This is from today’s Chron:
Activists are preparing a petition to put a referendum on Houston’s November ballot, calling for a ban on discrimination against gays and permission for the city to grant health insurance benefits to the unmarried partners of city employees. Here is the entire piece.
The H-Town voters sank this in 1985 and again in 2001. Let’s hope that the changing demographics and changing in thinking and attitudes helps out this November. The supporters and organizers of this referendum better raise a whole lot of money for the campaign.
The Statesman today has a good take on why it is taking so long to get a redistricting settlement. Here is a taste:
The parties in Texas’ redistricting lawsuit have been trying for two weeks to agree on election maps, but as a Valentine’s Day court date approaches, the chance of a compromise still seemed remote, according to interviews with some of the parties.
And:
The reason? There are about a dozen parties to the lawsuit representing vastly different organizations and individuals with divergent, sometimes diametrically opposed views on the best way to fairly reconfigure Texas’ legislative and congressional districts to reflect population changes since 2000.
Some plaintiffs represent specific parts of the state. Others are looking out for elected officials and the communities they represent. Some plaintiffs’ top priority is Hispanic voters, while others are most interested in African Americans. Here is the entire piece.
Most ‘Stros fans know that Larry Dierker has the best all time record in wins/losses as a ‘Stros skipper going 448-362 (.553). Name the skipper with the second best all time record?
My pal Jason Stanford had a guest column in the Statesman this weekend on the Lone Star State Latino vote. Here is a little of Jason’s take:
The stakes for Republicans will only get higher as the Hispanic population grows. The big threat isn’t that Texas Hispanics might stop voting Republican as often as they do. The thing that keeps smart Republicans up at night is worrying that Hispanics will actually start voting. The Hispanic giant has been sleeping in Texas for so long that it’s forgotten it’s a giant.
And:
Texas Republicans reject the Bush-Perry model at their own peril. Texas Hispanics aren’t uniformly pro-immigration, but if Texas Republicans undo the in-state tuition break for children of illegal immigrants and embrace an Alabama-style jihad on undocumented workers, all Republicans are likely to accomplish is turning this red state purple. Here is Jason’s piece.
Nice job, Jason!
Jason also has a new website on politics that I would recommend here.
I was watching Mitt Romney talk to CPAC this past Friday afternoon and he said:
“I was a severely conservative Republican governor.”
Huh! I guess he thinks some far righters and Tea Baggers think he was a gently conservative Republican governor.
Well, I guess I might start calling myself a relentlessly liberal Democrat.
How about a ruthlessly liberal Democrat?
How about a rigorously liberal Democrat?
How about a brutally liberal Democrat?
I watched the Grammy’s last night and it was a nice, respectful, and touching opening by LL Cool J.
The Beach Boys tribute was nice.
Sir Paul’s “My Valentine” was A-OK.
Somebody should have done something about that big microphone that blocked most of Taylor Swift’s mug.
Adele is super!
The Glen Campbell tribute was special.
Jennifer Hudson had a tough job but she came through.
The "Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight"/"The End," guitar fest with The Boss, the Foo Fighter, Joe Walsh, and Sir Paul rocked.
Terry Collins of course has the second best ‘Stros record as a skipper going 224-197 (.532).
Nothing much to report from The Yard!
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