-- ...what's the point? As long as the RepubliTea Party of Texas keeps calling it a narcotic, it's just a parlor game to speculate on the future date when Texas will make some progress on marijuana decriminalization/legalization.
Until those people who want to see that progress happen start lining themselves up at polling places across Texas and vote to remove from office those who oppose it, that is.
Yes, it could happen in less than five months... or it could take as long as ten years. Not even Colorado's swelling tax coffers and a corresponding reduction in crime will sway the religious fundies. They're the ones who lifted Dan Patrick up and have placed him at the gates of heaven.
If weed is your issue, then you are going to have to vote them out.
-- ... that immigration conversation needs to happen among Republicans. And apparently it is.
Go back and read that graf again.
Now we're talking. That is progress.
It turns out that the Houston Chronicle’s Baker Institute blog has put up a range of views on the idea of changing Texas’ marijuana laws. The Statesman has posted two pieces on the subject, one from the ACLU and one from an opponent. The opponent, who heads the Drug Free America Foundation, looked down her nose this way at pot vacationers who head to Colorado: “Colorado experienced an infestation of ‘drug tourism.’ ”
I don’t imagine people consider Napa Valley wine tourism an “infestation”. Napa Valley tourists will spend tons more more money and sport fewer tattoos. They may head to Napa to get a buzz, but it’s a refined, expensive buzz.
Until those people who want to see that progress happen start lining themselves up at polling places across Texas and vote to remove from office those who oppose it, that is.
Yes, it could happen in less than five months... or it could take as long as ten years. Not even Colorado's swelling tax coffers and a corresponding reduction in crime will sway the religious fundies. They're the ones who lifted Dan Patrick up and have placed him at the gates of heaven.
If weed is your issue, then you are going to have to vote them out.
-- ... that immigration conversation needs to happen among Republicans. And apparently it is.
Delegate Maria Espinoza, who has compared the Texas Solution to the Nazi’s Final Solution, told the thousands gathered in the convention hall that granting any kind of legal status to those here illegally would be tantamount to negotiating with terrorists. Instead of laughter, her comparison was greeted with thunderous applause.
Go back and read that graf again.
When it was over, one hardliner proclaimed: “Boom, the Texas Solution is dead.”
“What kind of message is that for Hispanic voters?” said Norman Adams, a Houston insurance agent who was part of the team that got the Texas Solution inserted into the platform in the first place. “As far as I’m concerned we’ve moved the party back 10 years,” he said.
[...]
“While I have tremendous respect for the will of the people and the direction of our Party’s grass roots activists, I am saddened today by the substantive elimination of the Texas Solution from the Party’s platform,” Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, told Quorum Report.
[...]
A young Latina who did not wish to be identified because she has worked on various Republican campaigns in North Texas said she wasn’t giving up on the GOP, but the events that unfolded on Saturday were “breathtaking,” as she put it.
“I’m going to see if my friends want to help Leticia Van de Putte,” she said, referring to the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor.
Now we're talking. That is progress.
On immigration, it's the old Rove move of pandering to the base, while gambling that the Democrats can't turn out Latino votes. And, as we know, so far it's worked for the GOP.
ReplyDeleteAnd, at the local level, in places like the Valley, until Dems figure it out, it will continue to work.
At the state office level, until the likes of Villalba do a reverse Aaron Pena, it will continue to work.