The Sunday Talking Points

Commentary is seriously thinking about walking away from the Sunday Morning Talking Points, err, Sunday Morning Talk Shows.  You can say I’ve become disillusioned of sorts.  They have become nothing more than a venue for both sides to trot out their daily talking points.  It is so predictable and that you learn absolutely nothing.  They also do nothing to ease the gridlock in our nation’s Capitol.  In fact they actually greatly contribute to the gridlock.

Yesterday was the typical Sunday morning in these parts.  Get up.  Fetch the hard copy of the Chron. Go through it, have a couple of cups of coffee, flip on the flat screen, watch the local Sunday morning news, then the Sunday “Today Show”, then the talking points shows while fixing morning grub and browsing for other news and sports stories while keeping an eye on the talking points.

The shows like “Meet the Press”, “State of the Union”, and “This Week” all feel obliged to give each side equal time so each side comes out armed with their talking points.  The media really has no right to criticize Congress for gridlock when in fact they give Congress the venues that helps create gridlock.  You could say that the media are major enablers. 

It was the same old same old yesterday with Benghazi, the IRS, and the AP deals.  

The best of yesterday morning was the “Today Show” segment on a pregnant Jenna Wolf going shopping for baby gear, learning that of the 55% or so that don’t approve of how The President is handling Benghazi, over 50% of those don’t even know where Benghazi is on the map, David Gregory correcting Peggy Noonan’s goof of not knowing the law regarding the relationship between The President and the Attorney General, and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld without talking points.

Without the Sunday morning talking points shows, I could probably get in my Sunday workout at the gym a little earlier and have time for a Sunday afternoon flick.  It’s a change worth considering for sure.

The Royals visit The Yard this evening.  Tonight will be the 31^st time the ‘Stros and Royals have played each other over the years.  Name the team with the best head-to-head record?

If you have not seen SNL’s segment the other night with Bill Hader’s “Stefon” with Seth Meyers, you are missing great TV.  Anderson Cooper gets kudos for his cameo.   The piece borrowed from the church wedding scene from “The Graduate.” 

Check out the skit here.

Over the weekend Commentary saw an Eric Dick for Republican Mayor campaign sign on a fence off of I-45 and North Main.  What’s up with that?

Kuffer has more here on Dick.

So that means The Mayor has three opponents – one that says he has money, one that will have signs, and one that I don’t know anything about.

If H-Town lands Super Bowl 51 tomorrow, count on The Mayor to include it in her campaign stump speech.

The Mayor will have the owner of the ‘Stros and one of the providers over for a sit down to see if a deal can be made.  A couple of days ago the owner told the Chron that CSNH is losing money. 

The ‘Stros are 17-13 in head-to-head versus the Royals of course.

We gave one away Friday night.   Right fielder Jimmy Paredes ran into second baseman Jake Elmore causing Elmore to drop a pop up and letting the Pirates snatch a win.  It looked so 2013 ‘Stros.  We start an eight game homie this evening.  Did you know that Miguel Tejada is a Royal? 

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Politics,Texas Politics,Houston Mayoral Race,Mayor Annise Parker,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,National Politics,President Obama,Sunday Talk Shows

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Reef Madness

It looks like the upscale restaurant Reef in Midtown stepped into a mess for their role in the cancellation of a local Planned Parenthood reception that was to be held on their roof.   Why?  They cratered to the zealots.   I kind of have news for them.  Those zealots don’t eat at Reef.  The only time they visit Midtown is too protest.

Here is a Houston Press story on the Reef deal.

The Chron’s Lisa Falkenberg has a more detailed piece that for now you can only check out if you are a subscriber or have a hard copy of the Chron.  Here is a bit:

Tempers flared and jaws dropped Tuesday when Reef canceled a small Planned Parenthood donor reception two and half hours before it was scheduled to begin. The bar, Proof, had earlier canceled a large cocktail event that was to follow featuring Sandra Fluke, the young lawyer who became a feminist folk hero of sorts when she drew Rush Limbaugh’s ire, and later his apology, in her advocating for insurance companies to cover birth control.
It is Reefer Madness if you ask me.  My good friend Planned Parenthood CEO Melaney Linton has a take on the deal and the Reef co-owner has a different take of sorts.  I’ll side with Mel.

I’m betting some Planned Parenthood supporters will look elsewhere for their sliders.   If you are at The Yard you may want to avoid Reef related El Real, L’il Bigs, and the Freddy Fender and Caz Grand Slam grub if you know what I mean.

FYI:  The Roundtable hangs out at Reef. 

Angels skipper Mike Scioscia filed a protest last night at The Yard.  How man World Serious rings does Scioscia own as a player?

Let me give Guv Dude his due for greeting The President yesterday and not making it his own photo op by trying to hand over a letter or something like that.  

The Mayor has her campaign kickoff tomorrow at a park down the street.  Hope it doesn’t rain.

MLB.com columnist Richard Justice has a piece today on diversity in the MLB.  Here are parts:

In his 21 years atop Major League Baseball, (Commissioner Bud) Selig has used his platform and power to make the sport an institution committed to racial and gender fairness. His leadership has resulted in a historic period of growth and innovation, but he has remained true to his core values and his belief that baseball is a social institution and a force for change in the world.

And:

As part of that effort, the MLB Diversity Business Summit, to be held June 18-19 in Houston, will allow job seekers and entrepreneurs to meet teams at both the Major League and Minor League level, as well as an array of sponsorship partners.

Selig will head a list of speakers that includes MLB’s chief financial officer, Jonathan Mariner; Brewers owner Mark Attanasio; and D-backs president Derrick Hall.

Baseball has gotten high marks through the years for bringing men and women of color into the game at every level. In his most recent report, Dr. Richard Lapchick, director of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida, wrote:

"MLB once again recorded an A for racial hiring practices."

Here is all of the Justice piece.

My pal Rosi Hernandez used to be a VP over at The Yard.  I wonder if Justice has checked to see if there is Latino/Latina VP under the new ownership.

The H-Town area will be getting a new area code – 346.  Who cares?  We don’t have to remember phone numbers these days.

Mike Scioscia won World Serious rings as a player wearing the Dodger blue in 1981 over the Yankees and in 1988 over the A’s of course.

The Rangers are in for three this weekend.  This is the second visit to The Yard for the Rangers this season.  I’m sure there will be plenty of Rangers fans at the games.  We’re 11 1/2 out and hope it isn’t 14 1/2 by Sunday evening.

Happy Mothers Day!

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Major League Baseball,Houston Astros,Planned Parenthood,Houston City Hall,Houston Politics,Governor Rick Perry,President Obama,Texas Politics,Houston Latino Politics,Texas Latino Politics,Racial and Gender fairness,Diversity in Major league baseball

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Living off Lists

Commentary was watching The Mayor on TV the other day talking about her reelection campaign and she touted H-Town being on all these national best this and best that list – you know – Best City for Economic Growth, Best and Brightest Employers, Best Businesses and Careers, best food, best restaurants, best bike lanes, best margaritas  – you get the picture.  Here is from the Chron:

(Mayor) Parker referenced a lengthy list of Top 10 rankings that recently have included Houston, and she noted successful sporting events hosted and international flights added on her watch.

Heck, the City of H-Town puts these lists on the City’s website.  If you live by the list you can also get hurt by the list.  Here is one that came out yesterday that won’t get on the City’s website.  H-Town has a couple of neighborhoods on the Best Neighborhoods to Get Mugged In.  Check this from the Chron today:

First, the terrible news: Two Houston communities are ranked among the nation’s 25 most dangerous neighborhoods, according a new study by NeighborhoodScout.com.

The website analyzed FBI data from 17,000 local law enforcement agencies to find specific neighborhoods in America with the highest predicted rates of crime, MSN Money reports.

Coming in at No. 15 in the U.S. is a Houston neighborhood centered at the intersection of Dowling and McGowen Streets, located in Houston’s historic Third Ward – a broad geographical area that includes stately mansions, the University of Houston and Texas Southern University.

The community "stands out to NeighborhoodScout partly because it has more sales and service workers than nearly any other neighborhood in the country," according to MSN Money. "The area also has a very high concentration of studio apartments and other small living areas."

The violent crime rate (per 1,000) is reported as 75.89, and residents there have a 1 in 13 chance of becoming a victim of crime in one year.

The sixth-most dangerous neighborhood in America is Sunnyside, a historically black community located off Texas 288 south of downtown Houston.

The violent crime rate (per 1,000) is reported as 91.27, and residents have a 1 in 11 chance of becoming a victim of crime in one year.

One thing about the Best List business is that we don’t control them and don’t know when they are coming out and a burg like H-Town is likely to have its share of Best and Worst.

In head-to-head record all time against AL clubs, who do we have the best record against? 

Commentary didn’t have any intention of talking about the Sacramento Bee cartoon on the West explosion that got Guv Dude all hopped up.  Now I changed my tune.  Wayne Slater of the Dallas Morning News was on CNN a couple of days ago and he said he wasn’t offended by the cartoon.  My pal Nick Anderson of the Chron has one today referencing the Bee cartoon that will probably get under Guv Dude’s skin.

Check it out here.

Here is the one from the Bee.

Here is an earlier one from Anderson on West.

Like Slater, I wasn’t offended but I can understand if someone was.  I can also understand if some folks were offended when Guv Dude said we don’t need any more steeenkeeen regulations.

Next time you see a HISD big shot, give them a high five for keeping the NRA out of our schools.

Check out the Chron story here.

We’re 5-1 all time over the Jays at a .833 clip of course.

We lost 7-4 last night at Yankee Stadium and go for the series win this evening then finally come home.

 

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Playing Defense

FYI:  Graci Garces, candidate for H-Town City Council District I, is Commentary’s client.

It isn’t even May and the Ben Mendez for Houston City Council District I Campaign is already on the defensive.  This past weekend they sent out an email trying to tout his Democratic Party street cred.  Mendez was a contributor to the John McCain for President Campaign against President Obama and Mendez has also given to the Republican National Committee.  Folks learned about the Mendez GOP donations last week via the twitterverse.

Mendez said this in his email:

City of Houston Mayoral and City Council elections are nonpartisan.

I agree, you don’t get to have a D or R next to your name on the ballot but partisanship is a major factor in City of Houston races.  District I voted for The President by over 70% this past November.   District I voters are not going to take kindly to a candidate giving money to Republicans.

In the Mendez email, Mendez claims to be a former “union member.”   When a lot of Democrats in 2008 were working for hope and change, Mendez was giving his personal dough to a RNC whose platform references organized labor officials as “union bosses.”

In his email Mendez says:

Mendez wears many hats.  As an advocate, this allows him to open the doors of communication and encourage bipartisan dialogue to address local, state, and national issues, such as immigration reform.

Mendez gave his personal dough to John McCain who at the time was running for the presidency on an immigrant bashing platform.  Stay tuned!

Everybody knows that Mickey Mantle hit the first dinger at the Astrodome when it opened on April 9, 1965 but do folks know who was the leadoff batter for the Yankees that evening? 

This is what resulted when GOP leaders relentlessly attacked The President for four years during his first term:

America’s blacks voted at a higher rate than other minority groups in 2012 and by most measures surpassed the white turnout for the first time, reflecting a deeply polarized presidential election in which blacks strongly supported Barack Obama while many whites stayed home.

Had people voted last November at the same rates they did in 2004, when black turnout was below its current historic levels, Republican Mitt Romney would have won narrowly, according to an analysis conducted for The Associated Press.

They asked for it! 

Here is the entire piece.

I’m thinking NBC News’ Justice Department correspondent Pete Williams is feeling pretty good these days after getting a shout out from The President the other night at the White House Correspondents Dinner.  Check out what The President said:

“If anyone wonders, for example, whether newspapers are a thing of the past, all you needed to do was to pick up or log on to papers like the Boston Globe.  When their communities and the wider world needed them most, they were there making sense of events that might at first blush seem beyond our comprehension. And that’s what great journalism is, and that’s what great journalists do. And that’s why, for example, Pete Williams’ new nickname around the NBC newsroom is ‘Big Papi.’”

Commentary likes Tom Brokaw even when he gets on his high horse.  Brokaw once again took a shot at the White House Correspondents Dinner.  He thinks the dinner is more of a celebrity-fest of sorts.  Here is what he told Politico:

Brokaw touched off the debate over the dinner when he told POLITICO’s Patrick Gavin in an interview that he won’t be attending this year’s gathering and that the last straw for him was when Lindsay Lohan was invited in 2012. The veteran newsman bemoaned the number of celebs at the dinner and worried how it all looks.

“What kind of image do we present to the rest of the country?” Brokaw asked. “Are we doing their business, or are we just a group of narcissists who are mostly interested in elevating our own profiles? And what comes through the screen on C-SPAN that night is the latter, and not the former.”

Here is how one of Brokaw’s colleagues responded:

New Yorker editor David Remnick, whose magazine threw a Friday night soirée on the roof of the W Hotel, told POLITICO he doesn’t think the White House Correspondents’ Dinner undermines the press.

“Look at what we publish,” he said. “Does it seem like it corrupts us?”

Over the years, Remnick noted that the New Yorker has published groundbreaking stories on torture, drone strikes and other sensitive topics in D.C.

“If one party can corrupt you,” he said. “You probably shouldn’t be in the game.”

Celebs are part of the political culture these days.  They raise and give money to political candidates and political and public causes.  They help create awareness for certain issues.  They are invited to state dinners.  Many are part of the entertainment industry economy that creates jobs across the country.   They get their good and bad covered by the media.

I wonder if Brokaw was watching the “Today Show” this past Friday when NBC News Department’s highest paid employee Matt Lauer was interviewing Martha Stewart and asked Martha if she was dating anyone and Martha responded that she nearly went on Match.com.  I wonder if he watched this morning when Lauer had Martha in studio and they talked more about Martha wanting to go out with a fella.

Stop the presses!  Martha Stewart is going on Match.com!

Here is the entire Politico piece on Brokaw.

Commentary likes George Jones and I think “The Grand Tour” is probably his best tune in my opinion.  NPR did a feature on it a couple of weeks ago.  Commentary only went to one of his concerts sort of over 30 years ago in San Antonio.  Here is from a SA Express News article the other day:

In 1981, George Jones cancelled a concert at Randy’s because he was “ill” (and yes, the story used the word with quotes).

The next year, he performed at Freeman Coliseum. Well, the term “performed” may have been generous because he told the 2,500 fans, “I’m drunk, but I love y’all.” The feeling was not mutual; they responded with boos. Only 450 fans made it to the end of a concert where he forgot lyrics and sang some songs twice. The promoters refused to give refunds because he did appear on stage.

According to the story (above)  in the News on Aug. 16, 1982, Jones left town the next morning “on a motorcycle, his girlfriend and a bottle of tequila in the sidecar and his road crew trailing in a bus…”

The fans forgave him, as he appeared in other concerts in the following years.

I was at the Freeman Coliseum gig.  I think was there because the concert had a political event tie-in.  I couldn’t understand much of what he was singing.  It was hilarious.  I felt a little bad for the promoters and sponsors of the gig.

Express News story here.

Mickey Mantle of course batted leadoff at the first game ever at the Astrodome.

In the Chron today there is another – YAWN – story on what to do with the Dome.  For now the story is only available to subscribers.

When you are 7-18 there is nothing good you can say as they head into Yankee Stadium for three. 

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Politics,Graci Garces Campaign,Houston City Council Races,Houston City Council District I race,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Texas Politics,President Obama,Republican Party,Immigration reform

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Dome Vote and Near Perfection

The Chron E-Board today called out Commissioner’s Court on getting a vote on the Dome on the ballot for this November.  Here is a part:

It was created by a vote, and it should be saved or destroyed by a vote. Much like the bond elections that gave Harris County the capital to build the Dome, the future of 8400 Kirby Drive should be in the hands of the voters.

Right now, there are only five votes that count – the four powerful, and often unknown, county commissioners and the county judge. Those five have not been the visionary leaders we once had in men such as Roy Hofheinz. They seem either too fearful of going down in history as the men who destroyed the Dome, or too scared of the higher taxes necessary to fund any grand endeavor. So instead we wait, and the Dome decays until the once-wonder’s only redeemable feature is its ruin value.

Enough with men fearful of history. Harris County deserves better. It is time to let the people decide what we should do with the Astrodome and how we should spend our money. Come November, the voters who matter shouldn’t be at Commissioner’s Court, but at the ballot box.

I don’t think much more needs to be said.  The Chron E-Board wants a vote.  The Rodeo, Texans, NFL Commissioner and Commentary want it torn down.  What’s the hold-up?

Here is the entire E-Board take.

A lot folks know that last June Matt Cain of the Giants went perfecto on the ‘Stros.  Name the ‘Stros that played in that game last June that also got into the game last night?

The First Lady is recommending the movie “42”.  It is about Jackie Robinson getting  into the MLB back in 1947.  Here is from an article:

Michelle Obama said Tuesday that a new movie chronicling Jackie Robinson’s rise through Major League Baseball, including the racial discrimination he endured while breaking the sport’s color barrier in the 1940s, left her and the president "visibly, physically moved" after they saw it over the weekend. The film, "42," also left the couple wondering "how on Earth did (the Robinsons) live through that. How did they do it? How did they endure the taunts and the bigotry for all of that time?" she said.

And:

Mrs. Obama said everyone should see the movie, which opens nationwide April 12.

"I can say with all sincerity that it was truly powerful for us," she said. "We walked away from that just visibly, physically moved by the experience of the movie, of the story," and the "raw emotion" they felt afterward.

I wasn’t at The Yard last night but I watched the game and around the sixth inning I started to think it might be a perfect game and no hitter and I thought about missing history. Did I want to be there and watch the Rangers go perfect on us in our crib?  Did I want to have a ticket stub for the first no-no or perfect game ever tossed at The Yard?  My answer is a resounding NO!  In the end it turned out A-OK as Marwin Gonzalez with his base hit up middle saved us from getting perfected on two seasons in a row.

Jose Altuve, Brett Wallace, Jason Castro, Xavier Cedeno, and Rhiner Cruz of course saw action in the perfecto last June and in the near perfecto last night.

Our bats looked anemic last night, we’re not in first place, and we wrap up the series with the Rangers this afternoon.

 

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One and Oh My!

We still have 161 games left but it is OK to say we’re in first place in the AL West and the Rangers have to win ten out of our remaining 18 games to hold on to the Silver Boot or whatever it is called.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say I feel a rivalry in the making. ‘Stros fans immediately started booing when Ranger players were introduced during the pregame ceremonies.

We got to The Yard an hour and a half before the game yesterday and still had to park five blocks away.  The lines were long and a lot of folks were wearing the new orange gear.

James, Jake, Christopher, the Carpenters, G-Man, MariGirl, The Mayor, and Bethany were among the faithful in attendance.

We had not won a home opener since 2008 so it felt good not to go home bummed out.

I’m not getting my hopes up but……..

In the home opener in 2008, we beat San Luis 5-3 with all of our runs generated by four dingers.  Name the ‘Stros players that smacked the dingers that evening?

We’re getting there.  Here is part of what the Chron E-Board said this past Saturday:

We’re now starting to accept that tearing down the Astrodome may be the right choice. But if our Dome truly is doomed, Houston should seize the moment to build something more worthwhile than RodeoHouston’s plan for more parking spots.

Here is the entire take.

The Chron E-Board also did their Opening Day take yesterday.  Here is how it ended:

There’ll be some inconveniences for fans and players alike in a new league and a new division. Ask the ballplayers: A road trip to Seattle can seem like a trek to Moscow. Kids will have to stay up later to catch the West Coast games. (Remember, moms, you heard it here first.) But there’ll also be Yankee pinstripes and Bosox; Tigers, Orioles, Blue Jays, Indians, White Sox, Twins, Royals and Rays to get to know and revile every bit as much as Ernie Banks’ hated Cubs.

Yes, the Astros’ luck "has been battin’ zero," for a while, to borrow the words of the song.

But we choose to have heart and hope – from the opening pitch to the last out. After all, there’s no crying in baseball.

Here is the entire take.

The Chron put out their ‘Stros preview yesterday and this season they didn’t predict how many we would win and lose.

St. Arnold took over Lefty’s at The Yard.  You can also get your regular beer and wine there.

Dante and I snagged a foul ball Friday evening.

Only 11,000 and change showed up Friday evening.  I wasn’t able to make it Saturday afternoon where only 12,000 and change showed up.

The Big Puma, J.R. Towles, Carlos Lee, and Miguel Tejada of course had a dinger in our home opener back in 2008.

The “Today Show” had a cool April Fools piece today.

The team has today off.

 

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A Waste of Time and Space

Commentary is not going to be spending a whole lot of time talking about 2016 right now and I’m certainly not going to spend a lot of time talking about Guv Dude running in 2016 because I don’t do fantasy politics.   Burkablog says this:

We’ve been through this before, so permit me to ask the question: Can anyone make the case that Rick Perry has a realistic shot at the Republican nomination for president? Okay, the National Journal did (sort of), but I can’t. The race for the 2016 nomination will take place in two brackets. Call one the establishment bracket, which includes Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Jon Huntsman, Bobby Jindal, Scott Walker, and Bob McDonnell. The other bracket is the tea party bracket, where the contenders include Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and, yes, Ted Cruz. This is the bracket where Perry would compete, but he has no chance to win it. Rubio, Paul, and Cruz all have substantial followings; Perry does not.

Dude is definitely not a bracket buster.

Everybody knows that B-G-O’s last Opening Day start was in 2007.  Name the Opening Day starter at second base for the ‘Stros in 2008?

Lately there have been a few articles, posts, and takes about Texas turning blue or purple and when it is going to happen.  Some of the chatter involves the growing Latino vote.  MariGirl made an interesting observation yesterday that got me to thinking.   She said that if serious immigration reform is enacted with the help of the GOP some Latino voters might start looking favorably again at the GOP. 

I have said in the past that immigration is a filter issue for many Latino voters.  We won’t listen to you on other stuff if you can’t handle immigration.  If the immigration filter is removed then who knows what might happen.  Immigration reform is getting a ton of press coverage these days.  Last week Sen. Rand Paul came out for a pathway to citizenship.  The growing Latino vote is the reason immigration reform is on the front burner and the Latino voter is paying attention to what is going on.

I kind of have to agree with MariGirl.  MariGirl was at the forefront the last couple of years on The DREAM Act debate so she knows what is going on.  If the GOP helps deliver immigration reform turning Texas purple or blue may take a little longer.  If they don’t, the 71% Latino vote for Dems may grow.  Stay tuned!!

Congrats to Tiger!

Mark Loretta of course started at second base for the ‘Stros on Opening Day in 2008 – Mark who?

The team is finalizing the Opening Day roster.

 

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RNC’s Different Tune

The RNC Report yesterday said immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship should happen.  They finally got off of that silly Latinos should vote for the GOP because we are patriotic, believe in family, and are religious or something like that.  The old saying about elections have consequences also applies to the Latino community.

We can’t accomplish meaningful immigration reform without the help of some in the GOP.  Let’s just hope that enough of them acknowledge the right thing to do.  Stay tuned!

I wonder if any GOP leaders from the State of Texas will give props to the RNC Report.  I doubt it.

Name the Opening Day starter of the inaugural Colt 45s team of 1962 who was the 1952 AL MVP Award winner.

It is interesting to see the debate of sorts going on within the national GOP the day after the RNC report has been released.  You have the Tea Party, Rush, Ann Coulter, and many CPACers on one side and the so called Bushies or establishment GOPers on the other side.  The last thing Democrats ought to be doing is gloating over this infighting.  After all, 2010 wasn’t that long ago.  We just need to keep communicating with our base.

I’m not going to say a whole lot about Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn other than to say I would prefer that she take up his sport and not the other way around. 

Yesterday I forgot to mention the scarecrow warriors from “Oz: The Great and Powerful.”

Colt 45s Opening Day starting pitcher Bobby Shantz of course won the 1952 AL MVP Award with the Philadelphia A’s after going 24-7 with a 2.48 ERA.

I heard and read a couple of reports about the new radio announcers for the ‘Stros.  The reports are not good.

 

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Calling Them Out and “Oz: The Great and Powerful.”

This past Saturday the Chron E-Board continued to call out local state legislators for not filing legislation on changing up how we deal with the Houston Firefighters’ pension.  Here is a part:

Here’s a fact that should make city of Houston voters and taxpayers do a not-so-slow burn: Out of all those thousands of bills deemed by at least one lawmaker as worthy of consideration by our state Legislature, not a single one was filed to address a stubbornly serious problem facing the city of Houston and its taxpayers: the lack of local control over the city of Houston firefighters’ pension fund.

As it has for too many years, the business of negotiating with representatives of the firefighters’ pension fund apparently will continue to reside with state lawmakers rather than with the mayor and City Council of Houston, where it properly belongs.

This marks the third straight legislative session in which no member of the Houston delegation has seen fit to look out for taxpayers by carrying a bill to bring this responsibility back home.

Mayor Annise Parker has characterized this change in procedure as key to getting a handle on long-term city finances.

We’ve tried public shaming. But not even calling out the names of the 37 legislators who represent at least a piece of Houston in a Chronicle editorial was sufficient to stir a single one from his or her lethargy. Or is it fear?

In the past, we’ve hinted about the history of influential local lawmakers using their powers to keep pension fund business cloaked in secrecy and out of the hands of mayor and council. No doubt, that remains a factor in continuing the stalemate.

Evidently, another factor is the lack of concern expressed by constituents. When directly queried on the pension issue awhile back, Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told us that he hasn’t revisited his position on the issue because he hasn’t heard any complaints from taxpayers.

It is interesting that they singled out The Dean.  I guess they singled him out because he is The Dean.

Of course if The Mayor and others want to get legislation filed, then they ought to do what The Dean is kind of recommending.  Start organizing taxpayers and get them to start complaining – duh!

Of course right now The Mayor’s chief political project is to get reelected.

Here is the entire Chron E-Board take.

Former ABC News White House correspondent Jake Tapper starts his new show on CNN this afternoon.  In promos that have been running, Tapper says he knows everything about the 1980 Phillies.  Oh yeah!  I wonder if Jake can tell us the name of the pitcher that was credited with the win in Game 5 of the 1980 NLCS versus the ‘Stros!

Everyone knows that “The Wizard of Oz” is Commentary’s third best film of all time so I had to go see “Oz:  The Great and Powerful.”  I went yesterday to check it out with My Brown Eye Girl and we both thought it was excellent. I particularly liked the film paying homage to the 1939 classic.  The 1905 scenes in the new film are shot in small screen black and white like the Kansas scenes in the classic.  When the Wizard lands in the Land of Oz the screens widens and turns into color – when Dorothy in the classic lands in Oz it turns into color.

In the classic, there are five characters (Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch, Hunk/Scarecrow, Zeke/Cowardly Lion, Hickory/Tin Man, and Professor Marvel/Wizard) that have roles in the black and white and color scenes.   In the latest there are three – I won’t reveal.

In the latest there is a lion that gets scared away, there is a reference to making a scarecrow, there is an explanation and key scene involving the poppy fields, and there are handouts for service at the end of the flick by The Wizard to key heroes.

There is also a mention in the beginning of a John Gale – in the classic the heroine was named Dorothy Gale of course.  In both there is a twister and a hot air balloon.

We learn the technology involved in projecting The Wizard for folks to see.

Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz are perfect as the witches.  I won’t mention their roles.

James Franco nails it as The Wizard.

I don’t think Mila Kunis will ever have Margaret Hamilton’s problem regarding typecasting!

It is a good prequel for sure and it would not surprise me if a sequel prequel is already in the works because we still don’t know about how the ruby slippers, the horses of a different color, and the election of the Mayor of Munchkin City come to play.  If you are a “Wizard” aficionado, seeing “Oz: The Great and Powerful” is a must.

I also checked it out in 3D and am now an instant 3D fan.  It is a beautiful flick and it costs a little more but worth it.  The beginning and ending credits in 3D are a trip for sure!

BTW:  In the trailers yesterday they are bringing back the 20-year old “Jurassic Park” in 3D.  I will be there in 3D for sure!

The RNC is issuing an autopsy of sorts on themselves.  One thing is for sure is that they can’t agree on how to move forward or backward. Here is from an article I saw today:

Some Republicans, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio among them, are working toward bipartisan immigration reform that is likely to include a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants — sometimes called "amnesty." Conservative commentator Ann Coulter ripped the idea in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference over the weekend.

"If amnesty goes through, America becomes California and no Republican will ever win another national election," Coulter said, later adding, "I can see why Democrats would want amnesty, but why on earth are Marco Rubio and these endless Bushes supporting it?"

Somebody in the GOP just needs to step up and tell Ann Coulter to shut up.  Her rants are just designed to give her rating points.  The Latino vote is growing and we’ve already made up our minds on immigration reform.  The GOP can either kiss our vote goodbye for a while or deal with our concerns.

Here is the rest of the RNC article.

Phillies pitcher Dick Ruthven of course picked up the win in the 10 inning series clinching Game 5 of the 1980 NLCS.  I wonder if Jake knows this. 

I don’t have anything from The Yard today.

 

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Dude’s Outrageries

I guess Guv Dude still has his eye on 2016.  He went to CPAC 13 yesterday and continued with his right wing rant outrageries.  The Chron gave it front page coverage in the hard copy.  Here is a taste:

Sounding very much like a presidential candidate, Gov. Rick Perry told the Conservative Political Action Conference meeting outside Washington that the Obama administration was engaging in “bribery” by offering states substantial sums to expand Medicaid to low-income adults.

And:

Perry criticized fellow Republican governors who have agreed to Medicaid expansion, decrying “allies in the conservative movement who folded in the face of federal bribery.”

While some in the GOP are trying to figure out how to expand their base, Dude is set on a course of pandering.  Stay tuned.

Here is the entire piece on Dude’s rant.

How many MLB Hall of Fame greats have been in a ‘Stros Opening Day starting line-up?

Here is what Burkablog said about Dude and Medicaid politics:

Rick Perry has now maneuvered himself into a position where CEOs from every major employer in the state, and their lobbyists, will be on his doorstep. The state’s hospitals, nursing homes, and health care providers are next in line. This is just another case of how Perry’s ideological blinders have damaged this state for the past thirteen years.

Mitt Romney will finally come out of hiding and address CPAC 13 today.

The sad thing about Texas GOP leaders and Medicaid politics is that they don’t want to be part of Obamacare but they want the money.

Hall of Fame greats Nellie Fox, Joe Morgan, Robin Roberts, and Nolan Ryan of course have been ‘Stros Opening Day starters.

I have no idea what the Opening Day line-up will look like. 

 

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