Tag: abbott

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You get what you want in Texas

Mark Cathcart

The Austin American Statesman today published a frank review of the Texas rules on disclosure of chemical storage “Information scarce on chemical plant blasts — just like Texas wanted“. I wrote about this issue precisely back in “The Texas Freedom Illusion” and after the “West Disaster” report. In essence, under the veil of “security”, Governor Abbott has effectively just stopped individual Texans from finding out about these storage facilities, and in the same way as you are much more likely to be shot by a gun owning family member, than a jihadi; you are much more likely to get killed, … Continue reading You get what you want in Texas

Politics, politics, religionLeave a comment

Ahh Austin…

Mark Cathcart

When Texas Governor Abbott took time out of his busy schedule of subjugating his authority, to call a special session for the “part-time” Texas Legislators(1) to pass a bathroom bill and other discriminatory acts, his statements eloquently tried to trash the Capital of Texas, Austin. As Caleb points out, there are plenty of examples where Austin is screwed by Texas arbitrary regulation, and certainly some of those to be considered in the special session are also aimed at Austin. Naturally, the state-protected view of the dome under which so much anti-regulatory legislation is concocted by worthy statesman from such cultural … Continue reading Ahh Austin…

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Go, West!

Mark Cathcart

What the West report tells us is that 33(83% of the total) facilities in Texas that store fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate still are located within a quarter mile of homes. Apart from weakening the reporting and classification requirements, the only substantive thing Governor Abbott has done is to remove your right to find out if you live near a storage location. Continue reading Go, West!

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Texas is an Ass

Mark Cathcart

Just this week, Governor Abbott vetoed what many consider a key mental health provision, and given many of the continuing gun massacres are blamed on mental health issues, add that to guns in Texas, and a lot of people are upset with Abbott. This post isn’t about guns, or mental health, or bashing Republicans. It doesn’t really matter what side of the political spectrum you are on, Texas pride aside. The Governor and Legislator are increasingly making Texas look like an ass. I’m not talking about all the seemingly dumb laws on the books, or, the way and process the … Continue reading Texas is an Ass

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Huffman Discloses Husband’s Financial Holdings

Mark Cathcart

Not exactly the mea culpa no one expected anyway, but rule #5 in the list of excuses when you get caught with you hand in the jar. #5 “For every action, there should be a reaction” > Justify your loophole by blaming another law for over reaching, that’s a typical GOP tactic, claim something is overreach and then hide something when undoing it, mostly because, like a cheap magician you’ve used slight of hand to distract. The Texas Tribune has details, Huffman Discloses Husband’s Financial Holdings. In full disclosure, I am a donor and member of the Texas Tribune and a … Continue reading Huffman Discloses Husband’s Financial Holdings

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Abbott Vetoes Spousal Loophole

Mark Cathcart

Since I’ve criticized Governor Abbott numerous times, I figured he deserved a quick post for vetoing the ethics bill that contained the spousal loophole as discussed in my Ethics the Texas Way post. As predicated though, when doing so, the Governor did do his best Sepp Blatter impersonation, saying “Serious ethics reform must be addressed next session — the right way. Texans deserve better.” Of course in the mad way that Texas governs, that really means 2017. Maybe Sepp Blatter will be gone by then, but Texas ethics won’t have advanced. At least we will be able to see what the Spouses … Continue reading Abbott Vetoes Spousal Loophole

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Ethics the Texas Way

Mark Cathcart

Just a few months ago, I’d have started this blog post with a comparison between Texas and a 3rd world government. Now, maybe I’ll be able to compare 1st term Texas Governor, Gregg Abbott with FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Every FIFA Congress for as long as people can remember, Blatter has declared it’s time to clean up FIFA, as we know now, it’s never happened. Back in February, Governor Abbott declared five emergency proclamations for the 84th Legislature, The Governor’s issuance of an emergency item message to the Legislature enables that measure to be considered within the first 60 days … Continue reading Ethics the Texas Way