A Part-Time Legislature, but in Whose Interest?
This is one in a series of occasional stories about ethics and transparency in the part-time Texas Legislature.
On the presidential campaign trail, Gov. Rick Perry waxed eloquent about the merits of Texas’ part-time Legislature, saying that Congress would be more effective if its members had “real jobs back at home.”
“We’re the 13th-largest economy in the world in Texas,” Perry said, “and we come to Austin for 140 days every other year, and it works wonderfully.”
Wonderfully, it turns out, for many of those elected. Paid a pittance by taxpayers for their official state duties, lawmakers need to ...
Comments (11)
Gritsforbreakfast
First, I wouldn't give you my tax returns either. Second, do you fantasize that these same sorts of shenanigans don't go on in full-time legislatures? Congress is a completely a pay-to-play environment, has a revolving door with the lobby, and they're full time. Why are any of these criticisms pegged to the part-time Lege issue?
One unstated benefit of a 140 days every two years Legislature is that grass roots folks can compete during that short window with the full-time lobby, whereas in Congress and states with a full-time Lege the special interests can just wait you out. In a 140 day window (really less), they have to do something, or nothing, in a timely fashion and it's possible to follow the process and impact what's going on to a much greater degree than in full-time bodies.
I'm down with more reporting and putting ethics forms online (maybe the Trib should do it?), but since the criticisms cited in the story are not a direct function of an episodic Lege, I see no benefit to be gained from going full-time that would outweigh what we'd lose in terms of access for the little guy.
Cliff McSparran via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Would you expect member of the "parliament of whores," who sell their favors to the highest bidder, to make illegal their profession?
m k
You forgot to mention Ritter and the homebuilders.
Nora Dearing via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why hide information, unless you don't want people to know the immoral things you're doing to us?
William Ardis
Since the legislature thinks they are above trasparency, they have no business passing laws to force transparency on state agencies/employees.
Lets see the legislature lead by example. How about this: the webiste for each representative/senator must contain the following:
(a) how they voted on every bill, which also lists what industry (or industries) would be impacted by the bill,
(b) provide a list of ALLl contributions, gifts, etc., including the name of the contributor and the field of work for each contributor (this should allow for cross referencing to part a.) which should be updated twice monthly,
And of course, they would receive NO extra funds to implement this (just like the unfunded mandates they are so happy to pass).
Joel Michaelis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Amen.
Lovablelabby 2012
Each of the politicians cited, especially the lawyers, know what they are doing is unethical/corrupt, but they have created a legalistic smokescreen/loophole to justify their actions and game the system.
But the real tragedy - they were all re-elected because this article was published in January 2013 and not November 2012.
Did The Texas Tribune have the integrity and courage to stand up for the public welfare and call for the defeat of these politicians last November?
More sunlight and less partisanship please. Why publish this article now without a recall petition?
Kenneth Franks
We have another election next year. The first priority should be A.B.P. (Anybody but Perry). Secondly, vote in some legislators that would vote for term limits. We don't need all new people at one time so by the luck of the draw two thirds could get the opportunity to serve a sixth term if they are not defeated. In the next election at least two thirds of the rest who have been there 5 terms or more should be term limited out. If we are going to have a citizen legislature that is what it should be in reality. After six years, the first group of new legislators will have six years experience if they continue to be reelected. We should have no more than two full terms for governor, Lt. governor, and decide how long Texas Senators can serve also. They would still have the opportunity to run for other offices, move up, from the house to the Senate or other political office but we have had basically the same group of people for too long. One last thing how about bipartisan redistricting. Many Republicans might not favor this now but ten years from now with demographic changes they might wish they had done it when they had the chance.
Vincent Flores via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Wonderful..
Jim Baxa
Every legislative body has these problems, it has nothing to do with being part time. The US Congress has bigger problems, than these and they are full time. Trying to link this to a part time legislature shows the bias inherent in the Tribune.
Christine Lund
I didn't know that they only worked part time but I suspected it. No wonder this state is so well greased. I always wondered why the important issues are never addressed, like funding for rehabilitation funding, education, libraries, healthcare - medical, dental, mental care, insurance, high energy bills, high water bills, terrible sewer systems, lack of affordable, SAFE housing. Maybe the public should get their own lobbyists to let the elitist state government officials know that the workers are here, 24/7, even on cold, nasty days and remind the legislators that they are there to represent the people, NOT THE CORPORATIONS. Corporations don't have us by the xxxx, we have them. They need us. Few places in America would allow their state to be used as a chemical dump, with horrible air pollution, toxic dumps that have fouled water tables radiating out for miles and miles until it dumps into the nice clean Gulf(?) where the nice clean oil refineries are. I know this is a necessary industry but shortcuts can kill a lot of people and mar the environment for decades or centuries. With the highest profits around, they have no excuse to not care for our environment.