The DeLay story struck a nerve with people all across the United States because Tom DeLay put a face to what Walt Whitman called "the never-ending audacity of elected persons." Suddenly, they could see corruption up close.

Democrats all across Texas know we need to get serious about solutions. That's why I've proposed my Pact with Parents that addresses major challenges of our day, whether it's the quality of public schools, property tax relief, insurance rates, teen pregnancy, stem cell research, credit companies or insurance. It's a roadmap for how we can get from here to there.

If Rick Perry gets his way in Austin, schools in Beaumont and across Texas will suffer.

High-stakes testing has basically guided the curriculum in public schools all across the state of Texas and has left us with the highest drop out rate in the entire country -- around 40 percent.