Texas Democratic Party Platform the Finest in History

Saturday last week in Fort Worth the Texas Democratic Party (TDP) overwhelmingly passed the finest platform in its history. Among other important planks the platform calls for legalization of marijuana like Colorado, a moratorium on new fracking wells and shutting down existing fracking wells by 2026, as well as enacting sensible gun laws to curtail the availability of weapons with extended ammunition magazines, including rapid-fire, magazine-fed weapons.

I had the honor and privilege to be appointed to the Chair’s Advisory Committee on the Platform. My appointment allowed me to have extensive input on both the topics and positions recommended to those who were elected from each of the 31 senate districts at the Texas Democratic Party convention in Fort Worth last week.

Criminal justice reform is a big topic and was placed at the beginning of the platform to emphasize its importance. Due to the high number of Texans jailed for non-violent crimes we the taxpayer are burdened with those costs while it fails to accomplish one of the presumed goals of rehabilitation. The TDP platform calls for big reductions in incarceration starting with bail reform so that being poor doesn’t mean an automatic jail sentence even if found innocent. We also call for eliminating incarceration for many non-violent crimes in favor of probation and other programs which are much more cost effective. We also demand a quick end to private prisons as there should never be a profit incentive for jailing people.

There are a rare few items with which we agree or nearly agree with the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) such as marijuana reform which we believe should involve full legalization similar to Colorado while they only call for making possession of small amounts equivalent to a speeding ticket. The TDP platform also calls for the immediate release of anyone incarcerated for possession of marijuana and expunging their convictions. I’m don’t smoke and I don’t drink so I don’t have much of an axe to grind but if alcohol consumption is legal then I can see no reason to ruin someone’s life over their choice to get inebriated via cannabis.

While the RPT suggests allowing counties to use paper ballots, something the can already do, Democrats call for a return to paper ballots statewide on the ground that it is the only truly auditable and unhackable method of recording our votes. If our democratic republic is to survive it is imperative that we have confidence in the results of our elections. So far there is no evidence that Russian or Chinese hackers succeeded in changing actual ballot counts we know that they did indeed gain access to the election systems of several states and counties we should take steps to insure that it can’t ever happen.

The TDP platform differs in significant ways from the RPT platform passed just a couple of weeks ago in that we support the federal Voting Rights Act and the Texas Voting Rights Act, and restoration of the federal preclearance policies that were overturned by the Supreme Court while they want to repeal those protections. The TDP supports extended early voting periods that the RPT wants to shorten.  Our platform calls for creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission to end racial and political gerrymandering in our redistricting process. We also call for a constitutional amendment to eliminate the electoral college and award the presidency to the winner of the nationwide popular vote so that candidates have to campaign in all states not just swing states.

To see the entire platform enter “texas democratic party platform 2018” in your favorite search engine.

Published in the Seguin Gazette June 29, 2018

Highlights of and Link to the 2018 Texas Democratic Party Platform

Criminal Justice

Bail Reform

The Texas Democratic Party Supports amending Texas Constitution Art. 1 § 11, § 13 and Texas Code of Criminal 17.01 and 17.02 to create a pre-trial release system that:

·         presumes release on personal recognizance for people charged with non-violent offenses who have little or no criminal history;

·         requires immediate release of low-risk defendants under the least restrictive conditions necessary to guarantee appearance at court proceedings;

Re­entry

Texas Democrats support programs that decrease recidivism by providing ex-offenders with a pathway back to productive participation in society. Texas Democrats support reducing recidivism by:

·         increasing access to rehabilitation and re-entry programs, with a special emphasis on reducing drug use among people released from prison, including the reversal of policies that deny student loans and grants to those who have completed sentences for drug felonies; and

Mass Incarceration

·         ending the practice of sending poor people to jail or prison for inability to pay fines and court costs;

·         redirecting mentally ill offenders from the criminal justice system to treatment programs when the risk to public safety is low;

Eliminating Private Prisons

·         amending the Texas Constitution to require state and local governments to directly operate and perform all core services at prisons, jails, and detention facilities within the State of Texas, and expressly prohibit the use of private prisons, jails, and detention facilities within the State of Texas;

Democracy

·         existing voter protection policies under the federal Voting Rights Act and the Texas Voting Rights Act, and restoration of the federal preclearance policies in the Voting Rights Act that were overturned by the Supreme Court;

·         instituting vote by mail for all elections – federal, state and local;

·         the creation of a nonpartisan redistricting commission to end racial and political gerrymandering in our redistricting process;

·         a constitutional amendment to eliminate the electoral college and award the presidency to the winner of the nationwide popular vote, and failing that, we urge all states to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, so that candidates must campaign everywhere and not just in swing states;

·         a return to paper ballots because they are more secure, much less expensive, and are the only method that can provide a truly auditable vote count;

·         the report and recommendations of the Unity Reform Commission to the Democratic National Committee as a carefully considered and eloquent prescription for strengthening democracy for all American citizens in general elections and Democratic Party nominations.

Ethics in Government

·         requiring elected officials throughout the state, including local or county officials, to file a personal financial statement to allow for more transparency; and

·         requiring every candidate for the President of the United States to disclose their complete federal tax return and, upon election, place private holdings in a blind trust for divestment.

Good Jobs Build Strong Communities

·         Every American should have a right to a job; therefore, federally funded jobs paying at least a living wage with health insurance and other typical benefits on projects selected by the states and local governments must be available in or near every community.

Healthcare for All

The Texas Democratic Party asserts that healthcare is a human right, not a privilege for the few. Texas Democrats recognize that the health and well-being of Texas residents cannot be based on decisions made by non-healthcare professionals whose primary concern is the financial well-being of a corporation rather than the well-being of an individual.

·         support the inclusion of a “Single Payer Option” as an addition to the plans currently offered under the state exchange systems;

Cannabis Reform

·         Texas legislation to legalize possession and use of cannabis and its derivatives and to regulate its use, production and sale as is successfully done in Colorado, Washington and other States;

Gun Violence Prevention

·         Closing loopholes that allow guns to be sold or traded without passing a mandatory and thorough background check;

·         Enacting legislation to require all individuals charged with domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, domestic or foreign terrorism, stalking or any violent felony to temporarily surrender all weapons and ammunition in their possession to law enforcement pending adjudication of their case(s);

·         Enacting sensible gun laws to curtail the availability of weapons with extended ammunition magazines, including rapid-fire, magazine-fed, military-style assault weapons;

Energy and Environment

A Moratorium on Fracking

·         a moratorium on new fracking wells;

·         set a goal of shutting down existing fracking wells by 2026;

·         set a goal of ending the practice of injecting wastewater by 2023;

Clean and Available Water

• Access to clean drinking water is a human right.

Immigration

·         strongly oppose the Trump Administration’s policy abusing children by of separating children from their parents at the southern border and denounce housing children in tent cities;

·         strongly oppose “tender age” shelters for infants and small children;

·         strongly oppose the Trump Administration so called “zero tolerance” approach to immigration;

·         strongly oppose the Trump Administration’s policy to no longer recognize asylum claims or Temporary Protected Status for refugees fleeing forced gang recruitment and violence perpetrated by gangs and refugees fleeing domestic violence;

·         support securing and protecting our border, while treating asylum seekers humanely;

·         strongly oppose any type of bans based on religious affiliation or country of origin;

·         strongly oppose efforts to build a border wall of any size and the unrealistic claim, and possibly abandoned claim, that a foreign country will pay for a border wall;

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NdguJq-4AhdyAz4WLzo_B-9HjMzJb1mS

Lowlights of the Republican Party of Texas Platform 2018

Last week the Republican Party of Texas held its bi-annual state convention in San Antonio. One of the major tasks of any political convention is writing the platform. It should come as no surprise that the RPT platform includes some real doozies and a few jaw droppers. One of my favorites is their stated wish to repeal the seventeenth amendment which would take away our right to elect our United States senators and put it in the hands of the power brokers of the state legislature. I don’t know about you but the last thing I want is a literal handful of legislators who are beholden to their wealthy campaign donors selecting my senators for me.

Apparently hard core Republicans, despite all evidence to the contrary, still believe that “climate change is a political agenda promoted to control every aspect of our lives”. There are a lot of old farmers who’ll tell you that over the last 20 years they’ve seen changes in rainfall patterns and amounts from what they experienced when they were young. We’ve had increasingly better predictions of what to expect from climate change as the science develops and is able to test formulas and work with new evidence being collected and yet they want to believe that Democrats just want all of us to toe the line because of some need for control. Oddly these same folks watch the Murdoch family propaganda network enough to put it on top of the ratings rankings.

Under the guise of religions freedom the Republican platform states a desire for school administrators, teachers and staff to be able to display religious paraphernalia on school property and pray in groups. If you’ve ever been an outsider to a school clique you know it can be really uncomfortable to be forced to spend all day every day for years in that environment. Now imagine that the clique isn’t just your peers it also includes your teachers, coaches and other authority figures. I went to Catholic grade school and well remember the year that some poor Baptist girl was enrolled there. She was ostracized from the start and it never ended, fortunately for her she didn’t come back the next year. I doubt there are many Lutherans who would care for a Catholic teacher evangelizing to their children, or vice versa. Real religious freedom doesn’t require making kids who aren’t members of the predominate faith in the neighborhood feel unwelcome. Public employees should not be allowed to proselytize on the tax payers’ dime.

Since Republicans are always focused on cutting taxes without much regard to how to pay for said tax cuts it should come as no surprise that their platform calls for abolishing property taxes entirely but especially those that pay for the operation of public schools. That would be a real boon to anyone with rental property or extensive commercial real estate holdings. Right now if you own real estate in a county you pay property taxes on it whether or not you live there, under their plan people can profit from their real estate holdings without ever having to give anything back to that community. The suggested replacement for property taxes is raising sales tax, are you ready to pay 15-20% sales tax?

Those are just some of the highlights, there’s plenty more outrageous material in the 45 page document including abolition of numerous federal agencies like the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor. Next week I’ll report on the Texas Democratic Party platform for 2018 that I’m helping write.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - June 22, 2018

A Difference Worthy of Voting

I’ve often heard non-voters say that they don’t bother to vote because all politicians are alike or it doesn’t matter who wins. Of course they’re always wrong but more so this year as there’s a tremendous contrast between Democrats and Republicans right now.

Congressional Democrats are working to put more Americans to work and assure them of better lives. Republicans in Congress are proposing to reduce spending on Social Security and Medicare to cover the deficit they created by giving 80% of tax cuts to millionaires. Most Americans aren’t noticing any difference in their take home pay.

There are two ways to cut that spending, they can tighten eligibility rules by raising the minimum age yet again or they can reduce benefits. Every time we raise retirement age we hurt lower income people more that higher income folks because it’s the lower income workers who do the jobs that wear out their bodies fastest. Raising the eligibility age for Medicare will financially hurt those with health conditions because they’ll be forced to stay on private insurance which will charge them higher premiums due to the care they need. As to cutting benefits, it’s already near impossible to retire on social security alone and still pay for health care, housing and other necessities.

Congressional Democrats on the other hand are proposing expanding Medicare to cover everyone which could cut premiums an average of 13%. Medicare has a 2% overhead rate while insurance companies are allowed 15% over the cost of medical care provided. Democrats also propose dealing with the high cost of medications and medical devices which will help control the overall cost of health care. State Democrats are expected to introduce legislation to create a Texas version of Medicare for All. Considering that Texas has the highest number of uninsured citizens in the country that would help a lot of folks. There will be a rally and march in support of both ideas at Hemisphair Park in San Antonio tomorrow at 10am.

Democrats also have proposed legislation to put more Americans to work called the Jobs for All Act and there is another proposal in discussion to create a federal job guarantee so that anyone who wants a job will have one that pays a living wage and provides benefits like paid vacations and sick leave. Democrats are also pushing to raise the federal minimum wage to a living wage and index it for inflation so that workers don’t see their wages fall behind and have to wait a decade or more before action is taken to restore their purchasing power.

Actions speak louder than words and nearly every action Republicans have taken since Trump took office has harmed Americans in one way or another. Democrats are fighting to improve all our lives by assuring that every American has access to health care, every worker earns a living wage and can retire with dignity at a reasonable age, and anyone who wants to work has the opportunity whether or not the private sector needs them.

There is a huge difference between the parties and their candidates and that difference makes it worth the effort to vote. If you have moved recently take a few minutes to update your voter registration, remind family and friends who have moved to do the same. We can change the direction of the country in November but we have to start now.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - June 15, 2018

Mueller the new Eliot Ness

Donald Trump and his supporters and enablers claim that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation hasn’t shown collusion with Russia so it’s time to end it. The thing is that from what’s been made public so far we know that Mueller’s authority to investigate Trump is far broader just his campaign’s possible conspiracy with Russian agents to interfere in the 2016 election. Just like other criminals of the past the conviction may not be related directly related to the most news worthy crimes. Just look at Al Capone, the notorious Chicago mobster of the 1920’s. Eliot Ness and has team famously known as “The Untouchables” made all the headlines raiding Capone breweries and other illegal enterprises, they gathered evidence and even convictions of Capone subordinates including his brother. Ness had a tough time convicting Capone of anything though and in the end it was accountant Frank J. Wilson of the Internal Revenue Service who made the case for tax evasion that put Capone in jail for 11 years.

Trump may be every bit as slippery as Capone but in the end there is a paper trail and the press has brought much of it to light over the last couple of years. Mueller’s team includes attorneys with experience in both organized crime prosecution and financial crimes. It’s important to realize that Mueller has gotten guilty pleas from five Trump associates and one of them Rick Gates is now a cooperating witness and likely so is Michael Flynn. There are eight or more others under indictment including former campaign manager Paul Manafort.

The first week in April Mueller's investigators made an unannounced visit to the home of an unnamed business associate of the Trump Organization who had worked on foreign deals for the company in recent years. The investigators had warrants for electronic records and to compel sworn testimony.

Among the transactions under investigation are Russian purchases of Trump apartments, a SoHo development with Russian associates, the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, transactions with the Bank of Cyprus which is widely known for money laundering which and one of the banks used by Paul Manafort, and Trump's sale of a Florida mansion for $30 million over its appraised value to Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev. In addition Mueller’s team has contacted Deutsche Bank, which is the main banking institution doing business with The Trump Organization since no U.S. bank will loan him funds. Reports indicate that Deutsche Bank received a subpoena from Mueller's office concerning people or entities affiliated with President Trump.

The Mueller team took over an existing money laundering investigation into former Trump campaign chairman Manafort and a federal grand jury indicted him and his associate Rick Gates on charges including conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts, being an unregistered agent of foreign principal, false and misleading FARA statements, and false statements.

Other potential crimes Mueller’s team is likely to investigate include possible money laundering at Trump Hotel in Panama and a quid pro quo deal with China investing $500 million in Trump project in Indonesia and Trump’s statement that he’s working to help save jobs at Chinese electronics manufacturer ZTE which is under sanctions for selling prohibited technology to Iran and the list goes on.

Just like with Capone it may be near impossible to get the evidence needed to convict Trump of conspiring against the United States but there’s plenty of potential in other areas. I’m all for seeing him go to jail for tax evasion. Three cheers for forensic accountants.

Published in the Seguin Gazette June 8, 218