TEXAS Thumbs: Texas Dems in disarray and Houston gets snubbed HOUSTON CHRONICLE – Houston Chronicle

July 24, 2021Updated: July 24, 2021 3a.m.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has suggested Republicans take inspiration from Texas Democrats and walk out of the Senate.

After a week of adoring PR, the worm has finally turned for the Texas Democrats and their impromptu tour of the nations capital. Several have tested positive for COVID Wear a dang mask! Even on private jets! and after aids for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Biden tested positive after meeting with the gang, they appear to have lost any spot they might have had on the Oval Office calendar. They still have an appointment with destiny, as far as Gov. Greg Abbott is concerned. Hes still vowing to call as many special sessions as it takes to get Democrats to show up and provide quorum so Republicans can pass their voting bill. But chin up, Dems. Youve made quite an impression, it seems, on at least one unlikely admirer: U.S. Sen Lindsey Graham. The Republican from South Carolina has been so inspired by the Democrats gallant attempt at fugitive justice, he suggested this week that his GOP colleagues follow suit and hightail it out of town to stop a multi-trillion-dollar spending bill that Congressional Democrats are preparing to pass along party lines. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but this might be a case of mutual admiration. Maybe the Dems came up with this walkout stunt all on their own, and maybe they, too, were inspired by a muse: Graham himself and his Senate colleagues, who have for years formidably used the same guerrilla tactic to block legislation and judicial nominees they dont like. Only they call it the filibuster.

Graham wasnt the only DC pol to weigh in on Texas politics this week. Dr. Anthony Faucis BFF, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, announced Thursday that hes throwing his support behind Republican Don Huffines in his primary campaign to oust Gov. Abbott. On paper, its easy to see why Huffines and Paul are simpatico. Despite being a medical doctor who presumably took an oath to do no harm, Paul is one of the Senates leading COVID skeptics and vocal anti-vaxxers while Huffines entire campaign is tethered to an alternate reality in which Abbotts decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic went too far. Two peas in a pandemic pod. Between the senators endorsement of Huffines and his father former Texas congressman Ron Pauls blaming Abbott for the power grid failure in February, the governor isnt likely to make the Paul Christmas list this year. Just as well. One Lysol disinfectant wipe saved.

Thumbs isnt a Texas Longhorn although we have some friends who are, so youll have to forgive any ignorance about this whole Eyes of Texas brouhaha, but uh, paying $1.1 million for a consultant to conclude that the University of Texas fight song isnt racist doesnt strike us as a great return on investment. The university paid that hefty sum to Brad Deutser, a Houston consultant, to come up with a communication strategy on what it means to be a Longhorn. High drought tolerance, a taste for grass, and indiscreet bathroom habits whats so hard to understand? In the end, Deuster didnt settle much. The song committees work was completed last year the fight song will stay, despite continued questions about its minstrel show roots. UT essentially paid Deutser a million bucks to tell officials what they wanted to hear and to tick off some college students who want the song gone. Good work if you can get it all the livelong day.

Finally, its been a rough year for Houston. The Texans stunk. The Rockets jettisoned the face of the franchise to Brooklyn. The city literally froze for a week. Oh yeah and that whole global pandemic thing. But slotting the Bayou City behind the likes of Jacksonville and Green Bay on the best places to live list is just downright insulting. U.S. News & World Reports Best Places to Live list dropped Houston down 12 spots this year. Its bad enough that Houston wasnt even ranked the most desirable city in Texas the judges apparently think the most diverse, interesting and resilient city in the nation falls behind the Peoples Republic of Austin and that snooty town in North Texas whose name we cant recall right now. But the list of cities ranked higher across the country is a study in obscurity, stagnation and monolingual-ism. Sure, Houston may be a little hot and sticky, more swampy than lush green, more harried hurricane than tranquil lake, but once you know the secrets of the fire swamp and the most effective brands of mosquito repellent, you can live here quite comfortably. Its better than Spartanburg any day. Bury us in Houston.

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TEXAS Thumbs: Texas Dems in disarray and Houston gets snubbed HOUSTON CHRONICLE - Houston Chronicle