Soechting On The 79th Lege

The Texas Democratic Party chair makes a statement about the 79th session:

THE THREE LESSONS FROM THE 79TH LEGISLATURE

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Charles Soechting said that the abject failure of state leaders in the regular legislative session ending today carries three lessons for Texas voters.

"The first lesson of this failed session is that Rick Perry is a lousy leader who leaves early and arrives late," Soechting said.

Gov. Perry was again criticized by lawmakers this session for his absence until the final hours, after its was too late to forge a compromise on most of the major issues Perry had claimed to champion when the session convened.

"The second lesson of this failed session is that Republicans don't know how to govern and don't care enough to learn," Soechting said.

GOP leaders succumbed to an ultra-partisan style that prevented them from negotiating in good faith, turning the Texas Capitol into a Washington, D.C.-style center of intransigence and gridlock.

"The third lesson of this failed session is that if Texans want change, they're going to have to vote for it," Soechting said.

Democrats are fielding outstanding candidates to challenge Republican incumbents in races from top to bottom on next year's ballot, Soechting said.

Republicans failed to deliver substantial property tax relief, school finance reform, and other promises this session, Soechting noted. Instead, they voted for the single-biggest tax bill and single-biggest spending increase in state history while still failing to adequately address the issues of concern to mainstream Texans.

"Republicans asked for our trust and then violated it," Soechting said. "They have forfeited their right to expect our trust again."

The Democrats in Texas will finally have many issues to run on in the coming election. How about this for a slogan: The Republicans Hadn't Controlled Texas since Reconstruction and Now You Know Why!