Better Than This

As I am writing, Senator Wendy Davis of Ft. Worth is filibustering a pro-life bill that would curb many dangerous abortion practices in Texas. She has been speaking for nearly five house and will need to speak for more than eight hours more to kill the bill. As someone who is pro-life, it would be easy to fall into the temptation to spout conservative rhetoric in opposition to Senator Davis’ argument. But that is not the topic that has bothered me throughout the day.

Reading the Twitter feeds and the Facebook comments, I am disturbed by the fundamental failure to understand the democratic process and the conviction that our representatives have to stand before the world and defend their beliefs.

Late last night, there was major controversy over the Senate attempting to suspend a constitutional rule that requires the body to wait twenty-four hours before concurring on any House amendments. To suspend the rule, the Senate would need a two-thirds majority vote in favor of suspension. There was an outcry that the body was attempting to circumvent the state constitution in order to ram an unpopular bill through the process. That cannot be further from the truth. Every day, both the Senate and the House, suspend constitutional rules to conduct daily business.

Parliamentary procedure notwithstanding, there have been countless instances of disrespectful commentary from members of both sides of the argument. Not only is this uncalled for, but the arguments I am hearing are not well thought out or well reasoned.

Senator Lucio, a staunchly religious man, is known the state over for his Democratic voting. However, on the issue of abortion, he has voted his Catholic beliefs – standing up for the unborn. Last night, during the controversy over suspending the twenty-four hour rule, there were those that attacked Senator Lucio for his willingness to vote to suspend, indicating his support for the pro-life bill. His politics were questioned, his convictions were attacked, and at one point I read an individual who said he would personally run a primary opposition campaign if the Senator were to seek reelection.

Here is what I do not understand: For years, the citizens of this state have continually decried the members of our government for wavering in the face of difficult decisions and bending to the whims of special interests. We have called for principled leadership and moral courage.

Is that not what Senator Lucio has done in pledging support for this pro-life legislation? Instead of bending to his party platform or parroting the arguments of the pro-choice interests, he has placed principle ahead of politics. This is something to be praised, not condemned.

Similar attacks have been launched against Lt. Gov. Dewhurst (pro-life) and Senator Davis herself (pro-choice).

Disrespectful and personal attacks against one another because of a difference in opinion are neither constructive nor productive. At the end of the day, these are the elected officials of Texas. The job that they have is immeasurably difficult. Months and weeks away from family and friends, long days in tense deliberation over complex legislation, and late nights understanding a breadth of issues most could not begin to tackle. These are just a few of the challenges that are faced when pursuing a life in elected office. They deserve the utmost of honor and respect as they stand on the front lines of the effort to make our state a better place.

Unfortunately, this is not the case and that is a shame. Regardless of political position or ideological foundation, we are Texans and we are better than this.