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Today's stories
75% CLOSED is not open.
Yesterday Governor Abbott announced another tranche of businesses that could open at 25% while others already operating in the quarter-open-economy could upshift to half-open on Friday.
Yippie.
Democrats doubled down on a rigid keep the state closed approach on a conference call following Abbott's remarks. They missed the memo that California and New York are currently phasing open a couple of weeks behind Texas.
POLLING AND SPECULATION
A Clinton attached political consultant has introduced the idea that 2020 is unlike 2016 and that a “realignment” process kicked off in 1992 is coming full circle to undermine President Trump’s chances of winning.
Briefly, the analysis lacks necessary comparisons and context; it's how you can tell it's wrong.
While Republicans lost seats in the Congress in off-cycle elections, they didn't miss them at the same clip as Democrats during the Obama years or Republicans during G.W. Bush's tenure. Similarly, losses/wins at the state level favor Trump.
The backdrop and circumstances matter. Obama was a media darling and Bush while not in his likable feet-in-bathtub period was not nearly as reviled as Trump and certainly didn't face a coup.
Trump and Obama will share a recovering economy (shifting gears mid-recovery seems unlikely) and a weak opponent. Further, Trump will get a fresh pass at China in 2020.
Politicians and tactics in 2020 fundamentally differ from pre-2016 norms. Biden is the antithesis of the candidate Democrats needed to field to have a chance against Trump and the Democratic party has shown a reluctance to shift gears (see slavish service to Russiagate).
Playing defense against a virus is not going to be the look come early fall. On offense against China versus a dithering man; CNN was right to hedge, six months is an eternity from now.
A KOOK from Nacogdoches plans to citizen arrest Governor Abbott, and Attorney General Ken Paxton if they "set foot in District 11" over handling of the China virus.
The District 11 in question is a reference to Texas House District 11, not a make-believe science fiction locale concocted by the Democrat candidate for office.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION is a scourge; it undermines the rule of law, threatens the health and safety of legal immigrants along with U.S. citizens, and is no economic boon.
There's a lipsticked pig of a paper from Rice University wandering around the internet, suggesting that illegal immigrants contribute 21 cents for every dollar expended on them by the U.S. government.
Without an artificially depressed wage (thanks to illegal immigration), this 21 cents would easily be made up for and likely surpassed by American or legal resident workers.
Not mentioned in reporting on the paper, is the fact that while some sales and excise taxes are collected on stateside expenditures, a good chunk of earned cash leaves the country and our economy, sent home to loved ones.
Hit the links
Grassroots Coalition to Abbott: Cut Taxes Now
China's Plans to Win Control of the Global Order
Harris County mulls switch to elections administrator ($)
Trump taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent COVID-19
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