Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

onehandle

(51,122 posts)
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 04:09 PM Jun 2014

Texas Republicans Adopt Hard-Line On Immigration, Gay Rights

Source: AP

FORT WORTH, Texas (Reuters) - The already conservative Texas Republican Party took a further turn to the right at its convention this weekend by adopting hardline positions on issues including immigration and gay rights.

The conservative Tea Party branch of the party, led by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and carrying great weight in the state, was able to shoot down a 2012 party policy known as the "Texas Solution" that would allow undocumented workers to hold jobs that go unfilled by U.S citizens.

"Like never before, our freedom is under assault. Again today, Texans will stand up and lead the fight to defend our freedom," Cruz said.

The policy adopted at the last party convention in 2012 was seen as a pragmatic position to keep Republicans relevant as demographic trends indicate that by 2030, Hispanics, who tend to lean more toward the Democrats, will make up the majority of the state's population.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/08/texas-republicans-gay-rights_n_5469979.html

10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

hack89

(39,171 posts)
2. They are also anti-vax
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 04:15 PM
Jun 2014

From the Texas GOP party platform:

All adult citizens should have the legal right to conscientiously choose which vaccines are administered to themselves, or their minor children, without penalty for refusing a vaccine. We oppose any effort by any authority to mandate such vaccines or any medical database that would contain personal records of citizens without their consent.

pampango

(24,692 posts)
6. Also pro-withdrawal from the UN, the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank & oppose foreign aid.
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 09:21 PM
Jun 2014
We oppose foreign aid except in cases of national defense or catastrophic disasters, with congressional approval.

We support US withdrawal from the International Fund, the World Trade Organization and the a world Bank.

We support the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations and the removal of U.N. headquarters from United States soil.

olddad56

(5,732 posts)
8. Gay people are humans, therefore, it isn't gay rights we are talking about, it is human rights.
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 01:58 AM
Jun 2014

Ted Cruz is beyond evil.

czarjak

(11,194 posts)
9. Rush's advice is woking
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 08:38 AM
Jun 2014

"Draw that tent tighter." Or maybe it's Sean's, "Hang on to those conservative principles."

pampango

(24,692 posts)
10. Texas GOP backs away from guest worker plan (which was already bad enough).
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 08:59 AM
Jun 2014

Tea party activists seized control of the Texas Republican Convention on Saturday, winning a harder line on immigration in the official party platform and lifting firebrand U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to an easy victory in a 2016 presidential straw poll.

Following hours of often contentious debate and an especially raucous vote, the roughly 7,000 delegates torpedoed platform language approved at their convention just two years ago endorsing a guest-worker program for people in the country illegally.

That (the guest worker plan) initially passed, but then collapsed as the tea party flexed its muscles — the latest sign that grass-roots activists have pushed the always conservative Texas GOP even further to the right.

Delegate Jack M. Finger of San Antonio walked the floor with a hand-scrawled sign reading "No! Not even a hint of amnesty!" "There is language that allows us to slide toward amnesty," Finger said of the plan that eventually was defeated. "Guest worker, visa permit, all that puts us on a road to make our citizenship meaningless."

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2014/jun/09/texas-gop-backs-away-guest-worker-plan/

The 'guest worker plan' seemed to be the republican compromise to split the difference between "amnesty" and "self-deportation". (And without a path to citizenship, it eliminated the threat to republicans posed by more Hispanics becoming citizens and voting.) The tea party folks would have none of it and sent a clear message to Texas' Hispanics.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Texas Republicans Adopt H...