BOR: - Greg Abbott

Texas Lunch Links: Obamacare, Abortion Restrictions, and Our Broken Political System

Nick Hudson — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Texas Lunch Links is a lunchtime buffet of interesting Texas News and Views with a heavy emphasis on happenings at the Texas Legislature.

OBAMACARE:Texas will probably get a mere $8 million from the federal government to spend on enrolling about 5 million uninsured people. That's less than $2 per uninsured resident, compared with about $31 per person in Maryland.

OUR BROKEN POLITICAL SYSTEM: The Last week, the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board wrote, "if we, as a people, are serious about finding common ground on guns and other divisive issues, it will behoove us to make changes in our political system far away from those battles that turn us into sworn enemies and tie us in knots."

GUNS: A number of bad Gun bills are headed to the Texas Senate after the House approved them this weekend.
DROUGHT: Though parts of Texas may emerge from our drought this year, it may be too late for farmers with cotton, corn, and sorghum crops to recover.

PAYDAY LENDING: Don Baylor of the Center for Public Policy Priorities thoughtfully opines in favor of legislation to regulate the payday lending in today's Austin American Statesman.

DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS: Greg Abbott's legal opinion that local governments' decision to provide domestic partnership benefits violate the Texas Constitution won't impact for those receiving domestic partnership benefits.

ABORTION: The fate of attempts this legislative session to dismantle the trimester framework established in Roe v. Wade by banning abortions after twenty weeks and to make it harder and more expensive for healthcare professionals to do their jobs by imposing strict new standards on abortion facilities may be determined by pro-life Democrats.

Marc Ott: City of Austin Upholds Domestic Partner Benefits

Edward Garris — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:40:20 GMT

The fallout from yesterday's opinion on domestic partner benefits by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott continues. Equality Texas this morning issued a press release arguing that the opinion letter had, in fact, given a domestic partners and their public employers a way forward - a roadmap for how to achieve their aims while complying with the laws of the state of Texas.

This afternoon, Marc Ott, City Manager for the City of Austin, responded with a resounding "whatever." In an open memorandum, Ott stated:

"While we will continue the evaluate the Attorney General's opinion, it continues to be our belief that the City's domestic partner group benefits program is not prohibited by the Texas Marriage Amendment, and that the Texas Legislature did not intend the Amendment to have that effect when it was placed before the voters in 2005."

"The Attorney General's opinion does not require the City to take any specific, action, and we do not intend to change domestic partner eligibility for our benefits program at this time."

Notably, the City of Austin and its domestic partner eligibility program had been one of the specifically enumerated programs in State Sen. Dan Patrick's request for an opinion to the Attorney General. The full text of Marc Ott's response can be read here.

Way Forward: Equality Texas Sees Beyond Texas AG Greg Abbott's Opinions

Edward Garris — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:30:00 GMT

In the wake of yesterday's watershed opinion on domestic partnerships by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, Equality Texas has taken an intensely practical, glass half-full approach. Equality Texas Executive Director Chuck Smith today released an analysis of what the Attorney General's nonbinding opinion letter means, and what persons in domestic partnerships and their public employers can do. That analysis is below.

Building a State of Equality in Texas
April 30, 2013
Yesterday's opinion issued by Attorney General Greg Abbott on employee benefit programs is a roadmap forward.
Yes, forward.
Attorney General opinions do not carry the weight of law. They are advice from the state's top lawyer. And while Attorney General Abbott opined on certain eligibility requirements of employee benefit programs that are not acceptable, he also provided very clear guidance that political subdivisions may provide health benefits to unmarried household members if the eligibility criteria are properly structured.
Indeed, the AG's opinion specifically incorporates the 2005 testimony of Representative Warren Chisum, the author of the constitutional amendment, on his legislative intent:
"This amendment to the Constitution would not negate or set aside any contract that an employer wanted to make with his employee....It does not change what a city might do. It just says that they won't recognize anything that creates the same legal status identical to or similar to marriage. It does not stop them from providing health benefits to same-sex partners. It is not intended to do that."

So, what does this mean?
It means cities, counties, and school districts seeking to remain competitive with private business can offer employee benefit programs that provide health and other benefits to unmarried household members if the eligibility criteria are properly structured.
However, eligibility should not use the term "domestic partner", or be based upon proving the existence of a "domestic partnership", or use criteria usually associated with marriage (like current marital status, or related by a certain degree of consanguinity).
It means political subdivisions can offer employee benefit programs to unmarried household members if their eligibility criteria don't look like marriage, or create something that resembles marriage.
So, to the cities, counties, and school districts that currently offer benefits to unmarried household members, and to those considering it: Read the Roadmap. Then Move Forward.
Chuck Smith
Executive Director

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott Denies Benefits for Same Sex Couples in Austin

Edward Garris — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:54:37 GMT

April can be the cruelest month. In a defeat for civil rights and home rule in Texas, Texas Attorney Greg Abbott scaled back rights for same-sex couples in cities such as Austin, Pflugerville, El Paso, Fort Worth, and others.

In November, State Senator Dan Patrick sent a request for an official opinion to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, asking this question:

"Does Art. 1, §32 of the Texas Constitution that defines marriage as one man and one woman and prohibits government recognition of any legal status identical or similar to marriage preclude political subdivisions of Texas from providing so-called domestic partnership benefits to their employees?"

Today, in a six-page opinion , Greg Abbott struck down advances in civil liberties for same sex couples in Texas, and answered Patrick's letter stating that it does.

Patrick had been upset that insurance benefits were offered to members of same-sex couples in Travis County, the City of Austin, Pflugerville ISD, El Paso, Fort Worth, the City of San Antonio, and El Paso County.

Abbott's letter first argues that Section 32 - the section in question - applies to Texas cities, counties, and school districts (no word yet on municipal utility districts or MUDs). It then asks whether these political subdivisions have created or recognized a legal status, and, if so, whether that legal status is identical or similar to marriage.

Abbott's letter answers "yes" to both questions, at the end stating that Section 32 "prohibits political subdivisions from creating a legal status of domestic partnership and recognizing that status by offering public benefits based upon it," but not before cautioning that the U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming rulings on DOMA and Prop 8 might make this very letter unenforceable.

AG Greg Abbott Fears Battleground Texas More Than North Korea

Katherine Haenschen — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Kim Jung-un may have nuclear missiles pointed towards Central Texas, but Attorney General Greg Abbott is more concerned about the grassroots organizers pointing Democrats towards the voting booth.

At a Republican Club meeting in Waco, Abbott stoked the flames of partisan rancor by railing against the United Nations and emphasizing the threat that Battleground Texas poses to Republican dominance in Texas.

From the Waco Tribune:

Abbott also weighed in on Battleground Texas, a group formed by veterans of Obama's presidential campaigns hoping to make Democrats more competitive in Texas, where the party hasn't won a statewide election in nearly two decades.
"One thing that requires ongoing vigilance is the reality that the state of Texas is coming under a new  assault, an assault far more dangerous than what the leader of North Korea threatened when he said he was going to add Austin, Texas, as one of the recipients of his nuclear weapons," Abbott said. "The threat that we're getting is the threat from the Obama administration and his political machine."
Battleground Texas realizes Republicans can't win a presidential election without Texas' 38 electoral votes, which makes the state "the last line of defense" in protecting the country's future, he said.

Abbott's the likely GOP nominee for Governor in 2014 -- I don't expect Perry to run again, and given how much Perry's money men are donating to Abbott these days, it's clear the fat-cat cronies don't either. His comments are red meat tossed to the Republican primary electorate, which for the time being remains the voting bloc that determines every statewide official in Texas.

He clearly took a breath from suing the Feds long enough to realize that Republicans' hold on Texas becomes tenuous as Democrats get informed and turn out in greater numbers than they have in the past. Abbott has every right to be nervous -- the Houston Chronicle recently reported that if Texas Latinos had the same turnout rate as Anglo voters, the Lone Star State would already be a Battleground.

In case you've stopped keeping track, Abbott has sued the Obama administration 25 times, which has cost the state $2.58 million and more than 14,000 hours spent by staff and state attorneys as of September. He lost the Affordable Care Act decision, and has mostly been on the losing end of the stick in redistricting as well.

Battleground Texas has emphasized that the change in Texas elections won't occur overnight. However, their work will be a crucial part in not only making Texas competitive but also helping Democrats win -- and hopefully doom the electoral chances of right-wing partisan panderers like Greg Abbott in the process.

Texas Lunch Links: City Council "Dancing Quorum," John Cornyn's Name Change and Lethal Injections

Nick Hudson — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:00:00 GMT

We do our best, but we can't cover everything. To fill in the gaps, please enjoy Texas Lunch Links, a lunchtime buffet of links to Texas-related news and views.

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Amid continuing Open Meetings Act allegations, the Austin City Council is now being investigated over a "Dancing Quorum". Watch the video below!

NAME CHANGE: John Cornyn changes name to Ted Cruise to appeal to GOP Primary Voters

GOVERNOR GOODHAIR: Rick Perry challenges UT President Bill Powers to a duel

SHARON KELLER: Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Sharon Keller "excited" by opportunity to personally administer lethal injections.

GUNS: Texas lawmaker proposes arming elementary-age students to prevent deadly school shootings

TECHNOLOGY: Greg Abbott and David Dewhurst release dueling gerrymander-a-district Applications

OOPS: Rick Perry unable to name all four seasons

Elected Republicans' Anti-Gay Stance Out Of Touch With Actual Texans

Katherine Haenschen — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:04:03 GMT

Equality is on the march, despite the best efforts of elected Texas Republicans to prevent it.

According to polling by The University of Texas and Texas Tribune, a majority of Texans support either civil unions or full marriage equality. In February 2013, 37% of Texans surveyed supported marriage equality and another 28% supported civil unions. Only 28% of Texans surveyed oppose both. Heck, a majority of Republicans support one or the other -- 41% of Republicans support civil unions and another 13% support marriage equality, making for 54% on the side of some form of progress.

Today, the Vice President of the College Republicans (yes, the College Republicans) at the University of Texas published an op-ed yesterday in The Horn entitled A Conservative Case for Marriage Equality:

It is important for conservatives to get this right: allowing same sex civil marriage does not necessarily undermine the foundation of heterosexual marriage. Marriage in the public sphere is an institution that encourages social stability. ... If we desire a stable and prosperous nation, shouldn't we encourage responsible pursuit of stable, nuclear families, regardless of their gender makeup?

Unfortunately we don't see this movement towards LGBT acceptance in our elected Republicans here in Texas, who remain all too eager to use issues such as marriage equality as a political football with which to score cheap points from a far-right GOP primary electorate.

Attorney General Greg Abbott, who has turned his job as the "people's lawyer" into the litigation arm of the Republican Party of Texas, had this to say on the matter Monday night:

Some people forget that marriage is not man-made law. Marriage is God's law that man applied and adopted here in Texas and the United States, and man cannot rewrite God's law. Well Texas has stood firm on this issue, because we don't care how they define marriage on the East Coast or the West Coast because in Texas marriage remains a union between one man and one woman. But now, as we speak, marriage of course itself is being challenged. In the United States Supreme Court this week the definition of marriage will come under assault. I wish I could predict for you how the case will turn out but I turned out to be wrong in my prediction about Obamacare. But here is what I can predict for you. Regardless of how that case turns out, Texans will respond the way they always do. We will fight to ensure that traditional values of faith and family will be preserved, protected and defended in the state of Texas.

Abbott's cheap bigotry is out of touch with the people of Texas and increasingly out of touch with members of his own party. It's deeply unfortunate that he errantly assumes that a majority of Texans share his intolerance -- evidently folks like Abbott think hate is a Texas value.

Abbott's stance is also out of touch with the growing reality here in Texas: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth all have significant concentrations of same-sex couples who are raising children under 18.

The arc of justice is bending towards full marriage equality for all Americans, despite the efforts of folks like Greg Abbott. I don't expect our elected Republicans to change their tune any time soon -- but I do expect their views to become further marginalized, even within their own party.

Yet for the Americans who remain denied the special rights of heterosexual couples to have their love affirmed in the eyes of the state, the change can't come soon enough.

2014 Texas Governor's Race: Democratic Primary Preview

Ben Sherman — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:00:00 GMT

The Republican primary is already getting spicy as donors choose between Attorney General Abbott and Governor Perry.

But what's happening on the Democratic side? With Battleground Texas swooping in to give our state the Democratic voter push it needs, the Democratic effort will be one to watch. There are a number of good candidates who may run, but little besides speculation to go on for now. We can expect to see candidate announcements in June, when fundraising commences.

Who's On Deck for 2014?

State Representative Mike Villarreal: Representing San Antonio in the Texas House since 1999, Mike Villarreal has gained a name for himself as a serious legislator with an appealing personality. After growing up in San Antonio, Villarreal went to Texas A&M and then Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and is now pursuing a PhD in public affairs at UT's LBJ School while teaching as an adjunct professor at St. Mary's University. He has spent the last three years focusing on education (a perfect issue to bring statewide) and budget transparency. Villarreal is young, a strong campaigner, and would certainly appeal to Texas's growing Hispanic voting population. The 123rd House District is safely Democratic, making Villarreal an even more appealing potential candidate for Texas Democrats.

Former Houston Mayor Bill White: The Democratic nominee for governor in 2010, Bill White has spent couple of years laying low in Houston while working in investments. White ran an impressive campaign all over Texas in 2010 that garnered national attention, and his loss is blamed in large part on the year's difficulty for Democrats nationwide. A poll released a few weeks ago by Public Policy Polling shows White leading Perry in a 2014 matchup, making a strong case for White's electability. White was a hugely successful mayor, and has a down-to-earth persona appealing to a broad swath of Texans. Earlier in 2010, White sought Kay Bailey Hutchison's Senate seat before she took back her promise to retire. So it's not impossible that White will seek Sen. John Cornyn's Senate seat in 2014. But no one knows what White will do yet - he hasn't said anything either way.

State Senator Kirk Watson: Austin's former mayor is a well-known, personable legislator who would appear to have the energy for a run at the governor's office. He ran for Attorney General in 2002, losing to Greg Abbott, but 2014 is a very different year. Watson might be able to capitalize on his ability to rev up Democrats, six years of experience in the Texas Senate, and plentiful ideas to make a serious run at the governor's office.

Longer shots include...

State Representative Rafael Anchia: Representing Dallas in the Texas House since 2004, Anchia is known as a likable, hard-working legislator. Anchia would certainly run a good campaign with his appeal to both Latinos and Texas's growing 18-35 year old Demographic. Any plans about future runs for office are not yet known.

State Senator Wendy Davis: An energetic and charismatic progressive who singlehandedly forced a special session in 2011 by filibustering the state's inadequate education funding, Davis would be a very good candidate for governor. She's been representing Fort Worth since 2009 and regularly makes lists of state legislators to watch. Even if she doesn't run in 2014, Democrats will be hoping she does soon. Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilbert Hinojosa recently said of Davis, "From the perspective of electability, she's one of our top superstars in Texas. Her sensibility and approach to politics will just automatically propel her as a top candidate for statewide office."

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro: San Antonio's mayor is the top Democrat in Texas and arguably the brightest rising star of Democrats nationwide. From his celebrated keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention to his upcoming autobiography, it's only a matter of time before Castro runs for higher office. But which office will that be? Castro just announced his re-election campaign in the 2013 San Antonio mayor's race, and says he's "not running" for governor in 2014. That's probably true, but he certainly deserves his place on this list - if only for all the buzz you'll hear about him around this race and others.

Whoever the candidate is, expect 2014 to be a year of energetic Democratic campaigning as Texas comes closer and closer to voting blue statewide.

School Finance System Fails The Ultimate High Stakes Test - Texas' Constitution

Joe Deshotel — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:00:00 GMT

On Monday Judge John Dietz of the 250th District Civil Court ruled that Texas' school finance system failed the ultimate high stakes test - the state constitution. This decision is a big win for students, educators, and parents and should help bolster Texas Democrats who have championed the education funding crisis since the cuts were made last session. Attorney General Greg Abbott is expected to appeal the decision. Defending the cuts he took a line from the anti-fed playbook and used it against local school districts, saying they don't always spend their money wisely.

The giant elephant in the room is that without an educated workforce there is no "Texas miracle" and Texas businesses and industry leaders are beginning to speak out. Texas Association of Business President Bill Hammond said, "I am pleased Judge Dietz agrees with me that our schools are not producing enough career and college ready students." We must act now, use this opportunity to fund enrollment growth, reinstate programs like Pre-K, the Student Success Initiative, and restore funding to the level it was before the unnecessary cuts were made to our current budget.

Check below the jump for a round up of how Democrats responded around the state:
"In 2011 Republicans cut 5 billion in school funding even though we now know that the state had those funds available."
- Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa

The truth, which this ruling makes clear, is that Texas can do much better when it comes to providing essential economic infrastructure such as schools. that should start by reinstating the billions of dollars that were wrongly cut from school district budgets, pre-kindergarten programs, and other fundamental educational elements during the past session.
-Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin) on behalf of Senate Democratic Caucus

"The sad truth is that for years the state has relied on stopgap measures and focused more on tax relief than strong schools. Hopefully this latest in a long line of decisions will force the legislature to truly and systemically address the inequities in our school finance system to ensure that every child in every school -- regardless of wealth -- has access to a top-notch education."
- Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston)

"[This decision] is an indictment of the current leadership's failure to safeguard our children's education and Texas economic Future." concluding, "As a result of his ruling I believe the legislature now has a constitutional obligation this session to restore the cuts it made to our schools."
- Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth)

"Today proved that we need to start working today to fulfill the constitutional promise -- enshrined in Texas' origin -- of fair education for millions of students in the state. This ruling is evidence that Texas can do better."
- Senator Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso)

"The state had to make that argument to defend the suit, but it's a sad commentary on our priorities. It tells our children that mediocrity will do,"..."We need to craft a school finance system that's more than just legal, and we should do it now."
-Senator Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio)

"Last legislative session, the Leadership chose to cut $5.4 billion out of public education. We at MALC take exception to that, especially when we consider that Texas Latinos are now over 50 percent of the student population. The Attorney General and Leadership spent months in court defending this unconstitutional system. Texas students would not be hurting if we had spent half that time trying to solve this problem. With $5.5 billion left unspent in H.B. 1 and $11.8 billion in the Rainy Day Fund, the legislature must act and prove that education is our number one priority."
-MALC Chairman, State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio)

"Today's ruling makes it clear that the Legislature has failed to meet the funding obligations of our public school system. Our Independent School Districts have consistently been asked to do more with less, never more so than with the $5.4 billion cut to public education in our current budget."..."We have the ability-and the responsibility-to make the current funding system adequate and more equitable by restoring cuts now while also laying the groundwork for a permanent solution."
- State Representative Donna Howard (D-Austin)

"Every member in the legislature says they believe in education, but when push comes to shove, they vote against funding it and distributing monies equitably,"
-State Representative Armando Martinez (D-Weslaco)

"I voted against last session's drastic cuts to public education funding because they were bad for students, and they were bad for the future of Texas."
- State Representative Eric Johnson (D-Dallas)

"I urge state leaders to use the upcoming supplemental appropriations bill to pay for the student enrollment growth that the legislature failed to cover during the last legislative session."
- State Representative Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio)

"We aren't investing enough in education. We aren't dividing what we do spend fairly between school districts. And the state is forcing local property taxes up because it won't pay its share of the cost of education."
- The Center for Public Policy Priorities Executive Director F. Scott McCown

"A long-term solution may require revenue reform to provide funding that grows with the state's economy, but the state has enough money now, without raising taxes, to restore the $5.4 billion - more than $500 per child - cut from public schools two years ago."
- Texas State teachers Association President Rita Haecker

Wealthy Republican Donors Clearly Favoring Greg Abbott Over Rick Perry

Ben Sherman — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Unfortunately, wealthy private donors own "our" government. When you think about it, it's disgusting that we talk about private donations at all in an alleged republic, but we have to because that's the system we live under.

You wouldn't know it yet because ads aren't online or on TV, but the Republican primary between Attorney General Greg Abbott and Governor Rick Perry has already begun. Corporate masters are taking sides. And Abbott is ahead.

On Wednesday, Texans for Public Justice released a report about where wealthy donors and corporations are lining up in the primary. Bad news for Perry: in 2012, Abbott out-raised his $5,490,231 by $1,749,196 (for a total of $7,239,427). Even worse for Oops: Abbott has $18,032,304 in his bank account to Perry's $6,028,636.

Those numbers tell a clear story about where the momentum of the race lies. But the TPJ report also has some other interesting facts about 2012 donations.

Massive Dallas donor Harold C. Simmons, one of Perry's top career supporters, has given $475,000 to Abbott and only $35,000 to Perry this year.
Bob Perry, another classic supporter of Perry's, gave Abbott $210,000 and Perry $200,000.
T. Boone Pickens has picked his side definitively, giving $110,000 to Abbott and nothing to Perry.

One naturally wonders why fatcats like Simmons and (Bob) Perry bother to give money to both candidates, even when clearly choosing a favorite. Both candidates will do anything to benefit the massively wealthy; it doesn't much matter who wins. Maybe it's crony state contracts they're concerned about.

But remember, the race for governor doesn't have to be just a Republican show in 2014. There is a clear opening for a strong Democrat to win the race. It's time for action, not depressed gazing at intra-GOP competition.