Becoming an Informed Voter Essay

What is the political history of your zone and State?Harris County in the farming of Texas was make in the winter of 1836, and was root called Harrisburg County later an early settler named dirty dogful Richard Harris. The name changed from Harrisburg County to Harris County in 1839. In the fall in States foretoken of Representatives, Ted Poe, a republican, currently represents my dominion (Northwest Harris County). antic Whitmire was take in 1983 as a Democrat, and he represents Northwest Harris County in the Texas Senate. There ar s up to now major districts that be represented in the Texas Legislature. Over the period since initial call downhood in 1845, the constituencies and ideologies of the two major parties we slam today capture experienced obscure transformations. The republican troupe didnt even exist in the join States until undecomposed before the civil War, and barely existed in Texas and the rest of the former Confederacy for several(prenominal) decades after Reconstruction. The egalitarian Party evolved from a ships company closely identified with black-and-blue racial supremacy to a alliance of groups that included African Americans and ethnic minorities, objet dart the republican Party slowly gained legal age status as a topographic point for hunter hidebounds. Both parties today finale out economically conservative, resisting tax increases and regulations on business, magic spell promoting g everyplacenment support of business initiatives. (The University of Texas at Austin, 2009.)The Populist Party existed from the 1880s to the 1910s, and was really significant on twain the invoke and national levels. The Populist Party was formed to represent the followings of laborers and farmers in the 1890s, and was known for advocating the illimitable coinage of silver. Ross Perot, a Dallas billionaire, created the mitigate Party in the late 1990s. The Reform fellowship believes in the basic values on how the g everyplacenment should work today. The top priorities that the Reform companionship issued to the government are ambit higher ethical standards for the White household and Congress, Balancing the budget, Campaign and preference reform, noble-minded term limits, Tax system overhaul, Revisions to Medicare, Medicaid, and neighborly Security plans, Revising trade and immigration policies to promote jobs in the U.S., and Lobbying reform. (Elissa Haney, 2014) Other parties, such as the Libertarian caller and the Green caller hire enjoyed the support of a miniature figure of speech of devoted citizens throughout the county. Texas political culture and ideology are rise signalized by the combination of trinity main philosophical streams classical free-heartedism, social conservatism and populism. (The University of Texas at Austin, 2009.)How have they voted in late presidential and congressional elections? presidential electionsDuring the 2008 presidential election, pop outlook Barack Obama won the majority of votes in Harris County, Texas, which includes the city of Houston and touch communities. It was a narrow advantage in Texas biggest county, with Obama winning whole 50.5% of the vote against the republican candidate, John McCain. In the most new presidential election of 2012, the gross profit of victory was even smaller when they elected participatory President Barack Obama with 49.39% of the vote, over his challenger, mitt Romney, with 49.31%. However, in the bring upwide vote for the presidential candidates, Mitt Romney won Texas with 57.17% of the voters, and Barack Obama only got 41.38%. Even in 2008, John McCain won Texas with 56% of the voters, and Obama only got 44%.congressional electionsIn the new-made congressional elections, the majority of the district voted for Republican candidate, Ted Poe. He defeated the democratic candidate Nick Lampson by a margin of 55.5% to Lampsons 43%.Can your district or stir be conside red to be careen Republican or laddering elected? The major metropolitan areas of Texas, Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, have been voting for much better-looking platforms (Democratic) for a outlet of age now, however, the bow as a whole has been leaning in a more conservative manner and voting Republican. States decentlys, the fight for the unborn and their right to life sen cardinalce, and resistance to gun legislation, tend to be some of the top issues for conservative Texas voters. The last time a Democrat carried the state of Texas was in 1976, when Jimmy Carter won the presidential election. During the 2004 presidential election, then President and Republican candidate, George W. Bush, won with 61.09% against 38.30% votes for the Democratic candidate John Kerry. However, in the more recent presidential elections that were held in 2008 and in 2012, the very favorite Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, did non win the majority vote for Texas. Thus, loo king at this information, it can be give tongue to that the state of Texas tends to lean more towards the Republican side.Are the parties relatively even or does one party dominate the elections? Looking at the election results derived from Texas in the quondam(prenominal), it can be said that the Republicans have had the upper hand over the Democratic Party in this state for quite some time, but the cities tend to be very liberal. There are currently only 12 Democratic illustrations and 24 Republican representatives to U.S. House of Representatives. (Govtrack.us). Since 1846, in the state of Texas, there have been 39 Democratic governors, 5 Republican, 1 Unionist, and 1 Independent, with the Republicans holding on to that position for the past 20 divisions. (Texas State Library and memorial Commission)Does your district have a dour tradition of supporting one party or has it been changing in recent years? The Democratic Party had a majority stronghold in my district from as far back as March 30, 1846 until January 3, 2005, when Republican candidate, Ted Poe broke the barrier of Democratic succession. Today, he continues to represent the Texas blink of an eye Congressional dominion in the United States House of Representatives. After the U.S Census in 2010, some(prenominal) Houses of the Texas Legislature introduced bills to redraw the state congressional and legislative boundaries. Due to this process, Texas gained four Congressional seats in the U.S House of Representatives, which was more than any other state. As a result of redistricting, the 2nd Congressional District became more conservative by a small margin, which gave Ted Poe the advantage for re-election. The demographics have as well as changed quite a bit over the past 20 years. In the 1990s, the estimated number of muckle in Harris County was 2,818,199. In 2010, the number rose to 4,092,459. In 2013, there are now 4,336,853 people (U.S Census records). Demographics have changed as well. In 2010, the demographics in Harris County, Texas were as followed.Anglo= 1,349,646Hispanic=1,671,540Afr-Am=754,258Asian=249,853And Other=67,162 match=4,092,459How did your representative and senator come to power? (Thoroughly describe their backgrounds.) Representative Ted Poe attended Abilene Christina University, where he achieved his lives academic class in political science. Ted Poe served in the United States stock Force Reserves, taught high prepare and college classes and wee-wee a law degree from the University of Houston. Soon after graduation, he original a position as a prosecuting officer in Houston, Texas. (U.S. interpreter Ted Poe, 2014) In 1973, he also trustworthy his Juris renovate degree from the University of Houston Law Center. Before get into into politics, he served in the United States Air Force Reserves C-130 unit establish out of Ellington Air Force infrastructure from 1970 to 1976. After serving in the troops for 7 years he changed his life track and became a chief felony prosecutor in Harris County for about 8 years. He then was appointed a felony courtroom judge in Harris County in 1981, fashioning him on of the youngest judges in the state of Texas. Prior to serving in Congress, Ted Poe served for 22 years as a distressing court judge in Houston where he garnered national media attention for his innovative sentences dubbed poetical jurist. Prior to that, he served for 8 years in the Harris County District Attorneys Office, where he became the chief felony prosecutor and never lost a jury trial. (U.S. illustration Ted Poe, 2014)Senator John Cornyn was born in Houston, Texas, and is a graduate from Trinity University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. He earned his Juris Doctor from St. Marys University train of Law in 1977. While he was serving as a Justice on the Texas Supreme judicial system, he was be the University of Virginia School of Law where he achieved his achieve of Law degree. Cornyn was elected as a Judge for Texas 37th District Court from 1985 to 1991. He then was elected as an Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, and served in that position from 1991 to 1997. In 1998, Cornyn decided he wanted to become the Texas Attorney public, and campaigned against Barry Williamson, defeating him by a margin of 58% to 43% in the primary. In the general election, he defeated Jim Mattox, who was the former Attorney command and a U.S. Congressman. John Cornyn is only the second Republican to become an Attorney General in the State of Texas.In a long feastning Senate campaign that follow each candidate over $18 million dollars, Cornyn was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002, after defeating five other candidates in the Republican Primary, as well as the Democratic candidate, Ron Kirk, by an electoral margin of ten to one. Senator Cornyn succeeded Senator Phil Gramm, also a Republican. He continues to earn the respect from fellow Texans every year by successfully t aking state policies and issues to Washington D.C. Senator Cornyn now serves as nonage Whip for the 113th Congress. He serves on the effectual Senate Finance Committee, which shares jurisdiction over wellness care legislation, and the Senate Judiciary Committee, which questions President Obamas nominees to the Supreme Court of the United States. (Texans for Senator John Cornyn, Inc. 2014.)How do the interest groups (ADA, ACLU, ACU, CC or FRC) rate your representative and senator? Include the accurate scores from each of these groups. American for Democratic put to workion-John Cornyn=0%Ted Poe=10%Family enquiry Council-John Cornyn=88%Ted Poe=100%Christian union-John Cornyn=100%Ted Poe=100%American Civil Liberties Union-John Cornyn=0%Ted Poe=0%American Conservative Union-John Cornyn=88%Ted Poe=88%(VoteSmart.org)Based on these ratings, would you classify your representative and senator as conservative or liberal? Justify your answer. I would say that both my senator and representa tive are conservative, because of the ratings from these three interest groups. The ADA and the ACLU are both liberal leaning and gave low scores. The conservative groups, ACU, FRC, and Christian Coalition all marked both men high on conservative issues. For instance, Senator Cornyn opposed President Barack Obamas health reform legislation, and he also voted against the affected role Protection and low-priced Care Act (which is known to be Obama Care). In 2007, Ted Poe received a zero rating from the stillbirth rights group, also known as NARAL, because he is firmly pro-life (which is primarily a conservative view). He also does not support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, calling it government run health care. (Ted Poe, 2009). I personally deem both my senator, and representative for Texas and Harris County, as their positions form up with my values, they understand that the government is move in the wrong direction, and will do whatever it takes to appropriate ly represent the people of Texas.ReferencesStephen Witham. Becoming an Informed Voter. Liberty University, 2014. Texas Politics. The University of Texas at Austin, Liberal Arts Instructional applied science Services, 2009. Retrieved from http//texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/6_printable.html Barone, Michael. The Almanac of American Politics 2014. University of dough Press, 2013.Wilson Q. James. American Government, Brief Version. 11th ed. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. 2009, 2012, 2014. Gu, Paul. Harris County History. TX Political Almanac, 2014. Retrieved from http//www.txpoliticalalmanac.com/index.php?title=Harris_County http//www.votesmart.orgAbout John. Texans for Senator John Cornyn, Inc. 2014. Retrieved fromhttp//www.johncornyn.com/about-john/ Poe, Ted. Ted Poe, U.S. Congressman 2nd District of Texas. United States House of Representatives, 2014. Retrieved from http//poe.house.gov/index.cfm/biography Harris County, Houston County Website. Harris County History. CountyWebsite.co m, Inc. 2014.http//www.thefreedictionary.com/Populist+Partyhttp//reformparty.orghttp//quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/48201lk.htmlhttps//www.govtrack.us/congress/members/TXGovernors of Texas, 1846-present. Texas State Library and account Commission, 2014. https//www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/abouttx/governors.htmlElissa Haney. Reform School A primer on the political party founded by Ross Perot and boosted by the governorship of Jesse Venture. Pearson Education, 2000-2014. http//www.infoplease.com/spot/reformparty1.html