Texas Government Exam 2.9

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What happened in Wesbury v. Sanders?

"1 man, 1 vote". Every district had to be at least moderately equal in size so every vote would essentially count the same; Every district must be equally divided by population.

Temporary Committee Interim Committee

"Ad Hoc" committee is for special problems committees between sessions

How much were the Texas Rangers paid per day?

In Texas, the Democratic Party has complete control of state government

*Republican Party

Redistricting

-Every 10 years -Partisan Battle -Single member district -Courts Rule on Maps

Both the lieutenant governor and the secretary of state in Texas have the authority to call a special session of the legislature.

-false

#1 and #2 revenue sources for Texas

1. Sales Taxes 2. Federal Funds

What are the five theories of representation?

1. Sociological 2. Delegate 3. Trustee 4. Politico 5. Majority-Minority District

The constitution limits the legislature to a regular session of _____ days every _______ years

140 days and every 2 years

Texas lobbyist outnumbered legislatures by how much

9-1

Both the Republican and Democratic parties hold state conventions in a. June of even-numbered years. b. May of even-numbered years. c. June of odd-numbered years. d. May of odd-numbered years.

One particular form of conservatism is a. Libertarianism. b. Democracy. c. Federalism. d. Socialism.

Which ideology tends to view change suspiciously? a. Conservatism b. Libertarianism c. Pragmatism d. Idealism

What kind of party system has Texas generally had?

A 1 party system (first democratic, now republican)

Members of the Texas Senate serve for how many years?

A 4 year staggered term

What is an incumbent?

A person who is already in office

Line-Item Veto

Ability to veto a specific provision of a appropriation bill passed by legislature.

____________ is the promotion of a particular public policy position

Advocacy

The formal issue positions of a political party is a a. directive. b. party platform. c. party convention. d. precinct convention.

__________ is the philosophy that ideas should be judged on the basis of their practical results rather than on an ideological basis. a. Idealism b. Pragmatism c. Traditionalism d. Republicanism

U.S. House of Representatives member?

Bill Flores

In Texas, third party candidates must receive what percentage of the vote to get on the ballot? a. Six percent b. Ten percent c. Five percent d. Twenty percent

The precinct convention is open to individuals who a. registered to vote. b. voted during the early voting period. c. voted earlier in the day in that party's primary. d. voted in any party's primary or convention earlier in the day.

The rejuvenation of the Republican Party in Texas came in 1961 when ______ was elected to the U.S. Senate. a. Kay Bailey Hutchinson b. Phil Gramm c. John Tower d. John Cornyn

What theory refers to the idea that tax breaks or other economic benefits provided by government to businesses and the wealthy will encourage economic development and prosperity for the whole of society? a. Pragmatism b. Idealism c. Trickle-down theory d. Neo-Liberalism

What is per diem?

Daily payment to a public official engaged in state business.

Introduction

First step in the legislative process, Member gets an idea and files it to the clerk or secretary.

Best way to gain access to Policy Makers

Money

What is zero-sum game?

Money goes to one place instead of another, one group wins at the expense of another, represents reality

Why do incumbents normally get elected?

Name recognition

What type of interest group seeks the betterment of society as a whole or the reform of the political, social, or economic system in ways that do not directly affect their member's pocketbooks?

Non economic interest groups

In state elections, what two factors predominate?

Party identification and incumbency

The formal issue positions of a political party is called what

Party platform

Recognition

Power to control floor debate.

2 types of Legislative Sessions ?

Regular & Special Session

Who has benefited greatly by the media?

TEXAS RANGERS. They media practically made them who they are.

What type of papers did James Madison write?

The Federalist Papers

Who is head of the redistricting board?

The Lieutenant Governor

What gun did the Texas Rangers make famous?

The colt 45

How is the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives chosen?

The speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is an elected member of the House who is formally chosen as speaker by a majority vote of the House membership at the opening of the legislative session, elected by the members of the House of Representatives

Consideration by Standing Committee

Third step in the legislative process, Here the bill is killed, amended, or heard by a standing committee.

Studies regarding the power of interest groups consistently show what

Where political parties or weak and interest groups or strong

Forms of political participation

Writing letters to local representatives, Distributing campaign literature, and Voting in elections

One can vote early in Texas elections under which of the following conditions?

You can vote early for any reason.

Characteristics of a Typical Criminal

Young, male, drugs, dropout, & poverty.

An individual must be registered at least __________ days prior to the election to be eligible to vote in Texas. a. 30 b. 180 c. 60 d. 3

a. 30

Which ideology tends to view change suspiciously? a. Conservatism c. Pragmatism b. Libertarianism d. Idealism

a. Conservatism

The traditionalistic political culture is especially characteristic of which Texas area? a. East Texas c. Central Texas b. Northwest Texas d. West Texas

a. East Texas

Both the Republican and Democratic parties hold state conventions in a. June of even-numbered years. c. June of odd-numbered years. b. May of even-numbered years. d. May of odd-numbered years.

a. June of even-numbered years.

One particular form of conservatism is a. Libertarianism. c. Federalism. b. Democracy. d. Socialism.

a. Libertarianism.

Which of the following is not included in the Texas campaign finance law? a. Limitations on the amount a candidate is allowed to spend b. Disclosure of who makes contributions c. Report of how much a candidate raises d. Disclosure of how campaign funds are spent

a. Limitations on the amount a candidate is allowed to spend

Why have third parties been unsuccessful at gaining elected office? a. Major parties make a conscientious effort to absorb them by adopting their issues. b. Voters will choose third parties candidates, if given an opportunity. c. Campaign contributors will support third party candidates, if given an opportunity. d. Third party candidates really do not make a real effort to win.

a. Major parties make a conscientious effort to absorb them by adopting their issues.

Which of the following is not a function of political parties? a. Nominate and elect their members to local public offices. b. Simplify the issues for the voters. c. Mobilize voters in the electoral process. d. Run the government at whatever level they are active.

a. Nominate and elect their members to local public offices.

In state elections, what two factors predominate? a. Party identification and incumbency b. Fundraising and incumbency c. Qualifications and party identification d. Name recognition and incumbency

a. Party identification and incumbency

Texas requires that all ballots and election materials be printed in other languages in addition to English if a. counties have at least 5 percent or greater language minority. b. counties have at least 10 percent or greater language minority. c. local laws require that counties must have bilingual ballots. d. individuals prove they speak in another language other than English.

a. counties have at least 5 percent or greater language minority.

The party in the electorate refers to the

a. identification of citizens with the parties.

Swing voters are a. individuals who are not bound by party affiliation. b. individuals that consistently crossover from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. c. individuals who identify themselves as Independents. d. individuals who vote according to issues in all elections.

a. individuals who are not bound by party affiliation.

A type of ballot used in a general election where all of the candidates from each party are listed in parallel columns is called a. party-column ballot. b. office-block ballot. c. nonpartisan column ballot. d. straight party voting.

a. party-column ballot.

The Texas Election Code requires each political party a. that receives 20 percent of the gubernatorial vote to hold a primary election. b. must use political conventions to nominate candidates. c. that is registered in the state to use the direct primary. d. to select a caucus, convention, or direct primary to nominate its party candidates.

a. that receives 20 percent of the gubernatorial vote to hold a primary election.

Two events in the early twentieth century solidified the position of the Democrats in Texas politics—the institution of party primary "reforms" and

a. the Great Depression.

The total number of persons in the United States who are 18 years of age or older, regardless of citizenship, military status, felony conviction, or mental state defines a. voting age population. b. voter turnout. c. participation paradox. d. voter registration.

a. voting age population.

Tenure of Office

ability of elected officials to succeed themselves and the term length Tenure an important determinant of power "Lame Duck" Texas: four-year terms, no limit on number Rick Perry, first governor to be elected to three consecutive 4 year terms

informal powers

actions governors might take that are not formally written but are exercised through the activities of the governor

State of the Stare Address

address used by governors to set a policy agenda

Procedures for impeachment

adoption of articles of impeachment by the house trial by the senate process is both judicial and political Texas does not allow recall of governor (Impeachment -> conviction, recall) no recall in Texas, but extant in California

inaugural speech

an address that is not constitutionally required but is conventionally delivered at the beginning of a new gubernatorial term

What is a wet/dry election?

an election over legalizing the distribution of alcohol on Sundays

lobbyist

an individual employed by an interest group who tries to influence governmental decisions on behalf of that group.

incumbent

an individual who currently holds a public office

agenda setting

an informal power of the governor to use his public platform to set the state's political and policy agenda

What are interest groups?

an organization established to influence government policies and programs.

In Texas, how is the plural executive is held accountable?

appointment by the governor.

What is the lowest level of party organization? a. State c. District b. Precinct d. Neighborhood Associations

b. Precinct

Which potential voters are sometimes referred to as tipping? a. The Asian vote c. The African American vote b. The Latino vote d. The rural vote

b. The Latino vote

What does your text suggest is the MOST important reason that the Republican Party failed to compete in Texas historically?

b. The image the Republican Party created during the Reconstruction was that of an abusive and corrupt government.

In recent presidential elections, Texas has a. consistently supported the Democratic nominee. b. consistently supported the Republican nominee. c. consistently supported the Independent nominee. d. never consistently supported only one party's nominee.

b. consistently supported the Republican nominee.

The most important goal of political parties is to a. fund political candidates. b. gain control of government through popular elections. c. organize political rallies. d. organize PACs.

b. gain control of government through popular elections.

Belinda is a Texas state senator who works diligently to get her policy priorities on the Senate's agenda. Belinda is an example of party

b. in government.

Minor political parties in the state prefer the office-block ballot because it a. makes voting easier. b. makes straight-ticket voting for the major parties more difficult. c. makes the major parties more accountable. d. encourages voting.

b. makes straight-ticket voting for the major parties more difficult.

In the case Carrington v. Rash, the courts decided that a. property ownership was unnecessary for revenue bond elections. b. members of the military could enjoy the full rights of suffrage in Texas. c. efforts to deny African Americans access to the primaries would be overturned. d. annual registration was prohibited.

b. members of the military could enjoy the full rights of suffrage in Texas.

New political parties in Texas must complete all of the following requirements to get their candidates on the general election ballot except a. hold a convention. b. must file with the secretary of state a list of supporters equal to 1% of the total vote for governor in the last general election. c. show that persons listed as supporters have not participated in the activities (primaries or conventions) of either of the two major political parties. d. have each page of their nominating petitions notarized.

b. must file with the secretary of state a list of supporters equal to 1% of the total vote for governor in the last general election.

The duties of the state's political parties' executive committees include all of the following except a. determining the site of the next state convention. b. nominating state party candidates. c. producing and disseminating press releases and other publicity. d. raising money and coordinate special projects.

b. nominating state party candidates.

The formal issue positions of a political party is a a. directive. c. party convention. b. party platform. d. precinct convention.

b. party platform.

The U.S. Constitution makes no mention of a. the creation of a two-party system. b. political parties. c. Political parties as established in Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution. d. Political parties as "factions" and divisive.

b. political parties.

A gathering of party members who voted in the party's primary for the purpose of electing delegates to the county or district convention is a. primary. c. party platform. b. precinct convention. d. senatorial convention

b. precinct convention.

The federal income tax is an example of a ________ tax—a tax that is typically supported by liberals.

b. progressive

Which of the following activities is performed by party organizations?

b. recruiting candidates for office

Turnout in American general elections is __________ in comparison to other industrialized democracies of the world. a. slightly higher b. significantly lower c. about the same d. significantly higher

b. significantly lower

The Populist Party emerged in Texas because of

b. the dissatisfaction of small farmers.

The shift in party identification in the state can be attributed to all of the following reasons except a. an emphasis on civil rights in the 1960's and 1970s. b. the popularity of President Lyndon Johnson. c. the impact of President Ronald Reagan. d. the election of George W. Bush to the presidency in 2000 and 2004.

b. the popularity of President Lyndon Johnson.

Primary elections.

ballot vote in which citizens select a party's nominee for the general election

To win a Texas primary election, a candidate must receive a. a plurality of the popular votes. b. the most votes. c. 50 percent plus one of the votes. d. two-thirds of the vote.

c. 50 percent plus one of the votes.

The first major step in the rejuvenation of the Republican Party in Texas came in 1961, when

c. John Tower was elected to the U.S. Senate.

What theory refers to the idea that tax breaks or other economic benefits provided by government to businesses and the wealthy will encourage economic development and prosperity for the whole of society? a. Pragmatism c. Trickle-down theory b. Idealism d. Neo-Liberalism

c. Trickle-down theory

General elections in Texas are held on the a. Tuesday after the first Monday in November of odd-numbered years. b. Monday after the first Tuesday in November of odd-numbered years. c. Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. d. Monday after the first Tuesday in November of even-numbered years.

c. Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.

Which is not a form of political participation? a. Writing letters to local representatives b. Distributing campaign literature c. Watching political news shows d. Voting in elections

c. Watching political news shows

Dealignment comes from evaluating the percentage of a. swing voters. c. ticket splitters. b. realignment. d. conservative Christians.

c. ticket splitters.

Which of the following statements about Texas registration laws is incorrect? a. A person may register in person or by mail. b. A person can register when renewing a driver's license. c. Registered spouses, parents, or offspring can register an individual. d. An individual's employer can register an employee as long as the employer is a registered voter.

d. An individual's employer can register an employee as long as the employer is a registered voter.

Which case changed the state's early voter registration requirement in Texas? a. Carrington v. Rash c. Dunn v. Blumstein b. Smith v. Allwright d. Beare v. Smith

d. Beare v. Smith

Which is not a legal voting qualification in Texas? a. Being a citizen of the United States b. Being at least 18 years of age c. Being a registered voter d. Being a nonresident of the state

d. Being a nonresident of the state

Which of the following can be a contributing factor to the decrease in participation in the United States after 1960? a. The passage of the Twenty-sixth Amendment b. An increase in party identification by voters c. A decrease in party identification by voters d. Both options A and C are true.

d. Both options A and C are true.

Which Texas legislator advocated making undocumented aliens in Texas a state crime? a. Phil Gramm c. Kay Bailey Hutchinson b. John Cornyn d. Dan Patrick

d. Dan Patrick

Which of the following is not an argument put forward by those opposed to the voter ID law? a. Voter ID is a solution to a problem that does not exist. b. There is no real evidence of people impersonating other voters in Texas. c. It would have a big impact on legitimate voters who do not have a driver's license. d. It would only an advantage to minorities.

d. It would only an advantage to minorities.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties in Texas hold state conventions in

d. June of even-numbered years.

In Federalist Paper No. 10, James Madison argued that political parties (or factions) were

d. divisive but inevitable.

The two-party system in Texas and other U.S. states partly results from our electoral system, which relies on

d. single-member districts.

Lobbyist

individual employed by an interest group or business who tries to directly influence elected officials

What is the primary goal of an interest group?

influence all branches of government at all levels.

interest group

influence over public opinion, to make their views known to policy makers, and to elect and support policy makers who are friendly to their points of view.

People who vote Republican for national office but Democratic for state and local office are known as

presidential Republicans.

open primary

primary election in which any registered voter can participate in the contest, regardless of party affiliation

caseload

the workload (in cases) of the judiciary

Which of the following statements about special sessions of the Texas legislature is true?

they are limited to three per year

Know the qualification a person would need to be a viable candidate for governor of Texas?

thirty years of age, prior political experience, U.S. citizenship, access to money

Advantages of interest groups

time, pro-business atmosphere, money, expertise, continuity

What is the most important function of the Texas governor's staff?

to keep the governor informed about problems and issues

Crime and Punishment in Texas

"Tough on criminals" strategy often used by political candidates, safe issue that offends few voters Crime rates in Texas have fallen significantly since 1980 Factors that contribute to crime rate

Appeals

"de novo" means starting over; if at any level one commits capital felony(found guilty & put to death) it is appealed all the way to the top; only judges can make the decision; for civil & criminal cases.

Salary of the Governor

$150,000 per year Home in Austin Car with driver, airplane, travel expenses budget for entertaining and for maintaining mansion

How much do legislators receive while the legislature is in session?

$190 per diem

How much of a salary does legislature receive?

$7200

Member Demographics

%age of women and minorities 2014- %age of women in legislature was 24% 2013- 21% hispanic 2013- 11% African American %age of attorneys- about 1/3 of the legislature

Bureaucrat

(Max Weber) graded hierarchy (triangle); large size; specific jobs/tasks; area of expertise (divided labor); follow rules also known as interdependence.

Whistle Blowing

(federal law) reporting something wrong going on in an agency, law suit, protected by the Whistle Blowing Act.

3 types of Resolution

- Concurrent Resolution: HCR or SCR, have to pass both houses signed by governor - Joint resolution: HCR or SCR, have to pass both houses but don't have to be signed by governor - Simple resolution: recognizes someone

3 types of bills

- Local: only effects your area, usually for sponsors district - Special: individual or corporation special circumstance - General: majority of all

Qualifications for House of Rep.

-25 years old -7 year citizen

Qualifications for Senate

-30 years old -9 year citizen

Types of Funds in Budget

-General Revenue (non-dedicated) -General Revenue (dedicated)

Players in Budget Process

-Legislative Budget Board -Governor's Office -Comptroller of Public Accounts -Texas Legislature

What are the general elements of the Elitist Theory?

-Political power is based on social membership -individuals with power are those who hold leadership positions -leaders share similar characteristics -Elites tied together through interlocking relationships -Policy decisions made by a few individuals -Majority are passive to the policy process

Why do people join groups?

-protects your standards - job security -professional networking -economic benefits -social benefits -sense of purpose and efficacy

Know the nonlegislative powers of the Texas legislature.

-the power of impeachment -Investigative powers -to formally count the returns in the Texas Governor's races

The governor has the ability to declare martial law in Texas

-true

Chapter 5

...

Chapter 6

...

Chapter 7

...

Chapter 8

...

State income tax

How long does a member of the House need to be in a district for?

1 year

How long does a member of the Senate need to be in a district for?

1 year

Steps to bill becoming a law

1. Introduced/Referred to Committee 2. Considered in Committee 3. Floor Consideration 4. Goes to other House 5. Action by governor

Was are the top three reasons people do not vote?

1. No statewide party competition (weak parties). 2. Low socioeconomic status (income/education) 3. Younger population. 4. Too many elections.

There are two great exceptions to incumbency advantage,

1. Scandal destroys advantages 2. Redistricting ruins political base

What are the requirements to vote in Texas?

1. must be eighteen years of age 2. must be a U.S. citizen 3. must be a Texas resident for at least 30 days. 4. must be a resident of the county for at least 30 days.

What rules that applies to a filibuster in the Texas Senate?

1. no eating or drinking 2. senators must stand at their desks and may not lean, sit, or use their desks or chairs in any way. 3. Remarks must be confined to the issue under consideration.

Texas has a redistricting committee

1/3 democrats & 1/3 republicans.

What is the average time served as a Senate member?

11 years

What amendments support the voting rights?

13,14,15,19,24,26

Court of Appeals

14 intermediate-level appellate courts that hear appeals from district and count courts to determine whether the decisions of these lower courts followed legal principles and court procedures.

What is a regular session in the Texas Legislature?

140 day period on odd-numbered years.

For how long does the Texas legislature meet?

140 days

Sessions and Session Length

140 days every two years Montana, Nevada and North Dakota similarly meet every two years Salary: $7200 $28,200 taking into account salary and per diem compensation Staff and Facilities

How long is a Session in the Texas Congress

150 days

In the Texas legislature, the House has ________ members and the Senate has ________ members.

150 house members; 31 senators.

How many members are in the house?

150 members

Qualifications for Texas House of Rep.

150 representatives -2 yr term -US citizen -2 yr resident of state -21 yrs old

In the Texas legislature, the House has ______ members and the senate has ______ members.

150-31

Juvenile Justice

17 age of majority three general legal duties juvenile district courts Texas Youth Commission and Texas Juvenile Probation Commission

When did we give women the right to vote?

1917

Between what years had a fall of the one-party system?

1950s-1970s

What year was the Texas Constitution amended to extend the terms (from two years to four years) for the governor and other major administrative officials?

1972

Members of the Texas House serve for how many years?

2 year terms

How long does a member of the House need to be a qualified voter residing in the state?

2 years

Texas election code requires each political party that receives ___ of gubernatorial vote to hold _____.

20%, a primary

In 1974, the GOP health only 53 offices at the County level, and now they hold more than ____ county offices

2000

Redistricting in 2001 and 2003

2001 redistricting resulted in democrats winning 17 seats to republicans 15 seats in U S House 11 Texas senators went to Albuquerque, New Mexico on July 28, 2003 to avoid participating in a special session on redistricting. Because of high levels of controversy surrounding redistricting, about a dozen states use independent commissions for redistricting 2011 and beyond- redistricting is very contentious

What is the age requirement for a House member?

21 years of age

Age Requirement to be a member of the Texas State House of Repreesentatives

23 Years of Age

Age Requirement to be a member of the Texas State Senate

26 years of age

What is the age requirement for a Senate member?

26 years of age

What percent of electorates are democrat?

26%

What percent of electorates are independent?

26%

must be registered _____ days prior to election

How long are special sessions?

30 days

What are the qualifications to become a Texas Governor?

30 years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Texas for at least five years preceding his or her election.

How many Senatorial Districts are there?

How many members are in the Senate?

31 members

Qualifications for Texas Senate

31 senators -4 yr term -US citizen -5 yr resident of state -26 yrs old

What percent of electorates are republican?

33%

What is the average age of a House member?

49 years old

How long does a member of the Senate need to be a qualified voter living in Texas?

5 years

To win a Texas primary election, a candidate must receive

50 percent plus one of the votes

What percent of Americans belong to two or more organizations?

50%

To win Texas primary election, a candidate must receive how many votes?

50% plus one of the votes

What is the average age of a Senate member?

52 years old

Donations made to Democrats & Republicans from PACs

55%

How many member are in the State Executive Committee?

64 members

What is the average time served as a House member?

7 years

What percent of Americans belong to an organization?

75%

State sales tax, including city & county

8.25%

The problem of recidvism

85% of those that go to prison, serve & then released are put back into prison for another crime.

If a third party candidate fails to garner five percent of the vote in a previous election to get on the ballot, they must a. collect 45,000 signatures from eligible voters. b. pay a filing fee. c. petition the state to be placed on the ballot. d. cast a "write-in" candidate vote.

If contending party factions in a precinct are evenly divided, a walkout is possible if one side or the other looses a key vote and claims that a grave injustice was done. Such a group will conduct its own convention called a a. rump convention. b. conservative caucus. c. moderate-progressive caucus. d. recall convention.

Political parties in Texas select delegates to the national nominating convention using both the primary and the caucus system. This process is known as a. Texas Two-Step. b. Texas conventions. c. Texas winner-take-all. d. Texas party lottery.

Since political parties are pragmatic, they will not do which of the following? a. Develop a campaign strategy that is narrowly focused. b. Establish a clear stand on controversial issues. c. Compromise principles in order to gain public office. d. Establish clear-cut positions on issues where there is broad agreement.

State and local party organizations are ________ who exercise considerable discretion on most party matters. a. semi-independent actors b. independent actors c. grassroots actor d. individual actors

The Republican party of Texas appeals to all of the following groups except a. rural, low-income ranchers. b. active and retired military officers. c. traditional conservatives who find themselves in a new urban setting. d. white Anglo-Saxon Protestants.

The county executive committee, along with the approval of the __________, must certify the name of the nominees. a. commissioners' court b. county judge at law c. county attorney d. precinct chair

The transition from one dominant political party in the state to another is known as a. realignment. b. pre-alignment. c. post-alignment. d. dealignment.

_________________ are supporters of the Republican Party, who are concerned with such issues as family, religion, abortion, gay rights, and community morals. a. Evangelical Christians b. Tea party members c. Moderate business interests d. Right wing conservatives

Chubbing

A Practice whereby supporters of a bill engage in lengthy debate for the purpose of using time and thus preventing floor action on another bill that they oppose. Similar to a filibuster.

Special Bill

A bill that gives an individual or a corporation exemption from a state law.

What does substantive mean?

A concession speech

The House of Representative has what?

A high turnover rate.

In the houses, what percent of the vote do they have to give in order for the bill to pass to the other house?

A majority vote

What is a county convention?

A meeting held by political party following its precinct conventions, for the purpose of electing delegates to its state convetion

What is the Motor Voter Act of 1993?

A national act that requires states to allow people to register to vote when applying for a driver's license.

What is state convention?

A party meeting held every two years for the purpose of nominating candidates for statewide office, adopting a platform, electing the party's leadership, and in presidential election years selecting delegates for the national convention and choosing presidential electors.

Why is a conflict of interest problematic for the public

A public officer may choose personal interest

What is prepondence of evidence?

A requirement that more than 50% of the evidence points to something. This is the burden of proof in a civil trial.

What's the most important thing you have to have in order for a bill to be proposed to the houses?

A sponsor from the Senate and a sponsor from the House

A convention selects who?

A state chair and vice-chair

How do lobbyist influence the courts in Texas

Activately complaining for candidates

When does the legislature reapportion?

After every census (10 years), this is how they get their seats.

What does the rule of three consist of?

Age, citizenship, residency

What is Delegate Representation?

Agent of their constituency

What happened in Baker v. Carr?

All districts must let the courts be involved in reapportioning the districts; Ruled that when the Legislature makes decisions of gerrymandering, it can go to court.

Engaged in all types of political is called?

An Activist

What is a jurisdiction?

An area of authority

In Texas an opinion is what?

An educated research opinion.

What is the Life Cycle Effect?

An idea that everyone follows the same cycle regardless of generation, unites generations

What is a lobbyist?

An individual employed by an interest group who tries to influence governmental decisions on behalf of that group

In Texas, who can write a bill?

Anyone

In Texas, who can write a bill?

Anyone at all

Secretary of State

Appointed by governor, little power, "Keeper of the seal of Texas," checks files, certifies election results, bills, & all documents.

Secretary of State

Appointed by the Governor, administering elections.

Patronage

Appointing someone to office who supports you (Donors)

The requirements for holding office in the Texas legislature

Are minimal, in keeping with the idea that office holding should be open to most citizens.

What is the salary for being a part of the Texas State Legislature.

Around 7,200 dollars and 190 per diem

Redistricting/Reapportioning

Arrangement of the state's districts by the population. (T.H.R. pop/150 & T.S pop/31)

What is Health & Human Services

Article II of the General Appropriations Act

______ is the fabrication of public support for issues supported by industry and special interest groups, but which give the impression of widespread public support

Astroturf lobbying

What is a "at-large" position?

At-large is a designation for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body (for example, a city, state or province, nation, club or association), rather than a subset of that membership. At-large voting is in contrast to voting by electoral districts

The chief lawyer for Texas is the

Attorney General

A gathering of party members who voted in the party's primary for the purpose of electing delegates to the county or district convention is a. primary. b. precinct convention. c. party platform. d. senatorial convention

In 1974, the GOP held only 53 offices at the county level and now they hold more than __________ county offices. a. 60 b. 2000 c. 1000 d. 100

The idea of dealignment suggests that a. there is a shift in party dominance. b. voters are calling themselves Independents rather than identifying with political parties. c. voters make a conscientious decision to stay at home on Election Day. d. more voters are crossing over on election day.

The most important goal of political parties is to a. fund political candidates. b. gain control of government through popular elections. c. organize political rallies. d. organize PACs.

What is the lowest level of party organization? a. State b. Precinct c. District d. Neighborhood Associations

Which individual was the state's first elected Republican governor since Governor E. J. Davis? a. E J Davis b. Bill Clements c. George W. Bush d. Rick Perry

Which political party has a "hands-off" philosophy about government? a. Democrats b. Libertarians c. Republicans d. Green

Which potential voters are sometimes referred to as tipping? a. The Asian vote b. The Latino vote c. The African American vote d. The rural vote

______ is the exercise of power in parties by state and local party organizations rather than by national party institutions. a. Grassroots b. Decentralization c. Pragmatism d. Single-member district

What are the Re-districting cases?

Baker V. Carr, Miller V. Johnson, Wesberry V Sanders

The Texas state budget must be __________, according to the state Constitution.

Balanced

Unprofessional

Balanced budget, part-time, poor pay, terms, people, high turnover, & staff.

Why is our election system the way it is?

Because it allows democracy to exist and gives it legitimacy

What is the most significant and far-reaching of the Texas governor's powers?

Being able to impeach people in the house or senate.

When does Legislation get passed ?

Biennial legislative Session (Regular) Speciel Session Part time Legislature

What is a local bill?

Bill affecting only units of local government such as city, county or a special district.

General Bill

Bill that applies to all peoples and property of a state

What is the difference between a Bill and a Resolution?

Bills can become a law. Resolutions do not, however, they may become amendments.

84th legislature

Border security- $800M to hire DPS officers Budget- $4B tax cut Road Spending Tax Cuts- cut business franchise tax Gun Rights- open carry/campus carry Same Sex marriage

Dominant groups and organizations are organized by what?

By funding, not by success

A group of conservative Republicans that formed in opposition to President Obama's health care initiative is a. Evangelical Christians. b. Conservative Christians. c. Tea Party. d. moderate business interests.

All of the following are part of the state's Republican Party's platform except a. they demand abolition of bilingual education. b. they oppose an income tax at all levels of government. c. they propose amnesty for long term, working illegal immigrants. d. they believe that properly applied capital punishment is legitimate and an effective deterrent.

An individual income tax is an example of what type of tax? a. Franchise tax b. User fee tax c. Progressive tax d. Death tax

Dealignment comes from evaluating the percentage of a. swing voters. b. realignment. c. ticket splitters. d. conservative Christians.

In the late nineteenth century, the Democratic Party was challenged by which third party? a. Socialist b. Green c. Populist d. Reform

James Madison criticized political parties in which Federalist Paper? a. Federalist Paper 53 b. Federalist Paper 47 c. Federalist Paper 10 d. Federalist paper 36

Liberals in the Texas Democratic Party consist of groups who have supported the national party ticket and its presidents except a. Harry Truman. b. Lyndon Johnson. c. George Bush. d. John Kennedy.

Liberals in the Texas Democratic party consists of all of the following groups except a. organized labor. b. Mexican-American groups. c. trial lawyers. d. large farmers and rancher.

People who vote Republican for national office but Democratic for state and local office are known as a. RINO. b. presidential conservatives. c. presidential Republicans. d. presidential pragmatists.

The rules for selecting delegates to the respective parties' national convention are best described by which statement? a. The Democratic rules are somewhat complex and the Republican rules are fairly simple. b. The Republican rules are complex and the Democratic rules are fairly simple. c. The rules for both parties are somewhat complex. d. The rules for both parties are somewhat easy.

Ticket splitters are individuals who are a. responsible for rump conventions. b. willing to attend the primary of each major political party. c. willing to vote for candidates of more than one party in a given election. d. None of the above is true.

The Texas Governor

Called the "1st among equals," the "plural executive," & weak. Must be 30 yrs old, citizen of the U.S., registered voter, lived in Texas for 5 yrs. No limit on terms, 4 yrs term, $120,000/yr of salary(about), live in a mansion, has 2 limos(black&white).

The Legislature gets a balanced budget

Can borrow money if voted on, the balanced budget is for 2 years, the Legislature gets poor pay for $1200/yr before taxes which is about $400/month.

Texas law states what regarding the legislators the lobbying

Can come lobbyist with no restrictions

What is the difference between categorical groups and interest groups?

Categorical groups are not organized groups and are not making demands on political institutions like interest groups do.

Impeachment

Charge by the House that leads to a trial in the Senate.

Impeachment

Charge by the House that leads to a trial in the senate.

Roles of the Governor

Chief Legislator: Recommends policy initiatives to state legislators and coordinates with state agencies that administer programs and implement policies Party Chief: Head of his or her party Ceremonial Duties: represents state at functions Crisis Manager: Leadership during natural disaster Intergovernmental Coordinator

Cases

Civil & Criminal

Which interest groups have had notable political success by litigating in federal courts?

Civil rights groups

Pigeonholing

Committee chairs sets bill aside and never brings it before the committee.

Step in process most bills die

Committee process

Joint Resolution

Commonly proposed to amend the constitution; requires both Chambers, but doesn't require the Governors signature.

Election of Other Statewide Executives

Comptroller of Public Accounts (1876) -chief fiscal officer, tax collector, and investor of state funds Commissioner of the General Land Office (1836) -responsible for administration and oversight of the state -owned lands and coastal areas Commissioner of Agriculture Texas Railroad Commission -regulation of state's oil and gas industry is primary function State Board of Education -Has varied greatly in form and structure

Which ideology tends to view change suspiciously

Conservatism

In recent presidential elections, Texas has supported whom?

Consistently supporting republicans

The Commissioner of Agriculture is responsible for the following:

Consumer Protection: Gas; raw eggs. Production Agriculture: disaster relief Healthy living: school lunch programs Economic development: Texas capital Fund Commissioner Sid Miller

3 kinds of lobbyists:

Contract Non-profit Internal

What chair leads the county executive committee?

County Chair

What committee is elected by primary voters?

County Chair

Name the two types of courts we have in Texas and their purpose.

Criminal-Punishment, Civil-Rights & Responsibility

What is it technically called when a person who identifies with one political party opts to vote in the other party's primary to influence its outcome?

Crossover voting

All of the following are part of the state's Democratic Party's platform except a. they believe that government should provide multi-language instruction. b. they oppose economic policies that cut essential services and investments in the future. c. they support establishment of a Texas Death Penalty Punishment Commission to study the Texas death penalty system. d. they believe the federal government should not change the No Child Left Behind program.

In recent years the Republican Party had developed two factions with two different styles of leadership except a. true believers. b. tea party. c. pragmatist. d. pro-minority party activists.

Political parties are vital to democracy in that they provide a link a. between the party and the voter. b. between the government and institutions. c. between the candidate and the voter. d. between people and government.

Since 1998, the GOP achieved their most impressive gains a. by reelecting Governor George Bush. b. with Republicans sweeping every state-wide office. c. by succeeding in the redistricting of Texas' congressional delegation in 2004. d. All of the above are true.

The development of the conservative Democratic faction was an outgrowth of all of the following except a. New Deal proposals of Franklin D. Roosevelt. b. Fail Deal proposals of Harry Truman. c. Modern Republicanism of Dwight D. Eisenhower. d. Secessionist proposal of Edmund Davis.

The major functions of the Democratic and Republican parties biennial state conventions include all of the following except a. to elect state party officers. b. to adopt a party platform. c. to elect 62 members of the state executive committee. d. to certify to the Attorney General which candidates were nominated by the party in its March primary.

The national party organization provides state parties and candidates with a variety of which services? a. Public opinion polling b. Computer networking c. Direct mailing d. All of the above are true.

The roles of a party precinct chair include all of the following except a. organizing in the precinct. b. helping to organize party activities. c. arranging and presiding over the precinct convention. d. serving as a member of the state executive committee.

The success of conservative Democrats competing in the party primary was not because a. the power elite contributed resources to like-minded politicians. b. they represent interests as oil and gas. c. they represent interests as owners and publishers of the state's daily newspaper. d. they represent education interests.

Which Texas legislator advocated making undocumented aliens in Texas a state crime? a. Phil Gramm b. John Cornyn c. Kay Bailey Hutchinson d. Dan Patrick

Which electoral system encourages pragmatic behavior? a. Republicans b. Democrats c. At large member district d. Single-member district

Which of the following do Conservatives not believe in? a. Individuals should be left alone to compete in the market. b. They prefer that government regulation of the economy be kept to a minimum. c. They believe in the virtues of individualism, independence, and personal initiative. d. They support government programs that involve redistribution of wealth.

Which of the following is not a belief of the Libertarian political party? a. Regulating campaigns promotes too much government involvement. b. The U.S. should not intervene in world affairs. c. Individual liberty and personal responsibility takes precedence over all else. d. Social Security is a sound system not in need of reform.

Which of the following is not a distinct characteristic of American political parties? a. Decentralization b. Two-party system c. Pragmatism d. Idealism

Which of the following is not a strength area for Texas Republicans? a. Midland-Odessa area b. Hill Country-Edwards Plateau area c. Houston suburbs d. South and South Central Texas

Which of the following statements is not true of liberals? a. They believe that it is necessary for government to regulate the economy. b. Government power should be used to protect the disadvantaged and to promote equality. c. They favor progressive taxes. d. They possess a more pessimistic view of human nature than conservatives.

Not claiming a party label is called?

Dealignment

Comptroller certifies the income of the state

Decide how much the legislature would receive as a budget.

Trial and Appellate Courts

Deciding points of fact versus points of law is the most important difference between trial and appellate courts

Representational Roles

Delegate: represents the wishes of voters Trustee: legislator makes decisions based on his or her own judgement about what is best for voters Partisan Roles

The groups in Pluralism Theory are generally for what party?

Democratic

For Texas to be a competitive two-party state...

Democrats need to win some statewide elections Democrats need to regroup and redirect its appeal to Texans

What is the democratic voting strategic voting?

Democrats voting in republican primary in Texas because they know democrats will not win.

What is the Generational Effect?

Differences in the generations caused by formative events in their lifetimes, divides generations

A method of selecting the nominees from a political party where party members elect the candidates who represent them in the general election is known as what?

Direct Primary

Comptroller

Directs the collection of taxes and other revenues and estimates revenues for the budgeting process. The current Comptroller of Texas is Glenn Hegar

Which of the following is included in the Texas campaign finance law?

Disclosure of who makes contributions. Report of how much a candidate raises. Disclosure of how campaign funds are spent

Informal Rules for Legislatures to Succeed

Do not deal in personalities during debate Avoid giving first priority to reelection over lawmaking Do not become known as an interest group spokesperson Do not become known as a loner Do not speak on issues you know little about

What is Gerrymandering?

Drawing districts for political game to guarantee an outcome, cracking vs. packing, has to be contiguous and compact

What is gerrymandering?

Drawing lines for political power (illegal); Manipulating the boundaries so that it favors one party.

Judicial Federalism

Dual Court System, state and federal, due to federal system of government Conflicts between federal and state law resolved in favor of federal authority Most cases go to state courts Most Texas court cases involve controversies between individuals

The Reign of the Republicans

During the terms of the Fergussons.

traditionalistic political culture is especially characteristic of which Texas area

East Texas

Jim Crow segregation laws reduced what?

Economic, social and political rights

The best way to break the family cycle for efficacy is what?

Education

What are the factors that cause people to vote?

Education (most important), income and age

The Speaker of the house is elected by?

Elected by membership

Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives

Elected by the members of the house for a period of two years. The Speaker is chief presiding officer of the House. An important party and House leader, and can influence legislative agenda as well as peoples position in the house. Current Speaker is Joe Straus. No term limits

What does a constable do?

Elected by these precincts and they must provide bailiffs for the Justice Court(s) in their precinct. ... They can also serve civil process in any precinct in their county and any contiguous county to their home county.

Summary of the Six Indicators of Power

Election of other statewide executives Tenure of Office Governor's appointment powers Budgetary powers Veto power Governor's control over party

When an organization decides to endorse and recommend that it's members vote for the candidate disposed to support their values, this is an example of what

Electioneering

Directive and supervisory powers

Enables legislature to have power over the executive branch.

Which industry groups in Texas had the largest number of maximum value of contracts signed with Lobbyists

Energy and natural resources

What do campaigners do?

Engage in political campaigns, but demonstrate low levels of participation in community affairs (Example: Shows up to do the work and goes home, not as well informed or engaged)

What is Trustee Reprentation?

Entrusted to act in the best interests of the constituency.

Standing Committee

Established by House and Senate by general rules -Consider legislation -Most important

What type of "controls economic resources"

Establishment Theory

What type of theory has a "small cohesive group"

Establishment Theory

In Texas, what is the most important power of the state comptroller?

Estimating tax revenues for the legislature

What is the purpose of the Sunset Advisory Commission in Texas?

Evaluates utility of state agencies once every 12 years, each agency can be abolished unless legislature votes to renew.

Formal Powers of the Governor

Expansion of a governor's ability to appoint and remove agency heads increases executive authority Senatorial Courtesy: the governor must clear his or her appointments with the state senator from the appointee's district Power of the Texas governor to remove -government officials is very weak. -Remove persons they appointed with 2/3 senate vote -May not remove predecessors appointees

What is Politico Representation?

Expected to follow wishes of the electorate.

Informal Qualifications for the Texas Governor

Experience (nearly universal) Ethnicity Gender Wealth

Resolution

Expression of opinion on an issue by a legislative body.

What are yellow dog democrats?

FAR LEFT, extremely liberal, will never get elected into office.

A special legislative session may last as long as it takes to complete the session's agenda.

False

Entertaining politicians is NOT one of the most critical ways for lobbyists to gain access.

False

If the Texas legislature fails to redistrict, the task of redistricting then falls to the federal district court.

False

In 1996, the voters of Texas chose to adopt the merit selection of judges.

False

In Texas, appellate court judges are elected, but the governor appoints trial judges to six-year terms.

False

Like the U.S. president, the governor of Texas can kill a bill by refusing to sign it.

False

Members of the Texas House of Reps. are permitted to speak on the House floor for as long as they wish.

False

Texas law restricts the number of judicial races during any single election cycle to no more than six.

False

The Texas House of Representatives is responsible for both impeaching government officials and holding the trial after impeachment.

False

The Texas constitution permits the election to the Texas legislature of persons who are not U.S. citizens but who have been legal residents of Texas for at least ten years.

False

The Texas governor has many formal powers, making him or her one of the United States's strongest chief executives.

False

The Texas legislature meets in regular session once every two years.

False

The governor of Texas currently serves a two-year term in office.

False

The governor of Texas has strong formal powers as per the Texas Constitution. True of False?

False

The governor of Texas has the authority to exercise a line-item veto.

False

The majority of justice of the peace judges have a credentialed background in law.

False

The secretary of state in Texas is responsible for redrawing legislative districts every ten years.

False

Unlike the U.S. Senate, the Texas Senate does not permit filibusters.

False

In Texas, both the lieutenant governor and the Speaker of the House are elected in statewide elections.

False speaker of the house is elected by a roll call vote

Currently, there are fifteen statutory probate court judges.

False, 18

Texas Supreme Court justices are elected for four-year terms.

False, six years

Police officers have the largest and most effective public employee interest group in Texas.

False. Teachers are the largest.

The Texas Lawyers Association is the most influential professional group in Austin.

False. The Texas Medical Association is the most influential.

Why Partisan Election is bad

Familiar names can skew judicial election Straight ticket voting Campaign Contributions Gender and Minority Representation in the Texas Judiciary

Efficacy is highly tied to what?

Families

What is the difference between a Grand and Petit jury?

Federal, state and county prosecutors utilize grand juries to decide whether probable cause exists to support criminal charges. A regular jury (6 to 12 people) - aka a petit jury - hears only trial cases. A regular jury decides the facts. The judge presiding over the trial decides the law

how do you get rid of an elected Judge?

File charges and it goes to the State Bar of Texas and they can remove their license but the best way is to VOTE THEM OUT!

Speaker of the House

First formal act of the Texas House at the beginning of a legislative session is electing a speaker of the house -Appoints committee chairs -refers bills to committees -appoints members to calendar committee

Qualifications for Legislators and Member Demographics

Formal Qualifications: House- citizen, registered voter, at least 21, state resident for 2 years, district resident for 12 months Senate- citizen, registered voter, >26, state resident for 5 years, district resident for 12 months Informal Qualifications: "Birthright" characteristics: race, ethnicity, national background, religion, education, occupation

Procedures for how a bill becomes law

Formal Rules- make it difficult for a bill to become law (~23% passed since 2003), few bills of major importance pass, most bills make minor changes to existing laws Under Senate rule, the order bills come out of committee, after the 60th day, a 2/3 vote required before a bill to be considered on the floor of the senate

Who do interest groups employ as lobbyists to gain access to those in Texas government?

Former legislators and government officials.

Floor action

Fourth step in the legislative process, Bill is referred by a standing committee is scheduled for floor debate by the Calendars Committee.

Who caught Bonnie & Clyde?

Frank Hamer.

Death Penalty

Furman v. Georgia (1972) U.S. outlawed death penalty because it was unfairly applied to many crimes because of lack of safeguards in place in many states later overturned

What is the most important goal of political parties

Gain control of government through population election

One issue with remarkable convergence on public opinion between blacks and whites is...

Gay Marriage

The ______ is the oldest state agency in Texas.

General Land Office

A bill in the Texas legislature that would allow a county to establish a new community college would be classified as ¬¬¬¬______________.

General bill

Political Parties are organized around what?

Geographical election units

Unprofessional Legislature

Goes by the rules of the Constitution of 1876, but in doing so they don't get much done.

The agenda for special sessions in the Texas legislature are set by the

Governor

"Appointive-Elective" System in Texas

Governor can make judicial appointments Many in Texas initially receive seats by appointment

What are the legislative powers of the Texas governor?

Governor of Texas. The Governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature.

What type of powers does the governor of Texas have?

Senatorial Courtesy

Governor seeks indication that Senators from that district support his/her nomination for office.

Veto

Governor's power to turn down legislation, can be over ridden with a 2/3 vote from both Chambers.

Who can influence a bill?

Governor, Interest Groups, Citizens, The Courts, & The Media.

The Iron Star of Texas

Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Interest Groups, Bureaucracies-All for their own needs.

Texas does not have term limits for which office?

Governor, State Senator, State House of Representative

The Legal System

Grand Jury- used to review the facts and decide whether enough evidence exists to try cases Administrative Hearing- also used to review circumstances of the case

Current Governor/Ann Richards

Greg Abbott Elected 2014/ Only female governor since WWII Last Democratic Governor

What kind of power does the governor have on appropriations bills?

He can veto

How does the Speaker of the House get elected?

He is elected by members of the House, unlike the Lieut. Gov. who is elected by the people

In 2006, kinky Friedman had to collect 45,000 signatures of eligible voters who had not voted the march 7 primary in order to be on the ballot. Why?

He was a third-party candidate who had not received 5% of the vote during the primary

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

High criminal court in Texas; 9 justices and final state appellate authority in criminal cases.

What is a mandate?

High percentage of popular vote

Texas Supreme Court

Highest civil court in Texas; 9 judges and final state appellate authority.

Which group has the least amount of voters turnout?

Hispanics, due to lack of education

What is hyper-pluralism?

How groups lose

What is an iron-triangle?

How groups win

Research shows that the woman that determines the political power of a group is what

How much public officials need the group

What does nominal mean?

How much someone has won by

What is integrated?

How well you line up on the political spectrum

What is the goal of an interest group?

Ideas

What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 do?

If a precinct experienced discrimination, they could contact the attorney general and have a marshal sent to oversee the precincts during the election

When does the Legislative Redistricting Board have the authority to draw new districts?

If the legislature fails to redraw districts at the first regular session after the census.

What is the ultimate check on the governor?

Impeachment

Removing and Disciplining Judges

Impeachment Recall by voters Removal by governor after hearing (used by fewest number of states) Removal by legislature or state supreme court Judicial Conduct Commissions

The State-Convention is held when?

In May or June of even-numbered years

The governor's staff

In Texas the trend in recent years has been to expand the staff of the governor's office. John Connally in the 1960s was the first Texas governor to use a professional staff of advisors. Currently about 200

In Texas, the two major parties don't agree on much, but they do agree on keeping competitors out.

It is very difficult to hold a specific person in Texas government responsible for anything because government is fragmented and policy responsibility is divided

In addition to Administrative Agencies there are Legislative Agencies, Judicial Agencies, and Ex Office of Boards and Commissions

In most elections, fewer than 50% of US citizens vote.

Why are major state officials elected in nonpresidential years?

In order to prevent presidential candidates from influencing the outcomes of Texas races.

If a bill has any kind of money dealt in it, where does it originate?

In the House of Representatives

Define simple resolutions:

In the United States, a simple resolution is a legislative measure passed by only either the Senate or the House. As they have been passed by only one house, simple resolutions are not presented to the President, and do not have the force of law.

Equity of Representation

In the early 20th century, rural areas were generally overrepresented in many state legislatures Supreme Court decisions in Baker v. Carr and Reynolds v. Sims based on the principle of one person, one vote Minority Representation

Rarely participate in any aspect of politics is called?

In-activist

Who usually receives the most campaign contributions in Texas?

Incumbents

incumbents and election

Incumbents usually have the upper hand since they're more recognized Easier to get meetings and a great mass of supporters

Individual lobbyists can succeed in lobbying for specific legislation when they are pursuing goals that do not put them in conflict with well-organized and well-funded interest groups.

Which individuals are legally disqualified from voting?

Individuals who have been legally declared mentally incompetent

What type of group is defined as.. -An organized collection of individuals -Shared attitudes or concerns -Making demands on political institutions -Realizing they can not achieve goals on their own

Interest Groups

The Comptroller for the state of Texas is responsible for the following:

Invests state money Oversees taxation Estimate state revenues Comptroller Glenn Hegar

How can a third party get on the ballot if it does not secure the required number of votes to get on the ballot?

It can launch a petition drive to gather the signatures of voter who did not vote in either major party primary.

In Texas, why is a governor's post-adjournment veto so powerful?

It cannot be overturned by the legislature.

In Texas, what is the primary effect of a plural executive?

It dilutes the power of the governor and fragments the executive branch.

How many readings does a bill go through?

It goes through 3

What is a categorical group?

It involves individuals with shared attributes but is just a category (Example: Women, gun owners, etc..)

As in the U.S. Congress, what is the purpose of a conference committee in the Texas legislature?

It is a committee designed to make differing House and Senate versions of the same bill identical.

When the bill passes through both the Senate and HoR, what committee is it assigned to?

It is assigned to a conference committee, which is a combination of appointed officials to make 1 bill of out the 2 amended

What is the function of the "local and consent" calendar?

It is for bills that are uncontroversial or limited to a localized problem. Needs a 100% yes vote to pass.

independents and getting on the ballot in Texas

It is possible that independent and minor-party candidates will also appear on the general election ballot

What is a filibuster?

It means unlimited debate, and it only happens in the Senate

What unconventional action did the Texas legislature take in 2003?

It redistricted a second time in a single decade.

What is the purpose of the Sunset Advisory Commission in Texas?

It reviews state agencies every twelve years to see if they are still needed.

What is Median Voter Theory?

It shoes the mean, median, mode voter all in the same place

Structure of State Courts

JP Courts- issue arrest warrants, serve as small claims courts, hear criminal misdemeanor courts Municipal Courts County Courts- constitutional county courts, county courts at law District Courts- major criminal and civil cases, major trial courts, or superior courts Appellate Courts

Who was the most famous Texas Ranger?

Jack Hayes.

_____ is the only Texas governor to be both impeached and convicted.

James Ferguson

voter registration renewals are sent

January 1st-even numbered years

Texas House of Representatives member?

John Raney

America is a nation of?

Joiners

Conference Committee

Joint Committee works out a compromise on House and Senate versions of a piece of legislation.

Both the republican and democratic parties hold state convention when?

June of even numbered years

Legislative Agencies

LBB (Budget Board) Legislative Council Audit Committee and Auditor's office also judicial agencies

What third party is based on Hispanic constituency?

La Raza Unida

Which political action committees spend the least amount of money in Texas elections?

Labor unions

deterrent to higher voter turnout

Large number of elections, Long length of the ballot, Lower income and education levels in Texas

Administrative Agencies of State Government

Largest expenditure in the state is funding for the salaries of employees of the state

Who makeup the Legislature?

Lawyers and Ranchers.

What is agenda setting?

Laying out agenda, appealing to what people think they know instead of educating them (Example: Buffet)

African Americans elected as mayors of important cities in Texas.

Lee Brown (D) IAH Ron Kirk (D) DFW

LAR means what ?

Legislative Appropriations Request

What is the LRB?

Legislative Redistricting Board

What is Bicameral?

Legislative assembly comprised of two chambers or houses.

Legislative Professionalism versus CitizenLegislatures: Where Does Texas Stand?

Legislative professionalism: pay, session length, staff resources Texas fifteenth among states in legislative professionalism

Power

Legislative, write/say a speech; Budget officer; Call special sessions for 30 days; Appointive; Give 30 day delay on death penalty called clemency.

Electoral Power

Legislature's mandated role in counting returns in the elections for Governor and Lt.. Governor.

What is the most notable third party active in Texas?

Libertarian Party

Which political party has a "hands-off" philosophy about government?

Libertarians

Succession to Office and Acting Governor

Lieutenant governor or other successor usually leader of the state senate if no lieutenant governor Acting governor when governor leaves the state Note that the vice president doesn't not become acting president when president is out of the country

Most litigious state

Like to sue people.

Notable powers for the Texas Governor?

Line-Item Veto, Texas Rangers, Call special session.

What kind of veto does the Gov. have?

Line-item veto

What technique to prevent voting was never used in Texas?

Literacy Test

Direct contact between an interest group representative and an officer of government is an example of what?

Lobbying

What is employed to express the values of interest groups

Lobbyist

In Texas, who represents the interest groups?

Lobbyists

A bill in the Texas legislature that would allow a county to establish a new community college would be classified as a?

Local Bill

Who makes up the LRB?

Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Attorney General, Commission of General Lands Office, Comptroller of Public Accounts.

Which of the following is not part of the new media?

Major Traditional Networks

District Courts

Major trial courts in Texas, general jurisdiction over a broad range of civil and criminal cases.

General Land Office (GLO) Commissioner

Manager of most publicly owned land, mineral rights, and General education fund. Current commissioner is George P. Bush.

Competition for House and Senate Seats

Many noncompetitive districts in which one party receives more than 55% of the vote District considered competitive when party vote is between 44 and 55% Only 7% of Texas House seats competitive Each election year, about 1/3 of House members face opposition in the general election No term limits Turnover in State Legislatures

The Legislative is the law making branch of government

Meets only 140 days out of every other year, 2017 will be the 85th meet, they meet part-time.

What is a Texas 2-step?

Members of parties go to the opposing party's primary and help elect the most liberal or most conservative candidate. This way, their chances of winning in the general election are slim.

In Texas, the governor's State of the State address is an example of the ______ power.

Message

The first African American elected to a statewide office in Texas was

Morris Overstreet

what constitutes a capital felony offense in Texas

Murder of a peace officer/firefighter, murder in the commission of a burglary, murder for hire, escape from prison and any employee is killed, 2 or more persons killed at the same time, murder of a child under the age six.

What are the voter qualifications?

Must be 18 yrs (21 in constitution), live in TX for 30 days, be a US citizen, cannot be a convicted felon.

What are the qualifications for becoming a member of the House of Representatives?

Must be at least 21 yrs, a resident of TX for 2 years and live in your district for at least 2 yrs, have to be a citizen of the US, have to be a qualified and registered voter, cannot be a convicted felon.

What are the qualifications for becoming a member of the Senate?

Must be at least 26, resident of TX for 5 years and in the district for 1 yr, must be a US citizen and a qualified registered voter, cannot be a convicted felon.

The Texas Governor can be impeached & removed

Must be charged for impeachment & have a 2/3 vote for removement. (can't hold in any other office once removed).

Describe the Voting Rights Act

Must have bilingual ballots in areas where over 5% of citizezs speak a language other than English.

Texas has strong laws dealing with lobbying by former government officials.

NOPE! can't lobby after two years former employees can't lobby for people they worked with

Texas Republicans have been relegated to minority status...

NOPE. Democrats, not Republicans, since 1994

Are there term limits?

House Bill 72

No Pass, No Play, every teacher had to take a test to recertify

What is single-issue politics?

No groups wins or loses

What does biennial mean?

Occurring every two years.

What is the most powerful interest group in Texas?

Oil and Chemical Industry

What is Brown VS. Education?

On May 17, 1954, the Court unanimously ruled that "separate but equal" public schools for blacks and whites were unconstitutional. The Brown case served as a catalyst for the modern civil rights movement, inspiring education reform everywhere and forming the legal means of challenging segregation in all areas of society.

What is a Single-member district?

One official is elected to a district rather than multiple.

Since the Civil War, Texas has functioned with how many political party systems?

One-party political system

What type of primary allows a voter to choose on Election Day which primary they will participate?

Open-primary

Political parties are not highly integrated hierarchical structures, instead they are decentralized by?

Organization and geographically

Appeals judges are elected for 6 years.

Original judges are elected for 4 years.

Petit Jury (Trial Jury)

Panel of jurors who decide guilt or innocence (criminal case) or for the plaintiff/defendant (civil case) Texas government code allows jurisdictions to draw potential jury members from both registered voters and licensed voters

Supporters of the major political parties support the use of which ballot?

Party-column ballot

Political parties are vital to democracy in that they provide a link between what and what

People and government

Standing Committee

Permanent Committee with the power to propose and write legislation that covers a specific subject.

Constituent

Person living within the district from which an official is elected.

How do campaigners alleviate voter fatigue?

Persuade them to vote straight ticket

Jury

Petit- 12. Grand- 12; to hear information to determine it for trial, vote true bills of 9 yes or no bill of 4+ no.

PAC stands for

Political Action Committee

What is PACs?

Political action committees

Political and Racial Gerrymandering

Political: The drawing of legislative districts to favor political party over another Racial: Districts drawn to the advantage of a minority group

What does the Pluralism Theory suggest?

Politics is a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies, diversity of groups and distribution of resources mean no single group dominates

Plural Executive

Power is fragmented because the election of statewide officeholder is independent of the election of the Governor.

Judicial Power

Power of the House to impeach, and of the Senate to convict members of the executive and judicial branches of State of government.

Investigative Power

Powers that can be used by the legislature to investigate problems in the state.

What is the lowest level of party organization

Precinct

The Lieutenant Governor

President of the Senate, in Texas the Governor & the Lieutenant Governor runs on separate tickets; when the Lieutenant Governor presides, he is the most powerful elected official in Texas; the speaker of the House of Representative is the second most powerful elected official in Texas.

What are the duties of the Lieutenant Governor?

Presides over Texas Senate Performs as acting governor when governor is unable to perform duties. Chairs Legislative Budget Board.

County Judge

Presides over county court and commissioner's court with responsibility for the administration of county government, some carry out judicial responsibilities.

One-person One-Vote

Principle that all districts should have around the same population.

Redistricting

Process of redrawing election districts; usually happens every 10 years.

What is a bill?

Proposed law that has been sponsored by members of the legislature and submitted to the clerk of the house or the senate.

_______ is the good of the whole society, without bias one or against any particular segment of society

Public interest

Legislation comes from:

Reaction Need Industry Pro/Con

Moving across the political spectrum is called?

Realignment

The transition from one dominant political party in the state to another is known as what

Realignment

What is the Texas State Board of Education responsible for?

Recommend commissioner of education candidates to governor. Oversee the Texas Education Agency

What are the functions of a political party?

Recruit candidates, mobilize the voters, organize the governor around the party that's in power, adopts the platform, manages conflict by vote

Describe EMILY's List and its functions

Recruits women to run for office at every level across the country. Seeks to put women into office who can make significant contributions to: education, healthcare, voting rights, and economic equality.

Purposes of the criminal justice system

Rehabilitation Deterrence Punishment

Effect of punishment on crime rates

Rehabilitation of offenders Death penalty Harris County Factor Impact of income and poverty on legal services

Which of the following is not a legislative power of the Texas governor?

Removing, for suitable cause, the Speaker or lieutenant governor

In 1996, what was the majority party in the Texas Senate for the first time since Reconstruction?

Republican party

Concurrent Resolution

Resolution in interest to both the Senate and House, which must pass both chambers and generally be signed by the Governor.

Simple resolution.

Resolution the only concerns either the House or the Senate. Does not require the Governor's signature.

The Commissioner of General Land Office is responsible for the following:

Responsible for 18,000+ producing oil wells. Responsible for awarding drilling exploration rights on state land. Protects environmental quality of state land and water. (George P. Bush)

Agriculture Commissioner

Responsible for enforcing agricultural laws. Current commissioner is Sid Miller

Speakers in Texas only?

Retire

Sunset Advisory Commission (SAC)

Reviews effectiveness of state agencies.

Who was the governor who ran dirty campaigns, and has been the longest running governor in TX history?

Rick Perry, "Mr. Goodhair"

What was the outcome of Shelby County v. Holder?

Ruled that a key section of the Voting Rights Act was unconstitutional.

In 2004 and 2005, three special sessions were called in the Texas legislature to deal with

School Finance

Referral

Second step in the legislative process, bill is assigned to the appropriate committee by the Speaker (House) or Lt. Governor (Senate)

the chief election officer of the state is which office?

Secretary of State

Governor's Appointments

Secretary of State Commissioner of Health and Human Services Chief record keeper and election official for the state of Texas Publishes the Texas Register which is the source of official notices or rules, meetings, executive orders, and opinions of the attorney general that are required to be filed by state agencies. Commissioner for Health and Human Services Office of State Federal Relations

What is efficacy?

Self evaluation of your own political effectiveness, number varies between 0-1, (0 is political alienation and 1 is complete confidence in your political effectiveness)

2 Chambers in Tx Govt: What is it called ?

Senate (31) House (150) Called: Bicameral

What bill # was the Campus Carry legislation

Senate Bill 11

Structure and Size of the Texas Legislature

Senate: 31 members with four-year terms 1/2 elected during each presidential election year HoR: 150 members with two-year terms 100% elected each presidential election year Small size of the legislature: 811,147 constituents per state senate district (2010) California is the only state that had more constituents per senator

What is a special session?

Session called by the Governor to address an agenda set by him/her that lasts no longer than 30 days.

Legislative districts in the Texas House and Senate are

Single member districts

If you do not meet the 4 definitions for an interest group then you are apart of what?

Social Club

What is political power based on?

Social membership

Sometimes PACs give to both candidates as a way to avoid alienating either one, though the possibility remains that such dual giving will wind up alienating both.

In the Texas legislature, the referral of a bill to a standing committee in the House and the senate is the job of whom?

Speaker of the House and lieutenant governor.

If the legislature grants a particular corporation an exception from a state law, it is called

Special Bill

Bureaucracy

State boards, commissions, councils and committees.

Legislative Budget

State budget prepared and submitted by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and is fully considered by the Senate and the House.

Executive Budget

State budget prepared and submitted to the Legislature by the Governor.

What are the two top state-level leaders in the party?

State chair and vice chair

What is beyond reasonable doubt?

State of Texas has the burden to prove the Defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Which state office was eliminated in 1996?

State treasurer

Attorney General

State's chief civil lawyer. Represents Texas in court. Current Attorney General of Texas is Ken Paxton

Lieutenant Governor

State-wide elected official. Presiding officer of the Senate. Has signigicant control over legislation in the Senate. Current Lt. Gov is Dan Patrick

Texas is classified as a state with?

Strong interest groups and weak parties

Democratic Control and Bureaucratic Responsiveness

Sunset Review: Sunset Advisory commission review most state agencies every 12 years Powers of the Texas Governor in Comparative Context

Filibuster

Tactic used by Senators to prevent action against legislation they oppose.

Trial/Original

Take the original evidence & witnesses & court decides; dull, just looking at the evidence; for civil & criminal cases.

Authority over railroads throughout Texas was given to the ______ in 2005.

Texas Department of Transportation

The primary enforcement of regulations of state campaign laws is the responsibility of the

Texas Ethics Commission

Texas Lobby Laws

Texas Ethics Commission Laws are limited Controlled by those who use them.

Where did Mr. Woodard work, for the longest period, in the Capitol ?

Texas House of Representatives

Two Types of Supreme Courts

Texas Supreme Court- Civil and Juvenile Court of Criminal Appeals- Criminal including death penalty appeals

Which state agency has the responsibility to establish standards of conduct for lobbyists

Texas ethic commission

Texas and weak interest groups.

Texas is a state that has long had powerful interest groups

Treasurer collected the money

Texas no longer has a treasurer; the comptroller collects & spends according to the budget.

dual structure

Texas's two supreme court system

What is the importance of the Supreme Court case Reynolds v. Sims?

The Court struck down state senate inequality, basing their decision on the principle of "one person, one vote." Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964) was a United States Supreme Court case that ruled that state legislature districts had to be roughly equal in population.

Which office is charged with ensuring the accuracy of official weights and measures?

The Department of Agriculture

According to Laura K. De La Cruz, which event was instrumental to the shift to the new media?

The F.C.C. eliminating of the fairness doctrine

What is a line-item veto?

The Governor is allowed to take one part out of the bill that he does not approve of

Terms

The House of Representative-2 yr term-150 members The Senate-4 yr term-31 members.

Which organization help create the image for the Texas Rangers?

The Journalists.

Who is actually the most powerful elected official in Texas?

The Lieutenant Governor

What is the function of the lieutenant governor in Texas?

The Lieutenant Governor of Texas is the second-highest executive office in the government of Texas, a state in the U.S. It is the second most powerful post in Texas government because its occupant controls the work of the Texas Senate and controls the budgeting process as a leader of the Legislative Budget Board.

Who sets local telephone and electric rates in Texas?

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC)

Who assigns the bills to committees in the houses?

The Speaker and the Lieut. Gov.

Lieutenant Governor, President protempore

The Speaker of the House, The whip.

What is the Department of Public Safety is responsible for?

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a department of the government of the state of Texas. DPS is responsible for statewide law enforcement and vehicle regulation. The Public Safety Commission oversees DPS.

Authority over railroads throughout Texas was given to this entity in 2005.

The Texas Department of Transportation.

The Texas State Board of Education is responsible for?

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B. Travis State Office Building in Downtown Austin.

In presidential election years, which of the following offices is not on the Texas ballot?

The Texas Governor

How are lobbying able to have influence on the policy making process after a long leave the legislature

The Texas Legislature gives the bureaucracy to see a great deal of administrative discretion through the rule making process

Who has responsibility for redistricting the Texas delegation to the U.S. Congress?

The Texas legislature

What was the most important federal law involved in the expansion of the franchise (vote) in Texas?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Which of the following is neither a duty nor a power of the lieutenant governor in Texas?

The ability to call the Texas Senate into special session.

The Missouri Plan

The appointment election process that a temporary judge would come in & then the people get to vote if they would like that judge to stay. (it is considered in Texas).

What is Sociological Representation?

The belief that only a person with a similar background to you can represent you.

In the Texas legislature, when a committee chair "pigeonholes" a bill, what happens?

The bill is set aside before it is ever discussed in committee.

What is the most important committee in the House of Representatives?

The calendar (rules) committee

What is state executive committee?

The committee responsible for governing a party's activities throughout the state

Why is the comptroller of public accounts so important to the legislature?

The comptroller informs the legislature how much money it has to spend on the budget.

How does the salary get increased?

The constitution must be amended

What is the temporary organization of the political party?

The convention

What is county chair?

The county party official who heads the county executive committee

Who was Phil Graham?

The first member of the legislature to publicly change from being a democrat to a republican

What is a county commissioners court?

The governing body of a county. In Texas, the court has five members: the county judge and four commissioners. A sixth official, the county clerk, is an ex officio member of the court.

Which of the following is the best example of the Texas governor's military powers?

The governor can declare martial law during a natural disaster.

Which of the following is the best example of the Texas governor's exercise of senatorial courtesy?

The governor will not appoint someone to office unless that appointee's state senator agrees

What is political socialization?

The introduction of individuals into political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based

For a Texas governor, what is the benefit of a post-adjournment veto?

The legislature is prevented from overriding it.

In Texas, if a sitting governor is unable to hold office due to impeachment and conviction, resignation, or death, who becomes governor?

The lieutenant governor

When the Texas governor strikes out particular spending provisions in an appropriations bill, it is called

The line-item veto.

When the governor strikes out specific spending provisions in large appropriations bills, it is called

The line-item veto.

What is precinct chair?

The local party official, elected in the party's primary election, who heads the precinct convention and serves on the party's county executive committee

What is precinct?

The most basic level of political organization at the local level- lowest (smallest area)

The Senate has 9 standing committee

The most powerful are the budget & education committees.

What is county executive committee?

The party group, made up of party's county chair and precinct chairs, that is responsible for running a county's primary elections and planning county conventions

Appointment

The power of the chief executive to appoint to persons to office

Logrolling

The practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other's proposed legislation.

Bills must be researched

Then seen if it weighs up to the Constitution.

The House of Representative divides up work by committees

There are 29 committees.

Why did the Texas constitution establish a plural executive?

There was suspicion of a strong chief executive

Interest Groups Vs. Parties

They are inverse of each other, if one is strong the other is weak. (Example: In Texas, Parties are weak and interest groups are strong)

What are Communalists?

They demonstrate a high rate of participation in community life but low levels of participation in campaign activity.

What are Parochial Participants?

They vote and contact policy makers regarding issues that affect their lives but do not engage in other campaign activities (Example: Relatively not engaged, until issue sparks their interest, then interest fades)

How does the president get elected?

Through the electoral college

What advantages do better-funded interest groups have?

Time, money, and expertise.

What is the number one function of a political party?

To adopt a platform

Cozy Triangle/Iron Star of Texas

To control agencies of Texas, work together that will hinder good government, those part of the star tries to make things better for themselves.

What is the main purpose of a primary election?

To determine the party's nominees for the general election

What do some argue is the one advantage of a plural executive in Texas?

To dilute the power of the Governor and fragments the executive branch

What does it mean to pigeon hold?

To give the bill to a committee that does not have jurisdiction over it

What are the whips main jobs?

To make sure people vote the party line

In Texas, why are gubernatorial elections held in off years?

To minimize the effect of presidential elections on the selection of the Texas Governor.

What is the goal of a party?

To win

Type of Cases brought in both courts

Trial - original case, and Appeals - used to correct mistakes.

Courts

Trial/Original & Appeals.

Civil rights groups such as the NAACP and the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund represent their groups' interests only through litigation, especially in the federal courts.

True

Common Cause is the best example of a public interest group

True

Conference committees are designed to make Texas House and Senate bills identical to each other.

True

Each incorporated town or city in Texas has a municipal court.

True

For a bill that starts in the House the steps are: introduction, referral, consideration by standing committee, floor action, action by a conference committee and approval by both houses, and action by the governor. True or false?

True

Less than 20 percent of all judges in Texas are Hispanic.

True

Lobbyists may gain access to legislators by building support for an issue among their constituents.

True

Texas justices of the peace do not have to be lawyers.

True

Texas law restricts the amount of money a judicial candidate may receive from donors.

True

The Texas Attorney General is in charge of all civil cases where the state is a party in the lawsuit. True or False?

True

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Voting Rights Act applies to state judicial elections.

True

The lieutenant governor is also a member of the Texas House of Representatives.

True

The typical Texas legislator is a white, upper-class, male Protestant.

True

Women were permitted to vote in all elections in Texas with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. True or False?

True

Federal funds are #1 source

True or False

Judicial elections in Texas are nonpartisan.

True, Partisan.

One of the biggest controversies concerning the method of judicial selection in Texas is that there may be conflicts of interest when judges must hear cases determining the financial interests of persons who have donated to their campaigns.

True? But could be false because i would think the case would be reassigned so the issue would be irrelevant. I looked it up and most cases are reassigned

general elections in Texas are held on what day?

Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even numbered years.

General elections in Texas are held on the

Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.

Court Decision Making

Two Sources of Law: legislatures and courts Majoritarianism and Countermajoritarianism Rule of Law governs -maintains a passive role -upholds rules of access and procedure -confines decisions to specifics of the case -appears objective

Multimember Districts

Two or three members per district Promote majority representation or domination

Bifurcated

Two steps; all must be absolutely agree 100% yes or no; if not 100% agree, instead of tried for capital felony the case will be moved to be tried for life.

When is the County or Senatorial District convention held?

Two weeks after the precinct conventions

How long does the Precinct Chair serve?

Two years

The Political Convention is assembled every?

Two years

Office of governor as stepping-stone

U.S. Senate President Federal administrative service But, for most the position is the peak of their government career George W. Bush first Texas governor since 1941 to go on to a higher elected office

What was Wesberry V. Sanders

U.S. Supreme Court case involving U.S. Congressional districts in the state of Georgia. The Court issued its ruling on February 17, 1964. This decision requires each state to draw its U.S. Congressional districts so that they are approximately equal in population.

What was Miller V. Johnson?

United States Supreme Court case concerning "affirmative gerrymandering/racial gerrymandering", where racial minority-majority electoral districts are created during redistricting to increase minority Congressional representation.

What is the main difference between a bill and a resolution?

Unlike a bill, a resolution, if passed, lacks the force of a public law.

Candidates spend most of their "on the stump" time in __________, through stumping alone, nowadays, does not get a candidate elected.

Urban and suburban areas in the state

Major and Minor Calendars and Bills

Used to determine when a bill will be considered 2 different calendars for minor bills in the Texas State House - local and consent Most bills, both minor and major receive final action toward the end of the legislative session

Judicial Selection

Variety of methods used at state level: Merit System (Missouri System) Nonpartisan election- highest degree of judicial responsiveness Appointment by governor (lowest number) Legislative election (left over from colonial era) Partisan Election- lowest level of judicial competence and independence All Texas judges selected by partisan election (must win primary and general election)

Legislative Powers of the Governor

Veto Power overriding of either general veto or line item veto requires 2/3 vote in both house and senate (similar in most other states) Legislature can not call special session on an override No vetoes overridden since 1979

What are the legislative powers of the governor?

Veto Power - line item veto

Post-adjournment Veto

Veto of a bill that occurs when the legislature is adjourned, preventing them from voting on it.

In 2002, the U.S. Department of Justice ordered Harris County to provide ballots (and voting material) in which language?

Vietnamese

The precinct convention is open to individuals who do what

Voted earlier in the day in that party's primary

What does the idea of the dealignment suggest

Voters are calling themselves independent rather than identifying with political party

defining characteristic of representative democracies

Voting

What was Baker V. Carr?

Was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that decided that redistricting (attempts to change the way voting districts are delineated) issues present justiciable questions, thus enabling federal courts to intervene in and to decide redistricting cases. The defendants unsuccessfully argued that redistricting of legislative districts is a "political question", and hence not a question that may be resolved by federal courts.

Why do we even hold elections?

We are required to by the constitution

What kind of executive branch does Texas have?

Weak plural executive

What is the emergency clause?

When a bill is taken out of order according to importance.

What is "issue advocacy?"

When individuals or interest groups take out ads concerning a campaign issue and does not tie them directly to any particular candidate.

Criminal

When one breaks a law of government & can be punished.

Civil

When the courts define a disagreement.

While Republicans have won every statewide election since 1994, the growing Latino population and increased diversification of the state may change this in years to come.

While Texas is a state with a larger percentage of minorities than non-Hispanic whites, the majority of the state's voters are minoritie

In Texas, what is used for every profession?

White Collar or association

Characteristics of members

White, male, older, protestant, high education, very few non-protestant, lawyers & ranchers; create, design, & pass the law.

Who was the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction, and when was he or she elected?

William Clements 1978

What one thing does a political party care about?

Winning

How can the houses override the Governor?

With a 2/3 vote

What are constituency services provided by Texas representatives

Writing a letter of recommendation for a constituent. Legislative activity. Attempting to influence decisions of government agencies. Giving a speech to a local civic group

Specific Texas laws regarding recounts in elections allow each of the following

a candidate can request a recount if he or she loses by less than 10 percent. the candidate who requests a recount is required to pay for the recount. a manual recount must be used.

What makes a party?

a coalition of interest groups who have to work together

institutional memory

a collective understanding of the way an organization works held by those who run it

select committee

a committee that is temporary and has a fixed issue to investigate or legislation to consider

making registration and voting in America easier has resulted in what?

a decrease i voter turnout

Which forms of photo identification is acceptable to be able to vote in Texas?

a driver's license, an election identification certificate, a DPS ID card, a U.S. military ID, a U.S. citizenship certificate, a U.S. passport, and a DPS handgun license.

bureaucracy

a government organization that implements laws and provides services to individuals

What is a party?

a group of people with similar ideas organized to elect government officials

bicameral legislature

a legislative body with two houses or chambers

trustee

a legislator who votes in accordance with their interpretation of what his or her district would want

To win the general election, a candidate must win with __________ of the votes.

a plurality

What is an open primary?

a primary election in which any registered voter can participate in the contest, regardless of party affiliation.

political action committee (PAC)

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns.

presiding officer

a role of the lieutenant governor who is in charge of the administrative and procedural duties of the Texas Senate

bench trial

a single judge presides and decides guilt or innocence and punishment

committee

a small group of legislators who investigate, craft, assess, and take action on legislation before it is considered by the whole chamber

point of order

a technical objection to an error in a bill

line item veto

a veto that allows the governor to reject a specific provision in a bill without rejecting the whole bill

a. Develop a campaign strategy that is narrowly focused.

According to the authors, what is the defining characteristic of representative democracies? a. Elections c. C. Writing letters to local representatives b. Voting d. Distributing campaign literature

a. Elections

_________________ are supporters of the Republican Party, who are concerned with such issues as family, religion, abortion, gay rights, and community morals. a. Evangelical Christians c. Moderate business interests b. Tea party members d. Right wing conservatives

a. Evangelical Christians

According to the text, which incumbent Texas governor produced the MOST impressive gains for the Republican Party by leading a sweep of Republicans to victory in every statewide election so that—for the first time ever—no Democrats occupied any statewide executive or judicial office.

a. George W. Bush

Which of the following concerning Texas elections is correct? a. In presidential elections, as the turnout nationally has declined since 1960, Texas's turnout has actually increased. b. In presidential elections, Texas's turnout is similar to U.S. turnout. c. In mid-term elections, Texas ranks higher in turnout than most other states. d. In mid-term elections, Texas has the same turnout as in presidential elections.

a. In presidential elections, as the turnout nationally has declined since 1960, Texas's turnout has actually increased.

Which individuals are legally disqualified from voting? a. Individuals that have been legally declared mentally incompetent b. A convicted felon who has received a pardon c. Individuals who have been incarcerated d. Individuals who have lost their voter registration card

a. Individuals that have been legally declared mentally incompetent

Political parties in Texas select delegates to the national nominating convention using both the primary and the caucus system. This process is known as a. Texas Two-Step. c. Texas winner-take-all. b. Texas conventions. d. Texas party lottery.

a. Texas Two-Step.

In 2002, the U.S. Department of Justice ordered Harris County to provide ballots (and voting material) in which language? a. Vietnamese c. Mandarin b. Spanish d. Korean

a. Vietnamese

All special elections in the state a. are nonpartisan elections. b. are held only after a primary election. c. require only a plurality of the votes. d. require run-offs.

a. are nonpartisan elections.

a. collect 45,000 signatures from eligible voters.

The county executive committee, along with the approval of the __________, must certify the name of the nominees. a. commissioners' court c. county attorney b. county judge at law d. precinct chair

a. commissioners' court

Organizations that raise and then contribute money to political candidates are known as a. political action committees. c. caucuses. b. super political action committees. d. political parties.

a. political action committees.

The transition from one dominant political party in the state to another is known as a. realignment. c. post-alignment. b. pre-alignment. d. dealignment.

a. realignment.

If contending party factions in a precinct are evenly divided, a walkout is possible if one side or the other looses a key vote and claims that a grave injustice was done. Such a group will conduct its own convention called a a. rump convention. c. moderate-progressive caucus. b. conservative caucus. d. recall convention.

a. rump convention.

a. rural, low-income ranchers.

State and local party organizations are ________ who exercise considerable discretion on most party matters. a. semi-independent actors c. grassroots actor b. independent actors d. individual actors

a. semi-independent actors

What is the primary task of the Texas secretary of state?

administering elections and maintaining some financial records

All special elections in the state are what?

are non-partisan elections.

All special elections in the state

are nonpartisan elections.

A closed primary allows only those individuals who ____________ to participate.

are party members

a closed primary allows only those individuals who ___ participate.

are party members

What year was the Texas Constitution amended to extend the terms (from two years to four years) for the governor and other major administrative officials? a. 1963 b. 1972 c. 2000 d. 2008

b. 1972

In 1974, the GOP held only 53 offices at the county level and now they hold more than __________ county offices. a. 60 c. 1000 b. 2000 d. 100

b. 2000

Making registration and voting in America easier has resulted in which of the following? a. An increase in voter turnout. b. A decrease in voter turnout. c. Voting turnout has remained the same. d. Effects not verifiable.

b. A decrease in voter turnout.

Which individual was the state's first elected Republican governor since Governor E. J. Davis? a. E J Davis c. George W. Bush b. Bill Clements d. Rick Perry

b. Bill Clements

What is it technically called when a person who identifies with one political party opts to vote in the other party's primary to influence its outcome? a. Preventative voting b. Crossover voting c. Party busting voting d. This cannot be legally done in Texas.

b. Crossover voting

______ is the exercise of power in parties by state and local party organizations rather than by national party institutions. a. Grassroots c. Pragmatism b. Decentralization d. Single-member district

b. Decentralization

Which political party has a "hands-off" philosophy about government? a. Democrats c. Republicans b. Libertarians d. Green

b. Libertarians

Which of the following is not part of the new media? a. Cable b. Major traditional networks c. Talk radio/podcasts d. Websites

b. Major traditional networks

Supporters of the major political parties support the use of which ballot? a. Office-block ballot b. Party-column ballot c. Massachusetts ballot d. They do not have a preference.

b. Party-column ballot

__________ is the philosophy that ideas should be judged on the basis of their practical results rather than on an ideological basis. a. Idealism c. Traditionalism b. Pragmatism d. Republicanism

b. Pragmatism

b. voters are calling themselves Independents rather than identifying with political parties.

Smith v. Allwright

banned use of white primaries

Libertarian Party

believes in limited government and can be considered fiscal conservatives and social liberals

what could be a contributing factor to the decrease in participation inthe united states after the 1960?

both the passage of the twenty-sixth amendment and a decrease in party identification by voters

multimember agencies

bureaucratic organizations staffed by a minimum of three individuals

hybrid agencies

bureaucratic organizations whose leaders are selected by a mixture of appointments and elections

Throughout their campaigns, Texas Democratic candidates tend to mobilize all of the following groups except

business interests

What major way do interest groups promote the political interests of elected officials who support their viewpoints?

by providing campaign contributions.

Texas required individuals to pay a poll tax to vote in state elections until it was declared unconstitutional by what?

by the decision in the case U.S. v Texas

The first African American elected to a statewide office in Texas was a. Billy Williamson. b. Morris Overstreet. c. Barbara Jordan. d. Linda Davis.

c. Barbara Jordan.

James Madison criticized political parties in which Federalist Paper? a. Federalist Paper 53 c. Federalist Paper 10 b. Federalist Paper 47 d. Federalist paper 36

c. Federalist Paper 10

In Texas, third party candidates must receive what percentage of the vote to get on the ballot? a. Six percent c. Five percent b. Ten percent d. Twenty percent

c. Five percent

Liberals in the Texas Democratic Party consist of groups who have supported the national party ticket and its presidents except a. Harry Truman. c. George Bush. b. Lyndon Johnson. d. John Kennedy.

c. George Bush.

Once they register, voters are automatically sent renewals at their address of record by a. January 15th in even -numbered years. b. January 1st in odd-numbered years. c. January 1st in even-numbered years. d. No registration material is sent, because voter registration is permanent and therefore new cards are not needed.

c. January 1st in even-numbered years.

The rejuvenation of the Republican Party in Texas came in 1961 when ______ was elected to the U.S. Senate. a. Kay Bailey Hutchinson c. John Tower b. Phil Gramm d. John Cornyn

c. John Tower

Which of the following techniques to prevent voting was never used in Texas? a. Poll taxes b. Early registration c. Literacy tests d. Annual registration

c. Literacy tests

What strategy is used in election campaigns in which candidates attack opponents' issue positions or character? a. Timing b. Education c. Negative campaigning d. Campaigning

c. Negative campaigning

What type of primary allows a voter to choose on Election Day which primary they will participate? a. Closed primary b. Semiclosed-primary c. Open-primary d. Cross over voting primary

c. Open-primary

In the late nineteenth century, the Democratic Party was challenged by which third party? a. Socialist c. Populist b. Green d. Reform

c. Populist

________ in politics means that ideas should be judged on the basis of their practical results rather than on the purity of their principles.

c. Pragmatism

An individual income tax is an example of what type of tax? a. Franchise tax c. Progressive tax b. User fee tax d. Death tax

c. Progressive tax

A group of conservative Republicans that formed in opposition to President Obama's health care initiative is a. Evangelical Christians. c. Tea Party. b. Conservative Christians. d. moderate business interests.

c. Tea Party.

According to Laura K. De La Cruz, which event was instrumental to the shift to the new media? a. The F.C.C. strengthening the fairness doctrine b. The F.C.C. strengthening of the equal time doctrine c. The F.C.C. eliminating of the fairness doctrine d. A decrease in media sources

c. The F.C.C. eliminating of the fairness doctrine

In presidential election years, which of the following offices is not on the Texas ballot? a. The entire Texas House b. One-half of the Texas Senate c. The Texas Governor d. The entire Texas delegation to the U.S. House

c. The Texas Governor

c. The rules for both parties are somewhat complex.

Which of the following statements about voters is incorrect? a. The more education an individual has, the more likely the individual is to vote. b. A person who has a strong interest in politics is more likely to vote. c. The younger an individual is, the more likely that individual is to vote. d. Identification with either major political party makes a person more likely to vote.

c. The younger an individual is, the more likely that individual is to vote.

One can vote early in Texas elections under which of the following conditions? a. Only if you will be out of town on day of the election b. Only if illness prevents you from going to your voting precinct. c. You can vote early for any reason. d. Only with the approval of the county election judge

c. You can vote early for any reason.

Texas' political culture can best be described as a. traditionalistic. b. a mix of traditionalistic and moralistic. c. a mix of traditionalistic and individualistic. d. individualistic.

c. a mix of traditionalistic and individualistic.

To win the general election, a candidate must win with __________ of the votes. a. an absolute majority c. a plurality b. two-thirds d. a simple majority

c. a plurality

Smith v. Allwright a. banned Asians from voting. b. banned Native Americans from voting. c. banned the use of White primaries, d. banned women from voting.

c. banned the use of White primaries,

The duties of the secretary of state include all of the following except a. disbursing funds to the state and county executive committee to pay for the primary elections. b. keeping election records, both party and governmental. c. enacting legislation and voting guidelines. d. sitting on the board that canvasses election returns for state and district offices.

c. enacting legislation and voting guidelines.

The Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave a. women the right to vote only in state primaries. b. women the right to register only in state general elections. c. full suffrage to women in Texas. d. women the right to vote only in bond elections

c. full suffrage to women in Texas.

In Texas, if a third party does not have the required number of votes to get ballot status, the party can get on the ballot if it

c. launches petition drives that gather the signatures of voters who did not vote in a primary election.

A political party's ultimate aim is to a. canvass voters. b. finance party candidates. c. nominate candidates in the primary or convention and get them elected. d. serve as advisors to county administrators.

c. nominate candidates in the primary or convention and get them elected.

A number of Texas counties introduced electronic voting in the 2002 midterm election because a. too many Republicans were winning statewide offices. b. a number of lawsuits were filed by Democrats. c. of the possibility of similar problems that occurred in Florida during the 2000 election. d. too many candidates were requesting recounts.

c. of the possibility of similar problems that occurred in Florida during the 2000 election.

At the lowest, or grassroots, level of the party structure is the ________ , who is chosen by the precinct's voters in the primary for a two-year term.

c. precinct chair

People who vote Republican for national office but Democratic for state and local office are known as a. RINO. c. presidential Republicans. b. presidential conservatives. d. presidential pragmatists.

c. presidential Republicans.

A __________ is held when one of the two top contenders of a second primary did not receive a majority of the votes. a. direct primary c. runoff primary b. primary d. second primary

c. runoff primary

All PACs must be registered with the a. comptroller of public accounts. b. attorney general. c. secretary of state. d. speaker of the house.

c. secretary of state.

The Terrell Election Law enabled political party members to a. hold caucuses to select political party nominees. b. select candidates using political conventions. c. select political party nominees by allowing a direct primaries. d. allow state senators to select political party nominees.

c. select political party nominees by allowing a direct primaries.

Money spent by political parties on behalf of political candidates, especially for the purposes of increasing voter registration and turnout is called a. independent expenditure. b. PAC money. c. soft money. d. hard money.

c. soft money.

c. they propose amnesty for long term, working illegal immigrants.

Candidates spend most of their "on the stump" time in _________, though stumping alone, nowadays, does not get a candidate elected. a. rural areas in the state. c. urban and suburban areas in the state. b. suburban areas in the state. d. rural and suburban areas in the state.

c. urban and suburban areas in the state.

c. voted earlier in the day in that party's primary.

c. willing to vote for candidates of more than one party in a given election.

civil cases

cases in which individuals, corporations, or the government bring suit against another party and must prove that the harm was done to them beyond a "preponderance of evidence"

criminal cases

cases in which the government brings suit against the defendant for violating the law and in which the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt

Beare v. Smith

changed early voting requirement

legal voting qualifications in Texas

citizen of US, 18yrs of age, registered voter

Almost one-half of the attorney general's employees are involved in what government task?

collecting child-support payments

Citizens' expectations of judges

competent independent responsive

For Texas primaries, the state party chair and the state executive committee of each party

conduct a drawing to determine the order of the names on the ballot. certify the ballot to the county level officials. canvass the election returns after the primary.

Dixiecrats

conservative Democrats who abandoned the national Democratic Party in the 1948 presidential election

passage of the Twenty-sixth Amendment and A decrease in party identification by voters

contributing factor to the decrease in participation in the United States after 1960

lists used to purge registration rolls

coroner's reports, list of felony convictions, list of adjudication of mental incompetence

all ballots and election materials must be printed in other languages if

counties have at least 5% greater language minority

County Court

courts that exist in some counties that are presided over by the county judge.

appellate courts

courts that review legal issues of cases decided by lower courts

Statutory county courts at law

courts that tend to hear less serious cases than those heard by district courts.

Which of the following is a deterrent to higher voter turnout in Texas? a. Large number of elections b. Long length of the ballot c. Lower income and education levels in Texas d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct.

Texas does not have term limits for which office? a. Governor b. State House of Representative c. State Senator d. All of the above are true

d. All of the above are true

d. All of the above are true.

The national party organization provides state parties and candidates with a variety of which services? a. Public opinion polling c. Direct mailing b. Computer networking d. All of the above are true.

d. All of the above are true.

For Texas primaries, the state party chair and the state executive committee of each party a. conduct a drawing to determine the order of the names on the ballot. b. certify the ballot to the county level officials. c. canvass the election returns after the primary. d. All of the above is correct.

d. All of the above is correct.

Which list(s) is (are) used to purge the names of voters from the voter registration rolls? a. Corner's reports b. List of felony convictions c. List of adjudications of mental incompetence d. All of the above lists are used to purge names of voters from registration rolls.

d. All of the above lists are used to purge names of voters from registration rolls.

Which of the following is not a distinct characteristic of American political parties? a. Decentralization c. Pragmatism b. Two-party system d. Idealism

d. Idealism

________ have an optimistic view of human nature; they believe that this optimism and the fact that humans are essentially rational, will ultimately bring improvement in the human condition.

d. Liberals

What is another name for the Massachusetts ballot? a. Nonpartisan ballot b. Straight-ticket ballot c. The long ballot d. Office-block ballot

d. Office-block ballot

Which of the following is not a demographic variable that affects turnout at the polls? a. Education b. Income c. only God knows d. Residency

d. Residency

d. Secessionist proposal of Edmund

Which electoral system encourages pragmatic behavior? a. Republicans c. At large member district b. Democrats d. Single-member

d. Single-member

d. Social Security is a sound system not in need of reform.

Which of the following is not a strength area for Texas Republicans? a. Midland-Odessa area c. Houston suburbs b. Hill Country-Edwards Plateau area d. South and South Central Texas

d. South and South Central Texas

Of the following geographical areas, which is weaker than the others for Texas Republicans in terms of support and voting strength?

d. Southwest and South Central Texas

The primary enforcement of regulations of state campaign laws is the responsibility of the a. secretary of state. c. political parties. b. governor. d. Texas Ethics Commission.

d. Texas Ethics Commission.

Which of the following statements about Texas elections is incorrect? a. Getting off an election ballot can be as difficult as getting on. b. For any party that received at least 5 percent of the vote for any statewide office in the previous general election, the full slate of candidates is placed on the ballot automatically. c. Write-in candidates are not listed on the ballot. d. The process of gaining access to the ballot by third parties is simple in Texas.

d. The process of gaining access to the ballot by third parties is simple in Texas.

d. They possess a more pessimistic view of human nature than conservatives.

d. They support government programs that involve redistribution of wealth.

As a person who considers himself a conservative, Bill is MOST likely in favor of

d. a free market unfettered by government control and support of traditional values.

A closed primary allows only those individuals who ____________ to participate. a. are registered voters b. possess a voter registration card c. are first time voters d. are party members

d. are party members

d. between people and government.

Throughout their campaigns, Texas Democratic candidates tend to mobilize all of the following groups except a. African Americans. b. Latinos. c. teachers. d. business interests.

d. business interests.

Specific Texas laws regarding recounts in elections allow each of the following except a. a candidate can request a recount if he or she loses by less than 10 percent. b. the candidate who requests a recount is required to pay for the recount. c. a manual recount must be used. d. canvassing authorities are given very little discretion when interpreting an indentation on the chad.

d. canvassing authorities are given very little discretion when interpreting an indentation on the chad.

The small piece of paper produced in punch-card ballots is known as a. check. b. chard. c. chip. d. chad.

d. chad.

American party organizations are organized in a ________ manner.

d. decentralized

A method of selecting the nominees from a political party where party members elect the candidates who represent them in the general election is known as a. precinct convention. b. party caucus. c. party convention. d. direct primary.

d. direct primary.

Liberals in the Texas Democratic party consists of all of the following groups except a. organized labor. c. trial lawyers. b. Mexican-American groups. d. large farmers and rancher.

d. large farmers and rancher.

In recent years the Republican Party had developed two factions with two different styles of leadership except a. true believers. c. pragmatist. b. tea party. d. pro-minority party activists.

d. pro-minority party activists.

The chief election officer of the state is the a. registrar of voters. c. speaker of the house. b. comptroller of public accounts. d. secretary of state.

d. secretary of state.

d. serving as a member of the state executive committee.

Texas required individuals to pay a poll tax to vote in state elections until it was declared unconstitutional by a. the Twenty-fourth amendment. b. the decision in the case Nixon v. Condon. c. the Twenty-third amendment. d. the decision in the case United States v. Texas.

d. the decision in the case United States v. Texas.

In a traditionalistic political culture, politics is a. the product of the Puritan era. b. viewed as the same as the business culture. c. a process in which business interests play a very strong role. d. the process of maintaining the existing social and economic order.

d. the process of maintaining the existing social and economic order.

Most observers agree that Texas has experienced party realignment, meaning that

d. there has been a transition from one dominant party system to another.

d. they believe the federal government should not change the No Child Left Behind program.

d. they represent education interests.

d. to certify to the Attorney General which candidates were nominated by the party in its March primary.

Issues on which virtually all of the public agrees, such as peace and prosperity, are known as

d. valence issues.

A presidential preference primary allows voters in the party primary to

d. vote directly on the party's presidential nominee.

For a name to be placed on the general-election ballot, a candidate must be either a party nominee or an independent and a. have a party platform. b. hold a party convention. c. win 10 percent of any statewide office. d. win 5 percent of any statewide office.

d. win 5 percent of any statewide office.

courts of origin

de novo - appeal as new

In the American federal system, political party organizations operate at the precinct, local, state, and national level. This characteristic of American political parties is referred to as

decentralization

United States v. Texas

declared poll tax unconstitutional

The purpose of a conference committee in the Texas legislature is to do what?

designed to make differing House and Senate versions of the same bill identical.

third parties and access to the ballot.

difficult in Texas; required to collect signatures if 5% (votes) in a prev. race was not met

The duties of the secretary of state include all of the following

disbursing funds to the state and county executive committee to pay for the primary elections. keeping election records, both party and governmental. sitting on the board that canvasses election returns for state and district offices

business-oriented interest groups.

dominant groups in Texas Legislation

redistricting

drawing of district boundaries

Turnover in Senate Seats

due primarily to voluntary renouncement or retirement

demographic variable that affects turnout at the polls

education, age, income

Lieutenant Governor

elected every 4 years in general election not formally a senator and cannot vote except in cases of a tie; yet he or she has great power over the senate Powers similar to Speaker of the House

According to the authors, what is the defining characteristic of representative democracies?

electons

Terrell Election Law

enabled political party members to select political party nominees by allowing direct primaries

One important way for interest groups to gain access to those in government is....

entertainment

Sunset Act

every 12 yrs, every agency must be investigated by the legislature; can take away, leave them alone, give strong recommendations to change, combine 2 agencies, or sunset(kill) them.

Regressive Taxes

everyone pays the same taxes

No Civil Service Protection

except for the police, fire fighters, and those in the military.

Governor's Budgetary Powers

exceptionally weak except for line item veto Texas state budget submitted to legislature by the Legislative Budget Board Line item veto is key budget power of governor -allows governor to veto part of an appropriations bill without vetoing the whole bill

What is a Resolution

expression of opinion on issue by legislative body

George W. Bush was the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction.

false

Like the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court has nine justices, including one chief justice.

false

The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission has mandated that no government official may serve in any single office for more than twelve years.

false

The Texas governor has strong powers for granting clemency.

false

The attorney general in Texas is responsible for overseeing the registration of voters.

false

The governor makes approximately 3,000 appointments to executive boards and commissions during a single term in office.

false

The structure of the Texas executive branch is centralized, with much formal authority allocated to the governor.

false

There are approximately twenty state boards and commissions within the Texas plural executive.

false

when an attorney is representing you, it is always the best one

false

The general election is held...

first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even numbered years

what does the term "pro bono" mean?

for free

Commissioners court

for providing services like marriages

probate courts

for when a death occurs and a will needs to be probated

veto

formal, constitutional decision to formally reject a resolution or bill made by the legislature

19th amendment

full suffrage to women in texas

The most important goal of political parties is to

gain control of government through popular elections.

Comptroller

gives biennial Revenue Estimate & certifies the state budget

a decrese in turnout

has been the result of making registration and voting easier in the US

Texas presidential turnout

has increased since 1960, while national turnout has declined

Formal Qualifications for the Texas Governor

has to be 30 years of age Texas resident for 5 years U.S. citizenship Not necessary to be a registered voter

seniority

having a lengthier legislative service than others

Progressive Taxes

higher amount you make, higher taxes

new political parties must

hold a convention, show list of supporters have not participated in other primaries of major parties, have all pages notarized

Gerrymandering

illegal redrawing of district lines

What is the ultimate check on the governor?

impeachment

In Texas, why are gubernatorial elections held in off-years?

in order to not be influenced by presidential elections.

Issue advocacy

independent spending by individuals or interest groups on a campaign issue but not directly tied to a particular candidate

Why is the comptroller of public accounts so important to the legislature?

informs the legislature how much money it has to spend on the budget in 2 years. Comptroller Glenn Hegar

What is Energy (oil)

interest group that spent the most on lobbyists in 2013

Political Socialization

introduction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based

Political parties in Texas are usually what?

inverse

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

involves nationwide prohibition against the abridgement of voting rights on the basis of race or ethnicity

What is the function of the "local and consent" calendar?

it is reserved for unconstitutional bills of bills limited to a localized problem.

Although the poll tax was made illegal in federal elections in 1964, it...

it remained legal in state elections in Texas until 1966

common law

law that is established when judges apply past decisions by courts - called legal precedents - to the facts of a new case before them

Functions of the Legislature

lawmaking budget and taxation- a recommended budget is submitted to the Texas legislature by the Legislative Budget Board Oversight- House Insurance Committee hearing testimony from the Texas Department of Insurance about the efficacy of procedural changes within the department is an example of the oversight function

special laws

laws that exempt businesses or individuals from state laws

local laws

laws that only affect units of government at the local level

general laws

laws where the bill potentially affects all Texans

term limits

legal restrictions on the number of terms that an elected official can serve in a specific office

What did Plessy v Fergusson allow?

legal segregation, lasted until 1954

executive orders

legally binding orders from the governor that are used to direct government, especially state agencies, in the execution of law

disqualified from voting

legally declared mentally incompetent

first reading

legislation considered at the committee stage

second reading

legislation considered at the floor stage

resolutions

legislation that conveys the will of the chamber

regular session

legislative session meeting for 140 days in January of odd-numbered years

special session

legislative session that can be called by the governor on any issue the governor decides requires attention

casework

legislators and their staff assist constituents in their districts with specific requests

What is the term used when the governor strikes out specific spending provisions in large appropriations bills?

line item veto

PAC does what

loophole to corporate donations

Interest groups strive to influence public opinion....

make their views known to policy makers elect and support policy makers

Minor political parties in the state prefer the office-block ballot because it

makes straight-ticket voting for the major parties more difficult.

texas registration law

may register by person or mail, register when renewing license, registered spouses parents and offspring can register an individual

Carrington v. Rash

members of military full suffrage in Texas

direct primary

method of selecting the nominees from a political party where party members elect the candidates who represent them in the general election

Part of the big gains for Republicans in Texas reflected a shift among the views of

middle- and upper-class white Americans.

Texas' political culture

mix of traditional and individual

correct statements about voters

more education = more likely to vote, strong interest in politics =more likely to vote, major party identification=more likely to vote

Proportional representation

multi-member district system that allows each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote (like parliament)

What strategy is used in election campaigns in which candidates attack opponents' issue positions or character?

negative campaigning

Special sessions last ________, but there is no limit to the number of special sessions a governor can call.

no more than 30 days.

what is a political party's ultimate aim?

nominate candidates in the primary or convention and get them elected

A political party's ultimate aim is to

nominate candidates in the primary or convention and get them elected.

special elections

not held on a regularly scheduled basis TX: special election is called to fill a vacancy in office to give approval for the state government to borrow money or to ratify amendments to the Texas Constitution

Duverger's Law.

observation that in a single-member district system of electing representatives, a two-party system will emerge

why did a number of Texas counties introduce electronic voting in the 2002 midterm election?

of the possibility of similar problems that occurred in Florida during the 2000 election

A number of Texas counties introduced electronic voting in the 2002 midterm election because

of the possibility of similar problems that occurred in Florida during the 2000 election.

What is another name for the Massachusetts ballot?

office block ballot

Single Member Districts

one member for each legislative district promote geographical representation

What is the meaning of plurality?

opposite of mandate, only requires 1 vote more

Interest Group

organization that tries to influence the govt's programs and policies

Justice of the Peace duties

paid by the wealth of the community, act as coroner (but not a M.D.), act as Magristrate (trust the arresting officer)

What is it technically called when a person who identifies with one political party opts to vote in the others party's primary to influence its outcome.

part crossover voting

in state elections, what two factors predominate?

party identification and incumbency.

A type of ballot used in a general election where all of the candidates from each party are listed in parallel columns is called

party-column ballot.

Explain the 24th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

passed in 1964, it made poll taxes illegal in federal elections

Elections are the most important vehicles by which...

people express themselves in the democratice process in Texas

standing committees

permanent committees that deal with a specific issue or topic

One of the most notable effects of bicameralism in the Texas legislature is that it

permits more opportunities to kill or significantly modify a bill.

What is one of the most notable effects of bicameralism in the Texas legislature?

permits more opportunities to kill or significantly modify a bill.

Interest groups want...

policy that benefits their groups

Organizations that raise and then contribute money to political candidates are known as

political action committees

La Raza Unida

political party formed in Texas in order to bring attention to the concerns of Mexican Americans

Techniques used in texas to prevent voting

poll taxes, early registration, annual registration

why are too many minorities found guilty of capital felonies

poverty and something is wrong with the system

White primary

primary election in which only white voters are eligible to participate

Early voting

procedure that allows voters to cast ballots during the two-week period before the regularly schedule election date

Reappointment

process of allocating representatives to districts

Reapportionment

process that takes place every 10 years to determine how many congressional seats each state will receive, depending on population shifts.

What is a Bill

proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of the legislature

most important functions of parties in Texas

provide a label under which candidates can run and with which voters can identify

Lobbyists do

provide information to politicians, testify, entertain, support elections ($), draft legislation

What is a political action committee?

raise and distribute funds for candidates.

The Nineteenth Amendment

ratified in 1919 guaranteeing women the right to vote

The general election refers to the election in which ...

refers to the election in which voters cast ballots to select public officials.

rules

regulations designed to control government or the conduct of people and industries

turnover

replacement of members of Congress by retirement or resignation, by reapportionment, or by electoral defeat

Suffrage

right to vote

What are Laws

rules that are enforced to govern behavior

A ______ is held when one of the two top contenders of a second primary did not receive a majority of the votes.

runoff primary

A __________ is held when one of the two top contenders of a second primary did not receive a majority of the votes.

runoff primary

The chief election officer of the state is the

secretary of state

All PACs must be registered with the

secretary of state.

Turnout in American general elections is ______ in comparison to other industrialized democracies of the world.

significantly lower

To win the general election, a candidate must win the ___ of the votes.

simple majority

US general election turnout is ______ compared to other industrialized democracies.

slightly lower

Money spent by political parties on behalf of political candidates, especially for the purposes of increasing voter registration and turnout is called

soft money

arguments for opposition to voter ID

solution to non-existent problem, no evidence of voter impersonation, big impact on legit voters without a driver's license

Currently, the most dangerous conflict within the Republican Party is...

split between religious social conservatives and economic conservatives

regulations

standards that are established for the function and management of industry, business, individuals, and other parts of government

In the Texas legislature, all bills dealing with state revenue must

start in the House of Representatives.

pay-as-you-go system

state funds spend must equal state funds received

poll tax

state-imposed tax on voters as a prerquisite for voting poll taxes were rendered unconstitutional in national elections by the twenty-fourth amendment, and in state elections by the Supreme court in 1966

Conference Committee

subcommittees of standing committees; -work out differences in bills

Plural Executive

system in which executive power is divided among several statewide elected officials Primary reason why the Texas governor's power is exceptionally weak compared to governor's of other states Election of Other Statewide Executives: Office of the Attorney General -chief counsel to governor and state agencies -most of the work of the attorney general involves civil issues

dispose

take a case off the court's docket generally by being heard or dismissed

Literacy tests

technique NEVER used in Texas to prevent voting

The Texas election Code requires each political party to do what?

that receives 20% of the gubernatorial vote to hold a primary election

In the Texas House of Representatives, who has the power to allow members to speak in floor debates?

the Speaker of the House

What was the result of Nixon v. Condon?

the Texas Democratic Party passed a resolution that confined party membership to white citizens.

In Texas, what is the most important power of the state comptroller?

the ability to direct the collection of tax and nontax revenues. Comptroller Glenn Hegar

appellate jurisdiction

the authority of a court to review a case first heard in a lower court

licensing

the authorization process that gives a company, an individual, or an organization permission to carry out a specific task

enforcement

the carrying out of rules by an agency or commission within the bureaucracy

Partisan polarization

the degree to which Republicans have become more conservative and Democrats have become more liberal

What makes the greatest difference between strong and weak governors of Texas?

the differences in personality

plural executive

the diffusion of authority and power throughout several entities in the executive branch and the bureaucracy

The Populist Party emerged in Texas because of

the dissatisfaction of small farmers.

sine die

the end of a legislative session

implementation

the execution by the bureaucracy of laws and decisions made by the legislative, executive, or judicial branch

budget execution

the governor's implementation of the budget when the legislature is not in session

Bundling

the interest-group practice of combining campaign contributions from several sources into one larger contribution from another group, so as to increase the group's impact on the candidate.

impeachment

the legal process in which the legislative branch has the authority to indict and remove a public official

Which political leaders in Texas are two of the most powerful figures in the state?

the lieutenant governor and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

What are nonlegislative powers of the Texas legislature?

the power of impeachment the power to investigate problems facing the state the power to formally count the election return in the governors race.

What is the Texas governor's greatest judicial power?

the power to appoint judges to vacancies in the courts

recognition

the power to call on a legislator to allow him or her to speak during debates

pardon

the power to forgive a crime

clemency

the power to reduce or delay punishment for a crime

traditionalistic political culture

the process of maintaining the existing social and economic order.

amend

the process of modifying a bill

In Texas, which officer in the plural executive is not elected by voters?

the secretary of state

political succession

the sequential passing of authority from one person to another as the previous people are unable to serve

how do we hold the bureaucracies accountable?

the sunshine law (open record law) and the sunset law (reviews depts. by committee every 12 yrs to either keep or remove)

Which group of conservative Republicans formed in opposition to the federal bailout of financial institutions in 2008 and President Obama's health care initiative?

the tea party

third reading

the voting stage of legislation

The phenomenon that occurs when a group grows large enough to change the political balance in the electorate is referred to as

tipping

What provisions have been added recently to the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

to send federal examiners to southern states to register voters. billuingal ballots are now required in certain areas where more that 5% of voters speak another language.

voting age population

total number of persons in the United States who are 18 years of age or older, regardless of citizenship, military status, felony conviction, or mental state defines

logrolling

trading favors, votes, or influence for legislative actions

In Texas, the lieutenant governor is also the president of the senate and may cast a vote to break a tie.

true

Texas has a plural executive made up of multiple popularly elected offices.

true

The Texas Supreme Court and the court of criminal appeals have appellate jurisdiction.

true

The attorney general's office offers advisory opinions to state agencies concerning the legality of actions.

true

The comptroller of public accounts directs the collection of taxes for the state of Texas.

true

The comptroller of public accounts directs the collection of taxes for the state of Texas. True or False?

true Comptroller Glenn Hegar

Candidates spend most of their "on the stump" time in _________, though stumping alone, nowadays, does not get a candidate elected.

urban and suburban areas in the state

What is the reason Texas holds special elections?

used to fill vacancies in office, to give approval to borrow money, or to ratify or reject amendments to the Texas Constitution.

Commissioner of Agriculture

very concerned about water supply, checks on oil/gas service stations, involved in weights & measures, licenses everyone that inspects eggs, manages exports & supply&demand.

political polarization

voters' opinions on policy and political matters become more strictly defined by their identification with a political party

What do interest groups want from policy makers?

want policy that is beneficial for their groups.

filibuster

when a senator holds the floor and restrains the chamber from moving forward on legislation

delegate

where a legislator who is simply a mouthpiece for the wishes of his or her constituency

markup

where legislators add, subtract, or replace part of the original legislation so that it meets the preferences of the committee

All have been

white males except 2(females), conservative except 2(moderates), only had 4 Republicans.

The typical Texas legislator is most likely to be a

white, affluent businessman

For a name to be placed on the general-election ballot, a candidate must be either a party nominee or an independent and

win 5 percent of any statewide office.

typical criminal in Texas

young male, under 25, H.S. dropout, poor, drug abuse, MINORITIES

In the permanent party organization, the lowest level of the party structure is the

precinct chair.

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