An interest group is a political organization. They are somewhat similar to political parties except that they do not recruit candidates to run under a label. Instead, they attempt to influence candidates and members of the three governing institutions.
Click here for more: Interest Groups.
Lobbying is a tactic used by interest groups to influence government, specifically the legislative and executive branches. A lobbyist is a person whose skill set includes the ability to effectively communicate with office holders and staffers in those institutions.
Click here for more: Lobbying.
- What is a special session?
In Texas, a special session is one that occurs after the end of the regular session. The governor, and only the governor can call one if there are unresolved issues remaining after the end of the regular session. They can only last for 30 days, and can only deal with issues approved by the governor. Governors can call as many as they wish.
Click here for regular sessions.
Click here for special sessions.
Click here for Texas Legislature 101: Understanding the state government and how it passes laws.
- Why would someone go to an appellate court?
The purpose of an appellate court is to hear allegations that a procedural irregularity of some sort occurred in a trial. Someone would go to an appellate court if, after being found guilty of a crime, or liable of a civil infraction, they believe a procedural error has occurred. The result may be a reversal of the trial decision, or a new trial. Or the appellate court could rule that the trial was fine.
Click here for more: Texas Courts of Appeals.
- Which political parties and interest groups dominate Texas politics, and what impact do they
have on policy decisions?
Texas has a history of social conservatism and traditionalism. In its early years, it had an agrarian economy, but over the past century, it has become more business oriented. The parties and interest groups that support those positions tend to be dominant, at least statewide. This in not necessarily true for the cities.
Statewide, the Texas Democratic Party was dominant until it reacted against the national party's shift towards equal protection and civil rights. Conservative Democrats in Texas slowly shifted towards the Texas Republican Party in the 40s and 50s. By the 90s and early 2000s, the statewide shift was complete, though Democrats continue to be strong in the cities.
The oil and gas sector continues to be the dominate interest group in the state, but other business groups are powerful as well. These include real estate, finance, and hi tech. Groups that support labor and the public sector - teachers for example - are less powerful.
- What are the consequences for representation and political power, and how does Texas'
redistricting process operate?
Building off the previous answer, the consequences are that public policy in the state tends to favor the interests on business, as well as people who promote traditional conservative lifestyles.
Redistricting occurs every 10 years following each national census. The simply purpose of the census is to reapportion each state's representation in the United States House of Representatives according to its population. The numbers are then used to guide the redrawing of each district in order to ensure that each district has the same number of people in it. This process is done by the legislature of each state.
Each state also takes that data and uses it to redraw the districts in their respective legislatures and any other districts that might apply. The process is overseen by the Texas Redistricting Board.
- Click here for their website.
Question 1: What are the various levels of the judiciary system and what does each level do? I
noticed this was on the quiz and wanted a better understanding of these levels.
The levels of the Texas Judiciary are established - but not laid out - in Article 5 of the Texas Constitution. The levels are laid out more thoroughly in Texas Government Code, but the best way to answer your question is to check out the following map;
- Court Structure of Texas.
Question 2: Why is the lieutenant governor important, what does he dictate over? On the quizzes,
the role of lieutenant governor seems significant since there were several questions about this
position.
The Texas Lieutenant Governor is one of several positions created in Article 4 of the Texas Constitution. It is independently elected, meaning that the governor has not control over it. The position is established to be the presiding officer of the Texas Senate, which contains the power to appoint people to committees, designate committee chairs, and steer legislation through the bill making process. That is the key to the position's power.
Click here for more.
Question 3: What is the largest difference between the parties in terms of views like tradionalists
and individualists or are they more alike than different? I have noticed they have a lot in
common in the textbook and quizzes where their radical ideas are different, but others are the
same.
Interesting question. Texas is primarily a traditionalist / individualist state, with pockets of moralism in the urban areas. Policies that preserve traditional values - which includes opposition to same-sex marriage and equal treatment in general - and create favorable conditions for business, tend to be adopted by the Republican Party while those that directly focus on the well being of individuals tend to be adopted by the Democratic Party.
Sometimes there is overlap between the two major parties in the positions they take. Sometimes - like now - there is less. This is a measure of polarization. If the positions of the two parties are extreme, and there is no middle ground, then we say that's a time of party polarization. The parties have little in common. If not, and there is middle ground - opportunity to compromise - then there is less polarization. The parties have more in common.
Why do they agree sometimes and disagree others? Lots of people study this. Generally its a consequence of the nature of politics at a particular moment in time, and what it takes to win a specific election.
For more on the Texas Democrats click here.
For more on the Texas Republicans click here.
My first topic is understanding the organization of the political parties.
There are things that should help you understand parties in Texas, as well the rest of the nation.
1 - Their principle purpose is to win elections and control the governing apparatus.
2 - The winner take all system favors the development of two major parties, that is, parties that are in fact competitive and likely to win elections. In Texas these are the Republican and Democratic Parties. Smaller - minor parties - exist as well, but do not get enough votes to actually win elections. However. they can have an influence on elections by having an impact on the number of votes received by major party candidates.
- Click here for more on winner take all elections.
- Click here for more on the two party system.
3 - Parties exist on the national, state, and local (county) levels. Since the United States has a federal system of government, and elections occur on all levels, parties exist on all levels in order to coordinate attempts to control each level of government. This means that there is a national party, 50 state parties, and over a thousand county parties in the nation. In addition, there are small clubs and other affiliated organizations.
4 - The major parties are divided into permanent and temporary organizations. The former consists of the staff required to run day to day operations, the latter is composed of people who vote in primaries and participate in party conventions.
- Click here for more.
The next topic is the purpose of government sessions and special sessions.
Look at the answer above for special sessions.
If you want more:
Legislative sessions and years.
Special Sessions of the Texas Legislature.
My last topic is understanding the difference between the 1845 constitution and the Texas constitution.
I assume you mean the current Texas Constitution which was written in 1876 and amendment about 520 times since then. In structural terms, they are very similar, meaning that they establish three governing institutions and are based on "the people." There are other such similarities.
They are also significantly different in many areas. The 1845 constitution was the Texas' first state constitution and bore similarities to other state constitutions. Recall that the 1836 Constitution was a national constitution. The 1876 Constitution was the last of three constitutions Texas offered as a condition for allowing it to be officially re-recognized by the national government. Two previous attempts had failed.
Other differences include that after the rebellion, the article on slavery became the article on suffrage. After the ratification of the initial 1876 constitution, which favored the interests of farmers, it was modified gradually over time to favor the interest of business.
There's much more. Hopefully this helps you get a handle on that. For more, you should check out the following website: Tarlton Law Library.
I linked you to the page which contains further links to al the Texas Constitutions
You might also get something out of these:
- Constitution of 1845.
- Constitution of 1876.
I still get a little confused on how the voting works in order to vote someone in office, a higher office in Texas. Each role seems so different.
Each role is different. That's why you are confused - it's confusing, but there is a reason for it. Review the material in the chapters on each of the governing departments, as well as the chapter on elections. Then think about it. I want you to be prepared for the tests and quizzes, but really understanding this stuff takes time. It will makes much more sense the more you participate.
For now just understand that for state office, each major office - with exceptions - is elected to office first by being nominated by the voters of their party in a primary election, then by all voters in a general election. This happens every even numbered year. Often national and local positions are determined then as well. The individuals who can vote, must meet qualifications laid out in the Texas Constitution and register to vote.
The length of terms varies depending on what we expect from each position.
2 year terms - House of Representatives
4 year terms - Senate and Executive Positions
6 year terms - Appellate courts
Check out this page in the Texas Secretary of States' website, it list all of the candidates for office in Texas in the 2024 election.
- Offices up for Election in 2024.
How many Texas constitutions where there? Or modifications? Some readings make it seem like so many but other readings make it seem like one.
The best way to find out is to look through the info you can find here: Constitutions of Texas 1824 - 1876.
You'll notice there have been 8.
In addition, the current constitution has been modified over 500 times since it was originally written and ratified in 1876. For more click here:
Why was the permit university fund created?
The Permanent University Fund was created to be a funding source for UT and Texas A&M.
Click here for more.
What is the difference between lobbying for federal policy and state policy specifically in Texas?
Obviously the biggest difference is what the purpose of the lobbying is. To impact national policy or state policy. Those are different and involve different sets of players, under different sets of rules.
If you want to jump into it:
- LOBBYING IN TEXAS - A GUIDE TO THE TEXAS LAW.
- 2022 Lobbying Disclosure.
- Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
According to Chat GPT, these are the basics of any lobbying regulations:
1 - Registration: Lobbyists typically need to register with government authorities, disclosing who they are representing and what issues they are lobbying on. This ensures transparency and accountability in the lobbying process.
2 - Disclosure: Lobbyists may be required to disclose their activities, including whom they're lobbying, the issues they're advocating for or against, and the resources they're using (such as funding or support).
3 - Ethical Standards: Many jurisdictions have codes of conduct or ethical standards that lobbyists must adhere to. This can include rules about conflicts of interest, gifts or favors, and honesty in communications.
4 - Reporting Requirements: Lobbyists might be required to report their activities at regular intervals, detailing their interactions with government officials, expenditures, and any other relevant information.
5 - Restrictions on Gifts and Contributions: To prevent undue influence, there may be limits on the value of gifts or contributions that lobbyists can offer to public officials.
6 - Cooling-off Periods: Some jurisdictions impose cooling-off periods, during which former government officials or employees cannot immediately transition into lobbying roles. This is to prevent the revolving door phenomenon and conflicts of interest.
7 - Anti-Corruption Measures: Lobbying regulations often include anti-corruption measures to prevent bribery, kickbacks, or other forms of illicit influence.
8 - Penalties for Non-Compliance: There are usually penalties for violating lobbying regulations, which can range from fines to criminal charges, depending on the severity of the offense.
How are people with left and right political ideologies dispersed in Texas?
Generally the more conservative people - especially regarding social policy - can be found in rural and suburban areas, and the more liberal individuals are found in urban areas.
For more detail:
- Political ideology among adults in Texas.
- SOME NOTES ON THE POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE 2022 ELECTION IN TEXAS.
- The seven political states of Texas.
- The New Political Geography of the Lone Star State.
- Analysis: The blue dots in Texas’ red political sea.
What methods are used to incentivize political participation?
Great question. Interest groups and political parties ask it also. There are many factors that reduce engagement, but often its simply because people don't always feel that they will have no impact, or that they don't have to. They can free ride on the participation of others. This is an inevitable problem with working within groups.
For interest groups I'd suggest reviewing the material on selective incentives. These are designed to provide a tangible benefit for people in order to encourage them to work for a group's goals.
Type this into Chat GPT and see what answer you get: What are the selective incentives to group participation?
For increasing voter turnout, type this: how can voter participation be increased?
It's a great tool, use it.
What is the struggle for Texas?
I really don't know what that question is supposed to mean unless it pertains to political disputes and attempts to win elections and control the apparatus of the government.
If it's about struggling to retain some sort of "Texan" identity, then we have to define what the identity is. It's a pretty big and diverse state.
What does federalism mean?
The division of government into three levels: the national, state, and local.
What are Texas political parties?
Political organizations that recruit candidates to compete in elections for government office.
How does the influx of people migrating to Texas with Democratic views affect the future of
Texas as a “Republican” state? What are some of the biggest threats to the identity of Texas?
If the newcomers are mostly Democrats, then that jeopardizes the ability of the Republican Party to continue to dominate the state.
Is the Plural Executive an effective way to govern a state like Texas? Is there a more effective model out there?
No it is not, but that why Texas has it. A plural executive makes the execution of the laws less efficient, but that also makes it more controllable but the general population. Dispersing power makes it easier to limit.
It is more efficient to have a singular executive, like exists on the national level.
How does the structure of the Texas government impact the policymaking process? I think specifically the plural executive and a bicameral legislature confuse me a little. Related to this, I also wonder how they balance the power between all these officials.
The simple purpose of the structure of Texas politics is to limit its power by slowing it down. Both the plural executive and the bicameral legislature slow the policy making process down by separating power in the executive and legislative branches respectively. Doing so helps balance power within each branch since one often needs the others in order to establish and implement policy.
In what ways does the Texas Constitution of 1876 continue to influence contemporary Texas politics and governance in current times? I want to learn what policies have persisted all of these years and what we had to modify.
Double check the info in your textbook chapter. Recall that it has been amended over 500 times since 1876, so its impact had changed in significant ways.
What hasn't changed is the basic structure and duties of the each of the governing institutions, the relationship between the Texas government and the people of Texas. the relationship between the Texas government and local governments in the state, the requirement that free public education be provided, that the state controls its public lands, and a handful of others.
But the amendments have changed many things over time.
Texas can now get in debt, bail has been restricted, the issuance of property taxes has been narrowed, the terms of executive officials has been expanded, the income tax has been prohibited, some forms of gambling have been allowed, funding has been made available to business interests, as well as a handful of others.
For more, try comparing the original 1876 document to the current document.
- 1876 version.
- 2024 version.
What role do interest groups play when shaping Texas government policies? How can they contribute to our political outcomes on controversial topics like immigration, healthcare, etc?
Assume that behind any area of public policy is a set of groups organized to protect the various interests. They fight amongst each other to ensure that whatever is being considered will best secure the interests of that group. They do so in a variety of ways.
I just pasted this into Chat GPT: What tactics do interest groups use to influence public policy?
Give it a try, I found lots of good stuff.
How may political ideologies and/or partisan divisions affect Texas public policy, more specifically on health and education, and how does Texas's approach to public policy compare to other states? Lastly, are there any very recent discussions regarding healthcare in Texas?
Read through this: State Political Culture.
Here's one place you can go to catch up on health care policy in Texas: Texas Tribune.
