Texas House Democrats Could be Next to Flee

[Judi Lynn]

Texas House Democrats Could be Next to Flee
LAST UPDATE: 8/19/2003 9:50:29 AM
Posted By: Jim Forsyth

So is the long range plan by Texas Democrats to have House Democrats follow Senate Democrats to New Mexico?

1200 WOAI's Robert Wood reports from the Capitol that rumors are buzzing that at the end of the current special session, the 11 Senate Democrats who are currently in New Mexico will return at the end of the current special session, and then 51 House Democrats will leave the state, to prevent that Republican backed Congressional redistricting plan from passing.

"We're in the process of trying to get together and make a determination as a group about what our next step is going to be," State Rep. Pete Gallego (D-Alpine) said.

As long as a large chunk of Democrats are out of the state, there is not the required quorum left in Austin to approve the redistricting plan, which observers say would create five new Republican Congressional seats. (snip/...)

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=9DA49D43-7DD5-4AA4-9D7B-A8D1C043CAD9

[bearfan454]

1. Whatever it takes to stop the redistricting

It is an attempted illegal power grab by the gop.

[quinnox]

2. Wouldn't it be easier and less expensive

to have the 11 state senators stay in New Mexico for the foreseeable future? If the governor and the Repubs want to play hardball, then it's time to play hardball. Even if that means staying in New Mexico for a year.

[Gin]

3. Aren't they being fined? this may be a way around that.

gin

[bearfan454]

5. No they are not.

The gop doesn't have a quorum, so anything they pass is not legal.

[Eloriel]

20. They probably actually have families, ya know, and jobs

or more likely, businesses or other self-employment. These Southern states have VERY parttime legislators. I think Texas meets only once every 2 years (unless they've changed it).

Georgia meets for 40 bs. days, interrupted by a week or two for the budget folks to do their thing, so it's usually mid-Jan thru mid-March or so each year. The pay, despite the fact that there was other busness conducted during the year AND that they were expected to do civic appearances and stuff, was only $10,000 annually a few years ago. I don't know what it is now.

When I got a little involved with state politics (very little - just a little citizen lobbying), I was amazed at that schedule. It was SO clearly set up for plantation owners and others who were otherwise self-sufficient or independently wealthy. There was no farming activity during those months, so it was easy enough for them to all come to Atlanta and have some high old times. And then get the sesssion done and get back home just in time for planting time.

Eloriel

[GOPisEvil]

21. You're right!

Most, if not all, legislators in TX have outside occupations. They meet for 120 days every two years. Yep - that's a agricultural holdover. They are paid $7200 in base salary.

This is causing a strain on families, etc., but it has to be done, lest Tom DeLay get his way.

These 11 people and their families are owed a debt that will be hard to repay.

[LoneStarLiberal]

4. And Personally...

...I'd rather be in New Mexico than Texas right now with this damp heat we have smothering us!

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. I love those Texas Dems.

Fighting against the odds. That's what it's all about.

[melissinha]

8. GRR... Dewhurst and Perry have really done it this time

Reading the Austin American Statesman... Dewhurst and cronies :hurts:

http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/editorial_f3d37deed02b81c800b7.html

"In the latest move Republicans, whether they mean to or not, are raising ghosts of Texas' racial past. It began with their vote to fine the group of largely minority senators up to $57,000 each if they did not end their boycott and return to the Senate. But it escalated as the all-white Republican senators threatened to enforce those fines by limiting Democrats' voting privileges and imposing penalties, including limiting their postage and cutting off cell phones. Democrats have charged that the fines symbolically amount to a poll tax."

Now they are fining the Senate Dems and prohibiting them from voting? Sounds either desperate or illegal to me.

Here's a funny thing my dad's cousin Pete said about his wife Senator Leticia Van de Putte:

"I've been married to her for 25 years, and I've never won an argument. I don't know what on earth Rick Perry thinks he's got going for him."

Although the last name doesn't show it....Leticia is Hispanic and one of her main interests is representing the Hispanic Community of San Antonio. You go GIRL! :kick:

[GOPisEvil]

10. Leticia used to be my state senator...

...before I moved to Austin. She went to bat in a SERIOUS way for a good friend of mine. She'd lay waste to Gov. Goodhair in any argument!

Welcome to DU!! :hi:

[newyawker99]

16. Hi melissinha!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. Wow! Thanks for the info.

Leticia's husband sounds like a good man. Takes a very secure person to live with a dynamo like Leticia.

[cosmicdot]

7. give'em hell Texas Dems

we're at war ... fight'em ...

[RichM]

9. The Dem state Senators are being heavily fined - $5000/day.

The Republican majority in the Texas state Senate voted August 12 to begin imposing fines of up to $5,000 a day on Democratic state senators who are boycotting a special legislative session in order to block a redistricting plan that would effectively transfer five federal congressional seats from Democratic to Republican control...."

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/aug2003/tex-a19.shtml

[Bunny]

11. Aren't they taking a chance by publicly talking about this?

Couldn't the authorities take them into custody before the end of the current special session and force them to stay in the state?

[GOPisEvil]

12. I doubt they could do that...

...but I wouldn't put it past the Repukes to have them under surveillance and prevent them from gathering en masse somewhere.

[melissinha]

13. So help me if they DO THAT

GRR.... Those repukes are such vile selfish hypocrits!!!! :puke:

GOPisEVIL...thanks for the welcome. :hippie: Although I don't see Leticia very often... she is frickin awesome.... Need to go to SA one of these days!

When they come home I hope there is a homecoming in Austin for them..... I'll be there with bells on. :kick:

[GOPisEvil]

15. Were you at the rally a couple weeks ago?

It was fantastic! I had to miss the homecoming for the Reps that went to OK, but I damn sure will be there for the Senators!

Oh, and just so everyone remembers, Sept. 13th is an election day on constitutional propositions. Get out there and vote, especially, vote NO! on Prop. 12! </public service announcement>

[melissinha]

18. Didn't know about rally

Unfortunately since college I have been a pretty inactive democrat... battling Iowa GOP back then. That has got to stop. Where can I find out about future rallies????

Oh I have a gem for you guys.... yall know Former Senator Graham????Well when he was a professor at Texas A&M.... guess what he did???? My dad had him as a prof and he called him on it at a speech in Iowa couple years ago and he was all hush hush ...

He would take bets on Aggie Football Games for grades.

Thanks for the welcome, guys!!!!

[GOPisEvil]

19. Phil Gramm? Doing something morally questionable?

I'm shocked! SHOCKED, I TELL YOU! :P

Well, I was a lapsed Democrat for the longest time, too. I've gotten more involved, and met some of the greatest people, including some folks here.

Keep your eyes peeled for a Texas DU gathering in September here in Austin. :hi:

[melissinha]

22. i'll keep my eyes peeled

Yeah, I should definitely get back into the swing of things besides doing the occasional canned letters regarding the EPA. I'll keep an eye out for events...


Hope the Senators come back soon. Their families probably miss them.

I sent a supportive email to the senators weeks ago from a democrat website... you guys do it????


And yes, I like Pete Van de Putte, my dad seems to likes him. I bet the Poor guy needs his wife back though....

[GOPisEvil]

23. I sent my Senator, Barrientos, a note of support.

I used to work with his daughter.

I bet Leticia's 6 kids want her back, too. I think it's 6, or is it 5? :shrug: Anyway, her kids want her back. Her daughter spoke at the rally.

[Bunny]

14. but isn't that what they tried to do the last time?

didn't they send TX Rangers to their homes, etc. to try to apprehend them and forcibly bring them to the Capitol? Or did they just threaten that?