Imagine for a moment that you are a power hungry, corrupt, governor who wants to keep control of the 2nd wealthiest state and the 9th largest economy in the world. How do you do it?
That’s easy... Distraction. Here are some pointers.
Keep people so distracted and angry and divided that they can’t possibly come together to see our democracy dying or do anything about it.
Keep spoon-feeding them distractors, ban a few books, toss this CRT thing around, anything to stir up a frenzy.
Abortion is a great distractor. It’s a head scratcher why so many base their vote on this one issue. There are so many other issues more relevant in people’s every day lives, like, education or fresh water or a fair minimum wage. But, you need to capitalize on this strange voting ritual and make abortion practically illegal. Don’t stop there. You then need to weaponize those extreme antiabortionists with vigilante rights.
Be sure and take this rare 10 year window to redraw the voters into your new maps. Draw the maps
so almost 60% of all Democrats have to show up to win an election. Not much of a chance of that happening...
With voters distracted, keep certain things on the down low. Don’t publicize that Texas is the
#1 state for gun violence or #45 for health care or #36 for education or #42 for a healthy environment or #42 for income equality etc. These stats are online, but most Texans are too distracted to read about them.
Don’t mention your promises to promote gun safety after the 2018 El Paso mass shooting and pass laws that make it easier to own guns than to vote. You need the people who own the guns, not the people who want to vote.
Ignore the NRA’s bankruptcy and indictment for corruption in New York in 2021 and move them to Texas. Welcome them with laws that bring in those NRA membership dues. Remember the mantra, “when they make money, you make money”.
What do you do when innovation starts seeping in to change the status quo? Another easy choice, you outlaw it.
When hundreds of Texans die because of our deficient energy grid dependent on an unpredictable supply of natural gas, those green energy peeps will try to force their way in with all of their “fossil-free solutions.” (But, you know where your bread is buttered.) So, outlaw “energy discrimination” and
don’t allow local governments to “discriminate” against the type of energy they choose. That’ll keep your fossil-fuel friends happy...
Boast about fixing the grid mandating energy corporations to winterize their facilities but don’t mention the new law’s loophole allowing companies to opt-out by paying a $150 fee.
Outlaw whatever your base
demands. If they don’t want to wear masks and vaccines, bam, outlaw them in the name of Texan’s Right to Choose. And when Texas women claim the right to choose, just ignore it and outlaw that too.
Immigration is a good back-up distraction. If your base wants a border wall, spend the state’s money since you’re not spending it on education or health care or improving the grid. Make the immigrants here believe that immigrants there are going to steal their jobs and they’ll keep building that wall and voting for you. Portray all immigrants as just out for a free ride. Whatever you do, don’t let people see immigrants as brave and desperate human beings, forced out of dangerous situations fighting for the health, safety and future of their families.
Don’t worry about not having any real platform to run on in 2022. No one will notice. If you keep them angry, divided and distracted and make it almost impossible to vote, you’re a shoe in for world domination.
Whoosh... Now imagine, you are you again.
It is SO hard not just to see a character like our Governor, but to accept that there are people like him. A kind person thinks, “no one would go to this much trouble for power and money.” But they do. No one thinks that we are actually on the verge of becoming an autocratic country, but we are.
The ONLY way we can turn things around is 1) not allow ourselves to be manipulated to the point of distraction and 2) do something differently.
If you feel too overwhelmed to step up and fight corruption like this, you’re being duped into submission at the cost of our democracy.
If you find yourself arguing with the other side, stop and ask yourself, “am I further dividing us?” Then, consider being proactive instead of reactive. Step up. Join an organization fighting for real change. Don’t let their tactics win and silence us.
Our democracy is in our hands and we need action, not distraction.