Government of the United States and Texas Final Exam Questions
Course Introduction
This course provides an in-depth examination of the structures, functions, and processes of government in both the United States and Texas. It covers foundational principles such as the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, and the roles of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Special emphasis is placed on the political systems and institutions unique to Texas, exploring their historical development, electoral processes, and interaction with the federal government. Students will analyze current public policy issues, the role of political parties and interest groups, and the ways citizens can engage with and influence government at both the national and state levels.
Recommended Textbook
The State of Texas Government Politics and Policy 2nd Edition by Sherri Mora
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12 Chapters
547 Verified Questions
547 Flashcards
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Texas History and Politics
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50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Of the six flags flown over Texas,which represented republics?
A) Texas and Mexico
B) the CSA and France
C) Spain and France
D) France and Mexico
Answer: A
Q2) Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Austin are located in this region of the state:
A) Central Corridor.
B) Metroplex.
C) Plains region.
D) border area.
Answer: A
Q3) Currently,the top export of Texas is
A) machinery.
B) computers and electronics.
C) chemicals.
D) petroleum and coal products.
Answer: D
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Page 3
Chapter 2: The Texas State Constitution and the American
Federal System
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46 Verified Questions
46 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A(n)____ grant is for broad purposes and gives state and local governments a significant amount of discretion in how the money is spent.
A) categorical
B) block
C) formula
D) earmark
Answer: B
Q2) Which of the following aspects of the process of amending the state constitution contributes to low voter turnout?
A) odd-year elections
B) low interest in the issues
C) confusing ballot wording
D) All of these answers are correct.
Answer: D
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Page 4
Chapter 3: The Texas Legislature
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50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The drawing of legislative districts to favor one political party over another is termed
A) redistricting.
B) reallocation of seats.
C) political gerrymandering.
D) reapportionment.
Answer: C
Q2) How well are Texas legislators compensated? What are the potential problems around this level of compensation?
Answer: Texas legislators are compensated at a relatively low level compared to other states. They receive an annual salary of $7,200, which is among the lowest in the country. This low level of compensation can lead to potential problems such as a lack of diversity among legislators, as individuals from lower income backgrounds may not be able to afford to serve in the legislature. It can also lead to a reliance on outside income, which may create conflicts of interest. Additionally, the low pay may discourage qualified individuals from running for office, leading to a less effective and representative legislature. Overall, the low level of compensation for Texas legislators can hinder the effectiveness and diversity of the state's legislative body.
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Page 5
Chapter 4: The Executive Department and the Office of the
Governor of Texas
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47 Verified Questions
47 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The office of lieutenant governor is different from the office of the vice president in that
A) the office of lieutenant governor has a two-year term versus the vice president's four-year term.
B) when governors leave their states, lieutenant governors become acting governors. C) lieutenant governors are usually from the opposition party, whereas vice presidents are not.
D) lieutenant governors have powers nearly coequal with governors, whereas the vice presidents have few formal powers.
Q2) Define senatorial courtesy.How can senatorial courtesy be viewed in both a negative light and a positive light?
Q3) The Texas legislature can override the governor's line-item veto with a ______ vote in each house.
A) majority
B) three-fifths
C) two-thirds
D) three-fourths
Q4) What are the informal powers of the Texas governor?
Page 6
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Chapter 5: The Court System in Texas
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46 Verified Questions
46 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The highest number of states select judges through A) a merit plan.
B) partisan election.
C) nonpartisan election.
D) appointment by the governor.
Q2) What is the most important difference between trial and appellate courts?
A) deciding points of fact versus points of law
B) the level of citizen participation
C) the number of judges
D) jurisdiction
Q3) What U.S.Supreme Court case in 1972 outlawed the death penalty because it was unfairly applied to many crimes and because of the lack of safeguards in place in many states?
A) Furman v. Georgia
B) Lawrence v. Texas
C) Gregg v. Louisiana
D) Wilson v. Alabama
Q4) In what ways can Texas judges be disciplined or removed from office,and for what reasons?
Q5) How is juvenile justice handled in Texas? How could it be improved?
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Chapter 6: Local Governments in Texas
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48 Verified Questions
48 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) One suggestion for reform of county government that has been frequently made over the past 70 years involves
A) provincial incorporation.
B) general law.
C) the commission system.
D) home rule.
Q2) Compare and contrast the roles and powers of the mayor in weak-mayor and strong-mayor forms of city government.Which do you think is best,and why?
Q3) All of the following are at-large election systems EXCEPT
A) at-large by place.
B) at-large by place with residence wards required.
C) at-large no place.
D) at-large multiple places.
Q4) Who is responsible for receiving,maintaining,and disbursing county funds?
A) county tax assessor
B) county clerk
C) county treasurer
D) county auditor
Q5) What are the key aspects of the structure of county government?
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Chapter 7: Voting and Political Participation in Texas
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43 Verified Questions
43 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following elections would typically have a higher voter turnout?
A) general election
B) primary election
C) local election
D) off-year election
Q2) In Verba and Nie's typology of political participation,which category contains the highest percentage of the population?
A) complete activists
B) parochial participants
C) inactives
D) campaigners
Q3) Which state does NOT limit the voting rights of persons convicted of a felony?
A) West Virginia
B) Mississippi
C) Vermont
D) Texas
Q4) How did Texas act throughout its history to restrict the voting rights of poor people and minorities? How were these practices finally ended?
Q5) Why is voter turnout typically quite low for local elections?
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Chapter 8: Elections and Campaigns in Texas
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43 Verified Questions
43 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) How often does Texas hold general elections?
A) every year
B) every two years
C) every four years
D) twice a year
Q2) Today the regulation of campaign finances in Texas is limited to the requirement that all candidates and PACs file reports with the
A) Texas Elections Board.
B) U.S. Department of Justice.
C) Texas State Ethics Commission.
D) Texas secretary of state.
Q3) Discuss the runoff primary.Why does it exist? What are its benefits and its drawbacks?
Q4) What is party raiding? Does it have the potential to affect the outcome of a general election?
Q5) What are the three types of special election in Texas?
Q6) List the five types of sound-bite commercials listed in the chapter.Define two of them.
Q7) List the five types of primary systems.Choose one and argue why it is the best.
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Chapter 9: Political Parties in Texas
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45 Verified Questions
45 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/62358
Sample Questions
Q1) Labor-intensive politics historically included all of the following EXCEPT
A) broadcast advertising.
B) selecting candidates.
C) organizing campaigns.
D) printing election ballots.
Q2) What is the lowest level of the permanent party organization in Texas?
A) ward chair
B) district chair
C) county chair
D) precinct chair
Q3) Compared to primary system,the caucus system requires more
A) professional organization.
B) local organization.
C) guidance from the national party.
D) mass media buys.
Q4) Has Texas always been a predominantly conservative state? How does this question tie in to the state's shift from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party since the 1960s?
Q5) First discuss labor-intensive politics.Then examine the rise of capital-intensive politics and why it has weakened political parties.
Page 11
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Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying in Texas
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43 Verified Questions
43 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the primary difference between a membership organization and a nonmembership organization?
A) official membership roles
B) broad-based citizen support
C) dues
D) transparency
Q2) Inviting public officials to address organizational meetings is one technique to raise
A) a group's image in the eyes of the organization.
B) a group's image in the eyes of these officials.
C) the organization's image in the eyes of the community.
D) a community's image of a public official.
Q3) Why and how do interest groups engage in electioneering?
Q4) The Coalition of Health Insurance Choice (CHIC)mobilized opposition to
A) the Affordable Healthcare Act.
B) President Clinton's health care proposal.
C) "Obamacare."
D) Medicaid and Medicare.
Q5) Discuss how Texas regulates interest groups.
Q6) Compare and contrast retail trade associations and professional associations.
Page 12
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Chapter 11: Public Policy in Texas
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44 Verified Questions
44 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/62356
Sample Questions
Q1) What state has the lowest incarceration rate?
A) Texas
B) California
C) Massachusetts
D) Maine
Q2) In some cases,the policy implementation stage of the policy cycle is
A) skipped altogether because the new policy is symbolic.
B) the only part of the policy-making cycle that is actually carried out.
C) an alternative to policy adoption.
D) a time-honored role for legislators.
Q3) If a student takes more than the allowed hours (as set by the legislature)to complete his or her degree,the student
A) must pay the out-of-state tuition rate.
B) is placed on academic probation.
C) may transfer to a community college.
D) is assigned a mentor to help him/her successfully complete the course of study.
Q4) Discuss policy liberalism indices and how they can be used to compare the 50 states.
Q5) Define the "10 percent rule." Argue for or against its fairness to students.
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Chapter 12: Financing State Government
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42 Verified Questions
42 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is meant by income-elastic taxes?
A) taxes that change quickly relative to economic conditions
B) taxes that can easily stretch to meet funding shortfalls
C) taxes that change slowly relative to economic conditions
D) taxes that have been given a special "elastic" designation as part of the budget "fix"
Q2) Which of the following is a fundamental principle governments use to justify providing services to the public?
A) redistributive goods
B) nonexhaustion
C) tax capacity
D) regulatory goods
Q3) What are the two primary sources of revenue for local government in Texas?
A) property tax and state grants
B) block grants and local sales tax
C) local sales tax and property tax
D) income tax and state sales tax
Q4) Discuss tax shifting,and cite specific examples showing how the burden of property and business taxes can be shifted.
Q5) What are collective benefits? Why do governments provide them?
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