12 Comments
User's avatar
Rebecca Suzanne's avatar

Re: the mail in ballot issue - Trump said he'd discussed the issue w/Putin. WHY ON EARTH was the president of the USA discussing our domestic policy ( voting procedure) with a foreign leader in the first place!!!!! And yes, thank you TX Dems!

Expand full comment
Tala OConnor's avatar

There's reporting that the two discussed the elimination of mail-in and online voting altogether at their private Alaska Summit. I have no doubt that Putin is coaching the wanna-be dictator on the "how-to's" of dictatorship. No doubt about it. On another note, isn't he having his DOJ prosecute all parties to the alleged "Russia Gate Hoax?" "Russia, Russia, Russia," he complained. And what happened to his rambunctious co-conspirators who railed against this alleged hoax? They seemed to have all retreated and gone silent since that summit, which I refer to as the wanna-be's public display of affection for his idol. Unbelievable.

Expand full comment
Virgin Monk Boy's avatar

So Texas Republicans look at democracy and say, “How can we make this more like a frat hazing ritual?” And boom, here we are. Abbott’s special session wasn’t about governing, it was about duct-taping Trump’s fragile ego to five more congressional seats. That’s not leadership. That’s political shoplifting.

And the Democrats? They pulled the only move left on the board. They walked out. Which, let’s be honest, is the most Texas thing ever: “Y’all can keep your bullshit barbecue of democracy, we’re takin’ the brisket and hitting the road.” They denied quorum, dragged this power grab into the light, and reminded the rest of the country that resistance doesn’t always look pretty. Sometimes it looks like a road trip to spite an authoritarian toddler.

Meanwhile, Trump is out here declaring war on mail-in ballots like they’re fentanyl-laced Halloween candy. “We’re the only country that has them.” Wrong. We’re the only country dumb enough to let this guy think out loud on a microphone. If he cared half as much about democracy as he does about Diet Coke refills, we wouldn’t be here.

Abbott, Trump, the whole lot of them—this is not conservatism. This is cosplay fascism with bad cowboy boots. And the fact that people still normalize it is exactly why the Texas Badass Brigade matters.

Blessed be the ones who walk out when staying seated would mean complicity. Blessed be the quorum-deniers, the troublemakers, the ones willing to be inconvenient for the sake of democracy. May their courage remind us that freedom is not kept by silence.

Expand full comment
Frances Fisher a longer name?'s avatar

We need a national holiday on voting day.

Expand full comment
Marianne Williamson's avatar

That's the least we can do at this point!

Expand full comment
Tala OConnor's avatar

Yes, we first need to survive the onslaught of authoritarian assaults on our democracy, rights, freedoms, etc.

Expand full comment
Judi Lindsey's avatar

Thank you for always keeping us abreast of the latest and greatest. Bravo to this Texas Brigade!

Expand full comment
Gary Boivin's avatar

Winston Churchill grew, immensely, in office. So will American lawmakers of conscience. Nicole Collier has said "Enough"! We owe her a huge debt of gratitude.

Expand full comment
Gordon's avatar

Didn’t the battle for democracy begin when the Democratic ‘’leadership’’ low vibrational decision to select the Presidential nominee instead of allowing the process of all Democrats a say? And ever since stumbling and mumbling with intellectual dishonesty has taken hold with no real plan to help none other than to themselves. What about the ordinary citizens who are Democrats? They seem to be jumping ship…or have. And with good reason.

Expand full comment
BOB OBRIEN's avatar

Gratitude for our democracy requires us to defend it when under attack,

Defending democracy must be done democratically, not illegally!

Always remember that. And may God help us all.

Expand full comment
Richard's avatar

If anyone wants to see what voter suppression really looks like please go to YouTube to view for free the Greg Palast documentary "Vigilantes Inc." Which tells the story of the new voter suppression laws passed in Georgia and other red states. The laws are new but it is the same old Jim Crow. It suppresses the votes of Blacks, Latinos and Asians and newly registered first time voters. Stacey Abrams is interviewed and she told how thousands of young voters votes disappeared. Millions of legal votes for Harris were thrown out. It is chilling to see this. Thanks as always to MW for setting the agenda before the people.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Aug 20
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Bill Balkus's avatar

Yes … Never give in !!! … The Gerrymandering in Texas has created the opposite effect from what Trump was looking for … He woke up a “Sleeping Giant” … California has the fourth largest economy in the world … and California is a Democratic stronghold … Trump will regret he ever started to play this game !!!

Expand full comment