Playing Chicken in the House

“Doing nothing” is how I normally like to spend my Saturdays, but not this time. I’m sitting in the Capitol, where House Democrats are “chubbing” – having lengthy, pointless discussions on noncontroversial bills in order to slow the process down in hopes of delaying the Republicans’ voter ID bill (SB 362) into oblivion – while the Senate is in recess, trying to figure out how to save bills now endangered by that delay.

The House Democratic Caucus has put out a memo telling the Republicans that it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead of continuing their plod through those noncontroversial bills (known as the “local & consent” calendar), they’re willing to break with normal procedure and take bills out of calendar order and take up the most pressing legislation. “Democrats are being very clear that they are ready to suspend the rules and bring forward most any bill other than Voter ID – such as insurance reform, tax relief for disabled veterans and more.”

But that takes a two-thirds vote in the 150-member body, and 59 Republicans – determined to get voter ID passed this session – have said “No way, Jose.”

Meaning: Both sides are playing chicken. Dems are willing to wreck the legislative session to kill voter ID, Republicans are willing to do the same in order to pass it. It’s dangerous proposition for both sides, because each will blame the other in fall of 2010, but it seems most dicey for Democrats: Requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls is an idea that initially strikes most people as common sense, and it takes a while to explain that such a provision could disenfranchise thousands of people for whom getting such an ID can be a hardship (people more likely to vote Democrat). Current polls show that about three-quarters of Texans support such a requirement.

The full text of the Democrats’ memo follows after the jump.

Memorandum
TO: Interested Parties
FR: House Democratic Caucus
DT: May 23, 2009

House Democrats Will Prioritize Issues Important to Working Families

· Democrats are being very clear that they are ready to suspend the rules and bring forward most any bill other than Voter ID – such as insurance reform, tax relief for disabled veterans and more.
· Last night 73 of the House's 74 Democrats – all of those on the Floor – voted to end debate on the Senate bills on the local calendar and instead to take up the House's general calendar. 66 of the House's 76 Republicans voted against the motion.
· This vote demonstrates that House Democrats stand united in putting important state business ahead of controversial, divisive, and unnecessary Voter ID legislation.

House Republicans Believe that Unnecessary and Controversial Voter ID Legislation Is the State’s Top Priority

· As you know, yesterday the House spent over twelve hours debating a limited number of non-controversial local Senate bills. Today, the House can continue at its current pace – but Members do not have to.
· 59 Republicans have said they will oppose any efforts take up important legislation ahead of the current pending non-controversial bills.
· Yesterday, House Calendars committee placed the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association bill on Major State calendar instead of the emergency calendar where it is eligible. It is becoming clear that Republicans are intentionally placing insurance reform behind unnecessary and controversial Voter ID legislation so as to force Members to choose between Voter ID and insurance reform.
· If House Republicans choose to put doing what is right for Texas ahead of their own partisan interests, this parliamentary impasse can come to an end, and the House can return to the spirit of bipartisan cooperation that has previously characterized the current legislative session.