GOVT 2306 Exam 1

Texas Counties

Texas has 254 counties, most in the U.S.

Local Governments

Counties contain ~20 local governments each.

County Functions

Includes road maintenance, law enforcement, and social services.

County Commissioners

Elected officials setting tax rates and budgets.

Precincts

Each county has four precincts led by commissioners.

County Judge

Oversees commissioners court and emergency management.

Sheriff

Elected chief law enforcement officer of the county.

Constables

Elected officers enforcing laws and serving papers.

District Attorney

Prosecutes major crimes in the county.

County Attorney

Handles lesser offenses in county legal matters.

County Clerk

Keeps official records and issues licenses.

Tax Assessor-Collector

Manages taxes and voter registration processes.

County Treasurer

Manages and oversees county financial funds.

County Auditor

Appointed role ensuring financial accuracy.

County Size Challenges

Large counties face different issues than small ones.

State Control

State governs county spending and elections.

City Government

Texas has over 1,200 incorporated municipalities.

Home Rule Amendment

Allows self-governance for cities with 5,000+ residents.

Mayor-Council Model

Executive mayor and legislative city council structure.

Council-Manager Model

Elected council appoints city manager for operations.

Special Purpose Districts

Independent bodies managing specific local services.

Voter Oversight Issues

Low turnout (~10%) affects special district governance.

Financial Strain

Large projects and retirement benefits stress budgets.

government

institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled

Core Political Values of America

Liberty, Equality, Justice

Politics

Conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments

What type of government does Thomas Jefferson preferer?

limited gov.

Autocracy

a form of government in which a single individual - a king, queen, or dictator- rules

oligarchy

a form of government where a small group- landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants- controls most of the governing decisions

popular sovereignty

a principle of democracy in which political authorities rest ultimately in the hands of people

democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials

constitutional government

a system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of the gov (ex. US, UK, France)

authoritarian government

a system of rule in which the gov recognizes no formal limits but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions (ex. Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa)

totalitarian government

a system of rule in which the gov recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it (ex. Soviet Union (Stalin), Nazi Germany, North Korea)

direct democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and politics

majority rule, minority rights

the democratic principle that a gov follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority

representative democracy (republic)

a system of gov in which that populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in governmental decision-making

political power

influence over a gov leadership, organization, or policies

pluralism

the theory that most interests are and should be free to complete for influence in the gov; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation

citizenship

membership in a political community that confers legal rights and carries participation responsibilities

Civil Liberties

freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and trial by jury

political knowledge

info about the formal institutions of gov, political actors, and political issues

disinformation

false information that is shared intentionally to reach a political goal

political efficiency

the belief that one can influence gov and politics

US population

1790 - 3.9 million

2022 - 333 million

Immigration Act

1924- immigration act sets quotas for immigrants from Europe and banned from Asia but exempted from western hemisphere

14th Amendment

granted citizenship to formerly enslaved people

Indian Citizenship Act of 1924

recognized Native Americans as citizens

Naturalization Act

1790 - only free white people could become naturalized citizens (lifted in 1870)

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882 - outlawed entry of Chinese laborers to the US (lifted in 1943)

large-scale immigration

many more residents are now foreign-born

1st Amendment

freedom of religion, expression, peaceful assembly

How has immigration effected religion?

new patterns of immigration have combined with differences in birth rates and other social changes to alter the balance of Americans' religious affiliations

How has immigration effected age?

as the population has grown and diversified, the country's age profile has shifted with it

How has immigration effected geography?

over the nation's history, Americans have mostly moved from rural areas and small towns to large cities and suburbs

How has immigration effected socioeconomic status?

for much of US history, most Americans were relatively poor working people, mostly farmers

political culture

broadly shared values, beliefs, and attitudes about how the gov should function; American political culture emphasizes the values of liberty, equality, and justice.

unalienable rights

life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Liberty

freedom from gov control

limited gov

a principle of constitutional gov; a gov whose power are defined and limited by a constitution.

economic freedom

supports capitalism and free markets

laissez-faire capitalism

"allow to do"

an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no gov interference

NSA

monitors electronic data flow

equality of opportunity

a widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential

political-equality

the right to participate in politics equally, based on the principle of "one person, one vote"

Plessy v. Ferguson

1896, separate but equal facilities for white and black is constitutional

Brown v Borad of Education

1954, overturned separate but equal in education

civil rights act

1964, equal access to facilities

justice

the fairness of how rewards and punishments are delivered, especially by govs and courts, but also in society

Federalist 51

James Madison, justice is the ultimate goal of a good gov

Federalist 78

the Judicial branch would have responsibility of ensuring justice is carried out; Alexander Hamilton

fairness

impartial decision-making; the quality of treating people equally, free from discrimination

Obergefell v. Hodges

2015; same-sex marriage is legalized across all 50 states

social justice

the just allocation of wealth opportunities, and privileges, within a society

example of an interest group

Jewish Peace Activist

example of direct action

protests

example of representatives

voting

example of direct democracy

ballet measures

Which group of people typically trust the government more?

Black and Latino

1882

Chinese Exclusion Act

Urbanization

Movement from rural areas to cities and suburbs.

Per-capita income

Texas income lagging behind U.S. average.

NAFTA

Trade agreement benefiting Texas's border economy.

Provincialism

Narrow worldview affecting Texas's social services.

Political culture

Texas characterized by traditionalistic and individualistic values.

Demographics

Population trends showing youth and Latino growth.

Latino population

Largest demographic segment with increased political influence.

Asian American population

Diverse nationalities, small but growing demographic.

Cotton economy

Established underclass and supported Populist movement.

Compromise of 1850

Texas sacrificed land claims for debt relief.

Texas Railroad Commission

Regulates oil and gas production in Texas.

Steel plow

Innovation increasing cotton production efficiency.

Barbed wire

Ended open-range grazing and cattle drives.

Urbanization impact

Decreased rural influence and traditional industry focus.

Creative destruction

Technological innovation disrupts existing economic structures.

Republican regions

Interior Lowlands and Great Plains dominate politics.

Voting barriers

Poll tax restricted access for low-income minorities.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Expanded political access for African Americans.