State Sen. Dan Patrick has introduced legislation (SB1190/SJR41) that creates a government spending commission, similar to one authorized by Ronald Reagan in 1984.  Reagan's Grace Commission made nearly 2,500 recommendations that eliminated more than $420 billion in government waste.  Patrick's "Texas Spending Commission" would have audit authority over all state agencies, seeking eliminate waste, fraud and redundancy.  In a unique turn, the commission's suggested reforms could only be voted up or down by the legislature, but not amended. 

Three right-thinking members of the legislature are recommending that more House and Senate votes be recorded, and therefore subject to public review. State Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas), State Rep. Brian McCall (R-Plano), and State Rep. Tony Goolsby (R-Dallas), have filed several pieces of legislation that would mandate more sunlight in the legislative process.

The House's State Affairs Committee is expected today to hear testimony regarding a series of bills that would significantly open the legislative process to taxpayer and voter scrutiny. In the past, many important votes have been held as "voice votes," allowing lawmakers the luxurious shield of not having to defend actions that are either unpopular or costly, or both. Requiring the legislature to take more recorded votes is good for Texas' voters, taxpayers and future.

The Drudge Report is today noting that the U.S. Comptroller, David Walker, will tell 60 Minutes on Sunday that Medicare is on a course to bankrupt the United States. He says that the president's prescription drug plan, "is probably the most fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation since the 1960s." Way to go, President Bush. Oh, and all the Republican lackeys who went along with it. Great job, fellas!