Topic 6

Politics and Texas Geography

Goal:

• patterns, processes, and relationships of political space in Texas

Seven Things to Remember

Much of this information comes from Chapter 7 in Jordan. But much has changed in Texas politics since Jordan wrote in the early '80s. However, these are still some key ideas to keep in mind.

1. The political and legal system of Texas reflects the conflict of cultures and internal contradictions.

2. Sectionalism is the rule of Texas politics

• plantation South vs border South
• vote for secession
• vote for women's suffrage
• ERA
• Prohibition
  • Bible Belt vs Catholic and Lutheran southern region of the state
• vote for George Wallace, KKK membership

3. The Panhandle is unique.

Midwestern Republicanism [remember where the people who settled the Panhandle came from--not Texas, but the Midwest. Transportation/communication linkage was toward

4. South Texas is unique.

Past: patron-peon relationship
Present: Democrats, but still more conservative than liberal

5. Until the mid-1970s, Texas was a Democratic state

Populist Party
NOT the party of Lincoln
African-American support

6. Germans were, are, and always will be Republicans.
7. The political culture regions of Texas have changed in the last 20 years.

Texas as a solid GOP state?

Fact 1: In the state primaries on March 12,1996 more votes were cast in
the Republican than in the Democratic balloting for the first time in history.

Fact 2: Republicans took control of the Texas Senate in the election of 1996

"The last time that happened, there were people in blue uniforms running around the state with bayonets on their rifles," said Karl Rove, a Republican political consultant. New York Times, October 14, 1996

Hispanic swing vote? See this article from the Houston Chronicle. It also discusses the rural versus suburban patterns emerging in Texas.

Issues today:

• redistricting
• cumulative voting (see article in ARGOT)
• to combat polarization of voting
• issues related to the threshold of exclusion
• boundaries of Texas: Texas and Oklahoma? Texas and Mexico?
  

Good websites to help you learn more about politics in Texas are...

Project Vote Smart
The Texas Political Resource Page

These next two sites are not unbiased, but give you a feeling for Texas politics

Phil Gramm's Skeleton Closet
The Flat Tax Home Page

You might think I am liberal (and I am!) but go here to see me with one of my favorite women.