TX Democrat Party claims Lincoln precedent for fugitive legislators

Democrat Party of Texas | 5/16/03 | Press Release

[GOPcapitalist]

Democratic Party of Texas - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sean Michael Byrne (512) 478-9800

Honest Abe a Quorum Breaker in Illinois Legislature

AUSTIN — More than 160 years ago, future Republican President Abraham Lincoln participated in breaking a quorum of the Illinois legislature, a stand on principle echoed by the Killer D's today, said Molly Beth Malcolm, Texas Democratic Party Chairwoman.

As a member of the minority Whig Party in the Illinois legislature, Lincoln joined in a planned disappearance to prevent a legislative maneuver by the majority party that he believed to be unfair.

In 1840, the majority Democrats had plotted against the Illinois State Bank, a favorite cause of the Whigs. Angered, the Whigs disappeared to an undisclosed location, and Lincoln arrived to force the chamber to call for a recorded vote — a request that that Lincoln and the Whigs knew, in the absence of a quorum, would bring business to a halt.

Unfortunately for Lincoln, just enough missing members arrived to achieve a quorum. Lincoln sought to leave the chamber, but the door had been locked. Lincoln then escaped by jumping out of the chamber’s second story window.

"How ironic," Malcolm said. "Though they did it by taking a bus to Ardmore instead of jumping out of a window, our heroic, hard-working House Democrats are standing on the same principle taken by the most respected Republican President ever.

"The House Democrats have worked long hours this entire session, and now they are working very hard to stop a redistricting plan that would needlessly divide cities and rural areas and diminish minority voting strength," she said. "They are on a mission for Texas, not a vacation for themselves."

"Today, they are working hard in Ardmore on legislation that will have a big impact on Texas' future," she said. "Just like Honest Abe, the House Democrats take their jobs very seriously — which is what led them to take this historic step in the first place."

[GOPcapitalist]

This was just too outrageous to pass up. The leftists of today are justifying their quorum-breaking flight in defense of big government on the actions of another leftist who did the exact same thing in the 1840's to preserve his own big government program - the state bank.

[GOPcapitalist]

Check this out. First Abe Lincoln shows up as the Jim McDermott of the Mexican-American war. Now he's the Fugitive Texas Democrat of the 1840's!

[MEG33]

Really good luck on passing wind.

[GOPcapitalist]

Wlat brigade bump. The truant Texas Dems are nothing new - they learned it straight from Abe Lincoln, who broke quorums to protect his own big government programs back in the 1840's!

[MEG33]

Should have noted the dims working hard on legislation!

[lilylangtree]

That's rich! These cowardly renegade RATS blaming a past Repub for their action. The best defense is a good offense and the RATS play it very well.

[cake_crumb]

There's a difference here: Lincoln failed because his cohorts couldn't go through with such an immoral act, and went in anyway.

The Texas Democrats, who used census data including ineligible illegal aliens and felons, forced redistricting down the throats of Texas voters and taxpayers two years ago, then ran off to Oklahoma to get drunk on Willie Nelson's whiskey in a cellar, ALL one the taxpayers' $$$, while the entire Texas legislature ground to a halt. In addition, there's a HUGE difference between WHO pays taxes and WHO has voting rights today, as opposed to Lincoln's day.

Texas Dems were protecting their districts which are full of illegal aliens who aren't SUPPOSED to vote, though no doubt in Dem districts they do it TWICE.

Uh, uh. no way I am buying this halfast analogy. No doubt, this will be US Senate Dems' next strategy on, say, the ESTRADA NOMINATION.

[GOPcapitalist]

No doubt, this will be US Senate Dems' next strategy on, say, the ESTRADA NOMINATION.

Yeah, only they won't be able to flee across state lines since they are in the federal legislature. Any guess on where they'll hide out? My guesses are either Cuba or France.

[Publius]

Interesting piece of trivia.

Lincoln was not alone when he jumped. He was joined by John Denny, another Whig. John's two sons, Arthur and David, were among the founders of Seattle.

[cake_crumb]

Mine are France or Canada.

Good night, all

[gortklattu]

They're standing for principles all right, but what principles?

Socialism and the defeat of law and order.

Thank God for the Second Amendment, we may need it yet.

[FairOpinion]

"the Whigs disappeared to an undisclosed location,"

.... and they disappeared from the political scene.

The Democrats are headed in the same direction.

[CyberAnt]

Actually, the redistricting was COURT ORDERED. So these bozos just flaunted the rule of law, and thumbed their nose at the court.

And then ... a candidate in the dem party (John Edwards), says, "Bush's judicial nominees WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR RIGHTS"! Oh really ... then what did the judge in NJ do when he CHANGED THE LAW to suit the dems ...?? They're using "projection" again to say the repubs will do what they are already doing.

However ... no one makes a BIGGER FALL than when he overestimates his ability to get away with breaking the law. x42 did the same thing. He was so confident he could get away with it, he became more and more brazen.

What happened ...?? HE GOT IMPEACHED!!

Sooooo ... let them think they have skirted the law; flaunted the law, and gotten away with it.

My little 90 yr old mom is so fed up with the dems, she told me last night - "as soon as you get voter registration forms - I WANT TO CHANGE TO REPUBLICAN. I can't stand these idiot democrats any more."

I know it's bad to base outcomes on ONE person's opinion, but my mom's been a democrat for 70 years. If she's fed up, how many others are fed up with the dems' arrogance. This could (and hopefully will) backfire very BIG on election day. So BIG it will leave them totally out of office for over 40 years. The nation could use a breather.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Quoting Lincoln as a precedent in Texas is not a good thing for the dims, stirs up bad karma.

[seetheman]

Call them democrat fundamentalists. Right now they leave the state when they don't get their own way. Next time a dem will strap on a bomb and blow themselves (and others) up to try to prove their point. If that doesn't work, a plane flown into the statehouse with innocents aboard will do the trick. Anything to get their way.

[Gianni]

I know it's bad to base outcomes on ONE person's opinion, but my mom's been a democrat for 70 years. If she's fed up, how many others are fed up with the dems' arrogance.

You in the midwest by chance? My 'rents are in pretty much the same boat as your mom seems to be. The domination of the D party by the East and West coasts is going to be their biggest problem for some time to come. Candidates have to run so far left in the primaries that the union democrats in the upper midwest are becoming alienated.

In an odd paradox, extremists like Sharpton become the republican's best allies, by forcing all of the candidates out of the mainstream.

[CyberAnt]

No, we're in CA - originally from NY.

[tet68]

The dims of course, want to call Lincoln a "Republican" when at the time he was a Whig. Must be some kind of oversight. hmmm

[Gianni]

Oooh, the heart of liberalland. Sympathies from the midwest.

[CyberAnt]

Well ... things may not look good right now - but the recall is doing GREAT!

Also ... it looks like the President is ahead of any dem candidate ... along with a viable GOP candidate to unseat Boxer - finally!