#TXLEGE: On Rule 44....

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan."
Proverbs 29:2

JoAnn Fleming over the weekend:

Friends, this is the saddest excuse for a legislative session we’ve seen in ten years. Republicans are in charge but are poised to grow state government and unleash more tentacles of the federal government into our state.

Unless some miracle happens, the end of the session will come and go on May 27, and most – if not all – of the campaign promises made to us will remain unfulfilled.  The worst part – most of the conservative legislators aren’t even fighting for the things they said they believed in.

As for the state House members who still cling to the notion that this is a “new day,” you can ride that falling tree to the ground if you want to, but we won’t.  At some point, you must admit to yourselves there is a possibility that at the end of session in 25 days, you will be standing there with NOTHING. 

Friends, you can be SURE that we will continue to push for REAL property tax relief, election integrity, saving historical monuments, and other liberty priorities until the last day of the regular session and on to a Special Session, but we have a question for you NOW…

Are YOU ready to send a strong message to the “Support Us ‘Cause at Least We Ain’t Democrats” Republicans and their consultants? 

.... 

Not sure what the accountability tool “Censure Rule 44” is all about? Read it here.

Trust me, GOP legislators know what Rule 44 means.  Do you have what it takes to make sure your local GOP Executive Committee uses it?

In addition, a website that's close with the GOP establishment recently published a satirical essay about Rule 44.  Given that the essay wasn't intended to be serious, we won't treat it as such.  Nevertheless, it's an example of how the discussion is out there.

That being said, if we're stuck going down that path, NOBODY will deserve censure more than Greg Abbott.

Consider two tools in the Governor's toolbox:

• Vetoes -- The Governor can veto any bill he wants; therefore, any bad legislation that makes it into law is on the Governor.
  
  Off the top of our head, unless they change dramatically in the coming weeks, the budget, the school finance bill, and this so-called 'mental health' garbage all deserve a veto.
  
  If those three monstrosities make it into law, Abbott will richly deserve censure.

• Special Sessions -- In the event grassroots priorities (especially, but not limited to, official RPT priorities) remain unpassed in three weeks, Greg Abbott can call a special session to pass them.
  
  In the event the afore mentioned priorities fail to pass in a special session, Greg Abbott can call another special session.
  
  You get the picture.

In the event that we're in a serious discussion of Rule 44, it will only be because Greg Abbott has failed to exercise his veto and special session power.

That would be obvious grounds for censure.

Bottom Line: This is far from a done deal.. but it doesn't take a genius to see the direction in which current trends are headed.