Deck 9: The Executive Branch

Question 1

Which official is responsible for ensuring that gas pumps, grocery store scales, and other meters areaccurate?

A) Director of the National Bureau of Standards
B) Texas commissioner of agriculture
C) U.S. attorney general
D) U.S. secretary of agriculture

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The constitutionally weak executive structure in Texas shows the influence of anti-Reconstruction forces that opposed the policies of

A) S. W. T. Lanham.
B) Oscar Branch Colquitt.
C) E. J. Davis.
D) Andrew Jackson Hamilton.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Regarding the constitutional language relating to the removal of the governor, which statement is not correct?

A) Impeachment is by simple majority vote of the House of Representatives.
B) Conviction is by a two-thirds vote of the Texas Senate.
C) A governor may be removed by legislative "address."
D) Once removed, the governor may then be tried in criminal court.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The governor's success in dealing with lobbyists, legislators, and the media depends primarily on

A) ordinances.
B) campaign contributions.
C) executive orders.
D) input and support of staff.

Question 5

The Texas Constitution requires that the governor and all other elected officials acknowledge

A) the supremacy of the U.S. Constitution.
B) the existence of a Supreme Being.
C) right of Texas to secede from the Union.
D) the unrestricted right to bear arms.

Question 6

The size of the Texas governor's staff was recently

A) shrunk by former Governor Perry to 266 persons.
B) limited to 185 through an amendment to the Texas Constitution.
C) shrunk chiefly because governors have become less active recently.
D) increased due to the large number of federal grants.

Question 7

In 1978, Texans elected ___________, their first Republican governor since Reconstruction.

A) Rick Perry
B) George W. Bush
C) Ann Richards
D) William Clements

Question 8

In 2014, Rick Perry became the second Texas governor in history to be

A) indicted on criminal charges.
B) elected to a third term.
C) elected President of the United States.
D) inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame.

Question 9

Which of the following factors had most to do with the removal of Governor Ferguson?

A) An allegation of moral turpitude
B) A conflict with the University of Texas
C) His opposition to statewide prohibition
D) His improper deposit of $100,000 in state insurance funds

Question 10

In political terms, the principal function of the governor's staff is to

A) raise election campaign funds.
B) protect their boss from adverse situations.
C) discourage opponents in future elections.
D) make the final decisions about appointments to important government offices.

Question 11

If the governor cannot finish his or her term, the officials who are in the line of succession include the

A) lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general.
B) lieutenant governor, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, attorney general.
C) lieutenant governor, president pro tempore of the Senate, agriculture commissioner.
D) lieutenant governor, president pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House, attorney general, chief justices of the fourteen courts of appeals.

Question 12

Acts of the Texas legislature and the selection of appointed leaders made former Governor Rick Perry

A) immune from indictment for suspected criminal activity.
B) step down after a single term.
C) less powerful than most earlier governors.
D) more powerful than most earlier governors.

Question 13

The governor of Texas may be removed from office through a procedure known as

A) recall.
B) impeachment.
C) address.
D) quo warranto.

Question 14

Which of the following would be eligible to serve as Texas governor, according to the state constitution?

A) A 30-year-old U.S. citizen who has resided in Texas for five years.
B) A 25-year-old U.S. citizen who has resided in Texas for seven years.
C) A 35-year-old U.S. citizen who has resided in Texas for two years.
D) A 40-year-old Mexican citizen who has resided in Texas for twenty years.

Question 15

Should the governor and lieutenant governor both be out of the state at the same time,

A) the president pro tempore of the Senate becomes acting governor.
B) a special election is held, and the office is filled by direct popular vote.
C) the Texas Senate selects one of its members to become governor.
D) the senator with the most seniority becomes governor.

Question 16

The governor of Texas is compensated with

A) a salary of $150,000 per year, along with staff and maintenance for a personal residence.
B) a salary of $75,000 per year, along with staff and maintenance for a personal residence.
C) a salary of $100,000 per year, along with reimbursement for personal and political travel.
D) a salary of $40,000 per year, along with a per diem for daily living expenses.

Question 17

Which of the following istrueof a governor's informal power?

A) It stems from popularity with the public and is based on traditions, symbols, and ceremonies.
B) It is rooted in the constitutional power to appoint officials.
C) It is used only rarely and in extreme circumstances.
D) It depends heavily on the support she or he gets from the lieutenant governor.

Question 18

To gain support for their legislative agendas, Texas governors rely on all the following, except their

A) skills in personal relations.
B) strong constitutional powers.
C) competent staff assistance.
D) persuasion and arm-twisting.

Question 19

It is common for governors to repay major contributors to their election campaigns with

A) appointments to key policymaking positions.
B) direct cash payment from the state Treasury.
C) nothing more than sincere thanks.
D) ceremonies to name roads and bridges after them.

Question 20

The governor of Texas is constitutionally allowed to serve

A) 2 four-year terms.
B) unlimited terms.
C) a single four-year term.
D) 3 two-year terms.

Question 21

Which of the following executives is not appointed by the governor?

A) Texas attorney general
B) Adjutant general, Texas Military Forces
C) Texas secretary of state
D) Director, Office of State-Federal Relations

Question 22

The appointed state official responsible for elections and voter registration is the

A) attorney general.
B) lieutenant governor.
C) secretary of state.
D) comptroller of public accounts.

Question 23

By law, gubernatorial appointees to a compensated office must

A) be supported by the senator from their home district.
B) be confirmed by a simple majority vote of both houses of the legislature.
C) be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the Texas Senate.
D) resign any private employment they have at the time of their confirmation.

Question 24

The governor's legislative powers include all the following, except

A) signing or vetoing bills passed by the legislature.
B) appointing the chairs of legislative committees.
C) proposing legislation in messages to legislators.
D) calling special sessions and setting their agenda.

Question 25

Failure of the Senate to confirm a gubernatorial recess appointment prevents the governor from

A) reappointing that person to the same position.
B) appointing anyone to that position in the future.
C) reappointing that person to another position.
D) calling a special session to appoint that person.

Question 26

The governor (with Senate approval) appoints the five members of the _____________ , the important law-enforcement agency that heads the Department of Public Safety.

A) secretary of state
B) attorney general
C) governor of Texas
D) Department of Public Safety

Question 27

Which of the following is true regarding the Texas governor's removal power?

A) It extends to all state executive offices.
B) It may be exercised only as the legislature has directed.
C) It is limited to the governor's own agency board appointees.
D) It extends to all governor's appointments.

Question 28

The governor's "military power" extends to all the following organizations, except the

A) Texas State Guard.
B) Texas Army National Guard.
C) Texas Air National Guard.
D) Texas Maritime Commission.

Question 29

The governor's most significant constitutional budget power is

A) transferring funds from one line item to another.
B) reducing funds in one or more line items on his own initiative.
C) vetoing all or part of the biennial legislative appropriations act.
D) submitting a draft budget for legislative consideration.

Question 30

The constitutional role of "commander-in-chief" allows the Texas governor to use the Texas National Guard and State Guard to do all the following, except

A) impose martial law.
B) deploy military forces overseas.
C) help with federal border security.
D) assist in state disaster relief operations.

Question 31

Which of the following was true of former Governor Perry's use of social media?

A) He had only a Twitter account, and it attracted very few followers.
B) He placed a ban on the use of social media accounts by the executive branch.
C) He made aggressive of multiple social media accounts to enhance his informal powers.
D) He made little use of social media accounts since most young people don't vote.

Question 32

A Texas governor can use "executive orders" to accomplish all the following, except

A) set policies.
B) create task forces.
C) abolish boards and commissions.
D) punish elected officeholders.

Question 33

Which of the following is not a way that Texas military units have been used since the year 2000?

A) They were deployed to the border to deal with the rising number of unaccompanied minors crossing into the United States.
B) They were used to impose martial law during race riots in Dallas sparked by events in Ferguson, Missouri.
C) They were mobilized to respond to the fertilizer plant explosion in the city of West, Texas.
D) They fought along side U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Question 34

The Texas Enterprise Fund is an example of the governor using the power of state government to pursue

A) economic development.
B) educational improvements.
C) environmental protection.
D) health care reform.

Question 35

If the governor wishes to make an official public announcement declaring a state of emergency, he can use

A) an ordinance.
B) an executive order.
C) a proclamation.
D) an executive privilege.

Question 36

The governor can avoid Senate confirmation of an appointee by

A) issuing an executive order.
B) making a recess appointment.
C) appointing a current officeholder.
D) submitting the nomination to the Texas House.

Question 37

When the governor consults with a senator from an appointee's home district to obtain support for a nomination, the governor is respecting the tradition of

A) legislative veto.
B) recess appointment.
C) vacancy appointment.
D) senatorial courtesy.

Question 38

In Texas, the primary responsibility for enforcing the law rests with the

A) state troopers.
B) municipal police and county sheriff's departments.
C) Texas Rangers.
D) constables in the various counties.

Question 39

Limitations to the governor's appointment powers includes all the following, except

A) a lack of removal power.
B) a requirement of Senate approval.
C) many overlapping six-year terms.
D) a lack of recess appointment power.

Question 40

In times when quick but limited action is needed, a direct law-enforcement power that may be exercised by the governor is

A) conscripting county sheriffs into state service to enforce criminal law.
B) assuming direct command of the state highway patrol.
C) ordering district attorneys to prosecute persons engaging in criminal conduct.
D) taking command of the Texas Rangers.

Question 41

Which of the following is not a role of the Texas land commissioner?

A) Overseeing the Permanent School Fund
B) Administering the state's severance taxes
C) Chairing the Veteran's Land Board
D) Awarding oil, gas, and sulfur leases

Question 42

In the case of a person facing a death sentence, the governor of Texas may independently

A) grant a full pardon to a person convicted of a felony.
B) remit a fine to a person who has been assessed one.
C) grant one 30-day stay of execution of a death sentence.
D) commute a death sentence to life imprisonment at hard labor.

Question 43

Administering the state's tax system, and acting as its treasurer is the job of the Texas

A) attorney general.
B) land commissioner.
C) secretary of state.
D) comptroller of public accounts.

Question 44

The most direct legislative power of the governor is his or her

A) "message power."
B) veto authority.
C) prorogation of bills.
D) special session power.

Question 45

What distinguishes a full pardon from a conditional pardon?

A) They are, in fact, identical.
B) A full pardon restores civil rights.
C) A conditional pardon requires community service.
D) Only the Board of Pardons and Paroles may grant full pardons.

Question 46

If an oil company wants to drill on public land, from whom would it secure the drilling lease?

A) Board of Regents of the University of Texas
B) State Board of Education
C) Comptroller of public accounts
D) Commissioner of the General Land Office

Question 47

Which of the following is not a role of the Texas agriculture commissioner?

A) Seeking markets for Texas goods
B) Administering the national school lunch program
C) Leasing public lands for mineral exploitation
D) Regulating pesticide and herbicide use

Question 48

As an attorney general, Greg Abbott frequently used the power of his office to

A) support the right of cities to grant benefits to the same-sex partners of city employees.
B) increase the public's awareness of issues like the location of dangerous chemicals.
C) press for the impeachment of Governor Perry.
D) sue the federal government.

Question 49

The Texas Veteran's Land Board and state veterans cemeteries fall under the office of the

A) Texas land commissioner.
B) U.S. Department of Defense.
C) Texas Agriculture Commission.
D) adjutant general, Texas Military Forces.

Question 50

The term plural executiverefers to the fact that in Texas

A) there are two state budgets prepared.
B) the governor appoints most all executive officers.
C) most top executive officials are elected.
D) the governor must share power with the lieutenant governor.

Question 51

The main judicial power of the governor of Texas is

A) removing any judge on his own initiative for incompetence.
B) appointing of the appellate divisions, with senate consent.
C) filling vacancies arising in state, district, and appellate courts.
D) recommending to the Commission on Judicial Conduct that a sitting judge be removed.

Question 52

The comptroller of public accounts has the constitutional power to

A) offer revenue bonds for sale when the state is out of money.
B) reduce spending for all programs when funding gets within 30 percent of being empty.
C) stop payments to those who have been on welfare support for two years.
D) certify that appropriations bills passed by the legislature can be covered by expected revenue.

Question 53

Which of the following was not true of former Governor Perry's impact on the state judiciary?

A) Perry heavily influenced the judiciary by appointing about 250 judges.
B) Perry used this appointment power to increase the diversity of the Texas judiciary.
C) Perry only appointed less than 50 judges and had little impact on the judiciary.
D) Perry's appointments moved the judiciary in a very probusiness direction.

Question 54

The Texas attorney general can initiate quo warranto proceedings, which

A) explain to higher courts the legal reasoning used in lower court decisions.
B) establish a new trial when there is an appeal from a court that keeps no records.
C) challenge an official's right to hold public office.
D) is the first step in an impeachment hearing.

Question 55

Promoting consistency in accounting across state agencies is the job of the Texas

A) secretary of state.
B) comptroller of public accounts.
C) legislative council.
D) Supreme Court.

Question 56

Which executive official primarily serves legislative functions?

A) Lieutenant governor
B) Attorney general
C) Secretary of state
D) Comptroller of public accounts

Question 57

Which executive official represents the state in civil court, issues advisory opinions on legal questions, and enforces child support orders?

A) The Texas attorney general
B) The U.S. Department of Justice
C) The Texas comptroller of public accounts
D) The Texas Department of Transportation

Question 58

Texas law requires that the commissioner of agriculture be a practicing

A) farmer.
B) attorney.
C) Christian.
D) teetotaler.

Question 59

Which of the following is true of attempts by the legislature to override a governor's veto?

A) George W. Bush was the only governor to have the legislature override his vetoes.
B) The legislature has overridden most vetoes in the modern era.
C) Overriding a veto has occurred only once since the O'Daniel administration in 1941.
D) There has never been a successful veto override in Texas.

Question 60

In legislative matters, the governor of Texas

A) has no veto power over appropriations bills.
B) is solely responsible for submitting the state's budget.
C) may call a limited number of special sessions.
D) has absolute veto power without challenge once the legislature has adjourned.

Question 61

Describe the fluctuations in the size of the Texas governor's staff over time, and explain the role that staff members play in supporting the governor.

Question 62

List and discuss the principal responsibilities of the Texas commissioner of land and commissioner of agriculture.

Question 63

What does it mean that the governor of Texas is "weak"compared to the governors of other states? Do you think the governor is too weak, has about the right amount of power, or is too powerful and why? What reforms might change the powers of the governor more to your preferences?

Question 64

Describe the sources and uses of a governor's informal powers.

Question 65

Describe the selection and main responsibilities of the Texas secretary of state.

Question 66

Explain how the governor may get involved in pork-barrel politics.

Question 67

Describe how a governor (or other executive official) may be forced from office before the expiration of their term. Explain who is in line to succeed the governor should that happen.

Question 68

Define and discuss the governor's various options for vetoing bills and his powers to call special sessions. Explain how the governor may use each to enhance his influence over legislators.

Question 69

Explain the idea of "plural executive"and how it operates in Texas. What are the potentially negative and positive aspects of a plural executive? Do you think Texas should move to a more unitary executive branch? Explain why or why not.

Question 70

Identify three executive officials appointed by the governor, and describe their functions. Do you think the governor should be able to appoint his or her lieutenant governor in Texas? Why or why not?

Question 71

Describe the constitutional qualifications for the office of governor of Texas. What other (non-constitutional) qualifications help a person attain the office? What other constitutional qualifications do you think should be required of a governor? If none, explain why you think the existing requirements are sufficient.

Question 72

Given the structural and constitutional weaknesses imposed on the Texas governor, what attributes or strategies do successful governors employ?

Question 73

Identify and discuss the various roles and functions of the Texas comptroller of public accounts. What is the comptroller's most important power?

Question 74

Explain the governor's clemency powers. What other influence does the Texas governor have over the state judiciary?

Question 75

Explain why raising campaign funds is important to win a gubernatorial election, and how donations influence the actions of governors once in office.