Keegan99 said:

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Tea Party said:

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Don't care how he's treated in the media. He enabled the hoax with his 8 month mandate and restricting businesses from opening.

Short memories of voters allow bad beaurocrats like Abbott to maintain power.

The mountain he will have to climb to earn my vote is nearly insurmountable.

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Let's say he's polling neck and neck with Beto in '22.

You're willing to stay home and risk Governor O'Rourke? Do you think that will result in better policies for Texas than if Abbott was Governor?

I completely understand an attempt to oust him in the primary. Depending on the opponent, I might join the effort. But opening the door for a Dem to win the governorship is chopping off your hand because you have a hangnail.

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I consider him a criminal. People's lives have been ruined, and some have died, directly because of his actions. Taking away constitutional rights because of a weak virus is inexcusable, and nursing home residents will still be prisoners after 'opening 100%'.

Tea Party said:

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MooreTrucker said:

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Tea Party said:

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There are multiple options.
Vote D to expedite the ship sinking in the hope that
* socialists discover hardship quicker and change their views in the long run
* conservatives finally grow a spine and fight back

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LOL. Never going to happen.

Quote:

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Ideally Abbott changes course drastically and rights the sinking ship to earn our votes proudly or he is primaried by a strong conservative candidate, but I'm done voting for the slow crawl to leftism.

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As opposed to just driving right off that cliff? No thanks. That's just stupid.

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People that have fled socialist countries tend to overwhelmingly vote conservative. Whether a typical American leftist will change their views if the spent a few years under socialism is debatable. Although living in green pastures before living on dirt has a significant effect on desire for improvement as opposed to someone who lived their whole life on dirt.

Voting leftist is driving off the cliff, and I would never support that. Abstaining or voting third party is not driving off a cliff in my opinion.

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Abstaining or voting third party (until there is a VIABLE third party) is the same thing as giving up, and allowing the Dems or the RINOs to do as they please.

SociallyConditionedAg said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Tea Party said:

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Don't care how he's treated in the media. He enabled the hoax with his 8 month mandate and restricting businesses from opening.

Short memories of voters allow bad beaurocrats like Abbott to maintain power.

The mountain he will have to climb to earn my vote is nearly insurmountable.

---

Let's say he's polling neck and neck with Beto in '22.

You're willing to stay home and risk Governor O'Rourke? Do you think that will result in better policies for Texas than if Abbott was Governor?

I completely understand an attempt to oust him in the primary. Depending on the opponent, I might join the effort. But opening the door for a Dem to win the governorship is chopping off your hand because you have a hangnail.

---

I consider him a criminal. People's lives have been ruined, and some have died, directly because of his actions. Taking away constitutional rights because of a weak virus is inexcusable, and nursing home residents will still be prisoners after 'opening 100%'.

---

But you're willing to let someone take over for him that's part of the party that advocated and pushed all of that crap in the first place (see Cuomo, for instance).

That just makes zero sense.

I'm thinking some quasi-game theory stuff here with red state governors like Abbott.

He has played this hand because it is the best shot for a favorable outcome to him. If he kept restrictions up until almost universal coverage of the vaccines, he's at best given a pat on the head for obeying his (D) overlords in DC, and they take the credit while he gets the blame for the bad economy down the road once everyone has moved on.

But if you think, like I do, that there's a very good chance this thing is already on the way out via natural burnout and vaccines and nothing we do makes a material impact to the spread of infection, you throw things open when your opponents are going to make the most noise to prove them wrong.

If we get a unique wave in TX that mask/lockdown states don't, then he and I will have been wrong, but if we don't do worse than the Californias and New Yorks from here, that's political gold. Many people are very loudly putting their prediction out there to demonize the decision. The crow BBQ will be huge if we do just fine.

Very true.

And our vaccine focus on seniors will pay dividends quickly. We may see case counts gradually decline, but hospitalizations should drop more quickly, as the two metrics become decoupled.

MooreTrucker said:

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Tea Party said:

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MooreTrucker said:

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Tea Party said:

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There are multiple options.
Vote D to expedite the ship sinking in the hope that
* socialists discover hardship quicker and change their views in the long run
* conservatives finally grow a spine and fight back

---

LOL. Never going to happen.

Quote:

---

Ideally Abbott changes course drastically and rights the sinking ship to earn our votes proudly or he is primaried by a strong conservative candidate, but I'm done voting for the slow crawl to leftism.

---

As opposed to just driving right off that cliff? No thanks. That's just stupid.

---

People that have fled socialist countries tend to overwhelmingly vote conservative. Whether a typical American leftist will change their views if the spent a few years under socialism is debatable. Although living in green pastures before living on dirt has a significant effect on desire for improvement as opposed to someone who lived their whole life on dirt.

Voting leftist is driving off the cliff, and I would never support that. Abstaining or voting third party is not driving off a cliff in my opinion.

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Abstaining or voting third party (until there is a VIABLE third party) is the same thing as giving up, and allowing the Dems or the RINOs to do as they please.

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I view it as a parent (conservatives) dealing with a rebellious teenager (leftists and RINO voters). You can either
*crack the whip to get preferred behavior. (Only vote for strong candidates with your beliefs and be a pita to those voting otherwise)
*advocate good behavior and shelter from bad behavior (vote Abbott and continue status quo of slowly drifting to leftism)
*let them fail at bad ideas to learn from them (abstain or vote 3rd party and see if general populace has learned or still needs to learn)

Does letting your kid fail at important challenges mean you are giving up if the whole time you were saying "I wouldn't do that if I were you"?

Quote:

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I view it as a parent dealing with a rebellious teenager.

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the difference is that your teenager that came home an hour past curfew doesn't get replaced by someone else's teenager that will set your house on fire.

MooreTrucker said:

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SociallyConditionedAg said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Tea Party said:

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Don't care how he's treated in the media. He enabled the hoax with his 8 month mandate and restricting businesses from opening.

Short memories of voters allow bad beaurocrats like Abbott to maintain power.

The mountain he will have to climb to earn my vote is nearly insurmountable.

---

Let's say he's polling neck and neck with Beto in '22.

You're willing to stay home and risk Governor O'Rourke? Do you think that will result in better policies for Texas than if Abbott was Governor?

I completely understand an attempt to oust him in the primary. Depending on the opponent, I might join the effort. But opening the door for a Dem to win the governorship is chopping off your hand because you have a hangnail.

---

I consider him a criminal. People's lives have been ruined, and some have died, directly because of his actions. Taking away constitutional rights because of a weak virus is inexcusable, and nursing home residents will still be prisoners after 'opening 100%'.

---

But you're willing to let someone take over for him that's part of the party that advocated and pushed all of that crap in the first place (see Cuomo, for instance).

That just makes zero sense.

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Abbott MANDATED unconstitutional shutdowns and restrictions...the Trump covid task force guidelines is what he followed. They are both in the 'Republican' party that advocated and pushed it. It makes zero sense that Republican voters cant demand and pressure their politicians into never imposing illegal mandates. If they do...conservatives should expose and remove them.

BMX Bandit said:

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Quote:

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I view it as a parent dealing with a rebellious teenager.

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the difference is that your teenager that came home an hour past curfew doesn't get replaced by someone else's teenager that will set your house on fire.

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Teenager = low information voters voting for leftism (or RINOs), not the candidate.

The source of the problem isn't the bad candidates, but the voters that continue to vote for the bad candidates.

BMX Bandit said:

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Quote:

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I view it as a parent dealing with a rebellious teenager.

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the difference is that your teenager that came home an hour past curfew doesn't get replaced by someone else's teenager that will set your house on fire.

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Replacing Abbott with a strong conservative Republican isn't a option...just a Democrat?

Agthatbuilds said:

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I realize many here want him gone anyway.

That said, he is going to get the trump treatment over this mask thing. The media is already lining up against him. There's not a single positive story from any publication of note about lifting the order.

This wedge will be driven until there is a split.

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over a disease that has not increased the US death rate AT ALL, ZERO NADA NONE DIDNT HAPPEN

the US death rate is essentially the same from 2017 to 2020, with small climbs each year but all less than 28,000 more deaths per year. The actual increase from 2019 to 2020 was the lowest in 4 years, 6066 more deaths

Wouldnt you people think that if this was some serious real Pandemic that the death was would at least double from 2.8 or 2.9 million to at least 5.6 to 5.8 million?

But no increase... (interestingly Flu, Heart attacks, and cancer deaths and other leading death causes) all plummeted by 299,000 deaths, the same death rate attributed to COIVD 19... F ing amazing how that works

triplemiller said:

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BMX Bandit said:

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Quote:

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I view it as a parent dealing with a rebellious teenager.

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the difference is that your teenager that came home an hour past curfew doesn't get replaced by someone else's teenager that will set your house on fire.

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Replacing Abbott with a strong conservative Republican isn't a option...just a Democrat?

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his scenario is abstaining from voting for Abbott in the general.

in that scenario, the only other option is a democrat

I apologize...I missed that part. You are absolutely correct...that just helps Democrats.

Mathematically, not voting in the general election is only half as bad as voting for the Dem in the general election.

But they're both bad if your concern is to keep Dems out of office.

BCG Disciple said:

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Yet another election that will be decided by suburban white women and their fear based irrationality on all things unsafe to their kids as determined by Facebook posts from friends.

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Keegan99 said:

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Mathematically, not voting in the general election is only half as bad as voting for the Dem in the general election.

But they're both bad if your concern is to keep Dems out of office.

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We need to be more concerned about electing a true Republican into office. If there isn't any opposition from the Republicans to stop the progressive takeover we are screwed anyway.

No Spin Ag said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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BigRobSA said:

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schmellba99 said:

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The fact that we have legions of people in society literally clamoring for and begging the government to strip us of our rights, our humanity and control what absolutely cannot be controlled (much less the fact that they have ignored or forgotten intitialy that the stupid ass masks were never marketed as a preventative cure for the virus) tells me that we are, without a doubt, on death's door as a country.

It is beyond sad at how many people are begging the government to put collars on them.

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I blame public schools.

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I didn't realize how pathetic the leadership at public schools is until this flu virus hit, and now all I see on the local news is how the local ISD's are waiting on the TEA to give them direction on what to do regarding masks.

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They're likely afraid of lawsuits and want to be and to put the blame on someone else.

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This country is paralyzed by bureaucracy.

triplemiller said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Mathematically, not voting in the general election is only half as bad as voting for the Dem in the general election.

But they're both bad if your concern is to keep Dems out of office.

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We need to be more concerned about electing a true Republican into office. If there isn't any opposition from the Republicans to stop the progressive takeover we are screwed anyway.

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Agreed completely and Abbott certainly is not that person. RINOs talk against the progressive takeover, but act and vote to slow it rather than prevent it. Ds make progress left while in office and RINOs tread water. The pull will always net left.

A slow pull left yields complacency thus making it significantly harder to gain ground to the right.

A sudden shift further left and the negative consequences of leftism policies may shock the RINO and left center voters into correcting course back to the middle quicker. Or it could snowball into Venezuela (though I highly doubt it).

Sort of like flatten the curve to prolong a bad course of action has now yielded complacency rather than had we continued as normal and dealt with covid consequences at the beginning. Neither short term pain would be as bad as it is made out to seem, but the long term gains significantly improve the current trend.

this is the attitude we don't see from Abbott. Takes on the idiots in the press. You can tell he is genuine and he believes what he is saying.

Onceaggie2.0 said:

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schmellba99 said:

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Onceaggie2.0 said:

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triplemiller said:

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Onceaggie2.0 said:

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What exactly is the beef with Abbott yall realize if we didn't have him as Gov we would still be lock downed way worse than a blue state?

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If Texans elected a honest and conservative Republican we wouldn't have a lock down or mask mandates in the first place.

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Again but we didnt' we elected abbott it would have been 30x worse with a Dem governor.

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I know you got raped ma'am, but look at it this way - you only got raped by 1 guy. It could have been 30x worse and you could have been raped and sodomized by 10 guys in front of your children! So really, you should be thankful that your experience wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been!

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Terrible analogy I think Abbott has handled it well measured approach. I will vote for him again.

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No, it's not
No, he hasn't
Your vote is your vote, do what you want

Keegan99 said:

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Very true.

And our vaccine focus on seniors will pay dividends quickly. We may see case counts gradually decline, but hospitalizations should drop more quickly, as the two metrics become decoupled.

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The vaccines are killing people now. They aren't the answer.

Abbott will win, imo.

Ags77 said:

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Abbott will win, imo.

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In the GOP primary?

triplemiller said:

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Ags77 said:

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Abbott will win, imo.

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In the GOP primary?

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Yes

Unfortunately, you are probably right. Conservative Texans have continued to elect fake Republicans who are really Democrats since W Bush.

SociallyConditionedAg said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Very true.

And our vaccine focus on seniors will pay dividends quickly. We may see case counts gradually decline, but hospitalizations should drop more quickly, as the two metrics become decoupled.

---

The vaccines are killing people now. They aren't the answer.

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Uh... no.

SociallyConditionedAg said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Very true.

And our vaccine focus on seniors will pay dividends quickly. We may see case counts gradually decline, but hospitalizations should drop more quickly, as the two metrics become decoupled.

---

The vaccines are killing people now. They aren't the answer.

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They really aren't killing people. Just media hysteria.

Philip J Fry said:

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SociallyConditionedAg said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Very true.

And our vaccine focus on seniors will pay dividends quickly. We may see case counts gradually decline, but hospitalizations should drop more quickly, as the two metrics become decoupled.

---

The vaccines are killing people now. They aren't the answer.

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They really aren't killing people. Just media hysteria.

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People have died from the corvid vaccines, this is beyond dispute.

samurai_texan said:

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Philip J Fry said:

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SociallyConditionedAg said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Very true.

And our vaccine focus on seniors will pay dividends quickly. We may see case counts gradually decline, but hospitalizations should drop more quickly, as the two metrics become decoupled.

---

The vaccines are killing people now. They aren't the answer.

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They really aren't killing people. Just media hysteria.

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People have died from the corvid vaccines, this is beyond dispute.

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It's actually very disputable.

samurai_texan said:

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Philip J Fry said:

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SociallyConditionedAg said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Very true.

And our vaccine focus on seniors will pay dividends quickly. We may see case counts gradually decline, but hospitalizations should drop more quickly, as the two metrics become decoupled.

---

The vaccines are killing people now. They aren't the answer.

---

They really aren't killing people. Just media hysteria.

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People have died from the corvid vaccines, this is beyond dispute.

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People have randomly died some time after taking the vaccine. That's indisputable. To say it's been proven to be from the vaccine is a lie.

Philip J Fry said:

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samurai_texan said:

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Philip J Fry said:

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SociallyConditionedAg said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Very true.

And our vaccine focus on seniors will pay dividends quickly. We may see case counts gradually decline, but hospitalizations should drop more quickly, as the two metrics become decoupled.

---

The vaccines are killing people now. They aren't the answer.

---

They really aren't killing people. Just media hysteria.

---

People have died from the corvid vaccines, this is beyond dispute.

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People have randomly died some time after taking the vaccine. That's indisputable. To say it's been proven to be from the vaccine is a lie.

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People dying within a short time of having COVID, then COVID killed them. People dying within a short time of getting the vaccine is due to natural causes.

Wake me up when 500K people have died after getting the vaccine.

Hell, you'll claim next the 500K is inflated, so let's say 1K.

Philip J Fry said:

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Wake me up when 500K people have died after getting the vaccine.

Hell, you'll claim next the 500K is inflated, so let's say 1K.

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We're pretty close to 1k last I saw, and 500k is a gross exaggeration.

samurai_texan said:

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People have died from the corvid vaccines, this is beyond dispute.

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Ha. I'd be willing to cede the point just on the statistical probability of it happening when 60 million of the most vulnerable segment of our population are the ones receiving a vaccine. I'd probably give you 20 instances. And I'd put it up there with dying from an aneurysm from laughter, or choking on oatmeal whilst roller blading.

triplemiller said:

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Onceaggie2.0 said:

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schmellba99 said:

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Onceaggie2.0 said:

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triplemiller said:

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Onceaggie2.0 said:

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What exactly is the beef with Abbott yall realize if we didn't have him as Gov we would still be lock downed way worse than a blue state?

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If Texans elected a honest and conservative Republican we wouldn't have a lock down or mask mandates in the first place.

---

Again but we didnt' we elected abbott it would have been 30x worse with a Dem governor.

---

I know you got raped ma'am, but look at it this way - you only got raped by 1 guy. It could have been 30x worse and you could have been raped and sodomized by 10 guys in front of your children! So really, you should be thankful that your experience wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been!

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Terrible analogy I think Abbott has handled it well measured approach. I will vote for him again.

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W Bush, McCain, Cornyn, and Romney have made a political career manipulating and fooling conservatives just like you.

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He/She is not a conservative. People like him/her are "moderates"