# Reluctantly — Fuck Texas **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 19, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289 "2021-02-19T14:59:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 64
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1261 "2026-11-05T12:07:02Z")
Trump is the worst two presidents. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1262 "2026-11-05T12:28:30Z")
Given his half-assed approach to the job, let’s be kind, and just say he was on average, the single worst president over two terms. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1263 "2026-11-05T13:33:32Z")
I don’t feel like being kind to the bastard. When was he ever kind to anyone? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1264 "2026-11-05T13:35:57Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I don’t feel like being kind to the bastard. When was he ever kind to anyone? - Putin. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1265 "2026-11-05T13:36:45Z")
There are bottom-feeding deep-sea ocean specialized sessile invertebrates who have been kinder to their spineless kin. > **[Tube Worms](https://www.boem.gov/newsroom/ocean-science-news/tube-worms)** > > Tube worms are fast-growing deep-water invertebrates that anchor themselves to underwater surfaces near hydrothermal vents and cold seeps. Lacking a mouth, stomach, intestines, and eyes, tube worms rely on a nutrient byproduct produced by the... Some of them - [Spirobranchus triqueter - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirobranchus_triqueter) - are even orange, although I imagine the Spirobranchus family as a whole is doing its best to do damage control. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1266 "2026-11-05T13:51:47Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Some EVIL fuckers you managed to push back with great energy tonight! Not just the night of. I cast my vote early last week. And apparently, now that the votes are in, it’s been confirmed that Senator-elect Talarico got more votes in early voting alone, than formerly- (and hopefully soon to be again)-indicted felon Ken Paxton did in total. That election at least was over before the polls even opened on November 3. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1267 "2026-11-05T14:08:43Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > it’s been confirmed that Senator-elect Talarico got more votes in early voting alone, than formerly- (and hopefully soon to be again)-indicted felon Ken Paxton did in total. That’s actually quite hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1268 "2026-11-05T14:11:11Z")
Wow. “Throw the bums out” actually happened for a change. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1269 "2026-11-05T14:14:51Z")
Yeah, turns out when people can hardly afford groceries, gas, or housing, and the guy in charge is making public speeches about re-decorating the capital (at great public expense) instead of dealing with any of that, people get a bit miffed. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1270 "2026-11-05T14:45:09Z")
> [@robby](#): > > As a native Texan (now living in New England), let me just say how proud I am that a majority of my home state finally woke up and threw the bums out. > > I’m going down there next week to visit family and to attend my 35th college reunion. For the first time in decades I’ll be a little less embarrassed about the politics there. Personally, I feel like the state is really purple at best, with the only really red areas being the deeply rural ones. But decades of efficient gerrymandering and systematic disenfranchisement have made the state appear politically to be far more to the right than it really is. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1271 "2026-11-05T15:27:05Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I feel like the state is really purple at best, with the only really red areas being the deeply rural ones. That’s typical, but notable is how the urban/rural split showed up in this midterm’s turnout. > **[Republicans lost ground in rural Texas](https://www.texastribune.org/2026/11/04/texas-rural-vote-2026/)** > > James Talarico ran up the score in the Panhandle, while rural Texans living along the Louisiana border stayed home. > [@](#): > > Voters in many of the state’s most reliable red counties either stayed home or did the once unthinkable and pulled the lever for a Democrat, a Texas Tribune analysis found. > > Roughly 90% of the counties that saw a decrease in voter turnout were rural. For whatever reason, rural red voters didn’t turn out, and that definitely affected the shade of purple Texas turned out to be. It’s like the country folk gave up rather than admit their preferred political alignment fucked them over. Or maybe it was just hard to get to the polling place with a hungry leopard latched to their faces ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1272 "2026-11-05T15:44:41Z")
It’s slightly more complicated than that even. As it notes, rural turnout was lower in some places. But rural turnout in others, like the Valley, wasn’t much higher or lower than the last couple cycles but they definitely flipped in a big way. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1273 "2026-11-05T15:52:32Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > But rural turnout in others, like the Valley, wasn’t much higher or lower than the last couple cycles but they definitely flipped in a big way. That would be a fascinating analysis, wouldn’t it? I hope that happens. There are distinct discernable populations of Trumply voters who reacted quite differently than they did in 2024, and I would love to understand their reactions in this season. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1274 "2026-11-05T16:03:20Z")
The Valley, in particular, has a high proportion of Latino voters, which is certainly a starting point. Lots of realizing their own faces were targets for the leopards. And a lot of “I thought they were going after the bad ones” Demography does make a difference but not in a simple left vs right fashion. They’re still very socially conservative but not in the same way rural voters along the Louisiana border might be Perhaps it needs saying again but Carville remains largely correct at the big picture level, though details do still matter: It’s the economy, stupid! ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1275 "2026-11-05T16:09:12Z")
Let’s keep it alive until the new folks take office. Still a couple of months for the corrupt current crop to try some shenanigans. 😡 ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1276 "2026-11-05T16:20:38Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Still a couple of months for the corrupt current crop to try some shenanigans. Already happening The state senate (which the Republicans managed to hold) is already making noises about stripping the Lt Gov of many of the powers and prerogatives that are based on senate rules and not codified by statute or in the state constitution. These include committee assignments, choosing legislation to advance or not, etc. And some state legislators are calling on Greg Abbott to convene a special session so they can limit the power of the Governor’s office as well, before Gina Hinojosa takes office. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1277 "2026-11-05T19:49:47Z")
Yep, that’s what I came in to say. Let’s not put away the “Fuck Texas” banners just yet: > **[Republican lawmaker suggests Abbott strip governor's emergency powers before...](https://www.fox4news.com/news/republican-lawmaker-suggests-abbott-strip-governors-emergency-powers-before-hinojosa-takes-office)** > > Less than 24 hours after Democrat Gina Hinojosa became governor-elect of Texas, some Republican lawmakers are calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to limit the office's powers before he leaves it. > Before Hinojosa takes office, some Republican lawmakers are calling on Abbott to limit the powers the governor can wield. > > Republican Texas House Rep. Brian Harrison, who represents parts of Ellis County, has called on Gov. Abbott to call a special session to restrict the emergency powers granted to the governor. > “And if Governor Abbott wants to do one final good thing for the state of Texas, he will respond to this, and he will immediately convene the Texas legislature to make sure that Gina Hinojosa does not inherit what are effectively all the powers of a dictator in the state of Texas,” Harrison told FOX 4’s Amelia Jones in a Zoom interview. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1278 "2026-11-05T19:59:42Z")
It’s not beyond reason that the Feds take the same attitude, and strip the US presidency of most arbitrary powers over the next ~2 months. To take effect only after the current incumbent leaves. Natch. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1279 "2026-11-05T20:06:12Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > And if Governor Abbott wants to do one final good thing for the state of Texas, he will respond to this, and he will immediately convene the Texas legislature to make sure that Gina Hinojosa does not inherit what are effectively all the powers of a dictator in the state of Texas,” Harrison told FOX 4’s Amelia Jones in a Zoom interview. So apparently those powers are only acceptable when a _Republican_ sits in the governor’s office. 🙄 The hypocrisy is pretty breathtaking here. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289/1280 "2026-11-05T20:16:48Z")
> [@robby](#): > > So apparently those powers are only acceptable when a _Republican_ sits in the governor’s office. Obviously it’s too much to expect the FOX interviewer to ask this very question. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289.md?page=63) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctantly-fuck-texas/933289.md?page=65)