The Voucher Death Dance

The Austin Chronicle: News: The Voucher Death Dance: "House Speaker Tom Craddick suffered his biggest upset of the session Monday night, when a dozen Republicans broke ranks to defeat a voucher measure that threatened the funding of public schools. Instead of finding one more way to starve public education, the voucher proponents are once again licking their wounds and waiting for the next biennium.

It's a new concept in this session of the GOP-controlled House – voting for the folks back in their districts instead of the man wielding the gavel on the dais, or the sugar daddy in the back room calling in his chits. Daddy was San Antonio millionaire and GOP bankroller James Leininger, holding court in Craddick's office, where certain waffling reps were summoned for 'friendly' chats – something about drawing a primary opponent if they didn't toe the line on vouchers. Gov. Rick Perry, whose own campaign chest is heavily dependent on Leininger money, also did his share of arm-twisting."