Texas Government Test 1

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Tenth Amendment: States have any power not delegated by Constitution. Limits federal government.

Back 1

Politcal Culture is the set of attitudes, beliefs, and sentiments which give order and meaning to a political process and which provide the underlying assumptions and rules that govern behavior in the political system.

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Individualist subculture: A political subculture that views government as a practical institution that should further private enterprise but intervene minimally in people's lives. Example business and politics

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Traditionalistic Subculture: A political subculture that views government as an institution to maintain the dominant social and religious values. examples social hierarchy and religion.

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Moralistic Subculture: A political subculture that views government as a positive force, one that values individuals, but functions for the benefit of the general public. Example Voting

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Texas has a mixture of Traditional and Individualistic cultures. Will never have a moralistic subculture.

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Unitary Systems: One Central government has ultimate authority. Regional or local governments are subordinate to central government

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Confederal Systems: Member states or regional governments have all authority. Central government has only the power that state governments choose to delegate to it.

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An unstable form of government (all 13 states had to unanimously agree on something and never could happen)

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Federalism: Governmental power divided and shared between a national or central government and state or regional governments. Concurrent government.

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The Delegated Powers are powers that the constitution gives to the national government. AKA Enumerated Powers found in Article 1 Section 8 of U S Constitution as well as other powers that have evolved over time.

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Reserved Powers-Any power thats not given by the federal government is given to the state. Powers reserved to the states. Legitimacy or powers comes from the 10th Amendment.

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Inherent powers-delegated powers that come with an office or position. U S Constitution does not clearly specify powers granted to the executive branch. Over time have evolved as powers needed to perform functions of the executive branch.

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Necessary and Proper Clause: most powerful clause in constitution called the elastic clause. Gives congress implied powers.

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In McCulloch vs Maryland the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause of the Constitution to create the 2nd Bank of the U.S. and that the state of Maryland lacked the power to tax the Bank.

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Coercive federalism a relationship between the national government and states in which the former directs the states on policies they must undertake.

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Devolution: The attempt to enhance the power of state or local governments, especially by replacing relatively restrictive categorical grants in aid with more flexile block grants.

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Ratification approval by a majority of those persons voting on the amendment in either a general or a special election.

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initiatives: an election method that empower citizens to place a proposal on the ballot for a photo approval. If the measure passes it becomes law permitted and some Texas cities but not at the state level

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Filibuster: an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.

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Pocket Veto : an indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session. Not available for Texas Govenor

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Reduction Veto: the power to reduce amounts in an appropriations bill without striking them out altogether; this power is not available to Texas governor's

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Statutory Law : law passed by legislatures and written into books of code

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Statutory laws vary from regulatory or administrative laws that are passed by executive agencies, and common law, or the law created by prior court decisions.

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Plural Executive: and executive branch or power is divided among several independently elected officials there by weakening the power of the chief executive which in Texas is the Governor.

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Powers of the United States Congress are set forth by the United States Constitution, defined by rulings of the Supreme Court, and by its own efforts and by other factors such as history and custom. It is the chief legislative body of the United States.

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4. Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures.

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5. Right to due process of law, freedom from self-incrimination, double jeopardy.

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6. Rights of accused persons: right to a speedy and public trial.

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l.7. Right to a trial by jury.

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8. Freedom from excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishments.

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essay questions

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Federalism is the form of government where both national and state governments share their power. However when a federal and state law collide the federal will dominate over the state.

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The idea of Dual Federalism aka Layer Cake Federalism is the belief of having separate but equally powerful levels of government working separately and independently to be the best arrangement .

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Cooperative Federalism is the intertwining of all levels of government-national state and local. the government working together cooperatively to achieve and solve common problems. The distinction between federal and state powers became less defined resulting in what is known as marble cake federalism

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New Federalism is the progression of federalism, more power was returned to the state in an effort to even out the balance of strength between the national and state governments. Shared Power

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Constitution of 1845-Joined the Union. Required a two thirds vote in Texas House to establish any corporation.Made bank corporation illegal.

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Restricted legislature to meeting only once every two years. Limited state debt to $100,000. Established the Permanent School Fund.

Established the long ballot

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Constitution of 1861-Leave the Union Again. Similar to 1845. Acknowledged Texas as Confederate State

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Constitution of 1866- After the Civil War. Nullified secession. Abolished slavery. Renounced Confederate War Debts. Reconstruction Act of 1867 (laws states must follow) voided this constitution. Any one who held office can never hold office again under the Union.

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Constitution of 1869. Centralized state power in governor's hands. Lengthened chief executive’s trim to four year. Gave governor appointment powers.

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Provided for annual legislative sessions. Centralized the public school systemInstrument of rear of corrupt and abusive government. Worst Governor E.J. Davis corrupt

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The Constitutional Convention of 1875. Grangers platform of “retrenchment and reform”. Cut salaries for governing officials. Placed limits on property taxes. Restricted state borrowing. Limited legislative sessions. Strengthened local government.

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The Texas Constitution Today. reactionary document. Second largest among states. 87000 words. Nine times longer than US Constitution. 33 amendments compared to the 10 Bill of rights Bill of rights and Fundamental Liberty

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The relationship between the constitution and the three branches of government are Separation of Powers Legislative Executive Judicial.

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Executive Branch-Governor heads executive branch.Plural executive .Power divided among independent officers .Weak chief executive