Chapter 2
Texas and the Nation
Texas and the Nation
Texas: A State in a Federal
System
Federalism in the Constitution
• Federalism: A system in which the federal
government shares power with lower levels of
government.
• The United States Constitution divides power
between the federal and state governments.
Federalism in the Constitution
• Why federalism?
– The original states already existed at the time of
the Revolution.
– The states created the federal government, not
the other way around.
– The former colonists distrusted strong, central
governments.
Dual Federalism, 1789–1937
• Dual Federalism: a constitutional interpretation
that gave the federal government exclusive control
over some issues and states exclusive control over
others.
• The federal government was small and dealt
primarily with foreign affairs and commerce.
– Internal improvements, like roads and canals
– Tariffs (taxes on imports), Patents, Currency
Dual Federalism, 1789–1937
• States performed the majority of governing
over citizens’ day-to-day lives
– Property law
– Civil law (marriage, divorce, adoption)
– Criminal law
• Dual federalism allowed states to experiment
with policies
– Very different sets of rights from state to state
Cooperative Federalism
• Cooperative Federalism: model in which the
various levels of government work together to
solve policy problems, often with the federal
government providing some portion of the
funding, which is spent by the states or
localities
Cooperative Federalism
• Expansion of federal power diminishes the old
paradigm of dual federalism
• Cooperation between state and federal
governments replaces dual federalism
• Morton Grodzins’ cake analogy:
– Dual federalism as a layer cake
– Cooperative federalism as a marble cake
New Federalism
• Devolve many policies back to the states
• Nixon
– Block grants, less federal money and interference
• Reagan
– Federal aid to states cut by 12 percent
– Remove federal government, as much as possible, from
local matters governed by states
• Clinton
– Welfare reform in 1996, grants tied to federal rules
Cooperative Federalism
Regulated Federalism
– With increased funding, the federal government
demanded higher standards and stricter uses for
funds.
Preemption
– The principle that allows the federal government
to override state/local actions in certain policy
areas
– Occurs when state/local actions do not agree with
national requirements
Cooperative Federalism
• Congress dramatically increased unfunded
mandates: rules forcing states to spend their own
money to comply with federal law.
• Backlash to federal preemption and unfunded
mandates led to calls for devolution: transferring
responsibility from federal government to
state/local governments
– Popular since the 1970s
– Idea led to New Federalism
The New Deal
• Grants-in-aid (categorical grants)
– Funds provided by federal government to state or
local government for a specific purpose
– New Deal expanded to include social programs
– Includes competitive project grants
• State and local governments compete for funds based
on merit of their proposals
The Growth of Federal Funds in Texas
Coercive Federalism
• Federal regulations force states to change their
policies to meet national goals.
– Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
– No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
– Patient Protection Affordable Health Care Act
(common “Affordable Health Care”, “Obamacare”)
Texas Joins the United States
• 1845 Texas becomes the 28th state
• 1869 Texas receives four congressional
districts
A Growing Role:
Texas in the Progressive Era
• Texas’s influence and standing within the
federal government expands during the
Progressive Era
• President Wilson’s administration includes
Texans who exert political and policy influence
– Burleson, House, Houston, and Gregory
A Growing Role:
Texas in the Progressive Era
• Texas’s single-party dynamic facilitates
institutional and political advantages.
• Incumbents often run unopposed.
• Lack of party competition assures re-election.
• Seniority in Congress is easily achieved.
• Ascent to leadership positions is due to
tenures in Congress.
Impact of the Progressive Era
on Texas
• Wilson-era policy changes has states lose
power to the federal government.
• The Federal Reserve System created:
– foremost development in federal expansion
• Constitutional changes:
– Senators directly elected
– Women granted right to vote
– Federal income tax established
Impact of the Progressive Era
on Texas
Texas and the New Deal
Texas and the New Deal
• Partisan power and ideological shifts begin
• National Democratic Party Decline
– 1918 Democrats lose Congressional majority
– 1920 Democrats lose presidency
• Texas and former Confederate states remain
solidly Democratic
– Lose influence in executive and legislative
branches
New Deal Era:
National Legislative Influence
• Sam Rayburn
– Speaker of the House of Representatives
– Longest tenure in American history (17 years)
• Lyndon B. Johnson
– Senate Majority Leader
– Served in all four national offices: House, Senate, Vice
President, President
• In combination, the two exert significant national
policy influence
New Deal Era:
National Legislative Influence
Texas and the New Deal
• Federal role expands via the interstate
commerce clause
• National regulation of economy
– Institutions now in place (the Fed) allow larger
role
• National interests in protecting civil rights
– Southern states enduring resistance to extend full
citizenship to African Americans
– Federal intervention required to secure
constitutionally guaranteed rights
Texas and the New Deal
• Schism within Democratic Party due to:
– New Deal dividing liberal and conservative
factions
– Civil Rights splitting party (North vs. South)
• Texas “Shivercrats”
– conservative Democrats vote for conservative
Republican (Eisenhower)
Reagan Era in Texas
• Clear national shift: conservatives have left
Democratic party, now in Republican party
• Many conservative Texans in office switch
parties, surge of Republicans in the South
• Republican coalition of social and economic
conservatives
– emphasis on tax cuts, increased state authority,
traditional family values, and national defense
Texas Role in Reagan Era
• Texans central to advancing Reagan economic
policy agenda in House and Senate
– Deregulation, lower taxes, welfare reforms
• Senator Phil Gramm
– PhD in Economics, champions free market theories,
banking, budget, committee influence
• House Majority Leaders
• Richard Armey, followed by Tom DeLay
• House Ways and Means Committee Chair
• Richard Archer
A Resurgence of States’ Powers
Federalism in the Constitution
• Tenth Amendment: “The powers not
delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States,
are reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people.”
Texas Role Beyond Reagan Era
• President George H.W. Bush extends Reagan-era
party and economic policy orientations
– Elected to House of Representatives from Houston,
later served as CIA Director
• President George W. Bush
– Governor of Texas 1995–2000
• Both have Texans in high-profile roles, often
central to political controversies of the day
– James Baker III, Alberto Gonzales, Karl Rove
Tea Party in Texas
• Tea Party movement emerges out of Republican
party in 2010
• Strong preference for less/smaller government,
particularly federal role
– Spending, taxing, regulations
• GOP incorporates and courts Tea Party voters
– Self-identify as Tea Party candidates/members
– Policies/platforms in accord with Tea Party goals
– Establish Tea Party caucuses within legislatures
Tea Party in Texas
• Tea Party quickly influences Texas GOP
• Texas legislature membership and policy agenda
more ideologically conservative
• Ted Cruz defeats Lt. Governor Dewhurst for
Republican party nomination to U.S. Senate
– Cruz ran in primary as the Tea Party candidate
• Governor Rick Perry eschews federal support
– Funds for health care programs for the poor
– State implementation of AHA (“Obamacare”)
Tea Party in Texas
Federalism in the Constitution
• States retain significant powers
– Tenth Amendment
– Police powers
– concurrent powers
Public Opinion Poll
Is it reasonable for Texas to reject federal dollars
for public services for the poor?
a) Yes, the state should reject federal money to keep
the size of government small.
b) No, Texans pay billions in federal taxes and should
see more of their dollars come back to the state.
Public Opinion Poll
Who should be most responsible for providing
basic public services (for example, public
education) for the state’s increasing population
that is also increasingly poor.
a) Federal government should give grants to the state
to spend as they wish.
b) State government should fund themselves.
c) A combination of state and federal
funds/programs.
Public Opinion Poll
In the coming years, do you believe the power and
authority of the Texas government will increase,
remain the same, or decrease?
a) Increase
b) Remain the same
c) Decrease
Public Opinion Poll
Do you think the Tea Party will remain very
influential in Republican politics?
a) Yes, at both the national and state level.
b) It will lose influence in national politics, but remain
powerful in Texas.
c) No, the influence of the Tea Party will diminish at
the national and state levels.