Assignment:
Each answer should be at least one paragraph long (8 to 10 sentences). Please proofread your responses and make sure you use complete sentences.
The Political Culture, People, and Economy of Texas
1. Your book splits Texas into regions and discusses details on each region. Looking at all of the Texas regions, which one would you most want to live in and why? Or if you are currently living in the one you like the most tell me why you like it the most OR tell me which one you would NOT want to live in and why.
The Texas Constitution
2. What two (2) things did you learned about the Texas Constitution that you did not know before reading this chapter that you found the most interesting and why?
Texas in the Federal System
3. On June 15, 2020, the United States Supreme Court released a decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia. When the United States Supreme Court releases a decision, under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution that decision is binding on the states so all states must follow this ruling. Research this court decision on your favorite browser and tell me what court ruled and why this is significant. My goal: when landmark USSCT decisions are handed down I want you to see how you can always research these decisions and understand them since the decisions of the USSCT are binding on the states!
Political Parties
4. Texas and the United States are both dominated by two parties - the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Pick one of these parties and tell me at least two things that you or others perceive as positive about that party and at least two things that you or other perceive as negative about that party. My goal is for you to be able to evaluate what you and/or others think are positive and negative about the two major parties.
Campaigns and Elections
5. There was a Presidential Election in November 2020. There is a Presidential Election in 2024 and we are already in the "silent campaign" phase when potential candidates from both major parties - Republican Party and Democratic Party - (and some smaller parties) are planning their strategies to "Take Texas in 2024." You want to run for President in 2024! Either as incumbent President Joe Biden (or a Democratic challenger) or someone that wants to run as a candidate in the Republican Party. Think about the last election and the upcoming election in 2024. If you are running a "silent campaign" you will be fundraising, using social media to get your message out, doing television and other media interviews about your message, and also tailoring your messages to each state. At this point, what is your "silent campaign" plan to start connecting to 2024 Texas voters and what is your message(s) going to be to voters in Texas? My goal: this is what candidates from all parties are doing RIGHT NOW for 2024 and I want you to think critically about it so you are prepared to notice and evaluate the media interviews, social media messages, and people that are making headlines in the coming years on specific issues (2024 is not that far away)!
6. Some people say that Texas is a "Red State" - meaning that there are more people in Texas that are members of the Republican Party than people who are members of the Democratic Party. Some people say that the Democratic Party is trying to "turn Texas into a Blue State" - meaning that the Democratic Party candidates want to win and "turn Texas Blue" in the future. Pick one side of this discussion and answer - if you are a candidate how are you are going to "keep Texas Red" OR "how are you going to "turn Texas Blue"? Fully explain your ideas. NOTE: Republicans are trying to "keep Texas Red" and Democrats are trying to "turn Texas Blue" -this is a discussion so many people are having right now. I cannot wait to hear your ideas!ALSO: It does not matter if you identify as a Republican, Democrat, or another party for this question - you can choose either side - all parties have to examine all parties so you can examine either side.
Interest Groups and Lobbying
7. After reading the chapter, finding an interest group you are interested in and posting about it and evaluating it, do you think interest groups are a positive or negative influence overall on our government and Texas and fully explain why?
The Texas Legislature
8. Research who represents you in the Texas Legislature and pick one person, visit their website, and write me a paragraph about that person. I want you to take a few minutes to go to the Texas Senate website AND the Texas House of Representatives website, look under membership and both websites have a link to "Who represents me?" - when you click on those links you are promoted to enter your information and the websites will list who represents you - in the federal and Texas system (remember there is a Texas Legislature and a Federal Legislature). Pick someone that represents you in the Texas Legislature and write me a paragraph about that person. My hope is you will always go to those websites, find out who represents you if you do not know, and have a easy way to contact people who represent you!
9. You are a member of the Texas Legislature. Your constituents love marijuana and want you to draft a bill legalizing marijuana in Texas. Tell me what all you would do before and during the session to make sure that your bill get passed on behalf of your constituents. Think aboutwho you would meet with to get support and what would you do to ensure the bill gets passed?
10. You can Google "Texas interest groups" and many links will appear for interest groups - or Google "Texas interest groups..." - fill in the blank with what you are interested in - anything from gun control to same sex marriage - an interest group exists that promotes it. You can also go to the Project Vote Smart website under Interest Groups and there is a good list of national interest groups by category to get you started (some interest groups that are influential in Texas are also national. You can search by state so you can look under Texas or you can look for a national group that has a reach in Texas.