POLS 2312 1st Edition Exam 1 Study Guide Lectures 1 7 Lecture 1 Harold Laswell defined politics as the struggle of who gets what when and how Government public institution with authority to allocate resources formulate and adopt public plans Public policy covers health issues employment transportation education public safety energy policy and prison relations Danielle Elizar identified moralistic traditionalistic and individualistic moralistic puritans N E states government supposed to improve peoples lives traditionalistic old south government is elite domain individualistic westward expansion government should maintain stable society Lecture 2 6 flags have flown over TX Spain France Mexico Republic of Texas Confederate States of America and The U S A TX legislature meets biennially makes 600 a month can only change by vote of people Anne Richards lotto Oil bust in 1980 diversify economy Land 267000sq used for cattle cotton oil Spindle top field was 1st major well found in TX Biggest counties Harris Dallas Bexar Travis Tarrant Lecture 3 Tx is a majority minor state Molato mixed decent TX known for cattle cotton oil TX has 52 of 500 largest corporations Oil revenues go to UT and A M systems TX has high technology biotech service health care agriculture trade Lecture 4 1986 Immigration Control and Reform Act 1996 Immigration Control and Financial Responsibilities Act 2002 Enhanced Borders Security and Visa Energy Reform Act 2006 Secure Fence Act Problems immigration H20 resources environmental protection poverty 1 5 of TX children live in poverty Lecture 5 Federalism division of power between national and regional government Federal government powers are enumerated by the constitution Powers interstate commerce borrow coin money post office war Implied powers necessary and proper clause TX has had 7 constitutions Lecture 6 Unfunded mandates state is mandated to do something with no money to back it up Regressing tax tax based on amount of income The bigger ones income the less percentage of it is taxed Uniform rules of naturalization maintain environmental protection standards AZ got in trouble for doing this when the national wasn t Implied powers allow the government to encroach in affairs b c of the necessary and proper clause Ex minimum wage health care and education Edmund J Davis worst governor ever Corrupt marshal law Lecture7 City governments have limited resources and increased responsibilities Raise revenue with tax polls fees liquor licensee property tax Property tax exemptions homestead senior veteran disabled Too many exemptions are bad not enough revenue coming in to the city Tax reinvestment zones tax breaks to attract investment in blighted inner city areas and other areas that need improvements Counties are an arm of the state Mandated must have sheriff judge 4 commissioners county attorney clerk tax assessor treasurer and constable Commissioner policy making set budgets and taxes provide courthouse jail Attorney handles legal civil and criminal affairs To release bond must be voted on by the citizens 2 types of special districts educational ISD and non educational Both meant to serve a particular group of people for a specific purpose