Republican Supreme Court in Texas refuses to order Dems back.

[Fear_Itself]

*Originally posted by december *
**http://www.statesman.com/legislature/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0803/0812redistrict.html

At $1000 per day, and doubling each subsequent day, the fine on day n+1 will be (2[sup]n[/sup])*1000. E.g., the fine on the 21st day will be just over $1 billion per member. That ought to get their attention. **

http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=80500&SecID=2

"The present members of the Senate hereby impose a penalty of $1,000 per day, doubling each day, not to exceed $5,000 each day," Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, said.

Unfortunately for the Republicans, the threat of the loss of mere money is less significant to the Democrats than it is to you, december

The Democrats in Albuquerque said the Republicans lack the authority to enforce the fines because it’s not authorized under current Senate rules.

Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, who is also an attorney, spoke after the Republicans approved the fines.

“It’s ludicrous. I’m shocked that they couldn’t get better legal advice,” he said.

Whitmire also made it clear he had no intention of paying the fines.

[Mtgman]

Looks like we’re going to be in for rematch after rematch

Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday he would continue calling special legislative sessions until Senate Democrats who fled the state to block a congressional redistricting bill show up to vote, a newspaper reported.

“If there is work to be done, I expect the Legislature to be here conducting it,” Perry said in the Austin American-Statesman’s online edition Wednesday. “There is work to be done.”

When asked if that means continuing special sessions, Perry said: “You can surmise that.”

I’d also be interested in some analysis about the fines. It is my impression that the Senate can’t make these kinds of procedural changes without a quorum. According to the Senate rules of conduct they need a 2/3 majority to change the rules of conduct(which, I believe, would include adopting things like fines for absent members). Of course the 2/3 rule to bring a bill up for vote is one of the Senate rules of procedure and Dewhurst apparently has the ability to suspend that without the Senators consent.

This isn’t going to go away, and it is going to get uglier before it gets prettier. We’ve got hurt pride on each side now and I don’t see compromise in the cards at this point.

Enjoy,
Steven

[minty_green]

God, I love this state.

[elucidator]

Texas is the very best state to be from.

[bdgr]

It costs us, the texas taxpayer a considerable amount of money every time Governer Perry pulls this shit. We will remember it come election time anve vote his partisan ass out of office. everybody I know personally…even the pubbies I know…are more pissed at the governer for this mess than the dems.

[bdgr]

http://www.statesman.com/legislature/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0703/0712stategov.html

too bad we dont have a recall option in this state.

[jshore]

*Originally posted by elucidator *
Texas is the very best state to be from.

You’re probably just pining for the good ol’ days when you had a governor who could body-slam anybody who got in his way!

[elucidator]

Well, he wasn’t much, I’ll grant that. But seeing a Gov. at his inaugaration party in a Jimmy Hendrix t-shirt and a feather boa…well, you just had to see it to believe it. Minnesota is just as crazy as Texas, just quieter. Much quieter.

[Mtgman]

This issue is going to be probably the biggest issue at the next election. I’ve made the comments before that this situation is a lot like the McDonalds coffee lawsuit. If you just read the headlines, it looks outrageous. Dig a little deeper and you begin to understand that it isn’t quite as outrageous as it appears on the surface. The question is, how many Texans have that deeper knowledge? I found the talkback forum on this issue at the Dallas Morning News website to be very interesting. Lots of opinions with the majority seeming to favor stopping redistricting efforts. In fact, it seems every time the actual people were asked(in statewide House committee hearings and statewide Senate committee hearings and in forums like the talkback) that most people think this issue should be dropped. A very contentious issue and one which will likely be a disaster for some politicians come the next election cycle. The question now is, which politicians?

Enjoy,
Steven