Demos resist desire to return home (Chicken Run)

San Antonio Express ^ | 8/31/03 | Guillermo X. Garcia

[Libloather]

Still, they remain defiant.

Good. Double the fines...

[goldstategop]

Post an APB out on the Outlaw 11 Chicken Little Ds...

[Paul Atreides]

they remain holed up in a high-rise hotel here with no clear exit strategy.

Clearly, they thought the Republicans didn't have spines.

I just hope those Republican spines hold out.

[goldstategop]

Not many people can afford an entire month's stay in a swanky hotel.

[Paul Atreides]

And, pile on the mounting debt of the fines (which, I'm sure, the Republicans will waive upon their return).

[chainsaw]

If the democrats prevail here they will pull this crap every time they are the minority, and disagree with something in all 50 states. It's a new tactic to subvert the will of the majority by the minority.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Not many people can afford an entire month's stay in a swanky hotel."

I'm sure they plan to recoup any financial losses from "MoveOn.org" and other leftist funding sources. Won't they be surprised if they aren't able to???

[PokeyJoe]

The modern face of the democRAT party.

"I didn't come here to make a statement of three or four days," said Sen. Judith Zaffirini , D-Laredo. "We've been here more than a month and we'll stay as long as it takes to win this."

These democRATS see this as a fillibuster.

[cubreporter]

I'm sure glad they don't represent me. I would want a man or woman standing up and not running like a yellow coward. Wow, is that how they handle everything in their lives? Get up and run as fast as you can to avoid responsibility? Yellow, yellow, yellow, spineless cowards. That's the only proper description of these idiots. Well, maybe they'll stay away forever...who cares?

[Liz]

This is about the twelfth time I've posted this:

The Pubbies need to take off the gloves and play hardball.

Email Texas GOP: Taxpayers demand absconding Dems be charged with:

(1) theft of government services,

(2) misuse of office,

(3) misappropriation of tax funds,

(4) abuse of public office,

(5) receiving illegal gratuities,

(6) filing false documents,

(7) abuse of government power,

(8) conflict of interest,

(9) possible FEC violations,

(10) violating their oath of office;

(11) dereliction of duty.

email address: texasGOP.org

[schaketo]

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is ready to arrest the senators if they return, and their stand is playing worse in the polls than the issue of redistricting itself.

Now there’s a little known fact you won’t find in any headline in the Austin American Statesman. The Texas Republicans need to stand tall and stay strong. These chicken $hits are feeling the heat.

[randog]

As I understand the situation, the Texas legislature needs a 2/3 vote to pass a re-districting bill, and they can't get the 2/3 vote unless the wayward dems are there to vote. What I don't understand is why the vote doesn't go ahead with the missing dems' votes counted as 'not present'? Is there some provision in the Texas constitution of legislative by-laws that prohibits this? What would happen if the chicken dems were all killed in a bus accident? Would the Texas legislature grind to a halt like it has now, or would new legislators be appointed/elected to fill their shoes? Whatever the procedure for replacing a missing legislator, why isn't it being implemented now?

[mathluv]

Brit said the other day that moveon does not guarantee that the chicken d's will get all of the donations that mo receives for them.

[mathluv]

A 2/3 'quorum' is needed to have a vote, not to pass the law. We have no recall, and the senators who fled are pretty much in safe districts. If kicked out, new dims would probably be elected.

[duckln]

What the Democrats should do is go on a 'hunger strike'.
Then they would have been taken seriously and it would all have
been over during the first time they left the state.

[Dog Gone]

What would happen if the chicken dems were all killed in a bus accident?

The legislature would have to adjourn while new elections were set.

The idea that keeps coming up on these threads is some sort of variation of kicking these senators out of office. It won't work for a variety of reasons, and even if it did, it wouldn't accomplish anything except an enormous delay.

[MeekOneGOP]

The Democrats claim that a decision by Dewhurst to suspend use of a Senate rule during the redistricting debate not only violates minorities' voting rights, but that it discriminates against the senators themselves; nine of the 11 are Hispanic or African American.

Photos taken from the Texas Senators of the 78th Legislature website.

The 11 Obstructors:

Gonzalo Barrientos, Austin/Rodney Ellis, Houston/Mario Gallegos Jr., Houston

Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, McAllen/Eddie Lucio Jr., Brownsville/Frank Madla Jr., San Antonio

Eliot Shapleigh, El Paso/Leticia Van de Putte, San Antonio/Royce West, Dallas

John Whitmire, Houston/Judith Zaffirini, Laredo

---

The Lone Democrat that is staying:

Kenneth Armbrister, Victoria

[Froggie]

The only reason Armbrister is staying is because his district is 60% republican and he knows he isn't safe come the next election. Yet he supports them and voted against any fines and other sanctions...

[randog]

The legislature would have to adjourn while new elections were set...it wouldn't accomplish anything except an enormous delay.

But that's what Texans have now--an enourmous delay. Why not at least go through the motions (to show that you're trying to do something) and make it a PR nightmare for the dems?

[MeekOneGOP]

Yep ! Hope he and all the others get booted ... though I'm not holdin' my breath ...