The San Antonio judges had ordered all parties involved in the state’s redistricting dispute to court yesterday to discuss splitting the primaries onto different dates and whether the state could repay counties for the cost of holding multiple primaries. The session was the latest round of a six-month redistricting fight that has already reached the U.S. Supreme Court
By Laurel Brubaker CalkinsRead the complete story
Bloomberg Businessweek (Jan. 28, 2011) – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s office was urged by a panel of judges to keep trying to broker a compromise with Latino activists that would let the court create interim election maps and allow Texas to conduct primary elections without further delays.
The only chance Texas has to salvage its current April 3 primary date, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia said at a hearing yesterday in San Antonio is for “all the parties to get together in a room and resolve this. Short of that, it is not likely we are going to have an April primary.”
Texas Deputy Attorney General David Mattax told Garcia, “I’m going to work as hard as I can to settle whatever I can.”
Garcia asked the parties to submit their proposed compromises to the court by Feb. 6 for its use in creating interim maps. The deals won’t be binding on the court or constitute formal settlements of claims that the Republican- controlled legislature’s redistricting plan discriminates against Latino voters.
Mattax said he’s opened negotiations with all the principal voting-rights groups opposed to the state’s maps to discuss temporary solutions for the “handful” of U.S. congressional and state legislative districts he said are truly disputed as potentially discriminatory.
22 comments:
The right wing Republicans in the Texas State legislature - as well as the legislators in other minority-hating states - are clearly using redistricting as another way to "wire the vote" for their own long-term political power grabs.
However, since the Democrats try to politicize redistricting too when they are in power, the Latino activists should "just say NO" to any and all compromise with the state boys until they get way.
I don't know why any Latino or Latina would want to work with Republicans - since the right wingers make jokes about their "wetback" status behind their back while at the same time trying to court them for phpny 'diversity" votes.
But just like Republican women who would give up their individual self-respect and their family planning freedom by allowing themselves to be controlled, manipulated and abused by their own hypocritical big government right wing social programs, Latinos and Latinas must make a choice if they want to retain their ethnic integrity and not be co-opted for the lesser values of power and dirty money.
@ Emancipator,
Quit your whine. There aren't exactly a lot of "Latinos" or "Latinas" in Wimberley, yet you accuse everyone else of being "minority-hating".
To Anon above:
Could it be you've just proved Emancipator's point? Maybe there aren't many Latinos in Wimberley BECAUSE there is minority-hating?
The Texas Legislature has a long history of redrawing districts to accommodate the party then in power. This is nothing new. What is new is the mud throwing use of the term 'hate' as a way to intimidate.
With new representatives, it is no longer a matter of republican or democrat, now such issues as ethnic balance and representation are what is considered. If we had legislators that actually represented the constituents of their district, which is their job rather than being party hacks this would all be a moot point.
"Chuckles said...
To Anon above:
Could it be you've just proved Emancipator's point? Maybe there aren't many Latinos in Wimberley BECAUSE there is minority-hating?"
There are plenty of so-called Latinos in Wimberley but they can't vote because they are here against the law, therefore criminals. You have to be US citizen and not a criminal to vote in most jurisdictions. They also do not deserve to be represented in the Legislature or congress. Oh yes, I know they would make good democrats but ... that's just tough! Give BHO another term and your dog or you heat seeking gerbil will be able to vote.
BHO will win another term in the White House and you will continue to be able to spew your disguised racist rant here in the Roundup for awhile longer.
I think the redistricting effort and the Voter ID bill by the Texas Republicans will help filter out the minority voters who would vote for Obama and other socialist Democrats. This is good for our party.
It would also filter out moderate conservative senior voters who might be inclined to vote for a presidential candidate who hasn't beend saved by Jesus for cheating on his many wives - or a Republican candidate who is a Mormon and not a Christian.
The commies on the left like to call it voter suppression but I think it is just good for America to vote into political office good Christian European Americans who moved to the south in the early days and stand for the old order of the Confederacy.
I read that the modern KKK has endorsed Gingrich, but I would have preferred they endorse Santorum because he is just like Gingrich but also wants to keep homosexuals out of the job market and politics. But I will take Gingrich as a second choice.
God Bless some of America, and someday some will be most and then all of America.
I will place my trust and confidence in the judges who are presiding over this case. Under the US Constitution they are the Third Branch of our government. The Check and Balance. They know the law. They are not the politicians.
The Pedernales Electric Cooperative will be electing 3 directors this spring. For Districts 1,6,and 7. You can go to www.pec.coop and search for "maps of districts" to see which district you live in.
Districts 6 and 7 serve parts of Hays County.
District 6 is made up of the City of Woodcreek, Wimberley Springs, Woodcreek North, and parts of Wimberley and San Marcos. So far,
announced candidates for the District 6 place are Linda Kaye Rogers and Larry Landaker.
District 7 is composed of NE Hays County and parts of Wimberley (east of RR 12) and parts of San Marcos. Patrick Cox is running for District 7 director.
Ballots will be sent out closer to the time of the July annual PEC meeting -- to be held this year in the Hays Performing Arts Theater.
Which judges? The three that have been given a second chance or the nine who told them they screwed it up the first time?
Wimberley was originally settled by freed slaves who made charcoal from local trees and carted their product to Austin and San Antonio using oxen teams.
Where DID all those black people go?
Wimberley is well-known by minority citizens as some place they are not welcome, though the term "minority" will not work for much longer in Texas. Whites in Texas will be a minority in just a few years, but I suspect Wimberley will still be a lily-white community.
In the 70's, I was part of a group that tried to camp at Little Arkansas, but we were turned away because one of us was black. The woman made this quite clear.
No person of Hispanic or black heritage would want to settle in Wimberley. Wimberley is not welcoming to non-whites and this is no accident. This is a covert social policy.
Gee that's odd! I have a lot of Hispanic and black friends here in Wimberley. I have not seen, nor have they, this unwelcoming element here.
Maybe you need different friends!
Wimberley is a friendly town for all ethnic groups. To call Wimberleyites racist is not right.
But I do hear a fair share of closet xenophobic comments towards Mexican workers - I would guess so they can blame and scapegoat someone or some group for the economic mess the citizens themselves created.
If anything, Wimberley is more more homophobic than racist. I sadly saw this during the elections for the Hays County water board elections.
Regarding other civil rights issues, anyone who supports Jason Isaac and his repressive big government social conservatism is intrinsically disrespectful of women and a woman's ability to choose what is right for their own individual moral conscience and their families.
The only recent incident I can remember that may have been construed as stereotypically "racial" here in Wimberley is when I watched a local sheriff stop and search a black man who was walking through town.
The sheriffs had two cars at the scene. They had him stand around while they apparently ran a computer check on his background.
I assume they found something because they had the man get in the car.
My only question to myself that day was would they have stopped and checked the record of a white man who was simply walking through town?
The most truly racist thing I have seen recently is the ugly birther mindset against Obama. And that is a national racism issue - not just limited to Wimberley, Texas, or the old Confederacy.
LOTS of black and brown people in Wimberley?
I think not.
Yes, surely, there are some, but look around any weekday (weekends bring in more diversity from urban areas) and the palette is pretty pale.
I find it refreshing to see people with some pigment in Wimberley. Perhaps I do need some new friends!
@ not suprised
I invite you to attend Mass at 12N any Sunday at St Mary's Catholic Church for our Spanish Mass. You can see for yourself our large, vibrant Hispanic community. Which is led by our new pastor, Fr. Hilario Guajardo. We are not the only Hispanic community in this area. Come to Mass and we will be glad to inform you about the cross cultural activies in our community.
If you look at population charts for Hays County, you will see that Wimberley, by percentage of its population, is THE whitest community in all of Hays County. the Kyle and Uhland areas are the most Hispanic.
Does Mr. Boschert understand that where you were born does not determine the color of your skin?
Hey, Maria. Nice try to get me to your church. And I do know the Catholic Church does good things when they allow the workers to hang outside in the parking lot trying to get work.
But I probably won't be attending your church.
As George Carlin once said:
"I used to be Catholic; until I reached the age of reason."
Yes I do. And since Obama was born in Hawaii, why is he not a citizen?
John McCain was born in Panama. Why no birther nonsense with him.
It's racism, un-pure and simple.
@ pax man
I will pray for you. Pax be unto you and yours!
Thanks, Maria. Pax to you as well.
Looks like the primaries will be held in MAY.
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