Texas Government and Politics: Test 3 on Key Political Concepts

This assignment provides comprehensive answers to a test on Texas politics. It defines and explains the functions of political parties, including their roles in nominating candidates, influencing public opinion, and organizing the government at federal, state, and local levels. The assignment also details the structure of parties, including permanent and temporary organizations, and the role of party activists. Furthermore, it defines and explains the different types of elections in Texas, their functions, and the voting process, including past restrictions, expansion of voting rights, and political gains of traditionally disenfranchised groups. Interest groups in Texas are also examined, including their functions, membership characteristics, lobbying methods, and influential groups in Austin. Finally, the assignment explains the process of policy formulation in Texas and highlights two critical issues facing the state: corrupted leadership and healthcare issues. The answers are based on the provided course materials, including PPTs, lectures, textbooks, and quiz questions.

Test 3
1. Define and explain political parties. Make sure to address party functions, the three part system,
party structure (permanent & temporary), and party activists.
The party system is the organization of people having effective impact on the process of working of the
government. In some of the countries, they constitute the extra-constitutional body trying to influence the
opinion of the people and the government. It is the function of the party to organize and nominate the candidate
in order to function effectively towards gaining voters. Parties also fulfill the function of influencing the public
opinion and set policy agendas. In case of the three part system, parties are three main categories of functional
parties, one at the centre or the federal level, one at the state level and the last at the local level. The role of the
centre level part is to ensure effective and enough funding for the lower parties while for the state and the local
level parties; it is more of steering the wheel of growth for the local level issues. Hence it is to be said that they
are the “laboratory of democracy”. In case of the structure of the party, it can be permanent or it can be
temporary too. The permanent party structure can prevail in all level of governance while fir the temporary
parties, it is precinct or state conventions. In case of the party activists, it is to influence the public opinion in
order to change the policies and speak on behalf of the people. Hence it is to be said that it is the steeping stone
of the people.
2. Define and explain elections in Texas. Make sure to address the functions of elections and the
different types of elections.
The election in Texas of 2018 took place with the simultaneous election of US Senate and the US House of
Representatives. The function of the political parties in Texas has been to contest the election in order to win
political power. Another function of the election process of to replace the public officers after the completion of
their tenure and install a new government in place. The aim of election is also to protest against the current
situation and bring about positive changes on the new policy after installing the new governance in place. There
are three types of election process namely the general election, the primary election and the other elections. The

general elections are contested between the two parties, in this election the winners are decided form the ballot
coming from the voters while in case of the primary election, the process is similar for like the general election.
Lastly, in case of the other elections, it is there are two kinds. One is the local election conducted at the odd
numbered years. In case of another sub category of special election, it is mainly for the purpose of local issues
and amendments.
3. Explain voting in Texas. Make sure to address past restrictions on voting, the expansion of voting
rights, and political gains of traditionally disenfranchised groups.
Voting is the process of exercising the right to cast vote in the election. Voting in Texas is starts with the
process of pre-register which starts and completes one month prior to the general election. It can be done
through the government offices or online. Some of the past restrictions on the voting in Texas are based on the
strictness in the ID verification which can even leads to the process of cancellation of the registration. In
addition to this, there are number of other issues like the poll taw which includes the payment of taxes before
the process of voting has even started. In case of the white primary issues, it is to be argued that the only
allowed whites were eligible to vote which restricted their right to vote. In case of the third restriction, it is to be
argued that the issue of the property ownership was the determinant of the limited voting actions. However in
case of expanding suffrage pt the people, it is to be argued that the process of extending the voting rights to the
African-American men to the women and to the 18 years or above were given the right to vote through the
amendments brought by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In order to understand the political gains from the
point of the minority groups, it is important to note that they have been able to secure 12% of the total
representation. In case of the women, they are underrepresented and require more number of representations at
the local level. Lastly, in case of the Hispanics, they have higher number of representations at the local levels.
4. Define and explain interest groups in Texas. Make sure to address IG’s functions, membership,
methods (types of lobbying), and which groups are powerful in Austin.
Interest groups in Texas refer to the voluntary organizations that are trying to influence the actions of their
member and voicing their demand. They are also responsible for the purpose of creating further opportunity for
civic participation in order to bring more number of people under their umbrella. For membership in these

interest groups, there are certain characteristics like being male and white with higher incomes are given
participation in these groups. These interest groups lobby with the legislators and the staffs in order to bring a
situation of bargaining for their demands. Under the direct lobbying activities, there is access with the
politicians in order to influences the process of legislations. However under the indirect ways of lobbying, it is
important to note that these are focused on influencing the public through the campaigns. It also engages with
the external activities like extension of support and endorsing the candidates and other campaign activities. It
further engage into indirect protests and marches for the purpose of steering their growth. For the interest
groups in Austin, there are number of interest groups form different sections like labor, education, minorities
and agriculture and religion. For example, in case of the interest groups among the labors, it is the CWA and the
AFCSME.
5. Explain how policy is formulated in Texas. Explain two important issues facing Texas today.
The issue of policy formation takes place with the prior consideration of the issue and the listing of opinions,
what is important here us to understand the significant social, economic and political issues that are impacting
the process of governance. After the process of identification of the issue, it is given the chance of forming
number of solutions in terms of the options. This choice of solution is further processed through the choice of
one of the solutions from number of options. The final stage of policy formation is based on the implementation
of the chosen policy in order to derive the desired evaluation. In case of Texas, there are two pressing issues
that are impacting the process of policy making. These are the issue of corrupted leadership and the issue of
health care it has been observed that the country is currently facing these two issues due to the policy structure
and the approach of dealing with such concerns. These have not only impacted the policy making, it also
requires better understanding of the issue in order to cater to the needs of effective implementation of good
policies in these regard.