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Lone Star Politics
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Lone Star Politics
Tradition and Transformation in Texas

Ninth Edition
Available with:


January 2025 | 592 pages | CQ Press
In Texas, myth often clashes with the reality of everyday government. Explore the state's rich political tradition and modern transformation with Lone Star Politics.

Often considered the gold standard, Lone Star Politics provides students with a comprehensive overview of the material while breathing life back into the study of Texas politics. Utilizing a comparative approach, the authors set Texas in context with other states' constitutions, policymaking, electoral practices, and institutions as they delve into the evolution of its politics. This gives students a strong sense of why Texas Government is the way it is, how it works, and just how unique Texas is among its fellow states.

The highly anticipated Ninth Edition includes a brand-new chapter on Texas Media, along with the "tried and true" updates in every chapter that highlight the push-pull relationship between the state, federal, and local governments.

 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Chapter 1 Introduction
Defining Texas: Key Ideas

 
Defining Texas: Geography

 
Defining Texas: History

 
Texas Statehood

 
Defining Texas: Political Culture

 
Defining Texas: Tradition and Transformation

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 2 Texas Constitutions
Constitutional Government

 
The Federal System of the United States

 
Texas Constitutions

 
The Current System: The Constitution of 1876

 
Criticisms of The Texas Constitution

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 3 Texas Legislature
The Texas Legislature in Context

 
Typologies of State Legislatures: Full-Time and Part-Time

 
Qualifications for Office and Length of Terms

 
Representation: Theories and Demographics

 
Electing The State Legislature

 
Legislative Organization

 
Legislative Process

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 4 Texas Governors
The Office of The Governor

 
Powers of The Governor

 
Informal Powers

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 5 The Plural Executive and Bureaucracy in Texas
The Plural Executive

 
Boards and Commissions

 
Bureaucratic Accountability

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 6 Texas Judicial System
Judicial Federalism and Texas Courts

 
Local Trial Courts

 
State-Level Courts: District and Appellate Courts

 
Judicial Selection

 
Problems with the Texas Judiciary

 
Justice in Texas

 
Criminal Justice in Texas

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 7 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in Texas
Civil Liberties Under the Texas Constitution

 
Rights of the Accused

 
The Struggle for Civil Rights in Texas

 
Voting Rights in Texas

 
Civil Rights for Asian Americans and Native Americans

 
Civil Rights for Women and LGBTQ+ Persons

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 8 Campaigns and Elections, Texas Style
Democracy, Representation, and Elections in Texas

 
Types of Elections in Texas

 
Voting and Voter Turnout

 
Getting on the Ballot in Texas Elections

 
Campaigns in Texas

 
Campaign Finance in Texas

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 9 Political Parties
The Development of Political Parties in Texas

 
Political Parties in Texas

 
Party Organizations

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 10 Organized Interests
Organized Interests in Texas Politics

 
Influencing Policy in Texas Through Organized Interests

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 11 Texas Media
The Role of the Media

 
The Evolution of Media in Texas

 
Social Media

 
Why Local Media Matters

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 12 Local Government in Texas
Local Government: The Basics

 
County Government in Texas

 
Cities

 
Other Forms of Local Government

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 13 Fiscal Policy
The Policymaking Process

 
Sources of State Revenue: Taxes

 
Winners and Losers Under the Texas Tax System

 
Sources of State Revenue: Other Resources

 
Spending and Budgeting

 
Fiscal Policy Tools

 
Winners and Losers Under Texas’s Fiscal Policy

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 14 Energy, Environment, Transportation, and Trade Policies: Transforming Texas
Oil and Gas in Texas

 
Texas Energy

 
Environmental Policy

 
Transportation Policy

 
Texas Trade

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 15 Social Policy: Education, Health, and Immigration
Public Education Policy

 
Higher Education

 
Health and Human Services

 
Immigration Policy

 
Winners and Losers

 
Conclusion

 
Key Terms

 
 
Appendix: Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Texas
 
Glossary
 
Notes
 
Index

Supplements

Instructor Resources
For additional information, custom options, or to request a personalized walkthrough of these resources, please contact your sales representative.

LMS cartridge included with this title for use in Blackboard, Canvas, Brightspace by Desire2Learn (D2L), and Moodle

The LMS cartridge makes it easy to import this title’s instructor resources into your learning management system (LMS). These resources include:
  • Test banks
  • Editable chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides
  • Lecture notes
  • All tables and figures from the textbook
Don't use an LMS platform?

You can still access the online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site.

I have used many Texas Government textbooks over the years, but Lone Star Politics is my favorite. It gives students the important facts of how Texas institutions work but still keeps them engaged. The fun and fascinating Texas characters one encounters in the 'Texas Legends' boxes are worth the price of admission; they encourage my students as they research and write about Texas Legends themselves.

Christopher J. Wolfe
University of St. Thomas

I have used Lone Star Politics in my Texas state and local government classes for the last two years. The authors continue to provide a concise and trenchant overview of Texas politics and institutions. Additionally, the inclusion of imbedded quizzes in Vantage helps students to immediately test their comprehension of the text.

James M. Gaddy
Galveston College
Key features
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
  • The new edition is available in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
    • Flashcards and note-taking tools help students better prepare for class.
    • NEW! Audiobook Player allows students to listen to text content, boosting comprehension and retention. It offers flexible, on-the-go access, engaging both reluctant readers and auditory learners, improving the overall reading experience.
    • The Offline Reading option in the Student Dashboard offers greater accessibility to Vantage’s reading content, regardless of where students are or how strong their internet connection may be.
    • New Texas video animations for the Texas Politics course help students understand key concepts like the Texas constitution, legislature, and voter ID laws.
  • A new co-author, Matthew Newton of Lone Star College - Kingwood, brings his expertise to the new edition.
  • A new chapter on Texas Media (Chapter 11), describes how media affects our understanding of local politics and how media ownership and social media have changed the news landscape.
  • Chapter objectives linked to section headings and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's (THECB) standards have been updated.
  • Thoroughly updated throughout to account for recent developments from the 2023 constitutional amendment election and the 2024 election. Please contact your Sage sales rep for a list of chapter-by-chapter changes.
KEY FEATURES:
  • The book's approach of tradition and transformation provides students with deeper look at the roots, and the making, of Texas.
  • Chapter objectives and Core Assessment questions align with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB) Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM), reinforcing chapter content and ensuring that learning outcomes are achieved.
  • Texas Legends boxes showcase figures and events that have shaped—and continue to influence—Texas politics. Examples include Sam Houston, Barbara C. Jordan, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the "Petticoat" Supreme Court, Molly Ivins, and Texas Supreme Court justice Raul Gonzalez.
  • Federalism in Action boxes appear in nearly every chapter and highlight city and state issues, such as Texas’s response to COVID-19, campus carry, voter I.D. laws, preemption and the Death Star law, and transgender bathrooms.
  • Texas vs. ______ boxes are an extension of the book’s comparative method, incorporating a data literacy approach that encourages students to think about how Texas differs from other states.
  • Discussion Starters and Active Learning assignments appear at the end of each chapter to help spark conversation in the classroom and promote communication and teamwork.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapters 1 and 2


Vantage Reference: 
Lone Star Politics - Vantage Learning Platform

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