The Texans are at it again!
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caller.com
Demo walkout has no end in sight
11 senators remain away in opposition to redistricting effort
By Monica Wolfson Scripps Howard Austin Bureau
August 12, 2003
AUSTIN - Some Texas Republican lawmakers thought the Senate Democratic walkout over congressional redistricting would play out much like it did in the Texas House. Senators would leave the state for a few days, get lots of national press and then return to Texas.
But it hasn't worked out that way. As Senate Democrats remain in New Mexico, the rhetoric from both political parties becomes increasingly bitter and there appears no end in sight to the political impasse.
About five days before 11 Senate Democrats left the state for New Mexico, both Republican and Democratic senators spoke about the likelihood of a walkout, but lawmakers vowed the political maneuver wouldn't harm bipartisanship in the Senate.
"The assumption was, they told us they were likely to leave and the assumption was they'd leave for a couple of days, get a little national press, get their pictures in the paper and come back," said Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay. "The assumption was they would come back after a short period of time."
The walkout has now stretched to 14 days, as Senate Democrats remain in Albuquerque. By comparison, Texas House Democrats, who went to Oklahoma in May to kill a congressional redistricting bill, were gone four days.
"We knew they were serious in their concerns, but also the problem with the position they are taking is there is no endgame," Fraser said. "There is not a plan for them to get a victory out of this."
What started out as "making a statement" has turned into a cause, said David Beckwith, spokesman for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.
"After they got (to New Mexico) thinking they were going to stay a few days and then declare victory or whatever they thought they were going to do, they got captured by the Democratic National Committee blowing smoke up their rears and telling them what great Americans they were " Beckwith said. "So now they've gone from making a statement to 'doing the right thing.' They think they are Rosa Parks II."
Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said the Republican leadership is suffering from a case of wishful thinking. Hinojosa said he hasn't had any contact with the Democratic National Committee, although exiled lawmakers have talked with Texas Democratic congressmen.
"Fraser is living in a dream world," Hinojosa said. "We told everyone we'd be gone 30 days, no more or less until the two-thirds rule was put back in place."
While Senate Democrats were able to successfully kill a Republican congressional redistricting plan in the first special session by cobbling together a coalition of blocker votes, the Senate leadership took away the rule in the second special session. Senate rules dictate that two-thirds or 21 senators have to agree to debate a bill before it can reach the Senate floor for discussion. Dewhurst got rid of the rule when a second 30-day special session was called July 28, the same day 11 Senate Democrats boarded private jets bound for New Mexico.
"There is an exit strategy," Hinojosa said. "Reinstate the two-thirds rule that the Republicans have used in the past. Of the 11 senators, we have seven Hispanics and two African-Americans. We have to protect minority rights."
The Legislature is revisiting congressional redistricting because Republicans want to send more Republican lawmakers to Congress. While voters elected Republicans to every statewide office, Democrats have a 17-15 advantage of the 32 congressional seats. Republicans say they want the congressional delegation to reflect state voting patterns.
Democrats oppose congressional redistricting on its face. But they also argue that the maps drawn to elect 21 Republican congressmen to Washington dilute minority votes.
Contact Monica Wolfson at (512) 334-6642 or by e-mail at wolfsonm@scripps.com. |
