kut.org By Ben Philpott 6/5/2017
Last week, Texas made national news when state lawmakers got into a shouting match that escalated into shoving and even death threats.
But anger among politicians working at the Texas Capitol had been growing for weeks, and some lay blame for that at the feet of a small group of extremely conservative lawmakers. They call themselves the Texas Freedom Caucus.
The moniker is inspired by the group of far-right conservatives in the U.S. House that has played an oversized role in running Congress. And just like at the federal level, the 12 members of the Texas caucus have shifted the debate in the Texas House to the right.
Freedom, Liberty And Limited Government
The caucus appears to have simple goals: block any increase in taxes or government. And each time they oppose legislation, they make sure to drive that point home.
"This discussion and my opposition to this bill has been on one simple thing: whether this should be handled by the government or should be handled by communities and individuals," Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford) said during a debate on the House floor this session.
There are similar groups popping up in legislatures across the country. In Kansas it’s the called the Truth Caucus. In Georgia, the Appeal to Heaven Caucus. But no matter the name, the principles play well on the campaign trail in deep red states.
More:
http://kut.org/post/how-texas-freedom-caucus-won-2017-legislative-session
