March 6, 2024

Texas Republicans' Hard Right Turn

Election Aftermath: The radical transformation of Texas' Republican Party.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/texas-republicans-hard-right-turn



I’ve been watching the Texas Legislature for over a decade, and while I have seen a few knock-down-drag-out Republican primary races in Texas, nothing prepared me for the bloodbath we saw last night.

Nine Incumbent Republican House members lost their seats. Eight more incumbent Republicans were forced into runoffs.

Moreover, the Republicans running against the incumbents are further right: Christian Nationalists, bigoted, homophobic, xenophobic, racist, sexist, and, in many cases, criminals.

Potentially, in May, we may have 17 brand-spanking new fascists in the Texas House, ready to write laws to control your life, body, freedom, and pursuit of happiness.

March 6, 2024

The Morning After: What The Hell Happened Last Night?

From Dusk Till Dawn: The GOP's Embrace of Trumpism in Texas.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/the-morning-after-what-the-hell-happened



On Monday, I said, “It’s important to remember that primary turnout doesn’t dictate November turnout.” That’s true, and Democrats need to keep that in mind when analyzing the primary results. Republicans did show up in the primary election in higher numbers than Democrats. But all of their leadership was heavily invested in the primaries and ousting the last few sane Republicans.

Of all the takeaways from the 2024 primary elections, the biggest one should be this: Texas Republicans are Trump Republicans. As terrible as it sounds, over the next several months, Democrats and non-voters in the Lone Star State are going to have to have a come-to-Jesus moment and accept that their neighbors hate them and want to do them harm.

Trump won big in Texas, and so did Trumpism. While in other states, we’ve seen Trump barely win 60% - 70% of the primary vote, he won 77% here in Texas. And that’s considering that probably 5% of Nikki Haley’s voters were Democrats.

March 4, 2024

Texas Early Voter Turnout Report

If you haven't voted yet, don't forget that Super Tuesday is tomorrow.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/texas-early-voter-turnout-report



In 2020, well-meaning folks were sure Democrats would “flip the Texas House” based on primary election turnout. However, it’s important to remember that primary turnout doesn’t dictate November turnout. That matters in 2020, and it matters now.

Primary elections are intra-party contests where political party members choose candidates for the upcoming general election. These elections often attract a more engaged, ideologically driven subset of active voters in their parties’ processes. The general election is where candidates from different parties compete against each other. The electorate in general elections is broader and more diverse, including the party faithful who vote in primaries and more moderate and independent voters who may skip primaries but participate in general elections.

I lead with that because I know how easy it is for Democrats to feel discouraged in Texas. But you shouldn’t feel discouraged. You should feel motivated to keep pushing on. We can’t give up, even when we appear defeated (we aren’t).

March 1, 2024

Ector County Republican Party-Aligned Group Calls For Lynching Of Brown Mayor

Violence in Odessa: A dangerous turn in local politics.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/ector-county-republican-party-aligned



Over the last month, violence between Ector County Republicans has reached peak levels. There have been multiple Republican-on-Republican incidents, and at least one has led to a police report and a press conference from county officials. While researching the incidents and trying to understand what happened, I came across a Facebook page called “Odessa Accountability Project.”

This morning, they made a Facebook post calling for the lynching of the brown Republican mayor. I only came across this post because the Ector County Republican Party shared it. In fact, the Ector County Republican Party has shared nearly every post of the Odessa Accountability Project for months (maybe longer).


The exact verbiage used was, “Mayor Javier Joven should be shot or hung from a tree.”

Shot or hung from a tree.

February 29, 2024

Abbott Plays Politics And Fundraises As Largest Fire In Texas History Decimates Panhandle

Governor Abbott's Week of Priorities: Campaign trails over crisis management.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/abbott-plays-politics-and-fundraises



Most of you could never be convinced that Governor Greg Abbott has ever acted in the best interest of Texas and Texans. However, after his behavior this week, everyone should know that he only cares about playing politics.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire has now burned 1.1 million acres (at the time of writing this) and has thus far claimed two lives. Not only is this fire the largest in Texas history, but it is also the second-largest-ever fire in all of America.

You would think the Governor would be at a command center, giving press conferences, deploying the National Guard, and ordering additional resources to combat this unprecedented disaster. Instead, his response has been notably absent, highlighting a disconnect between his actions and the urgent needs of his constituents.

This fire started Monday. What has Abbott been up to since then?

February 28, 2024

Texas Legislature Targets LGBTQ Studies, Signals Women and Ethnic Studies Are Next

While Representative Brian Harrison's immediate target is LGBTQ studies, which he could file legislation to ban in the 89th Legislature, his language also encompasses Gender and Ethnic studies.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/texas-legislature-targets-lgbtq-studies




In democratic societies, the bedrock of educational institutions is their unwavering commitment to fostering critical thinking, nurturing open debate, and encouraging the exploration of diverse ideas. This commitment not only enriches students’ minds but also prepares them to engage constructively in the broader societal discourse, ensuring the vibrancy and resilience of democracy itself.

Representative Brian Harrison has positioned himself at the forefront of an authoritarian approach to reshape the academic landscape in Texas universities. Since Harrison is running unopposed, we can almost certainly bet on seeing him push in the 89th Legislature bills to ban LGBTQ studies; Harrison’s hateful language doesn’t stop there.

February 27, 2024

🎴Do You Want To Help Save Texas? Please Become A Precinct Chair.

The grassroots movement to flip Texas starts with you!

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/do-you-want-to-help-save-texas-please



I’ve closely been watching the primary election early voter turnout numbers in both the Republican and Democratic primaries. While we won’t have a good feel of how Democrats did in this primary election, it’s important to remember that turnout in primary elections is not an indicator of turnout in general elections.

Using primary election turnout as an indicator of general election turnout is grounded in the understanding that different dynamics are at play in these two types of elections. Factors such as the appeal of the general election candidates to a broader electorate, the national political environment, and specific issues of concern to voters at the time of the general election can significantly influence turnout.

That being said, we need to discuss the importance of precinct chairs if Texas wants to flip and become a blue state.

For example, one Texas County in 2018 did an experiment on which voters were contacted and which weren’t.

70% of voters contacted by their precinct chair turned out to vote.

In precincts where there was no chair, and voters weren’t contacted, only 38% of voters showed up to vote.

February 25, 2024

17 Texas GOP Members Back Bill To Ban Abortions, IVF, IUDs, & Some Birth Control

Texas Republicans lead the charge in national comprehensive reproductive rights rollback.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/17-texas-gop-members-back-bill-to


Last year, Virginia Republican Congressman Alex Mooney filed HR 431, the Life At Conception Act. It didn’t get a lot of traction or attention at the time but with the recent ruling in Alabama declaring embryos “people,” HR 431 is receiving new vigor. The original bill included 64 co-signers. Last month, Congressman Mooney reintroduced the bill with 125 co-signers.

Congressman Mooney put out a statement celebrating the anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, in which he discussed that “unborn babies are entitled to these protections, essentially granting them legal status and rights from the moment of conception.”

Before we go into what this bill will do, here are the 17 Texas Congressional Republicans who co-signed the bill:

February 24, 2024

Are Big Oil Democrats Complicit In The Deaths Caused By The Oil And Gas Industry?

And how the Texas Congressional District 07 Democratic Primary race has turned into an ideological fight over which crime is worse.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/are-big-oil-democrats-complicit-in




Fossil fuel air pollution is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths worldwide yearly. Research from Harvard University found that more than 8 million people die each year from fossil fuel pollution as a result of breathing in air containing particles from burning fuels like coal, petrol, and diesel, which aggravate respiratory conditions like asthma and can lead to lung cancer, coronary heart disease, strokes, and early death.

On top of that, an estimated 400,000 people die each year due to hunger and diseases related to climate change. By 2030, the death toll is expected to rise to 700,000 per year and cost the global economy 2.5% of GDP annually.

The Houston area has some of the worst cancer clusters in the nation. And those cancer clusters lay primarily in Black and brown neighborhoods, killing people of color at higher rates and much quicker than in white Harris County neighborhoods.

In light of these staggering statistics, it is essential to examine the role of political actors, particularly those within the Democratic Party, in addressing the deadly consequences of the oil and gas industry.

While we all know that corrupt Republicans will kill our earth and millions of people in the process for the big money that they get from the oil and gas industry, the Democratic Party is often associated with environmental advocacy. The reality is more complex, especially in regions heavily reliant on fossil fuel extraction and production, such as Texas.

February 23, 2024

The End Of Recreational Sex

Project 2025, a ban on birth control, the attack on feminism, and the fascist theocracy nipping at our heels.

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/the-end-of-recreational-sex



Yesterday, I came across a social media post from the Satan Heritage Foundation. It was a short video clip of a British woman about ending recreational sex and birth control and “restoring sex to its true purpose.” (You can see the video here.)

Most of us know who the Heritage Foundation is. Still, if you’re unfamiliar, they are a far-right “think tank” that has wholly embraced fascism and pushes it through their influence over our courts and Republican lawmakers.

The Heritage Foundation is the most influential right-wing policy-shaping organization in the modern era. They hand-picked Trump’s Supreme Court Justices, Amy Coney-Barrett, Brett Kavanah, and Neil Gorsuch. (You know, the assholes who overturned Roe v. Wade.) Justice Clarence Thomas’ treasonous wife, Ginni Thomas, works for the Heritage Foundation. Texas’ Voter Oppression Czar, State Senator Paul Bettencourt, has made C-Span appearances with them.

You get the point. Much of the far-right ideology in this country, especially as it pertains to oppression, comes directly from the Heritage Foundation.