POLS 2312 UTA -EXAM 1

Consitution

a document that lays out the principles and responsibilities of government. Establishes the structure and rules for elected officials.

due process of law clause

5th and 14th amendment
-treat all citizens equally under the law and follow certain procedures

categorical grants

requires states to meet conditions to receive the money

preemptions

when govt requires compliance and provided money but with other conditions

special election

an election held for a particular purpose, such as to replace elected officials who have died or resigned from office or to settle a controversial issue

rational voter

One who votes after deciding the personal benefits outweigh the costs

How to increase voter turnout

1. convenience
2. change the day to a weekend
3. voter targeting (constant reminders)
4. we're in this together (groups to encourage)
5. asking for the vote directly
6. thanks
7. safe voting
8. viva vocation (having materials in other languages)

federalist paper 10

The Federalist Paper warning against factions (groups outside the govt) such as interest groups by James Madison

pluralist theory

competition keeps powerful interest groups in check, no single group dominates (not true nowadays)

free rider problem

situation where individuals benefit from a publicly provided good or service w/o paying for it

informal requirements for house and senate

a. income
b. education (highest in the US)
c. occupation (usually legal)
d. knowledge of politics
e. communication skills
f. desire to serve
g. ability to raise money

the real work in legislation is by

specific committees

first occupiers of Texas

Native Americans for up to 10,000 years

the first tribes to settle in Texas

Caddo and Apache

why was Texas popular for settlement

plentiful hunting and farming land

Caddos occupied land from

Trinity River to Mississippi River and north to Red River

Apache occupied

south and west to the area now known as Big Bend

the other two tribes

Karankawa and Coahuiltecan

these two tribes settled the

coastal regions

first explorers

-Spanish: Alvar Nunez de Vaca
-rescued near Galveston Island
-Spain established missions, military bases and settlements throughout Texas and Mexico calling it New Spain

Texans of Mexican heritage are called

Tejanos

most tejanos stayed out of the war between Texas and Mexico and preferred self governance called

ayuntamiento

people who were granted the right to settle the land and recruit other settlers to come to Texas were called

empersarios

do texans support death penalty

75% do

clash between texas and federal govt

a. immigration and border system
b. against affordable care act
c. abortion

Motor Voter Law

register to vote when you update your license (1993)

party conventions

debates etc establishes party platform

collective bargaining

Negotiations between representatives of labor unions and management to determine pay and acceptable working conditions.

logrolling

the way legislators favor and influence to get things accomplished

tejanos who did not fight for Mexico were

rewarded with land but their ancestral land was taken from them

mexican govt promoted the ___ settlement in Texas

Anglo

who were these people

american settlers

why did mexicans support anglo settlement?

raise revenue through taxes

these settlements led to

conflicts between Tejanos and Anglos

if Texas were an independent nation today, our economy would rank

10th in the world

our gross state product in 2017 was

$1.7 trillion, 2nd highest in US

texas is home to ___ of the top 50 companies on fortune 500 list

6

sources of texas economic strength

1. food and fiber(corn, cotton, timber)
2. fuel
3. cattle
4. manufacturing

what is the texas miracle

economic good fortune from 2001 to 2008. texas did not suffer from 2008 recession unlike other states due to the price of fuel

half of the country's fastest growing cities

Texas suburbs

in 2016, Texas ranked ___ in energy consumption

6th

fastest growing demographic in Texas

Asians

political culture

set of shared values and practices held by people that informs their expectations of government and society

bill of rights

formal declaration of the rights of citizens

social contract

consent of the people to be governed and resign some freedoms in exchange for security and rights

popular sovereignty

the idea that all ultimate power rests with the people

separation of powers

power is divided between three branches

plural executive

power is divided amongst many statewide elected officials

supremacy clause

Federal law is supreme over state law (Article IV)

statutes

laws passed by states

ordinances

laws passed by local governments

Coahuila y Tejas

New state made up of Texas and the province of Coahuila (former Spanish provinces)

Coahuila y Tejas Constitution (1827)

Texas became part of Mexico
- first constitution
-very similar to the US constitution
-separation of powers into 3 branches
-freedom of speech
-BUT established Catholicism as official religion
-limited slavery

roots of rebellion and declaration of independence for texas

1. citizens forced to adopt Catholicism
2. Stephen Austin incarcerated for no reason
3. no trial by jury
4. no public education system
5. dissolved congress of Coahuila y Tejas

Texas Declaration of Independence (March 1836) or Constitution of the Republic

- 2nd constitution
-because demands were rejected
-before Texas won the revolution
-written quickly after battle of Alamo
-included a declaration of rights
-created strict separation of powers
-no clergy allowed to hold office
-citizens of Texas were in favor of joining US, but issue of slavery prevented this
-slaves not allowed to be emancipated and all free slaves had to be sold back to slavery or leave

who was elected president of texas

Sam Houston

New Constitution of Texas (1845)

-James Polk was elected president of US
-annexed Texas
-had to construct a new constitution bc every state had to have one
-remained very similar to 1836 version but all whites and Latino males were allowed to vote
-powers of Supreme court were expanded
-Homestead law that protected Texans from losing their homes due to bankruptcy and expanded property rights to married women

texas reasoning for secession

1. failure of US govt to protect borders
2. abolition of slavery
3. dislike of Ab Lincoln
4. confederacy more likely to expand westward

constitution of 1861

-joining the confederacy (US)
-Sam Houston opposed secession and was removed from office
-identical o 1845 version, changed loyalty to US

constitution of 1866

-readmission to US
-tx agreed to minimum demands

constitution of 1869

-reconstruction
-due to black codes and KKK, TX was ordered to rewrite constitution
-required to ratify to 14th amendment
-first amendment to establish free public schools
-EJ Davis elected governor, declared martial law and ordered militia to patrol state (people called him dictator)

final constitution 1876

-due to abuses of power of Davis and republicans
-delegates included farmers movement called Texas Grange
-based on popular sovereignty and limited government
-poll tax

the final constitution consisted of article 1:

bill of rights

article II-V, IX, XV and XVI

powers of government

the texas const has ___ amendments thus far

498

unitary system

sovereign power granted complete control and authority over people (monarchy)

confederal system

sovereign states or provinces delegate power to central govt for specific purposes, most power within states

federal system

the sharing of power between the central and state governments

enumarated powers

expressly stated in the US Constitution as powers belonging to the federal government, listed in Article I, Section 8. e.g. collect taxes, coin money, common defense and military

implied powers

not stated in the constitution but implied
also known as necessary and proper clause

commerce clause

gives the federal government the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian Tribes."

Equal Protection Clause

14th amendment
-all states must treat citizens equally

reserved powers

10th amendment
-all powers not delegated to the federal government are then reserved for the states and the people. e.g. public health, election

concurrent powers

powers shared by the national and state governments

Full Faith and Credit Clause

requires states to respect the other states

advantages of federalism

a. strong central govt that protects citizens and maintains military
b. representation
c. policies are tested
d. trust in govt

texans are favorable toward

local and state govt

TX and federal funding

30th among the states

tx budget comprised of federal govt money

1/3rd

tx receives ___ disaster aid than other states

more, 231 times between 2001 and 2017

dual federalism

-layer cake
-each level of govt is distinct and enjoys powers reserved to that level
-through WWII

cooperative federalism

-marble cake
-levels intertwined
-after great depression
-used grant money to pull nation out of depression

matching grants

requires states supplement federal money for certain projects

new federalism

-popular among conservative republicans
-devolution

coercive federalism

federal govt can punish states for failing to comply with federal policy

unfunded mandates

when the federal govt requires compliance with regulations w/o providing the states any money e.g. disability act

tx and conflicts with federalism

a. tidelands: claimed land 10 miles from shores, ultimately restored this right to state
b. red river border dispute: US bureau of land claims ownership but Texans state they hold deeds to the land
c. immigration
d. voter ID
e. education standards

in Texas, voters must register ___ days before the election

30

conditions for voters

register 30 days before, US citizen, resident of county where voting, 18yo, not mentally handicapped, not be a felon

same-day registration

people may register and vote on the same day as an election. not in tx.

voting age population vs. voting eligible population

everyone over 18 vs everyone eligible to vote

types of election

a. primary election
b. open primary
c. closed primary
d. runoff election
e. special election

primary election

Nominating election held to choose party candidates who will run in the general election

open primary

a primary election in which voters are not required to declare party affiliation.

closed election

only voters registered for a party vote for that party. not in TX

runoff election

if no candidate gets the majority, top two face off

early voting

starts on the Monday, 2 weeks before official election day
-shorter lines
-increases turnout by 50%

absentee voting

The casting of a ballot in advance by mail in situations where illness, travel, or other circumstances prevent voters from voting in their precinct.

straight ticket voting

casting votes only for candidates of one's party

split-ticket voting

the practice of voting for the candidates of more than one party in an election