In this “Twilight Zone” week of the Texas Legislature,Texas Republicans tried to pass tax breaks for yacht owners and Leo Berman is still questioning the President’s birth certificate. Click the video below and marvel in his ability to deduce the age of paper he has only seen either on TV or on the “infallible YouTube’s”.
The Senate version of the state budget does not currently have the necessary votes to bring it up for debate on the Senate floor.
Republican Senator Wentworth, after failing to get enough votes to bring up for debate his guns on campus bill, Senate Bill 354, is attempting to attach the language to other bills as an amendment
Redistricting Statement and Link to View Proposed Map
By: Anthony—April 28th, 2011
Below is a statement from Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie on the passage of the State House redistricting map bill, HB 150:
The House redistricting plan is neither fair nor legal because it denies representation for Latinos, African Americans and Asian Americans who were responsible for 89% of Texas population growth in the past decade. This blatantly partisan Republican map actually reduced the number of districts that provide minority voters the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice while shredding communities for partisan gain.
The same Republican majority that insists on a state budget that will cut educational opportunity, force seniors from nursing homes and eliminate over 300,000 Texas jobs drew districts that would deny voters the opportunity to elect representatives who will stand up for our priorities. Texas Democrats and our Democratic elected officials will demand a fair and legal map that provides representation for all Texans, and we will take whatever actions necessary to ensure that any redistricting plan ultimately enacted complies with the Voting Rights Act.
From the “Select Plans” dropdown menu – select “Base Plans”.
For the “plan type” dropdown menu select “House” then under “Category” dropdown select “Considered by Entire House”.
Finally, the plan that was voted upon on the floor of the House is “PlanH276”.
TDP STATEMENT ON HB 150 PASSAGE
April 28th, 2011
Below is a statement from Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie on the passage of the State House redistricting map bill, HB 150:
“The House redistricting plan is neither fair nor legal because it denies representation for Latinos, African Americans and Asian Americans who were responsible for 89% of Texas population growth in the past decade. This blatantly partisan Republican map actually reduced the number of districts that provide minority voters the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice while shredding communities for partisan gain.
“The same Republican majority that insists on a state budget that will cut educational opportunity, force seniors from nursing homes and eliminate over 300,000 Texas jobs drew districts that would deny voters the opportunity to elect representatives who will stand up for our priorities. Texas Democrats and our Democratic elected officials will demand a fair and legal map that provides representation for all Texans, and we will take whatever actions necessary to ensure that any redistricting plan ultimately enacted complies with the Voting Rights Act.”
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Republican State Rep David Simpson’s To-Do List for Today
By: Anthony—April 21st, 2011
House Bill 17, Debbie Riddle’s Arizona-style immigration bill was heard in the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee and left pending.
House Bill 301, Leo Berman’s bill which would establish English as the official language of Texas was heard in House State Affairs Committee and left pending.
House Bill 1202, Debbie Riddle’s “Laundry Loophole” bill was heard in House State Affairs Committee and left pending.
House Bill 2050, Aaron Pena’s bill that would allow poll watchers to take video recording devices into polling sites was reported out of the House Elections Committee.
The Texas Democratic Party registered our position on the following bills in the past two weeks: In support:
House Bill 2752 Martinez Fischer
Relating to the removal of a political party’s county chair.
In Opposition:
House Bill 301 Berman
Relating to the establishment of English as the official language of Texas and the requirement that official acts of government be performed in English.
House Bill 1202 Riddle
Relating to the creation of the offense of employing or contracting with an unauthorized alien.
HB 2588 Pena
Relating to observation of voter assistance by a poll watcher.
HB 2587 Pena
Relating to limiting the amount of assistance a person may provide a voter; providing a criminal penalty.
Action Items from past two weeks. Below are the pieces of legislation which we sent SDEC members an activist email on which they could use to pass along to their constituents:
House Bill 295 (in the form of House Bill 529) – this is Leo Berman’s “birther” bill.
House Bill 301 – Leo Berman’s bill that would seek to make English the official language of Texas.
House Bill 1202 – Debbie Riddle’s “laundry loophole” bill.
And here’s a video you might enjoy… dedicated to a certain Party-switching former Democratic state representative.
Psychoanalyze Your District
By: Kirsten—April 20th, 2011
Is this redistricting process making you feel crazy? Well, that’s just perfect, because Texas Democratic consultant and blogger extraordinaire Harold Cook has a post especially for you:
There is a logical explanation for strangely-shaped districts. Those moving maps forward are simply concerned for our mental health. Thus, they have created this legislative rorschach test, so that it can be ascertained the extent to which we are, in fact, nuts.
It is in that spirit that we here at Letters From Texas Worldwide Headquarters present this House District Rorschach Test, in which you, the crap-reading public, are encouraged to add to the comments section the first thing that comes to mind when looking at these inkblots, which are actual proposed state House districts.
TDP STATEMENT ON REDISTRICTING VOTE
April 19th, 2011
Below is a statement from Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie on today’s House Committee on Redistricting vote in favor of HB 150, the Republican redistricting map:
“This Republican redistricting map reveals the Texas GOP’s determination to maintain power for another decade by denying representation to the Texans responsible for our state’s rapid population growth. The HB 150 plan creates no new minority opportunity districts, despite the fact that minority populations drove 89% of Texas growth since 2000, and it splits established communities apart for partisan interests.
“With this plan, House Republicans are attempting to freeze the current partisan imbalance because they know a fair map that reflects current demographics will not allow them to maintain their grip on power. Their determination to draw districts that represent the past threatens to deny us the ability to elect representatives who will secure a quality education for our children, dignity for our elders, and security for our families.”
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Dear Aaron Pena,
April 19th, 2011
For your viewing pleasure while we await the proposed state house district map which is expected to be voted out of the House Redistricting Committee later today…
Go to GOPpricetag.com/contribute/ if you’d like to make a contribution to the efforts of the Texas Democratic Party.
On GOPpricetag.com you can also view some of the many terrible local effects of the Texas budget cuts that Republicans like Aaron Pena are advocating.
Priorities
April 15th, 2011
When it comes to the state budget, Republican politics are running roughshod over Texans’ priorities. Watch our new video and get the Democratic take on what’s most important.
82nd Session Week in Review 4.11.11
By: Anthony—April 15th, 2011
This week in the Texas Legislature:
Wednesday evening, the House Committee on Redistricting released its first version of the State House map.
Senate Bill 354, the guns on campus bill, appears to have been stopped in the Senate with Senator Wentworth a vote short of the 21 needed to bring it up for floor debate.
Wednesday, the House Committee on State Affairs heard two anti-American, immigrant-bashing Republican bills:
House Bill 301 by Leo Berman would make English the official language of Texas, require all state business be conducted in English and prevent any state documents from being printed in a language other than English.
House Bill 1202 by Debbie Riddle would impose sanctions on people or businesses that employ illegal immigrants. And that’s actually mentioned in the Democratic Party platform as part of a call for comprehensive immigration reform. However, Riddle’s bill includes a “laundry loophole” for hired domestic help. That’s not immigration reform; it’s an attempt to legalize indentured servitude.
Actions You Can Take Next Week.Here is a particularly bad bill up for a hearing on Monday.
HB 638 – This bill by Republican Dan Branch seeks to eliminate straight-party voting. The argument proponents use for this is that people should not just walk in, hit Democrat or Republican and go home without making thoughtful choices about each race. The obvious point they miss is that there are very distinct differences in how Democrats and Republicans govern and a choice to vote for all candidates from one party is 100% just as valid and thoughtful as going down the ballot and voting race by race. And in the cases of counties like Harris and Dallas, it saves huge amounts of time considering how many races there are on general election ballots.
It also is incredibly popular. In fact, 2010 had more straight-party votes cast as a percentage of total turnout than any election in the past decade. As reported in the Houston Chronicle, “Straight ticket voting accounted for 58 percent of the ballots cast in 40 major counties that account for 80 percent of the overall vote.”
Let’s make sure we let the Republican members of the House Elections Committee know that we want to keep our option to cast a straight-ticket vote.
These are the Republican members of the House Elections Committee:
