Society Magazine

Government by Filibuster

Posted on the 27 June 2013 by Morage @kebmebms

Good news and then bad this week, out of Texas, on women's rights and abortion law.
First there was the good news:
Texas Legislators Called Back For Special Session On Abortion Bill
One Ms. Wendy Davis stood up to the Texas Republicans and legislature and filibustered yet one more proposed piece of legislation restricting women's rights and their legal abortion rights in that state.
Good for her.
It was, of course, the right--very right, very just thing to do.
Now, the bad, from last evening:
Texas Legislators Called Back For Special Session On Abortion Bill
It seems Governor Rick "I Can't Remember" Perry isn't about to let this go so he's spending yet more of Texas' tax money, calling the legislature back for a special session so they can get their precious abortion bill.
It's insane.  It's irresponsible.  It's not surprising but so it goes.
This, on the heels of the terrific ruling from the US Supreme Court, just hours earlier. The highs and lows of government in the US, I suppose.
What concerns me most about the incident in Texas with Ms. Davis and her filibuster is that it seems as though a sort of "filibuster fever" is beginning in America.
First, months ago, there was Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's very famous and public and, as it turned out, too, successful filibuster on drones earlier this year, in March:

Rand Paul filibusters the domestic drone

It was very big at the time and it got him widespread coverage. His supporters were naturally very pleased.
As proof, check this out.  I just found this article, again from last evening, about Rand Paul and yet another filibuster he's threatening:

Rand Paul threatens to support filibustering immigration bill

It seems to make my point. That is, it seems we are at the beginning, possibly, of more--and more frequent--very public filibusters as a way to effect change in legislatures in the nation both on the state and national levels, instead of getting good government by 2 sides compromising.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is not good.  It is patently not good.
This is no way to run a government.
Ot nation.
Or state, for that matter.

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