Texas History and Political Culture

RECAP OF CULTURE AND AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE

• Verbatim Definition of Culture: Defined as the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize institutions, organizations, or society.
• Themes of Culture: Culture encompasses many themes, including workplace environments and broader societal attitudes.
• Academic Focus: The course specifically examines political and economic institutions, the culture within those institutions, and the relationship between individuals and these entities.
• Examples of Institutions:     * Political: Voting, Congress, and the Presidency.     * Economic: The stock market is cited as a primary example.
• Political Ideology: This refers to the individual level of what people view the way government should be and how it ought to function.
• American Culture Values: There are four key values in American culture that date back to the founding times. People and political parties fall on a spectrum based on these ideologies and values.
• Texas Uniqueness: While Texas shares similarities with American political culture, it possesses unique characteristics.

DANIEL ELAZAR’S TYPOLOGIES OF POLITICAL CULTURE

• Background of Daniel Elazar:     * Elazar (referred to as LSR in the transcript) conducted studies of different regions in the United States decades ago to define various types of American political culture.     * He developed three specific typologies: Moralistic, Individualistic, and Traditionalistic.
• Conflict in Evaluation:     * The course textbook claims that all three of Elazar's typologies apply to Texas.     * However, Elazar himself originally argued that only one typology—Traditionalistic—applied to Texas.     * The speaker encourages students to consider whether all three apply, only one, or a different combination.

TEXAS POLITICAL CULTURE ACCORDING TO THE TEXTBOOK

• Moralistic Culture in Texas:     * Definition: The government's job is to promote the public good or the well-being of the community.     * Application: In Texas, this typically manifest as promoting traditional values.     * Social Conservatism: The Texas government embraces social conservatism regarding issues related to community, family, and the individual.     * Christian Values: The government promotes laws and norms that align with conservative, traditional Christian values as a means of achieving what is viewed as the common good.     * End Results of Common Good: Evaluated through standards of living, wages, and welfare.
• Individualistic Culture in Texas:     * Definition: Government should benefit the individual and allow people to exercise freedom without government restraint.     * Limited Government: There is a strong emphasis on limited government at both the state and federal levels.     * Rationale: The argument is that larger governments are more likely to trample or strip away individual rights.     * Economic Application: Embraces capitalism and the free market, allowing expression in the marketplace and church.     * Independent Giving: Texans are noted for being very generous in terms of making donations to religious organizations, community groups, and charities.     * Public Service Disconnect:         * Despite high private generosity, there is a low valuation of public service in Texas.         * Public service includes elected roles, military service, non-profits, or government nine-to-five jobs (e.g., working for a mayor or governor).         * Metric of Value: Public servants in Texas are some of the lowest-paid in the country.
• Traditionalistic Culture in Texas:     * Definition: The government’s role is to promote and maintain the social and economic hierarchy, essentially preserving the status quo.     * Anti-Disruption: The government is not intended to "shake things up" but to keep systems running as they always have.     * Elite Political Enterprise: Politics is viewed as a field reserved for elites or specific families, rather than the "common folk."     * Policy Change: New laws and policies tend to emerge only when they benefit those at the top of the social hierarchy.

POLITICAL PARTIES IN TEXAS

• Electoral Autonomy: Every state holds its own rules for elections.
• The Four Recognized Parties: Texas currently recognizes only four political parties:     * Democrat (Liberal)     * Republican (Conservative)     * Green (Liberal)     * Libertarian (Conservative)
• Precinct Chairs:     * Counties (like Jefferson County) are divided into precincts.     * Each of the four parties has a precinct chair for every precinct.     * Election: They are elected only by members of their respective party.     * Term: Two-year term.     * Responsibilities: Organizing party voters at the most local level, encouraging voter registration, and increasing turnout in primaries.
• County Chairs:     * Oversee the party for all precincts within a county.     * Term: Two-year term.     * Election: Elected by their own party membership.     * Responsibilities: Organizing voters, managing "get out the vote" campaigns, fundraising for expensive local elections, and receiving the filing paperwork for candidates seeking to be on the ballot.

VOTING PROCEDURES AND HISTORY IN TEXAS

• Straight Party Voting: Voting for the same party for every position on the ballot, from Governor down to Justice of the Peace. It is often used as an ideological "shortcut."
• Split Ticket Voting (Ticket Splitting): Voting for different parties for different positions (e.g., a Democratic President but a Republican Governor). This requires more research on specific candidates rather than party labels.
• The 2017 Legislative Change:     * Prior to $2017$, Texas allowed "straight ticket voting" via a single box at the top of the ballot that automatically selected every candidate for a specific party.     * In $2017$, Texas abolished this practice.     * Purpose of Abolition: To encourage voters to be more knowledgeable about individual candidates and positions.     * Resulting Voter Knowledge: States with straight-ticket voting (only $5$ or $6$ remain) often report "abysmal" voter knowledge.
• One-Party State History:     * $1865$ to $1952$: Texas was dominated by the Democratic Party, which was the conservative party at the time.     * $1998$ to Present: Texas is dominated by the Republican Party, the current conservative party.     * Southern Realignment: The shift in party names represents a swap in ideological platforms; Texas has consistently kept the conservative party in power regardless of the name.     * Uncontested Seats: Due to one-party dominance, many local seats are unchallenged/uncontested.

INTEREST GROUPS IN TEXAS

• History: Texas has a long history of powerful interest groups—groups organized around a specific interest with a political goal.
• Agricultural Beginnings: The first interest groups were agricultural.     * The Texas Grange: A massive farmers' organization in the $19^{th}$ century ($1800s$), acting as a "proto-interest group."
• Early $20^{th}$ Century Diversification:     * Texas Equal Suffrage Association: Focused on women's right to vote.     * Texas Christian Temperance Union: An anti-alcohol (temperance) group.     * Southern Lumber Operators Association: Industry-specific group.
• The Oil Boom and Corporate Interests:     * Discovery of oil at Spindletop in Southeast Texas changed the landscape.     * The rise of oil companies created billionaires and modern corporate interest groups designed to protect economic interests.
• Regulatory Legislation:     * Lobby Control Act of $1957$: Requires lobbyists (those paid to influence politicians) to register with the government for transparency.     * Ethics Code: Created for state employees (including Lamar University staff) providing training on what gifts or actions are prohibited.     * Representation Before State Agencies Act: Designed to increase transparency in lobbying activities.

EVOLUTION OF POWER: SPAIN AND MEXICO

• Spanish Governance: Spain governed Texas for approximately $300$ years.
• Transition to Mexico: Napoleon’s invasion of Spain provided an opportunity for the colony of Mexico to seek independence.     * The Treaty of Cordoba ($August ext{ } 1824$) granted Mexico independence, including the territory of Texas.
• Mexican Constitution of $1827$:     * Slavery: Specifically banned slavery (though a transition period was allow for owners to free slaves or leave).     * Structure: Created a unicameral (one-house) legislative body.     * Religion: Established Roman Catholicism as the official state religion.     * Values: Focused on education and freedom of the press.
• Texan Discontent: White Texans (specifically slave owners) disliked the ban on slavery and the state-sponsored church.

THE REVOLUTION AND INDEPENDENCE

• Stephen F. Austin: Sent to Mexico to negotiate a compromise regarding slavery laws; he was instead imprisoned.
• The Alamo (December $1835$): Texans overwhelmed the Mexican garrison to take control of the Alamo and San Antonio.
• The Siege (February $1836$): The Mexican military, led by Santa Anna, surrounded the fort with between $1,800$ and $6,000$ soldiers.
• Fall of the Alamo (March ext{ } 6, ext{ } 1836): The fort was retaken by Mexico, creating the rallying cry "Remember the Alamo."
• Declaration of Independence: Drafted by delegates just days before the Alamo fell. It listed formal grievances against the Mexican government.
• Independence (May ext{ } 14, ext{ } 1836): Texas became an independent Republic, remaining so for nearly $10$ years.

EARLY TEXAS CONSTITUTIONS

• Constitution of $1836$:     * Stylistically similar to the U.S. Constitution (Preamble, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances).     * Weakness: Contained no specific limitations on what the state government cannot do.     * Exclusion: Specifically exempted Black people and Native Americans from citizenship.
• Statehood ($1845$): Texas became the $28^{th}$ state. The delay was primarily due to its status as a slave state; the U.S. did not want to upset the balance between slave and non-slave states.
• Mexican-American War: Caused by disputed boundaries. Mexico wanted the border further north; the U.S. wanted it further south.     * Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: Ended the war.     * Gadsden Purchase ($1853$): U.S. purchased land from Mexico to secure the desired southern border.
• Constitution of $1866$: Written post-Civil War; lasted only $3$ years.
• Constitution of $1869$:     * Written to comply with Radical Republican Reconstruction policies.     * Greatly expanded the powers of the Executive (Governor).     * Created a three-person Supreme Court appointed by the Governor.     * E.J. Davis: The first Governor under this constitution. He was a Republican who was described as corrupt and "drunk with power." After losing the next election to Democrat Richard Coke, Davis refused to leave office, claiming the election was rigged. The Texas Supreme Court and the militia ultimately sided with Coke, and President Ulysses S. Grant refused to intervene.

THE CONSTITUTION OF $1876$ (CURRENT)

• Origin: Written by Democrats to put strict limits on the Executive to prevent another E.J. Davis scenario.
• Length: Second longest constitution in the U.S. (behind Alabama or Arkansas, as per varying interpretations).
• Statistics: Contains a Preamble, $17$ original articles, and $491$ amendments (as of $2015$).
• The Plural Executive: Unlike the U.S. federal model with a single President, Texas spreads executive power across multiple individuals to prevent absolute power.

THE PLURAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES

• Governor:     * Signs/vetoes bills, issues executive orders, gives the "State of the State" address, and appoints individuals to judicial vacancies.
• Lieutenant Governor (e.g., Dan Patrick):     * Presides over the State Senate.     * First in the line of succession.     * Member of the Legislative Redistricting Board and Chair of the Budget Board.     * Election quirk: Elected separately from the Governor; can be from a different political party.
• Attorney General:     * The state’s lawyer; handles lawsuits for or against Texas.     * Interprets the constitutionality of Texas laws.
• Secretary of State (Appointed):     * In charge of running and overseeing elections to ensure they follow state law.
• Commissioner of the General Land Office:     * Manages state land, including leases for oil drilling and fracking and state parks.
• Comptroller of Public Accounts:     * Chief tax collector and accounting officer; certifies the state budget.
• Terms: Most positions are elected to $4$-year terms with no term limits.

VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELIGIBILITY

• Jefferson County Rules: In this specific county, registered voters can vote at any polling place within the county (e.g., the Montagne Center at Lamar University).
• Comparisons: In other states (like California), voters are often assigned to a specific polling place based on their address.
• Identification: Texas has strict ID voting requirements. A passport is a valid form of ID.
• Registration: Managed by the Secretary of State (currently John B. Scott according to the transcript).

INDIGENOUS AND EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT

• Indigenous Groups: Apache, Comanche, Wichita, Karankawa, and Caddo (Tejas).
• Early Explorers:     * Alonso Alvarez de Pineda ($1519$): Mapped the coastline.     * Cabeza de Vaca ($1528$): Shipwrecked on Galveston Island.     * Esteban: A member of Cabeza de Vaca’s crew; the first known African to arrive in Texas (enslaved by the Karankawa).
• Spanish System: Established Missions (religious) and Presidios (military forts) to push boundaries north from Mexico City.
• French Influence:     * LaSalle settled Matagorda Bay in $1685$.     * Treaty of Fontainebleau: France gave its Texas territory to Spain to form an alliance against England and ensure the territory remained Catholic.

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN TEXAS

• Spanish vs. English Slavery: Under Spanish rule, free Blacks were more socially acceptable and permitted to work and worship.
• Mexican Rule: When Mexico became independent, it abolished slavery in $1829$. White Texans ignored this, maintaining approximately $5,000$ enslaved people.
• Independent Texas: The $1836$ Constitution banned Black people from citizenship.
• Act Concerning Free Persons of Color: Required free people of color to leave Texas or face being sold into slavery.
• Juneteenth ($June ext{ } 19, ext{ } 1865$): General Order No. $3$ was read in Texas, announcing that all slaves were free, several years after the Civil War ended.
• Black Codes/Jim Crow: Laws passed to disenfranchise Black voters through:     * Literacy Tests: Applied unfairly (e.g., simple text for whites, King James Bible for Blacks).     * Poll Taxes: Required payment to vote, harming the poor.     * Grandfather Clause: Allowed anyone to vote if their grandfather could, which excluded descendants of slaves.