Description
Book SynopsisWhen it comes to voting, taxes, environmental regulations, social services, education, criminal justice, political parties, property rights, gun control, marriage and a whole host of other modern American issues, the state in which a citizen resides makes a difference. That idea—that the political decisions made by those in state-level offices are of tremendous importance to the lives of people whose states they govern—is the fundamental concept explored in this book. Gary F. Moncrief and Peverill Squire introduce students to the very tangible and constantly evolving implications, limitations, and foundations of America’s state political institutions, and accessibly explain the ways that the political powers of the states manifest themselves in the cultures, economies, and lives of everyday Americans, and always will.
Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: Making a Case for the States Chapter 2: States and the Federal System Chapter 3: State Fiscal Systems Chapter 4: The Policymaking Environment in the States Chapter 5: The Policymaking Capacity of State Governments Chapter 6: Public Policy and the Role of the States in a Changing Federal System Chapter 7: States and Their Local Governments Chapter 8: Elections and Political Parties Chapter 9: Why States Matter Now Index About the Authors
