We hear a lot about how conservative Texans are, but you wouldn't know it if you went by what the Texas Legislature has been doing. It's been downright moderate.
The House demonstrated its newfound moderation under first-term Speaker Joe Straus by passing a series of bills last week that probably would have struggled to emerge from the chamber under former Speaker Tom Craddick.
One of those bills would make more families eligible for the Children's Health Insurance Program. Another would impose new spending restrictions on corporations and unions in political campaigns. One would lay the groundwork for reversing a major worker's compensation decision by the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court, and another would create a commission to investigate wrongful criminal convictions
The reason such bills are being passed? Moderate committee chairs.
Granted, liberals love SCHIP, union strong-arming, high taxes and government control, but Texans have traditionally spurned such practices. If you want to know why conservative legislation isn't passing, remember that this is what moderates give you.
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