Captains (not so) courageous

Let me just say it now, politicians, by and large, are not the most courageous folks out there. In fact they are pretty downright cowardly because they are too scared of pissing off small groups of voters.

It's only once a politician decides (or, as you will see later, has it decided for them) to leave public office that they regain the ability to speak what they believe. We've seen it with Republican congressmen who wouldn't criticize Donald Trump until after they announced their retirement from office.

In Harris County right wing political organizations in the northwestern part of the county seem to rule the roost when it comes to primary elections. These groups publish "slates" of candidates for their wingnut readers to vote for. Most of these groups put their endorsement for sale to the highest bidder. Others "sell" their endorsement to the candidate that toes their line.

These newsletter endorsements are important for any budding Republican officeholder in Harris County since very few folks in the electorate have the slightest idea who any of the judicial candidates are - and most don't care so long as they have an R after their name on the ballot.

Jay Karahan has been the judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 8 since 2003. As a result of this month's primary election, he will no longer be a judge come January 1. Over the past 16 years he has been involved in primary and general electoral politics in Harris County. He knows how the game is played. And not once in the past 16 years has he stood up and complained about the way the Republicans decide who will represent them in the general election.

At least not until now.

In his guest column in Big Jolly Times (a local wingnut blog), Judge Karahan goes off on the backroom politics that determine who gets endorsed and who doesn't. He states in his piece that he wrote it long before he lost his primary election, but it never saw the light of day until after the smoke had cleared.

There is much merit in what he has to say and there is much to criticize about kingmakers who demand that judicial candidates kowtow to their right wing views instead of following the law. But why are we only seeing this after Judge Karahan has been retired by the wealthy whites up in the northwestern suburbs of Houston?

The outrage he feels is real, but it comes across as sour grapes after a defeat.

And now we have the story going around that Gov. Greg Abbott was opposed to the bathroom bill that wingut Republicans were pushing during the last legislative session. Funny how the guv'nor never came out and said he was against the bill. You see, that would have taken courage. That would have required going against the wingnuts and Teabaggers who dominate the Republican party in Texas. So Gov. Abbott apparently decided to keep it on the down low. But then, how would he explain placing the bill on the agenda for the special legislative session that summer. Something just isn't adding up.

If you want to be an agent for change, you have to be willing to stand up and be castigated for what you say. You have to be willing to go down in flames at the polls if that's the price to be paid for being true to yourself. Colin Kaepernick made a decision to protest against police violence and brutality. That decision cost him his career.

His decision to take that knee was courageous. Exposing the dirty underbelly of local politics after losing an election isn't.

When the right hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing

Scott Henson over at Grits for Breakfast points out that the Teabaggers aren't necessarily playing along with the "big government" conservatives up in Austin. It seems that the more libertarian of the bunch have a problem with the right's war on the Bill of Rights.

According to Sharon Edmonds at the Texas District and County Attorneys Association:

Earlier this week, SB 1717 by Duncan/Lewis, an omnibus judicial reform bill, became what we call a "Christmas tree," so named because of all the amendments that other members tried to "hang" on it. Many of those amendments were formerly dead bills, including HB 1507 by Christian, a prosecutor-supported bill that would authorize non-lawyer JPs to issue evidentiary search warrants in smaller counties. Once offered, the amendment immediately started taking fire from several House members—urban and rural, Democrat and Republican—who expressed concerns about expansive searches, especially relating to blood draws in DWI cases. Now, there has always been some generalized resistance at the capitol to the existence of non-lawyer magistrates, but this time, the anti-government Tea Party effect crystallized that opposition into a solid voting bloc that defeated the amendment by a stunning vote of 17-121. As a result, the author of the amendment joined the ignominious "100 Club" for putting forth a matter that drew over 100 "nay" votes. We bring this to your attention because it is only one of several indications that things are changing at the state capitol. Just be glad that we passed some blood draw legislation last session, because if we hadn't, that bill would be D.O.A. this session. And that, friends, is the new legislative math for the foreseeable future.

I say "Bravo!" to the Teabaggers on this front. It is about time someone stood up and argued against bills expanding the state's power to force folks to give up evidence that might incriminate themselves. The right wing of the Republican party has long championed itself as the party of limited government. As I have pointed out before, that moniker only applies when it comes to state-funded services for the poor. The right wing has never had any problem expanding the role of government when it comes to criminal justice matters.

It would appear that some members of the Tea Party movement aren't mere puppets of the GOP but actually adhere to the maxim that the government who governs least, governs best. It's good to see someone pointing out the hypocrisy in the Republican camp.

The Economist has even piped in about conservatives bringing about sentencing reform in the face of budge shortfalls.

So long as the Republican party is split among fiscal conservatives, Bible-thumpers who feel the need to tell the rest of us how to lead our lives and libertarians there will be conflicts between those who wanted limited government and those who just mouth the words.

And now a word from the kingmaker

What follows is from an open letter to the Texas Republican Party by Houston-area kingmaker and all-around wingnut, Dr. Steven Hotze...

Dear All,

Greetings! I am taking my stand with Norman Adams. He appears to be the lone voice of reason and common sense on the immigration issue.

I personally like the Hispanic people and their commitment to family and the work ethic. They are also a Christian based culture. I don't blame them for having made it to America by hook or crook. My great great grandfather pealed potatoes on a boat from Germany to get to America and the WASPs did not like him or the other immigrants that came with him. They also did not like the Irish or the Italians.

We had better embrace the Hispanics because they are going to be the dominant culture in Texas in no short order. I hope that Sen. Marco Rubio from Florida is our Republican VP in 2012.

Conservative Republicans from Texas helped elect 7 Hispanic Republicans to the Texas House. There were 2 Republican Hispanics elected to Congress from Texas. Why should we let the democrats steal them from our party?

It seems to me that there may be nativistic and prejudicial thinking on the immigration issue by many Caucasians. The argument is that millions of Hispanics broke the law to get here. Which one of you would not have done the same thng had you been in their shoes? I like people who take risks to help their families and are willing to work to better their families' lives. We have a whole lot of American born citizens who I would gladly trade in exchange for hard working Hispanics.

The majority of the Hispanic culture in America is Christian, pro-family, pro-life and pro-free enterprise. Sounds like they would make great Republicans to me. Let's go recruit them!

Gentlemen, it seems that the real problem we face is the Muslim immigration invasion of America. The Hispanics are our natural allies against the Democrats and Muslims.

With much appreciation, I remain, as always,

Sincerely yours,

Steven Hotze, MD

I hardly know where to begin. I will start off by saying that it is refreshing to hear a conservative speaking out in favor of immigration. Dr. Hotze is well aware that if his party "goes Arizona" here, they will lose the opportunity to build strong roots in the Hispanic community.

On the other hand, I am troubled by much of Dr. Hotze's commentary. Who are the citizens the good doctor would "gladly trade" for more folks from down south? Hmm. Not whites, I'm certain. Probably not Asians, either. That would leave African-Americans.

And let's not forget who our "real enemy" is. It's those folks from the Middle East that talk and dress funny. He can cast a net over the entire Hispanic diaspora as "good Christians" and then stereotype anyone who prays to Allah as the evil invaders.

And should I assume that Democrats and Muslims are the enemies of "right-thinking" conservatives? Haven't we had enough of the war metaphors for one lifetime, Doc? Does this mean that the judges who come to Dr. Hotze hat-in-hand must pledge fealty to the Republican cause and do battle against the good doctor's enemies? Just how many judges sitting on Harris County benches made such a blood oath in order to get the thumbs-up from Dr. Hotze?

It's hard enough for criminal defendants to get a fair shake in the courtroom as it is. How many more are starting squarely behind the 8-ball because of their faith?