It appears that one State Republican Executive Committee member is ready to throw Speaker Tom Craddick overboard, and grab defeat from the jaws of victory.
Mark McCaig is calling for Speaker Tom Craddick to announce he will not seek the Speaker position. McCaig claims Republicans have little to be tout under Craddick’s leadership.
Let’s look at the cold, hard facts. While 30 states are experiencing a budget shortfall, we will enjoy a surplus. Texas continues to fare better economically than most other states.
In fiscal 2008, Texas’ gross state product grew by 4.1 percent, versus 1.5 percent for the national economy.
Fiscal 2008 was strong for Texas, and the Texas economy is still expanding. It will slow due to the US economic situation, but Texans are faring better than other states.
One way to look at it is the fact that Texas is leading the nation in job growth. In the 12 months ending in September 2008, Texas gained almost 248,000 jobs, more than the next 14 top job-growth states combined.
Over last 12 months, Texas accounts for 54 percent of entire job gains for all states.
In the past five years, Texas added 1.3 million new jobs to our economy.
This information came straight from the Comptroller’s website: http://www.texasahead.org/economy/outlook.html
So maybe, Mr. McCaig, you should step back and say “thanks” to the leaders who have brought tort reform, kept taxes relatively low, and kept government growth in check so in these tough economic times across the country, Texas has a budget surplus, not a shortfall.
It makes no sense to beat up the leadership. This good news for Texans didn’t happen in a vacuum.
Here is the McCaig op ed:
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/10/1023mccaig_edit.html
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6 comments:
Dallas Morning News covered the story with Chairman Tina Benkiser's response:
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/texas-gop-to-craddick-critic-u.html
Good stuff.
Don't mess with Texas.
If Texans are "disenchanted" with the Republican party as Mr. McCaig likes to point out, then what makes him think that throwing one man overboard is going to somehow appease an angry electorate?
And honestly, you never tear down your own party in a public newspaper like that. Especially if we're in some "crisis".
This sounds like a personal way to try and score point for either himself or a close friend in the legislature. If I knew more about the Texas politic, I could give an informed position on Tom Craddick, something I might just do.
This sounds like behind the scenes power grabbing for after the election cycle.
i.e. Someone wants a new job and knows who they want to get rid of...
Agreed, he is just trying to score some cheap points. It amazes me that he would somehow think this would the Party that he is a member of.
As a Republican activist, I know the best time to challenge somebody is in the Primary. We can return to the roots of our Party in the primary election. But to publicly advocate for the overthrow of the Speaker before the start of the Session?!
Looking at the "unspoken" Speakers' race, there are only 3 candidates thus far.
Jim Keffer, a Republican from Eastland. Jim Keffer authored the bill that created the business tax. Thanks, but no thanks. Jim is a nice guy, but he doesn't stand up for the GOP fiscal issues.
Tom Craddick, a Republican from Midland. Tom Craddick has been the Speaker for 3 terms now. Under Craddick, some good things have happened, some bad things have happened. What I do know is that Craddick will appoint conservatives to key Committee Chairmenship positions, which will help promote the conservative agenda.
Sylvester Turner, a Democrat from Houston. Turner is respected by all members of the House. He is a minister from Houston and does a good job weilding the gavel. That being said, the conservative agenda will be completely ignored under a Turner Speakership. You think taxes are high now? Wait until Turner appoints Ritter to chair the ways and means committee and he pushes through an income tax.
I side with Craddick because he gives us the best shot of passing planks of the conservative agenda.
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