Dear editor,
Is this really the Texas that we want? One that is defined by the legislation of only one party no matter the vote of the people?
That’s exactly what we are getting with the current leader of our Senate legislative body, Dan Patrick.
In 2015 when the Texas Senate was majority Republican by a 20-11 margin, Patrick changed the almost 70-year old “order of business rule” —known as the 2/3 rule — to the rule of 3/5. The traditional rule of 2/3 required 21 votes to bring legislation forward in the Senate. The 3/5 rule allowed Patrick the control to bring only the legislation he wanted to the Senate floor with 19 votes.
Fast forward to 2021. The Texas Senate lost a seat in last year’s elections and now holds the majority by an 18-13 margin. Just one day into the 2021 legislative session, Patrick has moved to change his 2015 3/5 rule to a new 5/9 rule, thus allowing only 18 votes to bring legislation forward and maintaining Patrick’s complete control over the Senate.
Given the news that we have all seen these past couple of weeks, is this what we really want our government to do, maintain complete control over our lives by simply changing the rules when it suits them?
I don’t think so and I don’t think the 5,424,709 Texans who did not vote Republican in 2020 think so either.
We must function as a society of inclusion, one that is just and equal. Not a society of divide and conquer at all cost. It is time that the Texas legislature conduct its business by the will of the people, not that of Dan Patrick!
Sandra Crosby
Burnet Texas
