# Texas politics, gotta love it or hunting for Democrats **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 14, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105 "2003-05-14T01:43:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/1 "2003-05-14T01:43:55Z")
Our missing legislators have been found in Ardmore, OK. [Statehouse Democrats Flee Texas in Rift](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=8&u=/ap/20030514/ap_on_re_us/texas_legislature_rebellion). It seems strange that we have a state law that allows the Texas Rangers to arrest and return legislators that runaway from congress while it’s in session. At least these congressmen were smarter than the “Killer Bees”, 12 Democrats that hid in a garage in Austin 24 years ago while the Rangers and police searched for them. … These 50 went to a Holiday Inn in Oklahoma. The Texas Rangers found them, but didn’t have the jurisdiction to make them come back. Democrats may be a minority in Texas, but they have a lot more fun than the Republicans. Here’s a funny article, [Democrats not hiding in obvious places](http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/5849076.htm) about hunting for Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![robgruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robgruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robgruver)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/2 "2003-05-14T02:24:10Z")
As a fellow Texan I can attest to the boundless joys that Texas politics as a whole gives to me. I thought Houston was bad just having an ineffective, weak willed Mayor, but now half the Dems are gone. What will happen next? Jenna Bush runs for Mayor? Don’t laugh, it could happen… (scary music) ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/3 "2003-05-14T02:25:34Z")
Wahaha. Now Louisiana doesn’t look so bad. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/4 "2003-05-14T04:19:21Z")
I loved that later article **Jim**. My favorite bit > [@](#): > > Back near the Capitol at the shrine of “Texas red,” the Texas Chili Parlor, manager Troy Derbes said he’d keep a lookout. > > “Democrats eat the XXX [spicy] chili,” he said. “The Republicans are more conservative.” :D:D:D Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/5 "2003-05-14T11:54:15Z")
I liked this part: > [@](#): > > Maybe they weren’t hiding in a restaurant after all. > > I checked the daily getaway spot for 2,000 Austin residents seeking a respite: Barton Springs Pool. > > “I don’t see 50 Democrats here, or 50 anybodys,” manager Kris Williams said. > > “It’s pouring down rain,” Williams said. “Normally, there would be a lot more than 50 Democrats here. I don’t know how many are senators or representatives. I just bet they’re Democrats.” ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/6 "2003-05-14T15:32:52Z")
Bizarre. Sounds like very poor law-drafting. I can understand places that have procedures requiring an absolute majority of legislators to approve a bill, but this quorum requirement, requiring that people attend even if they are going to vote “no”, seems very stupid. So why doesn’t this happen every time one side disagrees with the proposals being voted on? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/7 "2003-05-14T17:40:30Z")
On behalf of Okies everywhere, let me state unequivocally, **We don’t want your stinking politicians!!!** We’ve got enough of our own. This is carrying NAFTA entirely too far. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/8 "2003-05-14T18:09:53Z")
Yea, **Jim** , that part was funny too. “Yea, if we had 50 people here who weren’t smart enough to come in out of the rain I’d just bet they’re Democrats.” Heh. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/9 "2003-05-14T18:19:29Z")
Hey, now, from this article, [Texas House Democrats Remain Holed Up](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=816&ncid=816&e=6&u=/ap/20030514/ap_on_re_us/texas_legislature_rebellion) , not everyone in Oklahoma is against them. > [@](#): > > Texas troopers located the missing legislators but have no authority to make arrests outside Texas. \*\*Oklahoma authorities greeted the Democrats with big smiles and warm handshakes Tuesday. > > “We’re here to let them know we support them,”\*\* said Harvey Burkhart, sheriff of Carter County, Okla. “Nothing’s going to happen to them here. I can tell you we’re certainly not going to put them in jail.” **refusal** , the main reason it doesn’t happen more is because it is so visible and very politically risky. And getting 50 out of 150 people to agree to run off to Oklahoma, of all places, for a week isn’t very easy to do. Yeah, Steven, I kind of thought that was what he was saying too. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/10 "2003-05-14T18:44:10Z")
OK. The politicians can stay but that Molly Ivins bitch has to stay put. ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-politics-gotta-love-it-or-hunting-for-democrats/175105/11 "2003-05-15T00:54:41Z")
_Yeeeee **Haww!** _ I love my peculiar state so much. 🆒