If Texas falls, it is the end of America.

[hamsterjill]

First and foremost, thank you to EVERYONE, EVERY WHERE who has helped Texas over the last two weeks. I am in awe of the risk that some in other states have been willing to take to shelter the Democratic representatives etc. I appreciate all of the good thoughts and ideas that I see on DU that pertain to Texas.

If Abbott is successful in getting the districts gerrymandered as he wants, and he probably ultimately will be, then there will essentially be only ONE party left in Texas. That party will be MAGA and every decision, every move, every bill and every steal of Donald Trump will simply be rubber stamped by the Republican shitholes in Texas. We will no longer have Democracy here. As Rachel has said many times, "it's not coming; it's here".

Texas is ground zero and always has been. If Texas falls, it is the blueprint for every other red state in the Union. Donald Trump is not renovating the White House thinking he's leaving in three years. He's turning it into a Trump trashy-ass property because he plans to be there for a while. You think he's going to die? Well, some day he will, but with the best medical care that money can buy, I am not holding my breath. And even when he does, there is already a dynasty working to be put in place.

This all saddens me and scares me. I'm old, and the stress and angst is not a good thing for any of us who are watching our rights be stolen away, piece by piece, one by one. But I'm not giving up.

So, I beg you all - please continue to support what the Texas Democrats are doing as if they were your very own. Because YOUR future depends on it, too.

Hugs and good wishes to all. We will continue to fight the good fight in my beloved Texas.

[SheltieLover]

1. Kick

[Omnipresent]

2. One thing that has stuck with me over the years..

Is when Jeb was debating trump in 2015, calling him a “Chaos Candidate for President”.
Chaos is what were getting from trump!

[JustAnotherGen]

3. This situation in Texas

Is do or die. Seriously. This is the PRECISE moment where every single Democrat from the newest registered 18 year old to 118 years old needs to stand strong and in defiance.

This is a much bigger deal than habba dabba being assigned Acting State Attorney to NJ for another 120 days. We can break her easily.

That magapub demon in the White House? We can keep piling on the child rapist/epstein files and help the TX Democrats stand in defiance. Never asked for lockstep thinking from Democrats before - but right now?

We are either My Party, My Party, My Party, My Constitution, My Constitution, My Constitution - or America Ends.

It's go time.

[hamsterjill]

9. Thank you for "getting" it!

The time truly is NOW, or else there won't be another opportunity.

[roamer65]

4. Democrats need to gerrymander NY and IL.

Eliminate all MAGAt seats in both.

[MLWR]

5. And CA.

[calimary]

21. Hey, if that's what it takes, then that's what we do.

Seem like that’s what we SHOULD do. Or at least try to.

[BlueKota]

37. Yes!

[bamagal62]

58. Gerrymander the shit

Out of all 3 of those states!

[BlueKota]

36. Agreed!

[FBaggins]

61. NY will take until 2028 at the earlier - and IL has already given us all the seats they can

Republicans are absolutely packed into three districts in IL (out of 17). There is no more juice to get from that orange.

There are already six blue seats that are pretty tight (D+5 or less)... while the three remaining red seats are R+11/20/22 points.

[Bobstandard]

6. Contact these California Dems to support our own gerrymander!

Contact these folks to let them know we want them to fight fire with fire by gerrymandering California to get the seats needed to cancel Texas’ dirty deal.

Mike McGuire, President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate, [phone], [e-mail]
Robert A. Rivas, Speaker, CA House of Representatives, [phone], [e-mail]

Leave a message, send a text. Let these folks know we want them to fight. Freedom, democracy, our health and well being are all on the line.

[hamsterjill]

10. Thank you for that!

Much appreciated. I will send an email, too. I don't know if it's the same in California as in Texas, and they may not accept my comments since I'm out of state. But I will send my thanks.

Appreciate YOU for posting this information.

[MagickMuffin]

11. Contact them because you are from Texas

Texans need to send an SOS to all Democratic states to sound the alarm 🚨

We cannot sit back and be passive, we need to be passionately aggressive to seek a remedy to this illegal take over of our state government.

[hamsterjill]

14. Done.

Agreed. Already done.

[Initech]

7. If we ever get out of this, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton and their enablers should spend of their sorry lives behind bars.

[MayReasonRule]

23. Brick Top Has Entered The Chat...

[Dustlawyer]

8. Let them spread their margins thin and then vote overwhelmingly D!

I am sick and tired of their crap! We will NEVER F’ing stop fighting these ignorant, corrupt, hypocritical bastards!

[StarryNite]

12. It's past time...

the gloves should have been taken off a long time ago. It's now or never. No more high road.

[popsdenver]

13. Here in Colorado

we are seeing TEXAS car plates here like never before.......Probably New Dems arriving to live. Way too many to be tourists.........
Same with FLORIDA plates and CALIFORNIA plates, but no where near the numbers of TEXAS plates.......

Hopefully they are all dems, we would sure hate to see our Blue State turn purple or red...........

No idea how our Rural Colorado can vote in Bang-Bang Boebert, but they keep doing it. (Most Coloradans didn't name her bang-bang because she carries a sidearm)

In my opinion, our two Dem US Senators seem to just be a long for the ride.....basically go with the status quo, don't rock the boat, career politicians.
Interesting that now one of those Senators wants to bail out of Washington and run for Governor......

[SheLiberal]

16. I know some of those transplants

Four of my family members have moved from Texas to Colorado to escape the right wing nuts of Texas. My husband and I are considering moving there too.

[popsdenver]

17. The more the merrier

come on up. We are known as a "Sanctuary City, and that doesn't just apply to immigrants.......

However...........please know that Denver/Colorado are soon to be under Seige by Trump humping 'ICE"ers because we are a BLUE state and also a "Sanctuary City"

[flying_wahini]

79. Texan here and we are looking, too.

May end up in BC Canada because we have family there.
But I keep waiting on the world to change.

[SheLiberal]

81. Canada would be lovely

Wish we had a link to Canada, not sure they would want a couple of 67 year olds moving in.

[hamsterjill]

20. I would love to be able to move, but it's not in the cards for me.

Unfortunately. I don't blame ANYONE for getting out when they can. It's only going to get worse in Texas.

[Walleye]

53. You have my admiration for staying and fighting the good fight

[hamsterjill]

54. Thank you.

But in all honesty, were it a true possibility, I would have already been gone.

I have an animal rescue that I cannot reasonably move elsewhere.

[Walleye]

55. Oh, I understand. I feel very lucky to have landed up in my home state of Delaware. in my old age, it is deep blue.

I couldn’t leave either because of my cats. You are doing good things

[walkingman]

59. My DW and I also would like to leave Texas. We have a small farm near Austin and the housing

market is not good these days - due to the huge increase in property values and home prices. We have no children and at age 75 (both of us) a move would be really hard, especially considering we have lived in this place for 37 years.

Another big issue for us is not knowing the area or new area at our age. It seems the most logical move for us is to stay in the area but I absolutely just hate Texas these days. It is hot as hell, the politics are so backwards and seem to be getting worse. In rural Texas the people are well meaning but very, very religious, clannish (Catholic community), under-educated, and just not our genre of people.

I fear we have waited too long to make a move - it is depressing.

[Magoo48]

15. with all due respect,

The USA doesn’t end until all its people say it ends.

[hamsterjill]

19. Well, you come on down to Texas, my friend, and let me show you a thing or two.

I promise you, it'll make you think.

There are plenty of people in Texas (and other red states) who are just fine with the USA ending, evidently, because they are in full support of instilling Trump as the dictator that he wants to be.

[popsdenver]

24. There are a whole big bunch

of religious fanatics that want to see civilization end........who are expecting the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" to show up at any moment

[hamsterjill]

25. Yep. Exactly!

And they are all perfectly willing to help things along, too. The can't wait until they are whisked away in the sky. But the problem is - and full disclosure, I am a believer myself - they don't want to pay attention to the part about "love they neighbor", etc. NOR do they want to pay attention to the part about "no one knows the hour, not the angels in heaven, nor even the Son of God"...

They like cafeteria style scripture. They want to use parts to justify their hate and racism, but they don't want to see the full context about love, etc. They love being around others who spout the same crap as that emboldens them into believing that they are right and just in their beliefs.

It's a cult, and it's dangerous.

[popsdenver]

27. Yes sireeeee

They are fanatical and hyper hypocrites....The good ol' do as I say, not as I do..........

[Pinback]

26. Thank you.

Alarm is warranted. Defeatism is not.

[hamsterjill]

39. No one has said anything about defeatism.

I clearly state in my OP that I'm not giving up. But the stakes are what the stakes are.

[markodochartaigh]

18. After WWII

California became the driver of trends in the US, and things got better and better for most people for a couple of decades. Now, if the trends start coming out of Texas, it will be a very different story.

Kind of ironic given that the end of democracy may come from a state founded by people from the US who wanted to expand the slave states.

[calimary]

22. It's heartbreaking to have lived long enough to see this.

The only meaningful question that arises from this is to push the question: “so what do we DO about it?” Large actions and/or small. “What do we DO about it?”

[markodochartaigh]

60. It isn't very encouraging but the only answer

I keep coming back to is, although I'm only a single drop of water, I will be that drop of water. If there were no drops of water there would be no ocean.
Every time I go to a protest, online or outside, I think about this.
It's only human to wish that we could do more, but if we all do what we can hopefully it will be enough.

[hamsterjill]

67. I really like that!

Thanks for sharing it.

[LudwigPastorius]

28. Sorry to say, that Texas is under complete Republican control, and has been for the past 23 years.

The State House & Senate are Republican majority, the Governor, Sec. of State, and Attorney General are all Republicans, and all 9 seats on the Supreme Court are held by Republicans.

They are going to get away with whatever the U.S. Supreme Court allows, and will continue to do so until Democrats can take some of the aforementioned offices away from them.

[hamsterjill]

29. No one knows that better than I do.

I am a sixth generation Texan. I love my state. I love my family, and I love what my beloved Texas USED to be.

One of the things (there are many, but ONE of the things...) that contributed to the change in Texas from blue to red was the thinking of some that Democrats were wimpy. Democrats need to re-establish themselves as bold, as strong, and as capable. Their message has got to reflect that.

The actions by the Democratic representatives leaving the state are, at least, something. They took action, they are drawing attention to the reality that MAGA wants to assure more control in 2026. They are drawing attention that MAGA is a bit worried about 2026. They didn't just sit there and let the vote happen and be overruled. The fact that THIS time, other states are offering assistance and counter balances has upped the anti for the MAGA's. There is some real opposition. Some real obstacles for GOP idiots now if the blue states counter the redistricting.

TEXAS IS GRATEFUL!!!!

We are part of the United States of America. The "united" part is coming into play right now with other states stepping up. This is something to be watched and applauded. I need to have the same rights in Texas as I would have in a blue state. We need to act collectively, and that is what is happening here with other states coming to Texas' aid. This needs to be a part of the playbook from here on out. There is safety in numbers and only when we all band together and act collectively can we defeat the vocal MINORITY that is truly the MAGA base in Texas. There aren't more of them, there are just more of them who get to the polls. We have to excite the ones who don't vote and try to show the idiots who just followed the cult and voted red just how stupid it is to do that.

[thought crime]

68. You are right on every point.

Thank you and all the Democrats in Texas. Everyone should support this effort.

[catrose]

31. Sadly yes

[biocube]

30. At least Democrats are finally understanding...

You can’t play by the rules when fighting against a party that doesn’t play by the rules and hates democracy. Gerrymander the shit out of California, Illinois, and New York.

[hamsterjill]

34. I think so, too.

This time the stakes are higher, and the response has got to be bolder.

Welcome to DU!

[BlueKota]

38. This is how I feel.

The Republicans cheat, the Supreme Court let's them, so the game is fixed, and the more Democrats insist on still playing fair, the more we lose and the more power the Magats steal.

[hamsterjill]

44. Exactly.

It's time to be creative with the rules. You know, like what the Republicans have been getting away with for decades1

[Nigrum Cattus]

32. I under stand your concern but -

It WILL NOT be the end of the U.S.
Texas only turned out 61% in 2024 to vote.
The RWRE's there viewed this as an encouragement.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/texas-voter-turnout-election-2024-registration/

[hamsterjill]

40. So if Abbott succeeds in Texas, you don't think another MAGA-boot-licking governor isn't going to try the same thing?

To impress the Emperor himself? That's the point - that Texas will not be the end of the tactics. If the blue states support Texas by countering the redistricting, the MAGA's have a whole new ball game to worry about.

Let's not get all stuck up on "semantics". I think the point of my post is clear.

[Wiz Imp]

48. Texas, Florida and Ohio are the only 3 states amongst the 14 largest that are completely under Republican control.

Democrats have California, New York & Illinois which combined are bigger than the 3 Republican states. New Jersey and Washington are also currently completely under Democratic control. The other six largest states are not completely controlled by one party. What happens in Alabama or Mississippi or Idaho or South Dakota is not going to have any impact on "completely taking over the US"

[hamsterjill]

50. I admire your optimism

I’ll be sure to share that with all of the people who told me that Roe would never be overturned.

[standingtall]

77. Of the 4 republican States the poster referenced there is only 3 Democratic seats combined out of them

So there isn't much more gerrymandering republicans can do out of them, so there is reason to be optimistic that if republicans do what there trying to do in Texas that we can effectively counter it by doing the same in blue States. Besides the obvious New York and California there is Governor race in Virginia coming up and there is 5 republican seats out of the 11 congressional seats. We should be able to gerrymander some of those away at some point as well.

[JoseBalow]

33. Texas... Shit.

[ProfessorGAC]

35. If He's Not Leaving In 3 Years...

...why the endorsement (of sorts) of Vance to carry the MAGA banner?

[hamsterjill]

41. My opinion? To keep everyone guessing until he's got everything in place.

So, you don't think Trump's plan all along is to instill himself as a dictator? To me, he's well on his way. He's certainly go the Supreme Court helping him out. He's mentioned a "third term" several times already.

What? You think Vance is going to try to fight Trump when Trump's term ends in 2028 because Vance wants to be President? Vance is a stooge and an idiot and he will do what he's told. He's a place holder.

[ProfessorGAC]

43. An Answer Unrelated To My Question

I never said Vance was smart, so that part of your response is a nonsequitur.
The first part requires strategic thinking never in evidence.

[hamsterjill]

46. Well, I guess your post is just over my head.

God forbid!!! What exactly is it that you are asking me?

I don't think Trump has any intention of leaving at the end of his term, so I don't think any mention of Vance as the future of the MAGA movement means anything whatsoever.

Would Donald Trump actually tell a lie or do something to be deceptive? Shock and dismay!

[stillcool]

42. it's Trump

I didn't see what conversation preceded the quip, but it would be real news if he said something relevant and truthful.

[ProfessorGAC]

45. Fair, But...

...he doesn't need to say anything about Vance. But he did.
There are dozens of things he can spew nonsense about, but he brought up Vance as the best one to take over MAGA.
The "Trump" element is that he's completely wrong because I doubt MAGA will follow Vance.
And, attributing some grand plan he has in his head requires strategic thinking & the ability to plan for which there is no evidence.

[Midwestern Democrat]

72. After the midterms, I'm pretty certain we're going to see Republicans running for the '28 nomination - and I would think

seeing people like Vance, DeSantis, Rubio, etc. clearly running for president should probably end all the "Trump isn't leaving" talk.

[red dog 1]

47. ICE kidnaps New York Dems. "We've been trapped!" Democratic lawmakers say ICE incarcerated them at detention center.

Last edited Wed Aug 6, 2025, 07:17 PM - Edit history (1)

https://democraticunderground.com/100220540432

(Not relevant to this thread, but I wonder if Trump might use ICE to incarcerate any of the Texas legislators, several of whom went to NYC)

[Wiz Imp]

49. That is NY Reps, NOT Texas.

[red dog 1]

52. Thanks for that correction.

[LeftInTX]

76. They were not kidnapped!! They were denied entry into an ICE facility!!!

They were treated rudely and left in a waiting area, then eventually told they couldn't visit the ICE facility. The article is clickbait.
They were there to visit/inspect the ICE facility and eventually were turned away.

____

Although, I would not put anything past Trump's goons to hunt down the Texas Dems and force them back to Texas. I kinda think Trump is craftier and smarter than this. He knows that if his masked goons attack 50 Democrats, he will make them martyrs and increase their popularity. But who knows??

[Wiz Imp]

51. Remember when everybody was positive Trump was going to declare Martial Law on April 20?

Then when that didn't happen, it surely was going to happen on or around June 14? Enough said.

[hamsterjill]

56. Remember when everyone said that Merrick Garland was going to get Trump?

Then when that didn't happen...

Seriously, I do admire your optimism. I just do not share it.

[Wiz Imp]

57. No I don't remember it because unlike my assertion, your assertion is false.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220246723

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20231342

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016401392

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220384154

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220277212

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220247915

[hamsterjill]

62. My assertion is not false.

Merrick Garland did not, in fact, get Trump. I remember being blasted many times on DU by people who insisted that "he just needs more time".

And I'm not spending my time going through all of the links. Why would you spend time doing that? SMH...

[Wiz Imp]

64. Whatever. The fact you can not provide one piece of evidence for your assertion says everything I need to know

Thanks for proving me right!!!

[hamsterjill]

65. If it's important for you to be right - good for you.

Have a great evening.

[red dog 1]

69. You're right about Merrick Garland.

Why did he wait so long to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate Trump's role in the January 6th, 2021 riots?
He didn't appoint Jack Smith until November, 2022.

(CNN Headline on January 6, 2025)
"The Lost Year: How Merrick Garland's Justice Department ran out of time prosecuting Trump for January 6"

[red dog 1]

71. + 1

[Emile]

63. K & R

[flamingdem]

66. Props to the Texas Dems

[jimmil]

73. Texas is already done....

You just haven't heard the crashing of democracy here yet.

[hamsterjill]

74. Yes, unfortunately, I know.

You will note in my OP that I do say that Abbott will get what he wants. I have no grand illusions about my beloved Texas. I have so much sadness that I (honestly) spend many days in tears. We, as Texans, shouldn't be disenfranchised from rights available in other states for the simple reason that we were born within these borders and have commitments that mean we need to stay.

I am just hoping that the help it is receiving from the other states WITH MY GRATITUDE will draw attention and make Republicans realize that it's not JUST about Texas, but that there are blue states who will fight back.

We are the UNITED States of America, and we need to stop worrying about state's rights and operate as a cohesive unit. The blue states who are helping Texas right now are the heroes for understanding that.

Appreciate your post!

[Ways]

75. Texas blue dog democrat

I’ll never give up on truth, justice, & equality for
all. IN Texas!🤠

[FM123]

78. Hugs and good wishes to you too dear hamsterjill.

What you just said - "This all saddens me and scares me. I'm old, and the stress and angst is not a good thing for any of us who are watching our rights be stolen away, piece by piece, one by one. But I'm not giving up." - this is exactly how I feel as a true blue Dem living in blood red Florida.

[hamsterjill]

80. Thank you so much for this!

I retired several months back, and there had been a time before the election that I was really hoping for just some down time and peace. I knew once the election was over, that having that was going to be a challenge because I remembered all of the uproar that I (and so many of us) went through during the asshole's first term.

I try hard to do things to reduce the stress and I try to be sensible about the amount of time I spend thinking about things and dwelling on things. I limit media exposure, etc. But we all know that the stress IS there because we are fearful about what the nut is going to do next.

Wishing you the ability to find some peace yourself...

Thank you.

[FM123]

82. .

[Jose Garcia]

83. I was frequently told that America would end if Biden, and then Harris lost last year

[hamsterjill]

84. Well, that may hold true.

We are pretty much at that point in my opinion.