

Was “live in exile from your home and state” in the job description or something they campaigned on? It’s pretty clear that the D reps could have done more and that Texans need better outcomes from the legislature, but to blame the Dems for not doing more per se is overly reductive. Otherwise, anything less than continuously working to unconsciousness until nothing more is physically possible would still put them at fault, and that’s hardly a fair expectation to be placed on any job, even an elected representative.
Regardless of whether unconsciousness is actually the peak, if the claim is that D’s are at fault for not sacrificing more of other aspects of their lives to achieve a better outcome in their jobs, better outcomes for their constituents, needs some other line to be drawn to avoid applying it all the way to the extremes. It may technically be a tool at their disposal, but that doesn’t automatically make it a reasonable expectation; devoting every moment of their lives to their job is also technically at their disposal, but that can’t be reasonably expected of anyone, regardless of how important the job is. I posit that whatever line one draws there is what the real issue is, not their failure to do better.
I don’t disagree that they didn’t actually accomplish anything here, and it’s fair to say that deserves no accolades, but there is still a gap between actually helping and being at fault. They are less to blame than, and any rebuke should come after, any of the millions who voted for the R’s pushing this plan, even accounting for being elected reps vs voters.