Undemocratic

The featured photo is as stunningly undemocratic as you can get. It is today’s front page of the Chron. This is going to come back and bite the GOP in the arse sooner rather than later.

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It is good to see the following breaking news from the Trib this morning:

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, announced Wednesday he is challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for reelection.

The third-term congressman made the announcement in a three-minute video posted on social media. The video touted Allred’s life story — and took multiple shots at Cruz, including over his role leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection and the trip to Cancun during the 2021 winter freeze.

“We deserve a senator whose team is Texas,” Allred said. “Ted Cruz only cares about himself — you know that.”

Allred had been considering a campaign for months, and the launch was no surprise after it leaked out earlier this week that his announcement was imminent.

Allred’s campaign begins as an uphill battle. A Democrat hasn’t won a statewide election in Texassince 1994, and while Cruz’s 2018 reelection race was surprisingly tight, Democrats have not been able to replicate such a close contest since then.

“Some people say a Democrat can’t win in Texas,” Allred said in the video. “Well, someone like me was never supposed to get this far.”

Here is the entire read: Colin Allred challenging Ted Cruz for U.S. Senate in 2024 | The Texas Tribune.

Cancun Cruz is a weasel and lowlife.  He certainly doesn’t care about Texans. I think Cong. Allred will run a good campaign.

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This is expected. Jumping ship. See this from the Chron:

Three more senior staff members at Houston ISD are departing their high-ranking posts at the district as the Texas Education Agency prepares to appoint new leaders to govern the largest school district in Texas. 

Police chief Pedro Lopez Jr., chief of schools Denise Watts and chief talent officer Jeremy Grant-Skinner will leave the district this month or next, according to public records. Watts’ last working day is June 14 and Grant-Skinner’s is May 31, according to resignation forms obtained through a public records request, which show that both submitted their resignation in April. 

Lopez, meanwhile, has been selected to serve as top cop in Killeen, a city roughly 75 miles north of Austin. 

And this:

Watts was hired in September 2021 and Grant-Skinner in January 2022 under Superintendent (Millard) House, according to district records. 

Here is the entire read: HISD police chief among senior leaders departing ahead of takeover (houstonchronicle.com).

I really don’t feel bad for Ms. Watts and Mr. Grant-Skinner. They came to HISD knowing that this was a possibility. Oh, well.

In 28 days, we will have a TEA selected Superintendent and Board of Managers.

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I kind of agree with U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez on this. Here is from Politico:

A top Senate Democrat is hammering a plan to send another 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border, calling it “the militarization of the border” and “unacceptable.”

“There is already a humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere, and deploying military personnel only signals that migrants are a threat that require our nation’s troops to contain,” Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

He was reacting to Tuesday’s news that the Biden administration is planning a temporary military border deployment to assist agents ahead of an expected influx of migrants seeking asylum.The move comes as Title 42, the public health law that permits the U.S. to deny asylum and migrations claims for public health reasons, is set to expire on May 11. Some senior U.S. officials say the end of Title 42 could entice more people seeking a better life in America to present themselves at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“The administration has had over two years to plan for the eventual end of this Trump-era policy in a way that does not compromise our values as a country,” Menendez said. “I have offered them a strategic and comprehensive plan, which they have largely ignored. Trying to score political points or intimidate migrants by sending the military to the border caters to the Republican Party’s xenophobic attacks on our asylum system.”

The service members, mainly coming from Army units, will not have a law enforcement role. They will be armed for self-defense but will be performing monitoring and administrative tasks only, freeing up Border Patrol officials to process migrant claims, officials said.

Here is the entire read: ‘Unacceptable’: Top Dem rips Biden plan to send 1,500 more troops to southern border – POLITICO.

Sigh.

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Three of our starting pitchers are on the injured list. Lance McCullers, Jr., Luis Garcia, and José Urquidy. That is a real bummer.

We wrap up the homie this afternoon against the Giants.