Scam Watch: Will TX House Rule Changes Prevent Democrat Chairs?

Next week we'll have an answer.

The top issue for conservatives in the 88th legislative session is ending the wacky practice of Republicans appointing Democrats as chairmen of Texas House Committees.

When bills are filed in the Texas House, they are assigned to committees by the Speaker. Having Democrats in these positions allows good conservative legislation to easily be killed, which is often accomplished by simply stalling. This prevents good bills from logging record votes by House members.

Texas Republican Speaker of the House, Dade Phelan, has been a key proponent in supporting Democrat chairs. Last session he appointed 13 Democrats to chair positions. Phelan has argued that Democrats deserve a “seat at the table” and that we need to work together with them.

Dade Phelan @DadePhelan

Merry Christmas Eve. A reminder. The process in DC is completely broken. Only a few get a seat at the table. There is no attempt to work together. Never a consensus. #txlege should never emulate it.

Rep. Chip Roy Press Office @RepChipRoy

"Everything the American people is watching right now is a complete SHAM, it's a FRAUD...The American people deserve us to be here over Christmas actually FIGHTING for them!" "What you see here on the floor of the House of Representatives should make everybody ASHAMED!" ⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/N7jsSQVN5P

This is a very goofy argument for a number of reasons.

It’s a very normie talking point, but it’s so true—there is a uniparty in DC. No matter who wins the elections, we see the same screw jobs, the same funding bills, the same foreign $ giveaways, literally nothing happens in congress out of the normal scams. Whether Republicans or Democrats have been in charge has been irrelevant in the grand scheme of things for decades.

Furthermore, what is Phelan anticipating getting in return for appointing Democrats to all these leadership positions?

🤔

Does Phelan need a reminder that the people he’s asking Republicans and taxpayers to work together with are the same people that support showing this to your children?

Tayler Hansen @TaylerUSA

“The exaggeration”

reason @reason

The exaggeration of what's happening at drag shows and the political response to it give it all the hallmarks of a moral panic. https://t.co/HtQXH2f1kw

Rep Bryan Slaton HD2 has proposed a Rules Modification that would completely prevent Democrats from holding chair positions.

We’ve also acquired a handwritten Rules Modification by Rep Steve Toth HD15 that would be a much weaker version of Slaton’s Rules Modification.

This would allow Dems to still hold chair positions as long as they weren’t “key committees”.

What or who defines “key committees” is anyone’s guess. We assume a key committee would be defined by the speaker, Phelan, who would in turn throw 13+ Democrats into chair positions just like last session. Furthermore, controversial but important bills are sometimes sent to “unimportant” committees that are chaired by a Democrat in order to die.

We sense a possible scam here, we hope we’re wrong. We imagine that Toth’s version is what will likely get support from the moderate Republicans as well as Phelan, which will potentially put Texas right back at square one.

Maybe the grassroots should start preparing a list of what they define as a “key committee”.