Republicans claim to be all about states' rights over federal law. But when it comes to the rights of local governments to pass laws their Republican state governments don't support, they're not so enthusiastic. Take the case of Denton, Texas. On Election Day, Denton
voted to ban fracking. The very next day, the Texas Oil and Gas Association and the Texas General Land Office
filed lawsuits to block the will of Denton voters.
And:
The chair of the Texas Railroad Commission, Christi Craddick, stated that she would not abide by the ban at an event held by the Texas Tribune on November 6. “It’s my job to give permits, not Denton’s. We’re going to continue permitting up there because that’s my job,” Craddick said.
Craddick, who has a long list of ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council, which specializes in helping states stomp on locally passed progressive laws, subsequently put out an op-ed that's
a marvel of double-speak, lamenting that the Denton vote would make it "less likely a reasonable model of peaceful cooperation will be available to the people of Denton" and insisting that the majority of Denton voters (in what you might recall was not exactly a big turnout year for Democrats) had voted to ban fracking due to "a cloud of misinformation." Craddick urged the voters of Denton to turn from that misinformation:
In a world where misinformation and sensationalism too often drive the public discourse, let’s embrace the truth, adopt reasonable approaches to the challenges we face, and share the prosperity that follows.
Yes, Denton voters, embrace Christi Craddick's version of the truth. Meanwhile, she'll continue giving permits against your will, because giving permits is her job. Don't worry, though. She assures you that 500 feet is plenty of distance between your home and a drilling operation.
Denton voters astounded at this disregard for their right to local control might find sympathy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which voted in a sick leave law only to have Republican Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican state legislature overturn it and ban such local laws, or the Florida county that wanted to pass such a law, only to have Florida's Republican governor and legislature similarly block the effort. Because ALEC is very good at providing Republicans with ways to crush such local initiatives.