Don't Let Democrats Steal control of the Congress

http://millionsofamericans.com ^ | 14 May 2003 | Bruce Eberle

[annyokie]

Dear Friend of freedom,

Why am I writing to you today about the Democrats walk-out in the State of Texas? The answer is that this is not about Texas, it is about control of the US House of Representatives! The evidence is mounting that the sneaky, underhanded, dishonest walk-out has been financed and orchestrated entirely by the national Democratic Party.

Here's the story from Fox News.

Click Here http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,86820,00.html

In Texas, if the state legislature changes party hands, the party then in power is entitled to redistrict the US Congressional seats. That's exactly what the Republicans proposed and they have sent the new plan to the Texas House of Representatives for a vote. But the Texas Democrats and apparently the National Democratic Party refuse to abide by the will of the voters. We have to stop them.

Click Here http://www.millionsofamericans.com

For years Republicans in the State of Texas have been the victim of vicious Democratic gerrymandering. In this way, the Democrats have maintained a majority of seats in the US Congress from Texas even though statewide the Republicans have received far more votes than the Democrat Congressional candidates. But now the worm has turned and the rules call for the Republicans to draw the lines of the new Congressional Districts.

This could mean a pickup of 6 to 7 new US House seats for the Republicans in Texas - a shift of 12 to 14 votes in the US House of Representatives - effectively guaranteeing continued control of Congress by the Republicans in the 2004 elections and beyond.

No wonder the national Democratic Party is involved in this dishonest scheme. We must never forget how they tried to steal the Presidential Election for Al Gore in Florida.

Remember the last election for US Senate in New Jersey? Their candidate, Bob Toricelli, was losing badly in the polls, so even after the deadline had passed for substituting a new candidate they forced Toricelli to resign and put in a new candidate, former senator Frank Lautenberg in his place. Or remember the vote for the conviction of Bill Clinton of Impeachment in the US Senate. They acknowledged Clinton was guilty, but voted no just the same. And don't forget what they are| doing right now in the US Senate - filibustering virtually every nominee President Bush sends for confirmation effectively making it necessary for each nominee to receive 60 votes for confirmation even though the US Constitution specifies a simple majority for confirmation. They will go to any lengths to maintain their power.

The Democrats refuse to play by the rules. When something doesn't go their way, they make up new rules.

Don't let them thwart the will of the people again by stealing Congressional seats in Texas! You may not live in Texas, but you can help by signing a petition urging the Speaker of the Texas House, Tom Craddick to stand firm. Tell him not to give in to the dishonest tactics of the Democrats.

Click Here http://www.millionsofamericans.com

Believe me, the pressure on Speaker Craddick is intense right now. The unions, the big city papers and much of the statewide media is slanting the story in favor of the Democrats.

You and I have seen the national Republican leadership buckle under pressure time and again. But we can't let it happen this time.

If we stand tall and tell our friends to help, we can stop the Democrats from stealing US House seats in Texas.

Please sign the petition today.

Click Here http://www.millionsofamericans.com

You and I together helped to keep the Democrats from stealing the Presidential election from George Bush. Now we need to unite again to keep them from stealing control of the US Congress. Please help today!

Click Here http://www.millionsofamericans.com

For Freedom,

Bruce Eberle

P.S. Please sign the petition, but also, go one step further than that! Make sure you forward this on to you family and friends immediately.

Click Here http://www.millionsofamericans.com

[The Old Hoosier]

In Texas, if the state legislature changes party hands, the party then in power is entitled to redistrict the US Congressional seats.

No, no, no! That sets a very ugly precedent. The fact is that the legislature never got the chance to draw the lines this time, because a federal court drew temporary lines.

But don't worry, there will be a special session.

[anymouse]

ping

[the_Watchman]

And don't forget what they are| doing right now in the US Senate - filibustering virtually every nominee President Bush sends for confirmation effectively making it necessary for each nominee to receive 60 votes for confirmation even though the US Constitution specifies a simple majority for confirmation.

This is a stretch. The Democrats are currently filibustering on two candidates.

I'm not quite sure what the Texas House Speaker is supposed to do. I thought that there was a hard deadline and if the Democrats succeed in holding out, then the redistricting plan would be scrapped in favor of one proposed by the courts. Is there something else going on here? Is there anything that can be done to fix this short of physically dragging the miscreants back to Texas?

[the_Watchman]

The reason that I point out the "stretch" on virtually every nominee is that this particular piece of misinformation renders this article unsuitable for distribution to others. Something that is not fully truthful is just not convincing!

[Bahbah]

"Democrats ...refuse to abide by the will of the voters."
I've been thinking about this all day. The majority of this country sees more clearly everyday what the Democrat Party wants and they do not agree. Democrats cannot accept this. So they are conducting these little "coups by rules" to maintain power. This is a very disturbing development.

[supercat]

I thought that there was a hard deadline and if the Democrats succeed in holding out, then the redistricting plan would be scrapped in favor of one proposed by the courts. Is there something else going on here? Is there anything that can be done to fix this short of physically dragging the miscreants back to Texas?

According to someone else, it takes a 2/3 vote of legislators to add any new business to the calendar after Thursday. What I don't know is whether that's 2/3 of members present, 2/3 of actual members, or 2/3 of member "slots". Likewise for the 2/3 vote required to expel members.

[RS]

"Tell him not to give in to the dishonest tactics of the Democrats."

Nope - the way to handle this is to lie to them. Promise that you won't bring it up, then lock them in and just do it !

What are they going to do about it ?

[clintonh8r]

Until Republicans are willing to get down in the gutter with the RATs and deliver a political coup de grace, the RATs will maintain control, even when they're in the minority. Whether it's the US Senate or Texas legislature, these bastards will refuse to give up power. It must be taken from them, otherwise they'll keep it.

[Bahbah]

"It must be taken from them, otherwise they'll keep it."
Agreed.

[Utah Girl]

I saw Texas Gov Rick Perry on TV, asking the dim dems to come back to work. I also heard that Terry MacAuliffe is behind this stunt (and by extension, bill and hill). Argghhhh, the dems have really reached for it again, the rule of law means nothing to them, and neither does voters rights. Texans voted in their representatives, and they have a right to have those representatives do their jobs, without all this other crap going on. I think the dems aim is anarchy. And of course, all the cable news anchors just smirked, and said the Republicans were being mean over the redistricting and that is why the dems are hiding out. Sigh, no, the Republicans have control, and that is their job. You can bet that if Republicans pulled this stunt, it would be HUGE news all over the place. /rant

[CyberAnt]

"This is a stretch" ...??

What's a stretch ...??

That the dems are demanding 60 votes - while the Constitution only requires a majority (51). THAT IS EXACTLY CORRECT.

[CyberAnt]

Gov Perry also said the redistricting was not going away. The dims can either come back now and vote or the Gov is going to call a special session and the dims can work through the summer - their choice.

Hmmmm? I don't see what the dims are gaining here ...??

Tony Snow ask the Gov if he thought this action was going to have an effect at the next election - he just smiled and said, "the voters will decide".

[Utah Girl]

Thanks for the info. The Democrats are really going for broke.

[The UnVeiled Lady]

The Federal and Texas Constitution says that the LEGISLATURE does the redistricting.

in the 2001 session where the dems were in control they didn't get all three done (TX House and Senate and the US house) so it got thrown into the courts.

BUT the legislature has the RIGHT and dare I say DUTY to go over it again. Texas is voting 60% republican and 40% dem and we aren't represented that way in Washington. WE deserve that and that is what the dems can't accept.

They haven't been out of power for 130 years and you should have seen the gerrymandering they did in 1991.

[Theodore R.]

This may have no effect on the 2004 legislative races in TX, because the 62 House Democrats are in heavily Democrat districts. I suspect that fewer than five of the current Democrat seats are in competitive districts. A Democrat will do anything, say anything, promise anything to get a vote. Republicans always fail to understand the depth of Democrat determination to prevail.

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

[CyberAnt]

You may be right ... but I think the repubs are beginning to get the message ... mainly because WE have been sending them letters, faxes, and emails.

I believe the dems have always told the repubs that WE would not support them. But ... now that the repubs know they have our support, I think they're beginning to realize we EXPECT them to play HARDBALL with these people.

[Theodore R.]

Governor Perry has been in office for 2.5 years. He has never called a special session of the legislature and prides himself on saving taxpayers the expense of a special session. Do you think he would call a special session JUST for redistricting? And if he did, wouldn't these 51 Democrats return to Ardmore, if the Holiday Inn will have them back. Do you think the Holiday Inn there will have missing towels, sheets, curtains, etc? (Just teasing). They might try Lake Charles, LA, next time.

[gunnedah]

The Democrat Obstructionist Party Empire!DOPE for short.

[CyberAnt]

Well ... I don't know Gov. Perry - but if he wants to be re-elected, I think he better listen to the repubs.

Quite frankly ... I don't understand what the dims think they have gained by this.

Also ... finding out McAwful was involved in this cements my thoughts that this was a coordinated effort. I mean ... why else would the dems go to a state ruled by a dim Gov and have the dim Gov tell the TX Rangers they don't have any authority in OK. McAwful knows how to pull the strings.

You know what ... the public is getting more and more fed up with these people. They could be in for an election which totally annihilates their power for 40 years, if they keep this up.

[solo gringo]

I spent the day in Rio Grande City,Texas and the dim bulbs has as the old saying goes riped thier pants with the dimbulbs there.The ones I talked to could not believe how stupid thier party rep.are.They said they will vote for the dog on the street before they will vote for Gullium thier rep.for the area again But they are dimo.what can i say.

[solo gringo]

Riped=ripped

[BlueOneGolf]

BUMP!!!

I heard on the Mike Gallagher radio show today that the Texas 'RATS holed up in Oklahoma have been running up bar tabs and going to "gentlemen's clubs". I'm sure it's all at the expense of Texas taxpayers. Are any Texas FReepers going up to this Holiday Inn in OK to FReep these knuckleheads? If so I hope the Oklahoma FReepers help out. Go get 'em!!!

[Atchafalaya]

Only our Republican Governor would have them arrested as fugitives and sent back where they belong with a ya'll come back now ya heah!

[He Rides A White Horse]

Until Republicans are willing to get down in the gutter with the RATs and deliver a political coup de grace, the RATs will maintain control, even when they're in the minority.

We're learning quickly. The Republican Party isn't made up of tired old men who want to give in to every demand liberals make, contrary to what they may think.

[He Rides A White Horse]

SUEING.. TAXING.. LEGISLATING RESPONSIBILITY WITH MORE LAWS.. MANDATORY SEATBELTS, HELMETS, SMOG CHECKS, INCREASED FEES, TAXES, MORE ILLEGALS, MORE LAWS.. ANTI SMOKING, ANTI FAT, ANTI ANYTHING FUN.

WE'RE SICK OF IT.

Well said, because I'm sick of it also. I'm tired of being robbed by these gangsters.

[He Rides A White Horse]

SUEING.. TAXING.. LEGISLATING RESPONSIBILITY WITH MORE LAWS.. MANDATORY SEATBELTS, HELMETS, SMOG CHECKS, INCREASED FEES, TAXES, MORE ILLEGALS, MORE LAWS.. ANTI SMOKING, ANTI FAT, ANTI ANYTHING FUN.

WE'RE SICK OF IT.

Well said, because I'm sick of it also. I'm tired of being robbed by these Democrat gangsters.

[rwfromkansas]

bump

[Graewoulf]

Ping.

[the_Watchman]

This is a stretch?

filibustering virtually every nominee President Bush sends for confirmation

You betcha! The "two" in my post was in bold font. TWO does not constitute "virtually every".

I reiterate, there are people to which I would have liked to send this post. However, when there are gross distortions of fact, the case is diminished.

[the_Watchman]

So if the legislators succeed, then the redistricting gets thrown to the courts. Obviously, the Dems believe that they prefer the court system.

Is there anyone on this forum who is willing to speculate how the Republicans will fare in court? It sounds like if the courts are actually fair, then the Republicans could still pick up seats. Is there any way to tell in advance?

I still don't get the gist of this article. The writer requests that the Republican leadership be contacted to make sure that they "stand firm". What can the leadership do that would make a difference in a situation like this?

[cinFLA]

Here is the sample I said I would post without html.

Click Here http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,86820,00.html

[Torie]

This fundraiser is a bit annoying. The odds that the GOP will lose control of the House with or without a Texas redistricting are very low indeed. Several of the seats the GOP wants now will fall to them anyway over time. I think Delay overreached. He would have been better off suggesting more modest changes. Maybe in the end game he will get what he wants, but I doubt it. I wonder what Pandora's box this will open up if he does. In what states will the Dems be legally able to retaliate? In any event, it sets somewhat over a bad precedent over the fullness of time. Granted, the Dems might have set it anyway, at another time.

[ladyinred]

Reminds me of a news report I heard yesterday. The newsreader was talking about republicans redistricting an area to make it more friendly to their side. It was of course, spoken with disdain and a smirk, and couched as being something evil that only the VRWC would do.
Of course the rats do it all of the time, case in point, Gary Condit's district in California.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Granted, the Dems might have set it anyway, at another time.

I think that is the key. I was originally against redistricting, but reading over the history I see a pattern. The Dems failed to pass a plan in the House(which they controlled), so no reconciliation with the Senate. Instead they ran to a judge in their pocket(IIRC there was a race to be the first to file, and they won), Democrat Paul Davis. He gave them most of what they wanted. So they were rewarded for obstructing and then running to their home turf of the courts. Now with the scale of the judicial filibusters, the Lautenberg fiasco, and the breaking of quorum, there seems to be a clear pattern of simply ignoring process and setting bad precedent. To me the only way to stop this is to fight back through hardball, but within the system.

How do you stop an opponent who refuses to obey the rules? Clearly if we refrain to avoid setting bad precedent, it won't stop them from breaking tradition/gentleman's agreements when it fits their needs. It seems to me the only thing that will keep their actions in line is if they don't think they can get away with something, fearing a voter backlash. So far there hasn't been much of a voter backlash to their rule/law/tradition/procedure breaking, so retirement through redistricting may be the best way to 'send a message' that their ill-advised legislative selective anarchy is going to exact a heavy price.

[Torie]

No, the Texas plan was drawn by the federal courts, which have strong precedents to follow a "least change" policy in changing the existing map (which was a Dem gerrymander, which given the demographics was in any event mitigated to to some extent by the federal court). I know this, because I spoke to one of the lawyers involved on the telephone. It is state courts that go on partisan jihads, and they swing both ways, depending on their partisan tendencies. What the state court did in Minnesota is a sight to behold. They bagged a Dem with great subtlety, including some clever drawing on the edges. The state GOP judge in Oklahoma just signed off on the GOP plan. In Colorado, a liberal judge, just let his personal political philosoply just ouze out all over his opinion. Corral the Christian conservatives in their own ghetto, protect the liberal agenda of a Denver district, dilute the rural district with more Dems to give it diversity, etc. Federal courts simply don't do that, except on race issues, and they have lost their interest in doing even that by and large.

[Diddle E. Squat]

OK, now I am confused. I was under the impression that Judge Davis made the original choice of Congressional redistricting map and then it was appealed to the 3 judge panel. That is what I got from the article in post #8 of this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/538083/posts

If not, then what did Judge Davis decide, and why was he considering a dozen maps?

[Diddle E. Squat]

Also please see post #4 of the same thread.

[Torie]

The Texas Supreme Court (GOP dominated) bonced Davis, and it went to the federal court, which drew their own map. Yes, Davis is a Dem hack, albeit a stupid one, because he inadvertently bought into a GOP plan, and then had to stay up late on night with Dem operatives to redraw it per their specifications.

[Torie]

What comment on post number 4 are you soliciting from me? The Dems will have their way, as long as they never show up again until it is too late for the GOP to draw new lines (when exactly that is I am not sure), or the GOP is no longer able to get the two Dem votes they need in the state senate.

[Diddle E. Squat]

OK, thanks for the explanation.

But don't the Democrats lose once a special session is called? They still won't have the votes, and can't redistricting be brought up again? I guess they could flee the state again before the session starts, but can't the GOP prevent that by making sure some important piece of legislation doesn't pass and must also be considered in the SS?

[Torie]

Yes, the Dems have to decide that they are willing that no laws are passed until sometime in 2004, and that they are willing to get to know Ardmore really, really well. I suspect the more well heeled of them will discover the pleasures of Santa Fe of something. How feasible is a no new laws plan for that long in Texas? Does a budget between now and then need to be passed, or the state shuts down, and/or state workers revert to the minimum wage? I don't know. I don't live in Texas.

[Diddle E. Squat]

From what I gather, after midnight tonight everything will require 2/3rds votes, so in theory nothing is totally dead. They can probably get a budget, but beyond that I don't know. I do hear that Perry isn't happy with the Senate passed education plan, so they may let that die and use it as the centerpiece for the special session.

Santa Fe in June/July over Austin is a very wise choice. Cloudcroft, NM is also great, if your looking for basic camping at 8,000'. It was nice watching the July 4th fireworks in Alamogordo as we descended the mountains.

[Torie]

OK, now just why in the world would the Dems show up for a special session on redistricting, when they ALL have vacation plans out of state? Can you help me with that?

[fortheDeclaration]

No, the redistricting will not be dropped.

What the Democrats hoped, was that the GOP would cave on this issue, rahter then let alot of other bills be dropped.

The GOP however sees that if they give in to this act of extortion, they will never be in control.

No matter what it takes, that redistricting must be done!

[fortheDeclaration]

The Democrats would have screamed if the GOP picked up one seat in redsistricing.

Don't blame Delay for playing hardball with these gangsters!

They have beein riding roughshod over the GOP for years.

It is about time they got back some of their own medicene.

[The Wizard]

Perry will have them arrested and then call the session