Deck 8: The Executive Branch

Question 1

If a governor is impeached and convicted, he or she

A) must reimburse the state for the cost of the trial in the Senate.
B) cannot subsequently hold any other state office.
C) can appeal the conviction to the Texas Supreme Court.
D) can be pardoned by the lieutenant governor.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Who was the longest-serving governor in the history of Texas?

A) William Clements
B) George W. Bush
C) Rick Perry
D) Dolph Briscoe

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The Texas governor was very powerful, and many regarded state government as oppressive and corrupt, under which constitution?

A) the Constitution of 1976
B) the Reconstruction Constitution of 1869
C) the Constitution of 1845
D) the Constitution of 1861

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In order to serve as governor in Texas, you must be ______ years old.

A) 25
B) 30
C) 35
D) There is no minimum age to serve as governor.

Question 5

Constitutionally, a state-of-the-state message must be given by the governor

A) at the beginning of the governor's term.
B) 30 days after the governor has been elected.
C) at the beginning of each regular session.
D) at the end of the governor's term in office.

Question 6

The Texas Constitution of ________ placed strict limits on the governor's ability to control the people appointed to office and almost eliminated the possibility that appointees to office could be removed.

A) 1845
B) 1836
C) 1876
D) 1869

Question 7

In addition to meeting the age, citizenship, and residency requirements, which of the following would you need in order to be a viable candidate for governor in Texas?

A) a law degree so that you can understand all aspects of the job
B) a degree from a Texas university so that you meet the minimum education requirements
C) access to wealth since campaigns have become very expensive
D) a background in business so that you will be able to manage the budget of the various state agencies

Question 8

Executive power in Texas is

A) divided among multiple officials, each elected by the people, to ensure that no one person has too much power.
B) modeled after executive power in the federal government, where the governor and lieutenant governor have powers similar to the president and vice president.
C) set up so that Texas has one of the strongest governors in the United States.
D) divided among multiple officials, each appointed by the governor, to ensure that no one person has too much power.

Question 9

Why is the Texas governor's power exceptionally weak as compared to that of the governors of some other states?

A) lack of a line-item veto
B) inability to appoint any administrative heads
C) tenure limits
D) plural executive system

Question 10

One type of appointment power often used by governors is called patronage, where

A) the governor rewards supporters by appointing them to office.
B) the governor recommends individuals for staff positions with members of the legislature.
C) the governor determines which vendors will be given state contracts.
D) the governor sets standing reservations at his or her favorite restaurants in Austin.

Question 11

The governor may be removed from office only by impeachment with conviction by the

A) House.
B) judiciary.
C) Senate.
D) attorney general.

Question 12

The Texas governor only has the ________ on appropriations bills.

A) line-item veto
B) pocket veto
C) threat of a veto
D) post veto

Question 13

The governor of Texas has

A) strong formal powers granted by the Texas Constitution.
B) few formal powers, so the office is one of the weakest chief executives in the United States.
C) the power to appoint all officials in the executive branch.
D) the sole responsibility for budget-making.

Question 14

While the governor's term in office used to be 2 years, it was changed to _____ years with a constitutional amendment adopted in _________.

A) 4; 1972
B) 4; 2000
C) 6; 1996
D) 5; 1980

Question 15

In Texas, why are gubernatorial elections held in off-years?

A) so that gubernatorial elections will not be influenced by a presidential election
B) so that candidates cannot run for governor and a federal office at the same time
C) so that voters will not become overwhelmed by too many candidates in one year
D) because Texas happened to become part of the United States during an off-year

Question 16

Officially, who is the chief budget officer of Texas?

A) the Chief Accountant
B) the Comptroller of Accounts
C) the Treasurer
D) the Governor

Question 17

What is the ultimate check on the governor?

A) impeachment
B) the Sunset review process
C) the budgetary review process
D) a campaign donation

Question 18

Who was the first female governor of Texas?

A) Kay Bailey Hutchison
B) Miriam Ferguson
C) Ann Richards
D) Barbara Jordan

Question 19

What do some argue is the one advantage of a plural executive in Texas?

A) It allows the governor to pursue innovative policymaking.
B) It decreases conflict between the executive and legislative branches.
C) It constrains the power of executive officials and makes them more accountable to the public.
D) It facilitates the coordination of public policy.

Question 20

Who was the first Republican governor of Texas following Reconstruction, and when was he or she elected?

A) Allan Shivers in 1948
B) William Clements in 1978
C) Ann Richards in 1990
D) George W. Bush in 1994

Question 21

The ________ is the oldest state agency in Texas.

A) General Land Office
B) Texas Ranger Division
C) Railroad Commission
D) Department of Public Safety

Question 22

The governor appoints people to office, but the Texas ________ must also confirm them.

A) House of Representatives
B) Ethics Commission
C) Senate
D) Commission on Appointments

Question 23

For a Texas governor, what is the benefit of a post-adjournment veto?

A) It requires a two-thirds majority from both houses to override it.
B) The legislature is prevented from overriding it.
C) It allows the governor to veto specific provisions of a bill.
D) It is the only way to veto legislation without giving reasons.

Question 24

In Texas, what is the primary effect of a plural executive?

A) It dilutes the power of the governor and fragments the executive branch.
B) It grants the governor additional powers since it makes for a powerful executive branch.
C) It makes the executive branch less accountable to the voters.
D) It leads to excessive corruption within the executive branch.

Question 25

Which of the following is the best example of the Texas governor's exercise of senatorial courtesy?

A) The governor will not appoint someone to office unless that appointee's state senator agrees.
B) The governor will not veto a bill without first giving the bill's Senate sponsor an opportunity to amend it.
C) The Senate will use the governor's budget plan as its blueprint for the upcoming session.
D) The governor will address the full Senate at the beginning of each legislative session.

Question 26

Which of the following is the best example of the Texas governor's military powers?

A) The governor can declare martial law during a natural disaster.
B) The governor can use federal troops stationed in camps within Texas.
C) The governor receives a National Guard pension when he or she retires.
D) The governor automatically possesses the rank of general in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Question 27

The governor has some control over the final appropriations bill through the use of the ________ veto.

A) pocket
B) amendatory
C) reduction
D) line-item

Question 28

In Texas, which officer in the plural executive is NOT elected by voters?

A) the secretary of state
B) the attorney general
C) the comptroller
D) the lieutenant governor

Question 29

What is the Texas governor's greatest judicial power?

A) the power to appoint judges to appeals courts, with the Senate's consent
B) the power to appoint judges to vacancies in the courts
C) the power to restrict the types of cases the appeals courts may decide
D) the power to remove judges

Question 30

Why did the Texas Constitution establish a plural executive?

A) Texas was following the structure of the federal executive.
B) There was suspicion of a strong chief executive.
C) The complications of running a state as large as Texas necessitate a plural executive.
D) It was necessary in order for the executive branch to be as dominant as possible.

Question 31

Which entity has the main responsibility for collecting child-support payments?

A) Texas governor's office
B) Texas comptroller
C) Texas attorney general
D) Texas secretary of state

Question 32

As part of his or her military and police power, the governor has responsibility for which of the following?

A) the Texas Rangers and the Texas State Guard
B) sheriffs' departments in counties with populations less than 50,000
C) security at airports and seaports
D) animal and insect control

Question 33

________ is the only Texas governor to be both impeached and convicted.

A) E.J. Davis
B) James Ferguson
C) Ann Richards
D) Miriam Ferguson

Question 34

What makes the greatest difference between strong and weak governors of Texas?

A) the willingness to use formal powers
B) the frequency of vetoes
C) personality differences
D) the partisan makeup of the legislature

Question 35

The lieutenant governor is the only member of the plural executive, other than the governor,

A) to have both executive and legislative powers.
B) to have state-provided housing.
C) to be elected in a statewide election.
D) to have judicial powers.

Question 36

The chief lawyer for Texas is the

A) chief justice of the state supreme court.
B) attorney general.
C) secretary of state.
D) state comptroller.

Question 37

What is the Texas governor's most significant executive power?

A) the power of appointment
B) the power to call special sessions
C) the power to submit a budget to the legislature
D) the line-item veto power

Question 38

What is the primary task of the Texas secretary of state?

A) to oversee the state's foreign, economic, and diplomatic policy
B) to handle elections and voter registration
C) to collect child-support payments
D) to coordinate and plan projects in conjunction with the federal government

Question 39

In Texas, if a sitting governor is unable to hold office due to impeachment and conviction, resignation, or death, who becomes governor?

A) the secretary of state
B) the lieutenant governor
C) the Speaker of the state House of Representatives
D) the comptroller of public accounts

Question 40

Which of the following is one of the governor's legislative powers?

A) introducing legislation to the Texas House
B) amending bills before signing them
C) calling special sessions of the legislature
D) casting the tie-breaking vote in the Senate

Question 41

There are no limitations or restrictions on when the governor can use the line-item veto.

Question 42

The Texas Department of Insurance

A) regulates the insurance market in Texas under the guidance of an appointed commissioner who serves a two-year term.
B) is responsible for ensuring that all Texans have health insurance as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
C) is responsible for administering state-funded insurance programs such as Medicaid and CHIP.
D) is an elected multimember board that has responsibility for all insurance markets within Texas.

Question 43

The elected members of the plural executive are ultimately accountable to

A) the governor.
B) the legislature.
C) the voters.
D) the cabinet.

Question 44

What is the purpose of the Sunset Advisory Commission in Texas?

A) It reviews state agencies every twelve years to see if they are still needed.
B) It administers state programs for the elderly.
C) It oversees the retirement of state bureaucratic workers.
D) It runs the Texas Chamber of Commerce.

Question 45

The Texas Constitution of 1876 placed strict limits on the governor's ability to control the people appointed to office and almost eliminated the possibility that appointees to office could be removed.

Question 46

The governor of Texas currently serves a two-year term in office.

Question 47

Which office is charged with ensuring the accuracy of official weights and measures?

A) the Department of Agriculture
B) the Department of Weights and Measures
C) the attorney general
D) the comptroller

Question 48

Which state office was eliminated in 1996?

A) attorney general
B) animal commissioner
C) state treasurer
D) sheriff

Question 49

The Secretary of State in Texas works with organizations to increase the number of registered voters.

Question 50

The Texas governor has many formal powers, making him or her one of the United States' strongest chief executives.

Question 51

Impeachment of a governor begins in the Texas Senate.

Question 52

Authority over railroads throughout Texas was given to the ________ in 2005.

A) Railroad Commission of Texas
B) Texas Department of Transportation
C) lieutenant governor
D) attorney general

Question 53

In Texas, what is the most important power of the state comptroller?

A) estimating state revenues for the legislature
B) overseeing the state police and the Texas Rangers
C) enforcing all state land-use and -takings laws
D) regulating the oil industry in the state

Question 54

Ann Richards was the first woman to serve as governor in Texas.

Question 55

The governor makes approximately 3,000 appointments to various state posts during a single term in office.

Question 56

Only the Comptroller of Public Accounts has the ability to submit a budget to the legislature.

Question 57

The legislature has the ability to declare martial law.

Question 58

Members of the State Board of Education (SBOE) are elected in single-member districts. Therefore,

A) voters in Texas have the ability to influence public education policy, such as high school graduation requirements and textbook adoptions.
B) there will always be a balance between Democrats and Republicans on the SBOE.
C) there are the same number of members on the SBOE as members of the Texas Senate.
D) only registered Democrats or Republicans can run for positions on the SBOE.

Question 59

The Railroad Commission of Texas's strategy of limited oil production to maintain prices was adopted by which organization?

A) APEC
B) TPP
C) OPEC
D) BP

Question 60

In 2017, approximately how many people worked for the state bureaucracy in Texas?

A) 330,000
B) 290,000
C) 150,000
D) 410,000

Question 61

The attorney general's office offers advisory opinions to state agencies concerning the legality of actions.

Question 62

The Texas governor has strong powers for granting clemency.

Question 63

The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission has mandated that no government official may serve in any single office for more than twelve years.

Question 64

What is the plural executive? Describe the offices that constitute the plural executive in Texas. How does the plural executive compare with the executive branch of government under the U.S. Constitution? What are the political principles behind the creation of the plural executive?

Question 65

In Texas, the lieutenant governor is also the president of the Senate and may cast a vote to break a tie.

Question 66

Texas has a plural executive, meaning that the governor has the ability to appoint many different people to fill executive positions.

Question 67

The office of Texas governor is one of the weakest offices in the nation. Why is this the case? What are some of the limitations that the Texas Constitution places on the governor? What are some of the informal powers the governor may use to bolster the power of the office?

Question 68

What are the key duties of the Texas secretary of state? Why is it an important position?

Question 69

Explain the legislative powers of the Texas governor. How can the special session be a powerful tool for the governor?

Question 70

Why is Texas's lieutenant governor arguably considered the most powerful politician in the state?

Question 71

Describe the most important formal powers of the Texas governor under the state constitution. How do these powers reflect a commitment to the principle of checks and balances?

Question 72

The comptroller of public accounts directs the collection of taxes for the state of Texas.

Question 73

The attorney general in Texas focuses primarily on criminal matters.

Question 74

The structure of the Texas executive branch is centralized, with much formal authority allocated to the governor.