The History Of Politics In Texas

The 1876 Texas State constitution is the basic framework of today’s legislature it consists of three branches the legislative branch which is comprised of the house and senate, and the executive and judiciary branch. In the following paragraphs we will discuss the Texas legislature’s major responsibilities relative to checks and balances.

In the United States, for the last four decades, from Richard Nixon to Ronald Reagan through the two Bush Presidencies, the Republican Party won the White House by amassing large margins among white voters (Lizza.) The state of Texas has been reliably Republican since the 1970s and there are various elements to Texas political culture that can be narrowed down to three essential ideological trends: economic liberalism, or faith in the free market economy, social conservatism, or favoring traditional values and moralism, and populism, or promoting the rights and worthiness of ordinary people (Texas Political Culture.) As a result, the dominant political mood in Texas favors low taxes, minimal government services, and policies that are

The History of Texas Texas history itself had its own amazing story. The small number of American settlers moved to the land of Texas had led to the dramatic war with the Mexicans. The land of Texas was used to be owned by Mexicans. Due to the argument between Texans and Mexicans caused the battle of San Jacinto and Mexican War. In long ago before American settlers moved to Texas, this place was so rich and an abundance of land.

Texas has all three political cultures all over the state, but when people outside of

Political culture reflects the political ethics and convictions of people, not only around the United States of America but also all over the world. The people believe that the government is responsible for the type of services (like education, health care, community services, etc.) that they are entitled too; therefore, if the outcome is not good the political system has failed. There are three different political cultures: moral, traditional, and individualist. The State of Texas has a mix from all the cultures; however, traditional and individualist cultures seem to predominate.

This constitution of United Mexican States provided for a very weak national government and the powers of the government and its states are not defined which caused increasing tension between each state.

From March 2, 1836 to February 19, 1846, Texas as its own independent country in North America. Those who resided in this independent country were referred to as Texians. Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836 during the Texas revolution which ended on April 21 of that same exact year. However, Mexico did not want to give the Republic of Texas its independence which resulted in conflicts between that of Texas and Mexico that went on into the 1840s. As a result, The United States of America recognized the Republic of Texas as an independent country in 1837 but failed to append their land. Later receiving its independence, Texas elected a Congress of fourteen senators and twenty-nine representatives in the month of September and year of 1836. However, within the Republic, citizenship was not a privileged for everybody living in Texas. Not everybody had legal rights to reside within the limits of the Republic without Congress permission. The Constitution of the Republic of Texas created differences for each and every ethnicity for each individual person. Meaning, whoever was there on the day the Republic of Texas won their independence had to be classified as a citizen of the Republic including Africans, those with African descent, and Native Americans. For Caucasian immigrants to become citizens they would have to had lived in the Republic for six months or less and take an oath. Those who were brought to Texas as a slave had to stay a

The core function of the Texas Legislature is to formulate and enact laws. Apart from the enactment of laws, the legislative body is also mandated with the functions of shaping the state’s political agenda, performing checks and balances on state of the state’s government, pass the state’s budget, as well as oversee the functions of the administration. Similarly, the body also sets the critical details or a court’s organizational procedures when it comes to matters that pertain to impeachment and court disputes regarding election petitions. It is equally important to mention that the body is also mandated with the function of informing and educating the electorate regarding the critical functions the body is required to deliver to the people as provided for by the laws of the State of Texas (Dautrich and Yalof 684).

Presiding Officers are the highest officers and leaders of an organized group such as a board committee, or deliberative assembly. For the Texas Senate, the presiding officer is Lieutenant Governor. As Lieutenant Governor, they are a Hybrid Official with a 4 year term. They are elected in a partisan statewide election and they get paid $7,200 annually. The current Lieutenant Governor of Texas, is Dan Patrick (42nd). Dan Patrick is a Republican and a Baptist. He is also a radio talk show host. For the Texas House of Representatives, the presiding officer is the Speaker of the House. The Speaker of the House serves a 2 year term, is an elected member of the TX House and is selected by members of the House. The current Speaker of the House is Joe Straus.

Texas Revolution, a rebellion in late 1835 and early 1836 by residents of Texas, then a part of northern Mexico, against the Mexican government and military. The rebellion led to the establishment of the independent Republic of Texas. The short-lived republic was annexed by the United States as a state in 1845. These events were among the causes of the Mexican War between the United States and Mexico, after which Mexico relinquished all claims to Texas and much of the present-day southwestern United States.

Texas is currently dominated by the Republican culture with a popular belief in conservatism that has lasted for many years. Democratic and Liberal groups are also present in the Texas but play as the minorities. Although demographics through the years show that a change in the dominant party could very well be eminent, Texas remains a red state for the time being. Currently the population is estimated at 24.5 million and is dominantly Anglo with minorities including African American, and Hispanic. In the coming years though, it is estimated to change where as the Hispanic population will surpass become the new majority.

I do not believe Texas with its changing demographics and social climate will be on the brink of another switch in party dominance anytime soon as immigration, guns and education are major factors. The demographics of Texas deal with the rising growth of the minority population throughout the years. In my opinion, I think minorities make up roughly half of Texas’s overall population. According to utexas.edu, “[a]s the reality of demographic changes set in during the late 1990s, part of what defined many Republicans as moderates was an emphasis in both rhetoric and policy toward increasing the party's appeal to Latinos and other ethnic and racial minorities”. Although the Democratic Party is known for receiving votes from minorities, the Republican

As individuals, we turn towards political parties to identify with a group that has the most in common with our own values and principals. Each political party’s agenda focuses on the primary interests affiliated with that party and is motivated to enact its beliefs and interests through legislation by electing officials into government. Texas is a large state with four political parties: Republican, Democratic, Green Party, and Libertarian. Each political party has a basic fundamental ideology and platform on current issues. The two major political parties in Texas and in the nation are the Republican and Democratic parties.Texas is a conservative state where the Republican Party has known success as the leading political party in

Once decided, it takes a major change in society such as the Civil War to alter a set identification. African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and non-whites overwhelmingly lean towards the Democratic vote. According to Jillson, “after 1950, slowly at first, but then more rapidly, the racial and ethnic makeup of Texas began to change” (17). The Anglo population has decreased, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, from 66 percent in 1980 to 44 percent in 2015. The projected percent change in the short five year span from 2015 to 2020 is the loss of an entire three percent.

Texas is a state that has always been recognized for its size and politics. Elections are a huge part of democratic societies that are intended for citizens to choose their public leaders and approve the policies set by candidates. Political parties and interest groups also play a key role in shaping opportunities for public participation. Most Texans and historians know that the Democratic Party’s historical dominance is important to state politics. It is less likely that people are not aware of the consequences of the one-party system for public participation and democracy in Texas. Like many of the rim South states, the white elitist belonged to the Democratic Party which stemmed from the end of Reconstruction until the late 20th