At the heart of Texas politics is a wheel of futility. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature meets. It works hard at looking busy. It solves the crises of the day, meeting the clamor of the right-wing activists who hold power in the state through their domination of the Republican primary. Bad thought is removed from schools, elections are saved from fraud, the border secured, property taxes fixed, lesbians and transgender people marginalized. The laws are brought back in line with God’s will.But then something strange happens. In even-numbered years, the crises reappear. The state is on the verge of catastrophe, and only the Republican Party can avert it. The youths are once again being led astray. Voter fraud rears its ugly head. The border spins…