THU brief 10.22.21
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Today’s Stories
DAN PATRICK (politically spooked) is calling for another special session.
His petition is consistent with Tuesday’s observation that he’s uncomfortable with items that went unaddressed.
Specifically, Patrick wants to restore the penalties for illegal voting gutted by Dade Phelan and pass a measure related to election audits. That’s fine, so far as it goes. Those things certainly need to happen.
But let's not kid ourselves. Patrick and the Texas Senate can pass these measures over and over again. But, Phelan killed them previously and could do so again.
While it might be the case that holding a special session closer to the primary makes it harder for Phelan to kill bills, the operative word is “might,” making the value of yet another special session dubious.
Patrick’s point of maximum leverage to pass bills was during the recently concluded third special session (the one that just ended). Between the appropriations and redistricting bills, some hostages could have been taken. In declining to do so, Patrick gave away his leverage.
For his part, Governor Greg Abbott stiff-armed the entreaty.
While Patrick’s request is partly performative, Flordia Governor Ron DeSantis’s calling a special session to address vaccine mandates puts Abbott and Patrick on the hot seat and potentially speeds up a fourth call.
CHILDREN have always been a target of the left and big government apparatus; it’s just more transparent in 2021.
Nationally, Tony Fauci and his goons are gearing up to mass jab kids from 5-11. Even though they are highly efficient vectors of illness, since vaccinations don’t prevent infection or spread of COVID19, the efficacy of this push is questionable.
In Texas, stories of teachers misbehaving and indoctrinating kiddos behind their parent’s backs are popping up and likely to increase. This is consistent with the left believing parents shouldn’t be involved in the rearing of their children.
The left has outrun its coverage.
KEL SELIGER (R-Amarillo) is retiring.
His exit was incredibly predictable, one the left is grieving, incorrectly ascribing to anti-semitism and [1 | 2 | 3]. West Texas’ Senate representation is likely to be exponentially more conservative.
In his retirement announcement, Seliger plugged his “unwavering support” for public education and local control. Coming from a West Texas politician, that’s a euphemism for political patronage.
School districts and local governments (i.e., cities and counties) are frequently the largest employers in that region, which gives the district superintendents and local elected officials tremendous power.
Where does Seliger land? He’s independently wealthy, so he doesn’t necessarily have to jump to the lobby. If Greg Abbott is re-elected, an appointment to the University of Texas Board of Regents is a genuine possibility.
Seliger’s wife is a recent past president of the Texas Exes and currently serves on the Board. The current board chairman, Kevin Elitife, is a former Senator and close political ally of Seliger’s.
DEMOCRATS in D.C. have done nothing this year, and they remain in jeopardy of maintaining that streak into the midterm.
Yesterday, they failed to pass an election bill backed by Joe Manchin.
Next week, a similar failure is likely when the John Lewis Act is brought up for a “forced” vote. Manchin isn’t signed on as a co-sponsor but may ultimately vote for the measure.
Hit the Links
American’s CEO discusses vaccine exemptions
Patrick appoints three to 1836 Committee
Bannon case will again expose Congressional impotence
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