Texas Democrats flee state

[attgig]

no, it's not a re-post

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/07/28/texas.redistricting.ap/index.html

Texas Democrats flee state -- again
Legislators fight over GOP redistricting plan



AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Democratic state lawmakers fled Texas on Monday for the second time in three months to thwart a Republican drive to redraw the state's congressional districts.

Eleven of the 12 Democrats in the state Senate left for Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a first special session called by the governor to address redistricting drew to a close and he called a second special session, scheduled to begin Wednesday. The second session could last as long as 30 days.

In May, during the regular spring session, the Republicans tried to push redistricting toward a vote in the GOP-controlled state House. But 51 Democrats in that chamber fled across the state line to Oklahoma to block a quorum, killing the bill.

Republicans are pressing for more seats in the state's 32-member delegation in the U.S. House; the Democrats currently hold a 17-15 advantage. Republicans say that ratio does not reflect the state's increasingly Republican voting patterns.

Most Democrats want to keep the existing congressional map drawn by a three-judge federal panel in 2001, calling redistricting a power grab pushed by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a Republican.

The Senate and House adjourned their special session Monday afternoon. Shortly afterward, Republican Gov. Rick Perry called a new one.

Two-thirds of the Senate's 31 members must be present to conduct business. The absence of the 11 Democrats can hold up passage of any bill.

During the first special session, Senate Democrats were able to block a redistricting bill that could have given Republicans an additional seven seats. Eleven Democrats and one Republican stood firm against the bill.

Senate rules require that two-thirds of the chamber support a bill before it can be taken up for debate. Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has said he would do away with that rule during the second session so that only a majority would be needed to debate a bill.


(btw, the first time around: http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=60886)

[Cubsfan]

What a bunch of babies. From what I have read, the Republicans aren't doing anything illegal, but the Democrats don't want to play by the rules.

A couple of things in politics are starting to disturb me. One is things like this. Also the fillibusters that the Democrats have been doing lately. They both basically say "we dont' like the rules, so we aren't going to play". Also the recall stuff. I just saw the other day that now another state is talking about starting a recall. Fine if they did something terribly wrong, but if they were voted in and then their rating dropped, that's no reason to recall.

[bachviet]

Bunch of wussies...

[Cantacuzene]

A fillibuster is perfectly legal. This is in poor judgement, but this is also how you affect compromise. If the majority party wont budge at all you have to do something to make them concede a bit.

[topane]

Originally posted by Cubsfan
A couple of things in politics are starting to disturb me. One is things like this. Also the fillibusters that the Democrats have been doing lately. They both basically say "we dont' like the rules, so we aren't going to play". Ever hear the expression "Tyranny of the majority"? We may have a Republican Senate, House, and Prez but it's only by the slimmest of margins. The filibuster is an essential part of parlimentary procedure to keep that slim majority from taking too much advantage of its position and not giving any room to negotiate. Dubya is appointing some far-right candidates for the federal bench. Without the ability of the filibuster we'd have a bunch of judges that don't represent the country's makeup as a whole.

That said, the filibuster is a cheap way out, but if it's your only weapon to make the other side listen, what choice do you have? And what does it say for the majority party taking huge advantage of its situation and not leave room for compromise?

[Nanotech9]

heres how i see it - they're quitting on the job they're been hired to do. They should be fired. Weather republican or dem.

I can't take weeks or months off a year just because i dont like something happening at my job. Neither should they.

they need to get back to work, or resign.

[Merlin]

They tried to do this last year as well. This is not a filibuster this is failing to show up for work and last time judges ordered them to return. When they didn't warrents were issued. The whole thing blew over.

[raimin]

dang demobrats

acting like little kids...
<cartman>screw you guys, i'm going home</cartman>

[zenbooty]

Originally posted by Nanotech9
heres how i see it - they're quitting on the job they're been hired to do. They should be fired. Weather republican or dem.

I can't take weeks or months off a year just because i dont like something happening at my job. Neither should they.

they need to get back to work, or resign. Their job is to represent the interests of the constituency who voted for them. If that means fleeing the state to prevent their representative views from being redistricted out of existence, so be it. If their constituency is against this, they'll lose their next election.

They are not taking time off from their job. They're doing their job the best way they feel they can, given their untenable circumstances.

[attgig]

and I feel that I can do my job best by taking off one week every month so that I can be refreshed and focused during the other three weeks I'm there...This is in the best interest of the company, and the best way for me to produce quality work given the tools I have.

[zenbooty]

Originally posted by attgig
and I feel that I can do my job best by taking off one week every month so that I can be refreshed and focused during the other three weeks I'm there...This is in the best interest of the company, and the best way for me to produce quality work given the tools I have. And if you can convince those who keep you "in office" that this is true and in their best interests, the more power to you :) .