Equality, Inclusivity, And Justice: Inside the Texas Democratic Party's Resolutions

Policies For A Better Future: Highlights from the Resolutions Committee

Jun 06, 2024

Watching the Texas Democratic Party’s (TDP) Resolution Committee is like a breath of fresh air compared to the recent Texas GOP Convention. While the Republican Party of Texas spent their time labeling “homosexuality as an abnormal lifestyle,” the Democrats took a stand for equality by passing a resolution calling for an update to the Texas Family Code’s definition of “spouse” to include same-sex couples, a clear message of inclusivity.

In stark contrast, the GOP sought to dismantle all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, while the Democrats embraced progress by passing a resolution to bolster DEI efforts.

And if you thought the divide couldn’t be any more apparent, consider this: Republicans debated draconian measures like giving women who had abortions the death penalty or restricting pregnant women’s travel. Meanwhile, Democrats passed a resolution unanimously opposing Project 2025, the fascist initiative from the Heritage Foundation.

Those who claim America’s two political parties are two sides of the same coin simply aren’t paying attention. The differences are like night and day.

What are Resolutions?

Resolutions are formal statements or decisions the Texas Democratic Party will adopt. These articulate the party’s stance on various issues, propose new policies, or call for specific actions. Resolutions can cover many topics, including public policy, party governance, and social issues.

The proposed resolutions define the Texas Democratic Party’s values and priorities. They also serve as a basis for legislative advocacy and policy initiatives. The TDP’s resolutions will help communicate its positions to elected officials, candidates, and the general public. While resolutions contribute to the development of the party platform, the party platform is what the Texas Democratic Party envisions, and that’s what it presents to voters.

The resolutions passed by the Permanent Resolutions Committee will go to the full General Session of the State Convention, which is happening on Friday and Saturday. (I do not know the exact timing of when they’ll vote on it.) Once the Convention adopts the resolutions, they officially become part of the Texas Democratic Party’s platform.

By understanding the process and significance of resolutions, we can appreciate how grassroots input shapes the direction of the Texas Democratic Party and ensures that the party’s actions reflect the will of its members.

On almost every resolution, the committee members were cohesive.

If Democrats are one thing, it’s inclusive. I found some humor in how each word was scrutinized to ensure the language was inclusive enough. This is a good thing. We want inclusive language. At one point, they discussed banning puppy mills in the State of Texas, and one member brought up changing it to “animal” mills or similar wording because puppies aren’t the only victims of irresponsible breeding. 🐄🐎🐖

The dedication to getting the language right was adorable.

When the first Permanent Resolution Committee hearing began, they estimated that they had around 170 resolutions (once they merged the duplicates). I’m not sure how many they wound up getting through (around 100ish), but the ones they didn’t get to won’t go on to the whole Convention.

All members were relatively agreeable, and Democrats on all sides of the aisle would probably agree with them, too. Here are just some you probably agree with:

Texas Democratic Party’s commitment to supporting public education funding.
Recognition of the need for state universities to be accessible and protect academic freedom.
Supporting city efforts to manage solid waste and ban plastic bags.
Repeal of the Texas heartbeat law and state responsibility for childbirth expenses.
Rejecting white nationalism and white supremacy.
Demanding the Equal Rights Amendment enrollment as the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution.
Increasing young voter registration and turnout through comprehensive outreach campaigns and educational programs.
Opposing book bans.
Enhancing public safety through community policing initiatives.
Addressing the regulation of firearms and advocating for common-sense gun laws.
Honoring Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Great stuff, right? These are all issues that progressive Democrats and conservative Democrats can get behind. However, I said, “on almost every resolution.” There were a few issues that did cause some combative discussions, and one caused a heated argument. (I’m not naming names or pointing fingers; if you want to know who, it’s all on the TDP’s YouTube.)

Will the Texas Democratic Party support banning assault rifles?

The resolution did pass, but it did bring a heated debate. While I didn’t watch the Temporary Resolutions Committee, it was also said to be contentious there. Some argued that guns are a part of Texas culture, even with Democrats. They are right, but are AR-15s part of Texas culture?

The Robb Elementry Massacre is now part of Texas culture.

The committee discussed the Second Amendment and the merits of the 1990s federal assault weapon ban. They discussed the murdered children of Uvalde and the prevalence of the AR-15 in mass shootings.

The discussion took an unexpected turn when one member mentioned the possibility of another civil war and the safety of marginalized communities if Trump won re-election.

We need to recognize how and why members of our community would feel this way. It certainly is valid, and if a civil war broke out, we would want all accessible weapons at our disposal, including assault rifles.

As a party, do we take a stand on our beliefs based on our fears or the ideals we want as a society?

Ultimately, the resolution did pass but is probably headed for another battle on the convention floor. We all want to see an end to mass shootings in America. Still, we should also be mindful of people’s fears regarding the possibility of political violence and not dismiss their feelings.

It’s the one thing all Democrats seem to be fighting about.

When the committee discussion got to Foreign Policy, all hell broke loose. I saw something similar in my county convention regarding policy having to do with Palestine/Israel. A few outspoken pro-Israel supporters seemed to take a more conservative position. However, they were heavily outnumbered by the people who wanted a ceasefire and an end to violence.

The resolution called for a reevaluation of US military aid to Israel to ensure it aligns with American values and promotes human rights. Some members argued for a more stringent oversight of how military aid is used, emphasizing the importance of holding Israel accountable for any potential violations of international law and human rights. Opponents argued that such measures could undermine the strategic relationship between the US and Israel and weaken Israel’s security posture.

The resolutions regarding the ceasefire, ending the provision of certain types of military aid to Israel, overturning anti-BDS laws, and maintaining defensive support to the Iron Dome passed.

This is what the majority of Democrats wanted at the Tarrant County Convention (which I attended) and on the Permanent Resolutions Committee. Now we find out if it’s what the the majority want at the Convention. It’s surely going to be a heated debate.

Several more resolutions pleasantly surprised me.

In the 2022 Texas Democratic Platform, the Democrats called for heavier regulations on the oil and gas industry and an embrace of clean energy. However, this didn’t go far enough. This year, more and more people are finally realizing the climate is collapsing around them.

If you haven’t noticed how hot it’s been or how destructive the hail and tornados have been lately, here are some recent headlines:

The TDP is on a path of taking a more progressive and more aggressive stance on climate. There wasn’t any pushback from these resolutions, which I was pleased to see.

Holding TCEQ responsible for assessing the impact of industries on rural citizens.
Supporting policies and programs that lead the global clean energy transition and combat climate change.
Resolution on environmental protections (discussed in the context of public safety and health).
Addressing climate change through state-level regulations and support for the Paris Agreement.
Support for renewable energy initiatives and reduction of fossil fuel dependency.

Although most of us would rather see an “end of fossil fuel dependency,” we can’t pull off the bandaid and still have electricity. But the transition should be rapid, as we’re at risk of seeing a Category Six Hurricane for the first time this year.

All of these policies are progressive and address the climate emergency directly. There is a clear line in the sand in Texas, a state stuck in the oil pits and pollution of billionaires.

The other progressive resolution I was pleasantly surprised about was the resolution supporting Cori Bush’s bill on reparations for descendants of enslaved Black people. There was no pushback on this resolution, and the entire committee agreed.

Overall, the Texas Democratic Party seems to be headed in the right direction. The resolutions address critical issues such as equality, environmental protection, and social justice—what we all want.

What’s next?

Expect one more article about the Platform Committee Hearings, and then we’ll move on to the General Session at the Main Convention on Friday and Saturday. It’ll be LIVE here.

If you missed it:

Key Rule Changes at the Texas Democratic Party’s 2024 Convention

Michelle H. Davis

June 4, 2024

Read full story

I wish more people knew how amazing the Texas Democratic Party platform was besides political nerds like me (us?). It's everything young people and even non-voters ever wanted. We have to get better at messaging, but that's a topic for another day.

Stay tuned.