The Beto Effect - How To Lose Elections and Influence Nothing

[Brisketexan 104557]

3 hours ago, GhostOfTomJoad said:

Paxton is an abject failure and criminal. He continues to get re-elected.

Danny Goeb is corrupt and incompetent. He continues to get re-elected.

Abbott has pilfered billions from state funds in a useless stunt to raise his profile for a run at POTUS. He sat by as ERCOT failed repeatedly, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Texans. He is also likely to get re-elected.

Why? Because Texas is full of easily distracted rubes who vote against their own interests--short and long term--in order to keep the browns in check and liberals at bay.

 

The truth is not any more complicated than this.  Beelzebub J. Puppykiller (R), running on a platform of killing puppies and raping kittens, wins every statewide race in Texas by at least 3-5 points, because "at least he's not no libtard!"

25 minutes ago, GhostOfTomJoad said:

Abbott will just counter with pics of him riding in a patrol boat on the Rio Grande wearing tactical gear and looking down the barrel of a gun. That alone will get him 3.5 million votes.

Bingo.  Absolute idiocy wins elections in Texas, because that's the base.  Absolute fucking morons.

[Satchel 6908]

7 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

I really think all Abbott has to do is yell "HE WANTS TO TAKE YOUR GUNS!" over and over and it will work.

Beto should counter with “IF YOU'RE WEAK ON GUNS, YOU'RE WEAK ON CRIME 

[atomheartbevo 89407]

1 hour ago, chainsaw said:

I think the numbers are closer than people realize. Another poster said we're within the gap that Georgia was at from 2016 to 2020, and we have more metro and suburban areas that are growing faster. Also, Betomania did not really heat up until like August (late July at the earliest) in 2018. He's much further along in 2022 than he was at the same point in time relative to the 2018 race.

True, Greg Abbott is a better candidate than Ted Cruz, but (1) that tells us absolutely nothing and (2) Abbott has become much less moderate since 2018 when he steamrolled Lupe. This will be a different race, and it's winnable.

1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

Beto has so many issues to pound Abbott on.  School shootings, Snowpocalypse, Border Nonsense, etc.  If Beto loses again (which I expect) it will just confirm that not enough people in Texas give a shit.  If people came out to vote, Abbott would go down, no doubt in my mind.

Abbott went full idiot when Huffines spooked him for various reason(s).  That didn't help him with moderates.  Trump isn't on the ticket either.  Republicans claim they have to be elected to fix things, but they've been getting elected for decades in Texas, and there is a point where they begin to look incredibly impotent against Democrats, when shit isn't fixed or they claim they just need 4 or 6 more years, or that they are magically under threat from brown people coming over the border when Democrats are in the White House, etc.

There is a serious sense that things have been getting worse in Texas, and that Texas politicians care more about pleasing people outside of Texas, or running for offices outside of Texas, than Texans.  Not just the school shootings, but things like the power grid.  Hell,  I'd be willing to bet that he's leaning on ERCOT not to declare any emergencies this summer.  And Cruz may not be on the ticket, but people remember that kind of shit.

And toss in COVID in the mix - Abbott and the GOP were pissing off a shitload of parents and school districts by trying to control what school districts could and could not do about COVID.  Republicans scream from the rooftops about small government, but they were filing lawsuits against districts, threatening to take over districts. Parents don't forget politicians that try to make their lives hell and fuck with their kids' education.  A shitload of people in this state wanted their kids out of the house and in schools, even if it meant masks, and Abbott and Co. were fighting tooth-and-nail when Trump and DeSantis were mocking him.

I keep thinking we will just continue sliding into purple as demographics change and more and more of the boomers die off, but now I'm wondering if we'll have a Georgia moment instead.

There has been some really serious shit going down over the past couple of years.  

Don't rule out that people are weary of Republicans crying wolf over and over while the state continues to get worse.

Abbott better be praying his ass off that the power grid stays up this summer.  He made a huge fucking mistake claiming that he fixed the grid.

 

[chainsaw 9837]

5 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Abbott went full idiot when Huffines spooked him for various reason(s).  That didn't help him with moderates.  Trump isn't on the ticket either.  Republicans claim they have to be elected to fix things, but they've been getting elected for decades in Texas, and there is a point where they begin to look incredibly impotent against Democrats, when shit isn't fixed or they claim they just need 4 or 6 more years, or that they are magically under threat from brown people coming over the border when Democrats are in the White House, etc.

There is a serious sense that things have been getting worse in Texas, and that Texas politicians care more about pleasing people outside of Texas, or running for offices outside of Texas, than Texans.  Not just the school shootings, but things like the power grid.  Hell,  I'd be willing to bet that he's leaning on ERCOT not to declare any emergencies this summer.  And Cruz may not be on the ticket, but people remember that kind of shit.

And toss in COVID in the mix - Abbott and the GOP were pissing off a shitload of parents and school districts by trying to control what school districts could and could not do about COVID.  Republicans scream from the rooftops about small government, but they were filing lawsuits against districts, threatening to take over districts. Parents don't forget politicians that try to make their lives hell and fuck with their kids' education.  A shitload of people in this state wanted their kids out of the house and in schools, even if it meant masks, and Abbott and Co. were fighting tooth-and-nail when Trump and DeSantis were mocking him.

I keep thinking we will just continue sliding into purple as demographics change and more and more of the boomers die off, but now I'm wondering if we'll have a Georgia moment instead.

There has been some really serious shit going down over the past couple of years.  

Don't rule out that people are weary of Republicans crying wolf over and over while the state continues to get worse.

Abbott better be praying his ass off that the power grid stays up this summer.  He made a huge fucking mistake claiming that he fixed the grid.

 

 

We also have a whole hurricane season coming up

[The Original Greaser Bob 2786]

34 minutes ago, Satchel said:

Beto should counter with “IF YOU'RE WEAK ON GUNS, YOU'RE WEAK ON CRIME 

Counter-punch/checkmate:  "IF YOUR WOKE ON GUNS YOUR WOKE ON CRIME!"

[A-Tex Devil 2445]

Honestly, I think Beto should go reverse Bulworth.  No fucks given but 100% engaged.   He is probably not going to win. But a mild mannered “when they go low…” campaign is DEFINITELY a loser.  
 

Go scorched earth and don’t limit attacks to Abbott, but hit out at Paxton, Patrick, the Mayor of Uvalde, Trump, Gaetz, DeSantis, etc etc.  Call them criminals, question their manhood, hold more pop up press conferences outside of their fundraisers.   But speak the truth.  
 

He’s angry right now but I am not sure he has the fortitude to stick something like that out for very long.  But if not him, who?

[F250 28679]

Beto talks way too much. The only people that listen to him pontificate are already going to vote for him. He needs to use the GOP playbook and stick to simple bumper sticker slogans that appeal to the worst in people.

 

[pyrohornIII 4809]

2 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

Beto is going to lose because he doesn’t have the numbers. 

If the Dems had messaging worth a shit, hey could possibly make up some ground considering Abbot continues to murder his constituents via the grid, guns, and pandemic. But we know that is unlikely. 

 

2 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

Beto has so many issues to pound Abbott on.  School shootings, Snowpocalypse, Border Nonsense, etc.  If Beto loses again (which I expect) it will just confirm that not enough people in Texas give a shit.  If people came out to vote, Abbott would go down, no doubt in my mind.

[chainsaw 9837]

3 minutes ago, A-Tex Devil said:

Honestly, I think Beto should go reverse Bulworth.  No fucks given but 100% engaged.   He is probably not going to win. But a mild mannered “when they go low…” campaign is DEFINITELY a loser.  
 

Go scorched earth and don’t limit attacks to Abbott, but hit out at Paxton, Patrick, the Mayor of Uvalde, Trump, Gaetz, DeSantis, etc etc.  Call them criminals, question their manhood, hold more pop up press conferences outside of their fundraisers.   But speak the truth.  
 

He’s angry right now but I am not sure he has the fortitude to stick something like that out for very long.  But if not him, who?

I honestly think that's the bulk of Trump's appeal to the "everyman." He's completely unscripted. Sure it's a batshit stream of consciousness consisting entirely of awful takes and horrible ideas, but it's very much no fucks given and that resonates with people.

[Biff Tannen 45491]

1 hour ago, F250 said:

He needs to use the GOP playbook and stick to simple bumper sticker slogans that appeal to the worst in people.

[F250 28679]

52 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

I am. Beto needs to throw a shit ton of punches below the belt.

Keep the insults and accusations simple and plentiful. A non-MAGA version of Huffines. Abbott waffles under heavy criticism.

Beto doesn't even need to make anything up just simplify Abbott's list of failures into slogans and insults.

Start chants like "Fuck, Greg Abbott!"

 

[atomheartbevo 89407]

1 minute ago, F250 said:

Keep the insults and accusations simple and plentiful. A non-MAGA version of Huffines. Abbott waffles under heavy criticism.

Abbott does not do well under pressure, especially because he's more sensitive these days about what people outside of Texas (who might help him roll for the White House) think of him than he is of actual Texas voters.  He fucking loathes being compared to DeSantis/Trump and to be seen as lacking.

And it needs to be hammered home that Abbott has been circling the upper tier of power in Texas for over two decades.  Remind people that Abbott has had 20 years to "solve the border" either as AG or Governor.

1 minute ago, F250 said:

Beto doesn't even need to make anything up just simplify Abbott's list of failures into slogans and insults.

You could make some solid campaign ads out of stupid shit that Abbott has promised/said/etc., just using Abbott's words.

[The Original Greaser Bob 2786]

Beto isn't going to win any more votes with low brow insults than he will with more nuances and intelligent statements.

Beto has a greater chance of winning than he does of out-Trumping Trump.

[F250 28679]

15 minutes ago, The Original Greaser Bob said:

Beto isn't going to win any more votes with low brow insults than he will with more nuances and intelligent statements.

Beto has a greater chance of winning than he does of out-Trumping Trump.

He is running against Abbott not Trump and saying "Abbott has a flaccid dick, it's a fact" is Trumpy.

Tapping into the anger of Texas voters and directing it at Abbott isn't Trumpy, that's just politics.

There are a ton of reasons people should be angry at Abbott, Beto just needs to boil it down to simple slogans so it sticks.

 

[Satchel 6908]

2 hours ago, The Original Greaser Bob said:

Counter-punch/checkmate:  "IF YOUR WOKE ON GUNS YOUR WOKE ON CRIME!"

Something on mouth breathers will understand. 

[mchookem 16194]

33 minutes ago, F250 said:

I am. Beto needs to throw a shit ton of punches below the belt.

Keep the insults and accusations simple and plentiful. A non-MAGA version of Huffines. Abbott waffles under heavy criticism.

Beto doesn't even need to make anything up just simplify Abbott's list of failures into slogans and insults.

Start chants like "Fuck, Greg Abbott!"

 

 

[Brandywine 1312]

12 minutes ago, F250 said:

He is running against Abbott not Trump and saying "Abbott has a flaccid dick, it's a fact" is Trumpy.

Tapping into the anger of Texas voters and directing it at Abbott isn't Trumpy, that's just politics.

There are a ton of reasons people should be angry at Abbott, Beto just needs to boil it down to simple slogans so it sticks.

 

I agree with you. Dems want to explain everything in detail. We live in a world where attention span is less than a second.

[StassneyHorn 6536]

Maybe there should just be a demographics thread. White people don’t like fucking other white people.

This rocked everyone’s world

Texas gained almost nine Hispanic residents for every additional white resident last year

 

New census estimates show Texas' Hispanic population growth continues to surpass white population growth, with Hispanics on pace to soon represent a plurality.

https://www.texastribune.org/2019/06/20/texas-hispanic-population-pace-surpass-white-residents/?utm_campaign=trib-social-buttons&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Followed up with Cornyns tweet and GOP realization

Heading into Redistricting and Texas was getting 2, but should’ve been 3 new seats. We decided to half ass a census and get less money due to this headline.

People of color make up 95% of Texas’ population growth, and cities and suburbs are booming, 2020 census shows

 

The state’s Hispanic population is now nearly as large as the non-Hispanic white population, with Texas gaining nearly 11 Hispanic residents for every additional white resident since 2010. Those trends set up a pitched battle for political control when state lawmakers redraw legislative districts.

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/12/texas-2020-census/amp/

 

 

[Gap03 3277]

Nm - missed the date ...

Edited June 1, 2022 by Gap03

[CooterBrown 17904]

Abbott won’t lose because the courts won’t let him lose. A Beto win will be challenged and overturned. Doesn’t matter if Beto wins by 1 vote or 1 million votes.

[atomheartbevo 89407]

18 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Abbott won’t lose because the courts won’t let him lose. A Beto win will be challenged and overturned. Doesn’t matter if Beto wins by 1 vote or 1 million votes.

Abbott doesn't have the balls to steal an election - he's no LBJ, not even close.

It would be a fuck around and find out moment for the state.

[StassneyHorn 6536]

State Supreme Court is finding themselves under the same scope. They have to put an R or a D on elections as well.

if anyone wants to get a message to Jimmy Blacklock in I can post on a Facebook group he absolutely still  visits and has past connections from his UT days. Make them uncomfortable 

Edited June 1, 2022 by StassneyHorn

[fattyflattie 4636]

I think Beto wins this time. 

[Hornius Emeritus 12415]

Beto should blame Abbott for high gas prices.  "We're Texas. We have more oil than anybody in the world. Why is our gas so expensive?"

[StassneyHorn 6536]

If Abbott can take credit when it’s low prices he can take credit for high prices.  Print the “I did that” stickers with him on it. 

[Snake Diggity 4614]

Somebody mentioned up thread that Beto has fucked up by making his campaign about him.  The comment above further made the point by noting that Beto talks too fucking much.

Beto should be mass producing stickers that say “FIX. THIS. SHIT.”, with “Beto” underneath it in tiny font.  Instead his stickers say “Beto”.

He should speak in sound bites.  “We can’t have another Uvalde”, and stop talking.  “We can’t have another winter power outage”, and stop talking.  Sure, provide details on your plans on your website.  But in any interview/debate, keep things short, focusing on how fucked up everything is under Abbott.

Beto has some charisma, but he’s got no chance this fall.

[gmr548 16491]

Abbott went full idiot when Huffines spooked him for various reason(s).  That didn't help him with moderates.  Trump isn't on the ticket either.  Republicans claim they have to be elected to fix things, but they've been getting elected for decades in Texas, and there is a point where they begin to look incredibly impotent against Democrats, when shit isn't fixed or they claim they just need 4 or 6 more years, or that they are magically under threat from brown people coming over the border when Democrats are in the White House, etc.
There is a serious sense that things have been getting worse in Texas, and that Texas politicians care more about pleasing people outside of Texas, or running for offices outside of Texas, than Texans.  Not just the school shootings, but things like the power grid.  Hell,  I'd be willing to bet that he's leaning on ERCOT not to declare any emergencies this summer.  And Cruz may not be on the ticket, but people remember that kind of shit.
And toss in COVID in the mix - Abbott and the GOP were pissing off a shitload of parents and school districts by trying to control what school districts could and could not do about COVID.  Republicans scream from the rooftops about small government, but they were filing lawsuits against districts, threatening to take over districts. Parents don't forget politicians that try to make their lives hell and fuck with their kids' education.  A shitload of people in this state wanted their kids out of the house and in schools, even if it meant masks, and Abbott and Co. were fighting tooth-and-nail when Trump and DeSantis were mocking him.
I keep thinking we will just continue sliding into purple as demographics change and more and more of the boomers die off, but now I'm wondering if we'll have a Georgia moment instead.
There has been some really serious shit going down over the past couple of years.  
Don't rule out that people are weary of Republicans crying wolf over and over while the state continues to get worse.
Abbott better be praying his ass off that the power grid stays up this summer.  He made a huge fucking mistake claiming that he fixed the grid.
 

lol

R’s are going to win at higher margins this fall than they did in 2020 and 2018, exception being Abbott, who won’t win by 13 or whatever because he’s running against Beto. But the average statewide R will have their best margin since 2016.

[CooterBrown 17904]

9 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Abbott doesn't have the balls to steal an election - he's no LBJ, not even close.

It would be a fuck around and find out moment for the state.

He doesn't have to have the balls to do it because our Attorney General will do it for him.

[TexasEd 8064]

12 hours ago, The Original Greaser Bob said:

Beto isn't going to win any more votes with low brow insults than he will with more nuances and intelligent statements.

Beto has a greater chance of winning than he does of out-Trumping Trump.

I think @F250 is on target.

Make a simple "No Abbott sign" and list his record under it:

• School Shootings
• Power Grid Failures
• Stupid Lawsuits
• High Property Taxes
• High Gas Prices

I would put that in my yard and defend it against every damned Magat in the county. I'm sure a creative person could find a way to include taking away rights in the list with all the regressive laws passed under him.  Bundle it up.

  

19 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Somebody mentioned up thread that Beto has fucked up by making his campaign about him.  The comment above further made the point by noting that Beto talks too fucking much.

Beto should be mass producing stickers that say “FIX. THIS. SHIT.”, with “Beto” underneath it in tiny font.  Instead his stickers say “Beto”.

He should speak in sound bites.  “We can’t have another Uvalde”, and stop talking.  “We can’t have another winter power outage”, and stop talking.  Sure, provide details on your plans on your website.  But in any interview/debate, keep things short, focusing on how fucked up everything is under Abbott.

Beto has some charisma, but he’s got no chance this fall.

 

THIS!  Make it about shit that matters not the D or the R but the incumbant/status quo vs fixing shit.  Tie all the failures around Abbott's neck.  Hell blame him for baby formula shortages since his name is Abbott.

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by TexasEd

[Sawbonz 27398]

10 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Abbott won’t lose because the courts won’t let him lose. A Beto win will be challenged and overturned. Doesn’t matter if Beto wins by 1 vote or 1 million votes.

I don’t believe this. I don’t believe Beto gets enough votes to win, but if he does, it will stand

[The Original Greaser Bob 2786]

12 hours ago, F250 said:

He is running against Abbott not Trump and saying "Abbott has a flaccid dick, it's a fact" is Trumpy.

Tapping into the anger of Texas voters and directing it at Abbott isn't Trumpy, that's just politics.

That's not what you implied earlier, when you said Beto should be a non-Maga version of Huffines and hit below the belt.  Hitting below the belt is unfair, and Trumpy.  Huffines just says stupid shit.  If your argument is that Beto should truthfully abuse Abbott more than he is, no issue with that.

[TexasEd 8064]

1 hour ago, RatJuul said:

Politics, like life and football, is a game of inches. One decision here or one misstep there and the whole thing is off track. He's a good, genuine guy by all accounts, and he's loaded, so let's don't cry for him or anything, but I can sympathize with it sucking for what could have been for his political career and personal ambitions. 

I think the cake is baked and Beto as a political brand is forever doomed as an underachieving goofy but good guy. BUT, and hear me out, in an alternate history and revisionist timeline, what would his career look like if TikTok had been around in earnest and maturity when he first hit the scene versus now. He had ALL the momentum and mojo and lots of older, more moderate but not Trumpy voters to young, idealists and everyone normal in between buying into the Beto product.

Imagine if he had the virality of TikTok to become a reddit and twitter favorite too. He wins and then has a burgeoning and powerful political career and is instrumental in dredging the political waters of Texas.

Instead he went on Ellen and looked too small for the moment in an attempt to appear...something, I still don't know-- common clay? humble? everyman?-- and the Vanity Fair piece, and then the grasping at political straws afterwards (seriously, a Presidential run?).

 

Agree,  Beto should still be in Congress humiliating the America First caucus.  I would love to see him take on Gohmert, Gosat, Boobert, the Pederast and Troll toes

[Neonmoon 38127]

Abbott kills kids

just repeat it ad nauseum. 

[F250 28679]

12 hours ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

Beto should blame Abbott for high gas prices.  "We're Texas. We have more oil than anybody in the world. Why is our gas so expensive?"

Yes. Stuff like this. It's not like people really understand why gas prices are rising. Just blame Abbott and don't bother explaining.

Make the Republicans have to do the "well, that's not how this works" while nobody pays attention.

 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33834]

3 minutes ago, F250 said:

Yes. Stuff like this. It's not like people really understand why gas prices are rising. Just blame Abbott and don't bother explaining.

Make the Republicans have to do the "well, that's not how this works" while nobody pays attention.

 

so basically exactly what they have been doing to the D's and everyone else for 30+ years?

[Sawbonz 27398]

Beto needs to demand a series of three debates and if Abbott refuses he needs to call him out publicly as a coward daily

[chainsaw 9837]

59 minutes ago, RatJuul said:

It's so obvious and simple, it's crazy they aren't doing it! At some point it's political malpractice NOT to.

 

Think about how competent the average person is, and then realize the Democrats are less competent than that.

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

5 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

He doesn't have to have the balls to do it because our Attorney General will do it for him.

You are giving Paxton too much credit. He's not just a criminal -- he's also incompetent. 

[Satchel 6908]

4 hours ago, RatJuul said:

Politics, like life and football, is a game of inches. One decision here or one misstep there and the whole thing is off track. He's a good, genuine guy by all accounts, and he's loaded, so let's don't cry for him or anything, but I can sympathize with it sucking for what could have been for his political career and personal ambitions. 

I think the cake is baked and Beto as a political brand is forever doomed as an underachieving goofy but good guy. BUT, and hear me out, in an alternate history and revisionist timeline, what would his career look like if TikTok had been around in earnest and maturity when he first hit the scene versus now. He had ALL the momentum and mojo and lots of older, more moderate but not Trumpy voters to young, idealists and everyone normal in between buying into the Beto product.

Imagine if he had the virality of TikTok to become a reddit and twitter favorite too. He wins and then has a burgeoning and powerful political career and is instrumental in dredging the political waters of Texas.

Instead he went on Ellen and looked too small for the moment in an attempt to appear...something, I still don't know-- common clay? humble? everyman?-- and the Vanity Fair piece, and then the grasping at political straws afterwards (seriously, a Presidential run?).

 

“Thirty years of failure in Texas is enough. Vote Beto.”

[chainsaw 9837]

1 minute ago, Satchel said:

“Thirty years of failure in Texas is enough. Vote Beto.”

"Hold My Beer." -- Bellmont 

[Satchel 6908]

2 minutes ago, chainsaw said:

"Hold My Beer." -- Bellmont 

Hard to argue with the truth of the message.

[mchookem 16194]

2 hours ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

so basically exactly what they have been doing to the D's and everyone else for 30+ years?

YES. absolutely.

it makes as much sense as blaming Biden.

 

[Willfully Horn 7913]

20 hours ago, F250 said:

Beto talks way too much. The only people that listen to him pontificate are already going to vote for him. He needs to use the GOP playbook and stick to simple bumper sticker slogans that appeal to the worst in people.

 

And air commercials with that image from Eagle Pass that looks over the border. Eagle Pass is night black, while Mexico looks cheerily alight, with reflections off the snow. 

[chainsaw 9837]

7 minutes ago, Willfully Horn said:

And air commercials with that image from Eagle Pass that looks over the border. Eagle Pass is night black, while Mexico looks cheerily alight, with reflections off the snow. 

 

[Biff Tannen 45491]

1 hour ago, Willfully Horn said:

And air commercials with that image from Eagle Pass that looks over the border. Eagle Pass is night black, while Mexico looks cheerily alight, with reflections off the snow. 

this?  i'd never seen it.

[Willfully Horn 7913]

3 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

this?  i'd never seen it.

If it ain’t, it’ll do until the other one gets here.

[Leeroy Jenkins 2389]

What a tolerant group. Y’all are funny 

Tolerant like believes in the rights of women, gays, and transgender people? Yep you got us.

[atomheartbevo 89407]

7 hours ago, Sawbonz said:

Beto needs to demand a series of three debates and if Abbott refuses he needs to call him out publicly as a coward daily

And really call him out as a coward.  Question his manhood and ask what kind of Texan ducks from a fight, etc.

It needs to be vicious.

[Biff Tannen 45491]

1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

And really call him out as a coward.  Question his manhood and ask what kind of Texan ducks from a fight, etc.

It needs to be vicious.

What makes y'all think Beto, or any Dem, would do this?  It's not how they are wired.

[Willfully Horn 7913]

8 minutes ago, RatJuul said:

Love that movie.

You’ve given me the thought that, perhaps, this country needs to see “Blood Meridian,” portrayed as faithfully. Blood lust empowered by the state, aided and abetted by a not otherworldly devil.