Denton, Texas Voters Face Wake Up Call

(WE VOTED - WE WON - WTF?)

Imagine that as a registered voter you cast your ballot in an effort to support a local city bill and it passes. Now, imagine less than a year later a State "re-present-ative" signs state-wide legislation essentially nullifying your city bill widely supported by local city voters. Do the city voters have any say in the matter? Not really.

This is exactly what happened in Denton, Texas. While city voters availed in support of an anti-fracking bill in November 2014, by just the stroke of a pen, Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a new state-wide bill essentially nullifying the powers of the city anti-fracking bill, so that no cities such as Denton can prohibit companies from drilling into underground bedrock throughout the entire state. Suffice it to say that the locals are not thrilled.

City voters have taken to the streets to protest Gov. Abbott's maneuver, but what can they really do about it? After all, Gov. Abbott's powers extend to all boundaries Texas. Legally, voters cannot do anything at least in the immediate term. All they could do is push for a recall, but that takes time, energies, and resources locals may not be willing to devote and who knows what the chances are for a successful recall? As Gov. Abbott ultimately quashed a bill voted in by one of the cities in his jurisdiction, companies may now proceed with their plans.

(TX Gov. Abbott (R) Signing "Pro-Fracking" Bill)

What many of us might not understand is how can a Governor have such powers that they overrule city voters? That is a good question. A Governor has the powers to overrule a city's desires just as the President of the United States has the powers to maintain the mere possession of marijuana in the states of Washington, Colorado, etc., as illegal and arraign citizens in a Federal court in the same state where recreational use is allowed state-wide. That means your County has jurisdiction over your City, your State has jurisdiction over every one of its municipalities and the Federal government's powers supersede that of every State in the Union. Welcome to your government where legislation is made for you and your votes don't matter.