Max Powers

The Canutillo "Flag" Controversy

I was not going to chime-in on the "flag" controversy in Canutillo, but then Martin Paredes opened his mouth.

What is painted on the school is not a flag. 

But if that is what you all are calling it, well, that "flag" is in violation of the Federal Flag Code.

Let us all refer to Title 4 United States Code, Subsection 8(b):

The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.

The alleged flag is touching the ground.

"Flag" touching the ground

So if you are pissed at the HOA, you should be even more pissed at the people who disrespected the alleged flag by letting it touch the ground.

You see the reason why there is not much outrage is not because of some conspiracy.  No, it is because El Paso being a military town and all, folks around here know much more about the Federal Flag Code than those feigning outrage to score cheap political points. 

 

The Delegation Representing El Paso's Corporate Interests

Just as the City and County of El Paso have their own lobbyists, El Paso's corporate interests also have their own lobbyists. 

Again it bears repeating, there is nothing wrong with petitioning your government.  It is your constitutional right.

El Paso Electric is the one El Paso company with the most lobbyists, but that is to be expected given that utilities are heavily regulated.

As you would expect Western Refining, Hunt Companies and Jobe Materials are represented by a lobbyist.

The one oddball to me is T&T Staff Management, but my guess is that it is more interested in procurement than legislation.

So without any further adieu, the lobbyists representing corporate El Paso:

The Tiguas Have Given Up On Austin...

...finally.

The Tiguas aren't spending any money this year to lobby in Austin.  And by "money" I mean federal money, which is really your money. 

See:

 Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tribal Council
 119 S. Old Pueblo Road  El Paso, TX 79907

  Aguirre, Lionel  (00050764)
  5701 W. Slaughter Ln. A-130-332  Austin, TX 78749
  Type of Compensation: Prospective
  $ 0.00
  Client - Start: 01/01/2015    Term Date: 12/31/2015

The ugly truth is that nobody gives a sh*it - especially a Republican-dominated Legislature - about Speaking Rock when Sunland is next door.  Even if Speaking Rock were open I doubt that many people would go to the Lower Valley to blow their money.

So why spend $150,000 a year on lobbyists when you can use that money to bring Stryper in town to throw a concert, and double, if not triple, your money?

In that regard, the Tiguas are at least smarter than the County and City of El Paso who are throwing your money away on lobbying efforts.

The thing is the County and City know they are pissing that money away.  So why do they do it?  Folks like County Judge Veronica Escobar or Mayor's Chief of Staff Taylor Moreno are looking for a reason to go to Austin and get plastered at Ruth Chris.

 

 

 

 

 

One El Pasoan's Delegation

When it comes to lobbyists and El Paso, besides local government, people tend to associate lobbyists with people like Paul Foster, Woody Hunt or Stanley Jobe.

Rarely does one associate a lobbyist with a UTEP professor, if ever at all.

But alas there is a Professor at UTEP who has hired two lobbyists to represent his interests.

That professor?

Richard Teschner.

Richard hired these folks:

Kimberly D.  Selinger - 919 Congress Avenue #1100  Austin, TX 78701

Type of Compensation: Prospective

Less Than $10,000.00

Client - Start: 01/21/2015    Term Date: 12/31/2015

 

Charles Eric Wright  - 919 Congress Avenue Suite  1100 Austin, TX 78701

Type of Compensation: Prospective

$10,000 - $24,999.99

Client - Start: 01/09/2015    Term Date: 12/31/2015

There is nothing nefarious about petitioning your government.  In fact, it is your constitutional right.

But for the money Richard is spending he must be expecting some sort of result.

Granted, compared to what AT&T  spends on lobbying it is a pittance.  That being said, I doubt Richard is spending anywhere from $10,000-$25,000 on lobbyists to get legislative reports.

My guess he has hired lobbyists for some environmental issue, but your guess is probably better than mine.

 

 

The Other El Paso Delegation

Okay, El Paso, you know who your Delegation in Austin is, but do you know who your OTHER Delegation is? 

That's right, there are two delegations representing you in Austin.

There is the one you elected (State Senator and Representatives), and there is other made-up of the lobbyists hired by the other people you elected (City Council, Commissoners Court, and their respective appointees):

When State Senator Jose Rodriguez walks...

...into the Senate Chamber, does anybody care?

No.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announced committee assignments on Friday.

Once again, State Senator Jose Rodriguez was relegated to the back bench.

Rodriguez will spin his committee assignments in any which way to deflect from him.

But his spin will not hold any water.

The two Democratic senators representing the Border were named to the Senate budget-writing committee, Committee on Finance,  none of who are named Jose Rodriguez. 

One of them though is a friend of Rodriguez, State Senator Chuy Hinojosa.

You would think Rodriguez would learn a thing or two from his friend on how to be a more effective Senator.

Hell, there is a Subcommittee on Border Security, and guess who is not on it?

Jose Rodriguez. 

Committee on Business and Commerce? No way, Jose.

Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development? No way, Jose.

The sad thing is folks in El Paso really do not care. 

Rodriguez could actually be absent the entire session, and no one would be upset, and Rodriguez would win re-election in a landslide.

 

Moody, Weed and El Paso

State Representative Joe Moody has made an early splash with his bill that would reduce penalties for marijuana possession.

It's a great idea, but it probably will not make it to the Governor's desk.

That being said, that does not mean there's nothing that cannot be done back in El Paso.

On the books already is a law -  "Cite and Release" - that allows local counties to decide whether or not they want to lock up or just ticket someone who is caught having less than two ounces of marijuana. 

So far Travis, Dallas and Hays counties have adopted "Cite and Release". 

Most recently the DA in San Antonio believes the law is something worth exploring.

No word whether or not DA Jaime Esparza wants to look into this, but maybe Joe Moody can nudge Jaime.

Of course, when I say "nudge" I am suggesting  Moody encourages Esparza to adopt this policy as well as nudges Esparza out-of-office.

 

 

 

Bobby Bowling Helps* El Paso

Earlier this week at City Council, the Council approved an item by Mayor Oscar Leeser.

That item?

An item called:

Accept the donation of $5,000 from Bowling Construction LLC dba Tropicana Homes for the Economic Development Familiarization Tours.

We all know Bowling Construction.  The beloved family-run operation headed by Bobby Bowling.

This is the first time I have heard the phrase "Economic Development Familiarization Tours."

To me it sounds like the intent of Bobby is that when El Paso economic development staff are trying to pimp El Paso that staff pimp...err...show to businesses interested in relocation a Tropicana model home.

Not. Self-serving. At. All.

But I get it.

Not everybody has $50 million lying around to donate to a medical school. 

So the next best thing is little a quid pro quo for about $5,000 bucks.

Sell a home or two from these "economic development familiarization tours" and you made your money back. 

On second thought, that is smarter use of money than throwing millions at a fledging medical school where you will not get a return.  But then again, if you are a billionaire you need to burn money or else the IRS burns it for you.

I don't know I am rambling here, but I am sure there is someone - a guy in Orlando who does business with City and County of El Paso - that can shed more light on this.

 

The RNC Is Doing It Wrong

I know sometimes you have to bend things to make a sale.  We do it in dating, in marketing and campaigning.

But still. 

I thought this letter I received from the Republican National Committee was interesting.

RNC Outreach

As the RNC knows, or should know or choses to neglect, Texas does not have party registrations.  Texas has an open primary system.  There is no such thing as registered anything in Texas.

Even then in states with a closed primary system, party registration matters during primaries, not during the general election.

This will certainly be more up David K's alley, but the RNC has a problem. There was a time the RNC ran things, but the Tea Party movement kinda blew the RNC out-of-the-water.  Now you have some guy that sounds like a character out of "Game of Thrones" trying to turn that sucker around. 

One of those ways of turning it around? Sending fundraising mail, like one above, to registered Republicans, even when said registrations do not exist at all.

But certainly with all the bright minds in our nation's capital, the RNC could tailor fundraising efforts so that it does not sound completely clueless (or arrogant) when basing its pitch on the primary system of a given state.

 

 

Where's Max?

Ebola, the flu, consumption, VD, or shaking Rep. Mary Gonzalez's hand...I dunno.  

Max is under the weather.  

So posting will be light this week, if there is postings at all.

But that's okay. 

All this week Austin is throwing a party for the new governor, and the El Paso House Delegation has not been assigned to any committees yet.  So nothing is going on over there besides UTEP President Diane Natalicio asking for more money.

Then there is the City and County.  But Commissioner Haggerty has not run into any poles.  It is also a four-day work week for those folks so everybody is mailing it in at the County and City this week.