Watson Wire
Back to Work
Monday, June 29, 2009
Texas’ Constitution allows the Governor to call the legislature into session at any time it isn’t meeting regularly. During these special sessions, he has total control over the agenda. This year, his main goal seems to get the band on and off the stage as fast as possible.
Veto Day
Monday, June 22, 2009
As legislative watchers know, checks and balances go out the window for three weeks after every legislative session. During this “veto period,” the Governor can reject whatever legislation he wants – no matter how popular it is among those folks elected to legislate – and we don’t have the ability to come back into session and override his veto. It can be a dispiriting and irritating time ...
Extra Innings
Monday, June 15, 2009
I feel like there’s still a lot of unfinished business and missed opportunities that Texans would like to see taken care of. And if we’re potentially going to get another shot at all of this, I think we should take it.
Freedom’s Just Another Word for ... Sine Die
Monday, June 08, 2009
Beneath all the conflict and chaos, we passed bills that will help a lot of people. Personally, I’m going to remember this as a very successful session.
To the Lifeboats
Monday, May 25, 2009
With the House looking more and more tied up – and with a massive deadline (emphasis on “dead”) coming up to pass any new bills at all – the Senate is pouring time and energy into amendments for bills that have already been through the House.
Sunny Persistence
Monday, May 18, 2009
When you combine a very pretty girl with the romantic madness of a 14-year-old, you wind up with a formative experience. And the fact that Liz did, eventually, agree to date me remains a helpful lesson in patience and persistence. Lord knows it paid off last week, when the Senate passed my RPS bill.
Crazy Time
Monday, May 11, 2009
Amid the flood of legislation passing through the Legislature, we’re all still trying to pass our bills, shape the larger policy initiatives so that they’re better for the state, and watch out for the bad bills and amendments that would do more harm than good to everyday Texans. It’s a uniquely crazy time.
The Way It’s S’posed To Be
Monday, May 04, 2009
29 days left. Everything's at full speed. But let's take a few minutes to talk about non-partisanship. Let's praise people who can put experience and ambition aside to embrace the other side. Raise your glasses to those who, even against their better judgment, show some love for the Baylor Bears.
Seceding in Governing Without Really Trying
Monday, April 20, 2009
Recently, I asked a smart young woman to help me figure something out. The problem involved lots of numbers and moving parts. She quickly created some documents and a nifty spread sheet that, she claimed, explained the issue.