Socialist Congressman Derided After 8-Hour Water Strike To Point Out ‘Existential Threat’ To Far-Left
Congressman Gregorio Casar, the former leftist community organizer and Austin City Council member dubbed “Comrade Casar” by his detractors, could not go without publicity any longer than he could without water.
The freshman congressman engaged in a “thirst strike” on Wednesday just outside the U.S. Capitol. For just over eight hours. And with water bottles plainly in view, just in case.
For obvious comparison’s sake, that’s how long we sleep or about as long as one may fast from liquids before a medical procedure. That’s not exactly a long time, but Casar was pointing out the conviction of his Democratic Socialist peers that it is the average length of an outdoor laborer’s shift at work.
According to a letter distributed on Friday, Casar and recognizable names from the left wing of the House chamber such as Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) accused Gov. Greg Abbott of supporting a newly approved law that would allegedly deny outdoor workers mandatory water breaks.
The letter, signed by around 100 leftward House members and Senators, called on the White House and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to enact federal workplace heat protections, theoretically blocking Abbott.
“We know extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent and more dangerous due to climate change,” Casar wrote on U.S. House stationery. “Urgent action is needed to prevent more deaths. […] When [Abbott’s] bill takes effect on September 1, 2023, local protections against extreme heat, such as the Austin and Dallas ordinances that require water breaks for construction workers, will be nullified.”
The water strike, in 88-degree and 53% humidity weather as supporters cooled the Congressman with water bottles of their own, was derided by conservatives, including Texas GOP chief Matt Rinaldi:
Even a reporter for the left-leaning Austin American-Statesman joined in with some friendly dunking:
What supporters say the law is, which is not yet in effect, is a “preemption bill.” In other words, cities have become a Petrie dish of leftist policymaking and the Republican-majority Texas Legislature opted to reign the cities in terms of their regulatory authority by restricting it to legislature-defined boundaries.
Texas-based opponents dubbed the bill, House Bill 2127, “the Death Star Bill,” fearing it would chisel away at reforms made at the municipal level, such as Austin’s vaunted mandatory water break rule requiring a 10-minute break every four hours (even if workers have access to bottled water, canteens, jugs, or other sources throughout their shift, in addition to other required breaks).
According to the conservative nonprofit think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), the mainstream media has been “hyperbolic” over the reform, reading talking points nearly verbatim. One recent Houston Chronicle caption read: “New Texas bill ending water break mandates is a death sentence for construction workers, experts say.” Another San Antonio Express News article is headlined: “Dead from the heat at 24, San Antonio construction worker’s fate raises questions over new Texas law.” Still another, from Newsweek, proclaimed: “Workers Die in Texas Heat as Greg Abbott’s Water Break Ban Comes Under Fire.”
According to TPPF, the city of Austin has issued “exactly zero” citations or fines over its water break law, which begs the question if the local law is even necessary.
It also leads to another question: are these laws universally enforceable, especially as Austin, proud to be an immigration “sanctuary city,” continues to host undocumented workers who are the most at-risk for no breaks, malnutrition, and other forms of exploitation.
To give TPPF the final word here on the true reason behind Casar’s Capitol Hill theatrics:
Perhaps most importantly though is this: Opponents of HB 2127 understand that this new law represents an existential threat to Texas progressives. That’s because the far left in Texas has been largely locked out of power at the state and federal levels for decades; and so it has been forced to manipulate the levers of local government to advance its extremist agenda. However, with this new law in effect, progressives’ ability to muscle through an extremist agenda will greatly diminished—and that’s what they fear the most.
So be on guard, the fight over HB 2127 isn’t about water breaks, no matter what the media says. It’s about progressive power and preventing the California-zation of Texas’ local governments.
