Wednesday, October 06, 2021

Hump Day Wrangle from Far Left Texas


The most recent redistricting developments kick us off today.


Kuffner made excuses for them with the "every man/woman for themselves" bromide, but you just don't see Republicans standing with Dems twisting the shiv like this.  If there's an exception, it's Kel Seliger, who's going to need some help pulling that knife from between his shoulder blades.

“You’ve decided to take out the downtown area, which as I said was formerly the residence of African Americans, Texas Southern University, and University of Houston,” said Rep. Jackson Lee. “So I’m asking for those economic engines in the 18th congressional district to be restored.”

Rep. Jackson Lee says the new maps draw her home out of her own district and put it in Rep. Green’s district.

“It doesn’t look right for the only two persons in the state of Texas to be running against each other in a congressional district from the same party to be of African ancestry,” said Rep. Green.

Census data shows Black, Hispanic, and Asian residents made up 95% of Texas’ population growth since the last time maps were drawn in 2011.

However this year marks the first time in decades lawmakers won’t have to get federal preclearance to ensure the maps aren’t discriminatory. A 2013 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court struck down that part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

This is probably the only way the Republicans stood a chance at getting SJL -- or Reverend Al, as the case may be -- out of Congress.  So they lost their sight, as it were, and took their shot.


Moving on to other Lege fails.


I don't think Dade Phelan has lost Mark Jones, but it's a crine ass shame to see Jones carrying water for Dan Patrick.  Dear Rice University: you can find better.  Please do so.

I have more.


The criminal and social justice news.


Still no mention of all this Democrat-on-Democrat violence from Shelly.  Maybe he hasn't opened that section of the Houston Chronicle over the past few weeks.

(I mean really.  How would we all survive if he didn't read the newspaper and then tell us what it meant?  Probably a little better than if Facebook crashed for a few hours.)

How's that 'eliminating all rape in Texas' going, Governor?


Concluding this segment with some updates from the border.


A few current pieces about Texas Republicans behaving badly.


Dodge the Times paywall here.

Democrats call Cruz’s actions an abuse of the nomination process and the latest example of Washington’s eroding political norms. They also say he is endangering national security at a time when only about one-quarter of key national security positions have been filled.


Yes, these are all Republicans.

One environmental piece.


Closing out with the soothers (and what better than some wine?)

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Monday, October 04, 2021

The Monday Wrangle from Far Left Texas

Mostly an upbeat collation from the best of the left of the Lone Star State from the past weekend.


I did say "mostly".


Public testimony is scheduled to begin this morning on the maps.


Okay, back to the good news.


And a few more of the softer side items.

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Sunday, October 03, 2021

Sunday SineManchin Funnies

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Friday, October 01, 2021

The Friyay Wrangle from Far Left Texas


Not much to cheer about down here in Deep in the Hearta, but it's almost the weekend, and we'll take what we can get.


U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman of Austin will hear arguments Friday over whether to temporarily halt the Texas law, which stands as the nation’s biggest curb to the constitutional right to an abortion in a half-century.

The Justice Department has pushed for the court to act swiftly, but it is unclear how soon Pitman will decide.

The smirking General Lazy Eye must be doing.


There are marches tomorrow, here and everywhere.


As a follow-up to yesterday's Doubtful post...


The bipartisan consultantocracy force is strong with Dowd.

I will effort to make the latest redistricting takes as brief as possible, with the action item first.


This one below, by the only Republican state representative who has passed a sanity test, was yesterday's winner.


I have several Tweets regarding "Texas Republicans behaving badly in areas besides redistricting" that have piled up.


Somebody on the far right yelled "Jump", Greg Abbott replied, "How high?", and Dade Phelan said, "not this time".


Speaker Phorehead still doesn't earn a gold star from me, but it's nice to see someone occasionally saying 'no' to something.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) spent 18 percent of his PAC’s $2.2 million on political activities, spending $12,000 on Houston Astros games and $5,000 at the Cloister at Sea Island, Georgia’s top-rated luxury hotel, the report found.

CanCruz's lawsuit against the FEC, seeking to get more of his money back, has reached the SCOTUS. (Given our Citizens United world, I would expect the justices to rule in his favor.)


Round and round the grifter wheel spins.


The second- and third-tier Republinuts are... well ...


I sure hope we find out soon.

Regarding COVID:


And the battle for justice for trans children never ends.


Though it will be the children themselves who win the battle for tolerance for all.


The Boomers who ran The Rag Blog are leaving us.  And LareDOS also shared the life and times of Powell St. John, who departed last month.

Wrapping up a long, difficult, frustrating week with a few soothers.

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Thursday, September 30, 2021

A Dowdful Wrangle


Much like me -- a Democrat turned Republican in the late '70's (by Ronald Reagan, like so many other Texans) turned back to Democrat in the late 80's -- Matthew Dowd's path has been full of twists and turns.  He's more of a Democrat of convenience these days, as the GOP has gone full whacko.  Feel free to blame it on Trump, but the truth is that the slow migration began under Dowd's former idol, George W. Bush.  I know; I blogged it.  From the stolen 2000 election to 9/11 to Iraq and Afghanistan and Katrina and WMD and the 2008 housing/Wall Street meltdown,  Bush the Younger owns clear title to it all, and the chickens are still making their way home.  So when you read "former Bush strategist" as Dowd's first name, you should remember that it wasn't just Karl Rove or Karen Hughes advising the country's 2nd-worst president how to destroy the world.

Don't forget that there was a not-insignificant number of Democrats who voted for GWB in 2004 who said that he should be the one who cleans up his messes.  On that theory, apparently, Dowd might be the choice for Team Donkey.


Dowd's magical thought leadership hasn't abandoned him, either.


driftglass expands, but you get it.  Make no mistake; this isn't an endorsement of Mike Collier, another former Republican who has lost twice statewide and thinks the third time is his charm.

Undervoting this race unless there's a real for-the-people candidate.  And by that I mean one that doesn't meet the approval of people like Evan Smith and Evan "Ike Dike" Mintz.

The Texas House redistricting maps are to drop today, according to Speaker Phorehead, so I won't go as long with the Congressional cartography as I intended or wanted.  Some pearls of wisdom from those in the know, for our edification.


And the Houston Press points out the gift given to Wesley Hunt.


Here's the latest on the fraudit.


Trump is going to turn on Abbott eventually, just as he does everyone, friend and foe alike.  And I am here for it.  The 'forensic audit' (sic), as it turns out, is more fraudulent than everyone thought.


So it appears Governor Fish Lips has tried to gaslight Trump.  That should go over well in his primary fight with the freak right. LOL

Let's move on to the Lege's latest show of incompetence.


That's what happens when the lobbyists write the bills and then you vote for 'em without readin' 'em, you buncha morons.


Truthfully, I prefer stupid over corrupt.


I don't know whether I prefer corrupt to venal.  At least corruption can be prosecuted (even if these fuckers tend to skate).


The criminal and social justice updates.


To wrap, a few extra pieces of good news, and the soothers.

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