By association

     Howdy all indeed, fellow colleagues:

                    

   This week it would seem that Greg Abbot has drifted once again into hot water by association. Of the many opinion articles that have popped up since the initial incident, I enjoyed reading Genevieve Cato’s commentary article on the Burnt Orange Report; concerning the Chris Mapp debacle, as originally reported by The San Antonio Express News. Cato’s piece might be simple in delivery and modest in length, but these same qualities lend the piece an air of easily verifiable credibility; and the tight focus on the facts of the original story help provide the feel of balance to Cato’s clearly conveyed left leaning affiliations. It helps the piece appear to be more like following a kind of understandable, if not somewhat knee jerk reactionary type logic. As opposed to a straight political piece written by somebody on the other side purely for the purpose of being contradictory; as will sadly often prove to be the case as election time continues to countdown.

   Cato’s stance on the story of South Texas republican senate candidate Chris Mapp’s use of a racial slur when referring to undocumented workers; and overtly offensive comments directed to the President of the United States, would be easy to surmise with the information provided about her via the site. Cato has written for the Brunt Orange Report before, is a native Texan and self-identified feminist. She also works to put pro-choice women in elected offices.

   While Cato’s piece is no doubt intended for people of somewhat like mind; her chosen format and use of all the involved persons abundant and damming quotations, and later irrational yet colorful justifications, as originally reported by the San Antonio Express News, serves to create an immediate emotional/social distaste in the reader to generate the thought: “Well if that is what is going on in that camp, why wouldn't you join the other side?”

   Critically speaking, Cato does give a not so subtle push for the readers to aware of her fellow political affiliations feelings on her chosen subject. She goes so far as to publish the Texas Democratic Party's official statement on the Chris Mapp story, which consequently comments on Republican Party member and future Texas Governor hopeful Greg Abbot, as well as others at the top of the Republican ticket for refusing to comment on the behavior their fellow and now infamous party members. Especially when other notable party members have already voiced their vehement disapproval. This story follow on the heels of Abbot experiencing his recent, and much publicized Ted Nugent related backlash.

   Despite this, I feel Cato’s ultimate goal is met by the end of her article. At best, she is able to seemingly paint yet another example of the Republican Party and its affiliates, as seemingly filled with woman/ethnic hating, good ol’ boy, older white men. At the very least, one can find another very public example of the perceptibly growing dissension in the G.O.P. at large; as well as the legitimacy for a growing concern about the health of the party as a whole, if such incidents keep occurring and causing further internal division. 

The Latina Angle

    As we covered the changing demographic landscape of the Texas, and what that means for the lone star state political scene not long ago in class; I was drawn to Dan Salmon’s political article The Year of The Statewide Latina for the January, 2014 issue of the Texas Monthly, and thought it would be worth sharing. The article follows the movements of three Hispanic (and in a small side case, disputably Hispanic) female politicians making small, albeit rather notable movements in the Statewide political scene.   
   While the article, at times, seems to be showing its’ chosen subjects of interest (two republicans and one democrat) as longshot politicians who are jumping onto an ethnicity (and gender) based trend; I found that it was still noteworthy article. Aside from focusing on some interesting little pieces of information on smaller time political movers; it brings up the question, which is generally quickly dismissed or glossed over by the heavyweight political party figures, movers, and shakers, of how the Texas political powers plan to deal with the growing and inevitably political power holding Hispanic population. (Psssst: Especially the Texas GOP.)  With Hispanics due to overtake whites as the majority in Texas in the next 10 years or so, Matt Mackowiak, a republican consultant, is quoted in the article saying what many a Texas and outside-state political consultants are saying regarding the Texas G.O.P. and the changing demographics of the state: “The Republicans have to solve the Hispanic vote as an issue…”