Abbott/Turner slapfight is why government shouldn't provide "disaster relief"

"I will set Egyptians against Egyptians;
Everyone will fight against his brother,
And everyone against his neighbor,
City against city, kingdom against kingdom."
Isaiah 19:2

Oh good grief:

Texas is likely another nine months from getting $4.3 billion in federal post-Hurricane Harvey recovery money aimed at better protecting the state from future flooding and disasters. But when it finally arrives, Gov. Greg Abbott made clear Friday the state will be handling the money directly and not turning it over to cities and counties to manage.

While some local officials expressed frustration over the decision, Abbott said he’s turning to Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush to lead the program aimed at large-scale, regional projects. Bush has already been tasked with dealing with housing recovery issues since Harvey hit Texas in August 2017.

....

Similarly Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city will continue to work closely with Bush’s agency, but made clear who will be to blame for delays in getting work completed.

“If there will be any delay in the distribution and use of flood mitigation aid, it will come from the federal and state government,” Turner said.

Texas has been waiting for the money since February 2018, when Congress first approved the disaster mitigation program. But it took until August for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to publish rules on how the money can be used.

Now, Bush and the Texas General Land Office are required to develop a “state action plan” that must later get yet another approval from HUD. According to a joint statement put out by Abbott and Bush on Friday, that could take another “nine months or more to complete.” That would mean July 2020 — just short of three years after Hurricane Harvey made landfall.

Blah, blah, blah.

This is a scumbag on scumbag fight.  Greg Abbott and Sylvester Turner both want to supply graft and patronage.  Just different beneficiaries.  No matter who "wins," the public loses.

Don't get us started on that three year "rulemaking" process.

The Texas Observer, meanwhile, has more here.

Bottom Line: This is why you never ask the Feds for money.

#TXLEGE: Higher Ed. establishment proves Abbott A LIAR (once again)

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Joshua 24:15

Via. Texas Scorecard:

Starting a college organization is never easy, but starting a conservative organization—Young Conservatives of Texas, to be precise—has proven to be particularly hard at the University of North Texas.

There are many staff, students, and perhaps even those in administration who seem to be against our message. Our freedom of speech is under fire, with rumors that the Student Government Association is looking to put policies in place that would essentially revoke the free-speech rights that were reaffirmed to public universities through the passage of Senate Bill 18—which YCT representatives gave supportive testimony for at the Senate hearing—and Trump’s executive order.

The piece then details the UNT administration's specific abuses.  Typical higher ed. stuff.  To be honest, the details don't matter.

With all due respect: DUH!!!

Of course the higher ed. establishment is ignoring the legislature.  It's what they do.  The only thing that's surprising is that people believed Greg Abbott in June:

I just signed a law protecting free speech on college campuses. #txlege pic.twitter.com/jHIh8431SH

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 10, 2019

The higher ed. establishment will continue to ignore the legislature as long as the Boards' of Regents allow them to do so.  Meanwhile, allowing the higher ed. establishment to do whatever it wants is the one common trait we've seen from Greg Abbott's regent appointees.  And the Texas Senate keeps confirming them.

So why is anyone surprised?!?

We've been making this point for years: See 2017, and 2018, and 2019.

Witness list from this past session's UNT Board confirmation hearing:

All is well with this author's soul.

Bottom Line: The only surprising thing is that anyone is still surprised.

Rick Perry to "earn private sector salary"

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold."
Proverbs 22:1

Writing about Rick Perry's departure from the (federal) Energy department, an unintentionally revealing statement:

One Trump administration ally said Perry, who has spent much of his career in public service, would like to earn a private-sector salary “before hanging up his spurs.”

Oh, we're sure!!!

See here.  And here.  And certainly here.

In politics, a gaffe is when you unintentionally tell the truth.


via GIPHY


Bottom Line: Rick Perry was probably one of the less terrible elected officials in recent memory, but nobody should pretend he's a stranger to the revolving door or the gravy train....

Entitled Bimbo Wants to Serve You (to his donors on a platter)

"Even a child is known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right."
Proverbs 20:11

Via Kevin Williamson:

A source in Texas told me that George P. Bush, currently the state’s land commissioner, already is running a quiet campaign for lieutenant governor. His people would not exactly confirm that, but what they did say was, in a sense, more interesting: Who says it’s lieutenant governor?

“While he wouldn’t challenge current Governor Abbott or Lieutenant Governor Patrick, if an opening presents itself he would absolutely consider serving Texans in a higher role. When that moment arises, he’s ready,” said adviser J. R. Hernandez.

George P. Bush is the son of the former Florida governor and the nephew of the former Texas governor and president. He was born in Houston and is a graduate of Rice University and the University of Texas School of Law.

“Over the last few months,” Hernandez says, “several activists and donors have asked Commissioner Bush to consider higher office in Texas. At this time he is 100 percent focused on doing his job as land commissioner.”

This is the worst idea since Pete Sessions decided to run for Congress in Waco.

Good grief.

Is there any market for George P. Bush anywhere (besides a few big donors)?!?

With all due respect to whomever this "J.R. Hernandez" character might be (*), there sure as heck ain't any activists calling for this.  That may not ultimately matter, we've campaigns win without activist support (case in point: George P. Bush 2018).  But for anyone connected to the Bushes to claim "activist" support illustrates the sense of entitlement with which the entire operation carries itself.

Bottom Line: What could possibly go wrong?!?

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* -- We sent GLO some open records requests.

#TXLEGE, #atxcouncil: Abbott (kinda sorta) Makes Vague Promise (a month from now)

"A fool vents all his feelings,
But a wise man holds them back."
Proverbs 29:11

Alright there tough guy:

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott presented Austin and its Mayor Steve Adler with an ultimatum Wednesday: “Demonstrate consequential improvement in the Austin homelessness crisis” by Nov. 1 or the state will step in.

In a press release announcing the warning, Abbott’s office lamented reports of “violence, used needles, and feces littering the streets of Austin and endangering Texas residents.” The situation has drawn ire from a number of Republican officials and certain Austin businesses owners who have decried recent changes to city ordinances — meant to avoid criminalizing homelessness — as a threat to public safety and the local economy.

Under the changes, sitting and camping in public — except on parkland — is legal as long as a person does not endanger “the health or safety of another person or of themselves” or make “usage of such area unreasonably inconvenient or hazardous.”

“As the Governor of Texas, I have the responsibility to protect the health and safety of all Texans, including Austin residents,” Abbott wrote in a letter to Adler. “Further inaction by you and the Austin City Council will leave me no choice other than to use the tools available to the State of Texas to ensure that people are protected from health and safety concerns caused by the Austin homeless policies.”

The governor laid out several strategies that state agencies can utilize if there's no change by Nov. 1. Those agencies include the Health and Human Services Commission, which has the authority “to adopt rules in the areas of communicable disease, sanitation and health protection,” Abbott said. The Texas Department of Public Safety, he warned, will add troopers in Austin areas that “pose greater threats.”

“DPS also stands ready to increase security for state agencies that are forced to respond to the homelessness crisis,” Abbott said.

Apparently, no special session.

Instead, Abbott wants a commission to...adopt rules?!?  What exactly is that supposed to accomplish?!?  Besides keeping bureaucrats busy.

Meanwhile, from what current responsibilities does Abbott intend to pull DPS personnel?!?  Because the state doesn't have an unlimited number.  "Adding troopers" on high profile issues comes at the expense of DPS' core responsibilities.

There might be some activity, but there's very little accomplishment.

We've seen this movie:



Abbott = Hans Blix.

Bottom Line: Nobody should take anything Abbott said yesterday seriously.

Pete Sessions: Answer to Question NOBODY's Asking

"Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool lays open his folly."
Proverbs 13:16

Cartoonishly, super-terrible, idea:

Former Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions appears poised to make a comeback attempt — but not in his old Dallas-based district.

Sessions, who lost reelection last year, plans to announce Thursday he's running for the seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, according to McLennan County GOP Chairman Jon R. Ker. The announcement will be at the county party headquarters in Waco, added Ker, who said he spoke with Sessions on Tuesday.

Sessions' anticipated run is a surprise development after he spent months publicly flirting with running for his previous 32nd District seat, which is about 80 miles north of Flores' more Republican 17th District.

....

Sessions is not entirely new to the area. He was born there and grew up in Waco, where his dad, a former FBI director, worked as an attorney in the 1960s.

We could write a 20-40 page dissertation on everything wrong with this idea, but off the top of our head:

• Arrogance -- More than anything else, this common political trait was Pete Sessions' undoing.  We personally experienced this side of Sessions at a 2015 event, when Sessions quasi-censored (*) our first amendment rights.  Suffice to say, Sessions didn't want a record of the degree to which he acted like a jerk that night.
  
  [* - Had we sued, we would have beaten Sessions in court, but said lawsuit was more trouble than it would have been worth.]
  
  Pete Sessions is the dude who claimed a homestead exemption in Florida while allegedly representing Texas.
  
  To be honest, for Pete Sessions to believe that a place where he last lived over five decades ago is clamoring for his representation tells you everything you need to know.

• Corruption -- Just last year, Pete Sessions was busted for living large off of campaign contributions.
  
  That's just what's publicly reported.
  
  It wouldn't surprise us if there's more.
  
• Loserdom -- Sessions lost to a Democrat less than a year ago.

Sheesh.

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In fairness to folks in the Waco county area, a fair amount of resistance to this idea seems to have sprung up.

Good.

We need more.

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Bottom Line: Pete Sessions is an arrogant, corrupt, loser.  By themselves, any one of those traits should be disqualifying.  It takes a special type of establishment Republican to hit that trifecta....

Jeff Roe Should Stop "Anonymously" Spinning Failure

"A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;"
Proverbs 6:12

"Texas Republican Strategist" today in national press:

"We need a new Republican Party because the one we have is getting our asses kicked in House races," one Texas GOP strategist, who works with various campaigns and asked to speak anonymously to be candid, told Axios.

Anonymous sourcing 101: Quote your source by name later in the article; which we bring up because....

"It sucks being in the minority, and a lot of these guys haven't been in the minority since '06, and they are fearful there isn't a lot of hope to get the majority back in this cycle,” said Jeff Roe, a Republican political consultant who's worked with Sen. Ted Cruz.

[Note: Emphasis added.]

So the guy who ran Ted Cruz's 2018 campaign into the ground purports to offer advice?!?

Classic.

[Note: Only an imbecile believes "it sucks being in the minority." Being in a legislative minority is one of the sweetest gigs in politics.  48% of the budget with 0% of the responsibility.]

We've said our piece about the Texas GOP's 2018 failures.  We've also said our piece about Ted Cruz's 2018 failures.  We don't have much new to say.  But maybe, just maybe, the architect of those failures might want to refrain from offering anonymous 'advice.'

Jeff Roe, never forget, was the genius who thought it was a good idea to get into a two week argument with Cruz's strongest supporters over yard signs.

Jeff Roe, likewise, ran the genius campaign who thought it was a good idea to discuss the pregame habits of football players rather than health care.

Bottom Line: There are any number of things that may or may not make sense in 2020, but step one is to ignore the architects of the 2018 failure.