Posted on 08/19/2003 5:42:37 AM PDT by Theodore R.
State redistricting feud talk of annual ginners meeting BY MARY JANE SHORT AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
The volatile issue of congressional redistricting continued to reverberate in Lubbock, Austin and Albuquerque on Monday, with words of dissatisfaction, defiance and warning.
Gov. Rick Perry's persistence in pushing for redistricting was awakening "a sleeping giant" of formerly apathetic voters, Democratic Sen. Royce West said Monday during a news conference in New Mexico. "We are getting a lot of phone calls from people who never wanted to participate who now want to participate. People who have never been involved in the political process are now starting to call and want to get involved."
In Lubbock, Rep. Carl Isett, R-Lubbock, said Monday that he will never support a plan that takes congressional representation away from West Texas.
"All of us in the West Texas delegation are working to keep the boundaries as they are," Isett said in Lubbock at the annual meeting of the Plains Ginners Association.
Isett and state Rep. Delwin Jones of Lubbock were among a handful of Republicans who voted against a state House redistricting plan that alters District 19, pitting U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, against veteran congressman Charles Stenholm, D-Abilene. Both are members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. Stenholm is the ranking minority member.
Isett initially voted for the Texas House plan but changed his vote when the issue came up a second time.
Ultimately, the decision will rest on where boundaries are drawn, he said. Midland is eager to have its own representative, as are several other cities in West Texas, he said.
Retaining three West Texas seats in Congress means maintaining influence in Washington, Isett said.
People in the agricultural industry are concerned that a plan that pairs Neugebauer against Stenholm could eliminate a voice for agriculture.
"Obviously, it would have a negative impact for agriculture to lose that voice," Isett said, adding that he is especially concerned about the cotton industry.
Scott Hilburn, general manager of Barwise Gin in Floydada, said he wants the districts left alone.
"Personally, I don't really like the redistricting," he said. "We don't want to lose representation in our area."
Paul Drake of Lubbock Electric and Wiley Kimbell of Kimbell Gin Machinery agreed.
"I think it's crucial to West Texas that we keep representation in Washington," Drake said.
Isett said that from the perspective of Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, congressional representation in Washington should reflect voting patterns in the state, which show a majority of people voting Republican. The Texas congressional delegation has 17 Democrats and 15 Republicans.
"Redistricting is almost all purely political," Isett said.
Isett urged the 11 Texas Democrats in Albuquerque to return to Texas.
"I would encourage them to come back to Austin to work together and do what's best for Texas," he said.
Judging by the remarks Monday of quorum-busting Senate Democrats, they won't be returning any time soon. The self-imposed exiles in New Mexico demanded that their Republican colleagues lift sanctions against them and their staffs.
A letter to Texas Republicans said the exiled Democrats will consider legal recourse if sanctions are not lifted by this afternoon.
On Friday, Senate Republicans — meeting without a quorum — preliminarily adopted a resolution denying absent Democrats and their staffers parking spots on Capitol grounds, cell phone use, purchasing and mail privileges, floor passes, travel, conference rooms and subscriptions. The Republicans earlier fined the Democrats for their absence, starting at $1,000 and doubling for each day missed, not to exceed $5,000 a day.
As of Monday, the Democrats figured charges at $17,000 each. They say it eventually will hit $57,000.
Dave Beckwith, spokesman for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, said in Austin there were no plans to change the sanctions or penalties.
"The letter threatens legal action unless we remove the sanctions by 3 p.m. Tuesday," Beckwith said. "We welcome a judicial determination of their claims."
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
The most stupid thing about these legislators is that the House plan retains three West Texas districts -- even though number-wise -- they are only entitled to 2.5 districts. The House plan just combines Abilene and Lubbock, and creates a new district around Midland.
I'm beginning to be very glad Isett didn't win the special election earlier this year. What a pussy!
Think back to 2002 -- Ron Kirk, seeking to become the first black U.S. Senator -- and Tony Sanchez, for Gov, headed up the Democrats' "dream team". This ticket was supposed to get minorities out in droves. Didn't happen then...the redistricting issue won't get them out to vote in 2004!!
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