I'm from Houston and now live in Albuquerque and I'm embarrassed to say their from Texas...I always brag about how great Texas is (women, food, etc.) and how great the people are, but I can't explain those Damn Democrats...
Yeah, I'm a bit embarrassed to say that Perry and DeLay are Texans too. They may represent Texas in their respective offices, but they do not measure up to the standard of a truly great Texan. Both sides in this are equally at fault and are playing opposite sides of a childish game. The problem I have with it is that it is a game that is being played at the expense of $1.7 million per month (per special session) of my money. Perry needs to pull the plug on this thing and it needs to be soon. Texas can't afford to waste money, remember? The Republicans toss out their rhetoric about doing a job for Texans and the democratic process, and then waste money on a partisan effort. Then, when the effort fails in regular AND special session, change the rules of the Senate in order to subvert the democratic process. The Reps need to call this off.
QUICK QUESTION: If they redistrict now. . . Will we have to wait 10 years from now. . . or until 2011? Rocket River
The state legislature is supposed to redraw the districts after they recieve the census data for that decade. They should recieve this data from the 2010 census in 2011. The legislature has not redrawn the lines from the 2000 census -- this is a continuation of that process.
No. I disagree. (again) The maps were drawn by 3 Republican judges at Perry's request. They are valid until after the next census. And the removal of the traditional "blocking bill"... to require a 2/3's majority in the Senate to pass major legislation, has never happened OUTSIDE of the traditional session for redisricting AFTER the census. This is a power play by DeLay and the Republican Leadership outside of all Texas state tradition concerning redistricting after the census. Those of you who think it's groovy... well, that's your right. If the Democrats do this someday to return the favor you won't think it's so cool. And the destruction of legislative courtesy and tradition caused by the present Republican Leadership and their puppetmaster, DeLay, will resound for decades. And that is a terrible thing for the state of Texas.
I know, just like the destruction of legislative courtesy and tradition up in Washington for, say, judicial appointments will resound for decades. And just like the gung-ho, gotcha attitude brought about by the Bork hearings has destroyed the confirmation process. And just like the desire to investigate things in which there was no evidence (say like the October Surprise affair) added a great deal of rancor to the political debate. Quite honestly, I wouldn't have been at all surprised had we seen this happen had the political parties been reversed. The political parties continue to get worse and worse and more and more interested in nothing but winning and losing in political maneuvers. Gone are the days when the parties worked to get candidates elected in order to promote policies they believed helped citizens. It's all just about the politics now. And that's bad for the entire nation. But there's no way that we can absolve either party of blame for it getting to be this way (and, in many ways, it's our own fault.)
mrpaige, I agree that things in Washington are being done with a lot more rancor on both sides. I wouldn't argue that at all. This hasn't, in the main, been the way it's been done in the Texas Legislature. They would have their big debates in the House and Senate, and then go hunting on someone's lease together... Republicans and Democrats. This collegiality is being destroyed. Everything I've heard from people who work for the Legislature say that the members, the majority of the members, are appalled. That there has been tremendous pressure placed on Republican members regarding redistricting... even though their feedback from their districts is overwhelmingly "leave it the way it is!".
I thought this legal argument was interesting. Considering how many times Legislatures change their rules (including when the then-in-control Democrats suspended this specific rule in past redistricting efforts, including 1992), I can't imagine it would succeed. But who knows. It would be interesting to see if the Voting Rights Act extends to the votes of members of a Legislature. And why file the lawsuit in Laredo if the problem is in Austin? I guess the Republicans should file all their lawsuits (if any) in Amarillo. Democrats file lawsuit to block GOP redistricting plan 08/11/2003 Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Texas Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit Monday in Laredo, Texas, seeking to derail Republican efforts to redraw the state's congressional voting districts. The Democrats said that GOP leaders violated the federal Voting Rights Act when they dropped a rule that requires two-thirds of the Senate to agree to begin debating a bill. Eleven Senate Democrats blocked consideration of a GOP-backed redistricting bill by running to New Mexico two weeks ago. "We are asking the court there (Laredo) to rule that to suddenly do away with the two-thirds rule in the Senate at this time for this single issue is a violation of the Voting Rights Act, silencing the voices of every minority member of the Texas Senate and forcing a redistricting bill through the Legislature against the interests of minority voters, against the will of every minority member of the Senate and those senators who represent minority districts," said state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. Over the weekend, the Democrats called on President Bush to step in and help end the impasse over redistricting, which they called an "embarrassing chapter in Texas history." They wrote Bush that the redistricting squabble was damaging his credibility as a bipartisan leader and that his top political adviser, Karl Rove, is largely to blame. A White House spokesman said Sunday that Bush had no plans to intervene. Some Republicans, most notably House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, believe that voting trends show Texas should have more Republicans representing the state in Congress. The state's House delegation currently consists of 17 Democrats and 15 Republicans. The state's congressional district boundaries were redrawn after the 2000 Census. Two attempts to pass a new map have failed this year. The first occurred in the regular session when more than 50 House Democrats blocked a quorum by fleeing to Oklahoma. Another attempt failed in the first special session of the Legislature. The 11 Democratic senators fled to Albuquerque just before Republican Gov. Rick Perry called a second special session on redistricting. They have vowed to stay away for the entire 30 days of the session. The Democrats say they believe Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst was acting on instructions from Rove and Perry when he dropped the Senate's traditional rule requiring approval of two-thirds of the lawmakers before bringing up a bill for debate. Dewhurst spokesman David Beckwith denied that the lieutenant governor acted on instructions from Rove. "It's ironic that a group that is increasingly having the tune called by the National Democratic Party would accuse the other side (of influence)," Beckwith said. Kathy Walt, Perry's spokeswoman, called Democrats' claims ludicrous. "It's just to deflect from the fact that they walked off the job in violation of their oaths of office," she said.
Posted on Mon, Aug. 11, 2003 Supreme Court rules against Republicans Democrats file lawsuit in Laredo By John Moritz Star-Telegram Austin Bureau AUSTIN - The all-Republican Texas Supreme Court today dealt a body blow to the GOP-led drive to redraw the state's congressional boundaries by rejecting a plea from Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that the justices order the 11 Democratic senators to end their holdout in New Mexico. The state's highest civil court denied the motion filed Thursday by the state's top two Republicans that would have compelled the absent Democrats to return to Austin so the Legislature could take up redistricting. The 11 Democrats fled two weeks ago, and their action tied in knots the Texas Senate, because the state Constitution requires that two-thirds, or 21 of the 31-member body be present for any business to be conducted. An attorney for the Democrats hailed the court's ruling as a victory for the quorum-busting senators who have vowed to remain holed up in Albuquerque, N.M., until the 30-special session Perry called on July 28 expires in a little over two weeks. "I think it means that the Supreme Court clearly saw the baselessness of the governor and lieutenant governor's gambit and did what courts are supposed to do: apply and enforce the law fairly and expeditiously," said Austin lawyer Renea Hicks, who represents Texas' Democratic congressmen. Spokesmen for Perry and Dewhurst did not immediately return calls when the court's ruling was announced at 2:30 p.m. A spokeswoman for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, a first-term Republican who represented the governor and the lieutenant governor before the high court, said it is up to Dewhurst to decide the next move because he is the president of the Senate. "The lieutenant governor is the person who holds the cards now," said Angela Hale, spokeswoman for Abbott. "It's in his hands on who he wants to proceed." During the regular session of the Legislature, which ended June 2, House Democrats were able to kill redistricting when 51 of them fled to Ardmore, Okla., which denied a quorum in the lower chamber. During the first 30-day special session, Senate Democrats blocked the effort because of the chamber's tradition of requiring 21 of its members to agree before bringing any matter up for a floor debate. Dewhurst announced that the 21-vote tradition would be abandoned in subsequent special sessions on redistricting, which prompted the decision by 11 of the 12 Senate Democrats to bolt. The court's decision, which was not accompanied by an explanation, came the same day as Democrats filed a federal lawsuit in Laredo alleging that the effort to redraw the 32 congressional boundaries violates the 1965 Voting Rights Act because the absence of the 21-vote tradition in the Senate silences minority voices. Republicans control both state houses and hold all of the statewide offices, but Democrats enjoy a 17-15 advantage in the state's congressional delegation. The all-Republican Texas Supreme Court today dealt a body blow to the GOP-led drive to redraw the state's congressional boundaries by rejecting a plea from Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that the justices order the 11 Democratic senators to end their holdout in New Mexico.
See the Republican Supreme court made the right distinction. Let this be a lesson to the Democrats. IT's not all Republicans that are bad... Just the ones like Perry, Dewhurst, DeLay, etc.
I've never thought anything else and I AM a Democrat. State Senator and former Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff is a Republican I hold in high regard. Senator Olympia Snowe is another. Heck, some of my best friends are Republicans. (not that there's anything wrong with that... )
Here's an opinion piece from Dave McNeely, of the Austin American-Statesman, who has covered the Texas Legislature for several years. Dave McNeely -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, August 14, 2003 Through bad timing, bad luck and bad judgment, Gov. Rick Perry might be building his legacy not for saving Texas schools or insuring the health of Texas' children, but sacrificing the Legislature's treasured bipartisanship on the altar of Washington-style nastiness. Republicans in the Texas Senate, led by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, have decided to fine the 11 Senate Democrats who fled to New Mexico to break a quorum. Republicans say the Democrats are shirking their constitutional duty. Those who fled say they did so as a last resort to block what they say is unneeded congressional redistricting in a Perry-called special legislative session. After four days, the absentees would owe the state more than the $7,200 it pays each of them each year. Whether that holds up in a potential court challenge is one thing. But that the scars from this battle could remain for a long, long time is another. And after election to the job he inherited, Perry might be remembered as the governor whose arrogant miscalculation opened the 21st century by reducing Texas to the rampant partisan division of Congress. The Democrats, to be sure, can be questioned about halting the process by fleeing. They say the Republicans left them no choice. Republicans in the Legislature blocked congressional redistricting when it was supposed to be done in 2001, following the once-a-decade census. They left the chore to the federal courts after Perry refused to call a special session to deal with it before the 2002 elections. Yet after a bipartisan three-judge court drew districts that allowed most incumbents to be re-elected -- and after Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott said the districts can stay in place until 2011 if the Legislature doesn't redraw them -- Republicans began a push to redraw the boundaries to reverse a 17-15 Democratic majority in the state's congressional delegation. Another potential casualty is Dewhurst. As the Senate's new presiding officer, he spent enormous time and effort to build trust and respect on both sides of the aisle to erase the notion that he was nothing but a rich Republican ideologue. And it worked. He had demonstrated independence from Perry by getting the Senate to unanimously pass a method to deal with the school finance problem after Perry said it couldn't be done because Dewhurst was too green. But now, Dewhurst has reduced himself to being a gofer for Perry, U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, and, the Democrats charge, quietly in the background, President Bush and his chief political operative Karl Rove. Perry and the Republicans say the Democrats can end this by coming home. The Democrats say Perry can end it by pulling redistricting. Where all this will wind up is anybody's guess. But the camaraderie between Republicans and Democrats -- already all but gone in the Texas House -- might also be near death in the clubbier Texas Senate. The question facing the senators and lieutenant governor: Is it worth it? Dave McNeely's column appears Thursdays. Contact him at (512) 445-3644 or dmcneely@statesman.com. Things are never going to be the same. Perry makes Bush look like a Nobel prize winner. Dewhurst has thrown away the goodwill and bipartisan respect he earned during the session... all to please Tom DeLay and the people behind him. This is an unnecessary tragedy for the State of Texas. In my opinion, of course.
I believe that I saw on CNN that Perry plans to call a third special session. Thank God that mid September is the limit for this madness. BTW, I can confirm that Las Vegas still accepts all the money you care to spend.
Thanks for the article, but Dave McNeely needs a little more praise. He's been covering the legislature for over 25 straight years, a big bear of a guy who is a straight shooter. When Republicans were in the minority, they were treated with respect. The instant the Republicans took over, it was a tyranny of the majority. You can't treat people like that. Governing has to be done by consensus as much as possible, and when that can't happen, the process must be fair and due consideration given to the other side. It's Animal Farm, and the pigs are Rick Perry, Tom DeLay, and their pack of evil doers.
I've quoted him before. Usually I get a response like, "Oh, it's just another left-wing and biased political diatribe"... or something of that nature. Not always, to be fair, but the dismissive factor is pretty high. What's sad is that most Texans really don't pay that much attention to the politics that goes on in Austin, how things have changed and not just because, "we're in power now and tough ****, Democrats"... this ludicrous spectacle playing out now by the Republican Leadership is destroying the time-honored civility and collegiality that has always existed in the Texas Senate, and to a lesser extent, in the House. The damage will resonate for many years, regardless of which party is in power. And it's so unnecessary. Five Republican districts prefer their conservative Democrats that have over 100 years of seniority and power in Congress that is beneficial for their constituents. We would continue to be the laughing stock of the country, but California has taken most of the spotlight away. This has become a nightmare and right now I don't see a happy ending for either side.
I lay this on Tom DeLay's doorstep. He was the guy behind the storm troopers in Florida in 2000, and he was behind this. Remember the white guys in white shirts charging the ballot counting center in South Florida? Those were DeLay's brownshirts. He was behind this thing all the way, trying to sqeeze more seats for HIS power base in Congress. Putting a new face in Congress isn't going to change the vote except on one thing, perhaps: Speaker of the House and party leadership positions. Dave McNeely is a real pro. glad to know you think so, too. He's one of the good guys in Texas journalism, not full of himself like those dorks at Texas Monthly.
An article from the Austin-American Statesman. Senate's prized civility under fire Bruises from redistricting battle will heal, some say; others see lasting damage By Ken Herman AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Sunday, August 17, 2003 Eventually, one must assume, the Texas Senate will meet again. Unknown, however, is exactly what it will look and feel like when the 11 boycotting Democrats now based in Albuquerque, N.M., return to the floor after what has been three weeks of interstate unpleasantness. For generations, the 31-member chamber has prided itself on collegiality and, far more often than not, a brand of cordial bipartisanship foreign to the halls of the U.S. Congress. A Senate session is always a lot of "I'll yield to my good friend from (fill in the blank)" and has a generally congenial tone no matter how hot the debate gets. Even during the ongoing separation, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and the Senate Republicans have always talked about the missing Democrats as "friends and colleagues." The fines imposed by the Republicans on their "friends and colleagues" soon will hit the $35,000-a-week level, a level that can tend to put a strain on friendships. As a result of the Democrats' flight to Albuquerque to block congressional redistricting — and the Republicans' decision to fine them — there's increasing talk that the collegial feel may be on the endangered species list. "It's getting to a point now where it has become very personal," said Eddie Lucio of Brownsville, one of the Democrats-in-exile. "These wounds may not heal in this generation." Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, said the additional penalties approved Friday, which included cutting off Democrats' cell phones and taking away Capitol parking, amounted to "pettiness personified" and betrayed the GOP senators' claim that all they really want is the return of their Democratic friends. "You can't extend both hands in welcome when you're holding a knife in each," she said. Dewhurst, adhering to the party line, says the redistricting battle is a particularly partisan one fought out in a way that does not have to leave a shadow on the Senate. "There's no question in my mind, after countless conversations with Republicans and Democrats, that when redistricting is over there'll be some bruised feelings," he said. "But we will get back to business as usual." Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, certainly hopes so. She is deeply involved in the Legislature's next major task: finding a new way to pay for education. "I am very fearful that what has happened to this body over this redistricting issue will spill over into school finance decisions," said Shapiro, co-chairwoman of a special committee laying the groundwork for a planned special session on school finance next spring. GOP Gov. Rick Perry, who called the special session on redistricting and other topics and promises to call more if needed, is confident the Senate can get back to a cordial tone. Perry, who served as lieutenant governor for one legislative session, said the Senate has dealt with "a host of issues where you see senators very passionate, up to and including fisticuffs through the years." "And people seem to come back and work together," he said. But another former lieutenant governor said it seems the Senate has passed a point of no return on the road to partisanship. "Civility is gone," said Bill Hobby, a Democrat who served as lieutenant governor from 1972 to 1990. "It's very sad. It's moving more toward the congressional model where everything is partisan. When you start trying to impose penalties you've crossed some kind of a line." The Texas Senate and House are nothing like their federal counterparts. There is no seating by party, and committees are headed by members from each party. But as this impasse dragged on — and Dewhurst was accusing the Democrats of violating the Texas constitution — he declined to commit on continuing the practice of appointing committee heads from each party. "I'd rather not go there at this time," Dewhurst said when asked whether he would have any qualms about making a Democrat a chairperson when the Legislature convenes for its next regular session in 2005. Despite the harsh rhetoric on both sides — with Democrats accusing Republicans of trampling on minority rights and Republicans accusing Democrats of not playing fair — the leader of the Senate Democrats said she can come home and work with the other side. "I will go back and work in a professional manner," said San Antonio Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, who has gotten in as many good digs as anyone (she called the penalties "official oppression.") "My mother always told me that you treat people well even if they treat you miserably." On Friday, as Senate Republicans approved additional penalties for the Democrats, Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, had kind words for the missing colleagues "with whom we had close and dear friendship" during the regular session. "With God's help, we will heal the wounds of this chamber and move to brighter days," Estes said. God help us, indeed, one top Senate staffer said that day. "We've gone from a nice place to work to D.C.," he bemoaned privately, hard-pressed to come up with a kiss-and-make-up scenario that would get the Senate back to collegiality. "Maybe we don't," he said. "Maybe this is it." kherman@statesman.com; 445-1718 Like I said, things will never be the same. There is so much going on behind the scenes... some of you have no idea.
