The most popular book for this course, TEXAS POLITICS TODAY offers a wide range of viewpoints from multiple authors, each a recognized authority on the Lone Star State. The new edition encourages critical thinking and civic participation with ideas for how to get involved, questions to debate, and current-events based essays throughout. Its rich and nuanced presentations of the interaction between political elites and public opinion provide a realistic picture of the Texas political system and its decision-making processes while it also provides the latest on demographic changes, redistricting, and the 2012 election results. Packed with instructional help and up-to-the-minute information, TEXAS POLITICS TODAY provides a thorough, candid analysis of government that not only increases your awareness of state policy and its effect on your life but also motivates you to get politically involved.