Right before our eyes, the People's House is devolving into authoritarian chaos. Armed guards are on the scene to try to keep order (aka: intimidate).
Tonight, the Texas House of Representatives is on the verge of a revolution...and Speaker Tom Craddick doesn't like it.
[Updated] There appear to be serious rumblings on the budget. That, overnight, the GOP leadership made alterations to the budget to try to sway some of the "insurgents" to come home. The budget has to lay out for 48 hours from approval of the conference committee report; today is DAy 138 of 140. If any changes were made late last night, they cannot bring up the budget without blatantly violating the rules. Also, it would be the use of state tax dollars to, in essence, keep Otto Craddick in power.
[Update 2]: The House is in complete meltdown mode at this point. Craddick is nowhere to be seen and his Lieutenants are basically saying "nyah, nyah you can't replace him!"
The rumor is that the budget will be spiked via a point of order and the Legislature will shut down. Craddick is hoping if he can get out of town, he can hold onto the seat long enough to reconsolidate power by one or two votes when they come back into special session on the budget.
THEN the vindictiveness and retribution will take place throughout 08 to punish the "insurgents" going after him.
You may remember Tom Craddick. He became the first Republican Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction in 2003. He immediately instituted draconian rule to what had been a very easy-going and democratic institution.
You may also remember that he helped push through Tom DeLay's pathetic and illegal redistricting schemes. And broke Texas campaign laws to get the majority in the first place.
But tonight is the final push to oust this little man (nicknamed "Otto" Craddick.
http://www.dallasnews.com/...
After literally months of tension, the House has finally boiled over and has begun its open revolt against Speaker Craddick Four years, three regular sessions and, I believe, six special sessions later, the House has at long last stood up for itself.
Add to the intrigue is the hiring of former State Representative Ron Wilson as assistant parliamentarian. Some may remember Wilson as the Democratic (and African American) face the Texas GOP put out as front man to sell the GOP redistricting plan as kosher and good for minority interests in Texas.
That got him drummed out of office after more than two decades in the 2004 Democratic Primary. Now he's back and setting the rules of the Texas House.
This has major implications in Texas state politics and nationally. Obviously, the more turmoil the better, but the infighting among Republicans is only going to increase. Craddick has $4 million cash on hand and pledges to get that up to $10 million should he be ousted. That money will be spent on destroying his opponents -- in the GOP primary and in the general election.
This fratricide will be taking place during both a presidential AND U.S. Senate election. John Cornyn is already about as popular as the clap in Texas http://www.surveyusa.com/...
The Speaker will be ousted over the next three days, but the Republican on Republican violence will continue unabated down here all the way through next November and into January 2009. It may well lead to the flipping of the chamber to Democratic control.
Now why is that important? If Democrats control the House, it will make it more difficult for the Texas GOP to further gerrymander Congressional seats to allow the National GOP to add another seat or two. Texas will likely add additional Congressional seats in the next census, so having a D on the redistricting board, comprised of the Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, Land Commissioner and Speaker of House (all currently Republican) will be a small but extremely important help.
Ten years from now, tonight could well be viewed as the beginning of the end of Republican rule in Texas.