Texas Politics

Texas Politics feels like a dystopian HBO drama where there is only one flavor of opinion — vanilla. Tolerance is nonexistent, sprinkles aren’t allowed. Don’t even think about chocolate.

It’s embarrassing enough that a federal judge has ruled, yet again, that our voter ID law was passed to intentionally discriminate. Now the Texas Legislature approved one of the toughest anti-sanctuary city bills in the nation and detouring funds meant to prevent pollution to anti-abortion groups. Plus, the silly Bathroom Bill, which just needs to get flushed from memory.

The Texas Legislature is influenced by Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, both continuously trying to shove their religion down our throat. Let’s not forget Attorney General Ken Paxton, who refuses to leave his Collin County home for Austin and faces federal indictment charges. Both Patrick and Paxton have announced their plans to seek reelection in 2018.

Unexpected Acts of Kindness

Among the horror we’ve witnessed over the last several weeks, it’s been amazing to see tiny glimmers of awesomeness during hurricanes in Houston, Florida and Puerto Rico. In Las Vegas, where strangers put their lives at risk to help others as a gunman rained down bullets on country music fans. These senseless acts of violence…

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

After a long holiday weekend, I hit the snooze button for 37 minutes, the amount of time I had allocated for the morning workout I detest. I overslept and skipped the gym, hardly the way I want to start a new week. That’s because no good deed goes unpunished. I’m already down, having dashed my…

Problems with Texas Texting Ban

With all the hubbub in Texas over bathroom bills and whatnot, one bill that quietly swooped into place is a statewide ban on texting and driving. It goes into effect on September 1. It’s not hard to see us go from texting ban to deportation from Texas for some unlucky undocumented immigrants.  Gov. Greg Abbott…

Texas Legislature Takes on Craft Beer

Texas has cultivated a love affair with craft beer, but that doesn’t extend to the Texas Legislature, which recently passed a bill that beer advocates are calling grossly anti-competitive. House Bill 3287, aka the “taproom bill,” says that if a brewer with a taproom produces more than 175,000 barrels of beer on-site, they must 1)…

Texas Betting on Trump to Block Planned Parenthood

The state of Texas is on a mission to box Planned Parenthood out, and is hoping the current Presidential administration will aid and abet its plan, even if it results in the further decline of health services to Texas women. That’s right. Texas is betting on Trump to block Planned Parenthood. In 2013, Texas gave…

Don’t Thank Dallas Mayor for Pension Resolution

Following months of uncertainty, some progress is being made to divert one of the biggest potential crises for the city of Dallas: the disposition of the massively troubled Dallas Police and Fire Pension. But we don’t have Mayor Mike Rawlings to thank for it. Due to gross mismanagement, the pension fund has acquired a debt…

Your vote counts so use it

Why You Need to Vote

It feels like things are really getting bad in Texas. That we’re living in a dystopian HBO drama where there is only one flavor of opinion — vanilla. Tolerance is nonexistent, sprinkles aren’t allowed. Don’t even think about chocolate. It’s embarrassing enough that a federal judge has ruled, yet again, that our voter ID law…

Why We Need to Speak Up for Mother Earth

April 22 marked the passing of another Earth Day, with a weekend-long festival at Fair Park, and celebrations around the world. Our awareness about the importance of protecting the environment seems to be increasing. Yet the actions by state and national politicians seem to be going in the opposite direction. This should be a no-brainer.…

Dallas Police are Ripe Recruitment Targets

San Antonio wants our cops and is going big to get them. The Alamo City is seeking recruits for its police department via billboards on I-35, US 75, and the Dallas North Tollway, and they’re getting a response — “hundreds of calls,” says WOAI-TV. Their offer includes a $7,500 sign-on bonus and what they call…

The Dollars and Sense of Sanctuary Cities

The concept of a sanctuary city is an ancient one, dating back to the Old Testament. But with immigration emerging as a major issue since the 2016 Presidential election, the topic has a new life, both nationally and locally. The current controversy over sanctuary cities began in January, when President Donald Trump signed an executive…