Book excerpt: "There is something to be said for experience. Between the two of us, the authors of this text have over five decades of teaching Texas government in the classroom, and almost that many years writing about it. But in our rapidly changing world, the ability to adapt to change is fundamentally important. Among the most notable agents of change in Texas government over the last decade has been the successful launch of the Texas Tribune, an online newspaper devoted to covering Texas politics with an emphasis on helping readers not only know but understand what is happening with the state's government. This non-partisan endeavor is the largest organization covering state politics anywhere. They are experts at providing analysis and process vast data sets into usable content. With our experience and the Tribune's analysis and immediacy, our aim is to create content that is readable, up-to-date, and meaningful to you as a student. You will have the opportunity to engage in Texas government instead of simply reading a textbook. The narrative text you'll find here covers the key concepts in Texas government. But to get the full Texas Experience with current Texas Tribune content integrated, you'll want to access the title in Revel. There you will find interactive resources that will bring the course to life, illustrate how these core concepts affect you and your community every day, help you become an informed consumer of the news, and empower you to make a difference in state and local politics now and throughout your life. Our approach in writing this book is simple. First, be realistic. Texas politics is less a debate about ideology and theory than it is a pragmatic discussion of what works"--