Now that the legislature is back in session, attention has focused on our citizen legislature (legislators have other jobs in addition to their role as representative). In contrast, a professional legislature (where elected officials serve full-time, typically year round) is thought to be more like a job, so presumably officials put their own personal, economic well-being second.
Texas legislators are being criticized because they have to rely on other sources of income to support themselves (the annual salary is only $7200 per year), and some say that this leads legislators to engage unethical or even illegal spending of campaign monies, and additionally, it puts legislators in a position to find all sorts of financial incentives to make sure that their “real job” is turning a profit.
The Texas Ethics Commission is getting ready to do a periodic legislative review which allows the office to examine key policies and revise, amend, or abolish provisions so government can work more effectively. The Commission may look more closely this time around to see if representatives are fulfilling their duties. Political scientists typically view the role of a legislator as either that of a delegate (an official who ignores their own expert judgment about policies in favor of pursuing policies that are currently popular) or a trustee (someone who supports policies that may be unpopular, but which the official believes promotes the general welfare). In the case of Texas, the concern is that legislator are doing neither, but taking actions based on personal interest doing ”bidness as usual”.
And speaking of where it has not been business as usual, take a look at Governor Rick Perry’s top level policy assignments. Perry has been slammed for his position on abortion and women’s health care, leading some to raise concern about support for women in the Governor’s Office, but that may be incorrect.
Even though Texas is a weak governor system (meaning that the Governor does not have extensive powers and authority), the governor’s office does hire a number of staff level positions—especially in areas where Governor is seeking top level advisors to work on policy initiatives. Through the appointment process (the mechanism by which the Governor can appoint the persons he wants to key positions), it seems Governor Perry can be considered rather progressive. Both his chief of staff and deputy chief of staff (the two top advisers to the governor on policy issues) are women, over 60% of his office employees are female, and most importantly, about two-thirds of his senior policymaking personnel are women. Contrast that with a recent report lambasting President Obama because his inner circle of advisers are disproportionately white and male.
Take that Washington—your gender gap is showing.
Lone Star News Review 