Max Powers

All this SB 4 Stuff

Just a thought...

...what if SB 4 does not produce the desired effect its proponents are pushing for thereby not producing the desired affect its opponents are secretly wishing for?

In other words, what if enforcement of this new law ranges from haphazard to "meh"? 

Or enforcement is great, but does not result in every Tomas, Ricardo and Enrique getting pulled over or deported?

Which I am sure will disappoint some of the new law's most ardent supporters.

BUT it will probably be an even bigger disappoint for folks who are hoping this is just the move that brings in the Democrats back to power in Texas.

If sky does not fall because of this new law, then the folks you think you are protecting from this new law will probably shrug next time you ask for a vote.

That and I just find it funny El Paso leaders are worried that this law is "anti-Hispanic" given that most law enforcement officers in El Paso are, well, Hispanic.

If you get pulled over in El Paso, it is not because the law enforcement officer is racist, it is because he or she is just an asshole.

And assholery is not illegal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only the El Paso Times

Only Bob Moore thinks a firing of a grocery store manager is news.

And he wonders why El Paso gets a bad rap for being a podunk town.

 

What's next for El Paso?

Yes, there was an election.  I am definitely not getting a Conquistador.

Oh, well.

So what now?

Well, you all are about to spend $180 million on a new arena without a tenant.  That's only to build the thing, not maintain it.

But as David K suggests you all will spend probably closer to $300 million on construction.

And I have a funny feeling you all will have to fork out another $200 million on top of that $300 million.

"What the hell are you talking about, Max?  Why would we spend half a billion dollars on an arena?"

Well, no. 

The extra $200 million is not for the arena.

The extra $200 million will be for the new convention center/downtown arena hotel you will be asked to build because the folks at the tourism office will say, "Yes, we have great facilities, but other cities have great facilities but with a hotel that is conveniently attached."

And because you have spent $300 million on a new arena, well, you do not want that arena to go to waste.   

So you will sign-up to spend another $200 million on a new hotel with skybridges that connect it to the arena and the convention center when a new bond election comes up.

A half of a billion dollars could go a long way in El Paso, but instead, it will all stay within a couple blocks.

 

 

David Saucedo: Pendejo o Mamón?

One thing mayoral candidate David Saucedo would like to remind you of is that he is a "4th generation El Pasoan."

The only thing I can come up with as to why he is using that line is that his campaign intern, Chris Hernandez, said something like this:

"David, even though you were born here, you still speak English with a funny accent.  So start saying you're a fourth generation El Pasoan so that way it lets people know you only sound like and act like a fronchi fresa but you are really not!"

The other things Saucedo calls himself, at least on his  campaign website, are "Family Man", "Leader" and "Entrepreneur".

Which does not jibe with what he calls himself as on his LinkedIn page - "Bandit" and "Impresario".

The guy that works for a locksmith company calls himself a "bandit".

Never mind the fact that a guy that went to private schools and calls himself a bandit would be like one day running into Jaime Abeytia wearing boat shoes and salmon shorts talking about his lacrosse days. 

So the guy that works for the locksmith company that calls himself a "Bandit" now wants to be your Mayor. 

It gets better.

Then the guys calls himself an "Impresario".

This is how you know the guy is less fluent in Spanish than Dee Margo.

There is "Empresario" and there is "Impresario". 

Two different things. 

But Saucedo  I guess wanting to be different because he is a bandit and all, well, he is an "Impresario" even though there is nothing in his resume that suggests he is indeed an impresario.

So what to make of all this?

Is Saucedo some sort of pendejo or mamón?

Nah. 

He is just really insecure about who he is. 

And this race for mayor is nothing more than is emotional exercise for Saucedo to seek some sort of validation, which you all of you happen to be a part of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norma Chavez's Legacy

El Paso owes Norma Chavez a "Thank you!"

If not El Paso, at the very least these three assholes in this picture who are celebrating the El Paso's only medical school's  most recent expansion do:

The El Paso medical school did not start with Norma Chavez.

But its legislative journey did end with Norma.

Sure, Paul Foster, Woody Hunt and Rick Francis opened their wallets, but in the financial orbit that those guys are in, it is a lot easier to give money than it is to deal with likes of the El Paso Delegation.

Eliot Shapleigh, who loved the sound of his own voice, Chente Quintanilla, who could not tell his ass from a hole in the ground, Pat Haggerty, whom for every hour was happy hour, Joe Pickett, who was too busy penning a children's book, to Paul Moreno, who did more to help his family than help El Paso, all intentionally or unintentionally did everything to make the El Paso medical school NOT happen.

So it was up to a woman, a Mexican woman, who had to clean-up the mess that these men made. 

She put El Paso before party to make sure this medical school happened. 

She could have made the choice of pulling a Shapleigh or Moreno and enjoy the legislative trappings of a backbencher.

But no.

She had the audacity to give a damn.

Sure, we can talk about all the other things that she did or did not do, but those things when all said and done are outweighed by this. 

 

 

 

Why Emma

El Paso Democrats do not seem to bothered by the fact a Republican will end up as mayor.  I thought with Hitler in office local Democrats would be motivated.   But oh well.

So there goes my shot at a Conquistador.

So why  are people not voting for Emma?

Are you all really haggling over $90,000?

Most of your elected officials have all made their modest fortunes from government, i.e. Jose Rodriguez, Veronica Escobar, etc.

So why vote for Emma Acosta?

It is simple. 

El Paso will have a competent city government. 

By electing Acosta, you are really electing Mayor Tommy Gonzalez. 

And a Mayor Tommy Gonzalez would be a lot better than ex-Mayor Joyce Wilson.

Gonzalez is working to impress other potential cities. 

You think he wants to work for the Upper Rio Paso Del Norte Center for Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too?

Nope.

He will work even harder for El Paso and himself with Acosta as his Chief of Staff. 

So vote for Tommy!

 

 

David Saucedo and Ethics

So the ethics complaint filed against mayoral candidate David Saucedo with the Texas Ethics Commission was rejected.

What does this mean?

One thing that it does NOT mean, is that it is over.

I know a thing or two about filing an ethics complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission.   I have had a complaint rejected before it being ultimately accepted.

So this part ain't over.

What about the other part?

The part involving the City's own ethics commission.

Apparently, the City's own ethics commission does not want to even look at it because, "Well, the ballots are already printed."

Shit.

Then why bother with having an ethics commission?

And this is where things get dicey for you, El Paso voter.

Who has been unusually quiet during this mayoral election?  The Shapleigh crowd.

Their candidate, Ted Houghton, did not run after all.

If there are no other options, they kinda can deal with a Mayor Margo.

But what if there is another option?

This whole new wrinkle about Saucedo and his treasurer could draw the Shapleigh crowd in, but in a rather unexpected way.

If Saucedo pulls it off and wins, do not be surprised if Team Shapleigh sues to contest the results.

A Republican mayor, who either intentionally or unintentionally, violated ethics laws and ordinances by raising and spending campaign cash without a treasurer...you think that Team Shapleigh is going to let the slide?

Hell no.

And do not get me wrong. 

A Republican would still be mayor of El Paso, but that Republican's name would be Ted Houghton.