California Politics: A Primer / Edition 5

by Renée B. Van Vechten

Overview

The thoroughly revised Fifth Edition of California Politics: A Primer concisely explains how California’s history, political culture, rules, and institutions come together to shape politics today and how they will determine the state of affairs tomorrow. Author Renee B. Van Vechten begins with a brief political history of California, then walks through direct democracy, the legislature, executive branch, and court system. She covers local government and concludes with a discussion of the state’s budget process, campaigns and elections, political engagement, and policy issues. From the structure of the state's government to its local representatives, policies, and voter participation, California Politics: A Primer delivers the concepts and details students need.

New to the Fifth Edition

• An emphasis on California’s place in the federal system provides you with context around the state leadership's resistance to Trump administration policies on things like California’s sanctuary state status, immigration, the environment, and more.
• Increased coverage of policy topics throughout the book helps you see how recent policy has impacted issues such as greenhouse gas emissions regulations, attempted “fixes” for water- and drought-related issues, new transportation projects, and prison reform.
• Extended discussions of elections-related innovations introduce you to recent elections-related topics such as the Top-Two Primary, efforts to increase voter registration, all vote-by-mail elections, and redistricting.
• New coverage of the “Five Californias” gives you a better understanding of California’s political geography and how distinct segments of the population are primed for political engagement or disaffection.
• New lists of key terms with clear definitions at the end of each chapter enable you to review the content more effectively.
• New and updated maps and graphics depict important topics such as California’s newly proposed high-speed rail project.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506380353
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	02/19/2018
Edition description:	Fifth Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Renée B. Van Vechten is associate professor of political science at the University of Redlands, where she teaches courses primarily in American Government and California Politics. She received her Ph D in political science from the University of California, Irvine. In 2002–03, she was a Kevin Starr Fellow in California Studies, and in 2008, was honored with the Rowman and Littlefield Award for Innovative Teaching in Political Science, the American Political Science Association's national teaching award at that time. She is also engaged in the scholarship of teaching and learning. A lifelong resident of Southern California, she has spent the better part of her professional life studying, writing, and lecturing about California institutions.

Table of Contents

About the Author ix

Preface xi

1 Introduction 1

Principles for Understanding California Politics 4

2 Critical Junctures 9

Early California 9

The Rise of the Southern Pacific Railroad 11

Progressivism 12

The Power of Organized Interests 15

Growth and Industrialization in the Golden State 15

The Initiative Process Takes Hold 16

Hyperdiversity in a Modern State 18

Recalling a Governor 20

Pushing Ahead With More Reforms 21

The Return of Jerry Brown 22

Conclusion: Political Earthquakes and Evolving Institutions 23

3 Direct Democracy 25

The Statewide Initiative Process 26

Preparation Stage: Drafting, Public Review, and Titling 29

Qualification Stage: Circulating Petitions, Gathering Signatures, and Signature Verification 29

Campaign Stage: Persuading Potential Voters 31

Postelection Stage: Court Challenges and Implementation 31

The Power of the Initiative Process 31

Referendum 34

Recall 36

Direct Democracy at the Local Level 37

Conclusion: The Perils and Promises of Hybrid Democracy 39

4 The State Legislature 43

Design, Purpose, and Function of the Legislature 43

California Representatives at Work 45

Lawmaking and Policymaking 47

Annual Budgeting 56

Constituency Service and Outreach 56

Executive Branch Oversight 57

Leaders 59

Conclusion: Of the People, for the People 60

5 The Executive Branch 63

California's Plural Executive 64

California's Governor 67

Head of State 67

Chief Executive 67

Legislative Powers 67

Budgeting Power 68

Chief of Security 69

Sources of Power 69

The Constitutional Executive Officers 70

Administrators and Regulators 76

Conclusion: Leading State Government 77

6 The Court System 79

The Three-Tiered Court System 80

On and Off the Court 83

Court Administration 85

Juries 86

Criminal Justice and Its Costs 86

Conclusion: Access to Justice 90

7 Other Governments 93

County Government 93

Municipal Governments 97

Special Districts 102

School Districts 103

Regional Governments 104

Federalism 105

Tribal Governments 106

Conclusion: The State's Interlocking Systems 111

8 The California Budget Process 113

California Budgeting 101 114

Mechanics of Budgeting: Revenue 115

Mechanics of Budgeting: Expenditures, Deficits, and Debt 118

Political Constraints on Budgeting 123

Tax Burden: Highest in the Nation? 126

Conclusion: Budgeting Under Variable Conditions 128

9 Political Parties, Elections, and Campaigns 131

Democratic Stronghold, but Weakly Partisan 133

Party in the California Electorate 134

Party in Government 135

Party Organizations 138

Elections: Continuity and Change 139

California Campaigns 142

Conclusion: A Complex Electorate 144

10 Political Engagement 149

Citizens and Politics 149

Predictors of Political Participation and Disengagement 149

The Five Californias 150

One Percent 152

Elite Enclave 152

Main Street 152

Struggling 153

Disenfranchised 153

News and Media Habits 153

Types of Political Participation 154

Major Voting Trends 155

Special Interest Groups: Indirectly Connecting Citizens to Government 158

Conclusion: An Evolving Political Community 163

11 Concluding Thoughts 165

Notes 173

Index 191

Editorial Reviews

A thorough yet concise overview of California institutions, politics, and initiative process, grounded in an overview of California’s political culture.”

Ronnee Schreiber

California Politics provides students with the nuts and bolts necessary to understand what goes on in Sacramento, while also giving them the tools they need to delve deeper into the process if they desire.”

David Fisk

Van Vechten renders the material approachable. Her writing style has a narrative flow, but the language is not simplistic. The clear visuals assist students in honing their abilities to comprehend non-narrative information.”

Maria Sampanis

I feel the text covers the basics of state government in California and provides a solid foundation from which to expand an examination of the system of government in the golden state...One of the better texts covering the California government.

Steven Marin

This text does an excellent job providing a broad-based understanding of the California governance. It is easy to read and the publisher provides resources to assist in teaching.

Dr. Roger Lang

"Van Vechten's book is the best introduction to California politics available. Covering topics from direct democracy to citizen engagement, her analysis of California politics is of such high quality that I often use this book as my main political science textbook, even in American politics courses. "

David Selby

The strengths of Van Vechten’s text are its brevity and its preference for straight talking. Students appreciate the absence of hyperbole and exaggeration that tends to accompany a lot of the discussion of California politics. I am relieved to have found the book, especially since it is so much more affordable and readable than others. ”

Sarah John

The Van Vechten text is balanced, covers the state’s history well for a short book, has a healthy skepticism about California’s direct democracy system, is brief, and is good value for the price. A number of students commented that the book was easy to read, understandable, and they liked that it didn’t talk down to them. Very few Californians understand the consequences of the structural nature of many of California’s problems and Van Vechten does a good job of pointing these out.”

Diana Dwyre