RURAL RULES

We've all heard the predictions from demographers, economists and other Ivory Tower pinheads. And it looks like the futurists in the Texas House of Representatives are finally gonna take action before it's too late.

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A little background.

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As anyone with half a brain and even Billy Clyde knows, Texas is shedding its urban/suburban/exurban ways (I KNEW it was just a fad!). The Lone Star State of tomorrow will be largely agrarian. Our good jobs will come from the production of food and fiber -- not fly-by-night pipe dream "industries" like nanotechnology (whatever the hell that is) or information services.

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The next Michael Dell will create his fortune not in computers, but in goats or grain sorghum.

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This, of course, is a good thing. BC ain't scared of progress.

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The worker bees over at TLS have posted a copy of HR 3, the proposed permanent rules that the House will take up tomorrow. This document is a blueprint for the future. Specifically, the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee's membership will increase from seven members to nine. And not a moment too soon.

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Many of the less-important committees, liked Regulated Industries and Civil Practices, will -- properly -- continue to have just seven members. Ag is the only committee slated to grow. That should send a powerful message to the world markets that Texas is serious about this global economy deal.

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There are a few other minor changes in the new rules. The one that is likely to draw the most attention is a patently ridiculous idea to require record votes on final passage of all legislation. And on concurrence motions and actions on conference committee reports.

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That smacking sound you hear is House members kissing the rear ends of editorial writers and good government types, aka weasels. These self-styled do-gooders made up a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. They should not be rewarded.

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But if House members just can't resist pandering, BC would like to offer this compromise: require a record vote on all bills on first reading, not third. I mean, the number one comes before the number three anyway. Common sense, is what it is.

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It would also be more efficient. Remember when they yanked out the voting machine to replace the carpet in the chamber? Seemed like a good idea at the time. Everyone appreciates nice floor coverings. But House members unexpectedly found themselves in a special session on some issue or another (workers' comp? general appropriations bill?). Every time some showboat wanted to raise Cain, he could seek a record vote and paralyze the People's Body. Let's not return to the bad ol' days.

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To recap: more goats, fewer votes.

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UPDATE: Friday was a bad day for goats. And smokers. Smoking goats took a real screwing.