Posted on 08/18/2003 5:25:41 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Redistricting feud erases spirit of bipartisanship in Legislature Associated Press
AUSTIN (AP) — In late April, Republican and Demo cratic state senators seemed as though they were school children having a great time on a field trip.
They took a yellow school bus to an East Austin residence where they stood behind their leader, Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, as he announced a sweeping proposal to change how the state funds its public schools.
Afterward, the lawmakers lined up at an ice cream cart, joking and laughing on that hot and sweaty day.
Fast forward a few months.
Nearly all of the chamber's Democrats are boycotting over congressional redistricting and many of the Republicans voted last week to fine them for their absence.
The bipartisanship that embodied the Texas Senate during the regular session, when the Texas House seemed to fall apart on party lines, has disappeared.
"There is building animosity between the Democrats and the Republicans," said political consultant Tony Proffitt, a former aide to the late Democratic Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock. "There doesn't appear to be an exit strategy that would allow both sides to save face and that would be very important in repairing personal and professional relationships, if they can be repaired."
The rhetoric and actions of both sides has intensified in the Senate standstill that marks its third week anniversary Monday.
Fines levied by the Republicans could total $57,000 for each Democrat by the time the special session ends Aug. 26.
"Every single one of our Senate Republican colleagues who voted for (the fines) should be deeply ashamed," Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, who leads the Senate Democratic Caucus, said last week from Albuquerque, N.M.
The dispute is over congressional redistricting. Law makers failed in 2001 to agree on a redistricting map so federal judges stepped in and drew their own version.
After the 2002 elections, Democrats had won 17 seats and Republicans had won 15.
Republicans, led by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Sugar Land, want the map redrawn, saying recent voting trends show the state should have more GOP representation in Washington.
The effort has failed twice in two legislative sessions this year. Gov. Rick Perry called a second special session to try again but Senate Democrats fled, saying the GOP plans would hurt minority voters.
Dewhurst has said if he learns the Democrats have returned to Texas, the Senate sergeant-at-arms would be asked to instruct them to return to the Senate chamber.
The Democrats have said that the move by the Republicans to impose fines is a "shameful return to the days of the Jim Crow laws." Nine of the 11 boycotting Democrats are either Hispanic or black.
Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, last week dismissed a similar comparison to the fine as political spin.
Former Sen. Carlos Truan, D-Corpus Christi, served in the Senate for 26 years before stepping down after the 2001 session. He blames Perry for the mess and says he has never seen the Senate so ugly.
"The climate in Austin has changed so much that I am fearful that hard feelings will be hard to overcome and the people of Texas will be the losers for that," said Truan. "I grieve for the damage that is being done to the Texas Senate."
The Senate has traditionally operated in a bipartisan spirit. Under Senate rules, two-thirds of the chamber, or 21 senators, must agree to allow a bill to come up for debate.
Republicans have 19 of the 31 seats in the chamber, giving it a clear majority but not enough votes for it to pass legislation under the two-thirds tradition without some help from Democrats.
Dewhurst has said that for redistricting, he would arrange the order of the bills in the second special session so that only a majority of senators would be needed to get debate on a redistricting bill.
Democrats said they would come home if the two-thirds rule is restored. Dewhurst has not appeared to budge.
Some senators are hopeful that when the redistricting fight does end, the feelings will mend.
"When this is over, and I am confident this will end at some point in time, I think both sides will come back and recognize that we need one another," said Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano. "I think once this is over, we'll go back to the same camaraderie, I hope."
"There's no question in my mind after countless conversations with Republicans and Democrats that when redistricting is over, there'll obviously be some bruised feelings, but we'll get to business as usual," Dewhurst said.
Van de Putte was more skeptical: "If you shove us to the back of the bus, if you disrespect our constituents, then yeah, it's going to be very difficult to work together."
About effing time!
"Bipartisanship" is nothing but a code word for "doing it the Dimocrats' way", and far too many 'Pubbies fall for that line.
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