Tag Archives: Greg Abbott

Texas Politics

Texas Democrats Utilize Heinous GOP Platform

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So this is how it normally goes in Texas Politics… Republican candidates will run for office, and throughout the campaign they will do a bunch of stupid, even atrocious things which are virtually ignored by the media, and then finally sail into elected office in November.  Meanwhile the few brave Democrats that were willing to run for office or willing to call out GOP candidates can barely turn any attention their way.  Like trees falling in the forest, those that are not seen and not heard, are also not elected.

But 2014 is proving itself to be a very different ball game. Suddenly, Texas Democrats have new levels of support through networks like Battleground Texas and  the Latino Victory Project. Instead of being totally ignored, Wendy Davis, Leticia Van de Putte, Steve Brown and other statewide candidates have regular press coverage of their ideas and views on state politics. Texas politics ain’t a ‘one-horse town’ anymore.

As a result, when the 2014 platform for the Republican Party of Texas comes out, you can be sure that Democrats have lots to say about the horrendous  document. And this time, people are taking notice. Several prominent Texas Dems lambasted the platform on MSNBC.

Texas Democrats are criticizing a controversial policy platform

The platform calls for the repeal of the Voting Rights Act, endorses sham “conversion therapy” that seeks to change the sexual orientation of gays and lesbians, and puts forth a harsh anti-immigrant policy plank that calls for the repeal of a law signed by Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry granting in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

“The GOP platform isn’t worthy of Texas. It is shameful and disgusting,” the state’s Democratic Party Executive Director Will Hailer said in a statement Wednesday.  “If Republican candidates have even a shred of integrity they will turn their backs on this disgraceful platform and join Texas Democrats in support of true Texas values.”

The beauty of this approach? No one of significant prominence on the Republican side is actually defending their party platform, even though they JUST voted for it at the state convention. Greg Abbott has evaded questions on the document at every turn, and even the Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas Steve Munisteri is saying he doesn’t agree with the endorsement of reparative therapy!! This is par for the course for the Texas GOP… Do one thing in the dark, but then try to change your story when things come to light.

For Democrats, the release of the GOP platform might as well be Christmas in June. It is literally the gift that keeps on giving. We know that any same GOP candidate is going to evade these extremely false and harmful positions. So the next step is to use it against them, and stretch this fight clear into November.

Some in Texas have immediately taken notice. Houston Democrat Lane Lewis, chair of the Harris County Democratic Party, sent out this great mailer in response to the GOP platform’s endorsement of ex-gay quackery…

You have probably heard about the Texas Republican Party’s platform by now.

Among other offensive positions, they have endorsed “reparative therapy” for LGBT people. Rick Perry added insult to injury by comparing being LGBT to being an alcoholic saying, “I may have the genetic coding that I’m inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that, and I look at the homosexual issue that way.”

Yes, they are serious.

While Republicans are pushing junk science and trying to “fix” LGBT people, Democrats continue to embrace equality for the LGBT community.

This year, there are more openly LGBT candidates running on the Democratic ticket than at ANY point in history. And we don’t think those candidates need to be fixed, we think they need to be elected.

In Texas, there is sleeping giant of disengaged, disaffected voters. They are living their everyday lives, working hard and are dissatisfied with the current state of government. But even the most politically inactive people will have a reaction to the falsehoods and terrible ideas in the Republican Party platform. They may even think of themselves as Republicans, but they cannot support all of these “beliefs” of the party. If Democrats can make enough hay about this heinous document, they can ride that hay to surprise victory this November.

Equality

Arkansas Issues Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

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What seemed nothing short of impossible just a few weeks ago is now happening in the Arkansas, as marriage equality has made a surprise visit to the Natural State.  Here’s more from LGBTQNation via the Associated Press…

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Couples lined up before dawn Monday outside Little Rock’s courthouse as the state’s largest county began issuing gay marriage licenses following a judge’s ruling overturning Arkansas’ constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The Pulaski County clerk’s office issued its first same-sex marriage license shortly after 8 a.m. After business hours closed Friday, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza ruled that Arkansas’ voter-approved ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. Piazza did not issue a stay, and 15 same-sex couples obtained marriage licenses Saturday in the left-leaning tourist town of Eureka Springs.

The first Little Rock license went to Shelly Butler, 51, and Susan Barr, 48, of Dallas, who have been together since they met at Southern Arkansas University in 1985.

“When we heard the news in Arkansas, we had to jump in the car to get here,” Butler said shortly before receiving the license. “I’m just excited to marry my best friend of almost 30 years, finally.”

The second couple to receive a license was Thomas Baldwin, 37, and Devin Rudeseal, 24. The Bryant couple quickly married in the courthouse, and Rudeseal planned to take a final at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock later Monday morning.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, who recently said he supported gay marriage but would defend the ban, has asked Piazza to suspend his ruling. McDaniel said Saturday that he wants the state Supreme Court to take up the matter, but no appeal had been filed as of Monday morning.

More than 100 people gathered outside the Pulaski County courthouse before doors opened Monday. Randy Eddy-McCain, pastor of Open Door Community Church, was on hand to help perform marriage ceremonies for those seeking licenses at the courthouse. Eddy-McCain, who is gay, married his partner in New York. He said he looked forward to presiding over same-sex ceremonies in Arkansas.

“I want to get everybody in that I can before they issue a stay,” said Eddy-McCain, who along with his husband is a plaintiff in the lawsuit that led to Piazza’s ruling.

When Piazza didn’t issue a stay, Arkansas’ 75 county clerks were left to decide for themselves whether to grant marriage licenses. That caused confusion among county clerks, Association of Arkansas Counties executive director Chris Villines said.

A. G. McDaniel apparently didn’t see the need to file an emergency stay of Judge Piazza’s ruling, thereby setting the scene for future court battles just like the one that struck down California’s same-sex marriage ban.  The marriage licenses issued during this interim period will form the backbone that could permanently bring marriage equality to Arkansas, and if it travels to the Supreme Court, may even have national implications.  Besides Carroll County (home of Eureka Springs) and Pulaski County, same-sex marriage licenses are also being issued in Fayetteville, Arkansas at the Washington County courthouse, where dozens of couples were wed this morning.  All told, hundreds of licenses could potentially be issued before the stay.

This is in stark contrast to the state of Texas, where Attorney General Greg Abbott begged the state appeals court to issue an emergency stay, which prevented the granting of any same-sex marriage licenses in the state.

Just like the historic integration of Little Rock Central High School in 1957, it appears Arkansas is leading the way again as new Civil Rights battles come to the South.  Check back at Texas Leftist for more updates.

Marriage Equality Fayetteville

(photo credit:  The Fayetteville Flyer)

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Texoblogosphere: Week of February 17th

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The Texas Progressive Alliance is always ready for voting to begin as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Off the Kuff concluded his series of primary interviews with conversations featuring State Rep. Mary Gonzalez, and Ag Commissioner candidates Kinky Friedman and Hugh Fitzsimons.

Over two million Texas voters from the 2008 Democratic primary — and eight million who were registered to vote in 2012’s general election — have not shown up to cast a ballot. Texas is NOT a conservative state; it’s a non-voting state. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the details on what it will take for Texas to turn blue, and the numbers don’t offer much encouragement.

Horwitz at Texpatriate explains why Attorney General Greg Abbott pulled the ladder up behind him on other disabled Texans after receiving his thirty pieces of silver.

WCNews at Eye on Williamson shows how the Texas GOP, with Perry at the wheel, took the express lane to Crazy Town and the rest of Texas is along for the ride, It’s Going To Be A Huge Mess.

Neil at All People Have Value admired turtles and a fish seemingly doing well in not very clean water in Houston’s Buffalo Bayou. These creatures recall the fact that people not only can thrive in a rough environment, they can also shape surroundings for the better. All People Have Value is part of NeilAquino.com.

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

Texas Clean Air Matters calls on the state to work with the EPA.

The Feminist Justice League shows some love for Sen. Leticia Van de Putte.

The Texas Green Report cheers a study showing Texas among the nation’s leaders in solar-related jobs.

Christopher Hooks wants Dan Patrick and Julian Castro to have that debate about immigration already.

Lone Star Q salutes outgoing Fort Worth City Council member Joel Burns.

Mustafa Tameez analyzes NASA’s Tea Party Primary in CD36.

Battleground Texas had an amazingly successful event at Rice University for Wendy Davis.

And finally, the TPA congratulates Noel Freeman for a long awaited and much deserved second chance.

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Texas National Guard to Offer Benefits to Same-Sex Couples

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Directly from the San Antonio Express-News…

The Texas National Guard said late Tuesday it will immediately let same-sex couples register for benefits, ending a highly publicized standoff with the Pentagon.

Five Texas Guard facilities that had been off-limits for same-sex couples seeking benefits will begin to enroll same-sex dependent spouses in available programs.

“We’re going to go back to business as usual,” said Lt. Col. Joanne MacGregor, a Texas Guard spokeswoman. “It will be full service.”

The decision means same-sex couples in the Guard now can obtain a variety of services ranging from access to base commissaries to medical care and housing allowances — all benefits granted to married heterosexual couples.

The deal with the Pentagon leaves just two states — Georgia and Louisiana — continuing to hold out against an order issued by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

He told the Anti-Defamation League in New York a month ago that Guard organizations around the country would be required to provide benefits to same-sex couples.

The flap pitted Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Georgia and a few other states against the Pentagon, which last summer said it would provide benefits to same-sex couples in the military.

Gay, lesbian and bisexual troops have been able to serve openly since Congress did away with the controversial Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law two years ago.

The Defense Department last summer said it would issue benefits to same-sex spouses of military members as well as civilian workers after the Supreme Court ruled part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional.

Gov. Rick Perry defied the Pentagon, saying Texas defines marriage as between a man and a woman. But Hagel made it clear in his Oct. 31 speech that the Defense Department expected all 54 Guard organizations to comply with his order.

Texas cited its state constitution and Family Code in refusing Hagel’s demands.

It told same-sex couples to file their paperwork at more than 20 active-duty installations around the state, and refused to let them to apply for benefits at Guard facilities in Abilene, Austin, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and the Rio Grande Valley.

Those facilities will handle the paperwork, including marriages certificates, starting Wednesday, said MacGregor, the Guard spokeswoman.

There are different ways of evaluating this decision for the state of Texas. Obviously, if you take it at face value, it is a definite win for service members with same-sex spouses, because it improves the quality of their lives by allowing them the same benefits that their colleagues already enjoy. That’s of course the most important aspect of this decision.

But more broadly, this is a not insignificant blow to the Perry Administration, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, and the right-leaning legislature. It means that within the state of Texas, a major government entity is now recognizing same-sex couples by legal basis. Unlike municipalities such as Houston or San Antonio, The Texas National Guard is an agency that touches every community in the state. Are there a huge number of same-sex couples in the Texas National Guard? Probably not. But for the few that are, this is going to be a very visible change that will take place across the state, and one that is no longer limited to urban centers with a Democratic majority.

At the same time, Abbott and Perry face great difficulty in fighting this decision. Sure they can make vigorous statements saying that they will continue to fight and try to ignore any signs of progress in the state, but that’s about it. If they were to try and impede these soldiers further, it’s going to draw more attention to the state, and the inequalities that GLBT Texans have to endure. Nothing good could come of this for Greg Abbott’s (or any other anti-GLBT Republican’s) political future. It is however something Texas Democrats need to cease upon as fast as possible. They should applaud the decision, and say that these cases are about fairness.

Going forward, this will prove to be a major blow to the state’s version of DOMA. It proves that on issues of equality, the state will continue to lose each of these power struggles it has set up. If one branch of the military can offer benefits to same-sex couples, the others are not far behind. Next comes other government entities, and finally, the whole of Texas’ DOMA is doomed.

It’s a great day for the Texas National Guard!

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Greg Abbott’s Adviser thinks Wendy Davis “too stupid” for Governor

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At least, he thinks it enough to retweet the comment. From Christy Hoppe of the Dallas Morning News…

Dave Carney, a sharp political adviser who has helped guide Rick Perry’s state campaigns, tried to take on Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, over guns.

But he might have shot himself in the foot.

Carney was touting on Twitter the Colorado recall of two state senators who had supported gun control measures after Aurora and Sandy Hook. Both lost that election this week.

On Thursday, Carney was tweeting about it and pulled up posts by others that were critical of Davis on gun control measures.

He retweeted: “Total Recall in CO (and why Wendy Davis is too Stupid to be Governor)” Following the link supplied by Carney were posts that referred to Davis as “retard Barbie” and used other insulting language.

This social media fracas followed Abbott responding positively to a tweet last month that also called Davis “retard Barbie.” Abbott thanked the poster for his support.

On Thursday, Democrats expressed their outrage on behalf of Davis, who is contemplating a run for governor and would likely face Abbott.

“It’s clear that Abbott’s advisers are following a strategy of offending every woman voter in the state of Texas,” said Will Hailer, executive director of the state Democratic Party.

“A woman who worked her way from a trailer park to graduate from Harvard Law School with honors is anything but stupid,” he said.

And there we have it… another priceless bit of gold from the Greg Abbott campaign. You’d think for all of that money he’s raised, he’d ADVISE his advisers to not troll using their easily traceable Twitter accounts. Of course, I guess he’d have to teach himself the same lesson first. Needless to say, Texas Democrats need to put this one in the bank, and use against Abbott later.

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No More Perrystan!! But what’s next?

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At least come early 2015.

Yesterday, the longest-serving Governor in Texas history, made his big announcement… Rick Perry will not seek re-election. Here’s more from the Texas Tribune…

Perry announced Monday that he will not run for re-election next year, creating the first open race for Texas governor since 1990 and making Attorney General Greg Abbott the instant favorite to replace him.

“I remain excited about the future and the challenges ahead, but the time has come to pass on the mantle of leadership,” Perry said. “Today I am announcing I will not seek re-election as governor of Texas. I will spend the next 18 months working to create more jobs, opportunity and innovation. I will actively lead this great state.”

This is an historic announcement for the state of Texas. For the first time in the 21st Century, Rick Perry will not hold an elected office in Texas State Government. And as for having an open field for Texas Governor, it’s going to be a welcomed change. And hopefully, for the first time since 2006, Texans will get to observe a General Election debate. In case you forgot, Rick Perry was re-elected in 2010 without even debating Democratic candidate Bill White.

Sure… some people may think of debates as more show than substance, but it’s been an important tool in recent American politics. Debates offer a chance for voters to (potentially) hear both sides of an argument presented on equal footing. Our country couldn’t have had better evidence of this than the debate series between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. It’s arguable Romney’s performance in the first debate was the only time in his campaign that he felt like a credible candidate for the Presidency, and it was the time that Obama’s re-election hopes were in the most danger. The simple course of 90 minutes and two candidates having to interact had a profound impact on months… years of work.

Is anyone surprised that Rick Perry chose to chicken out of debating a very viable opponent. Why expose voters to the truth?

But thankfully, the time of Perrystan now has a definitive closing date. We can all look forward to seeing honesty and transparency return to the Governor’s office, right?

Hardly.

Though he lacks the showmanship of Governor Perry, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is just as shrewd and potentially dangerous. Don’t let the disability fool you. He’s at constant war with the Obama administration on virtually every major federal law. He’s an adamant Anti- Choice proponent. And if you thought that maybe his brand of Conservatism allows for the freedom to marry or be respected as same-sex partners? Think again. He’s already vigorously preparing to fight every aspect of the latest SCOTUS rulings striking down the Defense of Marriage Act. If you were looking forward to escaping the horrors of Perrystan, Abbottstan would probably be worse.

But here’s the good news… it’s not election day yet. Democrats still have more than a year to get their stuff together. Again it all comes down to doing the hard work of uniting behind the right candidates. The recent protests at the Capitol have proven that progressivism still has a place in Texas. But these protests have to turn into real political action. They cannot fade into the night once the legislature closes. And regardless of the outcome of candidates, all Texans should demand a series of General Election debates. Let’s face it folks… a well-televised debate is the single most important event that can occur for voters whom are less politically engaged. One has to wonder that if Bill White got 42% of a low vote election, how much more could he have gotten with a more informed public?? In the 2014 battle, this cannot be allowed.

Texas Democrats, say hello to your new Public Enemy number 1. No More Abbottstan