As you know, Texas is a whole 'nother country. And they ain't kiddin'.

A little while back Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) called a special session of the Texas State legislature to reconsider re-redistricting. The effort couldn't be stopped in the Texas House. So now it came down to the state Senate.

There is a long-standing tradition in Texas that bills have to clear a super-majority (2/3) vote to get to the floor for a vote. And Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R), who runs the Senate, had promised he'd abide by that rule. Democrats had only barely enough Senators to block that two-thirds vote. So they'd have to hold very tight if they were going to have any shot at stopping this power-grab for a second time.

Now, it turns out they did hold tight. Improbably, they even got one Republican to come over to their side.

Then Dewhurst thought up a way to wiggle out of his pledge. It turns out he'd been misunderstood. He didn't say he'd never break the 2/3 rule. He just said he'd never break it in this special session. If the governor wanted to call yet another special session ... well, then all bets would be off.

This afternoon Perry called another special session (see the proclamation, with the time hastily marked in with felt-tip pen, here.).

Eleven of twelve Texas Democratic senators just grabbed a flight for Albuquerque.