Campaign issues
Campaign planning is crucial since it makes the difference between a losing campaign and a winning one given that the winning campaign has better campaign strategies. The state of Texas has had a long history with Mexicans given that at one point they occupied Texas State. Since a winning campaign should have a relatable message to the electorate, riding on limiting Mexicans immigration to Texas relates with the local Americans in Texas. To win a campaign, a candidate has to draw the attention of the electorate to their needs and showing how the candidate’s victory will positively impact their lives. The fact that the Mexican immigration relates to a large extent with the natives, awarded me as a candidate the much-needed advantage to win the Texas gubernatorial seat.
Texas is by population and size the second largest state of the United States of America ranking second in gross state product. Having a leading industrial base in energy, agriculture, petrochemicals, biomedical sciences as well as aerospace and electronics, the state of Texas would benefit much from a limited national government power over the state. The blowing winds of change have seen attorneys general of different states, as well as governors, challenge perceived federal overstepping of constitutionally set roles.
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Another strategy that won me the governor’s seat is the drive to have a fair application of the death penalty. Since the state of Texas was the premier jurisdiction to execute by lethal injection, the state has led to the total number of executions carried out in the United States. It is, therefore, appealing to the electorate to ensure capital punishment is executed fairly.
The K-12 education system has caused ripples among the Texas population with critics opining that it is needless to pump more money into the education system proposing that there are several ways to make it without an education. However, I successfully used the agenda to convince the electorate that it is paramount to invest in the future generation.
Informal and Formal powers of Texas Governor
Appointments power
One of the significant resources the Texas governor wields is the appointment power which he can use to amass support and succeed in his political goals. Given the many commissions, boards and agencies that undertake the daily government operations, the governor is charged with the responsibility of making appointments in these entities. Consequently, the governor is well positioned to strategically appoint his allies in state government forming a critical asset to ensure his efforts in undertaking policy implementation are successful. Additionally, the governor can appoint members to the state government as a reward for previous support setting the stage for future support. Whenever vacancies fall in elected offices, the governor officially declares special elections are providing for the offices to be filled. In cases of state offices, the governor's duty is to appoint qualified Texans to direct state policies and implement the law. Despite some offices being filled ordinarily through elections, the governor occasionally makes appointments to task forces and advisory bodies to help the governor with certain issues.
In light of the governor’s appointment powers, the Texas governor can have an appointee to serve in a position that falls vacant even when the legislature is not in session to confirm.
Budgetary powers
Despite the Texas governor exercising limited influence on the budgeting process, he has the ability to convince the legislature to prioritize his agenda. The most influence on budgeting process is vested on the Legislative Budget Board. Formally, the governor is the steward of public monies, therefore, has to estimate the taxation rates and consequently account for monies paid out and received providing a basis for budgeting. The governor as the head of the state government is allowed by law to transfer money between agencies or projects to counter emergency requirements departing from the budget. Additionally, the governor can influence the Legislative Budget Board by getting public attention on the budgetary allocation for emergency needs. Given the fact that the legislature curtails the budgetary powers of the government, the governor can use his veto power to have his agenda.
Military and police powers
The constitution installs the Texas governor as the commander-in-chief of state military and has the power to appoint the Adjutant General who heads the Texas National Guard. The National Guard is charged with responding to civil unrest and other situations with the provision to respond to emergencies and natural disasters where required. Despite police investigation and law enforcement resting on county and city governments, the Texas governor is also accorded limited police powers. With the Senate approval, the governor makes appointments to the Public Safety Commission that gives direction on the operations of the Department of Public Safety. Even though the occurrence is rare, the governor can assume Texas Rangers command, a Department of Public Safety Commission division.
Veto powers
The Texas governor by far and large has basic powers over the legislature by veto. Using his veto powers, the governor can nullify concurrent resolutions, bills, and appropriation items. During the session, a governor can use his veto power to assert influence on the legislature. Since the legislature controls much of the budgetary process, the governor can employ veto power as an intervention of last resort to influence spending priorities in the budgeting process. Without necessarily vetoing the whole bill, a governor can use the line-item veto to get out given elements from a bill.
Special sessions powers
In attempts to influence the legislative process, the Texas governor can invoke his constitutional authority and convene legislature’s special session. Often, the special session is mainly called by the governor to bring full attention to particular crisis or problem. Since the legislators only earn a part-time salary during special sessions, the governor can use this fact to his advantage to advance his agenda in the legislature by threatening for special sessions.
Message powers
The message power contains integral informal view. The primary reason for this is the fact that the governor holds a unique position in the political system and the state. Therefore despite his limitations on formal powers, the governor can make addresses to the public, groups and issues statements thus continuously airing his priorities and agendas which are covered by the news media. As a result, the statements issued, in spite of carrying no binding authority, they act as tone-setters for the whole state government. A governor who uses this informal power skillfully, the constant access to media coverage covers up for limited formal powers even though partially.
Since the head of state is an integral state symbol, it is regarded informally as his duty to give personal opinions and position on issues. Additionally, the governor represents Texas in meetings with other states officials, countries and the federal government.
Use of formal power to pass public policy
Public policy can exhibit itself as both controversial and complicated yielding multiple trade-offs. To begin with the governor’s budgetary power in transferring money to special projects, crucial public interests such as education can be influenced to achieve his agenda. The K-12 education can be improved through budgetary process power of the governor given the criticism accorded towards the policy.
With regard to Mexican immigration into Texas, the governor can employ the military and police powers. Given the fact that the military is only assigned to help respond to emergencies and situations such as civil unrest, illegal immigration may be mitigated by employing more security forces to the porous border points with Mexico.
Since most appointments are political in the state, appointment powers can effectively influence the implementation of fair capital punishment. The main reason is that the political appointees in the judiciary will work to please their master, in this case, the governor.
Use of informal power to pass public policy
From the discussion in this paper, it is evident that the governor has limited powers compared to other state governors. Therefore to informally pass his public policies, it will require him to employ the message powers to ensure that illegal migration, fair death penalty application, as well as improving the K-12 education. Additionally, the fact that, the governor represents the state in federal meetings; he can perfectly employ the forum to drum support with fellow governors to limit the national government’s power over the states.
