Texas Democrats have hightailed it out of the state to deny Republicans a quorum in the state legislature. One of Joni Mitchell’s songs is titled “Refuge of the Roads.” That’s where Texas Democrats have taken refuge — on their way to Illinois.
Why does Illinois get the business? They’ve got tradition going for them. Wisconsin Democrats took the refuge of the roads to Illinois for a similar purpose in 2011 and they’ve been invited to come on up by Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker. He gives expressive form to bloated government.
But Illinois is a wildly gerrymandered state — gerrymandered in favor of Democrats. Indeed, it may have the worst Dem gerrymander in the country. If anything, it should serve as an inspiration to Governor Abbott and Texas Republicans.
“What about the Dardanelles?” was the gibe against Churchill before World War II. I’m a little surprised Tucker Carlson hasn’t fastened on it yet. “What about Illinois?” should be the gibe of the Texas Republicans.
Democrats threaten to exact payback for a rejiggering of the congressional map in favor of Texas Republicans. How about payback for the Illinois gerrymander? Politico quotes Republicans talking back to Pritzker in a July 24 Illinois Playbook post.
Minnesota is missing an opportunity here. In the Democrats’ 2023 “let’s go crazy” session of the Minnesota legislature, Democrats passed legislation establishing Minnesota as a “trans refuge.” Shouldn’t we get our share of the business serving as a “quorum refuge”?
