Good Old Boys

From the good old white boy department, here is from a recent Texas Monthly story on Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo:

“She has brought a very partisan approach to the office of county judge,” (former Harris County Judge Ed) Emmett said, “which is unusual because typically county judges deal with issues that are not particularly partisan. I think ultimately her tenure is going to be judged by whether or not people think she has accomplished anything.” Did Emmett think she had accomplished anything? “Not much that I can think of,” he responded. 

Here is the entire Texas Monthly read: Republicans Have Their Knives Out for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo – Texas Monthly.

Good old boys be good old boys. Typical reaction from an old white fart with a bruised ego after his 2018 defeat by a young Latina.  The following happens to be in the business section of today’s Chron:

Minority- and women-owned businesses are disproportionately cut out of contracts for goods and services awarded by Harris Health, the county’s public health care system.

Colette Holt & Associates, a San Antonio-based law firm, conducted the study for Harris Health, and found that minority- and women-owned businesses received only about 8 percent of contract dollars awarded by the system, even though they accounted for about 20 percent of the firms qualified to perform the work.

Of contracts $50,000 and over in the sample size, none went to black firms, 2 percent went to Hispanic-owned businesses, and less than 1 percent went to Asian-owned businesses. About 5 percent went to white women. The remaining 92 percent went to businesses that are not minority owned.

During the time the study was conducted, Harris Health awarded $76 million in contracts. Harris Health has two hospitals in its system — Ben Taub Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and a network of more than 40 clinics, health centers and specialty locations.

“I have minority and women owned businesses come and raise the issue. You know, it’s good ‘ole boys network, and it’s hard to get around that,” said Rodney Ellis, a Harris County commissioner. “You got to break those traditions and create opportunities for people who have not operated on a level playing field.”

Here is the entire Chron article: Minority and women owned firms are underutilized, study finds (houstonchronicle.com).

Commentary hasn’t been shy about talking about the contract mess and the Elections Administrator. I don’t want to go back to the good old boy system that Emmett presided over. Good old boy Emmett really went out of his way to make sure businesses owned by folks of color got their fair share of county government contracts – yeah, sure. Those days are over, pal. We are a diverse county. Guys like Emmett refuse to acknowledge our diversity.

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Yesterday, a building at a community college in Brazoria County was named after former Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen.  Accolades flowed freely at the former Speaker.  Here is one I saw on Twitter:

“You are absolutely the most strategic mind that has ever walked the halls of the Capitol.”

I don’t know about that. What is so strategic about getting set up on tape and getting caught plotting against your fellow GOPers in the Texas House? Oh, well.

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H-Town fans liked who the Texans picked last night. We will see.

That certainly was a clinic Justin Verlander and Rangers pitcher Martín Pérez put on yesterday for seven innings each. We ended up winning the game.