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Texas Politics > Exam 2 > Flashcards

Exam 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Interest Group

A

a politically oriented group of persons who share common interests and make demands on others in society with respect to those interests

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2
Q

Labor Unions

A

an organization of workers in a trade/industry/company that is created to represent the workers in negotiations with management over issues of pay/benefits/working conditions

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3
Q

Professional associations

A

a group that seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals, and organizations engaged in that profession (ex: ABA, American Nurses Association, etc)

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4
Q

Public interest groups

A

organizations that represent the average citizen against big business/government

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5
Q

Intergovernmental Lobbying

A

ex: the City of Houston

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6
Q

Single Interest Groups

A

ex: NRA

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7
Q

Types of interest groups

A

Labor Unions, Businesses, Professional Associations, Social/Religious Organizations, Public interest groups, intergovernmental lobbying, environment, single interest groups, retirement groups

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8
Q

Distributions of Power: Elitism

A

Society where rich, well-born, well-educated are the dominant political decision-makers

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9
Q

Distributions of Power: Plutocracy

A

Negative kind of elitism; the rich and powerful run things for their own benefit

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10
Q

Distributions of Power: Pluralism

A

Many groups are organized and leverage their influence in policy making

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11
Q

Activities of interest groups: Lobbying

A

attempts to influence policymakers face-to-face

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12
Q

Activities of interest groups: Influencing administrators

A

interest groups lobby administrators to influence interpretations favorable to their organization

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13
Q

Activities of interest groups: influencing the courts

A

Make contributions, file briefs, make legal arguments

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14
Q

Texas as a “right to work” state

A

weak labor, gives workers the freedom to choose whether or not to join a union

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15
Q

Texas as a business friendly state

A

Largest # of lobbying organizations are businesses

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16
Q

What do lobbyists do?

A

Money or equivalent is the best way to gain access (entertainment, contributions, etc), Line between bribery and gaining attention is thin, use of information to inform the legislature

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17
Q

National Party Eras in TX

A

The Jacksonian Democrats (1892-1861)
The Republican Era - Lincoln/Nationalism (1861-1901)
The Republican Era - Progressivism/Modern Economy (1901-1933)
The New Deal Coalition (1933-1980)
Reagan Era and Beyond (1980-today)

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18
Q

The Jacksonian Democrats Era (1829-1861)

A

Partisanship
To the victor goes the spoils
National conventions
TX statehood
Mexican-American war

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19
Q

The Republican Era - Lincoln/Nationalism (1861-1901)

A

Obtaining social justice
Civil War and nationalism
Social change/reconstruction
McKinley and the New Republicans - populism and good gov

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20
Q

The Republican Era - Progressivism/Modern Economy (1901-1933)

A

Ma and Pa Ferguson

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21
Q

The New Deal Coalition (1933-1980)

A

TX goes from having no one in power in the national gov to having LBJ in the House, Rayburn, etc
New Deal - very popular in TX
Economic reform
Price Daniel and John Connally

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22
Q

Price Daniel

A

US Senator from TX, wanted to build/bring water resources to TX

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23
Q

John Connally

A

Governor for 6 years, disciple of LBJ

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24
Q

The Reagan Era and beyond (1980-today)

A

Ronald Reagan and partial realignment (less government, devolution, tax reform),
Ann Richards (the lone democrat),
Rick Perry (2001-2014)
Greg Abbott (2014-today)

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25
Q

TX politics in the future

A

a solid GOP state, gap is narrowing, urbanization and ethnicity as factor, younger voters more democratic than older voters

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26
Q

One party rule

A

TX transitions from a one party Democrat to a one party Republican state

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27
Q

Elements that make up election laws and rules

A

Ballot Access
Voting Qualifications
Methods of Voting
Methods of Nomination
Campaign Finance
Party Competition
Voting Rules
Absentee Voting to Early Voting

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28
Q

Ballot Access

A

How does a candidate get their name on the ballot?

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29
Q

Voting Qualifications

A

Categories of people who are excluded from qualification? –> felons, illegal, under 18, etc

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30
Q

Methods of voting

A

Voting machines, paper, etc

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31
Q

Methods of nominantion

A

Primary (open, closed, jungle), Caucus

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32
Q

Methods of Nomination: Open Primary

A

Regardless of party affiliation, voters can decide which party’s primary to participate in

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33
Q

Methods of Nomination: Closed Primary

A

Voters must first be registered party members of the applicable party to vote in its primary

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34
Q

Methods of Nomination: Jungle Primary

A

A common ballot lists all candidates on one ballot. The top two vote getters, regardless of party affiliation, go on to the general election

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35
Q

Methods of Nomination: Caucus

A

a meeting at which local members of a political party register their preference among candidates running for office or select delegates to attend a convention

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36
Q

Campaign Finance

A

Severely curtailed under federal law, states have few limits on campaigns

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37
Q

Voting Rules - Constitutional Amendments

A

15th- African American men
19th- Women
24th- No poll taxes

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38
Q

Absentee Voting to Early Voting

A

No longer “election day,” now “election weeks”

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39
Q

Voting turnout in TX

A

Primaries have particularly low voter turnout rates; TX ranked 41 with about a 46.3% turnout (2018) and 60.42% (2020)

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40
Q

How Demographic groups vote - Gender

A

Turnout: 51% female, 49% male
Party: Both more red

41
Q

How demographic groups vote - Ethnicity

A

Turnout: 62% white, followed by Latino, Black, Asian, Other
Party: White and Other - lean red
Latino, Black, Asian - lean blue

42
Q

How demographic groups vote - Age

A

Turnout: 65+ and 50-62, then all age groups in reverse order
Party: 18-39 - lean blue
40-65+ - lean red

43
Q

How demographic groups vote - education

A

Turnout: College w no degree, then bachelors degree, advanced degree, associates, never attended college
Party: Advanced degrees - blue, Everyone else - red

44
Q

How demographic groups vote - college education

A

Turnout: No college degree 56%, College grad 44%
Party: both - red

45
Q

How demographic groups vote - self declared party

A

Turnout: democrat 30%, republican 41%, independent/something else 29%

46
Q

How demographic groups vote - marriage

A

Turnout: married 63%, non married 37%
Party: married - red, nonmarried - blue

47
Q

TX Primaries

A

Semi-open primary, run-off primary if a candidate doesn’t get 50% of the votes

48
Q

Organization of the TX legislature

A

Citizen, not professional
Cornerstone of TX government
Only regular sessions in odd # years

49
Q

Powers of Presiding Officers

A

Committee membership
Conference Committees
Committee Chairs
Referral
Calendar
Recognition
Procedures

50
Q

Powers of Presiding Officers - Committee membership

A

Appointing committee members

51
Q

Powers of presiding officers - Conference Committees

A

when a bill is passed in one form in one chamber and in a different form in the other chamber, a conference committee meets to reconcile differences

52
Q

Powers of presiding officers - Committee chairs

A

appointed by chamber leaders

53
Q

Powers of presiding officers - referral

A

referring bills to committees - done strategically

54
Q

powers of presiding officers - calendar

A

First 30 days - reading of bills
Next 80 days - consideration of bills
Last 30 days - when bills pass

55
Q

Powers of Presiding officers - Recognition

A

no recognition, nothing will happen; they’ll recognize who they want to and ignore everyone else

56
Q

Responsibilities of the legislature

A

Law Making/Budget making
Reapportionment/Redistricting
Proposing Texas Constitutional amendments/ratifying US Constitutional amendments
Impeachment/Judicial jurisdiction
Legislative Oversight of administration
Investigative Function
Resolving Election Disputes
Informal Functions

57
Q

Responsibilities of the Legislature: Law Making/Budget Making

A

Most important function!
Budget making - LBB draws up the budget
Speaker of the House and Lt. Gov are the co-chairs of the LBB

58
Q

Responsibilities of the Legislature: Reapportionment/Redistricting

A

How do we allocate representatives?
Drawing district lines for US HoR, State HoR, State Senate

59
Q

Responsibilities of the Legislature: Proposing TX Constitutional Amendments/Ratifying US Constitutional amendments

A

About a dozen amendments every 2 years

60
Q

Responsibilities of the Legislature: Impeachment/Judicial Jurisdiction

A

Impeachment of executive officers
Courts Jurisdiction

61
Q

Responsibilities of the Legislature: Legislative Oversight of Administration

A

How do we know the money is being spent on its intended purposes?
Largest line item in every state budget is education

62
Q

Responsibilities of the Legislature: Investigative Function

A

investigates executive branch of gov

63
Q

Responsibilities of the Legislature: Resolving election disputes

A

Legislature determines the election outcomes

64
Q

Responsibilities of the Legislature: Informal Functions

A

Casework - when contacted by a constituent they try to resolve the issue
Education and Information - job of legislature to tell the people what services/programs are available to them

64
Q
A
65
Q

Gerrymandering

A

Definition: The legislature draws legislative districts
Issues: drawing district lines for political advantage, districts must be equal in population

66
Q

Racial gerrymandering

A

Definition: the drawing of legislative districts to maximize the chance that a minority candidate will win the election
Issue: Supreme Court modified this position in 2001, saying race could be a consideration in drawing congressional districts

67
Q

Reapportionment and Redistricting

A

Drawing seats within a state

68
Q

Reapportionment

A

Every 10 yrs congressional seats are re-allocated among the states

69
Q

Redistricting

A

Every 10 yrs Congressional, State House, and State Senate districts are redrawn

70
Q

Election of the TX Legislature - Chamber Sizes

A

House: 150
Senate: 31

71
Q

Election of the TX Legislature - term lengths

A

House: 2 yrs
Senate: 4 yrs

72
Q

When did each chamber switch from democrat to republican majority?

A

House: 2003
Senate: 1997

73
Q

Legislative Sessions - Regular Session

A

Every 2 years (biennial), limited by the Constitution to 28 weeks (140 days); January-June complete all of the legislative work for the next 2 years

74
Q

Legislative Sessions - Special Sessions

A

Nothing in the constitution about between session changes, so special sessions must be utilized

75
Q

Strengths of the TX Governorship

A

No limitation on their # of terms
Line-item veto on appropriations bills
Power to call and determine the agenda of special sessions
Appointments to important boards and commissions
Judicial vacancy appointments
Head of National Guard/Appoints adjutant general
Appoints Secretary of State
Intergovernmental liason
Pardons and Paroles
Capital Punishment

76
Q

Weaknesses of the TX governorship

A

Plural Executive
LBB writes the budget

77
Q

Plural Executive

A

in TX, 6 other elected executives
Consequences: all have their own source of power, own constituencies, own patronage; each seek to work their own budget without consultation of the governor

78
Q

Three Styles of Leadership by modern governors

A

Aggressive
Deferential
Cooperative

79
Q

Aggressive Leadership

A

try to exert power and authority that you don’t have

80
Q

Deferential Leadership

A

what the constitution calls for - legislature is clearly the most powerful and the governor is #2

81
Q

Cooperative Leadership

A

Notion that the governor is still the chief executive but form alliances with the legislature

82
Q

Major elected leaders of TX gov

A

Lt. Gov
Comptroller of Public Accounts
Agriculture Commissioner
Commissioner of the General Land Office
Attorney General
Railroad Commission
Board of Education

83
Q

Allan Shivers (1949-1957)

A

Aggressive Leadership
“shivercrats” - more conservative democrats
Lays foundation for later republican dominance
No sales tax revenue at this time
Segregationist democrat

84
Q

Price Daniel (1957-1963)

A

Cooperative Leadership
Wanted to work with the legislature to talk about policy goals
Deferential to segregation/civil rights
Opposed sales tax, allowed it to become law without his signature
Water development - biggest accomplishment

85
Q

John Connally (1963-1969)

A

Aggressive Leadership
LBJ insider
Father of the Speaker of the House
Vision of TX as an economic leader in the US
Prioritized the education system in TX
Used relationship w/Kennedy to his advantage - was a symbol of survival after Kennedy assassination
Annual budget sessions - used this to grow the power of the governor

86
Q

Preston Smith (1969-1973)

A

Deferential ex-legislator
Rural perspective in an increasingly urban state
Sharpstown Scandal

87
Q

Dolph Briscoe (1973-1979)

A

Deferential Leader
Conservative Democrat, wealthy landowner
Limited agenda
Took no position on the most important thing happening in the state (Constitutional Revision)

88
Q

Bill Clements (1979-1983, 1987-1991)

A

Aggressive Leader
First Republican in the modern era
Difficulty working w Democratic legislature
Desired to slash gov/reduced gov/lower taxes/limited accomplishment
Importance in leading republican renaissance

89
Q

Mark White (1983-1987)

A

Cooperative Leader
Elected with strong support from teachers
“No pass, no play” education reform
Increased regulation of utilities - establishment of utilities commission

90
Q

Ann Richards (1991-1995)

A

Aggressive leader
First liberal democrat in modern era
Advocated increased regulation
Frustrated by education finance
Defeated for re-election despite popularity

91
Q

George W. Bush

A

Cooperative leader
Worked easily with legislative leaders (known as an effective bi-partisan leader in TX)
Reduced taxes
Increased education spending
Economic boom

92
Q

Rick Perry (2001-2014)

A

Aggressive Leader
More conservative than Bush
Republican dominance
Champion vetoer
Education finance reform
Legislative redistricting
Fiscal and social conservatism

93
Q

Greg Abbott (2014-Present)

A

Cooperative/Aggressive Leader
“measured approach” to fiscal and social conservatism
Has become more conservative and more aggressive

94
Q

Formative Era

A

Politics of Annexation (mexican war)
Jacksonian Democracy - little partisanship
By 1850s, slavery and sectionalism dominated
Houston removed from office because of his opposition to secession
EJ Davis - the “radical republican” governor

95
Q

The Confederate Colonel Era

A

New constitution weakened governorship due to opposition to Davis
7 of the 9 governors during this time had been confederate officers
Selling of public lands is an issue
Progressive movement and the Railroad Commission

96
Q

The Modern Governorship

A

Rising professionalism of the modern governor
Increasing powers and potential for reelection

97
Q

Gubernatorial power determinants elements

A

Number of elected executives
Tenure potential
Appointment powers
Budget power
Veto power
Governor’s party control

Texas Politics (1 decks)

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