Abbott weeds out Patrick

This newsletter is really about city government, but I'm going to deviate a tad today to reflect on some important political news happening at the state and county level...

Today is a useful reminder that unprincipled politicians can be a force for good. Yesterday Greg Abbott, a vapid self-preservationist with no discernible core convictions, did Texas a solid by vetoing a THC ban that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had described as one of the most important bills of his long career. From the Texas Tribune:

Abbott, who had remained quiet about the issue throughout the legislative session, rejected the measure amid immense political pressure from both sides of the aisle, including from conservatives activists typically supportive of Patrick’s priorities.

...Patrick excoriated the veto on social media Sunday, saying Abbott’s “late-night veto” would leave law enforcement and families whose loved ones have been harmed by high-potency products “feeling abandoned.”

You love to see it. And congrats to Adam Loewy, perhaps the only person on Earth to donate to both Jose Garza and Ken Paxton, for predicting the outcome:

I was disappointed that Patrick's embarrassingly outdated reefer madness campaign drew so little opposition from Republicans but happy to see most Democrats do the right thing. It's not just that they voted and spoke against it, but they finally seemed to realize that the strongest argument in favor of pot legalization is very simple: leave people alone!

I recall a conversation years ago about the potential for a cross-ideological coalition for pot legalization with a veteran liberal strategist. He told me that pro-pot progressives focus on the damage it does to communities of color while pro-pot conservatives focus on costs of drug enforcement to taxpayers.

His comments captured how out of touch the world of professional progressive politics is with the electorate. Most people don't care about either of these arguments. They don't need to read a research paper on the costs of marijuana enforcement. They support legalizing weed because either they enjoy it themselves or they just don't think it's that bad –– at least not bad enough to ban. It's that simple.

So it was nice to finally see some Dems speak about the issue in a way that will resonate with normal people. In a video, James Talerico decried the government "telling full grown adults how they can spend their free time, how they can live their lives," while Gina Hinojosa said the ban would even take away "gummies that help you sleep." Gene Wu, head of the Dem caucus, also attacked the effort for taking away something that Texans "enjoy recreationally," essentially accusing Republicans of being buzz kills. Finally, they're getting it. When the people are on your side, just run with it!

Still, it would have been cool to see Mayor Kirk Watson speak up on the issue. This issue was tailor-made for a Watson Wire jam-packed with hokey puns poking fun of the party poopers at the Lege.

Tesla rears its head in Precinct 2 race

Today Amanda Marzullo, a civil rights attorney, recently announced her candidacy for Travis County Precinct 2, currently held by Commissioner Brigid Shea, who is said to be planning to run for reelection next year.

Marzullo's intro video doesn't mention Shea, but it lays the groundwork for attacking the incumbent for supporting tax breaks for Tesla and for not cracking down on the company for breaking labor and environmental laws: