Tag Archives: Joe Biden

The financial benefit of filing seditious lawsuits

Ladies and gentlemen, your Attorney General: Campaign contributions to embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton all but dried up last fall after senior staff accused the Republican of abusing his office to help a friend and political donor. But Paxton’s fortunes … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

Paxton sues over deportation pause

That didn’t take long. Three days into the Biden administration, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed his first lawsuit against the federal government. The lawsuit seeks an halt to one of the president’s executive actions on immigration, a 100-day … Continue reading

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Beware the renewable energy disinformation

It’s out there, in more ways than one. David Dunagan doesn’t want a 760-acre solar power plant to be built across his fenceline. The Old Jackson Power Plant will replace farmland in Van Zandt County with gleaming, metal panels. Though … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Ethics complaint filed against Cruz and Hawley

Likely to have little to no effect, but one has to express one’s disapproval in as many appropriate manners as one can. Seven Democrats in the U.S. Senate have filed an ethics complaint against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

If we finally get immigration reform…

It would have a big effect in Texas, for obvious reasons. Just after being sworn in on Wednesday, President-elect Joe Biden plans to propose a major immigration overhaul that would offer a pathway to citizenship to up to 1.7 million … Continue reading

Posted in La Migra, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Nowhere to go but up with COVID vaccines

Starting from scratch. Newly sworn in President Joe Biden and his advisers are inheriting no coronavirus vaccine distribution plan to speak of from the Trump administration, sources tell CNN, posing a significant challenge for the new White House. The Biden … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A brief summary of what the next two years will be like

What will Republicans do without Trump? “The Republican Party is at a crossroads like it’s never been before, and it’s gonna have to decide who it is,” said Corbin Casteel, a Texas GOP operative who was Trump’s Texas state director … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Census apportionment shenanigans to be officially curtailed

As it should be. The Trump administration’s protracted efforts to keep some immigrants from being counted when congressional seats are divvied up after the 2020 census ended with the former president’s departure from the White House, but President Joe Biden’s … Continue reading

Posted in National news, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Census apportionment shenanigans to be officially curtailed

If we’re lucky, Congress will short circuit the Lege’s attempts to curtail voting

That would be nice. Elections have consequences. So does the Republican enabling of the worst, most corrupt chief executive in the nation’s history. Hence, the first piece of legislation to be introduced in the new Democratic Senate will be S. 1, The for the … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

It’s going to be lawsuit season again

Not looking forward to it, but it’s better than the alternative. President-elect Joe Biden has big plans for his first 100 days in office, when he’s vowed to roll back the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, push policies addressing climate change … Continue reading

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

Precinct analysis: Presidential results by Congressional district

From Daily Kos Elections, the breakdown of how Presidential voting went in each of Texas’ 36 Congressional districts: Two districts did in fact flip on the presidential level: Trump lost the 24th District in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs while recapturing … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Vax and the cities

Makes sense. A group of mayors representing some of the United States’ most populous cities — including Austin, San Antonio and Houston — is asking President-elect Joe Biden to give them direct access to coronavirus vaccines. In a Wednesday letter, … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

State Capitol closed again

At least through Inauguration Day, which is to say Wednesday. The Texas Department of Public Safety abruptly announced the closure of the state Capitol Friday evening after uncovering new intelligence that intensified security concerns and prompted the agency to ramp … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on State Capitol closed again

A parting gift of pollution

Gee, thanks. Texas may soon get authority over the disposal of ash from coal-fired power plants, a change that could insulate coal companies from tougher rules expected under a Biden administration. A proposal introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A parting gift of pollution

You can’t escape your culpability, Ted

The stench will be on you forever, Ted. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has sharpened his criticism of President Donald Trump, saying the president’s rhetoric “certainly contributed to the violence that occurred” as Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. But … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

What to do about Ted and Kenny?

You wouldn’t think it would be possible for Ted Cruz to become more loathesome, but if you think that you seriously underestimate him. Two nights before the Electoral College certification in Congress, Ted Cruz was in vintage form. The junior … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Impeach him again

This is Donald Trump’s fault. All of it, though he did have plenty of assistance. Impeach him again, convict him this time, and then arrest him on the way out the door. There had been a call for censure before … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 50 Comments

Ted Cruz says “Look at me! Look at meeeeeeeeeeeee!”

Also, “Look at me!” Continuing to pursue unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and some of his fellow GOP senators announced they would vote to reject the certification of Electoral College votes for the presidential election … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Census Bureau will miss deadline that would allow for apportionment shenanigans

Good. The Census Bureau will miss a year-end deadline for handing in numbers used for divvying up congressional seats, a delay that could undermine President Donald Trump’s efforts to exclude people in the country illegally from the count if the … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

One last (?) pointless gesture

Because true desperation never dies, I guess. Rep. Lance Gooden of Terrell is one of the latest members of Congress to say he is going to object to the Electoral College certification on Jan. 6. Now, he says he just … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

More on the TDP 2020 audit

I’m very much looking forward to seeing the final report, but I don’t have a clear idea of the objectives from this story. [Unsuccessful State House candidate Brandy Chambers’] election night confusion mirrors the second-guessing going on within the Texas … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SCOTUS mostly punts on Census apportionment shenanigans

They seem to be hoping that the problem will solve itself, while applying a partisan litmus test to when it is appropriate for them to step in. The Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to Donald Trump’s final sabotage of the … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SCOTUS mostly punts on Census apportionment shenanigans

Precinct analysis: Other jurisdictions

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts Comparing 2012 and 2016 Statewide judicial You may be wondering “Hey, how come you haven’t reported on data from SBOE and State Senate districts?” Well, I’ll tell you, since the SBOE … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

“Of course I didn’t say the thing that I totally said”

“You just weren’t supposed to understand it.” Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West said Monday he was not advocating secession from the United States in his response on Friday to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to refuse to take up … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Can we get enough people vaccinated?

It’s going to take a lot of work. In poll after poll, alarming numbers say they don’t plan to be inoculated with the vaccine, whose 95 percent efficacy rate in trials exceeded everyone’s expectations. It’s scientists’ nightmare: create one of … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Here comes the vaccine

Houston’s first doses have arrived. Months of waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine to arrive in Houston are almost — but not quite — over, as hospitals prepare to move the first doses from sealed subzero shipments and into the arms … Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Here comes the vaccine

Precinct analysis: Comparing to 2012 and 2016

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts I had meant to get to this last week, but SeditionPalooza took up too much of my time, so here we are. The intent of this post is to compare vote … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Now we wait on SCOTUS

The state of Texas filed its reply to the defendants’ responses to its democracy–killing lawsuit, and, well, it’s something. This brings us the Texas AG Ken Paxton’s reply–or, rather, replies, as there are multiple filings, including a motion to enlarge … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020, Legal matters, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Precinct analysis: Commissioners Court and JP/Constable precincts

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts We now zoom in for a look at various county districts, which are also called “precincts”. I don’t know why we have County Commissioner precincts and JP/Constable precincts to go along with regular voting … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Precinct analysis: State Rep districts

Introduction Congressional districts We move now to State Rep districts, which is my usual currency since they provide complete coverage of the county with no partial pieces. You can also get a much more nuanced view of how things have … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Precinct analysis: Congressional districts

Introduction All right, let’s get this party started. In the past I’ve generally done the top races by themselves, but any race involving Trump provides challenges, because his level of support just varies in comparison to other Republicans depending on … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The vaccine distribution challenge

Having a vaccine for COVID-19 is wonderful. Being able to make it available to everyone who needs it is a big challenge. With cases spiking to over 10 million, the virus is everywhere, and spreading deeply into every corner of … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

We might get better Census apportionment data

Some good news. The Census Bureau has identified issues in the data from the 2020 decennial census that will take an additional 20 days or so for it to fix, and thus delay the release of survey’s apportionment data until … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Beware color-coded county maps

I spotted this on Twitter the other day and it got me thinking: . Biden now leads by 3.86 points nationwide, per @Redistrict popular vote tracker, matching Obama’s 3.86 pt win in 2012. He’ll exceed it soon. They won by … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Beware color-coded county maps