Texas Outlaw Newsletter: You May Not Care, Muthafukkah, But We Do Edition
It wasn't too bad a week for John Q. Citizen, on balance. The House approved Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act on Friday, marking yet another legislative win for both the party and President Biden. The massive spending bill will address climate change, health care policy, and drug prices. There is tax legislation to pay for these massive programs. The health care portion will be the largest change in health care policy since the Affordable Care Act.
The FBI is said to have recovered 11 sets of classified documents when it executed a search warrant of former President Donald Trump's MAGA-lago, so says the The Wall Street Journal. The GOP had a hissy fit over it, claiming that the ex prez was blindsided by jack-booted FBI turncoats raiding his home. Things quieted down somewhat when the actual warrant was released, and it was revealed that "Top Secret" docs and files were, in fact, taken in the search.
As a result, there is an increase in violence and violent rhetoric directed at the FBI, with the agency expecting even more attacks.
Per our headline, the GOP noise machine had a little episode when Beto O'Rourke, candidate for Texas Governor (D), shouted down some right-wing trolls at a town-hall style campaign event this week. The topic was the Uvalde School Massacre and the trolls were heard laughing when the talk turned to assault rifles. Beto called them out and dropped the M-F bomb. (“It may be funny to you, motherfucker, but it is not funny to me.”)
Oh, how delicate the ears of GOP PR engine are, and (oh, my) how Texas Republicans gasped and clutched their pearls! For the last few years they've sworn, mocked, cursed, demeaned, dishonored, and insulted every politician or voter not suitably loyal to their dear leader with foul language and every pejorative term that they could think of. But Beto called out a callous Trump acolyte or two for laughing at slaughtered children and suddenly, the entire GOP is a shocked and dismayed Scarlett O'Hara. Well, fiddle-dee-dee and fuck their feelings.
Jim Moore goes a little deeper into this mother-fucking nonsense. These trolls at this rural campaign event are not outliers. They're taking their cues and convictions from GOP leadership and media. Even with mindless extremists wreaking havoc on FBI agents this week, the right-wing message machine continues to stir up more violence and fanaticism.
James C. Moore
The righteous right-wingers decried Master Trump's persecution... Again... But when a legally conducted search (complete with a warrant) of his MAGA-Lago estate produced a few boxes of Top Secret docs, the Fox-spinners whirred like a well-worn machine.
Trump. Trump. Trump again? Roger Gray doesn't like it any better than you do, but hey, hidden documents, nukes, espionage. What's an Outlaw writer to write about?
Roger T. Gray
And speaking of shameless enablers... DeeceX would like to remind us that the twin Texas senators from different planets have never waivered in their fealty to the former POTUS. Nor done that much for Texas When you witness these two giant bobbleheads of the Senate nod and kowtow day after day, month after month to Master Trump, it's easy to forget that the first senator from Texas was none other than Sam Houston. Later, as governor, Houston resigned rather than take an oath to the Confederate States. Something tells us that the Cruz/Cornyn twins would have no problem putting Trump ahead of country. It's what they do.
Deece Eckstein
Myra Jolivet finds a small glimmer of Texas light on the Arabian Peninsula. In Doha, Qatar, there's a place called Education City - a complex that houses eight universities, top-performing high schools, and Al Jazeera’s children's television channel. One of the schools, the Michael E. DeBakey School for Health Professions in Doha, is modeled after a high school in Houston with a similar name. In the tradition of Houston's famous heart surgeon, Dr. DeBakey, the school is teaching students from all over the world to dream big and innovate.
Myra Jolivet, SMPS
We've been trying to keep you up to date on Texas Outlaw Writer John Nova Lomax's medical condition. He had another setback several days ago when he had to return to the ER. Without getting too much into the weeds about it, John has been struggling with an infection that went septic in his body. He's been in and out of ICU and has even found himself on a ventilator (removed late this week.) The bigger battle that he acknowledges is the battle he has with alcohol. High blood pressure, high blood sugar, and his body's inability to fight off a wretched infection are all a result of this fight.
John has some insurance coverage, but this is 'Murica, and the deductibles, the expenses not covered by insurance, and the various rehabs that he will need are all adding up. John's dad, John Lomax III has started that most American of health institutions, a GoFundMe page. If you can spare a shekel or two, or have a few shillings lying around in the underwear drawer, I know John and his fam would appreciate it.
John has written about his alcoholism before and his PTSD that originated in a tough childhood. Here's a story that he did for Texas Highways a couple of years back, (one that we reprinted in an earlier issue.) John wrote this poignant piece shortly after a stint in rehab. He reveals a bit about his childhood and some of the difficulties in trying to uncover and deal with his demons.
john nova lomax
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