Which of the following is not a reason for escalating gubernatorial campaign costs

  • Summary

  • Contents

  • Subject index

No previous book has pulled together into one place a single, comprehensive volume that provides up-to-date coverage of state government and politics, along with the states' current and future public policies. This new book does just that, offering students, scholars, citizens, policy advocates, and state specialists accessible information on state politics and policy in 34 topical chapters written by experts in the field.

The guide provides contemporary analysis of state institutions, processes, and public policies, along with both historical and theoretical perspectives that help readers develop a comprehensive understanding of the 50 U.S. states' complex and changing political spheres.

Those who use this volume—from experienced scholars to neophytes—can rely upon the guide to provide: Basic factual information on state politics and policy; Core explanatory frameworks and competing arguments; Insightful coverage of major policy areas as they have played out in the states.

Chapter 18: Gubernatorial Backgrounds, History, Elections, Powers

Gubernatorial Backgrounds, History, Elections, Powers

Gubernatorial backgrounds, history, elections, powers

and Joseph J.Foy

GOVERNORS ARE THE EPICENTER OF politics in the American states. As the most visible, salient actors in state government, governors wield ...

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  • Summary

  • Contents

In this era of renewed federalism, state governments take center stage advancing ambitious legislative agendas, pioneering innovative public policy, and providing much needed political leadership. The “devolution revolution” of the 1990s transferred many of the nation's principal domestic programs from federal to state management, often without transferring the necessary funding. This combination of expanded responsibilities and deficient resources has left many states in financial turmoil—unable to fulfill policy promises. At the same time, escalating concerns over national security have prompted the federal government to reclaim more authority. The State of the States captures both the tensions and opportunities at the forefront of state politics. This fully up-to-date fourth edition assembles the preeminent voices on the most important topics facing state governments today. Important new coverage includes:the debilitating challenges governors face in an era of ballooning gubernatorial stature and performance expectations, reflected in the removal of Gov. Gray Davis (D-CA) and the departures of Gov. John Rowland (R-CT) and Gov. Jim McGreevey (D-NJ).the adoption of legislative term limits by referenda—illustrating the unmerited public distrust of the legislature—and the consequent movement of legislators to other public offices.the reputation of state courts for “liberal activism,” with controversial verdicts on such issues as abortion and same-sex marriage, as well as decisions in favor of tort reform and the rights of criminal defendants. the growing emphasis on performance measures as an accountability tool for state agencies. the rigorous standards and uniformity of the federal No Child Left Behind Act for which states are paying the price. the development of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which devolved authority for welfare programs back to the states after nearly six decades of federal control. the continuous debate over health policy, including the decades-long struggle to remedy health insurance coverage gaps and the more recent push to promote embryonic stem cell research.

Chapter 4: Being Governor

Being Governor

Being governor

Since the 1960s, state government and politics have been in a state of change. Reform has been most apparent in the governorships of the fifty states. Individually, governors have been strengthened and have become the key political and governmental leaders in their states. As a group, they have worked to solidify their position within the federal system but now find their roles within their states so compelling and difficult, especially with a federal government on retreat from domestic matters and an economy in trouble, that they have little time to spend on national concerns.

This change in the governorships has had ramifications in other areas of states' political and governmental policy systems. Conflicts have grown between the governors and certain other actors ...

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