Texas Politics: Ideal and Reality, Enhanced Thirteenth Edition
By Charldean Newell, David F. Prindle and James W. Riddlesperger, Jr.
Contents
The Context of Texas Politics 3
Texas History: A Chronology 4
The Earliest Days 4
Anglo-American Colonization 5
Revolution 5
Early Statehood 6
Post–Civil War Texas 8
The Late Nineteenth Century 8
The Early Twentieth Century 10
Wars and Depression 11
Post-World-War II Texas 13
Gradual Political Change 14
Late Twentieth-Century Texas 14
Modern Times 15
Texas as a Democracy 17
Texas and American Federalism 18
Texas in the International Arena 18
The Texas Political Culture 20
Economy, Taxes, and Services 24
The People of Texas 26
The Census 26
The Political Relevance of Population 27
Chapter 2
The Constitutional Setting 31
American Federalism 32
Division of Power 32
Federalism at Work 33
Purposes of Constitutions 34
Legitimacy 35
Organizing Government 35
Providing Power 35
Limiting Governmental Power 37
Texas Constitutional Development 37
The Present Texas Constitution 39
General Features 39
Specific Features 40
Bill of Rights 41
Separation of Powers 41
Legislative Branch 43
Executive Branch 44
Judicial Branch 44
Local Government 45
Suffrage 46
Amendments 46
Constitutional Change 46
Overview of the Need for Reform 47
Constitutional Politics 48
Something for Everyone 48
The Political Process 49
Chapter 3
Interest Groups 55
Interest Groups 56
Definition 56
Classification 56
Functions 57
Interest Groups in the Political Process 58
Who Is Organized? 58
Activities 58
Information 59
Electioneering 60
Lobbying 61
Who Are the Lobbyists? 61
What Lobbyists Do and How They Do It 62
Money 62
Persuading the Public 62
Influencing Administrators and Co-Opting Agencies 64
Interest Groups and the Courts 65
Regulation of Interest-Group Activity 66
Major Interest Groups in Texas 67
Texans for Lawsuit Reform 67
Doctors 68
The Christian Right 69
Organized Labor 72
League of United Latin American Citizens 74
Teachers 75
Chapter 4
Political Parties 81
Functions of Political Parties 82
Ideology 82
Conservatism 82
Liberalism 83
Ideology in Texas 84
Political Socialization 85
Family 85
Schools and Churches 86
Media 86
Evaluation 87
Interests 87
Texas Political Parties:
A Brief History 89
Party Organization 93
The Temporary Party Organization 94
Precinct and County Conventions 94
The State Convention 94
Permanent Party Organization 96
Precinct Chairpersons 96
County Executive Committee 96
District Executive Committee 96
State Executive Committee 96
The (Un)Importance of Party Organization 97
Two Parties, Three Factions (or Perhaps Four) 100
Republicans 100
Geographic Distribution 101
Socioeconomic and Ethnic Distribution 101
Conservative Democrats 101
Geographic Distribution 102
Socioeconomic and Ethnic Distribution 102
Liberal Democrats 103
Geographic Distribution 103
Socioeconomic and Ethnic Distribution 103
The Future of the Three-Faction System 103
Third Parties in Texas 104
Chapter 5
Voting, Campaigns, and Elections 109
Voting 110
Why Vote? 110
Suffrage 111
Registration 111
Texas Turnout 113
Government by the People? 113
Why Don’t Texans Vote? 114
The Consequences of Nonvoting 114
Election Campaigns 117
Campaign Resources 117
People 118
Money 118
Where Does the Money Come From? 119
Control of Money in Campaigns 119
The Revenue Act of 1971 121
The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1972 121
The Texas Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1973 121
1991 Ethics Law 121
Hard v. Soft 122
Negative Campaigning 123
Public Elections 124
Primary Elections 124
Texas’s “Open” Primary 124
When Held 125
Administration and Finance 125
General Elections 125
Special Elections 127
Absentee or Early Voting 127
Recent Elections in Texas 127
Elections of 1994 through 2016 128
Election of 2018 129
Chapter 6
The Texas Legislature 133
Functions of Legislative Bodies 134
Basic Facts About the Legislature 135
Size, Elections, and Terms 135
Sessions 136
Regular Session 136
Special Sessions 136
Legislative Districts 136
Mechanics 136
History 137
Compensation 139
Membership Characteristics 139
Formal Qualifications 139
Personal Characteristics 140
Race, Ethnicity, and Sex 140
Occupation 140
Age 141
Other Factors 141
Power and Influence in the Texas Legislature 142
Legislative Officers, Committees, and Staff 142
Presiding Officers 142
Lieutenant Governor 143
Speaker of the House 144
Centralized Power? 145
Legislative Committees 146
Legislative Staff 147
Legislative Budget Board 148
Texas Legislative Council 148
Legislative Audit Committee 148
How a Bill Becomes a Law in Texas 149
Step One: Introduction and Referral 149
Step Two: Committee Action 151
Step Three: Floor Action 151
In the House: Steps One Through Three Repeated 152
Step Four: Conference Committee 153
Step Five: The Governor 154
Legislative Dynamics 155
Handicaps 155
Changing Alignments 156
Nonlegislative Lawmaking 156
Governor 156
Administration 157
Courts 157
Evaluation and Suggested Reforms 157
Criticisms 157
Suggested Reforms 159
Sessions 159
Size 159
Salaries 160
Terms 160
Committees 160
Uncontrolled Lobbying 160
Assessing a Legislative Session 161
THE 86TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, 2019 161
Chapter 7
The Governor 165
Basic Structure of the Governor’s Office 166
Election 166
Term of Office 166
Tenure 167
Impeachment and Succession 168
Compensation 170
Staff and Organization 170
Qualifications for Governor 171
Formal Qualifications 171
Personal Characteristics 171
Conservative 172
Wasp, Middle-Aged Male 173
Attorney/Businessperson, Community Pillar 174
Roles of the Governor and Limits on Those
Roles 174
Formal Roles and Limitations 177
Chief Executive 177
Budgeting 178
Planning 179
Supervising 179
Clemency 180
Chief Legislator 180
Message Power 180
Session Power 180
Veto Power 181
Commander in Chief/Top Cop 182
Chief of State 183
Chief Intergovernmental Diplomat 184
Informal Roles and Limitations 184
Chief of Party 184
Leader of the People 185
Chapter 8
The Administrative State 189
State Administrative Agencies 190
Agencies with Elected Executives 192
Attorney General 192
Comptroller of Public Accounts 192
Commissioner of the General Land Office 193
Commissioner of Agriculture 193
Agencies with Appointed Executives 194
Boards and Commissions 194
Elected Boards and Commissions 194
Ex Officio Boards and Commissions 195
Appointed Boards and Commissions 195
Appointed Boards and Citizens 196
The Case of the Public Utility Commission 196
The Case of the College Governing Board 196
The Case of the Parks and Wildlife Commission 196
Big Government: How Did It Happen? 197
Postwar Growth 197
Devolution Politics Since 1980 198
Characteristics of Bureaucracy 200
Traditional Characteristics 200
Modern Characteristics 201
Bureaucratic Survival Techniques 202
Sources of Bureaucratic Power 203
Clientele Groups 203
The Legislature 203
The Chief Executive 203
The Public 204
Expertise and Information 204
Leadership 204
Internal Organization 204
Bureaucratic Involvement in the Policymaking Process 205
Implementation of the Laws 205
Influencing Legislation 205
What Happens to the Public Interest? 206
Bureaucratic Orientation 206
Overstepping the Law 207
Harnessing the Administrative State 207
How Much Accountability to the Chief Executive? 207
How Much Accountability to the Legislature? 208
Legislative Oversight 208
Texas Sunset Act 209
How much Accountability to the Public? 210
Elective Accountability 210
Open Records and Meetings 210
Whistle-Blower Protection 211
Is There Accountability? 211
Chapter 9
The Judiciary 215
The Myth of the Nonpolitical
Judiciary 216
The Players in the System
of Justice 218
The Attorney General (AG) 218
Lawyers 219
The State Bar of Texas 219
The Court System 219
Municipal Courts 221
Justice Courts 221
County Courts 221
State Trial Courts: The District Courts 222
Intermediate State Appellate Courts: The Courts
of Appeals 222
Highest State Appellate Courts 223
Juries 224
Police 225
Removal and Reprimand of
Lawyers and Judges 225
Issues Facing the Texas Judiciary 225
Too Much Crime, Too Many Criminals 225
Judicial Selection 227
Partisan Elections? 227
Is Justice for Sale? 228
Equal Justice? 230
Chapter 10
The Substance of Justice 239
Civil Liberties 240
Freedom of Expression 240
Freedom of Religion 242
A Right to Keep and Bear Arms? 245
Abortion 246
Civil Rights 248
School Segregation 248
Education: A Basic Right? 249
Civil Rights in Modern Texas:
Jasper and Tulia 250
Civil Rights for Convicted Criminals 253
Capital Punishment 254
Torts and Tort Reform 257
Chapter 11
Local Government 263
Counties: One Size Fits All? 264
Historical and Legal Background 264
Organization and Operation of County Government 265
Structure 265
Apportionment 266
Commissioners Court 266
County Officials 267
County Politics 269
An Evaluation of County Government 269
Structure and Partisanship 269
Management Practices 270
Lack of Ordinance Power 272
Recommendations 272
Prospects for Reform 272
Cities: Managed Environments 273
Organization of City Government 274
The Council-Manager Form 275
The Mayor-Council Form 276
The Mayor-Manager Form 277
The Commission Form 278
Forms Used in General-Law Cities 279
What Form Is Preferable? 279
City Politics 281
Special Districts: Our Hidden Governments 283
What is a Special District? 283
Why Special Districts? 284
Inadequacy of Established Governments 284
Ease of Organization and Operation 284
Private Gain 284
Flexibility 285
Apolitical Approach 285
Assessment of Special Districts 285
School Districts 286
Local Government: Prospects for the Future 286
Finance 286
Revenue 286
Spending 287
Fiscal Woes 287
Other Issues 287
Leadership in Local Government 289
Chapter 12
The State Economy and the
Financing of State Government 293
The Texas Economy 295
Heart of the Economy 295
Boom and Bust 295
Creating a Favorable Business Climate 297
Where Does the Money
Come From? 297
Collection and Administration 298
Nontax Sources of Revenue 299
Federal Grants 299
Borrowing 300
Other Nontax Sources 300
Taxation 301
Fairness and Equity in the
Revenue System 302
Who Pays? 303
Taxes Paid by Individuals 303
Taxes Levied on Businesses 304
Who Benefits? 305
Contemporary Issues 305
Perspectives from the Past 305
What’s Next? 306
How Are Budget Decisions Made? 308
Planning and Preparation 308
Authorization and Appropriation 311
Execution/Spending 311
Where Does the Money Go? 312
Education 312
Health and Human Services 313
Business and Economic Development 314
Other Major Expenditures 315
Chapter 13
Public Policy—People 317
The Public Policy Process 318
The Policy Agenda 318
Mandates 319
Poverty, Welfare, and Health Care 320
Poverty in Texas 320
The Players and the Major Programs 321
Recent Policy Developments 325
Analysis 327
Public Education Policy 328
Education Reform 330
Nontraditional Education Proposals 330
Texas Textbooks and Curricula 331
Analysis 332
Texas Higher Education 332
Issues 333
Analysis 333
Immigration Policy 334
Chapter 14
Public Policy—Resources 339
Climate Change 340
Water Supply 341
Urban Dwellers versus Farmers 342
Private Property Rights versus State Regulation 343
Economic Development versus Environment 344
Energy Supply 346
Sources of Energy 346
Oil 347
Natural Gas 348
Coal 349
Nuclear Power 350
Renewables 354
Efficiency 355
The Politics of Energy in Texas 356
Protecting the Environment 358
NIMBY and YBNIIMP 359
Texas and Environmental Protection 360
Public Policy and Private Interests 360
The Problems Continue 362
Transportation 363
The Costs of the Internal Combustion Engine 364
Which Way Transportation Policy? 365
Strategy Number One: Build More Roads 365
Strategy Number Two: Make Cars Cleaner and Safer 366
Strategy Number Three: Create Alternatives to
Transportation by Automobile, and Persuade
People to Use Them 368
Notes 371
Glossary 389
Index 395