Dewhurst: Perry could call another session on redistricting (Texas)

[Dudley_DUright]

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Tuesday that he expects Gov. Rick Perry will call another special legislative session to address congressional redistricting if a plan is not approved this session.

Perry, speaking to reporters earlier, would not confirm that he would call lawmakers back to the Capitol to redraw congressional districts if they fail to adopt a plan, but he left the option open.

"Oh, I never rule it out," Perry said.

Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, said Perry told him he would call another session but Dewhurst also said he believes lawmakers should solve the issue now.

The state's top two officials made their comments a day after Sen. Bill Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant, joined 10 Democrats and said he would not support taking up redistricting, a potentially fatal blow to the move to the attempt to redraw congressional boundary lines.

more...

http://www.statesman.com/legislature/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0703/0715redistrict_update.html

Looks like the texas repukes have gone insane according to the classic definition of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

[bluestateguy]

1. Did ANYBODY actually vote for Dewherst?

I still am having trouble accepting his legitimacy as Lt. Gov. I know of many, many Republicans and conservative independents who refused to vote for Dewherst. I know only one person who did and he was not ethusiastic about it. Who actually voted for this guy? Is this another case of black box voting?

[Dover]

13. I think there was very likely extensive voting fraud in Tx....which would

explain why they could care less what their constituency, their fellow legislators or Tx. citizens think. They can just keep the bulldozers going at top speed without heeding anything in their path.

[goobergunch]

14. election results

St. Land Comm. David Dewhurst (R) 51.7%
ex-St. Comptr. John Sharp (D) 46.6%
Mark David Gessner (L) 1.0%
Nathalie Paravicini (G) 0.8%

[Neutrino]

2. From the overwhelming negative response--with old people

on crutches standing in line to board busses in the Texas heat,
you'd almost think Perry would get a clue. Next time it will
be TWICE that amount.

[Dudley_DUright]

4. Perry is just responding to his lord and master, Tom DeLay

who will not take no, no, no for an answer.

[bluestateguy]

5. They are trying to wear us down

Next time, if there is a next time, the Democrats should flee for Oklahoma or New Mexico and vow to stay there for a whole month if need be.

[lastliberalintexas]

3. Well of course

Because wasting $2 million on this first special session was not enough. :eyes:

[bluestateguy]

6. Local News just ran a story on it

Dewey is talking about changing the Senate rules next time to force a vote. This from the same crown who told us in the fall of 2000: "You can't change the rules just ebcause you don't like the outcome." However, they reported that some Texas Republican senators have privately said that they are satisfied with the districts. Obviously, Tom DeLay and Karl Rove are calling the shots here. I mean, we have to get rid of those leftist extremists like Charles Stenholm and Ralph Hall!

[pop goes the weasel]

7. Perry infuriates me

Colleges are having to hike tuitions. Suicide hotlines are being shut down. People are being deprived of necessary medication. All this in Texas because there supposedly wasn't enough money to give a damn.

But there's money aplenty for special sessions to force a redistricting that the vast majority of Texans do not want. What are the standards for impeachment in Texas? I think it's high time we looked into getting rid of Gov. Goodhair early.

[bluestateguy]

8. Well we just had an election

I am not a huge fan of recalls no matter who it is. In fact, Perry won 58%-40%, due largely because of low turnout of Democratic constituencies. People need to understand that elections have consequences and non-voting has consequences. If it were up to me, voting would be mandatory, punishable by a $100 fine.

[pop goes the weasel]

10. impeach, not recall

Texas hasn't impeached a governor since "Pa" Ferguson was shown the door. (Personal side note: my grandpa was a ranch hand for both Albert Fall and the Fergusons. Boy, Gramps sure could pick 'em!) I think we ought to look into it, at least, make some noise. Why is Perry so beholden to DeLay? Has money exchanged hands? Is blackmail involved? Inquiring minds want to know.

[bluestateguy]

12. Again, not going to happen

Republicans control everything in this state: the legislature, all state elected officials and all state judgeships. Impeachment will go nowhere. Instead, we should work toward his defeat in 2006 and nominate a candidate who offers an alternative, not a diet-Perry platform.

[pop goes the weasel]

15. You don't think

that publicly searching for the answers to those questions would help to unseat him? People, even Republicans, who are sometimes people, are angry with Perry. They should be reminded constantly that Perry does DeLay's business and not the people's.

You talk of winning in 2006 with a real alternative to Perry. Well, I'd like that too, but most people don't know anything about Perry other than that he mouths the platitudes they like to hear. A real alternative to Perry (and I'd like to know who you have in mind) would do better against a Perry that people remember as betraying their interests, otherwise Perry will continue to profit from the perception that he is harmless and afable. Look what happened the last time Texas Dems let a Republican governor get away with that.

[dusty64]

9. What an

asshole. These repukes are absolutely over the edge, I really hope they are made to pay for this with their political lives. I'm really disgusted with the three "Democrats" that refused to help block this and hope they are all defeated in primaries, any chance of that happening?

[pop goes the weasel]

11. not likely

The problem is finding candidates. If there is anyone here who wants to run against Armblister in the primary, I will give you my support. Anyone? Anyone? Got a yellow dog?