Illinois Politics

Melissa Mouritsen is an associate professor of political science at the College of DuPage and the coeditor of Twenty-First Century Chicago. Kent D. Redfield is emeritus professor of political science at University of Illinois Springfield and the author of Money Counts: How Dollars Dominate Illinois Politics and What We Can Do About It. James D. Nowlan writes the newspaper column “Understanding Illinois” for the Illinois Press Association. He is the author of Politics, the Starter Kit: How to Succeed in Politics and Government.

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I: Politics



Illinois in Perspective
Power and Influence in Illinois Politics
Elections
Political Corruption

Part II: Institutions



Constitutions
The Legislature
The Executive
The Courts and Criminal Justice Policy
Local Government and the Intergovernmental Web

Part III: Policy



Budgeting, Taxing, and Spending in Illinois
Rules of the Game
Education
People Services
Buffeted by Change, Illinois Continues as Hub of the Midwest

Notes  

Index