Aug 26: Statement of the Texas 11 (Texas Dems)

Gman

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Tue Aug-26-03 02:32 PM
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Aug 26: Statement of the Texas 11 (Texas Dems)

Via Email from the Texas Democratic Party (therefore, no link) Received at 2:20 pm CDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2003

Statement of the Texas 11

Senator Van de Putte

Thirty days ago, we left the Capitol to protect and defend the very basis of our democratic system- the right of voters to participate meaningfully in elections. We had no choice but to break quorum,
as the rights of minority and rural voters had to be protected. We had no choice, as we had to
defend the rights of rural voters, whose own senators were unable or unwilling to protect them. We
had no choice, because there's nothing fair or legal about changing the rules in the middle of the
game to ensure our loss.

There's nothing fair or legal about changing congressional districts when Texas already has a
plan in place that the U.S. Supreme Court says is legal.

There's nothing fair or legal about redistricting proposals that would deny representation to more
than 1.4 million minority voters, destroy rural representation, and erase the choices of independent
voters - just because Tom DeLay and Karl Rove don't like who the voters elected.

There's nothing fair or legal about imposing a poll tax that puts a $627,000 price tag on our right-our
responsibility--to represent Texans.

Worst of all, there's nothing fair - or right - about telling Texas taxpayers we can wait until next year
to fix our school finance system, but telling them there can be no "delay" when it comes to Tom
DeLay's partisan power grab.

The special sessions have already cost $3.4 million. Redistricting court costs could run another $5
million. $8.4 million in state taxes, down the drain, wasted on the "contagious flu" of redistricting.

Our students are back in school - and $8.4 million would replace more than 100,000 outdated
textbooks or restore state health insurance funds for 16,800 teachers.

Senator Shapleigh

This pointless and absurd special session is now over, and once again we have denied Tom
DeLay, Karl Rove, Rick Perry, Tom Craddick, and David Dewhurst their partisan redistricting
scheme. They said we would not leave, but we did. They said we would not stay, but we did. They
should not doubt our resolve yet again. If they do, they will be wrong again.

Today, Tom DeLay's partisan redistricting plan has been defeated for the third time in four months,
but the people of Texas have lost out. They have lost because our Republican leadership
continues to prioritize partisan politics ahead of what's best for Texas.

To the Lt. Governor and our Republican colleagues in Austin, we ask that you now choose
principle over political party, so we can work together as Texans again, not as Democrats or
Republicans.

And to Governor Perry, we demand that you, for once, be the governor for all Texans, not just
merely Republican Texans living in Washington, D.C. We demand that you show some backbone,
stand up to your masters in D.C., and, as we have done, say "no" to redistricting.

Governor Perry, if you call yet another special session, let it be for schools, not for maps.

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