#TXLEGE: Our Legislative Priorities....

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
Matthew 6:33

It's not a secret that this author is a member of the RPT convention's temporary legislative priorities committee.  It's also not a secret that we're sticking around Austin on Monday for the UT baseball game.  Given those conflicting realities, it makes sense to publish a blog post about why we sought the position.

Process Reforms.

Every legislative session, grassroots priorities get killed.  The reason why is that there's a deeply entrenched good ol' boy network at the Capitol.  The three process reforms we propose are the most important steps one can take to dismantle and eliminate that network.

• Eliminate ALL FORMS of taxpayer funded lobbying.
  
  The first amendment guarantees private citizens the right to petition their government; governmental entities hiring political hacks to undermine taxpayers perverts the founders intent.
  
  Taxpayer funded lobbying is compelled political speech.  Governmental entities should not be allowed to use their own citizens' money to undermine the afore mentioned citizens.  It's that simple.
  
  Therefore, the Texas Legislature needs to pass legislation prohibiting political subdivisions from hiring lobbyists or paying dues to anti-Taxpayer organizations such as (but not limited to) the Texas Municipal League, the Texas Association of Counties, the Texas Association of School Administrators, or the Texas Association of School Boards.

• Abolish Collective Bargaining for ALL Employees of the State of Texas AND its Political Subdivisions.
  
  While taxpayer funded lobbying is the worst abomination, colluding against taxpayers isn't far behind.
  
  Whatever his other flaws, former Democrat president Franklin Roosevelt believed: "All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management. The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress. Accordingly, administrative officials and employees alike are governed and guided, and in many instances restricted, by laws which establish policies, procedures, or rules in personnel matters.”  This website agrees.
  
  Therefore this website calls upon the Texas Legislature to pass legislation that converts EVERY employee of the State of Texas and EVERY political subdivision to "at-will" status.

• Neutering ALL FORMS of Sexual Misconduct.
  
  Whatever the excesses of the national #MeToo movement, grotesque forms of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual relations between legislators and lobbyists are a Harvey Weinstein style "open secret" in the Texas Legislature.
  
  Such behavior is wrong.
  
  Therefore, this website calls upon the Texas Legislature to pass legislation reigning in its own sexual misconduct.