Are Republicans gonna sit back and take it from such a pant load? She twists the argument around. She incites mobocracy and tyranny by the minority. The media will accommodate her
Posted on 08/04/2003 8:30:25 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Democrat calls Perry shame to Bush legacy Walkout leader dubs governor 'great divider'
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Unlike George W. Bush, who united people when he was Texas governor, his successor, Gov. Rick Perry, is dividing Texans, the leader of the walkout by 11 Democratic senators said Sunday.
"The difference was Bush was the great uniter. Perry and (U.S. House Majority Lead er Tom) DeLay are the great dividers," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
Van de Putte also said the current special legislative session, which Perry called last week, is dead. She said a redistricting bill could get approved during another legislative session but listed a group of conditions that would have to be met for it to get out of the Legislature.
For instance, both the House and Senate would have to get quorums and Republicans in both chambers would have to agree on a map, she said. "There's a lot of ifs there," she said.
Her comments came on the sixth day of the Democratic boycott of the Texas Senate in protest over congressional redistricting. The Texas congressional delegation is ruled 17-15 by the Democrats, but Republicans — led by DeLay —are pushing for a new map that likely would give the GOP the majority.
Van de Putte said as governor, Bush made a great effort to bring minorities into the Republican Party. She said Perry, on the other hand, was threatening to lock up in the Senate chamber the Hispanic and black senators so they would be forced to vote on a redistricting map she said would disenfranchise minorities.
"What kind of image is that?" Van de Putte said. "I think the real danger here is not to Governor Perry. I think the real danger here is to the White House and the Republican efforts that would want to be so inclusive."
Perry spokeswoman Kathy Walt said Van de Putte's allegations are ludicrous and that Perry does not have the authority to lock senators in the chamber. Only the lieutenant governor can lock the senators into the chamber.
"Her accusations are intended to obscure the fact that they ran away from their job and their responsibility," Walt said. "They can't begin to represent their constituents while they are in New Mexico."
Walt said Perry drew 35 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2002 and his policies on education, economic development and other issues have brought more Hispanics to the GOP.
Van de Putte said she believed that presidential adviser Karl Rove has been involved in the redistricting effort.
"I don't know whose puppet strings are controlling which puppet at this point in the Republican Party," she said.
She also took a personal swipe at Perry.
He's "not the brightest porch light on the block," Van de Putte said. But, "he really looks good in jeans."
Walt said Van de Putte is stooping to personal attacks to try to turn the issue away from the fact that "they ran away from their responsibilities."
DeLay spokesman Jonathan Grella said Democrats will say and do anything to avoid their constitutional responsibility, including name calling and fleeing out of state.
"We'll let them call names and run wherever they see fit, but the people of Texas disagree with their tactics and want to see them fulfill their responsibilities," Grella said.
Attempts to approve a redistricting bill failed during the regular legislative session and the first special session. Perry last week called lawmakers back for a second special session to try again.
The Democrats, however, fled to Albuquerque before he called the session. Their absence has blocked a quorum in the Senate, preventing the lawmakers who stayed in Austin from taking up business in the chamber.
The Democrats have pledged to stay out of Austin until the second 30-day special session is over at the end of the month.
Perry has declined to say how long he might continue to call 30-day special legislative sessions if redistricting fails in this one.
Van de Putte said she did not know if a decision has been made about whether the Senate Democrats who are in Albuquerque now would leave again if Perry calls another session.
She said that if the Senate and House members decide to stay in Austin, if the Republicans can reach a consensus on a map, and if Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst decides to do away with a Senate tradition to make it easier to pass a redistricting bill "then I would imagine if all those things happen, we could see a map."
Are Republicans gonna sit back and take it from such a pant load? She twists the argument around. She incites mobocracy and tyranny by the minority. The media will accommodate her
With one caveat: When Democrats are the minority party.
When Democrats are the majority, "divisive" is not supporting anything they want 100%.
Whaaaat? She likes his bulge between his legs? Or does she like his butt? Can you imagine The governor saying she looked in a short skirt?
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