#like i get that the county health department isn't going to be able to make the state update its rail plan

[l33tsaber]

Ha, community health survey.

"What would make your community a healthier place for you and your family?"

COMMUTER.

RAIL.

[reading-writing-revolution]

August 3, 2021

Heather Cox Richardson

Aug 4

First, let’s get the obvious out of the way: former president Trump has raised $102 million since he left office, but aside from a recent donation of $100,000 to his chosen candidate in a Texas race which is not yet in the public disclosures (she lost), has spent none of it on anything or anyone but himself. Since January, he has convinced donors to fund his challenge to Biden’s election and to fund Trump-like candidates in the midterm elections. But election filings and a release of donors to the Arizona “audit” show he has not put any money toward either. So far, about $8 million has gone to the former president’s legal fees, while funds have also gone to aides.

The second piece of news that is surprising and yet not surprising is an ABC story revealing that on December 28, 2020, the then-acting pro-Trump head of the civil division of the Department of Justice, Jeffrey Clark, tried to get then–acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen and acting deputy attorney general Richard Donoghue to sign a letter saying: “The Department of Justice is investigating various irregularities in the 2020 election for President of the United States. The Department will update you as we are able on investigatory progress, but at this time we have identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election in multiple States, including the State of Georgia.”

It went on to say, “While the Department of Justice believe[s] the Governor of Georgia should immediately call a special session to consider this important and urgent matter, if he declines to do so, we share with you our view that the Georgia General Assembly has implied authority under the Constitution of the United States to call itself into special session for [t]he limited purpose of considering issues pertaining to the appointment of Presidential Electors.”

The letter then made the point clearer, saying the Georgia legislature could ignore the popular vote and appoint its own presidential electors.

This is classic Trump: try to salt the media with the idea of an “investigation,” and then wait for the following frenzy to convince voters that the election was fraudulent. Such a scheme was at the heart of Trump’s demand that Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky announce an investigation into Hunter Biden, and the discrediting of 2016 Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton over an investigation into her use of a private email server.

In this case, Donoghue and Rosen wanted no part of this antidemocratic scheme. Donoghue told Clark that there was no evidence of fraud that would have changed the outcome of the election and wrote: “There is no chance that I would sign this letter or anything remotely like this.” Rosen agreed, saying “I am not prepared to sign such a letter.”

The less obvious story today is the more interesting one.

Trump and his loyalists feed off Americans who have been dispossessed economically since the Reagan revolution that began in 1981 started the massive redistribution of wealth upward. Those disaffected people, slipping away from the secure middle-class life their parents lived, are the natural supporters of authoritarians who assure them their problems come not from the systems leaders have put in place, but rather from Black people, people of color, and feminist women.

President Joe Biden appears to be trying to combat this dangerous dynamic not by trying to peel disaffected Americans away from Trump and his party by arguing against the former president, but by reducing the pressure on those who support him.

A study from the Niskanen Center think tank shows that the expanded Child Tax Credit, which last month began to put up to $300 per child per month into the bank accounts of most U.S. households with children, will primarily benefit rural Americans and will give a disproportionately large relative boost to their local economies. According to the Washington Post’s Greg Sargent, “the...nine states that will gain the most per capita from the expanded child allowance are all red states.”

The White House noted today that the bipartisan infrastructure deal it has pushed so hard not only will bring high-speed internet to every household in the U.S., but also has within it $3.5 billion to reduce energy costs for more than 700,000 low-income households.

Also today, after pressure from progressive Democrats, especially Representative Cori Bush (D-MO), who led a sit-in at the Capitol to call for eviction relief, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that in counties experiencing high levels of community transmission of Covid-19, it is extending until October 3 the federal moratorium on evictions that ended this weekend. It is doing so as a public health measure, but it is also an economic one. It should help about 90% of renters—11 million adults—until the government helps to clear the backlog of payments missed during the pandemic by disbursing more of the $46 billion Congress allocated for that purpose.

Today, the president called out Republican governors who have taken a stand against mask wearing and vaccine mandates even as Covid-19 is burning across the country again. Currently, Florida and Texas account for one third of all new Covid cases in the entire country, and yet their Republican governors, Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, are signing legislation to keep Floridians and Texans unmasked and to prevent vaccine mandates. Biden said that he asks “these governors, ‘Please, help.’ But if you aren’t going to help, at least get out of the way of the people who are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives.”

At a Democratic National Committee fundraiser last night, Biden told attendees that Democrats “have to keep making our case,” while Republicans offer “nothing but fear, lies, and broken promises.” “We have to keep cutting through the Republican fog,” he said, “that the government isn't the problem and show that we the people are always the solution.” He continued, “We've got to demonstrate that democracies can work and protect.”

—-

Notes:

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/03/trump-spending-millions-gop-candidates-502233

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-backed-candidate-ballot-us-house-runoff-texas-2021-07-27/

https://abcnews.go.com/US/doj-officials-rejected-colleagues-request-intervene-georgias-election/story

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/08/02/gop-scamming-rural-trump-voters-continues-new-study-shows-latest/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/03/fact-sheet-top-10-programs-in-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-that-you-may-not-have-heard-about/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/08/03/remarks-by-president-biden-on-fighting-the-covid-19-pandemic/

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0803-cdc-eviction-order.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/03/cdc-will-extend-the-federal-eviction-moratorium-through-oct-3.html

https://news.yahoo.com/dnc-fundraiser-biden-accuses-gop-123000070.html

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/08/02/remarks-by-president-biden-at-a-virtual-fundraising-reception-for-the-democratic-national-committee/

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/03/cori-bush-eviction-crisis-502313

Cheryl

Aug 4

Just two things. I live in a rural red county in Virginia. I have always been astounded that folks here predominantly vote Republican against their best interests.

To get votes here, Democrats HAVE to make two things clear. First and foremost - that Democrats are not "coming to take people's guns away." That is the biggest fear out here in red country - the predominant reason folks vote Republican. Gun control is a vote killer and will be until Democrats out maneuver the NRA - and make crystal clear that great-granddaddy's hunting rifle is not at risk.

Second. ALL of the folks here benefiting from social welfare DO NOT associate that money as coming from programs supported by Democrats. That is "my govamint check" - and the government in their minds is Republican. The Democrats must inundate rural areas with advertising that clearly links child care money and internet services with Biden and the Democratic Party in conjunction with exposing Republicans who vote against the bill. Persistent Hard Ball is the only thing that is going to work here.

The former president will continue to “run” for president as long as the money keeps rolling in. Doubtless, as far as he’s concerned, the money is his to do as he pleases. The accounts should be closely monitored by DoJ and charges should be filed for any improper use of the funds.

Just now the thought came to mind that any of the donated funds spent on personal expenses, including legal defense fees, qualifies as income and should be subject to income taxes. Those taxes would be yet more personal expenses that could not be paid from political donations.

The tax man is going to be the one that gets him.

© 2021 Heather Cox Richardson. See privacy, terms and information collection notice

[latestinformationsblog]

Do I Need a Permit to Build Retaining Walls in Texas?

We built retaining walls for our backyard, which are not level with the ground. We have been told that we do not need a permit, but we are concerned about the cost of building a wall.

I am looking at building a retaining wall on my property. The house has a crawl space under it, and there is no basement. It is just dirt and rock. Is this enough to require a permit? If so, what kind of permit would be required?

You don't need a permit if you're doing something like this:

The only thing that requires access is anything that will affect your neighbors or their property. For example, if you were putting up an addition to your home, you'd need a permit from your city/county.

If you're talking about a small project like this, you can probably get away without one. You'll want to check with your local building department, as they may have some requirements that apply to you.

The texas retaining walls are costly, and the cheapest way to go is to use concrete blocks. They will last forever, and you won't have to worry about maintenance.

Buy them from a reputable company if you go with concrete blocks. Many companies sell cheap concrete blocks, but they often contain lead-based cement, which could cause health problems.

In general, yes, you need a permit. In particular, if you are building a retaining wall, you need a license because you are altering the grade of the land. It means you are changing the land's slope, affecting drainage patterns, erosion control, etc. So, it would help if you had a permit to build the wall.

However, if you add a few feet of height to your yard, you should be fine.

We are planning to build a retaining wall along our driveway. Do we need a permit, or can we start construction?

Yes, it would help if you had a permit unless you are doing something trivial such as filling in a ditch. Retaining walls are considered "structural" and thus require permits.

There are several types of permits that you may be required to obtain before building a retaining wall, including:

A Building Permit

An Occupancy Permit

Storm water Management Permit

A Structural Engineering Permit

A Utility Permit

What is the difference between a retaining wall and a retaining pond?

Retaining walls are used to hold back soil and water. A retaining pond is usually made of stone and is used to create a natural-looking body of water.

How much does it cost to build a retaining wall?

It relies upon that how long the wall is. Generally speaking, the bigger the wall, the more expensive it is to build. However, if you hire someone else to build the wall for you, you might find that the price is significantly less than hiring a contractor.

How long does it take to build a retaining wall in texas?

Depending on the size of the wall, it can take anywhere from a couple of days to a month. If you are using concrete blocks, you might be able to do it yourself, but if you are using poured concrete, you'll likely need at least a week or so to run the foundation. Then you'll need another week or two to finish the wall.

Can I build my retaining wall?

You certainly can! It's not hard to build a simple retaining wall by hand. Just dig a trench where you want the fence to go, lay down some stones, fill in the rest of the track with dirt, and plant grass around the base of the wall.

You don't need a permit to build your retaining wall, but you will need to know what type of soil you are working with concrete. For example, if you make an earthen wall, you'll need to ensure that the earth has good moisture content. Also, you'll need to ensure that the soil isn't too wet or dry.

If you use concrete blocks, you'll need to have them prepped and ready to install. Make sure that the blocks are level and square.

When building a retaining wall, keeping the soil moist until the wall is completed is essential. You can accomplish this by placing a gravel layer under the blocks' bottom course. The gravel will help prevent the soil from drying out.

How to Pool retaining wall build with texas

1. Dig a trench about 2-3 feet wide and 8-10 inches deep. It would help if you did it first because it lets you see where you want to place the wall.

2. Lay down a few layers of landscape fabric over the top of the trench. It helps prevent weeds from growing up through the wall.

3. Place the first row of blocks into the trench. Use a level to check that they are even.

4. Fill the trench with sand or other material to cover the landscape fabric.

5. Add one or two additional rows of blocks.

6. Once all of the blocks are in place, add a layer of gravel underneath the bottom row of blocks. It will help retain moisture in the soil.

7. Plant grass around the base of your retaining wall.

8. Water the area regularly.

9. When finished, enjoy your new garden feature.

Conclusion: Building a retaining wall is easy and inexpensive. There are many ways to make a retaining wall, and each method requires slightly different steps. Some people prefer to build their retaining walls, while others hire professionals to do the work for them. Either way, it's always best to consult a professional before starting any project.