Does it even matter who is governor?

Peggy Ficak has the scoop (link). Excerpt follows...

AUSTIN — Does it matter who’s governor?

Only if you care about taxes, health care, jobless benefits and, oh, everything else.

With the Legislature gone, Gov. Rick Perry has the spotlight to himself with his final say on legislation. A stroke of his veto pen, and bills nurtured by lawmakers get tossed to the trash heap. One already has been.

But there’s a subtler power that Perry has already exercised with effect, even though Texas is a weak-governor state because of limits on constitutionally granted authority. Call it the power of suggestion.

By signaling the chance of a veto, Perry can stop a measure in its tracks, since lawmakers may give short shrift to bills considered DOA. That’s especially true for bills already hitting roadblocks.

On CHIP, on the new gas tax, on expanding the unemployment insurance program... would Kay have done the same as Rick? I doubt it. I think Rick is more conservative on these issues, and Kay's silence or opposition speaks volumes...