'Cedar Fever' survival guide: the next best thing to eradication

One possible solution.

Mold allergies have been bad enough to us during this unusual El Niño year.

But Cedar gets the prize for 2016. Cedar pollen (actually, and to be fair to true Cedar trees, Ashe Juniper pollen -- that's Juniperus ashei) hit the second-highest level on record today -- 21,952 grains per cubic meter.

Because Austin exists in a geographic "bowl," the pollen tends to linger around longer than it does elsewhere. And the humidity makes it stick. That bestows upon us a badge of honor as one of the Allergy Capitals of the United States.

The cedar pollen intensity this time of year affects even those who normally do not suffer from allergies. Workplaces report higher numbers of call-outs for cold-like symptoms.

False alarms are raised when "smoke" is seen coming from areas dense with cedar trees -- only for the firefighters to discover it's only the brownish dust from pollen entering the air on a dry, windy day otherwise prone to brush fires.

The trees, as beautiful and beloved as they are around Christmastime, are more than just a health hazard according to some. Even Rep. Paul Workman (R-Austin) authored a bill to loosen tree ordinances on certain species that present themselves as fire hazards, such as the Ashe Juniper. Here's how to get rid of them yourself if you're so inclined.

To fight our annual bout of "Cedar Fever" this writer would like to offer his advice as a lifelong allergy sufferer. See if you benefit from these tips, and if you have your own remedies please feel free to add them to the comments below.

Texas Electoral College puts Trump/Pence over the top

This is why we have an Electoral College.

Though Ron Paul, John Kasich, and Carly Fiorina all reportedly made appearances on the 36 Electoral College ballots cast today in the Texas House of Representatives chamber, it was not enough to stop Texas from putting Donald Trump over the top for President.

As a matter of fact (and without counting liberal bastions California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the District of Columbia), Trump expands his electoral lead over Hillary Clinton by two. This is particularly ironic, because one Texas elector announced he would switch his vote to Clinton/Kaine and another simply quit.

Our friend and local broadcaster Leland Freeman led a small band of conservatives in support of electors keeping their pledges. A modest crowd of liberals clamored for last-minute denial of pledges.

____________
Image credit: Alex Egoshin www.vividmaps.com

Austinite scores national political podcast, column with Washington Times

Matt on Fox 7 doing his thing.

In addition to his popular Must Read Texas service regarding Lone Star State politics, Travis GOP Executive Vice Chairman Matt Mackowiak is venturing out into the national media scene.

See below about the inaugural edition of "Mack on Politics" featuring some guests you may recognize. 

In the inaugural episode of “Mack on Politics,” host Matt Mackowiak interviews longtime GOP consultant, NBC News political analyst, and former Jeb Bush Super PAC mastermind Mike Murphy. They discussed how Trump improbably punched through the so-called “Blue wall” of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, how Hillary wasted her national convention, if he had any regrets about strategic decisions made for Jeb’s Super PAC and whether he has any hope for Trump. 

Then Mackowiak talked to Erick Erickson, former editor-in-chief of RedState.com, radio host for WSB in Atlanta, Fox News contributor, author, and founder of TheResurgent.com about how Trump won, whether the GOP primary was winnable for anyone else, and what Erickson thinks is the state of the conservative movement in the Age of Trump. They also discussed religious liberty and his own foray into conservative talk radio and migration away from Red State to create his own successful conservative site. 

Listen here -- http://m.washingtontimes.com/staff/matt-mackowiak

Troxclair: 'Everyone wins' when SXSW waivers are denied

City Council member Ellen Troxclair will soon become the last conservative standing on the Austin City Council. But that doesn't mean she's ready to back down and start cutting deals on leftist policies. Troxclair remains a voice calling for greater affordability and fairness in terms of how local government levies taxes and fees.

Case in point: Troxclair pointed out in an Austin American-Statesman column today that the City of Austin waives $1.5 million in fees for the SXSW festival -- costs a cash-cow of an event could easily afford.

It is unfair to ask Austinites to put up with these inconveniences [traffic, crowding, etc.] year in and year out — and then be forced to pay for it, too. Our already property tax-burdened residents should not foot the bill for the ever-increasing public safety costs associated with these special events. ...

... According to the city’s calculations, the property tax burden for the median-value home has risen 29.2 percent since 2012. Over that same time period, the median-family income has only risen 3.7 percent. This proportion is wildly unsustainable.

Read more, including a possible alternative, at:
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/opinion/troxclair-taxpayers-shouldn-foot-the-bill-for-sxsw/cQIu0yYPecDWyEBO9jsgkK

Troxclair, the representative of Southwest Austin (District 8), will become the only conservative on the Austin City Council in 2017, with the defeat of incumbents Don Zimmerman (District 6, Northwest Austin) on Nov. 8 and Sheri Gallo (District 10, Far West, etc.) on Tuesday.

An Obama organizer, a Planned Parenthood volunteer, and a radical enviro are on your Dec. 13 ballot; how will you vote?

Stop us if you've heard this one.

A Nevada field director for Obama's re-election campaign, a Planned Parenthood volunteer still in college, and an environmentalist who opposes Austin's growth walk into your ballot booth.

We wish it were a joke. It's a serious possibility that these candidates could win any or all of three influential local elections Tuesday.

The Travis GOP has not endorsed a candidate in the Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, runoff election, and some local conservative voters may feel at a disadvantage when determining for whom to cast a ballot (or whether to show up at all). The Tracker urges its readers to vote anyway, but not without some intel -- and we provide some here in the form of some reverse psychology.

Fortunately, there's a method to determine who conservatives should support that almost never fails. Assuming there's no blue moon forecast tonight, our friends at the Austin Chronicle have released their opinions on who the most liberal and union-backed candidates are. We'll review the highlights for you.

Two Congressional races hang in the balance: Texans to the rescue!

Austin has become an extension of the last major battleground of the 2016 election year.

Three federal runoff races remain -- all to be decided by our neighbors over in Louisiana this Saturday, Dec. 10.

Here's what happened:

Ballot integrity: no longer 'just right wing paranoia'

Clearly, the reasons differ. And greatly. But it's downright refreshing to finally see the integrity of our electoral process gain favor of political parties other than the GOP.

For years, and aside from a few courageous individuals and organizations on the left, the Republican Party has been the vanguard of election integrity. Alas, everything from Voter ID laws to calling for paper trails for electronic voting has been placed by the mainstream press into the same category as black helicopter theories and chupacabra sightings. Liberal detractors would point to the handful of actual, final voter fraud convictions in court as "proof" it wasn't a problem (it's hard to prosecute when you have little to no evidence on which to go on). Attempts to tighten down security at the polling place has been labeled racist, sexist, "class warfare," and even age-ist.

Coverage of allegations of mass fraud would go un-covered for weeks. In one instance, an account of tens of thousands of forged and faked voter applications in Harris County uncovered by the King Street Patriots did not warrant coverage for weeks aside from conservative blogs -- and when it finally caught the attention of the mainstream media ... well, read what happened and make your own judgments.

Zimmerman takes to the airwaves

Don Zimmerman, outgoing District 6 Austin City Councilman, filled in for KLBJ-AM's Dale Dudley the day before Thanksgiving.

Reports have it local conservatives burned down the phone lines as he and Mark Ceasar discussed pressing issues such as proposed federal cell phone manufacturer regulations to include a mandatory "airplane mode" for driving purposes.

If you missed it, you can hear it at the following link:

https://soundcloud.com/klbj-news-radio/rational-radio-mark-caesar-and-don-zimmerman-11-23-2016?in=klbj-news-radio/sets/rational-radio-with-dale

Don will return to KLBJ, filling in for Jeff Ward, this Monday and Tuesday (Dec. 5-6) from 3-7 p.m. You can tune in at AM 590, 99.7 FM, or listen online.

Fake Satanist group representative to 'bless' Austin City Council

UPDATE: The "minister" has called out for reason of being out of the country for Thursday's meeting.

Evil as the Austin City Council may be at times, there's something sinister about this screenshot:

At 9:55 a.m. Dec. 1 the Austin City Council will host a representative of The Satanic Temple for an "invocation." (To invoke whom or what, exactly, would be the question to ask.)

Black heritage memorial ceremony to bring Travis GOP full-circle to its roots

Greg Abbott

Gov. Greg Abbott announced this afternoon he will join local Republicans, and deliver remarks at, the unveiling of the African American Heritage Monument on Saturday on the south lawn of the Texas Capitol.

Though speeches at the unveilings of monuments on state capitol campuses are what governors are wont to do, Abbott's speech and the presence of local Republicans represents a solidarity with the rights of Black Americans that goes to the very roots of the Grand Ol' Party.

The monument is set to be unveiled at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19. More information.

According to the Republican Party of Texas, the GOP has quite a stake in this celebration:

Zimmerman issues first circuit court challenge to Austin's $350 contribution limit

If the appeal is taken up, Austin City Councilman Don Zimmerman will be leading the first Circuit Court challenge against the City of Austin's candidate contribution limit.

Below is the press release from his attorney, Jerad Najvar:

Dickey: There's much to be proud of this election ... and humbled by

James Dickey is sounding like one proud papa this week. Facing overwhelming odds on Nov. 8, the Travis GOP held the line in 2016. On his personal blog he lays out a few key accomplishments of the party on multiple levels:

• The gracious and thoughtful words of both the President and the President-Elect the day after the election as they discussed the result and next steps in the transition.
• Susan Narvaiz, Gabriel Nila, Ceasar Ruiz, Maura Phelan, Joe Martinez, Pat McCord, and Deke Pierce – who all stepped up to face incredibly long odds and longer hours in an effort to help make Travis county better for all.

Poll watchers receive boost from Paxton

A sign in Hill County says it all -- poll watching only goes so far

"... a watcher is entitled to observe any activity conducted at the location at which the watcher is serving.  A watcher is entitled to sit or stand conveniently near the election officers conducting the observed activity. A watcher is entitled to sit or stand near enough to the member of a counting team who is announcing the votes to verify that the ballots are read correctly or to a member who is tallying the votes to verify that they are tallied correctly." --Texas Election Code 33.056.

Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion on Monday strongly supporting the legal right of poll watchers to observe election and vote-counting activity. But the opinion stopped short of calling for electronic images of all ballots as a means to stamp out voter fraud -- mainly because it's still a matter before the Third Court of Appeals.

Opinion KP-0118

According to the Austin American-Statesman ...

Ruiz: Democratic opponent 'a prime example of non-representation'

Ceasar Ruiz and family... when not calling out Celia Israel!

Ceasar Ruiz doesn't mince words when it comes to the representation of veterans in the Texas Legislature. See below for his most recent press release in his bid for Texas House District 50:

Ruiz: Incumbent has ignored veterans issues for too long
Absence on key Hazlewood votes in 84th lege reason enough for new representation

AUSTIN, Texas -- With Veterans Day fast approaching and proposed changes to the Hazlewood Act already being discussed for the next Legislature, the question must be asked:

Will Celia Israel ignore veterans once again?

Drastic changes proposed by 2015's Senate Bill 1735 put the Hazlewood Act -- which exempts veterans, their spouses, and dependent children from tuition and fees -- on the chopping block.

Every veterans association opposed the changes and called each legislator under the Capitol dome, including Texas House District 50 incumbent Celia Israel.

Unfortunately, Israel was absent for key debates and ALL substantive votes on the bill.

"My opponent ignored veterans last session," Texas House District 50 challenger Ceasar Ruiz said. "She only voted to extend the Hazlewood Act on the ceremonial third reading -- that 'happy-go-lucky' vote that takes place after passage is already a done deal."

"This is a prime example of the non-representation HD 50 has received over the past two years, and it is unacceptable," Ruiz continued. "Voters simply cannot expect my opponent to adequately represent their needs when she is clearly unwilling to stand and fight for our most noble citizens. As a military veteran, I promise to continue fighting for my brothers and sisters in arms but also for all Texans in need."

--30--

Zimmerman: the buffer between liberal central Austin and Battleground Texas

A communique from the Travis County GOP today explains the difference a city council seat can make in the grander political picture. We copy the text verbatim below:

www.Austinites-for-Zimmerman.com

Did you know that Battleground Texas is actively positioning volunteers in Southern Williamson County? Their gambit is to collect data and see if there are enough central Austinites in exodus to justify spending TONS of money at our north door in future elections. Fortunately, Councilman [Don] Zimmerman stands between Austin's liberal-leaning central neighborhoods and Battleground Texas' scoped-out territory. The stronger victory we hand to Don the stronger message we send to the Democrats that we have liberalism contained ... and we're closing in on them! Consider donating or waving a sign for him on election day.

VOTERS: If you live in District 6 (Northwest Austin) and plan on voting straight-party PLEASE check the bottom of your ballot. Don is not listed as a "REP" candidate (Republican) but is in a non-partisan city race. Straight-party will not select him, nor make a choice in Proposition 1 (which we oppose, by the way).

UT sinks even lower with Halloween cowboy hat ban

The height of campus insensitivity

First, the University of Texas admin had its shorts in a bunch over a perennial Affirmative Action bake sale by the Young Conservatives of Texas. That they weren't upset over "Cocks not Glocks" earlier this year was the subject of a Tracker article just this week.

Not 24 hours passes before UT launches another full-on assault on political incorrectness. This time, UT's Sorority and Fraternity Life department of the Office of the Dean of Students is going out of its way to make certain Greek student organizations do not hurt anyone's feelings.

So don't even think about taking your date to a Halloween party dressed as a Cowboy and Indian. (Shhh ... don't tell the Longhorn Band!) Instead, dress as ...

... brace yourself ...

Thank you, Commissioner Daugherty, for shining a spotlight down-ballot

Too often this election year, true-believer conservatives have been myopic about their ballot choices -- only seeing the top of the ticket as worthy of discussion (and dissension in some cases) while ignoring the merits of an overwhelming number of qualified and talented down-ballot contenders.

We have our own Travis County Commissioner incumbent for Precinct 3 Gerald Daugherty to thank for bringing some much-needed attention to our local races as the spotlight is most certainly on Trump versus Clinton.

Daugherty's ad has been featured in the Washington Post and CNN (not the usual GOP cheerleaders, in other words) and continues to go viral with well-over a million hits on YouTube. We include the ad above if you haven't yet seen it.

"The response to the ad has been overwhelming," said Daugherty, via Facebook. "It’s gratifying that so many people across the country have felt a connection to it, and I hope that it also reminds voters of the importance of the little-known elected offices at the bottom of the ballot."

Daugherty's video touches a nerve many politically interested people deal with: Family members (yes, even spouses) who are every bit supportive but have their limits when it comes to lively political discourse and wonkish conversation about the issues we face. That it continues to resound as one of the best ads this political season also tells us that the nation is ready to laugh after such a taxing 2016 election cycle.

The earned media is well-deserved. Daugherty was the first major donor to the county GOP as they attempted to resurrect their bank account following the Robert Morrow debacle. Daugherty was also one of the hangers-on during a period of unrest a decade ago and formed a PAC to keep donations and volunteerism directed toward conservative candidates at the grassroots level. Not only that, but Daugherty has spent years as the sole Republican voice on the Travis County Commissioners Court -- no easy feat.

This moment of fame couldn't have come for a better candidate.

Full list of Travis County local candidates (including Daugherty).

'Anderson Mill-Gate' continues to raise public suspicion of Flannigan campaign

Move along ... nothing to see here (which is good!)

Ok, so "Anderson Mill-Gate" might be taking the whole "-gate" eponym too far. Regardless, this is a story that needs to circulate for the next few weeks as it frames the overall vibe of this year's Austin District 6 City Council election: that is, a defeated 2014 candidate spending the entire two years until the next election positioning for the office and doing next-to-nothing to help the actual powers-that-be govern effectively.

Even our friends at the notoriously liberal Austin Chronicle has given "credit where credit's due" to District 6 incumbent Don Zimmerman's recent busting-of-chops. Team Zimmerman called out Democratic opponent Jimmy Flannigan for hogging the credit for Anderson Mill Road expansion progress and on-the-book future plans. While the Chronicle doesn't exactly give Zimmerman a glowing report (naturally), the Tracker is excited to see journalistic curiosity alive and well on the other side of the spectrum. Perhaps there's hope for our Little City, yet.

UT: X-rated displays are fine, but don't you dare host a conservative bake sale!

Image stolen from Cahnman's Musings.

Our friends at Cahnman's Musings certainly have their fingers on the pulse of the students and faculty currently occupying the Forty Acres. They noted a blatant hypocrisy on Texas' flagship campus in a "tale of two protests." The unflappable Adam Cahn writes:

We deliberately ignored the "Cocks not Glocks" (CnG) protest earlier this year because it was stupid. Nevertheless, yesterday's kerfuffle over YCT's 'affirmative action' bakesale got us thinking. There's a contrast. ...

Read all about the UT admin's false piety here.

The Tracker offered its thoughts on the phallus-oriented anti-Second Amendment protest here.

If you think it's noble and a proper exercise of government to offer reduced prices and financial assistance based on race for higher education -- but that it's morally offensive to give complimentary discounts for baked goods -- then click here. You'll thank us one day.

Ruiz: Hey Celia, lay your money on the table!

Scrooge McIsrael?

So what is Democrat incumbent Celia Israel waiting for? An invoice from her constituents, perhaps?

Below is a press release from the Ceasar Ruiz for Texas House District 50 campaign questioning the logic behind Rep. Israel's tightwad of a campaign.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Hillary Clinton is buying TV ads in Central Texas and Battleground Texas is expending resources in southern Williamson County.

They know the writing is on the wall of a rising Republican tide and are doing everything they can to push back -- even in conservative territory.

So why is Texas House incumbent Celia Israel refusing to spend in her campaign against GOP challenger Ceasar Ruiz?

"My opponent's near-total lack of spending on campaign communications shows a profound disrespect for the voters of HD 50," Ruiz said. "The voters deserve to know more about where each candidate stands on the issues that are important to them."

Ruiz points out the following facts:

Anderson Mill Road improvement claim: another Flannigan shenanigan

A press release from the Don Zimmerman re-election campaign counters a strong rumor going around town that his Democratic opponent Jimmy Flannigan is responsible for placing improvements to Anderson Mill Road on the upcoming transportation bond.

We post the entirety of the press release below. Zimmerman is the incumbent for Austin City Council District 6.


AUSTIN, Texas -- Council Member Don Zimmerman’s opponent, Jimmy Flannigan, has been exposed for his exaggerations and deceit regarding his marque accomplishment claim: having Anderson Mill Road added to the Mayor’s Transportation Bond proposal.

Zimmerman first noticed this claim while listening to the Sept. 12, 2016, Austin Monitor interview when Mr. Flannigan said that the reason that Anderson Mill Road was included in the Mayor’s Transportation Bond proposal was because of Mr. Flannigan’s Northwest Austin Coalition (NWAC) work.

Seperate R and D Proposition 1 mailers: Proof Austin's Republican voter bloc is a force to be reckoned with

Proposition 1's consultant must be on to something.

According to a recent Austin Monitor story, there are two versions of the mailer that supports Austin's $720 million transportation bond.

One Republican, with few frills, not as much green, and no photos or illustrations of mass transit options. Just cars on roads and bridges.

The other Democrat, with exactly what you'd expect.

The discrepancy was noted by an East Austin Republican Precinct Chairman whose mail got mixed up with a decidedly more liberal neighbor's.

According to the Monitor:

A consultant for the pro-bond campaign, David Butts, said the polling they’ve done sought to weed out how conservatives and liberals think about getting around. 

“Republicans represent a certain philosophy,” said Butts. “They’re more inclined to see roads and cars as being something that’s absolutely necessary and something we should be trying to accommodate.” 

Read more: http://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2016/10/vote-republican-primary-heres-whats-mayors-transportation-bond

While county-wide race candidates with an R by their name may rarely win in Travis County, they can still take around 40 percent of the vote with little cash and minimal advertising. This is a demographic even liberal consultants cannot deny when pushing a non-partisan issue such as public bonds. We expect to see more of this in the near future as Austin's economy and dynamism continues to draw the best and brightest.

County party hosts coolest fundraiser ever

Who needs hotel asparagus, a boring talk about the most recent session of Congress, and speech after speech thanking the event planning committee?

The Travis GOP has a better idea: a hero of the Benghazi raid as the guest of honor, a Q&A with donors, your choice of two activities, plus the Alamo Drafthouse and Red's Porch booked on a beautiful weekend in Austin! We hear rumors of an all-you-can-eat taco bar at the evening receptions. Way to raise the bar, Republicans.

Unbelievably, tickets are still available ... probably only because this event was announced about two weeks ago. If they had longer to promote this bad boy no doubt it would be a sell-out event.

You can read more about it at BenghaziATX.com -- movie trailer, VIP options, and more. We recommend our Tracker readers attend (Sunday worship services permitting, of course).

Dickey takes to TV to discuss Travis GOP's turnaround

Newly elected Travis GOP Chairman James Dickey answers a few questions from veteran newsie Karina Kling about the miraculous turnaround of the county party in this week's episode of "Capital Tonight" on Channel 8 YNN Time Warner Cable News Spectrum News.

It's worth a watch here -- especially if you're not quite up-to-speed on what all transpired since March 1: http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/capital-tonight/2016/10/4/capital-tonight-oct--4--mike-pence--tim-kaine-face-off-in-vp-debate.html

Nila: Special HD 46 election 'does not have to happen at all'

Strange things are afoot in HD 46.

Circular firing squads consisting entirely of the Austin political establishment are fine with us. Yet the Republican challenger for House District 46 reminds East Travis County voters that a high-stakes elimination contest among the local Democratic elite to replace Rep. Dawnna Dukes does not have to take place at all.

And it may not have had to happen if any of the Democrats throwing their hat into the ring for this (as-of-yet entirely hypothetical) special election race would have actually bothered to challenge Dukes in the Democratic Primary! See below for Gabriel Nila's latest submission for more reasons why he is "the one" to represent East Travis in the 85th Texas Legislature.

OPINION: Reports of our death are greatly exaggerated

And we still are.

By Andy Hogue, Editor

"The report of my death was an exaggeration." --Mark Twain.

Two things amazed me during the Robert Morrow saga, pro and con:

Pro: How quickly and formidably the grassroots came together to solve a problem. By setting up additional checks and balances in a way that was fair to the winner of the county chairman's race and everyone involved, we built a better party in less than half a year. From an objective standpoint, the Travis GOP was running better than ever despite the controversy -- even during Morrow's two months in office.

Con: How much stock a group of voters who supposedly hate "the liberal media" believed media hype about the situation our party was in. You would think we were in shambles waiting for someone to come rescue us, or hunkering down for two years of diminished expectations. This was obviously not the case.

GOP challenger urges Dukes to go ahead and resign for good of HD 46

Rep. Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin, HD 46) has announced her intention to retire in January, according to an article on Quorum Report.

Since the deadline to alter the general election ballot has passed, her name will likely remain printed there. Texas election law and common sense dictates that Dukes would only have to resign if she -- after all the beating she has taken lately -- still manages to defeat Republican challenger Gabriel Nila in November.

A resignation from Dukes after the election would, based on similar situations in other legislative districts in years past, trigger a special election to be called by the governor. Dukes cited health reasons for her pending resignation as well as concern for her daughter's well being. Unmentioned was legal challenges she faces based on allegations of staff being forced to perform unpaid, mandatory "charity work" while on the clock. Naturally, she hasn't mentioned the flack she caught for cancelling a scholarship fundraising festival in East Austin despite overwhelming public interest in keeping it going.

Below is a statement from Nila, via a press release:

"Maria and I both wish Representative Dukes a full recovery from her health challenges. 

"But the reality is that Dawnna Dukes has been under criminal investigation for many months. We do not yet know the conclusion of that investigation, but the allegations are very serious.  

"If Rep. Dukes intends to resign in January due to health reasons, there is no good reason for her to resign 100 days from now, after a general election and needlessly disadvantage her successor and cause an expensive Special Election. 

"The constituents of this district deserve to have new representation immediately, not months after the new biennial session begins. If Rep. Dukes wins election to a new two-year term that she plainly does not plan serve, then this district's new representative will be 150th in seniority and will be starting late to build a staff, seek committee slots, file legislation, and get up to speed for the session. For once, Dawnna Dukes should put the district and the taxpayers first and immediately resign."

So what of the pending indictment against Dukes for her criminal charges? We'll be tracking that, too.

Gabriel Nila ... just like the sign says!

That time Heidi Cruz schooled William Weld -- two dissenting views on economic freedom

Weld and Johnson: Libertarians in name only?

With Ted Cruz and Gary Johnson garnering significant media attention for stops in Austin over the weekend we thought this would make for both some interesting Sunday reading and a much-needed reality check.

Keep this one in the top drawer of your file cabinet the next time one of our Libertarian friends attempts to sell you on a Johnson-Weld ticket over the Republican nominees.

It's no secret that not only is former New England Republican Gov. Bill Weld a gun-grabbing moderate, but once upon a time he signed off on a study which had little problems with proposing the erosion of national sovereignty in the name of global trade. Worse: he was the co-chairman of the task force that wrote the study. Facts like these have not been lost on many Johnson supporters.

Heidi Cruz

Heidi Cruz, wife of former presidential contender, Sen. Ted Cruz, also signed off on the report. However, a look at Heidi's objections -- and the total lack of Gov. Weld's -- shows a sharp distinction of political philosophy. It's one that deserves some attention.

Please take a read at a few snippets of that report below, or you may download the report: http://www.cfr.org/canada/building-north-american-community/p8102

Weld, a two-term governor of Massachusetts (1991-97), and Assistant U.S. Attorney General, wrote (emphasis ours) ...

SNEAK PREVIEW: campaign ad pits Don Zimmerman against ... Don Zimmerman?

Remember that episode of "Star Trek" in which Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Lt. Uhura, and Engineer Scott beam up to the U.S.S. Enterprise during a freak electromagnetic storm -- only to end up on a very similar Enterprise featuring darker, sinister versions of their fellow crew mates?

In that grand television tradition of meeting "alternate universe" takes on our favorite characters, we meet a tax-happy version of our beloved Councilman Don Zimmerman in this much-needed injection of laughter into the 2016 campaign season.

Rumor has it this TV ad will air during Sunday Night Football and the presidential debate. Football fans may remember a similar concept -- "Arts and Crafts Tony Romo" vs. the real quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys -- airing during a previous season.

Stay tuned Sunday night to see if it airs ... But we included a 30-second version of the ad above just in case it gets preempted.

(And, yes, we just managed to weave Star Trek, NFL football, and politics into a single blog post. We keep raising the bar for our faithful readers!)

Mirror Universe Spock gives the Democratic Party salute.

Mom fights for school choice as means to give students 'the right tools to thrive'

Melissa Bodenger, a full-time mom who spends what spare time she has coordinating Republican candidates for the Travis County GOP, recently gave testimony to the Texas Senate Education Committee regarding school choice.

For her and her special-needs son, school choice is not simply a matter of being more easily able to send her child to a successful public school -- it's a matter of her son being able to succeed in a public school, period.

A snippet of Bodenger's testimony is below. You can read the whole thing here.

... My name is Melissa Bodenger and my 10-year-old son, Josh, is the one in every 42 boys diagnosed with Autism.

In a public school Josh would not be immersed in the [Applied Behavioral Analysis] therapy environment that helps him learn to conquer the challenges of being Autistic.

He would have standardized tests, higher student teacher ratios, and the social stigma of being a special needs child looming over him on the playground. [...]

Austin conservatives show solidarity against taxpayer-funded union activism

Last week, former Texas House staffer and candidate Jay Wiley and National Review legal contributor Mark Pulliam -- both active members of the Travis County Republican Party -- came out swinging against taxpayer-funded union activism.

It's no secret to conservatives that labor unions provide manpower and fundraising efforts for Democrat candidates and causes. But besides the obvious conflict of interest of using public servants to perform union tasks, there is also a prohibition on this kind of activity in the Texas Constitution.

See below from the desk of Jay Wiley:

Hey, Kaepernick: KISS this!

We've known KISS front man Gene Simmons to be quite conservative for many years, despite the band's former reputation as being anything but favorable toward God, country, apple pie, and all that. But that we've lived long enough now to witness the above spectacle of KISS with uniformed veterans auxiliary members is worthy of a post, even on a local political blog. Take a watch -- even if you're not much of a rocker.

This display of high-voltage patriotism on Sept. 9 in Richmond, Virginia, follows public outcries after National Football League player Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem at a pre-season San Francisco 49ers game against the Green Bay Packers.

Martinez: a vote for Hernandez is a vote to make Austin a 'sanctuary city'

Deported FIVE TIMES. Still not enough.

While there is a lot of debate over what, exactly, a "sanctuary city" consists of, one thing is clear: Electing a liberal Democrat as Travis County's top cop would do nothing but increase the amount of sanctuaries available for illegal immigrants.

Open trade advocates have their points to make, and there are plenty of merits to the "Texas Solution" touted by the Republican Platform in 2012. Ask three immigration reform activists what the solution is and you'll get four answers. But no matter how you slice it, illegal immigration is illegal and attracts other illegal behavior.

Read Travis County Sheriff candidate Joe Martinez' latest press release below, as well as the link to a recent Fox 7 story, if you're not entirely convinced.

Robert Morrow resigns Travis GOP Chairmanship to run as Independent for President

It's official. Robert Morrow is no longer the chairman of the Travis County Republican Party.

The Travis GOP sent out a media advisory on Thursday of a 10 a.m. Friday press conference to explain why Executive Vice Chairman David T. Duncan is now calling himself "Acting Chairman." This led to several media outlets reporting on this development around noon Thursday.  The Republican Party of Texas released a press statement of their own following this development, and this is all became very public knowledge. 

However, the Travis GOP at Friday's press conference had several reasons for rightfully assuming Robert had left a vacancy, which we include below in their press release.

Planned counter-protest mocks 'Cocks Not Glocks'

National Review recently had a soul-convicting article about how the Left ultimately makes everything about sex.

Everything. Even the Second Amendment.

Here's a selection from this gutsy article that speaks volumes about a protest sure to grab headlines this week:

The so-called culture war ... has not been conducted by people of religious faith on one side, and people of no faith on the other. It is instead a contest of competing faiths: one in the Good Book, and the other in the more newly written figurative book of secularist orthodoxy about the sexual revolution. 

More: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/436602/its-dangerous-believe-religious-freedom-sexual-revolution

Nowhere is this phenomenon more pronounced than during a perennial protest against gun rights at the University of Texas where hordes of participants carry sex toys (and other everyday items intended to be suggestive) in holsters around campus. Watch the video below in which left-of-center hyenas laugh it off as perfectly acceptable college hi-jinx:

Don Zimmerman is racist ... toward his own son?

Remember that little flare-up last night regarding City Councilman Don Zimmerman's "offensive comments?" About that: it looks like he said something very similar about his own two-month-old son.

As a bonus, it appears no one was offended at similar remarks made over the course of his two-year-term.

See below for a press release from Zimmerman's office setting the record straight:

Don't let the Dems trick you: Austin City Council races are VERY much partisan

Contrary to the easily dis-proven meme that Austin City Council races are historically non-partisan, the Travis County Democrats attempted to FUNDRAISE off of City Councilman Don Zimmerman today as well as to commit themselves to defeating him in November. (See the image above which is a mobile phone screenshot of a fundraising email.)

And all this before the Aug. 22 ballot deadline, before they know who all is in the running for City Council District 6.

What the liberals are upset about today is barely worth a mention -- and Empower Texans has a nice vindication of Zimmerman's comments here if you're curious.

$720M Austin transportation bond: Gotta keep 'em separated?

The Austin City Council minutes ago gave the green light to a $720 million bond proposal to address traffic concerns in the not-so-Little City.

It passed unanimously, but the real struggle on this may come next week when the Council votes on ballot language and a few procedural matters. Proposed projects, many of which owe their origin to the Mayor's "Year of Mobility" initiative and the additional heat put on by greater constituent input following the implementation of the 10-1 plan, include mostly roadway improvements. But also in the plan are bike lanes, pedestrian crossings, a generous sidewalk allotment, and some public transit tweaks.

Rep. Dukes' challenger gives Austin open mic on police, community relations

 Some familiar faces gather for a photo after the town hall.

You may remember a forum held on July 13 in Manor regarding police and community relations in the wake of a spate of shootings over this summer -- particularly an attack on officers at a downtown Dallas demonstration. The "It's Time for Unity" town hall, organized by House District 46 candidate Gabriel Nila, was a rousing success with a standing-room-only crowd.

You may also recall that the Manor rally was held after a dialogue event for greater Austin was essentially hijacked by local Democrats and turned into a showcase for liberal values. Republican officials and candidates, such as Nila, were not invited to the forum held on a local public broadcasting channel (which necessitated the Manor event be held separately to assure that a variety of voices be heard).

Intruder could not have picked a worse home to invade

Cargill at the Capitol

If you're reading this, you've never had a bad night like a home intruder had on Friday.

A man used a swimming pool ladder to gain access to a second-floor window in a home near Snellville, Georgia, just outside Atlanta. The couple who have lived in the rural home for decades heard rustling in the master bathroom window. The husband went to check it out.

Not only was the husband armed.

Not only are the couple concealed carry license-holders.

And not only are they re-trained every year to polish up their shooting skills.

The couple also happens to be the mother and stepfather of Michael Cargill, one of Austin's foremost Second Amendment advocates, firearms dealers, and a concealed carry instructor.

Ammophobes beware: AG sues City of Austin to allow guns at City Hall

Paxton

The good news: Our Attorney General supports the right to bear arms even around the ammophobes at Austin City Hall!

The bad news: Second Amendment supporters such as Council members Don Zimmerman and Ellen Troxclair are named as defendants in the suit against the city.

The Austin American-Statesman reports:

State law has long barred guns from courtrooms and court-related offices. Another law enacted last September, however, limits what restrictions local officials can place on guns in government buildings. For multipurpose government buildings, [Texas Attorney General Ken] Paxton’s office has said people with guns cannot enter the court-related parts of the building but they may bring their legal firearm into other government offices.
The suit Thursday follows an non-binding opinion from the Attorney General’s office, which determined Austin was in violation of the statute.
That opinion gave Austin city until July 20 to allow guns into City Hall, or it could face a civil suit and fines of up to $1,500 for the first offense and then $10,000 per future violation.  

More: http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/attorney-general-ken-paxton-sues-austin-city-hall-/nr6gy/

Although certain court-related functions do take place in Austin City Hall, it seems as if recent developments only restrict carrying to those parts of the building where court is taking place.

We'll have more on this as it develops.

All this unity is tearing us apart!

"Please, Ted! Just endorse Trump, already!"

"You cannot shake hands with a closed fist" --Ancient Eastern proverb.

Dear fellow Republicans: It's time to loosen our grip. By doing so we'll find ourselves with a stronger hold.

This writer was on KTBC-TV (Fox 7) and KVUE-TV (Channel 24) on Friday to discuss the RNC convention. Naturally, the matter of Ted Cruz' refusal to endorse Donald Trump came up, along with the noticeable boos and hisses from delegates.

By now, you've heard a myriad of thoughts on Sen. Cruz's now-infamous RNC convention speech. My perspective on this was that by nominating a man (Trump) with a history of liberal and conservative tendencies, and a background of endorsing Republicans and Democrats, it's going to take forgiveness to make our 2016 ticket work.

RNC coverage: our apologies

It appears Donald Trump is officially the GOP nominee for President of the United States.

Many of our regular readers were hoping for coverage from The Tracker on the events leading up to the nomination, straight from the mouths of Travis County delegates present.   A few factors precluded that.

1. This writer was on a long-scheduled vacation to Orlando during the convention (who knew RNC would be this early over year ago?) 

2. Our delegates became quite busy and found Facebook and Twitter to be a faster way to reach outside the convention hall.

A summary of GOP national rules changes

Some perspective from national Republican Delegate Jeremy Blosser of Tarrant County is posted here, as originally published on his Facebook profile (unabridged, with no edits):

I have been asked to summarize what happened in the Rules Committee, and how it is just more of the same RNC/GOPe stuff. I am going to attempt to do so, though it's hard to tie the pieces together well enough without saying a lot.

At the 2012 Convention, the “Ginsberg takeover” package's worst offenses were:

'ATX Together' ... but where are the conservative voices?

Who gets to co-host a forum on Austin unity?
The county Democratic chairman (right), of course.

If you watched or attended the "ATX Together" forum hosted by KLRU-TV on Monday night, you may have noticed something wasn't quite ... together about it.

It was a noble, town hall-style event, and we stand behind any and all efforts to discuss plans for how to counter the kind of violence we've seen over the past two weeks. No problem there.

Many friends of this publication cheered it on, including Maura Phelan, Republican candidate for District Attorney, who took to Twitter to share her vision of a brighter future for the Travis County justice system. And we were grateful for any effort to seek common ground and bridge a deepening gap between the community and law enforcement.

But there were serious gaps in the patchwork of voices at the forum -- whatever the reason for the oversight may be.

Austin Conservatives respond to recent shootings, Dallas tragedy

Austin-area conservatives are extending, not only their condolences for recent shootings, but are also organizing efforts to help increase dialogue between law enforcement and the community at large.

This post will be reserved for those efforts, as well as official statements from local leaders and candidates.

"It's Time for Unity" Town Hall (Manor and Pflugerville)

Wednesday, July 13, 6:30 p.m., Manor Methodist Church. East Travis County residents (particularly Manor and Pflugerville) are invited to this event featuring Manor Police Chief Ryan Phipps and Pflugerville Police Chief Chuck Hooker to discuss concerns that the community may have in relation to recent events and what local law enforcement departments are doing to better connect with the community. Sponsored by the Gabriel Nila Campaign, the MLK Association of Austin, Diaspora Vote, the Austin Togolese Society, and others. This event is a work in progress --see the Facebook Event page for more details and updates: https://www.facebook.com/events/255674838152789

Statement from Joe Martinez, Republican candidate for Travis County Sheriff

“Like all Americans, I watched the terrible events in Dallas unfold in sheer horror, as the worst mass casualty event for law enforcement since 9/11 was occurring before our very eyes.
“Immediately my thoughts went to the families of the Dallas Police and DART officers who were senselessly killed or injured.

“I am pleased that U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch today launched a federal hate crime investigation and that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has offered any assistance possible from the state.

“It is clear that in many parts of America, African Americans are afraid of police officers, especially after what happened this week in Minnesota and Louisiana.

“We should continue to support sensible police reform, as we are in Austin with an effort to install police body cameras already underway.

“In Dallas the Police Department had an excellent reputation for community policing, which makes these events so difficult to understand.

“As a candidate for Travis County Sheriff, I pledge to work to strengthen the bonds between our brave law enforcement officers and the Travis County community, by establishing my Community Advisory Board, by increasing diversity sensitivity training, and by having officers out in the community more in order to facilitate building relationships in getting to know the people we pledge to protect so that all Austinites and Travis County citizens feel safe.

“At this time, it is more important than ever that we lift these police officers up in prayer and support their grieving families. We are all one American family.”

Source: Joe Martinez campaign.

Breaking news without breaking your reputation

In a late-night fishing expedition for a few words to say about the tragedy in Dallas, we rediscovered this gem from 2013. We decided it is best to say nothing as we have no information that adds to the general pool of knowledge regarding this situation, nor do our opinions differ from anyone who makes their living off of conservative commentary.

If there is a Travis County connection we're happy to share it. Until then, please take a moment and read over this Breaking News Consumers Handbook by the folks at New York's NPR affiliate WNYC. It's good enough to tape to your TV, computer monitor, or radio. But if you're not into NPR, here's some timeless wisdom:

"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise." --Proverbs 10:19.

'Driver Responsibility' or never-ending cycle of debt?

A vortex of debt awaits many drivers caught in the DRP

By Cindy Mallette, Guest Contributor

I’m a homeschooling mother of three -- a five-year-old, a three-year-old, and a two-month-old. And if I don’t pay money to the Texas Department of Public Safety every month for the next three years, I could be thrown into jail.

I’m a victim of the Texas Driver Responsibility Program, a well-intentioned law designed to penalize very bad drivers (think drunk drivers) by making them pay extra money on top of any fines they owe for their convictions. Those surcharges go to fund trauma centers that treat uninsured victims. Hospitals love this law, but pretty much everybody else hates it. In fact, this bill has across-the-board hatred from diverse groups such as the NAACP and the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Why the hate?

Cahn: Travis GOP 'makes lemonade' out of lemons handed to them by voters

Austin blogger Adam Cahn has kept quiet on the election of Robert Morrow as Chairman of the Travis County GOP since the March 1 Primary. His break of silence is worth sharing, and summarizes our thoughts on the situation well.

For obvious reasons, we've refrained from discussing the Robert Morrow/TCRP situation; that being said, we attended Morrow's swearing in ceremony and the subsequent business meeting and we think they've handled the whole situation about as well as they could have.

Dan Patrick tweet vindicated: a reminder to never exploit a tragedy

It has been exactly one week since the deadly shooting rampage at an Orlando nightclub.

Unfortunately, it has also been a week since progressive political operatives and liberal armchair activists used an otherwise inspirational tweet by the Lieutenant Governor of Texas as a scapegoat for the anger we all felt that tragic Sunday morning.

For some background, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's staff has a practice of using his campaign Twitter account to send out a graphic image containing Bible quotes early on Sunday mornings. They are typically non-offensive and what you usually expect from the Evangelical Christian crowd on social media (likely a cue from the Verse of the Day Twitter feed). The tweet sent out the morning of Sunday, June 12, was no different according to several credible observers.

Juneteenth: the birth of the Texas GOP

Though June 19, 1865, "Juneteenth," marks the day Texas received word of the Emancipation Proclamation, the years to follow meant not only the freeing of slaves but their rise in representational politics. It also signaled the beginning of a new party in Texas.

From the Handbook of Texas:

In July 1867 twenty whites and 150 blacks attended a Republican convention in Houston, where they endorsed free common schools and free homesteads from public lands for blacks and whites alike. Thus began a decades-long tradition of black Republicanism in the state. 

Despite widespread violence and intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan and Democrats, many black men registered for the first election in which they could participate-the 1868 referendum on whether to hold another constitutional convention and elect delegates. 

More blacks than whites cast ballots, and, with their white allies, they overcame the opposition of the majority of white voters and voted to hold another convention. The Convention of 1868–69, dominated by Republicans, included ten African-American delegates out of ninety. ... 

All ten were active on committees and presented important resolutions. Though frustrated in attempts to secure certain constitutional safeguards for their people, they contributed to the accomplishments of the convention, which paved the way for the readmission of Texas to the Union in March 1870.

Lawsuit: Ambiguous ballot language demands Uber/Lyft vote redux

Austin City Councilman Don Zimmerman is one busy man, lately.

Not only has he been busy with a new baby boy (born June 6) and leading the charge when it comes to public access of police-worn body cameras, but now he's hoping to avenge voters confused by tricky ballot language on the May 7 local ballot.

How the Austin ridesharing proposition failed 56-44 percent is a mystery to many observers -- however far the tally of voters fell short of the number of petition-signers to get the Uber/Lyft question on the ballot.

Zimmerman charges that the ballot language unfairly framed the question as one of fingerprints and background checks, and not of additional fees and regulations on business. For further commentary, see Team Zimmerman's press release below, included in its entirety:

Rep. Dukes takes first hostage in mounting crisis; Nila negotiates release

​Gabriel Nila as a delegate to the 2016 Texas Republican convention in Dallas. That looks like Rep. Larry Gonzales to his left. (via Facebook)

​

Did Rep. Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin) kill a popular scholarship-granting festival in East Austin as a means of punishing those who have criticized her time in office? Or was she legitimately concerned for the reputation of the event?

We'll let a press release from her November ballot rival, Gabriel Nila, speak to that. Either way, Nila has promised to bring the African-American Community Heritage Festival back to the community in some form in the near future.