I believe they've got it. By George, I believe they've got it.

[DFW]

Daily Kos does, anyway. Instead of the tired "Tex-ass" nonstop trashings I see on DU, Kos sent the following this morning:

"The Texas GOP can read the writing on the wall: Texas, a historically red state, is trending blue. Republicans carried it in presidential elections by 15+ points in 2012, nine in 2016 and less than 6 points in 2020. Texas Republicans are hoping that these far-right stances will help to drive their base to the polls not only in the 2022 midterms, but in the 2024 presidential election.

"Texas is miles behind other states in building a progressive political infrastructure, and the hard work to engage frontline communities will take years of investment. That's why Daily Kos has identified seven organizations in Texas who are doing the hard work today that will transform the state and empower frontline communities."

Secession, my Texan ass.

[anarch]

1. I'd venture to say that if we didn't have such extensive vote suppression,

the state would have "gone blue" a few election cycles ago. The vote suppression (especially in, you know, not-very-white areas if you catch my drift) is pretty thorough and effective though, and seems to be a big part of the GOP's plan to hold on to power here.

[Ferrets are Cool]

8. Don't forget gerrymandering...

although, that "may" be considered vote suppression in a way too.

[hibbing]

13. Check Dan Crenshaw's district n/t

[hlthe2b]

2. Thanks for the good news with re: Texas. Colorado was once almost given up on too, years ago

after Amendment 2 was approved by Colorado voters in 1992 and the rise of the regressive homophobic fundamentalist conservatives around CO Springs and the western slope. The amendment prevented municipalities from enacting anti-discrimination laws protecting gay, lesbian, or bisexual people. But as soon as that was amended/repealed I knew we would turn that trend around and we have. Ditto, protecting women's right to choose as was codified again, just this year. Colorado too has had its secessionist idiots in the more rural regressive counties--most recently after the passage of gun control legislation in response to the Aurora theater shooting (years after Columbine and a series of other mass shootings). They resent the power bases of Denver, the wealthy ski towns, and the progressive front-range university towns of Boulder and Fort Collins. So, they spew their secessionist threats from time to time, but it isn't going anywhere.

So, yes, it can be done. I admit to being a bit down on Texas right now, but I don't give up on it. I have participated in phone banking for Beto in 2018, and for Biden in Texas in 2020 and have a lot of hope for Beto in 2022.

[mountain grammy]

19. Agree.. Amendment 2 was a turning point.

so many of us worked so hard to defeat it that when it passed we took that defeat and really got serious about change. Gardner was a fluke with his pretty face and rotten ideas. Don't think I'll ever get over losing Udall. Saw a Udall sticker on a car yesterday and said to the guy, Udall was a huge loss for Colorado..he agreed. Pretty rare in my neck of the woods.

[viva la]

3. They are so self-destructive.

They'll be driving college-educated people out of the state. Companies will rethink locating there because the laws are so against the interests of workers.

Texas and Florida are about the only red states which have been attracting new population and businesses. Their governments seem intent on reversing that.

If they were just garden-variety reactionary, maybe the appeal of Austin and the other cities would override it. But they are unhinged, vicious, frightening, calling guys "abnormal," putting bounties on women wanting abortions, siccing CPS on families of Trans kids. There's this feverish atmosphere that is really frightening.

I hope there's a backlash quickly.

[DFW]

6. No one HAS to be like that

Granted, my outfit started in Dallas 40 years ago, but we have gone from 20 (since the merger of Boston and Dallas) people go about 500, and treat our people well enough that not only do we have almost no turnover, we are still hiring. If working in Dallas were the hellhole we are supposed to be, half of them would have gone back to L.A. or Seattle, or wherever it is they moved from, and the locals don’t leave, either. Just because the laws permit companies to treat their employees like shit, does not mean all Texas companies feel the need to do it.

[Horse with no Name]

16. Interestingly enough

I actually work for the state of Texas and my job is extremely progressive and inclusive and has literally been recognized as of the most progressive institutions in the country.
My actual thought is that there is a lot of election fuckery in the rural areas of the state where nobody looks.
I think without that, Texas is already blue.

[DFW]

20. I wouldn't discount that as a possibility

The reason the Republicans engage in so much "election fuckery (great term, by the way)" is precisely because they know better than we do how often they'd lose without it.

[hatrack]

33. Not just election fuckery - governance fuckery. See also: Uvalde

In a city like Dallas, I'd bet there's more than enough people willing to raise hell and demand accountability when things go south on crime, schools, taxes, what have you. In rural areas, probably not.

I'm from a small town and familiar with how local government works. All too often it's a little club, and if you're not the "right sort" (rich enough, religious enough, connected enough, conservative enough) you don't get in. And when the shit hits the fan, Little Club Membership isn't good enough any more, and people in charge run for cover.

The reek of inbred small-town governance hangs over that place like stench of burning flesh.

[viva la]

39. I live in a blue city in a red state, so I empathize!

It's a shame that good companies who treat people well-- and good cities that are diverse and innovative-- are hamstrung by the crazy state legislatures, which are often dominated by rural pols who are pandering to their own constituents rather than considering the majority who are urban and suburban and have very different values and needs.

"Why bother to plan for all-day kindergarten? Why bother with free tuition for community college? 12 years of schooling was enough for me!"

[CentralMass]

4. Well it's nice you have a place to go where they get it.

[EYESORE 9001]

5. It's better than nice

Incessant kvetching about the sorry state of Texas does nothing toward getting Democrats elected where the stats are turning favorably in that direction.

[DFW]

7. It just might be that Texas Democrats know something that those who trash us do not

And that is that the fight is winnable, with or without those from outside who “know better,” but never have the time or the inclination to help out.

[EYESORE 9001]

9. If ever there were a time to join the fight, it's now

Reactionary forces are making a power grab in Texas borne out of fear - and it shows. An effective pushback against fascism is required immediately. Some people, however, have conceded loss without lifting a finger…except to tippy-tap screed of disdain on their devices.

[CentralMass]

12. Some people paint with a broad brush.

[DFW]

21. They do indeed

Not the greatest tactic when looking for allies in hotly contested fights. Beto will never oust Abbott if the rest of the country's Democrats point to us as a monolith of corrupt buffoons.

[CentralMass]

31. I'll confess that once upon a time I was considering Texas as one possible retirement spot

However with the worsening climate and extreme government and rw nutjobs I've pretty much ruled it out.

[DFW]

35. How ironic. We were thinking about Massachusetts!

Climate and people, then Dallas in the winter. Although if our daughter were to move back to Hawaii, that would be hard to resist.

[CentralMass]

37. I spent 54 of my years in MA but have been in Oregon for about the last 7.

I followed a job out here. I may end up back in MA when I retire. I have family there.
I honey mooned (late 80's)in Hawaii. What an amazing place. Living there would be a dream. We spent our remaining hours there sitting on straw mats on Waikiki waiting for our ride to the airport reading the help wanted ads as the sun set.

[Scrivener7]

10. I believe the trashings were aimed at the medieval republiQan platform and calls for secession.

Which deserve to be trashed.

[Caliman73]

41. Possibly.

The problem is that a lot of the posts are either very emotionally charged (which is understandable) or they are not articulated very well.

I made a post about the Herschel Walker / Raphael Warnock tie in Georgia. I made it very clear that "some" Georgia voters were very stupid. Some is an operant word. Not all. We know the Stacy Adams has been working hard with other organizations and Georgia Democrats to effect change in Georgia. The issue is that there are a lot of ignorant, plain racist, and apathetic voters.

I did not trash the state of Georgia. I did not say EVERYONE. I defined an issue.

Like I said, there are quite a number of posts that perhaps, are doing as you say and being aimed at certain factions of people in the state of Texas. The problem comes from the "shotgun" approach to posting.

Language is constantly changing. Words that meant something years ago, have different meaning nowadays. Context is important. There is a book "The Giver" by Lois Lowry in which the term "precision of language" is exaggerated to show how language can be used to control thought. Similar to "1984" and "Brave New World". There is something, however, to being better descriptive when addressing a complex issue like the politics in a state like Texas.

Living in California, I know that we are considered a very Liberal state and the Democratic Party has a pretty firm grip on State and Federal representation. However, there are pockets of DEEP red in the state. We gave the country Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Devin Nunez, Darrell Issa, etc.... politics are complicated and nuanced.

[stopdiggin]

11. that's an encouraging take, but ...

while I agree that the best thing the GOP is doing for us - is veering off into crazyland ... Local politics and presidential elections are really different measures.

[DFW]

22. Completely different, agreed. Tip O'Neill was right--all politics is local.

However, the power of the population centers in Texas is concentrated in the blue cities. We need to expand from there. There is a reason people prefer to live in Dallas as opposed to Waxahachie.

[ecstatic]

14. I think the crazy policies are to discourage liberals from moving there

And it is working.

[DFW]

23. If that is really a strategy, it is failing miserably in Dallas.

All our relocations are solidly Democratic.

[ecstatic]

36. Keep in mind the timeline--most of the negative PR occurred last year

starting in February when the power grid failed. From there, there was a barrage of negative stories regarding voter suppression laws, threats of arresting Democratic state representatives, abortion bounties, going after trans kids and their parents, etc.

People who were already in the process of moving there prior to everything that happened last year probably had no choice but to press forward. But those who have not advanced that far in their planning have most likely crossed Texas off the list--I mean, how can you not? Women are getting prosecuted for miscarriages.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. In my humble opinion, a broad generalization based on

having lived here 20 years. People don't care about politics. Seriously, not at all Can't see how anything will change that. Why anyone with $ to buy campaign signs and have catchy names win. Why Cruz has it made. Why just a simple negative Facebook smear works ( no reading required).

[KS Toronado]

26. I have never understood

how Cruz keeps getting reelected, so yes too few people actually pay attention to politics,
and the problem is countrywide.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

27. How are you feeling?????

Yes, I think it's been the most difficult thing to get used to since having to live in Texas. That the subject never comes up. At family gatherings and social events. And if I ever tried, I get faced with dead silence. it's almost like not a polite thing to bring up. But I think it's weird as hell that something huge like say January 6th is never even discussed at all.

[KS Toronado]

34. Keeping my chin up, chemo starts next week

Told my idiot MAGA neighbor (who refuses to watch the hearings) the other day "I can't believe some
of the stuff Antifa & big name reQublicans are saying in defense of tRump to the Committee", went from
there to "The RNC was paying Antifa to make tRump look bad". Conversation lasted about 5 minutes and
I'd bet he watches today, he's in for a big surprise.

You know your targets, make up some outrageous statement about the Select Committee painting IQ4.5
in a favorable light you think they might fall for, "They're proving djt had nothing to do with Jan 6th,
it's all "whats his name" doings."

[Laura PourMeADrink]

44. Will be rooting for you next week! Have a family member

like your neighbor. I swear this trump phenomenon is different than anything I have ever seen in my life. It's truly like these people are under a spell or hypnotized.. seriously. Typically sound minded people are believing ALL of it and are 100% adamant and 100% dug in. Like a force has taken over their minds. I was just reading suggestions on how to deal with these people. Think a lot of it points to the fact that there is no single source of information that most all people believe. It's really sad.

[Joinfortmill]

17. I hope so, if we can count the votes

[plimsoll]

18. It's very easy to forget that Texas is not a uniform cesspit.

That majority sets the tone for the state, and they seem every bit as disgusting as the Texas trashing makes them out to be.

Consider this though, a vote to succeed. Didn't the Texas GOP just declare itself disloyal. Without swift condemnation by the rest of the GOP can we just ignore the claims of "patriotism" from them for good.

[DFW]

25. Only the Republicans themselves take their claims of "patriotism" seriously

Texas is an export-driven economy, whether livestock, oil or electronics. Texas still needs to sell outside of Texas, and no one prefers dealing with assholes except other assholes.

[plimsoll]

30. I'm not sure about the patriotism thing.

But none of the rest of us need to take it seriously, and frankly let’s extend that back to the past. I want to see Gingrich condemn that. If he fails to do that I think we can safely say that the GOP apparatus he set in motion has been aimed at replacing the USA with some other entity of their liking.

As for the asshole aspect. It’s funny how often the decent people from Texas that you meet try to avoid saying they’re from Texas.

[Easterncedar]

24. For a great Texas point of view...

I go to Juanita Jean’s, The World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon. Susan DuQuesnay Bankston, whose son, incidentally, is the legal bane of Alex Jones, runs the site. She sometimes sounds like Molly Ivins, who I will miss forever.

We need to fight on all fronts, and support every blue spark. IMHO.

[KS Toronado]

28. I checked them out

[PCIntern]

29. Once Texas goes blue they're done....

And they know this.

[Justice]

32. Really interesting study on low voter turnout in Texas (and other states) by precincts

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0268134

"California, Arizona, and Texas stand out as states with many counties where a large fraction of precincts have remarkably low turnout rates." Latino and African American voters aren't turning out.

[MagickMuffin]

38. Tarrant County turned out to Vote Blue this past Presidential election

That says a lot. TCDP has been working harder and harder to turn Tarrant blue. We will continue to do so.

I however, decided against being a precinct chair after the 2016 election. It was too painful helping people cast a ballot for tfg. These people had no clue how to cast a ballot, hence me having to actually help them. It was a clown show, people came out in their pajamas to vote which I always found fascinating to say the least.

Could you supply the url to the Daily Kos article? Would like to see the groups discussed in the article.


Thanks for the info.

[DFW]

42. I'll try when I get back to civilization

I’m stuck in another German Railways sardine can breakdown.

[DFW]

43. It was an email link asking for money via Act Blue, as usual, which I will never do. Here is a link

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dkendorses2022civictx?refcode=20220622esplatforma&link_id=1&can_id=e3603b7dfcffba0f2c35a00d6c0e28e6&source=email-texas-texas-texas-9&email_referrer=email_1583306&email_subject=texas-texas-texas&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_1583306

[inthewind21]

40. If Texas ever

Goes blue and gets rid of the yahoos currently running the state I might just move back home!