The Texas Legislature Debacle... Historical perspective

The Army of The Potomac Volume Two “Glory Road” Chapter Three “Revival”, (Men who are Greatly in Earnest)

So when the Democratic majority in the Indiana Legislature (1863) prepared to wittle down Indiana’s part in the war, Morton (governor) had his cue. The immediate issue was the bill which would take control of all military matters... out of the hands of the governor and vest it in a board of hand-picked Democrates. ... He could of course veto the bill, but the Indiana constitution contained an oddity, a provision that the legislature could re-enact a vetoed measure by a simple majority. ... The Democrates would infallibly pass this law over any veto which Morton might lay down.

If that happened, Morton said bluntly, there would be unshirted hell to pay:... For Morton was not on any account going to give up his power, no matter what was voted and no matter what the law said. There was as he saw it but one way out, and “that was to break up the legislature”.

Indiana’s constitution contained a second oddity: not less than two thirds of each house constituted a quorum. Without a quorum, of course, no business could be done. So that winter the Republican members quietly bought tickets home and disappeared. The Legislature could not act because it lacked a quorum, and so the Democrats went home too, and Indiana’s goverment consisted soley of Governor Morton and the rest of the executive branch.

As much as I like jumping on Demcrates, the current issue with the Texas Legislature needs to be viewed with history in mind.

The Democrats have done this twice now, previously in 1979 when they were in the friggin' majority!

All this is for naught, as Rick Perry is going to call them back for a special session, and I suspect he'll keep calling them back until the Republicans pass what they want, including redistricting.

for the sake of discussion i am going to present ends and means:

perhaps in times of war, when immediate state or perhaps national defence is at stake, an act like a walk out is understandable. perhaps the ends of instant and lasting effects of war on a people justify the means of an illegal walk out.

district redistribution is a far step from war. this is a fairly common issue. (it occured in texas during the 90's, did it not?) and it is something texas law makers have faced in the recent past. compared to war, this is a petty issue. it is not worth wasting tax dollars on these people who are simply throwing a tantrum due to not getting their way. i can see no noble ends in the name of war or defence that justify behavior.

this is simple fraud - dont like loosing the game, leave the field during half time. take all the balls so no one else can play when you go too. kill the power to the over-head lights so no one can find where you went.

i do not think a republican walk out, during a war time session, on the grounds of state defence, over a century in the past, and in a different state is comparable to a democrat tantrum, held in the comfort of peacetime, over the (compared to war) petty issue of Texas voting districts.

but, who am i to judge. i am not a lawyer, Texan, representative or in any other way qualified to have a professional opinion on the matter.

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