Public Policy in Texas Final
Test Solutions
Course Introduction
This course explores the development, implementation, and impacts of public policy within the state of Texas, focusing on its unique political culture, institutional frameworks, and demographic diversity. Students will examine the roles played by the governor, legislature, courts, and interest groups in shaping policies in areas such as education, health care, criminal justice, and economic development. Through analysis of contemporary case studies and key policy debates, the course provides a comprehensive understanding of how policies are created and enforced at the state and local levels, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by policymakers in Texas.
Recommended Textbook
Government and Politics in the Lone Star State 8th Edition by L. Tucker Gibson
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Chapter 1: The social and economic milieu of texas politics
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Q1) Although the Asian American population in Texas is relatively small, which of the following is an example of increased political power among this ethnic group?
A) the election of Asian Americans to major political offices
B) legislation giving Asian Americans special status in Texas
C) judicial decisions favoring Asian Americans
D) more state scholarship money going to Asian Americans than any other group
E) a special executive branch board set up to deal with Asian American issues
Answer: A
Q2) Political culture can best be defined as ________ that give order and meaning to the political process.
A) economic beliefs and goals
B) preconceived ideals
C) religious ideals
D) information and assumptions
E) a set of attitudes, beliefs, and sentiments
Answer: E
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Chapter 2: The texas constitution
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Q1) Which governor of Texas refused to leave office although he had lost the election?
A) Richard Coke
B) George W. Bush
C) Edmund Davis
D) William P. Clements
E) James Ferguson
Answer: C
Q2) What best describes the conflict between Mexico and the newly formed Republic of Texas in 1836?
A) The forces of the Republic of Texas only secured victory through American assistance.
B) It was a short conflict with relatively light casualties.
C) In a brief conflict, the Republic of Texas lost not a single battle to Mexico.
D) It was a long drawn out conflict lasting 2 years and inflicting thousands of casualties.
E) It took place over several years with intermittent fighting with light casualties.
Answer: B
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Chapter 3: Intergovernmental relationships
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Q1) Because the writers of the U.S.Constitution foresaw the necessity to organize formal agreements between states, they provided for ________ compacts.
A) intrastate
B) regional
C) sectional
D) interstate
E) border
Answer: D
Q2) The ________ clause of the U.S.Constitution implies that when there is a power struggle between the federal government and a state government, the federal government triumphs.
A) nationalization
B) equalization
C) supremacy
D) hegemony
E) subservience
Answer: C
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Interest groups and political power in texas
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Q1) What has allowed for the emergence of influential pressure groups to develop in states such as Texas?
A) Strong governors who hold considerable power over the legislature are more susceptible to interest group influence.
B) Strong political parties can only emerge through coordination with various interest groups, and as a result, the groups hold considerable influence.
C) Weak political parties in a state are less able to coordinate their activities and are prone to factionalism, off of which interest groups feed.
D) Weak education systems limit the political knowledge of a state's population, which results in interest groups gaining considerable influence.
E) Weak governors have little control over their legislatures and of the state's policy agenda, allowing them to be easily influenced by interest groups.
Q2) List four of the dominant interest groups in Texas.How do they differ in their objectives?
Q3) Define hyperpluralism.Describe possible threats of this development to the political system.
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Chapter 5: The mass media in texas politics
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Q1) An estimated ________ was spent on paid political TV advertising during the 2008 campaign cycle.
A) $1 million
B) $300 million
C) $1 billion
D) $1.5 billion
E) $2 billion
Q2) Why did the framers of the U.S.Constitution through the First Amendment work to ensure that the press would be an independent provider of information?
A) A free press is essential to making a representative democracy work by informing the public.
B) Prior to the First Amendment, news was provided by the monarchy and was heavily biased.
C) Stability in a democracy cannot be achieved without laws separating the press from the government.
D) A free press is essential to allowing a population to become involved in politics.
E) Without a free press, a population becomes apathetic and prone to rebellion.
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Chapter
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Q1) In 1952, Allan Shivers was successful in carrying Texas for the Republican nominee, setting a precedent for future presidential elections.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Continuing their aggressive push to wrest power from the Democrats in 1996, the Republicans
A) won all ten statewide offices in the general election.
B) captured a majority in the state House for the first time since Reconstruction.
C) captured a plurality of local offices in urban areas and a majority in rural districts.
D) gained the majority in the Texas congressional delegation for the first time since Reconstruction.
E) won a majority in both the state House and Senate.
Q3) During the 1970s, the Texas Democratic Party had an organizational edge over the Republicans.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Define political parties.How do they differ from interest groups?
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Chapter 7: Elections, campaigns, and political behavior
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Q1) Political socialization is the process through which people learn to behave politically.
A)True
B)False
Q2) As of 2012, women in Texas
A) held nine statewide offices including state comptroller.
B) were still fighting an uphill battle in politics with few prospects for change.
C) held thirteen statewide offices including attorney general.
D) held only three statewide offices including U.S. senator.
E) held a majority of the state senate and legislative seats.
Q3) Ina democracy, elections enable individuals to
A) prove the saying that "it doesn't matter who gets elected."
B) control their leaders and provide judgment on past actions.
C) support certain interest groups and political action committees.
D) place grand expectations on the media and politicians.
E) vote for their preferred politicians and issues.
Q4) What is meant by "controlled media" and "uncontrolled media," and how do candidates attempt to utilize the media in their campaigns? How do current campaigns differ from older campaigns because of media?
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Page 9
Chapter 8: The texas legislature
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Q1) In the context of political science, the development of a legislative body into a formally structured system with stable membership, complex rules, expanded internal operations, and the delineation of staff functions is known as A) politicalization.
B) democratization.
C) institutionalization.
D) socialization.
E) structurization.
Q2) The powers of the House presiding officer includes
A) appointing a president pro tempore.
B) naming chairs and vice chairs in the Senate.
C) appointing all members of Senate procedural committees.
D) selecting the lieutenant governor.
E) vetoing bills voted on by the House.
Q3) Rick Perry became the first Republican lieutenant governor of modern Texas. A)True
B)False
Q4) Why is the committee system considered the backbone of the legislative process? What are the different types and roles of committees?
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Chapter 9: The texas executive
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Q1) The day-to-day administration of the Texas Education Agency is under the direction of an elected commissioner of education.
A)True
B)False
Q2) A governor can be removed from office through impeachment proceedings initiated in the
A) Senate and conviction by the House.
B) House and conviction by the Senate.
C) House and conviction by the House.
D) Senate and conviction by the Senate.
E) House and conviction by the Senate and the House.
Q3) To override a governor's veto requires a
A) three-fifths vote in the chamber of origin only.
B) two-thirds vote in both chambers.
C) two-thirds vote in the chamber of origin and a majority vote in the second chamber.
D) majority vote in the chamber of origin and a two-thirds vote in the second chamber.
E) three-fourths vote in both chambers.
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Chapter 10: The bureaucracy and policy implementation
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Q1) Why do so many people express a great deal of ambivalence, if not hostility, toward bureaucracies and those who are employed by government?
Q2) Why is the revolving door viewed in a negative way?
A) It is a major cause of government size increases, as money that has been saved from one agency gets doled out to another.
B) It has raised questions about possible insider industry influence over regulatory agencies and decisions.
C) It has limited the success of sunset reviews by transferring the work and funding of a recently dismantled agency into a new agency.
D) It has raised questions of increasing nepotism with the hiring of agency heads and other senior public officials.
E) It has prevented younger generations from entering into the public sector by cycling current government employees around to various agencies.
Q3) Each state agency is largely free to set its own personnel policies.
A)True
B)False
Q4) How would you describe the personnel system in Texas? Defend your answer.
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Page 12
Chapter 11: The judicial system in texas
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Q1) The Court of Criminal Appeals
A) hears both criminal and civil cases.
B) has fifteen justices.
C) hears only criminal cases.
D) hears only civil cases.
E) has only three justices.
Q2) The primary trial court in Texas is the county court.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Cases reach the Texas Supreme Court primarily on
A) petitions for review.
B) writs of mandamus.
C) petitions for acceptance.
D) writs of certiorari.
E) de novo writs.
Q4) How do federal courts have a major effect on Texas government policies and criminal justice?
Q5) Briefly outline the structure of the Texas judicial system.Where are there overlapping jurisdictions?
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Chapter 12: Local government in texas: cities, towns, counties, and special districts
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Q1) A notable feature of city elections in Texas is the use of
A) single-member districts.
B) multimember districts.
C) the all-city system.
D) party labels.
E) the at-large system.
Q2) The _______ is responsible for issuing various licenses required by state law such as a marriage license.
A) county judge
B) district clerk
C) county clerk
D) precinct commissioner
E) constable
Q3) Briefly describe the difference between general law cities and home rule cities in Texas.What is the importance of the Dillon rule?
Q4) Briefly describe the structure of county government in Texas, including the primary functions and responsibilities of each elected office.What are the biggest issues facing county governments today and what steps have been taken to remedy them? Have they been effective?
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Chapter 13: Contemporary public policy issues in texas
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Q1) The last major change in the state's general tax policy occurred in 1961, when the legislature enacted the first
A) severance tax.
B) oil depletion allowance tax.
C) sales tax.
D) value added tax.
E) personal income.
Q2) What is the purpose of CHIP?
A) It is a charitable organization that assists Medicaid recipients with purchasing prescription pills.
B) It provides insurance to families of state government employees.
C) It provides insurance for children of working parents who earn too much for Medicaid.
D) It provides insurance to children of Texas State National Guard Veterans.
E) It is a state organization dedicated to assisting families with children in providing preventive care.
Q3) What have been some of the inequities in the funding of state institutions of higher learning and how will the Hopwood ruling affect those inequities?
Q4) How would you evaluate the success of education reform after Edgewood v.Kirby?
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