Chapter 1 Government
Redistricting usually happens every _________ years so that it aligns with the new __________ results
10; census
The Texas legislature meets in regular session for
140 days every odd-numbered year
There are _______ members of the Texas House of Representatives and _________ members of the Texas Senate
150;31
How old does someone have to be to serve in the Texas House?
21 years old
What does a "first past the post" election rule mean?
A candidate for office must win a plurality of votes to assume office.
"Pigeonholing" is a practice in which
A committee chair sets aside a bill
Which factor contributed the most to the increase in the population of Texas?
A natural increase of births in proportion to deaths
The Texas constitution includes all of the following elements EXCEPT
A necessary and proper clause
Article 4 of the Texas Constitution creates
A plural executive, in which executive powers are divided between six different offices.
Which of the following is guaranteed under the Texas Constitution?
A public education system
According to Texas's voter identification law, voters must show __________ to be able to vote.
A valid government-issued picture ID
The people who wrote the Constitution of 1876 wanted to return control of government to "the people", by which they meant
Adult white male citizens of Texas.
The cattle industry became big business in Texas
After the U.S. Civil War
Which of the following statements about Latino voting trends in Texas is most accurate?
Although many Latinos do register to vote, a much smaller number actually go to the polls and vote.
The lieutenant governor is
An official who is elected in a statewide election for a four-year term
The Grange was
An organization of militant farmers that worked for improved conditions for farmers in the late 1800s.
A political party is
An organization of people established to win elections
Candidates running for a nonjudicial office in the state of Texas can raise how much money for their campaign?
An unlimited amount of money
The primary election is held to determine who will
Be the party's nominee in the general election.
The Texas legislature is a
Bicameral body consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate
Under the Republic of Texas, the constitution established a ______ legislature, meaning two bodies, rather than a _______ legislature.
Bicameral; unicameral
In the United States,
Both the federal and state governments are sovereign.
Under the Senate Rules, the lieutenant governor has the power to
Break a tie on any vote
Which type of interest groups often use litigation to represent the interests of their members?
Civil rights interest groups
Voter participation in Texas is ___________ in the United States.
Close to the lowest
Under ___________ federalism, the national government pressures state governments to take on a certain policy by using mandates or funding.
Coercive
As a result of partisan polarization,
Compromise between politicians becomes more difficult.
Who are "Blue Dog Democrats"?
Conservative Democrats located primarily in the southern United States.
Categorical grants are often used with which type of federalism?
Cooperative federalism
What crop in Texas dominated agriculture in the 1870s?
Cotton
The supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution
Declares that the Constitution and laws passed by the national government are superior to all laws adopted by state governments.
The most important factors in predicting who will vote are
Education and income
Redistricting is a process in which
Electoral districts are redrawn
How often do the Democratic and Republican parties in Texas hold state conventions?
Every other year
The notion of ____________, or that different levels of government will assert authority over the same citizens is embodied in both the Texas and U.S. Constitutions. However, because of the __________ clause of the U.S. Constitution, the national government can overrule the Texas government.
Federalism; Supremacy
Special bills are used to
Give an individual or corporation an exemption from state law
Block Grant programs
Give states federal money and also considerable discretion in how those funds are spent.
In order to be eligible to vote in Texas, you must
Have been a resident of Texas for at least 30 days.
How does an individual become a precinct chair?
He or she is elected in the party's primary election.
What was Stephen F. Austin's role in the development of Texas?
He worked with the Spanish government to bring American settlers into Texas.
Which chamber not only is larger but also is subjected to more frequent elections?
House of Representatives
The Texas Constitution provides for a state legislature with more members in the ____________ than in the ____________.
House; Senate
Which city in Texas currently has the largest population?
Houston
In Texas, why were primary elections more important than general elections during most of the twentieth century?
In a one-party state, the winner of the primary would most likely win the general election.
The endorsement of candidates by major large city newspapers tends to be most influential
In down-ballot races that are often ignored by voters.
Which of the following is the largest factor in population growth in Texas?
Increased emigration from other states in the United States
The motor voter law has
Increased the number of individuals registered to vote.
What is the "free rider problem"?
Individuals have an incentive not to take direct action if they can benefit without making any direct contribution
Interest groups form to
Influence government to to adopt policies favored by the group's membership
In what ways are interest groups more effective than private citizens in influencing policy makers?
Interest groups can provide their knowledge and expertise on issues to policy makers
The "revolving door" is used to describe which of the following?
Interest groups' practice of hiring former legislators and government officials as lobbyists
Which new transportation system developed in the 1950s and 1960s fundamentally changed how Texans travel and where they live?
Interstate Highway System
Which of the following is an example of a selective benefit provided by an interest group?
Inviting donors to special conferences
Dark money
Is a form of political money whereby donors can remain anonymous
According to Article 15 of the Texas Constitution, impeachment
Is based on offenses the House and Senate determine are impeachable and not offenses specifically defined in the constitution
If a bill passes the House and the Senate, but in different forms, the bill
Is sent to a conference committee
The tenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Is the "States Rights Amendment"; it reserves all powers not delegated to the national government in the Constitution to state governments.
The Speaker of the Texas House
Is the chief presiding officer of the House of Representatives
In 2011, the state redistricting plan was contested because
It blatantly favored Republican candidates across voting districts.
Why is the voter identification law in Texas controversial?
It may disenfranchise lower-income voters.
Which of the following features are most important to an interest group that seeks to be influential and effective?
Large membership and ample funding
The Shivercrat movement pitted which two groups against each other?
Liberal Democrats and conservative Democrats
The president of the Texas Senate is also the
Lieutenant governor of Texas
The U.S. Constitution and the Texas Constitution are similar in that both
List essential rights for citizens
Individuals who are employed by interest groups to try to influence government policies are called
Lobbyists
Which of the following statements about lobbyists in Texas is most accurate?
Lobbyists may engage with legislators but are required to register with the state.
Which city is located in the Great Plains region of Texas?
Lubbock
Which of the following actions would the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution allow a state like Texas to do?
Manage and regulate its own elections
What was the first federal constitution under which Texas operated?
Mexican Constitution of 1824
How long have Republicans controlled all major statewide elected offices in Texas?
More than 20 years
By the early twenty-first century,
Most Texans lived in urban areas
State conventions certify the
Nominees of the party for statewide offices
What role do Republican and Democratic party caucuses play in determining the chairs of legislative committees?
None; the presiding officers have sole power to choose the committee chairs
Lobbying by a former governor, former lieutenant governor, former legislator, or former aides to these officials is
Not subject to any legal restrictions
The process known as reapportionment
Occurs every 10 years and redistributes congressional seats based on population shifts identified in the U.S. Census
The people who devised the various constitutions for the state of Texas have most often been concerned about which of these issues?
Officeholders, especially in the executive branch, having too broad of powers to achieve their goals.
In a(n) ___________ primary, registered voters can vote in either party's primary but cannot vote in both primaries.
Open
Democrats becoming more liberal and Republicans becoming more conservative is called
Partisan Polarization
A group formed to address environmental concerns in Texas, and it competes among other groups to influence policy. This reflects the democratic idea of a(n)
Pluralistic Society
Signing petitions, protesting, and writing letters to elected officials are all examples of
Political Participation
Under federalism
Power is divided, but a constitution distributes power between a central government and regional government.
Voter turnout in ____________ elections are the highest among all types of elections.
Presidential
Trial lawyers are which type of interest group?
Professional
Public interest groups
Promote consumer, environmental, and general public issues
Over time, the influence of minorities, women and LGBTQ people has diminished the effect of _________ in Texas.
Provincialism
The concept of _________ emphasizes rural values and a belief in limited government.
Provincialism
In the late nineteenth century, Dallas was able to grow into a major city because of which industry?
Railroads
The Republican Party in Texas today is split between _________ and ___________.
Religious social conservatives; economic conservatives
Texas House members differ from Texas Senate members because House members
Represent small districts and are subject to more frequent elections
Which political party has seen greater success with early voting in Texas?
Republicans
Which statement best describes Republicans in the Texas legislature from 1927-1950?
Republicans didn't exist in the state legislature, occupying no seats in either chamber.
Which of the following statements about Republicans and state elections in Texas is accurate?
Republicans dominate state offices.
Which of the following statements about partisanship and geography is most accurate?
Rural areas remain very Republican, urban areas very Democratic, and suburban areas more mixed.
The constitution that replaced the Texas Constitution of 1845 called for Texas to
Secede from the Union.
The main role of the precinct convention is to
Select delegates for the county convention
A system by which farmers would be lent land and equipment in exchange for part of the profits is known as
Sharecropping
Political culture is a term used to describe
Shared values and beliefs about government within a certain region.
The Supreme Court held that states could not restrict voters on account of race in the case of
Smith v. Allwright
The two most powerful political figures in the Texas legislature are the
Speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor
The people of Texas authorize the borrowing of money on behalf of government through
Special elections
When PAC's engage in issue advocacy, they
Spend money, such as funds for television advertisements, on a campaign issue but do not coordinate these activities with the candidate
Often, voters will vote ________ in elections in Texas.
Straight ticket
Today, the Republican Party in Texas mostly represents _______, while the Democratic Party in Texas mostly represents ________.
Suburban, exurban, and rural areas; urban areas
Who led the Grange and Populist movements of the late nineteenth century?
Tenant farmers
Per capita personal income in Texas
Tends to be lower than that of the United States as a whole.
Which constitutional amendment suggests states have considerable power in their relationship to the federal government?
Tenth Amendment
Why would PAC donate money to both candidates running for the same office?
The PAC wants to make sure that it has positive relationship with whomever wins the election
Which statement about the Texas Bill of Rights is accurate?
The Texas Bill of Rights guarantees some rights not found in the U.S. Bill of Rights.
The oil and energy industries are under the regulatory authority of
The Texas Railroad Commission
What happens when an interest group "captures" a government agency?
The agency primarily serves the objectives of the interest group.
Military bases have been an important source of economic development in Texas since
The annexation of Texas by the United States
According to the supremacy clause,
The constitution and laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme law of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state.
An example of cooperative federalism is
The federal government partnering with state and local authorities during emergencies
What is required to convene a special session of the state legislature?
The governor must call for a special session outside a general session
The Constitution of 1869 included which of the following elements?
The incorporation of Fourteenth Amendment guarantees of equality before the law, gubernatorial power to appoint judges, and a reduction in the number of state supreme court judges
Interest groups tend to give the majority of their money to
The incumbent candidate
What contributes to low voter turnout in Texas?
The lack of party competition
What was the relationship between elected officials in Texas state government and the Obama administration in addressing issues such as education, health care, immigration, and voting?
The leadership of Texas State government did not agree with Obama's policies and, in fact, sued the administration 46 times.
Article 8 of the Texas Constitution deals with taxation and revenue. If a personal income tax were to be adopted, what does this article require?
The legislature would need to pass, and the voters, approve of another constitutional amendment tot overturn the current amendment the prohibits an income tax in Texas.
Under dual federalism
The national government's role is limited to providing for national defense, foreign policy, and supporting commerce
Which of the following statements the Texas Ordinance of Secession in 1861 is accurate?
The ordinance proclaimed that state government was established by and for the Whites.
Which of the following most often serves as an informational "shortcut" for voters in deciding whom to choose when voting?
The party affiliation of the candidate
Which level of government provides regulations for birth, death, marriage, and divorce?
The state governments
If a Texas community wishes to incorporate and establish a local government, it must request approval from
The state legislature
What is the outcome for the vast majority of bills that are assigned to committees in the Texas legislature?
They are pigeonholed by the committee chair
If Congress passes a law requiring states to install wheelchair-accessible elevators in public buildings but does not provide funding for the associated costs of doing so, Congress has passed what is known as a(n)
Unfunded Mandate
If the governor does not like specific provisions of an appropriations bill passed by the legislature, he or she can
Use the line-item veto to remove those portions from the rest of the bill
Campaign contributions from interest groups are
Used for expenses associated with holding office.
How important is it for lobbyists to provide information to lawmakers?
Very important, as lobbyists have expertise on issues to offer members of the legislature
"Presidential Republicanism" is a term used to describe a voting pattern in which voters
Vote Republican for president and Democrat for the state offices
Texas used a system of early registration until 1971 that required which of the following:
Voters had to register to vote more than nine months before the general election and were required register to vote every year.
The Tea Party movement
Was a conservative political movement within the Republican party that arose during the Obama administration
When Texas joined the United States, it
Was allowed to keep control of its public lands.
The Constitution of 1836, which established the government of the Republic of Texas, resembled the U.S. Constitution in that it
Was brief and flexible and established a bicameral legislature and three branches of government.
The Constitution of 1876 was a reaction to the Reconstruction Constitution of 1869 because the 1869 constitution
Was seen as giving the governor too much power.
By granting each state equal representation in the Senate, the U.S. Constitution
Was trying to protect states' rights.
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution that addressed the freedom and rights of the formerly enslaved
Were an outcome of the Civil War
The current Texas constitution was written
When the Reconstruction ended in the 1870s.
The 1869 Supreme Court case Texas v. White resolved which constitutional issue?
Whether states can secede from the United States
The Texas Constitution grants the __________ veto power, and it is used ____________.
governor; actively
