Texas progressives say Happy New Year

This corner of Texas Progressives wishes you a Happy New Year while reminding you that a number of state laws go into effect tomorrow. That includes an end to surprise medical billing, with better rules than the Texas Medical Association was originally going to write. Rules on flood-related valuation exemptions also kick in. Houstonians and other Gulf Coast denizens hope they're not necessary.


Texas politics

Texas ConservaDems are invited to hop aboard the Beto PAC gravy train!

At the Monthly, CD Hooks wonders wither the Texas GOP in 2020 and can Trump save it, or at least give it a respite?

Off the Kuff analyzes a poll released by the Eliz Markowitz campaign.

Texana

Socratic Gadfly got out to Big Bend for the first time in more than eight years, and he shares photos and discusses changes he saw. Two additional posts will follow.

The Trib reports on the state's ongoing fatal driving accident streak. In urban and suburban areas, bad drivers are also killing ever more pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Observer offers its top 10 weird stories of 2019.

The EPA is being sued for failure to update water protection rules from slaughterhouses.

Grits for Breakfast talks pardons, homelessness and other topics.

Texas Monthly eulogizes Bob "Daddy-O" Wade.

Cristina Tovar warns of a bilingual teacher shortage if DACA fails.


Dallas

Jim Schutze reviews his harshest criticism from others of 2019, including that of over his overly friendly defense of Amber Guyger, called out in these precincts as elsewhere. As I said then, for stuff like this, the #OKJim hashtag would replace #OKBoomer. #OKJim? Shocking that somebody from the Snooze is righter than rain and Jim Schutze, but Bill Marvel is right. Schutze has a crackpot side — and it got worse this year. And I'm not EVEN going to go read his Facebook.


Houston

The oilpatch economy is slowing down, both out in the field and in the high-rises, meaning Houston economic growth is slower than once thought. As Brains notes, this means Abbott's version of Rick Perry's Texas miracle is no more true than the original. One independent driller would like to see the RRC do its job on natural gas flaring, with the hope that would slow drilling enough on oil to prop the price up more, and also help natural gas prices. Another wants to see the feds step in and go back to the future with some sort of production regulation. The same holds true to a lesser degree in the Metromess, of course.


National

Brains ties his last 2020 of the year to the willingness of national Dems to die on the cross of Obamacare instead of single-payer.

Chuck Todd showed himself to be an even bigger idiot about politics in general, and today's GOP in particular, than even the most cynical of us suspected. Why he is still hosting Press the Meat, I don't know. Why Trump Trainer's fake fakery calls of "Fake News" gain traction is clearer than ever.

RIP William Greider. Dean Baker has a good assessment.  Per The Nation, I remember his explosive interview with David Stockman, in which it was revealed the trickle-down emperor had no clothes. I was less politically active then than today, and still Republican, but that was one of the first things to open a small wedge in my mind.