#TXLEGE: Texas Democrats remain NUTSO as ever for Murdering Children

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
Matthew 18:6

ICYMI:

A frustrated Texas House Republican committee chairman was forced to postpone a hearing on his anti-abortion bill Monday morning after five members on the nine-person panel didn't show up for the meeting — prompting what’s known as a lack of quorum.

At issue is a bill by state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano. The measure, House Bill 16, would require doctors to care for a baby who survives an abortion procedure. It was unveiled earlier this month and already has more than 70 House members signed on as co-authors.

Four Democrats and one Republican on the committee were absent for Monday’s meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Leach said state Rep. Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas, missed because of a flight delay. Meyer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The four Democrats, meanwhile, signed onto a statement Monday saying that they would not “join this charade,” apparently referring to Leach’s anti-abortion proposal that was on the committee’s calendar for consideration.

“While some members of the Texas Legislature insist on attacking as well as offending women directly and indirectly, we will not join this charade by participating in this political grandstanding on issues which are already codified in Texas and Federal law,” read a statement signed by state Reps. Victoria Neave of Dallas, Julie Johnson of Carrollton, Jessica Farrar of Houston and Yvonne Davis of Dallas. “We refuse to offend our fellow Texas women, their families, and licensed physicians by wasting time on unnecessary legislation designed to intimidate and restrict women’s access to healthcare.”

That's insane.

This bill doesn't stop a single abortion.  This bill only goes into effect after the baby is 100% outside the birth canal.  That's why we've been unenthusiastic about it.  But Holy Toledo Democrats....

There will be plenty of time to discuss the proper response, but it's worth taking a second to reflect on the insanity of this position: Texas Democrats want to Deny Medical Care to Infants who are 100% outside the birth canal.

This website doesn't often tout our greatest hits, but this incident from six years ago is re-relevant:



Bottom Line: Clearly, some things never change....

#TXLEGE: Texans for so-called "Lawsuit Reform" Needs to be SHAMED into supporting First Amendment

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,"
1 Timothy 4:1

Some wretched bills filed by Democrats have attracted national attention.  Under the guise of "nondiscrimination," the bills in question would eviscerate the first amendment.  If such bills were to pass, it would make the Colorado cake baker case look like child's play.

That being said, we noticed something else when we read the bills.

HB 244 (Farrar):

HB 254 (Bernal):

HB 188 (Bernal): 

HB 517 (Israel):

HB 850 (Johnson):

SB 151 (Rodriguez):

In 47 separate places, across 6 bills, Democrats want to enable lawsuits or major regulatory actions (which will inevitably beget lawsuits) based on "perceptions."

Not actions.

Perceptions.

This sort of language is a sea change; the unintended consequences have not been thought through.

Which begs the question: Where, pray tell, is Texans for "Lawsuit Reform" in all this?!?

Besides the obvious first amendment/religious liberty nightmare, these bills are the biggest trial lawyer boondoggle in a generation.  It does not take a genius to see how, if "perception" becomes a valid legal standard, ambulance chasers will bloom.  That's before the "perception" standard is expanded by future legislatures or Democrat judges.

Yet the state's largest so-called "tort reform" group is silent.

It's madness.  Madness that's indefensible from a group that claims to oppose trial lawyer boondoggles.  Indefensible madness that Texans for so-called "Lawsuit Reform" should be forced to either defend or disavow.

Bottom Line: You would think that a so-called "tort reform" organization would oppose trial lawyer boondoggles.  For some reason, that's not the case.  How very, very odd.

Texas House votes to censor filming legislators

"Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue."
Psalm 120:2

One of the most egregious provisions of Byron Cook's re-written "ethics" bill currently being debated on the Texas House floor would open citizen journalists to lawsuits if they film a legislator without the legislator's knowledge.  Representative Matt Schaefer offered an amendment to strip that provision from the bill.  During the debate, Cook and Representative Jessica Farrar whined about how it was just so dadgum mean to do ambush interviews of legislators without knowing who signs their paychecks.

Schaefer, David Simpson, and Jonathan Stickland, meanwhile, explained how filming legislators is a tool for citizen journalists to hold elected officials accountable; Pat Fallon explained that, even if the elected officials don't like it, ambush interviews come with the territory.

The amendment failed 66-74:

RV# 1539 — Unofficial Totals: 66 Yeas, 74 Nays, 3 Present, not voting

Yeas - Anderson, C.; Anderson, R.; Ashby; Bell; Bohac; Bonnen, G.; Burns; Burrows; Canales; Craddick; Crownover; Cyrier; Dale; Davis, S.; Fallon; Fletcher; Flynn; Frank; Goldman; Gonzales; Guillen; Gutierrez; Huberty; Hughes; Keough; King, P.; King, S.; Klick; Koop; Krause; Landgraf; Larson; Laubenberg; Leach; Lozano; Metcalf; Meyer; Miles; Murphy; Murr; Paddie; Parker; Paul; Phelan; Price; Rinaldi; Rodriguez, E.; Sanford; Schaefer; Schofield; Shaheen; Simmons; Simpson; Smithee; Spitzer; Springer; Stickland; Thompson, E.; Tinderholt; Turner, E.S.; VanDeaver; White, J.; White, M.; Wray; Zedler; Zerwas

Nays - Allen; Alonzo; Alvarado; Anchia; Aycock; Bernal; Blanco; Bonnen, D.; Button; Clardy; Coleman; Collier; Cook; Darby; Davis, Y.; Deshotel; Dukes; Dutton; Elkins; Faircloth; Farias; Farrar; Frullo; Galindo; Geren; Giddings; González; Guerra; Harless; Hernandez; Herrero; Howard; Hunter; Isaac; Israel; Johnson; Kacal; King, K.; King, T.; Kuempel; Longoria; Lucio; Márquez; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McClendon; Miller, D.; Miller, R.; Minjarez; Moody; Muñoz; Naishtat; Nevárez; Oliveira; Otto; Phillips; Pickett; Raney; Raymond; Reynolds; Riddle; Rodriguez, J.; Romero; Rose; Schubert; Sheffield; Smith; Thompson, S.; Turner, C.; Villalba; Vo; Walle; Workman; Wu

Present, not voting - Mr. Speaker; Sheets(C); Turner, S.

Absent - Burkett; Capriglione; Farney; Keffer; Morrison; Peña; Stephenson

Texas' dwindling pro-Abortion "movement"

"The wicked will see it and be grieved;
He will gnash his teeth and melt away;
The desire of the wicked shall perish."
Psalm 112:10

[Author's Note: The full event can be viewed here and here.]

Planned Parenthood held their legislative lobby day this afternoon; it was revealing to see what getting your ass whupped a landslide defeat can do for a "cause."

At noon, a pro-Abortion (aka. "Women's Health") rally was held on the south steps of the Capitol; compared to  2013, today's event had no more than 10% of the attendance level.

The event lasted an hour and featured several speakers who bemoaned Texas' recent pro-life successes.  While a few speakers mentioned abortion specifically, they tended to hide behind euphemisms.  There was also a lot of talk about non-abortion related services that will allegedly be endangered if Planned Parenthood stops receiving money from the state.

While the primary takeaway was the degree to which this "movement" has collapsed over the past two years, there were still revealing moments:

Apparently, Planned Parenthood is a Texas Value:



Because, besides tearing up babies in their mama's womb, signing people up for Obamacare is totally Texas Values:



At least there's one Republican they like:



The most derptastic moment of the day, however, came from Rep. Jessica Farrar (D - Houston):



[Author's note: Murdering your offspring isn't the best way to 'regenerate' your 'movement'.]

Turns our Democrat Jessica Farrar is also a fan of REPUBLICAN Sarah Davis:



Finally, it's good to know how much they fear conservative scorecards:



Turns out #HailSatanTX isn't a winning platform.

Your Pro-Life Video Update Week #4

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5

It's a little more lively this week:



Highlights:

• Dinner for freshman legislators and an ice cream social for staffers.
• Staffers often drive pro-life efforts behind the scenes

• Two bad bills from Jessica Farrar.

• The most important news from last week was house committee assignments.
• TxRTL had previously published expectations.
• "The result, however, was VERY disappointing; the makeup of the most important committees, to see the passage of pro-life legislation, are moderate at best."
• "Despite these challenges, Texas Right to Life will continue to work non-stop to save the lives of the 60,000 unborn children who will be lost to abortion in 2015."