| Dear Republican Members of the Texas House of Representatives, Swing Texas voters don't care about what you care about. Since 2003, you have pushed highly partisan issues -- namely congressional redistricting, school vouchers, and voter ID -- to the forefronts of your legislative agendas. Throw in some gay-bashing and the bi-annual Pro Lifer contests, and your legislative agenda looks gets Rush Limbaugh so excited he has to double-up on his order of oxycontin just to cope with the pain of triumph. I know Bob Perry's spokesperson -- who is so great at his job that Perry's personal state agency, the Texas Residential Construction Commission, will be abolished -- has you all riled up about how smart you were to "let" the D's talk for three days. I know that Paul Burka is still going to blame House Democrats for the fact that House Republicans refused nearly a dozen compromises to the voter ID bill -- even though both parties had agreed it shouldn't come to the floor unless there was a compromise. And I know that you're beside yourselves that you got to relive the Craddick glory days for at least one weekend. I also know that you probably don't care that Speaker Straus proved himself to be a total pansy this past weekend. Remember these words: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." This statement, that originated in the Bible, has been preached by Sam Houston and Abraham Lincoln, and it is appropriately used here today. The Texas House of Representatives cannot conduct the people's business if it is divided. And this is why I became a candidate for speaker.
I will try my best to empower members so that they can do what is right for their constituents and for the people of Texas. After all, that is why we are here.
For the next 140 days, the 150 of us have the important responsibility of representing 24 million Texans.
Yeah...turns out Straus couldn't lead his way out of a brown paper sack. No surprises, I guess. But you, House Republicans -- probably still pretty pleased with yourselves. You got to be the "party of No" -- just like your national allies. You got to be obstructionists -- despite holding the Governor's office, the Senate, the House, and, well, every other office of importance, you proved to your constituents that you just couldn't get the job done. You have (almost) killed CHIP expansion. You killed the unemployment insurance bill (saving Rick Perry the hassle of having to veto it). You did a little Tier 1 expansion of higher education (after the Legislative Study Group basically told you what needed to happen), but not much else with higher education. And if you're thinking this will help you in the 2010 midterms -- think again. As Matt pointed out before, Democrats have only picked up seats since we went to Ardmore -- you really think that talking for a few days will be the thing that gets us beat? Get real. Sure voter ID is popular -- but you know what is even more popular? Helping Texans who get screwed by insurance companies. Getting health care for Texas kids. Making college more affordable. Pick an issue -- you're not on the right side of it. Keep crowing about voter ID as your silver bullet. You're going to need more ammo than voter ID in your gun if you plan on holding the House with Pinocchio Joe at the helm. A limosine Republican that couldn't get voter ID through the House and, in effect, may have killed a pro-life bill in the process? How are you all even going to get through the primaries? Meanwhile, swing voters will continue resonating with the policies Texas Democrats have worked on all decade long. Keep working as obstructionists -- it is the easiest way for us to show you the way to the minority. See you in the special! |
