Republicans Favor of Banning Child Sex Change But Gosh, Not Just Now


Anyone who has seen real life cases of children with uncertain genders knows the complexity and broken hearts that go with it. It's hard enough facing a life ahead with this complication but when religion and politics point at you and shout "shame" it's all the more horrendous. 

The Texas Capitol is a huge place with a house and senate that requires staff and rigorous schedules. Apparently, the politicians are briefed on bills and staff are well informed. Gender issues are the sin-of-the-month in conservative politics so any successful Republican legislator must be against gender change. A bill to prevent use of medicine and chemical treatments for gender change was introduced and passed in the Texas Senate. But the House just could not fit the bill into its schedule. At least that was the official position. When Christian Bible thumpers demanded House members tell them what has happened to the bill staffers told them, "The Representative is for the bill. It has not come up yet for a vote." This went on and on until the legislature's clock ran out. 

Instead of being an unusual event, this is typical. It reflects the dilemma faced by the GOP just now and to a lesser extent Democrats. The GOP version was summarized recently. Various societal forces are working against the GOP. These are increased secularization and the popularity of liberal public services like Obamacare. Republicans were handling this quite successfully until the entry of Donald Trump into the fray. Now it is riding a tiger and doesn't know how to get off.

Republicans want to put on the impression they are working hard against gays, trans and other groups religious conservatives hate. They also don't want to make any progress because they know a broad swath of the public does not like the kind of prejudice displayed by the Christian right. The problem is Trump has enough money and supporters to run other Republicans in primaries. Things were fine until he came along. 

Liz Chaney has it right. Play the long game. Stop lying about the outcome of the election. Then, advocate legislation that is not overtly mean and nasty--legislation that has more of the common good in it and less of the Bible thumping prejudices. 

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