​Houstonians are tired of the anti-democratic State of Texas takeover of Houston public schools. 

Successful principals are being terminated, custodians are being fired and Superintendent F. Mike Miles is involved in scandal. 

The focus of the Houston Democracy Project is the loss of our elected School Board. What we have now is Greg Abbott's rubber stamp Board of Managers. What we should have is our elected School Board.

Community Voices for Public Education has done a good job in the fight against the takeover. 

Above is notice for I think will be a well-attended protest against the takeover this Saturday. I''ll be there and I hope you will as well. The event is being organized by the families Briargrove Elementary.     

Mayor Whitmire should be using the connections with the state he often talks about to fight the takeover and its bad impact.   

Democracy is on the line in so many ways in Houston and Harris County. In addition to voting, we must be willing to show up as needed. 

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

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I went to the Houston Botanic Garden today. 

You can't live by politics alone. 

​Above is a picture of some cacti and succulents. 

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The Democratic Primary runoff for the Texas Senate District 15 full term is May 28. (Early voting is May 20-24.) The top two finishers in the March 5 primary were State Rep. Jarvis Johnson and now Senator-elect Molly Cook.

(Above is a picture of the two candidates at a recent debate.)  

Ms. Cook won the May 4th race to complete the remainder of now-Mayor John Whitmire's term.

I'm voting for Senator-elect Cook.  

I know Ms. Cook. I had a paid role in her 2022 primary loss to Senator Whitmire. I did writing, some strategy and voter outreach. Molly got a strong 42% of the vote and I was glad to be associated with the effort.         

In this cycle, I've kept my distance from Senator-elect Cook. I get the idea of where she is going from. We don't need relationships with candidates and elected officials as much as we simply need them to do what they say. I've seen no reason so far not to trust her & she is closer to where I stand on issues than is Rep. Johnson. 

If I thought Rep. Johnson would be the better and more forceful advocate for democracy, I'd vote for him. I don't think that. Rep. Johnson in his years in office has been content with low turnout and business as usual. He accepted the endorsement of the Houston Police Officers Union despite the fact the union endorses election deniers.      

I don't believe Rep. Johnson will show up for the full Harris County Democratic slate in 2024. It is difficult to see him on the streets and on the right side of a police line if Republicans refuse to accept election results, or toss out votes of Harris County Democrats to flip the outcome of an election.

The central reason to vote for Ms. Cook is in the paragraph below as reported by the Houston Chronicle.  
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From the Chronicle: 

“When we win again on the 28th, I will organize Senate District 15 to be the highest Democratic turnout district in the state and fight for our candidates up and down the ballot,” Cook said in a press release after declaring victory Saturday night. “I have the skills, courage and faith in our communities, and I am ready to save lives.”

We must hold Senator-elect Cook to the above pledge. Running for office at this point means the willingness to show up for democracy and to be willing to take political, career, and if need be, physical risks to protect democracy. Campaigns don't leave behind meaningful structures of voter turnout and community. If Senator-elect Cook wins on May 28 she becomes our elected employee for the full term. That is the relationship most productive between citizens and elected officials.      

I'll be assisting Ms. Cook by taking two three-hour shifts handing out the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus endorsement card. I took three of those shifts leading up to the March 5 primary. Senator-elect Cook is endorsed by the Caucus.       

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

​There was an online forum last night held by Swing Texas Left involving the two Democratic runoff candidates for Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector & Voter Registrar.  Runoff Election Day is May 28.

Above you see the two candidates from the Zoom forum yesterday. On the left is Desiree Broadnax and on the right is Annette Ramirez. 

Here is the link to the discussion. It runs about 75 minutes. 

I asked both candidates if they would join the Harris County Democratic Party coordinated campaign for 2024, block walk for the full Harris County Democratic slate & support the two Democrats running the new HCAD positions.   

(The two Democrats running for the HCAD positions are Melissa Noriega for Place #2 and Pelumi Adeleke for Place #3. Election Day is June 15. Ms. Noriega's opponent is an election denier. ) 

Ms. Broadnax would not commit to joining the coordinated party campaign. Ms. Ramirez did commit, spoke strongly about the 2024 election being a team effort and committed to holding a fundraiser or taking part in a block walk for the HCAD slate. Ms. Broadnax was clear that she supported the HCAD candidates. 

I'm voting for Ms. Ramirez and will hold to her to what she asserted last night. 

As referenced above, I know this all because I asked. All of us have the ability to ask every candidate and elected official we come across how they will support the full Democratic ticket.  They are here for us. Not the other way around.  

The Houston Democracy Project is about protest, rank-and-file citizen empowerment, self-protection, ideas and whatever is needed to prevail and stay safe as Republicans promise violence if they lose and authoritarianism if they win. More will be required than voting. In addition to being part of a team effort to win at the ballot box, elected officials may have to decide what side of a police line to stand on if Republicans refuse to accept electoral defeats, or toss out Harris County ballots to impact an electoral outcome.

And then there are the promised mass round-ups of migrants.   

Elected officials and candidates are always telling us to vote. But so often they are missing in action when it comes to helping get out the vote when it does not directly impact them. Hold the people seeking our support to the standards needed to keep us safe and free. Don't let up--Hold them accountable.    
 
Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

Below is a quick note I sent today to all Houston City Council Members about the big firefighters contract that may cost taxpayers as much as $1.5 billion. 

Houston City Controller Chris Hollins has many questions about the contract.       

It is important that Houstonians be involved in city government. It is easy to watch city council sessions.

Here is the home page of Houston City Council.  

Here is what I e-mailed--
 
Councilmembers: 

Regarding the firefighters contract:

The firefighters seem to be saying if you don’t give us what we want, we’ll go to court and bust the city budget. How is this the conduct of a good partner that cares about the City of Houston?

There was recently an extensive conversation at Council about the need for a proposal regarding speed bumps to go to a committee of Council. If that is the case for speed bumps, shouldn’t this giant firefighters contract be reviewed in open committee session? Mayor Whitmire says issues that are sent to committee are made stronger by the process. Shouldn’t that reasoning apply with such an important issue as this big dollar contract?  

Is Council-and by extension the public-involved in this process in a genuine way, or is it just
that the firefighters union will make a bunch of aggressive statements in the press and the Mayor will reflexively dismiss legitimate questions?   

This is an important matter that should be considered with as much openness and democracy as possible.    
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Thank you. 

I've gotten a few replies from council offices of thank you for sending this and all that. I believe some number of Councilmembers saw the note. I'll keep at it. We all should keep at it.    

The firefighters could say we won't pursue a settlement that bankrupts the city. They could say the contract should be subjected to full review by the appropriate committees of Council and by all of Council. They don't say those things. So we need a Houston City Council willing to stand up to them. 

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

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​Steve Norris of Brazoria County has been standing with the sign you see above from noon to one each Saturday near the roundabout with the statue of Sam Houston at Hermann Park. Steve is the one holding the sign on the right & I'm on the left. Steve is a semi-retired microbiology professor.  (Steve may not be there on Saturday, 5/11. But will be there each week or nearly every week through Election Day.)   

I've been with Steve for something like 8 of the 12 or so weeks he's been out at the park. Steve printed those signs on his own dime and often has extra to hand out. In the picture above you see thoughtful park-goers who wished to be identified with Steve's message.

We are being told by Trump and Republicans that there will be violence if Trump loses and dictatorship if he wins.  

It is important that people see others like themselves wiling to stand out in public for democracy. Most weeks I've been with Steve, one or more passers-by have asked us if we are nervous or if we have been confronted by aggressive people. (None of that has happened.)   

You never know what action or statement will make the difference. All people are capable of making an impact. Don't be afraid to show up and be seen. Voting may well not be enough in the rights ahead. We are going to have to be willing to show up. 

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

There were elections in Harris County yesterday.

Molly Cook easily defeated State Rep. Jarvis Johnson to win the right to serve out the remainder of former Senator John Whitmire's term. Whitmire is now Mayor of Houston.  

This is good. Rep. Johnson has served in a variety of offices over a number of years with little concern for voter turnout, or much else beyond business us usual. 

The election for the full term beginning next January is May 28. Let's keep Senator-elect Cook in the seat & then hold her accountable starting the next day. Ms. Cook has stressed her role as an organizer with issues such as opposition to the expansion of I-45 as a big part of her campaign. There will be plenty of need for organizing in the challenging days ahead.   

In the voting for the three newly-created Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) seats, Democrat Kathy Blueford-Daniels won outright while the other two spots will go to a runoff.    

Melissa Noriega will be the Democrat for Place 2 and Pelumi Adeleke is the Democrat in Place 3. Both Ms. Noriega and Ms. Adeleke will be facing Republicans. Ms. Noriega's opponent, Kyle Scott, is an election-denier.

These clear Republican against Democrat match-ups are a fine opportunity for elected Democrats in safe seats to campaign or offer resources to the two Democrats.  
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Every elected Republican who does not expressly repudiate election-denial and Donald Trump, is part of the infrastructure of authoritarianism.

HCAD runoff Election Day is June 15.

(I don't know the specifics, but I'm told by folks who would know that the results for the Katy ISD Board went well. Thanks to everyone who did the work in Katy.)    
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Support Molly Cook on May 28 so she can begin to organize for and support the HCAD slate on May 29. Vote for Ms. Noriega and Ms. Adeleke on June 15, and then insist they show up for democracy as needed all the way to November and beyond.

Anybody running for elected office in this political and social climate is signing up for the full deal. Rank & file citizens of Harris County who care about democracy, have a right to ask the people who represent them to be prepared to do whatever needed for the fights in 2024 and beyond.            
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Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

I make this brief point every so often because it merits repeating--The police who aggressively break up for pro-Palestine encampment on the college campus, will make no distinction between those protestors and people protesting Trump refusing to accept election results, or protesting Republicans tossing out 10,000 ballots in Harris County to tip an election. You might think that the people being policed are an "other" of some kind, but it'll be you and us next time.

Stand up & speak up as much as you can for the rights of protestors and for First Amendment rights.  We are all going to need those rights in the days ahead.

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

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Houston ISD is cutting and gutting essential services for students living with poverty. 

From the Houston Landing:

Houston ISD will eliminate many of the specialists who work on school campuses to serve students struggling with poverty-related issue...HISD Executive Director of Student Supports Phuong Tieu delivered the news to roughly 170 district staff during a virtual meeting Thursday morning, saying their roles will be cut at the end of June due to budget constraints, according to a video recording of the meeting obtained by the Houston Landing and information from attendees...The decision represents a reversal from Superintendent Mike Miles, who previously told the Landing the wraparound specialists were needed positions in HISD and would not be subject to staffing cuts. “The needs of our kids in the social emotional area, and in the mental health area, and just health area, is not going to diminish over the next several years,” Miles said in December. “I don’t know if it will ever diminish, but it certainly won’t in the next several years. So, it would not be appropriate to decrease services at this time.” HISD serves roughly 150,000 economically disadvantaged students, and roughly 7,000 who are homeless.

Does the rubber stamp Board of Managers of our state-occupied school district have any views on these cuts? We rarely hear from them.  

(Community Voices for Public Education has been leading the fight against the takeover.)

John Whitmire ran for Mayor talking about his strong relations with statewide Republicans. Texas has a $33 billion budget surplus. The State of Texas runs HISD. Why can't Mayor Whitmire get the state to give HISD the needed funds to keep these important programs going?   

(Above is Mayor Whitmire with friends such as Governor Abbott & Senator Bettencourt.)   

Mayor Whitmire brought far-rightwing Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham to Houston City Council. Commissioner Buckingham said Houston could get the housing money we should be getting anyway, so long as we look the other way at her support for people like Donald Trump who would take our freedoms.
  
Mayor Whitmire teams up with Republican election-denier Alexandra Mealer, as she uses her place on the Metro Board to get political revenge on advocates of safer streets and bike lanes.    

Mayor Whitmire has been silent as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued to stop the Harris County Basic Income program. 

In addition to talking about how the city must work with the state, Mayor Whitmire has said the city must also work with HISD Superintendent Mike Miles.

Here is an opportunity to put these words into action. Mayor Whitmire should lobby the Republican state elected officials he gets along with so well, to provide the funds to restore wraparound services for Houston school kids.  

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]