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April 21, 2004
Guilt Trip
Republicans Try to Resurrect
Bipartisanship But Democrats
See It as Manipulation Tactic to Get
Them on Board Plan
By
MIKE HAILEY
For a group that's been agonizingly out of sync
on how to reform the state's school finance system, Republicans
were remarkably on message as the special session opened for business
on Tuesday. But they weren't gloating together about their majority
status - and they weren't bashing liberals or promising to ram through
another round of tort reform or speculating out loud about the number
of seats in Congress they think they might win.
They took a trip down memory lane instead, conjuring
images of Bush and Bullock and brotherly love along the way. From
the floors of the chambers to the underground extension, bipartisanship
was the buzz word on opening day of the 78th Legislature's fourth
called session. .
Governor Rick Perry extolled the virtues of working
together in selfless dedication for the good of the children and
the schools they attend. "It is going to take courageous leadership
by members of both parties if we are to succeed," Perry told
the House Select Committee on Public School Finance during his second
committee appearance of the past two days.
The most concerted plea for bipartisan unity came
from the House Republican Caucus, which issued a press release proclaiming
the need for mutual cooperation while expressing concerns that Democrats
might not go along. State Rep. Ruben Hope, the Conroe Republican
who leads the caucus as chair, warned that Democrats had already
promised "a divisive and partisan session" - and he quoted
state Democratic Chairman Charles Soechting as saying in a Dallas
Morning News story last week that, "They're not going to get
our votes."
Despite the troubling admission, Hope held out
hope. "For the sake of Texas schools and students, let's hope
that Mr. Soechting is wrong and that education wins out over partisanship
during the special session," Hope lamented.
State Rep. Elizabeth Ames Jones of San Antonio
weighed in by saying, "Let's prove that Texans can rise above
partisan temptation and do what's best for our children, schools
and taxpayers."
So there you have it. If the special session on
school finance and property tax relief goes down in failure, the
GOP will have partisan Democrats to blame. In that respect, the
caucus news release coupled with several quotes from Perry were
probably effective. But was it all coordinated spin or a sincere
attempt to offer an olive branch to the enemy for the sake of the
kids and public education and the taxpayers who foot the bill for
it?
The sudden shift to bipartisan rhetoric is curious
in several ways. First, it seems to ignore the fact that Democrats
made it clear in the March 9 primary election that they had no more
use for bipartisanship - at least not under the current circumstances.
They see that as little more now than a way to get manipulated.
Guys like Ron Wilson and Glenn Lewis worked with GOP leaders and
ended up paying the ultimate political price.
The bipartisan pitch also seems unaware of the
fact that House Speaker Tom Craddick just last week filled three
open committee chairs with Republicans after Democrats who held
them lost their bids for re-election this spring. Craddick was unsympathetic
to the Democrats' immediate complaints about the committee assignments
snub because he said they were simply reaping what they'd sown when
they went after their own members at the primary polls. While there's
some legitimacy to that point, it still doesn't set the table for
a bipartisan special session.
Bipartisanship used to have positive connotations.
President George W. Bush became a model for bipartisan unity when
he was governor. But he practiced it consistently - not simply for
conveniency's sake. He was smart enough to realize that if he didn't
make an effort to be bipartisan he would have been probably been
run over by a Legislature controlled at the time by Democrats. He
never labeled legislators as chickens or chided them when they tried
to kill his bills - and he never threatened to have any apprehended
and dragged back to the Capitol against their will to force a vote
on an issue they were against.
Given the circumstances of the past year, an appeal
for bipartisanship at this point in time seems contrived to the
Democrats. Between the lines of the House Caucus press release the
Democrats see a message that says the Republicans need 100 votes
to pass several key proposals pushed by Perry - and it's going to
take some Democrats to get them there.
Across the rotunda the wounds have healed since
11 Senate Democrats did their own disappearing act and headed to
Albuquerque to delay a vote on redistricting. But that took a sincere
and concerted effort. The House, in contrast, is still as divided
as it was during redistricting if not more. Both sides point the
finger of blame at the other. But the truth is, Republicans and
Democrats both succumbed to partisan pressure last year - and both
are responsible for the partisan tension now.
It's going to take more than a guilt trip and
some public relations pressure to change that unfortunate fact.
If Republicans are serious about trying to pass a school finance
plan that requires two-thirds support, they will have to replace
the bipartisan hyperbole with actions and make a genuine attempt
to bring Democrats back to the table of power in the lower chamber.
It would take more than a few token Craddick Democratic allies in
key committee posts. It would mean utilizing the talents and leadership
skills of Democrats who are on the outs with the Republican leadership
right now. It would mean putting a recognized education expert like
State Rep. Scott Hochberg on the committee that's hearing school
legislation in the special session. It would require the Democrats
to make an equally sincere effort to respect and to work with Republicans
with whom they've been warring ever since the GOP took control of
the House last year.
That's a lot to ask. But it's going to take a
lot more than sounds bytes and guilt trips to bring bipartisanship
back to the floor of the House.
Mike
Hailey's column appears regularly in the Viewpoints section
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