Monthly Archives: April 2020

Democracy Toolbox (PPP): Biden 47, Trump 46

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: A new Texas poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden up by one percentage point over President Donald Trump and also provides insights into Texans’ concerns about voting during the COVID-19 outbreak. The poll was commissioned by … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Age discrimination lawsuit filed over vote by mail

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This is something new. Citing the threats of the coronavirus, six Texas voters filed suit in federal court Wednesday challenging restrictions that limit age eligibility for voting-by-mail to those 65 and older. In a lawsuit filed in San Antonio, the … Continue reading →

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

Reopening roundup redux

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

More news about that thing that Greg Abbott is making us do. Health experts give Abbott’s plan to reopen Texas mixed reviews, warn state should revive stay-at-home order if surge emerges: Diana Cervantes, director of the epidemiology program at the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of April 27

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance has treated this week’s roundup with Clorox and UV radiation.

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Harris County preps for more mail ballots

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted to spend up to $12 million for an expected uptick in requests for mail-in ballots in the July primary runoff and November general election from voters concerned about contracting the novel coronavirus … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reopening roundup

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Judge Hidalgo adjusts to the new status that has ben imposed on us from Austin. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Tuesday announced plans to significantly expand novel coronavirus case tracing, and maintain reserve hospital capacity, to prepare for a … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

The fight over sick leave has to be at the state level

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I get this, but it’s not going to work. The coronavirus outbreak is sparking a debate over paid sick leave in Houston, the largest U.S. city without a law requiring businesses to provide paid time off for workers who fall … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The city’s vision for I-45

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I like the way this is shaping up. The city of Houston is prepared to ask for major changes in state plans to rebuild Interstate 45 that potentially could scale back the planned widening of the freeway and put a … Continue reading →

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How partisan is concern about coronavirus?

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

On the one hand: Texas’ economy is taking a catastrophic hit — and hundreds of thousands of Texans are out of work — as officials shutter businesses and limit some establishment’s operations to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. But while Texans’ optimism … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

And so reopening begins

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I have questions. Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday that he will let the state’s stay-at-home order expire Thursday as scheduled and allow businesses to begin reopening in phases the next day, the latest ramp-up in his push to restart the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hotze goes crying to the Supreme Court

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This effing guy, I swear. Houston conservative activist Steve Hotze on Monday filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court seeking an emergency ruling on Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s mask order, which took effect this morning. Hotze originally filed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

April 2020 campaign finance reports: Congress

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember politics? You know, races and finance reports and stuff like that? Yeah, it’s still happening, weird as that may seem right now. As we are well into April, the Q1 Congressional finance reports for 2020 are in, and … Continue reading →

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Coronavirus and meat processing

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

In the Panhandle: State health officials confirmed Tuesday that they are investigating an outbreak of the new coronavirus at the JBS Beef packing plant in the Texas Panhandle, part of ongoing efforts to monitor major meat processing plants as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Driving may be down, but traffic fatalities are not down as much

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a bit of a conundrum. COVID-19 can keep millions of Texans at home and cut vehicle travel roughly in half in many cities, but cannot keep hundreds from dying on state roads — continuing a stubborn trend of carnage … Continue reading →

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

Weekend link dump for April 26

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

“The Answer to All of Your Social Distancing Loophole Questions Is No”. I happened to come across two strange but delightful stories about art on the same day late last week. They are about Pierre Brassau, Monkey Artist and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

UT/Trib: Trump 49, Biden 44

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Our first post-primary poll. Donald Trump would beat Joe Biden by five points in Texas if the presidential race were held now, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. In a Trump-Biden contest, Democratic and Republican voters overwhelmingly … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Vote by mail is not a panacea

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s be clear, I very much support expanded access to vote by mail. I support the ongoing TDP lawsuit to force expanded vote by mail, and I would very much advise anyone who is at risk for COVID-19 to apply … Continue reading →

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And now, a few words about tigers

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We have a lot of them in Texas, and as is the way in this state, there’s little to no regulation of them. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Texas, announced on Monday that he is co-sponsoring the Big Cat Public … Continue reading →

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The real problem is those uppity local officials

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

My God, the Republican playbook is so predictable these days. Local governments have gone too far in issuing emergency orders during the coronavirus pandemic and can expect to have those powers whittled down when the Texas Legislature meets again, key … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

The rough fiscal road for school districts

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s gonna be bad. How bad remains the question. Coronavirus already has wreaked havoc on school districts — closing campuses for the remainder of the school year, shifting learning online, and exposing a wide digital divide between students who have … Continue reading →

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How about an Arizona/Florida/Texas plan for MLB?

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Call it the MLB Plan 3.0 for having a season. With the spread of the novel coronavirus threatening Major League Baseball’s 2020 season, the league and the union continue to seek ways to salvage the year as best they can. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hotze sues Harris County again

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This is just what he does now, I suppose. Houston conservative power broker Steve Hotze filed a lawsuit against Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Thursday, alleging that her order requiring people to cover their faces in public violates the Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Manfred finally disciplines the Red Sox for their sign stealing

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the MLB press release, written as a letter from Commissioner Rob Manfred. Executive Summary Following an exhaustive investigation into allegations of improper use of the video replay room by the Boston Red Sox, I have come to the following … Continue reading →

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The next school year is going to be different, too

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

As with many things, just how different remains an open question for now. When Houston campuses finally re-open in 2020-21, at a date very much to-be-determined, the region’s million-plus children will experience a school year unlike any other. Some students … Continue reading →

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Hollywood’s plans to come back

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve posted a few times about how sports leagues like MLB are making plans to return to action from coronavirus shutdowns. The larger entertainment industry, including TV and movie making, are in a similar position as the sports leagues, and … Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Greg Abbott’s grand plan is coming

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Ready or not (spoiler alert: not ready). Gov. Greg Abbott could make an announcement as soon as Friday about reopening a wide range of Texas businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, including restaurants, hair salons and retail outlets. During a series … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mask up

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Time for the next step in virus mitigation. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Wednesday ordered residents to cover their faces in public, the latest effort by local governments to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. The new rules, … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 35 Comments

Turner to ask feds for some relief

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t hurt to ask. Mayor Sylvester Turner is asking the federal government to let Houston use an estimated $400 million in aid to help close its ballooning budget gap and reduce the number of expected furloughs in the fiscal year … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of April

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is sure that Mayor Vaughn is correct about there being no more sharks at Amity Beach as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Abortion clinics say “ban’s over, we’re back”

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure this will be left alone. Texas clinics resumed offering abortions Wednesday after a strict bar on nonessential medical procedures was loosened at midnight. The ban on nearly all abortions in Texas has been the subject of weeks of … Continue reading →

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Did we mention that the next city budget is gonna suck?

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Because it is, in case we hadn’t mentioned it before. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday that the coronavirus crisis will impact “every facet of city governance” and require furloughs of city workers, though he declined to say how many … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

“There are more important things than living”

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, everybody. After facing intense criticism for suggesting on Fox News last month that he’d rather perish from the new coronavirus than see instability in the state’s economic system, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said last night that … Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

The politics of social distancing

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not really a surprise. People in parts of the country that voted for President Donald Trump have worried less about COVID-19, especially as the new coronavirus was first emerging in the U.S., a new study out of Rice University found. … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How do you conduct an election in a pandemic?

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We’re about to find out, one way or another. There will be an election in Texas in mid-July, apparently with polling sites, election workers and voting machines in place so people can cast their ballots in person. How many voters … Continue reading →

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