--SPRING 2012-ITV GOVT 2306 Texas, State and Local Government Faye Watson, Instructor SEMINAR 4/REVIEW SESSION

Study Guide and Video Lessons 19 - 26 Tuesday, April 24, 2012, Northeast Campus, NTAB 2203C, 6:00-6:50 p.m. Saturday, April 28, 2012, South Campus, SRTA 1102, 12:00-12:50 p.m. EXAM 4/FINAL: MONDAY-TUESDAY, MAY 7 - 8, 2012 Testing Center: 9:00 a.m. - 8:45 p.m. (Last Test is Given Out at 8:00 p.m.) LESSON 19: Text: Video: Lesson Goal: FISCAL POLICY Ch. 13, The State Economy & the Financing of State Govt., pp. 410 - 443 Fiscal Policy You should be able to describe Texas fiscal policy and budgetary process and explain the legal and political constraints that affect the revenue and spending needs.

Review Section: 1. How does political scientist Harold Laswell define Politics? policy decisions regarding state financing are made in the glaring light of political reality 2. What type of economy is Texas changing to? Into a information and technology company. 3. What factors have contributed to the ups and downs of the Texas economy over the past twenty-five years? It still has been subject to ups and downs of resource based components such as oil and agriculture. Also the erosion of people out of work, unemployment rate reaching a high in 1986 and collapse of financial institutions 4. Which sources of revenue account for just under half of the states revenue? 47% percent come from taxes. 5. List nontax sources of state revenues in Texas? Federal grants, burrowing, lottery, college tuition(user fee), bank deposits, drivers license sale and lease of public land 6. What is the largest single functional category of state spending in Tx? The 2nd? 7. Which official serves as the states tax collector? The comptroller 8. Which revenue funds in Texas support the majority of state programs? The general revenue fund 9. Who developed the Texas Performance Review? 10. What action is required to approve emergency borrowing by the state?

11. What percent of the states budget for health and human services is funded by the national government? 12. List examples of a progressive tax. 13. Give an example of Texas reliance on regressive taxes. 14. Give an example of excise or selective sales in Texas 15. Give an example of a severance tax. 16. Who is the states auditor? Responsibilities? 17. Where does Texas rank among the fifty states in per capita expenditures for welfare services? LESSON 20: GLOBALISM: NAFTA AND TEXAS Text: Chapter 14, Issues in Public Policy, pp. 447-454. Chapter 15, The Future of Texas Politics, pp. 481-492, 498-500. Video: Globalism: NAFTA and Texas Lesson Goal: You should be able to understand how NAFTA impacts the globalization of Texas and assess the programs and policies that attempt to ensure economic growth. Review Section: 1. 2. 3. 4. Define public policy? When does the development of public policy begin? What is the current significance of oil and gas to the states economy? Identify Class Three occupations according to Robert Reichs workforce classification in The Work of Nations. According to Reichs predictions, what would be the key to creating a prosperous Texas in the 21st century?

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6. 7.

Describe Texas population in 1994. According to the authors of the test, what is a first step in improving the quality of state government.

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What was the North American Free Trade Agreement designed to do.

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Describe the maquila industry.

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How does Texas love affair with the automobile affect the states air quality?

LESSON 21: THE TEXAS COURTS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM Text: Chapter 10, The Judiciary pp. 306-321; Chapter 11, The Substance of Justice, pp. 348, 355-359 Video: The Texas Courts and the Criminal Justice System Lesson Goal: You should be able to describe the organization of the state and local judiciary in Texas and analyze the system in terms of the administration of justice. LESSON 22: JUDICIAL SELECTION IN TEXAS Text: Chapter 10, The Judiciary, pp. 306-310, 321-333 Video: Judicial Selection in Texas Lesson Goal: You should be able to describe and analyze the judicial selection process in Texas and evaluate proposals for reform. Review Section: 1. What mythical vision do most Americans hold of judges? 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. List functions of the judiciary. When do judges engage in politics? Review: Municipal Courts, Justices of the Peace Courts, and District Courts. How are mid-term vacancies in district courts filled in Texas. How do appellate courts in Texas operate. Review the jurisdiction of the --The Supreme Court of Texas --The Court of Criminal Appeals in Texas Which 2 states split their highest appellate jurisdiction between two courts? What do critics of the judicial selection process in Texas complain about. How has Texas dealt with overcrowding in county jail and state prisons. What was the decision in Ruiz v. Estelle (1980)

8. 9. 10. 11.

12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

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What do the cases of Delma Banks, Ben Salazar, Kevin Byrd, Roy Wayne Criner and Josiah Sutton illustrate? Review the responsibilities of the Texas Attorney General. List reasons why the Texas judiciary does not function well. What does a grand jury indictment mean? What is a plea bargain?
How many members serve on a lower-court trial jury? District Court jury?

What was the purpose of the Texas Fair Defense Act. 18. List disadvantages of a partisan election system. 19. List advantages of a merit system. 20. What was the purpose of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act of 1995? LESSON 23: DECISION MAKING BY THE COURTS Text: Chapter 11, The Substance of Justice pp. 336348; 351-355 Video: Decision Making by the Courts Lesson Goal: You should be able to explain why the protection and exercise of civil liberties is essential to a representative democracy and assess how federal and state court rulings affect Texas and its people. LESSON 24: FIRST AMENDMENT CIVIL LIBERTIES Text: Chapter 11, The Substance of Justice, pp. 336 - 343 Video: First Amendment Civil Liberties Lesson Goal: You should be able to explain some of the difficulties and dilemmas that Texas faces in balancing order and protecting civil liberties in the areas of freedom of expression and religion. Review Section: 1. What does the term civil liberties refer to? 2. What officially sanctioned activities in public schools have the federal courts declared
unconstitutional?

3. What argument does the National Rifle Association use to keep & bear arms by private citizens? 4. Review Roe v. Wade 5. What does the term civil rights refer to? 6. Where is the equal protection of the laws clause found? 7. Review: Edgewood Independent School District v. Kirby. 8. What does the text argue regarding the ownership and use of firearms?
9. What state restrictions violated the civil rights of blacks and Mexican Americans?

10. How are state governments limited in denying certain fundamental rights and Liberties? How is the national government limited? 11. What was the decision in the 1996 Tx Court of Criminal Appeals case regarding drug dealers? 4

12. What rights does the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution explicitly guarantee? 13. What was the decision in Texas v. Johnson (1989) 14. What was the difference in the arrest of Gregory Lee Johnson and the arrest of the 50 Austin anti-war protesters? 15. What does incorporation mean and how does it apply to the 1st and 14th Amendments? 16. Can parents refuse to have their children vaccinated against smallpox on religious grounds? 17. Review prior restraint in Near v. Minnesota. What is it? 18. What two rights did Judge Drago have to balance in his courtroom? 19. What freedoms were at issue when Texas legislators passed anti-stalking Legislation? 20. According to the ACLU, what does the establishment clause prohibit government from doing? LESSON 25: RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED Text: Chapter 10, The Judiciary, pp. 326 - 333 Video: Rights of the Accused Lesson Goal: You should be able to understand the meaning and judicial interpretation of constitutional provisions dealing with due process of law and the rights of the accused. Review Section: 1. List arguments of opponents to the death penalty. 2. Review: Ruiz v. Estelle. 3. Why did the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily stop the execution of the death penalty in 1972. 4. How many murderers did Texas execute between 1982 and the end of 2008. 5. What is a tort? 6. List results of the tort reform movement? 7. Awards in medical malpractice suits are capped at what amounts under the 2003 tort reform legislation. 8. What is due process? 9. What was the Supreme Courts decision in the Clarence Earl Gideon case. 10. What does Judge Faith Johnson say about her court-appointed attorneys. LESSON 26: CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL PROTECTION Text: Chapter 5, Voting, Campaigns and Elections, pp. 139 142 Chapter 11, The Substance of Justice, pp. 348 - 355 Video: Civil Rights and Equal Protection Lesson Goal: You should be able to describe legal actions that have been taken and can be taken to protect the civil rights of people and to assure non-discrimination and equality. Review Section: 1. What did the brutal death of James Byrd, Jr., in Jasper, Texas and the events following his death illustrate? 2. Were any laws passed as a result of Mr. Byrds death? 3. Review the Tulia, Texas case. 4. What is the Robin Hood law?

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What basic human rights are included in the term, civil rights? Review the Hopwood decision. What is the purpose of affirmative action? ***************************************************************** * At The End Of Each Chapter In The Text: 1. Know the glossary terms. 2. Visit the Helpful/Informative Websites: Surfing The Web Do the practice tests in the study guide.

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