We less government types desperately need a Republican Texas – if we ever again hope to elect a Republican president.
The Electoral College demands it.
Big population states California, New York and Illinois are all nigh irretrievably Democrat.
And Florida is currently a coin toss – and trending Blue.
The Lone State State is the only thing keeping things close.
And Texas Republicans – are in the process of screwing it all up.
Cronyism: Why Are Republicans in Texas Sponsoring a Bill to Block Competition?
A little – very recent – history lesson:
Candidate Donald Trump was elected President in no small part – because of his promise to Drain the Swamp. To clean out what subsequently revealed itself to be the Deep State.
The Deep State is the self-dealing circle-fest that exists in Washington, D.C. Where government officials, K Street and the media all hire each other – over and over and over again.
It’s an incredibly profitable Corrupt-opia – for them. DC spends $4.5 trillion per annum – and these Swamp Creatures are slurping up gobs and gobs of it.
I think President Trump has done a little Draining. I think he should have been doing a whole lot more. But that’s not the point.
The point is – the Drain the Swamp sentiment…resonated deeply with We the People.
So why the heck are Texas Republicans – filling their Swamp?:
“Specifically (bills) by state Senator Kelly Hancock (SB 1938) and state Representative Dade Phelan (HB 3995). Hancock is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce – and Phelan Chairman of the House Committee on State Affairs. So you’d hope they’d know better.
“The legislation has to do with electricity – and electricity transmission….
“(T)he companion bills offered by Hancock and Phelan – create a situation where competition can quite easily be stifled….
“Any company that wants to provide service – must first play Mother May I with the government.
“And this is not just a routine permit process request. The company must meet some amorphously awful definition of ‘public convenience and necessity.’
“Which means the government has any one of a million obtuse outs – to deny permission to any company it wishes.
“To my highly cynical eye and mind – this looks very much like an incumbent protection bill. Designed to allow government to block any and all newcomers – to shield the existing providers from the additional competition.”
And Texas Republicans – are bizarrely all the way down with this massive dose of cronyism.
The Texas Senate – passed this nonsense UNANIMOUSLY. 31 Senators – 19 of them Republican – all voted Yea.
The Texas House – passed this nonsense 141-5.
There are 83 House Republicans: 76 voted Yea – only 5 voted Nay. (One didn’t vote and one was absent.)
How incredibly pathetic.
The only hope now – is for Republican Governor Greg Abbott to veto this mess.
Most pathetically, I’m being told that isn’t likely.
Abbott MUST veto. To save Texas Republicans from themselves. And us from Texas Republicans.
Texas Republicans voting en masse for mass cronyism – is an outstanding way to ensure less of their voters turn out in the next election.
Or even worse – turn out for Democrats.
And extra good news – next year is a Presidential election.
So this base-dampening nonsense – will really help us with the Electoral College.
Thanks yet again – in advance – Texas Republicans.
This first appeared in Red State.