Practicing Texas Politics A Brief Survey

Contents Note: Each chapter concludes with Looking Ahead, a Chapter Summary, Notes, and Key Terms and Concepts. 1. The Environment of Texas Politics Political Behavior Patterns The Land The People Some Social and Economic Policy Issues Meeting New Challenges Selected Reading: Populating Texas, Joe Holley 2. Federalism and the Texas Constitution The American Federal Structure The Texas Constitution: Politics of Policymaking The Amendment Process Constitutional Revision The Texas Constitution: A Summary Selected Reading: Governor Had to Be Poll-Axed, Kent Biffle 3. Local Governments Overview of Grassroots Problems Municipal Governments Counties Special Districts Metropolitan Areas Selected Reading: A Tale of Two Cities, Andy Hernandez 4. The Politics of Elections and Parties The Politics of Elections Party Structure Political Democracy Trends from Recent Electoral Contests Racial/Ethnic Politics Women in Politics Political Campaigns Selected Reading: Have Republicans Lost the Fire? Nate Blakeslee 5. The Politics of Interest Groups Interest Groups in the Political Process Organization of Interest Groups Classification of Interest Groups Interest Group Activities Techniques of Interest Groups Regulation of Interest Group Politics Interest Group Power and Public Policy Interest Group Power Linkage Pinpointing Political Power Selected Reading: Taking Part in the Texas Municipal League's Lobbying Effort 6. The Legislature A Preliminary View Legislative Framework Compensation Membership Powers and Immunities Presiding Officers Committee System Legislative Caucus System Procedure Influences Within the Legislative Environment Progress Toward Legislative Reform Selected Reading: Legislative Misbehavior, Lyle C. Brown 7. The Executive and the State Bureaucratic System Overview of the Governorship Powers of the Governor The Plural Executive State Employees Education Social Services Economic Policies Environmental Issues Too Many Agencies? Selected Reading: Higher Education Trailing Population in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Megan K. Stack 8. Laws, Courts, and Justice An Introduction to Texas's Justice System State Law in Texas Courts, Judges, and Lawyers Juries Judicial Procedures Correction and Rehabilitation Juvenile Justice Problems and Reforms: Implications for Public Policy Selected Reading: Jury Summons by the Numbers, Thom Marshall 9. Revenues, Expenditures, and Fiscal Policy Looking Back Enduring Policy Issues Traditional Fiscal Policies Politics of Budgeting and Fiscal Management Politics of Revenue and Debt Management Politics of Spending Selected Reading: Brain Gain, Tamara Plaut and Pam WagnerBrown, Lyle C. is the author of 'Practicing Texas Politics A Brief Survey', published 2001 under ISBN 9780618155606 and ISBN 0618155600.