The schedule for Democratic and Republican primaries and caucuses is very confusing and convoluted. A good place to start is with Frontloading HQ.
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Category: Politics
Events of a political nature.
Brexit schmexit
Britain’s exit from the European Union is finally here. At the stroke of midnight, Brussels time, 5 PM Central US, on Friday, January 31, 2020, the deed is done.
Britain formally exits the European Union on Friday night, casting off from the Continent after nearly half a century and ending a debate that had convulsed the country for more than three years.
Source: New York Times: Britain’s Brexit Shrug: Let’s Just Get On With It
By the sounds of it – and going by how long it has dragged on – Britons are tired of it all and just want to get on with life. Not so fast. For all this time – time supposedly used to negotiate trade deals and legal separation agreements – it seems like very little was done: for the next 11 months they’ll work out trade relations.
Texans Will Soon Carry Guns During Disasters
Earlier this month, the Texas House passed H.B. 1177, a bill that would allow people who are evacuating after a disaster declaration to carry a gun without a license up to 7 days.
On Friday, May 24, the Senate passed their version which shortens the time period to 48 hours, but allows the governor to extend that time if needed.
The new law has to pass the House once more and go to the governor for signature. If signed, it would take effect September 1, 2019. The 86th Legislature runs from Jan. 8 to May 27 (today).
As a licensed-to-carry gun owner, I don’t know how I feel about letting unlicensed people walking around with guns during a stressful time. (Guns would be allowed in shelters too – if the shelter owner allows it.) I guess the legislature is trying to extend the castle doctrine during a disaster to stop looting and allow people to travel with protection (?).
President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet for historic summit…
They met in Singapore on June 12, 2018, to discuss nuclear disarmament of North Korea.
Just two weeks ago Pres. Trump sent a letter canceling the summit. These sure are strange times we are living in – he has to be (one of) the oddest president.
Is Syria the Start of the Storm? #WW3
Last night, the United States, France and the United Kingdom, launched airstrikes against 3 strategic targets in Syria. The strikes were in reliation against alleged chemical weapons attacks that occurred on April 7, 2018. Russia, a Syrian ally, warned such actions will have consequences. Here is a brief timeline of events that have some wondering if we’re on the brink of World War III.
Continue readingBombs In Austin
Austin was rocked by 6 bomb blasts in 21 days. The suspect, 23-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt of Pflugerville, Texas, was killed in the last blast. His motive has yet to be determined. Here’s a timeline of what happened.
- March 2: A package bomb kills 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House when it explodes on his front porch.
- March 12: 17-year-old Draylen Mason, was killed and his mother was injured after a package exploded inside their home.
- March 12: Hours after the second explosion occurred, police reported a third blast, confirming that at least one elderly woman was injured.
- March 18: Two men in their 20s suffered non-life threatening injuries when they triggered a bomb via a tripwire while walking their bikes.
- March 20: A bomb blast at a FedEx ground distribution facility in Schertz, Texas, injured one person.
- March 21: Just before 5 am police/FBI/ATF corner Conditt at a Red Roof Inn on Interstate 35 in Round Rock, Texas. He drove off a short distance then blew himself up in his car. Source: FoxNews.com
The bad news is we may not be finished with this person or their bombs. FBI agent Chris Combs, head of the agency’s San Antonio office, said, “We are concerned that there may be other packages that are still out there.” Source: KBTX.com
The 2018 Primary Election in Texas
The Primary Election this year is March 6 (early voting starts February 20, in 2 weeks), and the General Election will be November 6 (early voting starts October 22). So far it’s a pretty quiet election – no hotly contested seats; Ted Cruz might have to campaign to keep his seat in the Senate.
UPDATE: More than 30 races are headed to runoffs on May 22. I think I’m eligible to vote for one: Lupe Valdez (D) and Andrew White (D) for governor. Source: Texas Tribune.
U.S. Senate (Texas)
- Ted Cruz (R) – incumbent
- Geraldine Sam (R)
- Mary Miller (R)
- Bruce Jacobson, Jr. (R)
- Stefano de Stefano (R)
- Beto O’Rourke (D)
- Edward Kimbrough (D)
- Sema Hernandez (D)
U.S. House of Representatives (District 17 Texas)
- Bill Flores (R) – incumbent
- Rick Kennedy (D)
- Dale Mantey (D)
Texas Governor
- Greg Abbott (R) – incumbent
- Barbara Krueger (R)
- Larry “Secede” Kilgore (R)
- James Jolly Clark (D)
- Cedric Davis (D)
- Joe Mumbach (D)
- Adrian Ocegueda (D)
- Jeffrey Payne (D)
- Lupe Valdez (D)
- Tom Wakely (D)
- Andrew White (D)
- Grady Yarbrough (D)
Texas Lieutenant Governor
- Dan Patrick (R) – incumbent
- Scott Milder (R)
- Mike Collier (D)
- Michael Cooper (D)
Texas Attorney General
- Ken Paxton (R) – incumbent
- Justin Nelson (D)
Texas Senate (District 5)
- Charles Schwertner (R) – incumbent
- Harold Ramm (R)
- Glenn “Grumpy” Williams (D)
- Brian E. Cronin (D)
- Meg Walsh (D)
Texas House of Representatives (District 14)
- John Raney (R) – incumbent
- Jeston Texeira (R)
- Sarah Laningham (R)
- Rick Davis (R)
- Josh Wilkinson (D)
- Alex Vidal (D)
Comptroller of Public Accounts
- Glenn Hegar (R) – incumbent
- Tim Mahoney (D)
- Joi Chevalier (D)
Commissioner of the General Land Office
- George P. Bush (R) – incumbent
- Davey Edwards (R)
- Jerry Patterson (R)
- Rick Range (R)
- Tex Morgan (D)
- Miguel Suazo (D)
Commissioner of Agriculture
- Sid Miller (R) – incumbent
- Trey Blocker (R)
- Jim Hogan (R)
- Kim Olson (D)
Railroad Commissioner
- Christi Craddick (R) – incumbent
- Weston Martinez (R)
- Chris Spellmon (D)
- Roman McAllen (D)
District Judge, (Texas) 85th Judicial District
- Kyle Hawthorne (R) – incumbent
District Judge, (Texas) 272nd Judicial District
- Travis B. Bryan III (R) – Next election 2020
District Judge, (Texas) 361st Judicial District
- Steve Smith (R) – incumbent
District Attorney – Brazos County
- Jarvis Parsons (R) – Next election 2020
Sheriff – Brazos County
- Chris Kirk – Next election 2020
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Five Presidents Visit Aggieland
Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter will attend the event at Reed Arena at Texas A&M University. Source CNN.com
They’ll be in town Saturday to bolster donations and support for hurricane relief. Bush 41 wanted to do something bigger than a anniversary party for his library – it was his idea to have a concert and start a fund raising campaign – One America Appeal.
The weather isn’t cooperating. There is a 30% chance of rain during the day increasing to 90% chance at night.
Spencer Speaks at University of Florida
Full disclosure, I graduated from the University of Florida in 1995.
Judging by the tweets (#SpencerAtUF), a lot of people showed up to protest and now they’re walking out of the building.
Spencer, who heads the National Policy Institute, a nationalist think tank, is scheduled to speak at 2:30 p.m. EDT [October 19, 2017] at a [University of Florida] campus performing arts center. The university said it did not invite him to speak, but was obligated by law to allow the event.
…
Richard Spencer’s event at the university in Gainesville, which prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency to prepare for possible violence, comes about two months after rallies by neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, led to a deadly clash with counter-protesters.
…
The school said it will spend more than $500,000 on security, and the National Policy Institute is paying more than $10,000 to rent the facility and for security within the venue. Source: Reuters.com
Last December, Spencer visited Texas A&M University, and was met with a small crowd, most of whom were protesters. At that time I said watch this guy we’ll see him again.
Texas Voter ID Law: Federal Judge Says Law Intentionally Discriminates
Remember, this fight is far from over:
A federal judge ruled on Monday [April 10, 2017] that the voter identification law the Texas Legislature passed in 2011 was enacted with the intent to discriminate against black and Hispanic voters, raising the possibility that the state’s election procedures could be put back under federal oversight. Source: NYTimes.com
Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, had made a similar ruling in 2014, but after Texas appealed her decision, a federal appellate court instructed her to review the issue once more.
Then came the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling which said Judge Ramos relied too much on Texas’ history of discriminatory voting and other “infirm” evidence.
Judge Ramos wrote the 5th District’s evidence “did not tip the scales” in favor of Texas.
Many southern states have fought the federal approval requirement for amending voting laws. Most of the issues were lifted when the Supreme Court decision in 2013 invalidated a key part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Source: NYTimes.com
And finally, something new:
With the ruling, two federal courts – in consecutive months – have found that Texas lawmakers knowingly discriminated against Latino and black voters in elections. In March, a three-judge panel in San Antonio ruled the Legislature illegally “packed” and “cracked” minority populations in certain districts while redrawing the state’s congressional map in 2011 – an effort to reduce their influence across Texas. Source: TexasTribune.com
Remember that phrase “packed and cracked” aka gerrymandering.