The Texas Progressive Alliance solemnly swears that it did not have diplomatic relations with that Russian, Mr. Kislyak, as it brings you this week’s roundup.
Off the Kuff looks at precinct data in Senate districts, which present some interesting opportunities next year.
Libby Shaw at Daily Kos is not surprised a Party that relies upon gerrymandering, voter suppression efforts, dirty dark money and Russian hackers to win elections is naturally hard wired for right wing authoritarianism and corporate fascism. Trump’s Republican Russian Party.
Socratic Gadfly heard about President Obama’s new book coming out, got a secret advance copy through The Dark Side and wrote up a quick review.
While most DC Democrats were focused on Trump’s latest Russian affair, Bernie Sanders went to Mississippi to rally with Nissan autoworkers who’ve been abused by the automaker’s plant managers there. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs wonders when the Democrats who want labor’s help in 2018 will start showing up to support the working class.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme sees the Trump angry white man as a domestic abuser. Texas Republicans vote to increase maternal deaths spawning trickle down violence against women.
Neil at All People Have Value was out on the streets of Houston asking for kindness and respect for all. APHV is part of NeilAquino.com.
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And here are some posts of interest from other Texas blogs.
The Lunch Tray assures us that Betsy DeVos doesn’t have the power to change the National School Lunch Program, but Congressional Republicans and other federal officials do.
Lone Star Ma focuses on the 15th of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.
The Texas Election Law Blog analyzes two more bills that would limit voting.
The TSTA Blog reminds us that vouchers never truly go away.
Better Texas Blog finds the Republicans’ Obamacare replacement plans to be wanting.
So Bernie is in Mississippi. Looks like he wants to do his part to make Mexico great again. Why do you think Nissan didn’t locate their plant in Michigan? Everyone seems to agree that Nissan already pays above the prevailing MS wage for manufacturing, and the linked articles in the PDiddie post seem to indicate that having the Nissan plant makes the MS landscape more attractive to other manufacturing operations to move there. If Nissan takes their marbles south of the border, because paying Trump’s import tax is cheaper than dealing with ungrateful rabble rousers, how will that effect the now jobless Nissan workers? More importantly, how will that effect their fellow citizens, who maybe, sorta, kinda, would have been happy to have other industry move to town, hiring people, paying property taxes, etc.?
I’m doing some math in my head. The “be happy you have a job” argument? You know, the job that even paid at the Kelly Temp rate is higher than the local prevailing wage argument? That resonates with me. If those MS auto workers want salaries that are paid by the Big 3, why don’t they move to Michigan and try to hire on at GM? These folks are already making more in their lower cost of living area than the average manufacturing workers there. If they aren’t happy, why don’t they hire on with one of the other companies in town that pays less? Nissan pays ABOVE the prevailing wage, yet Nissan is the bad guy here? OK, then.