Heroes or cowards?

The departure of Democratic representatives from the state in order to prevent a quorum in the special legislative session currently under way in Austin can be viewed as either a heroic act by those defending their beliefs and convictions or an act of cowardice and dereliction of duty. Here in heavily Republican Gillespie County, the prevailing perspective is likely the latter.

At issue is a voting bill that Republicans call election security and Democrats decry as voter suppression. The bill would restrict many of the voting initiatives done during the pandemic in 2020 to make voting more accessible. Republicans feel those measures went too far and want to curtail them to prevent voter fraud.

Imagine that the shoe is on the other foot. What if Republicans were the minority party and our representative, Kyle Biedermann, fled with other Republicans to Washington, D.C., (or any venue outside Texas) to prevent the Democrats from voting on a bill that would greatly expand election laws and loosen voting requirements? Would we cheer him as a hero or scorn him as a coward? That is the standard by which we should measure the tactics of the dissident Democrats.

That being said, we would probably chastise his cowardice, just as we do the Democrats. We respect and appreciate anyone taking such an effort to stand up for what they believe. But as elected officials, they are to do the work of the people who elected them and not serve themselves. That means staying in Austin and striving to make compromises and changes that are satisfactory to the majority, not running away to seek help from Uncle Sam.

It’s a foregone conclusion the Republican majority will get its way. New laws will be passed and inevitably be appealed. Those appeals, however, would carry more weight if Democrats were there to oppose the bills, offering alternatives and making an effort to fight what they consider an injustice. It’s hard to argue with integrity that a bill is wrong if you did not actively work against it.

Besides, when has running away solved anything? They’ve heaped on shame and further entrenched the opposition. In the meantime, the state’s business is not getting done and that impacts everyone, not just their local constituencies.

What we need is for Democrats to return and for Republicans to be willing to work with them to streamline and focus the legislation. Democrats won’t get their way, but at least they will have tried.

Then when they seek re-election, they can honestly say they fought legislation rather than run from it. It’s much easier to cheer for the 90-pound weakling with the bloody nose and bruised body than it is the sniveling twerp hiding behind his daddy’s legs and mother’s skirt. – J.S.

(Editorial from the July 21, 2021, edition of the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post.)