General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI'm involved with Democratic politics down here in South Texas
Here are a few facts:
Generalizations..(We have our progressives, but I'm describing the majority of Democrats)
Democrats here tend to be somewhat socially conservative
They are even more conservative in the Rio Grande Valley..(Henry Cuellar)
Democrats are overwhelmingly Latino or African American.
Most of my friends go to church every week...I'm the lazy hold out
We don't discuss reproductive rights because other issues are more important
Latinos are majority Catholic and even among Democrats abortion or abortion rights is not something they feel comfortable discussing.
Of course they are upset about SB 8, because it is so horrendous...But the majority of reproductive limitations in the past do not appear to have angered them to the point that it flips elections.
Sen Eddio Lucio Jr (D- Brownsville) voted for the anti-abortion bill.
Then we have our Progressive voters
They tend to be white...
Democrats who are involved with Planned Parenthood tend to be white and tend to have more money.
However, white Democrats are the minority here...
Based on this, the Republicans feel that there will not be a huge rebellion in Texas....
brush
(53,475 posts)as other red states will do copycat laws which could very well affect the upcoming mid-terms.
blm
(112,920 posts)Larisa Alexandrovna Horton
Question for all fathers:
Someone - for whatever reason - decides out of malice to report your daughter to the abortion hotline. They dont need proof. They can remain anonymous. But your daughter then has to prove she did not have an abortion. So you have to then take your 10, 11, 12 year old child to the doctor or face jail or a fine. Is that ok with you? If the answer is no, then it does not matter what your views on abortion are. SB8 includes this as part of the law. If you are not ok with this Soviet shit. Why are you quiet?
DUgosh
(3,052 posts)Are brutal. I can only imagine the calls from the soccer Moms trying to reduce the field of applicants so their daughter has less competition
blm
(112,920 posts)LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)Zeitghost
(3,796 posts)And for the record I am not defending it, merely explaining how it works...
The person getting the abortion can not be sued, only those assisting the woman.
blm
(112,920 posts)The immediate aftermath of that malicious reporting.
The writer didnt mention the aspect of getting sued.
Zeitghost
(3,796 posts)That you would have to bring your minor child in to prove they did not have an abortion or risk a fine or jail.
That is not how this (horrible) law works.
Like I said, I'm not defending it, simply pointing out who is at risk of legal action.
Response to LeftInTX (Original post)
LeftInTX This message was self-deleted by its author.
Mersky
(4,969 posts)Honestly, I need to go talk to Dems in south Texas. Been way too long. I find nuance on the topic in conservative circles in central Texas. Weve faced a lot of health related heartache in Texas over COVID, and whats burns me to no end is the anti-choice machine using peoples honest, religious beliefs to get away with corruption and advance policies that are destroying the planet and keeping people down for profits.
The heartbeat bill name is a misnomer. At six weeks, its the electrical sound applied to the detection of the fluttering movement from a small cluster of cells the size of a lentil on the thickened edge of the yolk sac. How to discuss that its a healthcare decision up until the time of viability needs to be reiterated. That when life begins is not settled by this dastardly law for a country of wide ranging beliefs.
Too, banning abortion does not reduce abortion rates. Increases in standards of living, education, access to healthcare (esp women) leads to better options/decisions and rates.
In person, have heard more nuance on abortion views than wanting a total ban, even if it goes against ones own beliefs, including Catholics and evangelicals.
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)There are also the rural Democrats. They're a good group. Pro-public education. Nuance on guns.
Mersky
(4,969 posts)The less nuanced part? Cuz that gets traction in my goings around, which admittedly have been clipped due to the COVID year. A total abortion ban isnt prolife if the goal is to stop abortions. Spying on and reporting people like its 1939, gah! Wtaf?!
Im a Texan, I own guns, but Im not an idiot. Beto wasnt ever going to confiscate guns door to door. El Paso had just happened the month prior to being asked that question. Hows that for nuance?
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)And this spying shit is crazy.
I don't think they will win over supporters.
It may help the GOP in the primary to get the most crazy one in, but it's not gonna help in the general.
Mersky
(4,969 posts)Which is the basis for my grapevine acid test polling/vibes. Im related to like half the people in one county and theyve been frozen, flooded, whipped around, sick, and forced to put up with maskless idiots patronizing their businesses as friends (didnt vaccinate or mask) go into the hospital with COVID. Gets easier to get real when youve all been through it.
Totally agree with your take right there. The death, lies, and theocratic/fascistic abortion ban only works for the diehard zealots in the repug primary.
I adore south Texas, and really need to get down there this next year.
irisblue
(32,829 posts)Last edited Fri Sep 3, 2021, 07:14 AM - Edit history (1)
Vinca
(50,170 posts)"pro-life" or "pro-abortion" (I despise both terms by the way), the point is a woman should have a choice. "Pro-choice." They need to keep their noses out of the private lives of women.
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)Last edited Fri Sep 3, 2021, 01:39 PM - Edit history (5)
Moderate Democrats generally don't put their noses in others private lives.
Most are OK with issues to reduce abortion, (like ultra-sound, pre-procedural counseling, resources for single parents etc). So they haven't been too vocal as abortion rights have been whittled away. Wendy Davis did not ring with many voters because they just weren't angry enough over restrictions that were legislated in 2013.
The overwhelming majority do not support banning abortion. In the last 30 years, abortion rates have come down due to better birth control availability and more options for single parents. But the downside is an increase in poverty. Most single Hispanic women who do become pregnant have family support, which is very different than white families.
The state senator that I mentioned is kind of a jerk. He's 75 and was primaried last year. The primary went to a runoff. I do feel that the district could elect someone who is more progressive, but Lucio has been in office a long time. He also has been supportive of school choice, but keeps getting re-elected. I'm hoping his opponent will run again in 2024. I don't know exactly why he voted for this bill. Maybe he was compromising with someone..The Texas State Senate is a brutal place....The bill was gonna pass with or without his vote...But still it sends a stark message.
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I know there are "Democrats for Life" out there, but they're an entirely different group....They are a very small group, a bit crazy and don't have much influence: https://www.democratsforlife.org/
Democrats for Life aren't moderate, they're radical. They kinda remind me of PETA.
DFW
(54,056 posts)So-called Pro-Life people are NOT that. They ARE against abortion rights and the notion of choice. However, they are not against the death penalty, they are not against killing animals to eat their meat, and they do not protest when abortion providers are murdered. Thats about as Pro-life as Louie Gohmert is pro-erudition.
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)No taking of any human life any time, anywhere.
They are extremely anti death penalty, even when many Democrats shrug at the death penalty, they are totally against it.
Check out the link.
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)Aristus
(66,096 posts)I bash my home-state of Texas as much as anyone. But I know that it is home to some of the finest universities in the country. I don't know what percentage of the aggregate student bodies are native Texans, and how many attend from out of state. But if out of state students choose to attend university somewhere else, might that make a difference?
Will skilled, college-educated workers abandon Texas for someplace less medieval?
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)There are private universities, but the majority of college students are at community college and public universities
I think the main reason college-educated transplants eventually abandon Texas: The weather and every day life: lack of parks, lack of public transportation, walkability, etc.
LetMyPeopleVote
(144,005 posts)I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley but have not been down there since we interned my mon 9 years ago. I have a high school classmate who I recruited to help on the Texas Democratic Lawyers Association. It is interesting talking to her from time to time about the Valley
The two state party presentations on 2020 were interesting. The numbers geek for the party is a numbers geek but I enjoyed his presentation but I like math. I was shocked to see the videos of the TFG car rallies/parades/caravans. The party acknowledged that the messaging to Hispanic voters missed the mark in 2020 and many of these voters were more focused on jobs and economics than social issues. A surprising number of Hispanic voters supported TFG due to concerns about socialism and losing jobs. The use of Socialism and Defund the Police evidently helped TFG to do better in the Valley than anyone expected. The findings of these polls and studies are very consistent with your observations.
The Hispanic voting population is very diverse and we need to tailor the messaging to address a number of concerns. I know that the state party is working on these issues and I will be interested seeing if they can make progress.
BTW, my friend/classmate and I are both white democrats who are not in the Sanders wing of the party
Thank you for your post.
carpetbagger
(4,384 posts)He's a sitting duck for his primary challenge (he only got the nomination 51-48), depending on how he is redistricted. Latinos poll higher than Anglo and Black voters on abortion rights. I suspect the dividing line is rather along gender and religious lines (protestant Latinos against abortion rights, Catholic for).
I agree that our Spanish language messaging is embarrassing, and Spanish language right wing social media is a nightmare that makes English language bs look rather tame and factual.
greenjar_01
(6,477 posts)They make these rules for others, not for themselves.