Admit it: it’s fun watching liberals lose. And you just have to love the predictably patronizing way in which they react to electoral trauma.
The left-wing Austin Chronicle reports that liberal State Reps. Valinda Bolton and Donna Howard are feeling some pressure in Travis County, notably from our efforts to inform constituents about their role in promoting ObamaCare and socialized medicine.
According to soon-to-be-former Rep. Howard, the information is “resonating” with constituents. Funny how liberals flee from something as simple as their record!
Of course, she goes on to explain why voters shouldn’t care, that ObamaCare doesn’t impact Texas, and there are other — more local — issues, like water quality. Is she unaware of the $20 billion in unfunded mandates ObamaCare is going to foist upon the state budget in the coming years? Apparently she hopes we’ll talk about mineral content in drinking water, instead.
The same article notes the trouble being caused for these tax-and-spend liberals by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility by our actively promoting the Taxpayer Pledge — a promise by elected officials not to raise taxes.
In an attempt to lock down the fiscal conservative vote, all three West Travis Republicans have adopted the dogmatic “no new taxes” stance, and all three signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge issued by conservative think tank Empower Texans – another offshoot of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility – to “oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.” With the number of House Republicans taking the same position, the pressure will be on to slash state spending. When the budget debate starts, [Democratic State Rep. Mark] Strama said, “It’s going to be about minimizing the harm.”
Yes, you know, the “harm” that comes from protecting taxpayers; the harm of NOT reaching into their wallets and thereby further weakening the economy. What Mr. Strama is really concerned about the “harm” he feels at not having the chance to turn Texas into the next California.
What liberals like Mr. Strama fear most is that the pledge will be taken seriously by voters and elected officials.
Mrs. Bolton certainly fears it. She says that if the legislature won’t raise taxes, then the response will be to “cut, cut, cut” the budget, something she finds “really shortsighted.” Tell that to California, New Jersey and Michigan, who spent-spent-spent and taxed-taxed-taxed.
But then, she was apparently okay with ObamaCare being passed into law in the dark of night, before Congress or anyone else had a chance to read it.
The liberals in Texas’ Legislature, like their federal counterparts, prefer policy blindness leading to fiscal bankruptcy and economic stagnation. They are devoted to policies with a long and inescapable record of abject failure.
