The United States and Texas are not democracies but constitutional republics.
The electorate chooses leaders at the ballot box to represent them and make decisions on their behalf as part of the body politic, unlike a true democracy in which every citizen casts a vote on every law.
For nearly 250 years, this system has worked for the governance of this former British colony.
Our elected public servants — it is wrong to call them our elected “leaders,” as they work for us and not the other way around — go to their legislative sessions to weigh in on taxation, government funding, transportation, new laws, updating old laws or simply taking those statutes off the books.
They are trusted to reflect the will of their constituents, not to “vote their conscience” alone or to put their party’s goals first.
However, there are some issues too big just for the politicians to decide, which is why it is often necessary to float public referendums and allow the people to make a choice.
The members of the 89th Legislature would be wise to remember this with the start of the new session this month.
One of the most divisive issues before Lone Star State lawmakers will be the issue of school vouchers.
In a nutshell, Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, supports the concept that tax dollars should follow a student wherever parents or guardians want to send that pupil to school. If passed, the law would enable public tax dollars to fund private campuses.
Abbott called four special sessions during the last Legislature in hopes of getting the measure approved, but failed to do so.
He then actively supported the campaigns of opponents trying to unseat the Republicans who did not approve vouchers. During the Nov. 4 election, 11 of 15 pro-voucher candidates emerged victorious at the polls, giving what Abbott said are the votes he needs.
Critics, however, fear taking money away from public schools could hurt campuses in rural areas where there no alternatives, or strip away employees from school districts, often the largest employer in a town.
Maybe this is one of those major decisions that all Texans should decide, not just some folks gathered at the Capitol.
This session, tell your state representative or state senator how you feel.
Thomas Edwards
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