From Waco With Love

On Wednesday we had the Austin American-Statesman reaching all the way to Waco to mine the Tribune-Herald for imported vacu-analysis. They went right to the top (a bit of colloquy we utilize in a sense far broader than was, we are sure, ever intended), tapping the Editorial Page Editor, John Young, for his assessment of the Lone Star Republican primary results.

Whenever the Media pontificates on any and all things either conservative or Elephantary, the effort is unintentionally imbued by the observer with one of two permeations.

Often the author sounds like the anti-Marlin Perkins, on Wild Kingdom safari in what he finds to be some strange, feral and inhospitable prehistoric land, taking in things with which he has no connection or correlation. Lacking Mister Perkins' affinity for the novelties he uncovers, his reaction is instead one of repugnance and disdain.

The alternative tonal quality to be found in these exploratory pieces is what we see on parade in Mister Young's foray into the wilds, a sort of smug "See, I told you so" snideness. As if to say to the Neanderthal, antediluvial wing of the Republican Party, "If you had only listened to us, this never would have happened".

Let us now take Mister Young's piece apart piecemeal, a dissection undertaken to fully flesh out all of the Medial cliché goodness.

Mister Young and the Press, Perpetually "Schooled"

Kent Grusendorf got schooled.

This is Mister Young's very first sentence. Certainly no sneer here, although we do find a pun of extraordinarily humorous quality, as well as an exhibition of Mister Young's inherent street credibility. (Okay, we admit to a bit of superciliousness ourselves here at the last.)

The Republican Party's point man for education in Austin won't be at point much longer. A candidate backed by educators and parents of public school children took him down in the March 7 primary.

Emboldened is a phrase of great import, to be contextualized in but a mere moment.

James Leininger got schooled.

So proud of his witticism is Mister Young that he has to get it in, again, right at the top. It is JUST as hilarious the second time around, Snoop.

The San Antonio millionaire spent $2.4 million hoping to defeat five Republicans whose fingers wouldn't be bent backwards by the GOP power structure to support school vouchers.

Let us now consult our Media-English dictionary. Under "whose fingers wouldn't be bent backwards", we find "willfully ignoring the wishes of the vast majority of their constituents".

This upheaval is endemic of a human strain with which Gov. Rick Perry, and Grusendorf, never imagined they'd have to contend: Republican moderates. That's right. We thought they stopped making those. And if any were around, they couldn't be elected anywhere, anyhow, certainly not in a Republican primary. Right?

Wrong. Amiss, afield, astray, awry.

Moderates of either Party simply do not vote in any month that does not begin with the letter "N". They are, as the appellation suggests, tempered in their approach to politics.

This does not lead or lend them to participate in the firebrand ideological wars that are the Party primaries. They are simply not interested enough to be rousted and drawn to the polls before the Fall, especially for electoral activities in so early a month as March.

Singing the New Song

Which brings us to our previously emboldened sub-excerpt from Mister Young's bit of journalistic piffle. Since when are "educators" involved in Republican politics, let alone Republican primaries? The answer is: never, ever, until this year.

In 2003, the Lone Star conversion to exclusively Elephantary affiliation was made complete. Republicans are now 29 for 29 statewide, and control both camerals of the Legislature. The Donkeys, after briefly fighting the good fight on their side of the ballotory aisle, have now abandoned that ship and taken a new tack: running liberal Democrats in Republican primaries.

Granted, cross-over votes are a factor in Texas' open primaries.

Which Mister Young readily cedes.

(Diane) Patrick, a Baylor grad, former Waco teacher, longtime PTA mom and now associate education professor at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Patrick, who defeated Chairman Grusendorf, is one such candidate, an educator newly christened and politically reborn as a Republican. We ask, is this the resumé of your typical Elephant? Decidedly not.

Still, didn't Grusendorf have his finger on the pulse of Texas - Perry certainly believes so - in saying that lawmakers could continue to put the clamps on school spending while imposing ever-stiffer "accountability" measures?

Only from the Media and Democrats' perspective on governmental endeavors does the need to tighten performance intrinsically mean the need to (further) loosen the purse strings.

In every aspect of one's daily life, we are quite sure one strives mightily to do "better with less", and almost always succeeds in so doing.

A rudimentary ability of which government is obviously not in possession. Public schools have for decades on end done worse and worse with lots and lots more. Parents are then roundly chastised by the Press for finally, exasperatedly either (1) demanding some sort of improvement of government educative execution or (2) seeking to be able to choose better scholastic arenas for their children.

Only a Media member could place quotation marks around the word "accountability" and not only keep a straight face, but mean it.

These are glorious discoveries being made by Republican moderates serving in the Legislature and by a newborn political action committee that's sworn to challenge the tax-cuts-above-all religion modeled so dashingly by Perry.

Compared and Contrasted, to Much Media Chagrin

A tremendous pet peeve of ours is the Ugly Texas Press Corps' angered fascination with the physical appearance of Texas Governor Rick Perry. He is attractive, you all are not, get over it.

Is it not a fundamental debate tactic to avoid areas in which you are clearly outgunned?

Their attempts to dismiss the Governor as an empty hair-do simply leave them looking like the stag kids standing in the corner of the gym at Prom snickering amongst themselves at the students who actually have dates.

Especially when we have witnessed in person a round-robin Media luncheon at the Mansion at which Governor Perry deftly and easily handled the hostilities thrown at him by the Gaggle, all whilst elegantly supping on roasted beef and pan-seared potatoes and smiling throughout.

He not only dominated the attempted gang-up on him, he thoroughly enjoyed doing it. (And do not think that the Press does not despise his undisconcerted pleasure with this and with them as well.)

The Texas Parent PAC was formed of desperation as supporters of public schools watched these power brokers demand more with less while attempting to snake away money for vouchers, "virtual schools" (funding home schooling) and charter schools.

Yes, "supporters of public schools": union members, educrats, LIBERAL DEMOCRATS.

Long time, core Party participants vote in primaries, and do so again and again and again. Brand new PACs to the party can very reasonably be suspected of having ulterior motives to their madness. TxPPAC certainly qualifies as one of these.

One must say (Patrick's) defeat of Grusendorf is one of the most meaningful electoral developments in Texas since the Republicans took over the statehouse.

Eeeee-Awwww

Yes, just as once upon a time the dominated minority Republicans played Democrat reindeer games, and occasionally slipped one by the Donkey faithful.

This loss should serve as the necessary Elephantary wake-up call to make adjustments to and allowances for the Burros that have wandered into their electoral midst.

Old dogs, old tricks. A new dog has arrived.

Yes, and it is braying rather than barking.