Well, the long and brutal election season is finally over. It seemed that everyone who sought statewide office or congress (and, in some cases, even local positions) was portrayed as a thief, liar, murderer, drug kingpin, or some combination thereof with absolutely no regard whatsoever for morals, ethics, or the law. Of course, now that the antics are over, winners and losers alike are hailed as paragons of virtue and dedicated public servants (at least until the next election).
Now that we can get back to commercials about beer, cars, fast food, and shampoo, it is time to focus on matters at hand. There are plenty of them around, but I will follow my usual custom of sticking to things economic. At the national level, there has been some progress in restoring credibility of financial markets, but definitive leadership is needed. Job training, aggressive trade promotion, and support of research and development are essential to transforming the “jobless” recovery into a “jobful” recovery. A laundry list of very real business and human needs demands attention. Tax policy remains in a state of confusion, with strange and quirky formulas that can lead to bizarre incentives for private sector behavior (including making sure all of your rich relatives die in 2010). Tax increases are no way to grow an economy, but the present fiscal constraints and rising deficits leave little flexibility to meet enhanced security needs and other pressing concerns.
Speaking of fiscal constraints, there are more than a few challenges in Austin as well. For once, the shores of the Colorado aren’t all that much prettier than those along the Potomac (but our trees are taller). A multi-billion dollar shortfall in the State budget, an insurance crisis, healthcare access inadequacies, languishing economic development and competitiveness, a public school funding system that is not working, pressing issues in higher education, and expanding infrastructure needs are but a few of the issues confronting a new cadre of leaders. Some of the most significant of these were scarcely even hinted at during the campaign. Nobody wanted to say how the budget would be balanced for fear they would be asked to follow through.
It is probably safe to say that the first Republican house in more than a century will not pass a major tax bill. Myriad promises to “scrub the budget” abounded during election season, but it is much easier said than done. Clearly, there are some inefficiencies and nonessential items in any enterprise, public or private, of the size of State government in Texas. On the other hand, we are Populist by tradition and have historically practiced limited government in comparison to most other areas. There are few places to find substantial dollars without inflicting real pain. The ones that do exist primarily involve consolidating and possibly outsourcing major functions (such as human resource management or procurement). There is serious money in such measures, but they face enormous resistance and require a type of political courage that is rare in today’s world. Most prior efforts of this nature have died in committee for lack of interest, but there are some new folks in town.
Elections are always somewhat melancholy for those of us who are privileged to be actively involved in public policy, and this one was particularly so. A lot of folks who have served the nation and state well for many years are leaving the stage, some voluntarily and some otherwise. I, for one, will miss all of them, including those with whom I often differed on economic issues (which, fortunately, rarely gets in the way of friendship, fun, and fellowship). In these days, I have great respect for anyone who will endure the rigors of modern politics in order to serve. Almost without exception, those I have been blessed with knowing, from the knighted to the indicted, have had the best intent of those they serve at heart. We might disagree on the methods, but almost never on the purpose.
But, alas, eras pass and new ones emerge. The tough issues we face call for leadership, creativity, and vision. The time for puffing, preening, fussing, and fighting is mercifully behind us, at least for the time being. Now is the time to govern.