Sen. Wendy Davis' amazing filibuster

[Smartmarzipan]

Texas abortion bill fails to pass after epic filibuster
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06 ... uster?lite

A bill that opponents claimed would virtually ban abortion in Texas failed to pass late Tuesday after lawmakers missed a deadline by just minutes.

There were chaotic scenes after a filibuster attempt fell just short and protesters cheered, clapped and shouted from 11:45 p.m. to midnight and beyond as lawmakers tried to hold the vote before the session ended at midnight (1 a.m. ET).

The filibuster by Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, who wore a back brace, lasted almost 11 hours but ended after three challenges to her speech were upheld.
The only way Democrats in the Republican-controlled Senate could defeat the measure was by not letting it come to a vote on Tuesday.

At about 3 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET), he said that the special session had expired and the bill could not be "signed in the presence of the Senate ... and therefore cannot be enrolled."

Dewhurst may have hinted Gov. Rick Perry could immediately call another special session, when he told the Senate: "It's over. It's been fun. But see you soon."

He condemned the protesters for staging what they described as "a people's filibuster."

She celebrated victory on her Twitter account early Wednesday.
"Lt. Gov. Dewhurst has agreed that #SB5 [the bill] is dead. The official vote was recorded at 12:03 a.m. Know why? Because of you. #StandWithWendy," she wrote. "We have started something here that they cannot stop. Thank y'all."

....

... late Tuesday night, Davis ran afoul of a three-strikes-and-you're-out rule when Dewhurst upheld an objection that she had strayed from the topic again, this time by discussing a 2011 law involving sonograms and abortions, which he ruled was non-germane to the abortion bill.

That opened the door for the Senate's Republican majority to call for a straight up-or-down vote to end Davis' remarks. A series of motions, appeals and parliamentary inquiries on that order followed.

As midnight neared, raucous cheering and shouts erupted from the gallery during a roll call vote and the disruption - seen on a live video stream of the session - halted Senate action for several minutes, which it was eventually established had prevented the vote.

Suck it, Rick Perry, you shit-eatin' douche.

[Mathew]

It's not over yet. Perry's already announced plans on another special session to pass that bill.

//http://bigstory.ap.org/article/gov-perry-calls-2nd-special-session-texas-legislature-address-abortion-restrictions

[caseagainstfaith]

Yeah, I saw that, was about to post, but you beat me to it.  Fucking Perry.

[SGOS]

I heard on NPR that in the second special session, the bill is expected to pass.

[wolf39us]

I heard on NPR that in the second special session, the bill is expected to pass.

We shall see...

[Poison Tree]

I think this was a bad bill and applaud Davis' actions. however

As midnight neared, raucous cheering and shouts erupted from the gallery during a roll call vote and the disruption - seen on a live video stream of the session - halted Senate action for several minutes, which it was eventually established had prevented the vote.

I've seen other articles that focused more on the people's filibuster, or whatever they were calling it (I can't find the article I read this morning, which I wanted to quote not, but this one will do)

When some politicians finally used legislative maneuvers to stop her, the crowd took over. For more than 15 minutes, supporters who had packed into the capitol screamed, cheered, and chanted to bring the Senate to a halt.

I find that troubling. While civil disobedience has long been a political tool, I'm somewhat uncomfortable by the idea that, if a law is being considered which a group opposes, citizens should simply disrupt the legislature and use (I'm groping for a more precise term) extralegal methods to interferer with duly elected officials.

[Smartmarzipan]

I think this was a bad bill and applaud Davis' actions. however

As midnight neared, raucous cheering and shouts erupted from the gallery during a roll call vote and the disruption - seen on a live video stream of the session - halted Senate action for several minutes, which it was eventually established had prevented the vote.

I've seen other articles that focused more on the people's filibuster, or whatever they were calling it (I can't find the article I read this morning, which I wanted to quote not, but this one will do)

When some politicians finally used legislative maneuvers to stop her, the crowd took over. For more than 15 minutes, supporters who had packed into the capitol screamed, cheered, and chanted to bring the Senate to a halt.

I find that troubling. While civil disobedience has long been a political tool, I'm somewhat uncomfortable by the idea that, if a law is being considered which a group opposes, citizens should simply disrupt the legislature and use (I'm groping for a more precise term) extralegal methods to interferer with duly elected officials.

It had become apparent through the proceedings that the Republicans were trying everything in their power to stop Davis, including ignoring other Democrats' motions.

The Republican State Senators tried to ram it through, declaring, for example, that Wendy Davis' discussion of previous ultrasound-prior-to-abortion legislation was "not germane" to a discussion of abortion legislation, and therefore her filibuster was voided, and they could vote.

Other Democrat Senators tried to intervene, esp. Kirk Watson. But they were ultimately denied the floor. And with 10 minutes left before the midnight deadline, the Dems were out of procedural moves ... SO THE GALLERY TOOK OVER.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/ ... uster?lite

Speaking to reporters afterward, Dewhurst said he was furious about the night's events.
"An unruly mob, using Occupy Wall Street tactics, disrupted the Senate from protecting unborn babies," he said.

[/quote]
http://www.statesman.com/news/news/davi ... ill/nYTqs/

If they weren't playing fairly, I don't see why the people should, either.

[Savior2006]

Just heard about it today. Brave woman. I once saw a Time article on the subject. It read, "Pro-choice won a victory with the decision of Roe v. Wade. They've been losing the battle ever since."

I think I would have to agree. Republicans realized they weren't able to win on the federal level, so they went to the state level and hammered along all these stupid fucking provisions and restrictions. That state made it so that a clinic had to be signed in with a local hospital in order to do it. Problem was, its Mississippi, and religious jackoffs at all the hospitals said now.