5:18pm June 26, 2013

➸ Remember these names

phirephoenix:

This event highlights more starkly than ever just how important local politics are. We need to get out the vote locally to affect the municipal and state policies that other states use as examples, and we need to vote in the candidates we want locally so that the national stage has a better roster of candidates to choose from.

Here are the politicans to cheer and to vote in:

Senator Wendy Davis – who unwaveringly stayed on her feet for 14+ hours even after the Republicans ended her filibuster, who gave voice to thousands around the country who had none, who eloquently laid out each argument in favour of granting us our bodily autonomy, who was the height of dignity and respect throughout in some badass pink tennis shoes.

Senator Leticia Van de Putte – who flew in from her father’s funeral so that she could stand up for the women of Texas, who called out the Republicans for being contemptuous of a woman’s voice, who pointed out that this bill had nothing to do with actually helping women who needed abortions, who knew her parliamentary jiu-jitsu inside out.

State Rep Jessica Farrar – who organized and stayed with the citizen’s filibuster till the wee hours of Friday morning, who fought back against Republicans when they tried to shut the testimonies down, who was instrumental in helping facilitate the protest on Sunday, who maintained morale among activists when the Republicans just rammed through a vote anyway.

Senator Judith Zaffirini – who pointed out that the rules governing against a senator receiving help from other senators only used male pronouns and should not apply to Davis, who raised point after point to let Davis rest while the president sorted out her questions, who clearly read Twitter when we pointed out that Davis has only been called out on two counts of germaneness and one count of assistance, whereas the Senate rules required three strikes of germaneness to end a filibuster

Senator Rodney Ellis – who helped Davis put on her back brace because that is the right thing to do, who tried to appeal to the human decency of the house when Republicans threw a fit about it, who pointed out that iPads and computers do indeed count as “paper” in today’s age for god’s sake.

Senator Kirk Watson – who appealed the Republican’s decision to end the filibuster and thereby bought Democrats an extra hour, who saw the illegality in the president uniformly moving to table the motion and rightfully called it out, whose inception-styled points of orders were so carefully bureaucratic that it was almost an art.

Senator Royce West – who asked for motions to be provided in writing, and read out slowly, who did his best to tell the national media that the “vote” was unconstitutional.

Senator John Whitmire – the most senior senator in the legislature, who refused to adjourn the session, who spoke out against the unconstitutionality of such a “vote”.

These people were doing what they were elected to do, which is to represent and fight for the rights of their constituents. Mad props. I hope all of them succeed excellently in their future legislative career.

I really want a Ms. Davis Goes to Austin movie. Also shout out to Mike Ward who was the only reporter I could find with reliable info when the livestream feed was cut and the activist livestream was locked out.e should be in the movie too.