Some Democrats are really scummy...

[DRC]

Redistricting

Hello mons meg,

"Also, just because "the Democrats did it for years" doesn't mean the Republicans should do it. Two wrongs don't make a right....sheesh, it's barely 3 years after the census and they want to redistrict again?"

If I'm not mistake, the Democrats have reset ditricts on many occasions after census were taken to keep them in power in Texas and it worked for the last 106 years. The Republicans are are setting the district line back to "fair" for both parties (now before anyone starts thinking that I'm all for this and that I actually think it is "fair" for Republicans to do this QUIT IT! This is the guise under which they are doing it but I'm sure it will align in a manner that will put more Republicans in set districts. However, it won't be anywhere near the mess the Democrats have kept districting in these past many years.

The Dems fled because they can't fight this without losing face and looking like fools, so they ran away to another state (like the adults they are so they wouldn't have to do anything, to get their way.

Take care everyone,

DRC

 

[mons meg]

Well, just as long as a bunch of your fellow Texans don't think they form a posse and cross the Red River.

 

[TexasVet]

My Rep got a nasty (but polite) e-mail from me while I was in Jawja. Just got back. I HATE I-10! All near 2,000 miles roundtrip of it I have to drive to see the g'kids!
I don't think a republican has ever even run for the rep position since reconstruction around here. I let McReynolds know that he could count on having opposition in the next election, and I have just the sucker... er, candidate in mind. Gotta go call a friend and talk him into something.

 

[WonderNine]

Democrats are children.

 

[foghornl]

I thought of maybe a good campaign theme for the next election...
Have the candidate running against the Demo incumbent add something like this to ad materials:

Vote for Jane Q. Public-Citizen for your next Texas District XX Representative. She won't skip out to Ardmore, OK when things get tough. Jane will stay in Austin and slug it out for you.

Just a Wild-hair of an idea, but if I was running for a seat in TX against a skip-out Demo incumbent,, somehow that would get mentioned. And if those Dem-Ole-RATS used taxpayer $$$ to fund this little [ahem] vacation......

 

[DRC]

Redistricting revisited.

I did get a bit more information on redistricting. The redistricting actually came up for vote in 2001 but was filabustered by Dems at that time. 2001 was the set year for redrawing of district lines. The Republicans brought in the Supreme court to make a ruling on the legality of the Democrat block and new district lines. It was ruled that the new district lines were legitimate and the Democratic block was ruled against which leads us to now. The Dems had no choice other than to run away to another state since legally it was ruled a vote would have to be made and the Republicans had the votes to pass it. What the Dems did is illegal by Texas state law so I do hope they face repercussions (although I doubt they will)

The saddest part of the whole ordeal is that they will probably be touted as being heroic in their flight and built up to be the "good" in "Good vs. Evil" even though they are law breakers. Oh well.

Take care,

DRC

 

[BAB]

The saddest part of the whole ordeal is that they will probably be touted as being heroic in their flight and built up to be the "good" in "Good vs. Evil" even though they are law breakers. Oh well.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationw...08971.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

Texas Democrats Leave Okla., Return Home

By ANGELA K. BROWN
Associated Press Writer

May 16, 2003, 11:08 AM EDT

AUSTIN, Texas -- Runaway Texas Democrats returned to a heroes' welcome at the Capitol on Friday after their self-imposed exile in Oklahoma killed a redistricting bill they hated. Legislative business in the House of Representatives resumed.

"Welcome home, Texas heroes," one sign read as the lawmakers stepped up to the Capitol to cheers and applause from like-minded citizens. The Democrats stood momentarily, smiling and waving at the exuberant crowd, some wearing yellow ribbons.

"We've weathered a few things. We've weathered some troopers; we've weathered a tornado, and we weathered Denny's," said Democrat Jim Dunnum, who emerged as the group's ringleader. "No matter what happens, democracy won in this event."

The revolt killed a divisive congressional redistricting bill that would have created more Republican seats.

The 51 exiled Democrats congratulated each other for enduring four days away from a Republican-dominated Texas House chamber and avoiding the reach of state troopers who were ordered to round them up for blocking legislative business. There must be a quorum -- 100 of the 150 House members -- for the House to do business.

"Thank you, you've saved us!" one onlooker shouted to a lawmaker as he walked by.

The House session convened at 9 a.m., with a quorum present at last. Republicans who had seethed at the Democrats' walkout sat quietly at their desks as their colleagues streamed in to loud applause from spectators in the gallery.

Earlier, as the Democrats' two charter buses pulled up to the Capitol, Rep. Pete Gallego said, "Hey, guys -- be proud of yourselves. We really made a difference."

The buses had departed late Thursday from a hotel in Ardmore, Okla., 30 miles north of the Texas state line, just before the redistricting bill died in Austin as a midnight deadline passed.

"It feels good. It's good to be back," said Democrat Rep. Garnet Coleman. "We're tired and we slept some. And we should be ready to continue working on the floor today. We have bills on the calendar."

Eighteen days remain in the regular session. Important issues such as homeowners insurance reform and passing revenue-generating bills to help a $9.9 billion budget shortfall can still be addressed through Senate legislation, amendments and other tools not affected by Thursday's deadline, Democrats say.

Meanwhile, the federal Department of Homeland Security said it had been drawn into the four-day standoff when a Texas law officer indicated that a plane carrying Democrats might have crashed.

The call to Homeland Security was placed Monday, when Texas Republicans were desperately seeking the Democrats' whereabouts. The Homeland Security Department said in a statement that it did not use its aircraft in response.

State Rep. Pete Laney, who was on the plane that safely landed in Oklahoma, questioned why federal agents were called.

"I just think it's a strange use of assets," Laney said. "I'm curious as to why a federal agency would involve themselves to this extent in a state issue."

Tom Vinger, a Public Safety spokesman, declined to comment. White House spokesman Scott McClellan refused to say whether he believes it would have been appropriate for Homeland Security to be used to round up Texas Democrats.

Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press

 

[Boats]

What I found most amusing during this charade was when I happened to catch Pete Gallego on CNN's Inside Politics, comparing their actions to the defense of the Alamo. Curious, but I don't remember the part of the Alamo saga wherein the defenders fled from Texas to what became Oklahoma to avoid being massacred.

 

[George Hill]

This is just REASON # 238957203

 

[DRC]

Yup BAB...

After I posted I opened my AOL and there it was.

These people are state law breakers, not heros. The reason they ran away with their tales between their legs is because they didn't have a leg to stand on where the vote was concerned on redistricting. They ran because they had nothing else (which pretty much defines the rest of the Democratic parties message)

Oh well, I'll do my part by voting against Democrats.

Take care,

DRC