Jump, as he might, head over heels to join the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, the honeymoon for House Speaker Joe Straus was short lived. In fact, it ended on Friday, the minute he told reporters he favored Voter Identification:
VOTER ID — He voted for it in 2007 and thinks another examination of whether photo IDs are needed to combat polling fraud is appropriate. He said he does not yet know whether there are sufficient votes in the House to pass a bill.
I’m sorry, were House Democrats just so damned eager to get rid of Tom Craddick that they forgot to get any concessions worth a damned for all their troubles?
Somehow, I thought I heard whispered along the corridors of power in Austin that voter identification was dead because Straus wouldn’t bring it up in the House, no matter what the Senate did. I guess that’s changed in a week’s time. With rumors that he’ll leave State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) in charge of the House Committee on Elections as a concession to the rightwing members of his party running rampant as well, one has to wonder if House Democrats cobbled together a majority to elect a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
What’s going on? Is Straus just playing non-committal and not really going to let Voter ID have a chance, or is he seriously going to give it a chance, or did he just betray the Democrats–without whose support he would still be the junior legislator from Bexar County?
As we predicted, the new leadership is about the same as the old leadership, just not quite so dictatorial.
January 20, 2009 at 3:09 pm
So not surprised to see my spunky little senator Joan Huffman on the list. The Texas House appears to be the chamber that will act with some measure of reason and tolerance during the 81st. Oh wait;WTF am I thinking?(T)he honeymoon for House Speaker Joe Straus was short lived. In fact, it ended on Friday, the minute he told reporters he favored Voter Identification: VOTER ID — He voted for it in 2007 and thinks another examination of whether photo IDs are
January 21, 2009 at 11:58 am
as the in-with-the-new. Obviously, this is just one person’s guess, and none of it could be right, though I think Burka made some decent guesses and for a change his commenters haven’t jumped all over him. Some of my colleagues think the Democratsgot suckeredon voter ID. I tend to disagree with that, but I’ve been saying all along we’ll know for sure once we see the list of chairs. Here’s hoping. Posted by Charles Kuffner at
January 20, 2009 at 8:58 am
[...] Whereupon We Realize Electing A New Speaker Did Very Little Good [...]
January 21, 2009 at 5:44 am
[...] change his commenters haven’t jumped all over him. Some of my colleagues think the Democrats got suckered on voter ID. I tend to disagree with that, but I’ve been saying all along we’ll know [...]
January 21, 2009 at 8:01 am
[...] for a change his commenters haven’t jumped all over him. Some of my colleagues think the Democrats got suckered on voter ID. I tend to disagree with that, but I’ve been saying all along we’ll know for sure once [...]
January 21, 2009 at 10:00 am
[...] | by travisfell Is Texas Ready for Voter ID Laws (I am) – Robbie Cooper, UrbanGrounds.com Whereupon We Realize Electing A New Speaker Did Very Little Good – Vince Leibowitz, CapitolAnnex.com The Ultrasound Bill & Important Pro-Life Events – Free [...]
January 24, 2009 at 6:35 pm
All I can say is, what did they think would happen by electing another Republican Speaker? He can’t show favor to the entire Democratic caucus without losing his Republican colleagues. Dems should have kept tight lips and watched from the sidelines. This was a Republican battle from the start. Maybe the leadership style has changed, but it’s still a Republican speaker.