Sunday "Past is Prologue" Funnies

Why do Biden and the corporate media keep insisting that Russia is on the brink of starting a war in the middle of the Olympic Games? Has that ever happened? (Answer: no. https://t.co/nCucIejHzs)

Maybe they think there's just not enough stress in Americans' lives right now, idk

— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) February 16, 2022

The Social Justice Wrangle from Far Left Texas

Really have too many to know where to begin, so I guess I'll start with the weather.  Which means the Freeze from last year.

Federal judge blasts former Texas Public Utility Commission chair, excuses her as a witness during trial about bankruptcy stemming from February 2021's winter storm. https://t.co/aHPgL5ZBs5

— WFAA (@wfaa) February 24, 2022

The elected Supreme Court of Texas will decide whether ERCOT can be sued or is immune for prosecution. In an election year. 👀#txlege https://t.co/0VWPF3kpcT

— Doug Lewin (@douglewinenergy) February 25, 2022

"A Houston Chronicle analysis of weekly deaths in Texas since 1964, however, found more than 1,000 deaths during the third week of February in 2021, that could not be explained by historical patterns or COVID-19." https://t.co/ou3Imqn1ao

— St. John Barned-Smith ⚔️ (@stjbs) February 18, 2022

"Cops Behaving Badly", and the usual suspects.

I know I saw Chief Finner say he was proud of how the officers handled this. I asked Chief Acevedo about the decision to put people in danger by arresting folks unnecessarily during the pandemic and he pushed responsibility to the district attorney. https://t.co/8XRF55jc9t

— Jaison Oliver (@oJaison) February 21, 2022

Statute says the governor would need a recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles before he can issue pardons.

The board is appointed by the gov and has been accused of cowing to Abbott's wishes in the past: https://t.co/JVDDq6USbF https://t.co/MRE8YOlSlY

— Jolie McCullough (@jsmccullou) February 23, 2022

Evidence not presented by Melissa's defense lawyer indicated that one of the daughters told an investigator she was the one responsible, according to deleted scenes from the documentary shared with the @HoustonChron. ⬇️https://t.co/A9pEfOtB6g

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) February 19, 2022

1. #MichaelGonzales is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas in only 2 weeks! His attorneys argued that errors during his original trial, including in jury selection and in the consideration of mitigating evidence during the punishment phase tainted his conviction. pic.twitter.com/7ryvLoGfJ1

— Karine Omry (@KarineOmry) February 22, 2022

There were some good things that happened.

Five Texas DAs defy @GovAbbott’s order to probe gender-affirming care for trans youth https://t.co/gcSStztRjs via @TPM #TXLege

— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) February 24, 2022

If any parent in Texas faces a politically motivated lawsuit due to following medical advice for their child who is diagnosed with gender dysphoria, we will help ensure that these types of "opinions" are fully discredited in a court of law. 17/19

— Jorgeson Pittman LLP (@jptexaslaw) February 23, 2022

But K-Pax is still a corrupt and incompetent ass.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton convinced state lawmakers to more than quadruple the human trafficking unit’s annual funding. But despite that infusion of cash, Paxton’s office did not secure a single human trafficking conviction in 2020. https://t.co/GtWTA0dnaG

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) February 25, 2022

And more from the border.

Friday night news: appeals court upholds dismissal of a migrant’s trespassing arrest under Abbott’s system, ruling it’s unconstitutional.

The court said the border county (now fighting 400+ copy cases) has no jurisdiction over the Austin ruling.

More: https://t.co/qqt2MOLZy6 pic.twitter.com/6Mr2IU3Lxq

— Jolie McCullough (@jsmccullou) February 26, 2022

“Most of us signed up to help Texas in times of need like hurricanes,” the Guard member said. “This doesn’t feel like we are helping any Texans besides the governor and his ability to say he has activated the [Guard] to the border.” https://t.co/isXEoGNyAk

— Rebekah Allen (@rebekahallen) February 24, 2022

Organizer Bekah Hinojosa was arrested for a graffiti misdemeanor, a cite-and-release offense.

She says the arrest is political retaliation from Brownsville's mayor after speaking out against SpaceX activities in South Texas. | @GaigeDavilahttps://t.co/3IM69WITpV

— Texas Public Radio (@TPRNews) February 24, 2022

Our state is failing our children.

Hey @GregAbbott_TX I was wondering what the actual fuck part of this you forgot? If you want parents to be the primary decision makers, in school or out of, then leave their kids alone#TransLivesMatter #protecttranskids #txlege #TransRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/BNkPUpgGGl

— 🍛 Mr Soup 🍛 (@pettyfoxdog) February 23, 2022

In 2020, two independent federally appointed experts described TX child welfare system as “a disjointed and dangerous child protection system ... where harm to children is at times overlooked, ignored or forgotten.” That's the system Abbot is putting trans kids into pic.twitter.com/cQKAgjA4wa

— Amy Westervelt (@amywestervelt) February 24, 2022

"The states that have garnered all five red flags and where children are at greater risk are Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, and Texas."#TXlege #KeepKidsCovered @GeorgetownCCF @ReformAustin https://t.co/qmuQaSq9ph

— Cover Texas Now (@covertexasnow) February 18, 2022

More than 1 in 6 teenagers who give birth in Texas already have at least one child, the highest in the nation.

Texas doesn’t require sex ed and parents have to sign off on birth control…even if you’ve already had a child.

My latest for @TexasTribune:https://t.co/Z64g0N5lDF

— Eleanor Klibanoff (@eklib) February 21, 2022

Some states—Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas & Nebraska—denied about 90% of welfare applicants in 2020.

Texas, where a single parent of 2 must earn less than $188/month, had the lowest acceptance rate at just 7%, but had $281M in unspent welfare funds.https://t.co/q4SrPWXyQh

— ProPublica (@propublica) February 20, 2022

If this doesn't make you mad, I don't know what will.

At least a dozen Houston-area kids have been hurt or injured in road rage cases over the last six months.

Come on, Houston, we have to do better. #KHOU11https://t.co/DH7m9uVyaK

— BrandiKHOU (@BrandiKHOU) February 21, 2022

More bad gun news.

On Nov. 5, Kyle Carruth, former leader of a gun extremist organization in Lubbock, shot an unarmed man with his AR-15. His ex-wife happens to be a District Judge appointed by Gov. Abbott. He has faced ZERO consequences and walks free. #txlegehttps://t.co/SK4u3Ef2mM

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) February 24, 2022

And there's been no shortage of justice and injustice developments during Black History Month.

I don't want my kids to have to live this fate. This is about patterns of historical displacement where we are the ones who always have to move. Who thinks about where we go & the amount of generational wealth that is lost because of displacement. https://t.co/JcwqzOV5V9

— Disruptive Historian (@tanyadebose) February 23, 2022

Ten Black workers sued a Dallas company for discrimination. A jury agreed in a $70 million verdict https://t.co/az24lkA4Yh

— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) February 25, 2022

One of Austin's first Black communities has largely been erased. This building tells its tale. | @marisacharp https://t.co/wngppnuGuM

— KUT Austin (@KUT) February 25, 2022

New: Nancy Nichols, the @texasdemocrats official who made a racist comment in a party call earlier this month, has resigned, @HinojosaTX tells me. https://t.co/0MkKkrhXQQ

— Nicole Cobler (@nicolecobler) February 25, 2022

Some affordable (and unaffordable) housing updates:

This should be illegal pic.twitter.com/n1Ftqau4IB

— Mercedez (@MercedezUAZ2) February 23, 2022

A candidate I talked to in Austin mentioned the Community First! housing for homeless people, so I checked it out. My pics don’t do it justice, it’s a collection of trailers and tiny houses with a ton of resources. https://t.co/zbr9NnYNEE pic.twitter.com/Ucp11fyLMC

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) February 21, 2022

And I'll wrap this Wrangle with the latest in the fight over school text books.

This is why we need Native American and indigenous studies as required high school curriculum. #txlege https://t.co/UP3HJU4tBT

— jrp (@jrphtx) February 18, 2022

“If CRT is a problem, if pornography is a problem, you guys have been in charge in Texas for 27 years. Are you just now discovering it? Are you producing it? What if we were to go all over the state and say that you were pornographers?" https://t.co/lWhauumoQU #txed #txlege @wfaa

— Pastors for Children (@pastors4txkids) February 20, 2022

Bastrop independent bookshop owned by @RyanHoliday hosts banned book giveaway https://t.co/OIkWysLTZx

— KVUE News (@KVUE) February 19, 2022

In 1943, #txlege investigated UT staffers for the purchase of old books, alleging “the money was spent and [a] portion of it went toward “obscene” literature or books on atheism. The books were by Shelley and Lord Bryon. #txlege https://t.co/im4tdF79nN pic.twitter.com/Oj6Kq2iSzF

— Retro Snacking (@Retrosnacking) February 18, 2022

Still have some environmental news and a lot of soothers, but they will wait until tomorrow or Monday.  More political updates prior to Election Day coming as well.

TXGOP Behaving as Badly as Can Be for Primary Votes

The shitshow circus came to town.

I’d rather spork out my own eyes pic.twitter.com/hKhsEl9gzT

— shauna (@goldengateblond) February 19, 2022

.@RepMTG, @CawthornforNC, and @realMikeLindell walk into a Houston suburb ... https://t.co/7i2wWrasxo #TX2022 #HouNews

— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) February 22, 2022

Beginning today with the ridiculousness of those who seek to be our representatives in Washington in the House of the People.  See if you can spot the irony that Chip Roy cannot.

.@chiproytx endorsed @LouieGohmertTX1 for AG during a Gohmert event Monday in the Austin area > https://t.co/AgbMBVS61f

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) February 22, 2022

Experts say they have identified the originators of the QAnon political cosplay conspiracy hobby. One is running for Congress. https://t.co/ws8QicrXbC

— Bud Kennedy / #ReadLocal (@BudKennedy) February 19, 2022

Yes, we're eaten up with stupid down here in Deep-In-The-Hearta.  Some folks say it's because we don't vote.  I say it's because the wrong folks do.

A sitting judge in Texas's highest criminal court says here that he can't definitively say who won the 2020 election.

And somehow he's still targeted by the Trumpian right looking to game elections.

That gives you a sense of what's going on in Texas. https://t.co/fQpclIsdZR

— Taniel (@Taniel) February 17, 2022

When I started this Wrangle, Dan Patrick was the state's worst offender among his foul, rotten ilk.  (My, how quickly things change.)  The Beast thinks Patrick's mail ballot shenanigans are as likely to have affected his party's voters as they have the Donks.  That's possible, but I doubt whether he cares.   Fucking with people and things is what he does, be it friend, foe, or someone/something in-between.

New — Inside @DanPatrick's push for more power this cycle, w/ Trump's ear. The lieutenant governor...
- encouraged Rick Perry to run for gov last yr.
- has raised alarms that he's meddling in Paxton/Miller primaries
- was behind Trump's anti-Phelan crusade https://t.co/MbhvfgToVM

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) February 18, 2022

Lots of insiders speaking off the record in that story.

Lt Gov @DanPatrick’s big week: Endangering his own voters’ ballots, threatening UT on race theory #txlege https://t.co/Ttyyo1Xl3h

— Bud Kennedy / #ReadLocal (@BudKennedy) February 18, 2022

But did he have a bad week?  I suppose it remains to be seen.

I'll have to go longer on Governor Helen Wheels and Attorney General Lazy Eye in another post because they have disgraced themselves further even since I began to compile this one.

New: The whistleblowers fired from Ken Paxton's offense are speaking out for the first time. They say Paxton is misleading Texans about his bribery and abuse of office allegations on the campaign trail. Read: https://t.co/mTFYFZ2JKq via @TexasTribune

— James Barragán 🌟 (@James_Barragan) February 21, 2022

A year after historic freeze, Texas AG Ken Paxton won’t say where price-gouging investigations stand https://t.co/3n5fe5I63i via @morrisreports

— Mede Nix (@medenix) February 18, 2022

NEW: Texas @GovAbbott tells agencies to investigate gender-affirming care for transgender kids as abuse.
But the effect of his directive is unclear, as advocates express confusion, agencies remain largely mum and some prosecutors refuse to act. https://t.co/LiPcEJs5NK #txlege

— Lauren McGaughy 🌟 (@lmcgaughy) February 23, 2022

Ted Nugent calls out Greg Abbott in new ad backing primary challenger Allen West https://t.co/cBc9BY7aYJ

— Laredo Morning Times (@lmtnews) February 17, 2022

"You know what, we have a pretty good governor down here in Greg Abbott," Nugent says in the short video shared on West's Twitter. "I worked hard to get him elected. But if you were a pretty good bass player you couldn't be in my band. Pretty good doesn't cut it."

[...]

Stephen Willeford, an NRA firearm training instructor who shot the Sutherland Springs church shooter in 2017, also announced his endorsement of West this week. “His beliefs regarding the constitution, gun rights, border policy, and fiscal conservatism are the values that will continue to guide Texas in the right direction,” Willeford said in a statement released Tuesday.

Today in the anti-@GregAbbott_TX primary:
- New dramatic, all-text TV ad from @DonHuffines: https://t.co/v1i04OFlbD
- Inbox: "@AllenWest and Ted Nugent will be joining the American Truckers Freedom Convoy/Frontline Truckers as they travel across the state of Texas." #TXGOV

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) February 22, 2022

As Texas Guard members seek to unionize, Gov. Abbott's GOP rivals pouncehttps://t.co/qeNPWujplI

— Carolyn Dumas (@CarolynDumas4) February 19, 2022

Mexico to Sen. Cruz: At Least Our Candidates Accept Defeat https://t.co/4VTSOrDUjH

— NBC DFW (@NBCDFW) February 18, 2022

And last, the local yokels.

One of the 19 Austin police officers accused of using excessive force on 2020 protestors is running for the Texas House. Indictments pursued by the Democratic district attorney could actually help the Republican’s legislative campaign. https://t.co/yc8hMGDyvR

— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) February 19, 2022

Double Life Of Texas Lawmaker Comes Into Focus In Colorado https://t.co/C4Ljuu5jvO via @RANewsTX #txlege

— RA News (@RANewsTX) February 21, 2022

🚨@GregTravisforTX admits to @GrooganFox26 he was the person captured on video taking down #HD133 GOP foe Shelley Barineau’s campaign sign. Travis initially claims it was placed illegally on city land. Not so, says property owner & @HouPublicWorks. https://t.co/QlFVViTCM8

— Jasper Scherer (@jaspscherer) February 18, 2022

A member of the nonpartisan local school board in Southlake, Texas, will be a featured speaker at CPAC later this month, sharing the stage with some folks famous for spreading Covid misinformation and backing Trump’s stolen election lie. They include … pic.twitter.com/hXTMJKTHIZ

— Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) February 21, 2022

I have more to add but not the will to do so.  Social justice, environmental, and calm-me-downs are in the queue.

Texas Chainsaw Early Voting Massacre Wrangle

Or is it?

We're on track to have between 1.25m & 1.75m Texans vote in the #TX2022 Republican primary and between 0.75m & 1.25m vote in the Democratic primary. That's out of 22m voting age Texans, or 6-8% & 4-6% of the VAP, which is in line with recent levels of voter participation. #txlege pic.twitter.com/0KCxs2Ub8e

— Mark P. Jones (@MarkPJonesTX) February 21, 2022

That's the data from Longhorn Derek, and it's also Kuffner's point this morning, i.e. 'all caught up'.  Frankly when the state ranks in the bottom five in voter turnout and the media is begging people to vote because everyone knows that the ones who do are crackpots ... maybe "we're on pace with previous years" isn't good news.  For anybody.

Rove's analysis on Democratic prospects rings true with a special nod to Beto: #txlege Democrats Better Start Praying About the Midterm Elections by @KarlRove https://t.co/HH4MDvl5ni via @WSJOpinion

— harvey kronberg (@HKronberg) February 21, 2022

Nobody like Turd Blossom, but nobody ignores him either.

Voter turnout in Texas primaries is dramatically low. https://t.co/MWHUohysd3 via @TexasTribune #TXLege #TX2022 #EarlyVoting #TexasChainsawMassacre2022

— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) February 19, 2022

Democrats are wailing loudly about rejected mail ballots.

NEW: 46% of mail-in ballots have been rejected in El Paso, Texas so far following the Texas GOP’s new voter suppression law. In previous elections, this number was around 5-10%, per @BobMooreNews.

— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) February 20, 2022

In the 2018 primary, 0.2% of mail ballots in Harris County were rejected.

This year, as of Tuesday, 36% of mail ballots have been flagged for rejection and returned to voters due to new Texas ID requirements, per county officials. #txlegehttps://t.co/gb95rrepGW

— Jasper Scherer (@jaspscherer) February 18, 2022

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is reinstating a portion of Texas' voting law that prevents election officials from encouraging people to register to vote by mail, according to Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee.https://t.co/CDiBUu1yUj#254Strong #txlege

— Texas County magazine (@TexasCountymag) February 18, 2022

But turnout in the RGV's GOP primary doesn't seem affected.

Republican turnout at early voting polls skyrocketing across Valley https://t.co/3Ebs3ofnvm via @myrgvnews #rgv #tcot #txlege

— Aaron For Justice (@AaronForJustice) February 21, 2022

Turncoat Pena, hoping to get on the appeals court down south.

There’s a unique politics brewing among South Texas conservatives. Candidates speak in the same way as progressives on issues of identity, using the language of representation, but repurposed for a conservative audience.

My latest:https://t.co/ldDK9nJdQo

— Jack Herrera (@jherrerx) February 16, 2022

A parade of Latino voters are changing the political fabric of South #Texas. In the #Laredo region, where about nine out of 10 residents are Catholic, many registered voters appear to be driven largely by the single issue of abortion.#TXlege https://t.co/gDzrMoq5V5

— Anna Núñez (@nunez_anna) February 20, 2022

I should probably mention that this development comes as a shock to the TDP chairman.

I mean, this is HIS home region. The fact that the @texasdemocrats chair is "surprised by the lack of turnout in Hidalgo County" is pretty telling.

Imagine ignoring a whole ass region for decades and expecting the same sort of Democratic turnout every year. #GOTV #txlege pic.twitter.com/mwoDtw6dOU

— Denise Flores (@TheDeniseFlores) February 21, 2022

Shell Seas watched the debate between Gilberto Hinojosa, Kim Olson, and Carroll Robinson and has a lengthy, insight-filled review.

I have so many posts for 'Texas Republicans behaving badly' that they will appear separately, following this one.  Let's look at the latest polling.

New @dallasnews-@UTTyler poll:
GOV: Abbott leads O’Rourke, 45-38
AG, GOP*: Paxton leads Bush, 39-25 (Guzman 13, Gohmert 7)
AG, Dem*: Garza 22, Jaworski 13, Merritt & Fields, 9 each
LG, Dem*: Collier 21, Beckley 18, Brailey 15
*Headed to runoff?
1/3 #txlegehttps://t.co/VyJrczsT1B

— Bob Garrett (@RobertTGarrett) February 20, 2022

No real movement in these numbers over the past thirty or so days.  Texas 2036 also shared the results of their fourth Texas Voters Poll.

Divided: Texans split on overturning Roe vs Wade, support strong for six-week ban in new abortion law, new ⁦@dallasnews⁩/⁦@UTTyler⁩ poll shows, ⁦@Belynnhollers⁩ reports. #txlege #abortion #SB8 #SenateBill8 #SCOTUS #RoevsWade #Texas https://t.co/l7MrPT4ZKv pic.twitter.com/Gdvy0buTqp

— John Gravois (@Grav1) February 21, 2022

"As Texas abortion clinics have dwindled over the years, CPCs have proliferated. There are now ~200 of them in Texas—the most in any state."

These fake clinics are taking taxpayer $$ to spread misinformation & promote their anti-abortion agenda. #txlegehttps://t.co/k5LeUbcQaS

— Progress Texas (@ProgressTX) February 18, 2022

More of the latest developments regarding Texas women's reproductive freedom in the Social Justice Wrangle, forthcoming.

And SocraticGadfly offered a trio of politics and voting posts from last week, but candidly none of his unhinged, incoherent, rambling rants make any sense.  Go read them if you like but keep in mind he's a former Green who has now apparently decided he hates the Greens and just voted in the Republican primary.  (You've been warned.)

Sunday "Is It War Yet?" Funnies

I don't care for Gen. Tso's chicken either.

Welcome back, after his gap year, to Two Party Opera.

And congratulations to Desi Doyen for thirteen years of the Green News Report.