Posted on 08/04/2003 2:53:43 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Walkout leader blasts PerrySenate Democrat says governor's push for remap has been divisive
08/04/2003
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. 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 Leader Tom] DeLay are the great dividers," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
Her comments came on the sixth day of the Democratic boycott of the Texas Senate in protest over congressional redistricting. Democrats have a 17-15 edge in the Texas congressional delegation, but Republicans, led by Mr. DeLay, are pushing for a new map that would probably give the GOP the majority.
Ms. Van de Putte said that as governor, Mr. Bush made a great effort to bring minorities into the Republican Party. She said Mr. 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 that she said would disenfranchise minorities.
Also Online
Texas Talkback: Should the Legislature proceed with redistricting?
|Daily developments:
Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus holed up in Albuquerque, N.M., accused Republican Gov. Rick Perry of failing to follow the path of inclusiveness set by his predecessor, George W. Bush, by acting as a "great divider."
A spokeswoman for Mr. Perry said the Senate Democrats' charges obscure "the fact that they ran away from their job and their responsibility."
A spokesman for U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, a leading proponent of redistricting, said the AWOL Democrats would do anything to avoid their constitutional responsibility.Maps:
Current Texas Congressional districts
House map, passed 7/29
Senate map, propsed 7/23Special Session: Redistricting hearing schedule, summary, maps
(from the Texas Legislative Council)More Politics "What kind of image is that?" Ms. 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 Ms. Van de Putte's allegations are ludicrous and that Mr. 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," Ms. Walt said. "They can't begin to represent their constituents while they are in New Mexico."
Ms. Walt said that Mr. Perry drew 35 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2002 and that his policies on education, economic development and other issues have brought more Hispanics to the Republican Party.
Ms. Van de Putte acknowledged that she believes 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 Mr. Perry.
He's "not the brightest porch light on the block," Ms. Van de Putte said. But, "he really looks good in jeans."
Ms. Walt said Ms. 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."
Attempts to approve a redistricting bill failed during the regular legislative session and the first special session. Last week, Mr. Perry called lawmakers back for a second special session to try again.
The Democrats departed for 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.
Ms. Van de Putte said that redistricting is dead this legislative session but added that it's possible that a map could get approved if another legislative session is called.
She said several issues would have to be decided, including whether Republicans can work out differences on a map and whether Democratic lawmakers decide to remain in Austin rather than break a quorum.
"There's a lot of ifs there," Ms. Van de Putte said.
The Democrats have pledged to stay out of Austin until the second 30-day special session ends at the end of the month.
Mr. Perry has declined to say how long he might continue to call 30-day special legislative sessions if redistricting fails in this one.
Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/tsw/stories/080403dntexredist.1c178.html
As I was telling my wife (and also a couple of threads I seemed to have killed yesterday), I will never vote for a Democrat for the rest of my life!
I don't think the average voter understands what a dangerous precedent the Texas Democrats have set: not happy with the way things are going? No problemo! Just skedaddle and bring everything to a screeching halt!
The Democrat Party, by giving their formal assent to this shameful tactic (via Bill Richardson paying for the bodyguards from New Mexico taxpayer funds), has forfeited their moral authority to govern.
Would FDR, Truman, or JFK have cut and run like these cowards? C'mon you Democrats out there! Try and tell me that they would've approved of this!
I can see FDR saying, "We have nothing to fear but those nasty Republicans!"
I can see Truman shouting, "The buck should stop here, but the Republicans stole it from me in the dead of the night!"
I can see JFK saying, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do to send life-giving sustenance to our heroes in New Mexico."
And, of course, Martin Luther King: "I have a dream, that one day, our brave souls will extricate themselves from the sand traps of New Mexico, and return triumphantly to their native soil of Texas!"
Don't you Democrats see what has happened to your party? Isn't there any Democrat out there who is willing to fight for what they believe in?
Just don't try that "tyranny of the majority" crap that you've spewed for the past few weeks. For those 40 years that you owned the Congress in DC, or the 130 years that you ran the show in Texas, you're trying to tell me that your dealings NEVER were ham-handed? If so, your knowledge of American political history is sorely lacking.
Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you ! Great post, imho !!It is my opinion that the Democratic party slowly drifted farther and farther left since around the time of the hippy days and Vietnam Protestors in the 60's. Notice what they did after they got the wind taken out of their sails in Election 2002 ? They replaced Dick Gephardt with the LIBERAL Nancy Pelosi. That's LOGICAL ?? They LOST because of their sorry attempted election hijacking show in election 2000 (Florida SCOFLA whacked back by SCOTUS), the shenanigans in the New Jersey race replacing a likely to lose 'RAT with a likely to win 'RAT (and he did). And the UNPRECEDENTED Senate Filibustering of highly qualified Bush Judicial picks. Etc., etc., etc. The Democrat party has been HIJACKED by the LEFT WING EXTREMISTS within the party. The far left liberals are calling the shots, thus alienating the true moderate/centrists within the party. They're being shut out ! Sound familiar ? The majority being controlled by the minority folks. That's what the 'RATS are trying to do here in Texas right now. I'll be glad when this redistricting issue is complete and behind us !!
Enjoy the show:
I think the troopers 'protecting' the 'RATS is mostly showboating by Richardson, trying to show his support for these 'heros/idols/martyrs/exiles'. There is nobody out to get the 'RATS, except by urging and cajoling them to do their jobs they're being paid to do in the first place. See my #23 too, btw.
She said that as if that was a bad thing.
Linda Ronstadt
LOL !! Good one.
Yeah. Right. And running to OK and NM to pout are real coalition builders.
Becki
Yep ! Don't you know the 'RATS and the media would be
slamming the GOP if they tried such a childish stunt !!In 130 years of 'RAT domination in the Texas Legislature,
the GOP never did this. Now the GOP controls it, and look at the 'RATS !!Like Bill Cosby said in his Noah! comedy skit,
Who's gonna clean this mess up, huh ???? . . .
Man, I have to learn how to do this neat stuff. About the best I'm able to do is tell the 'Albuquerque Eleven' to 'check their six':
LOL !!! I'm not familiar with the terminology
'check their six' but that thing oughta open their eyes !!
"Check your six" is the AF term for "check your rear", or "watch your a$$."
No doubt, Sen. Van de Putte will have the most difficulty covering her 'six'.
LOL ! Yep ! No doubt, lots of ground for her to watch alright . . .
Translation: "Gov. Perry won't roll over for us like Dubya did."
(An unfortunate trait that Dubya took along with him to Washington.)
Hey, if it's like that, you can post it on its own thread if you want.
Or post it here, either way !! Just point me to it when you've got it.Thanks !!
Oh, and btw, where is that SouthTexasRepublican websight they were talkin' about ???
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