Visit:
Redistricting of US Congressional territories is supposed to take place every ten years, which means it just happened in 2000.
But the Repukes weren't in charge of the statehouse then.
On "Chemical" Tom DeLay's thrust, Craddick and the the rest of the Neoconservatives in power now are trying to ram this down their throat. (Some of these newly gerrymandered districts look like barbells--round on each end and skinny down the middle. It's a ridiculous attempt to collect suburbanites--read: Republicans--into as many districts as possible.)
They are denying a qourum by not being there; thus the vote won't take place. And the bill will die unconsidered.
Nope -- Perry can resubmit within a short period of time. The DeLay trick is only delayed.
One of the new proposed districts runs from an Austin neighborhood to Del Rio, 300 miles SW --and only two city blocks wide in places.
I may have missed this in an earlier post, but here's my question:
On what basis can the Texas Rangers (or any other force) rope legislators and haul them back to Austin? Is it against the law not to show up in Austin during a legislative session?
Having said that, I think the situation is a hoot. Compared to Texas, our state legislators look downright insipid. Well, one state senator here did threaten one of her aides with a gun, but still...
It's illegal to duck a quorum call in the Texas legislature.
Here's an excerpt from the San Jose Mercury News about the situation (but not specifically about the quorum law):
Last week, as part of his campaign to get the bill on the Texas House floor, DeLay took an unheard-of step for a majority leader and left the U.S. Capitol for two days, missing 15 roll-call votes.
"He did what he does in Washington: call in each member one by one to have them explain why they don't want to vote with him," said Rep. Martin Frost, D-Arlington, a frequent foe of DeLay and the lead Democrat on redistricting.
Told of DeLay's missed votes, one veteran lawmaker, Rep. Charlie Stenholm, D-Abilene, muttered, "Shameful."
DeLay, 56, who became majority leader in January after the retirement of Dick Armey, R-Flower Mound, has been spending an extraordinary amount of time and energy on redistricting, his aides said.
But to some observers, DeLay's hard-charging style is not working as well as it did in the early days of the 1994 GOP takeover of the U.S. House.
"To me, it looks like political tone-deafness," said Bruce Buchanan, a professor of government and longtime observer of Texas politics at the University of Texas at Austin. "It's reminiscent of the overkill of the Gingrich era." Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., who was forced out in 1998, polarized Congress and sometimes the nation, especially with the partial shutdown of the federal government in 1995.
DeLay shows no sign of backing down, even if his redistricting plan dies in the legislative session that ends June 2. He said Gov. Rick Perry is preparing for a special session, and the majority leader expects redistricting to be part of it.
Thanks for the explanation of quorom calls in Texas and for the article from the Mercury News, Tartarin.
Sound like DeLay has a lot in common with Bush. Both are absolutely relentless in pursuing their goals. Bush is equally tone deaf and unafraid of overkill...
I understand the reasons for redistricting - heaven knows my state sounds much the same in some areas (except that we went mostly the other way. Most of the repubs fell into disrepute and many hidden scandals went public about them, all the way up to the governor-elect, Whitman's choice. The voters got mad, the redistricting did not go the way the repubs wanted it.
But I guess there's even more invested in Texas. DeLay has to win on this one, and he's one of the dirtiest fighters around. I really think it's time for the dems to get down and dirty - there must be anough skeletons in the closet to dig up. After all, one of the things keeping this presidency alive has been the ruthless machinations of Karl Rove. Sometimes dirt is needed to fight dirt.
The revolt of the Texas dems came, I guess, as a surprise. I hope they have more up their sleeves.
edgarblythe wrote:I don't see where they were in the wrong.
Whether or not you or they consider it wrong it was an illegal act. And IMO when individuals define morality collective morallity and rule of law is undermined.
Tartarin wrote:Craven - LOL! You're worried about the efficiency of government?
Yes.
Tartarin wrote:THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR GOVERNMENT?!
Yes.
Tartarin wrote:You gotta be kidding!
Not at all.
Homeland Security Department Used to Track Texas Democrats :
from:Common Dreams Newscenter
What DeLay wants to do, although maybe "legal", certainly ain't "moral".
Wagging fingers at the Dems for taking what action they could, and talking about how "illegal" it is, just seems inappropriate to me.
Me too, Snood, and a tad smugly undemocratic, to boot. Maybe narrow? Chilly? Young?
Excerpt from an email from MoveOn -- for those who wish to issue personal congratulations:
For holding firm in the face of DeLay's political tactics,
these folks deserve our support. They're taking heat from
all sides. Please give them a call and let them know that
you're glad they're taking a stand.
Here are the 53 legislators:
Roberto Alonzo, Dallas - (512) 463-0408
Kevin Bailey, Houston - (512) 463-0924
Lon Burnam, Fort Worth - (512) 463-0740
Gabi Canales, Alice - (512) 463-0645
Jaime Capelo, Corpus Christi - (512) 463-0462
Joaquin Castro, San Antonio - (512) 463-0669
Garnet Coleman, Houston - (512) 463-0524
Robby Cook, Eagle Cook - (512) 463-0682
Yvonne Davis, Dallas - (512) 463-0598
Joe Deshotel, Port Arthur - (512) 463-0662
Dawnna Dukes, Austin - (512) 463-0506
Jim Dunnam, Waco - (512) 463-0508
Harold Dutton, Houston - (512) 463-0510
Craig Eiland, Galveston - (512) 463-0502
Dan Ellis, Livingston - (512) 463-0570
Juan Escobar, Kingsville -
David Farabee, Wichita Falls - (512) 463-0534
Jessica Farrar, Houston - (512) 463-0620
Pete Gallego, Alpine - (512) 463-0566
Timoteo Garza, Eagle Pass - (512) 463-0194
Ryan Guillen, Rio Grande City - (512) 463-0416
Scott Hochberg, Houston - (512) 463-0492
Terri Hodge, Dallas - (512) 463-0586
Mark Homer, Paris - (512) 463-0650
Chuck Hopson, Jacksonville - (512) 463-0592
Jesse Jones, Dallas -(512) 463-0664
Pete Laney, Hale Center -(512) 463-0604
John Mabry, Waco - (512) 463-0135
Trey Martinez-Fischer, San Antonio - (512) 463-0616
Ruth Jones McClendon, San Antonio -(512) 463-0708
Jim McReynolds, Lufkin - (512) 463-0490
Jose Menendez, San Antonio - (512) 463-0634
Joe Moreno, Houston - (512) 463-0614
Paul Moreno, El Paso - (512) 463-0638
Elliott Naishtat, Austin - (512) 463-0668
Rick Noriega, Houston - (512) 463-0732
Rene Oliveira, Brownsville - (512) 463-0640
Dora Olivo, Missouri City - (512) 463-0494
Aaron Pena, Edinburg -(512) 463-0426
Joe Pickett, El Paso - (512) 463-0596
Robert Puente, San Antonio - (512) 463-0452
Chente Quintanilla, Tornillo -(512) 463-0613
Richard Raymond, Laredo - (512) 463-0558
Allan Ritter, Nederland - (512) 463-0706
Eddie Rodriguez, Austin - (512) 463-0674
Patrick Rose, Dripping Springs - (512) 463-0647
Jim Solis, Harlingen - (512) 463-0606
Barry Telford, DeKalb - (512) 463-0692
Senfronia Thompson, Houston - (512) 463-0720
Carlos Uresti, San Antonio -(512) 463-0714
Mike Villarreal, San Antonio - (512) 463-0532
Miguel Wise, Weslaco - (512) 463-0530
Steve Wolens, Dallas - (512) 463-0746
Al Edwards, Houston - (512) 463-0518
Helen Giddings, Dallas -(512) 463-0953
Glenn Lewis, Fort Worth - (512) 463-0716
Sylvester Turner, Houston - (512) 463-0554
Norma Chavez, El Paso - (512) 463-0622
Kino Flores, Mission - (512) 463-0704
As the Baltimore Sun pointed out today, "Middle-of-the-road
analysts and independent activists and lobbyists [blame] the
fiasco on conservative Republicans who have wrested political
control of Texas." But this fight has implications for our
whole country -- if Tom DeLay wins, he could be implementing
that conservative agenda nationally for years to come...
Tartarin wrote:Me too, Snood, and a tad smugly undemocratic, to boot. Maybe narrow? Chilly? Young?
Please elucidate. Why undemocratic? Why
young?
Craven, I liked you a lot better when you were a liberal.
Anybody else here want to smack him?
I was never a liberal, I opposed the war, which is something most liberals did.
Your sentiment is shared by others and its relevance to me is enormous.
You know, <sigh> I just want to say something here. Tartarin are you asking people to call these numbers to tell them that they support them?
Hells belles, my cousin's number is listed above.
I really hope this is not a joke to you;its not to a lot of folks who elected them to be in Austin for the session. And as I understand it, in Austin we are represented by only Lloyd Doggett, and that's only one guy for a city this size.......................... politics..........phhhhhhgggggg!
This should make Christmas dinner fun
..................I do have a sense of humor UP TO A Point
I submit there is a higher law to which men should submit. Of course, they stand to be punished for breaking the manmade law, but, that is a consideration I am sure they thought of in advance. Sometimes it is worth being an outlaw. This is in the realm of Thoreau's Civil Disobedience and I am 100% on the Dems' side in this.
I have no confirmation, but, I have been told the Repubs used anti-terrorism forces to track down the Dems in OK. If that's true, the Repubs have done a far greater wrong than the Dems anyway.
edgarblythe wrote:I submit there is a higher law to which men should submit. Of course, they stand to be punished for breaking the manmade law, but, that is a consideration I am sure they thought of in advance. Sometimes it is worth being an outlaw. This is in the realm of Thoreau's Civil Disobedience and I am 100% on the Dems' side in this.
Kinda like God's laws or are you talking simple morality?
e.g. it's not right to kill but killing is legalized, still don't do it. Stuff like that?
Yes, Craven.
God's laws or moral laws, whichever you like.
