Raul E. Quesada. Professor Kennedy. Texas Government. 26

The current version of the Texas constitution is the six version by which it has been governed under since it was framed by the Constitutional Convention of 1875 and adopted on February 15, 1876. This version of the constitution is based on the U.S constitution that came into play in 1789 since its ratification. Like many states, the Texas constitution is rigid and includes to many explicit details. When drafted, the conditions used to help shape the writing of the constitution were very different, especially for the old Confederacy. As a result, the Texas constitution is often ridiculed because of its lengthiness and anonymity that results in frequent constitutional amendments. Many endeavors for reform of the constitution

Constitutions are a necessary tool in keeping a Nation running in a smooth manner. One is also necessary in keeping the components, which are states, running in an ordered way. The constitution of Texas has a long historical trail from 1827 to 1876 and there are many events that occurred during this time period. The current Texas constitution has many strengths and weaknesses and there have been revisions made to this document. This document limits the way government can be involved in certain problems that arise in Texas. The Texas constitution is a document with positives and negatives but it is definitely a necessity.

One major cutback in power for the governor in Texas is the fact that the governor, and lieutenant governor, must share their power with four department heads. These department heads are elected officials. Another way the governor’s power is limited is by a need for a two-thirds majority from each house of the legislature to remove a judge. It is almost like the framers of the 1876 Constitution did not trust the previous governor to run government with righteous intent. They made the chief executive work within and out of government to accomplish agendas. Moving on to the legislative branch, this branch of government was reduced in power and authority in ways similar to the governor. Salaries were lowered and terms were reduced, at least for Representatives. However, even Senators must randomly choose at least half of their members to receive only a two-year term. Perhaps the reason for this is to give legislators some time to get experience about the legislative process and yet also have fresh ideas and agendas. Most likely the most prominent way the legislature is leashed back is the biennial legislative sessions. This allows government to be slower when dealing with issues and was conceived for that express purpose by the framers of the 1876 Constitution. In the individualistic tradition, people should take care of themselves and not relay on legislators to make new laws to try to fix whatever problems people have. Lastly, the judicial branch. The judicial

The Texas constitution is very similar to that of the original document of 1876. Newer amendments were created overtime to further the Texas Constitution to a modern form of governing since the first signing and implementation of these original rules. The old draft is said to have had “incorporated protection for various private interests” (Newell 2013). The original draft was “poorly organized”, and difficult to read, much less interpret, even by the courts” (Newell 2013). The final document being outdated influenced critical structure and powers of the government to create the revision.

Texas is one of the most powerful states in the union. Texas seems to thrive when other states are going under. Maybe the writers of the New Texas Constitution got it right. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

The Texas State Constitution is the document that describes the structure and function of the government. Texas has had seven constitutions, and the current one is the one that was ratified in 1876. The current constitution is among the largest of state constitutions in the United States, coming in fourth behind Alabama, California, and South Carolina. This constitution has many strengths and weaknesses; one weakness being that it limits the way government can be involved in certain problems that arise. This document has its positive attributes and its negative ones, but it is a necessity for the state to be able to function.

In my analysis of the Texas Constitution I will assess the three branches of our State Government, the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch and finally the Judicial Branch. Our State Government resembles our National Government in various ways but also in very different ways which we will review in this essay. I will identify a handful of criticisms and problems associated with the provisions in each of these branches of our State Government and identify suggested reforms that many feel are needed.

Moreover, it is full of nonessential, and unorganized legislations that have since become outdated and invalidated, and this should be ratified by being rewritten in a more clear, to-the-point, and modernized manner so that the Texas legislating process can function more efficiently and effectively. In addition, the lack of time the Texas Constitution allocates for the Texas House and Senate to meet in correlation with the demands of such a vastly populated state, is beyond outdated, and calls for modification. Moreover, the small salaries these members receive also unduly limits the attention our Executive Branch members can direct towards their responsibilities to Texas and its citizens. Furthermore, although it is important to put some limitations on the power of government, the extreme limitations that the Texas Constitution places on the Legislative and Executive branches unnecessarily impedes the Texas legislating

The Texas Constitution established a plural executive “in order to limit the power of the governor” (PowerPoint, 2). This form of government limits the power that the government has overall (PowerPoint, 2). “The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives and the lieutenant governor are two of the most powerful political figures” in Texas politics (Textbook, 220).

The U.S. constitution is brief and vague at the same time, Texas constitution is very long and detailed. For U.S. constitution, it gives flexibility to the federal government to interpret the constitution and make changes in the policies when in need, whereas, in Texas constitution, the government is already assigned what can be done in a given situation and it is very specific. If officials need to work outside of the constitution for public interest, officials will have to amend the constitution. The Texas constitution is very easy to amend but it is the process of amendment that makes it tougher, but U.S. constitution is tough to amend. In the Texas constitution, Bill of Rights is the very first article but in the U.S. constitution, Bill

The status of the current Texas Constitution has been a growing source of controversy. Originally written to limit the power of government after Radical Reconstruction (Champagne 84), the 1876 Constitution has remained in effect despite Texas’ dramatic growth and development over the years. The document contains many explicit details that, unlike the U.S. Constitution, leave minimal room for flexibility in interpretation. At 86,936 words in length, the Texas Constitution has thus far required 467 amendments, the fourth highest number within the country (Champagne 91).

The Texas constitution in my opinion is very boring and nonsensical. Maybe its because I am not from Texas consequently I don’t necessarily believe this is a constitution that works when it really doesn’t. I feel it needs a whole lot of improvements and reevaluations due to so many amendments being tact on time after time which makes it very hard to understand! I’m just saying! Its all great and wonderful that most of the power to make “changes” in our society was given to the Texas electorates and not the elected. How nice of you to have the voters come back out to the polls two years after legislature to disapprove a bunch of issues that really have no relevance to the statewide issues at hand. The Texas constitution seems to a little long,

All fifty states have a constitution and the purpose of having a state constitution is to establish institutions and set broad rules and laws governing the state. There are multiple functions of having a state constitution. Texas has had seven different constitutions currently Texas is operating under the Constitution of 1876. In 1827, Texas was declared a state of Mexico. Texas’ break with Mexico was, in part, a constitutional crisis. In 1836, Texas Declaration of Independence was formed and in on March 2nd, Texas Declared an independence republic. The Constitution of the Republic of Texas of 1836 had numerous rules. Such as, slavery was allowed, there are three separate branches, and banned importing slaves from Africa. Next, there were movements

The Texas government overall ensures more limits on government because the constitution was written in direct response to Reconstruction and the actions of E. J. Davis. For example, the legislature meets every other year unless rare special sessions are called. The United States government’s legislative branch, on the other hand, meets once every year. Financial dealings associated with Texas sessions are subject to the comptroller of public accounts, an elected position within the executive branch rather than the legislative branch. This shows how the Texas government sought to further limit power associated with just one branch. In addition, Texas executive branch is a plural executive in which there are five elected officials and one appointed official. The excess of elected officials is also found in the judicial court system. The Texas court systems further differs from that of the United States in that it is bifurcated. Rather than the United States’ one supreme court, Texas has two higher courts for different

There has been seven Texas Constitutions since 1827 including our current Constitution, which was established on 1876. Our current constitution has been amended hundreds of times because of its tight restrictions. The Legislative department is the dominant branch of the Texas Constitution it is subject to check and balances in the tripartite system. The Executive department limits the government’s power, and the judicial powers is divided into smaller courts. These three branches of the Texas are examples of how restricted and limited our constitution is.