The Beatles
They still got it. At the Grammy’s yesterday, “Now and Then” by The Beatles won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance. Let’s see, next Sunday, February 9, will mark the 61st anniversary of their first appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show.” Nice.
The best line from last night was Alicia Keys saying, “DEI is not a threat, it’s a gift.”
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Some folks in the Texas Legislature still are keen on making it harder for folks to vote. See this from the Trib:
More than a dozen Texas counties are fighting a push by some Republican state lawmakers to get rid of a program that allows voters to cast their ballots at any county polling location on Election Day, arguing that the option saves taxpayers millions of dollars and makes voting more convenient.
County officials say it should be up to local leaders and election officials who best understand the needs of their communities to decide whether to offer countywide voting on Election Day.
Two bills have been filed to get rid of the option, which is allowed in 99 counties encompassing more than 80% of the state’s voters. Eliminating it would mean counties would almost certainly have to open, equip and staff more neighborhood voting sites, since Election Day voters would be able to vote only at their assigned precinct. In some counties, available facilities are also difficult to find.
“We want [the lawmakers] to know this is going to cost small counties a lot of money,” said Kirk Frye, a Parmer County commissioner. Parmer County is on the New Mexico border, and many of its 9,800 residents have long commutes to Amarillo or to New Mexico, which makes it harder for them to vote near their home on Election Day. “Countywide polling places are just convenient for our people,” he said.
State Sen. Bob Hall, an Edgewood Republican who has repeatedly filed legislation to eliminate countywide voting, says the program lacks transparency and produces inaccurate vote totals and results that can’t be reconciled. He has also filed a bill that would eliminate the use of the electronic voting equipment necessary to participate in the program. State Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, has also filed similar proposals in the House.
State and local officials have disputed Hall’s assertions about transparency and results, and pointed to the myriad benefits of “vote center” models like Texas’ countywide voting program.
The program allows counties, especially those in rural areas, to expend fewer resources by staffing and equipping fewer polling locations in areas more accessible to voters. If a polling location shuts down — due to loss of power or a natural disaster, for example — voters aren’t limited and can still cast a ballot at any other available location.
“We want [the lawmakers] to know this is going to cost small counties a lot of money,” said Kirk Frye, a Parmer County commissioner. Parmer County is on the New Mexico border, and many of its 9,800 residents have long commutes to Amarillo or to New Mexico, which makes it harder for them to vote near their home on Election Day. “Countywide polling places are just convenient for our people,” he said.
State Sen. Bob Hall, an Edgewood Republican who has repeatedly filed legislation to eliminate countywide voting, says the program lacks transparency and produces inaccurate vote totals and results that can’t be reconciled. He has also filed a bill that would eliminate the use of the electronic voting equipment necessary to participate in the program. State Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, has also filed similar proposals in the House.
State and local officials have disputed Hall’s assertions about transparency and results, and pointed to the myriad benefits of “vote center” models like Texas’ countywide voting program.
The program allows counties, especially those in rural areas, to expend fewer resources by staffing and equipping fewer polling locations in areas more accessible to voters. If a polling location shuts down — due to loss of power or a natural disaster, for example — voters aren’t limited and can still cast a ballot at any other available location.
Here is the entire read: Texas lawmakers push to end countywide Election Day voting | The Texas Tribune.
Let’s hope the effort of these two MAGA yahoos doesn’t get far.
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It looks like Congress will sit silently on the sideline while some fella decides what federal government agencies to shut down. I guess this is what the voters wanted.
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Astros pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in 10 days.
