I think it’s almost cute how badly the media misinterprets the new Texas law.  Yes, Texas Senate Bill 8 is anti-abortion, but that’s just the pretext.  They’re mobilizing entirely new state militias.  The law lets Republicans sue anyone on almost any pretext with no consequences.  On the surface, it’s an attack against women, but under that, it attacks the rule of law, and it openly denies the US Constitution.  If we’re in the Civil War II, this was the Republican broadside on Fort Sumpter.

The new Texas law allows anyone to claim $10K in damages.  In theory, it only applies if a woman gets an abortion after six weeks.  In practice, you can file a lawsuit if someone tries to get an abortion after six weeks, or before six weeks and make them prove it. And don’t stop there. You can sue the doctor she asks about her options, the Uber driver who drove her to the doctor, that guy who kinda looked like the cab driver, or even the nice shop owner who gave me the time of day. There are no limits.  It’s almost cute how painfully naive the press pretends to be as they ‘report’ how abortions under six weeks will remain legal. Really, dude?  Really?

OK, sure., I know the law talks about post-six-week abortions, but get real.  Republicans designed their new Texas law to be legal pillage.  To borrow a phrase, $10K isn’t real damage; it’s a motive with a universal adapter.

Enforcing the Texas law is wildly unbalanced in their favor.  More Kangaroo court time.  So it’s all upside for lawyers, provided you’re a soulless conservative who hates the Constitution. 

Here’s how it will actually work.  First, if you’re a Texas Republican, make a list of the people and things you don’t like.  Choose by politics, personality, religion, I don’t care.  You’re not limited.  File a completely rando lawsuit against the miscreant under the new Texas law. In the arguments, make something up.  The town drunk told you they saw Maddy Prior dancing with an abortionist in the dark.  Whatever.  And… that’s it. You’re done.

That’s the conservative joy of a rigged game.  If the person you sue doesn’t respond, they lose.  Even if they respond late, they lose.  And if they can’t prove their innocence in a hostile court, they lose.  In every case, you get that $10K paycheck.  Even if you lose and the Republican-packed courts them not guilty, you walk away. They get stuck with their legal costs, the work gathering all that evidence, and all that wasted time at court.  You probably don’t even need to show up.  The deed’s been done.  That’s asymmetrical warfare.

The Texas law is just a new payday if you’re a mercenary Incel Republican pigfucker (most of them).  Hire a dozen paralegals and start churning out torts — no need to be careful.  Even if 95 percent get tossed out of court, you’re raking in money.

Hey, here’s another option.  If you’re a wealthy conservative war profiteer, build your own boiler room.  You can attack every liberal or institution you hate.  We already know Planned Parenthood is at the top of their Incinerate List, but barely.   Independent doctors?  Gone.  They’ll probably Target legal defense funds, because why not?.  I’m sure you can find reasons to file suits against the NAACP and the Southern Poverty Law Center.  Every institution that made you look like the racist misogynist twit that you are will go down.  And the magic part is that you don’t have to win any of those lawsuits.  Just keep filing new cases.

I am not the first person to see this business model.

The Texas law is an open attack on the Constitution.  This is the Republican Insel Party breaking to open authoritarianism.  It’s their Civil War part II and a shot against our democracy.  Republican legislatures across the nation are already copying it.  Every authoritarian will want to build their own extra-legal attack machine.

The Texas law isn’t just antiabortion and anti-woman; it’s a direct attack against the rule of law.  And like every Republican priority, the GOP designed it to be asymmetrical warfare.  Cowards love rigged games.

Worst part?  They’ve already won.  Republicans already packed the Supreme Court.  They’re seizing the election machinery and putting loyalists in charge of elections.  If we don’t change the rules, Democrats can only delay their takeover. 

This is the Republican Civil War II, and democracy is already losing.