Party Platforms Show Opposing Views On Democracy

 In 2024 there is a marked difference between the directions of the Democratic and Republican parties in Texas. The Republican Party of Texas (RPT) platform urges that majority rule be taken away and replaced with essentially rule of the minority, which happens to align with conservatism and Republican’s in control. The Texas Democratic Party (TDP) platform insists upon greater respect for voting rights and the very concept of democracy, majority rule. In this week’s column I’ve provided quotes from both platforms that specifically address how each party views democracy and the value of it.

“We further resolve that all amendments to the Texas Constitution require a majority of the voters in at least 191 counties (three-fourths), instead of a simple majority of the votes.” Here's what this really means, the smallest 191 counties in Texas each had populations less than 55,000 people. The actual total population of those counties in 2023 was approximately 3 million while the state population is 30.5 million so less than 10% of the state's population lives and votes in those 191 counties. There were over 11 million votes cast in Texas in 2020. You can see that the Republican party doesn't believe in majority rule, they want the 10% of Texans living in rural counties and who vote overwhelmingly in favor of Republicans and conservative policies to have full control of the Texas constitution. This is anti-democratic, and I don’t mean anti-Democratic Party, I mean in opposition to democracy, also known as majority rule.

"The State Legislature shall cause to be enacted a State Constitutional Amendment creating an electoral college consisting of electors selected by the popular votes cast within each individual state senatorial district, who shall then elect all statewide office holders." We know from history that the national electoral college was originally created as a compromise with the lower population slave-holding states in order to allow them to prevent free-states from outlawing slavery. We know from presidential elections that since 1988 when George H.W. Bush won his single term in office that there has only been one other Republican to win a majority of the popular vote and that was George W. Bush won his second term in the 2004 election while we were at war in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Republicans have not won the popular vote for president in the last 20 years. Texas Republicans see the handwriting on the wall and are determined to prevent control of state government changing hands regardless of what a majority of the state's voters might desire. How un-American?

Conversely the Texas Democratic Party platform demands more respect for one person, one vote and majority rule. The platform states: “Support elimination of the Electoral College and join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, and until the compact is effective, proportionally award Texas's presidential electoral votes based on the U.S Presidential results within the state.” Short of passing a constitutional amendment participating in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is the only way to insure majority rule in this country.

The Democratic Party platform also calls for the elimination of “barriers to voting and encourage full participation in elections and governance.” Recognition of “November’s Election Day as a state and federal holiday.” In addition our platform recommends combining “local, state, and federal elections to minimize how often voters have to go to the polls each year.” To improve voter turnout among young Texans the platform insists on removal of “undue burdens on students by placing polling locations at all institutions of postsecondary education.”

The TDP wants to provide more democracy. Who will you choose in November?

Published in the Seguin Gazette - June 19, 2024