Monthly Archives: February 2021

Might Republican AGs suffer in court for their seditions?

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This AP article considers the effect of the ridiculous Ken Paxton lawsuit and the role that the Republican Attorneys General Association played in the insurrection at the Capitol and asks the question from the title. Some legal experts think the … Continue reading →

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

Women’s NCAA tournament to be entirely held in San Antonio

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Similar to what the men are doing, in a warmer location. The full 2021 NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament will be held in San Antonio, the NCAA confirmed Friday, marking the biggest event in the city since the COVID-19 … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Women’s NCAA tournament to be entirely held in San Antonio

Weekend link dump for February 7

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

“So, how many early human species were there?” So, have you bought some Dogecoin yet? One reason why it’s basically impossible to do political TV shows these days is that any accurate representation of the vast majority of Republican officeholders … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Who believes in the myth of voter fraud?

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Republicans do. Next question. A new University of Houston survey reveals the stark partisan divide among Texans on the issue of voter fraud in the November election. The survey found that 87 percent of Democrats believe there was no widespread … Continue reading →

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

On Judge Hidalgo’s principles and politics

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This op-ed about Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo looks at her background and her style as an elected official to explore her political future. The question remains, is Hidalgo so focused on being a benevolent wonk that she ignores the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Abortion’s going to get more illegal

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s just a question of how much. Republican lawmakers, buoyed by a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court and the trouncing of state-level Democrats in the November election, are pushing to reclaim Texas’ role as the vanguard among states … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

How Greg Abbott wants to restrict voting

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

More from that Trib story following the State of the State address. As part of his State of the State speech, Abbott designated five emergency items, or items that lawmakers can vote on within the first 60 days of session. … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Getting the kids caught up at school

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna be a big job, and hopefully we can do it in earnest beginning in August. With students finally settling into a pandemic-altered routine and widespread vaccine access on the horizon, Texas education leaders are turning to their next great … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bringing vaccines to your local pharmacy

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Makes a lot of sense. Retail pharmacies will bring more COVID-19 vaccines to Houston and across the country following a boost by the Biden administration to increase distribution to the public. CVS Health will roll out 38,000 COVID-19 vaccines to … Continue reading →

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

What should the Governor’s powers be in a future emergency?

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

He admits there could maybe be some limits, but as is often the case has no great idea what they might be. Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday he is open to reconsidering his executive powers during state emergencies, a point … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The other obstacle to getting people vaccinated

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Some people just don’t want it. Millions of Texans do not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a new University of Houston survey. While 38 percent of those surveyed said they will be vaccinated when it becomes available … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

A different focus on human trafficking

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This story might have slipped past you last week. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee — who was elected on a promise to transform the region’s approach to criminal justice — removed 36 suspected sex workers Thursday from a proposed injunction … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A different focus on human trafficking

That poll about Ted Cruz resigning

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not really that great, to be honest. Former President Trump’s popularity in deep-red Texas is underwater following the mob attack by his supporters of the Capitol, according to a poll from the progressive group Data For Progress commissioned for … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rodeo cancelled again

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. RodeoHouston is hanging up the cowboy hat for 2021. No mutton busting. No fried Twinkies. No bed salesmen in NRG Center. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo made the announcement Wednesday morning, which includes all competitions, concerts and entertainment, … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rodeo cancelled again

“Nobody is getting enough”

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty much says it all. As Texans scramble for appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine, federal data helps explain why: Relative to its population, the Lone Star State ranks near the bottom in the country in number of doses received. Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of February 1

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance never short squeezes its weekly blog roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of February 1

Planned Parenthood not booted from Medicaid yet

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A (likely very) temporary reprieve. Responding to an emergency lawsuit filed hours earlier, a Travis County judge issued an order Wednesday blocking Texas from removing Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid health care provider beginning Thursday. The 14-day temporary restraining order, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Planned Parenthood not booted from Medicaid yet

Why isn’t COVID an emergency item?

Posted on February 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Ask Greg Abbott. Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday unveiled a legislative agenda centered on the state’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and a series of more politically charged issues such as police funding and “election integrity.” In his biennial State … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Paxton the puppet

Posted on February 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This is just pathetic. The long-shot lawsuit from Texas, which sought to invalidate the results in four swing states, was not drafted by Republican attorney general of Texas, Ken Paxton, but by Donald Trump’s own lawyers, revealed a new report. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, Legal matters, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s not a legislative session without an attack on transgender rights

Posted on February 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They’re targeting kids, because of course they are. Texas Republicans are again trying to limit the ways transgender youth can participate in athletics. Lawmakers have filed legislation that would ban transgender girls and women who attend public K-12 schools, colleges … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Castro says he’s not likely to run in 2022

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. Julián Castro — formerly a presidential candidate, secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, and mayor of San Antonio — told KXAN this week that it’s “very unlikely” that he will seek any elected office in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

There’s a real lack of consensus about the I-45 project

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It seems unlikely that TxDOT could just throw up its hands and walk away from this, but it’s at least a possible scenario. A proposed agreement devised to bring planners and critics of a massive redesign of Interstate 45 together … Continue reading →

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

The second shot portal

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

People are going to need this, too. Houston officials plan to launch a website this week that will let people schedule appointments for their second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Health Director Stephen Williams on Monday said officials plan to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The second shot portal

Precinct analysis: Fort Bend County, part 1

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts Comparing 2012 and 2016 Statewide judicial Other jurisdictions Appellate courts, Part 1 Appellate courts, Part 2 Judicial averages Other cities District Attorney County Attorney Sheriff Tax Assessor County Clerk HCDE I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Precinct analysis: Fort Bend County, part 1

The Republicans are not going to expand Medicaid

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe there was a brief moment, when the budget situation looked dire, when the forbidden topic could have been quietly whispered about. But come on, we know the score. Texas Republicans have long resisted expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Republicans are not going to expand Medicaid

More vaccines coming

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Still not enough, but getting better. Texas this week expects to receive more than half a million first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government, state health officials announced Friday. The 520,425 doses will be shipped to 344 … Continue reading →

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