It would be hilarious if it were not so irritating and costly to West Texas: Once again, even after primary elections have passed, we find the opinion page at the Lubbock Mudslide filled with lament about how the area will suffer by having three freshman state reps.
Carl Isett was a freshmen when the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Delwin Jones already had serious seniority. Delwin never held a post of importance (other than his ineffective post on redistricting which only matters once a decade) in all those years. Yet, the young Isett quickly made it to Appropriations and chairman of the all-important sub-committee on government ops. He also was chairman of the prestigious and powerful Sunset Commission.
Seniority doesn’t buy leadership, it can help, but it clearly does not automatically gain influence as Delwin Jones’ last do-nothing-decade proves beyond all argument.
Give it up Mudslide. If you are were truly worried about West Texas influence you’d have demanded RINO Delwin Jones’ resignation over throwing out as Speaker of the House, Texas Tech graduate and fellow West Texan, Tom Craddick. That move lead directly to several area retirements and the loss of key committee chairmanships held by several from Northwest Texas.
The AJ management and its Austin columnist Enrique Rangel continue to try to have it both ways. It’s a good thing fewer and fewer area voters read their hypocritical screed.
Robert Pratt is host of the top rated Pratt on Texas radio program which can be heard at www.PrattonTexas.com
https://lubbockonline.com/rangel/2010/05/14/reality-may-soon-set-in-region-to-have-at-least-three-freshmen-legislators
