The Democrats blocked 50% of GOP legislature.
I am not sure about the Democrats allowing Republicans heading any committee's.
Also, Strauss (in the House) was elected to Speaker with Democrat votes with some Republicans, not by the majority of Republicans.
That has to be stopped as well!
There are 150 seats in the House. 76 is a majority for electing a Speaker.
Straus was originally elected in 2008 with almost the entire caucus of 65 Dems and 11 Rep voted him in. It was a coup against Speaker Craddock and a deal with the devil.
Dems control 1/3 of the Texas House but originated 51% of all bills signed last session.
Straus wife was on the board of Planned Parenthood and Straus has resisted bringing pro-life legislation to the floor, another reason why pro-life legislation in Texas has to go through special sessions specifically convened by the Gov. for that purpose.
Every election since 2009, Strauss has sought and funded squish primary opponents against conservatives.
I’ll give you another example of the politics played. In 2010, Straus directed PAC money to fund Tea Party member Marva Beck to defeat hard Dem Jim Dunham in the district that skirts Waco. They spent 500K on a state race to support a Tea Party activist that could oust the Dem. For 2012, they redistricted Beck and propped up a Republican squish, Trent Ashby, to take her out, which they did.
Of course, all that help “required” Tea Party member Beck to support Straus during the 2011 session, something she got hell for doing. What she got for her support was a sandbag.
Marva Beck raised almost 700K in 2010 and about 100K in 2012. Plus, they moved her where 2/3rds of her electorate was new. Staus wasn’t above riding the tea party wave in 2010 to defeat a political opponent (for reasons not related to party), demanding loyalty for his help to do so, and then stabbing Beck in the back two years later to ultimately get one of his own.
Politics in Texas is like everything else: Bigger.