TXST POSI 2310 Exam 4 Review

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28 Terms

1
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The political culture of Texas consists of

consists of the attitudes, values, and beliefs that most people in a political community have about the proper role of govt. and the (limited) role of citizens in that govt.

2
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Political Participation Consists of what Activities?

- running for office
-voting
-attending political meetings
-working on campaigns
-wearing a button
-displaying a bumper sticker

3
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Briefly describe the Texas economy

Over the past few decade, it has become less of a land-based economy

-high oil prices enabled the state to avoid several of the most recent national recessions

-and Texas' economy leads the nation in oil production

4
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What are some primary characteristics of the Texas population as a whole?

Growing faster than most states

-It's a Majority-Minority, where minority groups, combined, make up the majority of the population

5
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Why did the State Board of Education receive criticism?

for revising textbooks to de-emphasize the importance of the civil rights movement, religious freedom, and removed Thomas Jefferson as one of the great thinkers that was studied in history

6
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What was a main reason for the Texas Revolution?

the suspension of the Constitution of 1824

7
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What is the most basic and most important characteristic of a Constitution

it is a contract between the state and the people

8
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What are the historical characteristics of the Texas Constitution?

It is based on the principles of popular sovereignty and limited govt.

9
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the amendment process in Texas is in which article?

Article XVII

10
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What is one of the main contributions of the Spanish to the Texas Constitution?

Community property rights for women

11
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the 1869 Texas Constitution did what?

-Allowed former slaves to vote
-abolished county courts
-centralized public schools under state control
-and gave the governor strong appointive power

12
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the 1876 Texas Constitution was a reaction to what?

a strong centralized power established in the Constitution of 1869

13
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What is the largest source of state revenue?

sales tax

14
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What is the largest source of local govt revenue?

property tax

15
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Give some examples of how federalism works

-the federal govt provides funding for highway construction

-states set highway speed limits

-local govts maintain roads

16
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What is the salary for state legislators?

$7,200 per year + $150 per day

17
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Who holds the most power in the state legislature?

Speaker of the House and the Lt. Governor

18
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Identify the term limits, qualifications, leadership roles, and speaker's power for the Texas House of Representatives

Term
2 years

Qualifications
-U.S. citizen
-21 years old
-2 years of residency in TX
-1 year of residency in district

Leadership
-Speaker of the House (who is rarely defeated in re-election)

Speaker's Power
-Appoints chairs of committees
-Appoints members to committees
-Assigns bills to committee
-Schedules legislation
-& Serves as Vice-Chair of the Legislative Budget Board

19
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Identify the term limits, qualification, committees, and process for passing legislation in the Texas Senate

Term
4 years

Qualifications
-U.S. citizen
-26 years old
-5 years of residency in TX
-1 year of residency in district

Committees
-Sub-Committees
-Conference Committees
-Ad Hoc Committees (special committees & select committees)
-Standing Committees (the most important

Passing Legislature
-most bills are passed in the last two weeks of session
-Before the 60th day, a bill needs a simple majority vote to pass
-After the 60th day, it needs two-thirds vote

20
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What are the powers of the Texas executive

Generally governors can:
-appoint officials
-veto legislation
-grant/deny clemency
-& act as a chief budget officer

In Texas --> Limited Powers
- Administrative & Budgetary Powers
--weak b/c appointments must be approved by the State Senate, and Heads of Executive departments are independently elected
--strong b/c tenure and veto authority

21
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What party predominates in Texas? When did it begin?

The first movement towards Republican domination began with TX voting for Eisenhower for prez.

-it began on both the state and national levels in the late 1970s.
-realignment resulted in no significant change in governing policy or philosophy
-republican control will depend on the vote of the minority population

22
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Party Structure in Texas is strong or weak?

it is fairly weak and leaves room for interest group influences

23
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Discuss the structure within a party in Texas

-The Precinct Chair
-The County Chair (who is responsible for maintaining party HQ, fund-raising, conducting primaries & counting ballots in primaries)
-The County Exec. Committee
-The State Executive Committe (divided between men & women)
-State Party Chair

24
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Discus the influence of interest groups in Texas

State and local interest groups protect local govt interest from state interference
-Public employees are not allowed to belong to labor unions
-most constitutional amendments are pushed through by interest groups

25
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Describe primaries in Texas

Election by major political parties to nominate candidates for the November general election
-Texas has a semi-closed primary
-runoff primaries held mostly in the South

26
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What is recall and how does it work?

The removal of the governor or elected official by a petition signed by the people
-25% of the voter's signatures from the previous election is required
-Only 2 governors have been removed from office due to a recall

27
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What is straight-ticket voting?

A system that allows voters to vote for all candidates of a single political party by making a single mark.
-it has helped the republican party (particularly in state judicial elections)

28
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What is the electoral college?

-Each state has as many electors as senators and representatives
-all but 2 states use Winner-Take-All
-Needs 270 electoral votes to win
-if no candidate wins majority, the election is decided by the U.S. House of Representatives