Local Politics

I am sure you have seen this today. Name the three Baseball Hall of Fame greats who were born on this day, January 31?

The local Planned Parenthood affiliate has their annual luncheon today. A lot of local politicos will be in attendance for sure.

Tomorrow, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus will hold their endorsement meeting. It looks like it will be a near all day affair. Wear comfy shoes for sure.

State Representative-Elect Anna Eastman is campaigning in the Democratic Primary as well as getting ready to take the oath of office. Now that’s cool.

We will provide details in a few days.

J.J. Watt will serve as the guest host of SNL tomorrow evening.

J-Lo will be part of the halftime entertainment for Sunday’s Super Bowl fifty something.

Our new skipper was introduced yesterday at The Yard.

Since the cheating scandal broke, when I wear team gear, I’ve gone to the pre-cheating brick red gear. Someone posted on twitter that’s what we should be wearing from now on. Funny.

MLB is promoting new lids with a local iconic image next to the logo. We have a space shuttle on ours. Someone tweeted a photoshop version with a trash can. Also, funny.

The late greats Jackie Robinson (1919) and Ernie Banks (1931) were born on January 31 as well as our own and still around Nolan Ryan (1947) of course. Happy Birthday, Nolan!

Enjoy your weekend politics and your Super Bowl activities!

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Get Back

Commentary is skipping the MLB question today and will go to pop history. You know what happened in London 51 years ago today?

In 2018, #BetoForTexas carried HD 148 with 68.9% of the vote. In the #TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection, State Representative-Elect Anna Eastman received 65.5%. Pretty good if you ask me since #BetoForTexas wasn’t on the ballot.

Commentary is not going to analyze what happened in HD 28.  I wasn’t there. We did pretty good in HD 148.  Go on ahead and write about that.

My Dad and my Uncle Jesse are featured in this year’s Voces Oral History Project 2020 Commemorative Calendar. They are recognized for their military service during World War II. My Dad is featured in April and my Uncle Jesse in August. The Oral History Project is UT Austin Moody College of Communication endeavor dealing with the U.S. Latina and Latino experience.

A.J. Hinch is serving a season-long ban for not stopping the cheating in 2017. A.J. can’t manage the AL All Stars in Dodger Stadium this summer. New Astros skipper Dusty Baker gets the AL All Star team nod. That somehow isn’t right. They ought to let the skipper of the team we beat in the ALCS handle skipper duties. That would be the Yankees skipper Aaron Boone. Heck, letting Mike Fiers serve as the skipper makes better sense. Guess what? They didn’t ask Commentary.

51 years ago, today was The Beatles rooftop concert that featured “Get Back”. “I’ve Got a Feeling”, “Dig a Pony” and “Don’t Let Me Down.” It was on the rooftop of the Apple Headquarters Building at 3 Saville Row in London. That was the last time they performed in public as The Beatles.

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State Representative-Elect Anna Eastman

Some media outlets are thinking Dusty Baker could be our new skipper. Care to guess what his win-loss career managerial record might be?

Congratulations to my good friend and client State Representative-Elect Anna Eastman on her solid and impressive victory last night. 65.47% in case you are wondering. Wow!

Anna worked hard for this well-deserved victory. She did what she had to do.

She ran strong throughout HD 148. Just look at the precinct-by-precinct returns.

Strong!

Wow!

My home precinct gave her the most votes.

She certainly earned it.

To the naysayers, think twice. Think again. Anna is the real deal.

Her support is solid.

To the folks who stayed on the sidelines. That is your problem. You are not looking too smart this morning.

Oh, well.

To those who encouraged folks to not vote in the race, only 16 undervotes were counted.

Nobody paid attention to your sorry arse message.

Early Voting in Person for the Democratic Primary starts in 20 days and we are ready.

Dusty Baker is 1,863 – 1,636 as a skipper or a .532 winning percentage of course.

For the next week and a half or so, she is State Representative-Elect Anna Eastman.

Thanks to all who helped out.

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#TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection Today

Name the MLB club with the highest payroll during the 2017 season?

Finally! Commentary is talking about the Chron finally giving the #TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection a mention today. Here I part of what they said:

In Harris County, meanwhile, Democrat and former HISD trustee Anna Eastman and Republican power engineer Luis LaRotta are vying to replace former state Rep. Jessica Farrar, a Houston Democrat who represented House District 148 until she stepped down last year. The district is generally viewed as a safe seat for Democrats, though Republicans see an opportunity given special elections’ typically low turnouts.

Here is the entire article: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Election-Day-arrives-in-Fort-Bend-Harris-County-15008634.php.

Nope. Nope. Nope.

We never got a mention from the Chron E-Board in the runoff even though we were their endorsed candidate.

Meanwhile, a civic club activist told our campaign last night that we couldn’t be putting up campaign signs at a park that serves as a voting location unless there was an election. We informed him that there was an election today. Sigh.

Our campaign ran across a voting location and our opponent’s signs had been knocked down and ours were still standing. We put our opponent’s signs back up. We didn’t want to deal with a potential sign war this morning.

Here is an interesting local political fact Commentary ran across recently. Three Houston City Council district members reside in Texas House District 148. CMs Karla Cisneros, Abbie Kamin and Amy Peck. Now you know.

The Los Angeles Dodgers had a payroll of around $240 million in 2017, the year the Astros won the World Series, of course. The Astros payroll that year was around $150 million. Having a payroll of $90 million higher isn’t called cheating. It is called MLB baseball economics. Got it?

If you live in HD 148, go vote today! Please!

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Sad and Pathetic Pre-Election Take

There are three #TXHDSpecialRunoffElections tomorrow in the state of Texas. Every one of them is important.

An activist posted the following this past weekend about the #TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection:

Blockwalking for Penny Morales Shaw-HD 148 for the March 3 Dem primary.

Tuesday’s lame duck election only fills the seat until Nov. The March 3 primary selects the REAL Democratic candidate in the Nov election for the full two year term. Vote Penny Shaw on March 3.

On Tuesday in the special election for Rep Jessica Farrar‘s unexpired term, I will cast my ballot by voting for neither the Rep nor the Dem because this Dem protects and defends STAAR and will not support fully funding public schools in every neighborhood.

We will not be fooled.

Let’s support public education for all of our children as a sacred public trust.

My response to the post. You notice I didn’t say Democratic activist because Democratic activists don’t think and talk this way. If you live in HD 148, you have a clear choice. An anti-Choice, anti-gun sensible safety legislation GOPer versus a true progressive, former HISD Trustee Anna Eastman. A no brainer decision for sure.

It is very disrespectful to refer to tomorrow’s election as a lame duck election. It is a duly called election. If one doesn’t want to participate because of sour grapes, then don’t.

If it was a lame duck election, why did your candidate file to run late last summer in this special lame duck election? You can’t have it both ways because your candidate finished in sixth place in your so-called lame duck special election. Democrat Anna Eastman was the top vote getter among candidates in the November 5 Special Election. She led the second highest Democrat in the race by 1,716 votes. Anna also never misses voting in Democratic Party Primaries. Now that’s REAL.

BTW, here is the definition of lame duck: an elected official whose power is reduced because the person who will replace them has already been elected.

Democratic voters in HD 148 are grateful that not many share the thinking of this post. If so, we would be risking handing HD 148 over to the GOPer. A bad, sad and pathetic take that your candidate should renounce.

Elections matter. Tomorrow’s election will elect a state representative. Those of us who choose to fully participate are not participating in a lame duck election. Tomorrow is the real deal and HD 148 will have a state representative duly elected by the voters.

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#TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection Early Voting in Person Day 4

Name The ATL’s ballpark?

For those that are interested, in the #TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection, as of yesterday evening, 1,113 have voted early in person and 1,261 have voted by mail for a total of 2,374 votes cast or about 2.7% turnout.

I checked out my Dem Primary sample ballot yesterday.

At the end of the Dem Primary ballot there are eleven propositions to vote on. Yep, eleven.

They are a right to: Healthcare, 21st Century Public Education, Clean Air, Safe Water and Responsible Climate Policy, Economic Security, Dignity & Respect, Be Free from Violence, Housing, Vote, Fair Criminal Justice System, and Fair Taxation. There is also one on Immigrant Rights.

I did not know that my old buddy former State Rep. Roberto Alonzo went by “Beto.” He is running for Railroad Commissioner. So, we have a Beto on the ballot, again.

I did not know that MJ Hegar had a first name. It is Mary.

I did not know that my member of Congress, Cong. Sheila Jackson Lee, had six primary opponents.

I need to figure out who gets my vote on some of these contested statewide and local judicial races.

Commentary said this yesterday:

Commentary is not going to weigh in on the U.S. Senators who are running for president and are having to sit in the Senate Chamber during the impeachment trail instead of campaigning in Iowa. They have to take care of business. Don’t feel sorry for them for having to do their jobs.

Royko responded with this:

Why shouldn’t the 3 Senators recuse themselves, and go campaign in Iowa? Is it not a direct conflict of interest to participate in the attempted Coup Impeachment sham, which House Democrats openly stated they must do, otherwise Trump is certain to be reelected?

No thought of ethics is considered while the Washington, D.C. swamp is engaged in this Socialist “Squad” inspired resistance, or, more aptly labeled “Marxist Revolution.”

Thank you.

The ATL plays at Truist Park of course. Huh?

If you live in HD 148, go vote today, please.

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#TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection Early Voting in Person Day 3

Larry Walker also made the Baseball Hall of Fame a couple of days ago. Did he ever win the NL MVP Award?

The #TXHD28SpecialRunoffElection is getting all the attention. Over a million has been spent by the candidates. Both candidates are running TV ads. Armies of folks have been deployed over there. That’s why they are getting a pretty good turnout.

The #TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection is a different animal all together. I will say that our runoff Early Vote in Person and mail ballot totals are better than the #TXHD145SpecialRunoffElection turnout totals from last March.

Let’s see if better weather today spurs Early Voting in Person.

Mail ballots for the Dem Primary should be hitting mailboxes any day now. That ought to add to a bit of confusion to HD 148 voters in the last few days of the special runoff.

Speaking of HD 145, State Rep. Christina Morales will have an open house at her district office at 5 pm today. It is located in the garage building at HCC Southeast on Rustic.

Commentary is not going to weigh in on the U.S. Senators who are running for president and are having to sit in the Senate Chamber during the impeachment trail instead of campaigning in Iowa. They have to take care of business. Don’t feel sorry for them for having to do their jobs.

I was at my Dad’s yesterday and he had on the impeachment trial. I will say this. This is a slam dunk case.

In 1997, Larry Walker won the NL MVP Award of course.

You have to figure this cheating scandal is going to impact our players in a negative way once voting begins for the AL All Star Team.

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#TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection Early Voting in Person Day 2

Derek Jeter is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Did he ever win the AL MVP Award?

In the #TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection Early Voting in Person Day 1, 416 voted in person. The County is posting that 2,326 have returned mail ballots but only 1,238 have been posted online. Interesting.

The #TXHD28SpecialRunoffElection is getting all the attention and that is cool with me.

I posted this from Texas Monthly yesterday:

Monthly median housing costs in Houston in 2016 (the most recent year data was available) were $1,379, nearly $400 less than New York City. However, median transportation costs were $1,152, a figure 38 percent higher than for New Yorkers. In total, the study found, living in Houston was only $79 cheaper each month than New York.

Here is how Royko responded:

Okay. Is that difference related to taxes? One might wonder, if the difference is a mere $79.00, why haven’t them damned Yankees moved back to that Utopian Hellhole?

With METRO boardings below projections, BRT delayed, and not enough boondoggle 3rd-world-class urban rail to have any significant impact on mobility, and no snow, why would they want to suffer in our flood-prone, sub-tropical climate riding their CHICOM-built bicycles on the deteriorated streets?

I started to watch the impeachment yesterday, or rather I had it on, then I realized I had heard this stuff during the hearings, so I just shut it off. We all know how it is going to end.

Derek Jeter won the AL Rookie of the Year in 1996 but he never won the AL MVP of course, but he was runner-up once.

The MLB Commissioner said he wasn’t going to take away our World Series title and the owner of the Astros said the players would be apologizing.

The owner must have read Commentary and he doesn’t want his players to become jokes. Good.

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#TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection Early Voting in Person Day 1

Everyone knows the Astros have won 100 plus games in each of the past three seasons. How many other teams have won 100 or more games the past three seasons?

There is no Early Voting in Person at West Gray today. I mention this because a lot of HD 148 voters use the West Gray Early Voting in Person location.

Early Voting Schedule and Locations:

Tuesday, January 21 – Friday, January 24
7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m

Harris County Law Library – Conference Center
1019 Congress Avenue, 77002

Moody Park Community Center
3725 Fulton Street, 77009

SPJST Lodge #88
1435 Beall Street, 77008

Trini Mendenhall Community Center
1414 Wirt Road, 77055

The Grand Tuscany Hotel
12801 Northwest Freeway, 77040

Election Day: Tuesday, January 28

In 2017, the Dodgers won 104 games and Cleveland 102. In 2018, Boston won 108 and the Yankees 100. Last season, the Dodgers won 106, Yankees 103 and the Twins 101 of course.

Go vote or tell your family, friends or co-workers who live in #HD 28 or HD 148 to go vote, please.

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On Becoming a Joke

Have a wonderful MLK Day!

Dusty Baker is being interviewed for the skipper position today. Baker made his MLB debut with The ATL on September 7, 1968. Care to guess who he played against that day?

Chron columnist Erica Grieder tweeted this earlier in the morning:

Considering the possibility that Dems could get caught sleeping on #HD148

I get it. The #TXHD148SpecialRunoffElection is getting totally overlooked by the punditry class. The #TXHD28SpecialRunoffElection is getting all the attention. We are certainly not laying out what we are doing other than Anne Eastman tweeting her thing.

I would gladly visit with Ms. Grieder if she were to call and I would gladly answer what I could about campaign stuff.

BTW: Early Voting in Person begins tomorrow.

The Astros had their fan fest this past Saturday and about 10,000 or so fans showed up. The local media was there and asked Alex Bregman about the cheating scandal and here is from yesterday’s Chron:

“The commissioner made his report, made his decision, the Astros made their decision and no further comment on it,” Bregman said.

And this:

In response to a deluge of questions, Bregman offered six other variations of his initial statement. “The commissioner made his report,” he said.

What a joke.

The team is already becoming a national joke and now Bregman acts like that. Dude, we want to support you but don’t start acting like a joke.

He was in front of the local friendly media. Just wait until the national media types start asking questions in person on why you cheated. Get it done with, please.

This is going to be with us all season long. They got caught. The owner has admitted it. It is time for the players to atone. Nothing less is acceptable.

Don’t become a joke in my book.

Here is from Texas Monthly:

Monthly median housing costs in Houston in 2016 (the most recent year data was available) were $1,379, nearly $400 less than New York City. However, median transportation costs were $1,152, a figure 38 percent higher than for New Yorkers. In total, the study found, living in Houston was only $79 cheaper each month than New York.

Here is the entire read: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/houston-affordability-transportation-costs/.

That is not news to Commentary.

On September 7, 1968, Dusty Baker made his MLB with The ATL against the Astros of course.

He would be a good skipper.

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