These shoes have a way of shutting the whole thing down.

June 27, 2013 1:45 PM

Much note has been made of Wendy Davis's 13 hour filibuster in Texas . Now the oft-photographed shoes she was wearing are getting their due.
posted by maryr (81 comments total)

Good luck buying these shoes anytime soon.
posted by iamabot at 1:50 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

Huh, I am surprised, they are actually in stock on the amazons.
posted by iamabot at 1:51 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

ahahaha

Do not buy these shoes

Even though...

1) I am a man and these are clearly women's shoes
2) I have never gone through the experience of wearing them
3) These shoes are not designed for my feet; and
4) They are of a color I would never wear...

I feel somehow compelled to decide for the shoe's female target market whether or not they should own them.

Don't.

Thank you.
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:52 PM on June 27, 2013 [108 favorites]

Second most popular running, 25th most popular women's show on Amazon.

I find that awesome. Fuck yeah, Wendy.

Wonder what they were ranked 5 days ago?
posted by youandiandaflame at 1:52 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

It took me a while to figure out that it was the Amazon reviews you were trying to highlight here. So I'm putting this comment here in case anyone else is as daft as I am.
posted by davejay at 1:52 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

Yeah, I could use a 5 minute edit window on posts.
posted by maryr at 1:57 PM on June 27, 2013

So as someone who only marginally followed this, how did she go off-topic during the filibuster?
posted by cjorgensen at 1:58 PM on June 27, 2013

cjorgensen: "So as someone who only marginally followed this, how did she go off-topic during the filibuster?"

I believe she talked about Roe v. Wade during her filibuster.
posted by boo_radley at 1:59 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

Filibustering Texas Senator Has a Runner's Endurance (as usual don't read the comments)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:00 PM on June 27, 2013

So as someone who only marginally followed this, how did she go off-topic during the filibuster?

Apparently mandatory sonograms aren't germane to an abortion bill.
posted by jetlagaddict at 2:00 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

She didn't.

But, if you're a Texas Republican, she talked about Planned Parenthood, had a back brace put on, and talked about Texas' mandatory vaginal ultrasound.
posted by blurker at 2:00 PM on June 27, 2013 [11 favorites]

Liberals are now using Chinese made shoes to stomp on the rights of UNBORN AMERICAN CHILDREN??
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:02 PM on June 27, 2013 [19 favorites]

Yeah, it was bullshit. From WT:

The first strike came when Davis mentioned Planned Parenthood’s budget, which was ruled not germane to the conversation. The second strike happened at 7:27 p.m. when a colleague of Davis’ helped her adjust a back brace, which you can watch here.

The last strike came at 10:07 p.m. when Davis began discussing a 2011 sonogram law that Texas passed, according to Aaronson.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:05 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

They truly are the best running shoe! Although mine are an unfashionable blue.
posted by something something at 2:05 PM on June 27, 2013

I made a comment in there last night and 87 out of 88 people think it adds to the discussion!
posted by jessamyn at 2:06 PM on June 27, 2013 [16 favorites]

John Oliver's bit on The Daily Show, Talker Texas Senator, covers the shoes and the ridiculous claims she went off topic. Kristen Schaal follows that up nicely.
posted by mcstayinskool at 2:06 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

I liked this description of events, as it gave some of the info on how things really went down. Sounds pretty crazy.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:06 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

Let me just say that I appreciate a woman of sense wearing practical shoes to meet the requirements of a situation poorly suited for a more fashionably conventional footwear choice (i.e., high heels).

This is speaking as someone who used to commute (via commuter trains, the subway, and / or more than a few feet of walking) in sneakers with a business suit -- gasp! shock! gasp! -- an act that, today, provokes no small level of scorn.
posted by cool breeze at 2:08 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

What makes them women's shoes. Are they narrower? I'd wear those.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:10 PM on June 27, 2013

Women's running shoes are generally smaller, lighter, more narrow and cuter colors.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:12 PM on June 27, 2013

Man, I'm kind of annoyed at hearing about these famous shoes in every write-up, how she wore "pink sneakers" and it was always said in a kind of dismissive way. These aren't the bubblegum pink shoes journalists wrote about, they're technical running shoes that look more magenta/purplish to me, now I'm pissed at all the writers that felt they just had to mention these.
posted by mathowie at 2:12 PM on June 27, 2013 [20 favorites]

Yeah, the shoes are a red herring away from the facts. Lets talk about what happen and not how fabulous her shoe selection is.

Unless of course anyone know what brand of runner Snowden preferred for his escape. Then we should talk about that.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:15 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

The color is "Rouge Red", so I think calling it pink is factually incorrect.

I was discussing the coverage of the filibuster with my wife last night, who was pissed that every story she heard made mention of how she was "blond and petite" and went nuts covering her footwear. While totally agreeing with that sentiment, I watched the first 15 or so minutes of her filibuster on the live stream (which did not show her shoes), and the first thought in my head was MY GOD I HOPE SHE WORE COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR.

None of this takes away from what a goddamn heroine that woman is.
posted by mcstayinskool at 2:17 PM on June 27, 2013 [11 favorites]

They look fuschia to me, on amazon. I think some of the shots of her were photoshoped to reduce the saturation, making them look more pink in some shots.
posted by delmoi at 2:18 PM on June 27, 2013

From John Oliver's report on Wendy Davis last night on Daily Show:

http://i.imgur.com/v9GzGFi.png

The FILAbusters shoes is my vote for best Photoshop of the year so far.
posted by brianstorms at 2:19 PM on June 27, 2013 [15 favorites]

Whatever, I have a pair of pink Asics Kayanos. They are awesome. To be honest, good for her for wearing running shoes. It's certainly better than the ridiculous heels women are expected to wear.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:21 PM on June 27, 2013

Speaking of running shoes, these New Balance WR1 are just gorgeous. I mean, I'm not like that *wiggles pinky* but if a pair of those wanted to hook up (totally consensual) I'm not sure I could resist. Does that make me... shoe curious?
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:22 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

If I wore New Balance, I would wear these, though.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:23 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Ad Calceamen - A rehtorical device used to derail an important discussion by instead focusing on the footwear of the debator.
posted by sarastro at 2:25 PM on June 27, 2013 [4 favorites]

Women's shoes are generally too narrow for my feet so I never get the nice colours.

I'm going to figure out a way to try those on, though, because they're so fun looking. And I don't understand the mocking of "work shoes/outdoor shoes", where outdoor shoes are boots in the winter and other comfortable ones in the not-winter, because this is really normal. It's why you can buy shoe bags.
posted by jeather at 2:27 PM on June 27, 2013

These are the unofficial MetaFilter New Balance shoes that I love to wear to the gym.
posted by mathowie at 2:29 PM on June 27, 2013 [16 favorites]

Damn shoe companies not letting me wear pink sneakers. Not like I run anyway I guess I'll just stick with my OG Nike Cortez until the day I can finally get pink sneakers.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:31 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Jeather, I have the same running shoe woes. Wide feet like neon too! You might be able to go up half a size from your usual and wear mediums, if the added length isn't too much. I've been fitted for running shoes twice; the first time I was declared a 9.5 medium, the second a 9 wide in the same style.

I also have a habit of buying my running shoes on sale, and the colors I like are never on sale/in my size. Next time I'll spend the extra money for happy pink shoes.
posted by Metroid Baby at 2:37 PM on June 27, 2013

I guess I'll just stick with my OG Nike Cortez until the day I can finally get pink sneakers.

I prefer my OMG Nice Cortex shoes.
posted by davejay at 2:37 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

I was also very pleased to see that she was wearing shoes that would allow her to continue the filibuster. Texas laws on filibuster are quite strict.

(Wide feet here as well -- Merrells and Keens run wide enough for me -- in case that helps anyone.)
posted by blurker at 2:40 PM on June 27, 2013

...and 87 out of 88 people think it adds to the discussion!

There's an increasingly disgruntled woman out there, furiously indicating that none of these reviews are helpful AT ALL, muttering to herself, "I just want to know if they'll last through marathon training!"
posted by a hat out of hell at 2:42 PM on June 27, 2013 [13 favorites]

Whatever, I have a pair of pink Asics Kayanos. They are awesome. To be honest, good for her for wearing running shoes. It's certainly better than the ridiculous heels women are expected to wear.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:21 PM on June 27

Sensible footwear appropriate for the occasion.

But you realise that "ridiculous heels" are about sex, right? So they're never going away? You get that, right?
posted by Decani at 2:44 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Well, I believe the shoes are now selling really well. Mizuno tweeted support for Davis. One of their tweets indicated they had been super busy selling them.
posted by annsunny at 2:47 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

So as someone who only marginally followed this, how did she go off-topic during the filibuster?

I had read it was because she brought up a previous, somewhat related, bill from 2011, and that was considered off-topic because that bill was a settled issue.*

* In other words, a bullshit reason.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:55 PM on June 27, 2013

It's too bad that they're going to pass the bill in a special session July 1, Wendy Davis and her shoes notwithstanding.
posted by killdevil at 3:00 PM on June 27, 2013

This is a pretty good summary of the filibuster events, for those catching up.

Credit to the man of twists and turns, from original thread.
posted by annsunny at 3:04 PM on June 27, 2013

It's too bad that they're going to pass the bill in a special session July 1, Wendy Davis and her shoes notwithstanding.

Yeah, it's too bad, indeed: but at least they get to do it with the whole country watching.
posted by yoink at 3:05 PM on June 27, 2013

It's too bad that they're going to pass the bill in a special session July 1, Wendy Davis and her shoes notwithstanding.

Of course they are. Everyone in that room knew the bill would be reintroduced and pass eventually.

Davis's filibuster was not to bury the bill for good, but prevent it from being snuck through the back door and passed with a bare minimum of public awareness. Now it's front-page news instead of being buried.

If they're gonna shoot you anyway, make them look you in the eye while they do it.
posted by delfin at 3:06 PM on June 27, 2013 [32 favorites]

I am embarrassed that part of the focus on the actions of a brave, strong, feminist woman is on her shoes. It is just another subtle way to diminish the accomplishments of a woman, though I realize that is no one's intent.
posted by flarbuse at 3:06 PM on June 27, 2013 [10 favorites]

I don't have access to my real system ATM, but I've got a rundown of the events and screenshots of the republicans altering the public record to try and say the bill passed. They were forced at 3am to admit that there was too much proof that they'd changed the record, and admitted defeat. I wish I could tell you what the public filibuster sounded like when it happened, but I wept openly. It was an amazing bit of political theatre. And if the teahadists think they're going to sneak it past us during the 4th of July weekend, well, I think they will be surprised.
posted by dejah420 at 3:07 PM on June 27, 2013 [7 favorites]

Does anyone know if there are any legal avenues to challenge the bill once it becomes law? It will likely go into effect on September 1. (Going to ask over in the other thread as well.)
posted by mudpuppie at 3:08 PM on June 27, 2013

Rick Perry: "Wendy Davis should know better"

“Who are we to say that children born in the worst of circumstances can’t lead successful lives?” Perry asked in a speech at a convention held by the National Right to Life organization. “Even the woman who filibustered the Senate the other day was born into difficult circumstances. She’s the daughter of as single woman, she was a teenage mother herself. She managed to eventually graduate from Harvard Law School and serve in the Texas Senate. It’s just unfortunate that she hasn’t learned from her own example: that every life must be given a chance to realize its full potential, and that every life matters.”

dhens's paraphrase of Rick Perry: "I am a shameless piece of human detritus."
posted by dhens at 3:19 PM on June 27, 2013 [10 favorites]

It's too bad that they're going to pass the bill in a special session July 1, Wendy Davis and her shoes notwithstanding.

They were always going to.

I think what happened though is that the Republicans were going to let her have her little filabuster, then come up with some bullshit, have a vote and call it a day. What they didn't count on was that she would draw so much attention and support.

You can see it at the end, when the whole thing goes completely off the rails. The dudes in charge lost control of the entire thing, and it went poorly for them. Now, they are scrambling to make this a "Obama Chicago Thug Style" overthrow of the democratic process, but they're behind the news cycle on that, and struggling to catch up.

Which is a funny spot for them to be in because they had a trump card the whole time. They could have just agreed to not have a vote, avoided the filabuster, called another session and passed the bill and none of this would have happened.

But they wanted to make a mockery of this woman on their way to harming women's rights, and it bit them in the ass.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 3:23 PM on June 27, 2013 [16 favorites]

But you realise that "ridiculous heels" are about sex, right? So they're never going away? You get that, right?

I own probably a dozen stilettos that qualify as "ridiculous," but that doesn't mean I like wearing heels in every situation that qualifies as professional. When I was 16, I spent a week as a volunteer aide in HRC's then-Senate office. It was the first time I had ever spent that many hours walking, commuting, and standing around on marble floors in "business" heels, and even as a fresh-faced, strong-limbed 16 year-old: it sucked. In no way would sneakers ever have been allowed. So yes: ridiculous shoes are never going away in one's private life. Ridiculous standards for women's professional shoes? Hopefully going, going, gone.

Also these shoes are vaguely cousins to my sneakers and they're awesome shoes! A++, would run a half/run the country in them again.
posted by jetlagaddict at 3:27 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

Wouldn't it have been even easier to stand if she had worn socks? Or maybe it's just me; I cannot stand wearing shoes without my socks.
posted by Justinian at 3:42 PM on June 27, 2013

I suppose this is where I will drop my declaration that I've been pretty disappointed with the way US media has been handling the story. Maybe it's just too soon, and the really great writing and news coverage will come later and maybe I'm just too easily annoyed.

During the event itself, there was...little to no national (some international, which from what I've seen has been okay) coverage. A few good summaries and write ups came during and immediately after the filibuster, but they were pretty bare bones. All pieces are thankfully mentioning the shenanigans about switching around the timestamps (which really ought to have some deeper consequence than not allowing the bill to pass out of mild embarrassment at getting caught). The Daily Show pretty much went the "LOLTexas" and "LOLRepublicans" route, not challenging anyone's preconceived notions about the state and now it's like a law that you have to mention or reference the shoes. I like the shoes! I want shoes like them. But they're not important.

The really amazing thing for me about the filibuster was how huge the crowd in the gallery was, and how angry they became after Senator Van de Putte cut right to the heart of the matter with "At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be heard over the male coleauges in the room?" There was such a sharp contrast there between the Senate majority and the people in those last ten minutes.

Hearing people talk about the way the state really is--with mostly poor infrastructure, lots of places without running water or public transportation, poor access to education, etc.--was incredible. SB5 would have closed every clinic in the state except a handful (five) in the most privileged, developed regions. It's as much an anti-poor piece of legislature as it is anti-women and if it gets rammed through eventually, it will have devastating effects on people's lives. Texas is geographically huge; we really are realistically looking at reducing available clinics only to those that are 900(+) miles away or outside the country. Many people (the majority of Texans, really) simply will not be able to access a clinic at all.

I'm disappointed because this is not only an intense and interesting story, it's a good opportunity for the rest of the US to see what Texas is really like but they're blowing it. I guess this probably happens with every story that gets noticed by national media in the US and it's just strange to me now because I'm on the side where the things are happening.

As long as talking about the shoes makes some people more aware of what's happened and broadens their worldview a bit about what Texas is and what people are like here, I suppose it's okay. I mean, I like the shoes. They're just not what I would've focused on; I didn't even notice Senator Davis' shoes at the time.
posted by byanyothername at 3:47 PM on June 27, 2013 [17 favorites]

I don't have access to my real system ATM, but I've got a rundown of the events and screenshots of the republicans altering the public record to try and say the bill passed. They were forced at 3am to admit that there was too much proof that they'd changed the record, and admitted defeat.

Out of all of the story, that's the bit that blows me away. Someone's going to jail for that, right? Falsifying government records to subvert the democratic process seems like a big deal, but in the stories I've read about the vote it's just treated as an interesting side note.
posted by metaBugs at 3:48 PM on June 27, 2013 [8 favorites]

"that every life must be given a chance to realize its full potential, and that every life matters...

Some have tried to make this a partisan issue. It’s not. This is a human rights issue, and too important a cause to allow the unruly actions of a few to stand in its way.”

Man, it is just so bold of Rick Perry to come forward and challenge the status quo in his party. I can't believe he's opposed to the death penalty!
posted by dubold at 4:00 PM on June 27, 2013 [5 favorites]

Changing Timestamp Mystery Continues After Texas Abortion Bill Defeat, Wendy Davis Filibuster
posted by junco at 4:12 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

I am embarrassed that part of the focus on the actions of a brave, strong, feminist woman is on her shoes.

I don't agree. Her shoes were iconic to me in showing that she knew she was in for an intense physical ordeal. They were one of the very few things she was allowed to choose to assist her in her struggle, with every other card stacked against her.
posted by anonymisc at 4:14 PM on June 27, 2013 [15 favorites]

Can someone link to more coverage on this? This whole thing sounds nuts, and I'd really like to read some good journalism on it, if anyone's come across some yet.

Juanita Jean's has been following these events, and will likely continue coverage from a local perspective.

She says:

Blaming the “unruly mob” (which is his description of Texas women), Dewhurst first said the vote on SB5 was taken at 11:59 pm. However, the computerize time stamp said 12:02 am. How do you resolve that? Well, Darlin’, you simply change the time stamp to say what you want it to say. In other words, you commit the felony offense of tampering with a government document. That is what Dewhurst did.

Now conveniently, Governor Rick Perry vetoed funding for the public integrity unit of the Travis County DA’s office earlier this month, so Dewhurst knew full well that he couldn’t be prosecuted for this felony. It’s like they made bank robbery legal and expected Republicans not to rob banks because it’s the morally wrong thing to do. Super DeLux Brand Christians have to have rules in order to behave because they have no damn morals.

So, when photographic evidence was produce that Dewhurst has no morals, a quick back room private caucus was held of the Texas senate. I have no way of knowing, of course, what happened in that back room but I’ll bet Senator Dan Patrick and David Dewhurst were wishing they had worn Depends.

posted by MonkeyToes at 4:21 PM on June 27, 2013 [6 favorites]

It's too bad that they're going to pass the bill in a special session July 1, Wendy Davis and her shoes notwithstanding.

Anyone want to bet on some special rules being enacted on who gets into the building and up in the gallery?
posted by Thorzdad at 4:23 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Anyone want to bet on some special rules being enacted on who gets into the building and up in the gallery?

In WI, after the protests, the Gov enacted new rules for the capitol building :

-Groups larger than 5 must get prior authorization from the governor.
-No signs.
-No shirts with slogans.
-No balloons.
-No noisemakers of any kind.
-No singing/chanting/loud noises
-No protests
-Everyone is searched

Smell the freedom glove.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 4:27 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

I can't decide which was worse: Perry's response that she didn't learn her lesson as a single mother, or the TX GOP introduction of the hashtag #SitDownWendy, which was thankfully coopted. (And seriously, the only way that could have been more patronizing is if they'd asked her to go into the kitchen and make them some pie, woman.)

Also, I can't post this video of Leticia Van de Putte bringing down the house enough. This needs to be a t-shirt.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 4:35 PM on June 27, 2013 [6 favorites]

Falsifying government records to subvert the democratic process seems like a big deal

It's a big deal, but it is unlikely to have an impact beyond political. This is really a legislative record and as such is both under the control of the legislative leadership and under the functional jurisdiction of, say, that body's ethics committees, but you can imagine how far that's likely to fly when the same majority is in charge.

Keep in mind that all states, just like the US, have separation of powers -- legislative is one leg of the three-legged stool. If someone from outside the legislature were mucking with the records, you can bet all hell would break loose for them, but the legislature is the only one with jurisdiction over its members for an activity like this, no matter how deliciously unethical.
posted by dhartung at 5:24 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

For what it's worth, here's what the Texas Legislative Reference Library said about the records thing.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 5:26 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Someone's going to jail for that, right? Falsifying government records to subvert the democratic process seems like a big deal, but in the stories I've read about the vote it's just treated as an interesting side note.

Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown the Texas Lege.
posted by delfin at 5:40 PM on June 27, 2013 [5 favorites]

It's as much an anti-poor piece of legislature as it is anti-women and if it gets rammed through eventually, it will have devastating effects on people's lives.

Yeah, that's always a major part of abortion restrictions. Rich people can just go to Mexico if abortion is illegal - the important thing is policing the sexual activity of the pesky lower classes.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:07 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

flarbuse: "I am embarrassed that part of the focus on the actions of a brave, strong, feminist woman is on her shoes. It is just another subtle way to diminish the accomplishments of a woman, though I realize that is no one's intent."

Nah, to me, it was a little bit of advertising/PR from the newspeople (like the MERCEDES SUV in Boston), and a lot of respect for her as she had obviously thought this action out.
posted by Samizdata at 6:38 PM on June 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Somewhere above, Molly is laughing her ass off and thinking up a column that I wish I could actually read.
posted by Ella Fynoe at 7:22 PM on June 27, 2013 [5 favorites]

You might be able to go up half a size from your usual and wear mediums, if the added length isn't too much.

I was instructed when I first began distance running that you should buy shoes a full size larger than what you'd wear in other non-athletic situations since the cumulative effect of the manymany footfalls is that your joints (or fascia or whatever) spread your foot out lengthwise about a half-inch or so and your feet will thank you.

No idea if standing for 13 hours does anything similar but regardless Wendy's stamina is amazing.
posted by psoas at 7:35 PM on June 27, 2013 [3 favorites]

That's hysterical.

These are also the exact same shoes (same model, and for the past two months, same color) that I run in daily.

Tomorrow I'll have an extra bit of spring in my step.
posted by stagewhisper at 8:49 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

Things aren't really this bad in Texas, right? I mean to the rest of the free-thinking civilized world, this looks too unbelievable to be true, so it must be media bias, sensationalism, or whatever. Voter restrictions, gerrymandering, 5 abortion clinics in the state, falsification of state legislature voting records, all of it. I mean, if that shit were true, there'd be general strikes and rioting in the streets so it must not really be that bad I guess. Good, that's reassuring then.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:08 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

I like thinking about her putting these shoes on, cinching the laces up snug but not too tight, and saying to herself, "Oh no you don't."

Praise the day when good shoes can win over shitty laws.
posted by Camofrog at 9:19 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

Camofrog: "I like thinking about her putting these shoes on, cinching the laces up snug but not too tight, and saying to herself, "Oh no you don't."

Praise the day when good shoes can win over shitty laws."

good people in good shoes.

FTFY.
posted by Samizdata at 9:30 PM on June 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

Things aren't really this bad in Texas, right? I mean to the rest of the free-thinking civilized world, this looks too unbelievable to be true, so it must be media bias, sensationalism, or whatever.

Hey, now. Don't make us put on our orange shirts and come over and chant outside your house. We'll do it.
posted by donajo at 9:36 PM on June 27, 2013

Rick Perry: "Wendy Davis should know better"

Wendy Davis: Dracarys!
posted by homunculus at 10:35 PM on June 27, 2013

As a residnet of Texas, I just want to say that even if Wendy Davis turns out to be a serial killer, I will still do what every Republican pretends to be a afraid of and find a way to vote for her twice.
posted by Cyrano at 1:10 AM on June 28, 2013 [2 favorites]

But the political strategy didn't fail at all. The point of the filibuster was to kill the bill and force the GOP into calling a second special session, which make them look bad. They've had two chances to pass this legislation this year, and they failed. Now it goes into another special session, which is a burden on the taxpayers. It will eventually pass, but the showing of opposition has stirred up the pro-choice base who have been watching the rights of women with regard to healthcare and family-planning in this state be slowly stripped away.

The Dems have made a strong point here... and also those are some really cute shoes.
posted by donajo at 7:45 AM on June 28, 2013 [3 favorites]

Things aren't really this bad in Texas, right?

Texas is a really big state with a regressive governor and a part-time (every other year) legislature that isn't paid that much attention to except at times like these as I think someone indicated in the main filibuster thread which you should read if you are interested. So it's really a combination of things. A lot of people in Texas, of course, do not agree with any of this nonsense and there's a lot of political action about some of the more egregious stuff that Perry has tried to get away with but it's been a real slog.
posted by jessamyn at 7:56 AM on June 28, 2013

Yeah, how did it fail? It exposed efforts to stop it as clearly biased and partisan, and galvanized the support of hundreds of people in person and thousands or more nationwide.

The 15-minute "people's filibuster" seems a bit like populist claptrap, but it's hard not to support successful efforts to protect essential rights.

Anyway, it seems pretty successful to me.
posted by mrgrimm at 8:04 AM on June 28, 2013

Whatever, I have a pair of pink Asics Kayanos. They are awesome.

I ♥ Asics too.
posted by mrgrimm at 8:07 AM on June 28, 2013 [1 favorite]

From Monsieur Caution's link (emphasis mine):

"Actions taken by either house on a bill are entered and updated in the Texas Legislature Online system (TLO) manually by Legislative Reference Library (LRL) staff, and for that reason there is a delay between the time the action takes place and the time the action is entered into TLO. TLO is not the official record of those actions, and LRL enters actions on TLO as a public service independently of the officers of the house or senate.

The LRL strives to ensure the information in TLO is timely and accurate, and as part of our normal business process, the LRL ultimately verifies actions posted in TLO against the official journals of the senate and house. TLO actions should be considered preliminary until verified against official senate and house records. When the senate took its final actions on SB 5, the LRL floor staff was unable to hear the motions made or the result of votes taken. After midnight the LRL floor staff confirmed that a vote was taken on the motion to concur in house amendments and that the motion prevailed. The system used to enter actions for TLO defaults to the current date, so when the concurrence action was initially entered, the system automatically entered 06/26/13.

In reviewing the actions initially entered by LRL staff, and based on our best understanding at that time that a vote was taken on the motion to concur, we modified the date of the action to 06/25/13. During or after the senate's deliberations on SB5, LRL did not enter or alter any information on TLO at the direction of any senate officer or member.

After confirming the date of the final vote on SB5 to have been 06/25/2013, the LRL has now corrected the entry on TLO to reflect the official record."

So I suppose the argument is that the voted happened at 11:57 or whatever, and that staffers could not record the vote until 12:03 and (mistakenly, they claim) allowed the time of the vote to be set as the default entry time. ... ...

Dewhurst eventually conceded the vote took place after midnight, so ... Whatchoo talking about, LRL?
posted by mrgrimm at 8:20 AM on June 28, 2013

> Dewhurst eventually conceded the vote took place after midnight, so ... Whatchoo talking about, LRL?

It sounds like the official Senate journal (regardless of what happened in the real world) recorded a before-midnight vote, and the LRL is obligated to make their records reflect the records of the Senate journal.

Since Dewhurst now says the vote took place after midnight, the question should be why the vote was recorded in the journal as taking place before midnight — as if they don't all have clocks.
posted by savetheclocktower at 9:13 AM on June 28, 2013

If nothing else, she may have a lucrative endorsement future.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 1:50 PM on June 28, 2013

Ogre Lawless: "If nothing else, she may have a lucrative endorsement future."

I may have been gellin', man, but she sure wasn't.
posted by Samizdata at 7:42 PM on June 28, 2013