# Fugitive Democrats flee to Oklahoma...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fugitive-democrats-flee-to-oklahoma/176993>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [May 23, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fugitive-democrats-flee-to-oklahoma/176993 "2003-05-23T07:49:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fugitive-democrats-flee-to-oklahoma/176993/1 "2003-05-23T07:49:55Z")

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I caught about 10 seconds coverage of [this](http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/1912231)on the BBC news one night last week and was quite intrigued by the idea: (more[here](http://afr.com/world/2003/05/15/FFXXG9K7OFD.html))

Can someone explain to me _why_ the exodus over a state line was necessary to block a vote/bill - would it not just have been sufficient to just leave the building, or something?

What was the reaction to such a story locally? Bemusement, excitment, resentment?

Does this sort of thing happen much? What has happened since? Did the ‘tactic’ work?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fugitive-democrats-flee-to-oklahoma/176993/2 "2003-05-23T14:00:53Z")

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Because the police (the Texas Rangers) could then go and drag them back to the state house. They had to leave the state.

The other party wanted to redraw the voting districts. This is usually only done after a census. (every 10 years) They wanted to do this so they could win more seats in the House. (the national House of Representatives)

I think people reacted along party lines. Democrates liked it. Republicans did not.

Refusing a ‘Call to Quorm’ (sp) has been done in the past but not often and not always successful.

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**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fugitive-democrats-flee-to-oklahoma/176993/3 "2003-05-24T00:53:29Z")

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About 24 years ago a couple of Dems did the same thing and hid out in an Austin garage for a couple days. Only in Texas is politics like this.

I love my state. 🆒

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**Author:** ![Dave\_D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@Dave\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_D)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fugitive-democrats-flee-to-oklahoma/176993/4 "2003-05-24T05:34:59Z")

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You know it’s bad when you get your news through Jon Stewart.(Yes, that’s where I heard all about this.) Anyway Zebra has it right. The republicans want to force a vote on redistricting which apparently they’ll win and of course redistrict to get more seats. Apparently it’s illegal in Texas to try to stop a vote so if they dems were still in the state the Texas Rangers (the cops, not the baseball team) could force them back to the legislature to vote. By going to Oklahoma the Rangers can’t drag them back and the vote can’t take place.

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**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fugitive-democrats-flee-to-oklahoma/176993/5 "2003-05-24T23:28:17Z")

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It was a screwy bill anyways.