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| Preface | |
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| About the Authors | |
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| The Context of Texas Politics | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Texas History: A Chronology | |
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| The Earliest Days | |
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| Anglo-American Colonization | |
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| Revolution | |
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| Early Statehood | |
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| Post-Civil War Texas | |
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| The Late Nineteenth Century | |
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| The Early Twentieth Century | |
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| Wars and Depression | |
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| Post-World War II Texas | |
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| Gradual Political Change | |
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| Late-Twentieth-Century Texas | |
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| Modern Times | |
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| Texas as a Democracy | |
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| Texas and American Federalism | |
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| Texas in the International Arena | |
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| The Texas Political Culture | |
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| Economy, Taxes, and Services | |
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| The People of Texas | |
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| The Census | |
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| The Political Relevance of Population | |
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| The Plan of This Book | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| The Constitutional Setting | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Purposes of Constitutions | |
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| Legitimacy | |
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| Organizing Government | |
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| Providing Power | |
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| Limiting Governmental Power | |
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| Texas Constitutions | |
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| The Present Texas Constitution | |
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| General Features | |
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| Specific Features | |
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| Constitutional Revision | |
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| Overview of the Need for Reform | |
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| Recent Reform Efforts | |
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| Constitutional Politics | |
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| Something for Everyone | |
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| The Political Process | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| Interest Groups | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Interest Groups | |
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| Definition | |
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| Classification | |
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| Interest Groups in the Political Process | |
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| Lobbying | |
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| Who Are the Lobbyists? | |
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| What Lobbyists Do and How They Do It | |
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| Regulation of Lobbying | |
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| Major Interest Groups in Texas | |
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| Texans for Lawsuit Reform | |
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| Doctors | |
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| Lawyers | |
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| The Christian Right | |
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| Organized Labor | |
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| League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) | |
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| Teachers | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| Political Parties | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Ideology | |
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| Conservatism | |
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| Liberalism | |
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| Ideology in Texas | |
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| Political Socialization | |
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| Family | |
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| Schools and Churches | |
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| Media | |
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| Evaluation | |
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| Interests | |
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| Texas Political Parties: A Brief History | |
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| Functions of Political Parties | |
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| Party Organization | |
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| The Temporary Party Organization | |
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| Permanent Party Organization | |
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| The (Un)Importance of Party Organization | |
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| Two Parties, Three Factions (or Perhaps Four) | |
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| Republicans | |
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| Conservative Democrats | |
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| Liberal Democrats | |
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| The Uncertain Future of the Democratic Party | |
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| Third Parties in Texas | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| Voting, Campaigns, and Elections | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Voting | |
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| Why Vote? | |
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| Suffrage | |
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| Registration | |
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| Texas Turnout | |
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| Government by the People? | |
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| Why Don t Texans Vote? | |
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| The Consequences of Nonvoting | |
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| Election Campaigns | |
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| Campaign Resources | |
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| Negative Campaigning | |
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| Public Elections | |
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| Primary Elections | |
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| General Elections | |
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| Special Elections | |
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| Absentee or Early Voting | |
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| Recent Elections in Texas | |
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| Elections of 1994 through 2004 | |
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| Election of 2006 | |
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| Election of 2008 | |
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| Election of 2010 | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| The Texas Legislature | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Functions of Legislative Bodies | |
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| Structure of the Legislature | |
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| Size, Elections, and Terms | |
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| Sessions | |
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| Legislative Districts | |
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| Party and Factional Organization | |
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| Compensation | |
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| Membership Characteristics | |
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| Formal Qualifications | |
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| Personal Characteristics | |
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| Experience and Turnover | |
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| Legislative Officers and Committees | |
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| Presiding Officers | |
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| Legislative Committees | |
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| Legislative Staff | |
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| Powers of the Presiding Officers | |
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| Procedural Powers | |
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| Institutional Powers | |
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| Limits on Presiding Officers | |
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| How a Bill Becomes a Law in Texas | |
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| Step One: Introduction and Referral | |
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| Step Two: Committee Action | |
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| Step Three: Floor Action | |
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| In the House: Steps One through Three Repeated | |
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| Step Four: Conference Committee | |
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| Step Five: The Governor | |
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| Legislative Dynamics | |
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| Handicaps | |
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| Changing Alignments | |
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| Nonlegislative Lawmaking | |
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| Evaluation and Suggested Reforms | |
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| Legislative Structure | |
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| Legislative Process | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| The Governor | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Basic Structure of the Governor's Office | |
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| Election | |
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| Term of Office | |
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| Tenure | |
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| Impeachment and Succession | |
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| Compensation | |
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| Staff and Organization | |
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| Qualifications for Governor | |
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| Formal Qualifications | |
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| Personal Characteristics | |
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| Roles of the Governor and Limits on Those Roles | |
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| Formal Roles and Limitations | |
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| Chief Executive | |
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| Chief Legislator | |
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| Commander in Chief/Top Cop | |
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| Chief of State | |
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| Chief Intergovernmental Diplomat | |
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| Informal Roles and Limitations | |
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| Chief of Party | |
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| Leader of the People | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| The Administrative State | |
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| Introduction | |
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| State Administrative Agencies | |
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| Agencies with Elected Executives | |
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| Agencies with Appointed Executives | |
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| Boards and Commissions | |
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| Big Government: How Did It Happen? | |
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| Postwar Growth | |
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| 1980 On | |
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| Characteristics of Bureaucracy | |
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| Traditional Characteristics | |
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| Modern Characteristics | |
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| Bureaucratic Survival Techniques | |
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| Sources of Bureaucratic Power | |
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| Bureaucratic Involvement in the Policymaking Process | |
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| What Happens to the Public Interest? | |
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| Bureaucratic Orientation | |
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| Overstepping the Law | |
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| Harnessing the Administrative State | |
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| How Much Accountability to the Chief Executive? | |
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| How Much Accountability to the Legislature? | |
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| How Much Accountability to the Public? | |
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| Is There Accountability? | |
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| Suggested Reforms | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| The Judiciary | |
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| Introduction | |
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| The Myth of the Nonpolitical Judiciary | |
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| The Players in the System of Justice | |
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| The Attorney General (AG) | |
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| Lawyers | |
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| The State Bar of Texas | |
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| The Court System | |
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| Municipal Courts | |
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| Justice Courts | |
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| County Courts | |
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| State Trial Courts: The District Courts | |
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| Intermediate State Appellate Courts: The Courts of Appeals | |
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| Highest State Appellate Courts | |
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| Juries | |
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| Grand Juries | |
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| Trial Juries | |
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| Police | |
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| Removal and Reprimand of Lawyers and Judges | |
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| Issues Facing the Texas Judiciary | |
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| Too Much Crime, Too Many Criminals | |
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| Judicial Selection | |
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| Equal Justice? | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| The Substance of Justice | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Civil Liberties | |
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| Freedom of Expression | |
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| Freedom of Religion | |
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| A Right to Keep and Bear Arms? | |
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| Abortion | |
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| Civil Rights | |
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| School Segregation | |
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| Education: A Basic Right? | |
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| Civil Rights in Modern Texas: Jasper and Tulia | |
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| Civil Rights for Convicted Criminals | |
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| Capital Punishment | |
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| Torts and Tort Reform | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| Local Government | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Counties: One Size Fits All? | |
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| Historical and Legal Background | |
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| Organization and Operation of County Government | |
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| County Politics | |
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| An Evaluation of County Government | |
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| Cities: Managed Environments | |
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| Organization of City Government | |
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| City Politics | |
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| Special Districts: Our Hidden Governments | |
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| What Is a Special District? | |
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| Why Special Districts? | |
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| Assessment of Special Districts | |
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| School Districts | |
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| Local Government: Prospects for the Future | |
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| Finance | |
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| Other Issues | |
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| Leadership in Local Government | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| The State Economy and the Financing of State Government | |
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| Introduction | |
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| The Texas Economy | |
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| Heart of the Economy | |
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| Boom and Bust | |
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| Creating a Favorable Business Climate | |
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| Where Does the Money Come From? | |
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| Collection and Administration | |
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| Nontax Sources of Revenue | |
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| Taxation | |
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| The Tax Burden in Texas | |
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| Who Benefits? | |
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| Contemporary Issues | |
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| Where Does the Money Go? | |
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| Planning and Preparation | |
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| Authorization and Appropriations | |
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| Execution/Spending | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| Public Policy-People | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Poverty, Welfare, and Health Care | |
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| Poverty in Texas | |
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| The Players and the Major Programs | |
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| Recent Policy Developments | |
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| Analysis | |
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| Education Policy | |
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| Education Reform | |
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| Nontraditional Education Proposals | |
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| Texas Textbooks and Curricula | |
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| Texas Higher Education | |
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| Analysis | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| Public Policy-Resources | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Water Supply | |
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| Urban Dwellers versus Farmers | |
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| Private Property Rights versus State Regulation | |
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| Economic Development versus Environment | |
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| Interbasin Transfers and Dam-Building | |
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| Energy Supply | |
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| Sources of Energy | |
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| The Politics of Energy in Texas | |
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| Protecting the Environment | |
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| NIMBY and YBNIIMP | |
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| Texas and Environmental Protection | |
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| Public Policy and Private Interests | |
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| The Problems Continue | |
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| Transportation | |
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| The Costs of the Internal Combustion Engine | |
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| Which Way Transportation Policy? | |
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| Summary | |
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| Glossary Terms | |
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| Notes | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Index | |