A couple days ago, a Facebook memory popped up in my feed. I had posted a press release sent by Texas DPS in July of 2013. DPS was notifying people of bag inspections before you could walk into the Texas Capitol:

During these inspections, DPS officers have thus far discovered one jar suspected to contain urine, 18 jars suspected to contain feces, and three bottles suspected to contain paint. All of these items – as well as significant quantities of feminine hygiene products, glitter and confetti possessed by individuals – were required to be discarded; otherwise those individuals were denied entry into the gallery.

That’s where we were as a society in 2013. The regular session had ended with Wendy Davis’ filibuster over the abortion bill that would later pass in a special session but was ultimately rejected by the Supreme Court.

Can you believe there was a time when Texas politics was in a period of upheaval?!

This year may not have involved as many jars and glitter, but to break a quorum, Democrats have gone to Washington D.C. They’re trying to stall a bill dealing with, depending your political affiliation, “voter integrity” or “anti-voter legislation.”

A picture they posted on the bus to the airport has drawn attention.

In this hyper-political environment, Cornyn makes a strong point. How many times have we all stopped at QuikTrip on the way to an associate’s barbecue to pick up a six pack of Shiner?

The Democrats are taking a chance, trying to make a point. But you know who else took a chance? Shiner. They didn’t know Prickly Pear would replace Ruby Redbird as the official beer of summer, but they believed in the pear. They believed in themselves.

Whether Republican or Democrat, let that be the message for all of us during this politically turbulent time: Believe in yourself.

I know state lawmakers from both parties. They all believe they’re doing the right thing. They also have a knack for doing it with theatrics.

I often write “As an Edward R. Murrow Award winning journalist, it is my responsibility to…” and then something hilarious that isn’t actually, if we’re being honest with each other, my responsibility to do. But it really is my responsibility to understand both sides:

Opponents of the bill say the governor is catering “to far-right extremists.” Supporters say they’re not trying to suppress the vote, they’re trying to prevent voter fraud.

And I do understand both sides. Voting shouldn’t threaten your health, which is why counties allowed drive-thru voting and expanded hours to prevent lines last year.

We should also take steps to make sure the count is accurate. My first election was Bush/Gore in 2000.

“But Scaia, you ruggedly handsome ol’ so-and-so,” you’re shouting at your computer. “The 2000 election went so smoothly! What gripe could you possibly have?!”

I was a young college punk on fall break, excited to vote in my first election. I went to the table and declared, “I’m Alan Scaia!” in, I’m sure, a strangely boastful way.

I had never voted before, so I was excited to watch what happened. The gentleman at the table flipped through the file, found the Scaias… and started crossing off my dad’s name.

That’d normally be a minor thing that could easily be fixed. Except my dad had died a couple years earlier and hadn’t been cleared from the voter roll yet. If I hadn’t been watching excitedly, my dad would have voted in 2000 even though he wasn’t, technically, alive.

Imagine if that had flipped Ohio and affected the outcome.

Whoever would have lost would eventually make that speech after the Supreme Court case, giving a dignified concession about how we should be unified… and then at the end, muttering, “Thanks a lot, Scaia.”

Mistakes are bi-partisan. The elections guy wasn’t trying to commit fraud. My dad, to my knowledge, had also not faked his own death to commit fraud. It’s just people sometimes make mistakes.

Maybe Republicans are going too far with election restrictions. Maybe Democrats are oversharing on social media when they’ve got some beer.

In that blog about the filibuster I linked to above, I wrote out an entire hypothetical conversation. Has the blog become too afraid to take chances?

Republicans call the bill “election integrity.” Democrats call it “anti-voter legislation.”

Let me take a stab at naming it:

— Lackadaisical Poll Worker from Ohio who should Double-Check the Voter List Bill

— Prickly Pear Compact

— Sure, if You Go to Washington, You Can Have Meetings about Federal Voting Laws, but if You Just Went to Oklahoma, You Could Shoot Craps at WinStar Accord

It may seem partisan politics will drive us all apart, but if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s Shiner did the right thing making Ruby Redbird available year round. Instead of arguing about politics on Facebook and Twitter, consider blazing your own trail. Maybe you can be the next prickly pear.