The 82nd Texas Legislature: Horror Show or Freak Show?

In a Texas House GOP caucus vote this afternoon -- about the same time Tom DeLay learned his fate, in fact -- Joe Straus secured 70 commitments of the 100 members who attended.

Straus is a traditional mainstream Republican who calls himself a fiscal conservative. His opponents, however, do not trust him to lead a chamber amid expectations that lawmakers aggressively will pursue anti-immigration bills, Voter ID legislation and stronger anti-abortion bills (emphasis mine).

I'll be in Austin tomorrow to document the beginning of the atrocities. Follow me on Twitter (link in the right-hand column) for as-they-happen updates or check in here for the occasional in-depth opinion.

How much is three years' worth of soap-on-a-rope?

Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay today was sentenced to three years in prison for his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to commit political money laundering. He also was sentenced to five years in prison on a money laundering conviction, but the judge probated that to 10 years of community supervision.

DeLay was taken into custody by Travis County deputies, but will be released on $10,000 bail pending appeal.

DeLay pleaded for himself before visiting District Judge Pat Priest.

"I don't feel remorseful for something I don't think I did," DeLay told the judge.

Yes, he'll bond out on appeal and his chances are much better with the Republicans at that level, but today goes down as a good day for justice.

Even as Republicans in both Washington and Austin prepare to overreach once more, a ray of light on a cold day in Deep-In-The-Hearta is enough to warm my heart just a little. Matt Angle at the LSP reminds us, though ...

Given the confirmation of a $27 billion Texas budget deficit, a purely partisan Republican vote on the State House Speaker, and the tragedy in Arizona, the sentencing today of Tom DeLay for felony money laundering may seem like yesterday’s news. In reality, the timing is fitting and relevant. DeLay’s extreme and ruthless partisanship has imprinted on Texas Republicans and his style will be on display today and throughout the legislative session.

“Whether DeLay spends 24 minutes, 24 days or 24 months in custody, his punishment will not undo the damage he has done to hundreds of thousands of Texas voters," said Matt Angle, head of the Lone Star Project.

“Tom DeLay – with enthusiastic help from Rick Perry, David Dewhurst and the Bush Department of Justice – not only robbed Hispanic and African American citizens of their voting strength, but made all other Texans subject to an extreme brand of partisanship that is even worse than Washington's.

“There is little reason to feel comfort in justice being served to Tom DeLay today. His corrupt, partisan legacy lives on in Austin and is being practiced enthusiastically by the Republicans currently in control in Texas.”

The Weekly Wrangle

The Texas Progressive Alliance is keeping all of the victims of the Arizona shooting in its thoughts as it brings you this week's roundup.

Refinish69 at Doing My Part for the Left has misgivings about the border patrol shooting at teenagers because they are throwing rocks. The hate mongering expressed in the immigration bills for the 82nd Texas Legislature will only add fuel to the fire.

Off the Kuff writes about the upcoming legislative battle over class size limits.

Bay Area Houston gives the bird back to the Harris County GOP. (With video.)

Hydraulic fracturing brings PEAK WATER to the Eagle Ford Shale as residents find their water tables dropping. A resident found Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS and contacted TXsharon about their flammable water.

This week on Left of College Station Teddy covers Texas Congressional District 17's new Republican congressman Bill Flores' first days on the job in Congress. Also, as the 82nd Texas Legislature prepares to gavel into session facing a possible $25 billion budget shortfall, Teddy asks what's the matter with Texas?

BossKitty at TruthHugger is watching with amazement the current events unfolding after the Arizona tragedy. The venom being spewed by extreme groups toward the victims and praise for the shooter is absolutely incredible. BossKitty tries to unravel the reasons these events are now mainstream in this country in the op-ed Wounded America On Life Support.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme sees the republican priority: cronies, cronies, cronies.

nytexan at BlueBloggin looks at who we have become: Arizona Shooting, Political Discord and American Disrespect. Americans should be ashamed of what we have become: gun-toting, hate-mongering Neanderthals. We are continually pointing fingers at each other, continually shouting, continually spewing incorrect information, continually exhibiting disrespect. This has now become a national pastime.

Neil at Texas Liberal posted the fourth annual version of his Martin Luther King reading & reference list. It is the best such reference on the web.

Texas is not like Arizona, PDiddie at Brains and Eggs observes. In Texas we don't arrest people for looking "illegal", or let Medicaid patients die because the governor doesn't want to pay the bill, or shoot Congresswomen in front of supermarkets. Yet.

WhosPlayin is disgusted by a city council that refused to table a vote on 12 gas wells and a wastewater facility when the operator submitted a weaselly P.R. document instead of a real emissions reduction plan. It's time to replace some councilmen, because one is an illiterate fool and the other is unethical enough to push an ordinance backed by his employer.

After the Texas Eagle Forum weighed in on the House Speaker's race, Letters From Texas weighed in on the shenanigans of the Texas Eagle Forum.

Over at TexasKaos, libbyshaw, has a reality pill for Rick Perry and his minions. Check out The Great Texas Failure: A Smoke and Mirrors Economy.

TexasVox has a complete rundown of last week's vote to allow the nation's radioactive waste to come to Texas. Long story short? We got screwed.