Texas deals with those damn Democrats! - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Liquor Dealer · 05-13-2003, 10:32 AM

A bit of history- Democrats ruled Austin forever - the Republicans finally gained a majority and are sorta' acting like the Democrats have been acting for years - The Democrats don't like it being turned around!

Democrats in Texas House Stage Walkout

Monday, May 12, 2003

AUSTIN, Texas — Almost all of the Democratic members of the state House failed to show up Monday morning, preventing the GOP-dominated body from convening because of a lack of a quorum.

DeLay Proposes Texas District Map
Here's what started this mess:

Thursday, April 17, 2003

WASHINGTON — A top congressional Democrat says a redistricting map that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay sent state lawmakers would eliminate five Democratic congressmen and provides no new representation for minorities.

The map hasn't been officially made public but has been circulating in Austin and in Washington since late last week. It drew immediate criticism from Rep. Martin Frost, D-Arlington, who led Democrats' redistricting efforts nationwide in 2000.

GOP officials had earlier threatened to send police after the missing Democrats. The would-be quorum-busters planned to leave the state to avoid being located by the Department of Public Safety or Texas Rangers, who could detain them and forcibly return them to the House floor, a source said.

In the first quorum-breaking in the state in more than 20 years, letters from 53 of the House's 62 Democrats informed the leadership they would be absent.

"I do not know where they are," said Tamara Bell, chief of staff for House Democratic Caucus Chairman Jim Dunnam.

But - She lied:

AUSTIN, Texas — State troopers found Democratic lawmakers in Oklahoma after they brought the Texas House to a standstill by going into hiding, but the legislators declined to return to the state Capitol.

The Republican leaders sent the troopers to Ardmore, Okla., on Monday to ask the Democrats to return. The lawmakers left Austin on Sunday, after days of strategizing to waylay a contentious GOP-led battle to redraw the state's congressional lines.

The absence of the 58 Democrats denied the House its required 100-member quorum. The boycott capped months of tension between Democrats and the newly-in-control Republicans over a bill to limit lawsuits and a GOP budget that would make deep spending cuts without raising taxes.

The missing Democratic lawmakers spent Monday in a hotel conference room, where large sheets of paper taped to the walls were used as makeshift chalkboards and long tables were filled with laptop computers, stacks of papers and notebooks.

Found one of 'em by golly!

AUSTIN — A state trooper has arrested a missing Texas House Democrat and returned her to the Capitol.

News Eight Austin reports the trooper from the Texas Department of Public Safety captured state Rep. Helen Giddings this morning.

It reported the trooper approached the Dallas Democrat as she was getting into her car at her Austin apartment. She later said she had asked to be allowed to drive to the Capitol in her own car, but the trooper refused and arrested her.

Republican Gov. Rick Perry lambasted the Democrats for deserting the Legislature, saying "we might as well shut this building down and let it become a museum because the work of the people is through."

The remaining House Republicans spent hours of idle time locked in the chamber constructing signs and gimmicks ridiculing their Democratic colleagues. A pair of milk cartons circulated around the chamber, plastered with the faces of missing Democrats.

Daval · 05-13-2003, 10:41 AM

is this serious? sounds like something you'd read in the onion.

forgotten_dream · 05-13-2003, 10:42 AM

Dear god... that's the most childish, idiotic thing I think i've ever heard of. Although the mental image of highway patrol chasing down and tackling a fleeing senator is kindof funny.....

I say screw that law. Democrats want to be immature? The republicans should just start passing stuff left and right. I wouldn't want to be represented by that bunch of children after that anyways.

Liquor Dealer · 05-13-2003, 11:02 AM

I don't remember how the law actually reads - this was done one time before (like 25-30 years ago). It is against the law because it hold the legislature hostage and helpless. There are provisions in Texas law to allow them to forcibly taken back to the capital. That is why they ran to Oklahoma - Texas would have to seek extradition to get them back. Texas politics - you gotta' love it!

Daval · 05-13-2003, 11:05 AM

OHMYGOD, that is the FUNNIEST thing I've ever read! I was almost going to transfer this to the Humour board, I didnt take it seriously at all.

Liquor Dealer · 05-13-2003, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Daval
OHMYGOD, that is the FUNNIEST thing I've ever read! I was almost going to transfer this to the Humour board, I didnt take it seriously at all.

Texas politics are sometimes humorous but they're real - not sure real what? Sometimes.

Kadath · 05-13-2003, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Liquor Dealer

The missing Democratic lawmakers spent Monday in a hotel conference room, where large sheets of paper taped to the walls were used as makeshift chalkboards and long tables were filled with laptop computers, stacks of papers and notebooks.
...
The remaining House Republicans spent hours of idle time locked in the chamber constructing signs and gimmicks ridiculing their Democratic colleagues. A pair of milk cartons circulated around the chamber, plastered with the faces of missing Democrats.

So the Dems went somewhere else and worked, and the Republicans sat in the chamber and threw paper airplanes while cracking jokes about the Dems? Who are the workers and who are the slackers?

Liquor Dealer · 05-13-2003, 11:52 AM

By law the Republicnas can do nothing without a forum - that's why the Democrat's left the state - so they could not be arrested and returned to the capital. One can only hope that the good people of Oklahoma rid themselves of those damned Democratic politicians and send them back across the river to face the music!

Macheath · 05-13-2003, 12:25 PM

Sounds like a pretty interesting political battle. Maybe they're hiding from Tom DeLay's monster salamander?

Prophecy · 05-13-2003, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by forgotten_dream
Dear god... that's the most childish, idiotic thing I think i've ever heard of. Although the mental image of highway patrol chasing down and tackling a fleeing senator is kindof funny.....

yeah, it is childish, but rearranging boarders to get rid of the Dems is crazy too. It seems everything i hear out of texas news wise is strange these days...

Liquor Dealer · 05-13-2003, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dark_Prophecy
yeah, it is childish, but rearranging boarders to get rid of the Dems is crazy too. It seems everything i hear out of texas news wise is strange these days...

30-40 years worth of paybacks can be hell!

Cynthetiq · 05-13-2003, 01:27 PM

I'm watching this on Fox News now... pretty funny stuff. If the government didn't shut down several years back, well, I'd be surprised by this.

Politics is politics and sometimes it takes something as silly as this to happen like shutting down the government ala Gingrich. Of course when this hits the international newswires... it's makes ALL of us Americans look like idiots.

Liquor Dealer · 05-13-2003, 01:37 PM

The Democratic Party controlled texas for over 130 years. If you were not a Democrat for much of that time you didn't have a vote that counted! You surely stood no chance of being elected to anything - including Assistant Dog Catcher. For 130 years the Democrats basically ran the state of Texas as if it were their own private club. The first Republican to carry the State of Texas, to the best of my knowledge was Eisenhower (He is a Texan you know! Even though he was raised in Kansas he was born a Texan). There have been Republicnas who held Office since then - like George W. But they had to live with a Democratic majority - always. For the first time in history (Except during reconstruction)Republicans have a majority. The Democrats cannot accept this fact - someone pissed in their Post Toasties! The intelligence of Texas voters has often been questioned - but if they re-elect any of these Democrats after this little temper tantrum they need to lose their right to vote!

I am sure my memory on Texas history has diminished over the years - In a short time Tha' Dude will be here to straighten us all out!

The_Dude · 05-13-2003, 03:37 PM

ok, time for my view.

i support them, this is just like doing a filabuster is the congress.

the republicans are redrawing the state for their own benifit. they have openly admitted that they will get an additional 5-10 seats because of this re-districting.

this is just unfair, and the way that a minority party can "filabuster" in texas is this.

they did this back in the day also.

btw, i think an independant authority should be drawing the redistricting, w/o any gerrymandering.

touhy · 05-13-2003, 05:49 PM

I'd love it if the legislature closed down in Wisconsin. Free beer in Illinois guys and girls! Take a trip and a break from raising our taxes!

KillerYoda · 05-13-2003, 06:17 PM

Gotta love our stupid-ass Texas politicians.

And remember kids, your President used to be our governor.

MSD · 05-13-2003, 07:55 PM

I don't see anything wrong with it. As it stands, the voting ratio for US House of Reps elections is 56/44% in favor of the Republicans (Stats from CNN.com.) The number of Representatives each party sent to the house approximately reflects those percentages. The way I see it, adding 5-10 Republican seats would skew the numbers in such a way that they would not accurately represent the will of the people of Texas, but instead the will of the Republican Party.

Kadath · 05-13-2003, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Liquor Dealer
By law the Republicnas(sic) can do nothing without a forum - that's why the Democrat's(sic) left the state - so they could not be arrested and returned to the capital.

So the Republicans can't plan, or discuss something important, such as how to dig the state out of the massive hole its former governor has left it and all other states in? Nope, we need to worry about how to get 5-10 more seats.

Quote:

The Democratic Party controlled texas for over 130 years. If you were not a Democrat for much of that time you didn't have a vote that counted! You surely stood no chance of being elected to anything - including Assistant Dog Catcher.

Welcome to local politics. That's the way it goes. The party in power uses its pull to stay there. That the Republicans didn't ever think of using this technique during their long years of oppression doesn't speak too highly of their intelligence.

Phaenx · 05-13-2003, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kadath
Welcome to local politics. That's the way it goes. The party in power uses its pull to stay there. That the Republicans didn't ever think of using this technique during their long years of oppression doesn't speak too highly of their intelligence.

Intelligence has no bearing on how to not be a disgrace, and that's exactly what those Democrats are, a disgrace.

Kadath · 05-13-2003, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Phaenx
Intelligence has no bearing on how to not be a disgrace, and that's exactly what those Democrats are, a disgrace.

It's not any different than a fillibuster, my friend. Literally. It is just a fillibuster on a larger scale. The game of politics is the disgrace, both sides. Every man or woman who gives in and plays that game by its rules is a disgrace.

hrdwareguy · 05-14-2003, 09:34 AM

Bit of an update on this. Texas has sent State Troopers/Texas Rangers to Oklahoma to seek extradition and arrest these people. The sherriff in Ardmore has stated he will not allow the extradition.

Also one of these Democrats said someting to this effect: Cowards, we are not cowards. Cowards run, we are standing up for our constituants. He said this from Ardmore, Oklahoma.

sixate · 05-14-2003, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Dude
ok, time for my view.

i support them

Dude, I can't belive that you would support what they are doing. The Dems are elected by the people to do a job and now a job can't be done because they walked the fuck out like some stupid ass crybabies that can't get their way. Do you realize that 5 year old children are smarter than this? Why didn't the Republicans walk out on something that they didn't like? Because they aren't brainless spineless morons. I hope you never vote because you love presidents that lie to you and you like your politicans to walk out on you. Good job buddy!

As far as I'm concerned these assholes (Dems) should all be put in jail.

hrdwareguy · 05-15-2003, 07:24 AM

I was thinking about this, who is going to pay for it? The individual democrats or will they expense it out and make the people of Texas pay for it. If they make the people of Texas pay, lets look at the cost.

They showed up on Sunday and are returning on Friday, the legislation dies if no action is taken by Thursday night, so 5 days.

57 dems at 40/room/night = 2280/night x 5 nights = 11400.00 hotel

3 meals per day at 6/meal = 18 x 57 = 1026 x 5 = 5130.00 food

Also add in gas and entertainment and you can probably hit 20,000.00 easy.

seretogis · 05-15-2003, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by forgotten_dream
Dear god... that's the most childish, idiotic thing I think i've ever heard of.

If only more people thought as you did..

I find it interesting that in the history of the US the party which traditionally resorts to underhanded tactics such as this is the Democratic party. In Minnesota in order to kill a conceal/carry bill in the legislature they sent it to committee and refused to hear it there. Now, think about that. The Democrats here didn't even want to DISCUSS it. They just want to decide what can and cannot be discussed, regardless of if they are the majority or not. Only after a Republican got creative and attached it to a DNR bill, did it manage to get to the floor for a discussion and a vote. It passed, and it should have passed years ago.

Democrats are losing, and they are desperately fumbling for power. It's disgusting, and they and all members of their party should be ashamed.

Liquor Dealer · 05-15-2003, 08:31 AM

I personally think that the Democratic Party is dead. I don't know if there will be formal rites after the coming election but it is definitely coming and if they do not wake up soon they will be past the point of no return. The attempts to make Gore/Leiberman appear presidential was really an exercise in futility and their attempts to come up with a viable candidate for 2004 are laughable. There is a point in which "Liberal" isn't liberal at all - it has reached the point of 'somewhere out there'. I noticed a poll taken in the past few days in which a large number of people who claimed to be Democrats were asked about the Democratic candidates - and could not name any of them.

We live under a government whose founders did not anticipate two parties - in fact - most of the original planners of our government most favored an aristocracy - This is still evident in the electoral college. I need not tell you about history but our forefathers did not trust the common man. They were willing to let him vote for members of the House and nothing more - The common man really had nothing directly to do with government other than this. Things have changed - political parties came along very quickly and provisions had to be made to account for this. Not saying that our forefathers were right about everything but they weren't totally wrong either. Politics have gotten out of hand because of political parties - those tremendous wastes of resource that we call pork-barrel politics are the direct result of the party system. Somewhere in the middle there is common ground - the fringes of both political parties are detrimental to everyone in this country with the exception of those out there on the edge.

Do we need to go back to the middle and start over?

seretogis · 05-15-2003, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Liquor Dealer
I need not tell you about history but our forefathers did not trust the common man.

To be fair, they did not trust the government either. Provisions were made to ensure that the unwashed masses would be able to rise up against the government if needed.

Prophecy · 05-15-2003, 09:44 AM

I don't the Democrats are dead yet, they still have a strong hold in state government across the US. Yet on a national level the party needs some serious retooling. The Presidential candidates are laughable. But my real problem comes in when I hear reports of some people saying they don't want Bush back in office, but when they look to the other hand to see what they have to choose from and that’s not any better.... That’s were my problem comes in. We all know that "3rd parties" and independants aren't going to get any real strong media attention and the really good candidates can't build up the resources to get their name out there anyway. Plus with a bicameral system like we have now, the Democrats aren't going to "die' in my book till another party steps up to take there place, and that doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon. Yeah they may get pushed back but they'll still have more power than say the Green Party.

The_Dude · 05-15-2003, 12:33 PM

let's all remember that the democrats received more popular vote than the replublicans did in 2000. that's not a sign of a party dying.

yes, they need a little reviving, but i think they'd be all right

seretogis · 05-15-2003, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Dude
let's all remember that the democrats received more popular vote than the replublicans did in 2000. that's not a sign of a party dying.

Well, look at how many seats they lost in 2002. They are losing control more and more as time goes by. They have no chance at nabbing the White House in 2004.

redravin40 · 05-15-2003, 05:45 PM

Molly Ivans follows the ups and downs of the Texas legislature for more then twenty years. She writes much better then I do so here is her column on the subject.

Quote:

By Molly Ivins
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Tuesday, May 13, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas -- They just went too far, that's all. This session of the legislature has been as brutal, callous and indifferent to the welfare of the weakest, the most frail, youngest and oldest Texans as it is possible to get. The level of pure meanness is just stunning. They have just gone too damn far.
The session was pretty well summed up by Rep. Senfronia Thompson when she illustrated what was going on by taking the House rulebook to the podium with her and dropping it on the floor. There is no rule of procedure, fairness, common sense or decency that has been observed by the Republican majority in the Texas House.

This is not about partisan politics -- although that has certainly reared its ugly head. In case you hadn't noticed, every major newspaper in this state has criticized the plans and performance of the legislature this session, often in harsh language. Those wild-eyed radicals at the Dallas Morning News and Houston Chronicle are just disgusted with the tacky display these people have been putting on.

There is no excuse for this, and blaming it on the deficit will not wash. We all knew going in that some terribly hard choices would have to be made, but what in the name of heaven was the governor thinking when he had handicapped people arrested? These were citizens who came to their capital to protest budget cuts affecting them, and they get arrested. Maybe it was because they were in wheelchairs -- don't even have to be hauled away, they can just be rolled away.

Most of us thought it was pretty funny when Rep. Debbie Riddle popped out with her now-classic statement: "Where did this idea come from that everybody deserves free education, free medical care, free whatever? It comes from Moscow, from Russia. It comes straight out of the pit of hell."

Amusing as that was, the House has been doing its dead-level best to destroy both public education and public health. They've taken 250,000 poor children off the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the schools are in dire straits. As the Austin American-Statesman pointed out in an editorial, these same fine thinkers did manage to find $10 million to appropriate for cow research and $300 million for Gov. Perry to woo companies to Texas.

Of course, there have been some lovely moments we can celebrate, like the day Speaker Tom Craddick decided that the new ethics reform law should be debated in a backroom, closed-door session. Amazingly enough, the proposed ethics law was weakened and watered down behind the closed doors!

I think a special salute for clear thinking should go to the House for its amazing decision to cut the program that pays for medications for mentally ill people who are out of prison on probation or parole. Is this brilliant? Now these people will be wandering around the state without their meds.

The latest flap is over a congressional redistricting map that is so bad it's actually funny. Of course, the thing was passed without public hearings, because as Rep. Joe Crabb explained, "The rest of us would have a very difficult time if we were out in an area -- other than Austin or other English-speaking areas -- to be able to have committee hearings or to be able to converse with people that did not speak English." Sometimes you have to wonder what planet these people are from.

That was the proverbial straw for the Democrats, 53 of whom left the state or went into hiding Sunday to break the quorum, thus bringing legislative business to a halt. They've already been dubbed the Killer D's, after the tradition of the Killer Bees in 1979. Believe me, stopping the legislature from functioning at this point is high public service.

Speaker Craddick called it a "stunt." The R's have been pulling stunts every day of this session, and don't write it off as payback for heavy-handed Democratic rule. Speaker Pete Laney ran a fair House, and everyone knew it -- these people are disgracing themselves and the state.

The way things got to such a sorry pass is that the R's have been running on rote, lockstep voting. No Democratic amendment gets considered on its merits, no matter how sensible it is. Shell bills get introduced, and then whole sections are amended on the floor, in a parody of legislative process. Much time has been spent on gay-bashing and trying to take away abortions rights. I'm starting to think right-wing Republicans all have an unhealthy fixation on sexual behavior.

The choices on how to spend money couldn't possibly make Republican "values" any clearer. We can spend money on corporate welfare, but not on people's welfare. We can't cover health insurance for our teachers, but we must have brush control.

The creepy thing about the far-right Republicans, who are definitely in the majority in the House, is not that they are dismantling government because they won't raise taxes, they're dismantling government because they think it shouldn't help people. They really think health and human services should not be provided. It's an old line among liberals that anti-choice people care more about the unborn than they do about the born, but I'm telling you that it's not just some clever line -- these people are writing it into the state budget.

The Link

seretogis · 05-15-2003, 05:54 PM

Molly Ivans is a great writer of fiction.

seretogis · 05-15-2003, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hrdwareguy
I was thinking about this, who is going to pay for it? The individual democrats or will they expense it out and make the people of Texas pay for it. If they make the people of Texas pay, lets look at the cost.

They showed up on Sunday and are returning on Friday, the legislation dies if no action is taken by Thursday night, so 5 days.

57 dems at 40/room/night = 2280/night x 5 nights = 11400.00 hotel

3 meals per day at 6/meal = 18 x 57 = 1026 x 5 = 5130.00 food

Also add in gas and entertainment and you can probably hit 20,000.00 easy.

Do you need to ask? They're Democrats. The tax-payers will pay for it.

Kadath · 05-15-2003, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Liquor Dealer
I personally think that the Democratic Party is dead. I don't know if there will be formal rites after the coming election but it is definitely coming and if they do not wake up soon they will be past the point of no return.

So...based on 2.25 years of a Republican trifecta after 8 years of a Democratic president, you think the party is dead? You might be calling that horse a little early there. Dems came back after 12 years of Reagan/Bush.

Quote:

There is a point in which "Liberal" isn't liberal at all - it has reached the point of 'somewhere out there'

Yeah, I've noticed how communist Democrats are getting these days, what with their support of the war and grudging approval of the Republican tax cut.

Quote:

We live under a government whose founders did not anticipate two parties - in fact - most of the original planners of our government most favored an aristocracy - This is still evident in the electoral college. I need not tell you about history but our forefathers did not trust the common man. They were willing to let him vote for members of the House and nothing more - The common man really had nothing directly to do with government other than this. Things have changed - political parties came along very quickly and provisions had to be made to account for this. Not saying that our forefathers were right about everything but they weren't totally wrong either. Politics have gotten out of hand because of political parties - those tremendous wastes of resource that we call pork-barrel politics are the direct result of the party system. Somewhere in the middle there is common ground - the fringes of both political parties are detrimental to everyone in this country with the exception of those out there on the edge.

Do we need to go back to the middle and start over?

Well, you raise some interesting points, but what sticks in my craw is the idea that the common man not be allowed to affect his government. Why would we even want to live in that country? It's one of the greatest gifts we have here. I also disagree entirely with the statement that the fringes of each side are detrimental to almost everyone. If we eliminate Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader, we might as well just have one party. Far from that, we should try for the situation in England and Canada, with several viable parties. As it is, people are loathe to cast their votes for third party candidates for fear of wasting their vote, if such a thing were actually possible. The more choices we have, the better off we are.

Macheath · 05-15-2003, 10:59 PM

Just found a second article on this thing that goes into a fair bit of detail:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/20...xas/index.html

Prophecy · 05-16-2003, 05:12 AM

well i heard the stand off was over and the dems are returning home today, can anyone confirm this?

eggman · 05-16-2003, 05:38 AM

They're back. The front page of the Houston Chronicle shows a picture of these clowns with their arms around each other and cheering like they just won the big game. What the Chronicle didn't report was that upon their return, the collective IQ of Texas dropped significantly, (it's believed that Oklahoma's collective IQ also dropped as the Texas lawmakers cross back into Texas).

The redistricting bill and more than 200 other pieces of legislation died. The Democrats look like fools, the Republicans appear dumfounded and due to less opportunity for new legislation, we taxpayers are likely far, far ahead.

Over

Liquor Dealer · 05-16-2003, 05:43 AM

They re back - they supposedly reentered the state last night at 11:16 PM. Austin may be an interesting place for a while. The irony of this is that the Democrats ruled Texas like it was a private club forever. They had gerrymandered districts where it even appeared that there might be a threat to the party. Poll taxes eliminated the threat of reprisal from Blacks and those with low incomes for a large part of Democratic rule. Now that the shoe is on the other foot they have decided to pout and say, if I can't have my way I'll just take my toys and go home (er' I mean to Oklahoma).

Liquor Dealer · 05-16-2003, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by eggman
.................... upon their return, the collective IQ of Texas dropped significantly..................

The average IQ of Oklahoma went up about 40 points as the unwelcome guests from Texas crossed the Red River and returned to Texas!

Kadath · 05-16-2003, 06:32 AM

Liquor Dealer: "The average IQ of Oklahoma went up about 40 points as the unwelcome guests from Texas crossed the Red River and returned to Texas!"

Uh...huh. Why don't we just say something about how Texas has once again taken on the title of Ugliest State in the Union, now that the democrats are back? Or perhaps some comment about average penis length?

WhoaitsZ · 05-16-2003, 11:25 AM

this is indeed sickly funny. problem is, when i quit laughing I go into Berzerk Pissed Off mode.

I haven't seen what the vote was goint to be on yet (i've looked and read, maybe my eyes just refuse to see it?). could someone give me a low-down on what bill was to be passed when they made their cowardly retreat in dumbspeak? I'd like to understand it.

now, unless someone did something like fleeing to save a person's life, I see what they did as pure cowardness. Since when in the hell have congressmen decided to try such methods as *hold hand over ears and say LALALALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU LALALALALA* or 'if i am going to loose the game, i will cheat'.

even if this bill is horrendous and the demys were screwed royally, they do NOT have a right to walk out. it's fucking embarresing.

everyone bitches about our kids doing stupid shit.... well, look at who some of their peers are!

i say fire them and make them do charity work or jail time.

There should be absolutely zero usage of preschool behaviore in the governmant!

-fume-

05-13-2003, 10:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
Liquor Dealer Super Agitator Location: Just SW of Nowhere!!! In the good old US of A	Texas deals with those damn Democrats! A bit of history- Democrats ruled Austin forever - the Republicans finally gained a majority and are sorta' acting like the Democrats have been acting for years - The Democrats don't like it being turned around! Democrats in Texas House Stage Walkout Monday, May 12, 2003 AUSTIN, Texas — Almost all of the Democratic members of the state House failed to show up Monday morning, preventing the GOP-dominated body from convening because of a lack of a quorum. DeLay Proposes Texas District Map Here's what started this mess: Thursday, April 17, 2003 WASHINGTON — A top congressional Democrat says a redistricting map that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay sent state lawmakers would eliminate five Democratic congressmen and provides no new representation for minorities. The map hasn't been officially made public but has been circulating in Austin and in Washington since late last week. It drew immediate criticism from Rep. Martin Frost, D-Arlington, who led Democrats' redistricting efforts nationwide in 2000. GOP officials had earlier threatened to send police after the missing Democrats. The would-be quorum-busters planned to leave the state to avoid being located by the Department of Public Safety or Texas Rangers, who could detain them and forcibly return them to the House floor, a source said. In the first quorum-breaking in the state in more than 20 years, letters from 53 of the House's 62 Democrats informed the leadership they would be absent. "I do not know where they are," said Tamara Bell, chief of staff for House Democratic Caucus Chairman Jim Dunnam. But - She lied: AUSTIN, Texas — State troopers found Democratic lawmakers in Oklahoma after they brought the Texas House to a standstill by going into hiding, but the legislators declined to return to the state Capitol. The Republican leaders sent the troopers to Ardmore, Okla., on Monday to ask the Democrats to return. The lawmakers left Austin on Sunday, after days of strategizing to waylay a contentious GOP-led battle to redraw the state's congressional lines. The absence of the 58 Democrats denied the House its required 100-member quorum. The boycott capped months of tension between Democrats and the newly-in-control Republicans over a bill to limit lawsuits and a GOP budget that would make deep spending cuts without raising taxes. The missing Democratic lawmakers spent Monday in a hotel conference room, where large sheets of paper taped to the walls were used as makeshift chalkboards and long tables were filled with laptop computers, stacks of papers and notebooks. Found one of 'em by golly! AUSTIN — A state trooper has arrested a missing Texas House Democrat and returned her to the Capitol. News Eight Austin reports the trooper from the Texas Department of Public Safety captured state Rep. Helen Giddings this morning. It reported the trooper approached the Dallas Democrat as she was getting into her car at her Austin apartment. She later said she had asked to be allowed to drive to the Capitol in her own car, but the trooper refused and arrested her. Republican Gov. Rick Perry lambasted the Democrats for deserting the Legislature, saying "we might as well shut this building down and let it become a museum because the work of the people is through." The remaining House Republicans spent hours of idle time locked in the chamber constructing signs and gimmicks ridiculing their Democratic colleagues. A pair of milk cartons circulated around the chamber, plastered with the faces of missing Democrats. __________________ Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!

05-13-2003, 10:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
Daval Junkie Location: The True North Strong and Free!	is this serious? sounds like something you'd read in the onion. __________________ "It is impossible to obtain a conviction for sodomy from an English jury. Half of them don't believe that it can physically be done, and the other half are doing it." Winston Churchill

05-13-2003, 10:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
forgotten_dream Psycho	Dear god... that's the most childish, idiotic thing I think i've ever heard of. Although the mental image of highway patrol chasing down and tackling a fleeing senator is kindof funny..... I say screw that law. Democrats want to be immature? The republicans should just start passing stuff left and right. I wouldn't want to be represented by that bunch of children after that anyways. __________________ "A ouija board just works better if you've made it yourself. It's sortof like how 'Clue' is more interesting when one of you has actually killed someone."

05-13-2003, 11:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
Liquor Dealer Super Agitator Location: Just SW of Nowhere!!! In the good old US of A	I don't remember how the law actually reads - this was done one time before (like 25-30 years ago). It is against the law because it hold the legislature hostage and helpless. There are provisions in Texas law to allow them to forcibly taken back to the capital. That is why they ran to Oklahoma - Texas would have to seek extradition to get them back. Texas politics - you gotta' love it! __________________ Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!

05-13-2003, 11:05 AM	#5 (permalink)
Daval Junkie Location: The True North Strong and Free!	OHMYGOD, that is the FUNNIEST thing I've ever read! I was almost going to transfer this to the Humour board, I didnt take it seriously at all. __________________ "It is impossible to obtain a conviction for sodomy from an English jury. Half of them don't believe that it can physically be done, and the other half are doing it." Winston Churchill

05-13-2003, 11:52 AM	#8 (permalink)
Liquor Dealer Super Agitator Location: Just SW of Nowhere!!! In the good old US of A	By law the Republicnas can do nothing without a forum - that's why the Democrat's left the state - so they could not be arrested and returned to the capital. One can only hope that the good people of Oklahoma rid themselves of those damned Democratic politicians and send them back across the river to face the music! __________________ Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!

05-13-2003, 12:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
Macheath Junkie Location: Sydney, Australia	Sounds like a pretty interesting political battle. Maybe they're hiding from Tom DeLay's monster salamander?

05-13-2003, 01:27 PM	#12 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	I'm watching this on Fox News now... pretty funny stuff. If the government didn't shut down several years back, well, I'd be surprised by this. Politics is politics and sometimes it takes something as silly as this to happen like shutting down the government ala Gingrich. Of course when this hits the international newswires... it's makes ALL of us Americans look like idiots. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

05-13-2003, 01:37 PM	#13 (permalink)
Liquor Dealer Super Agitator Location: Just SW of Nowhere!!! In the good old US of A	The Democratic Party controlled texas for over 130 years. If you were not a Democrat for much of that time you didn't have a vote that counted! You surely stood no chance of being elected to anything - including Assistant Dog Catcher. For 130 years the Democrats basically ran the state of Texas as if it were their own private club. The first Republican to carry the State of Texas, to the best of my knowledge was Eisenhower (He is a Texan you know! Even though he was raised in Kansas he was born a Texan). There have been Republicnas who held Office since then - like George W. But they had to live with a Democratic majority - always. For the first time in history (Except during reconstruction)Republicans have a majority. The Democrats cannot accept this fact - someone pissed in their Post Toasties! The intelligence of Texas voters has often been questioned - but if they re-elect any of these Democrats after this little temper tantrum they need to lose their right to vote! I am sure my memory on Texas history has diminished over the years - In a short time Tha' Dude will be here to straighten us all out! __________________ Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!

05-13-2003, 03:37 PM	#14 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	ok, time for my view. i support them, this is just like doing a filabuster is the congress. the republicans are redrawing the state for their own benifit. they have openly admitted that they will get an additional 5-10 seats because of this re-districting. this is just unfair, and the way that a minority party can "filabuster" in texas is this. they did this back in the day also. btw, i think an independant authority should be drawing the redistricting, w/o any gerrymandering. __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

05-13-2003, 05:49 PM	#15 (permalink)
touhy Upright	I'd love it if the legislature closed down in Wisconsin. Free beer in Illinois guys and girls! Take a trip and a break from raising our taxes!

05-13-2003, 06:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
KillerYoda The Original Emo Gangsta Location: Sixth Floor, Texas School Book Depository	Gotta love our stupid-ass Texas politicians. And remember kids, your President used to be our governor. __________________ "So you're Chekov, huh? Well, this here's McCoy. Find a Spock, we got us an away team."

05-13-2003, 07:55 PM	#17 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	I don't see anything wrong with it. As it stands, the voting ratio for US House of Reps elections is 56/44% in favor of the Republicans (Stats from CNN.com.) The number of Representatives each party sent to the house approximately reflects those percentages. The way I see it, adding 5-10 Republican seats would skew the numbers in such a way that they would not accurately represent the will of the people of Texas, but instead the will of the Republican Party.

05-14-2003, 09:34 AM	#21 (permalink)
hrdwareguy "Officer, I was in fear for my life" Location: Oklahoma City	Bit of an update on this. Texas has sent State Troopers/Texas Rangers to Oklahoma to seek extradition and arrest these people. The sherriff in Ardmore has stated he will not allow the extradition. Also one of these Democrats said someting to this effect: Cowards, we are not cowards. Cowards run, we are standing up for our constituants. He said this from Ardmore, Oklahoma. __________________ Gun Control is hitting what you aim at Aim for the TFP, Donate Today

05-15-2003, 07:24 AM	#23 (permalink)
hrdwareguy "Officer, I was in fear for my life" Location: Oklahoma City	I was thinking about this, who is going to pay for it? The individual democrats or will they expense it out and make the people of Texas pay for it. If they make the people of Texas pay, lets look at the cost. They showed up on Sunday and are returning on Friday, the legislation dies if no action is taken by Thursday night, so 5 days. 57 dems at 40/room/night = 2280/night x 5 nights = 11400.00 hotel 3 meals per day at 6/meal = 18 x 57 = 1026 x 5 = 5130.00 food Also add in gas and entertainment and you can probably hit 20,000.00 easy. __________________ Gun Control is hitting what you aim at Aim for the TFP, Donate Today

05-15-2003, 08:31 AM	#25 (permalink)
Liquor Dealer Super Agitator Location: Just SW of Nowhere!!! In the good old US of A	I personally think that the Democratic Party is dead. I don't know if there will be formal rites after the coming election but it is definitely coming and if they do not wake up soon they will be past the point of no return. The attempts to make Gore/Leiberman appear presidential was really an exercise in futility and their attempts to come up with a viable candidate for 2004 are laughable. There is a point in which "Liberal" isn't liberal at all - it has reached the point of 'somewhere out there'. I noticed a poll taken in the past few days in which a large number of people who claimed to be Democrats were asked about the Democratic candidates - and could not name any of them. We live under a government whose founders did not anticipate two parties - in fact - most of the original planners of our government most favored an aristocracy - This is still evident in the electoral college. I need not tell you about history but our forefathers did not trust the common man. They were willing to let him vote for members of the House and nothing more - The common man really had nothing directly to do with government other than this. Things have changed - political parties came along very quickly and provisions had to be made to account for this. Not saying that our forefathers were right about everything but they weren't totally wrong either. Politics have gotten out of hand because of political parties - those tremendous wastes of resource that we call pork-barrel politics are the direct result of the party system. Somewhere in the middle there is common ground - the fringes of both political parties are detrimental to everyone in this country with the exception of those out there on the edge. Do we need to go back to the middle and start over? __________________ Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!

05-15-2003, 09:44 AM	#27 (permalink)
Prophecy Oracle & Apollyon Location: Limbus Patrum	I don't the Democrats are dead yet, they still have a strong hold in state government across the US. Yet on a national level the party needs some serious retooling. The Presidential candidates are laughable. But my real problem comes in when I hear reports of some people saying they don't want Bush back in office, but when they look to the other hand to see what they have to choose from and that’s not any better.... That’s were my problem comes in. We all know that "3rd parties" and independants aren't going to get any real strong media attention and the really good candidates can't build up the resources to get their name out there anyway. Plus with a bicameral system like we have now, the Democrats aren't going to "die' in my book till another party steps up to take there place, and that doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon. Yeah they may get pushed back but they'll still have more power than say the Green Party. __________________ La Disciplina È La Mia Spada, La Fede È Il Mio Schermo, Non salti Ciecamente In Incertezza, E Potete Raccogliere Le Ricompense.

05-15-2003, 12:33 PM	#28 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	let's all remember that the democrats received more popular vote than the replublicans did in 2000. that's not a sign of a party dying. yes, they need a little reviving, but i think they'd be all right __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

05-15-2003, 05:54 PM	#31 (permalink)
seretogis Huggles, sir? Location: Seattle	Molly Ivans is a great writer of fiction. __________________ seretogis - sieg heil perfect little dream the kind that hurts the most, forgot how it feels well almost no one to blame always the same, open my eyes wake up in flames

05-15-2003, 10:59 PM	#34 (permalink)
Macheath Junkie Location: Sydney, Australia	Just found a second article on this thing that goes into a fair bit of detail: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/20...xas/index.html

05-16-2003, 05:12 AM	#35 (permalink)
Prophecy Oracle & Apollyon Location: Limbus Patrum	well i heard the stand off was over and the dems are returning home today, can anyone confirm this? __________________ La Disciplina È La Mia Spada, La Fede È Il Mio Schermo, Non salti Ciecamente In Incertezza, E Potete Raccogliere Le Ricompense.

05-16-2003, 05:38 AM	#36 (permalink)
eggman Upright	They're back. The front page of the Houston Chronicle shows a picture of these clowns with their arms around each other and cheering like they just won the big game. What the Chronicle didn't report was that upon their return, the collective IQ of Texas dropped significantly, (it's believed that Oklahoma's collective IQ also dropped as the Texas lawmakers cross back into Texas). The redistricting bill and more than 200 other pieces of legislation died. The Democrats look like fools, the Republicans appear dumfounded and due to less opportunity for new legislation, we taxpayers are likely far, far ahead. Over

05-16-2003, 05:43 AM	#37 (permalink)
Liquor Dealer Super Agitator Location: Just SW of Nowhere!!! In the good old US of A	They re back - they supposedly reentered the state last night at 11:16 PM. Austin may be an interesting place for a while. The irony of this is that the Democrats ruled Texas like it was a private club forever. They had gerrymandered districts where it even appeared that there might be a threat to the party. Poll taxes eliminated the threat of reprisal from Blacks and those with low incomes for a large part of Democratic rule. Now that the shoe is on the other foot they have decided to pout and say, if I can't have my way I'll just take my toys and go home (er' I mean to Oklahoma). __________________ Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!

05-16-2003, 06:32 AM	#39 (permalink)
Kadath Muffled Location: Camazotz	Liquor Dealer: "The average IQ of Oklahoma went up about 40 points as the unwelcome guests from Texas crossed the Red River and returned to Texas!" Uh...huh. Why don't we just say something about how Texas has once again taken on the title of Ugliest State in the Union, now that the democrats are back? Or perhaps some comment about average penis length? __________________ it's quiet in here

05-16-2003, 11:25 AM	#40 (permalink)
WhoaitsZ Crazy Location: right behind you...	this is indeed sickly funny. problem is, when i quit laughing I go into Berzerk Pissed Off mode. I haven't seen what the vote was goint to be on yet (i've looked and read, maybe my eyes just refuse to see it?). could someone give me a low-down on what bill was to be passed when they made their cowardly retreat in dumbspeak? I'd like to understand it. now, unless someone did something like fleeing to save a person's life, I see what they did as pure cowardness. Since when in the hell have congressmen decided to try such methods as hold hand over ears and say LALALALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU LALALALALA or 'if i am going to loose the game, i will cheat'. even if this bill is horrendous and the demys were screwed royally, they do NOT have a right to walk out. it's fucking embarresing. everyone bitches about our kids doing stupid shit.... well, look at who some of their peers are! i say fire them and make them do charity work or jail time. There should be absolutely zero usage of preschool behaviore in the governmant! -fume-