Chapter 1 Government

Redistricting usually happens every _________ years so that it aligns with the new __________ results

10; census

The Texas legislature meets in regular session for

140 days every odd-numbered year

There are _______ members of the Texas House of Representatives and _________ members of the Texas Senate

150;31

How old does someone have to be to serve in the Texas House?

21 years old

What does a "first past the post" election rule mean?

A candidate for office must win a plurality of votes to assume office.

"Pigeonholing" is a practice in which

A committee chair sets aside a bill

Which factor contributed the most to the increase in the population of Texas?

A natural increase of births in proportion to deaths

The Texas constitution includes all of the following elements EXCEPT

A necessary and proper clause

Article 4 of the Texas Constitution creates

A plural executive, in which executive powers are divided between six different offices.

Which of the following is guaranteed under the Texas Constitution?

A public education system

According to Texas's voter identification law, voters must show __________ to be able to vote.

A valid government-issued picture ID

The people who wrote the Constitution of 1876 wanted to return control of government to "the people", by which they meant

Adult white male citizens of Texas.

The cattle industry became big business in Texas

After the U.S. Civil War

Which of the following statements about Latino voting trends in Texas is most accurate?

Although many Latinos do register to vote, a much smaller number actually go to the polls and vote.

The lieutenant governor is

An official who is elected in a statewide election for a four-year term

The Grange was

An organization of militant farmers that worked for improved conditions for farmers in the late 1800s.

A political party is

An organization of people established to win elections

Candidates running for a nonjudicial office in the state of Texas can raise how much money for their campaign?

An unlimited amount of money

The primary election is held to determine who will

Be the party's nominee in the general election.

The Texas legislature is a

Bicameral body consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate

Under the Republic of Texas, the constitution established a ______ legislature, meaning two bodies, rather than a _______ legislature.

Bicameral; unicameral

In the United States,

Both the federal and state governments are sovereign.

Under the Senate Rules, the lieutenant governor has the power to

Break a tie on any vote

Which type of interest groups often use litigation to represent the interests of their members?

Civil rights interest groups

Voter participation in Texas is ___________ in the United States.

Close to the lowest

Under ___________ federalism, the national government pressures state governments to take on a certain policy by using mandates or funding.

Coercive

As a result of partisan polarization,

Compromise between politicians becomes more difficult.

Who are "Blue Dog Democrats"?

Conservative Democrats located primarily in the southern United States.

Categorical grants are often used with which type of federalism?

Cooperative federalism

What crop in Texas dominated agriculture in the 1870s?

Cotton

The supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution

Declares that the Constitution and laws passed by the national government are superior to all laws adopted by state governments.

The most important factors in predicting who will vote are

Education and income

Redistricting is a process in which

Electoral districts are redrawn

How often do the Democratic and Republican parties in Texas hold state conventions?

Every other year

The notion of ____________, or that different levels of government will assert authority over the same citizens is embodied in both the Texas and U.S. Constitutions. However, because of the __________ clause of the U.S. Constitution, the national government can overrule the Texas government.

Federalism; Supremacy

Special bills are used to

Give an individual or corporation an exemption from state law

Block Grant programs

Give states federal money and also considerable discretion in how those funds are spent.

In order to be eligible to vote in Texas, you must

Have been a resident of Texas for at least 30 days.

How does an individual become a precinct chair?

He or she is elected in the party's primary election.

What was Stephen F. Austin's role in the development of Texas?

He worked with the Spanish government to bring American settlers into Texas.

Which chamber not only is larger but also is subjected to more frequent elections?

House of Representatives

The Texas Constitution provides for a state legislature with more members in the ____________ than in the ____________.

House; Senate

Which city in Texas currently has the largest population?

Houston

In Texas, why were primary elections more important than general elections during most of the twentieth century?

In a one-party state, the winner of the primary would most likely win the general election.

The endorsement of candidates by major large city newspapers tends to be most influential

In down-ballot races that are often ignored by voters.

Which of the following is the largest factor in population growth in Texas?

Increased emigration from other states in the United States

The motor voter law has

Increased the number of individuals registered to vote.

What is the "free rider problem"?

Individuals have an incentive not to take direct action if they can benefit without making any direct contribution

Interest groups form to

Influence government to to adopt policies favored by the group's membership

In what ways are interest groups more effective than private citizens in influencing policy makers?

Interest groups can provide their knowledge and expertise on issues to policy makers

The "revolving door" is used to describe which of the following?

Interest groups' practice of hiring former legislators and government officials as lobbyists

Which new transportation system developed in the 1950s and 1960s fundamentally changed how Texans travel and where they live?

Interstate Highway System

Which of the following is an example of a selective benefit provided by an interest group?

Inviting donors to special conferences

Dark money

Is a form of political money whereby donors can remain anonymous

According to Article 15 of the Texas Constitution, impeachment

Is based on offenses the House and Senate determine are impeachable and not offenses specifically defined in the constitution

If a bill passes the House and the Senate, but in different forms, the bill

Is sent to a conference committee

The tenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Is the "States Rights Amendment"; it reserves all powers not delegated to the national government in the Constitution to state governments.

The Speaker of the Texas House

Is the chief presiding officer of the House of Representatives

In 2011, the state redistricting plan was contested because

It blatantly favored Republican candidates across voting districts.

Why is the voter identification law in Texas controversial?

It may disenfranchise lower-income voters.

Which of the following features are most important to an interest group that seeks to be influential and effective?

Large membership and ample funding

The Shivercrat movement pitted which two groups against each other?

Liberal Democrats and conservative Democrats

The president of the Texas Senate is also the

Lieutenant governor of Texas

The U.S. Constitution and the Texas Constitution are similar in that both

List essential rights for citizens

Individuals who are employed by interest groups to try to influence government policies are called

Lobbyists

Which of the following statements about lobbyists in Texas is most accurate?

Lobbyists may engage with legislators but are required to register with the state.

Which city is located in the Great Plains region of Texas?

Lubbock

Which of the following actions would the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution allow a state like Texas to do?

Manage and regulate its own elections

What was the first federal constitution under which Texas operated?

Mexican Constitution of 1824

How long have Republicans controlled all major statewide elected offices in Texas?

More than 20 years

By the early twenty-first century,

Most Texans lived in urban areas

State conventions certify the

Nominees of the party for statewide offices

What role do Republican and Democratic party caucuses play in determining the chairs of legislative committees?

None; the presiding officers have sole power to choose the committee chairs

Lobbying by a former governor, former lieutenant governor, former legislator, or former aides to these officials is

Not subject to any legal restrictions

The process known as reapportionment

Occurs every 10 years and redistributes congressional seats based on population shifts identified in the U.S. Census

The people who devised the various constitutions for the state of Texas have most often been concerned about which of these issues?

Officeholders, especially in the executive branch, having too broad of powers to achieve their goals.

In a(n) ___________ primary, registered voters can vote in either party's primary but cannot vote in both primaries.

Open

Democrats becoming more liberal and Republicans becoming more conservative is called

Partisan Polarization

A group formed to address environmental concerns in Texas, and it competes among other groups to influence policy. This reflects the democratic idea of a(n)

Pluralistic Society

Signing petitions, protesting, and writing letters to elected officials are all examples of

Political Participation

Under federalism

Power is divided, but a constitution distributes power between a central government and regional government.

Voter turnout in ____________ elections are the highest among all types of elections.

Presidential

Trial lawyers are which type of interest group?

Professional

Public interest groups

Promote consumer, environmental, and general public issues

Over time, the influence of minorities, women and LGBTQ people has diminished the effect of _________ in Texas.

Provincialism

The concept of _________ emphasizes rural values and a belief in limited government.

Provincialism

In the late nineteenth century, Dallas was able to grow into a major city because of which industry?

Railroads

The Republican Party in Texas today is split between _________ and ___________.

Religious social conservatives; economic conservatives

Texas House members differ from Texas Senate members because House members

Represent small districts and are subject to more frequent elections

Which political party has seen greater success with early voting in Texas?

Republicans

Which statement best describes Republicans in the Texas legislature from 1927-1950?

Republicans didn't exist in the state legislature, occupying no seats in either chamber.

Which of the following statements about Republicans and state elections in Texas is accurate?

Republicans dominate state offices.

Which of the following statements about partisanship and geography is most accurate?

Rural areas remain very Republican, urban areas very Democratic, and suburban areas more mixed.

The constitution that replaced the Texas Constitution of 1845 called for Texas to

Secede from the Union.

The main role of the precinct convention is to

Select delegates for the county convention

A system by which farmers would be lent land and equipment in exchange for part of the profits is known as

Sharecropping

Political culture is a term used to describe

Shared values and beliefs about government within a certain region.

The Supreme Court held that states could not restrict voters on account of race in the case of

Smith v. Allwright

The two most powerful political figures in the Texas legislature are the

Speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor

The people of Texas authorize the borrowing of money on behalf of government through

Special elections

When PAC's engage in issue advocacy, they

Spend money, such as funds for television advertisements, on a campaign issue but do not coordinate these activities with the candidate

Often, voters will vote ________ in elections in Texas.

Straight ticket

Today, the Republican Party in Texas mostly represents _______, while the Democratic Party in Texas mostly represents ________.

Suburban, exurban, and rural areas; urban areas

Who led the Grange and Populist movements of the late nineteenth century?

Tenant farmers

Per capita personal income in Texas

Tends to be lower than that of the United States as a whole.

Which constitutional amendment suggests states have considerable power in their relationship to the federal government?

Tenth Amendment

Why would PAC donate money to both candidates running for the same office?

The PAC wants to make sure that it has positive relationship with whomever wins the election

Which statement about the Texas Bill of Rights is accurate?

The Texas Bill of Rights guarantees some rights not found in the U.S. Bill of Rights.

The oil and energy industries are under the regulatory authority of

The Texas Railroad Commission

What happens when an interest group "captures" a government agency?

The agency primarily serves the objectives of the interest group.

Military bases have been an important source of economic development in Texas since

The annexation of Texas by the United States

According to the supremacy clause,

The constitution and laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme law of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state.

An example of cooperative federalism is

The federal government partnering with state and local authorities during emergencies

What is required to convene a special session of the state legislature?

The governor must call for a special session outside a general session

The Constitution of 1869 included which of the following elements?

The incorporation of Fourteenth Amendment guarantees of equality before the law, gubernatorial power to appoint judges, and a reduction in the number of state supreme court judges

Interest groups tend to give the majority of their money to

The incumbent candidate

What contributes to low voter turnout in Texas?

The lack of party competition

What was the relationship between elected officials in Texas state government and the Obama administration in addressing issues such as education, health care, immigration, and voting?

The leadership of Texas State government did not agree with Obama's policies and, in fact, sued the administration 46 times.

Article 8 of the Texas Constitution deals with taxation and revenue. If a personal income tax were to be adopted, what does this article require?

The legislature would need to pass, and the voters, approve of another constitutional amendment tot overturn the current amendment the prohibits an income tax in Texas.

Under dual federalism

The national government's role is limited to providing for national defense, foreign policy, and supporting commerce

Which of the following statements the Texas Ordinance of Secession in 1861 is accurate?

The ordinance proclaimed that state government was established by and for the Whites.

Which of the following most often serves as an informational "shortcut" for voters in deciding whom to choose when voting?

The party affiliation of the candidate

Which level of government provides regulations for birth, death, marriage, and divorce?

The state governments

If a Texas community wishes to incorporate and establish a local government, it must request approval from

The state legislature

What is the outcome for the vast majority of bills that are assigned to committees in the Texas legislature?

They are pigeonholed by the committee chair

If Congress passes a law requiring states to install wheelchair-accessible elevators in public buildings but does not provide funding for the associated costs of doing so, Congress has passed what is known as a(n)

Unfunded Mandate

If the governor does not like specific provisions of an appropriations bill passed by the legislature, he or she can

Use the line-item veto to remove those portions from the rest of the bill

Campaign contributions from interest groups are

Used for expenses associated with holding office.

How important is it for lobbyists to provide information to lawmakers?

Very important, as lobbyists have expertise on issues to offer members of the legislature

"Presidential Republicanism" is a term used to describe a voting pattern in which voters

Vote Republican for president and Democrat for the state offices

Texas used a system of early registration until 1971 that required which of the following:

Voters had to register to vote more than nine months before the general election and were required register to vote every year.

The Tea Party movement

Was a conservative political movement within the Republican party that arose during the Obama administration

When Texas joined the United States, it

Was allowed to keep control of its public lands.

The Constitution of 1836, which established the government of the Republic of Texas, resembled the U.S. Constitution in that it

Was brief and flexible and established a bicameral legislature and three branches of government.

The Constitution of 1876 was a reaction to the Reconstruction Constitution of 1869 because the 1869 constitution

Was seen as giving the governor too much power.

By granting each state equal representation in the Senate, the U.S. Constitution

Was trying to protect states' rights.

Amendments to the U.S. Constitution that addressed the freedom and rights of the formerly enslaved

Were an outcome of the Civil War

The current Texas constitution was written

When the Reconstruction ended in the 1870s.

The 1869 Supreme Court case Texas v. White resolved which constitutional issue?

Whether states can secede from the United States

The Texas Constitution grants the __________ veto power, and it is used ____________.

governor; actively