Police Oversight Propositions, Lawsuit Related To Statesman PUD, Possible Replay Election on Rail
Short reports on the May 6 police oversight election, a lawsuit filed in relation to the Statesman PUD and a possible redo election on rail
Primary Election Round Up – From Congress to the Commissioners Court
Texas Primary Election Round Up – Federal, State and local races in the Austin area.
19 Cops Indicted – Republican Railroad Commission Primary Gets Racy – Casar Earns Half True Rating
APD indictments, Republican primary gets racy, Casar ad update.
Eckhardt Cleared in “Judicial Conduct” Complaint, But The Right to Disparage City Council Is Under Attack
A panel of Republican judges clears Sarah Eckhardt, and displays a sense of humor. But, a few local Democrats want to stop disparagement of the Austin City Council.
JFK Jr. a No-Show; Doggett Announces for New Austin Seat; Casar vs Rodriguez in District 35; and More
Observing emergent Texas Fascism. JFK Jr. a no show in Dallas. Lloyd Doggett announces for new Austin seat. Rodriguez vs Casar.
COVID Deaths Reach Civil War Levels – Do General Grant’s Words Fit Today?
As COVID deaths near Civil War levels we ponder whether the words of General Grant can apply today. Plus an examination of the dominant media narrative on national Democrats.
Texas Garners Multiple National Headlines – Human Toll from Abbott’s Pandering Mounts – There Goes Robert E. Lee
The casualty count from Governor Greg Abbott’s pandering mounts while Robert E. Lee finally goes down in Virginia.
So Long Arnold Garcia
I want to begin today’s column with a few words about my friend Arnold Garcia, former Editorial Board Chairman at the Austin American-Statesman. Arnold passed away from pancreatic cancer on August 12. The Statesman did a superb job of giving him his due, in a story...
APD Still Pretty Mum on Charges from Garza and Garza – Watson May Run – Candlewood Update – Abbott Still Endangering Public Health
APD sort of responds to property crime questions. Candlewood purchase update. Abbott’s dangerous pandering. Watson may run again for Mayor.
What If Texas Were More Like France? At Least in August
Texas in August, Save Austin Now petition, Fued between TCo prosecutors and APD, Austin’s Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, COVID resurges locally
Joe Manchin Comes To Texas – Surge Voters Often Help Republicans
Manchin raises money from oil tycoons after rebuffing fugitive Texas Ds. A look at surge voters.
Catching Up: True Meaning of the Council Holiday, Soccer, Potential Trojan Horse, Republicans and Jim Crow
Well, we took a few weeks break from publishing here at the Austin Independent, but we’re back. Let’s take a look at some of the things that happened while we were gone. First of all, our vacation corresponded with the first few weeks of the City Council’s six...
Legislature Adjourns – Greg Abbott Gets Meaner – States’ Rights Trumps Local Control
This week’s good news is that the Texas Legislature adjourned. The bad news is that they will be coming back later this year.
Abbott Defends Rights of the Unborn – The Born, Not so Much
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is looking out for the unborn, but he’s not quite as enthusiastic about protecting the already born, at least not all of them.
Giving the Anti-Strong Mayor Campaign Its Due – A Ray of Good News About Barton Creek – Another Major Zoning Case In East Austin
The Independent gives the stong mayor campaign its due; office towers proposed at former East Austin tank farm site, good news on Barton Creek, but a tragedy in the local environmental community.
Task Force Recommends No Cadet Class and No Guns for Police – Plus A Short Check In on Greg Abbott
Let’s start by checking in on Governor Greg Abbott, who we haven’t discussed in a while. Abbott is actually an Austin voter and he took time after voting early on Tuesday April 20 to tell waiting media that he voted for Proposition B. That is the proposed reversal of...
Will Others in Texas Follow Austin’s Lead on COVID? Just Kidding
Travis County’s COVID-19 fatality rate is less than half that of Texas. Commissioner Shea wonders if others in Texas will try to learn from Austin
Explanations from ERCOT and Austin Energy Plus a Possible New Approach for Ted Cruz
Let’s hit a few points not covered in the accompanying article. First, a lot of questions were raised yesterday about why downtown Austin was still lit up while adjacent East Austin was almost totally dark — as were many other parts of town. Austin Energy responded...
What National Democrats Can Learn From Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick – Gov Abbott Continues Attacks on Austin – Hank Aaron, American Hero
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick shows US Senate Democrats the way. US COVID deaths pass World War II total. Remembeing Hank Aaron.
Texas Insurrection Connections
A number of Texans have generated headlines in relation to last week’s insurrection; some of them famous already, others not until now.
Republican Snowflakes Melt Over Sarah Eckhardt’s Hat Choice While Other Texas Republicans Lead Attacks On American Democracy
Come on Texas Republicans. What a bunch of snowflakes. OK, that could cover a lot of ground. I’m referring specifically to the “Public Admonition” of State Senator Sarah Eckhardt by the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct. It is for actions Eckhardt took while...
How Much Embarrassment Can Texas Take? (OK, Probably A Lot More)
Ken Paxton sues to overturn the presidential vote in four other states. Mayor Steve Adler makes the Daily Show.
Adler Met His Match You Know, On the Beaches Down in Mexico
Mayor Steve Adler’s vacation trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico — from where he urged his fellow Austinites to stay home — makes national and international headlines.
Trump Continues to Hide Out and Claim Fraud as Country’s Problems Mount
It’s been almost three weeks since the election and President Donald Trump continues to hide out in the White House with almost no public events on his schedule. Also, the man who prides himself on being such a tough guy has not taken a single question from reporters...
DeBeauvoir and Elfant Work To Make Voting Less Difficult and More Likely in Travis County
Those of us who focus on and care about government generally do so because we want the government to do a good job. Especially on the Democratic side, we want government to work. And, when we see it working well, the view here is that we should say so. With that...
Paxton, Abbott and Trump, A Triumvirate For Our Times
Ken Paxton, Greg Abbott and Donald Trump have bizarre weeks, even for them.
Stonegate and Montopolis Zoning Cases Return to Council Agenda — Govalle Update — A Pander That Didn’t Work out for Governor Greg Abbott
East Austin Upzonings Return to Council Agenda – A Governor Abbott Pander Fails to Win a Friend
True Stories – Trump Flotilla on Lake Travis Leaves Metaphor and Symbolism In Its Wake – Do Greg Abbott and Greg Casar Have More In Common Than Their First Names?
Trump Flotilla inspires metaphor and symbolism, Gov Greg Abbott threatens to put APD under state control, do Abbott and Greg Casar have more in common than their first names?
Governor Abbott and Austin Council Tangle Over Cuts to Police Budget — Did the Council Hand a Campaign Issue to Texas Republicans?
Austin City Council cuts the police budget and Governor Greg Abbott senses a political opportunity.
Who Will Replace Sarah Eckhardt As Travis County Judge — How That Will Be Decided Might Surprise You
The next County Judge of Travis County Texas could be elected with just 35 votes. Plus the Austin City Council moves to place a large property tax for rail on the November ballot.
Trump Administration Finally Aids Texas Coronavirus Response — What Happened to States’ Rights? — Farewell to John Lewis
Trump Administration sends refrigeration trucks to Texas for dead bodies and abandons Republican States’ Rights principles with actions in Portland.
Update: City of Houston Invokes Force Majeure to cancel Texas Republican Convention – Republicans Say See You in Court
As COVID-19 grips Houston, Mayor Sylvester Turner cancels Texas Republican Convention. GOP threatens to sue.
True Stories – Governor Abbott Backtracks a Little Bit, Regrets Reopening Bars – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Faces Invasion of Maskless Republicans — Austin Council Maneuvers on $100 Million Police Cut/Reallocation
Republicans prepare to pour into Covid hotspot Houston for their Texas state convention. How will Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo respond? And, the Austin City Council ponders a $100 million cut to the police budget.
Early Voting for Texas Primary Runoff Starts Monday, Austin Remains in Stage 4 Risk Level
Early voting set to start in delayed Texas runoff election
True Stories: Virtual Standoff on Second Street – City Manager Rejects Calls to Fire Police Chief Manley – Activists and Council Members Press for Reallocation of $100 Million from Police Budget
Austin City Council considers $100 million cut in police budget and axing of 100 proposed police officer positions, as part of local Defund the Polilce initiative.
True Stories – D.C. Mayor Trumps Trump – APD “Less Lethal” Rounds Still Inflict Serious Injuries
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser trumps Trump. “Less lethal” rounds in Austin still pretty lethal. Chief Manley apologizes but serious injuries remain.
True Stories – Chip Roy Mourns Threadgill’s
Chip Roy mourns Threadgill’s and serves up platitudes while Dan Patrick returns to Fox News and Greg Abbot moves to reopen Texas.
True Stories – Congressman Chip Roy Explains His Big Spending Habits
Congressman Chip Roy tries to explain his transformation to big government spending.
A Pearl Harbor – Coronaviruanalogy falls short.
Ways to support medical workers and Austin businesses.
True Stories – Lt. Gov. Patrick Willing to Die for His Cause
by Daryl Slusher Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick leaped into national headlines this week by volunteering to die for the economy. Patrick told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson: “Tucker, no one reached out to me and said, as a senior citizen, are you willing to take a...