Ramping up attacks on the Governor shows Team Straus as odd folk out.
Robert Pratt
Remember one thing about the Texas press corps that covers the Legislature: Most of the reporters are quite obviously of the Left and hold a Democrat Party world-view. These members of the manipulative media also understand that in a heavily Republican, conservative-leaning state, a self-professed “moderate” Republican as Speaker of the Texas House is the best they can hope for.
So while the self-described moderate Speaker, one Joe Straus of San Antonio who won power through the backing nearly the entire Democrat caucus and a mere sixteen Republicans, gets great press from liberal news outlets, his real agenda has been one of frustrating mainstream Republican and conservative efforts at reform.
The press generally presents Straus and his committee chairmen as the reasoned, mainstream voices when in reality in the 85th Session, the Straus House is an island of its own making – they dug out a moat and now find themselves disconnected.
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus
In panic, Team Straus has not only amplified its war with the more conservative Senate, it has begun a series of off-the-record and on-the-record press interviews designed to attack Governor Abbott to the extent of even asking whether he is fit to lead at all.
The Dallas Morning News’ Brandi Grissom, its Austin Bureau Chief, had a story headlined “Governor’s silence on hot issues leaves House lawmakers in no mood to play nice.”
“Grumbling in the Texas House about Abbott’s laissez-faire leadership is morphing into legislative backlash,” Grissom wrote.
This piece and others began popping up over the past two weeks making it clear that Texas House leadership is expanding its war from the Senate to the Governor as well.
Speaker Straus often talks about working with others well and letting the members run the House but when you step back, it’s clear he and his team works almost excusively with Straus’ constituents – the Austin political-power insiders (he’s not elected by the people as is the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor.)
Members of Team Straus should take a sober look around as they may find that digging that political moat ensured that it is they who are the odd folk out.
It’s the Straus House versus everyone else
Ramping up attacks on the Governor shows Team Straus as odd folk out.
Robert Pratt
Remember one thing about the Texas press corps that covers the Legislature: Most of the reporters are quite obviously of the Left and hold a Democrat Party world-view. These members of the manipulative media also understand that in a heavily Republican, conservative-leaning state, a self-professed “moderate” Republican as Speaker of the Texas House is the best they can hope for.
So while the self-described moderate Speaker, one Joe Straus of San Antonio who won power through the backing nearly the entire Democrat caucus and a mere sixteen Republicans, gets great press from liberal news outlets, his real agenda has been one of frustrating mainstream Republican and conservative efforts at reform.
The press generally presents Straus and his committee chairmen as the reasoned, mainstream voices when in reality in the 85th Session, the Straus House is an island of its own making – they dug out a moat and now find themselves disconnected.
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus
In panic, Team Straus has not only amplified its war with the more conservative Senate, it has begun a series of off-the-record and on-the-record press interviews designed to attack Governor Abbott to the extent of even asking whether he is fit to lead at all.
The Dallas Morning News’ Brandi Grissom, its Austin Bureau Chief, had a story headlined “Governor’s silence on hot issues leaves House lawmakers in no mood to play nice.”
“Grumbling in the Texas House about Abbott’s laissez-faire leadership is morphing into legislative backlash,” Grissom wrote.
This piece and others began popping up over the past two weeks making it clear that Texas House leadership is expanding its war from the Senate to the Governor as well.
Speaker Straus often talks about working with others well and letting the members run the House but when you step back, it’s clear he and his team works almost excusively with Straus’ constituents – the Austin political-power insiders (he’s not elected by the people as is the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor.)
Members of Team Straus should take a sober look around as they may find that digging that political moat ensured that it is they who are the odd folk out.