In honor of the Texas Democrats that Peter Morrison called "maggots."

[EmilyAnne]

(Title edited for the second time. First time because I was offensive. Second time because some kind soul just informed me that JIM Morrison died a while ago. Lol.)

Every single time some moron like Peter Morrison starts braying about wanting Texas to secede, there are those of us on the left who like to answer with the standard "good riddance."

But think about the fact that 41% of Texas voters went for Obama.

41%.

That is a higher percentage than Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, N. Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, S. Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, W. Virginia and Wyoming.

I am from Texas, though I now live in Pittsburgh.
My mother is the epitome of the right wing voter.
She is white, evangelical and lives in a conservative suburb of Houston.
Yet, in 2008 she cast her very first vote for a Democrat when she voted for Obama. Straight ticket, too!
She was turned off by the hate and the ignorance and, once her eyes were opened, her entire political ideology was flipped on it's head.
And it really wasn't that hard because, like so many people who vote Republican in Texas, her political ideology was basically, "Wait. I'm a Republican, right?"
During the weeks leading up to this election she phone banked for Obama, making calls to Florida because Texas is seen as a lost cause.

But I really wonder what would happen if the Democratic Party approached Texas as if were a possibility.
I also wonder what would happen if all the Texas liberals who don't even bother to vote because they think it doesn't matter actually voted.
Then consider the exponential increase in latino voters who don't like to be scapegoats.
I think (hope) we are just one or two elections away from turning Texas blue.

So, please, have sympathy for the Democrats of Texas.
It takes guts to be a liberal in a red state, especially in one with such virulent and vocal right wingers.

[Permanut]

1. Excellent point..

My two cents: it is really important for us particularly on DU to remember that NO state is 100% red.

[TexasTowelie]

3. Well, gee, thanks

I think.

We are trying to turn this state back to blue. Some of remember it being that way during our lifetimes.

[EmilyAnne]

7. I remember that, too. But California was a red state back then.

Do we really need to discuss why this change happened?

But back to my OP, look at any thread that mentions Texas secession and people on this site respond with "good riddance" every single time.

If you are offended by my post, sorry. Really. Was the furthest thing from my intention.

[Tx4obama]

2. I think you could have written your OP and gotten the point across without using an offensive word.

We are not 'maggots' we are Democrats.

[TexasTowelie]

4. +1

[EmilyAnne]

6. I'll change it. Thought it was an obvious dig at Peter Morrison's maggots comment. nt

[TexasTowelie]

11. Thank you.

I don't think that many (if any) in the Texas group ever intended to give George Bush to the country. We've apologized for long enough.

[EmilyAnne]

5. I get your point. Thought it was obvious that I was mocking Peter Morrison's "maggots" comment.

I guess I can change it, but come on.
If anything it just illustrates that the right wing in Texas can be uniquely virulent and hateful, therefore pushing more and more people to the left.

[lexx21]

10. The poster didn't call you a maggot, Peter Morrison did.

Morrison is the one you should be offended at.

[Paladin]

12. Agreed. Everybody Lay Off EmilyAnne.

It's obvious her comments were well-intentioned. And considering all the snide abuse that Texans constantly receive at DU, those intentions are greatly appreciated by Texan DU'ers such as myself......

[historylovr]

8. Psst, I think you might want to edit your title.

Jim Morrison's still dead, I think.

[EmilyAnne]

9. Ha! I think I'll just remove it. It just doesn't seem to be working. Lol. nt

[MBS]

13. YES.

Very important point! and good for your mom!

[hamsterjill]

14. Thank you!

n/t

[DFW]

15. Don't I know that!

Three million of us Texans voted for Obama, and yet some would toss us all away, lumping us in with the right wing majority as if people like Jim Hightower, Ann and Cecile Richards, or Molly Ivins had never existed.

[EmilyAnne]

16. Yep. Called "maggots" by one side, but lumped in with the nuts by the other.

It can be pretty frustrating.

I'll never forget seeing a car with two bumper stickers when I first moved from Texas to Pennsylvania.
One said "Kerry-Edwards."
The other said, "Read My Lips: No New Texans."
I knew so many Texans who were devastated when Kerry lost, me being one of them.
Seeing stuff like this from liberals always pisses me off.
Especially when, like I said, Texas is far from being the reddest state.

[Paladin]

17. No New Texans?

Back in the 80's, when the bottom of the economy fell out in the northeast, we Texans got used to seeing lots and lots of vehicles with out-of-state license plates, particularly from Michigan. After awhile, bumper stickers started showing up here: "We Don't CARE How You Do It Up North!"

Thanks for your efforts, EmilyAnne.

[Blue4Texas]

20. 71% of Hispanics in Texas voted DEM

Organize for 2014, blitz Tarrant County and expose gerrymandering

[Rstrstx]

22. Where did you find that 71% number?

I can't find exit polling data for the state.

[Blue4Texas]

23. :) I'll try to re-find that reference

[Blue4Texas]

24. http://newyork.newsday.com/news/nation/election-2012-hispanic-vote-seen-to-help-obama-democrats-1.42

[Rstrstx]

25. newyork.newsday.com/news/nation/election-2012-hispanic-vote-seen-to-help-obama-democrats-1.4201111

Had trouble finding it since the last 4 ones get cut off when you paste it in. Still didn't find anything on Texas Hispanics voting at 71%, just national numbers, I'll reread it

[cntrfthrs]

18. re in honor of texas dems....

'...So, please, have sympathy for the Democrats of Texas.
It takes guts to be a liberal in a red state, especially in one with such virulent and vocal right wingers....'


ditto for North Dakota...

[DFW]

19. Re: North Dakota--GO HEIDI!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was in touch with her campaign right before and right after the election. I could feel the smiles all the way to Germany.

A woman Democratic U. S. Senator from North Dakota! Change IS in the air.

[EmilyAnne]

21. "Ditto for North Dakota" Sure thing! nt

[Zen Democrat]

26. Arizona will go blue in 2016 and Texas in 2018.