Feeling pessimistic, might delete later. You can blame ICE kidnapping people off the streets, a stupid gerrymandering strategy, endless idiotic wars, or even just Ken Paxton being hated. But I think the only reason Texas (and some other usually-red states and districts) flipped is because a lot of people were pissed off that it was costing $200 to fill their huge trucks and SUVs. Is $6 diesel the result of Republican policy? Of course. But if we invaded Iran and it didn’t cause a huge spike in gas prices I don’t think we would be where we are today (and to be clear, I’m very pleased with last night’s results, even if my fucking stupid Florida continues to underperform).
Quick edit to whoever admins this community: I just read the sidebar & rule 1. Mea culpa.
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I think prices were a big part of it.
But more than that I think people actually took the time to vote, which is why they will have a Latina governor now.
I can dig it. Texas Is The Reason, that oil matters at all…
I don’t think this opinion is unpopular. It’s unpleasant, but not unpopular imho.
Trump campaigned on low gas prices, low grocery prices, and no more forever wars. Then he launched the war on Iran and all three blew up in his face.
Progress is progress. Should Texas have just remained red instead? At the end of the day, you’re feeling pessimistic because you’re choosing to.
Its more like 250-275 to fill up the huge truck, but I generally agree if gas prices weren’t this high this election would have been different.
I won’t argue this.
It’s the economy, stupid.
It always has been and probably always will be. And $6 diesel is just one of the most visible places for people to see and be impacted by it. Republicans don’t care about corruption, they see government as always corrupt. Trump is just doing what they believe all politicians do. Republicans support what ICE is doing and are fine with ICE killing people, they will just blame the victim. But they cannot ignore the feeling of impending doom when they are getting to the end of their budget before the end of the pay period, and they are staring down a $200 bill to fill their gas tank. While that may not get them to vote Democrat, it does get them to not vote at all. And that is enough.I think there is also an angle to investigate about the major growth which has happened in the DFW area. Due to companies and people moving there, that whole areas has been shifting blue. At some point, enough people voting blue in the cities will overwhelm the red rural population for statewide races. And that is only helped by Republicans not showing up at the polls.
I have a 13 gallon JDM diesel van - a 1994 Delica L300. Diesel is almost $8 a gallon in Seattle, where I live. My last fill-up was $102.
That’s expensive even for a European
I think it’s one of the only reasons any part of the USA flipped.
It’s also why the flip was so dramatic two years ago.
Donald used the same playbook that Biden and Harris did, which was lie incessantly and gaslight the electorate, and just kind of ignore that we fill our own gas tanks, shop for our own groceries, pay our own bills, and go to our own medical appointments. It’s almost as if these stupid, rich bastards really don’t know that the poor and working class do all the shit for themselves that rich people pay their help to do.
You can’t gaslight people out of their learned experienced of poverty.
But if we invaded Iran and it didn’t cause a huge spike in gas prices I don’t think we would be where we are today
Well yes, because that would imply that the attack on Iran went according to plan. It would have been quite impressive. A lot of the things Trump tried to accomplish would have been popular if he had succeeded, and the voters’ problem was the fact that he failed. (It should have been obvious in advance that he would fail, but better late than never, I suppose.)
yeah and the majority of people are buying ev’s, solar panels and batteries to save money not to save the world
Uhh I’m not so sure. I can sure as hell save more driving my $1500 beater car than buying any electric which even used is going to be more than 6k for anything that still holds a charge.
since oil prices have gone up ev sales have exploded
Downvoted for popularish opinion
This musical short basically covers the feeling for me.
I also think that had a person that many Republicans don’t hate had been selected in the primary, then I think Abbott and Cornyn would have been elected to their positions, so I suppose you can think Trump and his insatiable ego for that.
That said, if in 4 years (so 2 years with buffoon in chief plus 2 years with maybe a Dem president) if conditions can be made materially better, I think there would be better receptivity to Democrats in Texas when it’s time to unseat Ted Emergency-Cruise. I think Democrats have to get creative and in certain respects let Trump “feel” like he has a win, end the wars, take on oligarchs, drain the swamp, but give him little prizes and pats on the back as a good boi president, because as much as I hate the guy, he can’t run for office anymore. People can compare the domestic terrorism that happened under 2 years of Republican trifecta vs what’s to come, the common thread is the party, not Trump. Just DON’T let people’s political goldfish brains forget the cruelty Republicans inflicted on them. Investigations on Trump’s handlers and cronies can do double duty - keep that fresh in people’s minds and keep them away from influencing Trump as much as possible.
yeah I was expecting more pushback on this, but maybe we’re not an irrationally exuberant group here on the fediverse :)
Fuel prices weren’t even mentioned in the majority of political ads here.
Guess it went without saying
100%
Though I am kind of glad that, even if it’s really only for economic reasons, we’re getting a legitimate anti-war movement right now.
Wait until he decides to put troops in Iran, and announces a draft. THEN you’ll see an anti-war movement.
And you know what, thats fine for now. Now its on the new leadership to improve the life of their constituents to such a degree that it becomes hard to argue with come next election cycle.
One election matters but repeated wins and changes that are in line with the betterment of society are the actual goal. Let the diesel guy Rollin coal with his truck testicles get a taste. We already know they can’t picture things without first experiencing it themselves, this is the time.
