Sunday, March 28, 2021
Friday, March 26, 2021
Friday Lone Star Leftist Roundup
Texas Rs all over South Texas in next few days:
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) March 24, 2021
- Abbott Save Our Seniors presser in McAllen
- Abbott, Guzman, Bush at Hidalgo Co. Lincoln-Reagan
- Cruz-, Cornyn-led Senate GOP delegation to border
- SREC Q1 meeting in Laredo
- Paxton-headlined border security rally in Laredo
Cosplay is fun, won't get the job done.
#SuppressTheVirusNotTheVote#StopHB6 #txlege pic.twitter.com/I84O1H982W
— Texas Freedom Network (@TFN) March 25, 2021
I am shocked, shockedIsayshocked, that the Pachys are outworking the Donkeys. Twenty twenty-two is going to be a red wave of epic proportions, and Gilberto Hinojosa will never see it coming. In the meantime, Lillie Schechter -- chair of the Harris County Democrats -- will be hosting a fundraiser spotlighting Nancy Pelosi or Hillary Clinton for the tenth time. Not even the Mithoffs have enough money to buy her a clue.
If only there were a political party that was actually for the people ...
Sidebar: To be serious, Greg Abbott has a ridiculous amount of stamina for a guy who has been in a wheelchair for nearly 37 years. He also keeps himself in remarkably good condition; virtually all of the wheelchair users I know IRL carry some extra weight around the midsection; Abbott does not. We've seen the campaign videos of his night-time workouts rolling up the ramps of parking garages in Austin, but he also must exercise a lot of discipline in his calorie intake to stay as slim as he is.
See? I'm capable of the occasional compliment. His commitment to physical health is commendable, but it doesn't change the fact that he is a self-loathing sociopath. And mark "Hell No, Beto" as next year's campaign slogan.
-- Abbott's trying to boost the state's economy just in time to get re-elected, but ripping everybody's mask off has convention planners around the country saying, "thanks, but no thanks" to Austin.
NEW: When TX ended its mask mandate, the event cancellations started — and the losses are adding up.@GregAbbott_TX didn't help the economy when he lifted mask rules, he only helped the virus. That's clearly bad for workers, but it's bad for business too.https://t.co/CCtbaQcaLG
— Gregorio Casar (@GregCasar) March 25, 2021
If the Guvnah loses, it will only be in the GOP primary. TexDems should focus on lower-hanging fruit, and to my thinking that would be Ken Paxton, who is simply another one of those cops who thinks he's above the law. Either Joe Jaworski or Lee Merritt are more than capable enough to eject him.
-- Briscoe Cain, "parliamentary guru", had a super bad day at his bill hearing yesterday. Thanks to RG Ratcliffe for pointing it out.
Could the Democrats's best ally on killing election "integrity" bills be the far right chair of House Elections?https://t.co/Zo7zTKFsKx
— rgratcliffe (@rgratcliffe) March 26, 2021
I thought you had to be at least 15 years old to run for the statehouse.
NEW: 200 Texans can't testify on GOP voting bill due to chairman's error https://t.co/kR97vc9npd #txlege
— Taylor Goldenstein (@taygoldenstein) March 25, 2021
-- Winter Storm Uri has officially killed more Texans than Hurricane Harvey. Damn those evil Russians. Socratic Gadfly also blogged about the Texas Freeze kabuki theater under the Dome.
-- Harris County's new voting machines have a paper trail! Too bad they're still shit.
Harris county, Texas ignores experts who advise pen & paper for most in-person voters. Chooses new Hart touchscreens (BMDs). A recent study shows voters miss 93% of inaccuracies & omissions caused by BMDs in marking the paper. 1/ https://t.co/MWDxHWcxnk
— Jennifer Cohn ✍🏻 📢 (@jennycohn1) March 25, 2021
I had lots more for this Roundup but my disgust in documenting the atrocities has again overwhelmed my desire to do so. Breaking it off here to head into what will hopefully be another glorious weekend of college basketball, spring training baseball, all-I-can-eat crawfish and everything else that makes spring in Houston the best time of the year.
“I hope this brings a smile to all who see it. 2020 has been a challenging year, but in the end we will come out stronger because that’s the type of community we are," says Martha Martinez Flores.https://t.co/JhQARqkMvK
— San Antonio Magazine (@SanAntonioMag) March 25, 2021
When you explore Austin you'll find colorful murals in the most interesting of places, like Zuzu's "Never Forget" at Lustre Pearl East. Zuzu is an Austin-based muralist with vibrant pieces all over the city, but she says this one holds a special place in her heart. #TrueAustin pic.twitter.com/P2lj0sGzRi
— Austin Texas (@VisitAustinTX) March 24, 2021
For the past several years, Beaumont, the sleepy southeast Texas city of roughly 120,000 people near the Louisiana border, has been quietly boosting its public art scene, while also striving to remain an affordable place for artists to live and work.https://t.co/PMzNDP4gCn
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) March 25, 2021
My new @TexasObserver review. "@JuliaSweig makes the convincing case that Johnson’s role in history is far more complex, interesting, and significant, even central to many of the events of the 1960s that continue to shape our culture and politics."https://t.co/x1nZWDWfis
— Karl Richter (@TXKarlRichter) March 25, 2021
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Hump Day Tex-Left Aggregation
"The Texas Legislature is not coming for your gun.
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) March 24, 2021
But keep an eye on your right to vote." — @rossramsey #TXlege https://t.co/AzsgIjIyq4
After sixteen people were killed in a hot air balloon in Lockhart, Texas, Ted Cruz authored and passed federal legislation improving safety rules.
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 23, 2021
I guess that's not because laws don't work, but because there's no hot air balloon lobby funding his Senate seat. #txlege https://t.co/X4N8k24YnE
Cornyn’s platform: “As your senator, I will fight tirelessly for the cruel and unusual punishment of ALL immigrants...” https://t.co/ETu3KEL9Xy
— Jessica Mason for Congress (@JessicaMasonTX) March 22, 2021
Me: "Since the pandemic... border apprehensions have gone up month after month. Joe Biden did not inherit falling numbers."
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 22, 2021
GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw: "I don't know where you're getting figures from."
Me: "Those are CBP numbers."
Watch our exchange on @MSNBC:pic.twitter.com/4hw18tOQBK
This morning when I cleaned out the cat box, I found two Dan Crenshaws and a Ted Cruz. Sadly I stepped on a John Cornyn with my bare feet.
— RaulDukesLives (@RaulLives) March 22, 2021
Their junior partners in dastardliness, Austin branch, strove to keep up.
NEW: Video shows Texas lawmaker @KyleBiedermann near steps of U.S. Capitol as rioters clashed with officers
— Kolten Parker (@KoltenParker) March 22, 2021
Before this footage was unearthed, Biedermann was confirmed in DC but his exact whereabouts during siege were unknown.https://t.co/6LVwy8S3hq with @dilloncollier #txlege pic.twitter.com/IbXv3fpYr1
Rep. @GatesforTexas filed a bill that protects residential building owners from having to bring their vacant buildings up to code. He also happens to own several residential buildings & has received countless citations for building code violations. #txlege https://t.co/lfZPZEKFff
— RA News (@RANewsTX) March 19, 2021
Texas’s chief energy regulator, who defended fossil fuels after historic #TexasBlackout, also profits from oil and gas. Turns out dozens of #txlege officials do. w/@Post_AG https://t.co/hHlFT0YLkg
— Neena Satija (@neenareports) March 19, 2021
It's been a very busy week at the Lege; their spring break was canceled by Winter Storm Uri and so lawmakers had no choice but to dig in on their heavy workload. These stories suggest that we might all be better off if they had not.
We reported on rumblings of #txlege budgetwriters worried about the hooks on the $12B #txed funds from the America Rescue Plan & considering not accepting them as a result earlier this week: https://t.co/EVujVgoHUT https://t.co/DNaRKUUdhP
— RA News (@RANewsTX) March 24, 2021
RA also reports that the push to make Texas a "2nd Amendment Sanctuary" continues unabated in the wake of the Boulder, CO and Atlanta spa killings.
Texas House Bill 19 proposes to change liability laws concerning trucking companies, those who are involved in 18-wheeler accidents, and the lawsuits that result.
"The bill intrudes on what should be a matter for Texas jurors, who we think are smart enough to decide what's what in cases like these — without any 'guidance' from the Legislature." #txlege https://t.co/bk4hdbeW4o
— Texas Watch (@TexasWatch) March 22, 2021
Reasonable conservatives should not allow insurance companies to take away accountability measures or a jury’s constitutional role. Self regulation matters. #txlege @BriscoeCain @Burrows4TX https://t.co/P0SJNPIwro
— ComeTakeIt1836 (@CIt1836) March 22, 2021
WATCH: Texas has the most large truck wrecks in the country. Members of law enforcement are at risk everyday. This video shows the dangers they face. Protect them by holding dangerous trucking companies accountable. #txlege https://t.co/gkujx3o6Q6
— Texas Trial Lawyers (@TTLA_) March 24, 2021
I would imagine that The Texas Hammer and The Texas Bulldog -- among their cohorts at TTLA -- are going to work hard to defeat this legislation.
With the #TexasGeorgeFloydAct up at the #txlege tomorrow, it's a good time to recall that both the bill overall and each of its component parts enjoys widespread, bipartisan support: https://t.co/PgnkeAdJwF pic.twitter.com/n0z8xWVWCM
— Grits for Breakfast (@Grits4Breakfast) March 24, 2021
There are new police chiefs in Austin (interim) and Houston (permanent). Let's expect there NOT to be the same old problems.
Told y'all Kim Ogg has been a bitter disappointment.https://t.co/DJk0I03LhD
— SeeJayMill🏴🚩 (@kastowt77) March 22, 2021
I mean seriously, there are 244K reasons why homicides and other violent crimes might be spiking: pic.twitter.com/iF8IiGdp8g
MISDEMEANOR bail system was ruled unconstitutional in FED. COURT. They want to make a case against FELONY bail reform, IT DON'T EXIST yet. They falsely equate misdemeanor reform w/ felonies. https://t.co/XXqUG6gofp
— Ashton P. Woods (@AshtonPWoods) March 22, 2021
Kim Ogg is indeed one of the very worst Democrats in Harris County. But reformers who ran against her last year were handily defeated, because she has the HGLBT Caucus in her corner. If John Whitmire is successful in courting their favor in his presumptive bid for H-Town mayor in
There is no f'n way I will vote for Whitmire for mayor. I'm sick to death of old white centrist Democrats running anything, and I'm especially tired of watching emasculated Lege Democrats think the mayor's office would be a great retirement gig.
To that end (sort of), one Latino Democrat in the Valley reads the writing on the wall, and one Black Dem in North Texas throws in against Ken Paxton.
.@RepFilemonVela won't run for reelection, from @TexasTribAbby: https://t.co/2w87yIxWPj #TX34
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) March 22, 2021
Lee Merritt, a Dallas attorney who has represented the families of Black people killed by police officers, announced over the weekend that he plans to challenge Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton https://t.co/w2tWr3WEfK
— CBS Austin (@cbsaustin) March 22, 2021
He joins Galveston legal eagle Joe Jaworski in that primary. Moving on to some climate headlines:
Tracking An Invisible Killer
— The Intercept (@theintercept) March 18, 2021
Growing up, a group of 8 friends in Groves, Texas, had never heard of ethylene oxide, the carcinogenic gas that poured from a chemical plant in their neighborhood. Now three of them are fighting cancer.
Full story: https://t.co/V9C8xWhDxN pic.twitter.com/VNfuZ85KDM
New on @txsharon TikTok.
— TXsharon (@TXsharon) March 21, 2021
Staring @ApacheCorp and their lying lies. Narration by me. pic.twitter.com/QI45snZtQO
Annova LNG is CANCELED!
— Bekah Hinojosa (@beksbot) March 22, 2021
Today’s victory is the result of 6 yrs of tireless efforts of the Rio Grande Valley communities in Texas who have attended hearings, protested banks, and more to protect their health, coastline & climate from Annova LNG’s proposed fracked gas project! pic.twitter.com/bboEJVMKrt
And since I have plenty more for a Friday Roundup, I'll close this Aggregation with a few stories that commemorate and celebrate.
Teresa Lozano Long, and her husband Joe, opened doors to worlds that would otherwise have been unavailable to so many. I close my eyes and can feel the warmth that would come with her smile and support. Austin has lost one of its royalty. https://t.co/RKPxv8fefw
— Mayor Adler | 😷wear a mask. (@MayorAdler) March 22, 2021
Pulling into a random roadside motel in West Texas with a pinkish mohawk and out of state plates...
— Doug Stanhope (@DougStanhope) March 22, 2021
You will never appreciate more the time that that manager says "Big fan, by the way."
Nor will they know how much I adore motels with single digit room numbers. pic.twitter.com/1cigxfkgXQ
One year ago today, a beachcomber possessed got dropped off at the north end of @PadreIslandNPS, aimed himself southward, and then kept walking for four days. Retrace that nice fellow's 65-mile trek on the beautiful new @TexasMonthly website. https://t.co/Gt671U6zIz pic.twitter.com/xWt4DQqPb6
— The Texanist (@thetexanist) March 23, 2021
The videos of orcas off the coast of Galveston are breathtaking... it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just a few times have they been documented in the Gulf -- truly incredible.
— Galveston Island (@GalvestonIsland) March 19, 2021
*This video is courtesy of Matt Smith on Facebook. pic.twitter.com/USMg9TmySJ