The Bernhard Perspective
In over 70 years of following American politics, I have never seen anything as disgustingly contemptuous as lily-white, bigoted and racist Republican Texas State legislator preening and gloating over their blatant attempt to corrupt democracy by their illegal gerrymandering Congressional districts in their state.
Republicans know that MAGA and their corrupt leader and dictator wannabe have crossed the line and have lost public trust and support. Knowing that they are in danger of losing their majority in the House and possibly even the Senate, they endeavor to choose their voters rather than, in affirmation of the essence of democracy, have the voters choose them.
There is, however, another story in play here and a more sinister one as well that no-one is talking about. A thing that is deeply rooted in the consciousness of the Conspiratorial Right. It involves a consummation which is steadily approaching and it is the reason they embrace Donald T****’s rabid anti-immigration politics. It explains the lies about the Democrats opening the borders to millions upon millions of “illegals.”
The dread and fear of this oncoming horror from the far Right is visceral. It is:The Replacement Theory. The ultra Right is horrifyingly aware that demographic studies predict that white people will be in a minority in this country by the middle of the century.
The conspirators claim that the Democrats actively support open borders in order to hasten the replacement process by allowing Brown people to flood into the country unabated. In return, the immigrants will show their gratitude for being given free food, housing, medical coverage and job preferences; they will vote for Democrats.
It will be the end of white dominance in American politics and the end of White Privilege in America. Bigots and racists will lose their historically privileged place in society. In their worst case scenarios, Black and Brown people will then be do to them what they have been doing to Black and Brown people for the last 400 years. And that’s what this is really all about.
In truth, Texas’ demographics have already gone that way, non-white people are already in the majority. Currently, 40% of Texans are white, while Hispanics, 40%, Blacks, 12%, and Asians or “Others,” 8%, combine for a total of 60% non-white Texans.
What makes this move by the Texas Republicans despicable beyond the general practice of gerrymandering in America is that it is not targeting voters by party. Instead, it is being done by a fading minority desperate to retain political power and terrified of the consequences if they cannot.
It is targeting them by race.
Under the Republican’s gerrymandered plan, over 76% of the districts will be majority white, while only some 23% will have a majority or plurality of non-white voters. The clear and obvious goal of the racist Texas State Legislature is to dilute the non-white vote and maintain minority rule.
This action is being undertaken at the direction of Donald T**** and under the supervision of Governor Abbott, and has the full blessing and support of the Republican Party. As Donald told CNBC, “I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats.”
T**** of course is lying as usual. His margin of victory in Texas in 2024,13.7%, was not the largest in the state’s history. Franklin D Roosevelt won Texas by 17 points in 1932, and Richard Nixon won it by 33 points in 1972
No matter. In this country, no party is “entitled” to extra seats in the Congress for any reason whatsoever. The essence of democratic governance is that politicians win legislative seats the old fashioned way; they earn them.
And finally, and emphatically, no party is entitled to any damn thing based on concepts of White supremacy, or white Privilege, or any other bigoted or racist bullshit. Not one damn thing.
Not now. Not ever.
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