
		The Legacy of Restricted Ballot Access in Texas
		Social and Economic Factors
		Felony Conviction and Voting
		Party Competition and Gerrymandering
		Other Factors Affecting Voter Turnout
		Rationalist Explanations for Low Voter Turnout
	Other Forms of Political Participation
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 10: Elections and Campaigns in Texas
	Chapter 10 Introduction
	Campaigns
		The Role of the Media in Campaigns and Elections
		Political Consultants
		Money in Campaigns
	The Election Process
	Ballot Form
	Ballot Access to the November General Election
		Independent and Third-Party Candidates
		Party Caucus
	Political Differences between Open and Closed Primary Systems
	The Administration and Finance of Primary Elections
	Special Elections
	The Federal Voting Rights Act
	Absentee and Early Voting
	The Changing Nature of Elections
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 11: Political Parties in Texas
	Chapter 11 Introduction
	How Parties Have Operated in the United States
		Modern Campaigns
	Political Parties Diminished
	National versus State Parties
	The Strength of State Party Organizations
		Party versus Ideology
	Evolution of Political Parties in Texas
		Politics of the Republic of Texas
		Annexation and the Civil War Era
		The One-Party Democratic Era in Texas
		Fractures in the Texas Democratic Party
	Party Realignment in Texas
		A Three-Party State
		The Election of John Tower
		A Two-Party State
		The “Conversion” and Election of Phil Gramm
		Texas Republicans Seize Control
		The One-Party Republican Era in Texas
	The Current Party System in Texas
		Today’s Texas Republicans
		Blue Texas?
		Maybe Not . . .
	Third Parties in Texas
		Challenges for Third Parties
	Party Organizations
		Permanent Party Organization
		Temporary Party Organization
	Caucus and Primary Delegate Selection Systems
		Texas Presidential Primaries
		2008 Democratic Party Caucuses
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 12: Interest Groups and Lobbying in Texas
	Chapter 12 Introduction
	Interest Group Typology
		Membership Organizations
		Nonmembership Organizations
		Government Organizations
	Techniques Used by Interest Groups
		Lobbying
		Electioneering
		Public Relations: Public Education and Grassroots Lobbying
		Litigation
	Regulation of Interest Groups
	Factors Influencing the Strength of Interest Groups
		Leadership and Organization
		Geographic Distribution
		Money
		Economic Diversity
		Political Party Competition
		Professionalism of the State Legislature
		Fragmented Government Structure
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 13: Public Policy in Texas
	Chapter 13 Introduction
	Steps in the Policy-Making Process: The “Policy Cycle”
		Problem Identification and Agenda Setting
		Policy Formation
		Policy Adoption
		Policy Implementation
		Policy Evaluation
	Public Policy Areas in Texas State Government
		Regulatory Policy
		Health Care Policy
		Primary and Secondary Education in Texas
		Higher Education in Texas
		Social Policies
		Immigration Policy
		Water Policy
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Chapter 14: Financing State Government
	Chapter 14 Introduction
	Why Do Governments Provide Services to Citizens?
		Characteristics of Public Goods
		Types of Public Goods
	Sources of State Revenue
		Evaluating State Tax
		State Taxes in Texas
	Equity in Taxes
		Regressive and Progressive Taxes
		Tax Shifting
	Local Taxes
		Comparison of State and Local Tax Revenues
	Nontax Revenue Sources
	Expenditures: Where the Money Goes
		The Budget “Fix”
	Continuing Issues in State Finance in Texas
		Tax Structure
		Is There a Personal Income Tax in the Future for Texas?
	Conclusion
	Summary
	Key Terms
Glossary
	Glossary
Index
	Index
Back End Sheets
	Back End Sheets
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