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Comments
The filibuster is a stupid legislative tool that should be removed from all levels of governance.
Note that Texas is larger than several European countries.
But I agree, the filibuster needs to be removed. It's a stupid idea and it can be too easily abused, especially in this information age.
However, the Congressional-style "just threatening to filibuster is just as legitimate as a real talking filibuster" filibuster needs to be abolished.
[Edit] Google-fu tells me that Texas is actually larger than EVERY country in Europe.
"(b) Except as otherwise provided by Section 171.046(a)(3),
a physician performing an abortion under Subsection (a) shall
terminate the pregnancy in the manner that, in the physician's
reasonable medical judgment, provides the best opportunity for the
unborn child to survive."
This is from 171.045.
Subsection (a) refers us to 171.046(a)(1) and (2), which gives an exception to the 20-week rule if the mother's life is in danger.
Taking those two in concert: you can abort a child that is 20+ weeks old if your life is in danger or it poses a threat of grave bodily harm, but the physician must choose the method that best guarantees the survival of the child.
There are other things, but this bill is awful.
As for the filibuster: we already have protections against "tyranny of the majority" - that's why the branches of government and the constitution were set up the way they were. The filibuster is used to kill a bill based on procedural requirements, not based on the merits of the bill itself. It serves only as a roadblock in a system where numerous other roadblocks already exist.
The three branches of government we have are not as independent from each other as we think because everyone in government is loyal to their party first and everything else second.
The filibusterer is probably not necessary when there are three levels of government. It is more useful in a parliamentary system where one can have absolute executive and legislative control with 35% of the vote.
In fact, the filibuster often subjects people to "tyranny of the vocal minority." When an ideologue has no other recourse, they can try to filibuster something out of existence. It cuts both ways.
It's also probably a useless move, because IIRC the Governor can just call a special session of the legislature to vote on the issue anyway. She has perhaps slightly stalled the issue.
The greater concern is that the bill was killed because the vote happened after midnight - but the legislators changed the timestamps on the voting record to make it appear as though it happened before midnight.
No amount of filibustering matters in that level of corruption.
Also Leticia Va de Putte is the bomb. "Parliamentary inquiry: at what point must a female Senator raise her hand to be recognized over her male colleagues in the room?"
The fact that it has to be asked, saddens me. However, when she said that I was like "OH SNAP, YOU JUST GOT TOLD, WHITEY!"
The purpose of the filibuster isn't to permanently stop legislation, it's supposed to slow down the process enough, and hopefully garner enough attention, that the issue is reexamined. That's exactly what happened here. This is almost a textbook application of the proper way the filibuster is used.
By filibustering, Wendy Davis, even if only temporarily, stopped the process. The Texas Legislature can still pass the bill, so it's not really the "tyranny of the vocal minority." At the same time though, she's now a national hero in the pro-choice movement and the bill, and the whole process, has garnered national attention. Since this is still Texas, probably nothing will change, but at least now, people everywhere are paying attention. The Texas Legislature can't pass this bill in relative anonymity anymore. If this bill still passes, maybe voters who weren't paying attention before, will see that their representatives voted for this bill, and will change their minds in the next election.
That's the way a filibuster is supposed to work.
DOUCHE.
I don't think we've seen the end of this bill, not even a little. Just the end of it moving through quietly. They can't escape our gaze, and we will now watch and criticize every bad thing they do, even moreso than before.
EDIT: Also, both are ableist. ^_~