All In The Family - Jake’s Take

May 9th, 2008 by Jake Hatlin | Posted in OGR On Other Blogs |

I’m a big fan of Mike Hailey over at Capitolinside. Mr. Hailey does a great job running a very respectful site that provides unique thought and sound perspectives on the stories floating around our little political world. I couldn’t even dream of one day having the audience that Mr. Hailey has. Yet there comes a time in everyone’s life when they find fault with their idols. For me, it was when I read Mr. Hailey’s rankings of families in the power of Texas politics.

All in all, I think Mr. Hailey’s top 16 list would have been better served to be just a top 10, because it seems with some of the mentioned families that Mr. Hailey really had to dig down deep into the bottom of the barrel. Allow me to explain as I go toe to toe with the man that would make a worthwhile mentor to anyone in this business.

The Ortiz and Lucio Families

I group these two families together for primarily the same reasons. Both are father/son sets, and in both cases the fathers are well accomplished in Texas politics. But perhaps we could wait until the sons finish at least 1 term in office before we label the whole family as movers and shakers? And in the Ortiz case, shouldn’t we first see if Jr can win in a Democrat primary without having the nomination handed to him prior to labeling him as a force to be dealt with?

The Uresti Family

So I am to understand that being a freshman Senator in the minority party and carrying the baggage that Carlos does coupled with having one brother who sits on one of our more than 1,000 school boards and another brother who made a failed run at Congress constitutes family dominance? Come on, Mr. Hailey, you’re better than that.

The Haggerty Family

Now you’re just breaking my heart, Mr. Hailey. Yes, Pat has been a member of the House for almost twenty years, but he is now on his way out, booted from office by the very constituency he’s represented for almost 20 years. On top of that, what has he done for me lately besides drink…cause trouble on the house floor…drink some more…give a meaningless personal privilege speech…drink some more…fight the urge to pass out at his desk.

On the flip side, it’s nice that Pat’s brother is a 5 term member of the El Paso’s Commissioner’s Court. However, Mr. Hailey, I failed to see where you listed any of his accomplishments earned during that stay.

The Bolton Family

You have to be kidding me! Valinda is nothing to brag about. The only thing she should be accredited with is picking the right year to run and locking herself up in a closet during the campaign so that even she couldn’t screw it up. Once in the House, all Valinda really did was not work well with others and ignore the unspoken rule that freshmen are better seen and not heard. Seriously, you couldn’t get her off the back mike if you charged a cover! I guess she felt the need to compensate for time lost at the front mike.

This also marks the 6th time that Mr. Hailey references a freshman legislator (all from the minority party), who by all accounts, have very little power to wield. And the other half of the Boltons, that dude got thumped hard (35 points) in his run for District Judge.

So as I said at the start, a top 10 list was probably more in order. And I don’t think I am alone in taking issue here. Don’t be surprised if Sam weighs in also.