Molly Ivins - Follow carefully; this is complicated

[Cassandra]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/columnists/molly_ivins/6443268.htm

"Oh great, now we have a bunch of Texas Democrats hiding out in Albuquerque (which is very difficult to spell), and I'm still in Austin holding the bag, trying to explain what this particular spate of lunacy in our state is all about. Spare me, Lord.
<snip>
Then Goodhair called them all back for a special session on one item -- redistricting. This time, public hearings were held, and at every one of them citizens showed up to protest vociferously -- the Texas Rangers had to be called in at the McAllen hearing.

The obligatory committee meetings became ever more surreal.

Meetings would be called for 2 p.m. in one location and then start at 7 p.m. in another. People started to call it "hide and seek government."

Citizens stayed to testify until 2 a.m. and were treated contemptuously by the presiding Republicans. Then Senate Democrats, plus the widely respected Republican Sen. Bill Ratliff, stopped the bill under the Senate rule that requires a two-thirds vote to bring up new business. Stalemate. End of first special session."

Wild stuff down in Texas!

[DagmarK]

1. Wow, I'd like to see that map a district from austin to the Mex border?

"It was a beaut. Divided Austin into four districts, one of which ran down to the Mexican border."

If I recall......the mexican border is no less than a 6 hour drive from Austin! Could be farther!

I don't know what I would do if as campaign door-to-door campaigner I had to WALK, drive, and take camels over 300 miles in order to reach everyone in my congressional district!

ABSURD!

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

9. Very Narrow...

I read that in some cases, the district is only a couple of city blocks wide.

[Ilsa]

2. Perrymandering!

I love it! "Hide and Seek Government" is right. Gov. Goodhair.

Thanks for the link.

[Dudley_DUright]

3. Thanks for posting

All during the mess in Texas I kept wondering what Molly would have to say about it.

[Ardee]

4. Eleven heroic legislators

In my opinion the Texas eleven are heros! The GOP must be a little bit self conscious over the publicity surrounding this exposure of a violation of Texas law. In the interest of fairness one must understand the fact that any party in power tries this redistricting stuff to remain in power but usually it is done in adherence to the law, not this time!

[DemoTex]

5. Reminds me of the Dallas Independent School District board meetings ...

Meetings would be called for 2 p.m. in one location and then start at 7 p.m. in another. People started to call it "hide and seek government." Molly Ivins

A few years ago the DISD school board meetings were changed from 7 pm to 3 pm. The reason given: Maybe more people would show up sober. Only in Texas. No, maybe in Florida too.

[Aristus]

7. Gotta question for you, Mac:

How much like Ngo Dinh Diem's government does the Texas State Government look right now? Is it as farcical and corrupt?

[DemoTex]

10. As farcical as the Diem regime, probably.

As corrupt, IMHO, if you factor in corporate (especially Big Oil) and the fundamentalist Christian influence. But not as corrupt as it was when Bu$h/Rove were in Austin.

As you know, Ngo Dinh Diem was assassinated by the US CIA and his governmant overthrown on November 1, 1963. Three weeks later JFK was assassinated in Dallas. Many think the CIA also had a hand in the assassination of JFK.

[Catshrink]

6. Molly Ivins doesn't mince her words, does she?

She is totally awesome.

Someone posted her skewering of Camille Paglia on another thread. Wow!!

No one does it better.

[0007]

8. Camille Paglia was on c-span yesterday

saying that Molly didn't read her book entirely, and was knocking Mollly for writing the truth.

This women is a half baked fruit cake.

[grytpype]

11. Got a link for that?