04.16.06
What’s At Stake
Gardner Selby’s article today, What’s at stake for state leaders?, got me thinking about what is at stake. Not for the individual politicians so much – I do think that if the schools are shutdown, Perry will not be reelected – but about the bigger picture. There’s been some serious cracks shown in the Republican leadership, and party as a whole, in Texas over the last year.
Not just the failure, again and again, to get a school finance/tax reform plan passed, but also the defection of many Republicans to kill the last special session by joining the Democrats and voting for the Hochberg bill. That and the Donna Howard pick-up, when the GOP had jiggered the election so it was advantageous to them and they lost anyway. The defeat of long-time representative and current House Education Committee Chair Kent Grusendorf. Some of this is probably just growing pains and the reality of switching to the majority and actually having to govern. It’s new to them.
If this continues, and the Republicans in Texas can’t reach a deal they will be showing everyone that they can’t govern. I have to say I find it hard to believe that they won’t reach some kind of a deal because the GOP in Texas and their leadership must know this too. I expect a deal, I expect it to be less than spectacular. That’s what’s at stake.
Capitol Annex » From The Blogs: April 17, 2006 said,
April 17, 2006 at 11:34 am
[...] Eye on Williamson tells us what’s at steak in the Special Session. [...]
Eye on Williamson » said,
May 13, 2006 at 8:21 am
[...] Here’s what I wrote before the session, What’s at stake: If this (stalemate on education finance) continues, and the Republicans in Texas can’t reach a deal they will be showing everyone that they can’t govern. I have to say I find it hard to believe that they won’t reach some kind of a deal because the GOP in Texas and their leadership must know this too. I expect a deal, I expect it to be less than spectacular. That’s what’s at stake. [...]