SocraticGadfly: Texas Progressives: Rounding up the nuttery

May 21, 2020

Texas Progressives: Rounding up the nuttery

Plenty of nuttery going around Texas.

A prominent ConservaDem DA going more and more off the rails.

State political magazines talking about a state political climate that, within the two duopoly parties, still doesn't exist.

And, who knows who will vote where, when and how in runoff primaries or the general in November.

With that cheeriness, let's dig in!

Texas politics

ConservaDem Harris County DA Kim Ogg has now become anti-leaks tyrant Kim Ogg. Shock me. Also "shock me" that the two people who talked did so on condition of anonymity.

Texas Monthly recommends "The Pushback" about an allegedly rapidly changing political landscape. Hey, TM, if Biden beats Trump, THEN it's rapidly changing. If ANY Dem wins a statewide race, THEN it's rapidly changing. And NOT before. Gus Bova has more at the Observer, with a more nuaced take, starting with saying it's got "too much Beto."

The Texas Supremes suspended a state appeals court ruling expanding vote by mail. Oral arguments were yesterday. Related: Off the Kuff offers his take on the latest developments in the state lawsuit over voting by mail. Christopher Hooks wonders why Ken Paxton hates vote by mail so much.

Update: A federal district judge has now said coronavirus fears qualify as disability and has opened back up voting by mail expansion. But Rick Hasan, noting how sweeping it is, expects the 5th Circuit to overturn. And a three-judge panel has done a stay; let's see if this becomes permanent.

Grits has a roundup of mostly stupid Texas criminal justice news.

It's nice, and I really mean that without scare quotes, that a blue collar union guy is running for Congress as a Green. That said, no, Hal (name is perfect for the video about to come!), robots will not be the solution to everything. That said, some of the conspiracy thinking ideas there mean you fit well with many, and likely a growing number, of other Greens.



C'mon, didn't you KNOW I was going there?


National

Justin Amash pulled a Jesse Ventura last Friday. Less than a month after announcing an "exploratory committee" for the Libertarian Party presidential nomination, he pulled back out. Politicus interruptus. His claimed reasons — political polarization at an all time high, and COVID-related issues — were true three weeks ago, and sound as specious as Ventura's. My thoughts here.

Friendly reminder: If you need Tara Reade's sociopathic-sounding claims against Joe Biden as an excuse or out to not vote for him, beyond older creepiness toward women and FAR beyond his politics, starting with putting Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court (maybe Anita Hill was too uppity of a woman for him, black or white) you've got a problem.

SocraticGadfly said this year's Democratic vice presidential nomination is the most important since 1944.

Stephen Young highlights that great Obamacare cheerleader, Sen. John Cornyn.

Paradise in Hell turns his Trump Translator Machine on again.

Jeff Balke reminds us that hurricane season is still a thing that happens.


World

Vox reveals the idiocy and grift behind the failed recent coup attempt in Venezuela — with about all the idiocy and grift being Merikan at end.

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