Texas' hubris just brought the Nation's microscope down on
1. Texas Judge, Judge Reed OâConnor of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas â has invalidated ObamaCareâs HIV treatment mandate, saying it violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act by forcing the plaintiff, a christian employer and well-known GOP donor, to pay for insurance that covers HIV prevention drugs. It applies nationwide and takes effect immediately.
2. In a 67 page opinion, Texas U.S. District Judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, said the FDA's 2 decades-old approval violated Federal rule. The DOJ has appealed. The AMA has vociferously argued against 'speculative' and 'alleged' evidence. Big Pharma, (aka, sleeping giant) are just now rubbing their eyes and saying, "Woa. Before, it was just Disney. Now its US? We, the anointed few who live on Mount Olympus of Capitalistic Power?! Here, hold my Lobbyist..."
3. Governor Greg Abbott quipped he'd welcome the pardon request for Daniel Perry, a day after a Travis County jury convicted the U.S. Army sergeant in the 2020 murder of Austin BLM protester Garrett Foster.
Texas (and other bloody red states) totally believe their invulnerability to voters, through voter suppression and savage gerrymandering, allows them to push passing National Law. They've just bitten off more judicial jerky than they could ever chew.
"just" = over four months ago, but Paxton doesn't hold himself out as much as a christian as the other elected fascists in this state do - he's just a garden variety white collar criminal who uses the conservative base to his own advantage (much like Lord Dampnut).
You're correct. As long as he's in office, this state is free to conduct all kinds of malfeasance behind closed doors. It's taking the FBI forever to investigate him... Apparently State Attorney Generals are above the law.
Past Attorney Generals have become our Governor. Imagine Paxton as Governor of Texas.
Location: Blinding You With Library Science! Gender:
Posted:
Mar 20, 2023 - 7:31am
Isabeau wrote:
Ken Paxton. Indicted State Attorney General for the state of Texas, on Securities Fraud and Abuse of Office, has managed to avoid trial for 8 YEARS, just won re-election, for a third term.
Meanwhile, within the continued anonymity of the Secretary of State's Election Office, they 'admitted to' tossing out 14,000 Mail in ballots due to failure to comply with redundant I.D. copy requests in both applying for and mailing back completed ballots. Take a wild guess as to which party ballot had more toss-outs.
This done with a blind eye from a State's ultimate legal investigative authority.
Instead, he prefers to hunt women across state lines, who might not believe in the same 'gawd' he does.
Dude must know where the bodies are buried or who/whom committed big crime$ for him to get so far without consequences.
Still believe we have a 'democracy?'
"just" = over four months ago, but Paxton doesn't hold himself out as much as a christian as the other elected fascists in this state do - he's just a garden variety white collar criminal who uses the conservative base to his own advantage (much like Lord Dampnut).
Ken Paxton. Indicted State Attorney General for the state of Texas, on Securities Fraud and Abuse of Office, has managed to avoid trial for 8 YEARS, just won re-election, for a third term.
Meanwhile, within the continued anonymity of the Secretary of State's Election Office, they 'admitted to' tossing out 14,000 Mail in ballots due to failure to comply with redundant I.D. copy requests in both applying for and mailing back completed ballots. Take a wild guess as to which party ballot had more toss-outs.
This done with a blind eye from a State's ultimate legal investigative authority.
Instead, he prefers to hunt women across state lines, who might not believe in the same 'gawd' he does.
Dude must know where the bodies are buried or who/whom committed big crime$ for him to get so far without consequences.
There are countless ways taxpayer money is 'wasted.' Forgiving Student Loans will be a boon to many families in this country.
The forgiven loans are not targeted at the right people. The context and timing are horrible.
American poor and low-income workers are just getting hammered right now, in part due the chronic popular error of always favouring stimulus and more stimulus in fiscal and monetary policies. In part due to highly presumptuous, provocative foreign policy where numerous economic consequences of strategic importance were clearly not anticipated.
The first priority should be universal basic public health care.
Texas should follow the advice of great American economists and tax experts as well as all the Nordic social democracies with their outsize socio-economic outcomes, and impose some serious consumption taxes. High excise taxes on gasoline and diesel. Decent VAT on every thing. Rebate back to lowest income groups, similar in spirit to a negative income tax.
I am hearing on NPR folks pointing out the significance of debt loads for Black American students. That might be the case but is the implicit argument here? Due to past injustices, black students should not worrying about failing or falling into poverty like everybody else? Poverty as a (hopefully) temporary lifestyle really helps focus the mind. Is this largess really healthy for the future success of disadvantaged students?
In terms of boosting market or professional success, targeting resources at families, and pre-school and primary school students in low resource neighbourhoods would likely go much farther. Double the budgets for Phys. Ed. Try to put these children on near equal footing with the sons and daughter of the educated and successful in affluent neighbourhoods.
Hot tip for US students on a budget: go to another country for university. Australia, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, they all have excellent universities and are far less expensive. Think about picking up another language. Repeatedly remind yourself how incredibly fortunate you are to have these options.
Regarding Federal Tax Money going to 'someone other than me' topic:
In 2021, Texas received badly needed $16 Billion in Covid Mitigation Funds for Schools. Abbott gave $11 Billion to the Schools and kept $5 Billion in State Coffers.
That year, property taxes lurched upward by 22% and homeowners are barely able to scrape up the funds. There is no income tax in Texas, Schools are supported strictly with property taxes, of which businesses are given a break, while residents are crushed under exploding appraisals. Its notable too that the average cost States spend per student, K-12 is $7-9K. Texas spends a paltry $3K.
Instead of using those Taxpayer Covid Funds for schools or to ease property taxes, Abbott sent that $5 Billion to pay the National Guard at the Texas Border. Americans paid taxes that Texas Governor Greg Abbott used to fund his politically motivated border circus.
There are countless ways taxpayer money is 'wasted.' Forgiving Student Loans will be a boon to many families in this country.
A Texas court ruling has prompted the stateâs Republican attorney general to admit that the party is âdone in Texasâ electorally if anyone can now vote. The comments come from Ken Paxton, who is currently embroiled in a number of controversies relating to his office's investigation into possible voter fraud. Mr Paxtonâs comments come after a Court of Appeals decision which will effectively strip him of the authority to prosecute âvoter fraudâ, with that now exclusively the job of local DAs. Since there is no appeal process, all he can do now is ask for a rehearing. Speaking on Steve Bannonâs War Room podcast, the AG confessed that the judicial decision could have a big impact on the outcome of Texan elections in years to come. âWeâre done in Texas if anybody can vote,â Mr Paxton bemoaned. âBy this November, if we (the GOP) don't get this changed, I think it's very likely we could lose five members of the Texas Supreme Court, we could lose my position, we could lose Governor.â Donald Trumpâs formerâs chief strategist then asked Mr Paxton how the ruling happened, to which he replied: âIt came as a surprise to me, to my staff, we just thought this was a joke...and the timing is clearly planned.â The Court of Appeals ruling is notable for the fact that it was made by an all-Republican court, which would seem to invalidate the 62-year-oldâs inference that it was a politically motivated decision. Mr Paxtonâs unrelenting search for evidence of voter fraud is well documented. The Houston Chronicle claims that he has spent $2.2m since the 2020 Presidential election looking for evidence of foul play. While no such evidence has been unearthed, accusations of wrong-doing on the part of Mr Paxton have surfaced. As MSNBC writes: âIf there were a competition for the most scandal-plagued elected official in the United States, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton would likely be leading the pack.â
Seems that every time an actual incident of voter fraud is discovered, it's been committed by a Republican.
A Texas court ruling has prompted the stateâs Republican attorney general to admit that the party is âdone in Texasâ electorally if anyone can now vote.
The comments come from Ken Paxton, who is currently embroiled in a number of controversies relating to his office's investigation into possible voter fraud.
Mr Paxtonâs comments come after a Court of Appeals decision which will effectively strip him of the authority to prosecute âvoter fraudâ, with that now exclusively the job of local DAs.
Since there is no appeal process, all he can do now is ask for a rehearing. Speaking on Steve Bannonâs War Room podcast, the AG confessed that the judicial decision could have a big impact on the outcome of Texan elections in years to come.
âWeâre done in Texas if anybody can vote,â Mr Paxton bemoaned. âBy this November, if we (the GOP) don't get this changed, I think it's very likely we could lose five members of the Texas Supreme Court, we could lose my position, we could lose Governor.â
Donald Trumpâs formerâs chief strategist then asked Mr Paxton how the ruling happened, to which he replied: âIt came as a surprise to me, to my staff, we just thought this was a joke...and the timing is clearly planned.â The Court of Appeals ruling is notable for the fact that it was made by an all-Republican court, which would seem to invalidate the 62-year-oldâs inference that it was a politically motivated decision.
Mr Paxtonâs unrelenting search for evidence of voter fraud is well documented. The Houston Chronicle claims that he has spent $2.2m since the 2020 Presidential election looking for evidence of foul play.
While no such evidence has been unearthed, accusations of wrong-doing on the part of Mr Paxton have surfaced. As MSNBC writes: âIf there were a competition for the most scandal-plagued elected official in the United States, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton would likely be leading the pack.â
