no shit! yet when democrats scurried across the border in an effort to stop the gerrymandering, they were labeled as cowards and ninnies. sick sick sick.

Thats becuase they are. Instead of fighting for thier districts they ran like little bitches

but that's exactly how they DID "fight for their districts." They stayed within the constitutional rules of engagement and used a perfectly legitimate weapon to "fight for their districts." Republicans were just pissed off because they got outsmarted - albeit momentarily. If they'd stayed behind, they would have had zero chance whatsoever of winning that battle for their districts. Breaking quorum at least gave them a shot.

The Dems left b/c they knew that the GOP leadership has no scruples. When dealing with an enemy not bound by the rule of law (or decency for that matter) one must take drastic measures. The emergence of this "hidden" memo only proves that their backs were against the wall. The leadership manipulated the system, so the Dems fought back.

I just don't see how you can fight for you district by being out of state. I know...quorum. Its spinless in my opinion. So did get mad or I'll really give it too you hard.

Today the Washington Post published a damning expose on the behind the scenes maneuvering that took place in the Texas Congressional redistricting process in 2003.
The article sheds light on the outrageous disregard for the evidence and expert analysis presented by several important Justice Department Voting Rights Division staff members in a December 12th 2003 memo about the illegality of the Texas redistricting plan. The story talks about how the Justice Departments higher ups decided to overrule the staff determination and to bury the report for the past two years.
The article goes on to detail much of what we in Texas have known or suspected that Tom DeLay and his minions deliberately manipulated the congressional redistricting plan for purely partisan purposes at the expense of minority voting rights. The story notes, "The memo, unanimously endorsed by six lawyers and two analysts in the department's voting section, said the redistricting plan illegally diluted black and Hispanic voting power in two congressional districts. It also said the plan eliminated several other districts in which minorities had a substantial, though not necessarily decisive, influence in elections."
The Post story goes on to state "The memo also found that Republican lawmakers and state officials who helped craft the proposal were aware it posed a high risk of being ruled discriminatory compared with other options."
This action is a disgrace to our democracy and should bring shame and the wrath of the electorate down upon every Republican leader in Austin and Washington, who by action or inaction were complicit in this travesty.
For any American to simply stand by and say "it's just politics" or to say "well the other party did it too" is inexcusable. When the will of the people and the rights of a minority, or the process of democracy or the laws of this nation are disregarded and violated for political purposes, the entire integrity of our republic becomes endangered by the dictatorship of the few and powerful.
This story as well as many others about the dishonesty and corruption of many Republican leaders, officeholders and lobbyists as well as Republican Administration officials should be a wake up call to every American whether Republican, Independent Democrat or otherwise; that when one political party gains control of all three branches of our government, then the principles of our democracy - equality, justice, limited government, separation of powers and the checks and balances protected and provided by our Constitution will be violated by those more interested in personal power and in supporting the special interests that will keep them in power, instead of the interests of all Americans.
I am opposing a Republican Congressman, Lamar Smith of Texas 21st Congressional District, who fits the bill of one of those Republican leaders that is complicit in the dishonest and corrupt dealings of Tom DeLay and those of his ilk. Smith has contributed to Tom DeLay's defense fund. Smith has allowed himself to placed as a pawn on the House Ethics committee in place of a fair minded Republican member of the Ethics committee who had voted several times to admonish Tom DeLay. Smith continues to take money from the powerful lobbies and carries the water for Tom DeLay and his corrupt friends that want to deny Americans equality and justice through our service agencies and the court system. He's become a powerful Washington insider who lives and works and plays in Washington and Cape Cod (which is where he actually lives); and then hires media experts to spin tales about how what he does in Congress is good for the people of Texas, through their ghost articles in his name for area papers and in the tons of frank mail he sends out.
Let's hope the media in America continues to shed further light on the dishonesty and corruption that the Republican leadership is perpetrating upon the American people in their pursuit of greed and personal power.
In the meantime we need to raise the alert in every corner of the nation and focus people's attention to the inherent dangers facing our democracy. I and others running to change the direction of this nation need your support. Pass the word and step up to the plate and take a swing at what you can do to make a difference in 2006.
And remember at times like this Congress needs Courage!

John Courage

He's got my vote.

Lamar Smith is horrible. Good luck Mr. Courage.

wonk - you promise??? lol
logically, theoretically, you have an excellent point. but in this case, for the sake of argument, i don't see how they could have fought for their districts by staying IN the state.

if they'd stayed, they would have been railroaded instantly, that very Monday, and maybe even called out by their constituents for not being creative enough in their efforts to stave off the beast.

but by leaving, they put off defeat by like, three whole months. "Victory is mine!"

I guess you take what you can get.

Typical wonk post: name calling, no discernable point, poor grammar and unintelligible sentences.

Everyone else on this thread: strong argument backed up by facts, complete sentences, basic grasp of high school English.

Well you certainly are a snotty little shit. I'm sure your just a little bitch maid intern.

LOL wow - and i thought things were going so well.

this is actually a very well-tread argument, so i don't blame wonk for being brief. please do me a favor, staffer, and don't try to shut down the debate. personally, i like a feisty argument. it's much more fun than a bunch of people agreeing with each other all the time. *yawn*

Sorry drinks, I was just looking for something a little stronger to go off than "bitches" and "spineless."

And wonk, I'll have you know my pay here is above the poverty level (barely).

you mean "spineless bitches" didn't help wake you up this sleepy afternoon? LOL

got my juices going, i'll tell you that.
(that was for you, wonk)

actually, i'm more annoyed at john cougar for hijacking this thread with a campaign mailer. much luck to him and all that, but good lord - pay for your own direct-mail campaigns please.

I know how it is man.....it sucks

John Courage sounds like a porn name.

well, he's a porn star with a post that's longer than his Money Maker.

We'll send the Courage campaign directions on how to advertise on PinkDome. The rates are quite reasonable!! But, good to know he's reading. (John, sometimes we use cuss words on here.)

GODDAM! i just checked in on whats goin on on the Pinkdome and you guys ar e going fuckin OFF! what r we talkin about here, some sort of politics right? let me know -BOSSMAN .

http://unusual.anzwers.net/mypics/idhekcel/fat_euro_sluts.html complimentwhosewondered

Basically nothing noteworthy happening right now, but eh. Today was a complete loss. I haven't been up to much recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.

I haven't been up to anything today. I can't be bothered with anything recently. Nothing seems worth thinking about. I haven't gotten anything done recently, but oh well. Not much noteworthy going on worth mentioning.

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retty much nothing seems worth thinking about. My life's been completely dull , not that it matters. I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen.

I haven't been up to much lately. I've basically been doing nothing , but it's not important. I can't be bothered with anything recently. I've just been letting everything happen without me lately.

I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. I guess it doesn't bother me. Shrug. I haven't been up to anything. I haven't gotten much done today.

I just don't have anything to say right now. I haven't been up to anything recently, but it's not important. I've just been sitting around waiting for something to happen, but shrug.

My mind is like a bunch of nothing, but I guess it doesn't bother me. I haven't been up to anything recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing to speak of.

I just don't have anything to say , but shrug. So it goes. Not much on my mind recently. I can't be bothered with anything recently.

Basically nothing noteworthy happening right now, but eh. Today was a complete loss. I haven't been up to much recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.

I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.

My mind is like a bunch of nothing, but I guess it doesn't bother me. I haven't been up to anything recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing to speak of.

I haven't been up to much these days. Today was a loss. Nothing seems important. I've just been letting everything happen without me these days.

I haven't gotten anything done today. I feel like a fog, but what can I say? I've just been letting everything wash over me lately, not that it matters. Shrug.

Not much on my mind these days, but what can I say? It's not important. I just don't have much to say lately. I've just been letting everything pass me by recently, but eh.

I can't be bothered with anything these days, but such is life. I don't care. So it goes. More or less nothing seems worth thinking about. I've just been hanging out waiting for something to happen, but that's how it is.

I haven't been up to much lately. I've basically been doing nothing , but it's not important. I can't be bothered with anything recently. I've just been letting everything happen without me lately.

I haven't been up to much lately. I've basically been doing nothing , but it's not important. I can't be bothered with anything recently. I've just been letting everything happen without me lately.