The Republican Party is redrawing maps in Texas to tighten the Republicans’ grip on Congressional power, at Trump’s request. But if Democrats answer that by doing the same in California or elsewhere, we haven’t defeated fascism. We’ve become the thing we proclaim to hate.

You don’t fight fascism with fascism.  You don’t fight disenfranchisement by disenfranchising people.  You don’t protect democracy by rigging it in your favor.  And you sure as hell don’t build trust in our elections by telling voters their voice only matters when it’s convenient.

This isn’t fighting.  This is giving up our rights to the political class in the name of fear.  As Ben Franklin was believed to have said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

I agree.

There are ways to stop this MAGA gerrymandering right now that don’t involve stooping to their level.

• Consider Kevin Kiley’s anti-gerrymandering bill
• Threaten CalExit.  Red states are 1000% dependent on our donor state dollars, and will be crushed if we leave
• Work with the ACLU to prepare lawsuits to deter or stop the gerrymandering entirely

If we want to stop authoritarianism, we need to expand democracy, not twist it into a partisan cudgel. That means:

• Maintaining independent redistricting commissions that serve voters, not parties or personalities.
• Implement ranked choice voting to give people a plethora of options to choose from, from far left to far right.
• Stronger protections for fair access to the ballot—everywhere, for everyone.
• Outlawing partisan gerrymandering in all 50 states.

Fascism thrives on fear and manipulation. It withers when we lead with courage and integrity.

Let’s stop this game playing. Let’s out-organize them, outnumber them, and build a democracy worth showing up for.

If not, there’s always CalExit.