Diana Maldonado and the Incredible, Amazing Flip Flop

Wow. Just, wow.

At last Tuesday night's candidate forum sponsored by the Round Rock West Neighborhood Association, State Representative Diana Maldonado performed one of the most amazing political flip-flops, evah. While previously so opposed to common-sense voter photo ID legislation that she was willing to kill hundreds of other bills to stop passage, Maldonado stated that she now supports photo ID! This is so astounding that we might need a new award category, perhaps Acrobat of the Year?

Here is the release from the Larry Gonzales Campaign:

Diana's Flip Flop
For Immediate Release

October 13, 2010

Maldonado Metamorphosis: From Capitol Chubber to Campaign Conservative
Liberal Flip-flops on Voter ID

Williamson County – How do you know we are just five days away from the start of voting? Liberal Democrat Diana Maldonado announced last night she supports requiring a photo ID to vote, despite stating just 5 days earlier at a forum she was opposed to voter ID and last session participated in a five-day delay of the House Calendar that killed the photo ID bill.

In a forum hosted by the Greater Round Rock West Neighborhood Association, Maldonado said, “I am for voter identification where it does have a picture, let’s do that.” Emphasising her point, she said later, "Sure let's put a picture on it."

But according to the Austin American-Statesman, at the forum hosted by the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on October 8th, “Maldonado compared asking voters for more identification, than what is currently required, to police officers asking for more identification when they pull over drivers.”

“Diana’s desperate flip-flop on voter ID doesn’t change the fact she helped kill that bill, and dozens of other bills last session including a bill to require background checks of childcare providers who receive state money,” said Gonzales. “She literally put politics ahead of the safety of our children to kill a bill she now says she supports. It’s just pathetic political pandering.”

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Maldonado Holds Sparsely Attended Transportation 'Tax Hike' Forum, But No-Shows for Economic Forum

On Monday,Representative Diana Maldonado held a transportation forum with Representative Joe Pickett (D-El Paso), Chair of the Texas House Transportation Committee, and David Lewis, a Texas A&M professor. 

Maldonado's guests repeatedly made the case for 'indexing' the gas tax, currently at $.20 per gallon, and bewailed the fact that more fuel-efficient vehicles mean less income for government.  He made the usual comparisons of the amount of increase to a "latte " each month (thankfully it wasn't Happy Meals this time,) and lightly ridiculed politicians who made pledges to not raise taxes.  While whining about the fact that vehicle registration fees decline as a vehicle ages, Representative Pickett said the system was "stupid," and complained that no-one had thanked him for the fee decrease on older cars. 

No, seriously, he really said that. 

Representative Maldonado did not say much at all.  During the brief question and answer period, she attempted to answer a few questions, but Representative Pickett quickly jumped in to save the day. 

The most articulate woman present turned out to be Williamson County Commissioner Lisa Birkman, who asked very knowledgeable questions about road construction funding for the county.  Pickett tried to brush her off with his condescending comments about how "people just don't understand," and "you've got to know the terminology and acronyms," but finally had to concede that she was a 'smart person.'  Commissioner Birkman demonstrated that she knew a lot more than the 'terminology,' and clearly understands how roads are funded, including the fact that the county is funding construction and maintenance of state highways to the tune of $300 million. 

The Democrat's tax hike message didn't get much attention; there were only 20 people in the audience including Maldonado's staff and a few reporters.  Maldonado and local Democrats have been trying very hard to make transportation a campaign issue, and although apparently unable to help Williamson County with the burden of state highway costs, she is still claiming residents should vote for her so that she can do something about road congestion.  Apparently, the only plan is to increase gas taxes and registration fees. 

As poll after poll indicates, voters are concerned about Obamacare, jobs, and the economy.  Transportation is pretty far down the list.  Representative Maldonado should be paying attention to the economic and jobs crisis, but since she was a no-show today for a candidate forum with Republican Larry Gonzales sponsored by Texas Prosperity Project regarding the Texas economy and job creation, she just really, really doesn't seem interested.