The Cost to Stay on Top

     Texas Republicans have had it pretty easy for the last decade.   With no Democrat being elected into a state-wide office since 1994 there has been little to no road blocks for them getting their way.  Of course, this can’t go on forever, can it?  The rising minority population and influx of out of state immigration into Texas’ urban areas makes me think that this period of Republican power is coming to an eventual end.  In the last few years I have noticed what I consider to be unscrupulous acts being performed to keep this rising tide of possible Democrat votes from reaching a critical mass.

At the Federal level the stakes surrounding the immigration reform would have huge impacts on the political landscape of Texas.   If it ever actually happens then it could streamline the path for immigrants to gain citizenship into the United States.  This huge influx of low to middle income minority families would probably result in a lot more votes going to the Democrats.   Republicans in general have a vested interest in keeping this from happening, considering Texas supplies 32 legislators to the U.S. Congress, a rise in Democrat representatives could tip the scale in the House.  It is no wonder why immigration reform has had such tough opposition.

     One of the unscrupulous tactics I have seen is Texas Republicans trying to gerrymander districts in a way to under represent minorities and the poor.  The proposal for the redistricting was given to the District Court of DC, which is one of the ways that southern states affected by the Voting Rights Act can get redistricting approved, instead of going the more common route of seeking approval from the Department of Justice.  Republicans considered going through the Department of Justice a waste of time, thinking that the Obama administration would just ax anything proposed, regardless.  The redistricting plans submitted were subsequently denied, with the District Court of DC stating that the new districts were negatively effecting minority representation.

     Another tactic Republicans are trying is to pass voter ID requirements for voting.  The rights of Texans being able to vote without an ID use to be protected by the VotingRights Act, the same act that prevented the gerrymandering.  Yet recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for a weakening of the Act, specifically the part that requires states accused of prior voting discrimination to get Federal approval for any change in the way they hold elections.  This has had the effect of Texas trying to pass a law that would require voters to have a government issued ID before they can vote.  Most people agree that this would have a negative impact on Democrat votes, since it would mainly affect poor, elderly, and working class people, who tend to vote Democrat.

     It will be interesting to see if Texas passes a voter ID law, but even more interesting is what new tactics Republicans will come up with next to reduce the impact of Democrat votes.   Maybe they will even consider coming back toward the center to attract borderline Democrats who are turned off by the extremism currently engulfing our capital.  I wouldn't mind that happening, at all.