Robert Pratt
The 85th session of the Texas Legislature has convened and not a lot has changed from the 84th.
On the east side of the Capitol, the Senate is laying out an aggressive agenda of government reform, taxpayer protections, and fighting back against those who wish to impose their anti-morality agenda upon us all.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
While the Lt. Governor was laying out a strong agenda of reform on opening day, over on the west side of the Capitol, Speaker Joe Straus’ idea of leadership was telling House members that “compromise” should be their theme. Last I checked, most Texas voters didn’t elect a huge majority of Republican representatives so that they could go to Austin and compromise away their promises.
Speaker Straus also gave comments to the press saying essentially that money is more important than values Texans may hold. “This state should invite economic activity, not turn it away,” Straus said reportedly about allowing people to choose what locker room, shower and bathroom they want to use based on how they identify their sex on a given day.
Speaker Joe Straus
I’ll take boycotts from the activist far Left any day over capitulating to their demands. Too bad Speaker Straus shows neither values or backbone.
Straus’ liberal position on issues of society and morality might be bearable if he actually lived the fiscal-conservative role in which he’s cast himself. But the truth is that it has been his leadership team which has stalled meaningful property tax reform session after session.
With the Senate leading on such full-bore, it will be interesting to see the tricks House leadership uses to attempt to derail much of it this time around. If voters loudly insist on passage, it will be hard for members to fail on meaningful tax reform yet again.
Joe Strauss has not been good for Texas, and that has been clear.
A year or two ago, a more conservative representative challenged Joe Straus for the speakership. You did not express support for that representative until it was too late to make a difference. At the beginning of his run you were very negative about it. If you really don’t like Joe Straus’s politics, why didn’t you strongly support a more conservative man for the position when you had the chance?
I’ve no idea who you are writing about. I’ve long been among the most vocal critics of Straus in Texas. But, that doesn’t mean that I should support just anyone who runs against him. It is not a public election, there is actually no reason to campaign for someone for Speaker. It is enough for reps. to understand our displeasure with Straus. The reps. do the electing of a Speaker, “expressing support” for a specific challenger does litte.