Joe Strauss, Speaker of the House in Texas, announced that he would not seek re-election.
This is very bad news for Texas.
Speaker Strauss has prevented voucher proposals from getting out of Committee. He understands that more than 90% of the children of Texas attend public schools, and he has protected public schools from extremists who want to take public money for religious schools. He prevented the “transgender bathroom” bill from coming to the floor, knowing that if it passed it would lead to a national boycott of Texas by major corporations and cost the state billions in revenues. It would also make the Great state of Texas look as hateful as North Carolina when it passed HB 2.
He has led the fight against ignorance and bigotry with intelligence and skill.
Now the scramble begins to replace him.
I pray that there is someone with the brains and guts of Joe Strauss waiting in the wings.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This is very sad news for Texas.
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Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education and commented:
This is really bad news, especially if Lt. Dan gets reelected. Lt. Dan will then try to railroad both houses into passing bills to benefit the “the great state of lt. dan”.
Lt. Dan needs to go crawl back into the hole he came from. He missed the part where he is supposed to represent the people of Texas, not his own narrow personal views.
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A silver lining…
“Asked if he planned to run for any other office in the future, Straus said he is “not one to close doors.” He acknowledged he has received encouragement to run for other offices and did not rule out the possibility of a gubernatorial bid. But he said he doubts he will be on the ballot in 2018.”
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In Texas, the Lt. Governor has more power than the Texas Governor. He would be wasted as governor.
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I read that Bannon is pulling the strings of a plan to push out moderate Republicans and try to replace them right wing nationalists. I don’t know if this is true or not, but Republicans are losing several moderate Republicans.
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“. . . try to replace them [with] XTIAN FUNDIE EVANGELICAL REACTIONARY REGRESSIVE right wing nationalists.”
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Welcome to the Bannanon Republic, home of Bannanon Republicans
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Good one, SomeDAM Poet.
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It seems to be a time in history yet again when we wonder if there will continue to exist a two party system. The departure of the moderate republicans suggests the potential rise of a third party based on free trade, seizing on the issue of Bannon-style divisiveness to move the country toward an ideal of free trade and open arms to immigration. That third party would appeal to new-liberal democrats who are uncomfortable with the hatred of immigrants but fine with free trade. Such a third party would rend not just the republicans, but the democrats as well. Those in the Bernie camp,would not be amenable to this middle of the road approach, as they demonstrated by failing to join with center-right democrats to elect Hillary Clinton last year. Nor would they be compatible with the nationalist approach of Bannon.
Will a three party system emerge from this, or will the new political winds once again blow issues into the two parties we have had since the free soil movement morphed into the GOP of Lincoln?
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State politicians should be included in this plan to address the exodus in DC (from “Not the News” by Andy Borowitz):
“Trump Signs New Travel Ban Preventing G.O.P. Senators from Fleeing”
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-signs-new-travel-ban-preventing-republican-senators-from-fleeing
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Sad news for Texas and my district. Joe was a true Texan, a great leader, a great family man, and a friend of public education. He cannot be replaced.
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He still is
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What strange comments! John Adams, in the 1780 constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, enshrined the concept of “A government of laws, not of men”.
If the citizens of Texas, are truly opposed to school choice/vouchers, the citizens should work to elect individuals, who are in support of this policy.
No system of government, and certainly no policy should ever be dependent on one single politician.
Q I pray that there is someone with the brains and guts of Joe Strauss waiting in the wings. END Q
“In addition to prayer, there is effort” – Cardinal Woolsey.
see
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/whatever-happened-to-a-government-of-laws-not-of-men/article/2512346
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John Adams also said:
“The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves.” 1785.
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John Adams is one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing.
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When John Adams wrote the statement you cite, in the context of his times, he had a definite point.
But 200+ years into the future, his sentiments, are to a large part obsolete.
With modern transportation, districts of one mile square, are obsolete. (His generation was dependent on horses, and we have automobiles).
Adams could not have foreseen the internet, or 21st century technology.
There was not a huge mix of immigrants from all over the world in 1780. And there was no provision for the education of slaves.
Q Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it. END Q
-John Adams
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