The Democrats Vs. The Law: A Typical Story
By Cathryn Crawford (05/17/03)
Here in Texas, our collective statewide attention has been captivated by a drama playing itself out in the corridors of power in our state capitol of Austin. Due to the actions of 58 Democratic State Representatives, our House of Representatives has been virtually shut down for the entire week.
Key pieces of legislation have died just in the last few hours on the floor of the House - pieces of legislation which include a bill requiring parents of minors to be informed before an abortion may be performed on their child, a bill protecting unborn fetuses from criminal intent to harm, and a very important bill concerning children's healthcare and insurance coverage.
The Democrats have fled the state to Ardmore, Oklahoma, a small town with a kooky sheriff, just over the Texas-Oklahoma border. Gov. Rick Perry issued warrants for their arrest (which became irrelevant after the lawmaker crossed over into Oklahoma), because the move in and of itself is illegal. By House rules, lawmakers cannot intentionally miss a quorum call. Yet, to listen to them, they seem to think that they are somehow the misunderstood criminals, the true heroes in a land of reversed justice.
."We're here in Ardmore, Oklahoma, because the real problems of Texas are budget problems, are school finance problems, are health care problems that are being cast aside because of a power play by Tom DeLay," said Jim Dunham, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. Really? You could have fooled me. I though they were in Oklahoma because they are under the mind control of the big bosses who run the Democratic Party.
You see, it's all so convenient. If the redistricting had gone ahead, five U.S. Congressional seats can conceivably be lost by the Democrats in the next election cycle. Oh, the lies are becoming clearer. Suddenly, it's not about, "... budget problems, school finance problems, and health care problems...” Suddenly, we see, it's all about a power play of their own - one that had to have been approved at the highest levels. This has become a national story. All of America is staring at us - on the one hand with slight amusement, and on the other with disbelief that we would actually put up with this sort of crap. The Democratic Party knew what would happen. This is not just about Texas - this is about control at the highest levels of the United States government.
The 51 Democrats still in Ardmore, OK, are due to return today, now that their ploy has worked. At 3 pm, Thursday afternoon, the redistricting bill was effectively killed. Bravo for those brave Democrats, who fled their districts, their capital, and their state to keep the over 400 other bills that had been waiting for two years to be voted on fall away into insignificancy. We should all be amazed at their honor, they say. They did what was right, they say. What honor, what rightness is there in fleeing? Instead of being here, fighting it out, debating until a solution was found, they chose to run away to a Holiday Inn where they could laugh and play and hold poolside press conferences. I guess they felt they needed the vacation - from what, I don't know, as most Texans haven't noticed them doing much lately.
They have declared victory. The Democrats think they've won. Barring disgruntled voters at the borders stopping them from reentering Texas, they'll be back at work by Friday afternoon. My only solace is that, perhaps, their actions will be remembered by the voters come next November. Perhaps, then, they'll be permanently out of jobs. We can only hope. Perhaps voters will remember that the same representatives who were playing Frisbee by the pool were getting paid with our money to be doing so. Will we see a refund? Will the Democrats give back the money? That's really a stupid question, isn't it?
They have failed us, the voters of Texas, and the rest of the people in America, by using con games and flat out thievery to get their way. Like babies throwing a tantrum, when the going got tough, they held their breath till their faces got red. Last time I checked, we didn't elect babies to run our state government. We elect mature men and women who have respect for the law and what it represents. Or, maybe, it was an idealistic dream. I'm leaning more towards the latter.
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