Posts Tagged ‘Houston’
Thursday, March 31st, 2016
Lots of Texas vs. California linky goodness, much of it via Jack Dean at Pension Tsunami, who’s been emailing me links of significant interest.
Texas continues to grow:
As last week’s US Census Bureau population estimates indicated, the story of population growth between 2014 and 2015 was largely about Texas, as it has been for the decade starting 2010 (See: “Texas Keeps Getting Bigger” The New Metropolitan Area Estimates). The same is largely true with respect to population trends in the nation’s largest counties, with The Lone Star state dominating both in the population growth and domestic migration among 135 counties with more than 500,000 population.
Snip.
Houston, which is the fastest growing major metropolitan area (over 1 million population) in the nation includes the two fastest growing large counties. Fort Bend County added 4.29 percent to its population between 2014 and 2015 and now has 716,000 residents. Montgomery County grew 3.57 percent to 538,000. In addition to these two suburban Houston counties, Harris County, the core County ranked 16th in growth, adding 2.03 percent to its population and exceeding 4.5 million population.
Dallas-Fort Worth, the second fastest-growing major metropolitan area has two counties among the top 20. The third fastest-growing county is Denton (located north of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport), which added 3.42 percent to its population over the past year and now has 781,000 residents. Collin County, to the north of Dallas County, grew 3.17 percent and now stands at 914,000 residents. Its current growth rate would put Collin County over 1 million population by the 2020 census.
Travis County, with its county seat of Austin, grew 2.22 percent to 1,177,000 and ranked 12th. Bexar County, centered on San Antonio grew 2.01 percent and ranks 17th.
Overall, Texas had four of the five fastest growing large counties, and seven of the top twenty. California had none. (Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
The Austin metropolitan area passes 2 million people.
The California Policy Center has a devestating roundup of what’s wrong with California’s economy. To wit:
- “A now has by far the nation’s highest state income tax rate. We are 34% higher than 2nd place Oregon, and a heck of a lot higher than all the rest”
- “CA has the highest state sales tax rate in the nation. 7.5% (does not include local sales taxes).”
- “California in 2015 ranked 14th highest in per capita property taxes (including commercial) – the only major tax where we are not in the worst ten states. But the 2014 average CA single-family residence (SFR) property tax is the 8th highest state in the nation. Indeed, the median CA homeowner property tax bill is 93% higher than the average for the other 49 states.”
- “California has a nasty anti-small business $800 minimum corporate income tax, even if no profit is earned, and even for many nonprofits. Next highest state is Rhode Island at $500 (only for “C” corporations). 3rd is Delaware at $175. Most states are at zero.”
- “California’s 2015 ‘business tax climate’ ranks 3rd worst in the nation – behind New York and anchor-clanker New Jersey. In addition, CA has a lock on the worst rank in the Small Business Tax Index – a whopping 8.3% worse than 2nd worst state.”
- “The American Tort Reform Foundation in 2015 again ranks CA the ‘worst state judicial hellhole’ in U.S. – the most anti-business.”
- “CA public school teachers the 3rd highest paid in the nation. CA students rank 48th in math achievement, 49th in reading.”
- “California’s real poverty rate (the new census bureau standard adjusted for COL) is easily the worst in the nation at 23.4%. We are 57.3% higher than the average for the other 49 states.”
- “Of 100 U.S. real estate markets, in 2013 CA contained by far the least affordable middle class housing market (San Francisco). PLUS the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th.”
It’s like a whole bunch of Texas vs. California roundup statistics all in one big green ball of fail. Read the whole thing. (Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
“California’s 50% [minimum wage] increase would eliminate nearly 700,000 jobs—which means higher unemployment for the poor and least skilled in particular.”
Why did Carl’s Jr. flee California? Taxes, regulations and lawsuits.
CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder told the Wall Street Journal in 2013, “California is not interested in having businesses grow.”
The article points out that many factors, including local building regulations, make one community less desirable than another for businesses.
For example, it takes 60 days in Texas, 63 in Shanghai, and 125 in Novosibirsk, Russia for one of CKE’s restaurants to get a building permit after signing a lease. But in Los Angeles, Ca. it takes a whopping 285 days.
Puzder added, “I can open up a restaurant faster on Karl Marx Prospect in Siberia than on Carl Karcher Boulevard in California.” The street in California is ironically named for the restaurant chain’s founder.
California’s labor regulations may also play a role in a company’s desire to seek alternative locations. In that same interview with WSJ, Puzder said his company had spent $20 million in the state over the past eight years on damages and attorney fees related to class-action lawsuits.
(Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
Justice Scalia’s death dooms the Friedrichs vs. California Teacher’s Association lawsuit.
“If a Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research’s estimate is accurate, public pension debt in California is even worse than feared. Preliminary calculations from a forthcoming SIEPR study peg the unfunded retirement tab for state and local government employees at more than $1.2 trillion.” (Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
Texas unemployment rates drops to 4.4%.
San Bernardino’s bondholders get screwed so the bankrupt city can continue sending money to CalPERS. (Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
California’s colleges are so money-hungry they’re screwing in-state students out of admissions so they can charge more to out-of-state applicants, including those who wouldn’t normally be able to get in. Sort of like the UT admissions scandal, but less politically connected and more widespread and money-grubbing… (Hat tip: Instapundit.)
But there’s one type of student California admissions isn’t keeping out: antisemites. (Hat tip: Director Blue.)
Even the supposed beneficiaries of California’s high speed rail fantasy have become disillusioned with it.
A hot relocation to Texas rumor just in: “Plano – new home of Toyota Motor’s North American headquarters – has been mentioned as a possible relocation site for a Wichita-based subsidiary of conglomerate Cargill.”
Tags:Antonin Scalia, Austin, Bexar County, California, CalPERs, Dallas, Fort Bend County, Friedrichs vs. California Teachers Association, Ft. Worth, Houston, Montgomery County, pension crisis, Plano, Texas, Travis County, unions, Welfare State
Posted in Austin, Democrats, Economics, Supreme Court, Texas, unions, Welfare State | 3 Comments »
Thursday, March 24th, 2016
Time for another Texas vs. California update:
California’s underfunded pension debts put it $175.1 billion in the red. “More than 51 percent ($89.9 billion) of the negative $175.1 billion consists of unfunded, employee-related, long-term liabilities.” (Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
A initiative to hike California’s minimum wage to $15 an hour has made the ballot. Also known as the “Send as much business as possible to Texas” act.
Speaking of which, Texas’ unemployment rate fell to 4.5% in January.
Germany and Sweden have lower median incomes than Texas. Indeed, were Germany and Sweden to join the union, they would instantly be among the poorest states.
Big Government advocates in California are fighting to renew a “temporary tax” on all those millionaires earning $250,000 or more a year. “The extension measure is again supported by the California Teachers Association and Service Employees International Union.”
California traffic fines have turned into a huge tax on the poor. “California is filled with people who are one traffic ticket away from losing their means of independent transportation. They get a ticket for a busted taillight or a small-change moving violation. On paper, the fine is $100, but with surcharges, it adds up to a lot more.” Which is why they’re having an amnesty to pay a reduced rate on outstanding tickets. But there’s a catch: “The practice of throwing in extra sources of revenue is so ingrained in Sacramento that there is a $50 amnesty program fee.” (Hat tip: Instapundit.)
Fresno’s pension system “is the only public pension program in California – and one of only a few in the United States – that has a surplus instead of unfunded pension liabilities.” (Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
“When unfunded pension, medical and other liabilities are formally included on its balance sheet, the [Orange County] Fire Authority’s debts exceeded its assets by $169 million for the fiscal year that ended in June,” the Register’s OC Watchdog wrote. “That’s a plunge of more than 680 percent in its ‘net position,’ or more than $420 million, over a single year.” (Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
California has a problem cutting pensions even when they’re going to convicted felons. (Hat tip: Pension Tsunami.)
Assisted suicide becomes legal in California June 9.
How long will California continue to consider itself part of the United States? (Hat tip: Ed Driscoll at Instapundit.)
Over 200 BART employees earned over $200,000 a year in total compensation.
California’s already long-delayed and already over-budget high speed rail fantasy is planning to put much of the initial segment underground due to community and environmental concerns. Problem: Digging those tunnels will probably cost $1 billion a mile.
California short-hauler Total Transportation Services Inc. files for bankruptcy.
“The parent company of Carl’s Jr., founded in Anaheim 60 years ago, is relocating its California headquarters to Nashville, Tenn.”
Kohl’s is closing nine stores in California, out of 18 total closing nationwide (none in Texas).
On the other hand, Sports Authority is closing slightly more stores in Texas (24) than California (19). Meh. I liked the stores more when they were Oshman’s…
California’s Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc., which manufactures and sells fuel systems and storage tanks for vehicles fitted for compressed natural gas, filed for bankruptcy. The fact the company has already gone through two reverse splits suggests long-running troubles…
Of course, being in Texas won’t prevent some municipalities of spending like they’re in California: San Antonio to spend almost $100,000 on a toilet.
Likewise, Houston’s credit rating been downgraded by both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s due to “the city’s large unfunded pension liability.” Maybe former Houston Mayor Annise Parker should have spent more time on trimming expenses and fixing crummy surface streets than suing churches and tranny bathrooms…
Tags:California, Democrats, Fresno, high speed rail, Houston, Kohl's, Orange County, pension crisis, Quantum Fuel Systems, San Antonio, Sports Authority, Texas, unions, Welfare State
Posted in Democrats, Texas, unions, Welfare State | No Comments »
Friday, January 15th, 2016
We’ll start with a couple by Mark Steyn:
“Hillary Clinton is now telling lies about her lies.”
Steyn also went to a Trump rally, and discovered how Trump is wowing crowds as an un-politician. “He moved the meter on the ‘war on women’, too. Mrs Clinton pulled out the card, and Trump flung it right back in her face with her sleazy sociopath of a husband’s four decades of abuse against vulnerable women.”
“These mostly disgruntled voters are turning away from their Democrat roots.”
The puzzling thing about the democrats’ push on gun control: Why gun control, and why now? “Unpopular as it is, gun control may be as good as they’ve got.”
Luntz focus group overwhelmingly says that Ted Cruz won last night’s debate.
Cruz also won the coveted Duck Dynasty primary.
Really, Jeb Bush’s path to victory requires Lindsay Graham’s endorsement? I’m sure in much the same way the Houston Texan’s plans involved Brian Hoyer leading them to the Superbowl…
Why Marco Rubio’s campaign is like trying to defend Europe in Risk. Points for geekiness and truth…
“The participation of Muslim migrants in the rape jihad is, of course, the fact most desperately suppressed by German officials.”
Obama (and Polifact) are lying about guns.
Even the New York Times notices that Obama is the best salesman the firearms industry ever had.
Now this is an opening paragraph:
The annual State of the Union pageant is a hideous, dispiriting, ugly, monotonous, un-American, un-republican, anti-democratic, dreary, backward, monarchical, retch-inducing, depressing, shameful, crypto-imperial display of official self-aggrandizement and piteous toadying, a black Mass during which every unholy order of teacup totalitarian and cringing courtier gathers under the towering dome of a faux-Roman temple to listen to a speech with no content given by a man with no content, to rise and to be seated as is called for by the order of worship — it is a wonder they have not started genuflecting — with one wretched representative of their number squirreled away in some well-upholstered Washington hidey-hole in order to preserve the illusion that those gathered constitute a special class of humanity without whom we could not live.
How the media distorts and suppresses news to avoid mentioning Muslims involved in rape.
Al Jazeera turns out to be every bit as popular as Air America.
Jihadists murder 15 at that Satanic outpost of Western imperialism, a polio vaccination center.
That Iraqi “refugee” arrested in Houston on terrorism charges is every bit as big a winner as you would expect him to be.
Obama Administration blocks visa waiver reform to appease Iran. One wonders what this administration wouldn’t do to appease Iran…
China’s debt is $28 trillion? Ho boy, we’re boned…
Anglicans suspend communion with Episcopalians for three years over same-sex marriage. This is kind of a big deal. (Hat tip: The Corner
Damn Millennials won’t show up to work on time. Or get off my lawn…
How Star Wars conquered the galaxy. Or, more specifically, how Star Wars action figures did… (Hat tip: The Goldberg File.)
You know, if you’re a sitting Texas Supreme Court Justice running for reelection, it’s probably not going to help you win Texas Republican voters if you do robocalling demonizing Michael Quinn Sullivan. Especially when the call goes to Michael Quinn Sullivan. (Hat tip: Push Junction.)
So $200 million for the Playboy mansion, the bunnies aren’t included, and I can’t even kick out Hugh Hefner? What’s the point?
Mapping the bushy-tailed menace.
Tags:2016 Election, 2016 Presidential Race, Al Jazeera, China, Cologne, Communism, Duck Dynasty, Economics, Elections, Foreign Policy, Frank Luntz, Germany, Guns, Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton Scandals, Houston, Hugh Hefner, Jeb Bush, Jihad, Kevin D. Williamson, Mark Steyn, Media Watch, Michael Quinn Sullivan, Playboy, rape, Ted Cruz, terrorism
Posted in Border Control, Communism, Crime, Democrats, Economics, Elections, Foreign Policy, Guns, Jihad, Media Watch, Republicans | No Comments »
Friday, January 8th, 2016
Another one of Obama’s “refugees” makes his presence known:
Authorities said Thursday that two Iraqi refugees have been arrested on terrorism-related charges in Houston and California.
According to the FBI’s Houston office, Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, 24, was charged with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, unlawfully attempting to gain U.S. citizenship and making false statements.
Al Hardan, a Palestinian born in Iraq, entered the United States as a refugee in November 2009 and has lived in Houston since being granted legal permanent residence in August 2011, the FBI said in a prepared statement.
Authorities said Al Hardan is accused of attempting to provide support and resources, including “training, expert advice and assistance and personnel — specifically himself — to a known foreign terrorist organization.”
The FBI also said that Al Hardan lied on his application to be a naturalized U.S. citizen.
“He allegedly represented he was not associated with a terrorist organization when, in fact, he associated with members and sympathizers of ISIL throughout 2014,” the FBI said.
Somehow all these terrorists and rapists keep slipping through that “rigorous screening” Obama likes to talk about…
Tags:Border Controls, Crime, Houston, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Jihad, Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, terrorism, Texas
Posted in Border Control, Crime, Jihad, Texas | No Comments »
Thursday, December 31st, 2015
Police have found out who set fire to a Houston Mosque on Christmas day. Guess who did it.
Go ahead. Guess.
Using surveillance video from other area businesses to identify the arsonist, Gary Nathaniel Moore, 37, was arrested and charged with starting the Christmas Day fire that devastated a Houston, Texas mosque. Moore is a devout Muslim who attended this same mosque for years, praying up to five times a day every day of the week.
Funny how the majority of high profile “hate crimes” against Muslims or black activists seem to be committed by the supposed “victims”…
Tags:arson, Crime, Gary Nathaniel Moore, Houston, Jihad, Muslim, Social Justice Warriors, Texas, victimhood
Posted in Crime, Jihad, Texas | No Comments »
Friday, November 27th, 2015
Here’s a Black Friday LinkSwarm you can while away your time with while waiting 5 hours in line to save 78¢ off a turkey baster:
Obama’s greatest legacy: downsizing the Democratic Party:
In January, Republicans will occupy 32 of the nation’s governorships, 10 more than they did in 2009. Democratic losses in state legislatures under Mr. Obama rank among the worst in the last 115 years, with 816 Democratic lawmakers losing their jobs and Republican control of legislatures doubling since the president took office — more seats lost than under any president since Dwight D. Eisenhower.
“Republicans have more chambers today than they have ever had in the history of the party,” said Tim Storey, an analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures. “So they are in a dominant and historic position of strength in the states.”
Which of the GOP’s candidates beat Hillary? All of them.
Cruz is surging,
No, Ted Cruz did not support illegal alien amnesty (unlike Marco Rubio).
Ted Cruz’s plausible path to the Presidency.
More ObamaCare rate hikes coming down the pike. Houston has zero PPO plans through ObamaCare, and Dallas is suffering the largest rate hikes.
This month’s victims getting specially reamed by ObamaCare are (rolls dice)…graduate students, who by law can no longer be covered by university insurance programs. Oh, the irony…
Crimea power grid knocked offline.
Russia to seek economic revenge against Turkey over downed jet. Ukraine says “Cry me a river.”
The Antarctic has been cooling the last six years.
Black America’s addiction to conspiracy theories.
Spy Jonathan Pollard released. His supporters want Obama to rescind the conditions of his parole so he can move to Israel. It’s a tough case for Obama: He loves letting traitors off easy, but he hates Israel…
Hillary Clinton may be soft on terrorism, but she’s tough on the real threats to our nation: comedians making fun of her:
In what appears to be a first for a serious presidential contender, Hillary Clinton’s campaign is going after five comedians who made fun of the former Secretary of State in standup skits at a popular Hollywood comedy club.
A video of the short performance, which is less than three minutes, is posted on the website of the renowned club, Laugh Factory, and the Clinton campaign has tried to censor it. Besides demanding that the video be taken down, the Clinton campaign has demanded the personal contact information of the performers that appear in the recording. This is no laughing matter for club owner Jamie Masada, a comedy guru who opened Laugh Factory more than three decades ago and has been instrumental in launching the careers of many famous comics. “They threatened me,” Masada told Judicial Watch. “I have received complains before but never a call like this, threatening to put me out of business if I don’t cut the video.”
Crew member on radical feminist “campus rape epidemic” film The Hunting Ground alters Wikipedia to conform to film’s skewed view of events, in violation of Wikipedia policy.
Eric S. Raymond examines a recent police shooting a lot of people are talking about: “I would have said this was what cops call a ‘good shoot’ if it had stopped at the first two bullets. It didn’t. I don’t think this was murder one, but it was at least criminally negligent homicide and those who covered it up should be prosecuted along with Van Dyke.” Unlike, he points out, the fully justified Michael Brown shooting. Also this: “And that racial spin? Plain bullshit. Those cops were facing an angel-dusted thug brandishing a weapon; that was pretty much bound to end badly whether the thug was black, white, or purple polka-dotted.”
The “red mercury” scam is back. And the Islamic State is the latest patsy to fall for it. Plus some loony local embellishments:
‘‘Red mercury has a red color, and there is mercury that has the color of dark blood,’’ he said. ‘‘And there is green mercury, which is used for sexual enhancement, and silver mercury is used for medical purposes. The most expensive type is called Blood of the Slaves, which is the darkest type. Magicians use it to summon jinni.’’
Andre Glucksmann dies.
What War on Christmas?
Winners and Losers from Houston’s election (better late than never).
Refugio Mayor Joey Heard arrested on drug charges. Refugio is a town between Victoria and Corpus,
Texas Democratic State Ron Rep. Reynolds convicted of barratry.
Annals of criminal genius: Trying to assault someone while in the courtroom for your third attempted murder trial. “At some point in time, you’ve got to stop shooting people.”
The Bring Back Mystery Science Theater 3000 kickstarter not only hit their goal, the just passed $3 million and are bringing on Felicia Day as the next mad scientist.
I laughed.
Tags:2016 Election, 2016 Presidential Race, Andre Glucksmann, Antarctica, black, comedy, Crime, Dallas, Democratic Party, Democrats, Eric S. Raymond, feminism, Foreign Policy, Global Warming, Hillary Clinton, Houston, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Israel, Jihad, Jonathan Pollard, Laugh Factory, LinkSwarm, Marco Rubio, MST3K, ObamaCare, red mercury, Republicans, Russia, Social Justice Warriors, Ted Cruz, Turkey, Ukraine, victimhood, War on Christmas, Wikipedia
Posted in Crime, Democrats, Elections, Foreign Policy, Global Warming, ObamaCare, Republicans, Social Justice Warriors, Texas | 1 Comment »
Friday, November 6th, 2015
Another Friday, another LinkSwarm:
What’s Obama’s strategy in Iraq and Syria? He doesn’t have one. “Without a clear overarching strategy to resolve the conflict.” Say what you want about Bush, he wanted to win in Iraq. Obama wants to do just enough to not get blamed for losing.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is not wild about George Soros encouraging waves of Islamic refugees in Europe.
Speaking of Islamic refugees, shotguns (which don’t need a permit) are selling like hotcakes in Austria. Whatever could be the reason?
“The Democratic party is mainly a coalition of interest groups, and the current model of Democratic politics — poor and largely non-white people providing the muscle and rich white liberals calling the shots — is unsustainable…Democrats gleefully predict that demographic changes are going to give their party a permanent majority. The unspoken corollary to that is that white liberals think they’re going to remain in charge of it.”
Forget all those Republican obituaries: Democrats are the ones being booted out of office.
Victories in Houston and Kentucky were stinging rebukes to cultural war overreach by the left.
Ted Cruz, Jedi Debater.
Jeb Bush needs an intervention.
Pennsylvania’s Democratic Attorney General, facing criminal indictment and calls to resign on all sides, instead send out porny emails.
Announce that you’re abandoning your Vegan diet because it was making you sick? That’s a death threat.
Owner of bankrupt Atlantic City casino threatens to house thousands of Syrain refugees there.
Denmark to Bernie Sanders: Stop calling us socialists, you pinko!
Free market economics: It even makes formerly socialist food banks run better!
Students entering Yale are evidently ignorant as fark all. (Hat tip: Borepatch.)
Dashcam video proves black Texas professor lied about being racially profiled. Hat Tip: Instapundit.)
Matt McCall takes another run at Rep. Lamar Smith.
I’ll take Least Surprising Sports Headlines for $400, Alex: “Former Raiders first-round pick convicted on three counts of murder.”
Tags:2016 Election, 2016 Presidential Race, Atlantic City, Austria, Crime, Democrats, Elections, Europe, gambling, George Soros, Guns, Houston, Hungary, Iraq, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Jeb Bush, Jihad, Kentucky, Lamar Smith, LinkSwarm, Matt McCall, New Jersey, Oakland Raiders, Pennsylvania, Republicans, Social Justice Warriors, Syria, Ted Cruz, Texas, Welfare State
Posted in Border Control, Crime, Democrats, Elections, Foreign Policy, Guns, Jihad, Republicans, Social Justice Warriors, Texas, Welfare State | No Comments »
Thursday, November 5th, 2015
The latest ObamaCare exchange plans are out, and if you’re a cancer patient in Houston, you’re screwed:
The healthcare marketplace is open once again, but if you look closely at the offered insurance plans you might find something lacking: coverage for specialized treatments.
Preferred Provider Plans, or PPOs, often do cover specialized treatment like care for cancer patients.The loss of individual-market plan PPOs will affect tens of thousands of people who buy their insurance privately rather than through an employer. Before the Affordable Care Act, it was the way most people who did not have employer insurance got coverage.
Jenny Deam, with the Houston Chronicle, investigates the disappearance of these plans. She says there will no longer be any plans, by any carrier on the federal exchange for the Houston area, that cover treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
If you’re unfamiliar with MD Anderson, they’re one of the best cancer treatment centers in the world. For many cancer patients, the difference between MD Anderson and another cancer treatment center is quite literally between life and death.
Remember “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor”?
Not so much.
The media mocked Sarah Palin for using the phrase “death panels,” but in the name of cost controls, they’re already implementing them at the provider level.
(Hat tip: ColorMeRed’s Twitter feed.)
Tags:cancer, death panels, Houston, MD Anderson Cancer Center, ObamaCare, Texas
Posted in ObamaCare, Texas | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, November 4th, 2015
As expected, all seven Texas constitutional amendments passed easily. The two most heavily promoted amendments, Proposition 1 (homestead property tax relief) and Proposition 7 (dedicating sales tax money to the highway fund), each passed with more than 80% of the vote.
Other Texas voting news:
Houston’s unpopular “tranny bathroom bill” went down in flames. Liberals crying foul that their pet transgender culture war bill was reduced to tranny bathrooms might want to remember that no one forced Houston Mayor Annise Parker (who whispered not a word of it during her own election campaign) to bring it up, and certainly wasn’t forced to sue churches who dared oppose it. Every time an item on the Social Justice Warrior agenda actually gets put before voters, it loses big time.
Austin voters rejected a courthouse bond package derided as a big-spending boondoggle. And keep in mind that Austin voters practically never turn down bond proposals.
But it wasn’t just Texas. Across the nation, conservatives won big in off-year elections:
Republican Matt Bevin won a big upset in the Kentucky governor’s race. The guy who Mitch McConnell crushed by 25 points in a 2014 primary will now become just the second Republican to govern the Bluegrass State in four decades.
Democrats failed to pick up Virginia’s state Senate. It’s a huge blow to Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who went all-in to make it happen. Democrats could have won by capturing just one seat because of the tie-breaking authority of Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D). But Republicans held every single seat…
Even in San Francisco, the sheriff who steadfastly defended the city’s “sanctuary city” policy went down. Fox News: “Ross Mirkarimi and his office received heavy criticism after Mexican illegal immigrant Francisco Sanchez allegedly shot and killed 32-year-old Kate Steinle on San Francisco’s waterfront July 1. Sanchez had been released from Mirkarimi’s jail in March even though federal immigration officials had requested that he be detained for possible deportation.” The city also rejected new regulations on Airbnb.
The Kentucky Governor’s race was the one where Fark’s Drew Curtis ran as an independent. He garnered just over 3% of the vote.
Tags:Annise Parker, Elections, Houston, Kentucky, Social Justice Warriors, Texas, Texas Constitutional Amendment, Tranny Bathrooms, transexual, Virginia
Posted in Elections, Social Justice Warriors, Texas | 1 Comment »
