Happy New Year!

A lot of folks, particularly those of the Dem persuasion, are saying that 2016 s__ked. Not Commentary. It could have been better but that is the way it goes.

Look at the bright side. Here in Harris County we did A-Okay. It could be a sign of good things to come here locally.

On the national scene, Commentary has lost all confidence in our national Dem Party leaders or the so-called DC Dem elite. For starters, they need to look at themselves in the mirror then do away with the super delegates – one of the most stupid Dem Party rules ever. It promotes Dem elitism and elitism is the last thing we need right now. Elitism produced one of the most flawed Dem presidential candidates ever.

Let’s hope the next national Dem Party chair listens to folks outside of DC.

On the bright side, we get to spend the next four years banging on the next administration and we are certainly going to have a lot of banging ammo.

You know we are going to have fun when the other side won’t even acknowledge that the President handing Russia some payback is a good thing.

Yippee ki-ya mother______!

Speaking of 2016, name the ‘Stro pitcher with the lowest 2016 team ERA?

I have to hand it to Brian Rosenthal of the Chron for his story on kids getting screwed out of Special Ed assistance in Texas.   He did a great service to the people of state with this story. In today’s Chron, the HISD superintendent is responding. Here is from the Chron today:

Superintendent Richard Carranza announced Thursday that the Houston Independent School District has decided to conduct a detailed review of the way that it serves students with disabilities.

The effort will include asking “independent, third-party experts to conduct a deep-dive analysis of our special education operation,” Carranza said.

The newly-hired superintendent announced the review in a statement, saying it would be the district’s “first order of business when the new year begins.”

“We will have a tough conversation about the importance of serving all children, regardless of any disability,” Carranza wrote. “Together, we will find solutions that serve our children because that is what Houston expects, and that is what Houston’s children deserve.”

The announcement came one day after the Houston Chronicle published a story detailing how Houston ISD has deliberately denied special education services to thousands of students with disabilities over the past decade.

And:

The story has sparked outrage across Houston. On Wednesday, Bob Sanborn, the president of Children at Risk, a prominent advocacy group, called for the immediate firing of Houston ISD special education director Sowmya Kumar.

Somebody has to get fired so stay tuned on this.

Here is the entire Chron read: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-ISD-to-review-its-special-education-10825621.php.

Nice job, Chron!

Chris Devenski of course led the team in 2016 with a 2.16 ERA.

Commentary is ending 2016 finally getting over my battle with poison ivy – I think. I am still dinged up though.

I hope you have a safe weekend. I also hope you enjoy time with friends and family.

Then I hope you start 2017 on the right note so have a Happy New Year!

 

 

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Good Morning!

We lost another great one last night. Debbie Reynolds is no longer with us as she joins her daughter Carrie Fisher.

I retweeted this last night:

Marc Campos ‏@MarcCommentary 1h1 hour ago

Marc Campos Retweeted ABC13 Houston

Singin’ in the Rain

ABC13 HoustonVerified account ‏@abc13houston 1h1 hour ago

#BREAKING Debbie Reynolds, mom of Carrie Fisher, dies http://abc13.co/2iGjj3h

You need to check her out with the late greats Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor performing “Good Morning” from “Singin’ in the Rain”. You will appreciate her talent more and in heels of course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN8parxJtkc.

I think she was just 19 at the time.

She was also “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” and a great talent for sure.

This guy is never going to grow up. I am thinking that is fine with me. We will just have more ammo to bang on him over the next four years. Here is from Politico:

Donald Trump can’t decide whether he thinks the transition of power is going well or not.

But he knows he doesn’t like how much attention Barack Obama is getting and is also bothered by what Trump and his closest advisers see as an active effort to poke the president-elect and undermine the incoming administration with last-minute policy changes on his way out of office, according to two people close to the transition.

Here is the entire read: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-obama-transition-233023.

In 2015, Evan Gattis had 11 triples with the ‘Stros. How many did he have this past season?

Commentary has said before that Latinos serving in the Trump administration is not a priority of mine. Trump spent the last year and a half demonizing many from our community. He doesn’t respect us. So why would any Latino with half a brain want to work with him. Here is the latest again from Politico:

President-elect Donald Trump, who repeatedly lashed out at Mexican immigrants during the campaign, is scrambling to appoint a Hispanic official to serve in his Cabinet amid criticism that his incoming administration lacks diversity at the highest levels.

The search has intensified in recent days, and sources within the transition say officials are determined to have a Hispanic in a prominent role. According to a transition official, Trump has narrowed his focus to agriculture secretary as the best possibility of the few remaining openings, which also include veterans affairs and the U.S. trade representative.

Trump met Wednesday with two Hispanic politicians at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach to discuss the possibility of taking on the agriculture post: Dr. Elsa Murano, a former U.S. agriculture undersecretary for food safety, who is Cuban-American, and Abel Maldonado, a Mexican-American who is a former California lieutenant governor and co-owner of Runway Vineyards.

Here is the entire read:   http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-hispanic-cabinet-233020.

Yeah, I understand that groups like NALEO need to go through the motions and act like they are outraged, but our community is better off battling this fella for the next four years. Think what it will do for future Latino voter turnout?

Evan Gattis had zilch in the triples department last season of course.

Check what Tags retweeted:

Brian McTaggart Retweeted

Ryan Thibodaux ‏@NotMrTibbs 18m18 minutes ago

@ 132 ballots/~30%:

Bagwell 93%

Raines 90%

Pudge 85%

Vlad 77%

Hoffman 71%

BB/RC 71%

Edgar 68%

Mussina 63%

Schill 53%

http://bit.ly/bbhof2017

Well, what do you know?

 

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Diplomacy

A kazillion positive comments have been put out on Carrie Fisher since news of her leaving us. I always thought she was one of the most authentic of the Hollywood community. She is special.

Remember when this tweet went out a few days ago:

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump Dec 26

The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!

So sad indeed. Diplomacy, anyone?

I wonder what Adlai Stevenson would think if he were still around. Remembering his role at the UN during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.  The planet was saved.

Oh, my!

This fella has a thin skin for sure. See this tweet from yesterday:

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 31m31 minutes ago

Doing my best to disregard the many inflammatory President O statements and roadblocks. Thought it was going to be a smooth transition – NOT!

Who is the ‘Stros leader for career stolen bases as a ‘Stro?

Commentary is going to be saying over the next four years how Trump played his base. He is not going to do anything to NAFTA. Here is from Politico:

President-elect Donald Trump may have ridden to the White House on a wave of working-class hatred for NAFTA, but he’s going to find it tough to deliver on his promise to scrap the trade agreement that he blames for sending U.S. jobs abroad.

Dramatically changing the pact could instead threaten 14 million American jobs that rely on trade with Canada and Mexico and send tremors throughout the North American business community, which has invested billions of dollars in developing ways to manufacture everything from cars and airplanes to pharmaceutical products using labor from multiple countries.

“There could be some tectonic shifts,” said Dan Ikenson, director of the trade policy center at the free-market Cato Institute. “The slightest hint that things are going to be disrupted could cause capital flight from the U.S.”

Trump’s contempt for NAFTA has been a cornerstone of his message to the working-class voters who elected him.

Here is the entire read: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/donald-trump-nafta-232992.

Who is going to take the lead to make major changes to NAFTA?

I like Sen. Elizabeth Warren but I don’t think she is what we need to lead the ticket in 2020. I consider her and folks like Sen. Bernie Sanders part of the Dem elite in DC. We need someone to lead us in 2020 who is not a product of the Dem elite. Just saying.

Here is from Politico:

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is set to bolster her Senate resume next year, sparking early talk about a 2020 presidential bid.

The Massachusetts Democrat will join the Armed Services Committee in 2017, branching out beyond the tough-on-Wall Street message that made her a liberal favorite.

Warren has tied the decision to her family – her three brothers served in the military – and Massachusetts ranks in the top 10 states on military spending, according to a Pentagon report.

But the announcement spawned a wave of a media speculation that Warren is filling portfolio gaps to position herself for a 2020 presidential run.

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell called the step a “very important move that could be a first step in a presidential campaign.”

The Washington Post’s Daily 202 – a morning rundown aimed at decision makers inside Washington – speculated that Warren and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who is separately joining the Foreign Relations Committee, “very clearly want to seek the presidency for themselves in 2020.”

Here is the entire read: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/warren-stirs-talk-of-2020-white-house-run/ar-BBxDSSL?li=BBnb7Kz.

Cesar Cedeno of course is the ‘Stros all time leader in stolen bases with 487.

Nothing to report from The Yard today.

 

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Raw Power

Politico has a piece today on what the GOP did to Dems in North Carolina. This should be a must read piece for Dem leaders across the country. If this is how the game is going to be played these days, then Dems must consider how, where, and when they can do the same to the GOP. This is about raw power, baby.  Maybe Dems should look at how to make gains in Harris County in 2018 and take it from there. Nice guys may be out these days.

Here is the must read article: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/in-north-carolina-some-democrats-see-the-future-214553.

Like I said, raw power, baby!

How many 162 game seasons did Cal Ripken, Jr, have?

This is silly. Who cares? This also shows you how easy it is to set off Donald Trump which has many of us concerned.   Here is from Politico:

President-elect Donald Trump has two words for President Barack Obama, who suggested his 2008 message of hope and change could land him a third term in the White House if he were constitutionally eligible: “NO WAY!”

“President Obama said that he thinks he would have won against me,” Trump tweeted Monday afternoon. “He should say that but I say NO WAY! – jobs leaving, ISIS, OCare, etc.”

Trump’s tweets come hours after the president — whose approval ratings this year have been some of the highest during his eight years in office — told David Axelrod, his former senior adviser, that the message from his 2008 campaign still resonates in 2016. 

“I am confident in this vision because I’m confident that if I had run again and articulated it, I think I could’ve mobilized a majority of the American people to rally behind it,” Obama said on “The Axe Files” podcast published Monday morning.

“I know that in conversations that I’ve had with people around the country, even some people who disagreed with me, they would say the vision, the direction that you point towards is the right one.”

From the this guy is full of s__t department:

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 15h15 hours ago

The world was gloomy before I won – there was no hope. Now the market is up nearly 10% and Christmas spending is over a trillion dollars!

You gotta be kidding.

Cal Ripken, Jr. had 9 162 game seasons and 1 163 game season of course.

I also got a photo book on the Beatles and a Yellow Submarine Beatles coffee mug this Christmas.

I don’t have anything from The Yard today.

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No They Don’t

The Chron has a story today on the Latino vote in Texas. Check this from the story:

At the same time, Texas Democrats face an uphill battle, according to Joshua Blank, manager of research and polling at the Texas Politics Project, a University of Texas political research and analysis group. Republicans, after all, control the majority of Texas’ government, and most of the state’s counties – by far – turned red again in this year’s election.

“Everybody understands trends, but trends won’t make things competitive overnight,” Blank said. “You also have to look at how much Hispanics will vote for Democrats, and that’s not really known. It’s not as if the Hispanic vote will be uniformly Democratic. The reality is that many Hispanics in the state have grown up in a political culture that is Republican.” 

Tom Mechler, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, agreed, saying “our challenge is with messaging. For way too long, we have let the Democratic Party control the messaging for minorities. Our job is to get the minority community to see that our values match up with theirs.”

Here is the read: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Future-of-Texas-politics-in-the-hands-of-Hispanic-10818540.php?cmpid=btfpm.

No they don’t. The GOP’s values don’t match up with ours. Your nominee for president demonized many in our community. Those are values we don’t share. Sorry. That’s why you only received 19% of our vote.

Who played the most 162 game seasons, Jeff Bagwell or Craig Biggio?

I guess they will call this an affair to remember. See here from Politico:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/jason-miller-affair-trump-232966.

Remember when I said this on Friday:

Yesterday, Tags tweeted this:

“Last Christmas” by Wham is the worst Christmas song ever.

It turns out it was the last Christmas. I wonder if Tags will single out another tune next year.

Bagwell had 4 162 game seasons and Biggio 3 of course.

I got some ‘Stros gear yesterday. Thanks.

 

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Merry Christmas!

For the first time ever, Commentary is battling poison ivy. Bummer! I ran into it in Baytown at my Dad’s property this past Saturday. I was clearing some weeds. My nephew Enrique said he ran into it too a few years ago at the same property. Benadryl anyone?

I am in for the following. I will be watching:

President Barack Obama is preparing a major speech in Chicago in early January as he prepares to leave office, according to two sources with knowledge of the event.

Obama’s remarks are expected to include a thank you to Chicago and the state of Illinois for launching his political career, one that began as a state senator and then a U.S. senator and then president. It is also being billed as a farewell speech that is expected to take place on Jan. 10 — shortly before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The sources said Secret Service is surveying major venues for the event,including McCormick Place or the United Center, among others.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How many post season dingers does Carlos Beltran have?

Don’t go. Here is this from Politico:

One month out, Jimmy Carter is the only former president to RSVP to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, while Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are putting off their decision until the new year.

The Clintons have been keeping a low profile since the election and have made no decisions about whether to attend, according to a person familiar with the planning. Angel Urena, a spokesman for Bill Clinton, declined to comment.

Bush’s spokesman, Freddy Ford, told POLITICO that the most recent Republican president will not announce whether he will attend until the new year, while a source familiar with the matter said Bush is also still weighing whether to show up. George W. Bush had tweeted out a statement of congratulations to Trump after the election, but neither he nor his father endorsed Trump, who often mocked his brother Jeb throughout the GOP primary.

George H.W. Bush has confirmed that he will not be at the inauguration, according to his spokesman, Jim McGrath, who cited the 41st president’s age, 92, as the reason why he will skip.

Here is the entire read: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-inauguration-presidents-232937.

Crooked Hillary!   And go? No way. Stay away. Same for low energy. Words have consequences.

Because they don’t want to have anything to do with you. Also from Politico:

President-elect Donald Trump claims he doesn’t want celebrities at his inauguration, tweeting Thursday night that he wants “the people” to intend the event instead.

“The so-called “A” list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, NOTHING. I want the PEOPLE!” he tweeted.

His tweet appears to be a defense against claims that the president-elect can’t book notable talent for his inauguration in January.

Chachi is available.

Have I said Newt is a punk? I guess the Trump folks took him to the woodshed. Check this tweet from yesterday:

Newt GingrichVerified account ‏@newtgingrich 22h22 hours ago

I goofed. Draining the swamp is in, @realDonaldTrump is going to do it, and the alligators should be worried. #DTS http://bit.ly/2i5QMjZ

Then this:

Evan McMullin ‏@Evan_McMullin 21h21 hours ago

Evan McMullin Retweeted Newt Gingrich

Newt is learning the public prostration required of authoritarian loyalists. The dear leader often changes his mind but he’s always correct.

Well, Evan said Newt got punked.

I think this fella is going to be Trump’s pain in the arse.

Been there, done that. See these tweets:

Mike Snyder ‏@chronsnyder 15h15 hours ago

Just happened across @BillKingForHou twitter profile and saw line I don’t recall from his campaign: “We will make Houston great again.”

And:

In reply to Mike Snyder

Bill King ‏@BillKingForHou 15h15 hours ago

@chronsnyder actually it was in my stump speech. I used it long before Trump did. Campos has a blog on it.

And: 

Mike Snyder ‏@chronsnyder 15h15 hours ago

Mike Snyder Retweeted Mike Snyder

Thanks for clarifying. They say short-term memory is the first thing to go. Maybe Trump stole it from you!

Like Bill said, this has been dealt with before.

Yesterday, Tags tweeted this:

Brian McTaggart ‏@brianmctaggart 16h16 hours ago

“Last Christmas” by Wham is the worst Christmas song ever.

Hey, Tags!

“I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas”

Carlos Beltran has 16 post season dingers of course.

This from The Yard yesterday: 

Respected and experienced broadcaster Todd Kalas will spearhead the Astros’ new broadcast team for ROOT Sports Southwest in 2017, replacing longtime play-by-play voice Bill Brown.

The team announced Thursday that Kalas, a Houston native, will be joined by color analyst Geoff Blum. Blum, the former Astros infielder, steps into a full-time analyst role after spending the last four years as the club’s primary analyst for road games.

Brown retired in 2016 after 30 seasons of calling Astros games.

“Our process for finding a new broadcast team was based on finding a duo that could connect with our fans,” said Astros president of business operations Reid Ryan. “We are very excited about Todd Kalas and Geoff Blum. They will bring a new energy to our broadcast, mixing the history of the Astros’ organization with our current, exciting young team.”

Kalas comes from a broadcasting family — his father, Harry, called Astros games and is enshrined in the broadcasters’ wing of the Hall of Fame — and has 25 years of experience as a baseball broadcaster. He spent the last 19 seasons as part of the Tampa Bay Rays’ broadcast team, where he handled play-by-play duties, hosted pre and postgame shows and served as an in-game reporter. Kalas is a two-time Suncoast Emmy Award winner.

“This is the fulfillment of a dream, to work a full season doing play-by-play as part of the Astros’ new broadcast team,” Kalas said. “This opportunity with Houston has been my long-term goal since my collegiate broadcasting days. To return to the city where I was born, work with such great organizations as the Astros and ROOT Sports, and to be a part of an exciting Houston team with great expectations is beyond anything I could have hoped for.”

Christmas Day’s menu in Baytown looks like tamales, rice, beans, ham, guacamole, chips from Siete, beverages, and tortillas.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas!

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No Latinos, Again

Politico has a story on Latinos being left out of the Donald Trump administration. Commentary is certainly not losing any sleep over this.  I kind of agree with former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson’s take on the matter here from Politico:

Richardson said Trump also likely faced a shortage of talent who supported him and wanted to join the administration.

“No established Republican Hispanic endorsed him,” he said. “So there’s not many people to pick from. You take the top Latino leaders. A lot of them endorsed Hillary. He doesn’t have a lot of options. These people weren’t with him. And now he’s not going to pick him.”

Here is the entire read: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/donald-trump-hispanics-gingrich-cabinet-232907.

Like I said yesterday, Trump demonized many in our community and only got 19% of our vote. Why would we want to be part of his administration? Which Latino or Latina with half a brain would want to be a part of his deal?

ESPN announced their early Sunday night baseball schedule and the ‘Stros are on. Guess who we play and where and when?

I saw a tweet last night from Fox News where some fella said that Dems should give Trump a chance. I agree. About as much of a chance as the GOP gave President Obama when he first came to office.

From the looks of Trump’s cabinet picks, it looks like that Bannon fellow has a lot of influence.

My Dad was recognized yesterday at the H-Town City Hall for his involvement with the Little School of 400. He made a nice brief speech.

The ‘Stros of course play at Yankee Stadium the evening of Sunday, May 14.

That is all I have from The Yard.

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No, NALEO.

Hello, winter!

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund is not happy Donald Trump is leaving Latinos out of his administration. I don’t think it is a big deal. Trump only got 19% of our vote. His campaign was based on demonizing many in our community. So no, NALEO. Save your energy. Instead, focus on going after his arse for the next four years.

Here is from yesterday’s NALEO’s statement:

For the past 29 years, both Republican and Democrat Presidents alike have tapped Latinos to put their skills and expertise to work on behalf of the nation by serving as cabinet members. Latinos have been up to the task, serving at the behest of each President since Ronald Reagan in a variety of cabinet posts, ranging from U.S. Attorney General to U.S. Secretary of Labor to U.S. Secretary of Energy.

With four weeks to go before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as the nation’s 45th President, we are deeply concerned at the lack of Latinos being considered for positions within the cabinet. Failing to have representation in the cabinet from the deep bench of talent that exists among the nation’s second largest population group would mark an historic and alarming step backwards for America.

Name a winner of the Cy Young Award in the last five years who has a January 1 birthday?

There is a back and forth going on between the incoming Harris County DA and current prosecutors. This probably could have been avoided if the current DA had been professional and cooperated with the transition. Instead, she was a poor loser. Shameful behavior if you ask me.

Here is the Chron story on the matter: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/houston/article/Prosecutors-blast-Ogg-over-claim-of-political-10809557.php.

Commentary took an Elf on the Shelf to my Mom. You are supposed to give it a name. It was a girl elf, so my Mom and nephew Jackson name her Mikey.

Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Lisa Falkenberg got her an elf and it is part of her column today. Here is how her column starts:

Years after the cute-albeit-creepy little thing became a fad, and weeks after my preschooler and first-grader began begging for it because, they said, “everybody has one,” I broke down and decided to invite an Elf on the Shelf to be part of our Christmas traditions.

Without towering bookcases and chandeliers, the little guy has a challenge each day finding a new perch from which to peer down and cast judgment on the girls’ behavior. He has conducted his scouting mission for Santa from high-hanging pots and oven mitts.

As I watch him observing the goings-on in our house – the hugs and the tantrums, the eating of dinner and the distracted avoidance of eating dinner – I wonder what it would be like if journalists had elf helpers who we could send out to keep tabs on lawmakers and judges and school administrators and all the rest whom we trust to do the people’s work.

If we could deploy doe-eyed scouts in red caps to keep watch, surely we’d catch more naughty – and a great deal more nice.

Here is the entire read: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/What-does-a-reporter-want-for-Christmas-An-elf-10809951.php.

Hey, Lisa!  Did you name the elf?

Breitbart is Trump’s cop for sure within the GOP.

Check this from Politico: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/donald-trump-congress-republicans-232800.

I have said it before. Trump played his base. What swamp?

Here is from Politico:

President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a promised to “drain the swamp” in Washington of corruption, but now that he’s preparing to move into the White House, Newt Gingrich said the Manhattan billionaire is looking to distance himself from that message.

“I’m told he now just disclaims that. He now says it was cute, but he doesn’t want to use it anymore,” the former House Speaker and close Trump adviser said of the “drain the swamp” message in an NPR interview published Wednesday morning. “I’ve noticed on a couple of fronts, like people chanting ‘lock her up,’ that he’s in a different role now and maybe he feels that as president, as the next president of the United States, that he should be marginally more dignified than talking about alligators in swamps.”

Here is the entire read: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/newt-gingirch-trump-drain-the-swamp-232878.

Did you say this in February of 2009?

Fox NewsVerified account ‏@FoxNews 53m53 minutes ago

.@GovMikeHuckabee: “The most effective way to put people on a job is to do infrastructure jobs b/c it’s the one thing you cannot outsource.”

The Governor decided to go after a faithless elector. Here:

Greg Abbott

✔ @GregAbbott_TX

@TheChrisSuprun: YOU’RE FIRED!!!

The elector kind of gave the Governor an FU. Here:

(((Chris Suprun)))

✔ @TheChrisSuprun

Nothing says impotent like being “fired” after casting my ballot. @GregAbbott_TX more interested in political points than policy. https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/811236339177943040 …

I guess the Governor doesn’t have anything better to do.

James Coney Island is selling a tamale hot dog. Why? No thanks!

Dallas Keuchel of course was born on January 1, 1988.

That’s all I have from The Yard.

 

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Labels Stick

Watching the Russian ambassador to Turkey get knocked off yesterday made me think I was watching an episode of “Madame Secretary.” Just saying.

If you follow Tags, you probably know this answer. Over the past three seasons, who leads MLB in most base hits and who is number two?

Words matter. Labels stick.

We just went through a year of “Crooked Hillary”.

First let me say that I don’t have a vote in the race of DNC Chair. I favor Labor Secretary Tom Perez who the President said was “wicked smart” last Friday at his press conference. The President has not endorsed in the race.

There is a story in Politico today about Cong. Keith Ellison who has support for DNC Chair from some heavyweight Dems like Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The Politico article mentions that a long time ago Cong. Ellison used to admire Louis Farrakhan. Oh, well.

The way the game is played these days, especially by Donald Trump, if Cong. Ellison becomes DNC Chair, Trump would probably stick the tag of “Farrakhan’s Pal” or something like that on Cong. Ellison and that would be that. Like I said, that is the way the game is played these days.

Here is from the Politico article:

Keith Ellison is chair-slumped in a nondescript union office a few hundred yards north of the Capitol, surrounded by boxes of flyers for his campaign to chair the Democratic National Committee, nursing a nasty cold and eye-rolling at another question about his one-time admiration for Louis Farrakhan.

The Minnesota congressman – a powerful speaker and canny political organizer – was on the cusp of an easy victory in the race for DNC chairman until the last few weeks, when his decade-old writings on the Nation of Islam leader (he called him a “role model for Black Youth” in a 1995 student editorial) resurfaced and ignited.

Soon after, reporters unearthed 2010 comments about how Israel, “a country of seven million,” dominates U.S. policy in the Mideast — prompting a denunciation from the head of the Anti-Defamation League and Democratic mega-donor Haim Saban, casting his coronation into sudden and serious doubt.

“Everything is fair game and it’s interesting … [But] I’m 53 years old,” Ellison said during this week’s episode of POLITICO’s “Off Message” podcast – adding that his fondness for the Nation of Islam movement began as a student and lapsed soon after. “I have four kids. My youngest child is 20. Some of the things they want to hit me for, I was younger than her when I wrote them. And so, come on. At some point, we all are human beings who have evolved over the course of 25 years, and yet we want to freeze each other in time.”

Ellison is an open and engaging guy to talk with – and he relishes the chance to explain himself at length, as he did in a recent memoir — but he bristled when I suggested that everything an elected official utters or scribbles during their adult life should be fair game.

“But every single word, though?” asked Ellison, a convert from Catholicism to Islam who was the first of his faith to be elected to Congress.

Despite the support of the first couple of populist progressivism – Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders — the controversy has emboldened the opposition: Last week, Labor Secretary Tom Perez, a buddy of President Barack Obama’s (who called him “wicked smart” last week), jumped into the race. The effort to boost Perez, paradoxically and to Ellison’s irritation, is led by operatives allied with the country’s first black president, who view the Minnesotan as too tied to the identity politics they think cost Clinton the election.

“We like Keith,” one longtime Obama political ally, who was pushing Perez, told me in November. “But is he really the guy we need right now when we are trying to get all of those disaffected white working class people to rally around our message of economic equality?”

Here is the entire article: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/keith-ellison-democrats-dnc-232838.

Dem officials have until February to pick our leader.  Hope they get it right, but I doubt it.  Like I said, words matter and labels stick.  Just ask Avery.

Tags retweeted this yesterday:

Ryan Thibodaux‏@NotMrTibbs 18h18 hours ago

@ 62 ballots:

Bagwell 90%

Raines 90%

Pudge 82%

Hoffman 76%

Bonds/Clemens 71%

Vlad 69%

Edgar/Muss 65%

Schilling 50%

http://bit.ly/bbhof2017.

It is still too early to call the race.

Over the past three seasons, Jose Altuve has 641 base hits, followed by Robinson Cano with 561.

That’s all I have.

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Yesterday’s Read

Hands down, yesterday’s read of the day was Jenny Dial Creech’s column in the Chron on college football and women. Outstanding!

Here is how it ends:

Females shouldn’t have to fear athletes. They shouldn’t have to worry about being raped, being assaulted, being objectified.

We need to stop telling females that they are to blame for this. We have to start teaching young men that treating anyone this way is wrong.

It’s that simple.

We need to demand that things change.

We need to demand better.

Here is the entire column: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/columnists/dialcreech/article/No-more-excuses-With-Mixon-s-assault-video-10802687.php?cmpid=btfpm.

Best headline in today’s hard copy of the Chron:

Dan Patrick, Lord of the Lavatory

Here is the read: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/Dan-Patrick-the-Pasha-of-Pee-10790445.php.

When Spring Training opens in February for the ‘Stros, who will be the oldest player in uniform?

Kim Ogg fired some folks at the DA’s office this past Friday.

Here is from the Chron:

Ogg, who was elected in November as the county’s chief prosecutor, notified 37 attorneys Friday that their services would not be needed when she takes office Jan. 1. Three others retired before Ogg’s emails went out.

“Change is coming,” she told reporters after news broke that more than 10 percent of the 329 lawyers in the DA’s office would not be returning in the new year. “Like any good team that has suffered some under-performing seasons, we’re changing management. My administration is heading in a new direction.”

The terminations had been expected as Ogg – who ran on a campaign of reform – installs her own lieutenants and administrators with a new organizational structure.

Ogg said outgoing DA Devon Anderson’s administration asked that initial decisions be made before Ogg is sworn in.

The timing of the release, however, gave Anderson an opportunity to take a shot at her successor, releasing a statement that the new administration “fired by email 37 experienced prosecutors 9 days before Christmas.”

“With her first act as District Attorney, Ogg is endangering the citizens of Harris County,” Anderson said. “The dedicated prosecutors let go today had a combined 685 years of service.”

Ogg swiped back, noting that Anderson had refused to meet with her until Friday.

Here is the entire read: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Shake-up-at-the-courthouse-Incoming-DA-Ogg-hands-10802264.php.

Refused to meet until Friday! That is rinky dinky. Bush league for sure. Kind of a sorry way for DA Anderson to act.

As far as the timing, Kim is taking office in less than two weeks. There is no such thing as good timing on this.

Let’s also remember this. Kim won and she has every right to bring in the folks she wants. End of story.

Ok. I saw this tweet over the weekend:

DSAVerified account ‏@DemSocialists 18m18 minutes ago

DSA is proud to endorse @keithellison for Chair of the DNC: http://www.dsausa.org/keith_ellison_for_democratic_national_committee_chair_dl …

Ok. Whatever.

At 39 years of age of course, Carlos Beltran will be the oldest ‘Stro in camp.

Commentary is saying the Texans sure are going to be paying a ton of bucks for a second string QB.

I am betting you can get some good ‘Stros gifts over at The Yard this week.

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