TXstudygu

Vocabulary flashcards for Texas Government Test 4 Study Guide.

Realignment

A shift in the base of support for political parties, often triggered by a critical election.

Party platform

A set of beliefs and policy objectives that represent the official policy positions of a political party.

Precinct chair

The party official responsible for the party's activities within a specific precinct.

County chair

The party official responsible for the party's activities within a specific county.

Texas Ethics Commission

The state agency responsible for enforcing laws related to campaign finance and lobbying in Texas.

Caucus

A meeting of party members to select candidates and conduct party business.

Precinct

The most basic level of political organization.

County executive committee

The governing body of a political party in a county.

Political Ideology

A set of beliefs about the desired goals and outcomes of a process of governance.

Ticket-splitters

Voters who cast their ballots for candidates of different parties in the same election.

State party chair

The party official responsible for the party's activities within a state.

State executive committee

The governing body of a political party in a state.

Temporary Party Organization

Primaries and conventions that function briefly to nominate candidates, pass resolutions, adopt a party platform and select delegates to party conventions at higher levels.

Permanent Party Organization

The formal party organization that is more or less permanent and carries on the functions of the party between elections.

Spoils system

A system of government employment in which workers are hired on the basis of party loyalty.

Merit system (or Civil service system)

A system of government employment in which workers are hired on the basis of competence.

Microtargeting

A campaign practice of gathering detailed information on cross sections of the electorate to track potential supporters and tailor political messages for them.

Direct primary

A method of selecting party nominees in which party members participate directly in the selection process.

Proportional representation

An electoral system in which parties receive a number of seats in the legislature in proportion to their share of the vote.

Membership organizations

Interest groups that have individual citizens or businesses as members.

Nonmembership organizations

Interest groups that represent corporations, cities, government bodies, foundations, and universities.

Government organizations

Interest groups that represent state and local governments.

Rent-seeking

Using government regulation to benefit oneself or one's organization.

Captured agency

A state regulatory agency that primarily serves the objectives of the interest it is supposed to regulate.

Right to work laws

Laws that prohibit contracts between labor unions and employers that establish mandatory union membership or mandatory payments of dues as a condition of employment.

Lobbying

Direct communication with members of the legislative or executive branch to influence legislation or administrative action.

State and local interest groups (SLIG)

Interest groups that represent state and local governments.

Free rider

Someone who benefits from the actions of a group without joining it.

Grassroots lobbying

An attempt to influence policy by persuading a large number of citizens to contact public officials.

Collective bargaining

Negotiations between an employer and a group of employees to determine conditions of employment.

Iron Triangle

The relationship that develops between congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups.

Peak business associations

Statewide organizations that represent a variety of different types of businesses.

PAC

Political Action Committee; An organization that collects money to contribute to political campaigns.

Economic organization

An organized group of individuals or businesses that have joined together in order to advocate for policies that will benefit the financial well-being of its members.

Noneconomic organization

Organizations formed NOT for the purpose of economic activity, but rather to promote causes or ideas in the public interest.

Hopwood decision

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the University of Texas School of Law's affirmative action admissions policy was unconstitutional.

Public policy

Government action designed to address the demands of a situation.

Eminent domain

The power of the government to take private property for public use, even if the private property owner does not wish to sell the property.

Surface water

Water which collects on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, reservoir, or ocean.

Groundwater

Water which is below the surface.

TANF

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; A state-run program that provides assistance to needy families.

Medicaid

A joint federal-state program that provides healthcare for low-income individuals.

STAAR

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness; The standardized test used in Texas public schools.

Agency capture

When a state agency primarily serves the objectives of the interest it is supposed to regulate.

Top 10% rule

Texas law that grants automatic admission into any Texas public university to those graduating in the top 10% of their high school class.

Tuition deregulation

A measure that allows Texas public universities to set their own tuition rates.

Plyler v Doe (1981)

Supreme Court case that established the right of undocumented immigrant children to attend public schools.

Edgewood v Kirby

Landmark Texas Supreme Court case that ruled that the state's public school finance system was unconstitutional.

Obergefell v Hodges (2015)

Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Franchise fee or tax

A tax levied on businesses operating in Texas.

Sales tax

A tax paid on a specific purchase.

Excise or special sales taxes

A tax levied on a select range of products.

Discretionary funding

Funds in the state budget that are available for lawmakers to spend as they see fit.

Toll goods

A good or service that is excludable but not non-rivalrous.

Common-pool goods

A good or service that is non-excludable but rivalrous.

Public goods

A commodity or service that is made available to all members of a society.

Tax exporting

The practice of shifting taxes to residents of other states.

Tax shifting

The process of passing taxes on to consumers.

Tax base

The item or activity that is being taxed.

Dedicated funds (earmarks)

State revenues that are set aside for a specific purpose.

Benefit-based tax

A tax that is based on the benefits received by the taxpayer.

Ability to pay

A tax that is based on the taxpayer's ability to pay.

Social goods

Goods and services that are beneficial to society as a whole.

Fees

A fixed charge for a privilege or for permission to do something.

Consumer taxes

Taxes that citizens pay when they buy goods or services.