Texas State and Local Politics Practice Questions
Course Introduction
This course provides an in-depth examination of the structures, functions, and dynamics of state and local government in Texas. Students will explore the Texas Constitution, the roles of the governor, legislature, judiciary, and bureaucracy, as well as the interaction between state and local authorities. Topics include political parties, elections, public policy, and the impact of demographic, economic, and cultural factors on governance. Special emphasis is placed on contemporary issues such as urbanization, immigration, and education, offering students a comprehensive understanding of how politics and public policy shape the everyday lives of Texans.
Recommended Textbook
Texas Politics Today 2015 2016 Edition 17th Edition by William Earl Maxwell
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Chapter 1: Texas Culture and Diversity
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which individual organized the American GI Forum?
A)Dr.Hector Garcia
B)Mr.Caesar Chavez
C)Mr.Antonio Diaz
D)Dr.Henry Martinez
Answer: A
Q2) How long after reconstruction did it take for African-American candidates to win elected office in the Texas legislature?
A)5 years
B)10 years
C)50 years
D)20 years
Answer: D
Q3) Fifty-three percent of Texans believe we spend too little on which specific public policy?
A)Adult prisons
B)New highways
C)Elementary and secondary education
D)Higher education
Answer: C
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Chapter 2: Texas in the Federal System
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Q1) One example of a concurrent power would be the ability to _________________.
A)charter banks
B)raise an army
C)make treaties
D)coin money
Answer: A
Q2) Controversy surrounding the Affordable Care Act is an example of the friction inherent in ___________.
A)confederal systems
B)unitary systems
C)Federalism
D)None of these choices is true.
Answer: C
Q3) Powers shared by the state and national government as stated in the U.S.Constitution are called
A)concurrent.
B)reserved.
C)delegated.
D)committed.
Answer: A
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Chapter 3: The Texas Constitution in Perspective
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Q1) Which of the following is not true of the Reconstruction Act of 1867?
A)It made the 1866 Constitution void.
B)It required Confederate states to adopt constitutions that met with the approval of the U.S.Congress.
C)It deposed civilian elected officials and restored military rule.
D)It was passed by the Radical Democrats in Congress.
Answer: D
Q2) Which power allows the governor to appoint supervisory boards but not operational directors for most state agencies?
A)Removal
B)Budgetary
C)Indirect appointive
D)Directive authority
Answer: C
Q3) Compared to the United States and other state constitutions,Texas generally has A)more words.
B)more total amendments.
C)higher frequency of amendments per year.
D)all of these choices are true.
Answer: D
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Chapter 4: Voting and Elections
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Q1) According to the authors,what is the defining characteristic of representative democracies?
A)Elections
B)Voting
C)Writing letters to local representatives
D)Distributing campaign literature
Q2) When were secret ballots adopted in Texas,and why are they important to the election process?
Q3) Which of the following statements about Texas elections is incorrect?
A)Getting off an election ballot can be as difficult as getting on.
B)For any party that received at least 5 percent of the vote for any statewide office in the previous general election,the full slate of candidates is placed on the ballot automatically.
C)Write-in candidates are not listed on the ballot.
D)The process of gaining access to the ballot by third parties is simple in Texas.
Q4) Compare and contrast voter turnout in Texas and the rest of the United States.What factors specifically explain low voter turnout in Texas?
Q5) Describe the key changes in law that have expanded voting rights over the years.
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Chapter 5: Political Parties
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Sample Questions
Q1) The major functions of the Democratic and Republican parties biennial state conventions include all of the following except to
A)elect state party officers.
B)adopt a party platform.
C)elect 62 members of the state executive committee.
D)certify to the attorney general which candidates were nominated by the party in its March primary.
Q2) The national Democratic and Republican parties have increased their involvement in the state and local parties through
A)computer-based mailing lists.
B)direct-mail solicitations.
C)the Internet.
D)all of these choices are true.
Q3) How does low voter attendance impact the Texas party system?
Q4) Discuss the pros and cons of political parties embracing pragmatism?
Q5) What is the party platform of the Libertarian party? Discuss the rules and regulations governing third parties in Texas.Do you think Texas and the major parties are being fair to third-party candidates?
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Chapter 6: Interest Groups
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Sample Questions
Q1) Noneconomic interest groups benefit from _______ because it translates into greater political clout in the Texas's legislature.
A)political savvy
B)free riderships
C)large membership
D)political efficacy
Q2) Discuss the state laws regulating lobbying in Texas.What are they required to report? What are they not required to report? Select one of the areas that does not require reporting and explain why you agree or disagree with the law that allow for this.
Q3) Late train contributions are campaign funds given
A)only to independent candidates.
B)to PACs.
C)by railroad interests.
D)to the winning legislative candidate.
Q4) Describe the function and influence of PACs on policy process in Texas.
Q5) What is co-optation? What are the consequences of co-optation occurring? What,if any,are the positive aspects to co-optation? Negative?
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Chapter 7: The Legislature: Organization and Structure
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Q1) The _________ provides bill analyses,floor reports,issue focus reports,and interim news to legislators and the public.
A)House Outreach Committee
B)House Research Organization
C)House Internal Affairs Committee
D)House Committee on Committees
Q2) If the legislature is in session and the governor refuses to sign a bill,
A)it becomes law in 10 days.
B)it becomes law in 30 days.
C)it automatically dies.
D)all of these choices are true.
Q3) Which method can be used only in the senate to delay and maybe kill a legislative measure?
A)Pigeonholing
B)Filibuster
C)Discharge
D)Low placement by the senate calendar committee
Q4) Which procedural tool available to the presiding officers of the Texas legislature is the most powerful? Why?
Q5) Discuss the powers of the lieutenant governor and their constitutional basis.
Page 9
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Chapter 8: The Executive
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Sample Questions
Q1) The Texas governor has never been allowed to use the A)pocket veto.
B)item veto.
C)threat to veto.
D)post adjournment veto.
Q2) _________ serve as a liaison between the office of the governor and the legislature.
A)Floor leaders
B)Presiding officers
C)Committee chairs
D)Legislative assistants
Q3) The governor's ability to use informal powers is largely determined by the extent of A)informal (extralegal)powers.
B)formal (legal)powers.
C)constitutional powers.
D)implied powers.
Q4) What potential positive and negative outcomes for democratic accountability are created by Texas Iron Stars?
Q5) Describe the appointment powers of the governor.How are these powers limited?
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Chapter 9: The Judiciary
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Sample Questions
Q1) District courts are often described as the _________ of the state,and as a group these courts are called the general trial courts.
A)chief trial courts
B)intermediate courts
C)trial courts
D)de novo courts
Q2) Which of the following statements about execution in Texas is correct?
A)Texas has executed individuals who were juveniles at the time of the crime.
B)Texas has executed fewer individuals than any other state.
C)Texas has executed about the same number of individuals as any other state.
D)The death penalty is not legal in Texas.
Q3) The merit plan for selecting judges is sometimes referred to as the
A)Texas plan.
B)Missouri plan.
C)Alabama plan.
D)New Jersey plan.
Q4) Contrast civil and criminal cases.Be sure to include major differences in procedures and standards for evidence.
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11
Chapter 10: Law and Due Process
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Q1) What is the name of the new law that says if either party refuses an out-of-court settlement and if the jury awards damages significantly different from the settlement offer,the loser must pay all of the winner's legal expenses in the case?
A)Loser pays system
B)Tort reform
C)Punitive damages
D)Slander
Q2) Texas law protects the property rights of owners to do the following except A)inherit it.
B)lease it.
C)sell It.
D)misuse it.
Q3) Describe the relationship between income,education,and crime.Offer specific examples.
Q4) Civil law deals with all of the following except
A)private rights.
B)individual rights.
C)public morality.
D)private obligations and responsibilities.
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Chapter 11: Local Government
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is not considered a city user fee?
A)Electricity rates
B)Garbage collection fees
C)Ad valorem
D)Ambulance service fees
Q2) Who is the county law enforcement official elected to serve as the process officer of justice of the peace courts and also has general law enforcement powers?
A)Sheriff
B)County judge
C)Constable
D)Precinct judge
Q3) Cities that limit the sale of beer and wine,freeze property taxes for seniors and people with disabilities,increase minimum wage,and place a cap on property tax rates is an example of a(n)
A)referendum.
B)recall.
C)initiative.
D)mandate.
Q4) What are user fees,and why have they become increasingly popular?
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Chapter 12: Public Policy in Texas
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is not true about recent state budgets?
A)Each budget is a record for spending.
B)State costs tend to go up due to inflation.
C)State costs have accelerated due to population increases.
D)Demands for state services have decreased over time.
Q2) When did the state of Texas initiate the top 10 percent plan?
A)When the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that race could not be considered in affirmative action admission policies
B)When the colleges and universities noticed a decline in the enrollment of women and minority ethnic groups
C)When colleges and universities realized they failed to meet standard admission criteria
D)When Latino,low-income,and rural student admission to state universities began to stabilize
Q3) Declining marginal propensity to consume means
A)as income increases,spending increases proportionately.
B)as income increases,a smaller percentage is spent on consumer goods.
C)as income increases,a larger percentage is spent on consumer goods.
D)as income decreases,spending remains constant as a percentage of income.
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