How Did The Texas Constitution Influence The Government

The Texas Constitution was a product of the Reconstruction era, the tumultuous period that preceded the Civil War. The document reflects the fears and hopes of its framers. They were fearful of an oppressive state after living under the oppressive scrutiny of the Reconstruction Era. They hoped to prevent that from happening again by putting strong restraints on the government. Most of those restraints have followed Texas into the modern era. Those restraints have evolved into weaknesses that compromise the integrity and authority of the state government. But, legislators could adjust the constitution to be less restrictive and more effective by strengthening the executive's power, instating a full-time legislature, and reorganizing the judiciary.

The Texas Constitution distributed executive power over a multitude of elected offices. At the time the framers wrote it, this seemed like a good idea. After all, they lived in an era of intense government control. Creating a plural executive seemed like a good way to prevent the government from overstepping its boundaries. However, this plural executive has proven to be a hindrance. For instance, when Republican Bill Clements was governor, he shared his executive power with Democrats who disagreed with his priorities. This made it very

Detailed tax and spending limitations make it difficult for legislators to operate efficiently. Furthermore, legislators are not paid very well for their part time work; they only make about $16,160 a year on average. This was intended to create a legislature of citizen-lawmakers who would better understand the needs and desires of their constituents. Ironically, the plan backfired, creating a body of lawmakers who are incredibly susceptible to influence by special interest groups. One way to combat this would be to create a full-time, professional legislature that meets