As the anti-TSA-groping bill was debated on the Senate floor today, Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) learned he no longer had the 21 votes necessary to pass the bill.Janet Napolitano rolled the Texas Senate Republicans. There's no way that she'd follow through with her threat - basically to shut down Dallas/Ft. Worth airport and paralyze air travel during a fragile recovery during the run up to an election. Not even Janet Napolitano is that dumb.
He thought he had 30.
The reason for the drop in support, Patrick said, was Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's intervention -- "peeling off the votes," he called it. However, a spokesman for Dewhurst denied that was the case.
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Capitol reporters are tweeting that Patrick says HB 1937 is dead, and the Lt. Gov. has no intention of picking it back up.
So who got bought off, and what was their price? Man, the Republicans sure aren't making it easy to vote for them. Coke party, Pepsi party.
Having been in TX long enough this doesn't surprise me. However it ticks me off to no end.
ReplyDeleteI would more equate them to Steers tough.
The Republicans and Democrats have no intention of changing the status quo. To do that might cause them to lose power, because right now they have a pretty sweet deal.
ReplyDeleteBorepatch,
ReplyDeleteI had a bit more to add so I put up a post at my place. I hope you don't mind.
Texas Senate Looks Like a Herd of Steers
David Dewhurst is a slime bucket.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how he keeps getting re-elected time and time again.
Re: Divemedic's statement - a lot of those Texas Republicans used to be Texas Democrats, some of the districts flipped parties because their demographics changed, so the incumbents had to change their voting strategy and stripes.
ReplyDeleteWe could have led the nation in a revolt against the unconstitutional tactics employed by the TSA. We could have set a precedent for others to follow.
ReplyDeleteBut instead we flinched.
This will not be forgotten by me come Election Day