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Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman


The Texas Executiveand Bureaucracy

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The Governor and the Executive BranchAssess the powers of the governor.

Elected Officials of the Executive BranchIdentify the key elected officials of the Texas executive branch.

The Texas Bureaucracy and Bureaucratic StrategiesOutline the main functions of the Texas bureaucracy.

Key ObjectivesClick on buttons to go to the relevant slide.

20.1

20.3

20.2

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Back to Learning Objectives

The Governor and the Executive Branch

• The Office of the Governor is composed of a plural executive

Assess the powers of the governor.20.1


20.1Executive Branch in Texas



• The office of the governor• Background and requirements for office• Salary and perks• Impeachment or incapacitation

20.1



• The governor’s staff– Loyal and share the governor’s basic political

attitudes– Some are hired for policy expertise– All function as surrogates– Collect, organize, and screen information. – Function as ‘gatekeepers’ and schedule the

governor’s time

20.1



• Powers of the governor– Legislative– Budgetary– Appointive and removal– Clemency– Military

20.1



• The Governor and the public– The mass media– Political parties– Interest groups

20.1



• Informal resources of the governor– Constitutional limitations can be mitigated

through a governor’s informal powers– Credit and blame for solutions or problems can

easily be attributed to a governor

20.1


Which member is the only member of the executive office that is not elected? A. Attorney generalB. Education commissionerC. Railroad commissionerD. Secretary of state

20.1


Which member is the only member of the executive office that is not elected? A. Attorney generalB. Education commissionerC. Railroad commissionerD. Secretary of state

20.1


Elected Officials of the Executive Branch

• Lieutenant governor

• Attorney general

• Comptroller of public accounts

• Commissioner of the General Land Office

• Commissioner of agriculture

• Secretary of state (appointed)

Identify the key elected officials of the Texas executive branch.20.2



• Lieutenant governor– Serves as president of the senate– First in line of succession to the governor.– Chairs the Legislative Budget Board and is a

member of Texas Redistricting Board

20.2



• Attorney General– Serves as the chief legal officer for the state– The office of attorney general is the collector

and disperser of child-support funds– Provides advisory opinions on the

interpretation of law for state and locally elected officials

– Member of the Texas Redistricting Board

20.2



• Comptroller of public accounts• Texas’ accounting officer

– Collects state taxes– Estimates and certifies annual revenues– Ensures pay-as-you-go model is adhered to

• Serves as a member of the Redistricting Board

20.2



• Commissioner of the General Land Office– Manages all state-owned land – Oversees mineral leases– Manages Veteran’s Land Program– Serves as a member of the Texas Redistricting

Board

20.2



• Commissioner of agriculture– Implements laws and regulates the agricultural

sector of Texas’ economy– Enforces consumer protection respecting the

accuracy of weights and measures, packaging and labeling and marketing

20.2



• State Treasurer– Office abolished by constitutional amendment

in 1995 and duties were transferred to comptroller

20.2



• Secretary of State– Appointed by the governor– Keeper of the State Seal– Grants business charters– Processes extradition orders of prisoners – Administers state election law and archives

election results

20.2



• Elected Boards and Commissions– Railroad Commission

• 3 state-wide elected members serving 6-year staggered terms

– State Board of Education• 15 member panel elected in state-wide partisan

races

20.2


Which member of the Texas Executive does not serve on the Redistricting Board?

A. Comptroller of public accountsB. Lieutenant governorC. Land commissionerD. Attorney general

20.2


Which member of the Texas Executive does not serve on the Redistricting Board?

A. Comptroller of public accountsB. Lieutenant governorC. Land commissionerD. Attorney general

20.2


The Texas Bureaucracy and Bureaucratic Strategies

• Growth of government– Many services performed by local

governments—including education, fire and police protection, and sanitation services—require large numbers of workers and substantial funds

– Efforts to curtail government growth and spending have met with only marginal success

Outline the main functions of the Texas bureaucracy.20.3


20.3



• Bureaucrats and public policy– The bureaucracy does more than carry out the

policies set by the legislature– The legislature attempts to control agencies

through oversight and appropriations

20.3



• Policy implementation– Agencies are either appointed or if none

exists that are appropriate to do so, are created to implement policy

– Most agency employees take pride in their work and attempt to be conscientious in their duties of delivering goods or services to the public

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• Obstacles to policy implementation– The public tends to blame bureaucrats for

excessive red tape, inefficiency, poor management, or incompetence• Problem policies• Special interests• The revolving door

20.3



• Strategies for controlling the bureaucracy– Legislative budgetary control– Sunset legislation– Performance reviews– Merit systems

20.3


One of the legislature’s most effective means of controlling agencies is

A. appointing competent agency heads.B. annual sunset reviews.C. firing incompetent bureaucrats.D. limiting appropriations.

20.3


One of the legislature’s most effective means of controlling agencies is

A. appointing competent agency heads.B. annual sunset reviews.C. firing incompetent bureaucrats.D. limiting appropriations.

20.3


What do you think:Should the Texas Legislature abolish the

State Board of Education?

NO. The elected members of this body reflect the ideas and wishes of their constituents about what should or should not part of the public school curriculum

YES. Members elected to this body are not necessarily professional educators and have little understanding of curriculum and pedagogy.


What do you think:Should there be a term limit on the office of

governor?

NO. It should be the electorate that determines the length of time a governor is returned to office.

YES. Not enough people pay attention and vote anymore and incumbents always have the advantage.


Credits746 AP Images/L.M. Otero; 750 Roger Mallison/ MCT/Landov; 752 Richard Sobel/Sipa Press; 754 AP Images/Tony Gutierrez; 756 Brian Harkin/MCT/Landov; 757 Michael Stravato/The New York Times/Redux Pictures; 761 AP Images/The Houston Chronicle/Julio Cortez; 767, top to bottom: AP Images/Harry Cabluck; Bob Daemmrich;Texas State Archives;AP Images/Harry Cabluck