Statesman Blog on the Session
By Karl-Thomas Musselman
I have been very impressed by the Austin American Statesman's blog on the Texas Legislative session. Little odds and ends, insider bits and stories of the day to day happenings. I only wish we had as much access to write stories like this non-stop for BOR.
One interesting story to note...
Rep. Carlos Uresti, a Democrat from San Antonio who served in the Marines, offered the amendment... saying lawmakers should be required to do what they required all Texas children to do with a law passed last session: Pledge allegiance to the national and state flags.
But Uresti’s amendment didn’t pass before Rep. Terry Keel, the Republican from Austin who introduced the rules changes, objected...
“The working group felt like all of us are patriotic,” Keel said. “This, as a floor vote, is going to politicize it, because we already had a concern in the working group that we have wasted too much time with resolutions among other things. … Once we start adding to our daily pomp and circumstance other meritorious things such as this, that it is putting form over substance and slowing us down.”
Uresti defended his proposal.
“Saying the pledge of allegiance and the pledge of allegiance to the Texas flag takes a total of 20 seconds,” he said. “That’s not going to delay the proceedings of this House.”
Gasp! Can you imagine the attacks that would be coming from the Right if the Party labels had been reversed? It would be much ranting about those unpatriotic Liberals giving excuses and being un-American. They would question "form over substance" because as we all know, every school child looks forward to starting the day with Pledges and stands up tall and embraces them with overflowing pride. And since they don't view it as "going through the motions" they why shouldn't the Representatives of the People be held to the same standard. Such shame, such outrage! Damn America hating Liberal Democrats!
Or should that be Texas hating Conservative Republicans Rep. Keel? Since it's just all pomp and circumstance to you...
Posted by Karl-Thomas Musselman at January 18, 2005 02:36 PM
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yeah, I was going to do a post about this as it was happening, as I watched it on TV but got too busy to put it down. Remember this for 2006- we're going to cram this down Keel's fucking throat. One way or the other we'll have a good shot at that seat real soon as many observers expect Keel to run for Travis County DA in 2008, assuming Ronnie Earle does as most expect he will and retire.
