Living in Texas, you can really feel the Republican stronghold.

People with flags on their pickup trucks, right in front of their houses and garage entrances, reacting immediately to Democratic LGBT policies.

It's a typical red state scene. But the moment you enter Austin, the atmosphere changes completely.

Austin is like a different country within Texas.

Seriously. Pride flags hang all over downtown, every café has "Vote" stickers and Democratic-colored posters, and if you bring up politics at a local bar, you're likely to find mostly progressive folks.

Having the state capital in this city must be a headache for the Republican Party every year.

But living here, I've noticed something strange. While talking about RINOs, I suddenly realized that the same phenomenon exists in Austin.

For those who don't know what RINO means

Republican In Name Only. It literally refers to people who are Republicans in name only.

They wear the Republican badge but actually support big government, favor tax increases, and only claim the Republican vote during elections. In conservative circles, this term is almost an insult. Saying "That person is a RINO" implies they are an untrustworthy opportunist.

Trump particularly enjoyed using this term, which made it more famous. It's used to weed out those who pretend to be on your side within the Republican Party but are actually saying something different. The bottom line is, it's a political mockery of those whose words and actions don't match.

DINOs Found in Austin

But living in Austin, I've realized this isn't just a problem for Republicans. Democrat In Name Only. DINO. There are more of these people in this city than you might think.

There's a typical pattern. They talk about worrying over climate change while driving their SUVs three times a week. They post on social media supporting affordable housing, but when low-income apartments are proposed in their neighborhood, they are the first to sign a petition against it. Their claim of "fighting for our community" is sincere, but it comes with the condition that the community must be one where property values are maintained.

Looking at the Austin real estate market, this becomes even clearer. You'd be shocked to see how much home prices have risen in this city over the past decade. While a Democratic-leaning city government has been established, housing costs have skyrocketed, and low-income residents are leaving Austin. It's the irony of gentrification happening in a city that claims to uphold progressive values. They're savvy about ROI but only talk about equity during election season.

A Unique Class Created by the Tech Boom

The influx of tech companies into Austin has exacerbated this phenomenon. Tech workers from Silicon Valley and those who moved from LA or Seattle for remote work. Many of them politically identify as Democrats. But their behavior patterns reflect a typical asset protection logic.

They love the low taxes in Texas while advocating for expanded welfare. They support posts about strengthening regulations on big corporations while starting their own startups thanks to an unregulated market. Isn't this BS? Having been in the IT industry for over 15 years, I've seen this pattern quite a bit. They apply free market logic rigorously to their own interests, but when others talk, they engage in progressive cosplay.

The structure is the same as how Texas Republicans are criticized for pretending to be conservative only during elections. They're just on the opposite side.

The Hollow Nature of Political Labels

Ultimately, whether it's the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, labels do not guarantee actual behavior. The reason RINOs are a problem isn't because they're Republicans, but because their words and actions don't align. The issue with Austin's DINOs isn't because they're Democrats, but for the same reason.

Living in a blue city right in the middle of Texas's red state makes this irony even clearer. It often pretends to be an ideological battle, but in reality, it's a struggle for entrenched interests. Whether progressive or conservative, when their assets and status are threatened, everyone tends to act similarly. They just use different language.

Only those who are not DINOs have the right to criticize RINOs. But honestly, how many people like that are there? That's a cynical thought I have while living in Austin.