Turner heads home to Houston, and Mayor's Race. Rebecca Elliot, HoustonChronicle.com ($$$)
(In keeping with the Chron's wishes that no-one read their journalism, wishes they've doubled-down on by increasing the on-line subscription price to $3.50 per week, I will only quote selectively here)
With a knack for passionate, sermonizing speeches, Turner began focusing on juvenile justice and criminal justice reform, as well as public health policy and social services, advocating against state budget cuts that would impact welfare.
While the Chron does allow that some of Turner's votes "could" be of detriment to him, and quotes an opponent in the race, it really doesn't offer any unaffiliated criticism of Turner's tenure in the House other than a glowing quote from a political scientist praising Turner for not being a "bomb-thrower".
Overall it's very clear that the Chronicle fully expects Turner to be the next Mayor and is doing it's level best to get on his good side early. Not that this is unusual for the Chron, which has shown a habit for writing puff pieces and glowing, slobbering stories that reflect their institutional sources in the best light possible.
If anything, the Chron has a weakness for the ruling class. Not just any politician mind you but those of the ilk who believe in rule of the masses by a select group of intellectual betters. In short: progressives.
And, lest you think this is a Democrat/Republican thing they have been known to slather it on pretty thick when a so-called "conservative" consents to a progressive idea as well. It's trinket governance that treats a certain type of politician as the trinket.
What this results in is a mass of 'leaders' who are under no pressure to lead. Freed from the burden of actually running the city and producing results today's elected officials choose instead to provide to their supporters, and fellow travelers such as the Chronicle, a series of baubles meant to distract.
This is why progressives are so enthralled with programs like the so-called 'one bin' recycling program. It's why parklets had a brief, inglorious, run for a news cycle and it's why dilapidated infrastructure and an our of balance pension system is considered 'junk-food' by what passes for political thinkers on the left. Well, that and a fundamental lack of financial knowledge.
Even more damaging than trinket governance is the reality that Houston's elected officials are under little pressure from a watchdog media to keep their campaign promises. True, some of the TV news stations are trying hard. (Ted Oberg of Channel 13 is one example) but TV news does not have the ability to deep-dive into government issues as does print news. And, in Houston at least, there is no meaningful watchdog print journalism left in town.
So welcome back Representative Turner, to a city where the coronation appears to be already in progress and where there will be no expectation that you accomplish anything other than getting people a blue bin to put out in their yard.
Nice work if you can get it.
