My first convention was in El Paso back in 1992!

I’ve been to every Texas Democratic Party Convention since 1992 (or 1994). They are fun, energizing, and informative. You can find all the information for the convention at the Texas Democratic Party website texasdemocraticconvention.com. Here are some suggestions for those new to the Convention to be held in Corpus Christi.

Dress Comfortably
Most of the time at the convention requires dressing comfortably with walking shoes. The events on Thursday evening and the breakfast requires a little more dressy. Suit and ties are not necessary or cocktail dresses.

Petitions
Do yourself and everyone else a favor. Don’t sign any petitions to get a resolution on the floor of the convention. If a resolution is important it will go through the proper channels for resolution. Fringe groups use this tactic to get controversial subjects brought to the floor for debate and voting. It’s usually a long, drawn out process, which results in a hill of beans. I am sure there will be something concerning the Israeli/Gaza situation or possibly the “I just don’t like her” rule change.

Stay away from Fringe Groups
Stay away from the fringe groups trying to infiltrate the party. They are usually the ones trying to get you to sign a petition. Years ago we had the “LaRouche Youth Movement”. They are literally a cult. I made the newbie mistake of meeting with them and was hounded for a few years. They were like stepping on gum. Today it is the members of the Democratic Socialist of America or DSA who are the fringe of the party. Do yourself a favor and just stick to being a Democrat. 

Speakers
There is a lot of time devoted to speeches by elected officials and/or candidates. Pick and choose what you want to listen to. Most of your time will be spent listening to them. It is a great rah-rah session but can become boring.

General Schedule.
Thursday is the kickoff party. 
Friday is the State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) meeting in the morning. Various Caucus and training meetings will take place. Speeches by elected officials will take place at night.
Saturday the Congressional District Delegates will convene. There will be more speeches Saturday night. The convention ends on Saturday evening but the parties will continue.

Kick Off Party
Thursday evening is the kickoff party of the convention. I always find it to be fun. It is a fundraiser so they will have a little food and a cash bar. Usually there is a speaker or more. It’s a good way to mingle with other like minded people. Plan for dinner before or after. Lots of elected officials usually attend this party.

Check in
You will find the check in desk at the convention center. I believe we will be checking in by congressional district this year. Find your district, and check in. You will also receive a delegate badge, then find an organization that sells a lanyard and plastic holder. They usually sell them for a few dollars. You will also receive a tote bag with a program for the weekend.

Party Business
The State Democratic Executive Committee meets on Friday. The meeting is open if you care to attend. You will get an idea of what the party does at the SDEC meetings. (hint: It’s boring) Delegates will break out into Congressional Districts (Or Senate Districts) to elect people to various committees and positions such as SDEC members. You also may have to vote on various proposed rule changes and resolutions that shape the party. Usually what is voted on tends to be in the news.

Lady Bird Breakfast
Early in the morning on Saturday is another fundraiser. Personally I would skip it especially if you had a late night on Friday. 

Parties and hospitality suites
Many organizations will hold parties or hospitality suites with food and drinks. Find one that interests you and go meet like minded people. The Young Democrats usually put on a good event as well as the LGBTQ organization. Elected officials, counties, cities, and others will host at a suite in a hotel or at a local bar. Look for invitations in your convention bag or advertisements. Go meet your elected officials!

Caucuses and training
On Friday and Saturday there will be a number of organizations that will meet up. In the past I have been disappointed because the entire 2 hours are taken over by candidates wanting to talk. Some orgs put the candidates at the end of business. Some are very informal and others actually conduct business of electing leadership etc. Find one and attend. I personally like the Hispanic Caucuses (yes there are multiple) and the Gun Safety Caucus. There will also be training for VAN, how to run a campaign, etc. Again find one and attend.

Exhibits
Bring some money! There will be an Exhibit Hall area selling t-shirts, lanyards, etc as well as informational booths. Many years ago I had a booth concerning consumer issues. It was a very fun way to talk with people about issues concerning new home constructions, electricity, and home insurance.

Enjoy the convention!

It’s like the Ten Commandments.

A simple google search can answer the question “What is Sharia Law?”n. Sharia Law is a set of rules followed in predominantly Muslim countries. It’s not a set of laws. It’s just like the Ten Commandments, a set of rules that are followed in predominantly Christian countries. In the United States neither have anything to do with the law. For instance it is not against the law to have multiple affairs like Ken Paxton and Donald Trump. It’s not against the law to lie multiple times a day like the entire Republican Party does.

If you haven’t taken the time to google Sharia Law, here it is:

Sharia, literally translating to “the path leading to water”, is the fundamental religious and moral code of Islam. It encompasses divine guidance for all aspects of a Muslim’s life, ranging from personal daily rituals and ethics to broader societal, family, and financial laws.

Again it has nothing to do with the law, especially in the United States. The US is governed by the Constitution and laws that are created that do not violate the Constitution. Unfortunately the Texas Republican Party is trying hard to find something to run on for the mid-term elections. Their goto issues such as immigration enforcement has exploded in their face, the abortion issue is over, their “fiscal policies” are a fucking joke, their foreign policy has cratered our foreign relations, and more. So they need something to run on and the Muslims are now the target.

This may backfire. The entire slate is following the lead of the party campaigning on ending Sharia Law in Texas including the Governor, State Senator Money Mayes Middleton, and candidate for State Representative Scott Bowen. The Republican Party’s platform includes a “Don’t Sharia my Texas” priority with legislation surely to follow in 2027. Once again, Sharia Law is not law. It is not here in Texas. It is not enforceable.

As I said, it’s just like the Ten Commandments which many in the Republican Party don’t even follow.

Although the rules committee of the Texas Democratic Party has recommended against this change there are ways to force it to a vote on the floor.

The socialists of the party had a proposed a rule change for the 2024 Texas Democratic Convention that would require including a “non of the above” option for the Presidential primary. It would give primary voters a way to say “I just don’t like them”. There are a number of ways using parliamentary procedures to stop votes on fringe changes to the party rules and resolutions. The Chair in 2024 used one of those procedures to stop a vote on this stupidity. Someone alerted the Chair that we no longer had quorum and a lengthy count of delegates began. It was so lengthy that by the time the vote was taken, many delegates had left, there was no quorum, and the Convention was over. As was the proposed rule change and the far left was mad.

Without a quorum the “I just don’t like her” rule was dead and for good reasons. You would think the Democrats would have other important issues to address like the attack on our free press, the war, inflation, voter suppression, Trump, etc, etc, etc. Instead they were willing to debate this incredibly stupid rule with unwanted consequences. Can you imagine if this rule actually happened and those who want perfection in their candidates for President would vote for “none of the above”. The Republican Party would have a political orgasm and would use that against us during the election.

This stupidity is being brought by the far left of the party. The same guys who kept saying in 2016 “I just don’t like her”. The same guys who said “but….Gaza” in 2024. The same guys who said “We are going to send a message to the party”. Well nearly 10 years later the message is pretty goddamn clear. All you whiny little bitches who want perfection gave us a 9-3 Supreme Court, the Iran war, families in concentration camps, attacks on the gay community, the end of Roe v Wade, pardons for the Jan 6 rioters, and all the things they are currently complaining about. Message received. Thanks.

The proposal could hit the floor if enough signatures are gathered. If you are attending the convention don’t sign ANY petitions. Concentrate on winning and taking over the House and stopping Trump from his continue damage to the country.