Filibuster Propels Wendy Davis Into Spotlight
Texas Democrats never had much hope in this Legislature, where Republicans have a huge majority and an unshakeable drive to slash spending without raising taxes or dipping into the state’s giant savings account.
Don’t tell that to state Sen. Wendy Davis. The Fort Worth Democrat effectively torpedoed the 82nd legislative session by refusing to settle for a school finance plan that underfunded public schools by $4 billion.
Davis’ Senate filibuster last Sunday night, which prompted Gov. Rick Perry to send exhausted lawmakers poised to adjourn after a grueling budget battle back into an immediate special session, has quickly ...
Comments (23)
Elmo
Send her the $300.000 bill.
David Spratt
Just political grandstanding on her part. Disingenuous to say lawmakers refused to touch rainy day fund, they touched it to the tune of around 4 billion$. Just because they would not spend it all and close out the acct , the Dem's are mad. What would truly be considered mad would be to spend every dime now. Education took less of a % hit than other programs , and there are no sacred cows. Who is to say the economy is going to improve? We have a year and a half left to go till 2012 replacement of the current regime in Washington , and current economic policies are not working. I cannot believe anyone WANTS to pay higher taxes Democrat or Republican. All this " taxing the rich " talk by the left leads one to believe only Conservatives are rich? If no rich Democrats exist , that says something about their judgement as relates to business and fiscal matters. No Ideas coming from the left on how to reduce spending, make better use of existing resources, or increasing efficiency and reducing waste. Just tax more, spend more and basically double down on the existing failed policies. Where are all these spenders who are protesting in favor of raising their own property taxes,and business taxes ? Sounds to me like she has made a success of her life from a standpoint of education and financial security. But not everyone shares the same drive for success. Some people who live in trailer parks will always live there regardless of how much money or chances at opportunity you lay at their feet. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Many will never attempt to even get off the couch and open the front door.
Kim Feil
Thank you Senator Davis for your fearless fighting..."God is good...all the time...in the darkest night-His light will shine". This is my theme song by Don Moen.
Kim Feil
Davis for P R E S I D E N T !
The shortfallon education funding should come from the fair share taxes evaded by the oil and gas mafia!!!
Sharon Stockbauer
The political pundits can argue all they want about whether or not the filibuster was a smart political move. However, I don't think you can deny that it was symbolically important.
I attended the Save Texas Schools rally at the Capitol on Saturday and Senator Davis, once again, was the only legislator to show up. Unlike the members of the House Appropriations committee, she does not treat parents who are concerned about their child's education as a joke. This fight is far from over, Thank you, Wendy!!
Lemon Meister
Rick Perry the next President, has ignored any letter sent to his office over the last few years. Yet cries to Obama who ignores Perry's letters when the wildfires were raging. As our homes fall into collapse because Rick and his corporation pals rake in cash, hand over fist, without passing any legislation that benefits the real people of Texas. There are no Lemon laws in Texas for new home builders. if I can't live in my defective home, then their will be no property tax to pay for schools. Property taxes are the backbone of Texas Schools and they are twice as high as the property taxes in California. http://www.akbhomesucks.com My Home My Lemon thanks to corporate greed and Rick Perry! Backhanders to all in Politics from corporate America and land deals will continue, Mr President. Keep fracking for natural gas Texas, that's safe too. Sorry I've never seen an exhausted politician in Austin TX.
David Spratt
Lemmon meister , seems like those valuable illegals just don't build them like they used to. 100% of new housing is built using 95% illegal labor. I could be off a point or two on the numbers.
patty smith
I applaud Senator Davis for taking a stand for all Texans. I wish we had her courage, savvy and spirit in our district. Someone needs to remind Senator Hinojosa (from South Texas ) that he needs to do the same. He seems to think he only represents the hispanics and is losing votes by the minute!!! Thank you Senator Davis from all smart and fair minded Texans. We have the resources available via our "rainy day fund" yet the lawmakers are being conservative with the funds??? Do they anticipate that Texas is going will be back in this budget crisis again...are we saving for another rainy day??? Our State should never be allowed to end up where it is right now. Go ahead Mr. Perry and run for President ...anything to get you out of the Governor's Office.
David Spratt
yes yes , Kjm Feil ,,,,lets all get those mean old oil and gas guys and shake the pennies from their pockets. Do you really understand where the 10 billion in the rainy day fund came from in the first place? I think not. Those vultures in the oil and gas industry paid it IN TAXES. Oh we could tax them even more that's for sure. I am sure we could tax them at 100% and people like you could spend it all and would come asking for more. With the mentality I see from some they would actually believe there was more than 100% to be had. By all means tax them more so the price of fuel will go up accordingly and we can all pay more at the pump. Why don't we try and sell that idea to the people , they will not mind another $.20 or so a gallon.Better idea would be to get rid of the illegals. out of the 170,000 some odd students coming into the system I would bet at least half are anchor babies or straight up illegal. Those blood sucking oil and gas guys pay billions in taxes, I wonder how much an Illegal with a wife and three kids pays in taxes on a $20,000 a year income.Hmmmm Remember food and rent are not taxable items nor are all the things they buy at the flea market, nor is any of the money sent back to Mexico. How much does that leave at 8%?
Elmo
Illegal alliens get the same rate on tuition as Texas citizens. That is wrong. You people fighting and we provide this. Thanks Democrats
David Spratt
Elmo, Kinda ironic is it not the same folks that whine about not enough money to educate their own children support paying for education for illegals and the children of illegals, more commonly known as anchor babies. The state of Texas even gives grants and loans to illegals for college and technical training. Heather Hays interviewed an illegal going to college on state money, even showed his face. So much for the idea they hide " In the Shadows."
Elmo
Democrats..By your silence you think a illegal allien is ok getting the same tutition rate as a legal Texan? Your ok with them getting the scholarships and grants our kids missed out on because they got them.? How pathetic
GS Crispus
Illegal students are only eligible for in-state tuition if they've attended high-school for 3 or more years. They certainly are not entitled to federal aid due to laws passed in 1996 at the national level (you know, when all those welfare reforms preventing illegal aliens from receiving welfare benefits passed under Bill Clinton). They are eligible for *private* scholarships, but why would any red-meat free-market conservative be against such a concept?
You know, I've taught a few students who are illegal aliens. Some, because their parents never filed the paperwork and missed a window; none of the students ever had the option of living anywhere other than their parents took them. I can't fault their parents for being "parasites" either, they obviously work, and pay their sales and property taxes (whether through renting or owning of property).
Many of them are hardworking, and desire to earn a college education. There are some that have been lazy and troublesome, but that is not a trait unique to them, I have had just as many dissapointments from the children of legal citizens. Ultimately, immigration status in my experience, has had little determination in the desire of the individual to succeed.
Maybe I just identify with them. After all, my family had to change our last name to avoid ethnic discrimination in this country, and there is even reason to believe we may have jumped the Canadian border to get here. Such is the life of a nation of immigrants, no?
Elmo
You missed the point as most liberals do. The child is here illegal period.(Sorry the paperwork does not cut it) They pay the same rate as my child which is wrong. They pay a cheaper rate then a US Citizen from New Mexico would pay and that is wrong. Point is a child here illegal should not pay the same rate as someone here legal. In the end it cost of all of us which we cannot afford.
David Spratt
During the fall semester, 12,138 students - about 1 percent of all Texas college students - benefited from the state law granting in-state tuition, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Most of the immigrants among those students are illegal, and some others are not legal permanent residents or U.S. citizens.
Texas awarded about $33.6 million in state and institutional financial aid to those students between fall 2004 and summer 2008.
The students may qualify for state aid. They also may qualify for institutional aid from specific universities and colleges.
Since 2001, 22,697 students who benefited from the law have attended Texas colleges and universities. State officials were not able to provide data on how many graduated.
During the 2009 fall semester, 8,406 such students were enrolled at community and technical schools and 3,725 at public universities. Seven were enrolled at health-related institutes.
SOURCE: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Elmo
I am not saying they should not attend! They can attend but pay what someone from New Mexico pays. Not in state rates. Read my post. I could care less if it is less then 1/4 of 1 percent take part of it. It is wrong for a ILLEGAL ALLIEN to get in state rates. No way Jose!
David Spratt
For those who would increase funding and close out the rainy day fund to support it I applaud your optimism on the economy but the numbers tell a much different story. According to sources , which can be found if you look, 54,000 jobs were created last mo. Half were at McDonalds. The previous reporting period McDonalds created 64,000 jobs. And now there are those who are calling for the firing of Ronald himself. Why would we even consider firing the savior of our economy? If McDonalds alone created that many jobs , how many were at Wendys, Burger King, Taco Bell and so forth? The economy is not in recovery and one must look deeper to know where the jobs are actually being created. Housing, a MAJOR contributor is still 2 to 4 years out in having any real effect. Unemployment by real numbers is probably in the 18% range when you consider all who simply cannot find a job, whose benefits have run out and are no longer counted or those working at McDonalds with college degrees, ( the underemployed). The Administration, or Regime has been on tour touting the success in saving the auto industry. What good will it do if no one can afford to buy cars? Many people are buying the new generation " clown cars" simply to save on fuel costs. Like cash for clunkers, this will be short lived and does not reflect the true state of the economy. As for the Rainy Day Fund, it may be raining now, but looking past the smoke and mirrors it appears it will keep raining for some time into the future. The current economic plan has not worked and the best trick in the bag is to simply double down on the previous bets, problem is there are no more chips on the table and their credit is no good anymore. Even WalMart is starting to see sales numbers slip, and cyclical buying, only on paydays, is the current trend. Inflation is there, even though they would have us believe it is not a problem. Fuel and Food are not calculated into the number. When Obama took office gas was $1.85 a gallon. Lack of an energy policy ,reduced drilling permits and subjecting the American People to maket forces are the reasons. Texas has oil and Gas, if not for this we would be in much worse shape than we are now. Oil and gas production has contributed much to the State when everything else is failing. Now some would put out the call to punish the remaining vibrant sector of our economy by raising fees and taxes on them.The economy will continue to sputter along on very few cylinders for the next few years. Taking the Conservative approach is the reasonable thing to do.
David Spratt
Elmo , I think you miss the point of the post, which is from The Dallas Morning News. If since 2001 to 2009 22,697 attended, look at the 2009 number. In 2009 more than half the total number that attended in ALL previous years WERE ENROLLED in 2009. Numbers are not available for 2010 to date that I know of.. As it states aid is available through the state and state money given to the Universities , community colleges and tech schools. This says ever increasing numbers are attending and depleting resources at an even faster rate. This is reducing revenue to the Universities. As well grants and loans given, using State money, reduce the funds available to American Citizens. They are receiving preferential treatment through a type of affirmative action to the detriment of American Citizens who end up paying the cost, which doubles the negative impact.
Elmo
I agree with the article and you. My point (not clear) is that no matter what the %, ILLGAL ALLIENS should not pay the rate Texas legal citizens do. It is sad a legal resident of the US pays a higher rate then a illegal .
David Spratt
What is sad is that Legal Citizens, have to pay anything for Foreign Nationals for any reason, and they get all the same rights and privileges as those who were either born here to legal Parents or are true Immigrants who have followed the rules. We have worked and paid for years to assist a whole underclass of Citizens to achieve the American Dream. Now there are those who promote the creation of a whole new underclass to join the ones we had and take the place of those who have made it out.
Julie Joe
Thank you Senator Davis. I like how the reporter contacted the foremost authority on false bravado for an opinion....Bill Hammond.
Elmo
Is this the same Bill Hammond that backed Perry when he fast tracked all those coal plants saying we needed the elctricity or else we would run out? Yet three years later, they are closing gas fired plants right and left !. Hammond you lost your creditablity ..go home to Perry at his 10,000 a month mansion.
GS Crispus
It is very simple, do illegal aliens pay sales and property tax to our state coffers? After all, some of these people have been living here for decades or longer, they had to rent and consume somewhere when they were taking jobs and attending our school systems.
Did the parents of students from Mississippi, Louisiana, and New Mexico pay taxes that went into our state coffers? If they wanted to attend school in Texas, they should have gone through the legal process to become residents and citizens of the state. Even with out of state tuition rates, these students are stealing resources from the hands of Texas citizens! Whats worse, is through affirmative action policies at the Federal level, such states as Mississippi receive more of our money, welfare if you will, to support their children and deny our children opportunities.
Its "Us vs Them" people.