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Texas Politics > Exam 2 > Flashcards

Exam 2 Flashcards

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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
TX politics in the future
a solid GOP state, gap is narrowing, urbanization and ethnicity as factor, younger voters more democratic than older voters
26
One party rule
TX transitions from a one party Democrat to a one party Republican state
27
Elements that make up election laws and rules
Ballot Access Voting Qualifications Methods of Voting Methods of Nomination Campaign Finance Party Competition Voting Rules Absentee Voting to Early Voting
28
Ballot Access
How does a candidate get their name on the ballot?
29
Voting Qualifications
Categories of people who are excluded from qualification? --> felons, illegal, under 18, etc
30
Methods of voting
Voting machines, paper, etc
31
Methods of nominantion
Primary (open, closed, jungle), Caucus
32
Methods of Nomination: Open Primary
Regardless of party affiliation, voters can decide which party's primary to participate in
33
Methods of Nomination: Closed Primary
Voters must first be registered party members of the applicable party to vote in its primary
34
Methods of Nomination: Jungle Primary
A common ballot lists all candidates on one ballot. The top two vote getters, regardless of party affiliation, go on to the general election
35
Methods of Nomination: Caucus
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
36
Campaign Finance
Severely curtailed under federal law, states have few limits on campaigns
37
Voting Rules - Constitutional Amendments
15th- African American men 19th- Women 24th- No poll taxes
38
Absentee Voting to Early Voting
No longer "election day," now "election weeks"
39
Voting turnout in TX
Primaries have particularly low voter turnout rates; TX ranked 41 with about a 46.3% turnout (2018) and 60.42% (2020)
40
How Demographic groups vote - Gender
Turnout: 51% female, 49% male Party: Both more red
41
How demographic groups vote - Ethnicity
Turnout: 62% white, followed by Latino, Black, Asian, Other Party: White and Other - lean red Latino, Black, Asian - lean blue
42
How demographic groups vote - Age
Turnout: 65+ and 50-62, then all age groups in reverse order Party: 18-39 - lean blue 40-65+ - lean red
43
How demographic groups vote - education
Turnout: College w no degree, then bachelors degree, advanced degree, associates, never attended college Party: Advanced degrees - blue, Everyone else - red
44
How demographic groups vote - college education
Turnout: No college degree 56%, College grad 44% Party: both - red
45
How demographic groups vote - self declared party
Turnout: democrat 30%, republican 41%, independent/something else 29%
46
How demographic groups vote - marriage
Turnout: married 63%, non married 37% Party: married - red, nonmarried - blue
47
TX Primaries
Semi-open primary, run-off primary if a candidate doesn't get 50% of the votes
48
Organization of the TX legislature
Citizen, not professional Cornerstone of TX government Only regular sessions in odd # years
49
Powers of Presiding Officers
Committee membership Conference Committees Committee Chairs Referral Calendar Recognition Procedures
50
Powers of Presiding Officers - Committee membership
Appointing committee members
51
Powers of presiding officers - Conference Committees
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
Powers of presiding officers - Committee chairs
appointed by chamber leaders
53
Powers of presiding officers - referral
referring bills to committees - done strategically
54
powers of presiding officers - calendar
First 30 days - reading of bills Next 80 days - consideration of bills Last 30 days - when bills pass
55
Powers of Presiding officers - Recognition
no recognition, nothing will happen; they'll recognize who they want to and ignore everyone else
56
Responsibilities of the legislature
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
Responsibilities of the Legislature: Law Making/Budget Making
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
Responsibilities of the Legislature: Reapportionment/Redistricting
How do we allocate representatives? Drawing district lines for US HoR, State HoR, State Senate
59
Responsibilities of the Legislature: Proposing TX Constitutional Amendments/Ratifying US Constitutional amendments
About a dozen amendments every 2 years
60
Responsibilities of the Legislature: Impeachment/Judicial Jurisdiction
Impeachment of executive officers Courts Jurisdiction
61
Responsibilities of the Legislature: Legislative Oversight of Administration
How do we know the money is being spent on its intended purposes? Largest line item in every state budget is education
62
Responsibilities of the Legislature: Investigative Function
investigates executive branch of gov
63
Responsibilities of the Legislature: Resolving election disputes
Legislature determines the election outcomes
64
Responsibilities of the Legislature: Informal Functions
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
65
Gerrymandering
Definition: The legislature draws legislative districts Issues: drawing district lines for political advantage, districts must be equal in population
66
Racial gerrymandering
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
Reapportionment and Redistricting
Drawing seats within a state
68
Reapportionment
Every 10 yrs congressional seats are re-allocated among the states
69
Redistricting
Every 10 yrs Congressional, State House, and State Senate districts are redrawn
70
Election of the TX Legislature - Chamber Sizes
House: 150 Senate: 31
71
Election of the TX Legislature - term lengths
House: 2 yrs Senate: 4 yrs
72
When did each chamber switch from democrat to republican majority?
House: 2003 Senate: 1997
73
Legislative Sessions - Regular Session
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
Legislative Sessions - Special Sessions
Nothing in the constitution about between session changes, so special sessions must be utilized
75
Strengths of the TX Governorship
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
Weaknesses of the TX governorship
Plural Executive LBB writes the budget
77
Plural Executive
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
Three Styles of Leadership by modern governors
Aggressive Deferential Cooperative
79
Aggressive Leadership
try to exert power and authority that you don't have
80
Deferential Leadership
what the constitution calls for - legislature is clearly the most powerful and the governor is #2
81
Cooperative Leadership
Notion that the governor is still the chief executive but form alliances with the legislature
82
Major elected leaders of TX gov
Lt. Gov Comptroller of Public Accounts Agriculture Commissioner Commissioner of the General Land Office Attorney General Railroad Commission Board of Education
83
Allan Shivers (1949-1957)
Aggressive Leadership "shivercrats" - more conservative democrats Lays foundation for later republican dominance No sales tax revenue at this time Segregationist democrat
84
Price Daniel (1957-1963)
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
John Connally (1963-1969)
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
Preston Smith (1969-1973)
Deferential ex-legislator Rural perspective in an increasingly urban state Sharpstown Scandal
87
Dolph Briscoe (1973-1979)
Deferential Leader Conservative Democrat, wealthy landowner Limited agenda Took no position on the most important thing happening in the state (Constitutional Revision)
88
Bill Clements (1979-1983, 1987-1991)
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
Mark White (1983-1987)
Cooperative Leader Elected with strong support from teachers "No pass, no play" education reform Increased regulation of utilities - establishment of utilities commission
90
Ann Richards (1991-1995)
Aggressive leader First liberal democrat in modern era Advocated increased regulation Frustrated by education finance Defeated for re-election despite popularity
91
George W. Bush
Cooperative leader Worked easily with legislative leaders (known as an effective bi-partisan leader in TX) Reduced taxes Increased education spending Economic boom
92
Rick Perry (2001-2014)
Aggressive Leader More conservative than Bush Republican dominance Champion vetoer Education finance reform Legislative redistricting Fiscal and social conservatism
93
Greg Abbott (2014-Present)
Cooperative/Aggressive Leader "measured approach" to fiscal and social conservatism Has become more conservative and more aggressive
94
Formative Era
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
The Confederate Colonel Era
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
The Modern Governorship
Rising professionalism of the modern governor Increasing powers and potential for reelection
97
Gubernatorial power determinants elements
Number of elected executives Tenure potential Appointment powers Budget power Veto power Governor's party control

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