Ratliff 'distraught' over redistricting, contemplates resignation

Fort Worth Star-Telegram ^ | August 19, 2003 | April Castro

[hoaxbuster1]

AUSTIN - Former acting Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, the only Senate Republican who has vocally opposed congressional redistricting, said Tuesday there's little chance he will seek another term and has contemplated resignation over the current state of the Texas Senate.

"It's a day-to-day or month-to-month decision," said Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant. "I'm getting to the point that I'd rather be playing golf. I enjoy my golf a little more these days."

Speaking publicly for the first time since angrily walking out of a Senate Republican Caucus meeting last week and abruptly returning to Mount Pleasant when his colleagues decided to fine 11 boycotting Democrats, Ratliff was pensive and melancholy.

Asked if he'd considered resignation over the current legislative mess, Ratliff replied "I guess the other day when I went home it occurred to me."

"The tragedy behind all this is that just gradually we're escalating the hostility," Ratliff said. "The real tragedy is that it was all predictable and avoidable. But each step that's taken, just by one more step, destroys the Senate that I knew."

Senate Republicans, last week voted to levy stiff fines on Democrats boycotting the Senate over Republican-led efforts to redraw congressional districts. Days later, to enforce the fines on rebellious senators, Republicans voted to impose sanctions on their offices, including stripping their staffs of cell phones, parking spaces and some mailing privileges until the fines were paid in full.

If Democrats manage to stay in Albuquerque, N.M., until Aug. 26, the end of the second special session, the redistricting legislation would be effectively dead for this session. It would be the third failed attempt by the state's Republican leadership to adopt congressional redistricting and Gov. Rick Perry has indicated he's committed to the issue.

Ratliff predicted that healing the wounds wouldn't come easily to the divided Senate chamber.

"If I thought that it was all going to blow over when it's over, I wouldn't be nearly as distraught about what's going on," he said. "I don't think it's going to blow over. I think it may be a generation before the scars from this are healed and that's what bothers me about it."

Ratliff became acting lieutenant governor - presiding officer of the Senate - when in 2000 then-Lt. Gov. Rick Perry replaced George W. Bush as governor.

[Hoverbug]

democRATliff?

Hb

[mathluv]

RINO Ratliff is one of the main reasons for the current mess. He is the one responsible for it going to the courts last time. I did not vote for him in the primary last year. I hope he will be gone.

[deport]

No..... there are 31 Senators....19 republicans and 12 democrats..... You need 21 for a quorum..... 11 democrats are absent..... so that makes only 20 (31-11) if all 19 republicans show and the lone democrat that didn't run. So you need at least one of the New Mexico rats to return

[deport]

He is the one responsible for it going to the courts last time.

---

He had a hand in it for sure, but wasn't the House still controlled by the democrats at that time? I don't think there would have ever been agreement..... jmo

[Diddle E. Squat]

Good riddance.

Ratliffe so far has killed redistricting. Dewhurst(in his own words when interviewed on 570KLIF in Dallas) had reached an agreement with 2 Democrats to vote to allow redistricting to be considered, but then Ratliffe backed out right before the vote and keep it one below the 2/3rd's required. Since with Ratliffe's backstab it no longer mattered, the 2 Dems then went ahead and voted against to avoid being outed and ostracized by their party.

Yes, one of those 11 in NM earlier agreed to allow redistricting to be considered, but now there may be too much water under the bridge, and too many 'offers they can't refuse' from the Clinton/DNC(and make no mistake, that is who is pushing this boycott technique. If it works here, watch for it to spread elsewhere, and it has already been threatened once, IIRC in DC.)

Thanks for nothing Ratliffe, you backstabbing sorry slimy huge ego bastard.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

WONDERFUL NEWS! The sooner the better.

[Diddle E. Squat]

So what are the REAL reasons that Ratliff is so vehemently against redistricting? Sorry, but I'm not buying this commaraderie of the Senate excuse. It may be a factor, but not enough to go to the mat over, especially considering the sense I get that he is, how shall I imply this, not operating from a set of principles or convictions.

[mathluv]

As acting Lt Gov, he set up the committee that sent it to the courts - at least, that is how I understand it.

[bobbyd]

Hey All....

Call this idiot....

The Honorable Bill Ratliff P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711 (512) 463-0101 110 South Madison

Mount Pleasant, Texas 75455 (903) 572-1887

Just make sure they know how Honorable we think he is!!!.. .or how we really wish this piece of s$it would go play golf!

[mathluv]

When I called his office, the lady said he did not support changes that would put NE TX in with part of the metroplex.

Also, he has said something to the tune of only being 51% Republican. He became acting lt gov after Perry became gov because of dims supporting him.

[deport]

As acting Lt Gov, he set up the committee that sent it to the courts - at least, that is how I understand it.

---

As acting Lt Gov, he was a member of the five member Legislative Redistricting Board which has authority only to redistrict the State Senate, House and SBOE and not the Congressional Districts.... The other memebers at that time included: AG, Cornyn; Speaker of the House, Laney; Land Commissioner, Dewhurst; and Comptroller, Rylander.....

Once the Legislative session adjourned with no Congressional Redistricting plan the only option was for the Courts to draw one.

[deport]

http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/research/redist/redist.htm

The link above is a good summary of the 2001 redistricting activities for both the State and Congressional levels including court actions.....

[WOSG]

Sadly you are right ... he lives in the fantasy of Bullock Republicans and good ol' boy biparistanship ... the 11 chicken Ds are extremist leftists raised on Jesse Jackson race-baiting animosity and caterwauling.

Like 4 year olds, the only discipline they understand is a good spanking.

[WOSG]

Actually Lloyd Doggett (D-TX, Austin, 10th CD), who's own political career is on the line here was pushing hard on the chicken Ds ... him and no doubt a few of the other Ds on the redistricting chopping block.

Doggett pioneered this illegal quorum-busting move back in 1979 and actively encouraged the first "run" back in May.

Very partisan Liberal Dem.

[hocndoc]

We know that Ratliff would not have suspendend the blocker bill, if the Governor had called a special session in 2000, don't we?

I wish that he were as concerned about the state of government in this country now that the Democrats have begun a tradition of running away when they can't win any other way. This is the real crisis.

No matter the hurt feelings, no matter the bad press, the Governor and Lt Governor can not allow the tactic of "quorum busting" to end our form of government.

[hoaxbuster1]

Update on previous story From the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

In the heat of the redistricting battle this summer, Ratliff advised Dewhurst not to drop the so-called "two-thirds rule" by which a supermajority of senators _ 21 if all are present _ must agree in advance to debate any legislation.

Concerned that redistricting would harm rural Texas, Ratliff had joined with 11 senators to block the legislation in the first special session. But Gov. Perry called a second special session and Dewhurst, saying it had been done before, dropped the two-thirds rule.

It is that change that Ratliff blames for the current meltdown in the chamber, and he said the quickest way to end the stalemate would be to reinstate it _ a prospect Dewhurst has already dismissed.

[JohnnyZ]

I vote for resignation too.

It's very considerate of him to save people the trouble of getting rid of him, one way or the other!

[Tex_GOP_Cruz]

Bump.

[mathluv]

Thanks for the link. I have been 'collecting' all of the FR links.

[Redbob]

WooHoo!
Don't just tease us, "Rat", Do it!
Resign, please, please, puhleeeze!