A Dallas Morning News story about the GOP race for Texas governor included this: “…Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Midland, isn’t taking sides in the governor’s race but he’s unhappy about the way Perry has indiscriminately bashed Washington insiders.”
“The governor keeps beating up all Republicans — Washington Republicans. You’d think he could at least name names. He’s calling all of us terrible,” Conaway said just off the House floor… Asked if he’s taking Perry’s attacks personally, he said, “Well, yeah. When he says Washington Republicans, I look at my card, and that’s me. I do take it personally when he criticizes us in an attempt to go after Kay Bailey.”
My friends, Mike Conaway is a great representative and an all around good guy but, he and all the other conservatives and Republicans in Congress, better get their own House (& Senate) in order. They’ve brought the criticism upon themselves for having very weak ideological and Party discipline.
Another point is this: Why does Conaway consider himself a “Washington Republican” as opposed to a Texas Republican in Washington. There is significance to this insider attitude that goes partly to the root of the problem with the now-Imperial federal government.
Bashing of D.C. is not new. It is common in American politics and as old as the country itself. Could it be that the sting of rebuke comes from the truth at the heart of Perry’s critiques? How many of you are happy with the performance of Congress overall? How many are pleased with Republican performance over the past, say, 5 years?
Conaway and others need to recognize that Perry is only responding to the public mood, as do all political campaigners, not creating that mood. The sooner Republicans in Washington figure this out the better, but unfortunately, D.C. tends to frost the lenses of even the best we send.
Robert Pratt is host of the top rated Pratt on Texas radio program which can be heard at www.PrattonTexas.com
