Texas Speaker’s Race: the New Majority’s First Test
Another group that’s come out firing in Straus’ direction is Young Conservatives of Texas. That influential group, which counts the current Republican Party of Texas’ chairman as its founder, has been hammering Straus over the committee chairmen he appointed during the 2009 session. The YCT also endorsed Paxton, citing the very high conservative legislative rating the group gave him after that 2009 session. If Straus is elected, the chairmanship issue isn’t likely to go away: Straus is touting the support of 49 Democrats along with 79 of the 98 Republicans (one passed away after the election and has yet to be replaced), and has already said he will appoint some Democrats to committee chairmanships. If those numbers hold up, and at least the Democratic ones will since their bylaws require them to caucus and then vote for a single candidate in bloc, Straus has enough support to win if the vote were held today.
But the vote isn’t being held today, and won’t be held until the first day of the next session, which is in January. That’s plenty of time to create fissures and realignments among the Republican state representatives and reps-elect. Anyone connected to Texas GOP politics at all has gotten either or both sides to request their support in Facebook group pages. There’s “Oust Joe Straus” and “No to Joe Straus” on one side, and “Conservatives for Joe Straus” and his actual Facebook page on the other, and big name social media consultants like the Vincent Harris Group are combatants in the battle. Inboxes are filling up with press releases from both sides, as endorsements for the candidates line up, or drop off and change sides. It really has become a campaign after the campaign, complete with outside groups and endorsers circulating emails that have backfired on their preferred candidates — the bane of communications pros and media reps no matter whose side you’re on.
All of this means that at this point no one really knows who is going to be the next speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. The betting money is probably with Straus, since he already has the Democratic caucus’ votes and only needs about a fourth of the GOP side, and if both Paxton and Chissum stay in the race, they’re likely to split the conservative vote. But the incoming class is more conservative than its predecessor. The thought of a GOP caucus that’s redder than red letting the Democrats, who were beaten like a cheap pawn shop drum in the last election, elect its leader is anathema to many of the newly elected and the voters who propelled them to victory.
Update: It turns out that AFP and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility haven’t endorsed anyone in the speaker’s race, though both are vocally leading what might be termed the “Texas needs a conservative speaker” side of the argument. Dick Armey’s group FreedomWorks did endorse Paxton, however, as has Mike Huckabee.
Getting rid of this guy should be a no-brainer.
OTOH, in Pa. it appears the GOP hasn’t learned its lesson either and is about ready to pick a tax-and-spender as Speaker as well. The real election, however, does not come until January.
Linking to the Houston Chronicle here regarding the vile attacks being made on Joe Straus – Apparently Ray Myers and Peter Morrison believe being Jewish is a sin akin to being a democrat. I am a strong conservative Republican and wish to see Straus replaced, but not in this manner. Paxton and Chisum will do well to continue repudiating these “supporters”.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/7304208.html
Indeed, this kind of anti-Semitism is so comical and destructive that it even seems possible that it’s all a hoax, arranged for either by the Democrats or perhaps even Straus himself. How convenient for the people resisting the conservative takeover to have “proof” that the conservatives are indeed knuckle-dragging bigots…
How doubly convenient that these attacks should come from Liberal Bill White’s stomping grounds. Not that I’m saying his base would’ve had anything to do with that… Or am I?
I’ve been watching this battle in a kind of benign interest if only because I have not been in Texas long enough to be completely familiar with all involved. As a former New Yorker, however, I find the anti-Semitic attacks all too familiar–and repugnant.
John and James, you guys are FULL OF IT! I strongly oppose Straus and I am of Jewish descent and PROUD of it. My ancestor hid in the mountains of Austria for WEEKS before he could escape the persecution of Jews in Austria, so don’t try feeding us this CRAP that Christian conservatives oppose Straus because he’s Jewish. Christian Conservatives ALWAYS have been ALWAYS will be and ARE the STRONGEST supporters of Israel and the Jews. That’s a fact that liberals and secular Jews try to ignore and rewrite but REALITY can’t be changed or ignored. You guys are lying and you know it. I was called anti-Semitic for opposing Straus and the stupid media that did it didn’t even bother to check the Jewish roots of my family name. So get off your ivory towers, drop the typical weak argument use of the race card and grow up. If you can’t win without using the racism stink bomb to cover up your lack of ideas and factual arguments, don’t play the ideas game. Conservatives oppose Straus because he’s a pro-abortion, pro-gay, anti-border control, anti-immigration reform, anti-gun spender who has INCREASED the deficit by BILLIONS as Speaker and pushed gambling more than any Texas values supported by the MAJORITY of Texas CITIZENS! THAT is reality. THAT is why Straus will NOT be speaker. Only 11 Republican RINOs voted for him 2 years ago, the rest of his Speaker votes were all Democrats. THAT say sit all. He got to be Speaker with DEMOCRAT votes, NOT Republican ones. Straus is a joke and liberal RINOs are the punchline. The joke is over as of Nov. 2. Deal with it!
Mentioning that someone is a ‘Good Christian’ suddenly is a slam on the other guy? Dude, I’ve been slammed by the Christian Right in my own time (actually preached against in two churches when running for office in the 80s) and this is nothing. This is hardly a slam on Straus; it is a compliment to Paxton. The mention of the Rabbi was in relation to his specific support for abortion rights and was appropriate- from a POLITICAL CONTEXT of association. Faith is not the issue, but how one stands on social conservative issues. When this whole non-issue was mentioned in our recent Tea Party meeting, one of our several Jewish members piped up ‘Well, I’m Jewish and I CERTAINLY don’t support Joe Straus!’
Both Paxton and Chisum instantly released strong and clear messages condemning the injection of any religious issues into this race; not sure what more you expect of them in this case. And- other than that one email- I have seen nothing else in this vein.
Hmm.. well Texas is doing such a great job recently I think they’ll manage no matter who ends up speaker. That said I hope they do get rid of Straus. Then we can see what a truly conservative legislature can do.
So American politics is flawed.It should read that the Republicans that were elected to the house vote for their leader.Democrats should sit on their hands or whatever else they have handy and NOT have a vote.One question…Do the republicans have a vote to appoint the minority leader,…I don’t think so.
Minority leader is a caucus position, as is majority leader; Speaker of the House is not. It’s a House position and all members get a vote.
In the British House of Commons they deal with this by depriving the Speaker of real power. They may have the right idea.
This is so great! All across America, we are fighting battles for decent government. We have to start from the Far-Right and move left; clean out all the rot. It’s not just the election, one and done. No, it is a battle for our own civilization.
I think Texas is most important. “As goes California, so goes the nation.” That may still be true, unless another State can act as a counter-force. Texas is moving the opposite direction. Its electoral count will be 37 or 38, up from 34. Perhaps it will be, “As goes Texas, so goes the nation.”
Keep up the pressure, folks!
Texas ( I live here ) is one big old boy network. Regardless what party they belong to you can bank on the legislature continuing to keep bidnez as usual rolling along. They restrict competition in retailing so we never get companies like Trader Joe’s here. Booze is regulated like a hard drug. Prices are thus stupid high. A beer distributorship here is a license to be a prince and you are guaranteed no competition … if you continue to pay off the right guys. Whoever builds the school building must really be connected because the smallest town has a palace for a High School but they teach nonsense and BS. Yes Texas is a great state but it is actually controlled by white collar criminals. Oh and it really seems like being a county sheriff is as good as having your own little mafia and this is just considered the way things are.
Take it from a native Texan, it’s a lot better now than it used to be. For example:
1. Until ~1970, having a mixed drink or shot of hard liquor was illegal outside a private club. So every tavern was a “private club” where patrons became “members” for the night.
2. Until 1985, Texas had the most convoluted “blue laws” imaginable. There were large lists of items that stores couldn’t sell on both Saturday and Sunday. The two Kmart stores in Abilene had an interesting workaround — one closed on Sunday, the other on Saturday.
3. Until ~1990, branch banking was illegal. That’s why most of the big cities’ tallest skyscrapers were banks — they could only expand upward. And in those pre-Internet days, that meant either taking a long drive (usually into the congested downtown) to conduct bank business or using snail mail. When ATMs debuted they were slow to catch on in Texas, due to concern that regulators would deem them “branches” and prohibit them anywhere but at the main office. Interestingly, that law did not apply to S&Ls or credit unions, who could have all the branches they wanted.
4. I don’t recall if it was state law or company policy, but for a long time UPS would not make intrastate deliveries in Texas. As a result, UPS offices near the state line did huge volume. My parents would use the Anthony, NM office outside El Paso to send stuff to us.
As for other restrictions on retail (like no Trader Joe’s), fortunately the Internet has rendered such obstacles irrelevant.
Now if Texas would finally join its neighboring states and the rest of Dixie (other than Virginia) and dump the front license plate . . .
he he he he he
Thanks. I don’t feel so bad now. %^))
There’s even more drama going on here. On Tuesday, there will be a public hearing of the Ethics committee on accusations of improper- and possibly illegal- coercion and intimidation. The ethics committee is chaired by Chuck Hopson, A Democrat-turned Republican, who received almost $30K from Straus to survive the conversion. If this guy doesn’t step aside, conflict of interest will have a whole new Prom King:
http://northtexasteaparty.org/2010/11/18/kangaroo-court-in-austin-nov-23rd/
Thanx for the post… You should add something more
I tend to agree with “Stride”
Surely battles for decent governance is on going thing and as already mentioned it’s not just the election, its about our civilization.
I tend to agree with strider.
Surely it not about elections alone, but battle of our civilization.
Straus is a liberal and will not be Speaker again, PERIOD. No one gives a rip if he’s Jewish, Christian, atheist, whatever. We care that he’s a LIBERAL who cares more about the agenda for HIM than Texas. I’m the guy accused of being anti-Semitic for opposing Straus in the article, only I’m of Jewish descent, and if the stupid drive by media hit squad had checked that before making the accusation, they’d of spared themselves making such foolish and slanderous accusations. It doesn’t matter to me that Straus is Jewish because I am from Jewish heritage, and have always supported Israel and the Jews, as do ALL Christian Conservatives. It’s well known that Christian Conservatives are the most ardent supporters of Israel and the Jews, because we are taught from childhood that Christ was a Jew, and the Jews are God’s chosen people, and it is not optional to support Israel, it’s a command from God Himself. So this accusation that we oppose Straus for being Jewish is a foolish statement for anyone to make and exposes the weakness of the argument of the person making the stupid accusation.
We oppose straus very simply because he’s a liberl RINO, trying to subvert the will of the people of Texas, the CITIZENS of Texas, who PAY HIS SALARY, by trying to co-opt the Republican majority using democrat votes which the Democrat party doesn’t allow Republican votes to be used for Speaker vote when THEY’RE the majority, trying to force Texas to live under MINORITY rule of the Democrat 1/3rd minority. Straus is a spoiled rotten born millionaire rich boy with so many ties to the dirty money gambling sewer crowd, pro-abortion, pro gay agenda, anti-gun, anti-border control anti-immigration reform, and while he’s supposedly a fiscal conservative, he’s INCREASED our deficit by BILLIONS the past two years with his RINO and Democrat cabinet appointments. Yes he’s a great politician in the typical sense of the word. He’s made plenty of money for himself as Speaker, but he hasn’t done CRAP for Texas, and THAT is why he’s GONE. Count on it.
His quote after the election says it all. He said “The election is over, it’s time for the grass roots people to sit down, and shut up”. Well Joe, now it’s time for YOU to sit down and SHUT UP! Look in the mirror and take your own advice. 70%+ of Texas voters voted Republican, that’s a FACT. Submit to that FACT and the will of WE THE PEOPEL, or get the heck out! Don’t tell the People of Texas to shut up when WE are the majority and WE pay YOUR salary. You serve at OUR pleasure, NOT the other way around son. And that goes for your cronies beneath you! WE are in charge here. And in January you’re gonna learn that the hard way. Have a good December, reality check coming in January.