Tag Archives: greg abbott

No Surprise: Abbott Signs Anti-Migrant Law

Posted on December 20, 2023 | Comments Off on No Surprise: Abbott Signs Anti-Migrant Law

Well, we knew it was happening. We knew Abbott would do it. The Texas Lege continues to fund billions into wasteful and corrupt border policy. At this point, all efforts should go into fighting SB4, an anti-immigrant law that allows state courts to deport migrants without much due process, in the courts. All the angry speeches and one-liners from politicians who were in the room when this legislation was created won’t do much good. Not even to score political points.

Why?

  • The Biden Administration and Chuck Schumer are currently negotiating with Senate republicans to move immigration and asylum policy hard to the right for the purpose of war and genocide money. Republican delays mean they think they can pull Biden harder to the right, since Dems seem to be giving them what they want.
  • The Biden Administration hasn’t done much of anything to change the culture of the Border Patrol, which continues to separate families at the border. Yeah, it’s still a thing.

Not even Orange Cheeto’s recent Hitler-like tirades do much to score political points for the Dems if it’s the Dems who are negotiating away immigrant rights. If the Feds get involved in the lawsuit against SB4, it’s probably to say that only they have a right to do this kind of thing that Texas wants to do. So, yeah, I prefer the legal wrangling to come from ACLU and migrant defense groups, with an assist from the Feds. Maybe.

If one really dives into the politics, then one must consider the closing of various rail bridges on the border, which keeps products from coming into the US. Border agents are too busy dealing with migrants, rather than working the bridges. These bridges are a boon for the border economy, too, so, one might find “Democrat” elected officials not enjoying the closures and surely not energized for 2024. While the Biden folks may blame the migrants, business and political officials blame Biden for the lack of action. And that word gets around.

On the other hand, Abbott’s corrupt law will ensure more privately-run prisons are opened in South Texas, which are also a boon to the economy. Just ask all the folks working overtime in Carrizo Springs, TX trying to deal with the influx of unaccompanied minors. Yes, kiddie prison farms are still a thing under the Biden administration.

So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that a recent poll on Biden’s work approval has him continually tanking, including on the issue of immigration. Two-thirds of voters are not happy, which means right-wingers aren’t happy with all these brown people coming in, and lefties aren’t happy because of a lack of a process to deal with the influx, or even a policy to improve conditions in the countries from which these migrants are coming.

So, it all comes down to who’s in charge. Republicans will not be happy with immigration policy that comes short of round-ups and shootings at the border, and Democrats, well, Democrats would rather put Kirsten Synema as an immigration policy negotiator to ensure more war and genocide is funded.

Yes, this is all exhausting.

Kuff has more.

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No Fight From Higher Ed Leaders as DEI Offices Are Set To Close

Posted on August 11, 2023 | Comments Off on No Fight From Higher Ed Leaders as DEI Offices Are Set To Close

Yesterday, signs posted at the University of Houston LGBTQ Resource Office and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion appeared telling folks that these offices had been “disbanded” per Greg Abbott’s new law, aka SB17. SB17 bans offices which promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as diverse hiring practices, and, given that university leaders and Abbott-appointed regents across the state of Texas did nothing to fight against this bigoted law, they will not be doing much to save these offices as they “disband” them and send employees to the unemployment line.

A report in the Chron tells us that the signs were posted “prematurely,” whatever that means. Perhaps they didn’t follow HR rules in getting rid of employees? Who knows? The offices are targeted for sure, but they just don’t know how until they receive more guidance from Abbott’s minions. But the law also calls for audits of universities who try to skirt the law by changing the name of an office.

Who authorized the signs, though? Seriously. Who put them up?

According to various reports, right-wingers in the Lege mostly whined about qualified black and brown people getting hired over mediocre white applicants, thus, closing DEI offices and ending tenure became the target. Oh, also, that white employees not be forced to take diversity training courses because it hurts their feelings.

What the law does not provide are specifics as to what should be shut down. According to sources, student organizations are not targeted, but what about offices which serve the organizations and their programming? Likewise, courses of a diverse nature are supposedly not targeted. LGBTQ and other affinity group offices that provide student services are in limbo, for now, but why? As always, bad leadership all around and it affects the livelihood of students, faculty, staff, and more.

At least the diversity provided by Football and other athletic programs will remain untouched. Unless some parents of mediocre white athletes sue because all the black kids stole their mediocre kids’ opportunity. Hell, that’s how that annoying UT affirmative action case started, right?

As I said recently, public higher education in Texas is going to shit and hired leaders aren’t fighting for their universities or their employees and students. They are definitely serving at the pleasure of Greg Abbott, though.

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Posted in 2023, Accion, Cultura, Higher Education, Local Politica, Media, Republinuttiness, Texas Lege

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Joaquin Castro Leads CoDel to Border

Posted on August 9, 2023 | Comments Off on Joaquin Castro Leads CoDel to Border

SA Congressman Joaquin Castro led a Congressional delegation to the Texas border yesterday to witness the inhumane policies of Greg Abbott in action. Here’s a vid of the press conference, which includes Rep. Sylvia Garcia of Houston, who called the policies and practices “senseless and Godless.”

Covered in the presser are Congressional reaction, the influx of trumped-up trespassing charges and family separations by Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, the human trafficking funnel created by Greg Abbott, among other issues.

Castro gave mention to the death trap the buoys and razor wire have created. Looking up close at the buoys are a chainsaw-like contraption that holds the buoys together. It’s no wonder tha tpeople and children are getting caught up in them and in the razor wire.

I want to thank Congress Members Castro and Garcia for their work on this. Garcia added that Texas Troopers are saying that the buoys just float and don’t hurt anyone, but, in fact, they are hurting migrants in various ways, whether they are getting caught up in them or they are forced to swim to more treacherous parts of the Rio Grande.

It just goes to show that Greg Abbott and his minions truly want to hurt people. And that’s probably why the people of Eagle Pass, who at one point may have supported Abbott’s actions, are fed up with his human rights violations and death-causing practices.

One more thing: Who is the company that Abbott hired for the buoys? Do they do business with other government entities? Perhaps they need to be pressured to cancel those contracts. The fight doesn’t only need to be taken to Abbott.

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Posted in 2023, Accion, Cultura, Democratic Stuff, Elections, History, Local Business, Media, Republinuttiness, Sensible Immigration Reform, U.S. Capitol

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2nd TEA Talk-at-Community Meeting Goes As Expected

Posted on March 23, 2023 | Comments Off on 2nd TEA Talk-at-Community Meeting Goes As Expected

Greg Abbott’s minion, Mike Morath at TEA, failed to show again at an HISD takeover community meeting, and Morath’s own minion (Alejandro Delgado) failed at running a meeting, again, as he attempted to show that powerpoint. Parents and teachers did show up again to ask questions for which they are not getting answers. When they didn’t get the answers, they took over the meeting.

The report from KHOU points out that Delgado states that over 200 questions have been collected and half are about the board of managers. Those at meetings do not seem to be asking about the board appointment process, so, my guess is that the questions are from the TEA online portal, where it’s safe for chaqueteros to ask. Also, 138 people have applied to be on the board of managers and TEA wants more applicants to justify their appointment process and outcome.

As Kuff points out, TEA’s meeting practices don’t give folks the warm and fuzzies to capture their hearts and minds, but I’m pretty sure that hasn’t been TEA’s intent this whole time. According to Campos, all of the loud noises from the people at the meetings aren’t going to change a thing about TEA’s takeover. But, hell, the lawsuits and the Lege didn’t work, so, what’s left? If this doesn’t turn into an actual and long-term people-led movement, instead of just a regular ol’ political campaign to win a seat with the least numbers possible, then nothing will change.

Anyway…

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Posted in 2023, Accion, City of Houston, Cultura, Education - K12, Elections, Local Politica, Media, Texas Lege, Voting Rights

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Thoughts on the TEA Takeover of HISD

Posted on March 16, 2023 | 2 comments

It has been a year since I moved back into Houston ISD territory after living a block away just inside Alief ISD for a number of years. I was so upset that I moved in too late to have voted for my friend Holly Flynn Vilaseca in HISD District VI. As Greg Abbott begins his move to transition HISD into the Texas prison system (or something like that), the reality that elections matter hits people right in the face.

Political realities are the worst thing people can feel when bad decisions affect them, especially if they voted against their best interests or didn’t vote at all. And for almost 200K students, 30,000 staff, and millions of taxpayers, the fact that our democracy has been compromised by a power-hungry Greg Abbott should have us living in fear, yet, wanting to do something about it. So, I have a few thoughts about the TEA takeover that will happen in June.

  • The voters of HISD District VI had a hard-working trustee in Flynn Vilaseca. She was fighting for our kids, our teachers, and our democracy. Unfortunately, various powers preferred misinformation and a person whose idea of representation has been to sell-out HISD stakeholders, Kendall Baker, whose support of Greg Abbott’s idiocy was on TV news yesterday. Baker supports the TEA takeover and sacrificing his own political career to prove his loyalty to awful people. Baker is a right-wing zealot who has been supported by vultures, such as State Rep Mayes Middleton and local county commissioner and election denier Tom Ramsey. I hope the voters who were duped into voting for him realize what they did in voting for him. Removing him from the board is probably a good thing (as undemocratic as that may be), but knowing there are better-connected right-wing zealots who do not support public education out there and whom Abbott will appoint is unsettling. Kendall Baker was a great pawn for the right-wing zealots, though.
  • Watching the various news reports yesterday, I found that reporters set-off to find HISD parents to ask their opinion of Greg Abbott’s takeover of HISD. A few were somewhat informed, yet, surprised that it was going to happen. The concern was palpable. Others had the mentality that, “as long as something is done to make things better,” but with no knowledge of the politics and process and upheaval that Greg Abbott’s route would cause. And then there was that parent who wanted to feign knowledge, but was not at all paying attention. So, that there is a lack of information out there is not a surprise. And that parents need to be spoon-fed the information is also not a surprise, whether it’s done by trustees, administrators, or the political class in Houston. But it is TEA who will take advantage of the way things have always been done to keep people misinformed as only four (4) informational meetings have been scheduled to reach 200,000 students, 30,000 employees, and millions of taxpayers. Ignorance is bliss all-around, but while some hope no one says anything so that no one messes with the status quo or other agendas that may exist, the right-wing-nuts goes merrily along and actually does something to further their race to the bottom.
  • Kuff has a little bit more. He thinks people should apply to be on the board of managers to see if a few good minds can be placed, and I do see the logic. But there are bad things that will happen because of this unelected, undemocratic board and I’d hate for any of our good people be tainted by those decisions. I’d prefer some sort of movement to call out the decisions that are being made–a mass movement led by people and not the politicians who have that taint on them no matter which title they possess. I’d like to see those who fight hardest against Greg Abbott’s shenanigans be on the next board of trustees–once, HISD is paroled from Abbott’s prison system. At this point, I see anyone who has applied to be on the board as suspect. I hope that this takeover causes more good people to find the drive in themselves to serve–as thankless as this job may be. And also, redistrict HISD!

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Posted in 2023, Accion, City of Houston, Cultura, Education - K12, Elections, Harris County, Local Politica, Media, Republinuttiness, Texas Lege, Thoughts on Viernes

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This Week in Migrant Killing

Posted on September 30, 2022 | 1 comment

2 Migrants Killed in Border Patrol Chase

Border Patrol doesn’t seem to have much to do down on the border, so, when they have the chance to chase down migrants being driven in a private vehicle you know the chances are good that they will cause an accident–even death. And that is what occurred in Uvalde, TX when the Migra gave chase down a stretch of highway that led into downtown Uvalde and caused a collision of the pickup being chased into a semi-tractor killing two and injuring 10 others in the pickup.

It’s no secret that these migrant chases are a danger, not just to law enforcement and the migrants, but also for innocent drivers who get caught up in them. And it’s not just the Border Patrol, which is led by Joe Biden, but also Greg Abbotts boondoggle which funds overtime for DPS and local sheriffs.

What is unfortunate is that Democrats running statewide aren’t saying much, other than Abbott’s activities are a waste. Well, duh. In fact, Abbott’s activities are a danger to all and are the cause of racist practices and policies beyond what Abbott leads. Biden sitting on these policies and not doing much about them doesn’t help, either.

Bigots Murder Migrant in West Texas

Two brothers, one of them a jail warden at a private migrant prison, gave themselves the authority to shoot at migrants during their free time.

Two men shot two migrants, killing one and injuring another, earlier this week while the two victims stood along a West Texas road getting water, authorities said. One of the alleged shooters is reportedly a warden for a privately run immigration detention center.

So, Texas bigotry promoted and led by Greg Abbott meets the private prison boondoggle. They were only charged with manslaughter, from initial reports. So, it must be asked: What the fuck is going on?

Anyway, this is another example of continued racist policies and practices in the name of “securing borders.” And nothing has been said by Democrats running statewide.

Abbott’s Border Wall

Greg Abbott just wasted $300 million on 14 miles of border wall. This is just another death-causing ploy as migrants will still cross, but in more dangerous and treacherous areas of the border. They’ll die from the heat, from vigilantes, and/or migrant chases.

UPDATE: Beto O’Rourke responded this morning on his FB page:

This is the predictable result when Abbott describes asylum seekers as an “invasion,” asks Texans to “defend” the state from immigrants by “taking matters into our own hands,” and treats refugees like political props instead of human beings.

We saw it 3 years ago in El Paso. We will continue to see this until we have a governor who sees migrants as human beings, and is focused on solutions instead of political stunts.

We have real problems at our border and with our immigration system. Everyone can agree on that much. But I hope we can also agree that stunts like busing asylum seekers, and inciting hatred for and fear of those fleeing dictatorships hasn’t solved any of those problems.

We should focus on the commonsense solutions that most Texans actually agree on: a safe, legal, orderly path for those who want to come here to work, join family or seek asylum. A Texas-based guest worker program could meet critical labor needs in construction, agriculture and a number of other industries in Texas, supporting Texas businesses and our economy.

We could work with federal partners to lift the visa caps on countries like Mexico, where the wait-time to join family members today can take up to 20 years. And for asylum seekers, let’s fund more judges and administrators to adjudicate asylum claims far more quickly. Today, it can take 6 years. How about working to get it down to a matter of months?

When we ensure that those who come to our country follow our laws—and that our laws follow our values and economic needs—not only will we achieve much more for our fellow Texans, we will be far more successful at stopping drug traffickers and human smugglers who mean us harm.

That means we no longer have people coming in between ports of entry, crossing into the U.S. undocumented, risking their lives and putting extraordinary strain on Border Patrol agents and border communities. It means that we are safer, stronger, and more successful as a state.

We are better than this news. Now is the time to prove it.

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Posted in Accion, Democratic Stuff, Elections, Media, Republinuttiness, Sensible Immigration Reform, Texas Lege

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Thoughts on Viernes – 08122022

Posted on August 12, 2022 | 1 comment

FBI’s Mar-a-Doofus Visit

The FBI search of 2020’s presidential election loser certainly made the whole saga interesting. While Congress asks questions during the Jan 6 hearings, the people have been waiting for some sort of police action–mostly handcuffs and a perp walk. Still, I remain cynical about all of this. Much like Trump’s wall and bigotry (and the bigotry that followed from the likes of Greg Abbott and DeSantis) served as right-wing-nut-job porn, I feel that investigations and opinions on Trump actions somehow satisfy some fetish that Democrats have while avoiding solutions on the issues.

Me? I want action. I want to see Trump suffer, but I also want comprehensive immigration reform now. We have a Democratic President and Democratic majorities in both houses and can’t get rid of the racism and bigotry that Trump put into policy. Hell, we’ve known the racism has been in practice for decades and President Biden and Sec’y Mayorkas can’t even change that within Homeland Security! I certainly won’t make the FBI some kind of hero in all of this given their own history of investigating and affecting the livelihood of civil rights activists. Frankly, for me, the raid was funny because it made Trump even whinier than usual.

Greg Abbott’s Human Trafficking Boondoggle

Greg el Coyote! So, Greg Abbott is wasting $1400 per person (with no breaks and no food on the way) of your tax money on his migrant bus tour of America. A ticket to NYC from Eagle Pass, TX is only $200 for any individual! Who’s making all this money? And how much have they given to Abbott’s campaign? We already know it’s all about the photo op, but does putting them on a bus as a group make it look like they’re on a Border Patrol bus? Is that the image Abbott is seeking to put out there? We know he’s a hateful SOB.

One thing is for sure, Democratic mayors should be calling for FEMA and Health and Human Services resources to help with what Greg Abbott is causing and NOT military assistance. Thankfully, Biden said NO to the National Guard.

Don’t Mess With Beto (Or Uvalde)

I keep asking myself if Texas is worth saving after Greg Abbott’s and Republican’s decades of destructive practices. After Beto brought down a Greg Abbott-sent heckler who laughed at Beto’s comments on Uvalde and guns, he seems to have energized some of us to the point where we are up for a fight.

Bottom line: I hope he has these kind of words for Greg Abbott, too. The rules of campaigning changed a long time ago and Republicans have thrived on lies while Democrats have tried to win Texas by cowering and avoiding issues. Beto showed Texas that he’s willing to fight. Or, at least not take the kind of crap that Greg Abbott slings.

Kuff has more on Motherfuckergate.

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Posted in Accion, Cultura, Democratic Stuff, Elections, Media, Republinuttiness, Sensible Immigration Reform, Texas Lege, Thoughts on Viernes

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AP Expands on Lockdown Fatigue in Uvalde

Posted on July 21, 2022 | 1 comment

Jake Bleiberg and Acacia Coronado at the Associated Press provided a good report on the lockdown fatigue in Uvalde caused by bailouts from the Border Patrol’s and other agencies’ migrant chases.

The new findings that a culture of lockdowns in Uvalde played some role in the failures on May 24 reflects how one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history intersected with immigration policies and thousands of Border Patrol agents, National Guard members and state police assigned to apprehend migrants and stop drug traffickers. Of the nearly 400 law enforcement officers at the scene of Robb Elementary, more than half were Border Patrol agents or state police, according to the report.

As I stated early on, the Facebook rumor mill in Uvalde was blaming migrant bailouts for the school shooting initially, some even saying they got the information from “inside sources” in a law enforcement agency.

Even the first officers on scene at Robb Elementary wondered whether the threat was a so-called “bailout” — the term used by law enforcement along the border to describe suspected migrants or drug traffickers who have fled. Pete Arrendondo, the embattled Uvalde school police chief who has become the target of angry demands by parents to resign or be fired, told the House committee the thought crossed his mind since it happens so often.

For all the fear-mongering by Greg Abbott and his Republican cohorts, the report stated this fact:

The committee report said there had been no incidents of “bailout-related” violence on Uvalde school campuses before the shooting. 

Migrants are escaping poverty and violence in their home countries; why on earth would they be violent toward children? Or anyone? They’re tired, hot, thirsty, and hungry and just want to make it to safe haven. Even one of the local JPs knows this.

Diaz, the Uvalde justice of the peace, serves as a magistrate when police make arrests in the area as part of the governor’s massive border mobilization known as Operation Lone Star. He sets bail for people taken into custody for alleged human or drug smuggling, but also for crimes unrelated to national security, like minor drug charges.

He said Abbott’s operation hasn’t made Uvalde safer.

“These people who are coming through don’t want to be in Uvalde,” said Diaz. “They are looking to get away from the border and we’re too close.”

For those who say ignorant things like, “they should come to the US the right way,” a reminder that there hasn’t been a right way in decades. The “line” to get in has been non-existent, unless it’s from a favored country the US is trying to save from a government they don’t like (Cuba, Venezuela). While some are escaping US-supported right-wing governments in Central America, others are simply wanting a better life. And they have waited long enough that they will make a deadly and dangerous trek to the US. Not to save their assets, as those in some of the favored countries, but to save themselves.

As far as Uvalde goes, and the rest of South Texas for that matter, these migrant chases are dangerous, sometimes deadly, and clog up and waste needed resources. Whether it is money that can be better spent on economic development, education, or health care, the money thrown at a problem that the Biden administration has failed to improve (citizenship and deportation reform) and that Greg Abbott has created for photo ops and political mud to throw has been ineffective and wasteful. And it’s our money. And these policies are part of the problem of children being killed in a classroom.

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Texas Heat: Conserve Energy Today!

Posted on July 11, 2022 | Comments Off on Texas Heat: Conserve Energy Today!

Greg Abbott’s unfixed electric grid seems to be sputtering as demand for electricity will be going over its peak today to the point where rolling blackouts may occur. Sunday’s record heat broke records all over Texas.

With a punishing heat wave across Texas driving record high power demand, The Electric Reliability Council of Texas late Sunday sent out a request that Texans cut back on their energy use on Monday.

ERCOT, the state’s power grid operator, asked Texans to turn up their thermostats and postpone running major appliances between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday. ERCOT has also called on large electric customers to lower their electricity use.

Total forecasted power demand is expected to surpass 79 gigawatts on Monday, ERCOT said — which would set another record.

Also, ERCOT tells us that “no system wide outages” are expected. That doesn’t mean it won’t go down in certain areas.

While ERCOT is asking big electric users (corporations, manufacturers) to bring down their electric use, I’m pretty sure the rest of us will get the blame if there are blackouts. So, what to do to conserve?

  • Set your thermostat at 78°F or higher – every degree of extra cooling will increase energy usage six to eight percent.
  • Use ceiling fans and portable fans to circulate the cool air.
  • Install patio covers, awnings, and solar window screens to shade your home from the sun. Shade south and west windows with plants or trees to block the heat during the summer.
  • Close interior blinds, drapes, or shades to block the sun and heat during warm weather.
  • Use a clothesline instead of a clothes dryer.
  • Outside air conditioning units, or condensers, should be shaded.
  • On warm days raise your thermostat to 80°F or higher if leaving for more than four hours.
  • Setting your thermostat to a lower temperature than normal will not cool your home faster.
  • Try to save heat and humidity-generating activities (cooking, laundering, and dishwashing) for early morning or evening hours.

Also, get your generators (if you have one) and small chargers ready! And DO NOT forget about the elderly and infirm.

Needless to say, I woke up early today and put some clothes in the washer to get it done early. You’d be surprised how a dryer will heat up an apartment! I usually put my A/C at 78, so if the “E” goes out, it’s not my fault, people! My apartment management will throw me out if I put up a clothesline. The blinds are always closed during hot days. And I have ceiling fans and oscillating fans going all day in the living room.

So, conserve!

Also, mask-up! COVID-19 is still out there and the numbers keep growing. Better to stay away from the heat and the people.

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Thoughts on Viernes – 07082022

Posted on July 8, 2022 | 1 comment

Migrant Deaths Beyond The Trailer in SA

I came upon a report on FB regarding the bodies of migrants being found in Eagle Pass/Maverick County during this last fiscal year. In fact, the number of deaths this year alone number around seventy. Deaths are caused by dehydration because of the South Texas heat as they trek through farm and ranch land, or from drowning in the Rio Grande. Back in May, a dozen migrants were found in this same sector. Migrant deaths in this sector account for almost a third of all deaths.

So, as Greg Abbott sics his National Guard on helpless migrants escaping violence and poverty in their home countries, migrants will seek more dangerous routes to get here. They certainly aren’t stopping or returning on their own. Along with Abbott’s bigoted policies, The Biden Administration and Congress’s lack of action on immigration reform are the cause of these deaths. US – Latin America policy which supports right-wing governments like the one in El Salvador is at fault for migrants attempting to come to the US in the first place.

We are told to “vote in the next election.” But we voted in 2020. We got a Democratic majority and a Democratic President who promised action. Give us something for which to vote in 2022!

COVID-19 Denial

It seems so many are still in denial that the spread of COVID-19 continues to rise. Houston Health reported we are at 28% positivity. Hospitalizations continue to rise. I see more people I know getting infected, and some, re-infected. I’ll venture to say that these numbers rise because people are out in crowds unmasked. While the vaccination rate in Houston remains steady at around 68%, the re-opening of Texas has sent people into a state of irresponsibility. If you’re skinny and well-insured (and well-informed), the vaccinations and boosters will be a help. But as long as local government isn’t sounding alarms to help inform people of the current reality, then the infection rate will rise. At this point, I’m disappointed in local officials, and not just because some of them got (re-)infected.

The rest of you all, MASK UP. It may be the one thing that keeps you from getting infected, as the vaccination only helps with the symptoms at this point.

But, here’s the thing: So many Republicans and wealthy people whined that working from home would affect productivity. But everyone was working and the work got done. Now, workplaces are seeing increases in COVID-19 positivity, and people are staying home sick and not working. THIS is what affects productivity; not working from home! Anyway, mask up!

Greg Abbott and The People’s Money

Abbott sure knows how to throw other people’s money around, whether it is tax dollars or the money of his donors. In the case of our money, he has thrown $4 billion at the Texas border in what has been one big photo opportunity for himself. He recently announced he was sending another $30 million for his bigoted Operation Lone Pendejo, in which he purports to fight migrants. The money usually goes to overtime for local cops and toys with big tires. And since it comes from federal and state money in the form of law enforcement grants, there usually is no accountability. One would figure that legislators and the feds would ask for a full accounting of it. Hopefully, the Justice Department investigation will tell us what we already know–it’s all a boondoggle and a waste of money. But I’m not even hopeful of that.

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Posted in 2022, Accion, Cultura, Harris County, Health Care, History, Local Politica, Media, Texas Lege, U.S. Capitol

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