Posted on 05/05/2015 10:17:00 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Yesterday, conservative lawmakers pushed to attach key toll road reforms to two transportation bills in the Texas House, but they were thwarted by Speaker Joe Straus and his parliamentarian Chris Griesel who would not allow them to present their amendments. Griesel told them the amendments weren’t ‘germane’ (or salient) to the bills, HB 13 and HB 20, and blocked Rep. Jeff Leach and Rep. Jonathan Stickland from even laying out their amendments. Straus and Griesel utilized the same technique as they did on a Stickland amendment to the open carry bill the week before. The two decided to reject the amendments by executive fiat BEFORE the member is even allowed to present them.
This violates House rules that dictate a member must first present the amendment, and if any member believes it is not germane to the bill, then a point of order is called and the parliamentarian issues a ruling. If it’s ruled not to be germane, the Speaker is to explain the ruling within 24 hours (Rule 14, Sec. 8). The House member also has the opportunity to appeal the decision to the body (under Rule 1, Sec. 9). So by denying Leach and Stickland their ability to bring forward their amendments, they also denied them the right to defend their amendments as germane and potentially overcome the ruling.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
Joe Straus is the enemy of conservatives, I just do not understand why he was still elected Speaker
Because that is the Republican model these days. John Boehner is all the further you need to go to realize that.
He was elected by Dims and 10 scumbag repubs.
Strauss really, really, really needs to be primaried.
“Joe Straus is the enemy of conservatives, I just do not understand why he was still elected Speaker”
He is the last root of the Rick Perry gang. Purge him and we can start on our way to becoming a CONSERVATIVE STATE, like most others in the South.
I’m glad RINO Joe Stauss doesn’t get to anoint US Senators, as some people would prefer.
This may be of interest to Texans.
/johnny
It doesn't matter how awful the Republican "leadership" in the legislature is. The anti-17thers are convinced that if the 17th was repealed, Joe Stauss would magically wake up as the reincarnation of Thomas Jefferson the following morning, and appoint only wise constitutional statesmen to government offices.
Don't underestimate Texas. We're tired of Strauss.
/johnny
Joe Strauss is Texas’ answer to New York’s Sheldon Silver. Just a pair of schmucks.
And what people would they be, pray tell?
By the way, should the 17th be repealed, the previous rule does not give the Speaker of the House in Texas or any other State, the right to ‘anoint’ US Senators.
Apparently despite what those ‘some people’ you refer to would prefer.
Party bosses control the voting in state legislatures. Staruss would have never let Cruz win, indeed David Dewhurst was the boss of the State Senate and endorsed by every Republican Senator but 1, as I recall. And democrats could help elect RINOS in Republican states.
FAIL. Good thing this “repeal the 17th” BS is nothing but a kooky fantasy that will never be.
Yes, it could be that Strauss and Illinois troll Mike Madigan were separated at birth.
Well, well, well...
I guess I did foret something to bring up last time I visited my District 129 guy late last month...
Guess I little “rub yer nose in the poo poo” is in order...
I hate to do that, but hell, committee assignments for rookies are not all that good anyway...Don’t know why he was so worried about that reality...
Now it is going to come back and bite him in the butt...And not just from me...
I beg to differ. With the exception of Ted Cruz and a handful of others the current system has created a Senate that does not serve the purpose intended. It is NOT supposed to be a s “Uber House of Representatives” it is intended to be a conclave of what are essentially ambassadors from the constituent States.
Sure, you can point to someone like Strauss or even Dewhurst, but personalities aside, I’d prefer to ensure the structural integrity of the system as a whole and worry about specific weak timbers in good time.
TX conservative House members don’t understand that the leadership is undercutting them, or they are too fearful to speak up. TX Republican primary voters are not too informed either, especially in San Antonio and Houston.
Strauss is actually the political son John G. Tower never had.
We can’t purge Straus without the consent of Republican primary voters in Alamo Heights, and they aren’t giving such consent.
Strauss has been primaried, and like George P. Bush, he wins the primaries.
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