Democratic senator criticizes governor
The difference was Bush was the great uniter. Perry and DeLay are the great dividers.
- Leticia Van de Putte (D- San Antonio)
As ineffectual as he may be as a President, Shrub at least knew how to bring people together enough to run a state. No, I was no fan of his politics during his time as Governor, but at least we didn't have Democrats leaving the state to prevent Conservative ideologues from forcing redistricting on the voters of Texas.
The Texas congressional delegation is ruled 17-15 by the Democrats but Republicans, led by DeLay, are pushing for a new map that likely would give the GOP the majority.
Van de Putte said as governor, Bush made a great effort to bring minorities into the Republican Party. She said Perry, on the other hand, was threatening to lock up in the Senate chamber the Hispanic and black senators so they would be forced to vote on a redistricting map that she said would disenfranchise minorities.
"What kind of image is that?" Van de Putte said. "I think the real danger here is not to Governor Perry. I think the real danger here is to the White House and the Republican efforts that would want to be so inclusive."
Perry spokeswoman Kathy Walt said Van de Putte's allegations are ludicrous and that Perry does not have the authority to lock senators in the chamber. Only the lieutenant governor can lock the senators into the chamber.
"Her accusations are intended to obscure the fact that they ran away from their job and their responsibility," Walt said. "They can't begin to represent their constituents while they are in New Mexico."
Walt said Perry drew 35 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2002 and his policies on education, economic development and other issues have brought more Hispanics to the Republican Party.
Van de Putte acknowledged that she believed that presidential adviser Karl Rove has been involved in the redistricting effort.
"I don't know whose puppet strings are controlling which puppet at this point in the Republican Party," she said.
In the end, for Republicans at least, this is less about governing Texas than winning what to them is a political zero-sum game. Governor Goodhair's transparent attempt to make the second special session about healthcare is a cynical smokescreen.
I'm not happy that 11 Democratic senators are in Albuquerque instead of Austin, but at least they are standing up for something. That's more than can be said for Texas Republicans.
