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Today’s Stories
GREG ABBOTT, under pressure from all sides, is resorting to an old playbook: A gimmick.
The embattled Governor’s latest publicity stunt was the unveiling of a so-called “Taxpayer Bill of Rights.”
Substantively, the proposal is a hodge-podge of decent ideas (e.g., Bond transparency) that have yet to pass despite Abbott’s four legislative bienniums. Abbott’s proposal falls short of the “Texas Budget Compact” proposed by Rick Perry a decade ago.
The comparison with Perry is instructive. While Perry’s follow-through was a subject of justified criticism, the Texas Budget compact was a serious proposal. Texas would be immeasurably better off had it not been killed by Joe Straus.
By contrast, Abbott’s proposal is a lukewarm pile of “meh.”
Since taking office, Abbott has consistently failed to deliver anything of meaningful substance to taxpayers. Yesterday’s release is a clear indicator, if elected, that streak would continue.
This track record of mediocrity is why Newsweek praised Florida as having surpassed Texas as the bastion of freedom, taking a dump on Abbott in the process.
Abbott claims his plan will reduce property taxes. Other candidates have said they would abolish the property tax, one of the most burdensome in the country.
Ending the property tax would mean a necessary end to taxation loopholes and special treatment for the entitlement class, that is to say, Abbott’s pals in the lobby who are fat and happy while taxpayers play the perpetual rent-paying punching bag.
During the 2021 regular and special sessions, real attempts to phase out the property tax were proposed. Abbott did not prioritize them or push for their passage.
It’s all very Dewhurst-y.
VAN TAYLOR is in boiling water. Whether he (or anyone in D.C.) realizes it is another matter.
Voters in Collin County are livid with the incumbent’s support for Nancy Pelosi’s various “January 6th” fishing expeditions. In addition, Taylor supported a ghastly proposal to require women to register for the draft.
What makes the situation perilous for Taylor is the mix of candidates opposing him. Keith Self (discussed previously) is a well-regarded former county official. By conventional standards, he’s a strong challenger.
By merely placing a female name on the ballot, candidate Suzanne Harp introduces a complicating factor for the incumbent. If she runs a competent campaign, she could be a force as well. A perusal of her website suggests promise.
One way or another, runoff is virtually guaranteed. Not good for any incumbent. (AC)
DAN CRENSHAW, meanwhile, is crashing and burning ahead of schedule.
The latest episode came when Crenshaw hectored a child, who had asked him a follow-up question about the congressman’s bizarre comparison of Jesus Christ and Superman.
It was easily anticipatable that the shine would wear off of Crenshaw. The man’s, after all, insufferable. But he’s speeding up his half-life as a viable and upwardly mobile politician.
It’s hard to imagine he’s fallen to the point where he’s vulnerable in 2022, but it’s easy to see him in trouble in 2024.
Good.
TEXAS HEARTBEAT ACT is headed to the Texas Supreme Court.
The upshot: abortion-crazed leftists are upset today.
Yesterday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a challenge to the law should go to the SCOTX, which will delay adjudication of the matter for some time.
Also, reported yesterday, Oklahoma will copy Texas’ approach to curtailing the ongoing slaughtering of innocent babies.
SOCIALIZED EDUCATION continues to hemorrhage political capital.
We’ve already discussed Dallas and Ft. Worth ISD’s losing their superintendents, but it’s happening regionwide. ISD superintendents tend to make big bucks. People don’t usually quit them in droves.
Maintain pressure.
APPLICATIONS for mail-in ballots are seeing multiple problems.
KUT reported today that supply chain issues have limited the number of applications the Secretary of State can distribute. This isn’t abnormal, according to the League of Women Voters.
Nonetheless, the left is using this shortage as an opportunity to undermine the continued use of paper applications.
The forms in short supply are newly configured and include spots for voters to supply drivers’ license or social security number information. It’s been reported that local election administrators are receiving outdated forms without spaces for this information, invalidating the application.
Additionally, a statistically abnormal number of applications being rejected dealing with less than 10% of the registered voters who have either a DL or Social on file but not both. This smells fishy.
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