The latest attack is written by some guy defending a Macon, Georgia councilman/blogger/tv personality wannbe that tried to inject himself into the Texas Speaker race. Just between you and me, I don’t think a true Texan gives a rat’s petootie what some guy from Georgia thinks but sometimes I wonder how many of us true Texans are left. Here is the entire basis for the charge that Speaker Straus is attempting to “crush free speech”:
Review the definition of “political advertising” and determine whether the definition should be expanded to include content contained in blogs and other types of Internet communications.
That single sentence that has sparked the latest faux outrage from Craddick supporters was one of 158 “charges” (not counting 32 generic ones) that Speaker Straus set forth for the committees of the 81st Texas Legislature. You know, to give them something to do between sessions. The fact that the committee “charged” with “reviewing” this “attack on free speech” didn’t even bother to meet about it seems to have escaped the Craddick supporters as they Tweet, Facebook, and bleat about it. Nevermind that there wasn’t an attack to begin with. Hint: a committee asked to review something doesn’t constitute an attack on said something.
So this too shall pass. What’s next guys?
How about this? Put up a candidate that is better than Straus. Try that. All Chisum and Paxton care about is regaining power for Craddick allies. Chisum grew the budget 21.4{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} under Craddick during his single term as Chair of Appropriations. Paxton is a lightweight that hasn’t had an impact on the House, although he has been there longer than Straus.
On the other hand, in the 80th Legislature, Joe Straus authored and passed one of the largest tax cuts in state history. Oh, and that comes to us via Americans for Prosperity. And take a look at the glowing report card from Americans for Prosperity on the conservative victories achieved under Speaker Straus in the 81st Legislature.
Put up someone worthy of replacing Straus. Go ahead, give it a shot. I’m betting you can’t and you’ll continue to try the attack method. And it will fail because let’s face it, Texans ain’t Georgians.
(read more on outside forces trying to affect the Texas Speaker race here)