government

During the course of this year , I learned that the Texas government has many similarities to the United States government . The Texas governor for instance , acts as the head of the state 's executive branch . Like the president , he has the power to make executive s , to veto laws , or to sign bills into effect . Meanwhile , the Texas state legislature acts like the United States Congress . The state 's senators and representatives are responsible for drafting bills , debating issues on the floor and the voting to decide which bills will become law . Finally

br I learned that , just as in the government of the United States , the highest court in Texas is the Supreme Court (Texas Government , 2008 . Texas has five levels of courts . Below the Supreme Court are the appellate courts . One of these is the criminal appellate court and the other is the court of appeals . There is only one criminal appellate court , made up of nine justices , much like the Supreme Court . The 14th district court of appeals is responsible for checking the rest of the state 's county and district courts . While only three justices generally attend the hearing of an appeal , the court has a justices . Beneath the appellate courts are the district courts , which are responsible for juvenile crimes , divorces and criminal actions They are also responsible for hearings on contested elections , as well as land ownership . Beneath the district courts are the county courts which are quite large , wit the exception of the probate court which has only 18 justices . Below that are trial courts , which are limited in what the may do . They may , for instance , fine criminals , but they may not send them to prison (Office of Court Administration , 2006

I was not previously aware of how little power the local courts hold Nor did I realize that the court system of Texas was so uniquely complex and advanced . The Texas judicial system , for instance , allows Texans to electronically pleadings . The fees regarding interacting with the court are calculated and given to those who , without the r having to wait or guess (Edwards , 1997

While I once thought of the president as merely a signer or rejecter of laws and maker of treaties , I learned that the president has tremendous power in his right to create executive s . With it , the president can create new institutions (such as advisory councils , change the pay rates of government ed this year , that those who interfere with the democratic process in Zimbabwe , ought to have their property blocked The president can also set aside areas to be held for environmental reserves (The White House , 2008 . This was something I thought could only be done by congress

I learned that the vice president has no constitutional executive powers , but that the president may delegate assignments to the vice president . I also learned that the vice president , unlike the president , is not subject to term limits . He must meet all of the requirements for presidency...