The most recent Republican National Committee platform which was enacted in 2016 and renewed in 2020 includes at least five references to marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. The Republican Party of Texas refuses to recognize the legitimacy of President Biden's election win. Now, whats left of our reproductive rights are slowly trickling away. In April 2022 polling, for example, 87% of Texas Republicans said that " the sex listed on a person's original birth certificate should be the only way to define a person's gender," while only 9% said that gays and lesbians face "a lot" of discrimination in America today, compared to 31% who said the same of Christians and 34% who said the same Paid for by the Republican Party of Texas and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. What this weekend's festivities in Texas make clear is that there is an active and ongoing effort to purge the Republican Party of anyone and everyone who a) criticizes Donald Trump or his. (When Cornyn spoke of the pain the families in Uvalde must feel after the school shooting, shouts of No gun control filled the room. Significant gains by Texas Democrats in state House elections in 2018 raised the prospect of the Republican Party losing its dominant status in Texas, making it moderate its platform in 2020 to focus on bread-and-butter issues. Their next step is to criminalize abortion, go after Plan B, and restrict birth control. Declaring all businesses and jobs as essential and a fundamental right, a response to COVID-19 mandates by Texas cities that required customers to wear masks and limited business hours. Kennedy is a recent graduate of the University of St.Thomas in Houston where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Celt Independent. Repealing the VRA would be radicalits one of the most beneficial pieces of legislation in the history of the country, having made imperfect democracies of Southern states for the first time in their history. Maybe some foreign language and PE. The Texas Republican Party spent Juneteenth weekend, ironically, finalizing one of the most racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, and ageist platforms weve seen in recent years. Unfortunately, the ball is already rolling in their direction. Crenshaw has expressed some very mild skepticism of some elements of the modern right-wing movement and has condemned the rising popularity of grifters and lies among its members. Considering hate crime rates are higher than they have been in over a decade, we think otherwise. This and similar moves in other states spurred the Biden administration and top Democrats to try and pass a bill strengthening the Voting Rights Act, an effort that failed when two of their own senators refused to join an effort to reform the Senate filibuster. 2,276 were here. https://texassignal.com/author/kennedysessions/, Texas lawmaker proposes age-appropriate book bill, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo wins re-election race. After labeling homosexuality an abnormal lifestyle choice, they also call for the nullification of, (the landmark case making marriage equality the law of the land) with the goal of outlawing LGBTQ+ marriage regardless of state of origin.. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images. ", The Texas Republican Party blocked the Log Cabin Republicans, a longstanding group of gay conservatives which also supports many of the partys anti-LGBTQ policies from having a booth at Saturday's convention. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? The Log Cabin Republicans have never been allowed to participate in the convention. A February survey from the University of Texas at Austin found that 22 percent of Republican respondents . HOUSTON Meeting at their first in-person convention since 2018, Texas Republicans on Saturday acted on a raft of resolutions and proposed platform changes to move their party even further. But some of the most talked-about policies in the states new platform is the outright rejection of LGBTQ communities, even those who may align with them politically. My thought is to leave well enough alone. Texas Republicans have included a plank in their platform urging the legislature to allow Texans to vote on whether the state should secede from the United States. Five shocking proposals from the Texas GOP's radical new platform Republicans in the US's second-largest state have formulated a political programme that's extreme even by their party's. Oh, and why not regress even further by repealing all hate crime laws? So therefore, you cant do certain things, Ylana said. Advocates have beenurging public officialsagainst using the charged rhetoric, warning that it could cause violence directed at LGBTQ Americans. BAN ALL ABORTION FROM THE MOMENT OF FERTILIZATION. He was simply booed louder and longer this time, and for a specific reason rather than a general sense among the grassroots that he is a wishy-washy Republican In Name Only. . It demands repealing the Affordable Care Act, which the platform calls in the proposal unconstitutional.. In this case, they saw it worked for Trump so they think itll work for them., It shows you how much QAnon may not be an outlier in the Republican Party. Back then, speakers would describe it as the largest gathering of its kind in a free country, or some such boast. However, Republican leaders said repeatedly on Saturday that it was the other side that was a threat to fair elections. The state GOPhas called for the VRAs repeal in every platform in the past decade, well predating Trumps appearance on the scene. At a convention where several of its more prominent lawmakers were harassed and. Copyright 2020 - The Republican Party of Texas - All Rights Reserved. Amending the Texas Constitution to remove the Legislatures power to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime.. But the difference from prior conventions was one of degrees. June 20 (UPI) -- Republicans in Texas adopted a party platform over the weekend that rejects the results of the 2020 presidential election, calls homosexuality "an abnormal lifestyle choice". The GOP is hacking away at our autonomy by controlling our uteruses, our identities, and our access to healthcare, as if the ability to control our own bodies isnt intrinsic to the idea of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness that they ceaselessly invoke. Eleanor Dearman. Observers cite the party's convention as evidence that state Republicans have gone "full MAGA." But if anything, MAGA. A Navy SEAL veteran, Crenshaw lost his right eye to a bomb in Afghanistan. with a party platform that calls for the restoration of any confederate monuments that have been removed anywhere in Texas. Vote. "We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin, and we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.". So are we, thats why were fighting back against the right-wing lie machine. People stood up and booed U.S. Sen. John Cornyn as he spoke about potential gun legislation during the Republican Party of Texas 2022 convention in Houston on Friday. The Log House Republicans of Houston released a statement in response to their partys platform calling it disappointing and infuriating., Through efforts of a vocal and organized minority, inflammatory, hurtful and unnecessary language was added to our partys platform, the organization wrote. We urge that the Voting Rights Act of 1965, codified and updated in 1973, be repealed and not reauthorized. His current home, in suburban Houston, is more accustomed to the Escalade.But no matter. HOUSTON Meeting at their first in-person convention since 2018, Texas Republicans on Saturday acted on a raft of resolutions and proposed platform changes to move their party even further to the right. Follow. Gov. They benefit from causing us to question the foundations that this country was built upon. Republicans also want to prohibit the teaching of sex education, sexual health, or sexual choice or identity in any public school in any grade whatsoever. The party also asks legislators to restrict reproductive healthcare services, including counseling, referrals, and distribution of condoms and contraception through public schools., Despite the spike in COVID-19 cases and Texas ranking 42nd in access to healthcare, the party also rejects any Medicare/Medicaid expansion. The Texas Republican party adopted a new platform on Saturday that refers to homosexuality as "abnormal" and "opposes all efforts to validate transgender . One of the Texas partys former chairs, Allen West a onetime congressman who this year mounted a futile challenge to sitting GOP governor Greg Abbott made headlines last year by suggesting that Texas could legally secede from the union, a claim that has many times been dismissed as inaccurate. Two themes are clear this year: From formally rejecting President Bidens 2020 win to outlawing LGBTQ+ marriage, the Texas GOP has unabashedly solidified their swing to the far-right. In the platform voted on by . Our commitment to ethical, fact-based journalism is vital to our democracy, and we cant do it without you. Hes otherwise a strong foot soldier for the movement who should easily win reelection. Abolishing the Federal Reserve, the nations central bank, and guaranteeing the right to use alternatives to cash, including cryptocurrencies. IE 11 is not supported. Cars Spun Doughnuts in Austin, And Greg Abbott Got Furious, Fast, Wendy Davis Returns to the Texas Capitol and a Whole New Political Landscape. Austin, TX, Release: July 6, 2022 For Immediate Release. Taken together, the events of the convention had one message, he continued. The denunciation of Cornyn represented a remarkable rebuke to a Republican who has served in the Senate since 2002. Here's what we're watching. But in 2018 and 2020, the platform still called it an abnormal lifestyle choice, just in a polite way, writing that homosexual sex was not part of Gods biblical design and is contrary to the foundation for all great nations in Western Civilization. That softened language was the aberration: prior to 2018, the platform condemned homosexuality as an aberration and insult to God that tears at the fabric of society and spreads communicable diseases.. So at the last minute, a posse of elected officials took to the floor to tell delegates they had mistakenly endorsed Obamacare for the internet. The offending passage was quickly stripped out. The platform is largely symbolic but important as a measure of ideological drift, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist at the University of Houston. After labeling homosexuality an abnormal lifestyle choice, they also call for the nullification of Obergefell v. Hodges (the landmark case making marriage equality the law of the land) with the goal of outlawing LGBTQ+ marriage regardless of state of origin.. Video posted online showed far-right activists physically accosting U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, calling the conservative Republican eye-patch McCain over his criticism of Russia. The convention indeed showed a state party moving back to the right after a brief period, in 2018 and 2020, in which it inched ever so slightly to the center over concerns that Democrats might be getting more competitive in elections here. (Current chair Matt Rinaldi, who presided over the convention, called Abbott a petty tyrant two years ago.) 2022 Republican Primary Ballot Propositions; Local Election Resources; Candidate Resource Committee. We are here to break down the latest news from the Texas Legislative session in Austin. Immigration continued to be a major theme, with delegates lamenting Bidens reversal of Trump-era border policies. in 13 years has only led them to call for more guns blazing in every nook and cranny that Texas has to offer. Two themes are clear this year: conspiracy and regression. There were indeed some developments at this years convention that seemed indicative of larger dysfunctions within the state party. We believe that substantial election fraud in key metropolitan areas significantly affected the results in five key states in favor of Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. We reject the certified results of the 2020 Presidential election, and we hold that acting President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was not legitimately elected by the people of the United States. Even worse, they urge the Voting Rights Act of 1965, codified and updated in 1973, be repealed and not reauthorized. Its disappearance would make their attempts as voter disenfranchisement all the easier. They make clear they want marijuana to remain illegal in Texas. The GOPs new platform also requires teaching students that life begins at fertilization and requires students to learn about the Humanity of the Preborn Child. Moreover, Texas Republicans suggest students watch and listen to live ultrasounds, the growing stages of fetal development, the Miracle of Life, and more. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. Texas secession. Austin, TX texasgop.org Born July 4 Joined May 2009. They use outdated language and scientifically disproven ideas to alienate and monstrify transgender Texans. The Texas Republican Party convention starts Thursday. June 18, 20228 PM Central. What this weekend's festivities in Texas make clear is that there is an active and ongoing effort to purge the Republican Party of anyone and everyone who a) criticizes Donald Trump or his. Find a complete list of them here. Texas Republicans did well in the 2020 elections even though Biden won 46.5% of the Texas vote, the highest proportion for a Democrat since 1976 and this year, culture-war issues were once. Considering the Jan. 6th attack and the harmful rhetoric theyve been spreading, making access to guns easier for QAnon, far-right Trump cronies is the last thing this country needs. The Texas Republican Party finished its 2022 platform priorities over the weekend at the Republican National Convention and gave a glimpse into some of the most powerful minds in power. Were meant to be alive, at this time, right now, and here in this state.. There simply arent limits now on what the base might ask for.. Tags: Texas . But their platform calls for the Texas Legislature to put secession up for vote in 2023. (To take one particularly dark example, Pennsylvanias GOP nominee for governor, Doug Mastriano, attended the 6 January riot.). The Texas GOP is out of step with the majority of Americans who believe in equality, said Zeph Capo, president of the Texas chapter of American Federation of Teachers. 1,106 Following. And even the partys pragmatic center right conservatives lack the ability to argue, as they did successfully in 2020, that an ultra conservative platform could cost the GOP its majority status in the Lone Star State. Texas retains the right to secede from the United States, and the Texas Legislature should be called upon to pass a referendum consistent thereto. d. Support restoring state sovereignty with the repeal of the 17th Amendment of the United States Constitution and the appointment of United States Senators by the state legislatures. In addition to the platform, the delegates voted to choose 8 among 15 legislative priorities to be shared with Republican lawmakers ahead of the legislative session that starts in January. Join us Sept. 22-24 in person in downtown Austin for The Texas Tribune Festival and experience 100+ conversation events featuring big names you know and others you should from the worlds of politics, public policy, the media and tech all curated by The Texas Tribunes award-winning journalists. Moreover, inflation, the risk of a recession, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and growing acrimony over race, gender and sexuality make it seem increasingly likely that Democrats will lose the U.S. House in the November midterm elections. Which 8 were selected will not be known for several days. The Texas Republican Party unveiled its official position on LGBTQ issues over the weekend, defining homosexuality as an "abnormal lifestyle choice" and also opposing "all efforts to validate transgender identity.". Donald Trumps Big Lie of a stolen election in 2020 is still widely believed among the conservative grassroots. by Kate McGee Dan Patrick poses with supporters during the Texas Republican Convention in Houston, on June 15, 2022. The newly approved Texas GOP party platform broadly places the culture wars at its core, as the party adopted a slew of new platforms that shift the party further to the right on Saturday. A more aggressive party platform sends a clear message to politicians about where the base is going, Rottinghaus said. The newly approved Texas GOP party platform broadly places the culture wars at its core, as the party adopted a slew of new platforms that shift the party further to the right on. Considering the Jan. 6th attack and the harmful rhetoric theyve been spreading, making access to guns easier for QAnon, far-right Trump cronies is the last thing this country needs. But the recent proposals seem to reflect Texas Republicans' views on the 2020 election. The final platform is the culmination of work by grassroots delegates who are the lifeblood of the Texas Republican Party. Could they do it? On another note, the party also reignited its obsession with seceding from the United States, urging Texas lawmakers to create a referendum for Texas voters in the 2023 general election. Another indication of dysfunction was who didnt speak. While there are already legislative moves underway across the US to curtail what children can be taught about sex, sexual orientation and gender, the Texas GOP platform goes much further instead calling for these subjects to be eradicated from schools altogether: We demand the State Legislature pass a law prohibiting the teaching of sex education, sexual health, or sexual choice or identity in any public school in any grade whatsoever, or disseminating or permitting the dissemination by any party of any material regarding the same. Take for example, LGBTQ issues. The Republican-dominated Legislature last year passed new voting restrictions that prompted Democratic lawmakers to flee to Washington to break quorum in an ultimately futile protest. c. Support repeal of the 16th Amendment (Federal Income Tax). We Texans cannot and we will not allow this to happen.. U.S. senator John Cornyn, the longest-serving statewide elected official in Texas, was booed and shouted down during his speech, while attendees denounced his role leading Senate negotiations and helping craft an agreement for modest measures that might help prevent school shootings. The Texas GOP got way out of hand with this years stance on voting rights. But Little of It Is New. 2. Mark P. Jones, a political scientist at Rice University in Houston, said the 2022 platform indicated how emboldened hard-right party activists now feel a far cry from 2020. The book bans often have targeted young adult literature with racial and LGBTQ+ themes. The Republican Party of Texas released its 2022 platform today. The platform plank does not specify which grades should get these lessons, except to say that high school students should read the Womans Right to Know booklet. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. . Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects. One of them was the conventions attendance. The 2022 Platform contains 274 planks, which was streamlined from 337 planks in 2020. It will also curb federal funding for the debunked practice of conversion therapy, whichnearly every leading U.S. medical association has condemned, and ask the Federal Trade Commission to consider whether the practice constitutes an unfair or deceptive act. According to the proposal, the Texas GOP declared homosexuality an abnormal lifestyle choice, opposes same-sex marriage, and believes in repealing the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision. Buy tickets. It should give Texas Republican elected officials cause for concern that many of them cannot show up at their partys own convention without being heckled or attacked.Whats perhaps most bizarre is that, in leading us into these choppy waters, conservative activists in Texas are framing their fight as one for a return to tradition. Greg Abbott directed the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate parents who provide gender-affirming care to their transgender children as child abuse. In 2015, Texas conservatives set their eyes on repealing the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which expanded civil rights Today, the start of Womens History Month, Mayday.Health is launching a multi-day education campaign centered around accessing abortion pills. What we put in the standards is factual and balanced, Patricia Hardy, a Republican board member from Fort Worth, told the Tribune Saturday after the platform vote. Texas Republicans over the weekend wove a tapestry of extremism. Elected officials are not bound to adhere to their parties platforms. Just before Biden's inauguration in 2021, armed groups held a rally in front of the Texas State . 2022-RPT-Platform. THE FIGHT FOR TRANSGENDER RIGHTS AT THE TEXAS CAPITOL, The Organization Making It Easier To Access Abortion Pills. Updated: 5 PM Central. Those arrested came to the event with gas masks and shields. Party conventions are supposed to win a public spotlight for the party in question. Republicans have controlled every statewide elected office in Texas since 1999 and both houses of the Legislature since 2003, so the wishes of the partys populist, pro-Trump base inevitably affect actions taken in Austin. The Republican Party of Texas has finally released its 2022 platform and the vote totals for each plank. Those will now need to be tallied and certified in Austin, but it is rare for a plank to be rejected, according to party spokesperson James Wesolek. They even go so far as to refer to Biden as acting president, with some delegates subscribing to the Qanon theory that Trump will be re-installed as president by the end of the year. The Big Lie has gotten out of control amongst the Republican Party.