MoveOn.org Aiding Fugitive Texas Democrats (Update!)

Talon News ^ | 08/26/03 | Stephen Dewey

[bedolido]

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- Liberal activist group MoveOn.org has begun raising money and support for the eleven Texas Democrat state senators currently hiding out in New Mexico in an attempt to prevent the passage of a congressional redistricting plan.

"[T]here's a group of men in power who will do anything to consolidate that power, including undermining our democratic institutions," the group states on its website. "We've got to fight back. In Texas, they are fighting back."

MoveOn has launched a $1 million fundraising effort which it says will be used to broadcast an advertisement campaign across the state of Texas. The ad campaign will attack what it calls "Tom DeLay's congressional dirty work." So far, at least $930,000 has been raised.

MoveOn's justification for the campaign rests on the assertion that the redistricting effort represents another "power-grab" by the GOP. It echoes recent Democrat statements that suggest Republicans are engaged in a pattern of undemocratic actions, from the impeachment of President Clinton to supposed abuses in Florida in the 2000 election to the current California recall effort.

Concerns about the current redistricting plan raised by Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis are based on the perception that Texas was adequately redistricted in 2001, immediately following the 2000 census results.

However, Texas Democrats prevented passage of a congressional redistricting plan in 2001, forcing the plan to be referred to a federally appointed judiciary. The congressional lines that resulted were widely believed to protect incumbents, and thus favored the existing Democrat congressional majority.

Ellis also claims that the current effort is designed to disenfranchise minority voters by lumping them together in as few districts as possible, while spreading out suburban Republican districts so as to create as many Republican-majority districts as possible.

A review of 2002 election results shows that more than 56% of Texans voted for Republican congressmen in 2002, yet fewer than 47% of the elected representatives are Republican.

Current voting data shows that Ellis's analysis would be more accurate if applied in the opposite direction. The current congressional lines have resulted in the existence of a few ultra-Republican districts and a number of districts where Democrats have a slight majority. The average Republican margin of victory was 38%, compared to 25% for the average Democrat victory.

One recurring line of MoveOn's contribution spiel is that the passage of the current redistricting plan would cement the Republican majority in the U.S. House for at least the next ten years and would make Tom DeLay the Speaker of the House. Despite pretensions of defending democracy, this appears to be the fundamental motivation of the campaign.

Copyright © 2003 Talon News -- All rights reserved.

[mathluv]

Good article. It actually addresses some of the issues.

[HiJinx]

Ping!

You've been following this...?

[usnret99]

I think what needs to happen is a full blitz to get the legislature 100% Republican thereby sending the message "Cut the Crap!!!". As far as the redistricting goes think Squares or Rectangles not tangents, Sines and Co-Sines.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Why don't the Republicans uphold the law? There is a provision in the Texas Constitution expressly to deal with this situation of legislators running off to prevent a quorum.

Republican elected official = spineless, gutless and brainless. See Trent Lott for the model.

[mathluv]

Please give provision.

[Arrowhead1952]

Concerns about the current redistricting plan raised by Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis are based on the perception that Texas was adequately redistricted in 2001, immediately following the 2000 census results.

I emailed Senator Ellis last week informing him that MoveOn.org had connections to Communist Party USA. Not that I expect a reply from him, but to let him know we are watching the RATs carefully. There are so many people who are getting very upset with them, and I have several friends who are intent on getting some of these dims out of office.

[isthisnickcool]

Please expand on that.

After personally seeing the Texas legislature up close I'm not too sure if I care they ever have another session. What does everyone think would happen if they took, let's say, a decade off? Ya think the state would go to hell? Nope.

What's interesting about this is that some of these people apparently make money without doing much. Because if they have "jobs" other than being in the Texas legislature they sure don't need to be in the "office" to make money.

And what about those that ONLY get their income from being in the Texas Senate? What's the annual pay? Something like $7,500.00? So how do they make enough money to stay in another state for so long? This article somewhat answers that. They make money from other people like the group mentioned here. Or, as all politicos do all over the country, they have some little "non profit" or whatnot called the "American Democratic Forum" or something such. That's how you get legislation passed in Txeas. You give to their little "groups", which, of course, is gicing to them.

It's a racket. That's why they don't want to be redistricted out of office. They'd have to work.

[MeekOneGOP]

You've been following this...?

Sure have. Thanks for the heads up and post !

The Communist Party USA links MoveOn.org on their website also, btw.
Left side near the top, the DARK blue box links MoveOn.org ...

FR Search: Keyword "Redistricting"

08-25-2003
Costs for Democrat exiles may hit $400,000 -
MoveOn.org, DNC, Texas 'RAT Party raise funds for them

08-21-2003
MoveOn.Org Supporting the Texas Chicken D's -
Letter from Senator Rodney Ellis

[MeekOneGOP]

Ellis also claims that the current effort is designed to disenfranchise minority voters by lumping them together in as few districts as possible, while spreading out suburban Republican districts so as to create as many Republican-majority districts as possible.

08-15-2003
Texas democrats. Radio interview with
Sen. Rodney Ellis, runaway senator.

This is one of the Texas Chicken D's holed up in Albuquerque, N.M. He calls the fines 'Poll Taxes' and RUDELY hogs the conversation with this radio show host, then HANGS UP on him !!

G-r-r-r-r-r !!

Unbelievable Conversation with Senator Rodney Ellis
by Greg Knapp 08-13-2003
You’ve GOT to hear this to believe it ! (13 min., 47 sec)
http://mrgrumman.home.comcast.net/GregKnapp-Interview-SentatorRodneyEllis-081303.mp3

[MeekOneGOP]

This was written by Freeper Congressman Billybob ...

08-18-2003
"Texans for Sale or Rent"

[To the Roger Miller tune, Trailers for sale or rent] ...

Texans for sale or rent / Having our room service sent / Lounging ‘round by the pools / Playing our whole state for fools ....

We know every lawyer in every court / And all of their partners, and all of their torts / And every hangout, in every town/ And every lock that ain't locked when no one's around ....

Texans for sale or rent ....

With my apologies to the good Freepers and lawyers here. No offense intended ...

And that article is a LOT more than that little song parody, too !
Check it out !

[hocndoc]

Wow. This story is more balanced than most, and even goes so far as to point out the inequity of Congressional representation in Texas and to show that the real agenda is to block the target of the left - Tom Delay.

I would like to see an in depth expose' about moveon.org or at least some mention of its ties to the Communist Party of the USA.