Long description:

Shifting demographics. Downstate versus Chicago. Billionaires and bribery. Even veteran observers need a roadmap to track Illinois’ ever-changing political landscape. Melissa Mouritsen, Kent D. Redfield, and James D. Nowlan provide an up-to-date primer on Prairie State politics, government, and policies. Features include:

• Discussions of recent events like the 2015-2017 budget disaster, the response to COVID-19, and the fall of longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan;
• New chapters on corruption, social policies, and the political rules of the game;
• Perspectives on the nuts-and-bolts of campaign funding, the ways political actors acquire power or influence, and many other topics;
• Close examinations of complex issues like the state’s increased polarization and its ongoing fiscal recovery.

Fully revised and expanded, <i>Illinois Politics</i> blends detailed information with expert analysis to offer an essential resource for citizens, students, and public servants alike.

Table of Contents:

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I: Politics

1. Illinois in Perspective
2. Power and Influence in Illinois Politics
3. Elections
4. Political Corruption

Part II: Institutions

1. Constitutions
2. The Legislature
3. The Executive
4. The Courts and Criminal Justice Policy
5. Local Government and the Intergovernmental Web

Part III: Policy

1. Budgeting, Taxing, and Spending in Illinois
2. Rules of the Game
3. Education
4. People Services
5. Buffeted by Change, Illinois Continues as Hub of the Midwest

Index