Protesters to March on Capitol Over Sabotage of TSA Groping Bill
Demonstrators led by Austin-based radio host Alex Jones will again march on the Capitol building today to protest the sabotage of an anti-TSA groping bill that was scheduled to receive a hearing on Friday but was mothballed for a second time after House members failed to show for the vote, and has now been rendered almost impotent by amendments inserted by Speaker of the House Joe Straus and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that have gutted the bill.
The protest is set to take place at 4pm CST this afternoon.
Speaker of the House Joe Straus has been instrumental in stymying the passage of the TSA bill, calling the legislation an “ill-advised publicity stunt” and “unenforceable,” while demanding the bill be significantly watered down, despite the fact that it already passed the House unanimously last month. According to the Texas Tribune, Straus approached the bill’s primary sponsor Rep. David Simpson last week and insisted that language pertaining to “private parts” be removed from the legislation altogether, which would have completely gutted the bill.
Indeed, Michael Gobart, front man for one of the primary lobbying groups pushing to have the legislation enacted, has now withdrawn his support for the House version of the bill due to new amendments that have rendered the legislation almost impotent. “After consulting with multiple attorneys and legal teams who investigated the matter, we concluded that the amendments would indeed gut the bill of its force,” writes Gobart.
The most damaging amendment, inserted by Straus and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a bid to make the bill “wholly irrelevant,” now mandates that prosecutors prove in every instance that TSA groping is unconstitutional, rather than just placing a blanket ban on behavior that should already be criminal under the 4th amendment.
“Under the amended language, HB 41 is no longer a legislative declaration that such actions are unconstitutional and criminal. Instead, the amended bill leaves the issue of constitutionality to be determined by the courts, with the burden of proof shifted to the one who experienced the “sexual assault.” While this amendment certainly makes the bill more impervious to Federal attack on constitutional grounds, it does so by surrendering the entire battle,” reports TSA Tyranny.com.
“If we believe that travelers being touched in their private parts without probable cause is unconstitutional, then we must not be afraid to say it, to codify it, and to hold actors who violate this standard accountable with the force of law,” remarked Wesley Strackbein, co-founder of TsaTyranny.com.”
In all but sabotaging the bill, Straus and Dewhurst, self-proclaimed Republicans, have revealed their true colors as big government apologists.
According to the Supplemental House Calendar, the Texas House will today hear HB 41, a bill that, if enacted, will criminally punish (after prosecutors are forced to prove the case in a court of law) any TSA agent who “touches the anus, sexual organ, buttocks, or breast of the other person, including touching through clothing,” without probable cause that the individual has committed an offense.
According to the Senate Room Schedule, the Senate version of the bill, SB 29, will also be heard today by lawmakers at noon central time. Although the bill is not listed on the page, Senator Dan Patrick has confirmed that the legislation will be voted no at the 82nd Legislature, 1st Called Session.
Just three days remain of the special session and most of the legislation Governor Rick Perry requested has not even reached his desk. On Friday, when House members were due to vote on the groping legislation, they instead went AWOL, failing to form the 100 members required for a quorum.
Whatever its final version looks like, “Straus, Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst say they believe lawmakers will work out their disagreements and pass all the measures before them without heading into a second special session,” reports the El Paso Times.
Most Senators support the bill and only another round of dirty tricks from either Straus or the federal government will prevent its passage, that is assuming lawmakers actually bother to turn up this time around, but many observers will only see the legislation as having symbolic value if the new amendments remain in the text.
Another potential roadblock is the fact that, according to House representative David Simpson, “(Governor) Perry appears lukewarm to the issue.” Recall that Perry initially refused to include the bill on the special session before he was aggressively lobbied by pressure groups to do so.
In the books of the USSR that I've read, one of the most important things for politicians, members of the military, and bureaucrats to do if they wanted to move up the chain of power was to prove to the state that they were good, loyal communists. What we are seeing here is the American version of being a good communist. These politicians want to move up the chain of power and eventually become made members of the two party fraud. To do so they must be loyal to that fraud and that means to STFU and let their masters in DC do what they want to do with no interference.
I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. - Benjamin Franklin
These politicians want to move up the chain of power and eventually become made members of the two party fraud. To do so they must be loyal to that fraud and that means to STFU and let their masters in DC do what they want to do with no interference.
Sadly, that nails the moral morass we have.
Somewhere in Kenya, a village is still missing its idiot.
The Feral Government Psychs installed this to cow the public and condition them to being treated as slaves. A successful revolt in even one State is a powerful counter and would likely unleash a flood tide of revolt in other states. So, I am sure that there is a lot of heavy heavy weight being brought to bear as the serfs cannot be allowed to get "uppity". This would operate directly against the conditioning they are trying to implant. Of course to people who value liberty this bill is a good thing.
"“Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.” ~ Gautama Siddhartha — The Buddha
On her weekend show,Spychips author Dr Katherine Albrecht revealed how the Austin Tx chamber of commerce is working with some company in a pilot program to track peoples purchases in austin stores w/ cellphones.She strongly suggested Austinites oppose it.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you".Sirach 4:28
on her show, she always says folks can go to http://katherinealbrecht.com for show notes, audio & links to what she discusses. I finally read SPYCHIPS last year & it was a very good book.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you".Sirach 4:28
I found it,go to katherinealbrecht.com & click ARCHIVES & GUESTS.At the top it has info on the june 25 show, & link to the article Austin to be first 'wave and pay' city. She holds the view that we must oppose seemingly innocuous big broth incrementalism
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you".Sirach 4:28
this one isnt about the roads, its a pilot cashless program where stores will set up a pay with your cellphone in austin retail stores...promoted by the city & i presume city funds.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you".Sirach 4:28