Texas Legislature Carries on Without Dems

[DeathvadeR]

Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday he would continue calling special legislative sessions until Senate Democrats who fled the state to block a congressional redistricting bill show up to vote, a newspaper reported.

"If there is work to be done, I expect the Legislature to be here conducting it," Perry said in the Austin American-Statesman's online edition Wednesday. "There is work to be done."

<http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20030813_1320.html>

--------------------------------------------Democracy at it's finest

[CO Liberal]

1. Heil Perry!!!!!

When did Texas become a dictatorship???

[grytpype]

2. Nice hair, though.

[DeathvadeR]

3. Looks like they both go to supercuts....

<>

[judgegina]

8. He's also got a nice ass...

but his head is stuck up it!

[TEXASYANKEE]

4. WTF?

What "work" is he talking about?? All he wants to do is deal with re-districting. Meanwhile, my home owners insurance, which he PROMISED during his campaign to lower, is not only NOT getting lowered ... it's going up. A$$hole.

It's time for a Texas recall.

[GOPisEvil]

5. Vote NO on Proposition 12.

By the way, there's an election Sept. 13th. Constitutional amendments on the ballot. Prop. 12 makes HB 4 all legal and such. :eyes:

Here in Austin, early voting starts Aug. 27th. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! Encourage others to get out and vote. Voting NO on all Props is a good idea, since Repubs proposed them all.

[Bandit]

9. It's time for a Texas recall.

How funny! Does Texas have a recall provision and could it be put into place? Fight fire with fire.

[Ilsa]

6. What hypocrites!

They want to investigate the Dems' use of a corporate jet when the Repugs used the Texas Rangers on the first round of this mess.

I wonder if we can recall Perry?

[yella_dawg]

7. Didn't Perry

start out as a Dem, then switch because it was easier to win as a Repub in Texas? I'm pretty sure that's true. What a whore.

[LiberalFighter]

10. A point missed in the article...

They are fining the Democrats that are not showing up.

What I wonder about is how they can fine them when there isn't a quorum.

From South Mississippi Sun Herald http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/nation/6483413.htm

"By leaving, the Democrats paralyzed the Senate because the Texas Constitution requires that two-thirds of its 31 members be present to conduct business."

** Doesn't fining legislative members fall under the heading of conducting business? **


"The constitution gives the power to call special sessions to deal with extraordinary matters," said state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. "We have a legal map in place right now and it can stay in place until 2011. There is no basis for us to be redrawing our congressional map."

** Definitely an extraordinary matter that needs to be considered... Hogwash... Every Democratic candidate better use this issue in upcoming elections in their campaign against incumbent Republicans **

"Republican Rep. Dan Branch filed House Joint Resolution 1, which would change the state constitution's definition of a quorum from two-thirds of all members of the chamber to two-thirds of members who are in the state."

** Now this a low down sneaky underhanded scam **

[uhhuh]

11. If Branch's resolution

comes up for consideration, the congressional Dems should bolt again.

[sandlapper]

12. As usual the rethugs are playing semantical games...

while corrupting both the spirit and letter of the law. They are pontificating with mock piety that it's sanctioned under Article 3, Section 10 of the state constitution.
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/txconst/sections/cn000300-001000.html

"Two-thirds of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide."

I don't see how they can enforce the fines, but it never pays to underestimate how low a rethug will go to subvert the will of the people. :grr: