Ethan Ugur and Jeff Wax stuff. Now. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said this week that he'll veto funding for the state Legislature. One day after House Democrats staged a walk out of the chamber in an effort to prevent the passage of a sweeping election overhaul bill. Joining us to discuss is Alan Sacks, retired political science professor from the University of Texas at Arlington. Thank you for joining us. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Absolutely. So, what was this Democrat walk out all about? And why are they against an election overhaul Bill? What it is, is that to sort of set the stage. Texas is a state where Democrats Republicans aren't each other's throats. Literally. The Republicans control most state offices. To control the Legislature. The Legislature, by the way, has two chambers. There's a there's a state Senate, which is Republican and the statehouse. With his Republican and the governor, Greg Abbott, as you mentioned earlier. It's also Republican, very conservative Republican and what it was they brought up selection changes. And I think there's election changes from motivated by as much as what went on in the previous presidential race has anything in Texas? So if you look at Texas, there really wasn't the controversy. After the election has it was in Georgia and Pennsylvania and other states. But I think the national election had a big effect on the state. And and our legislators. So what they did, they brought up an election bill to tighten up elections. They called the election integrity. The Democrats called it voter suppression of minority groups. So there you have, uh, exactly what took place in the Legislature and the Legislature had to adjourn on a particular date last week, and what it is, is that, uh, The Democrats said. We're going to deprive you of a quorum which our Constitution demands before you can vote. You have to have a quorum. So but I said we're leaving. We're leaving town. And they literally like spoiled kids left and there and there you have it, and the governor said. Well, if you're going to do it this way, we're going to call a special session which is allowed under our constitution. It can be a 30 Day special session on one topic. I had to call it the governor, and that's exactly what he did. So everybody's brace for this special session that will come in it. You're probably in a couple of months. Alan. So, what is this? Like? What is the governor's threat? Actually mean to sort of defund? The Legislature itself means that these baby cry, baby Democrats that all walked out are going to get paychecks. Correct. That's right. Uh, you're exactly right. Governor rather even threatened I'm going to stop your paychecks, which has existed. Chief executive which is, um, making sure that the laws are faithful. Negative. You did. You're not going to get paid. But but to pay for the legislators is so minor. I don't think it's really going to amount to that much They get paid. I think something like $600 a month, so it's It's not very much and when you take all the stuff away, they get a very, very small amount, so I don't think it's the Amount of money that they're worried about. His see symbolism of it for the governor says. I'm going to withhold your money and by the way, this has been done before not withholding of the money, but the Democrats believing they left earlier some years ago. Over a redistricting bill that is like that, either, and they left and the fact I went to buy old home State of Oklahoma. So they said, we're going and they went to Oklahoma. So it always get back a bunch of babies and they left. What I don't understand, though, is these are elected officials that are supposed to represent the best interest. Of their state. And here they are acting like cry babies and they're walking out and they're neglecting to do their job. If they were in a business, they would be fired for job abandonment. Why can't we do something stronger? To the Legislature. Then what's being done just a threat of a minimal amount of money being withheld as a tap on the wrist. We need that stronger way to hold them accountable, impeach the whole lot of them that they are asking it away. Some people sit like babies. It's not the money. That they stopped the show. But now, the governor says, I'm going to do something else. I'm going to call a special session of the Legislature and he's going to do that. And in fact, we may even have two special sessions with with which they can do what after the other So they'll get that election bill done and it'll it'll be passed. But it won't come until the special session and the acrimony would be as bitter than as it is now. Right, but but that's that's one ft. But what do we do to these elected officials that continued to continuously not do their job? How do we hold them accountable? Yeah, That's it, The the governor says. The only way we can hold them accountable is that was holding their chips, which is minimal, and we're going to call him back. We're going to get that bill passed and those bills that election bill Will be passed and what it was kind up things like absentee voting. The hours of voting who an absentee ballot it abandoned ballot harvesting. Which I think a lot of people know what that means, where you can go to a nursing home or or a particular place where especially a lot of elderly people reside, collect all the pallets. And bring him in. No more of that by this election bill, and the Democrats don't like it one bit so the acrimony is going to continue, and I think it will be even more were inflamed when this special session is called. Well, I think the citizens of the United States aren't happy with what they're doing, and we should really be able to get them out of office without their, um Salary and perpetuity. Thank you for being on the show. Unfortunately, we're out of time. Alan Sacks thanks for being on to discuss. Thanks, Alan. Appreciate this a lot. This is excellent. You got it? Absolutely. Take great care..