Am I the only one tired of the "let 'em secede" posts?

[DFW]

In Texas, we have some ugly politics, and no one is more aware of it than Texas Democrats.

Still, we have a lively Democratic Party, and some genuine talent, like the Castro brothers, Wendy Davis, Marc Veasy, Cecile Richards, and some good behind the scenes people like Matt and Dolly Angle and Aimee Boone.

Haughty nose-in-the-air people from other places may choose to ignore that we are willing to fight the uphill battle long haul, but you'll find that most Texas Democrats have not given up and moved to Boston or the Bay Area, even the ones that can afford it.

I just saw the same thing posted about Arizona. Ignoring the AZ House minority leader who was on TV the other day, promising to push for a Brewer veto, ignoring people like Raúl Grijalva, Ron Barber, or, of course, Gabby, does those in AZ a great disservice, and basically surrenders to the Jan Brewer crowd.

We Southern Democrats don't call for the secession of Pennsylvania, despite their odious Governor Corbett and right wing Senator Toomey, and don't even get me started about Maine's governor LePage, Michigan's Snyder or Ohio's Kasich. The north is not immune to right wing hysteria, and the south is not a place of homogeneous right wing hate.

Rather than waste our time telling each other to secede from the union, how about uniting to save it? Or is that too out of fashion these days?

[OKNancy]

1. good post

[DFW]

4. Many will disagree with you

Which only reinforces my point.

[orpupilofnature57]

2. No, not as long as there's Americans afflicted with Antebellum delusions .

It's the ignorance and racism that drove us to a civil war that still lingers .

[DFW]

3. But it lingers on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line

I hear more racist slurs in Boston than I do in Dallas.

[orpupilofnature57]

7. I agree it's not a region or economical proximity, but a state of mind.

[7962]

30. THANK YOU for pointing that out!! nt

[RoverSuswade]

78. Just re-watch the first 45 minutes of "Gone With The Wind."

I know it's just a movie but the southern sentiment for secession was real - maybe even today.

[orpupilofnature57]

93. I Agree, except it's more than just a movie .

[TexasProgresive]

5. I took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America

All calling for secession from the the United States of America are enemies of the constitution domestic. A traitor is as a traitor does.

[demwing]

12. So go arrest Rick Perry,

And spit-shine something while you're there..

[TexasProgresive]

16. I love you too.

[DFW]

17. Your answer is better than the one I was thinking of

[demwing]

18. So I'm not an "enemy of the constitution, domestic"?

Or are you just flirting with the enemy? :

[Lasher]

6. No.

You are not the only one.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

8. If they want to go, let them go. Enjoy your right wing, Ayn Rand fantasyland. Those with brains

please evacuate.

And that's an Arizonan talking who is represented by Raul Grijalva.

[DFW]

11. So where are you moving to? n/t

[Art_from_Ark]

50. He's in China

[marble falls]

52. The ultimate red state.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

91. Was in Korea first. May be going to Thailand next.

Or Philippines.

[demwing]

9. Your own damned Governor called for secession

So why waste time coming here name calling?

Maybe the reason that no one here is saying "Let them secede" about any Northern States is due to the fact that Southern States have already tried secession in the past, and because Northern Governors aren't suggesting secession in the present.

[DFW]

10. Thereby proving my point

So much for reason or civility.

[demwing]

15. maybe you should try harder

Being reasonable and civil before you secede from this debate.

[Stellar]

25. That's what I was thinking.

So, are we supposed to convince (beg) them NOT to secede? I don't get it.

[RoverSuswade]

79. Secession in the North does exist.

There is a movement in Vermont to become independent or be annexed by Canada. I can't remember the name of the group - maybe somebody here will know. I used to get mail from them. There probably are "Join Canada" folks in Maine, Upstate New York, and Montana.

[orpupilofnature57]

94. If you don't know their name, it ain't much of a movement,

or example for " Northern Secession " for that matter .

[RoverSuswade]

95. I googled and found it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Vermont_Republic

[orpupilofnature57]

97. Got it, Thanks .

[MarianJack]

13. Well said!

I can't wait for you in Texas to have a Gov. Davis and for we in Maine to have a Gov. Michaud (and no more LePage)!

PEACE!

[DFW]

14. That makes two of us!

Thanks!

[GTurck]

19. Another Texas Democrat...

adds Here! Here!

We are too large and complicated a state to assume that all Texans really like what Perry and the GOP have done.

[Bohunk68]

20. No, you are not. I get tired of the same

stuff, but for a somewhat different reason. A few years ago I joined the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. There was a local chapter in our hayseed county. My 2nd great grandfather was a cavalryman from western Ohio and served under Sherman and was in the March to the Sea. His brother did two enlistments, one from Ohio and one from Indiana. Their father was also in. My 2ggf's future wife's father also served, and his grandaughter's father served and so did two of her uncles, one got killed at Bull Run two and one got killed at Gettysburg. So, my family had a stake in keeping the Union intact, paying for it in blood. I still believe in the Union and the current spate of stuff from the previously known Confederate States is nothing more than trying to fight the War of Southern Secession all over again with different results. Which is one of the reasons for the ugliness towards our current President.

[Bluenorthwest]

21. Step One: Do unto others. Step Two: Do unto others

First it is YOUR Governor that makes the 'secession' threats. Rick 'Elected by Texans' Perry.
Every 'I love the South' post contains insults about non Southern States and people. Every one, even those who can afford it. Do unto others.

The AZ House Minority Leader has a name. Use it or don't claim others forget him. His name is Chad Campbell. You forgot it. But it's ok for you to forget, just not Northerners.

The US has 29 States with legal discrimination against gay people. Not all 29 are in the South, but all Southern States are among the 29.
All Southern States have legal discrimination in employment and housing against LGBT people. And yet you claim the victim is the Southern States? Do you hear yourself?

The South seceded in the past, Southern elected leadership threatens to do so again regularly. Which is seditious. Do those elected leaders get replaced for such extreme radicalism? Why no, they get reelected.

Why not talk about this to your Governor?

[CanonRay]

22. Yes, but I understand the frustration

If we could get rid of the 20% of people in this country that are just plain insane/stupid, we could make this a wonderful country again in a generation. There's a chunk of the population that wants to take us back to the 19th Century for racial, or religious, or heaven knows what reasons.

[SCVDem]

23. We are not calling for any state to secede!

BUT! If they decide to play that card, there are many here who would grease the skids and give them a push!

Union dividing rhetoric does America no service as a UNITED States.

You choose to play this game then prepare for the backlash.

Yes I realize not everyone agrees with their elected government, but we don't see you in the streets denouncing them either!

Our district couldn't vote Bucky McKeon out due to gerrymandering and yet nobody does any protests.

The Russians/Ukrainians have more balls than we! Look at the effect the massacre at Kent State had on our history.

Freedom isn't free and isn't fought for soley on foreign battlefields.

Time to rise up and quit snivelling! Internet flames are for cowards.

So are fillibusters of everything.

[HappyMe]

24. Yeah, I am.

It just seems like a goofy idea for people to be yammering about. I can understand the frustration behind it, but it's still goofy.

[DFW]

28. Goofy indeed

And indeed, as you can see on here, the goofiness persists.

[HappyMe]

33. Bringing about a big change takes time.

People need to stop with the "let 'em go" thinking and have some patience, and lend a hand if they can.

[DFW]

36. It's been a long time since 1994, but plenty of us have never forgotten

I only saw Ann Richards speak in person once, and was never introduced, but she was a pure delight to listen to!

[HappyMe]

37. I saw her in bits and pieces on tv.

The word I always thought of was - firecracker.

[DFW]

39. A very apt word, indeed

As opposed to our current and previous governors, both of whom were best described by the current one during a debate: "oops!"

[JustAnotherGen]

26. Psst

Understand I'm joking here . . .

What are you complaining about!?!!!???? At least you aren't living in New Jersey right now!



^I do live in NJ. It's been brutal reading the 'you reap what you sow' posts. Try not to take these folks too seriously. ^




ETA - And thanks for not picking on NJ in OP. I greatly appreciate the dodge, deflect and defer to states other than ours.

[DFW]

40. My brother in law and sister live in New Jersey

I dodged NJ out family respect, you understand.

[JustAnotherGen]

63. You're the best!

[randr]

27. Good post

The record Texas has in sending powerful women to Washington stands alone.
The true south shall rise again once they remove the far right carpetbaggers.

[CapnSteve]

29. Amen, Brother! Some of us actually choose to live liberal in Texas

When I moved down here many years ago, Texas was a blue state. It will be again.

We are a blue state under Republican occupation. Go Wendy!

[DFW]

34. My housemates hold fundraisers for Wendy at the house in Dallas

I work mostly overseas, get back only occasionally these days. But we do what we can to turn things. It has been an uphill battle of late, but that's no reason to give up. Ever since Delay gerrymandered our Rep. Martin Frost out of a seat, we've been represented by the awful Pete Sessions. Delay put part of the Bible Belt suburbs into our district, and that tipped the balance rightward. But Marc Veasy from a neighboring district is now in the House, and he is a good man. Wendy would win in a cakewalk if it were just our area. One of the people back at the house is involved with the substantial gay community on Dallas, and they are all for Wendy, too (DUH! LOL).

[beerandjesus]

31. I'm with you.....

.....and to a large degree, I blame Democrats and their strategy of not-so-benign neglect.

Texas, in fact, is a no-brainer, for all the reasons you cite. I live in South Carolina, where we bring the nation delightful people like Jeff Duncan, Joe Wilson, Mick Mulvaney, and Trey Gowdy, not to mention Jim DeMint, while state Democrats work to position themselves just a hair to the left of Nikki Haley, and national Democrats, not bothering to even compete in many of those districts, pontificate about how they have to be "strategic" and spend a few more million in Ohio.

But meanwhile, we have a lot of good people here fighting the good fight, far beyond the gaze of the national media. South Carolina is not Utah or Wyoming, where Republicans have a 40-point advantage. It's about 55-45 here, which is an uphill climb for sure, but it's attainable--and would be that much more attainable if we had some help from comfortable Democrats in D.C.

I believe in the 50-state strategy. "Let 'em secede" is not only obnoxious, it's cowardly.

And to Northerners who look down on the South, I say you need to get out a little more. In fact, put your sanctimony aside for a minute and go for a drive across rural Mississippi or Arkansas. That just might remind you what you're supposed to be fighting for.

[DFW]

35. You are SO right about the 50 state strategy

A friend of mine invented it, actually (and caught holy hell for it until it proved correct, and even then he caught holy hell for it from Democrats who were pissed that he was right)!

[Dustlawyer]

48. So right about the 50 state strategy! We noticed a big jump when Howard did this!

As for the Secede bull shit, just drop it, it ain't going to happen so shut up! We are AMERICANS 1st! When Texas does turn blue everyone will benefit!

[DFW]

55. It's why the Republicans are so terrified of Wendy

IF Texas turns blue right before the 2016 election, the next Democratic candidate for president could end up with 375 electoral votes, and start a huge national sway leftward. The Republicans will spend a billion dollars to prevent that. We have to try to make than insufficient to achieve their goals.

[Dustlawyer]

56. Absolutely!

[DFW]

66. Howard is still the man

And a friend. A few years ago, I got to introduce him to another friend whom we lost last year, but remains large in our memories:

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

Helen paid him the highest compliment she could: "He's not like a politician!"

[Dustlawyer]

88. People do not seem to get it, even if the races are not likely to win, the ads do generate

new Democrats and gets more people to the polls that may help other downstream candidates. Wendy has already won in the sense that many city, county and state races may go Democratic because the interest in her election brought them to the polls.
Helen was one of a kind, enough said!
Can I get an autographed picture of Howard? Lol. That's really cool that you are friends, America lost its chance at a great leader when they abandoned him.

[DFW]

92. I've never even asked him for an autograph

But I'm sure he'd do it if you're serious.

I once asked Stan Lee if he'd make out an autograph to DU and he did. I sent it to Skinner (he had better still have it!)

Here is a link to it: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x8963141

I got some cool autographs from over the years. FDR autographed a pic and dedicated it to my grandfather. My dad worked with Pierre Salinger, and got JFK to dedicate a photo of himself to me in his own hand for my 11th birthday. That was in 1963, so you can believe I still have that one!!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

68. I heartily agree that we do need a 50-state strategy

Even if we know we can't win some races, we should make the Republicans have to fight for every vote. Nothing frustrates me more than seeing political races go uncontested election after election. However, there is a price for having a 50-State Strategy in supporting some "Blue Dogs" in order to win in some races/areas as we continue to work to turn states purple/blue. Personally, I feel that as long they are voting with the Dems enough of the time once elected and not participating in Republican-led "filabostruction" in the Senate, we should give them a pass once in a while.

[7962]

32. I think a lot of its just yammering; knowing it will never happen.

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

38. Thank you.

I am so sick of the grief I get when I visit my family in Boston and Vermont. The New York Times loves to pick on Texas while New York has some of the dirtiest politics around. You didn't even mention New Jersey. There are a lot of great people in Texas. We could use a little more support from those on our side.

[DFW]

42. Yes, we could

Ironic that we get it from people like Howard Dean, but not from people on DU (with a lot of exceptions, I am very happy to note!)

[Arcanetrance]

64. I moved to Houston from NYC I knew more racists and hateful

People there than I've met so far here. NYC isn't the great liberal place people like to pretend it is

[Gman]

41. Demo or Repub, it doesn't matter

It's why nobody here likes Yankees. They still have their carpetbagger ways.

[DFW]

44. I like Yankees just fine

I just don't get prejudiced people, regardless of where they're from.

My brother in law from Wisconsin lives in NJ, a union man who works on Broadway (techie, not an actor). My elder daughter, who grew up in Germany as a German, chooses to live in NYC, and when I go back to the States for a vacation, I head for New England (TX in August is daunting). It's the superiority complex I don't get, no matter where it may originate.

[marble falls]

43. I agree. And I am very tired of the "all Texans ......." threads.

[DFW]

45. Yeah, I just fly right past those

Three point three million of us voted for Obama two years ago--but who cares, right?

[marble falls]

51. Not too many others. We voted strongly for Kerry, too, and every election Dalls, Austin, Houston....

El Paso and San Antonio vote more Democrat-ically

[NaturalHigh]

46. I'm tired of them, but I've gotten used to them.

I live in Oklahoma, so I see all kinds of crap about my home state that should make the posters ashamed.

[Paladin]

47. +1000, DFW. Thanks so much for a great post. (nt)

[MADem]

49. "Put your money where your big fat, wingnut mouth is" is simply a rhetorical device.

"Stop whining and just do it!"

"I double-dog-dare ya!"

No one is advocating actual succession, they're just USING the device of encouraging idiots to make good on their threat to call out a bunch of whiney bullies on their bullshit.

I think that's what is lost entirely in this discussion.

It's rather like the child who threatens "I'ma gonna run away from HOME!!!" to which Clever Mother replies "Fine, I'll pack your bags."

[DFW]

54. I wish you were right

It seems to me (correct me if I'm wrong) that there is plenty of genuine rancor on here from "Clever Mothers" who hope their kid really goes out the door and never comes back, preferably run over by the next passing truck.

[MADem]

57. I have always subscribed to the "Consider The Source" dictum when I hear something that

sounds like asscrackery, myself. If someone posing as a Clever Mother is too often on the wrong side of the fence when it comes to these sorts of things, directing their acerbic comments at the Democratic faithful instead of the Wingnut sinners, perhaps they aren't a Clever Mother at all, but a Lousy Cook, stirring the broth with one of these:



Give them time, sooner or later, they will lick the doggone spoon!

[DFW]

59. Good. I'll give them all the time they need!

LOL!!!

[Gothmog]

53. Great post

Texas will turn blue. It is a matter of time

[TexasProgresive]

60. If the district of the former congresscritter, Tom, aka the hammer & aka the bug man, Delay

turns blue that will be a sure sign. Keep on keeping on, Gothmog.

[Gothmog]

74. Our party chairman recruited the nephew of Dolph Briscoe to run against Olson

The Briscoe family are founders in Fort Bend County and have a great reputation. Frank is a good guy and will do better against Olson than Kesha Rogers. This fight is a long shot but we have a real strong candidate in Frank Briscoe

[TexasProgresive]

85. Go Frank GO! sorry Kesha but the Brisco name should be worth a lot.n/t

[Gothmog]

86. Kesha is not running in CD 22

She lost by 80,000 votes and only got 30% of the vote in 2012. Any real Democrat should get at least 45% of the vote in this district. Kesha is now running for US senate

[FSogol]

58. You make good points, but all of their secession noise is just a dog whistle to their supporters.

It is grandstanding to stir up their racist/idiotic supporters and intended to increase both their visibility and their fundraising coffers.

Often when someone says, "let them secede," it is nothing more than calling their bluff. Those areas couldn't last a minute without the Federal dollars/support their regions receive and they know it.

[DFW]

61. WE know that

It's just the misdirected bile and rancor we find hard to take.

It's not like you need to tell a Texas Democrat what trash Gohmert and Perry are.
But people who lump us in with them and mean it are hard to take seriously as brothers in arms.

It's like they are singing the old Chad Mitchell trio song about the John Birch Society: "We're only sure of me and thee, and we're not sure of thee."

[MuseRider]

62. :-)

Nice. From Kansas, let me say thanks.

BTW, we don't even have that lively Democratic Party here. We have a bunch of chicken, mealy mouthed cowards calling themselves Democrats and very very few of them hold office. Wonder why. Hmmmm. Oddly the LGBT groups have had to turn to the Republicans to help them. Hmmmm again.

Still, there are those of us out there usually working on issues rather than parties since that seems to be the only place to find people who will speak up and out. When I post about that there are no replies or recs and actually very few views. Just post something about what our backward politicians do and we get taken to task with lots of interest.

NOBODY here cares if you are out there fighting the fight they just want to tell you how ridiculous you are and you should move or leave them to their smell good wonderfulness.

Keep on doing what you do, we will as well. To those who you are addressing and who I was talking about, fuck them. They make it harder for us here to fight, much harder and we do NOT need that. Hopefully one day they will find someone else they can use to prove to the world (and quite possibly to themselves) how great and wonderful they are. I personally would give some of these posters 3 days before they ran screaming from what we in the red states have to do to hold the little places we have.

All these Religious Freedom Bills? This is the 4th year we have fought and won them in Kansas. Nobody knows that or cares. It was news but it was never responded to when I posted about it. This year the bill was a little more obvious about it's true intention and was caught by the press. We were the FIRST this year to get it and we beat it without the help of other states preceding us to use as a good reason to not pass the bill. Did that make news? Nope, it has taken all this time to get it through to people that it passed the House after it was rapid fired out of committee and voted on before anyone but those of us waiting for it knew it had happened. Once the state found out what was going on it was shut down by the very people I was told this week were from a culture who would NEVER do that. Ahh well. I am happy to be working this issue and certainly don't need to hear from the GOOD Democrats about how bad my state is. Yup, that is the way you change people. You tell them they are awful and stupid and horrible and then turn your perfumed back and walk away. Thanks to us the same people who voted against Marriage Equality in 2005 pulled enough punches to stop this bill in record time. I think we have done miraculous work in this state and I am proud of it. To those who want to prove us uneducated, think about that. THEN come in and tell me I don't have any idea how people feel in my state. Somehow someone living in Vermont or Connecticut or Massachusetts has a lot of nerve telling me how things are in Kansas. *rant off*

Thanks.

[DFW]

65. From Texas, thanks right back!

Although today from Düsseldorf (the world is my office).

[PDittie]

67. No you aren't

I see it everywhere, even on my FB wall. It's tiresome. You'd think that DUers who post tripe like that would understand they're only addressing a few conservative lurkers, and insulting those of us who have fought this red tea tide for twenty years.

Alas, 'ignore' is there for this reason.

[DFW]

71. I haven't yet used the ignore feature

I'd just drop DU altogether if I felt a need to.

[Javaman]

69. Meh, rhetoric is just another way to vent ones spleen.

both sides do it.

I live in Austin.

[Jake Stern]

70. It's like the people who talk smack about California

It's on the verge of bankruptcy, businesses are fleeing in droves, the wealthy are catching the first flight out of the state blah blah blah.

It's an opinion doesn't make it fact.

[DFW]

73. Yeah, I've seen those, too

We're somewhat disadvantaged by the fact that we HAVE had a miserable state government for almost 2 decades, with a laissez-faire attitude that has let local law enforcement act worse than the bandits they supposed to protect us from, and industry pollute us to the point where humans will become an endangered species in some parts of Texas. However to generalize and say it's our fault because "we" elected these clowns is a low blow.

Sort of like the Republicans' motto: If you're rich, you deserve it, if you're poor, you deserve it," only with us, it's "if you're from Vermont, Shumlin is your doing, if you're from Texas, Perry is your fault." It ignores that neither Shumlin nor Perry got into office on a unanimous vote.

[Jake Stern]

81. I have nary a problem

reminding some friends that they're the ones who helped inflict Bobby Jindal and David Vitter on Louisiana.

It's a two way street. They talk shit about New Orleans. Nothing to do but just take it in stride.

As much as I dislike Texas I understand how it's home for you. Wouldn't leave New Orleans if someone offered me money to.

[DFW]

84. Dallas is actually tolerable

But I'm from the "1%" district, so of course, that's tolerable

And I'm the only one I know who has never been to Austin!

As for home--I've been on the road for work so long, I don't know where home is at this point. I sometimes go for days without speaking English.

[erpowers]

72. Southern Politicians

The problem with the your post is that Southern politicians are calling for seccession. Democrats and DU members are not just saying let Southern states to secede because there are crazy Republicans in the states or in control of the states. The let them secede remarks are coming as a response to the Southern politicians who keep threatening to secede.

No, Southern Democrats are not calling for Northern states to secede. However, I do not think I have heard any Northern politicians calling for Northern states to secede.

[DFW]

75. But there has been close

There was that clip that went viral when that guy from Pennsylvania proudly declared a voting rights restriction law that would guarantee that Romney would carry Pennsylvania, and proudly declared: "done!" Ugly pronouncements by Maine's LePage about how he was going to do what he wanted without "outside interference" have been equally ugly, and what Snyder is doing by taking over parts of Michigan is practically the fiscal version of martial law. Even now, Kasich is flirting with constitutional override with his attempts to restrict voting rights in Ohio. Taking into account that stupid pronouncements by Perry and like-minded idiots have not been followed by the slightest of action puts their pronouncements into the category of the same blustery (but empty) rhetoric of northern right-wingers.

In Texas, no one said that if Pennsylvania went for Romney that they should be quarantined in case their voting right restriction scheme was successful.

The problem with your post is that only a few southern idiot politicians are "calling for" secession, and even at that, they aren't following through after their chest-beating. It seems their addiction to federal funds is more powerful than their addiction to nonsensical rhetoric. No Democratic Texan politicians are calling for anything of the like, nor are any Democrats here on DU. We'd appreciate not being lumped in with the idiots, but rather with the minority (so far!) of Texas politicians who are not. Democrats who equate Texas Democrats with Perry and Gohmert are not very reliable allies, and not very reliable Democrats, either.

[Democracyinkind]

76. NO! The Union forever, hurrah boys, hurrah!

[Gothmog]

77. A week ago, I heard Howard Dean speak to some Houston Democrats

Governor Dean is shorter than I expected and I did not recognize him at first. Gov. Dean gave a great speech about the 50 state strategy and importance of turning Texas blue. Dean was impressed with the slate of Texas Democrats running including Wendy Davis, Leticia van de Putte, Sam Houston and Mike Collier.

TDP Chairman Hinojosa is making a great deal of difference for the party. The prior chairman (Boyd Ritchie) believe that we needed to focus on East Texas and the party wasted a great deal of money trying to win in East Texas. Chairman Hinojosa has revamped the party and now we are focusing on getting real Democrats elected. There is a great deal of difference.

Battleground is also making a difference. I am impressed with the efforts of this group.

Texas will eventually turn blue. It is only a matter of time.

BTW, I am sustaining member of the State Party and have a card to prove it.

[DFW]

80. What Howard lacks in physical stature, he makes up for in spirit

I've known him for well over 10 years, so I don't even notice his height any more, just his intellect and his energy, both of which are near boundless. He is VERY interested in Texas after successfully putting Koochicrazy in his place in Virginia (which is anywhere BUT the governor's mansion).

If you heard Howard speak in Houston, then you can imagine what he'd say to those on here who would write us off as a state.

[Gothmog]

82. I agree about Governor Dean's intellect

I am a big fan of Governor Dean. This was the first time that I seen him in person. I am strong believer in the 50 state strategy and I believe that we can turn Texas blue. Gov. Dean had some great comments about Ted Nugent and Greg Abbott at this event.

I have been working a long time to turn Texas blue. I actually have a card showing that I am a sustaining member of the Texas Democratic state party for 2013 and will be getting my 2014 card shortly.

[DFW]

83. Good, and thanks!

The TDP needs all the good people we can muster this year!

[AlinPA]

87. I am waiting for the teabaggers in the PA House and Senate to copy the AZ bill. Corbett would

sign it immediately. Right you are about the north not being immune to right wing hysteria. PA is controlled by right wing teabagger bigots.

[bvar22]

89. We will stick with whatever piece gets New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

(That includes Texas for the Geographically challenged.)
Some of my favorite Liberals were/are from Texas.
*Molly Ivins

*Ann Richards

*Bill Moyers

*Jim Hightower

*My parents

*LBJ (the last Liberal to be elected President)


The South is beautiful,
and belongs to us all.
It would be a shame to just throw it away.


---bvar22 & Starkraven
helping turn the South Blue
one person at a time.

[Sirveri]

90. It's because those are GOP strongholds that if removed would permanently shift the house.

PA, OH, WI, MI are all flippable to blue fairly easily, the issue in those states is we let the GOP take the SecState office, and then magically started losing elections during census years because the ballot machines changed to black boxes and they played the other usual dirty tricks using the power of that office.

I have zero issue with the idea of TX going blue, doing so would permanently break the GOP as a viable political party, and would cause the sea change we need to see happen in order to fragment the Democrats into a center right party and either a center left or even a real progressive party. TX secession would short cut the eventual demographic shift that will eliminate the GOP in TX and break the current political instability that is currently occuring before it has significant steam to cause wide spread misery. However the GOP is noy stupid enough to give up their primary source of EC votes and house seats, so that's an empty threat from them, and it means the rest of the nation is doomed to a slow slide into pain and misery and possibly a snap back to parity. This snap back may lead to violence or the possibility of a populist fascist government taking control.

The desire for secession of the location at the heart of the power structure for the current wave of problems facing the nation stems from desperation, a desire to simply make those who believe in corruption, hatred and randian ideals to go their own way so the rest of us can progress. Sometimes with a disease, you must cut off a limb that still has some healthy tissue to insure it does not spread and kill the whole body. I don't know if we're there yet, but I also don't know how much more the nation can take.

[moriah]

96. Instead of saying "Fuck the blue dogs", we need to get some ads on in the South.

I'm not sure how many of you are in Arkansas, but the radio ads are attack left and right. TV is the same. Attacking the ACA hard, and if Arkansas's "private option" fails I might lose my Medicaid. Already our House is trying to deauthorize it, where it may only last one year.

Sadly many people are a product of what they hear, and if all they hear is negativity about Obama and Democrats, are they ever going to vote for progressives?

[Jersey Devil]

98. Well, as a guy in "liberal" New Jersey with right wing nutjob Scott Garrett as my Congressmen

I understand your post completely.

[DFW]

99. Thanks!

We know NJ isn't all Rush Holt either. Don't we wish!