Shucks, I guess I can't expect to get an autograph from Rafeal Palmeiro now that Governor Perry won't be sending the Texas Rangers up to Ardmore to bring back those 50 renegades.

What I want to know is: will they arrest them when they come back to Texas? I certainly hope so! I wonder if we can sue them for something?!?!

I wasn't aware that Ardmore was a vacation spot until now. But since the redistricting will directly effect me, in a negative way (IMO) I'd be happy to donate for the room bill even though I don't see myself as a Democrat.

I've been corrected . . . it's those other Texas Rangers the guv was going to send! Ardmore? No rational reason we can think of whatsoever for that destination. I'd have thought New Orleans.

Is there any way that us here in Texas could talk ya'll into keeping them up there? I know the price would be high, but probably well worth the expense. They should keep the tornados out of Ardmore for awhile, with them there it is already full of hot air.
I hope the tornados are through for the season. Everyone up in OK has really taken a hit this year. Prayers are in order for everyone affected. We had one here afew years ago that did alot of damage.

New Orleans would have been too tough for them to find. As I understand it they just drove North on 35 until they saw the sign "Welcome to Oklahoma". I hear there is a petition to establish a roadblock to not allow them to repatriate.

The Republicans' request seems fair to me: Redistrict every ten years and also whenever the makeup of the House changes.

Let's see, based on past history that means we will redistrict every ten years for 130 years, and then wait one year and redistrict again, then redistrict once every ten years for 130 years, and then wait one year....

You get the picture.

Seriously, many of my neighbors, customers and co-workers would work in one district and live in another. Neither of those districts would likely have a representative from our town or local area. In the pecking order of things, we would be the little fish when it came to needs because they would represent more people in the major areas they are from. Many of us here feel this would be a huge disadvantage and because of potential military base closing, funding for schools serving military dependents, etc, this could have a severe and negative impact on our economy. That means taxes, jobs, property values, etc.

It isn't a small realignment.

I agree that the issue is a serious one - but the simple truth is that this isn't the way to handle it! They've brought the entire legislature to a screeching halt, and made sure that worthy bills can't be presented. That's just wrong! Redistricting happens in all states all the time. There's gotta be a better way to get their point across!

Before you scream that it is unfair, you should look at the way the state has been cut up in the past. Remember studying Gerrymandering in school. Well, if the Ft. Worth districts don't look Gerrymandered, I don't know what does. Republican or Democrat, makes no difference, the map is going to be cut up for special interests and to elect more of a particular party or race. This map, though I have yet to see it, seems to be just like all the others.

Check the Texas Republican Party web site for Missing Democrat playing cards--like the Iraqi cards. Their spokesperson--Dunnam is the Joker. Also, the Republicans have been playing ads on the radio asking anyone who has information on the whereabouts of Patrick Rose to call DPS.

What . . . no link?

Sure...why not... Texas Democrat Playing Cards . The Dems for their part have a Killer D's t-shirt you can order, but I don't know how to link to it.

I hear you got your renegades back from Oklahoma. Did they get bored in Ardmore, were they thrown out or what?

I am not so mad that they left as I am that they returned!! They got my hopes up only to have them dashed last Friday. What happened??? Did the Ardmore Denny's run out of coffee?!

Renegade Rep Mark Homer will be the speaker out our June Northeast Texas Bankers Association meeting that I will be presiding over. Talk about a tough crowd!!!!!! I have been working on his introduction for days! Any suggestions?

How about "Before I introduce our guest speaker, I would like some assistance from those of you near the exit doors . . ."

How about: "Rep. Homer, having spent some time at a La Quinta recently, is it true that La Quinta is Spanish for 'next to Denny's'?"

SusyG,

When is the meeting? Let us know how it goes.

The meeting is June 19 at 7:00 p.m.