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"...Talk about substantive ideas of governing. Stop chanting the word “conservative” like a village idiot. The word has lost its meaning."
The 81st
legislative session was the strangest one I’ve ever seen. The lesson I’ve learned from this session is
that our Texas legislature is almost superfluous. As long as the Executive branch keeps on functioning Texas can
keep buggering on without a legislature.
(Of course at some point people who buy our bonds need to know Texas
will pay them back.)
The big truth here is that
the legal structure and form of our Texas government is almost
meaningless. What does count is
leadership. While we make much of our government being a constitutional
parliamentary system derived from the British, we often forget, or never really
knew, that Great Britain does not have a written constitution. Their government was shaped by hundreds of
years of traditions put in play by families who routinely murdered each other
for power. Even the great Magna
Charter was just an attempt by English Realtors to limit the eminent
domain rights of King John.
Power in Texas government
belongs to those who exercise it. We are constantly being told that the Governor of
Texas is an inherently weak governor.
The story line is that after the Republicans were booted out of the
Capitol in 1873, our constitution was rewritten to make sure no future
Republican Governor would have the power to rule over us. All this is historically true but the Texas
Governor can and should exercise great power when needed. History is filled with leaders who rose
without having a great title with great authority. The most powerful person in the s\Soviet Communist party was
called its “Secretary“. Julius
Caesar’s started his rise to power as head of Rome’s Park’s and
Wildlife Department. (before
football players there were gladiators)
THE LOST SESSION
The key to understanding
the 81st session is that there was no leadership. Texas Republicans have great candidates who
are world class at being elected to office.
But no one who really wants to govern.
Full Analysis (Subscribers Only)
Copyright June 15, 2009, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
State Rep explains his visceral and unwavering opposition to voter ID
With the Session now over, I want to shed some light on why I stood up and spoke against a bill supporters called Voter ID and opponents called Voter Suppression. First of all, however, “I” in this case only refers to my personal experience. Because there were many other legislators who felt just as strongly about opposing this legislation as I did, they stood up too. Whether it was on the back mike, in a caucus meeting, or at their desks writing questions to be asked, they stood up too. We also recognize that many other legislators, including Democrats did not agree with our opposition, and we respect those differences.
The position against this legislation was one taken on behalf of many people. In my case, I felt I had to stand up and speak because there were so many people, including legislators and non-legislators who wanted to be heard. I am not sure I’ve ever seen something that evoked so much emotion and strong opinions. Legislators, voters who followed the session, lobbyists (who weren’t even hired to work this issue), legislative staff, interest groups and even people who work quietly in various capacities under the dome, had feelings about this issue that came from their hearts and from their guts – not from some intellectually arrived at conclusion.
The press on the other hand never seemed to get it. Although they reported on the Ardmore redistricting episode extensively and in great detail, in this case they never seemed to understand what was at the core of the opposition to the bill. The media seemed to always want to go back to it being a “partisan” issue. Perhaps that is just the easy conclusion for them because some opposed it or supported it for those reasons. However, those who opposed it with their heart and their guts never did so for the benefit of any political party and that seemed to have been almost entirely lost in the press.
Many of us opposed to the legislation viewed supporters of the legislation motivated not only by partisanship, but in many cases by racist sentiment as well.
Full Analysis (Subscribers Only)
Copyright June 05, 2009, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
"Texas government reminds me of General Motors. We’re the political equivalent of yesterday’s gas-guzzlers. Sooner rather than later the public is going to quit buying."
As we enter the
final weeks of the 2009 regular legislative session, it feels more like 1959,
or 1859. Everyone’s talking about secession. Okay, one thing’s different from
the late 1950s. Back then, the Russian’s “Sputnik” satellite had
state leaders urging more science education. Today, despite the health scare
from an obviously evolving flu virus,
science is out and creationism is in.
This would be
funny if the stakes weren’t so high. Texas government is designed to move
slowly. Post-Civil War Southern suspicion of authority, you know. But I think
it’s safe to say the framers of the state constitution did intend it to move.
On a variety of
issues, from education to health care to energy, we’re stuck in grudge matches
and tug-o-words from decades ago. Members of both political parties would be
wise to wake up to a world that’s not embalmed in pink granite.
Full Analysis (Subscribers Only)
Copyright May 11, 2009, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved