Texas Progressives: Nuttery piles up as the Lege looks to the finish

Let's jump right in to to a full load of Roundup news not just about the Lege, but executive branch critters and more. And, trust me, there's plenty.

State-national

SocraticGadfly, good St. Louis Cardinals fan that he is, offers a hat tip to Albert Pujols at the possible end of his career, including saluting his postseason good times against the Astros and Rangers.

Ransomware attacks have hit more and more governments in Tex-ass and elsewhere, including the Cooke County Sheriff's Office in this area, and the Texas Supreme Court. Local governments, and the state supremes have both refused to pay up when affected and continued to not take proper protections when not affected. Will a ransomware attack on a major pipeline that moves gasoline and diesel from here to the East Coast get anybody (Bueller, the Texas Lege?) to wake up?

Big John Cornyn is Congress' top tweeter. Too bad most of the tweets suck.

State

Protests over "The Eyes of Texas" aren't leaving UT.

Annette Gordon-Reed has a new book out, "On Juneteenth." She talks to the Observer about it.

Scott Braddock brings us the "Old Town Road" voter suppression parody we didn't know we needed.

The Lege, gummint

If Jeebus Shot Sid Miller really wants to challenge Danny Goeb, or Strangeabbott, having his top political consultant arrested on claims he took kickbacks for Texas Ag hemp licenses ain't gonna help.

The House has cut most of the Senate's voting restrictions; who knows what will emerge from conference.

Harold Dutton ain't happy with fellow House Dems.

The House wants to bail out electric companies because the Lege is a weak-need fuck-up on weatherization, and worse, wants you and I to pay for this, while it remains a fuck-up on weatherization, especially on natural gas pipelines and facilities, and everything else named RRC.

Ken Paxton actually accepted that the freedom of petition portion of the First Amendment applies to him.

The actions on the wingnut side are just more Pander Bear, per the Observer; I noted that a week ago with my Senate Pander Bear, Drew Springer.

Via that link, a longform from the NYT Magazine notes post-election and post-Jan. 6 internecine warfare among Texas Rethugs. Names like Peter Hotze and Mucus naturally pop up. So does the Jesuitical Gov. Strangeabbott.

Off the Kuff dives into recent polling data.

Metromess

If Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson really wants a seat on the national or global stage, fine. Quit, and run for another office or take another position.

Houston 

Space City Weather explains Houston's new climate normals.

Lisa Gray interviews Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo about vaccinations, voting rights, and more.

San Antone 

Dr. Angela Tarango showcases a San Antonio church that got 95% of its adult members vaccinated.

The Texas Civil Rights Project reports on the long, racist history of poll watchers.