Texas Republicans' Distubing New Party Platform

[Leo Gura]

Vaush demonizes too much, but this new platform from Texas is legit cuckoo and dangerous stuff:

 

[DocWatts]

You mean to say that the political party which has been openly courting fascism is anti-democracy? Well color me shocked.

In all seriousness though, it seems to me that they feel comfortable enough in Texas to go mask off about things that have been implicit in American Right Wing ideology for a long while now, and this new platform is simply a more honest statement of their beliefs.

This sort of thing being openly espoused in a major party's political platform is a good indication that American democracy is in the process of collapsing. Fascism is a product of failed democracies after all, and the American system has proven itself incapable of diffusing the underlying systemic issues which fuel fascist ideologies.

[Yarco]

Okay I watched the whole thing. And yeah, referring to people as demons multiple times when he's an atheist is kind of a weird thing to do.

I agree with probably over 75% of the things in this document. But even for me the following items go too far:

• Questioning Biden's legitimacy as President – Actually insane
• Prohibiting teaching any form of sex ed in any grade – Actually insane
• Prayer / Bible back in school – Actually insane
• Abolishing EPA – Way too extreme, although they can rein it back in a bit.
• Oppose renewable energy sources that may be considered a nuisance – As opposed to living next to coal burning power plants?
• Repeal Sarbanes-Oxley – As an accountant, complying with SOX after Enron was a pain in my ass. But this is kinda crazy and bad even for rich investors.
• Making all jobs considered essential – Renders the distinction pointless. You want stuff like fire, power to get priority after a natural emergency.
• Supporting Israel and opposing Palestine – wtf does this have to do with Texas.
  (Also love how Vaush reads the section about them unconditionally supporting Israel and then accuses them of JQ-posting a minute later???)

[ArcticGong]

Secession is not impossible.

[Leo Gura]

@Yarco So the part where they want to succeed from America is cool with you?

[Hardkill]

There’s no real chance of Texas seceding  from America. This psycho Neolithic fringe party I believe only represents a fraction of the Texas population, especially considering the fact that voter demographics of Texas as a whole has become increasingly less red since 2000.  In fact, the state will inevitably turn purple after about a decade from now. It will then keep transitioning into a solid blue state for the next 10 years. 

Also, from what I understand the process of seceding from the USA is legally way too complicated and will require a great majority of legislatures from all of the others state, a great majority of those in both chambers of Congress and the vast majority of the great population in Texas and maybe the great majority of the voting population in all other states to agree to let the state of Texas break away from the whole country.

[Willie]

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/29/texas-secession/amp/

Like it or not, Texas is staying.

Edited June 24, 2022 by Willie

[Yarco]

8 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

@Yarco So the part where they want to succeed from America is cool with you?

Yes absolutely, if it's the will of the people. If they hold a referendum and that's what the majority of Texans want, go for it.

I'm in favor of Quebec and Alberta separating from the rest of Canada if that's what they want. I was in favor of Brexit. I'm in favor of the eastern areas of Ukraine peacefully deciding to join Russia instead of getting bombed to hell and ending up with the same result anyway.

Ideally set a higher bar than 50%... maybe it needs a 75% vote to pass. That way having states leave and re-join the union isn't something that's happening regularly. But if people are that unhappy being part of the US, let them leave. Why hold them hostage? Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence under the constitution. They should be allowed to take their toys and go home whenever they want.

Texas would be the 39th largest country in the world if they decided to split off, they have the size and infrastructure to make it on their own. You can let them leave peacefully through reform and law, or you can let it become such a big problem that it eventually causes a civil war.

I support the US leaving the United Nations based on similar reasoning and with the same requirements - put it to the people. Let people know what the UN contributes to their country vs what it costs to be a part of it, and then put it to a vote.

I don't care if people are too stupid to do what's best for them, we still gave them the right to make those bad decisions, so let them use it. If 75% of people arbitrarily decide they want to literally set fire to their state and destroy it, who am I to try and interfere? That'd be authoritarian. Just don't let them come begging for FEMA after they do it.

Edited June 24, 2022 by Yarco

[Leo Gura]

2 hours ago, Yarco said:

Yes absolutely, if it's the will of the people. If they hold a referendum and that's what the majority of Texans want, go for it.

I'm in favor of Quebec and Alberta separating from the rest of Canada if that's what they want. I was in favor of Brexit. I'm in favor of the eastern areas of Ukraine peacefully deciding to join Russia instead of getting bombed to hell and ending up with the same result anyway.

Ideally set a higher bar than 50%... maybe it needs a 75% vote to pass. That way having states leave and re-join the union isn't something that's happening regularly. But if people are that unhappy being part of the US, let them leave. Why hold them hostage? Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence under the constitution. They should be allowed to take their toys and go home whenever they want.

Texas would be the 39th largest country in the world if they decided to split off, they have the size and infrastructure to make it on their own. You can let them leave peacefully through reform and law, or you can let it become such a big problem that it eventually causes a civil war.

I support the US leaving the United Nations based on similar reasoning and with the same requirements - put it to the people. Let people know what the UN contributes to their country vs what it costs to be a part of it, and then put it to a vote.

I don't care if people are too stupid to do what's best for them, we still gave them the right to make those bad decisions, so let them use it. If 75% of people arbitrarily decide they want to literally set fire to their state and destroy it, who am I to try and interfere? That'd be authoritarian. Just don't let them come begging for FEMA after they do it.

Idealistic nonsense.

[How to be wise]

7 hours ago, Yarco said:

Yes absolutely, if it's the will of the people. If they hold a referendum and that's what the majority of Texans want, go for it.

I'm in favor of Quebec and Alberta separating from the rest of Canada if that's what they want. I was in favor of Brexit. I'm in favor of the eastern areas of Ukraine peacefully deciding to join Russia instead of getting bombed to hell and ending up with the same result anyway.

Ideally set a higher bar than 50%... maybe it needs a 75% vote to pass. That way having states leave and re-join the union isn't something that's happening regularly. But if people are that unhappy being part of the US, let them leave. Why hold them hostage? Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence under the constitution. They should be allowed to take their toys and go home whenever they want.

Texas would be the 39th largest country in the world if they decided to split off, they have the size and infrastructure to make it on their own. You can let them leave peacefully through reform and law, or you can let it become such a big problem that it eventually causes a civil war.

I support the US leaving the United Nations based on similar reasoning and with the same requirements - put it to the people. Let people know what the UN contributes to their country vs what it costs to be a part of it, and then put it to a vote.

I don't care if people are too stupid to do what's best for them, we still gave them the right to make those bad decisions, so let them use it. If 75% of people arbitrarily decide they want to literally set fire to their state and destroy it, who am I to try and interfere? That'd be authoritarian. Just don't let them come begging for FEMA after they do it.

The vote for brexit was 52%-48%. You can hardly call it the ‘people’s choice’.

Governments exist precisely because the masses cannot make good decisions. Good decisions have to be made for them.

[Frylock]

On 6/24/2022 at 6:41 AM, Yarco said:

Texas would be the 39th largest country in the world if they decided to split off, they have the size and infrastructure to make it on their own.

Sure about that chief? The 2021 winter storm crippled its power grid and damn near made it a failed state, all because of its deregulated energy.

[Yarco]

8 hours ago, Frylock said:

Sure about that chief? The 2021 winter storm crippled its power grid and damn near made it a failed state, all because of its deregulated energy.

Canada's had week-long outages from ice storms that required calling in 10,000 members of the military to assist. I don't think centralization  or making utilities public would've helped with the Texas storm or made it any easier. And I don't think it makes financial sense to prepare for something that affects an area for a couple days every 100 years. Keeping the power on wouldn't have stopped everyone's pipes from bursting either.

Edited June 29, 2022 by Yarco

[Aimblack]

On 24/06/2022 at 4:25 PM, Leo Gura said:

Idealistic nonsense.

What is the alternative though? At this point it is pretty clear that a huge chunk of conservatives don't share any values with the mainstream. Even the most basic values like maybe not establishing a theocracy seems to be an absurd notion to some conservatives. If somebody truly and honestly wishes to have a government that is built on fundamentalist christianity, don"t they have a right to live that if enough people agree?

Edited June 29, 2022 by Aimblack

[Ves]

I guess I am not very surprised about this, but I thought it was interesting that they want to raise the age to starting HRT to 21. Not even 18 is good enough; I assume they want to slowly raise the age until trans people can't exist (or... exist in a worse state that makes conservatives even more uncomfortable?)

I live in Texas and am 23 on HRT. Hopefully I can age faster than they can raise it.

Edited June 30, 2022 by Ves