Studied by 25 people
Which of the following is an example of the free rider problem?
when an individual benefits from everyone else’s contributions
"The Lobby" referred to which type of interest group in twentieth-century Texas?
business groups
The revolving door refers to.
Former legislators using their influence to lobby the legislature.
The corruption scandals in the legislature in the early 1990s led to the creation of
the state ethics commission.
Political action committees engage in which of the following activities?
raise money and donate to political candidates
GOTV initiatives by interest groups are best described as
Efforts to support a candidate or cause on Election Day
Texas is near the top of the nation in measures of social connectedness that lead to civic engagement.
False
What is the primary goal of interest groups when they interact with policy makers?
policies that are beneficial for their groups
What is the single biggest benefit of interest groups to policy makers?
information
Why do organizations like the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) PAC support candidates from both Republican and Democratic parties in state legislature elections? What is the reality about interest groups and their electoral activities that explains this behavior?
Groups support candidates who align with their interests rather than partisan identities.
Because of their significant influence in Texas, Republican candidates must pay close attention to the issues that are important to which subset of voters?
evangelical Christians
Which of the following is a primary criticism of the practice known as the “revolving door”?
officials take actions to improve their chances of lucrative lobbying futures
How often does the Texas legislature meet in regular session?
once every two years for 140 days
Which of the following is an example of constituent service?
giving a speech at a town hall meeting
The one-person, one-vote principle means
all districts should have roughly equal populations.
Which of the following is responsible for drawing districts in the legislature if they fail to do so at the first regular session of a new decade?
The Legislative Redistricting Board
Which type of resolution in the legislature can only pass in one chamber?
simple resolutions
Suppose the legislature begins proceedings examining potential misconduct of the state attorney general. Which nonlegislative power is most relevant?
judicial power
When a bill is introduced in the state Senate, who refers the bill to committee?
The lieutenant governor
When the governor vetoes specific provisions of a spending bill passed by the legislature, this is known as a(n)
line-item veto.
The lieutenant governor
recognizes members on the Senate floor.
A major difference between the Texas House and the U.S. House is
committee chairs come from both parties in the Texas House but not the U.S. House.
Which of the following is the power of the executive to veto specific provisions of an appropriations bill passed by the legislature?
line-item veto
Committee chairs will pigeonhole a bill by never putting it on the committee agenda to be considered.
True
How long is the regular session of the Texas legislative?
140 days, every odd number day
How does an increase in education level relate to political participation?
Increase in education create significantly more political participation.
In what way has Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick most significantly differed from his predecessors in the office of lieutenant governor?
party polarizations
Why would a veto threat from the governor be a very effective tool in getting the Texas legislature to compromise on a bill with the executive branch?
An actual veto from the governor is nearly impossible to overcome by the legislature.
Why are members of the Texas legislature hesitant to exercise their power to remove a member of the legislature even if that member is overwhelmingly controversial or associated with scandal?
Legislators do not want to be seen as overriding the will of the voters.
Which of the following features of the Texas executive enhances the power of the governor?
line-item veto
When Governor Greg Abbott called the National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border to help with border security and to thwart human trafficking and drug trafficking, he was relying on his
military and police powers
How does the plural executive differ from a cabinet form of government?
Voters elect most major statewide officeholders separately from the governor in a plural executive system.
Which of these is a function of the attorney general of Texas?
The Texas attorney general’s office gives advisory opinions on matters of state constitutional law to other state agencies.
The Railroad Commission of Texas
regulates oil and gas production in Texas.
What is the role of the Sunset Advisory Commission?
It recommends whether agencies should be abolished, continued, or modified.
Despite the fact that the Texas governor is one of the structurally weakest governorships in the nation, how have both Governor Rick Perry and Greg Abbott achieved significant power in the state?
tenure in office
What is it about the Texas governor’s appointment power that makes it so significant?
results in agency administrations filled with people who think like the governor
The complex structure and the severe limitations on the executive branch in Texas directly resulted from the state's experiences during which of the following
Reconstruction
When it comes to impeachment of a governor or other state official, the term “impeachment” is best understood to mean which of the following?
charged with wrongdoing
The Texas Legislature was largely cut out of the COVID-19 pandemic response for which reason?
They were not in session.
In studying a government that was established with a plural executive structure, a political scientist would likely assume what about the intentions of the creators of the government?
They were attempting to limit power by creating checks and balances
Supporters of the plural executive structure make which argument in favor of it
Officials are more responsive to voters
Which of the following statements about the legal process in Texas is correct?
In civil court, individuals called plaintiffs file complaints against other individuals called defendants over disputed obligations and responsibilities.
How does the Texas Supreme Court differ from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals?
The Texas Supreme Court is the highest court to which civil appeals can go, while the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest court for criminal appeals.
Which of the following statements accurately describes the duties of a justice of the peace in Texas
Justices of the peace are responsible for both civil and criminal matters that involve small claims and class C misdemeanors, most of which involve traffic violations.
Which of the following is a source of controversy about how judges are selected in Texas?
Because most people do not contribute money to judicial campaigns and elections have become highly partisan and competitive, lawyers and other stakeholders finance the campaigns of the same judges who decide the outcomes of their cases.
Which of the following reforms seeks to increase representation for people of color among Texas judges?
creating small judicial districts
What is the difference between civil and criminal forfeiture in Texas?
Civil forfeiture allows police to take property from a person, even when there is no charge of a crime.
What is the primary function of the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct?
To investigate and discipline judges for violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
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