Author Archives: Red from Texas

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About Red from Texas

I'm proud to be Red. I have lived most of my life in Texas and I love this place. Here are a few things you should know about me. 1. I am happily married and intend to stay so. 2. I live in a house that is older than you, unless you are really old. 3. I own 2 rifles and a shotgun. I think handguns are just trouble. 4. I have never killed a man, but have taken out some deer and hogs. 5. I was a good student, but never close to being valedictorian. 6. In no particular order I like the Houston Texans, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Astros, FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Texas Longhorns and Houston Dynamo. 7. I hate Dallas but always have a good time when I go there. 8. I was a Dallas Cowboys fan for 26 years but declared that I was no longer a fan during the 1987 strike. 9. I don't own any pets. I like cats, and a good dog and I have met at least 3 of them in my lifetime. 10. I think the best part of Texas is west of I-35. 11. I own two pairs of cowboy boots, but don't wear them very often. 12. I don't have a pronounced Texas accent, but can affect one when needed. 13. My last meal would be fried shrimp with tartar sauce, a baked potato with all the fixins', a dinner salad with 1000 Island dressing, yeast rolls and chocolate fudge pie for dessert. 14. I'm an old Dad, but my children are none of your business. 15. I have two degrees from UT-Austin and somehow managed to fall in love with and marry an Aggie. 16. Most of my family are right-wing nut jobs but I love them anyway. 17. When I get to play golf on a regular basis, I shoot in the low 80's. 18. I don't get to play golf on a regular basis. 19. I think Fort Worth is the best town in Texas by a long shot. 20. I have a mean herb garden. Regards, Red P.S. Remember it's not a color, it's a state of mind.

Today in Texas History – March 9

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thamanjimmy: History of the Rural Electrification ...

From the Annals of the Power Grid – In 1936, the first power line built under the program of the Rural Electrification Administration was powered up.  The 58 mile line near Bartlett brought electricity within reach of nearby farms and ranches.  The REA was created under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 with the goal of bringing electrification to rural areas.  When created only about 2 percent of the farms and ranches in Texas (and about 10 percent nationally) had access to electricity. The REA was primarily a lending agency under its enabling statute that was cosponsored by Texas Rep. Sam Rayburn. The Bartlett line was made possible by a $33,000 loan to a group of farmers.  It is almost impossible to overstate the impact of the REA in raising the standard of living for vast numbers of rural residents who had never had access to electricity.  By 1965, only 2 percent of Texas farms and ranches were still without electricity.

Today in Texas History – March 8

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The Alamo and Goliad. - ppt video online download

From the Annals of the Revolution – In 1836, Col. James W. Fannin raised a flag over the mission at La Bahia in Goliad with the words “Liberty or Death”.  Fannin, now generally regarded as an inept commander who had lost the confidence of his men, was prophetic in his announcement.  Unfortunately for Fannin and his men it would by “Death.”  In fairness to Fannin, he was facing Mexican General Jose de Urrea – by far the best of the Mexican commanders. If Urrea had been in command during the revolution, it is very likely to have been easily suppressed.  Urrea’s forces were never defeated in battle during the war and remained ready to fight after the Battle of San Jacinto. Fannin was originally ordered by Sam Houston to relieve the Alamo and then later ordered to retreat to Victoria.  He delayed in his retreat and during that action he was cornered on open ground with limited supplies and forced to surrender.  Held back at Goliad, Fannin and his men were massacred on the orders of Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.  Urrea strongly objected to executing prisoners of war, but the order was carried out by subordinates.  Fannin was among the last to be shot.

Among the Good News from Primary Night – This Gun Worshipping Gal Lost

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GOP Candidate Totes Assault-Style Weapon In Campaign ...

No Texas candidate for Congress wrapped themselves in the groping arms of Donald Trump more than Republican Kathaleen Wall in her race for the Second Congressional District.  Wall spent over $6 million of her own money in an effort to pander to the lowest common denominator as shown by ads such as this one.   Wall liked to paint herself as having pulled herself up out of poverty by her own bootstraps.  She also wore her version of Christianity on her sleeve as if somehow Jesus was a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and against any government welfare programs.  Red doesn’t know much about Wall’s background other than she is married to a rich older man.  What Red does know is that she blew $6 million on a losing campaign.  Alas, she will have to travel to DC on her own dime in order to feel the warm embrace of the real Donald.  There is some light at the end of the tunnel.

Today in Texas History – March 7

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From the Annals of the Temblors – In 1923, the only known fatality from a Texas earthquake occurred with a temblor shook El Paso causing an adobe house to collapse.  The house, however, was in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and the fatality occurred on that side of the border.  There are still no known fatalities to have occurred in Texas from earthquakes which are not common in the state.  Even so, more than 100 earthquakes have been recorded since 1847 but most are of low magnitude causing some fright but little real damage.  Most of the recorded quakes have been in West Texas and the Panhandle.

Lyin’ Ted, er – Make that Lyin’ Rafael

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Sen. Ted Cruz (TP – Texas) has put out a pathetic attempt of parody song attempting to smear his opponent Beto O’Rourke with the following line:

“Liberal Robert wanted to fit in, so he changed his name to Beto and hid it with a grin.”

Of course, Rafael Edward Cruz felt no such similar need to fit in.  He just used Ted because he was a big fan of Ted Kennedy.  Red has to admit that Lyin’ Rafael has a ring to it. What it does show is that Lyin’ Ted learned from the beating he took at the hands of Trump.  Go after your opponent no matter what your personal circumstance might happen to be.  Trump was the consummate liar and crooked businessman – so he reversed that by calling his opponents liars and crooks.  Lyin’ Ted has a name that would not fit in well with his conservative base – so attack your opponent for using a nickname that was given to him and that he has carried since birth it would seem.  The only problem for Lyin’ Ted is that such a strategy may work for a once-in-a-lifetime political anomaly like Trump – it probably doesn’t work if you are already an unlikable, stick-up-your-ass narcissist like Lyin’ Ted.

 

Today in Texas History – March 6

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Odessa – The Globe Theatre

From the Annals of the Theatre – In 1958, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the Globe of the Great Southwest. The theater is located in Odessa and is a replica of the original Globe Theater in Southwark, London which was built in 1598 for William Shakespeare’s acting company.  Now called simply the Globe Theater and operated by Odessa College, the theatre is 410-seat venue featuring an authentic Elizabethan stage used for classical and modern plays as well as community theater, concerts and other community events.  The GT was built in response to a proposal from Odessa College Professor Marjorie Morris.  Shakespearean scholar Dr. Allardyce Nicoll has called the theater “the most nearly authentic replica of Shakespeare’s own Globe anywhere on Earth.”

Today in Texas History – March 2

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Texas Independence Day - Wikipedia

From the Annals of the Revolution – In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico.  Following a meeting on March 1 at Washington-on-the-Brazos of delegates from the seventeen Mexican municipalities of Texas and the settlement of Pecan Point, George C. Childress and a committee of five were tasked with preparing a resolution calling for independence.  In the early morning hours of March 2, the convention voted unanimously to accept the resolution prepared by the committee.  Fifty-eight members of the delegation signed the document announcing to the world that Texas had declared itself to be the independent Republic of Texas.   Less than two months later after the Battle of San Jacinto, actual independence was secured.  The Republic would last only about 10 years until Texas was annexed by the United States.

A Justice for Sale in Austin?

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A Republican candidate for the Third Court of Appeals in Austin is stretching what are traditionally considered the limits for appropriate campaigning.  Mike Toth a card carrying Tea Party member and protégé of embattled AG Ken Paxton is embracing Donald Trump and conservative identity politics in his campaign for a seat on the influential Austin Court of Appeals.  Despite being in Austin, the Court is firmly in Republican hands because it covers a 28 county area stretching all the way to San Angelo.  Toth is also accepting contributions in excess of the standard $5000 limit.  Judicial candidates in Texas typically pledge to not accept contributions over $5000 as anything more than that gives the appearance of buying justice.  Toth is apparently blowing through that limit and accepting gifts of money for the education of his children from a Florida lawyer, as well as embracing our Realty TV Show President.  The Texas Tribune has more.

Candidate Michael Toth, a special counsel in the office of Attorney General Ken Paxton, has pulled in $151,000 so far in the 3rd Court of Appeals GOP primary contest, and more than a third of it comes from out of state, records show.

[O]ne of Toth’s major non-Texas donors, former hedge fund manager John Thaler of Greenwich, Connecticut, has notified the Texas Ethics Commission that he plans to exceed a $5,000 expenditure cap the candidates agreed to; that allows Toth’s opponents to ignore donation and expenditure limits.

Toth isn’t shy about touting his Tea Party bonafides and running on the same issues that non-judicial candidates use to attract Republican primary voters. In one mailer, Toth brags that he fought for “tougher border security, defended President Trump’s travel ban, sued to crack down on sanctuary cities” and “supported extreme vetting of refugees.”

Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Tom Phillips, a Republican, said he’d “never seen anything quite like” the mailer Toth sent out.

“I’m concerned anytime a judicial candidate suggests, even indirectly, that his or her election will lead to a particular policy outcome,” Phillips said. “To conduct a campaign based on your view of hot-button political issues confuses rather than than enlightens the electorate.”

Catholic Bishops Cut Ties with Texas Right to Life

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The Greenwich Time reports that last week the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops formally cut ties with the anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life.  The TCCB is the church authority that sets policy for parishes which serve approximately 8.3 million Texas Catholics.

Texas Right to Life is the oldest and probably most influential anti-abortion group in Texas and is primarily funded by big time GOP donors.  TRL largely functions as a wing of the Texas GOP and its endorsements carry a lot of weight in the Republican primary.

 The bishops’ directive stated that Texas Right to Life has engaged in misleading attacks against political candidates, lied about the Catholic church’s position on state legislation and argued that church-supported bills don’t do enough to limit abortions.

“We’ve asked our pastors, parishes and Catholic schools to refrain from asking (Texas Right to Life representatives) to come onto our premises because their teachings don’t always align with what the Catholic Church teaches regarding certain life issues,” said Bishop Joe Vasquez, head of the 25-county Austin Diocese.

It’s a bad sign when you are so radical in promoting the anti-abortion agenda that the Catholic Church gets fed up with you.