Get ready...Time for the Republicans to pay Peter

[white cloud]

Despite the chorus of no-new-taxes pledges, the fiscally conservative majority doesn't necessarily mean taxpayers won't be paying more to the state. Fee hikes, tax exemption repeals, higher college tuition, reduced college financial aid and tolls could all be part of the outcome, as they were the last time the state faced a budget shortfall in 2003.

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/politics/7277993.html

[sonias]

1. And rob Paul of course

This is going to be the worst legislative session ever. $25-28 billion dollar state deficit and a bunch of angry republicans waiting to punish everyone but themselves and those that bought them.

Bills that would require voters to present more forms of identification have struggled to get out of the closely divided House in recent years because of Democratic opposition. Voter identification legislation has "come back every session I've been here," Straus said. "I assume that it will (come back), sure."

Rep. Todd Smith, the Bedford Republican who carried the legislation last year, predicted a voter identification bill would pass under the new makeup of the House.

Both Straus and Chisum said immigration reform would be a key area, but Chisum noted that immigration legislation did not get passed during Straus' first term.

"We might look at the Arizona law, see how it could fit into Texas law," he said.

:scared:

[sonias]

2. Activists call for new speaker

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2010/11/04/activists_call_for_new_speaker.html">Postcards from the Lege blog -AAS 11/4/10
Activists call for new speaker (UPDATED)
Some 46 conservative activists and tea party leaders from around the state sent current and incoming members of the Texas House a letter today urging them to replace Republican Speaker Joe Straus.

“A change to a more conservative speaker is in order,” the letter says. “The voters who labored hard for this conservative majority expect it to diligently represent their conservative values.”

Signers include Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans, Peggy Venable of Americans for Prosperity of Texas, Dave Welch of the Texas Pastor Council and the presidents of nine tea party groups from around Texas.

The letter says, “The victory of nearly two dozen conservative Republican legislators reflects the mood of Texas voters on the state’s critical issues. It was a clarion call for conservative leadership in the Texas House - leadership that has been absent the past two years. The desire for conservative leadership must be reflected from the Office of the Speaker to every committee chairmanship.”

And so it begins - they are starting their own circular firing squad!
:popcorn:

[Melissa G]

3. I hope they get so lost in internal struggles they leave us alone.

25-28 billion is a lot of change to shake out of an old sofa. It's a sofa bed they made though. They might as well own it.
:popcorn:

[sonias]

4. I want them to fail - big time

But we're all going to pay for it. One way or another. :(

[efhmc]

5. What you really mean is it is time for the regular folks to pay.

[TEXASYANKEE]

6. This is so depressing.

This state is billions of dollars in the hole, and even now the lawmakers are NOT talking about what they're going to do for the citizens of Texas. It's all "no new taxes" and "the federal government hasn't done enough to secure our border." They're going to look at cutting medicaid and highway funds and state park funds and educators and how many new seats they'll have after redistricting ... but where do they say what they're going to do FOR Texas and Texans??? Where is the vision for Texas?

It is going to be a very long 2 years.

[Skittles]

7. let Texans get a real taste of what absolute repuke rule means

watch the howling ensue

What truly sucks is Dems like us have to suffer their idiocy and arrogance too :(