Behold The Terrors of the Texas Republican Platform
The uncut embodiment of a dark American dystopia.
In 2018, in search of an offbeat story about the midterm elections, I traveled to Amarillo, Texas and wrote a profile of the Democratic candidate running for Congress in the reddest district in America. (He did not win.) One thing I did down there, in between trips to Palo Duro Canyon and meetings with local Republicans who found the entire race amusing, was to read the official platform of the Texas Republican Party. To this day, I remember it as one of the most insane political documents that I ever read. Six years later, in a much-changed world, I can tell you: It has gotten even worse.
Just this week, the Texas Republicans wrapped up their convention, where they put together their new platform for this presidential election year. You can read good coverage of it in the Texas Tribune and in a number of other state and national outlets. This theoretically workmanlike political affair got so much attention because the party managed to exceed even its own high standards for messianic lunacy with its new platform.
Texas is the second most populous state in America. It is growing fast. It is a hub of vital industry. What happens there is important. It is, electorally at least, a solid red state, and that fact may make many people assume up front that its Republican Party will have a right wing political platform, and consider it something unworthy of much attention. But in cases like this—as in the case of Project 2025, where Republicans published their staggeringly horrific plans for all to see, partly on the assumption that not a lot of people will actually read through them—I strongly believe that it is good for the public to take a little time to behold some of the text of this document. Seeing the words that a major political party in a major American state wrote down to represent their bedrock purpose and goals is an instructive way to level-set your mind about the state of the Republican Party.
I have pulled out just a few notable parts of the 50-page platform below. In order to avoid this turning into a long ass Wikipedia-style entry, let me stipulate up front: The Texas Republicans love guns and hate gays and hate taxes and love Jesus and hate public schools and love oil and hate immigrants. I’m not writing a comprehensive survey here but you should understand that basically the entire national Republican platform is in here, sometimes in bitterly concentrated form. What makes the Texan Republicans stand out to me is how boldly open they are about their derangements, in a major state, where they do in fact wield total political control.
Republican supremacy
It is eyebrow-raising to see a party so openly lay out a plan to ensure that it locks in total political power for itself and marginalizes the other party in a way that would mean that tens of millions of Texans have essentially no political representation. For example:
[We support] an amendment to the Texas Constitution that will require a majority of the voters in at least 170 counties (two-thirds), instead of a simple majority of the votes to pass amendments.
Because the vast majority of Texan counties are lightly populated and heavily Republican, and most of the people who are Democrats live in a small number of heavily populated counties, focusing on counties is a neat way to disenfranchise an entire party with the thin patina of fairness. As our Founding Fathers always said, “We are a government that must represent the rights of empty ranch land above all.” And if any meddlesome progressive DAs try to make trouble:
Support an amendment to allow the Attorney General of Texas to prosecute cases anywhere in Texas where county district attorneys refuse to enforce state law, and to prosecute those who are accused with prima facie evidence of violating state laws.
Surely the Republican Attorney General of Texas has a quite fair vision of what state laws are important. They’re also keeping an eye on uhhhhh voter fraud:
We call on the Legislature to ensure that election crimes will be promptly prosecuted, even in counties with progressive district attorneys.
Could they maybe find a way to also marginalize an entire blue city?
204. City of Austin Management: We support the revocation of home rule status for the city of Austin, and transfer of the management to the State of Texas.
And could they maybe find a way to write a rule that sounds on the surface like a “good government” style reform but that is explicitly designed to stop teachers unions, one of the state’s strongest Democratic constituencies, from exercising any political power?
209. Tax-Funded Lobbying: We oppose using tax dollars to hire lobbyists or paying tax dollars to associations that lobby the Legislature, in particular by public schools.
And if anyone tries to reform the Supreme Court to, for example, declare all of this unconstitutional:
Oppose “packing” (or enlarging) the United States Supreme Court and support the pending “Keep Nine Amendment” as filed in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.
And how about the principle of birthright citizenship, which might result in the children of immigrants growing up and failing to vote for the Republicans who have persecuted them for their entire lives?
Support a change to the 14th Amendment to eliminate “birth tourism” or anchor babies by granting citizenship only to those with at least one biological parent who is a US citizen.
And finally here, I want to tip my cap at the way the party has threaded the needle on the troubling quandary that a couple years back all the Republicans were hollering about a “free speech” crisis on campus, and now they are all hollering to throw campus protesters in jail:
105. Campus Speech: We urge the Texas Legislature to protect the 1st Amendment rights of those on college campuses to practice their faith, form and govern their organizations, and engage in speech. However, we recognize that vandalism and physically threatening individuals is not protest. We adamantly oppose riots, encampments, and other activities intended to destroy property or endanger the safety of students and staff.
Respect the skill it takes to walk a tightrope!
Contradictions
Under item 37, in which the party declares its support for Employee Stock Ownership Plans, they say “We support maximum economic opportunity for all citizens.” In what ways do the Texas Republicans plan to help citizens achieve their maximum economic opportunities? Well, for example:
27. Reduce Business Regulations: We believe that the following businesses shall be minimally regulated at all levels.
a. Federal Laws: i. Repeal Minimum Wage Law and prevailing wage laws.
Eliminating the minimum wage is sure to help Texans flourish. And what about all the public employees in unions?
34. Government Accountability: We call upon the Texas Legislature to eliminate all special collective bargaining statutes for public employees and to hold all public servants accountable to taxpayers through existing civil statutes. We oppose any distribution of taxpayer dollars to unions.
And what about the pensions that those workers have earned?
63. Government Pensions: The Texas Legislature shall enact new rules to begin to transition government pensions for public sector employees from a defined benefit pension to a defined contribution retirement plan similar to a 403(b).
Come, work for the state of Texas! We will destroy your union and eliminate your pension, due to our commitment to economic opportunity!
The only thing they love more than economic opportunity is freedom:
11. The Rights of a Sovereign People: We support the historic concept, established by our nation’s founders, of limited civil government jurisdiction under the natural laws of God, and we oppose the concept that the state is sovereign over the affairs of men, the family, or the church.
People first. Maximum freedom. How shall we manifest that in our national elections?
13. National Popular Vote: The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is a direct violation of Article 1, Section 10, and Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution and shall be rejected by Texas and all its officials. We support the Electoral College.
The Electoral College, famously the most democratic of institutions! Down with the popular vote, in the name of The Rights of a Sovereign People! And look at this strikingly liberal declaration of principle:
167. Political Policing: We believe that laws should be enforced uniformly, that punishment should meet the crime, and that law enforcement should never be used to target individuals for political purposes.
This point seems almost inspiring, until you come to understand that it is meant to rein in progressive DAs who might charge the police with a crime for murdering someone.
The Texas Republican Party loves Texas. They are dead-set on protecting its “heritage,” right down to a declaration that “We believe that all historical war memorials, including Confederate monuments, in Texas shall be protected from future removal or defacement, and we believe that those monuments that have been removed should be restored to their historical locations.” And how about preserving all of Texas’ natural beauty?
42. Carbon Tax: We oppose any and all efforts to implement a carbon tax.
43. Environment: We oppose environmentalism, or “climate change” initiatives, that obstruct legitimate business interests and private property use, including the regulatory use limitation and confiscation by governmental agencies. We support the reclassification of carbon dioxide as a non-pollutant, abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency, and repeal of the Endangered Species Act
47. Energy Production: We support free-market solutions and the immediate removal of government barriers and direct subsidies to the production, transportation, reformulation, refining, and distribution of energy. We oppose federally directed plans and proposals that favor renewable energy sources that may constitute a nuisance, or otherwise have a substantially negative impact on neighboring landowners, including harming property values of our neighborhoods, farms, and ranch areas.
Ah.
Pure crankery
I admit that the distinction between far right beliefs and brain poisoning is a somewhat arbitrary one. But it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that this platform—which, again, is the guiding document of the dominant political party of a state this home to 30 million people—is chock full of undiluted crazy shit. Like their contention that immigrants crossing the border constitutes an “invasion” that obligates the federal government to send in the military:
3. Enforce the Constitution Article 4 Section 4: The sovereignty of this state requires the protections afforded under Article 4, Section 4 of the Constitution, and any failing thereof authorizes the Governor of this State or the Legislature to declare an invasion, which shall be met with the full force of this State.
Or the repeated harping on “The Great Reset,” a conspiracy theory on par with the idea that faceless global government soldiers are coming for your family:
31. Texas Resistance to The Great Reset: Texas should continue to pass legislation needed to protect the citizens of Texas from corporate violation of their rights in the Great Reset/Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) scheme as follows:
Add penalties in Texas law for corporations operating in Texas that lead or participate in boycotts against Texas due to legislative action to protect the rights of Texans to decline vaccination, protect the unborn, stop the teaching of Critical Race Theory in schools, compete in sports with only those of their own biological gender, or to protect children and juveniles against sexual organ mutilation, hormones, and puberty blockers designed to fake transition from one gender to another. Consider the expansion or use of existing Texas anti-trust law to prohibit collusion between woke corporations to cancel/drive others out of business.
You all sound very normal.
Texas should recognize the natural right to use currency of choice in the Texas Bill of Rights and provide choices for ordinary Texans to use gold and silver in everyday transactions.
Paying for your Taco Bell burrito with a silver nugget? That will be protected by state law one day, god willing. And further:
80. End the Fed: We support abolishing the Federal Reserve.
Please ask the next Texas Republican that you encounter to explain the global economic implications of eliminating reserve banking.
We oppose cloud seeding and geoengineering of any kind.
Okay.
Texas retains the right to secede from the United States, and the Texas Legislature should be called upon to pass a referendum consistent thereto.
Okay.
Science. We support objective teaching of scientific method, practices, and theories including the complexity of life origins and the changing climate throughout geologic history. These shall be taught as challengeable scientific theories subject to change as new data is produced. Teachers and students shall discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these theories openly, without fear of retribution or discrimination.
Social Studies, including Geography, Economics, US and World History. Such instruction shall focus on American exceptionalism, the benefits of the free-enterprise system, and the consistent failures of socialism and communism.
96. Abolish Department of Education: Since education is not an enumerated power of the federal government, we believe the Department of Education should be abolished, and the transfer of any of its functions to any other federal agency should be prohibited.
Education is very important.
We oppose any attempt to criminalize or penalize anyone for the wrong use of pronouns.
Okay.
197. No Part of Texas to be Owned by Foreign Interests:
a. The State of Texas shall prohibit the sale of all real estate interests within its borders to all except American citizens (defined by current statute) or United States owned and operated corporations. The sole exception to this rule is that a lawful immigrant may own one single family residential property and/or small business.
b. All land in Texas that is currently owned by foreign individuals, corporations, or interests with ties to such, will be required to sell their property and vacate immediately.
Hard to imagine any downsides from this.
Dystopia
Casting Texas Republicans as cranks ultimately lets them off the hook. Viewed in totality, what comes through in their platform is a dark, dark vision of what America is and should be. It is a Taliban-esque vision of a place where white Christian men enjoy ultimate freedom and power, true democracy is non-existent, and you will one day be shot by a poorly educated but heavily armed person, probably while standing in front of one the state’s ubiquitous oil wells.
Texas Republicans dream of more highways:
We oppose climate mandates like Net Zero, Vision Zero, or declarations of a climate emergency that threaten our freedom to travel, impose any sort of state or federal mileage tax, or institute diversity, equity, and inclusion policies on taxpayers and drivers. We oppose anti-car measures that punish those who choose to travel alone in their vehicle.
52. High Speed Rail: Specific to high-speed rail, taxpayer money shall not fund or subsidize high speed rail, nor shall eminent domain be used in the construction of high-speed rail.
More ignorance:
85. Sexual Education, Health-Related Education, and the Classroom to Clinic Pipeline: We demand the State Legislature pass a law prohibiting the teaching of sex education, sexual health, or sexual choice or identity in any government school in any grade whatsoever, or disseminating or permitting the dissemination by any party of any material regarding the same.
Book banning:
86. Prohibiting Grooming of Minors: We request that the Texas Legislature pass legislation that requires Texas schools and libraries, and contracted vendors to filter and vet inappropriate and/or harmful content, such as pornography. We support the passage of a law even more comprehensive than the Florida law that prohibits instruction in sexual orientation and gender identity in government schools and libraries. We believe any school employee or contractor responsible for exposing a student to inappropriate material or engaging in inappropriate conduct with students should have their teaching license revoked, forfeit their pension, and be criminally prosecuted with enhanced penalties.
Persecution:
121. Welfare Reform: We support the abolition of all federal welfare programs, as they are not an appropriate role of the federal government.
130. Homosexuality: Homosexuality is an abnormal lifestyle choice.
131. Gender Identity: We oppose all efforts to validate transgender identity.
Racism:
173. Military Base Names: Publicly honor the southern heroes and rescind all name changes of our military bases.
We oppose the relocation of Gazans to the United States.
And, of course:
202. Gun Free Zone in Texas: There shall be no gun free zones in Texas.
God bless Texas.
Related: A deep dive on Republicans’ plans for labor if they win in 2024; A 2020 profile I wrote of Jose Garza, Austin’s progressive district attorney; Texas is firmly a part of The Cannibal South.
If you feel despondent about the prospects of pulling red states like Texas out of their political hell, I urge you not to wallow in negativity about elections and instead to think about the promise of the labor movement. That is the tool we need to change red states, no matter how awful their governors are. I wrote a book about this very idea. It’s called “The Hammer,” and you can buy it wherever books are sold. If you’re interested in organizing your workplace and joining the labor movement, contact EWOC.
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I don't live in the US. Is this a joke?
"We adamantly oppose riots, encampments, and other activities intended to destroy property or endanger the safety of students and staff"
"we oppose the concept that the state is sovereign over the affairs of men, the family, or the church."
"any failing thereof authorizes the Governor of this State or the Legislature to declare an invasion, which shall be met with the full force of this 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."
Texas: We Like The Constitution, Until We Don't, Not That We Have Read It Anyway, Shut Up.