Bolton's Earns "I'm a tax-and-spend Democrat" Award
I ran across this Statesman article in 2007 that piqued by interest: Legislative Study Group freshman award given to Valinda Bolton. Bolton is a liberal Democrat who got a F- rating (23%) from the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, the most leftwing of a pretty leftwing Travis delegation. She's had an undistinguished record and few accomplishments as a State Representative. So why would she get an award?
So I tried to find out more about the LSG (Legislative Study Group). Rep. Garnet F. Coleman, Chairs the Legislative Study Group. The group consists of State Reps and it appears dominated by liberal Democrats (although some Republicans are on it), and Rep. Bolton just happens to be a board member of that group which gave her an award. LSG is a liberal caucus that lobbies for more Govt spending: "By arming members with accurate information LSG has proved to be a vital part of many legislative battles including protecting key teacher's rights to benefits, protecting and strengthening our public schools by helping to defeat the sending of tax dollars to private schools, and leading the effort to stop the crippling cuts to the CHIP program."
Valinda Bolton, D-Austin, just received the Legislative Study Group’s freshman of the year award for her work for Texas families.So Bolton got an award from this liberal LSG group where she is on the board, for her work on the LSG favored agenda - opposing school choice, advocating higher welfare spending, and advancing the teachers' unions agenda. In other words, she got an "I'm a tax-and-spend Democrat" award.
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2 comments:
The group of Republicans in this group is interesting.
Tom Craddick is in the group because, obviously, he is the Speaker.
Tommy Merritt will caucus with Republicans and then go straight to Jim Dunnam (Texas version of Nancy Pelosi) to tell him the Republican strategies so the Democrats can defeat the Republicans easier. He's got the "Benedict Arnold Award" in my book.
Kirk England switched parties after last Session to officially become a Democrat. He voted with them on a majority of issues anyway. I respect Kirk in this matter, though. Why hide who you are. If you vote with liberals, then join the party of liberals. He did just that.
And finally, Corbin Van Arsdale. Corbin was defeated in the Republican primary, mostly because he supported the business tax and spending increases. Senator Dan Patrick ran and supported Allen Fletcher in the primary because of the fiscal issues. Allen won with 53% of the votes over a 3 term incumbent Republican.
So this group was made up of 2 RINO's, one of which switched parties, a defeated Republican because he got soft on fiscal issues, and the Speaker.
Thanks for the report on the GOP members. LSG is not per se partisan, but it clearly seems to have been taken over by the 'big spending caucus'.
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