Monthly Archives: February 2017

Our first look at Senate district data

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib looks at the data we now have. In the state Senate, one Republican — Don Huffines of Dallas — is now representing a district that Clinton easily won, while two more — Konni Burton of Colleyville and Joan … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Justice Department wants out of voter ID case

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed Monday it plans to ditch its longstanding position that Texas lawmakers purposefully discriminated against minority voters by passing the nation’s strictest voter identification law in 2011. The move comes one day before … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bathroom bills are floundering

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Bills to curtail transgender people’s access to public restrooms are pending in about a dozen states, but even in conservative bastions such as Texas and Arkansas they may be doomed by high-powered opposition. The bills have taken on a … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bathroom bills are floundering

Interview with Holly Reed of Texas Central Railway

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I’ve been following the ins and outs of Texas Central Railway and its efforts to build a high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas since it was first proposed several years ago. Along the way, the proposal … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Mack Beggs

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I guarantee, we have never paid as much attention to the Texas high school wrestling championships as we did this past weekend. If the fervor over Euless Trinity transgender wrestler Mack Beggs during the last week could be swelled into … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Let’s talk about sex education

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’re not good at it. A Democratic state lawmaker is looking to bolster high school sex education requirements in hopes that Texas can lower its teen birth rates. Rep. Mary González, D-Clint, filed House Bill 1547 to require sex education … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

TxDOT accelerates I-45 construction timeline

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Gird your loins. For many long-suffering Houston drivers, a solution to the infuriating bottleneck on Interstate 45 through downtown is likely something they thought they wouldn’t live to see. More than a decade ago, a plan pitched to solve the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for February 26

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Egregious, intelligence-insulting lying by public officials is still a bad thing even if it isn’t illegal. “You’re about to see a big change to the sell-by dates on food”. Fourteen TV shows that blazed a path of inclusion for LGBT … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for February 26

Some dude opposes pension reform

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Presenting this in a slightly redacted form. [Some dude] has joined friend and ally Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, in rallying opposition to [Mayor Sylvester] Turner’s [pension reform] proposal among conservatives. He has attended at least three dozen forums on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Beto O’Rourke profile

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the WaPo, via the Trib, a profile of Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who may or may not be a candidate for Senate against Ted Cruz next year: Democrats might look at O’Rourke — a small-business owner with hipster credentials, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Beto O’Rourke profile

Still talking vaccines and measles

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Because it keeps needing to be talked about. Earlier this month, Dr. Peter J. Hotez, a pediatrician at Baylor College of Medicine and director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, detailed a disturbing prediction for 2017 in … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Still talking vaccines and measles

Saturday video break: Operator

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The classic gospel song by the great jazz/a capella group The Manhattan Transfer: Oh, those outfits. I confess, I don’t actually have a ManTran version of this song in my library right now, though I have owned this on cassette … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: Operator

On pot and potties

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Two more poll results to note. Opposition to legal marijuana is dropping in Texas, with fewer than one in five respondents to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll saying they are against legalization in any form. Support for marijuana … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Trib and the DMN on the train

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Tribune and the Dallas Morning News are teaming up on a deep dive into the Texas Central Railway’s high-speed rail proposal. This story, the third in their set, explains where the money to build this thing may come … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Trib and the DMN on the train

Two election-related bills to watch

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Texas Election Law Blog: For this legislative session, Representative Mike Lang has filed two bills to further a couple longstanding goals that have been planks in the Texas Republican Party’s party platform; namely (1) enforcing voter registration by … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 34

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Up, up to the sky… 1. Fill Me Up – Shawn Colvin 2. Little Saint Nick – She & Him (Zoey Deschanel) 3. 9 to 5 (Morning Train) – Sheena Easton 4. Thought It Would Be Better – Shelby Lynne … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 34

January 2017 campaign finance reports: Houston officeholders

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Normally, at this time I would be scanning through Houston candidate campaign finance reports, to see where incumbents stand at the start of the season. Of course, barring near-term court action there is no season for Houston municipal officeholders this … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Here come the anti-Texas Central bills

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: [Tuesday], a group of key state lawmakers filed a slate of legislation to push back against Texas Central Railway’s controversial proposal to construct a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. Senators Birdwell (R-Granbury), Creighton (R-Conroe), Kolkhorst … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

There’s more than SB6 to watch out for

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Keep an eye out for other anti-LGBT bills, because any of them might pass even if SB6 goes down. With the media seemingly preoccupied by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s bathroom bill, three Republican state senators have quietly introduced a sweeping … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on There’s more than SB6 to watch out for

Trump and the anti-vaxxers

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In case you needed another reason to dislike Donald Trump. President Trump’s embrace of discredited theories linking vaccines to autism has energized the anti-vaccine movement. Once fringe, the movement is becoming more popular, raising doubts about basic childhood health care among politically … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Cutting ICE

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another campaign promise gets fulfilled. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has ended a controversial partnership with federal immigration authorities that trained a team of county deputies to determine the immigration status of jailed suspects and hold those selected for deportation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Voter ID 2.0

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is interesting. Top Texas Republicans unveiled legislation Tuesday that would overhaul the state’s voter identification rules, an effort to comply with court rulings that have found that the current law discriminates against minority groups. Filed by Sen. Joan … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Voter ID 2.0

Global investors against SB6

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Led by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and Trillium Asset Management, a group of some of the largest investors in the world, with a combined $11 trillion of assets under management, today spoke out against … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Global investors against SB6

Texas blog roundup for the week of February 20

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance will light a scented candle outside Ikea in solidarity with the confused people of Sweden as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of February 20

Trump approval

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib does its poll thing. In his second month in office, President Donald Trump is getting overwhelmingly good grades on his job performance from the state’s Republicans, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Trump is popular … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Deportation nation

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Appalling. The Trump administration on Tuesday moved one step closer to implementing the president’s plans to aggressively rid the country of undocumented immigrants and expand local police-based enforcement of border security operations. In a fact sheet outlining the efforts, the … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

On those “improper” votes

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s be clear about this. Texas election officials have acknowledged that hundreds of people were allowed to bypass the state’s toughest-in-the-nation voter ID law and improperly cast ballots in the November presidential election by signing a sworn statement instead of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas cannot bar Planned Parenthood from Medicaid

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled Tuesday afternoon that Texas clinics affiliated with Planned Parenthood can continue to care for patients under the state’s Medicaid program, a phew-worthy victory for reproductive rights advocates and a loss for the state’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Latino turnout was up in 2016

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what the numbers say. Nearly 30 percent more Texas Latinos went to the polls in 2016 than in 2012, reducing the participation gap with other Texas voters and signaling to some observers that elections will become increasingly competitive in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Metro preps regional transit plan

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This could be on our November ballot as well. A pending long-term regional transit plan, and likely voter referendum as early as November, will determine where Metro goes. More importantly, they will show what level of support people in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro preps regional transit plan

Keep those calls and letters coming

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Dan Patrick needs to hear from you. As Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick relentlessly pushes a bill that would restrict the public restrooms transgender people can use, opposition to the measure is pouring in to his office. Patrick’s office received more … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The 2017 lineup for Pasadena

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the candidates for office in Pasadena for this May: I wish I could give that to you in a more reader-friendly format, but online news sources for this are scant. This Patch.com story is the only post-filing deadline … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Interview with Bill Kelly

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You may have heard that the city of Houston has some legislative business to take care of this session. Most notably, the city wants to get a bill passed to implement its pension reform plans, which may or may not … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Uptown lawsuit filed

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose we should have expected something like this. The city’s Uptown Development Authority and the economic development zone that feeds it were created in violation of the Texas Constitution, two critics allege in a lawsuit that seeks to void … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Uptown lawsuit filed