Bashing Perry

Gov. Rick Perry takes a beating today in the pages of the Wall Street Journal editorial section and, coincidentally, in the San Antonio Express-News.

The WSJ features an opinion column by J.R. Labbe of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that lampoons the “Godly Governor” for trying to focus on “political accomplishments” dealing with abortion and gay marriage while downplaying what was supposed to be the No. 1 issue - school finance reform.

Such social issues are more appealing to the governor than thorny problems like this term's lack of education reform. The failure of reform might point to Gov. Perry's own failed leadership, or worse. Quality of education was never the stumbling block in Austin; it was how to pay for the learning the kids do receive, which means uttering the word that dare not cross the lips of a Texas Republican if he or she wants to get re-elected in '06: TAXES.

The WSJ also writes an editorial today (not available online) titled:

What's the Matter With Texas?
The do-nothing GOP legislature.

“What was supposed to be the most productive session of the Texas legislature in history ended last week in a legislative version of the Alamo.”

The editorial points out that Republicans control “every lever of political power in Austin for the first time since Reconstruction” and still could not get anything done.
They cast their first stone at Democratic lawmakers for blocking a school voucher plan dear to right-wingers’ hearts. But after that they grudgingly admit that the “other failings of this legislature must be laid at the feet of the Republicans.”

Of course, what the WSJ editorial writers are upset about is that the Republicans steered away from making the kinds of budget cuts that would have placed Texas on par with a Third World nation. Now they are demanding that Gov. Perry call a special session and “announce that nobody leaves until they’ve approved his call for a cut of at least 20 percent in property taxes...”

That will happen about the same time that all the WSJ editorial board members take their children out of their fancy New York private schools and enroll them in underfunded public schools in Texas.

“...If property taxes aren’t cut meaningfully right now, the Republicans might not be coming back to Austin after the next election.”

We can certainly hope so!