This major revision of a classic text demonstrates the principle that responsible and responsive government still depends upon state level political parties, especially when it comes to the most vulnerable citizens--children, the poor, and the elderly. Marshalling up-to-date references and statistics, a series of biographical profiles, and new chapters on budgetary politics, welfare reform, and educational policy, Morehouse and Jewell bring the wealth of their experience to bear on the arena of government most likely to influence citizens' lives with the greatest impact--state level politics and policies.