Dee Margo's First Test
If you read the El Paso Times yesterday then you no doubt saw a story outlining all of the bills filled in the next legislative session that will be anti-immigrant.
Once again, the Republicans can't seem to get out of their own way. Just when they start making headway in to developing a strong presence in the Latino community, they show themselves to be a bunch of xenophobes with misplaced leadership priorities.
There are very few people that will argue the fact that biggest issue facing the state of Texas is the $12-$25 billion budget deficit we will be facing in the next legislative session. Yet Republicans like Representative Debbie Riddle (R-Humble), are camping out to introduce anti-immigrant legislation like she was waiting for the chance to buy Willie Nelson farewell tour tickets.
The Tea Party movement was supposed to be about fiscal responsibility, though I have always have doubts about how loyal its loose collection of members have been to that tenant.
If that's really the case, then people like riddle are going to piss off the fiscal conservatives for showing what her real priorities are, which apparently don't include fiscal responsibility but rather the opportunity to project herself on a state and possibly national stage in the same way Arizona Governor Jan Brewer was able to accomplish.
This puts incoming freshman State Rep and now-Hispanic Dee Margo in an interesting position. He's gone record with me, on more than one occasion, stating that Arizona-style legislation is not for Texas, as you can see in this video (Second half of the video).
Margo has always billed himself as a fiscal conservative, so Margo will face the test of facing tough decisions in terms of how he votes on those issues as the reach the legislature. Interestingly, Margo has set an interesting precedent in his campaigns that may add an unexpected wrinkle to his legislative term.
When asked about his support of gaming, Margo has frequently said that he would support gaming in El Paso. And he always qualified his support by saying that polls show the majority of El Paso support gaming and he will therefore support gaming because of that fact.
So will he be consistent with all issues and vote the way a majority of El Pasoans would like to see him vote (a philosophy similar to that of City Rep Eddie Holguin), or vote the way he thinks is best? That makes the House debate about some of these anti-immigrant bills all the more interesting because a majority of El Pasoans clearly don't support Arizona-style anti-immigrant legislation.
That will make a very interesting test for the westside Republican.
Once again, the Republicans can't seem to get out of their own way. Just when they start making headway in to developing a strong presence in the Latino community, they show themselves to be a bunch of xenophobes with misplaced leadership priorities.
There are very few people that will argue the fact that biggest issue facing the state of Texas is the $12-$25 billion budget deficit we will be facing in the next legislative session. Yet Republicans like Representative Debbie Riddle (R-Humble), are camping out to introduce anti-immigrant legislation like she was waiting for the chance to buy Willie Nelson farewell tour tickets.
The Tea Party movement was supposed to be about fiscal responsibility, though I have always have doubts about how loyal its loose collection of members have been to that tenant.
If that's really the case, then people like riddle are going to piss off the fiscal conservatives for showing what her real priorities are, which apparently don't include fiscal responsibility but rather the opportunity to project herself on a state and possibly national stage in the same way Arizona Governor Jan Brewer was able to accomplish.
This puts incoming freshman State Rep and now-Hispanic Dee Margo in an interesting position. He's gone record with me, on more than one occasion, stating that Arizona-style legislation is not for Texas, as you can see in this video (Second half of the video).
Margo has always billed himself as a fiscal conservative, so Margo will face the test of facing tough decisions in terms of how he votes on those issues as the reach the legislature. Interestingly, Margo has set an interesting precedent in his campaigns that may add an unexpected wrinkle to his legislative term.
When asked about his support of gaming, Margo has frequently said that he would support gaming in El Paso. And he always qualified his support by saying that polls show the majority of El Paso support gaming and he will therefore support gaming because of that fact.
So will he be consistent with all issues and vote the way a majority of El Pasoans would like to see him vote (a philosophy similar to that of City Rep Eddie Holguin), or vote the way he thinks is best? That makes the House debate about some of these anti-immigrant bills all the more interesting because a majority of El Pasoans clearly don't support Arizona-style anti-immigrant legislation.
That will make a very interesting test for the westside Republican.
Comments
Post a Comment
We encourage constructive community dialogue, debate, and conversation - but we reserve the right to refuse to publish a comment or delete a comment if we feel like it. Be a respectful adult. Use common sense.