U.S. and Texas Demographics Revised September, 2011 United States Population Expected to reach 400 million in 2043. As of the 2010 Census 1, there were more than 308.7 million people (50.8% women, 49.2% men, and 24% children under age 18) in the U.S. (a 9.7% increase from the 2000 Census when the population was 281.5 million with a 43% increase in the Hispanic population); 200 million in 1967; and 100 million in 1915. The Census Bureau reports that the U.S. is projected to remain the third most populous country in the world, behind India and China. In 2050, the order of populous countries will be: India, China, U.S., Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia, and Japan. Texas Texas is the nation s second most populous state 2 with more than 25.1 million people as of the 2010 Census, a 20.6% increase in population from 2000 when the Texas population was 20.9 million. 3 In 1840, there were 200,000 Texans. Texas state officials believe that the U.S. Census Bureau undercounted the population of Texas in both the 1990 and 2000 census. Between 1960 and 2010, the population rate growth of Texas was greater than that of the U.S. Population grew most rapidly between 1970 (11.2 million) and 1980 (14.2 million) which was a decade of significant economic growth. Since 1980, growth has slowed but growth still outpaced national average. By 2040, Texas is expected to have a population of 35 million, and Hispanics will constitute 50% of the population. Advantages of growth: Greater representation for Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives; Bigger share of federal grants 4 ; and Enlarged tax base. Disadvantages of growth: Growth has placed considerable strain on public services in Texas. Between 2001 and 2006, Texas added almost 900,000 residents from immigration and almost 500,000 residents from domestic migration 5. Texas has the highest percentage of residents without healthcare insurance. In 2009, approximately 26.9% of Texans lacked healthcare compared with 15% nationally; 20% of Texas children were uninsured (twice the national rate). 1 The United States Constitution mandates the Census, which was first conducted in 1790. At that time, only about 3.9 million people lived in the entire nation. In 1810, the Census went beyond a simple count of people and began to collect economic data, such as income levels and poverty rates in communities. By 1850, it was gathering social data as well, such as race, ethnicity, and family type. The 2010 Census included U.S. Armed Forces personnel and federal civilian employees serving outside the United States (and their dependents living with them). 2 In 2010, California had a population of approximately 37 million. Wyoming was the least populous state (563,626). 3 Between 2000 and 2010, Texas had the largest population growth. Four states, however, showed a greater increase in percentage population growth than did Texas: Nevada (35.1 % increase), Arizona (24.6%increase), Utah (23.8% increase), and Idaho (21.1% increase). 4 More than $400 billion in federal funds are distributed each year to states and communities based in part on census population data. 5 The migration of people from other states to Texas caused a change in the political climate of Texas. From the end of Reconstruction until the mid-1970s, the Democratic Party dominated Texas politics. The term Yellow Dog Democrat was used to describe the voting habits of many Texans. The phrase was, He would vote for a yellow dog if it ran as a Democrat. People moving to Texas from the 1970s on brought Republican traditions and strengthened the Republican Party in Texas. Page 1
Distribution of population Just over half of the population lives in coastal areas. Counties in the U.S. with negative growth rate are both inland and rural. As of the 2000 census, 80% of the population lives in metropolitan areas with the majority of those people living in urban centers of more than 1 million people. 30 million people age 55 and older live in the suburbs. 7 The population is shifting to the South and West and away from New England and the Midwest. In addition to this intrastate migration, the South and West are growing due to higher birthrates and immigration. Population shifts are important because they affect the political balance in the U.S. House of Representatives. 8 After the 2010 Census, eighteen states had changes in their number of seats. Eight states gained at least one seat, and ten states lost at least one seat. States that gained seats are Texas (+4), Florida (+2), Arizona (+1), Georgia (+1), Nevada (+1), South Carolina (+1), Utah (+1), and Washington (+1). States that lost seats are: New York (-2), Ohio (-2), Illinois (-1), Iowa (-1), Louisiana (-1), Massachusetts (-1), Michigan (-1), Missouri (-1), New Jersey (-1), and Pennsylvania (-1). 9 12% (36 million) of civilian noninstitutional population have a disability. In 2006, Texas ranked 45 th in percentage of immunized children (76%) and has the highest teen birthrate in the U.S. These factors contribute to the poverty level. Texas has the second highest rate of childhood hunger in the U.S. with 1.4 million Texas families unsure where next meal will come from. Texas ranked 48 th in percentage of children above the poverty level (2006-2007). In 2008, the median 6 household income in Texas was $50,043, and the median family income was $58,765, both below the national income levels. In 2009, Texas had 1.6 million veterans. At 267,000 square miles, Texas is larger than most nations. Every type of landform exists in Texas: Mountains in the West (part of Rocky Mountains), plateaus in West Central Texas, plains in West Texas, and hills in the German Hill Country northwest of San Antonio. Population is not evenly distributed across the state. Most populous areas are in the central, south, east, and Gulf Coast regions. Most of the population growth in metropolitan areas has occurred in the suburbs. In the 1990s, Fort Bend County grew by 57%. During the 1990 s, more than one-third of rural counties lost population. Between 1940 and 1950, Texas became an urban state (compared to 1840 when only 5% of the population of Texas lived in urban areas). 88% of Texans now live in urban areas, especially the urban triangle of Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. In fact, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas are among the 10 most populous cities in the U.S. Most African Americans, however, live in rural areas and small towns of East Texas, along the Gulf Coast, and in metropolitan areas. Latinos are concentrated in south and west Texas, especially along the Mexican border from Brownsville to Laredo. Immigration Immigration comprises one-eighth of the population. Today, 40 The foreign population in Texas is younger, poorer, and less well- 6 Median income means that income of half the Texas population is above that income and half the Texas population is below that income. 7 Research shows that men and women who reach their 70s, in general, outlive their ability to drive by 6 and 10 years, respectively. 8 In 1913, Congress set the total number of voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives at 435. Each state receives representation in the House of Representatives in proportion to its population. Each state, however, is entitled to at least one Representative (Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution). As of the 2010 Census, 710,767 was the average number of people each member of the U.S. House represents. Puerto Rico is represented by a nonvoting resident Commission, a position created by Congress in 1946. The District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are all represented by nonvoting delegates. 9 The reapportioned Congress, according to the 2010 Census, will first convene. Page 2
Racial Composition of Immigrants Illegal immigration million in the U.S. are immigrants, and most are Hispanics. Most recent immigrants come from Mexico, Latin America and Asia. Most immigrants settle in CA, TX, NY, FL, NJ, and IL. Positive impact: Increased immigration could provide the balance needed in an otherwise top-heavy age structure in the U.S. population and provide the workforce needed to fill employment gaps. More than half of immigrants from Asia have college degrees or higher compared to 12% of immigrants from Latin America. Most immigrants live in families. Female immigrants (56%) outnumber male immigrants (44%). Pew Hispanic Center findings suggest that American culture transforms female immigrants. More than 3 million children who are U. S. citizens because they were born in the U.S. Most lack health insurance. For most of the U.S. s history, limits on immigration did not exist. 1600 to early 1700s Western Europeans fleeing religious persecution. Late 1700s Slaves from Africa. 1848 Chinese laborers to work on railroads after the Gold Rush. 1850s Irish Catholics escaping the potato famine. 1880s to 1910 Northern and Eastern Europeans. Immigration peaked at 9 million in the first decade of the 1900s. In the late 1980s, nearly 2 million immigrants came to the U.S. in one year. Recently, immigrants have been Southeast Asians, Cubans, and Mexicans. More than 11 million and growing. Almost 5% of workforce. Most people immigrate for economic reasons or to join family members already here. Most work in low wage occupations and earn half as much per person as what U.S. citizens and permanent residents earn. One-half come from Mexico. Majority live in CA, TX, FL, AZ, IL, and NJ. Of the more than 46 million uninsured people in the U.S., less than 7 million are undocumented immigrants. Every proposal of health care reform being considered disqualifies illegal immigrants from receiving educated than the state s native-born residents. In 2004, Texas had 1.4 million undocumented residents with 57% from Mexico. 10 Approximately 75% of the state s foreign-born population is not American citizens. 10 Undocumented workers pay more in state taxes than they receive in services. They add $17.7 billion to the Texas economy through the purchase of goods and services. They pay $1.58 billion in sales, excise, and motor vehicle taxes, but receive only $1.16 billion in state services such as education, healthcare, emergency medical services, and incarceration. Undocumented workers, however, are a drain on local governments. Undocumented workers receive $1.44 billion in local services such as healthcare and law enforcement. They pay only $513 million per year in local sales and property taxes. Page 3
Population diversity federal benefits. Illegal immigrants are already ineligible for Medicaid and Medicare. In fact, even legal immigrants are ineligible for Medicaid for a 5-year period. In 2010, nonwhites comprised more than one-third of the population. The Hispanic population comprised 16.3% of the U.S. population 11, while Africans made up 13.6% of the population. Representation in Congress, however, was nowhere close to those percentages. During the 1990s, Latinos increased by 59%. Latinos are expected to comprise 25% of population in 2050. As of 2009, the U.S. had the second largest size of Hispanic population worldwide. Only Mexico had a larger Hispanic population. Birth rate, rather than immigration, is the primary driving factor in Hispanic growth. Hispanics now account for nearly ¼ of children under the age of 18. Of the total U.S. population: 63% are of Mexican origin; 9% of Puerto Rican origin; 4% of Cuban origin; and 24% other. More than ½ of the Hispanic population in the U.S. reside in just 3 states: California, Texas, and Florida. Hispanics in New Mexico comprise 46% of the total state population, the highest proportion for any state. Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the population growth of Asians at 46% was more than that for any other racial group. Their median household income (2009) was $68,780. In 2009, 50% of Asians 25 and older had a college education or higher, while 20% had a graduate or professional degree. After Spanish, Chinese was the most widely spoken non-english language in the U.S. (2009). In 2008, 47.2% Anglo, 36.5% Hispanic, 11.2% African American, and 5.1% Asian. The combined population of Hispanics, African Americans and Asians is greater than the population of Anglos. Of all Texas residents, 61% were born in Texas, 22% were born in other states, and 16% were born in other countries (70% of these foreign-born residents came from Latin American countries). There are 27 ethnic groups in Texas. American Indians: In Texas, American Indians represent 4 different cultural traditions. The American Indian legacy in Texas is one of individualism from the Comanche tribe and one of farming, trading and fishing from the Caddo tribe. In fact, the name Texas derived from the Caddo s term for friends, Tayshas, which became Tejas and eventually Texas. Today, 3 tribes exist on reservations: Alabama-Coushatta in East Texas; Kickapoo in South Texas along the Rio Grande River; and Tigua in far West Texas near El Paso. Hispanics: In 1850, there were 14,000 Hispanics in Texas (7% of the population). Between 1910 and 1980, the Hispanic population grew by tenfold. In the late 1940s, Hispanics displaced African Americans as the largest minority in Texas. Today, Hispanics comprise a majority of the population in 51 Texas counties. In 2009, Texas had 2,435 Hispanic elected public officials, more than in any other state. African Americans: Before 1836, African Americans comprised 12% of the population of Texas. That increased to 20% in 1840 due to Anglo planters from coastal southern states (especially Alabama, Virginia, Georgia, and Mississippi) moving to Texas and slavery becoming legalized in Texas. Most of these Anglo planters settled in East Texas. By 1860, 13 Texas counties were majority African American, and by 11 The year 2000 was the first time that a Hispanic surname reached the top 15 during a census. Four Hispanic surnames ranked among the 15 most common in 2000. Garcia was number 8; Rodriguez, 9; Martinez, 11; and Hernandez, 15. Page 4
Ages of population In 2010, there were 40 million people over the age of 65 (12.5% of the population) and 6 million of those were over the age of 85. In 2050, it s projected that there will be 35 people 65 and older to every 100 people of traditional working age (ages 20 to 64), up from 22 in 2010. According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, by the year 2020, there will be more people over age 65 than under age 15. By 2030, when the last of the Baby Boomers 12 reach Social Security full retirement age and qualify for Medicare, there will be approximately 71 million people over the age of 65 (19.5 % of the population) with 9.5 million of them over the age of 85. In 2009, median age of people of Mexican descent was 25.6 years compared to 36.8 years for the U.S. as a whole. In 2010, the life expectancy for a woman is 81 years and for a man, 76 years. In the 1780s, life expectancy was 35 years. In 2009, there were 74 men 65 and older for every 100 women in 1865, 33% of the Texas population was African American. In 2002, Texas had 466 African American elected officials (ranking 9 th among the states). Asians: Chinese people were brought to Houston in 1867 to work on the railroads. In the early 1900s, Japanese settled in Gulf Coast colonies. Large numbers of Vietnamese Came to Texas in the 1970s. Houston has the largest Asian American population in Texas. Anglos: Between 1815 and 1836, Anglos moved to Northeast Texas from the upper southern states (Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and North Carolina). In the 1820s, the Mexican government s empresario program brought upper southerners (Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas) to South Central Texas. After 1819, settlers to the Southeastern border area of Texas came from the lower south (mostly poor whites from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama). Therefore, by 1836, more than 60% of Anglos were from the upper south, 25% from the lower south, and 10% from the New England states. Lower Midwesterners (Illinois, Kansas, and Iowa) settled in the upper Panhandle. Median age of 33.6 (in 2010) compared to national average of 37.2. Ten % of the Texas population is over age 65, while 27.6% is under age 18. Birthrate in Texas is second highest in U.S. with 17 babies born per 1000 people. Birthrate for Mexican American women (especially recent immigrants) is 50% more than Latino women not of Mexican descent and women who are African American or Anglo. 12 Baby Boomers were born during an 18 year period from 1946 through 1964. In 2011, the oldest of the Baby Boomers turned 65 and qualified for Medicare. Page 5
Family Composition Children and Education this age group. For those 85 and older, it drops to 46 men per 100 women. In 1949, 49% of families had 4 or more children, compared to only 9% in 2007. In 2007, 56% of families had zero to 2 children. In 1940, 90% of families were traditional families (father, mother, and children). In 2008, 69.9% of children still lived in traditional families, but 25% of children under age 18 lived with one parent (usually the mother). Also, in 2008, 27% of all households were comprised of one person, due to the aging American population and decreased marriage rates. 2010 Census data suggest that there are approximately 902,000 same-sex couples (not individuals) in the U.S. which means that there are 7.7 same-sex couples per 1,000 households. Of those, 60% are female couples, 40% are male, and 22% are raising children. Since 1990, there has been a 64% increase in the number of children living with a grandparent. In Oct., 2009: 77 million children and adults were enrolled in school throughout the U.S. from nursery school to college. $10,499 per pupil expenditure in public schools, elementary through high schools. 43% of elementary through high school students belonged to a minority group. 23% of elementary through high school students had at least 1 foreign-born parent. 50% of 18 and 19 year olds were enrolled in college, and 56% of college students were female. Average annual 2008 earnings of workers 18 and older: No high school diploma $21,023 High school diploma $31,283 College degree $58,613 Advanced degree - $83,144 As of 2010, of all adults 25 and older, highest level of education: No high school diploma 15% High school diploma 29% Some college (no degree) - 17% Associate s degree 9% College degree 15% Advanced degree 11% College degree or higher 30% Page 6
Asians 52% Whites 33% African Americans 20% Hispanics 14% 65 and older 20% In 2010, among the population 25 to 29, population with a college degree or more: Women 36% Men 28% Veterans In 2009, there were 21.9 million military veterans in the U.S., and 1.5 million of those were female veterans. 9 million veterans were 65 and older, while 1.7 million were younger than 35. 1/3 of all living veterans served during the Vietnam era (from 1964 1975). 5.6 million veterans served in peacetime only. 92% of veterans 25 and older had a high school diploma in 2009 (compared to 85% of the population as a whole). Voting 70% of citizens 65 and older reported casting a ballot in the 2008 presidential election. Along with those 45 to 64, people 65 and older had the highest voting turnout rate of any age group. 71% of veterans voted in the 2008 presidential election, compared with 63% of nonveterans. 50% of Hispanics voted in the 2008 presidential election. Economy In July, 2011, there were 153.2 million people 16 and older in the U.S. labor force. The American economy is the largest in the world. The U.S. contains approximately 4.6% of world s population, but produces 21.1% of the world s economic output. The average American enjoys greater purchasing power, which correlates to standard of living, than people in the U.K., Canada, Germany, Japan, and Mexico. The average American, however, has less purchasing power than people in the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland). In 2010, Mexico was the U.S. s 3 rd -leading trading partner after Canada and China. In 2010, the value of goods traded between the U.S. and Mexico was $393.0 billion. The U.S. economy is affected by the global economy through arrangements like NAFTA (international accord to lower trade barriers among the countries of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico) and the World Page 7 Historically, the Texas economy was based on the sale of agricultural commodities, such as cotton and cattle, and raw materials like oil and gas. Since the Texas economy was tied to commodity prices, the economy was characterized by booms and busts. The distribution of income within the Texas population was lopsided. Agriculture and oil produced great income for major landowners. More Texans, however, were farm workers or oil-field roughnecks who were poorly paid and poorly organized, unlike the workers in automobile plant and steel mills in the Midwest and east coast of the U.S. The Texas economy sagged in the 1980s as oil prices fell to more than half the price in the 1970s. In 1981, the petroleum industry contributed 27% of the state s gross state product (GSP). In 1999, however, the industry contributed only 7.5% to the GSP, due to the lower price for crude oil and America s greater dependence on foreign oil. Three major technological revolutions have shaped the economic life of Texas.
Trade Organization. The global economy has been a feature of the capitalist system for centuries. In recent years, however, the process of international economic integration has increased rapidly. Trade issues play a prominent role on the nation s policy agenda. Large corporations have achieved access to markets and pools of labor that were previously closed to them. Many jobs have been transferred to countries where labor laws are lax and costs are low. Producers in poorer parts of the world have sometimes been hurt by competition from multinational corporations headquartered in rich countries. First, in the 19 th and early 20 th centuries, the economy was based on the production of agricultural products such as cotton and cattle. The newly built railroad system also affected the economy. Second, in the mid to late 20 th century, the economy was based on the production of oil and industries that cheap oil made possible. Third, today the economy is diversifying into the high-tech industries, including companies that produce semiconductors, microprocessors, computer hardware, software, telecommunications devices, fiber optics, aerospace guidance systems, and medical instruments. The high-tech sector also includes biotechnology industries that produce new medicines, vaccines, and genetic engineering of plants and animals. The economy of Texas is now diversified and Texas has become part of the global economy. In 2000, Texas companies exported nearly $112 billion of goods to 233 countries around the world. In 2009, Texas was the third largest state economy with a gross state product of $1.25 trillion. Texas has 13 distinct economic regions: The economy in east Texas used to be based on agriculture, timber and oil. Today, it s based on timber and manufacturing. The economy in the Panhandle (Amarillo and Lubbock) was based on agriculture (cotton and wheat), ranching and cattle. Today, it s basically the same with the addition of healthcare. The economy of the Gulf Coast, including Houston, used to be based on the petrochemical industries, manufacturing, shipping and fishing. The economy has recently diversified into high-tech industries. This geographical area has the highest concentration of organized labor unions in the entire state. The economy of the border areas was based on agriculture (citrus fruits and vegetables). The passage of NAFTA in 1991 led to a diversification of the economy. The Dallas and Fort Worth metropolitan area is the financial center of Texas. The economy is based on banking, manufacturing, high-tech industries, and aerospace. The midstate region (Waco, Austin, and San Antonio) economy is based on the high-tech industries, education (2 large state universities), and major military bases. Page 8
Income Wealth, poverty, and economic growth Political culture Women s incomes are closer to men s incomes in occupations such as nursing, computer programming, and personal care services. But women s incomes are much lower than men s income among farmers, physicians, and accountants. Overall, the income differences by gender are lower for more highly educated groups than among those with lower education. Also, women tend to work fewer hours per week than men, which affect total income. In 2009, at all levels of education, women earned about 75% of what their male counterparts earned. Women are more likely to be in poverty than men. These economic inequities are even more acute for women of color. STEM In the U.S., the poverty rate is highest among racial minorities. Political culture refers to the widely held, deeply rooted political values of a society. These values are important for the policymaking process because they define the terms of political debate, determine which problems make the policy agenda, and establish the range of acceptable policy options available to policymakers. Democracy is the core of America s political culture. Democracy is a system of government in which ultimate political authority is vested in the people through elections. The 8 criteria of democracy are: right to vote; right to be elected; right of political leaders to compete for In 2008, the median household income was $50,043, and the median family income 13 was $58,765, both below national income levels. 25% of Texas households have incomes less than $25,000 per year, while 20% report incomes over $100,000. 33.2% of Hispanic households, 35% of African American households, 18% of Anglo households, and 18% of Asian households report incomes less than $25,000. For the quarter of January through March of 2011, Texas sales taxes amounted to $5.2 million and total Texas taxes collected totaled approximately $10 million. In 2006, the gross state product (total value of goods and services produced in a state in a year) was $1.09 trillion, behind only CA and NY. If Texas were a nation, it would have the 8 th largest economy in the world (larger than Mexico, Brazil, India, and Canada). From 1990 to 2008, the Texas economy grew faster than the national economy. The average household income, however, has been relatively low in comparison to other states for most of the last century. In Texas, the poverty rate is highest among racial minorities. The poverty rate in Texas is 17.6% compared to 12.6% for the U.S. as a whole. Texas ranks 5 th among the 50 states in the percentage of people living in poverty. The Texas political culture is a hybrid of traditionalistic and individualistic political cultures, reflecting a governing preference for individual responsibility and maintaining traditional social values. States with traditionalistic and individualistic political cultures feature low levels of political participation, less professional bureaucracies, and less competitive political parties. The traditionalist approach is represented by the long history in Texas as a one-party state, low levels of voter turnout, and social and economic conservatism. The individualistic approach is represented by the strong 13 A household is defined as one or more people living in a residence. A family is defined as two or more related individuals, either married or of the same bloodline, in the same household. While household income takes all households into account, family income only takes households with two or more persons related through blood, marriage or adoption into account. Because many households consist of a single person, average household income is usually less than average family income. The measurement is the median, which means that half of the households have lower incomes and half have higher incomes. Page 9
support and votes; free and fair elections; freedom of association; freedom of expression; alternative sources of information; institutions for making public policies depend on votes; and other expressions of citizen preference. Capitalism is the other principal element of America s political culture. It s an economic system characterized by individual and corporate ownership of the means of production and a market economy based on the supply and demand for goods and services. The marketplace determines what goods and services are produced, how they are produced, and for whom they are produced. Therefore, businesses compete to provide quality goods and services at prices that consumers are willing to pay. Capitalism promotes economic growth because only the most efficient business enterprises survive the competition of the marketplace. Government is a capitalist system that plays an indirect role in the economy. For example, the government can regulate producers and it can promote or discourage certain types of private economic decisions through its taxing and spending policies. What government does not do is own businesses and industries or make decisions about the manufacture, distribution, and pricing of goods and services. Political Culture: There are 3 strains of political culture in the U.S. Individualistic political culture This type is an approach to government and politics that emphasizes private initiative with a minimum of government interference. The government s role is perceived to be one of protecting individual rights and ensuring that social and political relationships are based on merit rather than traditional family ties or connections. Religious groups exemplifying this type of culture are Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and Methodists. Moralistic political culture Under this approach, people expect the intervention of the government in the social and economic affairs of state, promotion of the public welfare and advancement of the public good. Participating in public affairs is regarded as a civic duty. This political culture was developed from Puritanism and New England town meetings and spread from New England through the northern states and the west coast. Religious groups exemplifying this type of culture are Quakers, Congregationalists, Mormons, and Jews. Traditionalistic political culture People with this approach believe that government s role is the preservation of tradition and the existing social order. Governmental leadership is in the hands of the Page 10 support for private business, opposition to big government, and faith in individual initiative. Individualistic political culture Immigrants from areas dominated by this type of culture (from the upper South MO, TN, KN, southern IL, southern OH, and parts of PA) settled in north and central Texas in the mid 1800s and in west Texas. Moralistic political culture Texas has received little immigration from areas where the moralistic political culture was important. Massachusetts is dominated by the moralistic political culture, which considers government a positive instrument with a responsibility to enhance the social and economic well-being of its citizens. Traditionalistic political culture Immigrants from areas with a strong traditionalist political culture (lower South LA, Ark, ALA, GA, SC, and FL) settled in east Texas. Also, Mexican American immigrants contributed a traditionalistic view to the Texas political culture.
Socioeconomic context of policymaking International Environment social elite and the level of participation by ordinary citizens in the policymaking process is relatively low. Developed from the plantation society of the South, this culture spread throughout the southern states. Religious groups supporting this approach are Baptists, Presbyterians, and Pentecostals. The U.S. spends more money on its military than the next 14 countries combined. Given the demographics of Texas, the following policy agendas will be high on the list: Since most people live in urban areas: mass transportation, air quality, crime, inner-city development, lower property taxes, strong local schools, and highway construction. Racial and ethnic groups: issues of political representation and opportunities in employment, and access to higher education. Since Texas is a border state: immigration and trade issues. Since African Americans and Latinos lack economic power, and, therefore, political influence, their influence in the policy formulation stages is less than their numerical representation in Texas. Texas state policies favor the concerns of business owners and corporate managers over labor and consumer interests because organized labor and consumer interests are weak. Major policy controversies are often debated from the perspectives of liberalism and conservatism. Liberalism is the political philosophy that favors the use of governmental power to foster development and well-being of the individual. Conservatism is the political philosophy that governmental power undermines the development of the individual and diminishes society as a whole. Liberals and conservatives disagree as to whether the nation s social and economic problems are best addressed by the government or by private initiative. The Reagan First Bush model of conservatism included limited government, tax cuts, traditional values, and military strength. Even though the values of democracy and capitalism are held closely by most Americans, there are differences in views and preferences on policy questions. The political thoughts of liberalism (supporting active, purposeful, and beneficial government) and conservatism (maintenance of customs, laws and tradition to limit the power of government) shape the views of many Americans and help determine the kinds of policies made by government. In a 2009 study conducted by the Center for American Progress, 47% of Americans identified as progressive or liberal and 48% as conservative or libertarian. The rest are unsure or scattered among moderate and other approaches. Progressive attitudes about government and economics are particularly strong among the Millennial Generation, those under the age of 30. Generation X, men and women who are now in their 30s and early 40s, tend to be more conservative. Page 11