POLS 207: Topic 8 Flashcards

What is the difference between a unitary and a plural executive? Which do we see at the federal level? Which does Texas have?

-Unitary (federal level) is like the president of the US

-Plural executives (seen in Texas) (divide power of office up statewide)

-In Texas this includes the Lt. Governor, and OTHER executive offices

-ensures laws are faithfully executed

How does having a plural executive affect the strength of the governorship? How does having a plural executive affect the ability of lobbyists to influence the executive branch?

Having a plual executive disperses the power of the governorship (some state executives are weak in terms of global power)

Plural executive makes the government weaker and lobbyists stronger because there are more points of access (stronger interest groups have fragmemted executive branches)

Which members of the Texas executive are elected in statewide elections (as opposed to appointed by the governor)?

-Agricultural commissioner

-land/natural resource comissioner

-Lt. governor (member of executive department)

-railroad comissioner

-attorney general

What kinds of background and experience are common for governors in the United States?

Traditionally: sons of state 'power families'

Ex. Roosevelts, Rockefellers, Bushes

Legal Background is common

Public figure (media-ready figures)

What are some general differences between gubernatorial elections and elections for the state legislature?

Gubernatorial elections:

- Always partisan, always contested (competitive)

- Almost always competitive.

- Expensive statewide race.

- Often elected during 'midterm' years.

- State variation in term limits and restrictions.

- Modern governors enjoy incumbency (duty/responsibility) advatage.

What is executive recall? To what extent is it available in the states? Is there executive recall in Texas?

Executive recall: a citizen petitions to vote on whether or not eleccted official can be removed from their seat before the term is completed (not impeachment, no charges are placed)

Only allowed in 13 states

Texas can't call for an executive recall

What is impeachment? To what extent is it available in the states? Can state executives be impeached in Texas?

The power of the legislature to remove executive and judicial officers from office for good cause; generally the lower house must first vote for impeachment, then the upper house must hold a trial and vote for removal.

- Legal procedure with heavy political overtones

-in response to wrongdoing (may or may not be statutory criminal offense)

Available in all states except Oregean

Texas executives can be impeached

What is the difference between the formal (or institutional) and informal (or personal) powers of governors?

Formal Powers: Powers that are explicitly states in the state constitution

- Appointment

- Tenure potential

- Managerial

- Fiscal- Legislative

Informal Powers: vary with each governor's connections and circumstances

- Getting things done" despite institutional limits

- Use de facto (one who has assumed authority, regardless of whether by lawful, constitutional, or legitimate means) leadership of state

- Dependent on personality and political skill

Describe the major components of a governor's formal power. To what extent does the Texas governorship share in each of these components?

Appointment Power

•Power to choose other statewide executive officials

•(Usually requires confirmation by state senate)

•Key to the “strength” of the office

•However, appointment is no guarantee of cooperation

-Often limited removal powers

•TX: very weak!

•Most statewide positions are elected

- They answer to the people, not the governor!

Tenure Potential/Power:

- Ability of a governor to remain in office, including 1. length of term

2. re-election restrictions

TX there are NO term limits or restrictions

(BUT FEW governors have served more than 8 years)

Managerial Powers:

- Oversight of administration, coordination of departments, executive orders.

- In TX executive orders are infrequent and quite limited

- Reorganization of Executive BranchI, including creation of new eecutive agencies

- 25 states, not TX

Fiscal Powers:

- Governor often supervises preparation of state budget, (48 states, not TX)

TX governor has the weakest fiscal influence of any state

-Governor has NO appointment power to legislative budget board (LBB)

-Gov does not have line-item veto

Legislative power:

-veto power

-Tx: above average veto power (line item veto for appropriation bills- not all or nothing like presidential veto)

-veto is a tool for bargaining with legislature

-can call special sessions of legislature (no guarantee of legislative action or sucess for agenda)

-can declare priorities (emergency items) for legislature

• Earlier votes allowed

• Prestige of governor might help passage

In terms of formal powers, how does the office of governor in Texas compare to that of other states?

In terms of informal power?

Texas is weak in Appointment, Managerial and Fiscal Formal Power, but strong in tenure potential and legislature

Texas is extremely strong on Personal/Informal Powers (Dependent on personality & political skill (but also opportunity & circumstance)

What are some of the formal powers of the Texas Lieutenant Governor?

It is the most institutionally powerful government position in Texas. Few executive functions.

- "Legislature in Chief" = most powerful legislator

- President of TX Senate: Procedural oversight, broad legislative influence, appoints Senate committees, assigns bills to committees, chairs positions on several powerful legislative boards- Co-chair of 10 member Legislative Budget Board (LBB), which drafts the budget and has key agenda-setting power.

What are the powers and official responsibilities of some of the other statewide executive offices in Texas, such as the Comptroller, the Attorney General, the Land Commissioner, the Secretary of State, the Agricultural Commissioner, and the Railroad Commission?

- Comptroller: Broad financial responsibilities such as tax collection, accounting, check writing, audits, treasurer of state funds and investments, and estimating revenue for the state.

- Attorney General: Chief legal officer for the state, mostly civil law (not criminal law), represents the state in lawsuits. Gives legal opinion of legality/constitutionality of statutes. Statements have effect of law. Enforces antitrust and child support laws.

- Land Commissioner: Managing TX public land and their resources including mineral rights, grazing leases, oil and gas leases. Issues permits for exploration and use and collects royalties on oil and gas extracted.

- Secretary of State: Administer state election laws, maintains public records and filings, and keeper of the state seal.

- Agricultural Commissioner: Heads TX's Department of Agriculture. Enforces state agricultural law for nation's 2nd leading agricultural producer. Food inspection, promotion of exports, animal quarantine, disease, pest control.

- Railroad Commission: Regulates oil and gas, pipelines, etc. Writing regulations and adjudicating implementation of state energy laws.

- Secretary of State: appointed by governor

-administer state election laws

-maintains public records & filings

-keeper of state seal

What is a bureaucracy? What are some features of bureaucracies and how they operate?

What does it mean that bureaucracies implement public policy? What do bureaucracies do when they engage in regulation? Adjudication?

What are some of the most common types of state-level bureaucrats? How was hiring and promotion for government jobs commonly done in the past? Which practices are more common now?

What is bureaucratic culture? In what ways does it contribute to the difficulty of reforming bureaucracies and curbing their growth?

What are some of the ways in which government services might be privatized so that they are no longer directly provided by government?