Julian Castro, Beto O'Rourke join hundreds at Texas Capitol rally against voting bills

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Austin American-Statesman

Hundreds of people rallied Saturday morning on the steps of the Capitol to protest voter suppression and oppose a pair of bills that would make it more difficult for residents to vote.

Saturday’s rally was organized by a number of groups, such as MOVE Texas, the Texas Freedom Network and Texas Rising, and the speakers included former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro and civil rights advocate Rosie Castro.

State House Bill 6 and Senate Bill 7 have both passed in their respective chambers and need to go through the conference committee process before returning to the House and Senate floors. Republicans argue the bills are needed to combat voting fraud and bolster the public’s confidence in election results.

Democrats say widespread election fraud is a myth and that these GOP-sponsored election measures are intended to suppress voting rights, particularly among those who are young, nonwhite or have a disability — voters who not coincidentally tend to favor Democrats.

Read more: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/05/08/julian-castro-beto-orourke-join-texas-capitol-rally-voting-rights/4999490001/

[TexasTowelie]

1. Yeah Beto!

O’Rourke also addressed the presence of a handful of counterprotesters who shouted throughout the event and were particularly disruptive during his speech.

“This guy is here for a reason,” he said. “He’s here to remind us that this ... isn’t easy. He’s here to make you so frustrated and so angry that you promise yourself that you are going to vote and drive 10 friends to the polls with you and make sure that they vote.”

O’Rourke encouraged people to call their state representatives and voice opposition to the bills. He also encouraged people to reach out to President Joe Biden and ask him to put his weight behind the For the People Act, which passed the U.S. House and has yet to pass the U.S. Senate.

“If this passes the Senate and is signed into law," he said, "It will roll back every voter suppression attempt in Texas."

[lordsummerisle]

2. K&R n/t

[IcyPeas]

3. Hallelujah

More pro democracy rallies please!

Will this get any headlines or do only the wackos like Gaetz and Greene get tv news headlines?

[oasis]

4. Stay on it Democrats. Keep up the pressure.

[dalton99a]

5. Kick

[BobTheSubgenius]

6. Bless all those who are in there pitching every day, in places like Texas.

It cannot be easy to maintain the kind of focus and passion required for a task like trying to change a deep red state blue.

[oasis]

7. Stay on it Democrats. Keep up the pressure.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. Interview with Beto O'Rourke - NBC News:

Activists Gather Outside Texas State Capitol Against Restrictive Voting Bill

Demonstrators and activists, including Rep. Beto O’Rourke, are gathered at the steps at Texas’s Capitol to urge lawmakers to stop from passing a legislation with restrictive voting measures. NBC’s Ellison Barber reports with Beto O'Rourke. Aired 05/08/21.

[TexasTowelie]

9. Thanks for posting.

We have about three more weeks in the legislative session for the Republicans to pass their oppressive bills and exact their vengeance on Texans. As much as I love Austin, the Repugs make the city stink every spring in odd-numbered years.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Rachel Maddow did what I thought was an excellent piece on the tradition of voter suppression

In Texas last night on her show. I know that you saw it, but she did a great job of explaining the beginnings of the "purity" reference that got called out by State Rep. Rafael Anchía. I was glad to hear that the bill still has a chance and that people are taking action - and you can't do better than Beto O'Rourke, he really spoke out!

[ananda]

11. I hear that!

I just don't understand how these Reeps get elected,
they are so mean-spiritied, stupid, and dangerous
to the people!

That they do shows just how lost and backward people
in Texas are!

[BlueWavePsych]

12. K&R