#TXLEGE: Abbott enters the biggest week of his political career....

"For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,"
1 Thessalonians 1:9

Update: This has got be considered a good sign....



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ORIGINAL POST:

We had originally intended to write a piece this morning detailing frustrations we've had with the Governor over the past few days...when we learned late yesterday that the property tax bill had been voted out of committee.  According to several capitol sources, getting that bill out of committee (where it died during the regular session) was a direct result of the Governor's behind the scenes actions.  Soo...we'll continue to wait and see.

Over the past 6 months, this website's opinion of the Governor has been...an emotional roller coaster ride.  On the one hand, there are the lousy UT regents and the fact that he went to the mat for film subsidies during crunch time of the budget negotiations.  On the other hand, calling the special session and setting out an ambitious agenda are tangible action that shouldn't be belittled.

Right now, there are two competing narratives about Abbott, one of which will likely emerge as dominant by the end of the special session:

• Greg Abbott is a Governor who sometimes takes too long to directly engage in major fights, but is usually pretty good once he does so.
  
  --OR--
• Greg Abbott gives lip service to grassroots priorities, but always seems to find more time for lousy UT regents and film subsides, while he says inflammatory things on Fox News to distract from that reality.

Another common theme that has emerged in talking with sources is that Greg Abbott has a certain theory about how to most effectively navigate the legislature.  The short version is that it involves a lot more carrot than stick.  To put it mildly, this website has a different view of the landscape.  We believe house leadership is incorrigibly wicked and that the only way to get anything out of them is to publicly bludgeon them into submission.  But...the property tax bill is out of committee...so we'll give the Governor a little more time to do things his way.

Bottom Line: Abbott's special session priorities need to see significant floor action in the house this week.  If they do, he will be able to claim a legitimate victory on both agenda and tactics.  If they don't, the questions will become very uncomfortable.