Dome vote, like Parker's re-election, slouches toward approval

I'll just excerpt and you tell me if you see any similarities.

Two polls released this week show a majority of likely Harris County voters have decided whether or not they want to preserve the iconic Astrodome by paying to turn it into a convention and center and exhibit space.

A $217 million bond initiative to fund the re-purposing of the now-vacant stadium, which county officials have said would require an increase to the property tax rate, will appear on the ballot this November.

A KUHF/KHOU poll, conducted by Rice University political scientist Bob Stein, shows 45 percent of likely county voters would support the bond issue and 35 percent would oppose it, while 20 percent are undecided. The poll surveyed 650 likely county voters and has a 3.8 percentage point margin of error.

Another poll, conducted for the campaign working to drum up support for the dome project, shows a tie: 43 percent in favor and 43 percent opposed, with the rest undecided. The group's poll surveyed 500 likely county voters and has a 4.5 percentage point margin of error.

While the results are "not spectacular" for proponents of the initiative, Stein said he gets the sense that the initiative will end up passing simply because there is no organized opposition, meaning the campaign will get to "control the message."

I nodded off a little in the middle of reading that.  Swamplot posted one of the commercials that the referendum's support captains have authorized, and noticed that something got left out.

Part of the so-called “New Dome Experience” devised by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp. proposes that the space-age icon be slimmed down — and, if this new promo video (at link) is any indication, that means more than just removing ramps and staircases from the stadium’s unwashed exterior, but also chopping its name in half. You’ll see in this new commercial, produced by the recently formed committee to persuade voters in advance of this November’s this-or-nothing bond election, that the Astrodome is referred to throughout solely as “the Dome,” whether it’s hosting technology conferences, Ferris wheel demonstrations, or generic swimming championships.

The commenters over there get it right -- its name never actually was 'Astrodome' except in the public vernacular, and the powers-that-be can sell the naming rights and call it "Blimpie" as long as they don't implode it like Macy's/Foley's.

I'm back to being bored to tears about this election season.

Bishop Robinson speaks in Houston next week

Gene Robinson, retired bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, will be speaking about religious freedom in America and how the Religious Right gets it wrong. Widely known for being the first openly gay priest to be consecrated a bishop in a major Christian denomination, Bishop Robinson’s election in 2003 was the source of significant controversy within the Episcopal Church. He has spoken out about the importance of maintaining separation between church and state.

The date is Thursday, October 3rd, and the topic is "My Country 'Tis of Thee: Religious Liberty in a Religiously Zealous Society".  Here's a preview.



Texas is one of the worst places in the United States when it comes to intolerance, and after November 2014, it's invariably going to get worse.

Given the caliber of political mind Texas Republicans seem intent on foisting off onto the rest of us, non-Texans might be curious as to what sorts of people they've tapped for state government of late. The simple answer is "more of the same," as the responses to an AP questionnaire on gay rights sent to GOP candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general revealed. Lt. Gov. Dewhurst sets the tone:

"Sadly, in a culture infected with political correctness, people of faith are targeted for defending their beliefs with no consideration of their First Amendment rights. I will continue to stand with my fellow Texans in defending our God-given, constitutionally protected freedoms."

Yes, yes. Why are we even talking about civil rights for gay Americans when people of faith are the real victims here. It's getting so you can't even show your love for Jesus by calling someone names and beating them up anymore.

And on and on like that.  Greg Abbott's challenger Tom Pauken and Greg Abbott's soulmate and AG hopeful Ken Paxton also are quoted at the link.  Let's finish with that.

We shall see if Texas demographics begin to reverse the tide of celebrated Republican dullardism that has turned state politicians into national laughingstocks. Republicans are highly devoted to making sure that doesn't happen, but I remain confident that at some point the party will elect someone to office who is so stone-cold stupid, such an obvious empty sack, such an impressive specimen of termite-riddled fencepost that the entire state shudders in embarrassment and begins to rethink their party lifestyle choice en masse. It would have to be someone meaner than Steve Stockman and dumber than Louie Gohmert and—well, I forget the third thing—but do not worry about that.

Somewhere in Texas there is a very drunk and bitter man sleeping it off under a church pew who fits all those requirements and then some. Get to it, Republicans. Find that final mean, stupid, godbothering anti-science crank who can out-crook and under-whelm all the rest of them. It is your destiny.

Bishop Robinson suggests a more tolerant approach to affecting change than I do, as you could have guessed.  Get your tickets here.