The Texas legislature has wrapped up its session. Your children are now safe for two more years. I used to think how backwards Texas was from the U.S. Congress because they met only once every two years, and for only 140 days.
I was quickly persuaded of the folly of my thoughts and the wisdom of not having the legislature in session too much. Watching it in action did that. If we could keep them from meeting once every four years would be even better. They keep electing more people who are "right of right" in gerrymandered districts, so common sense is no longer common.
Look at this session: Open carry and guns on campus were more of a priority than fixing our broken transportation and education systems. You know all about the roads and how they are packed. Texas funding of our education system has failed the fairness test in court multiple times. No one addressed it.
Giving tiny tax cuts of $127 per household were more important than fixing the roads that will cause damages to your car far greater than $127. It turns out that billions of our surpluses were held in non-interest bearing accounts, for years (which bank did that benefit?). Paying down the $20 billion debt borrowed to build roads was not a priority -- roads that were paid for when the cement had dried when democrats controlled Austin.
One bright spot: The new Governor says he will sign a bill allowing cannabis oil for epilepsy and other medical issues. We'll see if the bill allows for an oil that would be strong enough to work.
AND "pick-a-pal" grand juries finally died a long overdue death (again, Texas being one of the last states to resist changing a biased, flawed system for rendering justice).
Personally, nine (9) days after undergoing prostate surgery, I was well enough to be standing in the Galveston convention center at a hurricane event last Saturday. Fortunately, I had staff on hand. I had the honor of meeting a couple of our weather experts from KPRC, Frank Billingsley and retired NOAA hurricane expert, Bill Read. Its amazing what can be done these days. I did not have cancer but they had to make the prostate smaller so it would not block the bladder, which can lead to infection and loss of organs. they did it on a Thursday and I was out of there on Saturday. I am good for another 50 years!
Time Warp. Yesterday, I went to a small café called the Texas Grill in Sugar land (for lunch) after picking up a check at the office. The lady said: "I just voted for you recently." I said: "What? I haven't run for anything!"
Then we figured out that it was last March 2014 when I ran for US Senate in the Democratic primary. It seemed like a century ago (to me). It may indicate how rarely I have been in town.
She said that her partner had a deal: they both voted at the same time to cancel out each others vote! He votes in the Republican party primary and she in the Democratic primary. That's where she had seen my name. I told her that after I signed up and had gone on a cruise in the Mediterranean a guy signed up who spent $5 million to win the nomination --and less than that to lose the general election. Even if I had $5 million I would rather have it in my retirement account than blow it on a sure loser election deal. My ego isn't that out of control. LOL.
That much I have learned, much of it the hard way. Anyway, we are safe again from the lawmakers, until the next session.
By the way, after picking up that check (from a place where I know you have eaten since it is a Texas institution), I discovered that there was an error -- an overcharge on one store of about $1,300.
Rather than let it slide and hope no one noticed, I sent them an email and said "We made an error in your favor. Either I send you a check our give you a credit." Is being honest that hard?
I never assume that someone wouldn't find out. It's just the way I was raised. Honesty is the best policy. It's the way I choose to live my life. No regrets.
