Texas Government

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ISBN: 9780205251728 | 0205251722
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 2/8/2012

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Updated in its 12thedition, Texas Governmentintroduces the essentials of Texas government and its often colorful politics in a way that any reader can understand. With an emphasis on public policy and active learning, this popular and highly accessible textcontains an abundance of useful study aids and exercises in every chapter and a lively, straightforward writing style. Showing readers the impact that government has on their lives, this insightful and sometimes humorous critique of Texas government engages readers in the course material and encourages them to become active participants in their government.

Preface	p. xiii
Introduction The Policymaking Process	p. 1
What We Will Learn	p. 1
The Stages of the Policymaking Process	p. 2
The Dynamics of the Policy Process	p. 9
Why Study Texas Government?	p. 11
What We Have Learned	p. 12
Key Terms	p. 13
Notes	p. 13
The People, Economy, and Political Culture of Texas	p. 15
What We Will Learn	p. 15
The People of Texas	p. 16
Around the Nation: Immigration Reform in Arizona	p. 20
The Texas Economy	p. 22
Breaking News!: Texas Oil Production Is on the Rise	p. 25
Political Culture	p. 29
Getting Involved: Volunteering	p. 30
What We Have Learned	p. 31
Key Terms	p. 32
Notes	p. 32
Texas Constitution	p. 35
What We Will Learn	p. 35
State Constitutions	p. 37
Getting Involved: Joining a Student Club or Organization	p. 37
Background of the Texas Constitution	p. 39
Constitutional Convention of 1875	p. 41
Overview of the Texas Constitution	p. 44
Constitutional Change	p. 45
Individual Rights and the Texas Constitution	p. 50
Around the Nation: Gay Marriage in Massachusetts	p. 51
What We Have Learned	p. 52
Key Terms	p. 54
Notes	p. 54
The Federal Context of Texas Policymaking	p. 55
What We Will Learn	p. 55
Role of the States in the Federal System	p. 57
Around the Nation: Healthcare Reform in Massachusetts	p. 58
States, the Courts, and the Constitution	p. 59
Getting Involved: Contacting Your Representative in Washington, D.C.	p. 62
States and Federal Law	p. 63
Federal Grant Programs	p. 66
Breaking News!: States Challenge Constitutionality of Healthcare Reform	p. 70
What We Have Learned	p. 74
Key Terms	p. 75
Notes	p. 75
Political Participation	p. 77
What We Will Learn	p. 77
Voting Rights and Minority Participation	p. 78
Breaking News!: Texas Adopts a Voter ID Law	p. 82
Forms of Participation	p. 83
Around the Nation: Mail Voting in Oregon	p. 87
Participation Rates in Texas	p. 88
Patterns of Participation	p. 90
Participation and Representation	p. 92
Getting Involved: Become a Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar	p. 93
What We Have Learned	p. 94
Key Terms	p. 95
Notes	p. 95
Interest Groups	p. 97
What We Will Learn	p. 97
Interest Groups in Texas Politics	p. 98
Getting Involved: Joining a Group	p. 103
Breaking News!: Legislature Adopts Abortion Sonogram Requirement	p. 106
Interest Group Strategies and Tactics	p. 107
Around the Nation: Legal Prostitution in Nevada	p. 109
What We Have Learned	p. 113
Key Terms	p. 114
Notes	p. 115
Political Parties	p. 117
What We Will learn	p. 117
The Party System	p. 118
Party Organization	p. 119
Getting Involved: Volunteer to Support Your Political Party	p. 122
History of the Texas Party System	p. 122
Breaking News!: Democratic Legislators Switch Parties After 2010 Election	p. 124
The Party Balance	p. 127
Voting Patterns	p. 128
Interest Group-Political Party Alliances	p. 130
Issue Orientation	p. 131
The Future of Party Politics in Texas	p. 136
Around the Nation: Minor Parties in New York	p. 138
What We Have Learned	p. 139
Key Terms	p. 140
Notes	p. 140
Elections	p. 143
What We Will Learn	p. 143
The Long Ballot	p. 144
Types of Elections	p. 145
Around the Nation: The Blanket Primary in Louisiana	p. 151
Election Districts and Redistricting	p. 153
Breaking News!: Groups File Suit Against the Texas Redistricting Plan	p. 157
Election Campaigns	p. 161
The Voters Decide	p. 166
Getting Involved: Campaigning	p. 168
What We Have Learned	p. 169
Key Terms	p. 170
Notes	p. 170
Texas Legislature	p. 173
What We Will Learn	p. 173
Structure	p. 174
Membership	p. 178
Around the Nation: Repealing Term Limits in Idaho	p. 181
Organization	p. 182
The Legislative Process	p. 187
Breaking News!: Texas Legislature Fails to Pass Guns-on-Campus Legislation	p. 192
Legislative Policymaking	p. 193
Getting Involved: Contacting Your State Legislators	p. 199
What We Have Learned	p. 199
Key Terms	p. 201
Notes	p. 201
Executive Branch	p. 203
What We Will Learn	p. 203
The Governor	p. 205
Getting Involved: Forming a Study Group	p. 206
Breaking News!: Governor Perry Runs for President	p. 214
The Executive Bureaucracy	p. 218
Around The Nation: California Addresses Global Warming	p. 227
Administrative Oversight	p. 229
What We Have Learned	p. 232
Key Terms	p. 234
Notes	p. 234
Judicial Branch	p. 237
What We Will Learn	p. 237
Types of Legal Disputes	p. 238
Court Procedures	p. 240
The Texas Court System	p. 242
Breaking News!: Texas Voters Approve Water Development Bonds	p. 248
Judges	p. 249
Judicial Selection	p. 250
Getting Involved: Volunteer to Become a Court-Appointed Special Advocate	p. 253
Around the Nation: Drug Courts in Florida	p. 259
What We Have Learned	p. 260
Key Terms	p. 261
Notes	p. 261
City Government	p. 263
What We Will Learn	p. 263
Legal Status of Texas Cities	p. 264
Forms of City Government	p. 267
Breaking News!: Despite the Drought, El Paso Has a Stable Water Supply	p. 272
Election Systems	p. 272
Public Policies in Texas Cities	p. 275
Around the Nation: Healthcare in San Francisco	p. 277
Getting Involved: Contacting City Officials	p. 288
City Politics in Texas	p. 288
What We Have Learned	p. 292
Key Terms	p. 294
Notes	p. 295
Counties, School Districts, and Special Districts	p. 297
What We Will Learn	p. 297
County Government	p. 298
School Districts	p. 309
Breaking News!: Another School Funding Lawsuit Filed	p. 315
Around the Nation: Cash for Grades in the District of Columbia	p. 316
Getting Involved: Helping a Child Learn	p. 318
Special Districts	p. 320
What We Have Learned	p. 324
Key Terms	p. 326
Notes	p. 326
State Budget Policy	p. 329
What We Will Learn	p. 329
Revenues	p. 331
Issues in State Finance	p. 338
Breaking News!: Legislature Uses Accounting Gimmicks to Help Balance Budget	p. 340
Policy Options for Reforming the State Revenue System	p. 343
Around the Nation: Toll Road Privatization in Indiana	p. 346
State Expenditures	p. 347
Budget Priorities	p. 349
Getting Involved: Appealing a Property Appraisal	p. 355
The Budget Process	p. 358
Making Budgetary Policy	p. 363
What We Have Learned	p. 367
Key Terms	p. 370
Notes	p. 370
Criminal Justice	p. 373
What We Will Learn	p. 373
Crime Statistics	p. 374
Victims and Criminals	p. 377
Criminal Prosecution Process	p. 378
Capital Punishment	p. 384
Around the Nation: Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Criminals in Kansas	p. 386
Juvenile Justice	p. 386
Corrections	p. 387
Breaking News!: Texas Prison System Cuts Costs by Dropping Inmate Lunches on Weekends	p. 391
Making Criminal Justice Policy	p. 392
What We Have Learned	p. 394
Key Terms	p. 395
Notes	p. 395
Glossary	p. 397
Photo Credits	p. 407
Index	p. 409
Practice Tests	PT-1
Answers to Practice Test Questions	PT-31
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Texas Government

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