Go Back to Univision = Go Back to Mexico

That’s what it means to me and a whole bunch of Latino voters in America. And to say it to one of the most admired individuals – Jorge Ramos – in the Latino community.

Meanwhile, Trump’s GOP opponents stay predictably silent because they don’t want to be Trump punked. The folks that have the easiest job in America today are those that are handling Latino outreach for the Democratic National Committee. Thanks, Donald!

Jose Altuve has 150 base hits. Who leads MLB with the most base hits today?

Last night’s mayoral candidate forum was held at the Museum of Fine Arts for folks that live in and around the Museum District. About the only thing of note was moderator Miya Shay calling out Rep. Sylvester Turner for not stating a position on the Ashby high rise. That’s kind of puzzling considering most folks in the room last night are opposed to Ashby. Ben Hall was the only candidate to get an applause on the Ashby question.

Last night when I drove up to the Museum of Fine Arts, we had just scored our first run. When I left we were up nine zip. I dropped by a civic club meeting and after the meeting I got in my car and we were up fifteen zip.

Dee Gordon of the Fish of course leads MLB with 156 hits.

Now our lead is up to 4 ½ games with 35 games remaining. Dallas Keuchel got his 15th win last night and the ‘Stros got their 70th. We are for real.

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Keeping Score and Making a Case

Here we go again. I am talking about AG Abbott putting out another press release, err, I mean filing another lawsuit against the President – his 31st. I think I have mentioned it before but is anybody keeping score on who is winning the lawsuits? Is a box score on the AG’s website? Does the Trib have a page devoted to a won-loss record for AG Abbott? Here is a bit from the Trib:

Leading a 17-state charge up a steep legal hill, Attorney General and soon-to-be-Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Obama administration’s moves to expand legal protections for undocumented immigrants.

The lawsuit, the 31st Abbott has filed against the Obama administration during his 12-year tenure, fulfills his gubernatorial campaign pledge to challenge President Obama’s executive action to protect up to 5 million undocumented immigrants from the threat of immediate deportation.

Meanwhile, Jorge Ramos didn’t let up on putting it on the GOP on immigration again. Here are a couple of his tweets from yesterday:

JORGE RAMOS @jorgeramosnews • 18h 18 hours ago
Who do Latinos blame for lack of immigration reform? 64% blame Republicans in Congress, 24% Obama and Democrats (from @LatinoDecisions )

JORGE RAMOS @jorgeramosnews • 18h 18 hours ago
Food for thought for Republicans: 89% Latinos support Obama’s executive action; 80% oppose efforts to block it (from @LatinoDecisions )

The ‘Stros are in the market for a closer. Chad Qualls handled most of the closer duties this past season. How many saves did Qualls record last season?

I was watching the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree last night on NBC and tweeted the following:

Marc Campos @MarcCommentary • 12h 12 hours ago
Good for @TODAYshow hosts for giving a mention during the #ChristmasTreeLighting tonight to today’s grand jury decision and protests.

Apparently the protesters were a few blocks away from Rockefeller Plaza.

I watched some of the talking heads last night on the Staten Island grand jury refusing to indict the cop who put the chokehold on Eric Garner. The few that dared to defend the grand jury’s decision looked incredibly stupid.

Today the Houston City Council Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee will meet at 1 PM at City Hall Council Chamber to discuss proposed City Charter changes. I am thinking that some folks at City Hall have pretty much made up their minds on what changes they want to advance – I get that. I know a little about political body language. I just hope they have a parade of experts and witnesses who will testify and make the case for taking it the voters. I hope more than the regular insiders participate in this process. I also hope to be watching online so stay tuned!

This just came out:

Mike Morris retweeted
Peggy Fikac ‏@pfikac 15m15 minutes ago Conroe, TX
.@DavidHDewhurst re potential Houston mayor bid ‘At the present time I have no plans to run’ #mysa #hounews #ttevents

Who wants the Lite Guv to run for Mayor anyway? Oh well!

Chad Qualls of course had 19 saves this past season and the MLB leader was Fernando Rodney of the Mariners with 48.

The ‘Stros coaching staff was sitting courtside last night at Toyota checking out the Rockets and that is all I have from The Yard.

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Neighborhood Empowerment

Tomorrow the Houston City Council Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee will meet at 1 PM at City Hall Council Chamber to discuss proposed City Charter changes. Here is one that may be discussed:

Change term limits to two four-year terms beginning with the 2015 City Election.

I am curious to know the reasons why folks want to change the two-year term to a four-year term.

First of all, nobody gets “drafted” to run for office or gets selected to be a candidate against their will. You have to be somewhat ambitious and have a healthy size ego. You have to want to campaign to do it. If you don’t like campaigning or think campaigning takes too much time away from other stuff in your life – DON’T DO IT! Remember, you are putting yourself out there to serve. The argument that two-year terms forces Council Members to always be in campaign mode really doesn’t hold up with me because campaign mode means being out in the community and neighborhoods – God forbid – and talking to folks about their issues and concerns. Public service and campaigning isn’t for everyone.

I have heard that some folks think that going to a four-year term will mean Council Members will have to spend less time fundraising. You have to be careful here. H-Town already has the more restrictive fundraising rules in the area. Members of Congress and County Commissioners can fundraise 24/7 and they have no blackout dates. Members of the Texas Legislature have a fundraising blackout period for about seven months every two years. City Council Members have a blackout period for about ten or eleven months every two years plus an additional period for agenda item matters. We start adding more restrictions and we may be handing over a political campaign advantage to the independently wealthy and that is never healthy for the system.

I was there way back in 1979 when we switched from an all at-large system to nine single member districts and five at-large positions. (In 2011 we added two more single member districts.). Single member districts brought City Hall closer to the people and empowered neighborhood and civic organizations. I witnessed first-hand candidates attend civic club meetings and meet one-on-one with the folks that care most about their neighborhoods. Neighborhood organizations hold Council Members’ and candidates’ feet to the fire and keep them on their toes. They are the ones that help identify key infrastructure and other priority needs. I believe that the two-year term is a major contributor to neighborhood empowerment.

If you switch to a four-year term you might risk having City Hall losing some contact with civic clubs and neighborhood leaders particularly in the second or final term. I don’t need to explain human nature on this but if you don’t have to run – well, you get the picture. I would prefer a lame duck Council Member slacking off their final two years than their final four years.

No system is perfect but I am a long way from being convinced a four-year term is an improvement. Right now the current system strengthens our neighborhoods so why risk diminishing them.

Name the top five ‘Stros with the most career at-bats as ‘Stros?

Congress held hearings yesterday on the President’s actions on immigration while Jorge Ramos tweeted the following:

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 3m3 minutes ago
Look at this. 89% of Latino voters support executive action on immigration. http://www.latinodecisions.com/blog/2014/11/24/new-poll-results-national-poll-finds-overwhelming-support-for-executive-action-on-immigration/ … Repubicans: Think of 2016 and then move

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 5m5 minutes ago
Do Republicans really want to move against executive action on immigration? 89% of Latinos support it. Their risk is to look anti-Latino

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 2m2 minutes ago
Historically, the Republican candidate needs at least 33% of the Hispanic vote to win the White House. (89% of Latinos support exec action)

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 32m32 minutes ago
If Republicans want to lose the Latino vote in 2016, they just have to go against Obama’s executive decision. (89% of Latinos support it)

What else can I say?

B-G-O with 10,876 career at-bats as a ‘Stro, Baggy with 7,797, Cruuuuuz with 6,629, Cesar Cedeno with 5,732 and The Big Puma with 5,560 of course are the top 5.

I hope the team isn’t thinking about trading Dexter Fowler. That would be a dumb move.

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Moving Forward

Way to go Mr. President!

Congrats also go to those that help make this happen including the DREAMers and immigration activists. One of them was MariGirl who also got some run in today’s Chron!

Was the President’s decision political? Yep! But then again, the GOP allowed their far right wing to make it a wedge issue in 2007.

You know it is a near brilliant move when the GOP is all over the map on their responses. Some are calling it anarchy. Some want to defund the move. Some want a government shutdown. A few are bringing up impeachment. Some are saying it is amnesty. Some like Guv Dude are going to court. None of them are calling for a bill though.

Now that’s what I call a talking point breakdown.

This thing is moving forward and I doubt it will ever be reversed.

Here is what Jorge Ramos tweeted the past few hours:

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 1h1 hour ago
Millions woke up without fear in the U.S. for the first time in their lives.

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 54s54 seconds ago
The executive decision on immigration is a victory for the Latino community. It wasn’t given to us; it’s what we fought for.

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 8m8 minutes ago
Instead of fighting the President, Republicans should, instead, fix the immigration mess. Pass reform in Congress in 2015. Your choice

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 7m7 minutes ago
This morning many immigrant parents can say to their kids: “See you tonight” and know it’s true.

Some are saying that if the President had acted on this three months ago, more Latinos might have turned out to vote in November and saved a couple or three Dems. We will never know.

We do know that if the GOPers try to mess with this over the next couple of years, Latinos will be there to answer at the polls in 2016.

With 630 career dingers, this former MLBer ranks sixth all-time. Who am I talking about?

MariGirl got some much deserved run in today’s Chron. It is in the hard copy and behind the paywall. It is personal for her. She has been tirelessly at the forefront for a few years now. Check this:

Across town in the Baker-Ripley Neighborhood Center in the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Gulfton in southwest Houston, Marisol Valero echoed other immigrants’ sentiments of relief.

Her parents could finally be able to live without fear of being stopped by police while going to the grocery store. Valero, 29, came here from Mexico as a child and has a brother born in the U.S. Her mother cleans homes and her father drove trucks until his driver’s license expired last year, and he couldn’t renew it because he’s here illegally. When his mother became ill recently in Mexico, she told him she didn’t want him to come back to see her die only to risk his own life crossing the border. He bid her goodbye on the phone.

“I applaud the president for trying, but obviously it is not enough,” said Valero, who is an immigration manager for Neighborhood Centers, while she and about 40 other people watched Obama’s speech on a giant television screen. “There are still going to be many people who are going to be left out.”

Be proud of what you have accomplished to date.

Ken Griffey, Jr. of course with 630 career dingers is sixth on the all-time career list. Junior is celebrating his 45th BD today!

The team set their 40-man roster last night. Oh well!

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BIG deal for Latinos!

The President will announce his executive order this evening. Then the PROCESS begins. Lengthy for sure. But it is a PROCESS.

Congress should have acted on this a long time ago but far right wing GOPers decided to make this a wedge issue. Now they are going to have a fight with many in the Latino community.

Here are some Jorge Ramos tweets from the past 24 hours:

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 4m4 minutes ago
Univision’s Jorge Ramos Calls President Obama Executive Action a “Triumph For The Latino Community” http://wp.me/p5HMd-f5wj via @TIMEPolitics

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 1m1 minute ago
Univision will broadcast live President Obama’s speech announcing his executive decision tomorrow (Thursday) at 8pm est. BIG deal for Latinos

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 2h2 hours ago
If Republicans really want immigration reform in Congress, they’ll have many months to do it before executive action kicks in. Your choice

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 2h2 hours ago
Today is a very important day for millions of immigrants in the U.S. It’s been a very long fight and it’s not over yet. I’m ready in D.C.

At 7 pm this evening I will be glued to the flat screen watching the President make the historical announcement.

Apparently there are a number of executive action watch parties springing up throughout the country. There are at least four that I know of in H-Town. Now that is cool.

In 2004, the ‘Stros played a two game spring training exhibition series in Mexico City. Who did they play?

I have always been a Mike Nichols fan. I am just trying to remember which Mike Nichols flick I didn’t see. He was one of the best!

Everybody knows that Commentary wakes up with the “Today” show folks every morning. I have been watching “Today” since the 70s. I have met Jane Pauley and even have an autographed picture of her in my office.

I like the current crew of Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, Willie Geist, Tamron Hall, and Carson Daily. I hardly ever watch Hoda Kotb and Kathy Lee Gifford. Yesterday morning I was somewhat stunned when a story appeared on the internet reporting that Natalie Morales and Willie Geist were being let go. It turns out it was a false report or erroneous story.

I am a big fan of Natalie Morales. She delivers the news. She goes out on news assignments. She tackles hard hitting stories like the ones on the Boston Marathon bombing survivors. She does the thrill seeking ones like the one with Jenna Bush Hager plunging off of a Colorado cliff in some daredevil contraption. She is one of the few Latinas with a major role on nationally broadcast English-speaking TV. She is role model. She is a trooper. She is a fitness freak and has done stories on healthy lifestyles and staying in shape and in the process we have seen her run a marathon, bike, swim, and do more real push-ups than most folks I have ever met. She also speaks fluent Spanish and Portuguese. She is a top-notch talent.
“Today” is currently behind “GMA” in the morning show ratings. “Today” used to be in first place. Don’t ask me why but I don’t think it has anything to do with Natalie Morales.

I don’t have a problem with Harris County having to spend $63,800 on a bath for the Astrodome.

In 2004, the ‘Stros played two against the Padres in Mexico City of course.

Nothing to report from The Yard.

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It Is Our Fight

Root Sports Southwest is now available in most of the H-Town area.

Name the first ‘Stros non-pitcher ever to be selected as a MLB All Star? (Hint: 1966)

Univision’s and Fusion’s Jorge Ramos sent out a series of tweets yesterday in anticipation of the President’s executive action on immigration. Here are the Ramos tweets:

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 1h1 hour ago
“Be bold” Dreamers are asking @BarackObama If he doesn’t, the risk is to upset Latinos and alienate Republicans at the same time.

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 1h1 hour ago
There are big expectations in the Latino community about Obama’s executive action. Expecting more than 5 million immigrants to benefit

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 19m19 minutes ago
It’ll be difficult for Republicans to reject executive action on immigration and not to be seen as anti-immigrant and anti-Latino.

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 1h1 hour ago
…and let’s not forget that it was @SpeakerBoehner and the Republicans who blocked immigration reform in the House.

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 2h2 hours ago
Republicans and @SpeakerBoehner blocked immigration reform in congress. After the “executive action” they might want to reconsider

JORGE RAMOS ‏@jorgeramosnews 2h2 hours ago
The executive action on immigration will demonstrate the “new” power of the Latino community. This is an issue very close to our “corazón”

The GOP will be going after the President and his action and Latinos leaders and activists are obliged to not only join in the fight but lead it and own it. If we just sit back and watch the President and his team defend his position against the GOP we risk losing a key part of the narrative – us. It is not about the GOP going after the President and a so-called misuse of his authority. It is about the GOP going after the Latino community.

Let’s remember, it was the GOP that decided to make this a partisan issue back in 2007 when immigration reform legislation was being considered during 43’s administration. And it’s GOP candidates that have made it a red meat issue as recently as this past election. They have made it a litmus test within their own primaries across the country. And it has been a GOP controlled U.S. House of Representatives that has refused a floor vote on the Senate passed version of immigration reform.

Expect the GOP to call out the President and using rhetoric like “sticking it in the eye of the newly elected Congress” and “playing with fire.” Once the President issues his action we need to step forward and make it a fight between the GOP and our community. We will win that fight.

We have close to five million stories to tell. They don’t.

America is used to seeing and probably tired of seeing the GOP and the President battle with each other. American has never really seen the Latino community play a major role in a public policy debate.

Instead of letting a fight between the President and the GOP play out within the beltway, let’s take this fight across America.

It is time. Let’s grab what Jorge Ramos calls our “new” power and move forward our community. Let’s play offense. Let’s win this one.

Hall of Fame great Joe Morgan of course was the first non-pitcher ‘Stro selected to the MLB NL All Star Team back in 1966. He was injured and didn’t get to play.

The team still hasn’t made any moves.

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