First off, I admit, I'm a bad blogger. I neglected to wish all of you a Merry Christmas. I would suggest that this was due to real life getting in the way, as it does, but you may also choose to accept that I don't give two figs whether or not your Christmas was merry, happy or a giant Humbug. We're all for happiness here at YDOP so take your pick.
We would be horribly remiss however if we failed to take a gaze into the hazy, blue future of Houston and Harris County to determine what the year ahead holds. So, without further ado, here are a few things that might, or might not happen locally in 2019.
Lina Hidalgo will do fair.
Look, she's not going to come in and change the County overnight. I would predict that she doesn't even come in and change a whole lot that matters. Most of what makes up County politics is pretty mundane stuff. She's going to have to focus on flood control, and making things work or she's going to find herself out of a job the first time she's up for reelection. She has to understand this. If she doesn't then she is indeed the bone idiot that many are claiming she is.
I don't think she's a dumb lady, so I think she'll pretty much settle in and be more noise than actual fury.
Bonus: I can all but guarantee you that one local, erratic political columnist will pen a column comparing her to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. For no other reason that she is also young, Hipanic, female, and a member of the Democratic Socialists. Oddly enough, neither of these two women have accomplished anything of note in their careers as of yet, other than getting elected of public office of course. The column in question will be gushing, and will paint the columnist as the smartest person in the room, despite all of the evidence to the contrary.
Some newly elected judge is going to do something stupid.
It's bound to happen. When you have mostly new judges, many of which have no judicial experience, there will be a judge who does something that's so beyond the pale that even Democrats look at each other and cringe. There are many candidates for this honor, but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Franklin Bynum wins the booby prize.
Adrian Garcia will mis-manage his office.
This is less a prediction than a lead-pipe cinch. If you don't know why that is you haven't paid attention to the career of this man.
Houston Metro will still be unable to give full detail of the expenditures for their gigantic bond when it heads to election.
Nor will there be much push for them to do so. Any politician who might have asked Spieler and company to operate with any accountability and transparency at all has either retired, or been voted out of office. What remains is a political rubber stamp for the most-ill ran quasi-governmental agency in the region.
Bonus: Despite the Danger Train continuing to maim and kill people, there will be calls for more and more at-grade rail.
Sylvester Turner will get his tax-cap roll back.
It will be on the 2019 ballot, and it will pass with something like 68% of the vote. Because of this he will immediately push through a tax increase that's brutally punitive toward the poor and middle class. He will do this with a straight face, and will only partially pretend that the windfall the city receives from the tax isn't going to his political patrons.
Bonus: Stephen Costello will soon become the Czar of pretty much every issue that has plagued Houston EVER. Nothing of substance will be done to fix any of them.
The Harris County GOP will continue to shout at clouds.
The reason the city and county are slagged with such terrible leadership is because what passes for the opposition party in Harris County is pretty much an outrage engine focusing on National, rather than local, issues. This will not change, even if the party comes to its senses and votes Paul Simpson out of a leadership position. This is because the GOP does not, and has not, done local issues well for a while now.
Bonus: Orlando Sanchez will mount a futile challenge to Simpson for the Harris County GOP Chair. He will lose and blame his name.
HISD is toast.
The HISD board will continue to be both a source of low-comedy and high-shame to the area as the elected know-nothings on the board continue to run the district down the path of dissolution. The TEA won't think about coming in until 2020, so that's not a prediction here, but what I can say is that the board is going to continue to be a dumpster fire for the remainder of the year. They will, eventually, hire a superintendent, but they've so damaged the reputation of the district that whoever they end up with will be nothing more than a cypher.
We are eventually going to find the villages that are missing all of these idiots.
You cannot elect a group of low-functioning idiots to positions of power without depriving villages of their entertainment. I predict in 2019 we are going to discover where these people are coming from. Once we identify the source, we can begin to plug the leak and eventually return some sanity to Houston and Harris County leadership.
This fire-fighter thing is going to get even uglier.
Speaking of the HALV, it's going to continue to suck-up any semblance of leadership, fire men and women are going to be laid off and we just hope that some innocent citizen doesn't die because of Mayor Turner's vindictive streak.
Art Acevedo is FINALLY going to find a political office to run for.
We predict that 2019 is officially the year that Acevedo finds some favorable political slot, probably in the San Antonio area, to run for office and drop the pretense of being a first responder.
Houston will flood in 2019.
Of course it will. And while it may not be as bad as Harvey it could be a lot worse in terms of lives lost because logistics and leadership will be lacking. I was not the biggest fan of Ed Emmett and his Astrodome dreams but he was good in a disaster and that steady leadership will be missed.
And Finally.....
The inaugural "worst political blog in Harris County" award will finally be issued and will FINALLY be given to YDOP.
I will not stop hoping for this until it happens.
On a final note: 2019 is going to suck, as 2018 sucked, as 2017 sucked as 2016 sucked before it.
Happy New Year Everyone.
Monday, December 31, 2018
Thursday, December 20, 2018
HALV: The Growing Smallness of Boss Turner.
It is becoming apparent that Mayor Sylvester 'Boss' Turner might not be big enough to handle the challenges he is currently facing.
City Moves to Implement Prop B, Despite Uncertainty Over When Lay-offs Begin. HoustonChronicle ($$$)
If you're not at least a digital subscriber to the Houston Chronicle you might not be able to read this. If, say, you've already exhausted your reading of 3 free articles on stories about the Rockets, soft-porn slide shows or Erica Grieder trying to convince us and herself that she's the smartest, most bestest political writer EVAH and not just someone who wrote a book and then acted erratically at both her last job and on Twitter.
If you can't, that's too bad. Because the article is starting to paint Boss Turner as a diminutive figure in a place of power during a time when big challenges are at hand.
Granted, the Houston Fire Fighter's Union SHOULD want to negotiate at this point because they would be doing so from a position of power. From that standpoint Turner the Shrinking probably doesn't want to hit the negotiating table because there is increasing evidence that he's just not that good at it.
Turner understands the potential disastrous effects of his negotiating under the looming specter of Prop B. You have to at least give him that. But for the rest of his tactics, asking city departments to ponder budgets with cuts that are probably deeper than they should go, threatening mass layoffs of first responders, denigrating the work of fire personnel etc. These are signs of a man shrinking away from the challenge faster than a Ford F-250 barreling along a Houston freeway without care or concern for his fellow drivers.
Here's the thing. Houston NEEDS leadership right now. It needs a large-thinking individual with big ideas and bold solutions to a host of problems. What it has is a diminutive cypher, a life-long politician with little in the way of career accomplishment who is now refusing to even entertain ideas for solutions. Even the bad ones. His head could not be any further into the sand if only his ankles were still showing.
But, the lawyers are still getting paid. As are his other political patrons. Contracts with former business partners are paying them Millions of dollars and the only argument justifying this is that they are "former" business partners. As if friendships and patronage end when professional bonds are broken.
There is waste in the City of Houston budget, of that I'm sure. And while I have my doubts that there is enough waste to carve out to fully fund the fire fighter pay raise, fix Houston's dilapidated infrastructure, address flooding concerns, and increase the staffing levels for police officers, etc. the biggest problems for Houston right now are even deeper still, more problematic than fiscal disaster.
The biggest problem for Houston right now is that the Houston Area Leadership Vacuum seems to be centered around one very small man. A man whose current plan is to wait and hope. Hope that they get the right judge, the right court-order, the right decision that will let him continue on his path of busting the pillow-soft revenue cap, increasing taxes and using those funds to increase payments to his patronage.
The important thing to remember here is that "Houston Mayor" has been described in the media and by himself as being Turner's "dream job" his life-long aspiration. The gold-ring in what he has imagined to be his storybook political career.
Some story books are horror stories, and they don't end well. Unless the hero of the story has a transformative moment that provides him the courage to rise up and defeat the demon.
Right now we're half way through the Turner story and there's scant evidence that a heroic transformation is in our near future.
But he's having his in-front-of-the-looking-glass "Eat me, Drink me" moment.
Here's hoping he chooses the cake, but lately he's been drinking the potion.
City Moves to Implement Prop B, Despite Uncertainty Over When Lay-offs Begin. HoustonChronicle ($$$)
If you're not at least a digital subscriber to the Houston Chronicle you might not be able to read this. If, say, you've already exhausted your reading of 3 free articles on stories about the Rockets, soft-porn slide shows or Erica Grieder trying to convince us and herself that she's the smartest, most bestest political writer EVAH and not just someone who wrote a book and then acted erratically at both her last job and on Twitter.
If you can't, that's too bad. Because the article is starting to paint Boss Turner as a diminutive figure in a place of power during a time when big challenges are at hand.
Granted, the Houston Fire Fighter's Union SHOULD want to negotiate at this point because they would be doing so from a position of power. From that standpoint Turner the Shrinking probably doesn't want to hit the negotiating table because there is increasing evidence that he's just not that good at it.
Turner understands the potential disastrous effects of his negotiating under the looming specter of Prop B. You have to at least give him that. But for the rest of his tactics, asking city departments to ponder budgets with cuts that are probably deeper than they should go, threatening mass layoffs of first responders, denigrating the work of fire personnel etc. These are signs of a man shrinking away from the challenge faster than a Ford F-250 barreling along a Houston freeway without care or concern for his fellow drivers.
Here's the thing. Houston NEEDS leadership right now. It needs a large-thinking individual with big ideas and bold solutions to a host of problems. What it has is a diminutive cypher, a life-long politician with little in the way of career accomplishment who is now refusing to even entertain ideas for solutions. Even the bad ones. His head could not be any further into the sand if only his ankles were still showing.
But, the lawyers are still getting paid. As are his other political patrons. Contracts with former business partners are paying them Millions of dollars and the only argument justifying this is that they are "former" business partners. As if friendships and patronage end when professional bonds are broken.
There is waste in the City of Houston budget, of that I'm sure. And while I have my doubts that there is enough waste to carve out to fully fund the fire fighter pay raise, fix Houston's dilapidated infrastructure, address flooding concerns, and increase the staffing levels for police officers, etc. the biggest problems for Houston right now are even deeper still, more problematic than fiscal disaster.
The biggest problem for Houston right now is that the Houston Area Leadership Vacuum seems to be centered around one very small man. A man whose current plan is to wait and hope. Hope that they get the right judge, the right court-order, the right decision that will let him continue on his path of busting the pillow-soft revenue cap, increasing taxes and using those funds to increase payments to his patronage.
The important thing to remember here is that "Houston Mayor" has been described in the media and by himself as being Turner's "dream job" his life-long aspiration. The gold-ring in what he has imagined to be his storybook political career.
Some story books are horror stories, and they don't end well. Unless the hero of the story has a transformative moment that provides him the courage to rise up and defeat the demon.
Right now we're half way through the Turner story and there's scant evidence that a heroic transformation is in our near future.
But he's having his in-front-of-the-looking-glass "Eat me, Drink me" moment.
Here's hoping he chooses the cake, but lately he's been drinking the potion.
Monday, December 17, 2018
BadHumanity: Our Smart Phones are Making us Dumber.
Over the weekend the wife and I visited Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo. It's a fun little walk around part of the zoo with Christmas lights strewn throughout. Good for either a date or family night whichever. At least, it would have been great, if the smart-phone photo takers wouldn't have been EVERYWHERE.
It's to the point now that this mania for taking pictures of everything, regardless of how insignificant, is getting out of control. It's even worse when people have children who are involved. Right from the jump you noticed the lines, people standing in long versions of them, waiting to snap multiple pictures of themselves and family members in "photo-op" spots, or increasingly, right in the middle of the walkways.
While I'm a fan of the occasional snap, and even do so myself from time to time, there comes a point where you're starting to miss out on life being so dead set on applying a SnapChat filter to it.
As an example of this I'll discuss the "Tunnel of lights" feature last night at the zoo.
You were supposed to walk through it, where you would be surrounded by lights on all side for about 10 yards. It might have been kind of pretty. The problem was you COULD NOT WALK THROUGH because, on both sides of the tunnel, there were long lines of people waiting to have someone (or, multiple someones one at a time) standing in the mouth of the tunnel to have their picture taken. After taking the picture they wouldn't walk through, they would walk back to whoever was taking the picture and switch places with them. We sat and watched a family do this for 10 minutes as they cycled through 5 people, taking multiple shots of each.
The thing was no one, ever, walked through the tunnel in the five minutes we were there. No one could because the entrances were blocked with the subjects of the pictures. The entire feature was being wasted.
But it's not just that. My wife got her feet stepped on 4 times by people not paying attention and backing up into her trying to get the "perfect shot". One family took up the entire walkway for 2-3 minutes trying to get the perfect picture of their little Honey Boo-Boo looking daughter mugging under a gorilla globe. You.Could.Not.Get.By without causing a scene because the husband was ensuring people stopped.
Now, at this point, were I a writer for the Houston Chronicle, I'd tell you about this scene of bad behavior and make-up some scenario where the offending family acted like boobs, I acted heroically and walked off feeling smug, while they felt chastened and dumb.
But that didn't happen. In fact, no one really challenged the guy because in most cases people just go along to get along. I didn't challenge them taking the picture. I waited patiently while they did so, and so did everyone else. The gentleman acting as a blocker really wasn't needed because, in my experience, people really do try to be respectful to people when they're taking the memory shot.
But, it's becoming too much. We've moved from a quick, 5 second photo to elaborate posing, multiple shots all trying to catch that perfect memory and we've forgotten about our fellow humans who are trying themselves to have a good time. Our leisure time, has taken on the same qualities as everything else in our lives. We've devalued each-other to the point that we no longer feel the need to travel about this pebble giving any type of respect.
You see the same things on our roads. Driving home from Zoo Lights we rushed up on an SUV that was doing 35 in the second-to-left-lane on the Southwest Freeway. Were his harzards on? Was he in distress? Did he have car problems?
No, he was talking on his phone while driving 25 miles below the speed limit in a lane that should be reserved for faster traffic.
We have lost the ability to live our lives without our smart phones, but we have also lost the ability to function properly in society with them. I'm not sure if there's a fix to this, or if we would even want it should it exist.
It's to the point now that this mania for taking pictures of everything, regardless of how insignificant, is getting out of control. It's even worse when people have children who are involved. Right from the jump you noticed the lines, people standing in long versions of them, waiting to snap multiple pictures of themselves and family members in "photo-op" spots, or increasingly, right in the middle of the walkways.
While I'm a fan of the occasional snap, and even do so myself from time to time, there comes a point where you're starting to miss out on life being so dead set on applying a SnapChat filter to it.
As an example of this I'll discuss the "Tunnel of lights" feature last night at the zoo.
You were supposed to walk through it, where you would be surrounded by lights on all side for about 10 yards. It might have been kind of pretty. The problem was you COULD NOT WALK THROUGH because, on both sides of the tunnel, there were long lines of people waiting to have someone (or, multiple someones one at a time) standing in the mouth of the tunnel to have their picture taken. After taking the picture they wouldn't walk through, they would walk back to whoever was taking the picture and switch places with them. We sat and watched a family do this for 10 minutes as they cycled through 5 people, taking multiple shots of each.
The thing was no one, ever, walked through the tunnel in the five minutes we were there. No one could because the entrances were blocked with the subjects of the pictures. The entire feature was being wasted.
But it's not just that. My wife got her feet stepped on 4 times by people not paying attention and backing up into her trying to get the "perfect shot". One family took up the entire walkway for 2-3 minutes trying to get the perfect picture of their little Honey Boo-Boo looking daughter mugging under a gorilla globe. You.Could.Not.Get.By without causing a scene because the husband was ensuring people stopped.
Now, at this point, were I a writer for the Houston Chronicle, I'd tell you about this scene of bad behavior and make-up some scenario where the offending family acted like boobs, I acted heroically and walked off feeling smug, while they felt chastened and dumb.
But that didn't happen. In fact, no one really challenged the guy because in most cases people just go along to get along. I didn't challenge them taking the picture. I waited patiently while they did so, and so did everyone else. The gentleman acting as a blocker really wasn't needed because, in my experience, people really do try to be respectful to people when they're taking the memory shot.
But, it's becoming too much. We've moved from a quick, 5 second photo to elaborate posing, multiple shots all trying to catch that perfect memory and we've forgotten about our fellow humans who are trying themselves to have a good time. Our leisure time, has taken on the same qualities as everything else in our lives. We've devalued each-other to the point that we no longer feel the need to travel about this pebble giving any type of respect.
You see the same things on our roads. Driving home from Zoo Lights we rushed up on an SUV that was doing 35 in the second-to-left-lane on the Southwest Freeway. Were his harzards on? Was he in distress? Did he have car problems?
No, he was talking on his phone while driving 25 miles below the speed limit in a lane that should be reserved for faster traffic.
We have lost the ability to live our lives without our smart phones, but we have also lost the ability to function properly in society with them. I'm not sure if there's a fix to this, or if we would even want it should it exist.
Friday, December 14, 2018
HALV: World-Classiness (like Evil) Always wins.
Remember the moment (a few days ago) when I opined that the know-nothings in Houston, the uncultured set, those who don't have HD Radio with 88.7.2 programmed way down the list of saved stations, might accidentally win one?
Yeah, not so much.
Houston Renews Funding for Music Program After Bitter Fight. Houston Public Media
1. I'm not entirely sure why they say this fight was "bitter". Granted, this is Public Media, which views any disagreement about taxpayer funding toward classical music or Rick Steves on TV to be an affront to civilized society. So take all of this with a grain of salt. NPR, and their affiliates break out in hives when told that tax funds could be spent in some way better than a torrent of "what old white people like" programming. There was a disagreement over price, but I didn't see anything that elevated it anywhere near "bitter".
2. Council member Greg Travis actually made a salient point in this debate:
This is true, and brings me to another point. The restrooms at both HOU and IAH are foul. Even when they've just been cleaned they are nasty. Charging stations? Good luck. There are so few available in some areas that the ones you can find look like the power outlet at the Griswold house during Christmas. Wi-Fi? I wouldn't consider GoGo to be "Wi Fi" It's lofi for the masses and can barely function quickly enough to let you check e-mail. Good food? Considering that most of the catering contract is awarded to one company (Aramark) you get what you can get.
There are notable exceptions in both airports. Cat Cora's restaurant is pretty good, there's a Chick-fil-a at HOU, and the Pappa's restaurants are pretty solid. But the rank & file food court stuff in both are pretty pedestrian and, in some cases, pretty foul.
Again, I'm not going to make too big a deal about this because it is pleasant to sit on the outer part of Pappadeaux's in HOU and listen to the string trio playing classical tunes while you enjoy your Bloody Mary and crab cakes while waiting on your plane.
I'm good with it.
But it's just another example of how, in times when real improvements and change are sorely needed, it's hard to get rid of a pet program in the name of World Classiness.
Yeah, not so much.
Houston Renews Funding for Music Program After Bitter Fight. Houston Public Media
Live music at the airport might not seem like it would be that controversial, but it took hours for Houston City Council to agree to fund the Houston Airports Performing Arts Program – or Harmony in the Air – for another three years.
The $3 million for the program will come from airline fees, not taxes. Still, the price tag caused several council members to balk.2 things:
1. I'm not entirely sure why they say this fight was "bitter". Granted, this is Public Media, which views any disagreement about taxpayer funding toward classical music or Rick Steves on TV to be an affront to civilized society. So take all of this with a grain of salt. NPR, and their affiliates break out in hives when told that tax funds could be spent in some way better than a torrent of "what old white people like" programming. There was a disagreement over price, but I didn't see anything that elevated it anywhere near "bitter".
2. Council member Greg Travis actually made a salient point in this debate:
“I think when people go to the airports, they look for things like clean bathrooms,” said Council Member Greg Travis. “They look for, ‘Can I charge my phone?’ ‘Can I get the Wi-Fi?’ and ‘Do they have good restaurants?’ I think music may be up in that category, but I don’t think it’s that high up.”
This is true, and brings me to another point. The restrooms at both HOU and IAH are foul. Even when they've just been cleaned they are nasty. Charging stations? Good luck. There are so few available in some areas that the ones you can find look like the power outlet at the Griswold house during Christmas. Wi-Fi? I wouldn't consider GoGo to be "Wi Fi" It's lofi for the masses and can barely function quickly enough to let you check e-mail. Good food? Considering that most of the catering contract is awarded to one company (Aramark) you get what you can get.
There are notable exceptions in both airports. Cat Cora's restaurant is pretty good, there's a Chick-fil-a at HOU, and the Pappa's restaurants are pretty solid. But the rank & file food court stuff in both are pretty pedestrian and, in some cases, pretty foul.
Again, I'm not going to make too big a deal about this because it is pleasant to sit on the outer part of Pappadeaux's in HOU and listen to the string trio playing classical tunes while you enjoy your Bloody Mary and crab cakes while waiting on your plane.
I'm good with it.
But it's just another example of how, in times when real improvements and change are sorely needed, it's hard to get rid of a pet program in the name of World Classiness.
HALV: Imagine the Legacy Created by the "Boykins Trash Tax"
The Prop B Voter Retaliation Movement continues to gain steam...
Boykins Pitches Trash Fee to Pay for Firefighter Raises. HoustonChronicle.com
That, is one big tax for trash. Should it pass I propose naming after Councilman Boykins. the Boykins Trash Tax if you will. What a legacy.
This is not a new idea, nor an especially clever one, and the same argument that always bubbles up to the surface for this tax is "well, every other city is doing it".
Which begs the question: If every other major city razed 4 blocks of downtown would what passes for Houston leadership (and the Chronicle) think it to be a good idea to follow suit? "Everyone else is doing it" is usually a pretty shitty reason to do something. It's also an indication of weak and ineffectual leadership (HALV)
Per the article Turner has come out against this initially. It matches with his rhetoric on the issue that it's the firefighters that should be punished the most. I doubt that Turner is ideologically opposed to taxing resident's trash, its just that he would prefer the monies generated to go toward other things than firefighter pay. They're not getting off the hook that easily mind you.
The irony is, given the political climate in Houston today I would imagine one could find pretty decent support for a trash tax from the voters, especially if you linked the revenues to flood mitigation or (even better) some type of green initiative. If Houstonians thought they were receiving a benefit from it they would probably support it by around 2/3rds. I'm not sure the Boykins Trash Tax is what they envisioned.
The article goes on to mention another truth: Imposing a trash tax has long been a goal of progressive leadership in Houston. Bill White wanted it, Annise Parker wanted it, and Sylvester Turner wants the tax but he has plans for that revenue that does not include letting the firefighters get off scot free for defying his will.
Do I think this will fly? No, for all of the reasons listed above. Do I think it COULD fly if the revenues were tied to say....storm drain cleaning and other flood mitigation projects? Sure, but that's not what Houston is being offered here.
Also, here's a better write up on the tax from Charles Bain:
Council Member Wants to Tax Your Garbage.
Boykins Pitches Trash Fee to Pay for Firefighter Raises. HoustonChronicle.com
Houston City Councilman Dwight Boykins on Thursday proposed charging property owners a monthly garbage collection fee to finance raises for firefighters while avoiding job cuts for other city staff.
Under the proposal, most Houston homeowners would be charged a flat, monthly fee between $25 and $40 to help the city absorb the cost of raises for firefighters mandated by the pay parity charter amendment approved by voters last month.
That, is one big tax for trash. Should it pass I propose naming after Councilman Boykins. the Boykins Trash Tax if you will. What a legacy.
This is not a new idea, nor an especially clever one, and the same argument that always bubbles up to the surface for this tax is "well, every other city is doing it".
Houston is the only big Texas city without a garbage fee. Austin charges a monthly garbage fee of between $25 and $50, San Antonio charges roughly $20, Dallas charges $27 and Fort Worth charges between $12.50 and $23.
Which begs the question: If every other major city razed 4 blocks of downtown would what passes for Houston leadership (and the Chronicle) think it to be a good idea to follow suit? "Everyone else is doing it" is usually a pretty shitty reason to do something. It's also an indication of weak and ineffectual leadership (HALV)
Per the article Turner has come out against this initially. It matches with his rhetoric on the issue that it's the firefighters that should be punished the most. I doubt that Turner is ideologically opposed to taxing resident's trash, its just that he would prefer the monies generated to go toward other things than firefighter pay. They're not getting off the hook that easily mind you.
The irony is, given the political climate in Houston today I would imagine one could find pretty decent support for a trash tax from the voters, especially if you linked the revenues to flood mitigation or (even better) some type of green initiative. If Houstonians thought they were receiving a benefit from it they would probably support it by around 2/3rds. I'm not sure the Boykins Trash Tax is what they envisioned.
The article goes on to mention another truth: Imposing a trash tax has long been a goal of progressive leadership in Houston. Bill White wanted it, Annise Parker wanted it, and Sylvester Turner wants the tax but he has plans for that revenue that does not include letting the firefighters get off scot free for defying his will.
Do I think this will fly? No, for all of the reasons listed above. Do I think it COULD fly if the revenues were tied to say....storm drain cleaning and other flood mitigation projects? Sure, but that's not what Houston is being offered here.
Also, here's a better write up on the tax from Charles Bain:
Council Member Wants to Tax Your Garbage.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
HALV: Breeding corruption, waste and a crap-ton of unanswered questions.
It was several years back, on this blog, that I introduced the concept of the Houston Area Leadership Vacuum (The HALV, for short). It was a thing I created on a whim to describe what I saw as a stunning lack of actual leadership in any area of government within the Houston area.
The hope, when writing about these things, is that by identifying them people understand the problem and something is done to reverse the decay. Not that I would think this little blog would have much influence obviously, but hopefully someone in a position of power, or with access to positions of power, would read it and think 'You know, this blogger has a point in spite of himself."
It has not worked, because the HALV is growing, and sucking up more and more taxpayer resources.
City Council delays vote on Houston Airport Renovation Contracts. HoustonChronicle
City Controller Questions Expenses on Airport Terminal Project. HoustonChronicle.com
Surprise Vote Blocks Port Commission Appointment to Airport Development Agency. HoustonChronicle.com
Turner: City-Backed Non-Profit Could Seek to Run 15 Houston-Area Schools. HoustonChronicle.com
Mormon to stay on County Payroll, Working for Cagle. HoustonChronicle.com
That's five stories in the course of 3 days that reveal either a pattern of incompetence, shenanigans related to a quasi-governmental agency operating with zero transparency, trough-feeding to maintain the good old boy network, or a power grab.
It's gotten so bad in the Houston area that they aren't even trying to pretend at good governance any more.
The Houston Airport System is rapidly devolving into a dysfunctional mess, the Airport Development Agency seems to be a slush-fund for certain people to forward their personal business ventures while on the public dime, HISD is rapidly devolving into a shit-show, and people who lost elections are being invited back into government in unspecified, and untitled roles, to ensure their "expertise" is retained.
This doesn't even include the Houston City Police union acting as a litigation lackey for Mayor Sylvester Turner (side note: has ANYONE asked what standing the HPOU could possibly have in this suit?) and there's been no serious review of Turner's awarding of a multi-Million dollar contract to his "former" law partner. (I'm sure they were not friends, just law partners, and once that partnership was severed they NEVER had any contact with one another).
We're told to just pay our taxes and accept it, and while the Chron is doing an OK job reporting the news they're doing a horrible job of connecting the dots and following up on these scandals. Don't want to lose access to those politicians and their soirees after all.
While the city is running itself into the ground it's not yet clear whether the County is going to be functional in 2019 or no. We pretty much know that Adrian Garcia is going to be an ineffective manager of County resources, his past shows us that, and it's still highly unclear whether County Judge Elect Lina Hidalgo is going to be focused on the nuts and bolts of County operation (as is her job) or if she's going to try and lead a progressive redo of County services, but the early returns are not good.
The Houston region is already one with pothole pocked roads that make some third world countries tut-tut at us, traffic lights whose only real purpose is to create traffic snarls, a school district that you cannot even call a clown show because that's disrespectful to clowns, with a board whose main trait seems to be throwing shit at one another, and a city that's desperately trying to find more and more revenue so that it can continue doling out patronage payments instead of actually fixing things.
In the next round of city elections it's almost certain that an proposition repealing the pillow-soft revenue cap will be forwarded, and municipal workers and other various civic groups whose existence relies on the largesse of Boss Turner will ensure that it passes, thus ensuring that residents are going to get taxed until their ears bleed.
But, and this is important, what is there to show for that blood?
What has Mayor Turner actually ACCOMPLISHED?
He kicked the can down the road again on the Houston Pension deal, basically refinancing the debt and getting a couple of concessions in the short term, but since that was done, and it's clear the problem will not come to a head under his watch, a long-term fix has been essentially put on the shelf.
The "rain tax" that Houston residents are forced to pay, is bearing no fruit, and Stephen Costello seems happy to keep it that way.
A host of "blue ribbon" commissions have been given much fanfare, and then been allowed to accomplish pretty much nothing with little to no oversight, no questioning by the media and no public transparency to speak of.
Appointed members of quasi-governmental non-democratic agencies continue to spend money like a coked-up bachelor on his first trip to Vegas with nothing to show for it and all we get from the media and local good government groups is a collective shrug and hopes that they all get invites to the next big Holiday gala.
The Houston Region is a mess, and we're being told more about Internet memes regarding Texans games then we are hard news about the city that's falling down around us.
This is not sustainable, and the levels of corruption and graft are getting so high that the donors and beneficiaries aren't even pretending to try and hide it any longer.
There is a reason for all of this, obviously, and it's voter apathy and disinterest in local issues coupled with "good government" groups who are really just paid-extensions of political parties who choose only to see waste, fraud and abuse being committed by the other side.
Around a decade ago, there was a brief hope that some of this would be outed as a strong undercurrent of disruptive bloggers came forward and started to focus on some of these issues at great length. Unfortunately, most of were absorbed into the party machine and became party-bloggers and the rest got tired of getting beaten up by the local machine and just threw in the towel (guilty as charged here), the rest got dismissed out of hand by the local machine and it's house organ the media as cranks, which is too bad.
Because Houston really could use a gang of right and left leaning folks who look at all of this and say "hey, something is NOT right here".
Sadly I think that ship has sailed, and the HALV has sucked up pretty much any remaining opposition or efforts to reverse the tide.
The hope, when writing about these things, is that by identifying them people understand the problem and something is done to reverse the decay. Not that I would think this little blog would have much influence obviously, but hopefully someone in a position of power, or with access to positions of power, would read it and think 'You know, this blogger has a point in spite of himself."
It has not worked, because the HALV is growing, and sucking up more and more taxpayer resources.
City Council delays vote on Houston Airport Renovation Contracts. HoustonChronicle
City Controller Questions Expenses on Airport Terminal Project. HoustonChronicle.com
Surprise Vote Blocks Port Commission Appointment to Airport Development Agency. HoustonChronicle.com
Turner: City-Backed Non-Profit Could Seek to Run 15 Houston-Area Schools. HoustonChronicle.com
Mormon to stay on County Payroll, Working for Cagle. HoustonChronicle.com
That's five stories in the course of 3 days that reveal either a pattern of incompetence, shenanigans related to a quasi-governmental agency operating with zero transparency, trough-feeding to maintain the good old boy network, or a power grab.
It's gotten so bad in the Houston area that they aren't even trying to pretend at good governance any more.
The Houston Airport System is rapidly devolving into a dysfunctional mess, the Airport Development Agency seems to be a slush-fund for certain people to forward their personal business ventures while on the public dime, HISD is rapidly devolving into a shit-show, and people who lost elections are being invited back into government in unspecified, and untitled roles, to ensure their "expertise" is retained.
This doesn't even include the Houston City Police union acting as a litigation lackey for Mayor Sylvester Turner (side note: has ANYONE asked what standing the HPOU could possibly have in this suit?) and there's been no serious review of Turner's awarding of a multi-Million dollar contract to his "former" law partner. (I'm sure they were not friends, just law partners, and once that partnership was severed they NEVER had any contact with one another).
We're told to just pay our taxes and accept it, and while the Chron is doing an OK job reporting the news they're doing a horrible job of connecting the dots and following up on these scandals. Don't want to lose access to those politicians and their soirees after all.
While the city is running itself into the ground it's not yet clear whether the County is going to be functional in 2019 or no. We pretty much know that Adrian Garcia is going to be an ineffective manager of County resources, his past shows us that, and it's still highly unclear whether County Judge Elect Lina Hidalgo is going to be focused on the nuts and bolts of County operation (as is her job) or if she's going to try and lead a progressive redo of County services, but the early returns are not good.
The Houston region is already one with pothole pocked roads that make some third world countries tut-tut at us, traffic lights whose only real purpose is to create traffic snarls, a school district that you cannot even call a clown show because that's disrespectful to clowns, with a board whose main trait seems to be throwing shit at one another, and a city that's desperately trying to find more and more revenue so that it can continue doling out patronage payments instead of actually fixing things.
In the next round of city elections it's almost certain that an proposition repealing the pillow-soft revenue cap will be forwarded, and municipal workers and other various civic groups whose existence relies on the largesse of Boss Turner will ensure that it passes, thus ensuring that residents are going to get taxed until their ears bleed.
But, and this is important, what is there to show for that blood?
What has Mayor Turner actually ACCOMPLISHED?
He kicked the can down the road again on the Houston Pension deal, basically refinancing the debt and getting a couple of concessions in the short term, but since that was done, and it's clear the problem will not come to a head under his watch, a long-term fix has been essentially put on the shelf.
The "rain tax" that Houston residents are forced to pay, is bearing no fruit, and Stephen Costello seems happy to keep it that way.
A host of "blue ribbon" commissions have been given much fanfare, and then been allowed to accomplish pretty much nothing with little to no oversight, no questioning by the media and no public transparency to speak of.
Appointed members of quasi-governmental non-democratic agencies continue to spend money like a coked-up bachelor on his first trip to Vegas with nothing to show for it and all we get from the media and local good government groups is a collective shrug and hopes that they all get invites to the next big Holiday gala.
The Houston Region is a mess, and we're being told more about Internet memes regarding Texans games then we are hard news about the city that's falling down around us.
This is not sustainable, and the levels of corruption and graft are getting so high that the donors and beneficiaries aren't even pretending to try and hide it any longer.
There is a reason for all of this, obviously, and it's voter apathy and disinterest in local issues coupled with "good government" groups who are really just paid-extensions of political parties who choose only to see waste, fraud and abuse being committed by the other side.
Around a decade ago, there was a brief hope that some of this would be outed as a strong undercurrent of disruptive bloggers came forward and started to focus on some of these issues at great length. Unfortunately, most of were absorbed into the party machine and became party-bloggers and the rest got tired of getting beaten up by the local machine and just threw in the towel (guilty as charged here), the rest got dismissed out of hand by the local machine and it's house organ the media as cranks, which is too bad.
Because Houston really could use a gang of right and left leaning folks who look at all of this and say "hey, something is NOT right here".
Sadly I think that ship has sailed, and the HALV has sucked up pretty much any remaining opposition or efforts to reverse the tide.
HALV: Sadly, People Keep Dying on Houston Roads
And, when they do, the Chron is all over it pushing a narrative that started with their "Out of Control" series which advocates for fewer lanes of traffic, slower speeds, more at-grade walking paths and a reduction of traffic lanes to allow for at-grade "green lanes".
It's even bleeding into their supposed straight news reporting on the wrecks. This is a problem because there's a fine line between "reporting" and "advocacy" and, as they did on light rail, the Chron appears to have decided they have no problem crossing it.
Has a streets memo been sent out to all staff as their was with light rail?
One of the biggest problems that comes with trying to argue this is that people won't read what's actually written about the issue, or listen to what's said. They'll just read the intro and then go into "Well, actually" that you're either anti-bicycle or anti-pedestrian or other some such, which is why I usually refuse to engage people on the matter. I'm writing my piece, you're welcome to comment, or don't, but it's highly unlikely that you or I would gain anything by debating this any at all. Because any suggestion that David Crossley's European vacation fever-dream for Houston is a bad idea, or at the minimum, one that will cost Billions of dollars but which will not alleviate the problem is treated as anti-mobility gibberish by the left, and any suggestion that bicycles and pedestrians have a place in the transit mix is treated as "greenism" by the Right.
Both can be true.
One thing lacking from the reporting is whether or not any of the grand plans of Crossley would have done anything to prevent the incidents that occurred yesterday. The Pedestrian accident appears to be caused by inattention, while the incident on the Grand Parkway appears to have been caused by an unfortunate man with a seizure condition making a bad choice. All of the speed cameras, reduced speed limits and traffic enforcement in the world would not have prevented any of that.
While I'm sure you're getting bored hearing it I will continue to beat the drum for the following:
1. Increased bike and pedestrian trails that are GRADE SEPARATED from lanes of automobile traffic. Of course people bike and walk to work, as a matter of fact, I ride up in the elevator with a couple of bicyclists every morning, but the solution is not to put multiple vehicles that are going to travel a varying speeds on the same grade.
2. Better road engineering/maintenance. Too many "exit only" lanes, too many on ramps that enter a freeway into them, forcing drivers to merge quickly into a mess of traffic creating slowdowns and other issues. The way Houston's freeway on/off ramp systems are designed is a mess. There needs to be a better way to fix it.
3. A reduction of speed VARIANCE. The biggest lie being told in this entire tale is that "speed kills". That's a load of bull that's been all but debunked in several studies in Europe. In fact, what "kills" is more often a variance in speed. Fast vehicles mixed in with slower vehicles mixed in with slower bicycles mixed in with slower still pedestrians, all sharing the same road space.
4. Better lane discipline. In Germany, it's a bigger fine for undertaking (passing on the right) than it is for speeding. Because the German's understand that the most dangerous thing is not going the proper speed in the proper lane. In Texas, the left lane on a road (when there are two) is usually designated as "for passing only". You should only be in it when you're passing another vehicle (this includes bicycles fwiw) then you are expected to move back right. In most cases there are more drivers in the left lane than the right lanes, and some of them are driving too slow.
5. Reducing Distracted driving. Texas does have a law against distracted driving, but it's rarely enforced. They also have a law against texting while driving, which is enforced even less. We have convinced ourselves, wrongly, that our work-a-day lives are so busy that we cannot afford to just sit in the car and drive. The result of this is that we're on our phones, texting, doing our make-up, eating, drinking coffee, taking the lid off of a soft-drink, rummaging around the floor-board for something we think we need right now while peering over the dashboard and trying, unsuccessfully, to maintain our lanes.
None of the above can be fixed by any of the prescriptions that Crossley and his acolytes (and the Chron) are promoting. You can't legislate away either stupidity or carelessness, nor can you improve a bad car situation by designing less room for them in a vain hope that people are going to freely give up their one remaining means of freedom to live asshole-to-elbow in a downtown high-rise and take a pretty crappy public transit system where you want them to go.
The harsh reality is that a lot of this boils down to personal responsibility and defensive driving.
Don't drink and drive.
Don't speed excessively.
Don't fiddle around while driving.
Respect others and yield the right-of-way
Use your turn signals (and then turn them off!)
Practice lane discipline.
Until people decide that they're going to be willing to follow the rules of the road, none of the changes that are being proposed are going to help. At some point the Houston driver has to decide that they're going to follow the rules and laws of the road.
Two huge steps to helping them do so would be to fix the roads (correctly, with quality pothole repair) and properly sequence traffic lights. The latter alone would result in far-fewer drivers running red lights and causing potential wrecks for no other reason then that they would not be stopped so often.
Thus getting them where they want to be more safely.
Shouldn't that, and not ridding Houston of cars, be the goal in the first place?
Sadly, you won't read THAT in the Houston Chronicle, which has forgone journalism for advocacy. And that's part of the problem as well.
It's even bleeding into their supposed straight news reporting on the wrecks. This is a problem because there's a fine line between "reporting" and "advocacy" and, as they did on light rail, the Chron appears to have decided they have no problem crossing it.
Has a streets memo been sent out to all staff as their was with light rail?
One of the biggest problems that comes with trying to argue this is that people won't read what's actually written about the issue, or listen to what's said. They'll just read the intro and then go into "Well, actually" that you're either anti-bicycle or anti-pedestrian or other some such, which is why I usually refuse to engage people on the matter. I'm writing my piece, you're welcome to comment, or don't, but it's highly unlikely that you or I would gain anything by debating this any at all. Because any suggestion that David Crossley's European vacation fever-dream for Houston is a bad idea, or at the minimum, one that will cost Billions of dollars but which will not alleviate the problem is treated as anti-mobility gibberish by the left, and any suggestion that bicycles and pedestrians have a place in the transit mix is treated as "greenism" by the Right.
Both can be true.
One thing lacking from the reporting is whether or not any of the grand plans of Crossley would have done anything to prevent the incidents that occurred yesterday. The Pedestrian accident appears to be caused by inattention, while the incident on the Grand Parkway appears to have been caused by an unfortunate man with a seizure condition making a bad choice. All of the speed cameras, reduced speed limits and traffic enforcement in the world would not have prevented any of that.
While I'm sure you're getting bored hearing it I will continue to beat the drum for the following:
1. Increased bike and pedestrian trails that are GRADE SEPARATED from lanes of automobile traffic. Of course people bike and walk to work, as a matter of fact, I ride up in the elevator with a couple of bicyclists every morning, but the solution is not to put multiple vehicles that are going to travel a varying speeds on the same grade.
2. Better road engineering/maintenance. Too many "exit only" lanes, too many on ramps that enter a freeway into them, forcing drivers to merge quickly into a mess of traffic creating slowdowns and other issues. The way Houston's freeway on/off ramp systems are designed is a mess. There needs to be a better way to fix it.
3. A reduction of speed VARIANCE. The biggest lie being told in this entire tale is that "speed kills". That's a load of bull that's been all but debunked in several studies in Europe. In fact, what "kills" is more often a variance in speed. Fast vehicles mixed in with slower vehicles mixed in with slower bicycles mixed in with slower still pedestrians, all sharing the same road space.
4. Better lane discipline. In Germany, it's a bigger fine for undertaking (passing on the right) than it is for speeding. Because the German's understand that the most dangerous thing is not going the proper speed in the proper lane. In Texas, the left lane on a road (when there are two) is usually designated as "for passing only". You should only be in it when you're passing another vehicle (this includes bicycles fwiw) then you are expected to move back right. In most cases there are more drivers in the left lane than the right lanes, and some of them are driving too slow.
5. Reducing Distracted driving. Texas does have a law against distracted driving, but it's rarely enforced. They also have a law against texting while driving, which is enforced even less. We have convinced ourselves, wrongly, that our work-a-day lives are so busy that we cannot afford to just sit in the car and drive. The result of this is that we're on our phones, texting, doing our make-up, eating, drinking coffee, taking the lid off of a soft-drink, rummaging around the floor-board for something we think we need right now while peering over the dashboard and trying, unsuccessfully, to maintain our lanes.
None of the above can be fixed by any of the prescriptions that Crossley and his acolytes (and the Chron) are promoting. You can't legislate away either stupidity or carelessness, nor can you improve a bad car situation by designing less room for them in a vain hope that people are going to freely give up their one remaining means of freedom to live asshole-to-elbow in a downtown high-rise and take a pretty crappy public transit system where you want them to go.
The harsh reality is that a lot of this boils down to personal responsibility and defensive driving.
Don't drink and drive.
Don't speed excessively.
Don't fiddle around while driving.
Respect others and yield the right-of-way
Use your turn signals (and then turn them off!)
Practice lane discipline.
Until people decide that they're going to be willing to follow the rules of the road, none of the changes that are being proposed are going to help. At some point the Houston driver has to decide that they're going to follow the rules and laws of the road.
Two huge steps to helping them do so would be to fix the roads (correctly, with quality pothole repair) and properly sequence traffic lights. The latter alone would result in far-fewer drivers running red lights and causing potential wrecks for no other reason then that they would not be stopped so often.
Thus getting them where they want to be more safely.
Shouldn't that, and not ridding Houston of cars, be the goal in the first place?
Sadly, you won't read THAT in the Houston Chronicle, which has forgone journalism for advocacy. And that's part of the problem as well.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
HALV: Brahms is Bad for Rushing Gate-to-Gate on a Short Connection.
In the ongoing battle of know-nothings vs. Houston's eternal reach for World-Classiness it appears the know-nothings are possibly on the verge of winning one. Granted, it's a little one.
Some Council Members not in Tune With Airport Music Contract. HoustonChronicle.com
City council is mulling whether to pay up to $600,000 a year for live music at Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports, a service that Mayor Sylvester Turner has said would show visitors that Houston is both “a little bit country” and “a little bit chic.”
Council members were scheduled to consider the funding at their last two weekly meetings, but the item has been delayed twice following debates between those who say music improves the quality of airports and those arguing the money should go toward what they consider more pressing needs.
Status, by way of classical music if you will. And while it could be argued that the Houston Airport System's perception could be improved by better...um...food choices, perhaps, that would be wrong, apparently. The idea that having Puccini's La bohème wafting from behind you as your argue with the gate agent because your upgrade didn't go through adds a touch of world classiness to a city is silly of course. But this is Houston where silliness abounds. Granted, the fact that you're frustrated because you couldn't FIND the gate in the first place because the signs were old/outdated/substandard probably doesn't enhance your calm much, and even the gentle tones of Brahms Lullaby isn't going to do much to put you in a better mood*.
Signage, maybe a bar that serves something better than lukewarm Bud Light and reasonable dining options would help in most cases. And I don't know who decided that having "luxury" retail in an airport lends an air of classiness to the place but they should be fired forthwith and without further discussion.
To my mind there are far better uses for $600,000/year at Houston's sibling airports than this, and I say this as someone who actually flies out of there a LOT and who enjoys the 4-some sitting in the rotunda banging away at Beethoven's 7th like it's going to will my plane on the ground more quickly.
Unfortunately, this is Houston, and this is the Houston Chronicle so the people who like to angrily comment on newspaper sites are strutting about arguing against "taxpayer money" going to a group of symphony folks belting out Motzart's Requiem to the moneyed masses lucky enough to fund a plane ticket and not toward flood control, thus ignoring that the airport fund is a completely separate entity from the cities general fund. This flawed argument, obviously, allows those FOR the spending to dismiss out of hand the ramblings of those obviously less culturally and literally intelligent than them.
You know, people who understand Classical music only to the point they hear it on TV, in a movie somewhere, or the one symphony concert they attended because their employer gave them free tickets. Yup, THAT culturally elevated group of people.
Of course, walking though an airport and hearing Prokofiev's Dance of the Knights doesn't make one culturally elite, but it's enough for Turner to feel that the lack of Gergiev's Bolero is a dark mark on the city. Which is enough for this to be elevated to "news" status in Houston.
Which is sad, and is the REAL reason Houston will never, ever achieve the level of world-classiness that its ruling class so desires. Instead of realizing what makes Houston GREAT, we instead are given a copy-cat, watered down version of what OTHER places do, and are told to eat our world-classiness gruel and like it.
Nevermind that you often have no idea where you are, and the signs above your head spend more time pointing you to the United lounge than they do your gate. I guess lost with ambiance is better than just plain lost?
*Of course, pretty much ALL of this debate ignores the very real fact that people don't choose which airports to connect through, the airlines make those choices for them. How else can you explain the continued popularity of that Pit La Guardia?
Thursday, December 06, 2018
All The Little Things: News and Notes (12/06/2018)
Every week there are several things that catch my eye as interesting but not with quite enough meat on the bone to warrant a full blog post. As I've done in the past, I'm going to revert to link posting (as every truly awful blog should) and just compile those in a single entry.
Some of these might interest you, some might not, you get what you pay for. (Except in the case of the Houston Chronicle's fire-wall, where you pay for not much of value at all)
The Chron would like you to know that United CEO Oscar Munoz is a really swell guy.
No one does the 'glowing profile' bit quite like the Chronicle. They are the undisputed champions of the genre. Here they turn their focus toward a middling CEO who's greatest accomplishment to date is being able to say "Hey, we don't absolutely suck anymore."
I see the Texas Tribune is still trying to hide their editorializing behind an "analysis" screen.
This lets their top Austin political reporter weigh-in on issues that he otherwise wouldn't be able to opine on in hard news. (theoretically) More and more political "reporting" is really just gussied up opinion writing anyway. So, in the end, it probably doesn't matter much. Neither does the Texas Tribune when it gets down to it.
There is nothing "important" about a restaurant opening.
Can we please stop deifying people who just happen to be pretty good at cooking food for high prices? "Important" openings are homeless shelters, or food kitchens for the poor, or other critical services for communities. Someone offering up the latest fusion goat tacos might be good, but it's hardly important. Let's stop buying in to the self-ego stroking of the FoodBorg in 2019 mmmmKay?
Prop B is placed on hold.
And I have some questions:
1. How in the world does the HPOU have any kind of standing here?
2. So the HPOU is now the political enforcement arm for Mayor Sylvester "Boss" Turner?
Houston is starting to slide into the muck of corruption, payola and the good-ol' boy system. That should worry Houstonians as the current Mayor has dropped all pretenses to the contrary.
For a so-called "moderate" Chron "Conservative" Columnist Erica Greider sure luvs herself some socialists
And their ideas apparently. Belief in the Federal Jobs Guarantee should be an automatic disqualifier as a writer of political opinion. Also, Republicans in Harris County need to stop treating her like she's an ally. Like most of the other Chron political opinion scribes Ms. Greider is a progressive. There's nothing wrong with that, provided you fully identify your leanings which the Chron and Greider do not.
LINKHouston is new! Vibrant! Forwar.....Oh crap they are just more of the same.
In the end all of these transit groups in Houston are about one thing. Diverting more of your money to the failed engine that is MetroHouston. What they really want are pretty things in the never-ending chase of world-classiness. Houston and the region cannot have nice things because of groups like this.
Scandal-dogged wanna-be Democratic candidate tries to settle for being a Democratic policy wonk instead.
"Tax, tax, tax. Tax, tax, tax. Equality somesuch For All, for some, for me, for none, spend, spend, spend "For the Children" transparency, good governance."
Yup, he pretty much hit all the lefty talking points. Well done Junior policy wonk.
Sometimes it feels like these editorials are completed by two different people writing half each.
It's no secret I think the Chron should shutter it's editorial board and redeploy the resources to the newsroom. For one, it would improve their reputation. For two, it would stop them from penning embarrassing editorials that contradict themselves within the text such as this. Auto companies aren't getting rid of cars to go greener, they're doing it to focus more on SUVs. I mean, it says so right in the article.
"Airport Rock" sounds like the worst idea ever.
The classical music trio that plays in the concourse at Hobby is actually pretty good. I can't imagine how pitiful listening to the Cooper Hill band play a cover of Clay Travis would be. On the bright side, this story did give us a quote of someone in the city calling IAH a "dump" so there's that.
There is nothing politically transformative about calling for increased spending of other people's money.
Yes, Ocasio-Cortez is a media darling, but no policy that she's forwarded so far is very well thought or, or especially innovative. The media is so quick to plant rising star labels on photogenic politicians who pull mild upsets that they forget to look under the hood at the actual policy skills. This is why there are thousands of rusted out old husks of political rising stars on the curbs of American history. Ocasio-Cortez is a political Edsel. There's nothing transformative about that.
Turner looks to dip his toes in HISD.
I'm sure there's money to be made in this, for someone, probably someone with ties to Turner who will eventually receive a lucrative contract to actually run the schools. I'm also not clear on how bringing back Stipeche, who was on the board from 2010-2015 and is one of the architects of the districts failure, is going to solve anything.
Sean Dolan REALLY hates Katy ISD
He first spoke out as an anti-bullying advocate but it's starting to look like he just really wants to get even with the man who took his lunch money in Jr. High.
Texas Driver Responsibility Program under (well deserved) fire.
Just a reminder folks: Cash grabs ALWAYS, and without fail, have unintended consequences. Remember this the next time your local electeds come up with programs that include forced takings from the citizenry. Because hurting the poor is a bipartisan goal.
White's on PARADE!!
I always chuckle a bit when the media discovers that there are stupid people out there who are crafting policy for a political party. Yup, there are White Nationalists in the GOP, and Black Panthers and La Raza devotees in the Democratic party to boot. If this is a shock to you, or if you think it newsworthy, you should probably read a little bit more. More worryingly is that crap such as this tends to distract us from societies REAL villains: People who start celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving.
And finally.....two things.
Don't go through life this angry. Get out, go to the beach, visit a museum, don't wake up one morning only to find out you're this poor lady whose sole purpose in life is to diminish people's good feelings toward a dog. Mental health is a real issue in this country right now, get help.
I have found the bottom of the media. You go to J-School, get a 4-year degree (even if it takes six to get it) you get a job at a newspaper, and a by-line. Only to find out that your job will consist entirely of scouring social-media for reactions (or "hilarious memes") to breaking news stories. You now know what it's like to work in the unwashed armpit of the media. I am so, so sorry. Your next Jack and Coke is on me.
Remember: Life is good, it's us who mess it up.
Some of these might interest you, some might not, you get what you pay for. (Except in the case of the Houston Chronicle's fire-wall, where you pay for not much of value at all)
The Chron would like you to know that United CEO Oscar Munoz is a really swell guy.
No one does the 'glowing profile' bit quite like the Chronicle. They are the undisputed champions of the genre. Here they turn their focus toward a middling CEO who's greatest accomplishment to date is being able to say "Hey, we don't absolutely suck anymore."
I see the Texas Tribune is still trying to hide their editorializing behind an "analysis" screen.
This lets their top Austin political reporter weigh-in on issues that he otherwise wouldn't be able to opine on in hard news. (theoretically) More and more political "reporting" is really just gussied up opinion writing anyway. So, in the end, it probably doesn't matter much. Neither does the Texas Tribune when it gets down to it.
There is nothing "important" about a restaurant opening.
Can we please stop deifying people who just happen to be pretty good at cooking food for high prices? "Important" openings are homeless shelters, or food kitchens for the poor, or other critical services for communities. Someone offering up the latest fusion goat tacos might be good, but it's hardly important. Let's stop buying in to the self-ego stroking of the FoodBorg in 2019 mmmmKay?
Prop B is placed on hold.
And I have some questions:
1. How in the world does the HPOU have any kind of standing here?
2. So the HPOU is now the political enforcement arm for Mayor Sylvester "Boss" Turner?
Houston is starting to slide into the muck of corruption, payola and the good-ol' boy system. That should worry Houstonians as the current Mayor has dropped all pretenses to the contrary.
For a so-called "moderate" Chron "Conservative" Columnist Erica Greider sure luvs herself some socialists
And their ideas apparently. Belief in the Federal Jobs Guarantee should be an automatic disqualifier as a writer of political opinion. Also, Republicans in Harris County need to stop treating her like she's an ally. Like most of the other Chron political opinion scribes Ms. Greider is a progressive. There's nothing wrong with that, provided you fully identify your leanings which the Chron and Greider do not.
LINKHouston is new! Vibrant! Forwar.....Oh crap they are just more of the same.
In the end all of these transit groups in Houston are about one thing. Diverting more of your money to the failed engine that is MetroHouston. What they really want are pretty things in the never-ending chase of world-classiness. Houston and the region cannot have nice things because of groups like this.
Scandal-dogged wanna-be Democratic candidate tries to settle for being a Democratic policy wonk instead.
"Tax, tax, tax. Tax, tax, tax. Equality somesuch For All, for some, for me, for none, spend, spend, spend "For the Children" transparency, good governance."
Yup, he pretty much hit all the lefty talking points. Well done Junior policy wonk.
Sometimes it feels like these editorials are completed by two different people writing half each.
It's no secret I think the Chron should shutter it's editorial board and redeploy the resources to the newsroom. For one, it would improve their reputation. For two, it would stop them from penning embarrassing editorials that contradict themselves within the text such as this. Auto companies aren't getting rid of cars to go greener, they're doing it to focus more on SUVs. I mean, it says so right in the article.
"Airport Rock" sounds like the worst idea ever.
The classical music trio that plays in the concourse at Hobby is actually pretty good. I can't imagine how pitiful listening to the Cooper Hill band play a cover of Clay Travis would be. On the bright side, this story did give us a quote of someone in the city calling IAH a "dump" so there's that.
There is nothing politically transformative about calling for increased spending of other people's money.
Yes, Ocasio-Cortez is a media darling, but no policy that she's forwarded so far is very well thought or, or especially innovative. The media is so quick to plant rising star labels on photogenic politicians who pull mild upsets that they forget to look under the hood at the actual policy skills. This is why there are thousands of rusted out old husks of political rising stars on the curbs of American history. Ocasio-Cortez is a political Edsel. There's nothing transformative about that.
Turner looks to dip his toes in HISD.
I'm sure there's money to be made in this, for someone, probably someone with ties to Turner who will eventually receive a lucrative contract to actually run the schools. I'm also not clear on how bringing back Stipeche, who was on the board from 2010-2015 and is one of the architects of the districts failure, is going to solve anything.
Sean Dolan REALLY hates Katy ISD
He first spoke out as an anti-bullying advocate but it's starting to look like he just really wants to get even with the man who took his lunch money in Jr. High.
Texas Driver Responsibility Program under (well deserved) fire.
Just a reminder folks: Cash grabs ALWAYS, and without fail, have unintended consequences. Remember this the next time your local electeds come up with programs that include forced takings from the citizenry. Because hurting the poor is a bipartisan goal.
White's on PARADE!!
I always chuckle a bit when the media discovers that there are stupid people out there who are crafting policy for a political party. Yup, there are White Nationalists in the GOP, and Black Panthers and La Raza devotees in the Democratic party to boot. If this is a shock to you, or if you think it newsworthy, you should probably read a little bit more. More worryingly is that crap such as this tends to distract us from societies REAL villains: People who start celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving.
And finally.....two things.
Don't go through life this angry. Get out, go to the beach, visit a museum, don't wake up one morning only to find out you're this poor lady whose sole purpose in life is to diminish people's good feelings toward a dog. Mental health is a real issue in this country right now, get help.
I have found the bottom of the media. You go to J-School, get a 4-year degree (even if it takes six to get it) you get a job at a newspaper, and a by-line. Only to find out that your job will consist entirely of scouring social-media for reactions (or "hilarious memes") to breaking news stories. You now know what it's like to work in the unwashed armpit of the media. I am so, so sorry. Your next Jack and Coke is on me.
Remember: Life is good, it's us who mess it up.
Wednesday, December 05, 2018
BadMedia: An Open Letter to Houston Area Elected Officials (Some of you anyway)
Dear Houston Area Elected Officials,
Based on what's found in here:
HISD Interim Superintendent Latham talks taxes, budget cuts, campus closures. HoustonChronicle.com
I would not, under any circumstances, sit down for an interview with the Houston Chronicle until after they disavow this horrid practice.
Interviews where a newspaper doesn't release the actual recordings, or live-stream them, are bad enough, just ask Congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw about that. In fact, the Chronicle Editorial Board has a long history of playing fast and loose with quotes from some elected officials. It got so bad that, starting with Rick Perry, Republican elected officials at the state level just stopped interacting with them at all.
Now that they've seemingly decided to openly editorialize in supposed interviews on the hard news side there's very little impetus for you to talk to them at all. If one of their reporters comes at you with questions I would record the conversation. In fact, I would have no conversations with them absent a video recorder and 2 witnesses.
This type of editorializing in-line is journalism malpractice. The editor who green-lighted it should be either demoted, fired, or required to spend the rest of their career chasing after John McClain and ensuring he has enough snacks to last the game.
It remains to be seen whether or not this becomes the new norm for the Chronicle when interviewing or if it's just reserved for a category of public figures they don't like all that much. I wouldn't take the chance. In fact, given the electoral record you'd probably be better just not speaking with them at all.
Don't worry about freedom of the press, there are both other outlets that you can speak with who will not behave in this manner and, if they persist along this route, they're not really the "press" anyway are they?
Interviews should be just that, questions and answers related to the public in an honest, transparent manner without allowing the newspaper to editorialize in a manner the subject is not allowed to respond to.
I wonder if Ms. Latham knew this "context" was going to be added in after the fact? My guess is no, she did not.
Nor will you, when they decide you're on a side they don't like and try to "context" you either.
Just don't do it.
Sincerely,
YDOP.
Based on what's found in here:
HISD Interim Superintendent Latham talks taxes, budget cuts, campus closures. HoustonChronicle.com
As Houston ISD administrators outlined an initial projection of a $76 million shortfall in 2019-2020, Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan this week addressed several issues facing the state’s largest school district. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle — her first since HISD trustees voted to replace her before reversing course in mid-October — Lathan touched on HISD’s mounting budget challenges, her outlook on spending cuts, whether HISD should seek a tax increase and predictions for school finance reform, among other topics.
Here are Lathan’s extended comments, with additional context from the Chronicle on each topic. (emphasis mine)
I would not, under any circumstances, sit down for an interview with the Houston Chronicle until after they disavow this horrid practice.
Interviews where a newspaper doesn't release the actual recordings, or live-stream them, are bad enough, just ask Congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw about that. In fact, the Chronicle Editorial Board has a long history of playing fast and loose with quotes from some elected officials. It got so bad that, starting with Rick Perry, Republican elected officials at the state level just stopped interacting with them at all.
Now that they've seemingly decided to openly editorialize in supposed interviews on the hard news side there's very little impetus for you to talk to them at all. If one of their reporters comes at you with questions I would record the conversation. In fact, I would have no conversations with them absent a video recorder and 2 witnesses.
This type of editorializing in-line is journalism malpractice. The editor who green-lighted it should be either demoted, fired, or required to spend the rest of their career chasing after John McClain and ensuring he has enough snacks to last the game.
It remains to be seen whether or not this becomes the new norm for the Chronicle when interviewing or if it's just reserved for a category of public figures they don't like all that much. I wouldn't take the chance. In fact, given the electoral record you'd probably be better just not speaking with them at all.
Don't worry about freedom of the press, there are both other outlets that you can speak with who will not behave in this manner and, if they persist along this route, they're not really the "press" anyway are they?
Interviews should be just that, questions and answers related to the public in an honest, transparent manner without allowing the newspaper to editorialize in a manner the subject is not allowed to respond to.
I wonder if Ms. Latham knew this "context" was going to be added in after the fact? My guess is no, she did not.
Nor will you, when they decide you're on a side they don't like and try to "context" you either.
Just don't do it.
Sincerely,
YDOP.
Friday, November 30, 2018
Lone Star: As Texas as......Milwaukee?
How far the mighty have fallen. Lone Star, a middling beer that is way more popular than it should be based solely on it's name and some clever marketing, will continue to be brewed by MillerCoors due to a recent Jury ruling in Milwaukee Wisconsin.
The Verdict is in. Lone Star Beer is Here to Stay. Chron.com
1. Lone Star is not a good beer, it is not a craft beer, it's cheap plonk.
2. Lone Star is not the "National Beer of Texas" it never has been.
Now, if you want to make a case for a true State Beer of Texas I would nominate Shiner Bock. For one, it tastes better, is actually brewed in Texas, is owned by Texans and has much deeper roots IN Texas than Lone Star ever had.
Yes, I know that Lone Star started in Texas, but those days are long behind them. And the beer market has moved on.
Lone Star is a carpet-bagger, an import, a relic from a by-gone Texas that some people seem to pine for while waddling around Austin looking for the next hemp store to open up. A Texas that didn't exist.
Modern Texas is an urban sort, and while I disagree with the TLSPM that "all" of Texas vibrancy is found in the cities certainly some of it is. But the wealth, and the history, are found in the increasingly empty wide-open spaces West of the Texas Triangle. Anything truly original can be found there as well.
What Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio truly are is replicators for European and outside culture. Things will get invented in New York, London, Paris, Los Angeles, etc. and the Texas 4 will do their darndest to bring it to Texas, just about 2 years after the trend is dying out elsewhere. Cupcakes? Gourmet Donuts? Chicken and Waffles? Tapas? Light Rail? Bike Lanes?
None of those things were invented in Texas, but they were brought to its cities. That's OK in some cases, light rail and bike lanes being the obvious exceptions here) but to find something truly Texas original you usually have to travel to the hinterlands.
Luling and Lockheart didn't invent Texas Bar-B-Q (Mexican Vaqueros did that) but they sure perfected it prior to it being exported elsewhere. You can get a great bowl of Texas red in the cities, but a better one in many small town diners. For years all of these things were brought to the cities via the State Fair. City-dwellers would try them, restaurants would open up and a craze was born. Now people see things on the Internet, or spend two weeks traveling to Europe, and pine to find something here "just like I had over there" (Hint: This is not usually an honest request, it's more a brag that they've been there and you haven't).
The same myth-making, at a much more primitive level, has been falsely attached to Lone Star Beer.
And it's time, past time honestly, to end this myth once and for all.
With that in mind, and judging by the litter I see on the side of the road, it's time to give praise to the TRUE 'National Beer of Texas"
ALL HAIL MILLER LITE!
Sad, but true.
The Verdict is in. Lone Star Beer is Here to Stay. Chron.com
On Wednesday, after nearly two days of deliberation, a Milwaukee, WI jury decided that MillerCoors will continue brewing Pabst Brewing Company's 21 beer labels, including Lone Star, according to NPR News.First off, a couple of points:
MillerCoors did not want to renew its contract to brew for Pabst when it expires in 2020, saying it no longer makes financial sense, while Pabst argued the contract includes options for an extension and MillerCoors was essentially trying to put it out of business.
1. Lone Star is not a good beer, it is not a craft beer, it's cheap plonk.
2. Lone Star is not the "National Beer of Texas" it never has been.
Now, if you want to make a case for a true State Beer of Texas I would nominate Shiner Bock. For one, it tastes better, is actually brewed in Texas, is owned by Texans and has much deeper roots IN Texas than Lone Star ever had.
Yes, I know that Lone Star started in Texas, but those days are long behind them. And the beer market has moved on.
Lone Star is a carpet-bagger, an import, a relic from a by-gone Texas that some people seem to pine for while waddling around Austin looking for the next hemp store to open up. A Texas that didn't exist.
Modern Texas is an urban sort, and while I disagree with the TLSPM that "all" of Texas vibrancy is found in the cities certainly some of it is. But the wealth, and the history, are found in the increasingly empty wide-open spaces West of the Texas Triangle. Anything truly original can be found there as well.
What Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio truly are is replicators for European and outside culture. Things will get invented in New York, London, Paris, Los Angeles, etc. and the Texas 4 will do their darndest to bring it to Texas, just about 2 years after the trend is dying out elsewhere. Cupcakes? Gourmet Donuts? Chicken and Waffles? Tapas? Light Rail? Bike Lanes?
None of those things were invented in Texas, but they were brought to its cities. That's OK in some cases, light rail and bike lanes being the obvious exceptions here) but to find something truly Texas original you usually have to travel to the hinterlands.
Luling and Lockheart didn't invent Texas Bar-B-Q (Mexican Vaqueros did that) but they sure perfected it prior to it being exported elsewhere. You can get a great bowl of Texas red in the cities, but a better one in many small town diners. For years all of these things were brought to the cities via the State Fair. City-dwellers would try them, restaurants would open up and a craze was born. Now people see things on the Internet, or spend two weeks traveling to Europe, and pine to find something here "just like I had over there" (Hint: This is not usually an honest request, it's more a brag that they've been there and you haven't).
The same myth-making, at a much more primitive level, has been falsely attached to Lone Star Beer.
And it's time, past time honestly, to end this myth once and for all.
With that in mind, and judging by the litter I see on the side of the road, it's time to give praise to the TRUE 'National Beer of Texas"
ALL HAIL MILLER LITE!
Sad, but true.
HALV: The HISD Mess is Rotten from the Top.
It doesn't matter who takes over as the Superintendent of HISD, as long as the board is staffed by low-functioning idiots.
HISD Trustees Vowed to Play Nice, but that didn't last long. Chron.com
Children, Children, can't we all just get along?
With this group of mush-puddles in charge it's quite possible that HISD hasn't yet found the bottom of the hole it's digging for itself and the only solution might be for the State to come in, sweep it clean, possibly break it up and start from scratch.
Jones and Santos are the culprits in this story, but the entire group of them have been guilty of bad behavior at some point in the past. It's a combination of wanting, desperately, to run for higher office, ego and sheer childishness that drives this group, not some burning desire to "help the children" or other such nonsense that pops up in political ads.
And Houston voters, rarely taking the time to look that far down-ballot are not going to boot them out of office, so I'm afraid that it's going to lie at the feet of the State to make sure that the biggest city in Texas has a school district (or, districts, if they knew what was good for them) that can at least nominally perform it's duties.
As long as we keep running along with this gaggle of awful, HISD is never going to get better.
I'd say "do your duty" and vote them out "for the children" but I know that's not going to happen. So the plea goes out to the Texas Education Administration.
Please, if not for the children do it for our sanity, and some peace and quiet.
HISD Trustees Vowed to Play Nice, but that didn't last long. Chron.com
Trustees Jolanda Jones and Elizabeth Santos engaged in a 30-second shouting match during a workshop Tuesday, with Jones shouting for Santos to "be quiet" and Santos calling Jones a "liar."
Children, Children, can't we all just get along?
With this group of mush-puddles in charge it's quite possible that HISD hasn't yet found the bottom of the hole it's digging for itself and the only solution might be for the State to come in, sweep it clean, possibly break it up and start from scratch.
Jones and Santos are the culprits in this story, but the entire group of them have been guilty of bad behavior at some point in the past. It's a combination of wanting, desperately, to run for higher office, ego and sheer childishness that drives this group, not some burning desire to "help the children" or other such nonsense that pops up in political ads.
And Houston voters, rarely taking the time to look that far down-ballot are not going to boot them out of office, so I'm afraid that it's going to lie at the feet of the State to make sure that the biggest city in Texas has a school district (or, districts, if they knew what was good for them) that can at least nominally perform it's duties.
As long as we keep running along with this gaggle of awful, HISD is never going to get better.
I'd say "do your duty" and vote them out "for the children" but I know that's not going to happen. So the plea goes out to the Texas Education Administration.
Please, if not for the children do it for our sanity, and some peace and quiet.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
HALV (Shocker!): Your Elected Officials in Houston Don't Think All That Highly of You.
It should come as a surprise to no one that immediately after the November 6th election results for Proposition B (The Firefighter Pay Equity Item) showed that it was going to pass overwhelmingly that Mayor Turner would begin moving to issue legal challenges to it. After all, he spent a lot of time in the run-up to the vote rallying his friends at the trough and Houston's Courtier Class to advocate against it, and it was one of the worst-kept secrets in Houston that he was not going to quit regardless of what the voters said.
Sure enough, on Wednesday, the story came out that Turner brow-beat the City Council into hiring a law-firm of his choosing to "study" the proposition in what is most-assuredly the first steps toward just ignoring the Proposition altogether, or filing a lawsuit depending on which path his lawyers tell him is the most likely to succeed.
In the Houston Chronicle story regarding the hiring of the law firm there were a couple of interesting nuggets.
Houston Council Hires Law Firm to Advise City on Prop B Legal questions. HoustonChronicle.com
First, and it needs to be said. This headline is wrong. Turner is hiring the law firm, City Council has just approved the hiring. (by a narrow 9-7 vote)
Then there's this:
Any way you look at it that is a helluva return on investment. For a measly fifteen grand Norton Rose has reaped a $500K pay day. Whoever thought up this deal at the law firm needs a raise. They, correctly, identified Mayor Turner's penchant for a) being politically vindictive and b) paying off his political patrons and acted appropriately. Good move by them.
Then, there's this:
So, instead of an immediate middle finger to 59% of Houston voters they waited three weeks to extend the digit, relying on their dim view of the electorate to assuage the anger.
In other words, they (and the Chron) think you to be fairly daft.
Of course, the only way to prove them wrong is to show up during the next Mayoral election and remind Turner that you're not that daft, and send him and the nine city council members packing when their number comes up. They are betting that people are both not paying much attention to this, and that they won't care when the time comes to head back to the ballot box.
Given Houston voter history this is not a bad political gamble. After all, they'll have the media on their side, so these issues can be white washed away, and most people are too busy in their daily lives. If they need a push in the right direction they can also rely on the unproductive class to give them a boost as well. There are plenty of people around with plenty of free time and access to the Internet after all.
Despite all of this it's not at all surprising that Turner is taking the confrontational path. Since coming back one of the key topics of this blog has been his pettiness toward political enemies, and his payback to his patrons. Of greater concern is that he is showing no willingness to engage with the Firefighters Union at all after the vote, signifying that, if he loses, he's willing to make drastic cuts to the department and place his political vindictiveness over the needs of Houstonians.
This leads to the uneasy realization that Houston potentially has a Mayor in City Hall that is more concerned with satisfying his need for revenge than ensuring the City is functioning properly.
If true, that's a problem. A BIG problem for a big city that's facing a host of challenges that could potentially be beyond the grasp of the current Mayor to address. The other option is that he doesn't care about his constituents at all.
Either incompetent or indifferent the focus of this Mayor is on "I" not "we". Which, oddly enough, puts him in the same intellectual wheelhouse and most of the Houston Chronicle opinion scribblers.
Or maybe he has a master plan that's going to shock everyone and which will resolve this mess to the satisfaction of all, thus saving the City budget and sparing the citizens the indignity of being taxed until their eyes bleed.
Yeah, that's a reach. A huge leap of faith that Houstononians are going to have to make. For now there's no other choice.
Sure enough, on Wednesday, the story came out that Turner brow-beat the City Council into hiring a law-firm of his choosing to "study" the proposition in what is most-assuredly the first steps toward just ignoring the Proposition altogether, or filing a lawsuit depending on which path his lawyers tell him is the most likely to succeed.
In the Houston Chronicle story regarding the hiring of the law firm there were a couple of interesting nuggets.
Houston Council Hires Law Firm to Advise City on Prop B Legal questions. HoustonChronicle.com
First, and it needs to be said. This headline is wrong. Turner is hiring the law firm, City Council has just approved the hiring. (by a narrow 9-7 vote)
Then there's this:
Neil Thomas, a Norton Rose partner in that office, served as treasurer for the anti-Prop B PAC, Protect Houston, and the firm contributed $15,000 to the committee’s coffers.
Any way you look at it that is a helluva return on investment. For a measly fifteen grand Norton Rose has reaped a $500K pay day. Whoever thought up this deal at the law firm needs a raise. They, correctly, identified Mayor Turner's penchant for a) being politically vindictive and b) paying off his political patrons and acted appropriately. Good move by them.
Then, there's this:
The mayor initially planned to seek a contract with Norton Rose the morning after Election Day, but delayed the vote over concerns that hiring the firm would look like “a middle finger” to the voters, as District G Councilman Greg Travis put it.
So, instead of an immediate middle finger to 59% of Houston voters they waited three weeks to extend the digit, relying on their dim view of the electorate to assuage the anger.
In other words, they (and the Chron) think you to be fairly daft.
Of course, the only way to prove them wrong is to show up during the next Mayoral election and remind Turner that you're not that daft, and send him and the nine city council members packing when their number comes up. They are betting that people are both not paying much attention to this, and that they won't care when the time comes to head back to the ballot box.
Given Houston voter history this is not a bad political gamble. After all, they'll have the media on their side, so these issues can be white washed away, and most people are too busy in their daily lives. If they need a push in the right direction they can also rely on the unproductive class to give them a boost as well. There are plenty of people around with plenty of free time and access to the Internet after all.
Despite all of this it's not at all surprising that Turner is taking the confrontational path. Since coming back one of the key topics of this blog has been his pettiness toward political enemies, and his payback to his patrons. Of greater concern is that he is showing no willingness to engage with the Firefighters Union at all after the vote, signifying that, if he loses, he's willing to make drastic cuts to the department and place his political vindictiveness over the needs of Houstonians.
This leads to the uneasy realization that Houston potentially has a Mayor in City Hall that is more concerned with satisfying his need for revenge than ensuring the City is functioning properly.
If true, that's a problem. A BIG problem for a big city that's facing a host of challenges that could potentially be beyond the grasp of the current Mayor to address. The other option is that he doesn't care about his constituents at all.
Either incompetent or indifferent the focus of this Mayor is on "I" not "we". Which, oddly enough, puts him in the same intellectual wheelhouse and most of the Houston Chronicle opinion scribblers.
Or maybe he has a master plan that's going to shock everyone and which will resolve this mess to the satisfaction of all, thus saving the City budget and sparing the citizens the indignity of being taxed until their eyes bleed.
Yeah, that's a reach. A huge leap of faith that Houstononians are going to have to make. For now there's no other choice.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
BadMedia: I still can't open up a can of care in the Houston vs. Dallas (fake) rivalry.
Another day, another media driven story about how Houston hates Dallas and vice-versa.
Houston Folk are Now in Charge of Texas, Should we be Worried? Ron Reynolds, Dallas Morning News
Meh. The truth is Dallas is a self-centered city as well, only concerned about it's Cowboys (who reside in Arlington) and keeping up an image burnished by a long-ago television show that was really good, and really inaccurate regarding Dallas as a whole.
Part of the problem is that there's never been a "Houston" television show. If there was it would be fascinating, depicting the life of the unproductive class riding around on the light-rail system from brain-session to brain-session endlessly trying to figure out a way to glom onto the next taxpayer-subsidized project in order to put food on the table.
But, I digress....
Both Houston and Dallas are fine places to work, and horrid places to live.
Houston has sprawl and swamp-heat and gross traffic, coupled with really bad services and inept municipal government that has trouble figuring out how to handle basic services, like fixing pot-holes for example.
Dallas has sprawl and North Texas weather, which brings the dynamic of snow into the picture and inept municipal government that has trouble figuring out how to handle basic services, like fixing pot-holes for example.
The old lie is that Dallas is white-collar while Houston chugs along with it's blue-collar dynamic. The truth is not that simple. Both Houston and Dallas are ruled and controlled by a moneyed gentry, who are serviced by a courtier class whose sole job is getting themselves invited to parties on a semi-regular basis. You might know these people as "the media".
It's the media's job to prop up the gentry, what passes for nobility in Houston/Dallas, painting on them lavish praise and layers of respectability through the dodgy use of glossy pictorials about "best dressed" or "most philanthropic" or what not. What all this really means is that they have the money and connections to throw a helluva shin-dig at fancy places the writers wouldn't otherwise attend because they can't afford it.
Below the writers are the unproductive class. They typically come from some money, somewhere up the familial food chain, they typically don't have "jobs" in the traditional sense but have been declared "experts" in fields such as public transportation and urban planning because they either a.) once wrote a blog that had some pretty graphs attached to it, or b.) have hung around "think-tanks" for long enough that the stink of respectability clings to them like the smoke smell in your clothes after you've barbecued a rack of ribs.
The unproductive class is especially sneaky, because they don't have jobs they can spend all of their time helping the politicians figure out how to divert more of your money to the moneyed gentry through tax takings while trying to convince you that it's "for the children". Of course, when all of this turns out to be a boondoggle (see DART) they find someone to dutifully write a story about Dallas vs. Houston which gets the chattel all fired up and concerned that the sky is falling because Houston/Dallas has SOMETHING that Houston/Dallas doesn't have and it's threatening to blow Houston/Dallas' stink of world classiness into the garbage.
And, as we all know, losing world classiness is like losing a bond election. It will require Billions of dollars of self-sacrifice on your (not their) part to ever get it back.
It's the circle of Dallas/Houston Municipal life, and one of the keys to getting elected to local office is now to pledge fealty to the system.
From that perspective, Houston and Dallas are identical twins.
Houston Folk are Now in Charge of Texas, Should we be Worried? Ron Reynolds, Dallas Morning News
The city can be a very insular, self-centered place, unconcerned with the goings-on of those not within the gravitational pull of Loop 610.
Meh. The truth is Dallas is a self-centered city as well, only concerned about it's Cowboys (who reside in Arlington) and keeping up an image burnished by a long-ago television show that was really good, and really inaccurate regarding Dallas as a whole.
Part of the problem is that there's never been a "Houston" television show. If there was it would be fascinating, depicting the life of the unproductive class riding around on the light-rail system from brain-session to brain-session endlessly trying to figure out a way to glom onto the next taxpayer-subsidized project in order to put food on the table.
But, I digress....
Both Houston and Dallas are fine places to work, and horrid places to live.
Houston has sprawl and swamp-heat and gross traffic, coupled with really bad services and inept municipal government that has trouble figuring out how to handle basic services, like fixing pot-holes for example.
Dallas has sprawl and North Texas weather, which brings the dynamic of snow into the picture and inept municipal government that has trouble figuring out how to handle basic services, like fixing pot-holes for example.
The old lie is that Dallas is white-collar while Houston chugs along with it's blue-collar dynamic. The truth is not that simple. Both Houston and Dallas are ruled and controlled by a moneyed gentry, who are serviced by a courtier class whose sole job is getting themselves invited to parties on a semi-regular basis. You might know these people as "the media".
It's the media's job to prop up the gentry, what passes for nobility in Houston/Dallas, painting on them lavish praise and layers of respectability through the dodgy use of glossy pictorials about "best dressed" or "most philanthropic" or what not. What all this really means is that they have the money and connections to throw a helluva shin-dig at fancy places the writers wouldn't otherwise attend because they can't afford it.
Below the writers are the unproductive class. They typically come from some money, somewhere up the familial food chain, they typically don't have "jobs" in the traditional sense but have been declared "experts" in fields such as public transportation and urban planning because they either a.) once wrote a blog that had some pretty graphs attached to it, or b.) have hung around "think-tanks" for long enough that the stink of respectability clings to them like the smoke smell in your clothes after you've barbecued a rack of ribs.
The unproductive class is especially sneaky, because they don't have jobs they can spend all of their time helping the politicians figure out how to divert more of your money to the moneyed gentry through tax takings while trying to convince you that it's "for the children". Of course, when all of this turns out to be a boondoggle (see DART) they find someone to dutifully write a story about Dallas vs. Houston which gets the chattel all fired up and concerned that the sky is falling because Houston/Dallas has SOMETHING that Houston/Dallas doesn't have and it's threatening to blow Houston/Dallas' stink of world classiness into the garbage.
And, as we all know, losing world classiness is like losing a bond election. It will require Billions of dollars of self-sacrifice on your (not their) part to ever get it back.
It's the circle of Dallas/Houston Municipal life, and one of the keys to getting elected to local office is now to pledge fealty to the system.
From that perspective, Houston and Dallas are identical twins.
Monday, November 26, 2018
HALV: All in the name of transit.
After the last Harris County Election Cycle your local quasi-governmental groups are planning on going on a spending spree.
METRO Moves to the Next Phase of Developing a Regional Transit Plan. NPR
It should be of some interest to you that METRO considers their primary stakeholders to be elected officials and NOT the people who, you know, might or might not USE their services.
On the bright side, at least they're acknowledging now that people work in different places than downtown. They're still seemingly focused on at-grade, inflexible solutions on moving people to those various locations, and it still seems like the Downtown area is still envisioned as the hub, but at least they understand that concept.
Further in the article Metro CEO Tom 'What part of safety don't you understand?' Lambert talks about the public which raises the question of whether or not he means the "public" or designated "leaders" who have vested financial interests at stake in seeing the Danger Train go more places (among other things)? I guess time will tell.
Given the history of Metro however their concern for the public is probably just limited to how big of a bond issue they think they can fleece the people into voting for. Given the hue of the County right now I'm betting it's pretty big. All they have to do is make either the "no new taxes" or "cup of coffee" argument and people will forget that money borrowed DOES eventually have to be paid back, with interest.
On a bright note, they do have one thing in place, a scrubbed and focus grouped name: METRONext Ooooh....sparkly.
They also have a timeline that is making the late Peter Brown smile in his grave as it's got a big chunk saved for "planning". OF course, then there's delivery andbeating down and opposition Public Education. As we've seen in the past the latter is very important to the success of any plan. Fortunately they have the media ready to do that heavy lifting for them. Mrs. White is dusting off her catapult and the Chron's way too many editorial writers are ordering various coffees to see just how many per month will cover the anticipated tax increases.
Now, if Mayor Turner could ONLY get the pillow-soft revenue cap lifted some fiscal omelettes could REALLY start getting cooked up.
Until then we have what METRO is calling "The Vision".
Whether it's a vision of true regional mobility or more toys for the wealthy to play in remains to be seen. Either way, you're going to hear that without this, Houston cannot be "world class" and you don't want to stand in the way of Houston's World Classiness do you? DO YOU?
I didn't think so.
METRO Moves to the Next Phase of Developing a Regional Transit Plan. NPR
METRO Chairman Carrin Patman said they’re also expecting feedback from a new group of Harris County decision-makers.
“We have a new county government, there are some changes on the congressional level, and we need to take all those things into account,” said Patman. “Because some of the opinions of some of the stakeholders may have changed too.”
It should be of some interest to you that METRO considers their primary stakeholders to be elected officials and NOT the people who, you know, might or might not USE their services.
On the bright side, at least they're acknowledging now that people work in different places than downtown. They're still seemingly focused on at-grade, inflexible solutions on moving people to those various locations, and it still seems like the Downtown area is still envisioned as the hub, but at least they understand that concept.
Further in the article Metro CEO Tom 'What part of safety don't you understand?' Lambert talks about the public which raises the question of whether or not he means the "public" or designated "leaders" who have vested financial interests at stake in seeing the Danger Train go more places (among other things)? I guess time will tell.
Given the history of Metro however their concern for the public is probably just limited to how big of a bond issue they think they can fleece the people into voting for. Given the hue of the County right now I'm betting it's pretty big. All they have to do is make either the "no new taxes" or "cup of coffee" argument and people will forget that money borrowed DOES eventually have to be paid back, with interest.
On a bright note, they do have one thing in place, a scrubbed and focus grouped name: METRONext Ooooh....sparkly.
They also have a timeline that is making the late Peter Brown smile in his grave as it's got a big chunk saved for "planning". OF course, then there's delivery and
Now, if Mayor Turner could ONLY get the pillow-soft revenue cap lifted some fiscal omelettes could REALLY start getting cooked up.
Until then we have what METRO is calling "The Vision".
Whether it's a vision of true regional mobility or more toys for the wealthy to play in remains to be seen. Either way, you're going to hear that without this, Houston cannot be "world class" and you don't want to stand in the way of Houston's World Classiness do you? DO YOU?
I didn't think so.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
First and Foremost: Give Thanks.
Before we get to Thanksgiving, with Turkey and stuffing and green-bean casserole and rolls and corn on the cob, and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie and football and eating too much and falling asleep during the inevitable dog game before raiding the leftovers to make stuffing sandwiches.......
OK, you get the point.
I thought it wise to take a minute and think about the things that we're thankful for. Maybe, for some, it's little things, maybe, for others, it's big things. The point is that we're all thankful for something, unless of course you're currently reading this blog with your foot trapped in a bear trap while being stung by bees and a family of hungry grackles is sizing up your right eye for dinner. OK, then you might not be all that thankful.
But, for the rest of us, even those of us in the Houston area, we have cause to be thankful for something. If you're having trouble thinking of anything we here at YDOP are here to help. So, without Further Ado........
Harris County Democrats: Well, this one is obvious, you're thankful that the last round of straight-ticket voting, coupled with some truly awful candidates (#firestanstanart Orlando Sanchez, etc.) and entrenched entitlement (Hi!! Ed Emmett!!!) have pretty much left you with a hammer-lock on county governance that's only slightly got you sweating because a) another flood event is surely coming and Sylvester Turner won't be able to rely on Emmett to bail him out this time and b) Oh shit, you actually have to govern!
The important bit to realize however is that you ARE in power so that should make your Tofurky and organically sourced, vegan side-dishes tasted almost a little-less like processed sawdust this year.
Harris County GOP: OK, I have to admit this was a tough one. But after much thought coupled with a weekend away in Lake Charles ruminating over vodka sodas (I'm lying, I didn't think about it at all) I've come up with a winner:
Be thankful that, because his law-offices were raided and stacks of documents removed, you're not going to have to live through an insufferable Jared Woodfill challenge of Paul Simpson's chairmanship. Congratulations for that. Of course, you're basically completely out of power now so winning the chair will feel a little like being named the Ringmaster of Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey's Circus AFTER it got shuttered but hey....avoiding that mess is something right?
Mayor Sylvester Turner: You should be thankful that no-one who really matters has figured out yet that not only are you in WAY over your head here but also that you've not yet run out of political patrons who have supported your long career and will be wanting to reap the rewards of your victory before your next go-round.
Senator Whitmore hasn't come calling with his cronies yet and, believe me, after a lifetime in Texas politics he has a LOT of them who will be wishing to wet their beaks in the milk and honey of your victory. And hey, you get to keep collecting the rain tax for yourslush fund er...drainage projects so there's that.
Houston Fire Department: Be thankful that the few of you who remain on the job after Mayor Turner enacts his revenge should be getting a rather large pay-raise. You might want to spend this holiday season buttering up the current fire chief because he's going to be coming along with an axe soon to breaks some windows.
Another thing for which you should be thankful is that you appear to be fairly organized, and fairly harmonious in your opinions within the union. It might help to channel that to form an early coalition around who you want to support in the next Mayoral race.
Houston Police Department: This one is simple. Be thankful that it surely won't be much longer before your anti-police Police Chief decides he's made enough progressive policy Tweets and decides to leave for a run for higher office.
Police Chief Acevedo: Be Thankful that you've made enough progressive policy Tweets that soon you'll be a viable candidate for higher office and can leave Houston to return to San Antonio. I know we'll be thankful for that.
HISD School Board: Be thankful that it's the Holidays and people will stop paying attention to your corruption and dysfunction long enough for you to find an interim Superintendent who will be willing to rubber stamp your pet projects, your nepotism in hiring, and your generally awful stewardship of Houston's youth education.
Houston Chronicle: Be thankful you're still in business. That is all. I'd say something else but everything seems so excessive beyond that.
Houston Texans: Be Thankful that, even though he's not the greatest coach, Bill O'Brien appears to have hired a voodoo high priestess to put a spell on opposing coaches causing them to make exactly the wrong decisions in key moments, almost gifting you wins.
Houston Rockets: Be Thankful Carmelo Anthony is gone. and be thankful that Daryl Morey finally realized what an idiotic decision bringing him on was in the first place.
Houston Astros: Be Thankful that you're still the current best professional sports franchise in Houston, that you're still ran by competent management and that you still have a chance over the next couple of years to snag a World Series title or two.
Houston City Council: Be Thankful that Houston has a strong-Mayor form of government that hides your deficiencies behind those of Mayor Turner. Yes, we all know you're not very good, we just don't care much because you don't have any power to speak of.
And finally......
Houston-Area Political Bloggers: Be Thankful that Your Drink Order Please has returned to active blogging. Because now the title of "Worst Local Blogger" is sewn up for at least as long as I want to keep this going.
Happy Thanksgiving y'all. Spare a soy plant, eat a real turkey.
OK, you get the point.
I thought it wise to take a minute and think about the things that we're thankful for. Maybe, for some, it's little things, maybe, for others, it's big things. The point is that we're all thankful for something, unless of course you're currently reading this blog with your foot trapped in a bear trap while being stung by bees and a family of hungry grackles is sizing up your right eye for dinner. OK, then you might not be all that thankful.
But, for the rest of us, even those of us in the Houston area, we have cause to be thankful for something. If you're having trouble thinking of anything we here at YDOP are here to help. So, without Further Ado........
Harris County Democrats: Well, this one is obvious, you're thankful that the last round of straight-ticket voting, coupled with some truly awful candidates (#firestanstanart Orlando Sanchez, etc.) and entrenched entitlement (Hi!! Ed Emmett!!!) have pretty much left you with a hammer-lock on county governance that's only slightly got you sweating because a) another flood event is surely coming and Sylvester Turner won't be able to rely on Emmett to bail him out this time and b) Oh shit, you actually have to govern!
The important bit to realize however is that you ARE in power so that should make your Tofurky and organically sourced, vegan side-dishes tasted almost a little-less like processed sawdust this year.
Harris County GOP: OK, I have to admit this was a tough one. But after much thought coupled with a weekend away in Lake Charles ruminating over vodka sodas (I'm lying, I didn't think about it at all) I've come up with a winner:
Be thankful that, because his law-offices were raided and stacks of documents removed, you're not going to have to live through an insufferable Jared Woodfill challenge of Paul Simpson's chairmanship. Congratulations for that. Of course, you're basically completely out of power now so winning the chair will feel a little like being named the Ringmaster of Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey's Circus AFTER it got shuttered but hey....avoiding that mess is something right?
Mayor Sylvester Turner: You should be thankful that no-one who really matters has figured out yet that not only are you in WAY over your head here but also that you've not yet run out of political patrons who have supported your long career and will be wanting to reap the rewards of your victory before your next go-round.
Senator Whitmore hasn't come calling with his cronies yet and, believe me, after a lifetime in Texas politics he has a LOT of them who will be wishing to wet their beaks in the milk and honey of your victory. And hey, you get to keep collecting the rain tax for your
Houston Fire Department: Be thankful that the few of you who remain on the job after Mayor Turner enacts his revenge should be getting a rather large pay-raise. You might want to spend this holiday season buttering up the current fire chief because he's going to be coming along with an axe soon to breaks some windows.
Another thing for which you should be thankful is that you appear to be fairly organized, and fairly harmonious in your opinions within the union. It might help to channel that to form an early coalition around who you want to support in the next Mayoral race.
Houston Police Department: This one is simple. Be thankful that it surely won't be much longer before your anti-police Police Chief decides he's made enough progressive policy Tweets and decides to leave for a run for higher office.
Police Chief Acevedo: Be Thankful that you've made enough progressive policy Tweets that soon you'll be a viable candidate for higher office and can leave Houston to return to San Antonio. I know we'll be thankful for that.
HISD School Board: Be thankful that it's the Holidays and people will stop paying attention to your corruption and dysfunction long enough for you to find an interim Superintendent who will be willing to rubber stamp your pet projects, your nepotism in hiring, and your generally awful stewardship of Houston's youth education.
Houston Chronicle: Be thankful you're still in business. That is all. I'd say something else but everything seems so excessive beyond that.
Houston Texans: Be Thankful that, even though he's not the greatest coach, Bill O'Brien appears to have hired a voodoo high priestess to put a spell on opposing coaches causing them to make exactly the wrong decisions in key moments, almost gifting you wins.
Houston Rockets: Be Thankful Carmelo Anthony is gone. and be thankful that Daryl Morey finally realized what an idiotic decision bringing him on was in the first place.
Houston Astros: Be Thankful that you're still the current best professional sports franchise in Houston, that you're still ran by competent management and that you still have a chance over the next couple of years to snag a World Series title or two.
Houston City Council: Be Thankful that Houston has a strong-Mayor form of government that hides your deficiencies behind those of Mayor Turner. Yes, we all know you're not very good, we just don't care much because you don't have any power to speak of.
And finally......
Houston-Area Political Bloggers: Be Thankful that Your Drink Order Please has returned to active blogging. Because now the title of "Worst Local Blogger" is sewn up for at least as long as I want to keep this going.
Happy Thanksgiving y'all. Spare a soy plant, eat a real turkey.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
HALV: OF COURSE the proposed Houston fire-fighter layoffs are avoidable.
But that wouldn't allow Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to continue his temper tantrum.
Houston Layoffs Spurred by Prop B are Avoidable. Houston Chronicle.
You're looking at a Mayor who has no problem providing $6.7 Million dollars to his law partner and then claiming it's not a conflict of interest because it's his FORMER law partner, since Turner left the firm after becoming Mayor.
OK then.
Turner's entire political career has been about financially rewarding his patrons while trying (sometimes ineffectually) to punish his political enemies. He's a small man in a big city whose administration is about small ideas.
All he sees is a vote that went against his wishes, due in large part to organization and effective campaigning by a rival organization, so in his mind the only possible recourse is to punish the organization.
That this might actually lead to the deaths, or grave injuries, of some Houstonians doesn't even cross his mind. He doesn't care. All that matters to him is balancing the political books back to what he perceives is his favor.
The Firefighter's union has to pay. And pay they will, in the form of layoffs.
But the real people who pay will be Houstonians who should be able to rely on a fire department that has good response times and is sufficiently staffed. That's not a component of Turner's political calculus however, and it probably never will be given the framework of his political education.
Something to think about during the 2019 Mayoral election.
Houston Layoffs Spurred by Prop B are Avoidable. Houston Chronicle.
You're looking at a Mayor who has no problem providing $6.7 Million dollars to his law partner and then claiming it's not a conflict of interest because it's his FORMER law partner, since Turner left the firm after becoming Mayor.
OK then.
Turner's entire political career has been about financially rewarding his patrons while trying (sometimes ineffectually) to punish his political enemies. He's a small man in a big city whose administration is about small ideas.
All he sees is a vote that went against his wishes, due in large part to organization and effective campaigning by a rival organization, so in his mind the only possible recourse is to punish the organization.
That this might actually lead to the deaths, or grave injuries, of some Houstonians doesn't even cross his mind. He doesn't care. All that matters to him is balancing the political books back to what he perceives is his favor.
The Firefighter's union has to pay. And pay they will, in the form of layoffs.
But the real people who pay will be Houstonians who should be able to rely on a fire department that has good response times and is sufficiently staffed. That's not a component of Turner's political calculus however, and it probably never will be given the framework of his political education.
Something to think about during the 2019 Mayoral election.
Friday, November 09, 2018
Election 2018: Faster Danger Train: Kill! Kill!
Houston's light rail has been effective, at taking out cars, bicyclists and pedestrians one person at a time.
Similar hopes were echoed by the unproductive class' transportation Wunderkid on Twitter:
Christof Spieler on Twitter.
A continuing argument should be made that a toy-train, built at-grade that doesn't do anything to alleviate congestion from the exburbs and suburbs to Houston's many employment centers is nothing more than a pretty play-thing for wealthy elites to get married and throw parties on.
Also: the rise of Lyft, Uber and the coming of self-driving cars is going to make the car and pedestrian killing Danger Train all but worthless anyway.
Granted, Siemens and the thousands of people who make their living as lampreys on the public teat won't like that too much. As a Houstonian who gives a shit about getting around the region you probably should.
A better solution would be robust commuter buses coupled with a flexible, efficient last-mile solution would be a much more productive solution than expanding the Danger Train.
And proponents are hoping that the victory by Lindsey Pannill Fletcher over John Culberson will increase the miles of at-grade, Danger Train miles that Houston has to navigate around....
While Fletcher campaigned primarily on inclusiveness and healthcare, one portion of the platforms on her campaign website should not go unnoticed. "We need to partner with cities, counties, and METRO to bring additional resources and improvements to our region," she says on her website. "We need an advocate for policies that both maintain and expand our region’s mobility infrastructure. And we need to make sure that Houston receives its fair share of transportation funding to move our citizens across the region."
Similar hopes were echoed by the unproductive class' transportation Wunderkid on Twitter:
Christof Spieler on Twitter.
So @Lizzie4Congress beat longtime incumbent Republican John Culberson for Congress. This is very relevant for transit, since Culberson was unusual in his strong and determined fight to keep federal transit funding out of his district.It was probably inevitable that this was going to happen post-Culberson, and there are good arguments to be made for increased public transportation, when done the right way.
A continuing argument should be made that a toy-train, built at-grade that doesn't do anything to alleviate congestion from the exburbs and suburbs to Houston's many employment centers is nothing more than a pretty play-thing for wealthy elites to get married and throw parties on.
Also: the rise of Lyft, Uber and the coming of self-driving cars is going to make the car and pedestrian killing Danger Train all but worthless anyway.
Granted, Siemens and the thousands of people who make their living as lampreys on the public teat won't like that too much. As a Houstonian who gives a shit about getting around the region you probably should.
A better solution would be robust commuter buses coupled with a flexible, efficient last-mile solution would be a much more productive solution than expanding the Danger Train.
Election 2018: Texas New (True?) Blue Suburbs
Are Texas Suburbs Slipping Away From Republicans? Alex Ura, Chris Essig, Darla Cameron, Texas Tribune
There's an interesting bit of political intrigue appearing in Texas right now. As Democrats long chastised the poor and working class for voting Republican against their interests, it seems that many Texas suburbs voted Democratic this election against theirs.
The Democrats, to an official, are an urban party. Since the rise of Al Gore and his investors they've loathed Suburbia. Politicians pass laws against it, comedians make jokes about it, TV shows and movies mock it. Suburbia is the gated last-resort of the White elitist, the last refuge of the conservative scoundrel.
Suburbs are overheating the planet, running mom and pop shops out of business, and generally casting a shadow over the vibrancy of an economy based on home-grown, fair-trade, organic, free range donkey dung crackers sourced locally from a collective farming community.
In Houston, especially, the switch is confusing.
The Harris County Democratic Party currently takes its public policy directly from the mind of David Crossley and his non-productive class band of acolytes. Their solution for Houston?
Empty the suburbs, force everyone to live asshole to elbow inside the Loop and ride the Danger Train everywhere (unless it's raining, then you can ride a bus, IF they go where you want). From so-called "Complete streets" (which are really streets that make it difficult to get anywhere) to speed limits capped at 30, to bemoaning the existence of the single-occupancy vehicle, the Democrats don't like the relatively mundane, relatively sequestered Suburban lifestyle preferring instead the highly segregated, highly controlled, highly taxed urban one.
Not that Democrats won't take their votes, they're not stupid, but to think that a party that's ran primarily on reducing energy consumption and footprint is all of the sudden going to embrace Mrs. Johnston living in a $500K McMansion (their term) and driving around in her Mercedes to a nail salon, or make policy that helps Mr. Johnston load up in his SUV to go golfing and create policy to promote this lifestyle requires the suspension of disbelief.
Yes, there's the problem with modern Republicans, and the short-sighted anti-immigrant stance they are taking. And the Bronzed Ego sitting in the White House doesn't help. But if you turn off the Twitter rage machine, block out the media breathlessly acting like every statement el Bronzo utters is "beyond the pale" you get to a place that has to, even begrudgingly, admit that this administration's actual results have been fairly positive, from a conservative perspective.
And this is the problem with politics today. Too much of it is ran through the Social Media outrage prism before being disseminated to people via what should be a calm, rational media. Not an unbiased media mind you, the media has never been that. If you think differently and are longing for some bygone day that never existed I cannot help you.
The media has always been biased to some degree because it's delivered by people. Reporters, journalists and editorialists (we need fewer of the latter) who are people with ideas, views and positions just like you. To think that some C student can get a bachelor's degree in J-School and suddenly come out as a beacon of neutrality is to ask something of the human condition that is not hard-wired within us.
Am I biased? You bet. I hold moderately Libertarian views that can be summed up thusly: The government is responsible for a few things, they should focus on those few things and leave the rest up to us. Will things be perfect? No, but that's the cost of living in a free society. Things don't always go as you would like.
The difference here is this:
1. I openly admit my bias. Currently the media does not. Because of this the Chron can let publicly slip a pro-light rail manifesto and still claim to be reporting on the issue in a neutral manner. Anderson Cooper can get a "tingle up his leg" when Barack Obama speaks but still claim he can moderate a Presidential debate fairly.
2. I'm not a professional media outlet. This, in case you haven't noticed, is an opinion blog. If you don't LIKE or AGREE with my opinion you can either comment, or start your own, or ignore it. The Chronicle, and other media outlets sell themselves as truth seekers, the last line of defense in the battle for the Republic.
This is a problem because often the reporting that you see doesn't tell the truth. It allows politicians of a certain strip to claim to be for the "working family" despite wanting to raise taxes and fees to levels that will have a real impact on their daily lives. Money taken by the government is NEVER referred to as your money, but as the government's money, as if they have a god-given right to it.
A lot of what people vote on today comes down to plain ignorance. We're mad that the VA Hospital is in shambles, a government program gone awry, yet we're sold that the solution to the problem is.....more government. People get mad at the banks for issuing sub-prime mortgages, forgetting that it was, in some cases, a government diktat that led and allowed them to do so.
Suburbanites in Texas get angry at the government, and vote for a party that's promising more......government.
Many times elections in America are a large temper tantrum. I think this one in Texas can be described as such, the question is how long it will linger, and if the low-information voter can allow the results to hold?
Counties that haven’t voted for a Democrat in decades turned out for Beto O’Rourke in his unsuccessful bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and he picked up enough support in ruby red Republican counties to force Cruz into single-digit wins.
There's an interesting bit of political intrigue appearing in Texas right now. As Democrats long chastised the poor and working class for voting Republican against their interests, it seems that many Texas suburbs voted Democratic this election against theirs.
The Democrats, to an official, are an urban party. Since the rise of Al Gore and his investors they've loathed Suburbia. Politicians pass laws against it, comedians make jokes about it, TV shows and movies mock it. Suburbia is the gated last-resort of the White elitist, the last refuge of the conservative scoundrel.
Suburbs are overheating the planet, running mom and pop shops out of business, and generally casting a shadow over the vibrancy of an economy based on home-grown, fair-trade, organic, free range donkey dung crackers sourced locally from a collective farming community.
In Houston, especially, the switch is confusing.
The Harris County Democratic Party currently takes its public policy directly from the mind of David Crossley and his non-productive class band of acolytes. Their solution for Houston?
Empty the suburbs, force everyone to live asshole to elbow inside the Loop and ride the Danger Train everywhere (unless it's raining, then you can ride a bus, IF they go where you want). From so-called "Complete streets" (which are really streets that make it difficult to get anywhere) to speed limits capped at 30, to bemoaning the existence of the single-occupancy vehicle, the Democrats don't like the relatively mundane, relatively sequestered Suburban lifestyle preferring instead the highly segregated, highly controlled, highly taxed urban one.
Not that Democrats won't take their votes, they're not stupid, but to think that a party that's ran primarily on reducing energy consumption and footprint is all of the sudden going to embrace Mrs. Johnston living in a $500K McMansion (their term) and driving around in her Mercedes to a nail salon, or make policy that helps Mr. Johnston load up in his SUV to go golfing and create policy to promote this lifestyle requires the suspension of disbelief.
Yes, there's the problem with modern Republicans, and the short-sighted anti-immigrant stance they are taking. And the Bronzed Ego sitting in the White House doesn't help. But if you turn off the Twitter rage machine, block out the media breathlessly acting like every statement el Bronzo utters is "beyond the pale" you get to a place that has to, even begrudgingly, admit that this administration's actual results have been fairly positive, from a conservative perspective.
And this is the problem with politics today. Too much of it is ran through the Social Media outrage prism before being disseminated to people via what should be a calm, rational media. Not an unbiased media mind you, the media has never been that. If you think differently and are longing for some bygone day that never existed I cannot help you.
The media has always been biased to some degree because it's delivered by people. Reporters, journalists and editorialists (we need fewer of the latter) who are people with ideas, views and positions just like you. To think that some C student can get a bachelor's degree in J-School and suddenly come out as a beacon of neutrality is to ask something of the human condition that is not hard-wired within us.
Am I biased? You bet. I hold moderately Libertarian views that can be summed up thusly: The government is responsible for a few things, they should focus on those few things and leave the rest up to us. Will things be perfect? No, but that's the cost of living in a free society. Things don't always go as you would like.
The difference here is this:
1. I openly admit my bias. Currently the media does not. Because of this the Chron can let publicly slip a pro-light rail manifesto and still claim to be reporting on the issue in a neutral manner. Anderson Cooper can get a "tingle up his leg" when Barack Obama speaks but still claim he can moderate a Presidential debate fairly.
2. I'm not a professional media outlet. This, in case you haven't noticed, is an opinion blog. If you don't LIKE or AGREE with my opinion you can either comment, or start your own, or ignore it. The Chronicle, and other media outlets sell themselves as truth seekers, the last line of defense in the battle for the Republic.
This is a problem because often the reporting that you see doesn't tell the truth. It allows politicians of a certain strip to claim to be for the "working family" despite wanting to raise taxes and fees to levels that will have a real impact on their daily lives. Money taken by the government is NEVER referred to as your money, but as the government's money, as if they have a god-given right to it.
A lot of what people vote on today comes down to plain ignorance. We're mad that the VA Hospital is in shambles, a government program gone awry, yet we're sold that the solution to the problem is.....more government. People get mad at the banks for issuing sub-prime mortgages, forgetting that it was, in some cases, a government diktat that led and allowed them to do so.
Suburbanites in Texas get angry at the government, and vote for a party that's promising more......government.
Many times elections in America are a large temper tantrum. I think this one in Texas can be described as such, the question is how long it will linger, and if the low-information voter can allow the results to hold?
Thursday, November 08, 2018
Election 2018: Can the Harris County Democrats Govern?
Back in 1999, when the Republicans first started their now two-decade long run in charge of Texas State Government, then Texas Monthly political scribbler Paul "the Clown" Burka asked one of the rare intelligent questions of his career: "Can the Republicans Govern?"
It was a salient question at the time because many of the newly installed R's had little, if any experience in public office, knew little about the workings of the Texas Government and, for the first time, were looking down the barrel of not being just in opposition but of actually passing bills, and governing.
After a couple of legislative sessions it turned out that they COULD govern, and despite the fact that many on the left didn't like it their transformative approach to State governance (namely: low taxes and light regulation) kicked-off the "Texas Miracle" aided, of course, by the oil and gas shale boom.
What made Burka "The Clown" was that he continued to ask "Can the Republicans Govern?" every two years after that for just about the remainder of his career, despite the fact that it was fairly obvious they could.
Fast forward to 2018....
Harris County has just seen most elected positions switch over to the Democrats, excepting 2 County Commissioner seats, and many of the people elected have never before held public office, nor do they have a background that would suggest they are entirely qualified for the posts they hold.
To whit:
Lina Hidalgo - Harris County Judge (elect) - Ms. Hidalgo is a 27 year-old graduate student with no prior political experience. She has been elected to the highest administrative office for one of the largest counties in America. She is a Stanford grad who, for the past few years, has been working toward a joint-graduate degree in law and public policy at NYU and Harvard, so she seems to be intelligent enough, and she has done a lot of advocacy work in public health, criminal justice et al so she should, at the least, be familiar with the nuts and bolts of the issues, but she is going to have to learn on the fly how to be an executive of a large organization with a myriad of departments that provides key services to a lot of constituents. That's a huge difference from being an advocate.
Diane Trautman - Harris County Clerk (Elect) - The politician elected to oversee both Harris County's court records as well as administrate the elections, issue marriage licenses, and a host of other services. She does have some political experience, being elected to the Harris County Board of Education. She has a bachelor's degree in English and a Master's secondary education, both from the University of Houston, and holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Sam Houston State University. This office is also in charge of the voter rolls for Harris County.
Marilyn Burgess - Harris County District Clerk (Elect) - Ms. Burgess has an accounting degree from Louisiana State and holds an active CPA certification. As an accountant myself I can tell you that's a good thing for the office she will be holding. The District Clerk's office runs in much the same manner as the County Clerk's office, acting as the official record-keeper for district courts. The District Clerk also administers the jury system and in Harris County is operating a passport office.
It should be pointed out that, in many cases, the clerks will also be providing record-keeping for judges who are brand new, and who might not understand all of the record-keeping requirements, or the procedures. This is going to put more pressure on those Clerk positions to learn quickly.
Dylan Osborne - Harris County Treasurer (Elect) Mr. Osborne has a degree in Social Sciences from University of Houston - Downtown and a Master's degree in Public Administration. He has worked on the staff of two Houston City Council members so he should be, at least, familiar with the functioning of government. The Harris County Treasurer's Office is a county function that many, including me, believe should be done away with. It's sole job is to handle deposits and issue payments for the county, something that could be easily folded into existing departments. The last couple of Democratic candidates running for this office ran on a platform of abolishing it. According to Mr. Osborne's campaign site that is not on his agenda.
Adrian Garcia - Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2 (Elect) - Garcia has a long history in Houston politics, unfortunately much of it is not good. He served on Houston City Council from 2004 - 2008 and was elected as Harris County Sheriff from 2009 - 2015. During his stint as Sheriff he came under fire for a sexual abuse scandal in the Harris County Jail and multiple problems in the sheriff's office were in the media. Since then he's jumped from race to race trying to find a soft-spot to land. It appears he finally found it.
None of the above should be taken to read that these people cannot, or will not, be effective leaders. It is not intended to be snark, belittling or disparaging to them.
What it DOES mean is that the question is fair: Can the Harris County Democrats GOVERN?
There is an increasingly large chance now that the City and County begin working together in ways that have been hinted at, but only in backrooms. The City of Houston could begin to exert a bigger influence on its extra-territorial jurisdiction to a point that it begins sucking up tax dollars and government functions for the outlying areas. A bigger concern is that the County starts pouring more dollars into the areas within the Houston City Limits, providing more services there to supplement Boss Turner's fiscal irresponsibility and residents in the unincorporated hinterlands start to get left out.
Can Harris County Democrats govern?
For their own sake citizens of Harris County had better hope they can.
If they can't then the Houston Area Leadership Vacuum could be legion.
It was a salient question at the time because many of the newly installed R's had little, if any experience in public office, knew little about the workings of the Texas Government and, for the first time, were looking down the barrel of not being just in opposition but of actually passing bills, and governing.
After a couple of legislative sessions it turned out that they COULD govern, and despite the fact that many on the left didn't like it their transformative approach to State governance (namely: low taxes and light regulation) kicked-off the "Texas Miracle" aided, of course, by the oil and gas shale boom.
What made Burka "The Clown" was that he continued to ask "Can the Republicans Govern?" every two years after that for just about the remainder of his career, despite the fact that it was fairly obvious they could.
Fast forward to 2018....
Harris County has just seen most elected positions switch over to the Democrats, excepting 2 County Commissioner seats, and many of the people elected have never before held public office, nor do they have a background that would suggest they are entirely qualified for the posts they hold.
To whit:
Lina Hidalgo - Harris County Judge (elect) - Ms. Hidalgo is a 27 year-old graduate student with no prior political experience. She has been elected to the highest administrative office for one of the largest counties in America. She is a Stanford grad who, for the past few years, has been working toward a joint-graduate degree in law and public policy at NYU and Harvard, so she seems to be intelligent enough, and she has done a lot of advocacy work in public health, criminal justice et al so she should, at the least, be familiar with the nuts and bolts of the issues, but she is going to have to learn on the fly how to be an executive of a large organization with a myriad of departments that provides key services to a lot of constituents. That's a huge difference from being an advocate.
Diane Trautman - Harris County Clerk (Elect) - The politician elected to oversee both Harris County's court records as well as administrate the elections, issue marriage licenses, and a host of other services. She does have some political experience, being elected to the Harris County Board of Education. She has a bachelor's degree in English and a Master's secondary education, both from the University of Houston, and holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Sam Houston State University. This office is also in charge of the voter rolls for Harris County.
Marilyn Burgess - Harris County District Clerk (Elect) - Ms. Burgess has an accounting degree from Louisiana State and holds an active CPA certification. As an accountant myself I can tell you that's a good thing for the office she will be holding. The District Clerk's office runs in much the same manner as the County Clerk's office, acting as the official record-keeper for district courts. The District Clerk also administers the jury system and in Harris County is operating a passport office.
It should be pointed out that, in many cases, the clerks will also be providing record-keeping for judges who are brand new, and who might not understand all of the record-keeping requirements, or the procedures. This is going to put more pressure on those Clerk positions to learn quickly.
Dylan Osborne - Harris County Treasurer (Elect) Mr. Osborne has a degree in Social Sciences from University of Houston - Downtown and a Master's degree in Public Administration. He has worked on the staff of two Houston City Council members so he should be, at least, familiar with the functioning of government. The Harris County Treasurer's Office is a county function that many, including me, believe should be done away with. It's sole job is to handle deposits and issue payments for the county, something that could be easily folded into existing departments. The last couple of Democratic candidates running for this office ran on a platform of abolishing it. According to Mr. Osborne's campaign site that is not on his agenda.
Adrian Garcia - Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2 (Elect) - Garcia has a long history in Houston politics, unfortunately much of it is not good. He served on Houston City Council from 2004 - 2008 and was elected as Harris County Sheriff from 2009 - 2015. During his stint as Sheriff he came under fire for a sexual abuse scandal in the Harris County Jail and multiple problems in the sheriff's office were in the media. Since then he's jumped from race to race trying to find a soft-spot to land. It appears he finally found it.
None of the above should be taken to read that these people cannot, or will not, be effective leaders. It is not intended to be snark, belittling or disparaging to them.
What it DOES mean is that the question is fair: Can the Harris County Democrats GOVERN?
There is an increasingly large chance now that the City and County begin working together in ways that have been hinted at, but only in backrooms. The City of Houston could begin to exert a bigger influence on its extra-territorial jurisdiction to a point that it begins sucking up tax dollars and government functions for the outlying areas. A bigger concern is that the County starts pouring more dollars into the areas within the Houston City Limits, providing more services there to supplement Boss Turner's fiscal irresponsibility and residents in the unincorporated hinterlands start to get left out.
Can Harris County Democrats govern?
For their own sake citizens of Harris County had better hope they can.
If they can't then the Houston Area Leadership Vacuum could be legion.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)