The Dems will have to “fight fire with fire” on a terrain where the GOP follows no rules, no ethics, and no morals. The president has blatantly disregarded protocols, traditions, and laws. There can be no fair fight under these circumstances. Democrats must fight to win by any means necessary.  All’s fair in love and war. The gloves are coming off. All that good stuff.

The Texas legislators who left the state to block the redistricting vote created an opportunity for the public to learn about the history of redistricting and how we arrived at this troubling juncture. People became more informed about the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, conflicting state and federal laws, and ruthless tactics such as “cracking” and “packing.” With the struggle against gerrymandering spreading to states like Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, and Florida, we are now better equipped to fight back.

If Republicans are successful in winning the redistricting battle, we’ll see more Democratic voters fall off. It will be clear that their vote doesn’t count, leading to greater disengagement from the political process, not just the voting aspect. That’s when we’ll see the glee in the faces of the MAGA minions as authoritarian rule becomes our reality in the U.S.

Ensuring every vote counts should be the shared goal in a democracy. The Democratic Party needs to tighten up its message to better connect with its constituents. It must groom viable candidates to run and win. It must make room in the party for younger and more radical elected officials. It must be the party that truly fights for democracy, or think about changing its name.

Even more important than voter protection in this battle is democracy as the victor. The united front against fascism must win this first round. It’s going to be messy, maybe even violent. Righteous democracy defenders will be shamed into acquiescence and told to stand down while the Constitution is shredded, the public coffers are raided, and the rule of law is trampled. When the dust settles and the right wing extremists are licking their wounds in retreat, perhaps there can be a civil discussion about what kind of country we want to be. A band of elite, wealthy, white men headed by a dictator is not a democratic vision of diversity, inclusion, and equity.