Damn You, Texas!
This morning it was announced that Texas House Speaker Joe Straus will not seek reelection. Straus is the last remaining sane Republican in a leadership position in the Texas House. He won because a few Republicans and all the Democrats supported him.
There is much moaning and wailing outside the nut house in Texas today. Straus was all that was standing between Texas outlawing courts of law and replacing them with posses, requiring a stamped Baptist church program or an excuse from your doctor every Monday to get a voter registration card, and having to allow Lt. Governor Dan Patrick watch you pee after inspecting your paraphernalia.
Do you realize that we could end up with Jonathan Strickland as speaker of the Texas House?
Then to make matters worse, the son of late Democratic Governor Mark White (who was a good guy and passed away in July) has announced the he wants to run for Texas Governor as a Democrat. His opening push?
“I’ve spent my career in business. I’m a very conservative Democrat, or I’m a moderate Republican or I don’t care what you call me,” he says. “It’s time to move beyond these simple labels . . . The issues are too complicated to limit to that just one team believes this and the other team believes that.”
Honey, Honey, Honey. I can smell a Republican a mile off. Child, you’re going to run in a Democratic primary by telling me that you’re not really a Democrat?
It is not a happy day in Texas for Democrats and, dammit, that doesn’t make it much different than any other day.
Don’t you know that Patrick and Abbott are salivating at getting the bathroom bill fast-tracked?
1I recollect during the late 80s and early 90s when my conservative friends switched parties from Dem to GOP, as did Phil Gramm and a few more elected officials of the time. IMO Texas is primarily conservative (or not) first and GOP or Dem by convenience.
2One great big warm, fuzzy hug to you and the Astros, Ms Juanita. One down. And to hell with politicians of the wingnut stripe.
Here’s hoping I didn’t jinx the Astros for the Series.
3With more Democrats active and riled up than ever, a “maybe sorta” Democrat wants to run in our primary. I think Juanita Jean could run under an assumed name (maybe Susan Bankston?) and take him in the primary easily.
“Fancy Suzy”
4Seems he’s taking a page from Bernie’s book, use the democratic party for all its worth, money, publicity, etc but won’t be a democrat!
5There are rumors that he is running for a “higher office” I’m hoping it is LT. Gov.
6Well, I’d rather not think about TX ratbastards this evening.
On the otter hand, on PBS, maybe in your TZ too, is a “Nature” OTTER program, on ‘cute’ overload now…
7This program is followed by an interesting “Nova” volcano program, and then “Frontline” has “Putin’s Revenge” (on us = YouKnowWho- DJT!), which should be very interesting.
All of these will likely repeat on your main PBS, or a subchannel, station over the next week, at least.
Straus is the only sane Republican in the state. I’m quite upset about this.
8Houston 7-6!
9june: I’m still trying to process the term “sane Republican.”
Not coming up with anything.
10Strauss got and held Speaker with a coalition of moderate pro-biz Rs and all the Ds. Odds are high it’ll be one of his lieutenants using the same strategy who will take over the chair. No reason to despair yet, my dears.
11JJ, my dear, I’ve given up trying to beat the crossword puzzle that is the TX leg. My condolences to you all!
12I lived in Dallas when Mark White was gov. He was an OK guy. Sounds like the apple fell a little further from the tree than usual.
My own apple is in a whole ‘nother orchard from my parents’ tree, so I get it. Except they were in the Conservative orchard…
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