Texas Republicans have voted to track down and arrest dozens of Democratic legislators who have fled the state to block passage of a partisan redistricting plan.
The vote passed by 85 to 6, following Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s threat of bribery charges against the absent Democrats.
After the vote, the governor ordered state troopers “to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans”.
From another article about this, oh the irony:
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, who fled his own impeachment hearings and refused a court order to release his travel records after speaking at the rally in Washington that preceded the January 6 insurrection, has described wayward Democratic legislators as “cowards”.
Voters don’t care, why should they act differently?
Monday’s vote was mostly symbolic, according to the Texas Tribune, as the warrants only apply within state lines.
The move empowers the chamber’s sergeant-at-arms and state troopers to arrest the absent lawmakers and deliver them to the state capitol building in Austin.
They would not face any civil or criminal charges as a result of the warrant, the newspaper reports.
So basically it’s toothless posturing and only real consequences is that they get sent to the state capitol to go back to work.
Only immediate consequences. The gerrymandering they want to pass has the potential to screw the state and country depending on how the gerrymandering works and is perceived to work. I’m afraid this may make our voting numbers go down even more.
No telling what can happen if Republicans achieve their goal of solidifying a bigger majority in the US House. We’ve already seen that Texans are willing to keep Cruz in the senate, rather than spend 30 minutes voting.
CRUZ is the GOPsenates necessary evil to maintain a majority, so was mitch until he realized the magats were turning on him, he bounced.
Yeah, he has been great for the GOP power grab back from the Tea Party that shoved the Republicans so far to the right.
A large portion of the Texan population holds that their vote is worthless and won’t take 20-30 minutes to go vote. Beto O’Rourke was so close to beating Cruz and then last time Cruz was up for election of ~23 million in the voting age population, ~18 million were registered to vote, and ~11.3 million actually voted. There were some Trump voters that didn’t vote for Cruz, but we didn’t get enough Democrats out to vote and defeat Cruz.
It’s frustrating to see what all is at stake and still see people sit at home instead of waking up early one day to go vote when polls open at 7 AM.
all beto had to do, was not mention 2A related issues.
In 2018, there were 19.9 million in the Votaing Age Population, 15.8 million registered voters, and only 8.3 million voted in the Senate race.
People needed to get out and vote. To say gun control stopped democrats from voting Beto is insane. Beto lost by a mere 215,000 votes, that’s about 2/3 the population of a suburb in any of the metro areas. We need democrats to pay any amount of attention and engage voters here.
Francis couldn’t have won if his life depended on it. No one likes a fake person and he was as fake as they come.
Propaganda is one helluva drug!
until he realized
the magatsgravity was turning on him
Well, that serves their goal at the moment. That may change. After having so easily made this posturing move, next time, they will have this language available to them, with more severe and less legal consequences.
In my head, I keep going back to that fascist guy that Medhi Hasan got sat down with. These fuckers would pick up the ball and run with it in a soccer game, chuck the ball in the goal, keep their own score and time, then jog off the field pumping up the 10% of the crowd that’s on their side.
It’d be funny if they were just deluded, but they are setting it up so they can deport or arrest anyone that doesn’t cheer.
After the vote, the governor ordered state troopers “to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans”.
So which trooper is going to be brave enough to follow the governor’s orders and arrest him?
Has Rafael fled to Cancun yet?
as the zodiac killer, he also possess the ability to shapeshift, and travel at great speeds to a tropical environment.
Yes arrest them for not helping subvert democracy to keep an illegitimate fascist in power. “States rights”, party of “freedom”, my ass. Bunch of nazi clowns.
Seems like the governor told the troopers to arrest people like the governor.
“states rights” are just what people complain about when the federal government isn’t doing what they want.
My understanding - This term “states rights” is wrong. The People have rights. States have powers - which are limited by people’s rights.
That might be technically true, but I’m not sure there’s a legal difference.
The one who wants a promotion?
Only four states, TX, IN, TN, and OR, have rules like this that require 2/3rds of members be present for legislation to be passed. The republicans in Oregon have done it so often that the voters passed (with 70% of the vote) a law that states that any legislator with 10 or more unexcused absences from votes cannot run for office again.
Democrats in Texas have done this to stop redistricting that could result in a fascist take over of the country. Republicans in OR have done this six times since 2019. They did it to block legislation on gun safety, reproductive health, education funding, cap and trade, COVID-19 restrictions, and once on redistricting.
Both sides are the same though amirite
Does seem like a good idea that has been fully abused
Wow there’s no way the American people will stand for this.
lol j/k of course they will.
Meh, texas ain’t the first state to go through these motions. Oregon did similar but with the roles reversed a year or two ago. And they weren’t the first either.
Heck, Minnesota had something similar this year, and the Republicans still tied to pass multiple things without quorum. Dems got it all thrown out in court, though.
Is this an appropriate time to say that not even Abbott stands for it?
No, that would be making fun of a disability.
Arresting political dissidents lol
Looks like the us is at that point. But I can’t wait for the bunch of videos about how “this time trump is cooked/done/finished/over” or some other nonsense about how america is not actually at the place it clearly is.
I like it when basement dwellers say Democrats don’t do anything while they’re literally having arrest warrants issued for them because they’re trying to prevent fascists from seizing more power.
I also like how these basement dwellers are completely unaware of any of the bills Democrats have passed that have massively helped average Americans because their goal is to whine, not educate themselves.
Passing bills is not enough. You need to “bring a knife to a knife fight” and Dems themselves say they’ve been bringing pencils up till now.
I love this new more feisty Democratic Party but it’s a new thing.
Passing bills is not enough.
How about having an arrest warrant issued for you and having to go into hiding?
Also, a lot of those bills were big deals to those who were paying attention.
It’s really frustrating being someone who pays attention and watches as millions of people abandon the only party that is willing to do ANYTHING for Americans, in favor of felon rapist pedos who have never done a single thing for average Americans.
The Dems could be better, but we need people to stop whining like children and start actually paying attention.
I particularly like when trolls doi’t cite their sources.
The world does not care about your fucking parties anymore, they suck and have failed resulting in this (you know having legislators hunted and arrested). The Democrats have failed, the Republicans have failed, your stupid two party system has failed and your nation is in full on collapse.
Yet here you are talking about how “basement dwellers” don’t have a good enough opinion of Democrats, as if they have not been a willing partner in this clown show. As if there is any chance that ether (of the current two) parties will be able or willing to return to some sort of normal.
Please from the rest of the world, Shut up or put up. Fix your shit or collapse already.
Case in point ☝️
The world does not care about your fucking parties anymore
I don’t care about the fantasy world you’d like to live in. I care about reality. You may choose to ignore that reality in favor of whining like a child, but the adults have to address that reality and work within it.
The Democrats have failed
In my lifetime alone Democrats have passed significant legislation to help average Americans. Their failures do not erase their accomplishments. You are unaware of those accomplishments because your goal is to whine, not educate yourself. Our situation is ALWAYS more stable under Democratic leadership. ALWAYS.
As if there is any chance that ether (of the current two) parties will be able or willing to return to some sort of normal.
Was any of this chaos happening before January? All you do is whine. I look at the reality of the situation. The reality being that for the foreseeable future we will continue existing in a two party system. In that system we have one party that offers general stability, does not assault our rights, does not violate our Constitution, does not ignore due process, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc. So yes, I will absolutely chastise the basement dwellers such as yourself that attempt to dissuade people from participating in the reality of their two party system. People like you helped prevent a lot of people from showing up last November and now we have a situation incredibly more chaotic than we had before. We need to help people understand that voting for the CLEARLY better option is the best thing they can do while trapped in a two party system. Not staying home. Not voting for a 3rd party candidate with absolutely no chance of winning. The system can be changed, but not by allowing a fascist party to win because you’re upset with a two party system.
Please from the rest of the world, Shut up or put up. Fix your shit or collapse already.
Please, from an American, either help to promote the best possible outcome within the reality of our two party system or shut the fuck up.
Between Dems and Republicans, yeah Dems are much better for the people. But you make it sound like they couldn’t do so much better if they would stop sucking off the billionaires. They sell their souls for money just like the Republicans, but they at least have the decency to help the people when billionaires hoards aren’t involved. Democrats were way to complacent with what Republicans have been doing for years And doing very little to fight or stop them.
I don’t care about the fantasy world you’d like to live in. I care about reality. You may choose to ignore that reality in favor of whining like a child, but the adults have to address that reality and work within it.
You (like many americans) are the one clearly living in a fantasy world. I am very active in my community and politics, yet like many people know that your nation is done as any form of democracy.
… I will absolutely chastise the basement dwellers such as yourself that attempt to dissuade people from participating in the reality of their two party system.
Your team based bullshit has failed, pull your head out of your ass or live under a boot is what I am asking. I am asking (as much of the world is now) americans to step up (its not my country after all) but instead we get this tribalism.
Stop projecting an argument I am not making and do something be it vote, riot, protest, eat your local monopoly man, or run for local office.
You (like many americans) are the one clearly living in a fantasy world.
You’re a foreigner trying to tell Americans to not participate in their two party system, which would only cause additional chaos, and you’re accusing me of living in a fantasy world?
your nation is done as any form of democracy.
Yet again you show your ignorance when it comes to American politics. Yeah, our federal government is fucked right now. That doesn’t mean there won’t be federal elections going forward. And I still vote in local/state elections. That’s democracy. Our federal democracy is in jeopardy but you’re dramatizing the situation by saying American democracy is dead. Again, instead of being productive, you are simply attempting to instill fear by spreading misinformation, which only serves to make more people disenfranchised, which only helps fascists assume more control.
You seem to have no concept that in our country there are 50 states with their own governments and elections.
Your team based bullshit has failed
There will always be teams, dumbass, because there are multiple ideologies.
I am asking (as much of the world is now) americans to step up
Are you asking for a violent revolution? If so, get your ass up and get over here and put your life on the line. It’s real easy asking others to risk their lives while you sit on your fat ass. Because short of a revolution, the realistic course of action is going with the better of two options to ensure we don’t slide into fascism, then reforming that option by primarying the bad actors that aren’t willing to provide voters with what they want. If that was too complicated for you to understand, allow me to simplify. In a realistic, non-violent scenario, we need to elect Dems back into power to prevent a further slide into fascism, then we need to change the Democrat party by voting out the reps that aren’t listening to our demands. If you knew anything about American politics, which you don’t, you’d know that our political parties have been reformed via this method multiple times in our history. Conservative voters literally just did it to the Republican party over the last decade or two.
Stop projecting an argument I am not making and do something be it vote
WE’RE TRYING. Part of the problem is fools like you going online and shitting all over BOTH parties in a locked in two party system and saying American democracy is dead. You think that helps get people to the fucking polls? When some asshole from another country is telling them their situation is hopeless. You think that makes people motivated to fucking vote?
You’re a foreigner trying to tell Americans to not participate in their two party system…
Never said that, I am saying your nation is past the point of the dems saving you.
Our federal democracy is in jeopardy but you’re dramatizing the situation by saying American democracy is dead.
You have brownshirts kidnapping people in the streets, political based imprisonments, actual camps, tariffs on every other nation, and threats about annexing my nation and others like Greenland. You had a very limited democracy with a two party system (its not a real choice, if its evil vs the status quo) before, now? Come on, the us is now a global pariah state.
Are you asking for a violent revolution? If so, get your ass up and get over here and put your life on the line. It’s real easy asking others to risk their lives while you sit on your fat ass.
Sorry fix your shit, I will be up here preparing to fight the meal team 6s and gravy seals that are talking about invading my nation. Your great leader will likely try to make war at some point in the next few years and all we can hope is for the us armed forces to once again fail at occupation.
Part of the problem is fools like you going online and shitting all over BOTH parties…
Fuck your parties, fuck your failed state and expectation that the rest of the world will play along with it. Fuck your idea that anyone that does not sign up with your team is some basement dwelling troll. I never said anything about not engaging, nothing about things being hopeless, just that the two party system is over and the world hopes you can get your shit together.
I am saying your nation is past the point of the dems saving you.
So what’s your REALISTIC suggestion? Lots of crying from you, not a lot of suggestions.
Come on, the us is now a global pariah state.
Hey bud, WHAT’S YOUR SUGGESTION?
Sorry fix your shit
SUGGESTION?
Fuck your parties
SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!!!
I nailed you in your first comment. You are a whiny. little. bitch.
I provided a realistic suggestion for how to fix this mess without violent revolution, because that is the absolute last resort (and it isn’t going to happen). And all you’ve managed to do in response is whine like a little bitch.
You are not productive. You are not helpful. You have NO solutions. You are a waste of time and effort and only serve to add to the chaos.
If redistricting in a way that benefits your party is “fascist” then I have news for you. The Democrats do it WAAAAY more. For example, this is Illinois. Look at how it’s carved out to benefit Democrats. Or is it (D)ifferent when Democrats to it?
No, that is also wrong.
That is correct. Democrats Jerrymander every chance they get, then cry victim when it doesn’t work out for them. The only thing that would infuriate the Democrats more would be forcing every state to redistrict in a way that ignored racial and other groups and only focused on the number of people.
Then, they would lose MANY more seats because they would no longer be able to district in a way that takes the groups of people that vote against them and split districts up in a way that their vote won’t change anything. Oh, right, that’s just called Jerrymandering, a tautology.
Y’all are one Reichstag fire away from invading Poland
Hi from Canada, we’re likely Poland in Nazi Boogaloo 2.
All I’m saying is that Canada and Mexico are going to need to step up their border defense game, just in case
That’s gonna suck all around; America already does poorly with insurgencies, let’s see them fight one against their closest neighbour, who speak the same language, look the same, and follow most of the same culture.
I know that part of the Canada defence plan involves a bunch of people putting on american hats and some maps of critical us infrastructure.
Don’t think that we have the same culture, ours revolves around not being americans.
Already burned the White House down once, can burn it down again.
I would like a certain jet to be burned as well.
Also that started with some militia red necks thinking they could invade.
Don’t think that we have the same culture, ours revolves around not being americans
We consume much of the same culture, courtesy of Hollywood, which makes it easier for us to blend in
“How do you do fellow americans”
“Don’t worry about the anfo, by the way happen to know how well guarded the local power station is?”
It’s an interesting conundrum. They come in and say they’re from Canada, a good chunk of the US population would just say “I didn’t see nothing”
Is this the long con to get Mexico to pay for the wall?
Y’all-qaeda is going to have to get through us northerners first, and there are some of us who have been preparing . 🔫🫡
I for one am not going to let my country’s army take a meter of my extended family’s homeland as long as I’m above ground. Also good luck on suppressing and insurgency in Chicago before heading north.
I see a lot of talk but no walking.
Yes, because this is, by design, a text only platform. You would not be able to see the “walking” here.
Yea like excuse me? I had my ass beat in 2020, I’ve been protesting here in Chi, and my community has been fucking up ICE. Look what their head said about Chicago. He hates us. Because we don’t fuck with ICE the way New York just let them stroll right in.
Sit down, Americans aren’t as lazy as you think we are. We arrested our governor and we’ll bring that to the white house.
Is it you all or Greenland right now? I honestly can’t keep up anymore.
The irony of a Republican lawmaker trying to make this point is unbelievable…
Ugh, Ken Paxton. I didn’t think there could be a worse senator from Texas than Ted Cruz, but Paxton is sure gonna try.
Hopefully, Texas police realize they’re being given an unlawful order and arrest the dickweed who issued it.
LOL. Texas police don’t have brains.
More importantly, they don’t have jurisdiction.
How is the vote legitimate if there’s no quorum?
The rules specifically allow for either voting to adjourn and voting to arrest no attending members
Can you share those rules? Especially the part that says “voting to arrest no attending members”
The exercise was not to find the rules, it was to post them when making reference to them. It’s called “citing your sources”. The intent is to support your position was source material so that the discussion doesn’t need to be sidetracked. Surely even a foreigner like you could figure that out?
deleted by creator
My goal was clearly stated in my reply. Did you read it?
Didn’t this exact same thing happen some years ago? Dems went on the lam and were found in a hotel across the state line a few days later.
Edit: found it, 2021. https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/special-session/texas-democrats-leave-state-redistricting-quorum/269-6919f7c5-ec57-49a6-bc3a-ad7cf84aa683
Also in 2003. In fact, that time was due to the GOP doing the same redistricting shit they’re doing now!
Definitely shouldn’t look up OR and the six times Republicans have done this in the last few years.
Texas Democrats should tell Piss Baby Abbott that they all went to Cancun cause of their families. Worked for Rafael Cruz.
Who exactly has abandoned their duty to Texas? The people eroding democracy in Texas. Abbot you fuckhead!
Fleeing to another state, one that is HEAVILY gerrymandered to avoid a vote on redistricting because “They’re going to Gerrymander”! is peak irony and hypocrisy. They were also elected to represent their constituents, not abandon their duties and flee when things don’t go their party’s way. Not their constituents way, their PARTY’S way.
It’s pretty irrelevant where they go. As long as they prevent the erosion of democracy they are acting in the interest of their constituents.
“As long as they prevent the erosion of democracy…” you mean as long as they prevent the erosion of the Democratic Party’s ability to hold power. You seem to be entirely unconcerned about Democrat Jerrymandering.
Oh bug off with your tolerance of intolerance bullshit. If Republicans are going to rip up the rule book at every turn, then the Democrats must do the same. So much damage has already been done that it’s unlikely either party will survive in its current form.
It’s cute how you think Democrats “ripping up the rulebook” is because Republicans did it.
Remember that the Democrats exercised the nuclear option first, much to the cheering of their followers, who then got upset because Republicans turned around and did it too. Democrats were also the first to Gerrymander, but were known as the Democratic Republican Party at the time.
No, I mean it. Democracy is more important than mere policy goals. When Democrats atempt gerrymandering and the Republican minority in a state can prevent it they should also do so.
“Democracy” is Donkeyspeak for “Our ability to hold onto power” You can replace the word “Democracy” in anything they say with “our ability to hold onto power” and it works.
“Donald Trump is an existential threat to our ability to hold onto power!” “This bill is an attack on our ability to hold power!”
There’s also a REASON why Democrats will flee but not file a lawsuit to stop it. If a judge decides, “Jerrymandering and drawing congressional districts based on race is illegal!” the Democratic Party collapses because of how much they’ve Jerrymandered their own states to ensure that they maintain a single party system as much as possible.
Gregg Abbott is un-American because he refuses to stand for the national anthem. And I also hear he’s a little piss baby.
