Impeach Perry?

Independent Texans Supported Carole Keeton-Strayhorn (5.00 / 1)

What Linda Curtis won't remind you of on her site is that IndyTexans were big supporters of Strayhorn. It was that kind of vote-splitting between her and Kinky that led to the Perry's re-election. So now, they want to turn around and lead an impeachment effort, in a Republican-dominated House, when they had a chance to make some kind of good last November? This effort is quixotic at best.

Linda Curtis once told me that I'm somehow "disrespectful" in that I don't agree with people choice's to vote for whoever they want. You can vote for Kinky, you can vote for Strayhorn, you can vote for Matt "The Patriot" Dillon. Would those people have successfully beaten Perry? Go ahead and flush your vote down the toilet then. It's that mentality that happens from election to election, which sticks us with more Republicans in office.

Ms. Curtis won't be happy until she and her group gets all the credit for getting rid of Perry. And that's just prideful. It's people like her who voted for Nader giving us the Bush tyranny. All so they can call themselves "independent".

Skylor Williams

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by: Skylor Williams @ Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 22:02:59 PM UTC

Let's get realistic (5.00 / 1)

While they're undoubtedly bad policy and bad for the people of Texas, none of the so-called "high crimes and misdemeanors" are impeachable offenses. Until Linda Curtis can find an actual impeachable offense, she should use what clout she has to improve public policy.

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by: davew @ Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 13:09:25 PM UTC

I'd rather spend the energy elsewhere (5.00 / 2)

We have other candidates to get elected who need our efforts more.  This isn't going to help us.  Besides, if we oust him, who would be in charge?  Dewey?  No, thanks.

Disclosure: Former Political Director for Lee Leffingwell for Mayor of Austin ('09)

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by: sccs @ Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 18:12:41 PM UTC

Much as I'd like to see the end of Rick Perry (5.00 / 1)

There's about as much chance of him being impeached as there is of Cindy Sheehan being the next Pope.

Hope is not a plan.

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by: Dave In A Cave @ Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 23:22:24 PM UTC

As much as I dislike Perry (0.00 / 0)

I'd rather spend my time working hard for Dems running for offices in 2008 and 2010.  All of my efforts will be going to support Rick Noriega for Texas candidate for U.S. Senate in 2008.  Working for Noriega will be far more fun and exhilarating than taking down a very unpopular and contemptible guv.  That said, the best of luck to those who undertake the effort.  Fewer  Republicans in office is so good for Texas.

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by: Libby Shaw @ Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 16:50:31 PM UTC

Better Use of Time? (0.00 / 0)

The idea of impeaching Rick Perry has some merit.  Rick Perry is, IMHO, the most corrupt Governor of our lifetimes.  Not in any "bags of cash under the table" sense, unfortunately, since our campaign finance laws are so wide-open that one does not need to resort to dirty tricks to deliver it.  He's corrupt in the sense that he's in office in order to make those people who fund his political career, and with whom he agrees on a limited version on what Texas should look like, a lot of money. 

He did the Trans-Texas Corridor because wealthy contributors would make a lot of money, and that was good enough for him.  He may or may not have had some ideas about transportation policy, but certainly no coherent vision of Texas that would factor in the impact of such a monstrosity on the environment, quality of life, or the economy of rural parts of Texas through which the various corridors would steamroll. 

He did the Residential Construction Commission -- which has become an embarrassment to even its legislative co-sponsors -- because it would help wealthy contributors like Bob Perry and Dick Weekley hang on to their money, and that was good enough for him.  He didn't think it through enough to reconcile his vision of home ownership, with a car in every garage and a chicken in every pot, with the frustrating reality of slipping foundations, cracked walls, dead outlets and leaky roofs that hundreds of thousands of Texans face. 

And the list could go on and on.  All that said, however, Perry's impeachment is almost inconceivable, in that it does not depend on the 60 percent of Texans who would apparently prefer a different Governor but on the vagaries of constitutional law and the brutalities of legislative politics. 

So here's a better use of our time: ROCK RICK PERRY'S WORLD.  Take back the House of Representatives in 2008.  Replace Tom Craddick with a moderate Speaker dedicated to fairness and protecting the House.  Go after Perry enablers in the Senate, both Democratic and Republican, giving rebels like John Carona and Rodney Ellis more running room.  Put up a first-class team of candidates for statewide office in 2010. 

Perhaps most important, encourage legislators to show pride in themselves as an independent branch of state government, rather than ceding huge chunks of their authority to the Governor.  For example, last session there was a showdown between the Legislature and Perry over TYC and putting it into conservatorship.  Perry wanted the ability to name, now and forevermore, the executive director of the TYC (a power then vested in its gubernatorially-appointed board).  This was a straight-up power grab, and not his first. 

When Ann Richards was governor and both branches of the Legislature were in Democratic hands, she never would have dreamed of such power grabs -- and more important, the Legislature would have strung her up for trying it.  But this crowd rolls over and lets Perry scratch their bellies, or kick their heads, however he sees fit. 

Ultimately, this Legislature will not impeach Rick Perry; they are too cowed by him.  So let's change the Legislature and the relationship between the branches, and restore some of the dignity of the old days. 
 

DeeceX: making Texas safe for democracy

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by: DeeceX @ Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 16:54:46 PM UTC

Excellent (0.00 / 0)

Your points are well taken and I agree with you.

My guess is that Curtis and Independent Texans is trying to throw some red meat out to folks who support traditional Independent candidates so as to galvanize and energize in order to do just what you propose....take back the House.

Todd

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

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by: Todd Hill @ Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 17:10:41 PM UTC

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