Texas Politic

• Where are you from (where you grew up) and did your home town, state, or country influence your political beliefs? • How did you learn about government growing up? • How did the area of the country or the world you’re from help determine your political socialization (“political socialization” being a term from our first unit referring how the attitudes, beliefs, and understanding of one’s government is transmitted to new generations)? • What influenced (and how) your political socialization—your parents, your religion, your peers, your school, the media? • If 18 or older and a citizen, are you registered to vote and have you voted before? Why or why not? • Did you or did you not vote in the 2018 general election (and why)? • If you are not a citizen, do you plan to be and will you vote? Regarding voting, why or why not? Who would you have voted for in the presidential race if you could have voted? • Do you consider yourself a Republican or Democrat? Other? No party? Independent voter? Why do you identify with a party or do not do so? • Were your parents active in a political party; if so, which one? Are you active or identify with the same party? If different from your parents in this regard, why did you change? • Did follow the campaigns for the 2018 general election and, if so, how did you follow the campaigns: Television? Newspapers or magazines? Internet? Social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.)? Talking with friends and family? Other? Have you been following politics and government in Texas? Have you been following national politics and issues about the Trump Administration president? If so, how? • How closely do you follow Texas politics and government? What issues faced the recent session of the Texas Legislature which met in Austin in its biennial session from January to May of this year. To find information about the most recent session of the legislature, go to www.texastribune.com or www.texasobserver.com or https://www.statesman.com/topics/texas%20legislature. and find an article that the Texas Legislature is working on (e.g., abortion, lowering property taxes on homeowners and increasing the sales tax on every consumer in the state, etc.) that interests you. Discuss what the issue is about and what you think about it and your opinion on how well your Texas Legislature dealt with it. • Do you follow local government (county and city)? How do you do this? What local issues are important to your family and why? • Do you follow politics and government? Are you active in politics? Why or why not? Please read the following three articles and comment on them regarding the crucial issue of political participation for young people: • https://www.texasobserver.org/im-a-teen-activist-in-texas-and-im-tired-of-being-ignored-by-politicians/ • https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/Why-Are-Millennials-So-Connected-but-Apathetic-Toward-Politics.html • https://thetenaflyecho.com/5496/opinion/the-dangers-of-political-apathy/