Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his majority party state House Republicans ran into a little trouble trying to force passage of draconian Jim Crow reboot voter suppression bills in the regular session, when House Democrats refused to participate and walked out on the last day at the 11th hour.
Abbott et al. consider the growing power of the Black and Hispanic vote to be such a threat that the governor recently called for an “emergency” session to be convened and ramrod this shameful legislation through, despite protestations by the minority House Democrats.
What did Democrats do, short of being sequestered and helplessly watch House Bill 3 pass? Monday evening, July 12, they jumped on chartered planes and literally flew the coop for Washington, D.C., leaving Texas House Republicans without a quorum and thus unable to move the bill forward.
Abbott and the latter are livid, but are powerless to pass legislation — or arrest House Democrats, which the governor has threatened. House rules allow the speaker (a Republican, surprise) to — once they’ve returned to Texas and House chambers — “lock the chamber doors to prevent members from leaving the chamber,” according to the Texas Tribune. Jeez, that’s harsh.
“They will be corralled and cabined in the Capitol,” Abbott said, until the business is done.
I can only envision lassos and a knockoff Uncle Tom’s cabin, replete with slave masters with whips. Meanwhile, the abscondees are busy lobbying congressmen and congresswomen to pass federal laws trumping these GOP stunts elsewhere throughout the red states.
Jon St. Laurent, North Bridgton
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