So much for the idea that our representatives are supposed to, you know, represent us. At least that is the message I’m hearing from the increasingly anti-Republican lobby group Empower Texans. In previous years, I was a fan of sorts because they focused on fiscal issues and they did move the cause forward. But after their ill-advised attacks on House Speaker Joe Straus, and now their ramped up attacks on other conservative Republicans, it is becoming increasingly apparent that their goals have little to do with effective policy and much to do with simply berating anyone that dares to disagree with them.
Their latest attack is on Rep. John Zerwas (R-Simonton), a three term representative who happens to be a conservative Republican but has this strange idea that he should listen to the people of his district. More on that in a bit. His crime today? Answering a question about using the “Rainy Day” fund to limit either the cuts or any revenue increases that might be needed as the Legislature develops the budget by saying that the voters in his district want to use the Rainy Day fund. Empower Texans released a blog post calling it “bad medicine”.
Seriously? It is bad medicine for a representative to listen to “the people”? Say what? Did I miss a memo somewhere that says we are no longer a representative democracy? You know, where we get to choose someone to represent us? And then they are supposed to, you know, represent us?
Don’t believe me? Watch the video. Rep. Zerwas clearly says, of the voters in his district, that “they think it’s raining and that most of this money ought to be used”. That is exactly what he says. But Empower Texans spokesman Michael Quinn Sullivan says this:
“Sorry, Dr. Z.,” Sullivan wrote in his press release, “but taxpayers are demanding responsible solutions, not fiscal narcotics, from the Republican supermajority.”
Sorry, E.T., but if the voters of District 28 are telling Rep. Zerwas that they wish to be cautious with the scalpel, that is their right. Isn’t it? And it is his responsibility to listen, isn’t it?
I understand the basic argument that E.T. is pushing (if we bend now it will be easier to bend later) but we have to stop demonizing people simply because they aren’t 100{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} in lockstep with us. I will also note that we do not have the full context of Rep. Zerwas’ remarks because the entire question and answer episode is not contained in that clip.
Rep. Zerwas does make it clear that first we have to cover any shortfall left from the last budget with the fund and then, according to the wishes of his constituents, we need to consider drawing down most of the rest. While I think it is premature to decide that will be necessary, I understand where Rep. Zerwas is coming from and certainly E.T. should understand that, if indeed they want our representatives to listen to “the people”. E.T. needs to take a serious approach and start offering solutions, ala the Texas Public Policy Foundation, instead of continually attacking Republicans. Republicans have their hands full trying to balance the budget in a media environment that continues to portray them negatively. They don’t need E.T. piling on.
And though I may disagree with Rep. Zerwas, at least for now, kudos to him for representing the voters of his district.