Are some of you suggesting that the Texas State National Guard shouldn't observe U.S. Army operations in their State? Seems like a good idea on both sides to me. Transparency is a good idea in a free society. I don't think there's any malicious intent on the part of the Army with Jade Helm 15, but in a free society there's nothing wrong with making sure. The State Guard will report back on what they observed and perhaps be able to incorporate some of the tactical lessons learned at Jade Helm 15 and also allow the governor to mollify some fears that folks have about it at the same time. Plus he scores political points for his "diligence" in the matter and the U.S. Army gets to show it's not going to enslave it's own citizens. Seems like a win-win.
I guess I should've read the article before commenting.
(04-30-2015 11:11 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote: Are some of you suggesting that the Texas State National Guard shouldn't observe U.S. Army operations in their State?
Under normal circumstances, I'd say no, noting that the largest military base in the free world (as of the 1980s at least) is about 90 miles to the northwest. (I knew one of the principles that made Fort Hood into what it would become, and I'm pretty sure that federal takeover of Texas was the furthest thing from his mind, well behind a federal pipeline of $$$ into Central Texas). But, in this case, the exercises are being held (at least in part) on a Texas National Guard base.
The "most people won't notice" part is kind of key because there are two universities in Texas whose attendance is on the same order as the population of Bastrop County, Texas. (Wiki indicates that there are a number of significant films made there, though... The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Great Waldo Pepper (one of the first movies I think I saw in a theater, and a favorite from my childhood), Courage Under Fire, Hope Floats, Varsity Blues, Friday Night Lights, The Alamo (2004).
So, this may not be a major embarrassment from Abbott, but I still have confidence in him that such a day will come.
Looks more like Baltimore to me now days. Detroit has half the population it did 20 years ago and at the rate its going will have only 300,000 or so within 15 years. Talk about a dying city
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2...ises.html/ Wrote:In his letter to the governor, Todd Smith of Euless, who retired from public office in 2013, said he is “horrified that I have to choose between the possibility that my Governor actually believes this stuff and the possibility that my Governor doesn’t have the backbone to stand up to those who do.”
He said he wrote because the thought that the U.S. military would be a threat to Texas is “embarrassing” and it is important “to rational governance that thinking Republicans call you out on it.”
“Is there ANYBODY who is going to stand up to this radical nonsense that is a cancer on our State and our Party?” Smith asked.
Pretty well said, IMHO. I haven't lost sleep over the whole issue, but I'd rather not have our Governor pander to idiots.
(04-30-2015 09:42 PM)_C2_ Wrote: Looks more like Baltimore to me now days. Detroit has half the population it did 20 years ago and at the rate its going will have only 300,000 or so within 15 years. Talk about a dying city
There are suburbs of Dallas with more than 300,000.
When I got to Rice, Montgomery County had 30,000. Today it's over half a million. Half are nouveau riche moved up from Houston to the exurbs, who don't want to pay any taxes. The indigenous population are anarchists, the closest thing you can get to Deliverance on flat land. It's a very interesting demographic mix. As someone said about the Montgomery Wal-Mart, half the cars in the parking lot are Mercedes and BMWs, and the other half are dragging their mufflers on the ground.
(05-02-2015 11:25 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote: When I got to Rice, Montgomery County had 30,000. Today it's over half a million. Half are nouveau riche moved up from Houston to the exurbs, who don't want to pay any taxes. The indigenous population are anarchists, the closest thing you can get to Deliverance on flat land. It's a very interesting demographic mix. As someone said about the Montgomery Wal-Mart, half the cars in the parking lot are Mercedes and BMWs, and the other half are dragging their mufflers on the ground.
It's like that all over the Houston area, including in my little suburb (actually, I suppose its not so little anymore). Places like Alvin, Mont Belvieu and Dickinson still show signs of being country towns while also having features of suburbia either in town or nearby.
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2...ises.html/ Wrote:In his letter to the governor, Todd Smith of Euless, who retired from public office in 2013, said he is “horrified that I have to choose between the possibility that my Governor actually believes this stuff and the possibility that my Governor doesn’t have the backbone to stand up to those who do.”
He said he wrote because the thought that the U.S. military would be a threat to Texas is “embarrassing” and it is important “to rational governance that thinking Republicans call you out on it.”
“Is there ANYBODY who is going to stand up to this radical nonsense that is a cancer on our State and our Party?” Smith asked.
Pretty well said, IMHO. I haven't lost sleep over the whole issue, but I'd rather not have our Governor pander to idiots.
I wouldn't either....
But their votes count as much as anyone else's.
Whom would you rather have them vote for? Someone who 'politely' panders to them, someone who actually believes them, or someone who rudely dismisses them because they have a 'current' minority opinion... you know, like that slavery is bad, or that women should be allowed to vote, or that gays should be allowed to marry?
I didn't hear him say it so I honestly don't have any idea how he meant it... but I don't see what is wrong with someone politely saying that they will give give these concerns the EXTREMELY limited attention they deserve. What else is the State guard doing when Federal 'war games' are taking place almost literally on their soil? I'm sure they are there anyway.
