Congratulations to State Representative Elect Christina Morales

March 6, 2019
Photo from ABC13

With over 3000 votes cast Christina Morales won House District 145 State Representative seat. Congratulations for a great win and I am sure HD145 will be represented well! Representative elect Morales will keep HD145, just north of the Clear Lake area, in Democratic control.

My candidate, Melissa Noriega and her volunteers, did not prevail and I thank them for all the hard work they performed during the campaign.


Ladies and Gentleman, the President of the United States

March 4, 2019


Facebook needs to ban political and religious posts.

March 2, 2019

Or maybe they should do something like Nextdoor has implemented.

I had the idea of creating a Facebook identity with a “no politics and no religious posts” policy. I would like to be able to interface and share posts and information with family members including those who are on the other side of the aisle politically. I am sure they would like the same thing.

So, Next-door removed all political posts from the newsfeed and put them into a special interest forum. The only way to read and access these posts is to subscribe to the interest group, otherwise none of the political posts are displayed in your feed. It is a win-win for everyone. I can enjoy Nextdoor without having to read the incredible ignorance of politically ignorant people.

Facebook should do something similar. Every post should be required to be marked Political or Religious if they are political or religious in nature and users could then elect to block these types of posts from their feeds. It’s not that hard to implement.

Facebook doesn’t want to do this because of the money they make from political ads regardless if they are from candidates or from organizations or foreign governments. To Facebook it is all about the money.

Деньги, Деньги, Деньги, Деньги, Деньги.
Деньги!


Today's GOP: We're not racist but…..

March 1, 2019

It’s 2019 for gosh sakes.

It was a jaw dropping moment watching Congressman Meadows parade out a young Black woman using her as a prop to defend Donald Trump against allegations of racism. It was one of those “He is not doing what I think he is doing” moment of the Cohen hearing. The act was just as racist as Trump turning to Native Americans during a medal ceremony and calling a sitting Senator “Pocahontas”. That wasn’t cute. It wasn’t funny. Both are racist acts.

What is even more jaw dropping is the Republican Party sitting quietly and doing nothing to condemn his act as clearly racist. It isn’t hard to do. The Native Americans on stage with Trump should have grabbed his arm and said “Mr. President we consider that as a racist and insensitive comment.” The Republican Party should do the same. Call out Meadows for his racist act.

It’s sad when you realize the Republican leadership on the committee actually approved and endorsed what he did.


Texas "Guns on Demand" bill

February 26, 2019

Texas House Bill 357 (get it? 357?) sponsored by  Johnathon Stickland (R-Bedford) has been sent to the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee. From Texas Scorecard:

Recently, State Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R–Bedford) filed a bill to allow permitless carry of a firearm, a Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority, designating it House Bill 357. Conservatives and pro-gun Texans will recognize the bill number from the popular handgun caliber, .357 Magnum.

Get it? 357? Isn’t that just cute? HB357 is called “Constitutional Carry” and would allow anyone to open carry a gun without training, without a background check, and without a concealed handgun license. Stickland carried the bill for open carry allowing the open display of guns except in certain areas. It has had no effect on crime or prevention.

This bill is supported by the Texas Republican Party and has a few sponsors with no companion bill in the Senate. Discussions with local Representative’s staff shows little support in the Senate or the House. Hopefully this lack of interest will continue. Baby Briscoe Cain out of Deer Park and Mayes “Money” Middleton of Galveston have signed onto the bill. Both of these are from the far white wing of the republican party. Baby Briscoe is known for flashing his gun at the Texas Democratic Convention last summer and being escorted out. Money Middleton self financed his run for State House for a tune of $2.5 Million, with $2.25 Million coming from his own pocket.

Hopefully this bill will never see the light of day. It truly defies common sense. Here are the authors and sponsors:

Author

Stickland

11/14/2018
Joint Authors Date Signed On
Biedermann 02/06/2019
Middleton 02/06/2019
Lang 02/06/2019
White 02/19/2019
Coauthors (10) Date Signed On
Cain 02/19/2019
Hefner 02/19/2019
Krause 02/19/2019
Metcalf 02/19/2019
Oliverson 02/19/2019
Patterson 02/19/2019
Schaefer 02/19/2019
Tinderholt 02/19/2019
Toth 02/19/2019
Zedler

Candidates for Houston City Council who support Trump

February 23, 2019

Which candidates for Houston City Council support Trump? This doesn’t seem to be a hard question but it turns out it the answers can be complicated.

For instance when asked “Do you support Trump?” the usual answer from various candidates is “I support the President like I supported all Presidents.” OK. that question didn’t work. “Do you support the wall?” is answered with “I support border security.” That didn’t work either.  “How much did you donate to his campaign?” “I have a meeting to go to.”

So before tagging any candidate who supports this rotten human being President I will have to develop a set of detailed questions to ask, research their donations, look at their twitter feeds (Already done that), and look for pictures of candidates at his rallies or fundraisers.

Let’s use Tony Buzbee as an example. In 2016 Buzbee gave the Trump Victory Fund $250,000. He held a fundraiser for Trump at his home in River Oaks. He donated $35,000 to Trump’s PAC and $165,000 to the RNC. He then donated $500,000 to Trump’s inauguration. According to the Center for Public Integrity, a donation of this size comes with tickets to the ball, a luncheon with the President and Pence, VIP seating at the parade, seating at the swearing in ceremony and much much more.

So for Buzbee it is clear.  Buzbee is a Trump supporter although he has claimed he withdrew his support after the “Grab em by the p****” comment and just weeks before donating the $500,000.

Yeah right.


Tony Buzbee is full of shit. Again.

February 21, 2019


This entire story about Tony Buzbee’s home being robbed of over $21 Million as reported by Courthouse News just doesn’t seem to settle well, like bad yogurt on a late Sunday night. According to Buzbee:

“Luckily, I was armed, and ran the subject out of my home, and but for the fact that my weapon misfired, I would have shot one of them.”


If you are being robbed, scared for your life, and had a revolver that “misfires” what would you do? Pull the damn trigger again! If you have a .45 type of weapon then you eject the shell and fire again. Anyone who has a lick of gun sense knows how to do this. Buzbee is a Marine. He should know better. Either he can’t shoot a gun or he is not telling his story correctly.

His story sounds like the same kind of bullshit he is shoveling for Mayor. He lives in a $10 Million home and yet he doesn’t have a security system or camera? Even my home has a security camera for fuck sakes. Any idiot who stores tens of millions of valuables in their home would have a very advanced alarm. If you have paintings worth millions how in the world would you not protect them with an alarm? How can they breach his wall in River Oaks, get access into his house, and be able to steal $21 Million in valuables without being noticed, photographed, tripping alarms, or shot?

I look forward to the investigation by HPD and his insurance company. Personally I think Buzbee is full of shit. Again.


TX AG Ken Paxton's wife to repay $2.6 Million loan in legislation

February 21, 2019

No Place but Texas. Again.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s wife ran for the Texas Senate in 2018 winning her race with the help of her husband’s donors. From Loaning Campaign Cash: Angela Paxton.

Angela Paxton is the wife of our current Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, who is mired in a felony trial due to security fraud. Paxton (Ken) has loaned $2.6 Million to his wife’s campaign for Senator District 8 and has guaranteed the loan with his campaign account. $2 Million has a 3.6% interest rate while the $500,000 loan has an 8.5% rate. The latest loan from Paxton’s (Ken’s) campaign is for $100,000 with a rate of 8% but does not have a guarantor.


Now that she has taken her place in the Senate Angela has filed a bill that would protect her husband and others for violating the trust of those who ask for your money to invest. And why shouldn’t she? She owes her donors $2.6 Million many of them probably looking for protection so they will not be indicted like her husband was for shady investment deals. From the Texas Tribune:

Sen. Angela Paxton files bill that would allow her husband, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, to issue exemptions from securities regulations 

Billed as a consumer-protection effort, the proposal would allow approved individuals to serve as investment advisers without registering with the state board — a felony under Texas law that Ken Paxton was charged with in 2015.


This is just what we need at this point, less regulation of those who take your money to invest, much like Ken Paxton did. Texas is known for their saying “No Place but Texas” which includes shady investment deals, and shady spouses.

Ted Cruz to cave in to Trump's fake emergency

February 18, 2019

The count down is on.

Ted Cruz, the great constitutionalist, called for swift action against the President for an abuse of power when issuing executive actions, when the President was Obama. Now the great constitutionalists from Texas is sitting on the sidelines, quietly, letting his president call a national emergency to raid the treasury protected by the Constitution of the United States.

It is just a matter of time for Ted Cruz to cave in to Trump’s racist wall. Caving in. So easy a caveman can do it.


Joe Gamaldi HPD's Union President should step down

February 16, 2019

City leaders held a press conference after a drug bust which killed two homeowners and injured 4 Houston Police Officers. A press conference isn’t unusual when an officer is shot. What was unusual and uncalled for was the Houston Police Officers’ Union President Joe Gamaldi prematurely putting blame on others and issuing threats. From KHOU:

“if you’re the ones that are out there spreading the rhetoric that police officers are the enemy, just know we’ve all got your number now, we’re going to be keeping track of all of y’all, and we’re going to make sure that we hold you accountable every time you stir the pot on our police officers. We’ve had enough, folks. We’re out there doing our jobs every day, putting our lives on the line for our families.”


Now after the smoke has settled it looks like this bust was a bust with an investigating officer lying to obtain a warrant for the raid. From KTRK:

A confidential informant didn’t buy drugs at the southeast Houston home where a botched police raid turned into a deadly shootout last month, according to a new search warrant. The shocking new information was revealed today after ABC13 obtained two of several search warrants executed as part of the ongoing investigation following the deadly raid.


Of course Joe Gamaldi is now singing a different tune sounding exactly like the activists he previously threaten:

“We believe, truly, this is only one person who has caused the issues with this case and there is only one person who is facing these types of allegations right now,” said Joe Gamaldi, referring to senior police officer Gerald Goines. 

“Obviously, the accusations are very, very serious and it is very, very disturbing, but it is not a reflection of the 5,200 brave men and women of the Houston Police Department who go out there and earn the trust of the community every time they interact with them,” 


Exactly. As many of us have said over and over again the actions of one should not reflect on the entire police force. Maybe instead of threatening all activists who want to hold the single individuals accountable, Gamaldi might want to reach out to them to understand why they are activists, apologize  for threatening them, and then resign as Union President.