#texas has no fucking right to have such a low minimum wage

[femslashspuffy]

It is sooo depressing to move from Colorado to Texas I'm applying for jobs for next semester and they're like 'yeah we're so cool we'll pay you $10 an hour" and I'm like I could make double that at Home Depot here bad bad kill

[tacticalhimbo]

Looked into this (including linked article and supporting media) and decided to slap context onto this because it's as terrifying as you think.

TLDR: Boeing was on probation and they needed to do the bare minimum, the door fuck up and the whistleblowers have exposed that Boeing was simply incapable of doing the bare fucking minimum (because profit, am I right?) and now the DOJ is hopefully going to see it through (unlikely, ofc, that's how the "justice" system works here) that the second biggest defense contractor in 2021 (besides Lockheed Martin) has been taking increasingly dangerous safety shortcuts responsible for who knows how many deaths and/or injuries since the settlement.

From the article (links preserved):

New 737 Max jets crashed in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia, killing 346 people. Boeing reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the Justice Department in January 2021 to avoid prosecution on a single charge of fraud — misleading federal regulators who approved the plane. Boeing blamed the deception on two relatively low-level employees.

In a letter filed Tuesday in federal court in Texas, Glenn Leon, head of the Justice Department criminal division’s fraud section, said Boeing violated terms of the settlement by failing to make promised changes to detect and prevent violations of federal anti-fraud laws.

The determination means that Boeing could be prosecuted “for any federal criminal violation of which the United States has knowledge,” including the charge of fraud that the company hoped to avoid with the settlement, the Justice Department said.

And from the linked article about the settlement:

Prosecutors said Boeing employees gave misleading statements and half-truths about safety issues with the plane to the Federal Aviation Administration, then covered up their actions.

“Boeing’s employees chose the path of profit over candor,” said David Burns, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s criminal division.

Boeing blamed two former pilots who helped determine how much training was needed for the Max. CEO David Calhoun said their conduct doesn’t reflect Boeing employees as a whole or the character of the company.

“This is a substantial settlement of a very serious matter, and I firmly believe that entering into this resolution is the right thing for us to do — a step that appropriately acknowledges how we fell short of our values and expectations,” Calhoun said in a memo to employees.

The government will drop the criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. after three years if Boeing follows the terms of the settlement.

Which... would be early 2024. But due to the precise dates, which aren't mentioned in the articles I've seen, this means the terms of the settlement were still violated by the January 5th door blowout (Alaska Airlines Flight 1282).

From Alaska Republic Media (links preserved):

The DOJ agreement essentially placed Boeing under probation for three years — a term that ended just days after the midair blowout on Jan. 5, 2024.

Family members of the crash victims have long criticized the prosecution agreement with Boeing as a sweetheart deal for the company, and have been waging a years-long legal battle to overturn it.

Their lawyers welcomed the DOJ’s announcement, and urged prosecutors to go further.

“This is an important first step toward holding Boeing accountable for the deaths of the 346 passengers and crew on the two flights,” said Paul Cassell, a former federal judge and law professor at the University of Utah who is representing the families.

“But the Justice Department needs to now follow through with effective, transparent, and vigorous prosecution of the conspiracy charge it has filed,” Cassell said.

Source

[polygamyff]

5.

I have been contemplating on whether I still go to Six Flags and take Maurice with me but then I am like no, nobody seems to like to be around us. I think I am just going to call Leon and say maybe next time, he came here for me. That still plays around on my mind, he didn’t need to do that at all. I think this is the longest we have been away from each other since we have met, I have had time to think and thinking back, it is scary but it’s right. My mom has always said, once you know you will know and she did with my dad and look how they turned out. I don’t think I will say love right now even though I deep down know it is but I don’t want to scare him, I know he is scared as much as I am. We both are just so much into each other, he didn’t even want to let me go at the airport and I didn’t, how can this happen so quick. I do miss him “you want some breakfast? You went to sleep yesterday, didn’t even give your mom a hug” looking behind me from my position on the couch “I know mom, I was tired. With the late flight, and I will have some cereal, I will meet you at the table” my mom kissed my cheek, I need to call Leon first. He will be not happy, he hates when I cancel last minute but he will understand, watching my mom walk off into the kitchen. Maurice called me while I was in the car with my dad, I was like I have barely got here. Then he called me again so that is why I ran upstairs and just spoke to him.

Pressing my phone to my ear, the call rang out. I know his ass ain’t at work, he was calling in sick today “thank you for waking me!” Leon said down the phone “it’s ok, I am back in the neighbourhood, I know you missed me, you don’t have any other friends” Leon snorted laughing “so you say, least I got some dick. Did you? You forever coming at me and I be minding my own business. I want to know what the hell went down in Texas, I am so sad I didn’t come” I am glad he didn’t, he would have been in the hotel room with me and that would have been awkward “a lot has happened Leon, and you ain’t the only and that is all I am going to say” Leon gasped “bitch!” he breathed out saying “but I got to cancel today, it’s important that I do. Before you rant at me, you will understand and I need to do this” I don’t want to tell him about Maurice just yet “is it important? Like I will fall out when I hear important?” smiling shaking my head “you will fall out, I will meet you up depending on what happens this week” Leon let out an oh “that’s ok, you do what you need to do. I can’t wait to hear” I am so glad he is not being a diva about this.

Sitting down at the table with my cereal, seeing my mom’ waffles has made me jealous. I should have accepted her offer on the breakfast “how is Tiffany? We didn’t get to speak about Texas because you did come late” placing a spoonful of frosted flakes in my mouth, if only I could tell the real truth but let me not, there is nothing to really tell because the good parts were with Maurice. I can’t just say oh by the way mom I bought a man back with me. Swallowing the cereal “well I just had some fun, spent time with Tiffany, went to a club” I paused “and?” my mom said, she knows I am hiding things “so, I kind of met this guy. At Texas, I like him a lot already” I won’t say anymore than that “you met a man in Texas? That is nice, how did you meet him” sitting back in the chair “well, he is Kellen’ cousin” my mom gasped “oh, he is just as handsome as him?” I giggled at my mom “he is” I dragged out “he is better than him, in my eyes he is handsome. He is beautiful, Kellen has nothing on him” I miss him now, I need to see him “sounds like you like him a lot” looking up from the table “what makes you say that?” my mom chuckled “the way you just said what you said, just be careful my beautiful daughter, I won’t tell your dad just yet. If you are saying he is a nice man then I believe you, does he have the eyes like Kellen?” shaking my head “he doesn’t but he has a better heart than him” my mom eyes widened and stared down at her waffles.

Unlocking my car door, I really didn’t want to drive, I froze midway, what the fuck am I doing. I am taking no overnight bag with me at all, I know my ass will be with him. I should take a few things, locking my door and walking back inside my home. I need a brain, well right now my brain has been left with Maurice “you back already?” My mom questioned “well I am just going to Santa Monica for a few days” I don’t want to say Leon because his stupid ass could come here and be looking for me “who with? You are becoming busy” I don’t want to lie either, in this home we don’t really lie “you can’t tell dad though, I am going to see Maurice, Kellen’ cousin” my mom cooed out “daughter, what is this? So you really like him? Does he treat you good?” nodding my head “so I am like just going Santa Monica and seeing him, staying there. Not in the same bed” my mom chuckled “don’t fool me baby, you just take care and call me” my mom is so laid back, this is why I am this way. My dad is not strict but overprotective of his only child, my family are very loving and open to things “I will and thank you for being the best mom to me” skipping over to my mom, pressing a kiss to her cheek “this is why you don’t leave this place” my mom said “it’s dad, he loves me here” walking off to go upstairs.

I have some serious issues, finally on the highway after an hour but I didn’t tell Maurice I left and I just started driving. My bag with my phone is in the back seat and I am not stopping now, I have taken a suitcase again. I didn’t know what clothes to take, what make-up to take so I am just like fuck it, they are all coming with me. I hope to god Maurice is not somewhere else, last time we spoke was last night, he text me and I said I will come but then I got busy with everything. Blowing out air, I wish this road trip I had someone to sit with me. Driving on my own sucks, but right now Leon needs to know the bare minimum. I am happy my mom knows, she is just accepting, as long as I am being treated well she is happy. Maurice is the second guy I have told to my mom, I assumed my ex was the one but I didn’t feel it at all. Maurice has all of that feeling, still so new to us though.

Pulling up outside the Davenport hotel, where the hell do I even park. Fuck it I am just parking here, I know it’s outside the place but there is nowhere else to park and the car park is for people that are actually here staying. I have been driving around none stop so I am doing it, reaching to the back seat and grabbing my bag. If that doorman says a word I will snap, I know he will. Opening my car door, kicking it shut with my foot. Locking the door and shoving the car keys in my bag, I have a feeling he is about to say something “excuse me” see I knew it, trying to ignore him and walking ahead but he is the doorman for a reason “excuse me, you can’t park outside here” glaring at this white man, he is really fucking with me right now when I am not in the mood. I look horrible, it’s hot here and I can’t park anywhere here “yes I can” I spat “you really can’t” rolling my eyes “speak to Maurice Davenport and come back to me, I know he pays your wages now move” walking around him “you really can’t park there” opening the door my damn self, I hope I see him. I need to actually say it to him, opening my bag and digging around for my phone “please no” I can’t see my phone here “oh, thank god” grabbing my phone out “well we are upgrading this hotel, the main entrance is one of the things” looking up from my phone, there he is. My smile grew, he is in a suit too “ma’am” the guy is still following me. Maurice is with some people, he is working and I am about to ruin “listen, you speak to him!” I half shouted, that made the chatter of people go so low “Bonita, I mean Robyn” looking at Maurice and my smile grew “can you tell this man I am with you, he is trying to say my car is not allowed to be here” Maurice walked towards me “she is with me, she will be staying, what is the issue?” here is my man, I mean Maurice “sir, the front of the hotel needs to be clear” Maurice placed his hands on his hips, he looks very nice in a suit “ok that is fine, I need you to park Robyn’ car for her. Issue sorted, if you have any other issue come to me” I grinned at Maurice, I should have told him I was coming.

I am so excited to see Maurice, he looks so handsome in his suit but I think he is working and now I wish I said something to him earlier. I want to hug him but he has an audience “I need to do some business, you can walks with us. I should be done soon” I really did step in this place at the wrong time “give him your car key, give the key to the receptionist after and we will pick it up after” grabbing my key for my car “I remember the change I left in my cup holder” passing the doorman my key “you funny” Maurice said, biting on my top lip feeling like I have to be formal “ok so gentleman, this is Robyn. Come” Maurice waved me over as he walked back to the group of men, they all smiled at me. Let me walk behind them all, that was my mistake in just popping up but he did save me from that stupid guy. Acting like I didn’t know Maurice, got his ass anyways.

I am thinking to myself, how I ended up in this meeting room. I look so odd, Maurice is an ass because I said to him let me go to the room but he acted like he was busy but I know he heard me “I know my dad has neglected or failed to visit this place but I will take over this like I have with New York, you seen that. It’s pretty impressive one of the highest hotels in New York, we got Dubai. What I am trying to say is that this make over will happen, even though from feedback. Customers love it still but we know it needs to be just like New York, I am happy with the work of the management here. I will be overseeing for a few days, long term plan is by the end of the year every hotel will be just like New York” he is so business like, I love it “it’s a great thing to hear, we create a lot of money from the location we are in. Your dad would be proud of you, I don’t think you remember me. I have been working in this hotel for twenty years. I remember you stood right by your dad, it’s a breath of fresh air to see and hear you now here” Maurice was really destined to be this, his path was pretty much laid out for him.

Watching the men all file out, this has been very awkward “you made me suffer on purpose” getting up from the chair “what makes you think that?” he stuffed his hands in his pockets “I could be gearing you up to be my beautiful assistant” he wishes “sure, can we like go now. This meeting was boring” I don’t know how he does it “admit you made me suffer though” wrapping my arms around his arm “well you never came to me last night and then you never came, you come now and made a scene in this hotel. I should get you removed” I am so annoying “but he was being mean to me but you came to save me, all suited up. Do you always have to wear such things?” I like it “yeah, when I am in business I do” moving my arms away from his arm as Maurice shifted towards me “I am happy you came though” Maurice hugged me close “same, I am happy you’re here” it may have been a crazy ass idea but I am happy he did it.

Only the best for Maurice, he got the penthouse suite. It’s so amazing “is this on purpose? The mirror just there behind the bed? Is that to watch yourself having sex?” staring at myself in the mirror, I look terrible “it could be, you like it? I mean when you’re riding me you can look at yourself” watching Maurice hand grip my chin as he moved it towards him in direction of his crotch, looking up at Maurice “you bought your bedroom with you? Those are big suitcases” placing my hand over my mouth giggling “well, I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t sure how long you’re staying or what the hell we going to do” Maurice crouched down in front of me, he needs to stop walking around in an open shirt “we can do anything you want to do, we can make memories together. We can stay in this room, we can go out. What you feelings?” touching his cheek with the back of my hand “I don’t mind, we can just go out and spend time together” Maurice got up from his position and pecked my lips before he walked off.

“I am regretting this going out to the beach thing, can we just stay here and we just have sex?” placing my shades over my eyes “no, I asked you. We going to the beach now” I am wearing a swimsuit with booty shorts, my body chain just under the swimsuit “you just love getting dressed, you have an outfit for every occasion” he is right, I do “I have never seen feet so sexy, how are you this good” he is making me go shy “just please, go and put a tee on or something. Sniffing around me like a dog” waving him off, he wants sex and I have got dressed so no “give me kiss first?” he is just wasting time now “please” he asked nicely, looking up at him “because you said please” poking my lips out, he pecked my lips “good, I need a tan so badly” I am pasty and Texas doesn’t help, I am forever at work so I don’t really go out for that matter.

Maurice finally sat down next to me on the beach, he wants to now go back to that hotel “so how come you never came to me last night? I had a lonely bed” Maurice rested his head on my thigh “your head is heavy and because I just needed to re-evaluate things, I just got a little taken a back by things but the next morning I felt the same, I still missed you. I told my mom the truth that I am meeting you, she was like I can see you like him. Just don’t get hurt, it’s been something you only see in a movie, this day and age true love doesn’t exist. I accepted that thought so I just wanted a man that would care for me at least, no man makes love after meeting someone for the second day. I feel like I am living in a dream just waiting on someone to wake me, to tell me it’s not real. It’s really emotional what you did Maurice, you make love to someone it’s different. It’s like two souls connect at that moment, you become vulnerable and that is why it doesn’t happen as much. You may have not done it on purpose but it happened and that moment will stay with me” I am not sure if this is something he wants to hear but I am saying it “that is because I am vulnerable, nobody gives me the chance to be that. What is love, I question it every day of my life. I don’t want to be cold like my dad, I could have given that one time to the wrong girl but I didn’t. My body knew it. I get that people are going to question us but nobody will know how we both feel, only we do. I am scared too” he openly admitted “I don’t like myself much, I wish I was a better person” now I didn’t want him to be like this “but you are a good person, I can see it in you” I am sad he feels that.

[taylorscottbarnett]

In state elections, Democrats had two goals: keep Republicans from breaking up or delaying Republicans getting trifectas in state governments.

As of 2021, Republicans dominated with 21 trifectas, that is control over the Governorship, State House and State Senate. Republicans have had a dominance in trifectas since after 2010, when Democrats went from having 16 trifectas, a +8 spread to 11, while Republicans went from having only 8 trifectas, a low not seen since before 1994's election to a whopping 21. A +10 spread.

The big stakes for Democrats: stopping Republican trifectas in: Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. As well as not being defeated in Colorado, Maine, and Minnesota.

Democrats Governors won major victories over election deniers in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

They flipped the entire state legislature in Michigan from red to blue for the first time in decades.

Democrats won a trifecta in Minnesota.

Held both chambers of state government in Colorado, Maine, Nevada, and Oregon.

Kept Republicans from Supermajorities in the North Carolina House and the Wisconsin State Assembly and every single "Stop the Steel" candidate running for Secretary of State looks to have lost their race in battlegrounds.

Republicans were so sure of a red wave they'd targeted blue bastions of power like Nevada, Maine, Oregon, and Washington to the target list, confident a red-tide would lift them to victory.

What happened? Liberal outside spending groups countered them at every turn, swamping the states with ads at a pace not seen in politics before from left-aligned groups.

Not a SINLGE state legeslative chamber flipped from Democrats to Republicans, the first time about incumbent party has had thst result since 1934.

In Arizona Democrat Adrian Fontes beat Republican Mark Finchem for Secretary of State and Katie Hobbs fought back far-right Republican Kari Lake for the Governorship.

Democrat Kris Mayes is in a battle for Arizona's Attorney General with a 0.02% lead atm.

Kansas Gov - Democrat-hold

Maine Gov - Democrat-hold

Michigan Gov - Democrat-hold

New Mexico Gov - Democrat-hold

Nevada Gov - ? Democrat-likely hold

New York Gov - Democrat-hold

Oregon Gov - ? but dems have held this for 36-years soooo

Pennsylvania Gov - Democrat-hold

Wisconson Gov - Democrat-hold

Senate:

Pennsylvania- Democrat-flip.

Nevada- Democrat-hold.

Arizona - Democrat-hold.

But it's looking like a lot like a 51-49 Senate.

OH did I mention Nebraska passed a $15/hr minimum wage increase?

But wait, there's more!

In Connecticut a measure to allow in-person early voting passed.

My home state of Kentucky saw voters reject a constitutional amendment denying a right to abortion, three other states enshrined the right to an abortion in their constitutions.

Michigan saw voters pass a measure opening polls early, making it easier to vote in the state, voters also passed an amendment creating a right to reproductive freedom, providing a bulwark for both conception and abortion access in the state.

Republican Mayra Flores, a who gained fame within the party by winning a special election in a Democratic district in the Rio Grande Valley this year lost his race on Tuesday.

Voters in Tennessee and Vermont supported ballot measures by wide-margins that remove language allowing slavery as punishment from their state constitutions.

And in one of the weirder results: Texas re-elected a criminally-indicated and Trump supported Attorney General to a third term? What the fuck Texas?

Oh and Gen-z secured their first US House seat with the election of 25-year old Florida Democrat.

Periods have heavier flow than this "red wave".

[jjlunfiltered2]

#MentalHealthAwareness Stories

As of the time of this post, it’s October 25th, 2019, which falls into Mental Health Awareness Month. I know that there are a lot of people that are suffering and feel that there is a perceived notion that you shouldn’t let someone know how you feel. Allow me to share with you a few stories from within the past few years.

NOTE: I am absolutely not seeking pity or asking for attention. This is to hopefully open up the conversation and allow someone to get the help they need and deserve.

WARNING: READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

For nearly 29 years I never needed to see a doctor or take prescription pills ever. Then one day, after over 7 years working at the longest job I’ve had, I want to go for a move up to the student leading position. I worked my ass off and yes, I’ve made my mistakes over time, but I’ve made up for it by helping everyone that I could, working as much as I could and pushing myself to the limit making sure that I couldn’t be denied.

That day I was up for an evaluation, I felt pretty confident that I was going to move up. Then I was told of incidents that were not brought up to me before I went into this evaluation, like me falling asleep once, I had one bad day where I had a lot of other things that were already bothering me, and I was a little bit short with a couple of customers, plus a couple of other BS claims I don’t even remember, and they told me I would never move up until I made major improvements. I felt like I did my best and pushed myself to the limit but something in me snapped. For a complete :45 seconds, I almost made one of two of the worst decisions I ever thought. I was either going to take this boss and completely beat him to death considering that he was not a fan of me since he started working just a couple months earlier --like, LITERALLY thinking of how many ways I could leave their blood on as much as possible, coming back, smiling, and walking away before I was going to prison-- or I was going to end it all because I couldn’t take any more rejection and I thought that it was only going to get worse without getting any better.

I literally never thought a thing like these thoughts in my life until that moment.

The third voice in my brain was the only thing that was stopping me from committing either thought. It told me, “STOP! If you go through either of the things you were fucking thinking, do you realize how many people are going to be affected if you do this? You will lose your mom & sisters, your girlfriend, your best friend @pixelguysean, your job, and for the low, low, low price of FOREVER if you choose option B, you lose your gahdamn life! So really think you greedy bastard, is what you’re thinking about doing really fucking worth all of this?” I, fortunately, didn’t go through with it, and I’m glad I didn’t considering I have my family, I had a girlfriend at the time and another job that, even though it was minimum wage, I went up a bit and furthered my creative career.

I went to the doctor and became diagnosed with severe depression & anxiety along with high blood pressure and ADD (a bit later on). And trust me when I say, the road from then to now has been nowhere near a cakewalk. Said girlfriend broke up with me, my family lit a few fires up my ass, I lost the other job I was working at around the time of the original story, we left the apartment Sean, Cody & I were living in, I crashed a really good car and almost lost another one, I have had 3 panic attacks, found out/adjusted to being a demisexual, & have yet to find the right woman (kinda because of it, but mainly my stubbornness).

Thing is, I am fortunate that by whatever deities there maybe, I have my family, I still have Sean, and gathered another close friend by the name of Krys Locke, who, currently doesn’t know she’s in this, but damn well deserves as much credit as my family & Sean.

With all of that said, I know FOR A FACT that there are a lot of people that are out there that are not as lucky as I am to have a support system. Below I’m going to link to everything that I could find to help people find the lending voice, caring ear, and venting pillow that may possibly desperately looking for and haven’t found yet......................until now. Or just reach out to me if you choose.

**All @ are Twitter handles**

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention & Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://afsp.org https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org @800273TALK @afspnational 1-800-273-TALK (8255) [[Veterans, Press 1]]

Texas Suicide Prevention: http://texassuicideprevention.org @StopTXSuicides

Military Crisis Line: https://veteranscrisisline.net

INTL In EU: 00800 1273 8255 or DSN 118 *

In KR: 0808 555 118 or DSN 118

In AFG: 00 1 800 273 8255 or DSN 111

* In EU, toll-free service may not be available through all carriers or in all countries Text your message to 838255

[[LGBTQIA+]] @TrevorProject: http://thetrevorproject.org [24/7/365] 1-866-488-7386 TrevorText -- Text "Trevor" to 1-202-304-1200 (Available M-F between 3pm - 10pm EST/12pm - 7pm PT) TrevorChat -- Available 7 days/wk 3pm - 10pm ET/12pm - 7pm PT

TAMU: http://allies.tamu.edu 

[[[Sexual Assault Resources]]]

National Sexual Violence Resource Center: @nsvrc

Texas: @taasa

B/CS Area: @SARCBV 

San Antonio Area: @SARapeCrisisCtr http://nsvrc.org

Local locations here: http://nsvrc.org/organizations

[mj-spooks]

FYI, I live in Texas. Where the cost of living is so low, people from all over the country are moving here to escape the high costs everywhere else.

Lowest average rent in my state in 2019 was $721 a month in Brownsville.

“But Mia,” you say, “that’s the lowest average! There are other, cheaper places to live than the ones charging that!”

Well... yes.

But that is the average cost. Which means the average person is going to be paying about that much. There are not infinite spaces available at the cheaper rates. Half of what you find will be cheaper. Half will be more expensive. But if the average is already $200+ over the “$500 a month” rate stated above, there is an inherent problem with your logic. Market needs, right? Everyone needs a place to live, so landlords get away with charging what they want, because your choice is either afford it, or be homeless.

And that is only one city! Every other city in the state has a higher average rent cost, all the way up to Flower Mound at $1609, over three times the amount stated above. And that’s the average! The state average overall is $1471. Also almost 3x more than $500. And this was a decrease from the previous rates! “Well move somewhere that it’s cheaper,” you might say, fancy that. But guess what! The size of my city (the average rent cost of which was $1235) is nearly 2.5x that of Brownsville! Everybody can’t move, there isn’t room! Also, if everybody was moving there, guess what! Market needs! Prices would go up!

I could go on, but. There’s a website, btw, to illustrate/debunk the “theory” that the minimum wage is livable. Spoilers, it’s not, they’re wrong.

Also, a studio apartment is by definition not a sustainable living environment for everyone. If you’re a single person, sure. But what about people who have relatives they need to care for, elderly grandparents or disabled siblings or children? Those people aren’t capable of earning income a lot of the time. Social security and disability in this country are a joke. There’s no real support for childcare. Providing for those people is expensive. And you’re supposed to shove them all into a probably teeny probably poorly cared for apartment in a probably shady part of town?

Fuck off.

[noctomania]

Immigration

Someone for some reason cared what I think regarding “unsustainable” and “illegal” immigration. Rather than tuck away a limited thought in the notes of a random post, I thought I’d take the opportunity to be productive on my weekend.

So, for you @deborahthejudge5777 , per request, my perspective on something that hardly affects me at all.

I will note, hailing from Texas, immigration has been a bug in my ear since I was little so I’ve had quite a bit of time to mull it over and hear some folks talking about it. And now living on a popular coast, immigration still is a hot topic, though it being approached more humanely. So your question was this:

On this post:

I would like to first address the word “unsustainable”. Then “illegal”. Because it seems to me that these both only matter when it comes to brown or black people or poor people or refugees and if they are all three, well, might as well build a wall that costs an absurd amount of money to keep them from reaching any of your absurd amount of money!

I figure the “unsustainability” you are referring to is the theory that because undocumented workers are being paid less that it affects everyone else’s wages. Without even looking to see whether or not that is true, I can tell you right now that perspective is the exact wrong approach to the matter of immigration and wages in general. Pay people reasonable wages, what a concept.

People do not leave their homes like we do just to get away. Many people come here, sometimes as refugees, and if you have ever looked into how much it costs and the process it takes to become “legal”, you should have some clue as to why many people wind up “illegal”, or rather undocumented. That does not even take into account rules changing that can, on a whim, change people’s residential status.

What would make things more sustainable would be to put more into making education more accessible so that people can earn skills they need to earn a reasonable wage. Or just fucking pay them what they should be making instead of taking advantage of their status so that one can make a profit while they still pay taxes. There is a huge barrier caused by the european idealization of education. People are smart whether they speak like you or act like you. It doesn’t take a bachelor’s degree to type up data or to recognize patterns, we do this naturally as part of our processing.

The only unsustainable thing in the matter is the greed of the American people. To be willing to invest ALL THAT MONEY (which would be cut from medicare no doubt) in a wall as if immigrants don’t know how to use: boats, planes, fucking ladders. Quit trying to fight the inevitable.

I work a high school level education job that pays enough for me to afford my life and save some. It does not even require high school level education. Most police departments don’t require over high school level education. There is the army, though I don’t personally advise it unless someone truly desires that path. There are places for these people, they are not unsustainable. What is, is that mindset that we don’t have enough room or enough money when what the real issue seems to be to me is we don’t have enough humanity.

Americans claim immigrants are a financial burden, but we are the ones throwing them in jail on petty crimes and billing ourselves, we are the ones paying taxes to put up legislation to try and fruitlessly keep people out. We are the ones who pay money to attack their countries, or rescind money to punish and patronize their countries, then refuse to take many -if any- in. We are a nation, deborah, gilded with the lure of “freedom, liberty, and pursuit of happiness” and “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”. But when people show up at our door there is the small print that hidden fees are involved and if you just subscribe to this temporary renewable pass until you can afford the long term pass, and you have to walk and talk like a duck or else you’re an eel, and if you are at all out of line or don’t swallow the conditioning we expect you to assimilate to then you do not qualify. We say we have to work for the ameircan dream but others much work harder. Why? Because of where they were born? If we’re so great, or capable of being great, we should be capable of upholding our promises and standing by our nationalist advertisements of freedom and the american dream.

So what I think?

I think we need to cut military budget and invest more in accessible education in school and out of school (libraries, social services, etc).

I think we need to utilize our resources appropriately and quit jerking off big corporations/CEOs that profit off of labor abuse, including the labor abuse of born citizens but especially of those undocumented who fall through the cracks.

I think we need to stop seeing any people as others and see them as one of our own in a crisis.

I think we need to infuse compassion in America for the first time ever, I think we need to abolish the paranoia that divides us and seek a more balanced realistic perspective of one another- because that costs money too.

I think we need to end the TSA program and revert back to more simplified though better educated security for our all our mass transit systems nationally, as well as other hubs of central importance. That is both in terms of danger detection, but primarily in non-violent crisis prevention/aversion.

HOUSING IS A BIG ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED as it is not only a problem for low-income undocumented people, but even for born citizens it’s outrageous.

And imagine if instead of cutting medicaid, we maintained the expansion so those undocumented people being shirked by their employer can at least avoid missing out on work bc they were able to prevent illness or at least wouldn’t end up in a debt rut because of a medical bill that could have been handled by insurance. “Why should I have to  pay taxes for non-citizens” well why should I have to pay for your greedy ass, whoever would ask that question.

Maybe because we all still work in and pay into the same system, and if you don’t seem to like that system there are plenty others in the world for you to experience I’m sure. Or you can go build a house in a field somewhere and be entirely self-sufficient and we’ll send someone to make sure you aren’t dead every once in a while.

I assure you, CEOs of various institutions you pay into are likely taking a lot more from you than anyone coming here and getting a below minimum wage job.

[houstonlocalus-blog]

Meet the Trans Woman Running for Pete Sessions’ Seat in Congress

The election of Donald Trump has brought out a great many people interested in trying to take the country back from the Republicans starting in the 2018 mid-term elections. They’ll need all the help they can get as here in Texas the Democrats have a rather deplorable history of turning up at the polls when there’s no president on the ballot. One of the hopefuls is Danielle J Pellett, who will be challenging Pete Sessions of Texas’ 32nd District. We sat down with her on opposite sides of the Internet to get to know the woman who would unseat Sessions, who is well-known as a tough opponent.

  Free Press Houston: What made you decide to run for Congress?

Danielle J Pellett: For far too long, I have been standing in a voting booth and my options were simply a Republican or Libertarian. I wondered where the Democrats were running for office. I kept thinking “someone should do something about that.” This past year, I finally decided that I needed to be the person who stood up to do something about it.

  FPH: More specifically, are you opposing Pete Sessions because of anything he specifically stands for or just because of the direction the Republican Party has taken?

Pellett: As a former conservative, I disagree with the direction that their party has taken. Most notably, some of Sessions’ votes betray core conservative Republican values: shutting down the government repeatedly, refusing to get clean water to Flint, and opposing a raise to minimum wage to get families off of food stamps. We should be fiscally responsible and stop subsidizing Big Oil and make Wall Street answer to why we had to bail them out in 2008.

  FPH: You’ve talked about growing up with Republican/Libertarian ideals, and rather than throwing those by the wayside you feel that some aspects of that simply feel more at home in the Democratic Party than in the GOP. What of your original stances do you find mesh the best with the DNC?

Pellett: I believe in a small government, which means not getting involved in family matters like they did with Terri Schaivo, or overturning the fracking ban they did in Denton. When I was young, I was on the Federal free lunch system and at one point we were on food stamps in order to make ends meet. My parents were not lazy, and their hard-working ethic put the lie to the welfare queen narrative. Despite what Paul Ryan says, those meals didn’t leave me with an empty soul. It fed a child and made them able to study and succeed in life.

What feels like a lifetime ago, I wound up not going to OCS [Officer Candidate School] and getting a commission with the Air Force due to the Air Force core value of Integrity first because of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. As I studied the oath of office and realized that to protect the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic, they were some horrific domestic policies that need to change.

We were firing gay military translators as we invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, while not putting those wars in the budget and kept asking for “emergency funding” as if it were a surprise that we were still there. We’re supposed to support our troops, but where was the support there?

Finally, I believe in provable facts over political dogma. Pollution is bad, and climate change is real. Drug testing is more expensive to the government than welfare is, and poor people can’t afford drugs. It’s even cheaper to rehabilitate addicts rather than locking them up in jail.

  FPH: You credit Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) with a political awakening in 2001. What about Sen. Sanders’ and your own ideology would be most beneficial to Texans?

Pellett: Bernie Sanders has always been an independent who refuses to be bought out. He likes to tell it as it is, and refuses to let others get away with selling lies such as “Clean Coal” or that massive corporations just like to donate thousands of dollars to candidates and expect nothing in return.

His speech at Liberty University reminds us of our Texas values of working hard and paying our fair share. So when I see the ultra-rich getting away with squirreling away their money in illegal overseas tax shelters, I know that they are not paying their fair share. Instead, they are paying politicians to distract us with these supposed culture wars over abortion, gay marriage, and which bathroom we can pee in.

We used to have our roads and bridges paid for by tax dollars, now you see toll roads being built all over the place. We even have toll roads that are paid off that are still getting government subsidies while the companies that maintain them are collecting toll money.

  FPH: Why do you think so many Representatives end up running unopposed?

Pellett: Just like doing taxes, a lot of things are designed look harder in order to make people feel like they are unable to comprehend or do it. We also have rampant gerrymandering that makes districts nearly impossible to win.

My district right now vaguely looks like a donkey. This was done with regard to the historically low voter turnout in Garland. Due to the tenacity of Victoria Neave and her get-out-the-vote efforts, she won in a district that everyone had assumed was impossible.

  FPH: Texas, particularly Dallas and Houston, is a place where large corporations hold significant sway, and provide a living for many, many people and their families. Is your message in opposition to them, or is there a place where people and corporations come together for the greater good?

Pellett: The economy has been faltering for the past decade. For anyone who has ever played Monopoly, you realize that income inequality will ruin people. Once we have a winner in Monopoly, the game comes to an end. But how does that work in real life?

If a few corporations have all the money and all the resources while the majority of the middle and worker class doesn’t have enough money to make ends meet… then these corporations are now unable to sell their wares to the public. In short, who will be left to buy stuff when everyone is barely scrounging by to have shelter and food?

So what I would say to business interests is this: you have to look at a five-year profit plan rather than just the next quarter. In the short run, shutting down your factories and sending jobs overseas for lower pay seems to do great, but this has happened on a macro scale and has ruined Michigan.

For the greater good, businesses must want to increase their pay to match inflation. Businesses must realize that government should work as a check and balance in order to protect the people. We must remember the lessons from the Deepwater Horizon, West Texas, and the Magnablend plant in Waxahachie that prove we must have and enforce regulations for the safety of the people.

There has to be a balance between helping businesses thrive and making certain that we don’t have poisonous chemicals in our water like they had in Corpus Christi.

  FPH: If you had to pick one issue that was most dire in need of addressing in Texas, what would it be and how would you address it?

Pellett: Education is the linchpin for all of this. We need to teach science without religious bias, we need to teach history without politically-motivated revisionism, and we need to fully explain where babies come from and how to avoid that in order to reduce our teen pregnancy rate.

  FPH: Do you anticipate support from the DNC in your candidacy?

Pellett: I expect that the DNC will support me once I win the primary. I have already reached out to multiple candidate sponsorship programs and political action committees that are dedicated to promoting science and Progressive values that will not cost me my morals and ethics.

There is a way to work from within the system where you can get $27 donations from regular people and you do not have to rely on the backing of the fracking industry in order to compete in a political race.

  FPH: What do you think will be the biggest challenge in your race?

Pellett: I’m up against one of the most powerful people in the Texas Republican Party, who is well known and is instrumental in getting lots of money from wealthy out-of-state donors and from political action committees. In the past two years, Pete Sessions has raised over $2 million. Only 1 percent of that came from small dollar donations, so we know exactly who he answers to.

All I can hope to do is call him out on this while proving that I am the better candidate that understands the values of Texans today and for our next generation.

  FPH: You’re one of a number of trans women nationwide I know are running for office in 2018, including some prominent ones like Brianna Wu. What empowers you the most against the almost-inevitable transphobic backlash?

Pellett: I’m not running because I’m transgender, I’m running because I believe in helping middle and working-class Texans. I just happened to be transgender, and I honestly expect more push back from the fact that I’m an ex-conservative and I know how they think, how they speak, and I know how to destroy their talking points.

  FPH: Being the biased, lamestream media, I probably fucked some of this up, so here’s a small bit where you can say anything you want.

Pellett: My mother, Maria del Rosario, was born with cerebral palsy. It was misdiagnosed as polio when she grew up, and she had the Forrest Gump leg braces and walked with a noticeable limp. She was told all her life that she was an invalid and a cripple, and she couldn’t do the same things that her sisters could.

Naturally, she went ahead and did the thing anyways. She defied my grandfather by walking to Mass every morning before going to Catholic School. She defied my grandfather by going to college and getting a degree in teaching English as a second language to special-needs students.

She defied her family by falling in love with and marrying a gringo, my father David Ellsworth. Her doctor said it would be impossible for her to have a child. I am the product of one stubborn Latina and the man who supported her.

When I started supporting Bernie Sanders at the Texas Democratic Party and wanted to engage in direct democracy through a petition process at the State Convention, everyone told me it was impossible. I defied the naysayers and did three of them.

Meet the Trans Woman Running for Pete Sessions’ Seat in Congress this is a repost