Texas Government
Outline of Lecture
• Introduction
• The Texas Constitution
State Symbols
Bird
Dinosaur
Dish
Flying Mammal
Folk Dance
Motto
Musical Instrument
Native Pepper
Pepper
Sport
Mocking Bird
Brachiosaur Sauropod
Chili
Mexican Free-tailed bat
Square Dance
Friendship
Guitar
Chiltepen
Jalapeno
Rodeo
Population Figures
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Total Population (2000)
z Texas – 20,851,820
z California – 33,871,648
z New York – 18,976,457
z Florida – 15,982,378
African American Population (2000)
z Texas – 11.5%
z California – 6.7%
z New York – 15.9%
z Florida – 14.6%
Hispanic Population (2000)
z Texas – 32.0%
z California – 32.4%
z New York – 15.1%
z Florida – 16.8%
Fortune 500 Companies (2001)
z Texas – 45
z California – 55
z New York – 55
z Florida - 12
Population Growth
3
2.5
2
U.S.
Texas
1.5
1
0.5
0
1970s
1980s
1990s
Total Population and Income 2000
Hispanic and Anglo Populations 2000
Texas Population Projections
60
50
40
Anglo
Hispanic
African American
Other
30
20
10
0
2000
2010
2020
2030
Measures of Democracy in the States
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Percentage of Voting-Age Population
Registered (1990s)
z
z
z
z
{
Texas – 69.2
California – 66.7
New York – 69.2
Florida – 65.6
Average Voter Turnout (1992, 1996, 2000)
z
z
z
z
Texas – 44.5
California – 42.4
New York – 49.2
Florida – 49.9
Economic Interests in Texas
Sector
1990
(%)
1995
(%)
2000
(%)
Agriculture
1.5
1.4
1.3
Mining (oil & gas)
8.4
6.6
5.7
Construction
3.7
4.3
4.5
16.7
16.3
14.9
9.7
10.8
11.4
Trade
15.3
16.3
16.8
Finance, insurance, real estate
14.2
14.4
15.2
Services
17.9
18.0
19.5
Government
12.7
11.4
10.6
Manufacturing
Trans, communication, utilities
Texas Oil Production (Millions of
Barrels)
900
800
700
600
500
Barrels
400
300
200
100
0
1985 1987 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000
People of Texas
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Native Americans
Hispanics
Anglos
African Americans
Asian Americans
Economic Heritage
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Planting
Cattle
Petroleum
Hi-Tech
Tourism
Political Culture
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Texas Myths
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z
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Alamo
Rangers
Cowboys
Political Culture
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Political Ideologies
z
z
z
Moralistic
Individualistic
Traditionalist
The Texas Constitutions
1824 Æ Mexican constitution
{ 1827 Æ Tejas Constitution as
state of Mexico
{ 1836 Æ Constitution of
independent Republic of Texas
{ 1845 Æ Texas Constitution as
state of U.S.
{
The Texas Constitutions
1861 Æ Texas Constitution as
state of Confederacy
{ 1866 Æ Texas Constitution as
re-admitted state of U.S.
{ 1869 Æ Reconstruction of
Constitution
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Current Constitution - 1876
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Two basic premises
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It is almost wholly a reaction to the
Reconstruction era and thus fatally
flawed
It is a statutory constitution and thus
fatally flawed
Quite different from U.S.
Constitution
Strongly limits governmental power
Articles of the Texas Constitution
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Preamble
Article 1 Æ Bill of Rights
Article 2 Æ Powers of Government
Article 3 Æ Legislative Department
Article 4 Æ Executive Department
Article 5 Æ Judicial Department
Article 6 Æ Suffrage
Article 7 Æ Education
Article 8 Æ Taxation and Revenue
Article 9 Æ Counties
Article 10 Æ Railroads
Article 11 Æ Municipal Corporations
Article 12 Æ Private Corporations
Article 13 Æ Spanish and Mexican Land Titles
Article 14 Æ Public Lands and Land Office
Article 15 Æ Impeachment
Article 16 Æ General Provisions
Article 17 Æ Mode of Amending the Constitution and This State
Current Constitution - 1876
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Two House Legislative Branch
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Plural Executive
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Elected Judicial Branch
Current Constitution - 1876
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Limiting Authority
z
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Time and pay of legislators
Balanced budget
Mandated spending
Plural executive
County is basic unit of government
Criticisms of the 1876 Constitution
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Length
Disorganized
Number of amendments
Weak governor
Short legislative session
Low pay of legislators
Mandated funds
Statutory nature of constitution
Complex and disorganized judicial system
Elected judges
Archaic nature of local government