Max Powers

Double Taxation

This seems like a big deal.

That for over THIRTY years the City of El Paso has been handing over money to the County.  

And that FORTY MILLION that it handed over is not exactly chump change. 

Think about it.

Your opinion about the baseball stadium aside, the City could have already paid the stadium off within a year or two.   

That Latino cultural center some folks want, you probably could have had that too already. 

It is not just about having nicer things.

It is all about not paying twice for the same damn thing...like for park services.

I have not seen the numbers about if you take all that money given to the County, I would not be surprised if we are talking about at least half a billion dollars.  

But I find the timing of all this a bit suspect.  

It is only after the ex-County Judge has won her primary that you all find this out? An ex-County judge who had been taxing you twice the whole entire time.

When there were three Shapleighites and Shapleighite-friendly City Manager, they did not know about this?

Remember that big bond phuck-up by City staff?

When you consider that in light of this, I would not blame you guys for wanting to tar-and-feather certain folks.

Sure, this double taxation plan by the County was in place long before they arrived on the scene, but once on the scene these enlightened county and city leaders did not do anything to correct this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob Moore - The Freelancer

When Bob Moore was announcing he was leaving the El Paso Times so that others would not lose their jobs, verbal blowjobs were given to him  the El Paso Times newsroom to the Twitter-verse.  

I thought, "Damn, he must be making a shit ton of money."

If the editor of the non-profit Texas Tribune pulls $300,000 annually, I can only imagine Bob Moore's salary was even further north of that. 

Which must suck for Zahira Torres.  

The old white guy was making bank, and she gets stuck with his job will all the responsibility, but half the pay. 

Anyways.

So Saint Bob was sacrificing himself so that others in the El Paso Times newsroom would not be sacrificed.

Well, so much for all that.

Bob is a freelance journalist. 

What does that mean?

He is undercutting the very people he allegedly tried to protect.

Every story that an El Paso Times reporter does, Bob Moore can do much cheaper. 

It gets even worse. 

It is freelancing Bob, not an El Paso Times reporter, that takes up space on television.  

The guy that allegedly left to save your job is actually taking your job.  

If I were an El Paso Times reporter, I'd tell Bob, "Phuck you", not "Thank you."

 

 

This is not what winning looks like

It may seem like Susie Byrd is on top of the world. 

But is she really?

Here is Susie when life was probably good:

Here is Susie now:

Susie already looks a decade older than her age.

"Max, you're being sexist!"

Maybe.

But hey, if you think I am hard on Susie on her appearances, I am even harder on myself.  I recently gave up all booze and sugar because of that.  

Your outer skin or beauty of whatever you want to call it is usually an expression of all the good or bad occurring on the inside physically, mentally and spiritually.

Susie has been doing the dirty work for the Shapleigh-Escobar-Caballero cabal or whatever you want to call it for years now.  

But at what cost?

What does she have to show for it? 

What's life without your health?

Look at Bob Moore, I actually feel sorry for the guy because you know deep inside he is not happy.  

But look at Cesar Blanco.  The guy is over 40, but looks 20.  Which may explain why he has grown a beard.

Hell, look at Dori.  Dori is actually older than Veronica Escobar and Susie Byrd, but looks younger. 

"But Max, she has money and probably does Botox."

It is not like Escobar and Byrd are broke, and good for Dori for using money to take care of herself.

Yea, Dori may have lost an election, but by all appearances she looks like she is winning at life.  

Susie really needs to stop and take a good look at herself in the mirror and ask herself is the life she really wanted.

It is still not too late to change course.  

 

 

 

 

 

Here and there...

Just some quick thoughts and observations:

• Veronica Escobar: Has Escobar endorsed Gina Ortiz Jones yet? I figure since it is a big deal to have a Latina representing Texas in Congress, then the more the merrier, right? And will Escobar join Ortiz Jones on the campaign trail?
• John Cook: Cook is more than likely your next County Judge.  His opponent had hired Norma Chavez, and then hired Forma, and now will hire Eddie Holguin, Jr? Ultimately it really does not matter who is County Judge.  The El Paso Times editorial board said as much when it told its readers to flip-a-coin.  Only in El Paso did the County Judge seem larger than life and that was in large part due to Escobar and her cozy relationship with the El Paso Times.  In other metropolitan areas of note, who is or isn't County Judge is an after thought.
• Again, Escobar: Is Vero going to handle Congress well? She is used to being an executive, the Queen Bee, the head honcho or whatever you want to call it.  She is not used to being 1 out of 435.  
• 2018 Jeep Wrangler: My 2015 Wrangler already has over 70,000, and do not get me wrong, I still love driving her, but man, that 2018 is pretty sweet.  
• Susie Byrd: Susie is not doing well at all.  More on that in the next post.

Beto Walked Right Into It

Your Congressman Beto O'Rourke still has a big name ID problem in Texas despite national, state and local media giving him plenty of air time. 

What does that mean?

You still gotta introduce yourself to a lot of people still. 

But then Senator Ted Cruz wakes up.

And what does Cruz do?

Him and his team make light of Beto's name.

"Max, that's childish of Cruz!"

Maybe.

But it works. 

Beto O'Rourke who still has to introduce himself to a lot of people now has to explain himself.

Rather talking policy or attacking Cruz, Beto and his team are instead responding to Cruz.

Their response is, "No, Beto is not Latino. But he has had this name since birth. Oh, Ted Cruz's real name is Rafael."

So Team Beto, who in the Democratic primary lost in quite a few majority Hispanic border counties, is letting people know that Beto is not Latino, but Ted is, but both like to use nicknames.

Ted does not lose in explaining his name.  He goes on to talk about his immigrant father arriving broke to the States from Cuba.  Which only works in his favor. 

Beto, however, will lose in explaining his name.

I am not sure saying, "Our live-in Mexican nanny gave me my nickname" will help with the narrative that Beto is a "punk rock" Democrat.

This is probably only the beginning of Cruz and his team dressing down Beto.

You gotta give credit to Cruz.

When Cruz was trying to take on God Emperor in the presidential primary, God Emperor made mincemeat of Cruz because Cruz played nice.  

But it looks like Cruz has learned a thing or two in defeat.  

And it looks like it will be Beto will be the one playing nice in this election.  

And what is it that they say nice guys do?

Just ask Cruz.

 

 

 

 

 

Dos Mujeres, Un Camino

It is not outside of the realm of possibility that El Paso could be in fact represented by two Latinas in Congress. 

Assuming a one Gina Ortiz Jones wins her runoff, and beats Congressman Will Hurd, El Paso would have two Latinas representing her in Congress.

Which only begs the question?

How is Veronica Escobar going to handle it?

You know Veronica is already pissed that she will not be the only Latina in the Texas Congressional Delegation.

Sylvia Garcia of Houston has punched her ticket much like Escobar. 

If Ortiz Jones makes it, oh boy.  

You will have two Latinas from larger metropolitan areas of that state in Congress and then you have Escobar. 

It just so happens that Ortiz Jones could also represents part of El Paso.

I can just see Vero's expression if Ortiz Jones tells her, "Don't worry I will help you out."

 

 

 

OH NOES!!!

“Somewhere a former hospital CEO is thinking, “Hey, I tapped that.”

————-

Boy, did I get that wrong.

:(

BUT on the bright side, at least Jaime Abeytia’s girlfriend didn’t make the runoff.

:)

Actually, poor girl.  Here is Jaime working over time for nothing to help other people get elected, but can’t help her. Maybe Escobar hires her?

But I am glad Norma did run.  For realz. At least she ran, and she can mark that off her checklist.  A boxer only regrets the punches he didn’t take.

And for all the talk about Dori losing money, the fact she had that kind of scratch laying around should tell you she ain’t hurting for money.   She has apparently what you call “Fuck you money”.  Other people have to vote for their own pay raises or claim false reimbursements with Texas Tech to get “please pay attention to me money.”

But I guess we will wait and see if a Congresswoman Escobar votes “for” Palestinian causes.

 

 

We Love Republicans Until We Don't

Republicans are voting!!!

OH NOES!!!

Apparently, former County Judge Veronica Escobar begged the local party* to send out a warning about Republicans voting in the Democratic primary. 

Which is a bit rich coming from her.

After all, Veronica wines and dines with Republicans.

She takes cash from Republicans. 

Hell, she sleeps with a Republican.  

But God forbid a Republican wants to exercise his or her constitutional right and vote.

That and where was she back in 2012 when Republicans were voting in a Democratic primary?

Oh, that's right.

She was voting with Republicans in THAT primary.

If anything, Vero owes all those Republicans that voted for her friend, Beto O'Rourke, a "thank you".  

If not for them, Reyes would still be in Congress and Escobar a character witness at Susie Byrd's bribery trial.