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YOUR CHOICE, YOUR VOICE
CIVICS 101
DECEMBER 5, 2019
U.S. System of GovernmentRepresentative Democracy
Power is distributed and shared- Co-equal branches of government
- Federalism
Constitution (1787) sets up system of government
Federal Government
Federal Government Structure
Congress (Article I)Bicameral Legislature
House of Reps: - Members represent districts (states determine based on
census)
- Elected to 2 year terms
Senate: - Members represent states (2 from each state)
- Elected to 6 year terms (staggered)
Congress has authority to:- Make laws
- Declare war
- Raise and spend moneys
- Impeach and Try Federal Officers
- Approve presidential appointments and treaties (Senate only)
- Oversight and Investigations
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Leadership
(Left to Right) Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Texas Senate Delegation
(Left to Right) Senators John Cornyn (R) and Ted Cruz (R)
Austin-Area Congressional Delegation
(Clockwise starting on Top Left) Representatives Roger Williams (R-TX 25), John Carter (R-TX 31); Bill Flores (R-TX 17); Michael McCaul (R-TX 10); Michael Cloud (R-TX 27); Lloyd Doggett (D-TX 35); Chip Roy (R-TX 21)
Texas Congressional ElectionsSenator Cornyn running for re-election
- Large Democratic Primary
“Texodus” – wave of GOP retirements
8 Battleground Districts: 7, 10, 21, 22, 23, 24, 31, 32
Election Dates: - Primary: Mar. 3
- Primary Runoffs May 26
- General Election Nov. 22
President (Article II)Powers
- Sign/Veto Legislation (can work with Congress to introduce/modify legislation, but can’t legislate)
- Commander-in-Chief; Chief Diplomat
- Head of Executive Branch (which issues rules and regulations)
- Nominate judges, cabinet secretaries, etc.
- Pardon Power
President Donald Trump & Vice President Mike Pence
Presidential Elections (Primaries)National Conventions select nominees
Primaries and caucuses determine pledged delgates to a convention
Unpledged Delegates: - RNC has 3 from each state and territory (168 total)
- DNC has Superdelegates (>700)– elected officials and other key party figures; may not be able to vote on first ballot
If no candidate has majority, pledged delegates released, free to vote for anyone.
Primaries are Open/Closed
Caucuses (held at precinct/district/county level)- Groups formed; debates ensue
Democrats allocates delegates on a proportional basis; must receive 15% of vote to win earn delegates
GOP allocates delegates on winner-take-all, proportional, statewide+district winner-take-all basis
Presidential Elections (General)Determined by whoever wins majority of electoral college votes (538 total)
Each state assigned votes based on # of senators and representatives
Voters choose electors who vote for President
Federal Judiciary (Article III)Article III: creation of Supreme Court and other courts as Congress sees fit
Courts interpret the law; generally deal with cases involving Constitution or federal law
Justices appointed by President, confirmed by Senate; generally lifetime tenures
Trial courts determine facts; appellate courts determine whether law was applied correctly
Highest Court in land (Supreme Court) is court of last appeal
Supreme Court can have large impact
Supreme Court Justices
(Clockwise starting on Top Left) Justices Neil Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Chief Justice John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer
Texas State Government
Texas LegislatureBicameral Legislature
House of Reps: - Members represent districts of ~170K people
(states determine based on census)- Elected to 2 year terms
Senate: - Members represent districts of ~800K people
(states determine based on census)- Elected to 4 year terms (staggered)
Legislature meets in odd number years for 140 days; Governor can call special session (30 days)
Speaker is presiding officer of House; Lieutenant Governor is presiding officer of Senate
- Decide committee chairs, membership
Texas House of Representatives
Texas Senate
Speaker and Lieutenant Governor
(Left to Right) Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R-TX 25) and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R)Note: Speaker Bonnen has decided not to seek re-election
How a bill becomes a law (Texas)
Texas Executive Branch (Cont.)Plural Executive – members of executive branch elected independent of governor
Governor- Sign/Veto bills- Pardon power- Commander-in-Chief of state military forces- Appointments
Lt. Governor
Attorney General- Defends laws/constitution of state- Approves bond issues- Issues legal opinions on laws/regs/agency actions
Comptroller- Collects tax revenue, chief accountant, chief treasurer
(Clockwise starting on Top Left) Governor Greg Abbott (R), Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R), AG Ken Paxton (R), Comptroller Glenn
Hegar (R)
Texas Executive Branch (Cont.)Land Commissioner
◦ Heads Texas General Land Office, which manages land & mineral rights
Agriculture Commissioner◦ Manages agriculture/rural affairs
Railroad Commissioners—3 Statewide Commissioners, staggered 6 year terms
◦ Manages oil/gas industry and safety, pipelines
State Board of Education—15 members (district basis), staggered 4 year terms
◦ Sets education policies and standards (e.g. curriculum, textbooks, graduation requirements)
(Clockwise starting on Top Left) Land Commissioner George P. Bush (R), Ag. Commissioner Sid Miller (R), Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton (R), SBOE member Ken Mercer (R-District 5); SBOE member Tom Maynard (R-District 10) Greg Abbott (R), Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R), AG Ken Paxton (R), Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R)
Texas Judiciary
4 Texas Supreme Court Justices and 4 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Justices up for election in 2020, 1 Judge on 3rd District Court of Appeals
Austin/Round Rock DemographicsTotal population as of 2017: 2,115,827
134,807 are Asian, of which ~40,000 are Indian American
Asian Americans comprise 8% of Austin’s population – we can swing elections!
Doubling roughly every 12 years
Asian Americans have higher median income in both Travis and Williamson counties
Asian Americans also have higher rates of undergraduate and graduate degrees, as compared to the overall average
*Source: Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce
The Role of City GovernmentLocal law enforcement
Enacting and managing permitting and city regulations, for the betterment of the city, as determined by the elected city council
City budget management, bond issuance (subject to voter approval)
Economic development
Park and common area management
Transportation management (shared with state and federal entities)
Elected mayor and city council focuses on political issues such as policy and budget, City Manager is a hired executive tasked with administering the city and the council’s direction
Austin’s City Government (cont.)10+1 system, meaning 10 city council members plus one mayor
Each council member represents a geographic district
The mayor presides over the council, acts as the de-facto head of city government, but has no veto powers
Mayoral elections are held every 4 years in even numbered years (next one is in 2022)
City council elections are every two years, on a staggered basis
Districts 2, 4, 6, 7, and 10 are up in 2020
The mayor and city council are all limited to two (2) four (4) year terms
*Source: City of Austin
Who is My City Council Member?
*Source: City of Austin
Mayor: Steve Adler
District 1: Natasha Harper Madison
District 2 (Mayor Pro Tem): Delia Garza
District 3: Sabino (“Pio”) Renteria
District 4: Greg Casar
District 5: Ann Kitchen
District 6: Jimmy Flannigan
District 7: Leslie Poole
District 8: Paige Ellis
District 9: Kathie Tovo
District 10: Alison Alter (Pooja Sethi running in 2020)
The Austin City Leadership
*Source: City of Austin
Austin: Current IssuesHomelessness
New land development code
after Code Next was abandoned in 2018
Structure to enable citizens to shape and influence public policy in Austin city government
Members appointed by City Council, one appointee / B & C / Council Member
Total of over 80 commissions
How can one get involved in B & C?
Volunteer and earn experience in civic / public activities
Possess skills that align with goals of the B & C one wishes to join
Check for vacancies and apply in B & C online: (http://www.austintexas.gov/department/boards-and-commissions)
City of Austin Boards and Commissions
Round Rock City Government3-year terms
Each council member serves at large, representing the whole city (not a particular area)
Mayor Pro Tem appointed by the council
City Council positions are NOT full-time jobs
Place 1 and Place 4 are up for election in 2020
Elections are held every year
Texas County GovernmentTexas has a total of 254 counties, by far the largest number of counties of any state.
WHAT IS A COUNTY
It is an administrative or political subdivision of a state.
A county has specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority.
Counties were among the earliest units of local government in U.S.
Texas does not have townships. Areas within a county are either
Incorporated Unincorporated
They are part of a city. These are not part of a city.
The city may contract with the county The county has authority for law
for needed services enforcement and road maintenance
Texas County Government
County government in Texas is primarily a way of governing rural areas, because Texas is so vast with areas sparsely populated
A county judge & Four commissioners
elected from a precinct or
electoral district that is ¼ of the
population of the county.
The commissioners & county judge are the chief policy-making and administrative branch of county government.
County Commissioners’ CourtNot a judicial court, despite its name!
Setting the tax rate and adopting a County budget, which:
◦ Assists the other elected or appointed officials at Travis County to carry out their statutory duties;
◦ Builds and maintains County roads and bridges;
◦ Develops and maintains open space for use by the public;
◦ Preserves endangered species habitat under the County and City of Austin’s habitat conservation plan, the Balcones Canyonland Conservation Plan;
◦ Builds, maintains and improves County facilities (including jails and court space);
◦ Provides IT infrastructure for all County elected officials to be able to efficiently provide mandated services;
Approving plats for residential development in unincorporated areas;
Monitoring and supporting environmental regulation and enforcement in the County;
Letting contracts and authorizing payment of all County bills;
Establishing voting precincts, appointing precinct judges and calling County elections (including bond elections);
Appointing certain county officials and hiring County Executive personnel;
Appointing County residents to represent Travis County on various Boards and Committees; and
Filling many elective and appointive vacancies
Precinct One - Jeff TravillionPrecinct Two - Brigid SheaPrecinct Three - Gerald DaughertyPrecinct Four - Margaret Gómezlookup your district here: https://www.traviscountytx.gov/maps/gis-comm-pct
County JudgeCounty judge presides over the constitutional county court & county commissioners’ court.
The county judge does not have authority to veto a decision of the commissioners’ court; the judge votes along with the commissioners (being the tie-breaker in close calls).
Administrative powers Administrator only
Judicial powers. Judicial duties are
done by probate judges &
county court judges
Rural Counties Larger Counties
Sarah Eckhardt, Travis County Judge
Law EnforcementThis is another important responsibility of county government.
Chief Law Enforcement Official County Officials
Sheriff ConstablesElected in November 2016,Sally Hernandez is currently The constables serve as a lawserving her first term as enforcement agency for Travis Sheriff of Travis County. County, with county-wide jurisdiction in
civil and criminal matters.
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office has three bureaus:1) Administration & Support 2) Corrections 3 ) Law EnforcementEach bureau consists of many specialized sections designed to support the mission of each section.
Notable local Indian American candidates
Dr. Pritesh Gandhi
Candidate for US House, Texas 10th Congressional District (Austin up to south of Ft.
Worth)
Primary has 2 other candidates
Sri Preston Kulkarni
Candidate for US House, Texas 22nd Congressional District (south and west Houston)
Narrowly lost in 2018, incumbent has announced
retirement
Pooja Sethi
Candidate for Austin City Council District 10 (NW Austin)
Alison Alter is the incumbent
Rish Oberoi
Candidate for Texas State House, District 26 (Houston
area)
More ResourcesWikipedia
League of Women Voters – election guide
Indian American Impact Fund – the latest on Indian American candidates and officeholders
Government websites
Recommended