State and Local Government Study Guide Questions
Course Introduction
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the structures, functions, and processes of state and local governments within the United States. Students will examine the roles that states and localities play in the federal system, their unique policy challenges, and the ways they interact with citizens. Topics include state constitutions, the organization of state and local legislatures, executive leadership at the state and municipal levels, the administration of public services, fiscal relationships, and the impact of regional diversity. Emphasis is placed on understanding the importance of state and local governments in shaping public policy and responding to community needs.
Recommended Textbook
Government and Politics in the Lone Star State 8th Edition by L. Tucker Gibson
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13 Chapters
1040 Verified Questions
1040 Flashcards
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Chapter 1: The social and economic milieu of texas politics
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8055
Sample Questions
Q1) An indication of the recent change in the political power of the African American population in Texas is the increased numbers of African American
A) faculty in higher education.
B) businesses on the Fortune 500 list.
C) elected officials at all levels of government.
D) government services in the state.
E) upper level officers in military service.
Answer: C
Q2) During the 1990s, 2.35 million jobs were lost in Texas.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) The Hispanic proportion of the population in Texas has increased because of A) white flight to northern states.
B) intermarriage between ethnic and racial groups.
C) an effort by the Anglo elites to bring Hispanic workers to Texas.
D) a history of tolerance of cultural diversity in Texas.
E) immigration and higher birth rates among Hispanic women.
Answer: E
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Page 3
Chapter 2: The texas constitution
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79 Verified Questions
79 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Governor Dolph Briscoe suggested that the existing constitution had served the state well and would continue to be adequate for the future.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) The Constitution of 1876 was essentially an antigovernment charter and so did NOT
A) put a short leash on the courts.
B) replace centralization with more local control.
C) empower the governor.
D) place strict limits on taxation.
E) limit the power of the legislature.
Answer: C
Q3) Santa Anna upheld the national constitution of 1824.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 3: Intergovernmental relationships
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Money supplied by the federal government as a categorical grant-in-aid is divided into two categories ________ grants.
A) matching and block
B) project and formula
C) state and local
D) primary and secondary
E) federal and non-federal
Answer: B
Q2) _________ is a system in which each member government is considered sovereign, and the national government is limited to powers delegated to it by its member governments.
A) A confederation
B) A federation
C) An oligarchy
D) A technocracy
E) A monarchy
Answer: A
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Interest groups and political power in texas
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) How can a group with a large membership be hampered by its own size from gaining power and influence?
A) Large groups tend to be viewed with less credibility by the people.
B) A larger group that is internally divided is less likely to be successful than a smaller group.
C) When a large group is dispersed across a state, there is no strong concentration of power.
D) Large groups tend to lose their strength when too many members have a say in policy.
E) Large groups require enormous amounts of money to sustain them which is not guaranteed.
Q2) Lobbyists are ________ legislators on the floor of the House and the Senate while the legislature is in session.
A) denied indirect access to B) given full access to C) denied direct access to D) ignored by E) allowed to approach
Q3) Define lobbying and give the primary objectives of those who engage in lobbying.
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Page 6
Chapter 5: The mass media in texas politics
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Campaign strategy for most major candidates includes scheduling daily appearances such as visiting a school with ________ in mind, despite it only providing superficial coverage.
A) Internet media
B) print media
C) radio newscasts
D) travel plans
E) television newscasts
Q2) Because the soundness of any governmental policy or program is affected by those who design and administer it, most members of the Capitol press corps are very serious about their role as
A) role models for future political leaders.
B) watchdogs over the behavior of government officials.
C) influential members of society, as they have the power to sway the public's opinion.
D) biased political observers, attempting to influence the policy of government.
E) objective reporters, seeking to report the actions of the government with zero spin.
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Chapter
6: The party system in
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80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In Texas, about ________ of the people identify with one of the major parties.
A) 60 percent
B) 48 percent
C) 36 percent
D) 23 percent
E) 12 percent
Q2) Under Franklin D.Roosevelt, government became a buffer against
A) economic downturns.
B) political expansion.
C) government expansion.
D) party expansion.
E) social unrest.
Q3) What was the significance of the 1944 U.S.Supreme Court's ruling in Smith v.Allwright?
A) It found that the white primary in Texas was unconstitutional.
B) It ruled that single-member districts in Texas were unfair to minorities.
C) It found that Jim Crow laws were unconstitutional and banned them
D) It ruled that parties had to open their membership to all races.
E) It ruled that segregation on the basis of race was illegal.
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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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The governor can call special elections to fill vacancies in certain offices.
A)True
B)False
Q2) If no candidate in a primary election receives an absolute majority of the votes cast,
A) a special election is held to determine the winner.
B) a runoff primary between the top two candidates is held.
C) a nominating convention is convened to pick a candidate.
D) the winner is determined with a coin toss.
E) the primary is held a gain with the same candidates.
Q3) 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.
Q4) Discuss the historic policies that were used in Texas to deny access to the ballot.Despite changes to increase access to voters, what stills hampers groups from voting?
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Page 9
Chapter 8: The texas legislature
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In 2011, about 5,700 pieces of legislation were introduced during the regular legislative session.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Most legislators are honest, hard-working individuals.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Institutionalization is illustrated by the decreased tenure of the legislative membership, changing career and leadership patterns, a lower workload, and the emergence of partisan divisions.
A)True
B)False
Q4) 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.
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Page 10
Chapter 9: The texas executive
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Because of the plural executive, it is difficult
A) to compromise over competing plans.
B) to attain harmony between the executive and legislative branches.
C) to coordinate an integrated policy.
D) to obtain enough votes to veto a plan from the legislature.
E) to obtain a loose confederation operation.
Q2) Why does Texas have a weak governor? Outline the structure of the plural executive.Explain the strengths and challenges of this structure.
Q3) The most visible office in the state is that of the
A) attorney general.
B) lieutenant governor.
C) governor.
D) comptroller of public accounts.
E) speaker of the House.
Q4) Until Republican Bill Clements won the election in 1978, almost every governor since 1874 had been a Democrat.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 10: The bureaucracy and policy implementation
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81 Verified Questions
81 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Through sunset legislation, ________ became one of the first states to require formal reviews of how effectively state agencies are doing their jobs.
A) New York
B) New Mexico
C) Texas
D) Oklahoma
E) Massachusetts
Q2) In 2007, there were about 300,000 state employees.
A)True
B)False
Q3) How does Texas attempt to regulate key sectors of the economy? What are the positives and negatives of regulation?
Q4) In 2010, the state of Texas spent approximately ________ per capita.
A) $4,500
B) $3,700
C) $2,500
D) $1,700
E) $1,000
Q5) How would you describe the personnel system in Texas? Defend your answer.
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Chapter 11: The judicial system in texas
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8065
Sample Questions
Q1) Ruby Sondock of Houston was the first woman to serve on the Texas Supreme Court.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Unlike federal judges, who are appointed by the president to life terms, state judges in Texas, except for those on municipal courts, are
A) appointed by the governor for specific terms.
B) appointed by the speaker for ten-year terms.
C) elected to unlimited terms in partisan elections.
D) elected to unlimited terms in nonpartisan elections.
E) elected to limited terms in partisan elections.
Q3) In 1989, a Texas Supreme Court justice requested an extensive study of the Texas judiciary by the Texas Research League.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Briefly discuss how large campaign contributions can potentially negatively influence the judicial system.What steps have been taken to remove their influence?
Q5) Describe the jury system in Texas.Include the types of juries, their duties, and requirements for eligibility.
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Chapter 12: Local government in texas: cities, towns, counties, and special districts
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8066
Sample Questions
Q1) The is usually a voting member of city council but has few other duties in the council-manager form of city government.
A) mayor
B) city manager
C) city commissioner
D) comptroller
E) city judge
Q2) The name "commissioners court" is somewhat confusing because it has no judicial functions.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Most Texas cities have home rule which places more restrictions on them than general laws cities.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A special district is governed by a board, either appointed by other governmental units or elected in partisan elections.
A)True
B)False
Page 14
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Chapter 13: Contemporary public policy issues in texas
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8067
Sample Questions
Q1) The activities of the implementation phase of the policy process include
A) interpretation, organization, and application.
B) evaluation, formulation, and adoption.
C) identification, representation, and evaluation.
D) formation, legitimation, and evaluation.
E) identification, formulation and application.
Q2) The new business tax was instituted to make up for lower ____ ordered by the Texas Supreme Court.
A) county property taxes
B) school property taxes
C) city property taxes
D) personal income taxes
E) sales taxes
Q3) In 2012-2013,_____percent of the Texas budget was devoted to education.
A) 11
B) 51
C) 31
D) 21
E) 42
Q4) In what way was tuition deregulation in Texas regressive?
Page 15
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