CrimsonPhantom
CUSA Curator
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RE: Texas Democrats Undermine Democracy
Quote:As we reported earlier, the Texas Democrats have fled the state and flown to Washington, D.C. to prevent a vote on the election security bill, denying Republicans a quorum.
Now, this is a silly move which, as my colleague Bonchie noted earlier, they’re attempting a gambit they can’t ultimately win. It may be stopping a quorum on the election bill but it’s also blocking all the things that Democrats would want to push, which wouldn’t go over well with their constituents. They’re also playing this game in a state that knows better, that knows this bill isn’t anything like they want to paint it, so it’s going to come back to bite the Democrats as a group with independent voters as well.
But if you listen to what Kamala Harris and the Texas legislators are saying you would think that they were storming the beaches of Normandy. They think they’re heroes for perpetuating a vicious falsehood — that this bill in any way inhibits people’s right to vote.
Harris claimed that Democrats were “showing extraordinary courage and commitment.”
“I applaud them standing for the rights of all Americans and all Texans to express their voice through their vote, unencumbered,” Harris exclaimed. “I will say that they are leaders who are marching in the path that so many others before did, when they fought and many died for our right to vote.”
She’s actually comparing them to real civil rights activists? And the people who fought and died for that right? That’s just shameful and insulting to those people. Not one person is being denied the right to vote, and to suggest that’s what’s going on here is woefully dishonest. And how are these runaway babies standing for “expressing their voice through their vote” when they are literally not doing their job of voting?
One of those Texas Democrats, James Talarico, tooted his own horn and those of his colleagues.
Yes, it’s so much commitment to hop on a chartered plane with plenty of booze to not do your job. Quite the hardship. How can we all get that job? Yes, this doesn’t look at all like a vacation.
The problem of course is that the people of Texas are paying these characters to actually show up to work, and they’re failing to do that. Put up or shut up. State your case and if you can’t, then you failed and the Republicans rightly won. That’s how it works. But they know they’d lose and that’s the real problem here. They know their argument has no merit. So they want instead to pitch drama theater about the mean, bad Republicans when their problem is Texas doesn’t want their policies.
Remember these guys are from the same party arguing that the filibuster is bad and that people should bow to the will of the majority. Just not when they’re in the minority, apparently.
Link
Greg Abbott Hammers Democratic Lawmakers Fleeing To Texas To Block GOP Election Reforms
Quote:Dozens of state Democratic lawmakers fled Texas on Monday to break quorum and prevent the GOP-controlled State Legislature from passing election reforms.
At least 51 of 67 House lawmakers boarded chartered flights to Washington, D.C., to protest in support of the For The People Act, which would shift much authority over election processes from the states to the federal government. The walkout comes after Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a special session of Congress to focus on legislative priorities such as election reforms that were blocked when Democrats broke quorum earlier this year.
“Today, Texas House Democrats stand united in our decision to break quorum and refuse to let the Republican-led legislature force through dangerous legislation that would trample on Texans’ freedom to vote,” Democratic leaders said in a joint statement, according to the Texas Tribune.
The Democrats had considered fleeing to West Virginia and Arizona to put pressure on Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), who have expressed displeasure with the For The People Act. The Texas lawmakers eventually decided against that move, however, out of fear that each states’ GOP governor would help extradite them back to Texas.
Abbott released a statement Monday hammering the Democratic lawmakers from fleeing the legislature.
“Texas Democrats’ decision to break a quorum of the Texas Legislature and abandon the Texas State Capitol inflicts harm on the very Texans who elected them to serve. As they fly across the country on cushy private planes, they leave undone issues that can help their districts and our state,” Abbott said. “The Democrats must put aside partisan political games and get back to the job they were elected to do. Their constituents must not be denied these important resources simply because their elected representative refused to show up to work.”
Abbott announced the new special session, which can last no longer than 30 days, last week with a list of his priorities to accomplish.
“The 87th Legislative Session was a monumental success for the people of Texas, but we have unfinished business to ensure that Texas remains the most exceptional state in America,” Abbott said in a statement. “Two of my emergency items, along with other important legislation, did not make it to my desk during the regular session, and we have a responsibility to finish the job on behalf of all Texans. These Special Session priority items put the people of Texas first and will keep the Lone Star State on a path to prosperity. I look forward to working with my partners in the Legislature to pass this legislation as we build a brighter future for all who call Texas home.”
Last month, Abbott vetoed funding for the Texas State Legislature over the Democrats earlier walkout. As The Daily Wire reported:
Democrats in the Texas House walked off the floor of the House chamber last month, breaking quorum and stopping Republicans from passing election reforms, as well as a bail reform legislation that Abbott in particular wanted, according to The Texas Tribune. After the walk-out, Abbott vowed to defund the legislative branch for “abandon[ing] their responsibilities.”
“Texans don’t run from a legislative fight, and they don’t walk away from unfinished business,” Abbott said in a statement Friday. “Funding should not be provided for those who quit their job early, leaving their state with unfinished business and exposing taxpayers to higher costs for an additional legislative session. I therefore object to and disapprove of these appropriations.”
Abbott vetoed Article 10 of the state budget approved by the legislature Friday. Article 10 not only funds lawmakers’ salaries, but also the salaries of staff and maintenance workers, and it funds legislative agencies such as the Legislative Reference Library.
Abbott’s veto of Article 10 is unprecedented, according to the Legislative Reference Library. Similarly, the Democrats’ walk-out in May to stop legislation that was otherwise primed to pass is a move that has rarely been done in Texas politics.
And the grift is on:
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