The Loss of Texas Independence

This week, we celebrated Texas Independence Day, commemorating the historic moment when Texas declared its independence from Mexico.

Politicians across Texas were flooding social media on Monday with graphics claiming their identity as “Independent Texans” with bold statements about the fight for “Independence” and it being part of the Texas Way. One organization even posted a polished video of a handful of Texas House members reading passages from the Texas Constitution to show their stance.

In contrast, you had legislators all over the state at home doing town halls with their constituents and getting pushback from local voters for their positions on private school vouchers and the cuts being made at the federal level by the Trump administration. On the Texas front, you have the House Education Chairman Brad Buckley out on a school choice promotion tour with some of the legislators to “inform” communities about how the voucher bills and other school reforms will impact local communities. The problem is these aren’t listening tours to find out what their constituents want, these are sales tours to tell communities what they plan to do, and giving you no choice but to get on board. This has led to outbursts by attendees of these events and in some cases legislators cutting events short and storming off stage.

A disturbing trend is emerging within our political class—a growing loss of independence and a fading sense of duty to the very people who elected them. Too often, legislators prioritize their political ambitions over the needs of their communities. Instead of listening to and representing their constituents, many elected officials have embraced a mindset of ruling rather than serving.

The Texas Constitution, modeled after the US Constitution, established a bicameral governing system consisting of a smaller 31-member Texas Senate, led by a Lieutenant Governor elected statewide, and a 150-member Texas House, led by a Speaker elected from their membership.

This structure was designed to ensure a more balanced and deliberative lawmaking process, reflecting the state's commitment to representative democracy and the protection of citizens' interests and ensuring a balance between local, regional and state interests.

When Legislators adopt a mentality that their job is to represent a “statewide best interest” or they see their role as pushing a Party Platform, the Governor’s agenda or the President’s vision, they fail to follow what the framers intended in the Texas Constitution, and they violate the spirit of what Texas Independence is all about.