Republicans Want Wendy Davis to Foot Possible $2.4 Million Bill for Special Session

[TexasTowelie]

In the wake of yesterday's epic fail on transportation funding it looks like state legislators are headed back to Austin for a third month-long special session, and it won't be cheap. As the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports this morning, each extra month the legislature's in session costs $800,000, bringing the likely toll on taxpayers to $2.4 million.

Much of this could have been avoided, of course. Lawmakers could have done what they're elected to do and finished their business in the spring. Failing that, they could have set aside inflammatory topics and focused on addressing the state's glaring funding shortfalls in water and transportation. Or, since that seems to have been a nonstarter, Republicans could have steamrolled Democrats and pushed through their desired abortion restrictions as they wound up doing in the second session.

The other option is to blame everything -- the mounting numbers of special sessions, the unnecessary costs, the GOP's embarrassing collapse in round one -- on State Senator Wendy Davis

"I am upset at the cost," Representative Giovanni Capriglione, a Tea Party Republican from Southlake, told the Star-Telegram. "I think we need to remember why we are having this extra special session. One state senator, in an effort to capture national attention, forced this special session.

More at http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/07/republicans_want_wendy_davis_t.php .

[pscot]

1. If that's the way they want to go

McConnell and Boehner owe the country trillions

[elleng]

2. those repugs have more nerve!

who the hell would have thought of this, but for such sociopaths?!

[chillfactor]

3. typical republican strategy.....

blame everyone else for their own ineptness..I am trying to be lady-like here with my choice of vocabulary

[TxDemChem]

4. You've got to be shitting me!

Bill Rick Perry. He's the one who calls for these special sessions!

[rurallib]

7. bingo!!!

[mbperrin]

11. He damned sure is!

If anyone owes, HE does!

Or Dewhurst, for being completely inept at the close of the session - bill him!

Or bill all the stupid Republicans who combined all those bills so that they could all go down!

Or ALEC, who's behind all this bullshit!

[TxDemChem]

14. Nice!

Bill the all

[elehhhhna]

5. WHAT? WENDY's OUR GOVERNOR NOW? YAY!!!!!!!!!!11

Because only the Governor can call a special session in Texas.

[elehhhhna]

6. And of course the budget conscious lege will refuse their per diem payments, right?

[TexasTowelie]

8. Actually some of the legislators are refusing their per diem payments

in both political parties.

There is some discussion about midway through the following article:
http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/07/29/5039090/two-special-sessions-likely-cost.html

[elehhhhna]

9. this is Texas. The Dems will refuse theirs and the Reeps will just SAY they refused them

you know how this goes.

[mbperrin]

12. Looks like they are actually only refusing their per diem on days they're not there.

That's the way it works at my work, too.

[oldandhappy]

10. Work when you are in session.

OOPS Old fashioned idea!!

[mbperrin]

13. Oh, such a 19th or 20th century idea!

Good Lord, or as Maynard used to say, "W-w-wERK?!"

[oldandhappy]

15. yep, giggle

[DhhD]

16. First few weeks of the 2013 legislative session were slow, so GOP TEA Legislators want to blame

someone for their inaction as they kicked the can down the time line. IMO the Texas Legislature owes Senator Davis a public apology made by the Governor before the 3rd session closes.

http://tpr.org/post/lawmakers-slow-start-and-quickening-pace

[Gothmog]

17. Tweet from Senator Kirk Watson

Kirk Watson?@KirkPWatson4h
Lt Gov attacks TXns upset w handling of filibuster by calling names. He could've passed transp $, played politics instead. It's sad

[TexasTowelie]

18. From BOR:

Well Dewhurst, in the Dallas Morning News today, blames the transportation problem on the "socialists" who stormed the capitol on the last day of the first called special session, naturally.

"We fully thought we would be through [with the bills] that night but for a mob that took over the Senate chamber," the Republican said. "I take full responsibility for not foreseeing the effect of the international socialist movement organizers and the different groups that simply overwhelmed our security," he said.

Dewhurst is correct in that this failure is his fault, but instead of being a true leader, he blames other people. Instead of perhaps taking responsibility for the fact that he refused to take up the transportation bill before the abortion bill, he blames everyone but himself. This projection of blame is not surprising since he also attempted to doctor the records unsuccessfully in an effort to get the abortion bill passed.

[color font=green]Note that Republicans lose a battle they have to break out the "socialist" crap. Utterly predictable.[/font]