Synopsis
I. THE CONTENT FOR TEXAS POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT. 1. Studying Texas Politics and Government. Politics and Government. The Central Role of Ideas: The American Creed. Analyzing Politics. Individualism. Liberty. Equality. Analyzing Government. Democracy. Constitutionalism. Analyzing Political Change. The Ideal-Reality Gap. Responses to the Ideal-Reality Gap. The Rest of the Story. 2. The Ideological and Socioeconomic Context for Texas Politics and Government. Texas''s Social and Economic Heritage. The Peoples and Their Cultures. The Political Heritage. The Economic Heritage. The Peoples of Texas. Ethnic Diversity. Urbanization. The Political Culture of Texas. Ideas and Texas Politics: The Texan Creed. The Acquisition of Political Ideas. The Texan Creed and Political Ideology. The Economy of Texas. 3. The Legal Context: The Constitution and Federalism. Why Constitutions? Texas''s Constitutional Heritage. The Current Constitution. Constitutional Revision. The 1876 Constitution: Good or Bad? Federalism. Types of Government. HeritageThe Evolution of Federalism. Federalism and Political Change. Constitutions, Federalism, and Democracy. II. THE PROCESS OF TEXAS POLITICS. 4. Political Parties in Texas. Texas''s Political Party Heritage The Political Party Organization. Formal Organization. Functional Organization. Party in the Electorate. Distribution of Party Attachments. Party Coalitions: Social and Geographic Distribution. The Party in Government. In the Executive Branch. In the Legislative Branch. In the Judicial Branch. Parties and Political Change. Political Parties and Democracy. 5. Interest Groups in Texas. Texas''s Interest Group Heritage Goals of Groups: Why Groups Are Involved in Politics. Primary Goals. Secondary Goals. Types of Interest Groups. Business Groups and Trade Associations. Professional Associations. Labor Groups. Racial and Ethnic Groups. Public Interest Groups. Interest-Group Influence. Political Activities of Groups. Lobbying. Electioneering. Litigation. Interest Groups and Political Change. Interest Groups and Democracy. 6. Political Communications: The Media and Public Opinion. Texas''s Political Communications Heritage The Political Roles of the Media. Factors Shaping the News. What Is News? News People and Their Values. The Economics of the News. The Media in Contemporary Texas. Television. Newspapers. Radio. Magazines. Internet. The Political Effects of the Media. What People Think About. What People Think. How People Think. How People Feel. Public Opinion in Texas. Texans'' Responses to the Issues. Interpreting the Poll Results. The Media, Public Opinion, and Political Change. The Media, Public Opinion, and Democracy. 7. Political Participation, Campaigns, and Elections. Texas''s Electoral Participatory Heritage. Political Participation. Forms of Political Participation. Modes of Political Participation. Elections in Texas. Primary Elections. Special Elections. General Elections. Local Elections. Political Campaigns in Texas. Money: The Mother''s Milk of Politics. Media: Linking the Candidates and the Voters. Marketing: Selling the Candidates. The Voter''s Decisions. Voter Turnout. The Vote Choice: Parties, Issues, and Candidates. Campaigns, Elections, and Political Change. Campaigns, Elections, and Democracy. III. POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 8. Texas Legislative Politics. The Texas Legislature''s Heritage. The State Constitution and the Texas Legislature. Constitutional Provisions Affecting Legislators. Sessions of the Legislature. Legislative Membership Representing the Public. Variables Affecting Members'' Elections. Personal and Political Characteristics of Members. Organizing for Power and Influence in the Legislature. Leaders. Committees. Leadership and Opposition in the House. Leadership and Opposition in the Senate. The Legislative Process. What Is a Bill? What Is a Resolution? Rules, Procedures, and Internal Government. How a Bill Becomes Law. The Budgeting Process. Influences on Legislative Behavior. Legislative Staff. Staffing for Technical Assistance, Specialized Information, and Political Assistance. Relations with the Governor. Relations with Lobbyists. The Ethics of Lobbying the Legislature. The Legislature and Political Change. The Legislature and Democracy. 9. The Governor of Texas. Texas''s Gubernatorial Heritage Terms of Office. Minimum Requirements for Office. Length and Number of Terms. Salary. Impeachment. Succession. Gubernatorial Roles. Powers of the Governor. Moralism and Restrictions of Governors'' Powers. Comparing the Texas Governor with Other Governors. The Power of Staff and Budget. The Governor as a Political Leader. Social and Political Characteristics of Governors. Race, Gender, and Age. Education and Religion. Party and Ideology. Prior Experience. Post-Gubernatorial Careers. Governors and Political Change. Governors and Democracy. 10. The Executive Branch. The Plural Executive Heritage. Organizing the Bureaucracy. Elected State Officials. Attorney General. Comptroller of Public Accounts. Land Commissioner. Agriculture Commissioner. Railroad Commissioners. State Board of Education. Modern Texas Bureaucracy. Secretary of State. Public Utility Commissioners. Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commissioners. Insurance Commissioner. Public Counsels. Commissioner of Health and Human Services. Boards and Commissions. The Sunset Process. Staff Size and Pay. Bureaucracies and Political Change. Bureaucracies and Democracy. 11. The Texas Justice System: The Law, The Courts, and Criminal Justice. Texas''s Heritage: The Basis of the Judicial Branch. The Judicial Branch. Organizing Principles of the Judicial Branch. The Structure of the Judicial Branch. Criticisms of the Judicial Branch. Reforming the Court Structure. Judges and Judicial Selection. The Criminal-Justice System. Enforcing the Law: The Police, Sheriffs, Highway Patrol, and Texas Rangers. Representing the People: Prosecuting Crimes. The Fulfillment of Justice: The Correctional System. The Courts, Criminal Justice, and Political Change. The Courts, Criminal Justice, and Democracy. 12. The Local Governments: Cities, Counties, and Special Districts. Texas''s Local Government Heritage Cities. The Types of Cities. The Forms of City Government. Electing City Councils: The Struggle for Fair Representation. How Cities Make Laws: Ordinances. How Cities Grow. What Cities Do with Their Money: Revenues and Expenditures. Counties. County Government: The Plural Executive. What Counties Do with Their Money: Revenues and Expenditures. Keeping County Government Effective: Criticisms and Reforms. Special Districts. How and Why Special Districts Are Formed. The Governance and Revenues of Special Districts. The Varieties of Special Districts. Keeping Special Districts Effective: Avoiding the Problem or Focusing on Issues? More Than Local, Less Than State: Coordination and Cooperation Between Local Governments. Metropolitan Solutions for Metropolitan Problems. Councils of Government: Solving Problems Together. Local Governments and Political Change. Local Governments and Democracy. IV. PUBLIC POLICIES IN TEXAS. 13. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. Texas''s Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Heritage Civil Liberties. Speech and Press (Expression). Remonstrance. Religion. Rights of the Accused. Civil Rights. Citizenship. Voting. Equal Protection. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights and Political Change. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights and Democracy. 14. Economic and Social Policies. The Texas Econ