The pen is mightier than the Texas Legislature
Pulitzer Prize finalist talks to students on how journalism can change the world
JoLynn Elkins
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
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Jones, who is an editorial writer for the Dallas Morning News was speaking on the series of editorials he wrote that changed the way Texas lawmakers pass laws. It was constant pressure from sources such as the Dallas Morning News between 2005 and 2007 that ultimately convinced the Texas House and Senate to pass a bill, known as Proposition 11, that would require all laws be passed using a record vote, which would record exactly who voted which way.
"Prior to this, they used a voice vote, where the Speaker of the House would ask 'All those in favor say aye, all those opposed, nay. The ayes have it.' But if some one thinks the nays outweigh the ayes, he could ask for a record vote. If he had two buddies to back him up, then the speaker would allow a record vote," Jones said.
The catalyst for the series of events was a new boss in the editorial department, from Colorado. When Keven Ann Wiley came to Texas, there were two things she could not get over- the correct punctuation of the word y'all, and the fact that Texas allowed its lawmakers to pass bills with a simple voice vote. Wiley released the hounds on this subject and made it an important issue for the Dallas Morning News editorial board. Jones was the writer assigned to take on the politicians that would oppose the change.
"My baptism was the legislative session 2005. I tried to keep in mind something about human nature. If someone is talking about us, we care," Jones said. "If politicians are quoted and photographed every day, their career depends on what people think."
Jones said that politicians like to be liked, and they like to be re-elected, all of which hinge on public opinion.
"So, I said good things about people we liked, and put people we didn't like into a bad light to try to get them to move the way we wanted them to go. When they budged even a little the way we wanted them to, we acknowledged that," Jones said.
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Promotional Business Gifts
posted 5/11/10 @ 10:05 AM CST
It's great that the college could get someone like Roger Jones to talk to the students. You can't underestimate the impact someone like him could have on just one student. (Continued…)
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