Boycotting Dems take new tack: Senators seek to turn redistricting war into Bush challenge
I'm a Liberal Democrat, but even to me this smacks of desperation. The Texas 11...well, now the Texas 10...find themselves backed into a corner and are looking to fight a last, desperate rearguard action. If it works, it will be hailed as a brilliant masterstroke, pulling victory from the jaws of certain defeat. Of course, the more likely possibility is that they will come out looking, well, desperate.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Ten boycotting Democratic senators turned their Texas congressional redistricting battle into a challenge to President Bush's re-election Wednesday, a day after hopes of stopping a Republican plan in the Legislature appeared crushed by the defection of a Houston lawmaker....
The senators said they want to pressure Bush into intervening to stop the Texas redistricting process.
"We intend to force the president's hand," said Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville. "He may either own up to his behind-the-scenes involvement, or he can make the telephone call that will stop this sham process."
Republicans in Austin, meanwhile, expressed joy that a two-month legislative stalemate has been broken by the decision of Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, to break the Democratic boycott in Albuquerque. If Gov. Rick Perry calls an expected third special session and Whitmire either shows up or is forced back to the Capitol, the Senate would have a quorum.
Republican senators huddled privately for more than two hours looking at maps, but they were unable to agree on a plan.
"There are still a lot of hurdles. Having Senator Whitmire back is not the only thing we have to look at," said Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano. "We still need to make sure we have 16 people who agree to a map. Otherwise, all of this is for naught."
Of course, considering that even the Republicans are having trouble agreeing on a redistricting map, there is the (albeit slim) possiblity that Democrats may in the end get what they want.
Perhaps someday, y'all can actually get back to doing the business of the people of Texas. Isn't that what you were elected to do?
