Chapter 10: Executing the Law

Question 1

Gubernatorial Elections…

Answer 1

always partisan, always contested; incumbent advantage is a real phenomenon for modern governors

Question 2

Governorships are Growing in Power

Answer 2

state governments playing larger roles; executive branch leadership is pertinent experience bc it’s composed of full-time, professional, experienced, and media loves a face – focuses on key personalities

Question 3

Governor’s Career

Answer 3

governors are often more politically ambitious than other state and local officials; not everyone can become president, so those who remain in public service often seek other gov’t promotions (appointment to federal cabinet, run for US senate, appointment as federal judge)

Question 4

2 Components of Gubernatorial Power

Answer 4

institutional and personal

Question 5

Institutional Component of Gubernatorial Power

Answer 5

given by states constitution; weaker than expected in TX

Question 6

Personal Component of Gubernatorial Power

Answer 6

varies with the person and circumstance; stronger than expected in TX

Question 7

Institutional Power Types

Answer 7

appointment, Tenure Potential, Managerial, Fiscal, Legislative

Question 8

Appointment Power Type

Answer 8

power to choose other statewide executive officials; key factor in determining “strength” of governor position in each state; TX among weakest: state constitution requires many statewide positions be elected instead

Question 9

Tenure Potential Power Type

Answer 9

ability to remain in office, including any re-election restrictions, vary widely across states (length of terms, max # of consecutive terms, max # of non-consecutive terms)

Question 10

Managerial Power Type

Answer 10

oversight of administration, coordination, executive orders direct agents in executive branch, reorganization (of executive branch), timing of appointments

Question 11

Fiscal Power Type

Answer 11

in 48 states, governor supervises preparation of budget; not so in TX – has weakest fiscal influence

Question 12

Legislative Power Type

Answer 12

all governors SIGN bills or can VETO them, TX governorship is above average: has line-item veto, too-frequent or heavy-handed use of veto has been used in past to paint TX governors as poorly skilled in politics

Question 13

What Enables Governors “to get stuff done” DESPITE Institutional Limits?

Answer 13

dependent on personality and political skills; especially important for institutionally “weak” governorships

Question 14

Key Statewide-Elected Leaders

Answer 14

Lieutenant Governor, Comptroller, Land Commissioner, Agricultural Commissioner, Attorney General

Question 15

Lieutenant Governor

Answer 15

widely accepted as most powerful government position in TX, elected separately, most powerful legislator (4yr. term, appoints senate committees, assigns senate bills to committees: determines bills’ future)

Question 16

Comptroller

Answer 16

4 yr. term, broad financial responsibilities make this a powerful office: tax collections, accounting, check writing, audits, treasurer of state funds and investments, estimating revenue for the state)

Question 17

Land Commissioner

Answer 17

4 yr. term; heads General Land Office; power derives from managing large amount of public lands and resources; duties: issues permits for exploration and exploitation, collects royalties on oil and gas extracted, history and archives, state lands, coastal, protection, emergency response, veterans land board

Question 18

Agricultural Commissioner

Answer 18

4 yr. term; heads TX Dept. of Agriculture; source of power: enforces all agricultural state laws for nation’s 2nd leading agricultural producer

Question 19

Attorney General

Answer 19

chief lawyer for state: role is mainly civil, not criminal; most law enforcement and criminal issues handled at city/county levels; source of power: formal opinions (interpretations) of legality or constitutionality of proposed or enacted laws can make major impacts on public policy

Question 20

Permanent Funds

Answer 20

state gov’t set aside millions of acres of state lands in late 1800s; purpose of these lands was to generate revenue to indirectly fund primary, secondary, and higher education in the state; 2 largest of these funds: permanent school fund and permanent university fund

Question 21

Advantages of Agencies and the Bureaucrats that Staff Them

Answer 21

information, time, procedures, clientele, solid basis

Question 22

Why is Information an Advantage for Bureaucrats?

Answer 22

staff members are in-house experts with command of very large amount of information

Question 23

Why is Time an Advantage for Bureaucrats?

Answer 23

staff usually takes the “long view” of both history and future; not much is new to them — can predict outcomes; willing to wait — not going anywhere

Question 24

Why are Procedures an Advantage for Bureaucrats?

Answer 24

agencies write them, so they will usually give advantage to the agencies

Question 25

Why is Clientele an Advantage for Bureaucrats?

Answer 25

usually support the agency staff members

Question 26

Why is Solid Basis an Advantage for Bureaucrats?

Answer 26

constitutional or statutory foundation; much of what agencies do cannot be changed without changing the law