Were it a stand-alone bill the language would have certainly & rightly been tossed in the circular file.
By Dr. Donna Campbell
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas At a time when 1 in
10 Americans are casting about for work and the national debt is fast approaching the $14 trillion mark Mr. Doggett is expending his time in Washington crafting legalese punishing the state he serves in a less-than-statesmanlike attempt to prove a less-than-compelling point.
His work has further eroded the rights of states and hurt the people of Texasmost notably disturbingly and wholly unnecessarily our schoolchildren.
Legislation drafted by Rep. Lloyd Doggett D-Texas imposing conditions on $800 million in federal education funding designated for Texas schools became law yesterday (8/11) as part of a larger spending bill. Were it a stand-alone bill the language would have certainly & rightly been tossed in the circular file.
Mr. Doggetts amendment has the Texas governor certify that the state will maintain education funding at a certain level through 2013.
Beyond the contra-constitutional flaws of the certification language Mr. Doggetts handiwork steers around the fundamental design of governmental
branches.
Being in the executive branch of government the governor cannot certify require or demand what the members of the legislative branch will appropriate for education or any budget line item. And the legislature set to convene in 2011 cannot bind the actions of any future legislature.
The certification pledge launched ostensibly as retaliation by Mr. Doggett over an earlier difference on budget philosophy with the governor is designed to set Texas up for failure.
- Make the pledge and enter into an agreement with terms that cant possibly be fulfilled.
- Dont pledge and nearly $1 billion is swept from the table back into Washingtons coffers.
And isnt it somewhere between ironic and insulting that these hoops and hurdles are in place when you consider that the money so benevolently waved by Washington actually first belonged to taxpayers to begin with?
Atop all this what if Texas one of the nations few economic shining stars actually were able to boost rather than maintain funding? Does the pledge language require Texas to withhold money from classrooms?
As mother to a soon-to-be first grader Id ask Mr. Doggett to please spend the rest of the year helping rather than hindering education funding.
Ill gladly take up things like helping improve the economy and cutting the deficit come January.
Dr. Donna Campbell M.D. is a Republican Candidate for Texass 25th Congressional District.
