Texas government 2306
In the process known as ___________ the governor clears his or her appointments with the state senator from the appointee's home district.
Senatorial courtesy
Which is the idea that all individuals possess inalienable rights and willingly submit to government to protect those rights?
Social contract theory
What type of law forbids candidates defeated in the primary election in Texas from trying to run as independents in general election.
Sore loser law
What type of law forbids candidates defeated in the primary election in Texas from trying to run as independents in general election?
Sore loser law
The first modern European nation to lay claim to the territory of Texas was:
Spain
Who is the leader of the Texas house?
Speaker
The most common form of local government in the United States is the:
Special district
What is the name of a permanent committee in Texas state?
Standing
What is the name of a permanent committee in the Texas senate?
Standing
If a budgeting power rests with the mayor that city probably has:
Strong mayor government
If the budgeting power rests with the mayor, that city probably has a:
Strong mayor government
Article 6 of the U.S constitution contains the______ clause establishing the U.S constitution as the highest law of the land that no federal or state law may violate
Supremacy
What does Robin Hood plan do?
Takes money from rich school districts and distributes it to the poor school districts
Which term refers to a state's ability to raise revenue when compared to other states?
Tax capacity
What is the term for Spanish settlers brought up from Mexico by the Spanish government to settle in Texas?
Tejanos
In Texas it is a requirement that all candidates and PACs file reports with the
Texas ethics commission
Which group is in charge of enforcing the campaign rules and laws of Texas?
Texas ethics commission
Which board/commission regulates the oil industry in Texas?
Texas railroad commission
What BEST explains why Texas turned from a democratic stronghold in the 1930s to a republican stronghold in the 2000s
The Democratic Party became more liberal over time.
What best explains why Texas turned from a democratic stronghold in the 1930s to a republican stronghold in the 2000s?
The Democratic Party became more liberal over time.
The merit system used in some states to identify and select judges is also known as:
The Missouri system
Why did the framers of the 1876 Texas constitution adopt a plural executive system?
To limit the power of the governor
Texas has all of the following types of local government EXCEPT:
Townships
A state senator that usually considers all the options and then chooses the one he or she believes is the best is demonstrating the ________ representational role.
Trustee
The house and the senate can override a governor's veto with a _______ vote
Two thirds 2/3
What is the most common form of political participation?
Voting
How often does the redistricting happen?
every 10 years
The situation of individuals receiving the benefits of collective action without contributing is known as
free rider problem
The situation of individuals receiving the benefits of collective action without contributing is known as:
free rider problem
Which of the following elections would typically have a higher voter turnout?
general election
The practice of redrawing electoral boundaries for political advantage is known as:
gerrymandering
Who pays the largest part of the cost of K-12 education in Texas?
local districts
Voting in another party's primary to intentionally nominate a weaker candidate is known as:
party raiding
Most of the money used in in political campaigns comes from:
political action committees
An organization of ideologically similar people that nominates and elects its members to office is known as
political party
An organization of ideologically similar people that nominates and elects its members to office is known as:
political party
What is the primary activity that PACs engage in?
raising and utilizing campaign contributions
What term is used by political scientists to refer to a shift in party allegiances or electoral support?
realignment
Texas has which of the following types of primary systems?
semi-open primary
Many Texans oppose same-sex marriage and abortion. This is a reflection of ___________ in the state's ideology
social conservatism
One way that historical political parties consolidated power was through appointing faithful party members to government jobs, also known as:
spoils system
Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution contains the ________ clause establishing the U.S. Constitution as the law of the land that no federal or state law may violate.
supremacy
The __________ amendment guarantees citizens in each state due process and equal protection of the law regardless of race, ethnicity or gender
14th
What years was Texas a part of the confederate states of America?
1861-1865
What year was the reconstruction constitution established in Texas?
1869
What year was the current Texas constitution written?
1876
How much of the legislature must support a proposed amendment to the Texas constitution?
2/3 two thirds
In Texas how long prior to an election must you register in order to be elegible to vote?
30 days
In Texas, how long prior to an election must you register in order to be eligible to vote:
30 days
How many senators are in the Texas state?
31
Which of the followings is NOT a type of lobbyist discussed in the textbook?
Advocative
An interest group that appears to have many grassroots members, but in fact does not have individual citizens as members is called what?
An "AstroTurf" organization
Which of the followings BEST describes someone that has a "state-wide office"?
An official who is elected by the entire state
In criminal cases, prosecutors are required to prove something?
Beyond and reasonable doubt
Which term describes a legislature with two chambers?
Bicameral
Who was the first republican governor elected in Texas since reconstruction?
Bill clements
A _______ grant is given by the federal government for broad purposes and gives the state and local governments a significant amount of discretion in how money is spent?
Block
Which of the following is NOT one of the formal qualifications to be a governor in Texas?
Born in Texas
Which of the following expresses the idea that each of the three branches of government ( legislature, executive and judicial has some power over the other two branches)
Checks and balances
Which of the following expresses the idea that each of the three branches of government( legislative, executive, judicial) has some powers over the other two branches
Checks and balances
Which of the folllowing is an example of general-purpose government in Texas?
City
Which of the following is an example of a general purpose government in Texas?
City
Which type of primary allows only official party members to vote?
Closed
Which executive level of officer administers state-owned land?
Commissioner of the general land office
Which executive-level officer administers state-owned land?
Commissioner of the general land office
Which of the following is the BEST explanation for why community colleges are cheaper than universities?
Community colleges receive part of their revenue from local property Texas
Which executive-level officer collects taxes?
Comptroller of public accounts
Which of the following are the two of the three kinds of county courts?
County courts and county courts at law
Which of the followings are the two kinds of the three kinds of county courts?
County courts and county courts of law
The U.S constitution says that the right to vote can not be denied for all of the followings reasons EXCEPT:
Criminal record
What angered most Texans and left them hostile to the Republican Party following the civil war?
Edmund J David's government
What angered most Texans and left them hostile to the Republican Party following the civil war?
Edmund J David's governorship
What is an example of a social good?
Education
Interest groups activities designed to influence the outcome of elections are known as:
Electioneering
Which type of evidence must be shared by prosecutors because it can potentially prove the innocence of the accused?
Exculpatory evidence
Common-pool goods are no exclusive and:
Exhaustive
What is the term used to describe when someone if released from prison and cleared of all charges after the courts find out that they didn't actually commit the crime they were accused of?
Exonerate
Which clause of the U.S constitution requires other states to accept a Texas driver license as valid?
Full faith and credit clause
Which of the following was NOT one of the six countries that once dominated the territory known today as Texas?
Great Britain
What is the largest county in Texas in terms of population?
Harris
In which type of city government does the city council select a person to be the chief administrator?
council-manager
Assume that both the Texas house and the Texas senate have passed transportation bills. The bills are almost identical, with slight differences. How will these differences be reconciled before the bill is sent to the governor?
In conference committee
A Southwest Airlines employee whose job duties include lobbying is an example of:
In house lobbyist
Revenue from which type of taxes goes up or down with fluctuations in the economy?
Income-elastic taxes
After the federal court case Ruiz v. Estelle, Texas was ordered to take steps to decrease the overcrowding in Texas prison. Which is one approach that the state government did NOT take in order to accomplish this?
Increasing the number of people put to death
Which of the following groups benefit the most from gerrymandering?
Incumbents
What is needed in order to charge someone with a felony?
Indictment
Which of the following is true about the federal voting rights act?
It requires bilingual ballots in certain precincts
Which of the following is NOT a benefit that interest groups provide to elected officials?
Leadership experience
Which of the followings is NOT a benefit that interest groups provide to elected officials?
Leadership experience
Who is the leader of the Texas senate?
Lieutenant Governor
Which power gives the governor The right to reject just a part of a bill instead of the entire bill?
Line-item veto
Which power gives the governor the right to reject just a part of a bill instead of the entire bill?
Line-item veto
Which of the following are NOT considered part of the VAP?
Minors
Which of the followings are NOT considered part of the VAP?
Minors
What is the most important resource for interest groups seeking to influence election outcomes?
Money
A belief that government is a positive instrument for change and a means for promoting the general welfare of all citizens defines which political culture?
Moralistic
The national voter registration act is also known as the?
Motor Voter Act
The national voter registration act, is also known as the
Motor Voter Act
Which type of court does NOT have appellate jurisdiction in Texas?
Municipal
Which type of court does NOT have to appellate jurisdiction in Texas?
Municipal
Most Texans have a hard time finding information about judges so end up casting their votes based on:
Name familiarity
Most Texans have a hard time finding information about judges, so end up casting their votes based on:
Name familiarity
Which U.S Supreme Court case has the biggest impact on gay rights?
Obergefell v. Hodges
The style of ballot form in which candidates are listed by office with party affiliation listed next to their name is known as the:
Office block format
The style of ballot form in which candidates are listed by office with party affiliation listed next to their names is known as the
Office block format
Between 1900 and 1950, what was the primary factor that led a majority of Texans to leave rural areas and move to urban areas?
Oil
Texas is unofficially considered what kind of party system?
One party
What kind of jurisdiction do trial courts have?
Original
What is the main function of the sunset advisory commission?
Oversee state agencies
How are the Supreme Court judges normally selected in Texas?
Partisan election
The _________ was established by the Texas constitution of 1876 to support the university of Texas and Texas A&M university systems
Permanent University Fund
Which type of jury could you serve on if summoned for jury duty?
Petit jury, grand jury and trial jury
Which of the following was NOT one of the six countries that once dominated the territory known today as Texas?
Portugal
Texas is an example of a plural executive system because?
Power is divided among several elected officials
The primary source of revenue counties is:
Property tax
The primary source of revenue for counties is:
Property taxes
What is the primary activity that PACs engage in?
Raising and utilizing campaign contributions
Which term describes the change when Texas went from being a solidly democratic state to being a solidly republican state?
Realignment
Which is NOT a common form of non tax revenue?
Rebates
Which is NOT a requirement for voting in the state of Texas?
Registered party member
In Texas as elsewhere, what are the three broad purposes that the criminal justice system should serve?
Rehabilitation of criminals, deterrence of future crime and punishment of criminals
The "radical republican" constitution took away which right of whites who had participated in the civil war?
Right to vote
The Radical Republican constitution took away which right of whites who had participated in the civil war?
Right to vote
In Texas, education is primarily responsibility of
School districts
Which of the following is NOT an independently elected member of the plural executive?
Secretary of State
Which of the followings is NOT a power of the Texas legislature?
Appoint judges
Which executive-level office serves as chief legal counsel to the governor and state agencies?
Attorney general
In the Texas appellate courts:
Decide whether procedure was followed
Which of the following is a national government power and NOT a state power?
Declare war
What is discussed in the article 1 of the current Texas constitution?
The bill of rights
What is the highest court for criminal cases in Texas?
The court of criminal appeals
What is an incumbent?
The current office holder
The process in which policy is created through the combined efforts of interest groups, a state agency and a legislature committee
The iron triangle
Ballot eligibility requirements are set by
The states
Ballot eligibility requirements rules for a candidate to get their name on the ballot are set by:
The states
