Democracy Doesn’t Negotiate With Fascists

Why Texas Democrats must hold the line against the GOP’s anti-democracy agenda.

There are nine days left until the 89th Legislative Session is gaveled in, and the Republican Party of Texas remains in complete and utter chaos. Now, somehow, Democrats are being pulled into it.

This week, the Quorum Report stated that Trey Martinez-Fischer (D-HD116), the previous Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, wrote a memo to uncommitted Democrats. In this memo, Martinez-Fischer urged unity to stop begging for crumbs in the speakers’ race.

He has a point, but the most shocking piece of this report is that some uncommitted liberals are trying to negotiate with David Cook (R-HD96).

Why would they do that?

We all understand that Democrats are in the minority, and giving a Republican a vote for Speaker means some deal was made, but at what cost?

David Cook agreed to and signed the “Contract on Texas.”

Not only that, he made notes on it and initialed each stipulation.

Let’s take a look.

His comments are red because he signed the contract with his own blood.

David Cook agreed to:

1. Only solicit support from Republican members. (He’s already broken this pledge, but the GOP doesn’t seem to care.)

2. Not allow Democrats to have any chairmanships.

3. This is a HUGE one. Ensure ALL GOP legislative priorities receive a floor vote before any Democratic bills.

4. Replace alleged liberal parliamentarians with Conservative yes-men.

5. Ensure there are no Democratic-majority committees. (There already aren’t.)

6. Overrule hyper-technical points of orders, even when they break the House rules.

7. Reform the Calendars Committee. (What does this entail?)

The other five points aren’t that serious, but this “Contract on Texas” essentially seeks to neuter Democrats in the House completely, making sure that they are unable to do the work they were elected for.

Ensuring all GOP legislative priorities receive a floor vote before any Democratic bills amid a Civil War will ensure that nothing Democrats want even gets voted on. Clean water, infrastructure, reliable electricity, anything related to healthcare or civil rights, all of that would be dead.

So, I ask again, why the fuck would any Democrat vote for David Cook to become Speaker?

Representative Cook responded to Representative Martinez-Fischer in a letter on Thursday, even though Martinez-Fischer’s memo was to uncommitted Democrats, not Cook.

This letter was a slap in the face to the 4.8 million Democratic voters in the State of Texas. Cook starts to Martinez-Fischer, “I appreciate this opportunity to engage in this dialogue with you.” He wants to engage in dialogue with Democrats after he signed a pledge to neuter them in the Texas House completely—a man of true integrity.

Then, Cook referenced the discord within the Republican Caucus (like anyone is supposed to care) and how that mirrored some Democrats’ frustration.

Like, how? Over the last several years, the GOP has been calling Democrats evil, demons, villains, pedophiles, cannibals, and whatever else they hear out of the mouths of their overlords. And Democrats mirror that frustration?

And yes, it was right for Democrats to agree to not vote for Cook unanimously. He signed the “Contract on Texas” to harm 44% of his co-workers and millions of non-Republican Texans. Democrats should never work with him ever again after that.

Then, in his letter, Cook says if Democrats really didn’t want to become powerless, they could hire and retain more staff (paraphrasing). Democrats don’t have to bother themselves with lawmaking. They can just hire more staff to feel like they’re doing something.

Lastly, Cook dangled the ways Texas schools are funded in the last part of the letters. A rouse to convince Democrats to vote for their own demise?

David Cook’s first commitment to the “Contract on Texas” was only to seek support from Republican members.

Yet, this week, he’s out in the open seeking support from Democratic members. This wasn’t a backroom handshake or something he anonymously whispered to a journalist. He signed his name and initialed each point, adding “AGREED.”

Is David Cook’s word something to be trusted?

If he breaks his pledge to his own Caucus, why would any Democrats believe he wouldn’t break his word to them?

The “Contract on Texas” isn’t just an attack on Democrats in the House. It’s an attack on democracy itself. By signing their names to a document designed to strip nearly half the state’s population of any meaningful representation, these lawmakers have abandoned any pretense of serving all Texans. Instead, they’ve chosen the path of authoritarianism, where power is hoarded, dissent is silenced, and the rules are bent whenever it suits their agenda.

This contract isn’t about governing. It’s about control.

It’s about ensuring that any attempt at bipartisanship or fair representation is crushed under the weight of hyper-partisan loyalty tests. Those who signed this pledge aren’t public servants. They’re agents of chaos, willing to burn down the Texas House to seize power at any cost. These are not the actions of principled conservatives. They are the actions of men and women who want to rule, not govern.

When Trey Martinez-Fischer urged Democrats to stop begging for crumbs, he was right.

The status quo, where Democrats quietly endure the abuse, hoping to negotiate for table scraps, is unacceptable. Texans in blue districts didn’t elect their representatives to smile and nod while fascists dismantle democracy. They sent them to Austin to fight like hell to protect their rights, their communities, and their futures.

If this language feels harsh, good. It should. Democracy doesn’t die politely. It’s strangled by authoritarian promises dressed up as “legislative priorities.” Democrats who seek to negotiate with someone who’s already signed away their autonomy need to understand one simple truth: you don’t bargain with people whose goal is to destroy you. You stand up and fight back.

David Cook made his loyalties clear when he signed the “Contract on Texas” in blood-red ink. Now, it’s time for Democrats to make theirs just as clear: they will not collaborate in their own destruction. They will not hand over their votes or their dignity to a man whose promises are as hollow as the values he claims to represent.

There is no middle ground here.

Call to action:

If you have a Democratic Representative, call them this week and remind them that voting for David Cook or any other signee of the “Contract on Texas” would be a betrayal. Not sure who your Representative is? Find out here.

• January 7: Joint Legislative Committee - Effects of Media on Minors

• January 14: The 89th Legislative Session begins.

• March 14: The last day Legislators can file bills.

• June 2: The 89th Legislative Session ends.

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