Mayors from across the country have descended on SXSW with a simple, unifying message: The values of their cities will be upheld no matter the cost.
Emily Ramshaw, editor-in-chief of the Texas Tribune, sat down with three Democratic mayors in Republican held states Friday afternoon. The mayors from Austin, Louisville, and Phoenix were all united in their message to Donald Trump and the Republican agenda that they would not be intimidated and they would use their voices to help lead. The panel, America’s Mayors: Holding the Line, was a lively discussion about how the mayors believed that the most important thing they could do was hold true to what their constituents believed in.
Mayor Steve Adler, of Austin, discussed a number of issues, but came down hard on the current “bathroom bill” that is making its way through the Texas Legislature.
“It is a horrible solution to a nonexistent problem,” Adler said.
Adler said that over 20 conventions have stated they will not come to Austin if the bill passes. The mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer, reminded the crowd that this was not a hypothetical scenario, and that North Carolina had proved that these bills hurt the state economically. Fischer was baffled by the Republican logic of trying to pass such measures.
“What is the collective wisdom to force you to think that’s a good thing?” Fischer asked.
Mayor Greg Stanton of Phoenix, also came down against “bathroom bills.” He said that when cities embrace human rights, businesses flourish, and that laws like Texas’ SB6 are bad for everyone.
“In Arizona we have learned that divisive public policy is really bad for business,” Stanton said.
Not only were the three mayors in agreement about embracing their cities’ values, but they also believed that each of their states would turn Democratic in the near future.
The mayors were also charming and funny throughout.
95% of bourbon is from Kentucky, and the other 5% is counterfeit –@louisvillemayor #sxsw2017
— The Art of Finance (@Art_Of_Finance) March 10, 2017
Overall, the session seemed hopeful and optimistic about the future of the country and the Democratic Party even in the face of the Trump White House.
The mayors of Phoenix and Austin were available afterwards for questions and to meet with the crowd.