Every day we see more and more examples of a federal government out of control. In the latest abuse, the U.S. Senate has passed legislation that, if allowed to stand, would severely limit the ability of all Texans’ right to set their own education policy.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate approved legislation that would require Texas – and no other state – to maintain state education spending levels through 2013. The bill essentially allows the U.S. Senate to bypass the legislative process and mandate what Texas can and cannot spend on education.
All Texans want a quality education for our children. As a state senator and state representative I have worked to increase teacher salaries and improve school accountability and school funding.
However, this overreaching mandate to Texas is an encroachment on states’ rights and essentially ignores the will of the people of the Lone Star State.
This is unconstitutional, as Gov. Rick Perry has rightly said, but more importantly, it sets a dangerous precedent. If the federal government can pick and choose which states to bind with onerous mandates, then can the states even be said to have a representative, republican form of government, which is guaranteed by the constitution?
We need change in Washington, but more importantly we need to end the arrogance of government on all levels. We need elected leaders who recognize limits on their power, and recognize the will of the people.
