question

Policy implementation involves only government officials.

answer

False

question

Elected officials such as the governor and institutions of government such as the legislature can participate in the policymaking process but not interest groups or the media.

answer

False

question

Policy formulation is the official decision of a government body to accept a particular policy and put it into effect.

answer

False

question

A group of political actors that is concerned with some aspect of public policy is known as an issue network.

answer

True

question

The context of policymaking refers to the set of factors outside of government that affects the policymaking process either directly or indirectly.

answer

True

question

The development of courses of action for dealing with the problems on the government's agenda" is the definition for which of the following?

answer

Policy formulation

question

A newspaper editorial praises the Texas legislature for passing a law that requires public college and university students to complete six semester hours in American national, state, and local government, including the study of the Texas Constitution. The editorial illustrates which stage of the policy process?

answer

Policy evaluation

question

"The assessment of policy" is the definition for which of the following?

answer

Policy evaluation

question

Texas has the nation's fourth largest population, just behind California, New York, and Florida.

answer

False

question

Population experts predict that by 2030 Hispanics and African Americans combined will represent a majority of the state's residents.

answer

True

question

The median annual household income in Texas is below the national average.

answer

True

question

The majority of Texans live on farms in rural areas.

answer

False

question

Historically, the Texas economy was based on what economic activity?

answer

Agricultural commodities and raw materials

question

All of the following statements are correct regarding the population growth in Texas EXCEPT?

answer

Rapid population growth does not present challenges for policymakers.

question

The population of which of the following areas has been growing the most rapidly?

answer

The suburbs

question

The decrease in oil prices in the 1980s forced policymakers in Texas to do what?

answer

Take steps to diversify the Texas economy.

question

The most rapidly growing components of the Texas economy involve what industry?

answer

High technology

question

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the changing nature of the state's economy?

answer

Because of the increased importance of technology in the work place, unskilled workers will be lucky to find jobs that pay more than minimum wage.

question

Which of the following groups of Texans has the LOWEST incidence of poverty?

answer

non-Hispanic whites

question

"The widely held, deeply rooted political values of a society" is the definition for which concept?

answer

Political culture

question

Which of the following types of political culture stresses the importance of the individual and private initiative?

answer

Individualistic

question

In which type of political culture do people expect government to intervene in social and economic affairs, promoting the public welfare and advancing the public good?

answer

Moralistic

question

Government leadership is in the hands of an established social elite and the level of participation by ordinary citizens in the policymaking process is relatively low in which of the following types of political culture?

answer

Traditionalistic

question

In which of the following types of political culture do citizens believe that the role of government is to protect and preserve the existing social order?

answer

Traditionalistic

question

According to Professor Daniel Elazar, what type of political culture does Texas have?

answer

a combination of traditionalistic and individualistic

question

Most state constitutions are longer and have been amended more frequently than the U.S. Constitution.

answer

True

question

The largest organized group of delegates at the Texas constitutional convention of 1875 were members of the Grange, a farmers' organization.

answer

True

question

The authors of the Texas Constitution created a plural executive to limit the authority of the governor.

answer

True

question

Amendments to the Texas Constitution must be ratified by three fourths of the state's counties.

answer

False

question

The most common form of constitutional change in Texas is constitutional revision.

answer

False

question

The Texas Bill of Rights does more than merely restate the guarantees found in the U.S. Constitution.

answer

True

question

In which of the following ways do most state constitutions differ from the U.S. Constitution?

answer

Most state constitutions have more amendments than the U.S. Constitution.

question

Unlike the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions generally include numerous miscellaneous provisions called

answer

super legislation.

question

Advocates of Jacksonian democracy would most likely support which of the following?

answer

the election of state judges

question

The current Texas Constitution was written during which period of time?

answer

in the 1870s, after Reconstruction

question

Which of the following actions was NOT taken by the authors of the Texas Constitution written in 1875?

answer

They provided for the appointment of state judges by the governor.

question

Which of the following was NOT a goal of the authors of the Texas Constitution written in 1875?

answer

They wanted to strengthen local government by granting local officeholders broad discretion to enact policies.

question

In which of the following groups or interests did the authors of the Texas Constitution have the most confidence and trust?

answer

Voters

question

In which of the following ways does the Texas Bill of Rights compare with the Bill of Rights contained in the U.S. Constitution?

answer

The Texas Bill of Rights is phrased positively while the U.S. Bill of Rights is phrased negatively.

question

Which of the following statements accurately describes the style of the United States and Texas bills of rights?

answer

While the U.S. Bill of Rights identifies rights the national government may not infringe, the Texas Bill of Rights lists rights state government must protect.

question

Which of the following events illustrates the constitutional principle of separation of powers with checks and balances?

answer

The governor vetoes a bill passed by the legislature.

question

Which of the following major changes in the nature of Texas government has/have taken place because of constitutional amendment?

answer

The authority of state officials has been strengthened, especially that of the governor.

question

Which of the following statements is true about voting on constitutional amendments?

answer

Voter participation in amendment elections is generally less than participation in candidate elections.

question

Which of the following is the strongest, most accurate criticism made against the Texas Constitution?

answer

The Texas Constitution hinders the formulation and adoption of sound public policy.

question

Do the provisions of the U.S. Bill of Rights protect the rights of persons living in Texas from having their rights violated by state and local governments?

answer

Yes, because the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to apply most of the provisions of the U.S. Bill of Rights to the states.

question

In recent years several Texas cities have adopted juvenile curfews, requiring persons under the age of 18 to be off the streets late at night and, in Houston, during school hours as well. Suppose a group of youngsters believes that their rights are violated by the curfew. On which of the following bases could they make their challenge?

answer

They could file suit under the provisions of both the U.S. and the Texas constitutions because both documents protect individual rights.

question

For which of the following reasons have state courts begun to play a more prominent role as defenders of individual rights?

answer

In recent years, the U.S. Supreme Court has begun interpreting the individual-rights guarantees of the U.S. Constitution more restrictively.

question

"The process of drafting a new constitution" is the definition for which of the following?

answer

constitutional revision

question

"A law made by the legislature" is the definition for which of the following?

answer

statutory law

question

"The interpretation and application of the Constitution" is the definition for which of the following?

answer

constitutional law

question

"A form of government that divides political power between a central government with authority over the whole nation and a series of state governments" is the definition for which of the following?

answer

a federal system of government

question

What is the constitutional status of state governments in the federal system?

answer

They are subunits of the national government.

question

The constitutional provision that declares that the Constitution, the laws made under it, and the treaties of the United States are the supreme law of the land is known as which of the following?

answer

the national supremacy clause

question

According to the U.S. Constitution, what is the supreme law of the land?

answer

the Constitution, the laws made under it, and the treaties of the United States

question

Suppose that a state enacts a law that is in conflict with a law passed by the U.S. Congress. Which takes precedence?

answer

Federal law takes precedence over state laws.

question

The case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka dealt with which of the following issues?

answer

school desegregation

question

The case of Ruiz v. Estelle dealt with which of the following issues?

answer

prison overcrowding

question

A legal requirement placed on a state or local government requiring certain policy actions is known as which of the following?

answer

a federal mandate

question

The procedure through which Congress legislatively provides money for a particular purpose is known as which of the following?

answer

appropriation process

question

An act of Congress adopting regulatory policies that overrule state policies in a particular regulatory area is known as which of the following?

answer

federal preemption of state authority

question

Because of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), new buses purchased by local transit systems in Texas must be equipped with wheelchair lifts. This is an example of which of the following?

answer

a federal mandate

question

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is an example of which of the following?

answer

a program with a matching funds requirement

question

Which of the following is NOT part of the authorization process?

answer

provision of funds for a program

question

Which of the following types of grant programs permits local authorities the greatest leeway in program implementation?

answer

block grants

question

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding block and categorical grant programs?

answer

Block grants allow state and local officials relatively more discretion in deciding how money should be spent than do categorical grants.

question

Grant programs that require state and local officials to submit applications to compete for grants are known as which of the following?

answer

project grant

question

Federal grant money supports which of the following state and local activities in Texas?

answer

all of the above

question

From 1990 through 2003, the relative importance of federal funding to state government in Texas grew. How would you describe the pattern of federal funding since 2003?

answer

The relative importance of federal money has somewhat declined.

question

Which of the following types of grant programs provides benefits to all persons qualified to receive them under law based on such factors as age, income, and disability?

answer

entitlement program

question

Which federal program accounted for more than 40 percent of the increase in federal grant funds in the 1990s and the early years of the twenty-first century?

answer

Medicaid

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