Facing Record Unemployment, Abbott Misdirects to Football

"Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way."
Psalm 25:8

At first glance, this looks really good:

Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday that Texas is working to have the college football season start on time, with at least some fans in attendance, as the state continues to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Abbott, speaking during a TV interview, said there are still a few factors that remain to be seen, such as stadium capacity, the availability of medical treatment for the virus and the overall status of the outbreak in Texas. Abbott said he expects to know more about those issues around mid-July.

Until you realize:

The state’s April jobless rate was 12.8% — Texas’ worst monthly tally on record.

That number, included in the Labor Department’s monthly report released Friday, is the government’s clearest and most comprehensive look at the economic devastation in Texas since the coronavirus pandemic first swept the state in March.

Previously, the state’s worst-ever monthly unemployment rate was 9.2% in November 1986, as Texas reeled from the last big oil bust. Now, with more than 2 million Texans who have filed for unemployment during the outbreak, the contracting oil industry is only part of the state’s economic problems.

Abbott could have made that announcement about football at any point in the past few weeks.  Yet, he waited.  Gee, we wonder why.

Could it have had anything to do with the fact that Abbott knew today's unemployment numbers were going to be really bad...and that he wanted to change the subject?!?

Nah, too cynical.

Bottom Line:  Nobody wants a somewhat normal college football season more than this author.  That's certainly welcome.  But let's not kid ourselves about the real news today.