Monthly Archives: November 2014

Texas Politics

City or Senate? The Van de Putte Dust-Up

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Though the dust hasn’t even begun to settle on 2014’s contest, it’s pretty amazing how one tweet can set off a whole new political firestorm.  But such was the case this week in San Antonio, where a recently defeated Democrat is proving that she still has plenty of political clout.  Here’s what’s going on from the Houston Chronicle, via AP…

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Democrat Leticia Van de Putte says she will likely decide next week whether to leave the Texas Senate and run for San Antonio mayor.

Van de Putte said Monday she has long admired her local government and praised former Mayor Julian Castro, who gave the office a higher profile as an up-and-coming Democrat.

Van de Putte spent the past year running for lieutenant governor but lost badly to Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick.

Others are already eyeballing Van de Putte’s seat. Democratic state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer says he will give serious consideration to make a run at the upper chamber if Van de Putte steps down.

Van de Putte says she is focusing this week on a charity event in honor of her late grandson who died last year.

Along with Martinez Fischer, fellow State Rep Jose Menendez is also closely vying for the possible Senate seat.  Further complicating matters is Rep. Mike Villarreal, who officially declared his race for Mayor and resigned from the Legislature within days of the November results being read.  Van de Putte jumping in would pose a serious challenge to his hopes of being the Alamo City’s top elected official.

Two paths to consider here… what’s best for the Senate, and what’s best for Leticia Van de Putte.  Given that the person on the Dais was her opponent for this election season, it’s understandable why Van de Putte may not feel welcome at the Capitol for the upcoming legislative session.  But that aside, losing the experienced state Senator means that we also lose an important bipartisan voice in the state.  Again, that assumes that she’d be welcome in the first place with the new leadership in town.

What’s best for Van de Putte?  It’s true that she lost her campaign for Lieutenant Governor.  But what she gained is a massive improvement in stature and name ID, and has risen to the top ranks among all Texas Democrats.  The nonpartisan City Council, where Van de Putte could actually set the legislative agenda and get things passed seems a much better position to launch another statewide run than suffering under a boastful Lieutenant Governor in Austin.  It’s unlikely at this point that much in the way of bipartisan cooperation is going to be achieved anyway.

By any account, it’s a tough choice given the grueling months the whole Van de Putte family just spent on the campaign trail.  Though we don’t know her next role, at least this much is clear… we’re not even close to Leticia Van de Putte’s finale in Texas politics.

Texpatriate and Off the Kuff have more.

Texas Politics

Dear Texas Democrats: Don’t Blame All of 2014 On Voter ID

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Given how badly Texas Democrats lost last week, few are surprised to see a lot of in-fighting and finger-pointing within party leadership.  As has already been addressed, there were some notable missteps on the part of Battleground Texas, which the group, to its credit, is actively working to address.

But in recent days, a new whipping boy has emerged for the 2014 failures… Texas’ discriminatory Voter ID law.  Here’s more on the argument from Ross Ramsey of the Texas Tribune…

Say this for the state’s new voter ID law — it gave Texas Democrats a patsy for the thumping they took on election night.

[…]

The overall number of votes cast in this year’s election was less than in 2010 — by about 271,000. Although that appears to be part of a national trend, Texas Democrats blamed the state’s voter ID law, which they say discourages people from showing up.

Texas turnout, already the worst in the country, dropped. The state’s population is larger than it was in 2010. More than 14 million Texans registered to vote, according to the secretary of state — up from 13.3 million in 2010. Turnout that year was 37.5 percent. Turnout this year (the numbers are unofficial) was 33.6 percent.

The people who did not show up appear to be Democrats. The Republican numbers were up in the governor’s race, while the Democratic numbers were way down.

At a post-election discussion last week, Gilberto Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, suggested the voter ID law might be to blame for the decline, implying that Democrats are more numerous among non-voters than Republicans. His opposite on the Republican side — Steve Munisteri — guffawed at that, instead crediting his own party’s turnout efforts, the state’s recent voting history and the national trend against Democrats.

There’s no doubt that the stringent Voter ID law was a contributing factor for Democrats… possibly a significant one.  As Think Progress reported, poll watchers in Houston did see some issues, and the number of Provisional Ballots cast more than doubled from 2010. Because of Voter ID, it is definitely more difficult to vote in Texas than it used to be.

But the party and related organizations need to be careful not to point the finger exclusively at the law, else they risk losing the opportunity for a thorough examination of other factors, including their own culpability.  If all 600,000 of those voters estimated to be disenfranchised had shown up to the polls, wouldn’t we have way more than 16,000 Provisional Ballots cast? Press outlets would have reported on long lines of frustrated voters being turned away.  Had Voter ID been the sole reason that Democrats stayed home, evidence would bear that out.

Instead, many of the Democrats didn’t make it to the polling place at all.  We already know that most Texans are low-propensity and low-information voters.  Getting them to suddenly turn up attention before the election, and then turn out to vote was always going to be a greater burden for Dems than the habitual voters of the GOP.  Then there are the more subtle tricks, like Abbott’s last-minute decision to cancel on his debate commitment with Davis just so he could weasel out of mainline TV coverage for less-noticed PBS.  And of course, the internal friction between the party and other political organizations didn’t help either.

At the end of the day, all of these factors played a supporting role in the issues of 2014.  But let’s hope that Texas Democrats do not try to cast any single one, like Voter ID, as the only star of the show.  Instead, it’s time to live, learn, examine and focus on the battles ahead in the 2015 Texas Legislature.  Dos Centavos has more on what promises to be a long ride.

Equality, Houston, Politics, Texas Politics

Texoblogosphere: Week of November 10th

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The Texas Progressive Alliance believes that it’s not whether you stumble that matters but whether you get up and keep going as it brings you this week’s roundup.

As the Fifth Circuit gets set to hear arguments over Texas’ ban on same sex marriage, Off the Kuff reminds us that public opinion is much more favorable towards same sex marriage in Texas now.

Libby Shaw writing for Daily Kos and Texas Kaos believes that although we lost this election, big time, giving up is not an option. We Lost the Election but We Are Not Giving Up.

The first beatings in the Republican takeover in Harris County were administered at their election night watch party, as the media that dared to speak during a prayer experienced first-hand the love of Christ and his believers. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs wonders if assaulting a reporter on camera, physically or verbally, is really what Jesus would do.

Despite the ugly results from last Tuesday, CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme refuses to be discouraged. We learn from our mistakes. PS: The Valley went for Davis.

From WCNews at Eye on Williamson. Less than 30% of eligible voters turned out to vote in the 2014 mid-terms in Texas. Needless to say, 2014 Turnout Was Horrible.

Election night may have been tough for Democrats, but it was a big win for the Minimum Wage. This got Texas Leftist wondering… If poorer states like Arkansas and Nebraska can raise wages for their citizens, why can’t Texas’ major cities like Houston, Dallas Austin, San Antonio and El Paso do the same? With skyrocketing costs of living, our citizens definitely can’t survive on $7.25.

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And here are some posts of interest from other Texas blogs.

Hair Balls informs us that the Fifth Circuit wasn’t always a judicial wingnut backwater.

John Wright updates us on Connie Wilson’s efforts to get a drivers license that properly uses her wife’s surname.

The Lunch Tray divines what the elections mean for school food.

Nonsequiteuse has a message for those who would dump on Battleground Texas.

Texas Vox says that just because air is better doesn’t mean it’s good.

 

(feature photo is of the Caldwell County Courthouse in Lockhart, Texas. Credit:  Tom’s Texas County Courthouses)

Caldwell County Courthouse

Texas Politics

Battleground Texas: Now With Battle Scars

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In a post election email sent to campaign volunteers, executive Director Jenn Brown made one part of those future plans abundantly clear… Battleground Texas may be bruised, but here to stay.

Tuesday was not the result any of us wanted. The national headwinds were stronger than anyone thought, and Texas got swept up in it. But I hope you’ve got your head held high today, because we’re just getting started and there’s plenty of exciting work to do.

The email was not a solicitation for more funds, but actually a request from volunteers to provide feedback on how they thought the organization performed in its first major campaign.  I already provided feedback to the email, but also wanted to share those same thoughts, with just a bit of expansion, on the blog.

As ‘the new kid in town’, it’s no surprise that a lot of excitement surrounded Battleground Texas. But all the excitement in the world could not compensate for what proved to be BGTX’s biggest hurdle in 2014… being new, and unfamiliar with the Texas voting landscape.  Instead of forming a support network around existing local organizations, it seems that BGTX chose to mostly go it alone.  This lack of any coordinated strategy often lead to repetitive outreach efforts to the same voters, or missing critical voters altogether.  In a year filled with so much general voter apathy, everyone knew it was going to be tough to make a difference at the statewide level, but these novice mistakes made the disparity even more apparent.

Criticism aside, BGTX had much to be proud of during this election cycle.  Though the turnout goals were not achieved, at the end of the day there are now more Texans registered to vote than any mid-term year in state history.  Building organization of over 33,000 volunteers was certainly no small feat, and a true testament to the vast potential for making Texas into a swing state.  Better yet, those volunteers are now connected to more people right in their own communities that care enough actualize around important issues.

Organization is a skill that can be applied far beyond just particular candidates or elections. Building momentum around issues like raising the minimum wage or equality is just as important, if not more so than political aspirations.  Battleground Texas should “keep going” in off-election years.  Even if it is just a bi-monthly service project like a health fair, community garden or an immigration law workshop, BGTX has room to grow and join the true fabric of the state. No one is going to awake the “Silent Majority” overnight. But now that we’ve lived through an election, the real work can begin.

On the political campaign side, 2015 presents a vast opportunity with local races. BGTX leaders should be working with local candidates because they are the ones that know not only the needs of their communities, but also how to best engage them.  All of these strategies carry into the next.

Organizing in the digital space is important too.  How are those in the 33,000 member volunteer base supposed to connect with each other after the latest campaign ends??  Much of this work can be done through a more website that contains forums, a community page to post events and ways for people that care about common causes to find one another.  A better, more comprehensive web presence would be another step in the right direction.

Ask any of the greatest politicians to ever live.  If Bill Clinton had given up after being ousted as Arkansas Governor in 1980, he wouldn’t have ascended to the Presidency just 12 years later.  Barack Obama knew the sting of defeat in 2000 when he lost out on a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, but he didn’t give up.  The greats take a defeat, and learn from it. BGTX has been introduced to Texas, but now is the time to truly become part of Texas.  Once that happens, the Lone Star state will have some real contests at the ballot box, and beyond.

Congratulations to all the staff members and volunteers with Battleground Texas.  We finally have some real battle scars.

BGTX Epic Flag

 

 

UPDATE:  BGTX Executive Director Jenn Brown has published a letter to supporters via the Battleground Texas website.  In it she addresses next steps for the organization and what they will be doing to move forward, including reaching out to people to find out why they didn’t vote.  It looks like internal feedback is simply the first step.

Music Musings

Music Musings: OK Go- I Won’t Let You Down

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The Disco craze of 2014 continues.  In this latest video from the always innovative OK GO, we find the foursome staging a a one-shot choreography sequence unlike anything we’ve seen in the 21st century.

Filmed with the use of drones, the group had to rehearse multiple times to get all of the intricate dance sequences filmed.

Just as impressive as the video is the song by OK Go, using a bevy of orchestration, and exploring very authentic sounds from the Disco era.  From the album Hungry Ghosts, it’s a fun tune that makes sense in anyone’s party collection.

 

Texas Politics

The 2014 Electorate: Fewer, Older, Less Diverse

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#TurnOutForWHAT???

Literally, that is the question on minds all across the nation right now.

With 2014 in the books it’s time to take a look at what happened to Democrats this go round.  Why were the results so drastically different than the last two Presidential elections?  Despite the efforts of groups like Battleground Texas, it seems that the Republicans had little to no competition in the end.  But what also needs to be said is that the so-called “Red Wave” of 2014 shares some similarities with its predecessor in 2010.  Here’s what Talking Points Memo had to say about the results…

Older voters helped propel Republicans to sweeping victories Tuesday in Senate and gubernatorial races nationwide, according to exit polls from NBC News.

The disparity between the under-30 and over-60 was the widest it’s been in a decade, those polls found. The seniors comprised 37 percent of the electorate; young people made up 12 percent.

That was even more extreme than 2010, another great Republican year, when the split was 32 percent over 60 and 12 percent under 30.

As we know, an older electorate is more likely to be a Conservative electorate.  But what else was very true about voters this week was that there were simply fewer of them that showed up to the polls.  In fact, fewer voters showed up than anyone previously thought possible in the state of Texas… over 200,000 fewer than the pathetic voter participation rates of 2010.   When you include all registered voters, a full 66 percent of people sat out on this election.  Greg Abbott was elected with 20 percent of the actual voter population, Wendy garnered 13 percent, and the rest, well they D.G.A.F…

 

IDGAF 2014

Yes,  I know it’s not a phrase you often find in what one considers “serious” political writing, but is there truly a better descriptor for what happened on Tuesday?  The vast majority of Texans Didn’t Give A ____ about the future of our state.  And if they did, they still did not care enough to go out of their way and participate in a most critical decision.  In other words, a decisive majority of voting-age Texans did not vote at all. 

This post is not meant to sound bitter about the current historic levels of voter apathy in the Lone Star State.  But at the same time, it is no longer acceptable to keep waging these issues in such polite and non-provocative terms.  We want our voters to care enough about who leads Texas through the next four years, and into the next decade.  This is important.

And as one would guess, the 2014 electorate will probably reveal a less diverse group of Texans who showed up to the polls.  There are no official numbers yet, but one need only look at Harris County Early Voting totals to see that the practice was low in many minority EV locations.

So there you have it.  The state’s race for Governor was decided by a puny minority of the state.  And yet the political pundits have to use the decisions made from these voters as some validation that Texas is and will forever be a Red State?  Some blogs, like Texpatriate are fully convinced of this.  But given just how large the IDGAF majority is in the above chart, it’s just impossible to say for certain what this state will do in future election cycles.  When you start reading all these articles about the impressive Republican ground game, don’t take it as the gospel truth of the situation.

Personally, I happen to be a voter, a racial minority, relatively young, and someone who used to not GAF about voting or politics.  This Silent Majority can be moved if they are empowered by the right set of opportunities.  Let’s use 2014 as a teaching tool, and get back to work.

 

Houston, Texas Politics

Minimum Wage Increases Won BIG in 2014. But not in Texas

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Even as we continue to disseminate all that was Election 2014, it’s important to note that one issue typically associated with Progressive policies not only survived the Red Tide, but proved to be one of the night’s biggest winners.  Voters in four states and the city of San Francisco all approved increases in the minimum wage.  In literally every area where any form of a minimum wage increase was on the ballot, that measure was approved by a decisive majority.  Here are the details from Erik Sherman of Forbes Magazine…

If there was upsets and contention in much of midterm voting, there was one topic on which the electorate was largely united: raising the minimum wage. Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota all had ballot measures on raising state minimum wages above both their current levels and the federal $7.25 an hour figure.

All four states passed the measures, most by significant margins. More than two-thirds of voters in Alaska agreed to raise minimum wage to $9.75 by 2016. Sixty-five percent of Arkansas voters set the state on course to adopt an $8.50 figure by 2017. In Nebraska, 59 percent said the number should be $9 an hour by 2016. Only South Dakota stood out with a slimmer margin; 53 percent voted to raise minimum wage to $8.50 an hour next year. In Alaska and South Dakota, minimum wage is now pegged to inflation, meaning that it will rise as the cost of living does.

Those weren’t the only votes on the topic. San Francisco, one of the most expensive American cities to live in, increased its local minimum wage to $15 an hour. In Illinois, 62 percent voted for a non-binding referendum to increase minimum wage to $10 an hour by next year. On a related topic, Massachusetts voters passed mandatory paid sick leave. California and Connecticut were the first two states to require the benefit.

The Arkansas vote was especially interesting to see.  As Democratic forces have slowly been eradicated, many were wondering what the results of the this statewide vote would be.  You have to hand it to the Natural State’s newest Senator-Elect Tom Cotton, as he was able to accurately predict that if the Minimum Wage made it to the ballot, it would pass.  Did this decision have a direct effect on pushing Cotton into the Senate? It’s tough to tell, but supporting the people in at least one issue sure didn’t hurt.

2014 proves that increasing the minimum wage is just as popular in red states as it is in blue states.  And right now, no red state needs to raise it’s wages more than Texas.  As job growth has skyrocketed, so have home values, property taxes and rent.  In just 5 short years, major cities have seen rent increases as high as 30 percent.  This creates a growing disparity between the wealthy and the poor.

A report issued by the National Low Income Housing Coalition looks at just how much low-income Americans are struggling to make rent every month.  From this excerpt of the data, one thing is clear… if you live in a Texas major city, $7.25 an hour is no longer enough to survive.

Living Wage Texas

*Living Wage is calculated based on rent being 30% of an individual income, and requiring a 2 bedroom apartment without government assistance.  

Of course there are variances here, like people who may not have need for a 2 bedroom apartment.  But the determination of a an actual Living Wage assumes that a person makes enough money to fully support themselves.  For example, a person living in a 1 bedroom apartment, their living wage could be $3 to $4 per hour less than what is listed above.  The point however still remains that even they are struggling greatly at the current minimum wage level.

On the campaign trail, Texas politicians spoke constantly about the desire for small government solutions to address the issues facing everyday Texans.  Well for many people, raising the minimum wage is the best small government solution in existence.  If politicians truly believe in such principles, it is time for them to prove it.  The cities of Dallas, Houston, Austin San Antonio and El Paso should lead the way by increasing their minimum wage.  Each of these municipalities is already a national leader in job creation and economic prosperity.  And each of them are seeing the working poor struggle more and more to be able to make ends meet.

Many people  are probably skeptical about the possibilities of increasing the minimum wage in any part of Texas.  But with municipal elections fast approaching next year for many major cities, this is the right time to discuss and organize around the issue.  If a relatively poor state like Arkansas can care enough about its citizens to raise the minimum wage, surely the economic powerhouses of Texas can do the same.

minimum wage texas