Monthly Archives: October 2014

Friday random ten: It must be Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I know I’m in the late stages of a recurring theme for Friday Random Tens, but how can I not break out of it when Halloween falls on a Friday? 1. Creepy Doll – Jonathan Coulton 2. Scarecrow – Steeleye … Continue reading →

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2014 Day 11 Early Vote totals

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

But first, a little Republican angst. The Republican Party of Bexar County has issued a series of desperate pleas to conservative voters, saying “the Democrats are beating us on base turnout,” but two of the Texas party’s biggest names converged … Continue reading →

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McClelland wants more money for more cops

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And I want some answers before we go along with this request. Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland asked city leaders Tuesday for an additional $105 million over five years to hire hundreds of new officers as part of a plan … Continue reading →

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The Fifth Circuit is in no hurry to rule on same sex marriage

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Such a show of courage on their part. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals tentatively has scheduled oral arguments in the Texas and Louisiana gay marriage cases for early January, disappointing local advocates and possibly delaying until 2016 a hearing … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Juvenile courts

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I had thought we were at the end of the line for endorsements, but not quite yet. 314th Juvenile District Court: Natalia Oakes Democratic candidate Natalia Oakes has dedicated her career to helping children, and voters should put that passion … Continue reading →

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2014 Day 10 Early Vote totals

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are, and here are the full 2010 EV totals. The debate about what the turnout numbers mean continues apace. You already know what I think about that, so let me introduce a different perspective. We’ve been talking about … Continue reading →

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Parker orders withdrawal of pastor subpoenas

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They got what they wanted. With local pastors standing with her, Mayor Annise Parker has told the City Legal Department to withdraw the subpoenas filed against five local pastors who have identified themselves as the leaders of the petition drive … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: County civil courts

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I believe we are finally at the end of the endorsements line. Last to the table are thecounty civil courts, where in a slight change of pace the Democratic challengers were recommended in two out of three contested races: Civil … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of October 27

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance says VOTE VOTE VOTE as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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2014 Day Nine EV totals

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are, and here are the full 2010 EV totals. I don’t have it in me to do any analysis, so let me refer you to Greg for the lay of the land. Monday wasn’t as good as I … Continue reading →

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The larger issue on voter ID

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib reminds us that there are bigger questions that remain to be answered in the voter ID litigation. The litigation on the state’s voting district maps for legislative and congressional elections is still underway, and the treatment of minority … Continue reading →

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Fort Bend’s electoral future

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Fort Bend County isn’t what it used to be politically, but it’s also not what it ought to be headed for yet. It has been more than two decades since a Democrat won countywide office in Fort Bend, but swift … Continue reading →

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Mayor Parker for pot reform

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The list of people who think it’s time to talk about reforming our drug laws keeps growing. Add Houston Mayor Annise Parker to the growing list of officials calling for a new approach to the nation’s drug laws, especially when … Continue reading →

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2014 Day Eight EV totals

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

But first, a few words about the overall picture. The number of Texans voting early at the polls is down significantly in Harris County compared with the last midterm election, a potential warning sign that pundits say may mean Democrats … Continue reading →

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Lies are worse than missteps

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

But you know what we’re going to hear more about. Conservative outrage over the Parker administration’s admittedly bungled subpoena of five pastors’ sermons last week marked just the latest episode in a messy political saga surrounding the city’s equal rights … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of DA race

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a simple question at the core of the race for Harris County District Attorney. For two years, in the early 1990s, Kim Ogg and Devon Anderson worked in the same office under legendary Harris County District Attorney Johnny Holmes. … Continue reading →

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The battle over booze sales comes to Tomball

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I always enjoy a good story about when a county or town votes on whether or not to repeal Prohibition-era restrictions on local alcohol sales. Eight decades ago, the oil started flowing in Tomball and the whiskey soon followed. The … Continue reading →

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2014 first week EV totals

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are, and here are the full 2010 EV totals. Democrats still have a lot of work to do, at least in Harris County. I sure hope it happens, that’s all I can say. We’re already seeing postmortems for … Continue reading →

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What they didn’t tell us about voter ID

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Republicans knew fully well that their voter ID bill would disenfranchise a lot of people. They just didn’t care. Republican state officials working to pass a voter photo ID law in 2011 knew that more than 500,000 of the state’s … Continue reading →

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It shouldn’t be this hard to get a driver’s license

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And for most people it isn’t that hard. But for some people, it is. Daniela Parker has two mothers, a circumstance that turned a typically routine matter – scheduling a road test for a Texas driver’s license – into a … Continue reading →

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Location, location, location

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

At the first public meeting about the proposed Dallas-Houston high speed railroad line, the main focus was the endpoints. More than 100 people were in attendance on Tuesday for the first of six public meetings being held jointly by the … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for October 26

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Placebo power should not be underestimated. You’re no Brooklyn, you know. In her spare time, Laurie Holden, aka Andrea from The Walking Dead, rescues sex slaves. And what have you done this weekend? Are you looking for a good way … Continue reading →

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Suing for same-sex death benefits

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Married people receive death benefits when their spouses die. Unless your marriage isn’t recognized as legal by the state you live in. That’s the basis of this lawsuit. An Austin woman filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday seeking to halt the … Continue reading →

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Council approves meaningless tax cut

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Such awful policy. The Houston City Council unanimously passed a nominal property tax cut Tuesday afternoon, the first rate reduction in five years, as the city for the first time runs into a revenue cap imposed by voters a decade … Continue reading →

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Wilvin Carter

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, there are interesting races for District Attorney in Harris, Dallas, and Bexar Counties. Turns out there’s one in Fort Bend County, too. As Fort Bend County District Attorney, John Healey has faced competitive elections before. Since a … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: State Senate

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes another curious choice. District 17: Joan Huffman In District 17, which includes parts of Harris County and counties to the east, Republican incumbent Joan Hoffman has a credible Democratic opponent in Rita Lucido, 58, a family law … Continue reading →

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2014 Day Five EV totals

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are. I’ll save commentary for after the weekend, but suffice it to say that today needs to be a good day for the Democrats in Harris County.

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KHOU poll shows little support for Astrodome Park plan

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another result of interest from that KHOU/KUHF poll. The plan to turn the Astrodome into the world’s largest indoor park is politically unpopular with Harris County voters if the transformation requires any taxpayer dollars, according to a new poll released … Continue reading →

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HPOU wades into the DA race

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They’re all in for incumbent Devon Anderson. The already intense race for Harris County district attorney became more heated Wednesday with the Houston Police Officer’s Union attacking Democratic candidate Kim Ogg, saying that during her time at Crime Stoppers she … Continue reading →

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There’s an app for birth control

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure this won’t controversial at all. “Isn’t there an app for that?” Turns out there is, if what you’re after is birth control or a test for a sexually transmitted infection. In the latest example of fast-growing “telemedicine,” video … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: W for the win

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Almost done with the alphabet, at which point I’ll have to come up with a new gimmick to get me through a few weeks. But until then, the W names. 1. Dance Hall Days – Wang Chung 2. Casey Jones … Continue reading →

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UT/Trib: Abbott 54, Davis 38

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

More of the same from the Trib’s pollsters. Republican Greg Abbott has a 16-point lead over Democrat Wendy Davis in the closing days of this year’s general election for governor, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Abbott … Continue reading →

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Abbott’s actions in the Hecht ethics case belie his “just doing my job” evasion

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

More accurately, it’s his lack of action that speaks clearly about his priorities and discretion. Attorney General Greg Abbott, accused of favoritism in his handling of an ethics case involving a Texas Supreme Court justice, says it’s not his duty … Continue reading →

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Alameel 2018?

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Sure, why not? Even against long odds, David Alameel hasn’t thrown in the towel in his bid to unseat Sen. John Cornyn. “I’m in it for the long run,” the Dallas investor and dentist told The Dallas Morning News editorial … Continue reading →

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