Tag: Governors

And The Winners

Yesterday was a small test of the political temp of the nation with a few elections for a gauge.

The big story was the NYC mayoral race…..

It’s Mamdani. Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani will be the next mayor of New York City after fending off Democrat-turned-independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The AP called the race about 35 minutes after polls closed on Tuesday. The race had taken on national implications because President Trump repeatedly called out Mamdani as a “communist” and threatened to withhold federal money from the city should he win.

Trump endorsed another criminal Cuomo….a loser.

Next is the vote in California…..Prop 50….

California voters approved new congressional district boundaries Tuesday, delivering a victory for Democrats in the state-by-state redistricting battle that will help determine which party wins control of the US House in 2026 and, with it, the power to thwart or advance President Trump’s agenda, the AP reports. The approval of Proposition 50 gives Democrats a shot at winning as many as five additional seats, just enough to blunt Texas Republicans’ move to redraw their own maps to pick up five GOP seats at Trump’s urging. Texas’ move and California’s response have kicked off a flurry of redistricting efforts around the country, with Republican states appearing to have an edge. Deeply blue California is Democrats’ best opportunity to make up seats.

Another test on all this redistricting crap being pulled by the GOP.

Virginia gets it first woman, a Dem, as governor…..

The first big race on Tuesday’s ballot has been called: Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the governor’s race in Virginia and will become the first woman to hold the seat, reports the AP. The former congresswoman defeated Winsome Earle-Sears, the current GOP lieutenant governor, with the AP calling the race about an hour after polls closed at 7. Spanberger had a comfortable lead in the polls heading into Election Day following a campaign that put a focus on the Trump administration’s mass federal layoffs—a big issue in the state.

The next governors race was also a win for the Dems…..

New Jersey, where Rep. Mikie Sherrill defeated former GOP state lawmaker Jack Ciattarelli, reports the AP, which called the race about 90 minutes after polls closed at 8. Sherrill’s victory came after Abigail Spanberger won in Virginia. The New Jersey race had been closely watched because President Trump loomed large—the president endorsed Ciattarelli, and Sherrill depicted her opponent as someone who would do whatever the president ordered.

I see Vance’s half-brother went down in defeat….another win….

All in all so far the Dems were the big winner for the day…..is that good news?

Yes but it will not hold for long…..no time to rest and pat oneself on the back….there is plenty of work to be done before the upcoming mid-terms.

That Was The Day That Was.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Only In Mississippi

Recently there was some news that had the GOP flinching and cringing.

For the last 40 years maybe more my state of Mississippi has been a bastion of far right ideology….our present governor, “Tater Twat’ Reeves is up for re-election this year, 2023.

Under normal circumstances he would be a shoo in for re-election but this year it is not a given.

That is right….for now a Democrat is leading a sitting GOP governor…..

Republicans’ worst fears about Mississippi’s gubernatorial race could be coming true after a new poll showed GOP Governor Tate Reeves trailing Democrat Brandon Presley on Monday.

Reeves’ first term, which began in 2020, has been marred by low approval ratings and several controversies, including his handling of a welfare fraud scandal involving former Governor Phil Bryant and NFL player Brett Favre and a drinking water crisis in the state capital Jackson—fueling Democratic optimism that they could flip the executive office in a state that has proven to be difficult for the party in recent years.

A new poll released on Monday could worsen Republican worries that the race could become competitive.

https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-mississippi-governors-race-fears-coming-true-tate-reeves-brandon-presley-1780930

The selling point is that Presley is a distant cousin to Elvis….but I do not think that will be enough to take him over the top in the general election in November.

There are too many ‘good old boys in the state that vote party not what is best for the state and its residents.

Reeves may be in trouble for now but I do not see the voter changing nearly a half a century of voting habits.

It is great news but I believe it is only a feel good temporary high.

I will post more on the situation in Mississippi as a run up to the general election of 2023.

Watch for the analysis.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

When Did AG Become The Head Fascist?

AG Barr has always been a goon that will do whatever he is told even when he is committing a crime…..(but that has been covered before)……our Orange president has thumped his chest about re-opening the country consequences be damn……and now like a good little lap dog Barr has threatened states that Trump is pissed with…..

Among those not happy with the strict stay-home orders in place across much of America: William Barr. The attorney general said Tuesday that the orders, which he called “disturbingly close to house arrest,” did their job—but their time is now passing. “There are very, very burdensome impingements on liberty,” he told radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, per NBC News and NPR. “And we adopted them for the limited purpose of slowing down the spread. We didn’t adopt them as the comprehensive way of dealing with this disease. We are now seeing that these are bending the curve, and we have to come up with more targeted approaches.”

He acknowledged that many of the restrictions imposed by various governors are within the powers granted to states to protect public health, but said some of them may interfere with interstate commerce, which is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. In cases where governors go “too far,” he said, “we’ll have to address that.” He noted that one course of action might involve the federal government joining lawsuits fighting the restrictions. “I’m not saying [ordering people to stay home] wasn’t justified. I’m not saying in some places it might still be justified,” Barr added. “But it’s very onerous, as is shutting down your livelihood.”

Then there is Trump’s “lovefest” with the Saudis…….Trump promised that he would help families of the dead get to the bottom of their suspicions…..Barr has reneged on that promise (which means Trump has for Barr does not take a poop without Trump’s permission)….

The move comes after President Donald Trump promised to help families, who accuse Saudi Arabia of complicity in the attacks. Barr says he cannot even explain why the material must stay secret without putting national security at risk.

Months after President Donald Trump promised to open FBI files to help families of the 9/11 victims in a civil lawsuit against the Saudi government, the Justice Department has doubled down on its claim that the information is a state secret.

In a series of filings just before a midnight court deadline on Monday, the attorney general, William Barr; the acting director of national intelligence, Richard Grenell; and other senior officials insisted to a federal judge in the civil case that further disclosures about Saudi connections to the 9/11 plot would imperil national security.

https://www.propublica.org/article/attorney-general-barr-refuses-to-release-9-11-documents-to-families-of-the-victims

Barr is helping the Saudis with their PR campaign that is trying to smooth over their numerous human rights abuses….

the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has faced a new round of negative publicity over its partnership with MiSK, the private foundation of Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman (MbS). In the latest headlines, UNESCO sought to distance itself from alleged Saudi spy Ali Alzabarah, a MiSK official who faces trial in absentia in the United States for allegedly spying for Saudi officials while employed by Twitter.

The recent news offers insights into MbS’s ongoing strategies to build power. Through MiSK and other efforts, MbS is attempting to build an aura of legitimacy in the public arena while continuing his tactics of repression at home and abroad. Sometimes, MbS is even employing the same people to do both.

How we can expose the Saudi dictatorship and blunt its public relations campaigns

AG Barr is a spineless sycophant and the sooner we dump his ass the sooner some dignity will return to the DOJ.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Stupid Kills!

Closing Thought–09Apr20 #2

They say speed kills but in this time of crisis from this pandemic…stupidity will kill!

And there are governors that are doing a lot to kill people with their inaction.

As late as March 30, 15 states had issued neither stay-at-home orders nor ordered the closure of non-essential businesses. All 15 have Republican governors. Since then, most have finally taken too-little-too-late statewide measures.

In a target-rich environment, selecting (much less ranking) the five dumbest GOP governors is no easy task. But somebody has to do it. By focusing exclusively on their response to the COVID-19 crisis, the task becomes a bit easier.

With apologies to Greg Abbott and Jim Justice, here they are:

Stupid Kills: The 5 Worst GOP Governors’ Responses to COVID-19

Well my state is in the list of governors that show NO concern for their citizens…..mine is Tater Tot Reeves……plus the population for the most part still does not take this virus seriously…..this will come back and eat the state in the unprotected ass.

This does not surprise me that my governor is one of the worse of the worst…..Mississippi has a propensity of electing those Good Old Boys that carry little for the population.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

When You Have NO Solutions—Sue The Bastards

Americans are ate up with the “Lawsuit Lotto”.

Then there is the Congress, the most wasteful institution in DC…..not only is it a part-time leadership but it is equally as worthless as a governing body……Obama recently got fed up with the dance that Congress was playing on immigration and took matters into his own hands…..

And of course whatever he does is wrong in the eyes of the GOP….they bitch and moan…..whine and shout……and still cannot come up with a plan…

But now they have their little lap dogs to do their work for them……GOP governors…….

More than a third of the states have joined a lawsuit fighting President Obama’s sweeping executive action on immigration. The suit brought by 17 states against the federal government was filed in Texas and announced by Greg Abbott, the state attorney general and governor-elect, reports the Los Angeles Times. He accuses Obama of “abdicating his responsibility to faithfully enforce laws that were duly enacted by Congress and attempting to rewrite immigration laws, which he has no authority to do.” The filing in federal court says the suit “is not about immigration. It is about the rule of law, presidential power, and the structural limits of the US Constitution.”

The other states suing are Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Supporters of Obama’s immigration order called the suit grandstanding, and the administration says the order was legal and has precedent, reports the Wall Street Journal. “The Supreme Court and Congress have made clear that federal officials can set priorities in enforcing our immigration laws, and we are confident that the president’s executive actions are well within his legal authorities,” a White House spokesman says.

Just what the resident of those states need…..a moronic lawsuit instead of jobs and policies that benefit the people…but NOOOOOOOOOOO!  These turkeys want to grand stand and play the Constitutionality card….a term they do not understand.  It all sounds impressive but in reality it is a game and a political theater.

Is The 2016 GOP Field Slimming?

In a day not too far away we will go to the polls and vote for our next president…….some of us will vote D and others the R……..not a year ago we had a wide array of possible candidates especially for the GOP……we had Christie, Bush, Cruz, Paul, Walker and a few outside choices like Scott…..but just a few short months from that prediction the field may be thinning a bit…….why?

There seems to be many GOP governors that were a good choice that are having a few legal problems that could crap all over there desire to run…….

From Talking Points memo………

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R): Perhaps the governor that’s gotten the most attention over an investigation is Christie, who has continued to be dogged by the George Washington bridge traffic scandal. The latest news on that front is that a commissioner for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey resigned on Monday, just a few days after new reports of a second investigation of Christie’s ties to the Port Authority. Other Port Authority officials have quit in recent months as probes into the lane closures of the George Washington Bridge at the center of the bridge scandals have intensified. (The commissioner’s spokesman has denied that the resignation was connected to the reports on investigations of the George Washington Bridge closures.)

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R): In Wisconsin Walker faces challenges over whether he conducted illegal activity while running for governor. On Thursday, Walker’s re-election campaign asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take up a case from the state Court of Appeals over if prosecutors could subpoena documents as part of an investigation into illegal coordination between Walker’s campaign and outside groups during recent recall elections. Walker survived one of those elections in 2012.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R): Earlier in the month, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled that Scott’s administration broke federal law when it purged non-citizens from voter rolls during the 2012 presidential election. In a ruling of 2-1 the Court of Appeals determined that the roll purge violated the National Voter Registration Act’s “90 Days Provision” that says states have to “complete, not later than 90 days prior to the date of a primary or general election for Federal office, any program the purpose of which is to systematically remove the names of ineligible voters from the official lists of eligible voters.”

And then there is everyone’s fave “oops” moment governor…..Rick Perry…….

On Monday a state district judge named 12 jurors and two alternates to consider possible criminal charges against Perry. A day earlier Perry hired a high profile Austin-based defense lawyer to represent him. At the center of all this is an ongoing investigation over Perry vetoing funding for the Travis County District Attorney’s office. The investigation has been called “Bridgegate West” by the Dallas Morning News, a reference to an investigation of corruption in New Jersey.

If these faves do not run….then who will be the pre-campaign front runner?  Who will the media crown as the GOP frontrunner?  They already have Clinton as the Dem…..but who will they throw their weight behind?

Mississippi–Onward And Downwrd

From time to time I like to post on stuff happening in my state…..Mississippi.  Recently I commented on another blog about their post of the “under God” slogan passed by the legislature….my comment was more like….”Great!  But maybe they should spend more time trying to improve the quality of life of their fellow Mississippians.  We are at the bottom of most good list and the top of most bad list.”  The retort was that Mississippi is not at the bottom of unemployed list we are 44th.  My response was….”Great!  There is something to be proud of….no doubt.”

Mississippi has lousy health care, education, employment,  the highest rates for diabetes and obesity….like I said…all things to be proud of………for instance…here is the agenda for our governor as published in the Clarion-Ledger………

ACT testing

The House passed a pilot program to study using the ACT as a high school exit exam. Bryant said the move would save the state an estimated $3.5 million a year. He said the move has support from parents, school superintendents and others. “After you graduate, people want to know your ACT score, not your score on subject-area tests,” Bryant said. “I call this ‘wheels on luggage’ — why did it take so long to figure out, after we’ve been toting luggage around all those years. This will save that money, and they’ll be using a test that students are going to need.”

Federally qualified health centers

The Senate has passed a bill that would create or expand federally qualified health centers through state grants of $3.2 million. A House-passed bill would provide $4.8 million in grants for more services at the centers. He said, “They serve over 300,000 Mississippians now, some that don’t have insurance, some that do and some on Medicaid. If we could expand that to another 100,000 to 150,000 Mississippians receiving preventative and primary care, it would be a great benefit to us.”

Criminal justice reform

Bryant supports an omnibus House bill, the result of a bipartisan task force and the Pew Charitable Trusts, aimed at reducing prison population and costs, standardizing sentencing and parole and reducing recidivism. Bryant calls it “being tough but also smart on crime.” Bryant pledged last fall his focus this session would be on public safety. Bryant’s proposal to add a special veterans’ court was also added to the bill.

TANF drug screening

The House passed a bill Bryant backs to require Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients to complete a drug questionnaire and take drug tests if the screening deems them a high risk for substance abuse. “I know how controversial this is, and people saying we are targeting TANF recipients,” Bryant said. “… But if someone’s abusing drugs, we need to try to get them treatment … get them clean and sober, get you to work and in a program.”

Teen pregnancy

The Senate passed a measure Bryant supports that requires public colleges and universities to develop plans for addressing teen pregnancy among students. Bryant said, “Since I became governor, I made it a priority to confront and combat teen pregnancy in this state. We are already making progress and have seen (the rate) decline by 10.3 percent.”

DPS/Highway Patrol

Bryant wants to increase DPS funding, including $6.9 million for a trooper school to add 60 more troopers to the Highway Patrol. He has support in the House and with Speaker Philip Gunn. Its fate with Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and the Senate is less certain. Bryant has indicated he might call lawmakers into special session if they fail to add troopers.

DNA testing

Bills Bryant supports passed the House and Senate and would mandate collection of DNA samples from people arrested for violent crimes. Bryant said similar legislation in New Mexico has helped solve hundreds of crimes. “I understand there is some concern about personal privacy, but I would say if there is probable cause you have committed a violent felony, then it’s no different than taking your photograph or fingerprint — a noninvasive swab,” Bryant said. “If we did nothing else this year but begin that DNA testing, it would solve some violent crimes, rapes and homicides that are cold files, and it would be a remarkable year if we did nothing more than that.”

The House approved a bill to create state law enforcement strike teams to help local agencies with high crime areas. Bryant said there are areas in the state “where gang involvement is to the point that they are overpowering law enforcement.” The teams would be under the attorney general’s office. “This is meeting a powerful criminal force that exists in this state,” Bryant said.

In God We Trust

Bryant is pushing for “In God We Trust” to be added to the state seal. The Senate killed the specific bill Bryant backed but added it as an amendment to another. Bryant said he was inspired to add it to the seal during a trip to Florida, which has the phrase on its state seal. “It’s something that means a great deal to me,” Bryant said.

Agencies, boards and commissions

This one appears to have failed. Bryant has vowed to reduce the state’s 204 agencies, boards and commissions, which have 1,826 appointees. Bryant had proposed that any that hadn’t met in 24 months be abolished, that four year terms be imposed, with a term limit of eight years consecutively. He also proposed that they be audited at least every two years and that they publicly publish their travel polices and expenses. Bryant’s proposals either died in committee or were not brought up. He said he had doubts about lawmakers passing such reforms because the boards all have large constituencies.

Mississippi is the most conservative state and the most religious….with that said it is NOT one of the happiest……..a recent survey, a well being if you will found the following….

Here’s a look at how other states fared according to their Well-Being Index score, which follows a scale of 0 to 100:

At the bottom:

  1. West Virginia: 61.4 (on the bottom for the 5th year running)
  2. Kentucky: 63
  3. Mississippi: 63.7
  4. Alabama: 64.1
  5. Ohio: 64.2

Check out the full list here.

The Gov ran on a platform of low taxes, education and jobs………Check out the list….now pick the ones that create jobs or improve the quality of life for Mississippians………  Could anyone offer a conclusion on why Mississippi is in sad shape?

I will wait.

And So It Begins

There was excellent news a couple of days ago….ah geez, I forgot what it was…..sorry could not resist…..the good news is that the state of Texas will have a new governor…..Rick Perry has decided not to run again….mostly likely to prepare for the 2017 presidential elections…..oops….2016.

(Newser) – As Rick Perry was waxing poetic over his political future yesterday, he refused to rule out a 2016 run for the White House, calling it “certainly … an option out there.” Today, Texas’ longest-serving governor said he “will not seek re-election” in 2014, reports the AP, during a gathering of friends and supporters he called to discuss “exciting future plans.”

“The time has come to pass on the mantle of leadership,” he said, as per CNN; his move opens the door for longtime Texas AG Gregg Abbott. And it does nothing to quell speculation about a run in 2016, notes Politico. “I will spend the next 18 months working to create more jobs, opportunity, and innovation,” said Perry. “I will actively lead this great state. I’ll also pray and reflect and work to determine my own future path.” The AP has a timeline of Perry’s career here.

But the better news is that Eliot Spitzer, the former governor of New York, is trying to make a political comeback….this time as comptroller of the City of New York…..if you recall he was caught with a high priced hooker and forced to resign…..but after five years he will attempt a comeback….I mean if Sanford can do it, Wiener can do it, why not Spitzer?

A former attorney general known for being a Wall Street watchdog and  in his own words a “steamroller,” Spitzer resigned in 2008 after reports surfaced that he had patronized a high-end prostitution group, Emperors Club VIP. No charges were ever brought against him.

“I’m hopeful there will be forgiveness, I am asking for it,” he said in a telephone interview to The New York Times Sunday night. He plans to forgo the city’s public campaign funding and finance the campaign himself. He will need to garner 3,750 signatures by September in order to get on the ballot.

If he makes it on the ballot, Spitzer will arguably have the best name recognition on a ballot of otherwise local names: the top contender is Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, who has already earned the endorsement of many in the New York City mayoral race in the hours since Spitzer’s announcement.

From what I know, Spitzer is a very capable person and his past is just that…his past…and whatever he did it is between him and his conscious….I mean if criminals like Vitter and Ensign can find room to still play politics…..why not Spitzer?

Assaulting The System

For years I have been telling people to watch their backs that they were letting the politicians get away with way too much and that it would eventually sneak up and bite them in the butt…..right about now the voter’s ass should look like hamburger!

It began with the hatchet job done on ACORN by Breitbart and his lackey film maker….it seemed that the Far Right had to silence ACORN and the job it did helping poor people register to vote….for those people were “Democrats”…argh!

Then after the 2010 election we had a number of Repub governors attacking collective bargaining and union membership as some how making the deficits worse in their states….states like Ohio, Wisconsin …….after all unions were the major contributors to the opposition…..those “Democrats”…..argh!

And then Repub governors and legislatures started attacking voting…..they passed new laws that limit who could vote or made it extremely hard for some people to register….states like Florida…because these people more than likely would have voted….”Democrat”….argh!

And now there is a new approach…..the Hill is reporting….

A new proposal by the governor of Pennsylvania that would dramatically change how the state awards its Electoral College votes could have a major impact on the 2012 election — and President Obama’s reelection chances.The plan would be similar to the configurations in Nebraska and Maine, which divide their votes rather than adopting the “winner-take-all” system in place in the remaining states plus the District of Columbia. But while Nebraska and Maine have a relatively small impact on the race, due to their size, Pennsylvania’s adoption of the system would have a dramatic effect on the presidential process.

They will tinker with a plan that was stated in the Constitution….remember that document?

This plan would further eliminate the whole  idea of one vote concept….this is the attempt to find ways to prevent Obama from gaining all the electoral votes….these newly elected Repub governors and legislatures are doing what they accused us Leftist of wanting to do in the past….and yet they get support and the Left got vilified……why is that?  To be fair, this idea could well, backfire on them….but that is not important….trying to gin the system for the 2012 election is all that matters at this time…….

I warned yet again…WATCH your backs…….or you will lose what few voting rights you have now…..and there are NOT many left.