Friday, October 23, 2020

Friday Lone Star Leftist Round-up (updates)


Republican consultants in red counties are scared, scared.


Today's the last day to request a mail ballot.  Be sure to follow the instructions carefully, and don't let an uncareful signature cause its disqualification.


In yesterday's latest legal development:


This came as extraordinarily good news, particularly following the SCOTUS' rejection of a similar case from Alabama earlier in the week (which might portend Ken Paxton's next move).

Speaking of:


The latest Q poll shows a familiar photograph of Texas at the top of our ballots, with less than two weeks left: a toss-up between Trump and Biden, and a slight edge to Cornyn over Hegar.


Despite Trump canceling TV airtime and sharply reducing his Facebook advertising expenditures in the Lone Star State (according to the WhoWhatWhy), Beto O'Rourke and Julian Castro are fuming that Biden is neglecting us.  Downballot, blue prospects were looking brighter even before Trump cashed out (as posted here Monday).


Harvey Kronberg at Quorum Report eagerly awaits a contest for statehouse speaker.


Update:


Congressional races, likewise, have received close scrutiny as the polls are tight, the campaign funds flow in and out like the tides, and excitement -- or trepidation, as the case may be -- builds.


Texas Monthly has profiled several US House elections at their "Battleground Texas" page.  David Collins, the Texas Green on your ballot for US Senate, revealed his answers to one of the more detailed candidate questionnaires he's received.

Trump and Biden's final face-off had a greater-than-anticipated focus on climate, and Texas wound up in the spotlight ... which wasn't necessarily good news.


Trump also criticized Biden for opposing fracking. Biden denied taking such a position. He did oppose fracking in the Democratic primary, but his campaign staffers walked back those comments, saying he only opposed fracking on on federal land.

Moderator Kristen Welker of NBC also pressed Trump on Texans living near refineries who fear pollution is making them sick.

“The families that we’re talking about are employed heavily, and they’re making a lot of money, more money than they’ve ever made,” Trump said. “If you look at the kind of numbers that we’ve produced for Hispanic, for Blacks, for Asians, it’s nine times greater the percentage gained than it was under, in three years, than it was under eight years the two of them, to put it nicely. Nine times more.”

But Biden said that workers’ health should be a priority.

“The fact is, those front-line communities, it doesn’t matter what you’re paying them, it matters how you keep them safe,” Biden said.

At one point, Trump directly asked Biden whether the former vice president would “close down” the oil industry.

“I would transition from the oil industry, yes,” Biden said.

Trump called that a “big statement” and Biden call the oil industry a significant environmental polluter. He also said he wouldn’t support giving that industry federal subsidies.

“It has to be replaced by renewable energy over time. Over time,” Biden said.

Trump said that “in terms of business,” that was “the biggest statement.”

“Basically what he’s saying is he’s going to destroy the oil industry,” Trump said. “Will you remember that Texas? Will you remember that Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Ohio?”



Update:

-- "Joe Biden's fossil fuel remarks at last debate put Texas Democrats on the defensive, even as recent poll shows Trump falling behind"

And while (US Rep. Colin) Allred and (US Senate challenger MJ) Hegar defended Biden, one Democrat in the state has already broken with the candidate.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, who's running for reelection in Houston, said the former vice president failed to "address the complexity of our energy needs and plan for the future."

*facepalm*

Here's a few more ecology stories unrelated to last night's debate.  First, Environment Texas writes about the "forever" chemicals in McDonald's food packaging.

PFAS is a dirty word, as one Texas airport executive recently told me.  Perhaps more than a dirty word, since even the FDA has acknowledged that there is scientific evidence that it causes serious health conditions. These so called Forever Chemicals are proven to be linked to cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease and development issues in wildlife and humans. 

So a few weeks ago, I asked McDonalds if they’d banned PFAS from their food packaging. Their customer contact center replied that they had eliminated 2 PFAS—out of the nearly 5,000 PFAS out there. Sigh! 

To be fair they also mandate, I quote, that their suppliers not use any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).  How do they enforce this?  It remains to be seen.


An investigation by the TCEQ in response to an Austin neighborhood's complaints turned up some really foul air and water issues.  And a new report indicates that the state's unauthorized air pollution has more than doubled from 2015 to 2019.

There'll be coronavirus surge updates as well as criminal and social justice posts in next Monday's Wrangle.  Here's a couple of those items that intersect with Texas public education.

Emily McCullar points out that a history textbook published in 2016 is woefully inadequate in telling the stories of Black and Latino/a Texans.


There will be a wake this afternoon, funeral services tomorrow, and a GOTV rally on Sunday to honor the life of nationally acclaimed Houston trans-activist Monica Roberts.


Cordelia Casso Flores wrote a touching eulogy for her sister, Mapy Casso Uranga, at LareDOS.

She hosted “The Mapy Casso Show” for KGNS and later worked as assistant society editor for The Laredo Times. She and (her husband) Nacho met at the newspaper, when he came from El Paso to become the editor of the Spanish section of The Times.

Update: From Friday night ...


I'd like to close with some postings about Sacha Baron Cohen's movie.  Not that one.


Judy Gumbo at YippieGirl blogged about her first-hand experience at the trial.  Nancy Kurshan for Counterpunch was also in the room where it happened.  Jonah Raskin at The Rag Blog wishes the film had been more historically accurate.  And on the theme of 'some things since the '60's haven't changed a single bit', Pages of Victory shares a few political cartoons.

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