Liberally Lean From The Land Of Dairy Queen

5.31.2023

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

I believe that even more now.

On the front page of the Dallas Morning News today, a story of how home prices have gone down for the first time in over a decade.
The debt ceiling bill goes to the House today for a vote. There's a 100% chance it will pass. I don't know why I was thinking yesterday

There are currently 45 Republicans against it, but with all the fast majority of Democrats voting for it, it will be smooth sailing. The hardliners can be mad at McCarthy all they want, but they can't do anything about it.
Anyone believe Rep. George Santos was just randomly photographed last night studying the bill and using a highlighter?

The Allen outlet mall opens up this morning for the first time since the massacre.
We've got Charles Manson family news. Here's her Wikipedia page.

She was 19 then.
She's 73 now.

Where are the right-wingers going to be left to shop at or shop for once they are through with this don't-call-it-cancel-culture campaign?
Republican Primary quick hits:

Trump attacked his former press secretary who was about the only person on earth who defended him the day after January 6th. And the word is "milquetoast" and not "milktoast."

Side note: Texas Rep. Chip Roy, in a tepid attempt at humor, actually even brought this up to her last night as she hosted a show on Fox News.

DeSantis' fundraising tour of Texas in a few days. He'll be at the Fort Worth Club but it doesn't say who the money men are behind it.
Chris Christi to announce he's in. This man has a 0% chance and how he doesn't realize that is beyond me.
Who is Fox News leaning towards this morning?

Texas district judge news:

I think this could impact us locally in four years. If approved, the Texas Constitution would be amended to raise the retirement age from 75 to 79. The bill passed a few days ago but needs voter approval.
A district judge is retiring in Wichita Falls and this guy is jumping in. Story. That's all we need, another judge who wants to bill himself as a prosecutor, Republican and conservative.

Side note: I love that reporter but is this this sentence worded correctly?

Re: The front page below. That's the strip club which sits on I-30 as you head west out of Fort Worth. In the lawsuit (pdf) to shut it down, it starts off with "Temptations is a fully-nude, bring-your-own-beverage adult club located in unincorporated Tarrant County, and operates at the Property from 9:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday." What could go wrong? There have been five people killed there since 2018.

5.30.2023

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

On 5/29/23, the front page of the Dallas Morning News had a story on the stock market's recent surge to 15,409. For comparison, last Friday it closed at 33,125

This seems concerning from a potential escalation standpoint.
The Texas legislative session ended yesterday, but before they could walk out the door Gov. Abbott declared a special session to begin at 9:30 p.m. It is limited to these two issues:
The impeachment of Ken Paxton continued yesterday with the Articles of Impeachment being formally delivered to the Texas Senate. It was delivered by the newly named "impeachment managers" which includes Jacksboro's David Spiller.

The most unlikely Republican to vote for the impeachment of Paxton, who was also named an impeachment manager, is this MAGA-loving guy, Briscoe Cain.
The Wise County Republican Party released a statement coming out against the impeachment.
Idiocracy.

The debt ceiling crisis has been solved. Or has it? It has to get passed the hardliners in the House, and Speaker McCarthy can only afford to lose 5 Republican votes. It's scheduled to be voted on tomorrow if it can get past some complicated maneuvering in a rules committee this afternoon. Edit: I screwed part of that up.
Legal nerdy stuff. Article free.

Spoiler: The lawyer cited these cases he got from ChatGPT which did not exist.

Random sports: With the school year ending, a list of national Champions in college for obscure competitions you might not even be aware of it. I liked looking through this way too much.
Mark Cuban last night proved to us once again that he's not that bright. You know, as long as it's a "personal question", people will honestly respond, right?
My radio station can finally stop doing segments on the Dallas Stars. Thank gawd.

5.29.2023

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

Dateline Fort Worth. There would never be any consequences for those involved in this incident in Fort Worth. The Wikipedia page dedicated to it is entitled, "The Killing of Jerry Waller."

It's a holiday. Everything is closed. There is no Messenger Update. But I am here. THWMISB™.
I can't believe it actually happened -- and with such speed. How corrupt to you have to be for the most conservative Republican House in Texas history to vote to impeach someone from their own party? Answer: Incredibly corrupt. The vote was 121-23.

The question remains: why now? He deserved to be impeached, but all of the allegations have been known for over two years. Why, suddenly, did they go after him now?
Jacksboro's David Spiller was a major player during Saturday's impeachment hearing. Not only was he on the committee presenting the Articles of Impeachment, he basically served as one of the Impeachment Managers and laid out some of the charges at the beginning of the hearing.

And then, later in the hearing, he even went to the opposite podium on the other end of the floor to ask questions to try to bolster the presentation.
And Spiller's roll is what assures us that the impeachment was guaranteed. There is no way a second term rep is going to put his political neck on the line if he wasn't 100% sure the vote was a foregone conclusion. He's not doing this on his own.

I like how Spiller and Wise County's Rep. Stucky are right by each other on the voting board. I knew how Spiller would vote, and Stucky proved he's a stand up guy as well.
Back to the political risks. The head of the West Texas oilmen PAC basically threatened Spiller on Thursday. On Saturday, he was beside himself.

Speaking of his PAC's budget, it wastes a lot of money. In the last election, look who they threw money at: Don Huffines (defeated governor candidate), Paxton (now impeached), Shelley Luther (defeated state senate candidate), and Bryan Slaton (recently removed rep who was involved in a teenage sex scandal.)

You cannot support Paxton and live in any sense of reality other than one where corruption and immorality are acceptable. Let's check in on a few of those who qualify:

Or course, our own Ronny Jackson.
Of course.
Also, of course.
Good grief. This guy?

With ultra-MAGA up in arms, the question remains: Why did the House do this? Why now? They could have done nothing and frankly no one would have cared. Why now risk the wrath of the neo-Nazi stormtroopers?
Finally, the last time we checked on Rep. Jeff Leach, he was scrambling to get in front of the cameras in Allen after the mass shooting to offer "thoughts and prayers" and nothing more. Look at pious he was before the vote on Saturday when he knew exactly how he would vote:
Fun side note: This gal in the background during the four hour hearing always talking into her watch was a funny distraction.

There was an apartment collapse in Iowa yesterday evening, but no confirmed deaths yet.
Buried deep in the news is something that we don't even bat an eye at any longer.
If you want to see something wild, look at this deep fake of Ron DeSantis substituted in for Michael Scott in a scene from The Office. Trump circulated this over the weekend. The future is going to be very scary.
Decatur softball has made it to the final four. They will play Liberty on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. in Austin. (Fun fact: I thought that all the playoff games to get there were 2 out of 3 like Decatur played, but coaches can agree to a one game playoff format per UIL rules. Also, at the state tourney it's a one game only and advance or go home.)
If you thought traffic was already bad going into Fort Worth, a Kroger is going in at 287 and Bonds Ranch Road.