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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1437082
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1437082
Abbott claimed that Obama had usurped Congress’ power by using executive orders, including one to protect from deportation young people born in other countries and brought to the United States as children.
Now, nearly eight years into his governorship, Abbott’s actions belie his words. He has consolidated power like no Texas governor in recent history, at times circumventing the GOP-controlled state Legislature and overriding local officials.
The governor used the pandemic to block judges from ordering the release of some prisoners who couldn’t post cash bail and unilaterally defunded the legislative branch because lawmakers had failed to approve some of his top priorities. He also used his disaster authority to push Texas further than any other state on immigration and was the first to send thousands of immigrants by bus to Democratic strongholds.
A reminder that accusations by a Republican are a confession…or a plan.
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It’s hard to be authoritarian without being big government.
And it’s hard to get to be authoritarian without being a lying sack of shit.
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“Our number-one priority as public servants is to follow the law,” Abbott, who served as Texas attorney general before he was elected, told staffers, according to his autobiography. Adhering to the law was “a way to ignore the pressure of politics, polls, money and lobbying.”
Yeah, sure, you lying, power-hungry POS.
And by the way, WTF is with all the hats indoors? You worried Abbott is going to pee on your heads?
Some standard, base-line points of etiquette:
Any time you enter a building, the hat should come off.
If it is an informal occasion you may put it back on but for a formal occasion it should stay off.
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This is a good discussion of Abbott’s cynical use, and betrayal, of supposedly “traditional” GOP “small government” ideology. At the same time, it’s testimony to the enduring zombie survival of that very notion. It should have died the moment Ronnie “government is the problem” Reagan unleashed a flood of red ink upon taking office, or used the power of his office to bust the air traffic controller’s union. And if not then, it sure should have taken a bullet to the brain when GW “Unitary Executive” Bush corrupted the executive branch totally to cook up a bloody multi-trillion dollar failed war in Iraq. Now the GOP wants to use state power to block pregnant women from interstate travel, and sniff the underwear of teenage females to single out trans girls so that they may be persecuted, among a long list of other ultra-creepy Big Brother-esque plans.
Fool the media once, shame on you. Fool the media like a billion times, and, well, here we are. Donald Trump, so a wise head in the Washington Post informed me the other day, is known for his resolute opposition to socialism.
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In this case, it’s to make sure the single precious brain cell doesn’t escape.
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All hat, no cattle. Lies and fascism, on the march.
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chair of the political science and geography department at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Does combining polysci and geography mean a future MAGAt chair of the department can declare the earth flat?
BTW Having been to Texas many, many times I can almost see their argument.
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Greg Abbott ran as a small-government conservative. But the governor’s office now has more power than ever.
I’m sure Abbot doesn’t see this as contradictory…if he can consolidate all power into one person, himself, that’s a pretty small government!
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Days after being elected Texas governor in 2014, Greg Abbott called a staff meeting to discuss his vision for leading the state.
“Our number-one priority as public servants is to follow the law,” Abbott, who served as Texas attorney general before he was elected, told staffers, according to his autobiography.
“Hmm. I must have missed that meeting.”
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Nice picture. I don’t see any cattle.
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Didn’t Paxton’s criming happen before he ran for office? I sort of got the impress that’s why he ran for office.
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Central casting photo for Texas Sheriffs.
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First day of early voting in Texas yesterday was down from 2018, albeit we had lousy weather for it in much of the state. The dropoff appears in both red and blue counties.
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At least one of them did.
I suspect that he’s committed more since.
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Can someone explain to me why the Texas legislature, in this day and age, only meets every other year?
In MO they still stick to the agrarian type schedule of late fall into early spring, every year. They’ll sometime add another shorter session in late summer to finish off what wasn’t done in the regular session, or even to clean up the mess they made during the regular session.
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That was my impression. All hat, no cattle. This guy is another dangerous GOP player. He is the personification of The Lone Star.
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Some of his staff noisily quit last year and started flinging sueballs.
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“Our number-one priority as public servants is to follow the law,” Abbott, who served as Texas attorney general before he was elected, told staffers, according to his autobiography. Adhering to the law was “a way to ignore the pressure of politics, polls, money and lobbying.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!
(cough)
I am supposed to believe this shit??
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Just sayin’ … does anyone else think that a bunch of grown men sitting around an indoor meeting while wearing cowboy hats looks ridiculous? Methinks they’re trying too hard to show their Texas bona fides.
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