I was about to start this post with the unoriginal observation that Texas is at it again—unpredictable weather. Yesterday and apparently overnight we enjoyed some much-needed rain of the moderately gentle variety rather than the heavy downpours that run off before they can soak into the ground. I was especially pleased because I thought the newly exposed roots for my two huge trees must be grateful. But then the phrase “Texas is at it again” struck me in a whole different way.
This week showed us Texas, Greg
Abbott, at the behest of his oil-rich billionaire sponsors, shoving Texas ever
farther to the right. What kind of a governor indulges in revenge politics,
deliberately challenging state politicians who opposed him, in this case on the
infernal question of school vouchers? Unfortunately, money talks and Abbott’s
challengers beat out several of the more moderate Republicans on the
down-ballot. It looks like we are doomed to have school vouchers, which will
further weaken our already pitiful public school system. Texas needs to put
that money into teacher raises, classroom equipment, etc. In short, it needs to
strengthen public education, not siphon off possible funding. The irony is that
the voucher amount is not enough for many low-income families to send their
kids to private school so who benefits? The rich who are already sending their
kids to private schools and now get some money for doing so. It’s a rotten system.
Ken Paxton was not quite as
successful in avenging himself against those who voted to impeach him, and
there’s now a glimmer of hope because he is finally going to go to trial later
this spring on fraud charges he’s delayed for years. But right now he’s busy
suing everyone in sight—an El Paso faith-based organization that helps
immigrant (of course Paxton hates them), several school districts for
electioneering (but has he looked at private schools who push petitions for
vouchers on their parents). Today it was announced he is suing several
entertainment and/or food venues for not allowing police officers on their
premises if they carry guns. Ah yes, Texas is the state where guns are more
important than human life. His targets include the State Fair of Texas of all
things. Also the popular Meow Wolf in Grapevine, a restaurant in Deep Ellum, a
theatre in Grand Prairie, and a bar/restaurant in San Antonio. Must keep the
poor guy busy finding his targets. But it costs money to mount these lawsuits,
taxpayer money, and we never hear about the outcome. Except today I did hear
that a judge quashed the suit against the El Paso immigration charity.
But if you look at it, Abbott
and Paxton are spending Texas taxpayer money without our consent for extravagant,
cruel and illegal means at the border (a judge gave Biden a big victory on that
today) and to sue business which are adding to the Texas economy and quality of
life. For this, Abbott and Paxton get big bucks from those oil men who think
they can run Texas, and what do we, the taxpayers get? An inferior education
system that consistently ranks in the middle to lower grouping nationally. Good
going guys.
On the national scene, it is redundant
to say that President Joe Biden hit it out of the ballpark last night with an
energetic, challenging, comprehensive State of the Union message that exposed
all of the Republican lies and sent the orange former guy to tweeting out no
less than seventy-five angry posts. I had thought with the primaries behind us,
the volume of emails and texts would diminish but no such luck. My email was a
mess this morning with politicians from all states wanting to ride Biden’s coattails.
Many of them are candidates I would support were I a wealthy woman, but I’m
not. All this deluge of messages does is a) make me feel guilty, and b) make me
want to explain my support but straightened circumstances. I am tempted to say
I’ll vote for the candidate—oops, specify progressive candidate (I’m not ruling
out a Republican, though I don’t think I’ll find a progressive one) who sends
me the fewest emails. But then again, who’s counting.
Here we go again into a
frenetic cycle of fund-raising. I’d love to turn off my computer, but I won’t
because I think we each have a civic duty to be well informed and because,
politics aside, I enjoy my online life. November seems a long time away. Also
it really bothers me, and has for years, that money determines election
outcomes. I realize it’s true, but I resent it. I want us to elect politicians
because they will run the country with knowledge and wisdom, they will try to
protect America, keep it strong, protect democracy, and improve life for the
average American, not because they have the biggest war chest (Abbott wins that
one in Texas and looks what it gets us—a fiefdom).
Just call me Pollyanna, the
idealist.
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