Why Texas Republicans may want to cool the anti-Obama land-grab talk

[white cloud]

This sounds an awful lot like political grandstanding in an election year. But Abbott shouldn't have to try to work this hard. He's running for governor in a deep red state that hasn't elected a Democrat to statewide office since the mid-1990s. But more to the point, to paraphrase Shakespeare, he's protesting way too much, perhaps in a bid to obscure the fact that the state of Texas — while Abbot served as its top lawyer — has its own spotty record with protecting private property rights.

You don't have to look too far back, either. Last Thursday, Texas seized the 1,700-acre Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado from a branch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamist Mormon offshoot sect. The group's leader, Warren Jeffs, is serving a life sentence for "celestially marrying" two underage women, and Texas troopers helped vacate the remaining members last week.

Former FLDS member Flora Jessop tells Reuters that Texas deserves the land for having the courage to prosecute Yearning for Zion leaders. But the state claimed its right under a Jan. 6 forfeiture judgment from a state court. "Efforts to seize the property," Reuters' Jim Forsyth notes, "were initiated in 2012 by the attorney general's office."

Then there's the issue of private companies — specifically oil pipeline interests, but also power companies and for-profit toll highway operators — using eminent domain to seize private property, with the state's blessing. In March, the Texas Supreme Court declined to hear a final appeal from northeast Texas landowner Julia Trigg, who refused to sell her land to TransCanada, which used eminent domain to put a leg of the Keystone XL pipeline through her land.
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http://theweek.com/article/index/260388/why-texas-republicans-may-want-to-cool-the-anti-obama-land-grab-talk

[Gothmog]

1. Greg is a bad attorney and is not very bright

Complex concepts are beyond Greg's limited ability to understand. Greg is actually making Goodhair look like a genius by making some many mistakes in this campaign

[Skittles]

3. Abbott is an idiot and a hypocrite

which for years seem to be the main requirements to be governor of Texas

[Gothmog]

4. Abbott is making Goodhair look smart

Greg is making a ton of mistakes in his campaign. Ted Nugent was just one of many dumb moves by Abbott. Perry may be an idiot but Perry never made the same type of blunders that Greg is making. In particular, I love the comments from two of Greg's spokespersons. One spokesperson for Abbott thinks that women are too busy to care about equal pay

#t=14

A second Abbott spokesperson takes the position that men are better negotiators compared to women

Both of these clips will be in Wendy Davis commercials and videos

[Skittles]

5. JAYSUS

WTF
women want more access to jobs; it doesn't matter if they get paid less than men?

[Gothmog]

6. The campaign commercials will be easy to generate

Greg is making a large number of mistakes in this race

[Skittles]

7. I have not been motivated to vote FOR someone in a long time

I am SO motivated to vote for Ms. Davis and I know I am not the only one

[Gothmog]

8. Leticia is a great candidate also

[Skittles]

9. yes, I have been reading about her

she is very impressive

[DhhD]

2. Abbott Enjoys Deceiving The Public. His latest deception is that a federal land management

office is coming to take over land that someone has a title for or land that is owned by a state. There is no federal land for the BLM to control in the Red River, as the river is all Oklahoma land. Every county in both Texas and Oklahoma has detailed records of land ownership and/or tax payment receipts. Congress made a law that describes and sets the boundary between the two states. A competent attorney should know this.

In my opinion, Abbott is saying that he believes that Right Wing voters are to stupid to check into the matter. Sad, as many people will never know that they have been lied to. And when they see Abbott or talk about him they will say what a fine upstanding man he is. How sickening!

Voters need to wake up. Truth is, Abbott and the GOP make up lies and associate themselves with bad character. Democrats need to get the truth out to the public.

[WillyT]

10. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[malokvale77]

11. Well, Texas is all about being big...

That seems to include ignorance. This is Texas, we're the biggest dumb asses on the planet, and we're proud of it.