Max Powers

David Saucedo Has a Big Mouth..

...until he does not.

Yet again, your mayoral candidate did not want to provide the El Paso Times with a comment regarding the "frivolous" complaint.

You can describe the ethics complaint against Saucedo anyway you want.

Regardless of your choice of adjective, the complaint had enough validity to it that Saucedo felt compelled to "correct" it.

If Saucedo really thinks this complaint is much ado about nothing, then instead of huff-and-puffing on Chris Hernandez-drafted press releases, he would tell the El Paso Times:

"I previously dismissed my treasurer, and subsequently my treasurer was replaced.  In the transition, an error was made in filing our financial reports, but we have since corrected it."

Or -

"Due to the nature of this complaint, which I take seriously, I have replaced my treasurer.  It this sort of accountability El Pasoans can expect from me at City Hall."

But no.

Saucedo would rather not talk it about directly, and instead have Chris issue a one-page press release that basically avoids the matter and just slams Margo. 

Which fine.

Slam Margo. 

I do not care.

But rather than delve into the weeds of campaign finance laws and ordinances, El Paso media folks should just ask Saucedo:

"Do you have a treasurer?  Did you ever have a treasurer?  Did you ever replace your treasurer?"

Oh, and ask:

"If you're such a badass, why didn't Emma Acosta fuck up her paperwork like you?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is David Saucedo So Angry?

Honest question.

In all of his interviews, David Saucedo comes off needlessly pissed.

Why is he so angry?

Maybe he should go to one of those foot spa places.

Of course, he calls his angry "passion".

Which that would be okay if his name was "Dez Bryant".  

But David Saucedo is no Dez Bryant.

Does El Paso need passion right now?

Look at what "passion" has gotten you in El Paso...a failed Children's Hospital, a soon-to-be failed arena experiment, soon-to-be empty trolley system, Veronica Escobar, and so on.

The list of passion projects is long, and the bill even longer. 

If anything, it is time for cooler heads.

But if you want to vote for "pissed off", may I suggest my boy, Jorge Artalejo.

 

How Beto O'Rourke Beats Ted Cruz

Apparently, your next U.S. Senator, Beto O'Rourke, is unafraid to say "shit" from time-to-time.

Which is A-Okay by me.

Which got me thinking about other curse words like "bitch".

And...BAM!

It hit me.

I know how O'Rourke can beat soon-to-be-ex-Senator Ted Cruz.

O'Rourke cannot run on policy, or run against Trump* or on being a "Good Democrat" cos' that would be gay.

And when I say "gay" I do not mean it in the cool man-on-man sense of the word.  I just mean it in the sense of how Congressman Tattoo...err...Joaquin Castro would run his race against Cruz and lose.

So how does O'Rourke kick Cruz's ass?

It is simple.

O'Rourke could say something like this:

"Folks, let's face it.  Donald Trump turned Ted Cruz into a little bitch during the presidential primary.  And Texans cannot afford to have somehow who acts like a little bitch representing them in the U.S. Senate.  And while some may say the term "bitch" is sexist let me remind you I got nothing but love for my all would-be hoes from the 903 to the 915."

Or something along those lines.

In other words, O'Rourke needs to trump Cruz. 

Sure, Cruz will respond, but it will be something like:

"Have you no shame, sir!?!"

And O'Rourke counters:

"There you go again, Ted.   Acting like a lil' bitch."

Cruz is already in the red with comes to the good-looks department with O'Rourke.

O'Rourke just now needs to show the Cruz is in the black when it comes to the wuss department. 

-----------

*100+ days in, and Trump is still doing a great job!

 

 

Should KVIA Allow David Saucedo at the Debate?

So it appears mayoral candidate David Saucedo has a problem or two.

And Saucedo is running scared.

He provided comment to KVIA.

But shortly after when the El Paso Times asked for comment, he provided none.

So what now?

Tomorrow there is a KVIA-hosted debate.

Does KVIA allow him to debate?

If Saucedo has been raising money without a treasurer, and if a municipal ordinance states that a candidate cannot be on the ballot for doing so, then KVIA has something of a dilemma.

KVIA General Manager, Kevin Lovell, offered the following explanation as to why he is only allowing three candidates at the debate:

"We want to be fair to all the candidates, but ultimately there appear to be only three that are legitimate viable contenders to be the mayor of El Paso."

But what about now?

There appears to be questions about the legitimacy of Saucedo as a candidate.

Does KVIA role the dice on having a questionable candidate on air calling into question its own legitimacy?

 

 

 

Why Beto Can Win

Believe it or not, Beto can win.

Provided that Tatoo does not also run in the Democratic primary, Beto can win this.

Here are the three primary reasons why I in my not so humble opinion I believe Beto can win:

• Hustle - The general election is more than a year and half away and Beto is hustling. He is visiting some of the shittiest parts of State - Garland, Arlington, Austin and so on - pressing flesh.  Sometimes showing up is all that matters (see Hillary Clinton and the Midwest).
• Optics - Beto O'Rourke is hands the down the more photogenic candidate. 
• Cruz Control?- Ted Cruz has lost some of his shine.  For better or for worse, he is establishment now.  The enthusiasm that existed among the Republican party faithful for Cruz when he ran against a lieutenant governor, who accomplished nothing of note, ain't there.   And that enthusiasm probably was probably based more on sticking it to that lieutenant governor than for Cruz himself. 

There are a few other reasons why Beto can pull it off.

But it is only Beto who can pull it off, not Tatoo. 

But I am running late and stuff.

Good day!

 

What the Hell?

So the debate, despite my best efforts, remained an all-around boring affair.

The three candidates all are committed to pissing away more than $180 million away on an arena.

Recently, the El Paso Inc. published a puff piece on arenas in other cities, but failed to ask about annual operation and maintenance costs as well as how long has it taken, or projected to take, to payoff their arena.  

Even the Inc. has a hard-on for the arena.

I'm still pulling for Emma though.

I really do want a Conquistador Award.

 

How Emma Can Win The Debate

Not that debates really matter.

But if Emma wants to do good tonight, I know what she needs to do.

She needs to draw her two Republican opponents off-sides.

How?

It could go something like this:

"There is a clear choice.  The choice is between the values of Donald Trump, which several of my opponents support, or those values that we El Pasoans hold dear."

In the words of our ex-Dear Leader, let me be clear, I think Trump is doing a fan-phucking-tastic job.  He has rolled back some of his predecessor's executive orders, and put in a right-winger on the Supreme Court.  Everything else you hear about him is just noise.

But anyways.

Trump is probably not, at least publicly, popular in El Paso.

So why not use that to your advantage and trip-up your opponents.

You can probably also trip-up Dee Margo with questions about whether or not he supports school vouchers, or ask whether or not we should legislate where women with penises take a piss. 

With David Saucedo, forget Boys & Girls Club.  When you have Joyce Wilson who managed to blow a few million lecturing the brown kid about non-profit finances it does not look good to be in the same company of Wilson. 

However, you can ask or bring-up his recent settlement with American Express. 

And quite frankly, she can question his temperament - "David, why are you mad all the time?"

Between the old rich white guy tripping over himself trying to avoid landmines about who should and should not piss sitting down, and Saucedo losing his cool, Emma just needs to be as calm as a Hindu cow, and she wins the debate.

Oh and if Jaime Perez says anything just respond with, "That's nice."

 

 

Is Vince Perez Cooked?

With former Mayor John Cook being County Judge Veronica Escobar's anointed successor, what happens to Commissioner Vince Perez?

He's stuck, and looks like he will be stuck for sometime. 

Compared to his last gig, Cook's new gig - assuming he wins - comes with 3 times the pay and helluva lot less responsibility.  In other words, Cook ain't looking to serve one-term.  If he has it his way, he will be County Judge until the day he expires. 

And please I do not want to hear this non-sense that Vince needs to wait his turn.

If Dolores Briones, and Veronica Escobar could be County Judge, why not Vince? 

Anyways.

What about another gig for Vince?

Like State Senate.

Rumor has it Jose Rodriguez wants out. 

So why not Vince?

Well, a couple of reasons.

Vince's current gig pays him nearly $90,000 a year.  Add all the benefits and he is making six-figures. 

And he recently married a city council person, whose salary and benefits combined with his, gets them closer to $150k per year. 

I cannot imagine his better half saying, "So you're going to take job that pays $7,200 a year and that requires you to spend half your time in Austin? Okay!"

Even if Vince got creative and maxed out his per diem benefits as a state legislator he would still not even come close to his current salary. 

Now, if he got a divorce, all bets are off, but that probably ain't happening either.  It's a cheaper to keep her kinda scenario.

On the other hand, Perez's salary does mean that his wife could run for State Senate because of his salary. 

 

 

 

 

 

Can $1000 Cost Dee Margo An Election?

Maybe.

Last August, mayoral candidate Dee Margo gave $1ooo to one of the most rabid Republicans in Austin - Dan Patrick - Download ContributionsByName.

"Well, what's the big deal, Max? We all know he is Republican."

Let me explain.

Emma Acosta is the Democrat in the mayor's race.

She already has locked-up the endorsement of the muni employees union...as expected.

But Acosta needs more.

She will not outraise Dee, but she can probably mobilize a lot more voters than Dee given the Democratic party's base.

That muni union, AFSCME, needs to talk all the local teacher groups in El Paso. 

Teachers already hate Dee for being involved at EPISD, but if they need a reason to hate him again, well, he did give $1000 to pro-voucher Dan Patrick. 

I have a feeling plenty of teachers and public education administrators would like to take a swing at Dee, Emma just needs to mobilize them. 

"But Max what does the city the have to do with education?"

That's a stupid question.  A city lives and dies by the quality of education that is available to all its children.  School districts, not arenas, drive economic growth.

Besides, Dee is bragging about his stint at EPISD, why can't he be held accountable for it?

And know who else is interested in education besides teachers?

Members of your El Paso Delegation. 

If at least one member of the delegation to endorse Emma, others will come out and endorse her too.  

This is just only part of the Democratic base that Emma can mobilize because of Dee's contribution. 

The other part? That's for later.

 

 

 

 

 

David Saucedo and Boys & Girls Club - Why It Doesn't Matter

El Paso is in no shortage of institutions whose primary mission is to serve children, but often find themselves in legal and/or financial problems.

Like the Children's Hospital.

Or El Paso Independent School District.

Or Ysleta Independent School District.

Mind you, these are all government institutions. 

If they phuck up, well, scheiss how are local area non-profits are gonna fare?

Probably not much better.

Enter the Boys & Girls Club.

So apparently Republican asshole, no not Dee Margo, the other Republican asshole in the race, David Sacuedo, ran that mothaphucka into the ground!

But why is no one biting?

Well, there IS one guy.

Jaime Abeytia posted tax returns from the Boys & Girls Club.

But if the last presidential election proved anything it is that no one gives a shit about tax returns. 

So why are people not biting?

Well, we know David Saucedo is a Republican asshole, but the guy in-charge of daily operations of the Boys & Girls Club back then, Joseph "Did I tell you I have a doctorate?" Villa-whatever, well, ain't he part of the whole holier-than-thou progressive crowd?  In other words, a friend of Shapleigh's?

And Isn't Dee, the Shapleigh candidate?  Or at the very least, the least despised by the Shapleigh crowd?  I know Dee is supposed to be the evil white asshole, but muni politics is a lot like a Lower Valley Family Reunion - a lot phucking and backstabbing which makes everything a bit confusing.

But I digress.

Too many people from different corners of El Paso are involved in that Boys & Girls Club shit. 

In other words, there is enough shit to smear on everyone. 

"But the children!!!"

Um, no.

If people really gave a rat's ass about "the children" things would not have gotten so bad at EPISD that the State had to take over. 

Unless you have a receipt that shows Saucedo bought some Gucci loafers with the Boys & Girls Club credit card, nobody cares.