I believe that Beto can fix Texas...the problem child. On more than one occasion, we've seen Texas wanting to go at it alone and listened to their tantrums of their quest for independence from the United States. We all know that cooperation builds strength and separation weakens. Texas needs to learn a lesson by observing the human body. Cells love working together in tandem to produce optimum health. What happens when a cell goes rogue? Cancer.
I like that Beto actually wants the job and is working hard to reach voters. He did the same in 2018 when he ran for U.S. Senate. He visited every one of 254 counties in the state--a daunting prospect given Texas' size. Some he visited more than once. He answers questions and treats people with respect. He's what we need.
I modified this post. Please see Barbara's post about 12 comments below this one with links to Beto O'Rourke's accomplishments and also comparing his accomplishments with Ted Cruz (which are nearly non-existent.
I think Beto O'Rourke would be better for Texas than anyo of the others who are running.
Do you count Beto’s actions during the winter grid failure? While Cruz fled and Abbott gouged, Beto organized a lot of people to check on their neighbors and if needed bring them to safety.
Instead of asking what has he done, maybe you should be asking why not ask what has the current people done?
Seems like the people of TX don't seem to mind paying more money for bad decisions.
Look at the over priced electric bill of 26+ billion, the billions he lost with his stunt at the border and now that Mexican rail line (I think that was it) that I am sure will cost more billions.
Maybe think about helping Beto and making sure he hires experienced people to help him.
The governor, much like the president doesn't really do the actual work, it's the people that they hire that does it.
So instead of talking about what he hasn't done talk about what he can.
What exactly do you have to lose?
By the way, I was planning on moving to TX after my husband passes so I could be close to my grandson. Those plans are on hold because I can't move to a state that treats it citizens like they do.
Beth, I like the idea of focussing on what the existing governor has not done, and, of course that is a lot and if I include what he has done, Gerrymandered to minimize the minority votes in Harris County and around Austin, then it looks even worse.
But, I also think it is reasonable to want to see someone who has a history of accomplishment go into leadership. It bodes well.
I know, we have history of electing people with no accomplishments: Reagan, Bush II, Trump, BUT, look what happened after those low accomplishment folks got in power.
They DID hire people. People who knew how to rip us off and steal us blind.
Hiring people and hiring the right people are two different things. Trump's cabinet was physically the ugliest group of people I've ever seen--because they were ugly on the inside, focused on deconstructing the government by destroying watchdogs so that they could enrich themselves as much as possible...yeck....
I would argue that a D in front of the name does not assure competence, capability, or good intentions. Trump did hire people who were competent in the jobs they were hired to do, they just went doing the jobs we thought they were doing, and in the public interest.
You got it Beth--surrounding yourself with the right people is the key. I feel for your trepidation about moving to TX. The political polarization in this country is affecting people to the point that they are moving to states more conducive to their leanings. I have two friends whose relatives moved to TX after drinking the QAnon koolaid. If, God forbid, the worst case scenario happens in this country, my husband and I are planning to infiltrate Vancouver, Canada, via friends....
according to a good many columns written many years ago, by Ms. Ivins, the governor doesn't have as much power as the lieutenant governor. Beto needs to surround himself with experienced people and hope a strong supporter wins the "Lite Guv" office. Of course that could have changed in the 20 to 30 years since I first read about Texas' strange governmental arrangements.
To some degree, I think, but mainly because the current gov represents the interests of those who look after their own interests. Texas has had some very good people as gov, who were trashed the whole way. Johnson, though not a perfect man, somehow emerged from that system with the ability to use his political talent to support a set of programs that enhanced human dignity. The overflow from the war in Viet Nam (and his personal shortcomings) did him in politically. He was a good lesson that sometimes a flawed human being can be a better choice than someone who presents as a savior. Later on, GW was the pure product of the distorted Texas way of doing things, and carried it right into the White House. Between Reagan's legacy and his, our political culture changed. In Texas, it kind of looks like a continuing downward spiral since then. Sad when you think of some of the really fine individuals who have been part of Texas politics and then discarded.
Here is some information. What is frustrating is that it took me all of 5 minutes to research O'Rourke. I hope the people of Texas can see a clear difference between O'Rourke, Abbot and Cruz. It only takes a minute to look into issues.
"Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s (D-Texas) voter mobilization organization launched a new voter registration tool on Thursday, days after the Texas legislature approved a controversial elections overhaul bill that many say will restrict access to the ballot box.
The group, Powered by People, launched the “Drive-to-You” program, an on-demand voter registration service that will allow eligible Texas voters to register to vote from their homes.
Over their six years in Congress, what have Cruz and O'Rourke gotten done? We dug into their legislative histories and asked both men for their top accomplishments in the Capitol.
Send him the support of a few good electrical engineers. It is only the quality of individuals who work for you that will bridge the gaps. The leadership of a man is found in the people he chooses.
It is the team you build that makes it happen. Back in the day I ran a team that put in a new 5 stand hot mill, in today's dollars a half billion project. We took out the old mill and put in the new in 45 days 10 and a half hours. What did I do? I got the signs made and installed that put the company name on the side of the mill. The team of about 20 did the project. Plus all of the production folks kept the rest of the plant running during those 45 days.
If you have been on a commercial aircraft in the last 30 years you flew on metal rolled on that mill. It the team that did this, I just built the team.
It strikes me that what you did at the outset was provide a focus, and identity for your project that your team could identify with, a prerequisite for teamwork. And gave it visibility and purpose. Going to assume you also had support from the community which makes a big difference too. Big difference in scale, but good basic principle. I think that's pretty much what Biden is doing. It strikes that in spite of the obstacles and brickbats constantly being thrown his way, he continues to respect the ability of his team to handle things, and sets the tone for success.
What you say is focus true and the project itself was an out growth of a board modernization plan that I was part of leading up to this project. One of the interesting things was that in many ways the team itself was made up of "rejects". The lead electrical engineer was a very quite, but experienced engineer that turned out to be very creative and very effective at building relationships with a foreign suppler. His old boss was happy to give him up and the team was happy to have him. (He didn't fit "the mold" so to speak.) The lead mechanical engineer was just considered too young to do the job - but once again very creative and very hardworking. The piping designer was this "old guy" from the corporate design department that just wanted to move back to his home town for his coming retirement. Damn he was good and fit right in. Same with the assigned purchasing agent that handled all of the local suppliers and contractors. The mill was designed and built in Germany by an outstanding supplier and one of the key team building aspects was taking team members to Germany - for a week or in some cases 2 weeks. Nothing helps build a team like getting them away from home for a short period and just being with other team members and building one on one relationships with each other and with members of the suppliers team. Besides German beer is really good.
One other thing, I had the experience of living with our young family in Wales working with very difficult technical problems in a plant there. You get a chance to learn that just because the way you would do things "at home" isn't the only way things can be done. People that are different from you doesn't mean that they can't be just as effective as you can be.
Jeeze Mike. I am half way across the South Fork of the Flathead river pulling 8 loaded mules. Why don’t I just rein that lead mare to a halt and see how many of them hot mountain canary’s decide to roll? Been there done that! Bad decision to pull a halt now. How bout we get on to camp before we start running into more downfall?
You are so right,Barbara. Most of the accolades and successes CEOs get come from outstanding individuals who work for them. In my own businesses I hired the best I could find. Their well earned accolades make me look purty smart.
Yes, experience and accomplishments matter, but, character matters more. That’s the quality I’m looking for in candidates.
And the Democrats’ tendency to find fault in our own doesn’t serve us well. We need to support and protect decent candidates willing to enter the brutal ring of politics.
Geez Louise--look at what's the alternative! For God's sake, I've never had political experience, but I can be governor of Texas! All one has to do is pick the right people and cheerlead. Beto is a one-man-band....
Mike, I've been thinking about your post. Zelensky had very little political experience before he was elected President of Ukraine, although he did have significant business and creative accomplishments. Imo, Beto should run on an anti-corruption campaign as Zelensky did, perhaps combined with a "pro-democracy in Texas" platform. Anti-corruption is a courageous stance and it resonates with people deeply. Russia is a good example of the danger of no effective opposition to corruption, right? I see Sandra has mentioned Zelensky also. Imo, your Texan friends would do well to shift their focus from Beto's bio to the deeper issues facing their state.
Mike is not saying HE thinks Beto would not be a good governor, he saying the PEOPLE of TX might not think he'll be a good governor because he doesn't have a lot of important accomplishments. And, because of that, he might not be a good candidate because he might not be able to beat the Republican. It's an excellent point. Democrats need to consider electability I'm the general election. They didn't with Hillary and look what happened.
Hillary was eminently qualified, but, decades of Republican lies caused voter mistrust. Unfortunately many Democrats and independents believed those lies. And still she won the popular vote, but, sadly not the electoral votes. All Democrats need to back our candidates regardless of who we would have preferred. Stop shooting ourselves in the foot.
Hind sight is 100 per centavos. Hillary won! The election was stolen! Or is that just “owning the libs”? I think the world of Mike who built his empire in the Empire State. The toughest venue in planet USA. But the father of the bride should be on time for the wedding.
It's not hindsight, it's intelligent analysis. We Democrats get too insulated in our own world. In 2016, I was a Conservative Republican who was sick of the Republican establishment and the establishment in general. I planned to vote for Bernie, but like many, I never would have voted for Hillary. I am now a Progressive. I would vote for her now but only as an absolute last resort. And speaking of stealing elections, I believe there were bad actors involved in the Primaries and that Bernie would have won had those bad actors not done what they did.
Congratulations you and millions came to the same conclusion. As did I. Except….. I recognized Trump and chose the lessor of my 2 evils. While I was unhappy She was competent, capable, and far and away more presidential. Not a hard choice at all in hindsight!
I know he’s passionate. My sons and I went to one of his rallies in Charleston when he was running for President. I think he would be great if elected AND had solid democratic support under him in the Tx legislature. That’s where so many well-intentioned governors get screwed. Things have gotten that bad all over.
I so agree with your wonderful comparison to the body being made by cooperating cells and comparing rogue cells to cancer. I tend to think of humans as strange, undifferentiated cells, keeping the comparison. We can clump together to do something good, otherwise we just wander around trying to stay out of trouble.
My husband is an engineer in power generation, in the field for 40 years. He says nobody can fix the Texas grid. It's going to take a great deal of federal legislation to even make it functional, something that most Texans will not support, and certainly not the powerful in Texas, stuffing their pockets.
Yes, get rid of the existing corruption is the necessary start and where greeds are involved, they will be reluctant to let go of ill gotten gains. However, it needs to happen, so we will be donating to Beto. I am thinking now about my grandfather who went many places as the head of a crew building large boilers for power. I have no idea if he actually did some of the building.
That's a good list, but absent what I've read so far? Texans must be willing to pay to fix the system. They have consistently voted to 1) reduce costs in lieu of quality and long-game risks 2) fill their flood absorbing sponges around Houston, and 3) protect industry over citizens in regard to toxic chemical releases.
Medicaid picks up the tab for the impoverished citizens downwind battling cancer. The National Flood Program picks up the tab every time Houston floods. Interestingly, Texas is absolutely fine with federalizing risk. They are not willing to pay for a reliable grid and may have been caught off guard when the rest of the country couldn't come to the rescue with the electricity problems.
The best part of the Texas power problems is companies needing reliable power will think twice about relocating there. That and the culture wars—wait until vigilantes go after tech employees, accusing them of having out of state abortions.
I agree. We might be more successful helping the Republican nation realize the features and benefits of progress over regression rather than our current failing philosophy of calling them losers and stupid. How many advertisers call their target audience unsavory. Perhaps we should instead offer them a value approach and give them the respect with which we allow them to choose. I don’t mean to be cheesy here like selling vacuums. Instead we are a political option, a party that offers an agenda with many of the bells and whistles people, of both parties need. As long as the Republican leadership has come out representing themselves as the do nothing party, the going nowhere party, and the party taking away, we might as well put forward our better options allowing them a choice. If we give them their respect back and squelch some of our rhetoric I feel strongly that many will begin to realize we have a better platform. This is a matter of choice, perhaps we should take advantage.
Thanks, Pat. Well said. I've been saying much the same thing for years (and so has Heather). So very tired of name calling that gets us nowhere and just displays the egotistical superiority felt by too many people who think of themselves as liberal but are not. They end up boxing all of us into a corner.
Pat, I appears that you live in one of the hubs of the ultra-conservative, right-wing's reach for control. The primary between Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin and Gov. Brad Little is this Tuesday. Do you have a perspective about this struggle for power? Both sides (Republicans) are very much to the right, with one side seeming to want independence from the federal government.
'A Fracture in Idaho’s G.O.P. as the Far Right Seeks Control
Ahead of a primary vote, traditional Republicans are raising alarm about the future of the party, warning about the growing strength of militia members, racists and the John Birch Society.'
'BONNERS FERRY, Idaho — At a school gymnasium in northern Idaho, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin regaled a crowd with stories of her feuds with the current governor, a fellow Republican, including the time when he briefly left the state and she issued a mutinous but short-lived ban on coronavirus mask mandates.'
'Gov. Brad Little had worked in recent years to slash taxes and ban abortion, but for Ms. McGeachin and the hundreds gathered at a candidates’ forum sponsored by the John Birch Society in late March, the governor was at cross purposes with their view of just how conservative Idaho could and should be.'
'They clapped as one candidate advocated “machine guns for everyone” and another called for the state to take control of federal lands. A militia activist, who was once prosecuted for his role in an infamous 2014 standoff with federal agents in Nevada, promised to be a true representative of the people. A local pastor began the meeting with an invocation, asking for God to bless the American Redoubt — a movement to create a refuge anchored in northern Idaho for conservative Christians who are ready to abandon the rest of the country.'
“We’re losing our state,” said Ms. McGeachin, who is now seeking to take over the governor’s job permanently. “We’re losing our freedoms.”
'The bitter intraparty contest between Ms. McGeachin and Mr. Little, set to be settled in the state’s primary election on Tuesday, reflects the intensifying split that is pitting Idaho’s conventional pro-gun, anti-abortion, tax-cut conservatives against a growing group of far-right radicals who are agitating to seize control of what is already one of the most conservative corners of the Republican Party in the country.'
'The state has long been a draw for ultraconservatives disillusioned with the liberal drift in other parts of the nation, many of them settling off the grid in the mountains of northern Idaho or among like-minded people in towns like Bonners Ferry. Over the years, the Idaho panhandle has been home to white supremacist groups and people ready to take up arms against the U.S. government. Such groups and their allies have been particularly wary of the changing nature of Idaho’s cities, including the legions of other newcomers responding to a booming job market in Boise.' (NYTimes) Link to the article is gifted.
Hi Holly, I completely understand that no one can fix the Texas Grid. I think, however, it is a great slogan desIgned to get people's attention and address the environment of failure and corruption prevelant in Texas today.
The most common mental disorder in the United States is anxiety, which affects about 40 million adults or about 18.1% of the population. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable; however, less than 40% of those suffering (36.9%) receive treatment.
"I will fix the grid.” – Beto O'Rourke
A short and sweet message that should be on billboards throughout the State of Texas!
I believe that Beto can fix Texas...the problem child. On more than one occasion, we've seen Texas wanting to go at it alone and listened to their tantrums of their quest for independence from the United States. We all know that cooperation builds strength and separation weakens. Texas needs to learn a lesson by observing the human body. Cells love working together in tandem to produce optimum health. What happens when a cell goes rogue? Cancer.
I like that Beto actually wants the job and is working hard to reach voters. He did the same in 2018 when he ran for U.S. Senate. He visited every one of 254 counties in the state--a daunting prospect given Texas' size. Some he visited more than once. He answers questions and treats people with respect. He's what we need.
Cruz cheated.
and fled to Cancun while people suffered....
Sophia.
I modified this post. Please see Barbara's post about 12 comments below this one with links to Beto O'Rourke's accomplishments and also comparing his accomplishments with Ted Cruz (which are nearly non-existent.
I think Beto O'Rourke would be better for Texas than anyo of the others who are running.
Do you count Beto’s actions during the winter grid failure? While Cruz fled and Abbott gouged, Beto organized a lot of people to check on their neighbors and if needed bring them to safety.
After watching Zelenski I realize that sometimes leaders are created in crisis and leadership emerges. Abbott needs to go.
Joan, thank you. Yes, this counts from my perspective.
Instead of asking what has he done, maybe you should be asking why not ask what has the current people done?
Seems like the people of TX don't seem to mind paying more money for bad decisions.
Look at the over priced electric bill of 26+ billion, the billions he lost with his stunt at the border and now that Mexican rail line (I think that was it) that I am sure will cost more billions.
Maybe think about helping Beto and making sure he hires experienced people to help him.
The governor, much like the president doesn't really do the actual work, it's the people that they hire that does it.
So instead of talking about what he hasn't done talk about what he can.
What exactly do you have to lose?
By the way, I was planning on moving to TX after my husband passes so I could be close to my grandson. Those plans are on hold because I can't move to a state that treats it citizens like they do.
Beth, I like the idea of focussing on what the existing governor has not done, and, of course that is a lot and if I include what he has done, Gerrymandered to minimize the minority votes in Harris County and around Austin, then it looks even worse.
But, I also think it is reasonable to want to see someone who has a history of accomplishment go into leadership. It bodes well.
I know, we have history of electing people with no accomplishments: Reagan, Bush II, Trump, BUT, look what happened after those low accomplishment folks got in power.
They DID hire people. People who knew how to rip us off and steal us blind.
Hiring people and hiring the right people are two different things. Trump's cabinet was physically the ugliest group of people I've ever seen--because they were ugly on the inside, focused on deconstructing the government by destroying watchdogs so that they could enrich themselves as much as possible...yeck....
All those you mention were Republicans.
I would argue that a D in front of the name does not assure competence, capability, or good intentions. Trump did hire people who were competent in the jobs they were hired to do, they just went doing the jobs we thought they were doing, and in the public interest.
Gerrymandered in Tarrant county too......
You got it Beth--surrounding yourself with the right people is the key. I feel for your trepidation about moving to TX. The political polarization in this country is affecting people to the point that they are moving to states more conducive to their leanings. I have two friends whose relatives moved to TX after drinking the QAnon koolaid. If, God forbid, the worst case scenario happens in this country, my husband and I are planning to infiltrate Vancouver, Canada, via friends....
according to a good many columns written many years ago, by Ms. Ivins, the governor doesn't have as much power as the lieutenant governor. Beto needs to surround himself with experienced people and hope a strong supporter wins the "Lite Guv" office. Of course that could have changed in the 20 to 30 years since I first read about Texas' strange governmental arrangements.
I miss Molly. She knew the Texas “‘leg” so well and did satire/inform with excellence.
I honor her, and Ann Richard, and Jim Hightower, and some others who had the courage to speak up.
To some degree, I think, but mainly because the current gov represents the interests of those who look after their own interests. Texas has had some very good people as gov, who were trashed the whole way. Johnson, though not a perfect man, somehow emerged from that system with the ability to use his political talent to support a set of programs that enhanced human dignity. The overflow from the war in Viet Nam (and his personal shortcomings) did him in politically. He was a good lesson that sometimes a flawed human being can be a better choice than someone who presents as a savior. Later on, GW was the pure product of the distorted Texas way of doing things, and carried it right into the White House. Between Reagan's legacy and his, our political culture changed. In Texas, it kind of looks like a continuing downward spiral since then. Sad when you think of some of the really fine individuals who have been part of Texas politics and then discarded.
Propaganda works, Karl Rove knows
Bad when both are MAGAt idjits
We are looking purple
💪🏽
Here is some information. What is frustrating is that it took me all of 5 minutes to research O'Rourke. I hope the people of Texas can see a clear difference between O'Rourke, Abbot and Cruz. It only takes a minute to look into issues.
"Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s (D-Texas) voter mobilization organization launched a new voter registration tool on Thursday, days after the Texas legislature approved a controversial elections overhaul bill that many say will restrict access to the ballot box.
The group, Powered by People, launched the “Drive-to-You” program, an on-demand voter registration service that will allow eligible Texas voters to register to vote from their homes.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/570567-beto-orourke-launches-a-voter-registration-tool-allowing-texans-to-register/#:~:text=Beto%20O%E2%80%99Rourke%20launches%20tool%20allowing%20Texas%20voters%20to%20register%20at%20home
and
Over their six years in Congress, what have Cruz and O'Rourke gotten done? We dug into their legislative histories and asked both men for their top accomplishments in the Capitol.
https://www.texastribune.org/2018/11/02/ted-cruz-beto-orourke-congressional-accomplishments-texas/#:~:text=Ted%20Cruz%20and%20Beto%20O%E2%80%99Rourke%20entered%20Congress%20at%20the%20same%20time.%20Here%E2%80%99s%20what%20they%20have%20accomplished.
Barbara.
Thank you.
I will send these links to folks I know in Texas.
Also, these links are really very good.
Lastly, apology for bringing on a sense of frustration. My own search, which I did do, did not turn up much at all.
Mike, you asked an honest, sincere question, and it was answered. This is exactly the discourse we need on this forum.
Miselle, I did try to find stuff but maybe my searches were not good.
I wasn't fussing at you Mike. Just venting in general. Sorry.
Barbara,
Everything you did was exactly correct. I appreciate your kind post with good information.
I modified my post to reference yours.
Well done and thank you again.
Powered by people, my favorite monthly donation…
Thank you.
Send him the support of a few good electrical engineers. It is only the quality of individuals who work for you that will bridge the gaps. The leadership of a man is found in the people he chooses.
It is the team you build that makes it happen. Back in the day I ran a team that put in a new 5 stand hot mill, in today's dollars a half billion project. We took out the old mill and put in the new in 45 days 10 and a half hours. What did I do? I got the signs made and installed that put the company name on the side of the mill. The team of about 20 did the project. Plus all of the production folks kept the rest of the plant running during those 45 days.
If you have been on a commercial aircraft in the last 30 years you flew on metal rolled on that mill. It the team that did this, I just built the team.
Hot mill. One piece of Hot Shot Leadership! You are the right stuff.
Annie D Stratton (VT, PacNW)
just now
It strikes me that what you did at the outset was provide a focus, and identity for your project that your team could identify with, a prerequisite for teamwork. And gave it visibility and purpose. Going to assume you also had support from the community which makes a big difference too. Big difference in scale, but good basic principle. I think that's pretty much what Biden is doing. It strikes that in spite of the obstacles and brickbats constantly being thrown his way, he continues to respect the ability of his team to handle things, and sets the tone for success.
What you say is focus true and the project itself was an out growth of a board modernization plan that I was part of leading up to this project. One of the interesting things was that in many ways the team itself was made up of "rejects". The lead electrical engineer was a very quite, but experienced engineer that turned out to be very creative and very effective at building relationships with a foreign suppler. His old boss was happy to give him up and the team was happy to have him. (He didn't fit "the mold" so to speak.) The lead mechanical engineer was just considered too young to do the job - but once again very creative and very hardworking. The piping designer was this "old guy" from the corporate design department that just wanted to move back to his home town for his coming retirement. Damn he was good and fit right in. Same with the assigned purchasing agent that handled all of the local suppliers and contractors. The mill was designed and built in Germany by an outstanding supplier and one of the key team building aspects was taking team members to Germany - for a week or in some cases 2 weeks. Nothing helps build a team like getting them away from home for a short period and just being with other team members and building one on one relationships with each other and with members of the suppliers team. Besides German beer is really good.
One other thing, I had the experience of living with our young family in Wales working with very difficult technical problems in a plant there. You get a chance to learn that just because the way you would do things "at home" isn't the only way things can be done. People that are different from you doesn't mean that they can't be just as effective as you can be.
Jeeze Mike. I am half way across the South Fork of the Flathead river pulling 8 loaded mules. Why don’t I just rein that lead mare to a halt and see how many of them hot mountain canary’s decide to roll? Been there done that! Bad decision to pull a halt now. How bout we get on to camp before we start running into more downfall?
Agree Pat. No CEO knows every skill needed for her/his span of control. She/he hires good people.
You are so right,Barbara. Most of the accolades and successes CEOs get come from outstanding individuals who work for them. In my own businesses I hired the best I could find. Their well earned accolades make me look purty smart.
And I'll bet you did not take credit for their work like some bosses I've had.
But they sure think they do. And many can’t abide a smart woman.
Absolutely!!
…and gets rid of the wrong people too.
He can simply do what has been done in El Paso. Tie the grid to the federal system, diversify the sources of power to Texas.
Or...doesn't the Sun ever shine in Texas? So there must be a way to make solar energy there a d shut down the disfunctional grid.
Yes, experience and accomplishments matter, but, character matters more. That’s the quality I’m looking for in candidates.
And the Democrats’ tendency to find fault in our own doesn’t serve us well. We need to support and protect decent candidates willing to enter the brutal ring of politics.
That’s nail on the head. First don’t be cruel or corrupt.
Ain’t that the truth…
Yes!
Geez Louise--look at what's the alternative! For God's sake, I've never had political experience, but I can be governor of Texas! All one has to do is pick the right people and cheerlead. Beto is a one-man-band....
He’s not Abbott, he has a fire in the belly, go Beto.
Mike, I've been thinking about your post. Zelensky had very little political experience before he was elected President of Ukraine, although he did have significant business and creative accomplishments. Imo, Beto should run on an anti-corruption campaign as Zelensky did, perhaps combined with a "pro-democracy in Texas" platform. Anti-corruption is a courageous stance and it resonates with people deeply. Russia is a good example of the danger of no effective opposition to corruption, right? I see Sandra has mentioned Zelensky also. Imo, your Texan friends would do well to shift their focus from Beto's bio to the deeper issues facing their state.
I am unfamiliar with what Abbott had accomplished before he was elected. Definitely he has accomplished some of the extreme right agenda items since.
Mike is not saying HE thinks Beto would not be a good governor, he saying the PEOPLE of TX might not think he'll be a good governor because he doesn't have a lot of important accomplishments. And, because of that, he might not be a good candidate because he might not be able to beat the Republican. It's an excellent point. Democrats need to consider electability I'm the general election. They didn't with Hillary and look what happened.
Hillary was eminently qualified, but, decades of Republican lies caused voter mistrust. Unfortunately many Democrats and independents believed those lies. And still she won the popular vote, but, sadly not the electoral votes. All Democrats need to back our candidates regardless of who we would have preferred. Stop shooting ourselves in the foot.
She called deplorables deplorables and was trashed for it. Never a more appropriate truth
But that was such an ignorant move that cost her so many votes. She put her ego above all else.
Bernie savaged Hillary—splitting creating the destructive chasm we have today.
BS. He had different opinions than she did. The savaging came via the media, looking to pit one candidate against another.
Hind sight is 100 per centavos. Hillary won! The election was stolen! Or is that just “owning the libs”? I think the world of Mike who built his empire in the Empire State. The toughest venue in planet USA. But the father of the bride should be on time for the wedding.
HRC should have changed gender to please plenty of men I know. WTH
She didn't need to wear a toga and testify, although her tetification put many men to shame. She still is a leader.
It's not hindsight, it's intelligent analysis. We Democrats get too insulated in our own world. In 2016, I was a Conservative Republican who was sick of the Republican establishment and the establishment in general. I planned to vote for Bernie, but like many, I never would have voted for Hillary. I am now a Progressive. I would vote for her now but only as an absolute last resort. And speaking of stealing elections, I believe there were bad actors involved in the Primaries and that Bernie would have won had those bad actors not done what they did.
Congratulations you and millions came to the same conclusion. As did I. Except….. I recognized Trump and chose the lessor of my 2 evils. While I was unhappy She was competent, capable, and far and away more presidential. Not a hard choice at all in hindsight!
Bernie would have won in a fair contest. No doubt.
What exactly was/is the problem with Hillary?
He’s got my vote!
A lot of things get fixed when a leader puts the needs and wants of the people ahead of her or his own.
I think it was HST who said that great things can be accomplished if who gets the credit is not an issue, or something like that
Texas grid independence is just a smokescreen for giving contracts to their friends who in turn donate to their campaigns.
Exactly
Check this out, he’s about as genuine and passionate as they come: https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cda4_YoLHwm/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=
I know he’s passionate. My sons and I went to one of his rallies in Charleston when he was running for President. I think he would be great if elected AND had solid democratic support under him in the Tx legislature. That’s where so many well-intentioned governors get screwed. Things have gotten that bad all over.
Yes, very true, hoping also to get rid of Lt. Gov. Patrick who's equally corrupt and replace him with Mike Collier - a phenomenal candidate!
I so agree with your wonderful comparison to the body being made by cooperating cells and comparing rogue cells to cancer. I tend to think of humans as strange, undifferentiated cells, keeping the comparison. We can clump together to do something good, otherwise we just wander around trying to stay out of trouble.
Even slime (one cell) can do better than we do (The Secret Mind of Slime, NOVA, PBS). Best NOVA n years…
As in Koch and the cattle industry
That’s good to know. Thanks.
Excellent comment, Sophie.
My husband is an engineer in power generation, in the field for 40 years. He says nobody can fix the Texas grid. It's going to take a great deal of federal legislation to even make it functional, something that most Texans will not support, and certainly not the powerful in Texas, stuffing their pockets.
Holly,
I am sure there is some real difficulty in "fixing" the Texas grid since it is truly a deadly mix of bad engineering and corruption.
But, it is not impossible. It would just require:
1. Getting rid of the corruption.
2. Then, committing to long term re-engineering of subsystems and systems.
3. As the engineering goes complete, construction would streamline behind it.
BUT, the hardest part of the above?
Number 1: Getting rid of the existing corruption.
Because, a LOT of people are getting rich and staying rich off the current mess.
Yes, get rid of the existing corruption is the necessary start and where greeds are involved, they will be reluctant to let go of ill gotten gains. However, it needs to happen, so we will be donating to Beto. I am thinking now about my grandfather who went many places as the head of a crew building large boilers for power. I have no idea if he actually did some of the building.
That's a good list, but absent what I've read so far? Texans must be willing to pay to fix the system. They have consistently voted to 1) reduce costs in lieu of quality and long-game risks 2) fill their flood absorbing sponges around Houston, and 3) protect industry over citizens in regard to toxic chemical releases.
Medicaid picks up the tab for the impoverished citizens downwind battling cancer. The National Flood Program picks up the tab every time Houston floods. Interestingly, Texas is absolutely fine with federalizing risk. They are not willing to pay for a reliable grid and may have been caught off guard when the rest of the country couldn't come to the rescue with the electricity problems.
Repubs have cheated for decades, and have no intention of stopping. But we try
Texans definitely don't want to be taxed. But, as Houston nears 101F in MAY, lets see if keeing the grid lit becomes a priority.
And THAT is exactly why Beto won't be able to fix the grid.
Mike, thanks.
daria, thank you as well.
The best part of the Texas power problems is companies needing reliable power will think twice about relocating there. That and the culture wars—wait until vigilantes go after tech employees, accusing them of having out of state abortions.
I agree. We might be more successful helping the Republican nation realize the features and benefits of progress over regression rather than our current failing philosophy of calling them losers and stupid. How many advertisers call their target audience unsavory. Perhaps we should instead offer them a value approach and give them the respect with which we allow them to choose. I don’t mean to be cheesy here like selling vacuums. Instead we are a political option, a party that offers an agenda with many of the bells and whistles people, of both parties need. As long as the Republican leadership has come out representing themselves as the do nothing party, the going nowhere party, and the party taking away, we might as well put forward our better options allowing them a choice. If we give them their respect back and squelch some of our rhetoric I feel strongly that many will begin to realize we have a better platform. This is a matter of choice, perhaps we should take advantage.
Thanks, Pat. Well said. I've been saying much the same thing for years (and so has Heather). So very tired of name calling that gets us nowhere and just displays the egotistical superiority felt by too many people who think of themselves as liberal but are not. They end up boxing all of us into a corner.
Yes Annie. We should go back to love and logic.
Pat, I appears that you live in one of the hubs of the ultra-conservative, right-wing's reach for control. The primary between Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin and Gov. Brad Little is this Tuesday. Do you have a perspective about this struggle for power? Both sides (Republicans) are very much to the right, with one side seeming to want independence from the federal government.
'A Fracture in Idaho’s G.O.P. as the Far Right Seeks Control
Ahead of a primary vote, traditional Republicans are raising alarm about the future of the party, warning about the growing strength of militia members, racists and the John Birch Society.'
'BONNERS FERRY, Idaho — At a school gymnasium in northern Idaho, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin regaled a crowd with stories of her feuds with the current governor, a fellow Republican, including the time when he briefly left the state and she issued a mutinous but short-lived ban on coronavirus mask mandates.'
'Gov. Brad Little had worked in recent years to slash taxes and ban abortion, but for Ms. McGeachin and the hundreds gathered at a candidates’ forum sponsored by the John Birch Society in late March, the governor was at cross purposes with their view of just how conservative Idaho could and should be.'
'They clapped as one candidate advocated “machine guns for everyone” and another called for the state to take control of federal lands. A militia activist, who was once prosecuted for his role in an infamous 2014 standoff with federal agents in Nevada, promised to be a true representative of the people. A local pastor began the meeting with an invocation, asking for God to bless the American Redoubt — a movement to create a refuge anchored in northern Idaho for conservative Christians who are ready to abandon the rest of the country.'
“We’re losing our state,” said Ms. McGeachin, who is now seeking to take over the governor’s job permanently. “We’re losing our freedoms.”
'The bitter intraparty contest between Ms. McGeachin and Mr. Little, set to be settled in the state’s primary election on Tuesday, reflects the intensifying split that is pitting Idaho’s conventional pro-gun, anti-abortion, tax-cut conservatives against a growing group of far-right radicals who are agitating to seize control of what is already one of the most conservative corners of the Republican Party in the country.'
'The state has long been a draw for ultraconservatives disillusioned with the liberal drift in other parts of the nation, many of them settling off the grid in the mountains of northern Idaho or among like-minded people in towns like Bonners Ferry. Over the years, the Idaho panhandle has been home to white supremacist groups and people ready to take up arms against the U.S. government. Such groups and their allies have been particularly wary of the changing nature of Idaho’s cities, including the legions of other newcomers responding to a booming job market in Boise.' (NYTimes) Link to the article is gifted.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/15/us/idaho-republican-primary-little-mcgeachin.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DIDm8fiPkORImM8kfKILBuf8Y52zWQTdkEKKUuQfVo36pbPlBxTwTtp5CLlZ0OIyQz74KvW2d8l7T8YYcFyx64JG-oNLU4g7SloxONNDX3X_DZ2HB1JQ96oZAxJUWti3AM2vzFF-Fq24R61f4iU5EqRTpWdzDK66ezc2h2O9SCahzY6AckCaoOCXyIw4nqu_9Xex5SCFnGUHp4_W47jdtaM9kRN6z8RAUyLIu82f5CTzw1c_r6QsE5VIPWlL51sLHSqRHqyMe-xfg-Fq08r6ol_YggLy30G-oa6J6IIa50&smid=url-share
My son is a nuclear engineer, he concurs Holly.
Hi Holly, I completely understand that no one can fix the Texas Grid. I think, however, it is a great slogan desIgned to get people's attention and address the environment of failure and corruption prevelant in Texas today.
The most common mental disorder in the United States is anxiety, which affects about 40 million adults or about 18.1% of the population. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable; however, less than 40% of those suffering (36.9%) receive treatment.
...
Mental Health Statistics by State 2022.
State % of Adults
Virginia 5.53%
Texas 5.28%
Alaska 5.20%
Tennessee 5.17%
46 more rows
And why is the TX grid such a mess? Because they went rogue....
Is it that bad?
Beto will "fix" all of Texas as well. Abbott is a disgrace....vying with deathSantis for biggest disgrace.
DeSantis is fascist. Abbott is Far far right extremist.
Or a billboard of Abbot, “I alone haven’t fixed it”
Good one!
Was that a most excellent statement no one can argue with? Go Beto!!
Ya hear that Mad Dog, get to it…
Good morning, Daria. Good to see you here.... Hope all is well there in Mexico.
Hey Pam! Good Sunday!! I thought I replied yesterday but my internet is acting very oddly the last couple of days🌷❤
Glad to know all is well. Hope the internet is back behaving.
Agree 1000%. What better is there to say, Beto?
Gov Abbott, “ I will redirect the Jewish Space lasers to a solar farm outside Waco to fix the grid”
Direct it to the state capitol
🤣