Tea Party Legislators’ Hatred Hurts Texas’ Bottom Line

[TexasTowelie]

By Carol Morgan

Since January, the extremist wing of the Texas GOP has been tossing out bills as fast as possible and they fall under two distinct categories: punishment and hatred. As always, Conservative Texas Legislators believe they can fix any bad bill by hiding behind the shield of “good conservative legislation”, but Texans are beginning to see through the façade of trigger words and rhetorical mind benders.

Mark Twain wrote a sentiment that sums up the 84th Legislature quite succinctly. “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled.” That’s exactly what this small group of far right legislators are doing, but in the last two weeks, the tables have turned.

Texas Business and Industry took a firm stand on Tuesday to oppose the long-line of religious freedom bills that discriminate against LGBT workers. The initiative is called “Texas Competes” and consists of over a hundred Texas businesses who have political clout in the state.

From potty bills for transgenders to conflict over whose names appear on birth certificates to wedding cake and pizza wars and killing dreams, it’s been a constant stream of ludicrous legislation with the sole purpose of punishing, hating, and putting Texas citizens in their “place”.

Bill Hammond, President of the Texas Association of Business, has been an outspoken hero, warning against the 20 pieces of legislation that would subvert the freedoms of Texas’ workers as well as defending the Dream Act which might be repealed if a law authored by Senator Donna Campbell passes. Texas already has an undereducated workforce and needs more, not fewer, college graduates. These Dreamers, have already paid $51.6 million in tuition and fees, plus $65 billion in economic output.

A better educated workforce is essential to Texas’ future economic growth. Bill Hammond, the Texas Business Association, and Texas Competes realizes this. So what is the blinding the Texas Legislature?

Hate hurts the bottom line; Moderate Republicans know this, but conservative firebrands like Donna Campbell, Jonathan Stickland, Matt Krause, Debbie Riddell, and Molly White are so blinded by hate and fear, they can’t get beyond it to serve ALL of their constituents.

Author Richard Parker penned an excellent piece in the Dallas Morning News yesterday. It’s a tongue-in-cheek letter welcoming new businesses to Texas, but warning them of what to expect when they get here. Parker claims the Texas Tea Party has become the Anti-Business Party of Texas. It’s quite witty, but beneath the laughs, it underlies a salient and serious point: Conservative Legislation will hurt the economy of Texas by scaring companies away.

Per Richard Parker:

“Imagine telling your gay employees to expect legally sanctioned discrimination. Imagine telling shareholders that the pool of college graduates where you just moved dropped by tens of thousands. Think of the lurking liability problems and costs. Now imagine the impacts in a globally competitive environment….Best to warn your Hispanic shareholders that when they come in for the annual meeting, they might be asked by the cops to prove their citizenship. Also make a note to call the mayor and the city council. They probably promised you all kinds of things, but what they didn’t know is that the Anti-Business Party would soon expand the power of the state to overrule cities on all manner of critical issues related to quality of life. You might not be able to count on that local law or long-promised incentive.”

There are 46 days left in this session and the outliers on the right need to check their ego at the door and do what’s best for all people in Texas.

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Carol Morgan is a career/college counselor, a freelance writer, and former Democratic candidate for the Texas House. She is the award-winning author of two books: Of Tapestry, Time and Tears and Liberal in Lubbock. Email Carol at [e-mail] , follow her on Twitter and on Facebook or visit her writer’s blog at www.carolmorgan.org

http://lubbockonline.com/interact/blog-post/carol-morgan/2015-04-16/tea-party-legislators%E2%80%99-hatred-hurts-texas%E2%80%99-bottom-line#.VTBVYeHy3SI

Permission granted to post Carol's blog in its entirety.

[Downwinder]

1. Be nice if this could split the GOP

and the Chambers of commerce.

[Gothmog]

2. This is a good move the the Texas businesses

These anti-LGBT bills are getting stupid