texas gov midterm

The traditional Texas myths have been most relevant for __________.

Anglos

Which racial or ethnic group constitutes the largest percentage of the Texas population?

Anglos

Which Texas demographic group has the highest levels of education?

Asians

Which statement concerning the population groups in Texas is true?

During the Civil War, African Americans outnumbered Hispanics in the state.

Why does the Texas Constitution formally acknowledge the supremacy of the U.S. Constitution?

Former Confederate states needed to include such language to be readmitted to the Union.

Which of the following is most consistent with the individualistic political subculture?

Government intervention in private activities should be kept to a minimum.

Which of the following best describes Texas's tax system?

Lower-income individuals pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than do the wealthy.

Who campaigned for Texas's admission to the United States in his presidential race?

James K. Polk

Which Supreme Court case ruled that the federal government had implied powers of chartering a national bank?

McCulloch v. Maryland

Which of the following accurately describes the trade relationship between Texas and Mexico?

Texas exports more than $100 billion worth of goods to Mexico

When Texas was joined with Coahuila as a Mexican state (Coahuila y Tejas), what was Mexico's general attitude about Texas?

Texas was simply a buffer zone between Mexico and the United States.

What is the best interpretation of a poll that states that 48 percent of Texans support gay marriage and 52 percent are opposed to gay marriage, with a 3 percent margin of error?

The evidence is not clear whether more Texans are in favor of gay marriage or are opposed to it (as the results are within the margin of error).

Which of the following best describes the federal government's efforts to raise the drinking age to 21?

The federal government took away federal highway funds from states that did not raise their drinking age to 21 within a specified period.

Which of the following accurately describes the Hispanic population in Texas after independence?

The percentage of the population that was Hispanic was small and declining due to the arrival of Anglo immigrants.

Which statement concerning poverty in Texas is true?

The poverty rate in Texas is higher than the national average.

Which of the following Supreme Court decisions restricted federal authority and enhanced state authority?

United States v. Lopez

The Constitution of 1876 claimed to create a free and just society. How did the Constitution fail to live up to this declaration?

Women and minorities were not afforded full political participation.

Under the current Texas constitution, the executive branch is characterized by __________

fragmentation of authority

Which constitutional clause ensures that official governmental actions of one state are accepted by other states?

full faith and credit clause

People in the political participation group known as campaigners __________.

get involved in political campaigns but rarely participate in community activities

In which type of community is there increased efficacy among minorities and higher voter turnout?

heterogeneous

In general, which describes the economy of Texas?

highly diversified, based on a wide range of industries and economic sectors

Texas was settled primarily by people from which political subculture(s)?

individualistic and traditionalistic

Those with high __________ believe they have the skills, knowledge, and ability to influence politics.

internal efficacy

The frontier myth is most helpful for understanding contemporary Texas attitudes about

land use

Compared to other states, Texas generally spends....

less on educating each of its students

Which of the following is a major guiding principle embedded in the Constitution of 1876?

limited government

The Constitution of 1876 emphasized...(texas)

local control

Like most other states, Texas lobbies the federal government for relief from...

mandates and preemptions

Which type of poll is best if a researcher desires in-depth information?

personal interview

Which model of federalism argues that policy arenas and political relationships cut across all levels of government?

picket-fence

What term is used to describe Texans' shared views of their history and culture, even though they may only have a vague or ill-defined understanding of them?

political myths

The frequency with which a person participates in organized religion is his or her __________.

religiosity

Under the U.S. Constitution, the powers of the states are protected by which constitutional principle?

reserved powers

Which public policy is most consistent with the principles of a unitary system of government?

setting national test standards for all elementary students across the country

Which issue initially blocked the possibility that Texas would join the United States in the 1840s?

slavery

What does the Texas Constitution have that is largely missing from the U.S. Constitution?

statutory language

Which agent of socialization is thought to be less influential now than it was fifty years ago?

the family

What is it called when poll results make it seem that the public is more concerned about an issue than it really is?

the illusion of saliency

What component of the Texas cowboy myth continues to influence Texas politics?

the notion of rugged individualism

Which of the following provisions is included in the Texas Constitution but not the U.S. Constitution?

the right to a public education

Which governments are most likely to be successful in receiving competitive grants from the federal government?

those that devote large amounts of staff resources to pursuing grants

Which statement about the devolution of national powers to the states is accurate?

Bill Clinton successfully fought for additional state influence over welfare policy.

Of the following groups, which tends to be most supportive of the Republican Party?

Christian evangelical fundamentalists

Historically, which political party has been viewed as the "party of the people"?

Democrats

Which department of the federal government is tasked with securing the border between Texas and Mexico?

Department of Homeland Security

Which statement best describes the contemporary Texas economy?

Despite some recent events such as the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and setbacks in oil production, the Texas economy has shown considerable resilience.

Which statement about population growth in Texas is true?

In-migration from other states helped transform Texas into a Republican-dominated state.

How does Texas's size impact its politics?

It contributes to expensive political campaigns.

Which of the following was a provision of the Constitution of the Republic of Texas?

It prohibited members of the clergy from serving in Congress or as president.

Why is Texas known as the Lone Star State?

It was an independent republic prior to statehood.

Which statement about the issues facing Texas is true?

Most are recurring issues.

Which statement best describes the convention delegates who wrote the Constitution of 1876?

Most had governmental experience and desired to restrict government authority due to abuses during the Reconstruction era.

What marked the beginning of cooperative federalism?

New Deal

Which reduced tariffs among the United States, Mexico, and Canada?

North American Free Trade Agreement

Why are people concerned about the overuse of public opinion polls by politicians?

Politicians can be more concerned about having a good showing in the polls than about visionary leadership.

Why were there few African Americans in Texas prior to independence?

Slavery was prohibited by Mexican law.

Which statement about Native Americans in Texas is true?

They constitute less than 1 percent of the state's population and play a very minor role in the state's political system.

If the federal government has primary responsibility for immigration policy, why did Alabama and Arizona recently enact laws designed to discourage illegal immigration?

They felt that the national government was not effectively securing the border.

When did the United States have a confederal form of government?

before 1789

Which of these is considered by some but not most to be unconventional political behavior?

boycotts

Which of the following groups of Texans is most likely to believe that Texas government works well?

business owners

Which of the following is most likely to increase political efficacy?

civic engagement

What most commonly causes gradual change in aggregate public opinion?

cohort replacement

Sources of gradual change in American public opinion include __________.

cohort replacement, changing technology, and geographic mobility

Which group tends to be most supportive of First Amendment freedoms?

college graduates

Overall, Texas political culture is best described as __________.

conservative

Voting, running for office, and writing letters to elected officials are examples of __________.

conventional political behavior

Which of the following is widely regarded as an important constitutional function?

defining societal principles

When is the American public most united?

during a crisis

Who is most likely to benefit from a society with a traditionalistic subculture?

elites

Generally speaking, which of these has the most support from the American public?

equality of opportunity