Democrats love meaningless symbolism over substance
In a political landscape that demands action, accountability, and results, the Democratic Party has increasingly leaned into obstructionist tactics that prioritize optics and symbolism over outcomes and accomplishments.
In the latest example, Texas Democrats fled their state to block a special legislative session’s action on redistricting. The truancy is not only a bad idea, but typical of Democrats’ love of tales (or political narratives, in this case) “told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.
The actions of the Texas House Democrats are ultimately destined to fail — just as similar stunts have in the past. Everyone knows it, including the escapees. In the meantime, critical legislation is not being passed.
More than 50 Texas House Democrats fled to Illinois and New York to deny a quorum and halt a special session focused on redistricting and disaster relief. Fleeing to Chicago has an ironic twist. By all accounts, Illinois is the most brutally gerrymandered state in America. The Texas Democrats do their party no favor by drawing national attention to that fact. One of the Texas AWOLs stumbled over that issue when it was raised by Brianna Keilar on CNN. It makes Texas’ redistricting plans more like a reaction.
Texas Democrats Two-Time Losers
This is not the first time Texas Democrats have pulled this maneuver. In 2003, they fled to Oklahoma and New Mexico to protest redistricting. In 2021, they jetted off to Washington, D.C., to block a voting bill. Each time, they returned empty-handed – but claimed victory, regardless. The legislation they opposed was eventually passed – as will be the case this time.
Now, under House rules passed in 2023, these absentee lawmakers face a $500-per-day fine for their absence. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has even threatened to assist in locating and arresting them for dereliction of duty. Governor Greg Abbott has warned that continued absence could result in forfeiture of their seats in the legislature.
Not just Texas
This isn’t just a Texas issue. It is an evergreen Democrat strategy. In 2011, Wisconsin Democrats fled to Illinois to block a vote on Governor Scott Walker’s plan to limit collective bargaining rights for public employees. The result? After weeks of protests and delays, Republicans passed the legislation anyway.
In Congress, Democrats staged a sit-in on the floor of the House in 2016 to demand gun control votes. It was a dramatic gesture and forced a temporary adjournment, but it didn’t result in any meaningful legislation. More recently, Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker engaged in prolonged speeches to protest proposed budget cuts and Trump policies. It delayed the work of the House and Senate, respectively — got a lot of fawning attention from their media allies — but no discernible legislative benefit for the donkey party.
It is questionable whether such tactics even energize the base, as some suggest. History suggests that it does not. Once the Democrats had returned and Republicans passed the legislation, the issue evaporated like the morning mist. The Democrats’ highly publicized tantrums do not change votes. They did not win any legislative battles. They did not serve the public interest. Basically, there is no victory for the Democrats who obstruct.
Schumer’s Stonewalling
In yet another example of symbolism over substance – obstinance over accomplishment — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has taken obstructionism to new heights. He’s blocking virtually all of Trump’s civilian nominees, refusing to allow voice votes or unanimous consent – as has been the tradition for decades. This has left more than 130 nominees in limbo, delaying critical appointments and potentially grinding government operations to a halt.
Schumer’s demand is the release of more than $1 billion in funds blocked by the Trump administration. Only in Washington can folks bribe in billions of dollars. Trump responded to Schumer’s demand by telling the Minority Leader to “go to hell.”
In more polite terms, Trump has called Schumer’s demands “egregious and unprecedented.” Schumer claims the nominees are “historically unqualified” and deserve “historic levels of scrutiny,” even though all the nominees have already gone through bipartisan vetting. Schumer’s tactic is not about vetting, but about stalling for stalling’s sake. Even Schumer knows that when the Senate returns after the summer break, all the nominees will be confirmed.
In a strange logic, Schumer claimed that Trump had folded and is the loser. What? Such a claim makes Schumer look like a fool.
Even moderate Democrats have expressed concern about the long-term consequences of this strategy. If Republicans retaliate by changing Senate rules – as is expected — it could permanently alter the confirmation process.
Summary
Democrats often justify these tactics with lofty rhetoric. They claim to be defending democracy, protecting civil rights, or standing up for the marginalized. But these actions are undemocratic and hurt the folks back home by delaying critical legislation, stalling economic recovery and needlessly burning up taxpayer money.
These stunts may win applause from the base, but they erode confidence in the Democratic Party (which is already at an all-time low) and the government institutions in which they serve.
If Democrats want to lead, they need to legislate. They need to stop running and start participating in governing – even from the weakened position to which the American people relegated them. They need to trade symbolism for substance. Because in the end, people do not want theater. They want results. For the obstructionist Democrats, it is all about being seen — not being effective.
So, there ‘tis.
Post Script: At the time of this writing, there are rumors that the errant legislators will return for Texas Governor Abbott’s next Special Session.
Larry seems to think there can be no progress unless Democrats pitch in and legislate as in: “If Democrats want to lead, they need to legislate.” Pot/kettle, decisions start at the top, etc. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. He’s playing with Texas, but the same situation exists at the Federal level.
Several recent analyses suggest the current Congress is among the least productive in recent history, based on the number of laws passed and other metrics. As of August 2024, the 118th Congress ending in January 2025 placed only 79 public laws on the books, one of the lowest session totals ever at this point in time in the session. One reason for that is that the Felon King makes law via the EO. His mandates for America. His Federalizing all aspects of our lives. We have little local control anymore.
Like the Dems in Texas, House Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House home early for their August recess, ending legislative business earlier than planned because he wanted to avoid a floor vote on the Epstein files. We still paid them. But the King wants to stop the Epstein files. So, give me a break on Texas, Mr. Horist.
Fact is to legislate across the aisle, you need to offer something, anything, across the aisle. You can’t bring yourself to do that, so you bully, brutalize, stigmatize, basically anything but compromise. We are living in Trumpistan where one man makes all our decisions. If you say something contrary, you’re fired. Or worse.
Tonight, in Trumpistan….. bang a gong, dinner’s on; it’s TACO night. Ingredients are chaos, confusion, diversion, and division served with a secret sauce that’s a lack of transparency for all. It’s not a lie if you hide it. It’s the truth if you say it three times. Untruths, no justice, the Trump way. It’s the gilded age of Trumpistan where one-man, a Felon King, rules above the rest. We don’t need no Congress, we don’t need no courts, we don’t need no States. All we need is one guy, one guy to rule it all. The man who would be King wants to control the game, pull all the levers, and trash the Constitutional framework of ideas and visions governing our land. America has become Trumpistan. You made it so.
In Trumpistan, when the numbers are bad, fire the bean counters, put in people who can’t count, but can parrot the king, numbers are good again. He needs no stinking statistics, he’s got a sharpie.
In Trumpistan, we block out the sunshine by hand-picking, hand-selecting who can ask questions to the President and his mouthpieces. The rest of the press is shut out, blacked out, excluded, shunned.
In Trumpistan, it’s cool to put your finger on the scale and pick winners and losers. Stocks, companies, celebrities, charities, sports teams, Trump picks winners, hurts losers, one man to rule them all. Hey — lets’ put mixed martial arts in the White House. For a fee. Soon, Trump will tell you what to watch, what to read, the rest will be shuttered.
When you stop testing for disease, everyone is healthy now in Trumpistan.
When you stop testing the environment, pollution disappears now in Trumpistan.
When you rape and pillage the national lands, you know that it’s Trumpistan.
When you stop feeding hungry kids, there is no hunger anymore in Trumpistan.
Push back. They tackle Senators in Federal buildings. They physically tangle with Representatives for protesting. They disappear innocents. Masked, unidentified thugs, without warrants, roam the land looking for victims.
The Ukrainian War is over, they are building condo’s in GAZA, Iran has been toppled, China is on the run, inflation is down, prices are down, jobs are up, factories are sprouting up everywhere and gold, gold, gold, the White House is gold again, make American gold again. At least that’s what they say.
Putin the mad king of Russia is coming to Alaska as the honored guest in Trumpistan. Once he bombs a few more apartment houses of old women and kids, Trump will concede Ukrainian territory. Because Putin is a respected strongman in Trumpistan where strong matters, compassion sucks.
Netanyahoo, the mad king of Israel just finished his red carpet visit to the throne in Trumpistan. Once he pushes GAZA into the sea killing innocent men, women, and children by the hundreds of thousands. A hero in Trumpistan where white is might, minorities suck.
The tariffs are on, we leave China out, but let’s fuck with Europe. It’s OK in Trumpistan to pay taxation without representation, the founder’s love it.
The colleges pay Trump to stay open. Intel pays Trump to stay open. Legal firms pay Trump to stay open. Pay to play is the new law of the land.
It’s Law and Order time. As crime is down in Democratic run cities, Trump says it’s up. The military prowls our streets hunting the brown people and the homeless. Don’t wanna see em, don’t wanna be em, dem must go. Soon, we will militarize LA, DC, NYC, Chicago, and more. All dem cities, but Jacksonville is hands-off. Tis bootiful there. Miami too.
Trump’s DOJ hunts dems too; anyone done Don dirt doth hath to go. Don’t wanna see dem, don’t wanna be dem, dem dems must go to jail. Hopefully not with the brown people or the homeless new jails of horror.
Trump’s health plan is easy, just say no. No MRNA vaccines, heck no vaccines at all. Fire the experts, bring in the clowns. Science and medicine are out, the circus is in town.
Use the National Guard as cops, use cops as Federal Police. Kill science, kill research, kill education, kill medicine, burn books, kill the free press, it’s freaky medieval in Trumpistan.
Where is the lower prices, the new health plan, infrastructure; we can’t even defend Ukraine against a country with the economic strength of Italy.
Finally, remember what Trump said. The Trumpistan Prime Directive: State’s Rights, let the States control the states. Push Federal budget to the States. To do that, in Trumpistan, we say we did it. In reality, we ACT to return power to the States by Federalizing police, forcing education to the federal will, steal away a woman’s right to choose. Choose who wins in industry, media, communications, and even entertainment. One man rules it all in Trumpistan, there is no people. We report to him, he does not report to the people. One man who would be King picks all winners and losers, putting his Federal fingers on the scales of EVERYTHING, making it a federal crime to do otherwise. Sends his jack-booted military thugs to the States to enforce his will against the State. Sends his secret police to deport the brown people, some of whom are guilty of a $250 misdemeanor fine for jumping the border. The secret police sends them to their deaths without a trial in a Sudan civil war or our new Salvadorian death camp gulag where many go in, few come out alive. All hail the Felon King of Trumpistan, be sure to leave a gold coin at the door.
You describe the demoncrap party succinctly
Dunger you’re spouting what you democrats always do. One example about putting your thumb on the scale. Yes or no question. Do democrats oppose voter ID? Why? But be careful. We know that you people are crooks. Our justice department is finding that out.
Hammondunger:
Here’s the polling showing you are mostly wrong. And the rate for Democrats is going up over time.
*https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/02/07/bipartisan-support-for-early-in-person-voting-voter-id-election-day-national-holiday/*
“Majorities in both parties continue to back requiring all voters to show government-issued photo ID to vote. The share of Democrats supporting this has risen from 61% to 69% since last year. Support for voter ID remains nearly universal among Republicans (95% favor).”
I spell my name danger. And frankly, and I am frank, you could have looked it up to not look ridiculous, again. BUSTED
FYI: your doj, doing the Kings’ bidding, is investigating his enemies list; I don’t think there’s any doj indictments yet. Only fools believe partisan spew by liars.
Dunger you lie so much that you believe your bullshit. Instead of commentating on the flaws of your party you should go throw a ham sandwich at a government agent. You would get your real name in the news. A few of us call you out but don’t worry. More states will turn red in 2026.
Hammondunger, are you ok?
Prove the lie of stfu.
You are blathering spew now, doesn’t even make sense.
I proved you wrong, I realize numbers are difficult to you, but take your spew to PEW and whine at them. It’s their numbers that make you look like a fucking stupid idiot whiner boy, not me.
How many states turned red last time? Any?