A New Era of Interposition and Nullification —The GOP’s Sinister Agenda

For the past several decades, Republican legislators across our nation have been engaged in a systematic, and modern era attempt at Interposition and Nullification; from abortion rights to civil and voting rights to the denial of equal protection under the law for the LGBTQ+ community.

Republican justices, on the United States Supreme Court, have also been active contributors to this retrogression with their gutting of the Voting Rights Act in 2013 and their refusal to acknowledge the reality that extreme partisan gerrymandering is in fact race based voter suppression. Then, there is the Court’s Republican majority’s continual chipping away at the fundamental underpinning of Roe v. Wade and the right of women to control their own health care decisions.

These things must not be allowed to happen. This is why voting rights matter and Republicans are trying to suppress them all across our nation. They have a sinister agenda.

There is even a broader nationwide effort underway by Republican state legislators and conservative activists, supported by Governor Greg Abbott, to call a new federal constitutional convention to rewrite the United States Constitution to eliminate the Voting Rights Act, rig the Electoral College, get rid of background checks and other reasonable and responsible gun safety requirements as well as Social Security, Medicare and end the remaining protections of Roe v. Wade. These things must not be allowed to happen. This is why voting rights matter and Republicans are trying to suppress them all across our nation. They have a sinister agenda.

Republican legislators, in Texas, are right now hard at work this legislative session trying to deny women the right to choose and to undercut their ability to control their own bodies and health care choices.

Texas Republican state legislators are also hard at work trying to undermine the voting rights of Texans and our right to privacy in the voting booth as we cast our ballot to elect our public officials who will govern us. This is just two legislative sessions after Republican legislators tried to pass the Texas bathroom bill to deny transgender Texans their rights.

Where are all the corporations who stood up and spoke out against the bathroom bill in 2017 and just recently promised not to donate to Republicans after the January 6 insurrection at our nation’s capitol?  Those are the same Republicans in Texas, Georgia and all across our nation trying to undermine democracy because Joe Biden was elected President of the United States.

In this instance, silence is not golden.  It’s bordering on capitulation to forces drawing from the dark past of our nation’s history.

If corporate Texas (and America) won’t speak up now, who do they expect to speak up for them when their rights come under attack? Corporate leaders need to remember that they too-their companies-are also protected by The Civil War Amendments, specifically, the Fourteenth Amendment.

The rights-and lives-of Black, Hispanic, Asian, Muslim, Women, low income, LGBTQ+, senior citizens and disabled Texans must matter-not only to law enforcement-but also to Texas corporate leaders and all our elected officials.

For corporate America and Texas, caring about the Black community and our right to vote, our civil liberties (and equitable access to prosperity) must go beyond philanthropic contributions and pledges to diversity after outrage and protests about police shootings and the murders of unarmed Black women, men and children.

Black America needs corporate leaders to once again speak out and stand up right now. We can’t wait.

People in Texas and all across America need help right now to protect us, our democracy and our civil rights and civil liberties from a national right wing, and white supremacy, public policy agenda.

For democracy to work and progress to be achieved and sustained, Republican state legislators cannot be allowed to drag our state and nation backwards to the era of interposition and nullification to appease the egos and delusions of any one man and his regressive supporters.

What we are all being reminded in Texas (and Georgia) and all across our nation, is that winning the White House and Congress is not enough. Today’s Democrats must also win statewide and legislative majorities in southern and mid-western states as well as making sure we hold on to the offices we now control and expand our majorities in the United States House and Senate.

Democratic Senators in DC must eliminate the filibustering of civil rights and voting rights legislation.

In Texas, Democrats must remind Texans that we are the party of rural electrification, modernization, real tax relief (thanks to Bob Bullock and Rodney Ellis), utility bill relief, champions of our schools and universities and the party that made Texas the energy capitol of the world and will make it a modern and inclusive Texas; the new global economic engine of the world built on innovation in energy, agriculture, medicine, education, transportation, construction, manufacturing and a new ethos of an opportunity to do better for all Texans.

You can help make a difference in Texas right now. Donate today to The Texas Black Democrats PAC. Donate here >>>

Thank you and God Bless Houston. For constructive dialogue, you may contact me directly >>>

Hon. Robinson is the former Chairman, City of Houston Transportation, Technology and Infrastructure Committee; Former Vice Chairman, Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Policy Council (H-GAC TPC) and Associate Professor of Public Administration, Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Texas Southern University.