Rick the lone voice of reason, votes against metal detectors and x-rays at the Capitol...

Some idiot brought a gun into the Capitol a few months ago.

Ergo we have to overreact and put metal detectors outside the Capitol.

This is an expensive project. This will deny people access. This will make it harder to get in and out in a timely manner. This is bad bad policy... it is an overreaction to one idiot bringing a gun in. The terrorists have won.

Shame on Dewhurst and the others for overreacting.

The Dallas Morning News has the story (link). Excerpt follows...

Despite the objection of Gov. Rick Perry, the State Preservation Board voted Tuesday to place metal detectors and X-ray machines at the public entrances to the Texas Capitol in the next two months as a deterrent to terrorism.

[SNIP]

More surveillance cameras in the Capitol and on the grounds, more bomb-sniffing dogs, increased police foot and bike patrols and other measures with a total cost of about $3 million were also included in the plan passed by the board, which includes Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, House Speaker Joe Straus, Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands and public member Charlotte Foster.

The added bike patrols and things make perfect sense, but the metal detectors and x-rays are a recipe for a lot of annoyed Capitol employees, Capitol visitors, and others... and an amazing amount of wasted productivity and lost tourism dollars for Austin.

The Austin Post has a few more details (link). Excerpt follows...

Currently, anyone can walk right into the famed pink dome. When the new upgrades are finished, the public will be required to enter through the north door. Tour groups will go through the south door, and the east and west doors will be reserved for state officials and their staff.

It takes minutes not seconds just to walk around the entire Capitol... this really is going to be an annoyance for people who come from downtown Austin... and then there is the issue of the rallies that take place on the south steps... I don't think this was thought out very well...

This is really stupid. I hope there are enough votes to throw Straus out on his ass. He has no business being Speaker, and I hope he is a one termer... and Dewhurst is a perfect example of the Peter Principle. The other ones are just covering their asses. If something were to happen everyone would try to "blame" them because there were no metal detectors... they have no spine to stand up and do the right thing...

Thank you, Rick, for being the only person not to overreact and act like an idiot. Thanks for not letting that one idiot dictate the entire Capitol admission policy.