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There is a 3 way fight in Texas democratic politics: 1. The Texas Democratic Party 2. The Texas based campaign groups 3. The National campaign groups Untrained due to the decades of dominance the TDP machine isn't and in that vacuum the three groups bumble like Larry, Curly and Moe. They bicker among top-down and bottom-up strategies along with a varying focus on turning out Hispanics. However, until these power structures are actually aligned the party is treading water.
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Jul 16, 2014 23:34
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I am pretty sure that even if convicted, Perry will win on appeal. No way the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals finds against Perry.
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Aug 16, 2014 02:45
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zoux posted:Also we take a huge part of our oil and gas severance tax revenue and cram it into a giant pot of money we aren't ever allowed to touch. Just be glad Texas was smart enough to have a severance tax! The difference between what we could do legally and what's political feasible is pretty stark in the education debate.
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Aug 28, 2014 21:33
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Randandal posted:I feel like a hypothetically competent Wendy Davis campaign would put together an ad describing Abbott's legislative efforts against disabled Texans and air that poo poo right now. Which Politifact Texas would then rate that ad "Liar Liar Pants on Fire" because Abbott never technically voted on any of those measures  Plus, you know that if the Davis campaign mentions disabilities they'll get pummeled by accusations of being biased against people in wheelchairs.
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Sep 4, 2014 06:30
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SirKibbles posted:New political system guys the cities get 1 rep and the suburbs and the rural areas get another one that way Texas will only be kinda hosed for the next 10 years instead of totally. It always blows my mind that Texas used to have multi-member districts.
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Sep 5, 2014 02:04
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Badger of Basra posted:Austin just stopped electing all its city council members at-large this year. We're doing them by district for the first time ever this November. The "gentleman's agreement" over the council seats was the easiest institutional example of Austin's segregation without a map.
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Sep 5, 2014 02:13
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Badger of Basra posted:Jesus, are those people all going to be on the ballot? My district only has 3 candidates. What on earth does the libertarian candidate mean by 'ending protectionism (reduces traffic)'?
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Sep 10, 2014 20:34
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zoux posted:Probably wants toll roads and thinks that the city government is somehow responsible for the toll road moratorium. I guess he means this: quote:When it comes to Austin traffic, it is not a question of whether or not there is a problem. It is clear our city is in desperate need of better traffic systems. This stems, in part, from some of our city’s corporate activities through their practice of offering large tax breaks for businesses to relocate to Austin. While this may continue to boost our growing economy, the City Council failed to invest adequately into our infrastructure to meet the new demand brought by incoming businesses. Ending the practice of aiding corporations relocating to Austin temporarily will give us the opportunity to improve our infrastructure and allow for more, and better growth in the future. Seriously guys, why build urban rail when we could build urban rail with tiny cars! Its brilliant! Edit: Missed this good part, remember its not increasing property values that cause gentrification, but property taxes quote:Gentrification in Austin’s neighborhoods is a serious issue for many families struggling to maintain their long-time homes. The trouble lies not in the purchase and improvement of properties, (there’s nothing wrong with one person making a fair offer on another person’s property), but rather from the ever-increasing property tax burden that forces many families to have to relocate.
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Sep 10, 2014 21:15
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Shifty Pony posted:Especially when any attempt to build anything not SFH outside of the CBD is met with screams of Neighborhood Character! I mean, I don't think building condos in hyde park is exactly decentralization. But, when we get the money to buy MOPAC from UP, the commuter rail you want is going to happen: http://www.lonestarrail.com Also, Austin originally was going to have a way better freeway system, but those darn NIMBY "freeways destroy communities crowd" stopped it.  (red lines are proposed freeways) Imagine how much better Austin would be if Cesar Chavez was a freeway! Or if there'd been a freeway just west of Lamar from the Capitol to 183!
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Sep 11, 2014 22:09
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zoux posted:Or if there were lanes instead of a train track running down the middle of Mopac? That train was there long before the freeway, mister. And the UP is more than happy to trade it to anyone who will build them a replacement outside of town. We just need the money. But if we bought the track we'd use it for commuter rail not *moar lanes*
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Sep 11, 2014 22:15
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Nonsense posted:Commuter rail ain't going to do dog poo poo, and everywhere they will decide to build it in Austin will serve like 10 people. You're wrong about where Lone Star Rail's (which would be the Mopac commuter rail) proposed stations would be (hint, pretty close to Mopac):  35th/Mopac would be pretty great. And the developments at Seaholm are leaving space for the future downtown station there (next to the Amtrak station). The Domain station, Mcneil station, and downtown Round Rock station would be great for park-and-ride commuting. Don't get me wrong the LSR isn't happening soon, but its going to happen eventually.
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Sep 11, 2014 22:28
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Nonsense posted:I'm glad to be wrong, but I'm far away from central texas, and as such it is my birth right to fling inflammatory claims! I'm all in favor of executing anyone going below the speed limit in the left lane. So Austin-San Antonio thinks they're so cool with their theoretical rail line, but Houston-DFW wants to have a word: quote:During a trip to Asia next week, Gov. Rick Perry will meet with the president of a bullet train operator involved in an effort to develop a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston, his office confirmed Friday. Nothing says Texas like private funding!
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Sep 11, 2014 22:49
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All of yall from Houston who think that it is "Keep Austin Weird" is the reason there aren't freeways as far as the eye can see don't know poo poo about development in Austin. Freeways died in Austin long before KAW. The correct group to blame is environmentalists and the endangered species act. Nowadays (post Watson), I'd place more blame on how much the ledg hates Austin. There's even a plan to bury I-35 at the upper/lower deck split and re-create East Blvd. This would reduce right-of-way for the freeway and create new sellable land that can be used to offset the cost. Except TXDOT refuses to allow their funding to be spent on projects with complicated funding mechanisms. Or how the state of Texas directly controls parking policy for 2 blocks around the capitol. Ever notice those yellow tagged old-style parking meters? Those are Texas parking meters and Austin doesn't see a dime.
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Sep 12, 2014 18:36
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Shifty Pony posted:Anyway on to housing: I heard someone who works for the city lamenting that Austin has no way to force the inclusion of "affordable" units in the large projects they approve. Is this some Texas legal quirk or is a matter of the city not being willing to attach conditions to the zoning and city variances that the large projects inevitably require? So what Austin has is a model where if you need a variance instead of building X% of affordable housing units you can instead pay a per sq. ft. fee to a fund that then affordable housing developers can use. So, most developers pay the one-time fee so they get higher long-term returns. And no one build affordable housing in Austin because the banks won't give you loans to build affordable housing fast enough to compete with regular developers. That fund was basically the only way the new student-owned low-cost housing Co-op was build in West Campus. And I'm pretty sure its the only way a other non-profits could afford to develop in Austin. However, it doesn't help These rules only apply in certain development districts (Downtown and near UT mainly). Other places the rules are less strict or alternatively there's no easy way to get a variance at all (hyde park). The other problem is, Austin is actually rather cheap to live in, you just don't get to live in downtown. And suburban voters prevent mass transit development because: 1. They use their car. 2. Buses bring "those people" into our neighborhoods! I heard the second excuse a lot when in the north Austin neighborhood I grew up in, people would fight to have the bus stop removed from the neighborhood because they only saw "suspicious" people using it. Those suspicious people were of course their own lower income neighbors.
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Sep 12, 2014 20:22
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Omi-Polari posted:Question for Austin goons: Why aren't we sprawling eastward? Or are we? Much of 130 runs through countryside, and east of 130 there's nothing until you reach Bastrop or Elgin. The Austin growth corridor is to the northeast. I'm not sure the exact reasons why its not due east.
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Sep 12, 2014 21:18
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Alkydere posted:I was born in Austin, live in Lubbock. Hope you have a committed sex partner! quote:Sexually transmitted diseases continue to be a problem in Lubbock County, with more cases expected this year over 2012. 11th in population, but 8th in STDs! That's an achievement. Edit: for the thread's information 
Trabisnikof fucked around with this message at 00:49 on Sep 13, 2014 |
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Sep 13, 2014 00:42
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zoux posted:Nope. Its been great to watch them turn into a powerhouse. The Tribune is really the best example in the county (and maybe the world) of a new kind of successful and meaningful journalism. They have the largest statehouse desk in the US and they've already shaped the face of Texas politics. Every state needs a non-profit journalism group like the Tribune.
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Sep 17, 2014 00:16
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karlor posted:National Guard reaches goal of border deployment without doing anything, $30 Million well spent Have they been paid yet?
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Sep 18, 2014 18:35
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1stGear posted:Huh, that's weird. Abbott really has nothing to gain from this, I wonder what changed his mind. Probably a threat from the media to give Davis the hour. That's usually what does it.
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Sep 19, 2014 01:33
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TGLT posted:Is Wendy Davis a robot? She's been way better about specifics than Abbot, but gently caress me her delivery is terrible. Women who show any emotion in public are weak hysterical creatures. So I imagine this is a slight over-correction.
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Sep 20, 2014 00:17
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Alkydere posted:Is Van De Putte the least crazy of the non-Davis people? Because I still want to vote Davis if only to do my part to at least give her future legitimacy if I can. Van De Putte is a long time stalwart democratic state senator. She's pretty baller.
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Sep 21, 2014 02:33
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Ah yes the classic, lie about committing a crime to someone then expose them as criminals when they don't immediately report you to the police! Brilliant journalism!
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Sep 29, 2014 21:42
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zoux posted:Well, you know how ACORN doesn't exist any more... Luckily Battleground Texas isn't funded by the federal government. Although this has lead me to learn that O'Keefe had to pay 100K to the woman that got fired in the ACORN scandal.
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Sep 29, 2014 21:51
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zoux posted:Has anyone seen any polling in the Lt. Governor's race? Van De Putte:  The guy with an (R) behind his name:  Edit: I couldn't find anything recent but that's what I bet it shows.
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Sep 29, 2014 22:32
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SirKibbles posted:They only really talked about the 3rd in the VDP debate though? I'm talking about both the Davis and VDP debates and generally what the Dems are doing messaging wise. I don't think "angry liberal women" would sell as well in Texas as you'd like. And that's how any amount of emotion or forceful speaking will get used.
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Sep 30, 2014 17:16
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zoux posted:Well it was essentially how Davis and VDP rose to national prominence so they might try to dance with the one what brung you rather than whatever worthless bullshit campaign they've been running. Maybe that's what gave them national prominence but neither of them were known for that in Texas politics. Neither of them are firebrands and honestly even the filibuster wasn't a firebrand one. Not everyone can be an Ann Richard. Edit: Besides compared to Bell, VDP and Davis are pure piss and vinegar.
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Sep 30, 2014 17:20
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zoux posted:Uh Davis was for sure. Uh, not really? She's known for picking fights on moderate issues (like education) and comes from a non-partisan position as her first elected office. Like I said, compared to Bell et al she seems super-energetic. If you'd watched the filibuster you'd know it wasn't some long take-down speech filled with rhetorical flourish.
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Sep 30, 2014 17:29
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zoux posted:Actually she picks fights on everything, shows up to committees she's not on to grill witnesses and generally stood out as the only true liberal on the Senate Floor. There's a big difference between being able to grill witnesses as a state senator and being able to challenge your opponent on live TV without it backfiring. Maybe the Davis campaign is overly concerned about that, but truthfully the campaign has been worthless since the beginning because no D had a chance to win with the current TDP. I had a feeling you'd were up late that night, I'm just being rude because I'm bitter that two good politicians are about to lose big . Trabisnikof fucked around with this message at 17:48 on Sep 30, 2014 |
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Sep 30, 2014 17:46
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Randandal posted:I wish Kinky Friedman would run again. Yeah because last time he ran it helped Rick Perry win reelection with <50% of the vote. I've been bitter since the "dream team" if you can't tell.
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Sep 30, 2014 19:41
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Badger of Basra posted:Why is it his fault and not Carole Keeton Strayhorn? Because Grandma sapped mostly conservative voters and Kinky mainly sapped liberals.
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Sep 30, 2014 22:10
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Sardonik posted:I wish he'd run again too, into a bus. Have you heard the good word? The Jewish Cowboy supports legalizing pot!
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Oct 1, 2014 00:44
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zoux posted:Part of the problem is that Davis is the only Democrat in Texas with any recognition at all, and that's why they pushed her into running for Governor. Also Davis was going to lose her senate seat sooner rather than later. She made herself a big target and Texas state senate seats are some of the most expensive districts to run in due to their size and media markets. Her running for governor is at least going out with a bang. You hit the nail on the head: there aren't good candidates in the TDP. This is because TDP is a crippled organization.
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Oct 2, 2014 15:43
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zoux posted:Before we all start sucking each other's dicks, remember that the abortion laws were also ruled unconstitutional but a higher court decided to let them be implemented during the appeals process. Abbott will probably argue that the whole state electoral system has been prepared to operate under the new law and will probably ask the Fifth Circuit for the same thing. The abortion law was the Austin court and the voter law is the Corpus Christi court so there's hope there. But yeah, Abbott will get what he wants from the 5th Circuit.
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Oct 10, 2014 16:10
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zoux posted:Maybe to you but the Mythical Undecided Voter will see it as a cheap shot. Its pretty sweet deal that Abbott got, immunity from personal hypocrisy along with his cash payout. There's nothing Wendy's campaign could have done that would have made this election winnable.
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Oct 14, 2014 21:11
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zoux posted:Oh no, Abbott could win by one vote and the state GOP will go loving balls rear end nuts next session. They've got two, maybe three more sessions before one of the houses flips and then they are done for generations. They know it and they have to live it large while they hold the reins, and they are going to hold them as well as they ever have in 2015. I don't know. 2018 is the absolute earliest we could see any democratic gains in Texas, and it would be a stretch to get a statewide. Maybe 2020-2024 would be a realistic time to gain statewide offices and maybe flip one of the houses, but who knows what the 2020 redistricting maps will look like. How do Democrats get 100% more latinos to vote, have them vote at least as considently D as now, and not lose any more of the white vote? That's what Democrats need to win before 2024.
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Oct 14, 2014 21:41
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Nonsense posted:The laws that are being overturned by courts in TX and WI, are these capable of being brought back up as legislation later or are these rulings solid? Well, as it stands, the laws are in effect in Texas. Its a long time until we know how far these challenges get. For all we know the Supreme Court could just rule the laws valid.
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Oct 14, 2014 23:32
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Everyone have your photo IDs ready?
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Oct 18, 2014 22:45
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e_angst posted:Basically expected it to happen. Now I'm just hoping it backfires and results in married Republican women not getting to vote since their names won't match properly with the state records. You mean like last election?
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Oct 19, 2014 00:51
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PostNouveau posted:What makes you think white women are going to get their IDs challenged? Well, seeing as Wendy Davis had to sign an affidavit to vote last time...
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Oct 20, 2014 07:36
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Rabble posted:I voted for the Austin rail even if it doesn't benefit me personally. I'm all for creating opportunities to live along a route where you can commute to work without driving. Do you drive? Because the rail funding included road funding too.
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Oct 21, 2014 21:51
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