Texas loses almost all its congressional influence over DeLay

Thorgrim · 11-22-2006, 04:03 PM

Not a single Lone Star lawmaker will hold a top-ranked job, a far cry from the days when Fort Worth's Jim Wright was speaker, or the more recent years when Republicans Dick Armey and Tom DeLay served back-to-back terms setting the agenda as majority leader.

"It's a low point," said former Dallas congressman John Bryant, a Democrat. "It's not like it was, there's no question about that."

Without exception, Democrats blame the redistricting Mr. DeLay engineered. Three veterans who lost their seats would have chaired major committees in the Pelosi House [...]

Democrats grumble that the GOP-led remap of Texas congressional boundaries cost the state at least three chairmanships. Martin Frost of Dallas would be taking over the powerful Rules Committee, which controls how bills are amended and debated. West Texan Charlie Stenholm would be the new agriculture chairman, just in time to write the next farm bill. And East Texan Jim Turner would be preparing to run the Homeland Security Committee.

"New York, Minnesota and Mississippi should send us a giant thank-you card," said Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, referring to the states the incoming chairmen of Rules, Agriculture and Homeland Security committees call home. "Tom DeLay and Rick Perry's redistricting efforts gutted Texas. ... I hope that's a lesson that no one, neither party, should ever put pure partisan interest above the interest of Texas." [...]

The Democrats' takeover will cost Texas Republicans three chairmanships.

Rep. Joe Barton of Ennis is losing the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee to Michigan Rep. John Dingell. Two other Texans would have chaired the Judiciary and Science committees, Reps. Lamar Smith of San Antonio and Ralph Hall of Rockwall. So Texas' voices won't be quite as prominent on immigration and NASA.

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Washington/Politics

This is why Texans should hate the Republican Party, or at least Tom DeLay

Texas is a huge state, that they are going to get so screwed over representation should be very aggrivating

How do you Texans feel?

6SpeedTA95 · 11-22-2006, 05:25 PM

Gerry Mandering has long been a political game. Republicans and Democrats both do it. I am honestly not sure if there's a solution especially since house seats are redivided a couple times each decade.

Is there a solution for this type of crap?

SpicyMcVoodoo · 11-22-2006, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

How do you Texans feel?

Meh, didn't the supreme court already condone the redistricting? what are you gonna do...

Thorgrim · 11-22-2006, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

Gerry Mandering has long been a political game. Republicans and Democrats both do it. I am honestly not sure if there's a solution especially since house seats are redivided a couple times each decade.

Is there a solution for this type of crap?

Look at the two "deep blue" states...New York and California

They both have powerful Republican moderates

The one big state the GOP had solid was Texas, and they screwed over all the moderates in the redistricting, so now it looks like when then pork cuts come in, Texas is going to be the first one to be starved of federal funds because no one is going to speak for them...and thats a huge state

6SpeedTA95 · 11-22-2006, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Look at the two "deep blue" states...New York and California

They both have powerful Republican moderates

The one big state the GOP had solid was Texas, and they screwed over all the moderates in the redistricting, so now it looks like when then pork cuts come in, Texas is going to be the first one to be starved of federal funds because no one is going to speak for them...and thats a huge state

Well maybe that'll be a lesson? Do you see any effective way of avoiding this crap in the future with regards to redistricting?

RMNIXON · 11-22-2006, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

Gerry Mandering has long been a political game. Republicans and Democrats both do it. I am honestly not sure if there's a solution especially since house seats are redivided a couple times each decade.

Is there a solution for this type of crap?

California didn't have a single competitive race in 2006. It is embarrassing! The Governor wants the reform and the top legislative leaders (Democrats) claim they want it also. But they continue to do nothing!

Voters need to get angry, but the majority strait party voters just don't!

Thorgrim · 11-23-2006, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by RMNIXON

California didn't have a single competitive race in 2006. It is embarrassing! The Governor wants the reform and the top legislative leaders (Democrats) claim they want it also. But they continue to do nothing!

Voters need to get angry, but the majority strait party voters just don't!

uhm...Pombo got tossed out, and it wasn't a landslide...Doolittle came close too