By Mike Killalea, NSD president
The recent Texas state Democratic Convention in El Paso might not have been gavel-to-gavel Kumbaya, but it was head and shoulders (chest and hips, too!) above the recent sh*t show that purported to be the state Republican convention in San Antonio.
State Republicans made no bones about pushing their party to even more extreme positions. (1,2,3)
“Lone Star Left” is your best reference if you masochistically wish to experience the (nearly) complete GOP convention, insanity and all. (1) It’s a great reference on the Dem convention, as well. More on that later.
Michelle H Davis of LSL wryly wrote, “I watched the Texas GOP, so you didn't have to.”
A Texas Electoral College??
The 50-page GOP platform is full of hair-raisingly bad ideas. One of the most startling is a plank to create a “state electoral college.” This would change the game to require that a certain number of counties concur in the election of any statewide candidate. The idea is to circumvent elections by popular vote. (2,4)
Republicans know that they will ultimately lose Texas without rigging the game.
“Democrats in Texas are concentrated in a few urban areas, while Republicans are spread across the map,” wrote Karen Tumulty in the Washington Post. (2)
“This system would effectively mean Democrats — who, as it is, haven’t won a statewide office since 1994 — would be shut out forever.”
LSL reports on the Texas House Democratic Caucus’s (HDC), which pushed back with a news conference during the GOP event. (5)
Press conference attendees included HDC president Trey Martinez Fischer, Rep Vikki Goodwin, Rep Gene Wu, Rep Josey Garcia, Congressman Joaquin Castro, and Adrian Reyna with the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, LSL reported. See the Youtube link within reference 5.
Democrats stand tall in El Paso
Compared to the extremism of the Texas GOP, and their factional blood sports, the Democrats were a model of decorum, thoughtfulness, competence, and compassion.
The key to turning Texas blue is protecting the public education system from school voucher laws and fighting for women's reproductive rights, state Democratic Party officials asserted at their convention in El Paso over the weekend. (6)
"This election is going to be about, really in many respects, absolutely about fighting for our democracy," said US Rep Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. "It's about trying to regain control over rampaged gun violence. It's about defeating fascism and totalitarianism. It is truly about fighting for our hard-earned rights. This country has pushed women to the brink, and we have to respond."
Democratic platform stands up for people
The 2024 Texas Democratic platform begins: “Texas Democrats believe government can be as good as the people. We have faith that democracy, built on the honored values of family, privacy, freedom and fairness, can afford every Texan, without exception, the opportunity to achieve their inherent potential.
“We believe democratic government exists to achieve as a community, state, and nation what we cannot achieve as individuals; it must not serve only a powerful few.” (6)
Thanks to LSL for posting the platform.
The platform addresses a host of issues competently and compassionately, including:
Economy, Good Jobs, & Workers’ Rights
Democracy
Education
Healthcare
Energy & The Environment
Fix The Grid
Improving Public Safety
Reducing Gun Violence
Ending Sexual & Family Violence
Criminal Justice Reform
Disability Justice
Religious Freedom
Equity & Social Justice
Family and Individual Security
Immigration
Rural Texas & Agriculture
Smart Government & Infrastructure
Veterans Issues
Consumer Protection
GOP dislikes direct election of US senators
The GOP platform offers nearly everything a right-wing zealot could ask for. Here are some more of the scariest. They propose, for instance, eliminating direct election of US senators, and returning that role to the legislature (4):
Allow Attorney General of Texas to prosecute cases anywhere in Texas where county district attorneys refuse to enforce state law
Pass unrestricted Constitutional Carry
Supports repeal of the 16th Amendment (Federal Income Tax) in the US constitution
Supports repeal of the 17th Amendment of the US constitution, and return to appointing US senators by state legislatures
Eliminate birthright citizenship from the US constitution (repeal the 14th Amendment)Prevent any future “lockdowns” in case of, well, anything, presumably, but most likely targeting public-health measures to fight epidemics. Also, no contact tracing
“National Popular Vote: The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is a direct violation of … the Constitution and shall be rejected by Texas and all its officials. We support the Electoral College”
Equal Rights Amendment: They want to make sure that Texas’s 1972 ratification has expired!
“Homosexuality: Homosexuality is an abnormal lifestyle choice. We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin, and we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values. No one should be granted special legal status based on their LGBTQ+ identification”
“Gender Identity: We oppose all efforts to validate transgender identity. We believe gender modification and any form of gender affirming care for minors does not constitute medical care and is, in fact, child abuse. Further, there shall be no attempt to engage in so-called “gender affirming” medical or mental health intervention for persons between the ages of 18 and 26”
(This last plank bars not only medical practices, but “Assigning name and/or pronoun changes.” Will there soon be a Texas Department of Permitted Naming?)
And, folks, that is barely halfway through — and only a selection.
Stay Blue, my friends.
Links:
Great article! A bit scary.