Sunday Performance Politics Funnies

A Weekend Ketchup Wrangle

I fell behind taking time off this week, and a few things happened.  Some are worth revisiting.

Snow in the Panhandle, fires in West Texas, tornadoes near Austin, DFW & Houston -- a wild weather day in Texas. https://t.co/DnwrS3U5aC pic.twitter.com/KvipFdl3FA

— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) March 22, 2022

At least one person is dead after a large tornado hit New Orleans Tuesday night. This comes as at least 20 tornadoes tore through parts of Texas and Oklahoma on Monday. https://t.co/MJpNVUAxWV

— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) March 23, 2022

Here's a path comparison of the May 27, 1997 F5 Jarrell tornado vs the March 21, 2022 EF-1 Jarrell tornado. Monday's tornado crossed the 1997 path in two places. This coming May marks the 25 year anniversary of the May 27 tornado, the last F5 to have struck the state of Texas. pic.twitter.com/joDlEmS4ER

— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) March 24, 2022

A ma te acuerdas do you remember that time I was driving home from a my job interview at Whataburger and me and my camioneta roja got caught in a tornado.

That is the most Texas story it needs a corrido. #txlege https://t.co/ecDLxxGWsK

— Armando Walle (@RepWalle) March 26, 2022

#NEW Riley Leon, the 16-year-old that drove his red truck through a Texas tornado, got the job he was driving home from interviewing for and is being gifted a new Chevrolet Silverado.

DETAILS: https://t.co/44IQ3JHD7r

— FOX 7 Austin (@fox7austin) March 25, 2022

And some are not.  But I document the atrocities here, so ...

"This is nothing our lawyers are taking seriously at all because he's so wrong about the law. We thank the attorney general for his interest, but we will continue to celebrate Pride." - AISD spokesman @JasStanford https://t.co/Mw3Ugiy8z7

— Progress Texas (@ProgressTX) March 23, 2022

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reduces profile of higher education in Texas Senate after attacking tenure https://t.co/oCVCFHgSuB#txed #txlege #highereducation #education #Texas

— San Antonio Review (@SanAntoReview) March 23, 2022

I can't get over the fact that Ted Cruz yelled at Montana airport employees "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" and they had to call the cops on him because he was so pissed that he was missing his flight back to DC to ask Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson if babies are racist

— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) March 22, 2022

Sen. John Cornyn claimed he wasn’t 'arguing the merits or lack of merits of same-sex marriage' while questioning Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson over her views of the Supreme Court’s role in policymaking…but it sounds like he is. Watch the exchange 🤔 pic.twitter.com/oTPJjKcl7k

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 22, 2022

Here we go again…#StatesRights…the SAME argument #WhiteMen used to justify #slavery! Here’s @JohnCornyn ‘states should be allowed to set laws on it’#txlege #NeverEnds #BS

Cornyn rips 2015 same-sex marriage ruling in SCOTUS hearing: https://t.co/8qBdD2AYTR via @houstonchron

— Señor Peña (@SenorPena) March 22, 2022

🧵 @SenTedCruz vowed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing wouldn’t become a “political circus.”

Two days later, Cruz was yelling after his time had run out and asking Jackson to define “woman.”
✏️ @BenjaminEW
📷 @business
➡️https://t.co/s6dO3pk9Ka pic.twitter.com/MYpkWag4hH

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) March 24, 2022

The last flickering embers of Ted Cruz's sense of decency leaving his body after his shameless and shameful performance in the @JudiciaryDems hearing today. https://t.co/Bpfad8jfux

— Blake Rocap (@BlakeRocap) March 24, 2022

NEW: @GranburyISD’s superintendent is saying the quiet part out loud. This audio is evidence that book removals in the district are occurring because of anti-LGBTQIA+ bias.

Discrimination has no place in any school, anywhere. https://t.co/X9ccN4i1Kr

— ACLU of Texas (@ACLUTx) March 23, 2022

Here's some Houston and Harris County developments that the two Democrat blogs who allegedly cover this beat haven't mentioned yet.

Harris County Judge grilled following 'bid rigging' allegations https://t.co/rZO7z8c4y6

— FOX26Houston (@FOX26Houston) March 22, 2022

I've never seen that look on Judge Hidalgo's face before.  She appears nauseous.  Hope she's feeling okay.  (Probably feels better than Felicity Pereyra).

Kim Ogg accuses Commissioners Court of defunding’ DA’s office, asks for $6M more https://t.co/NfX4hBPyQ4 via @houstonchron #hounews

— Matt Schwartz (@SchwartzChron) March 22, 2022

Today I learned I live in the congressional district with the highest uninsured rate in the nation #TXCD29. It is beyond embarrassing that @LaCongresista does not support #MedicareForAll legislation that could help the 30% of my neighbors that have no health insurance. https://t.co/drNURmQdeC pic.twitter.com/TPN4qbaeQs

— RoB (@xroblockx) March 22, 2022

One last item regarding two other blue losers.

Asked about #TX28 runoff, @SpeakerPelosi says she is continuing to support incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar.

“I support my incumbents. I support every one of them.”

Asked abt FBI raid of his home, she says: “I haven’t seen anything, have you? Do you know what it’s about?”

— Madlin Mekelburg (@madlinbmek) March 23, 2022

More politics, more criminal and social justice and injustice news, some environmental updates, and a large collection of soothers coming.

"It Was a Dark and Stormy Night" Wrangle

Let's talk about the weather.

BREAKING: In Round Rock, a debris field is becoming apparent from @KVUE fixed cameras, including bark shredded from trees. pic.twitter.com/Dqxjjp0vbi

— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) March 21, 2022

Here’s a few more pics from my scene at Jacksboro Elementary School as it’s now daylight. Cars tossed around, twisted metal, partially collapsed buildings. The power of a tornado. #txwx @CBSDFW pic.twitter.com/03bGehGnC5

— Nick Starling (@NickStarlingTV) March 22, 2022

Just the usual in H-Town; flooded streets, swollen bayous, some power outages.  A different story in the Panhandle, though.

There are several wrecks this morning from the heavy snow last night. This is one of several. I-40 eastbound was at a standstill at Dowell rd. Drive with caution. Some reports of 9" of snow are trickling in this morning.#txwx #okwx #nmwx #phwx @ABC7Amarillo @StormSearch7 pic.twitter.com/SSvD1vgqmc

— Corbin Voges WX (@CorbinVogesWX) March 22, 2022

So I guess we can talk about the climate.

Texas is threatening to cut ties with some of the world’s biggest financial firms over their efforts to address the climate crisis. It's the latest move from Texas leaders to stifle a climate movement that they believe endangers the state's bottom line.https://t.co/0PPDMwjxrZ

— Inside Climate News (@insideclimate) March 21, 2022

#Texas Leads #EnergyTransition into #Wind as #Renewables Reach 13% of #US #Energy Mix#Solar & Wind Prices Remain Indifferent to Putin!https://t.co/17qdcXrV3q

Kindly RT#ClimateAction #SDGs #Sustainability#Carbon #DemVoice1 #Oil #Climate@KAdnoub @unixdoss @DidiFrench pic.twitter.com/KkzUZbg9pf

— Arik Ring - Energy Engineering Expert (@arikring) March 12, 2022

Mother Jones: The “Environmentalist” Lawyer Fighting to Protect Big Oil -- Phil Goldberg has a powerful strategy to shield fossil-fuel giants from litigation#txlege #oilandgas #Oil #Renewables https://t.co/MjeqTGpCqj

— Texas Energy Report (@TxEnergyReport) March 22, 2022

If @GregAbbott_TX has no problem using energy CEOs as political human shields, why should one of them care if Abbott becomes collateral damage in a lawsuit against @BetoORourke? Via @quorumreport: https://t.co/a7vB1Kkrdq #txlege

— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) March 21, 2022

 A healthcare update:

Here’s an infographic we put together in the 87th session to show that Texas would actually make money by expanding Medicaid. #txlege still didn’t budge. Fiscally irresponsible. @Texas2036 https://t.co/4TF14qShNf pic.twitter.com/NBu1YNjoqI

— Donna Howard (@DonnaHowardTX) March 21, 2022

American Community Survey results released last week show Texas' uninsured rate at twice the national average — 17.3%, which was 3 points more than the state with the next-highest uninsured rate, Oklahoma. #txlege #txhealthhttps://t.co/Dmd2TriOHN

— Texas 2036 (@Texas2036) March 22, 2022

"I just don't agree with abolishing private insurance", says Rep. Sylvia Garcia, pictured above.  We have a lot of shitty Democrats in the Lone Star State, and La Congresista isn't even the worst one (that title goes to my Congress creature, Lizzie Fletcher.  But at least Fletcher isn't pretending to be something she isn't: progressive).

I suppose that segues to Ted Cruz.

“That’s not to say this hearing should be non-substantive and non-vigorous,” says Ted Cruz, while being non-substantive and non-vigorous. https://t.co/oUqJoeO4z2

— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) March 21, 2022

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) refers to sexual assault allegations against Justice Brett Kavanaugh as “teenage dating habits.” pic.twitter.com/dpXl8kjFXC

— The Recount (@therecount) March 21, 2022

A 23-second video shows a visibly frustrated @TedCruz speaking with two female representatives at the @UnitedAirlines check-in desk. It later shows him speaking with a male officer as the senator gesticulates with a cell phone in his hand. https://t.co/3Av7ukfJpT via @YahooNews

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

Here's some updates to yesterday's and also last Thursday's posts.

#Breaking: Appeals court reinstates injunction in Texas CPS case. State will be barred from investigating parents solely for providing gender affirming care to their transgender kids.

State will likely appeal to TX Supreme Court. Background: https://t.co/K60iOVL6bt #txlege

— Lauren McGaughy 🌟 (@lmcgaughy) March 22, 2022

Founder of home for sex-trafficking victims in Bastrop tells #txlege that 'predator in our midst' groomed girls, got 'em to take nude selfies, sold photos & rewarded girls w/illegal drugs.

Also, state official resigns after lashing out at federal judge.https://t.co/hW8bNYGuwq

— Bob Garrett (@RobertTGarrett) March 22, 2022

Former Director of Child Care Investigations Justin Lewis resigns after Texas Senate committee hearing (and following media coverage) that he says focused undue attention on two of his staff members. An "inebriated" text also came to light showing Lewis insulting Jack. #txlege pic.twitter.com/y8J6okUNNk

— Isaiah Mitchell (@IsaiahMitch_tx) March 21, 2022

"Public schools have become lodestones for the nation’s accelerating culture wars. This is merely the latest incarnation of a decades-old Republican playbook to discredit, defund, and ultimately destroy the Texas public education system." https://t.co/g3t6s7uHjJ

— Texas Observer (@TexasObserver) March 21, 2022

Republicans and white Americans increasingly see themselves as victims of discrimination despite ample evidence to the contrary. For @FiveThirtyEight, @NeilLewisJr and I examined *why* this is the case and how these perceptions have changed over time. https://t.co/D8YWFLGWTX

— Alexandra Samuels (@AlexSamuelsx5) March 21, 2022

And more shootings.

It was a tragic week in Texas with too many families forever changed by gun violence. Texans deserve to feel safe, and our lawmakers have the moral duty to protect our communities. #txlege #endgunviolence #enough pic.twitter.com/gV9wTfGNRv

— Texas Gun Sense (@txgunsense) March 21, 2022

This weekend, during SXSW, Austin police arrested over 30 people, 19 of whom had handguns. And even though over 150 officers were on the streets - *seven times* the normal number - four people were shot.

Tell me more about good guys with guns… #txlege https://t.co/8lNCRheuuF

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 20, 2022

And two soothers, one referenced yesterday.

The latest effort in Mineral Wells' rebirth is a sleek boutique hotel that retains its vintage flair. The seven-story hotel features 37 rooms and nine retail businesses. https://t.co/92YbWDqO1Y

— Texas Highways Magazine (@TexasHighways) March 20, 2022

#BarrioDogs 12th Anniversary Celebration & Pedal for Paws on Sunday March 27th, noon to 6pm at @bohemeos.

To ride with Pedal for Paws, sign up individually or create a team: https://t.co/e9oEiuc34q.

For additional information email: gloria@barriodogs.org#HoustonEvent pic.twitter.com/aXfWbtk5pB

— Barrio Dogs, Inc. (@barriodogs) March 10, 2022