Don't Ask, Don't Tell

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

I find it hilarious that you think Houston proper is a ghetto because it has a high minority population.  One bad t-shirt shop means nothing and it is pathetic you think that represents the whole city.

Dude, I lived within a mile of 610 within a mile of MLK until I was 22 years old, and I have three brothers and we live on the northwest side (Magnolia), the west side (Katy), the southwest side (Sugar Land), and the south east side (Hobby Airport)…I think I know the city a tad bit better than you do.



The only portion not a ghetto are parts of NW, W, and SW…with the entire N, E, S sides being poverty areas.

“Almost 80 percent of HISD (Houston Independent School District) students come from economically disadvantaged households”

80% economically disadvantaged sounds like a ghetto to me.

I'm not arguing that the per capita income of Houston is higher than the suburbs, although it is interesting you think that is the case.  Houston is like most major cities which have more poverty than the suburbs.  If you are going to talk about the blatantly obvious demographics then there is no need to post them.  This just in, San Antonio proper has more poverty than the suburbs, wow who would have guess it! lol.  I'm not arguing per capita income here, but the election of the first openly homosexual mayor of a major city.

Although thanks for posting the same map of the demographics of Houston I have seen over and over again since the census released the newest data.

  

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No you didn't give a date when you last went to your mall (I could go back and quote the post where you mentioned going your mall, but I'm sure you can find it)

Locally book stores were going down way before e-readers due to the Borders/Barnes and Noble decimating them with their selection.  Now that Borders is out and e-readers are prime I suspect even more book stores will leave in every major city.

So I am essentially agreeing with you, I see more book stores will be leaving.  Can't you take someone agreeing with you?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Anise Parker won re-election in the country's 4th largest city despite the attacks on her sexuality.

inner city Houston voting patterns are NOT representative of Texas or the USA.

It wasn't simply "inner-city Houston" that got to chose it's mayor, it's a city of 2+ million people (which would be the entire city, not one small section of it as you are implying)

are you forgetting I grew up in Houston, still work in Houston, and still live 40 miles NNW of it?  The last Democratic mayor (White) won reelection with 86 percent of the vote.  Parker received 50.8 percent and barely avoided a runoff.  The last time Houston voted for a GOP mayor was 1979!

so, again, the inner city of Houston is NOT representative of Texas or the USA

Guess what the Dems haven't won the mayorship in Houston in my lifetime either...



You are one cagey SOB, jmfcst.  I'll give you that.

that was probably one of the dumbest posts ever presented on this forum for peer review.

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

Anise Parker won re-election in the country's 4th largest city despite the attacks on her sexuality.

inner city Houston voting patterns are NOT representative of Texas or the USA.

It wasn't simply "inner-city Houston" that got to chose it's mayor, it's a city of 2+ million people (which would be the entire city, not one small section of it as you are implying)

are you forgetting I grew up in Houston, still work in Houston, and still live 40 miles NNW of it?  The last Democratic mayor (White) won reelection with 86 percent of the vote.  Parker received 50.8 percent and barely avoided a runoff.  The last time Houston voted for a GOP mayor was 1979!

so, again, the inner city of Houston is NOT representative of Texas or the USA

Guess what the Dems haven't won the mayorship in Houston in my lifetime either...



You are one cagey SOB, jmfcst.  I'll give you that.

that was probably one of the dumbest posts ever presented on this forum for peer review.

Except for the fact he is correct.  FYI Dallas also elects it's mayors in non-partisan elections.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

that was probably one of the dumbest posts ever presented on this forum for peer review.

Except for the fact he is correct.  FYI Dallas also elects it's mayors in non-partisan elections.

but that doesn't mean they're not Democrats or Republicans, it just means there is not a primary, so there can be 5 Dems along with 3 Republicans on the same ballot.

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

that was probably one of the dumbest posts ever presented on this forum for peer review.

Except for the fact he is correct.  FYI Dallas also elects it's mayors in non-partisan elections.

but that doesn't mean they're not Democrats or Republicans, it just means there is not a primary, so there can be 5 Dems along with 3 Republicans on the same ballot.

It is amazing how despite having more Democrats to split the vote than GOP candidates based on your example the GOP still can't get win.

Either way Annise Parker is the Mayor of the 4th biggest city in the country.  

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

Got a letter in the mail from a veterans group I haven't ever heard of talking about voting for the GOP to reinstate Don't ask Don't Tell....this is a LOSING ISSUE!!!!!!

As a veteran, I can tell you that I suscribe to the policy of "you don't have to be straight to shoot straight." Statisics say there were probably gays with me in Vietnam and you know what- if that's true, I'm still here. They had my back.  As long as a service member is professional and does his job, who cares if he wants it in the rear.

More importantly- this is a LOSING ISSUE. My party is on the wrong side of history, just like when there were opponents of integrated black and white units.  Gays will serve in the military, we shouldn't make it a sticking point to try to stop it. Especially when Mr. Five-DeferMITT was such a big advocate of gay rights when he ran against Teddy Kennedy!

Back to the initial topic

I think the GOP debate where a few people in the audience booed the gay soldier in Iraq was eye-opening for the GOP leadership, and any new advocacy groups are probably not representative of the GOP leadership.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

It is amazing how despite having more Democrats to split the vote the GOP candidates based on your example the GOP still can't get win.

I have no idea how many Dems and Reps were on the ballot, I was simply giving an example - IIRC from my voting years in Houston's off year elections, the ballots probably didn't even list the party identity of the candidates...but if you would like to wager $100 that registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by at least 2:1 in the City of Houston, then I'm sure we could find a neutral member of this forum to help transfer $100 from your pocket to my wallet.

I would be surprised it the ratio wasn't closer to 3:1 than 2:1....we are talking about a population that is 70% black or Hispanic and only 25% white and 80% economically disadvantaged.

[Link]

Guess what the Dems haven't won the mayorship in Houston in my lifetime either...



You are one cagey SOB, jmfcst.  I'll give you that.

 that was probably one of the dumbest posts ever presented on this forum for peer review.

Except for the fact he is correct.  FYI Dallas also elects it's mayors in non-partisan elections.

but that doesn't mean they're not Democrats or Republicans, it just means there is not a primary, so there can be 5 Dems along with 3 Republicans on the same ballot.

What?!  The entire race is nonpartisan by LAW.  For someone that is an "expert" on Houston politics you have filled this thread with mistatements and flat out falsehoods.

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

It is amazing how despite having more Democrats to split the vote the GOP candidates based on your example the GOP still can't get win.

I have no idea how many Dems and Reps were on the ballot, I was simply giving an example - IIRC from my voting years in Houston's off year elections, the ballots probably didn't even list the party identity of the candidates...but if you would like to wager $100 that registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by at least 2:1 in the City of Houston, then I'm sure we could find a neutral member of this forum to help transfer $100 from your pocket to my wallet.

I would be surprised it the ratio wasn't closer to 3:1 than 2:1....we are talking about a population that is 70% black or Hispanic and only 25% white and 80% economically disadvantaged.

I'm not arguing against Houston being Democratic.  Nearly all major cities are   This is about Houston's first open homosexual mayor, the first of any major city in the United States and that includes cities which are even more Democratic than Houston like Chicago

Do you think an openly homosexual candidate could have won the mayoral election in Houston back in 2001?  I sincerely doubt it

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I think this show already jumped the shark... these people need to learn it's time to just let it go.

[Link]

I have no idea how many Dems and Reps were on the ballot...

Not surprising.

1) You don't live in Houston so therefor didn't vote in the election.

2) NONE of the candidates is identified by party on the ballot.  It is a nonpartisan election.

Hope that clears up your confusion.

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

If anyone is interested in the 2011 Houston mayoral elections here is a map of the results by precinct

http://gregsopinion.com/?p=13116

Overlapping this with a demographic map of the city shows most of Annise Parker's support came from the white areas around West University Place and Bellaire.  Her performance was much weaker in the heavily black and Hispanic precincts in the south and the east.  

[Link]

but if you would like to wager $100 that registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by at least 2:1 in the City of Houston, then I'm sure we could find a neutral member of this forum to help transfer $100 from your pocket to my wallet.

Take that guy's money, TXMichael.  He has no idea what he is talking about.

You are going to have to transfer the $100 to TXMichael, jmfcst.  Voters don't register by party in Texas!

I know you don't live in Houston.  Do you even live in Texas?  This is getting embarrassing.

[Link]

If anyone is interested in the 2011 Houston mayoral elections here is a map of the results by precinct

http://gregsopinion.com/?p=13116

Overlapping this with a demographic map of the city shows most of Annise Parker's support came from the white areas around West University Place and Bellaire.  Her performance was much weaker in the heavily black and Hispanic precincts in the south and the east.  

Nice map.  I notice the absolutely wealthiest whitest areas of Houston went for Annise Parker in a BIG way.  So you mean jmfcst's bigoted trolling about blacks, hispanics, and gay people cannot be relied upon as the gospel truth?

I'm shocked... SHOCKED!

[Free Palestine]

Reinstating Don't Ask, Don't Tell is probably the most retarded position ever.  "Hurrdurr, repealing it had absolutely none of the negatives we said it would have, so let's reinstate it anyways."

[Sbane]

Jmf saying it's because of the blacks and hispanics that Annise Parker got elected is hilarious. He obviously has no clue what he is talking about. If he actually tried to understand who supports gay rights, he might get a clue, but obviously he isn't interested in that.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Jmf saying it's because of the blacks and hispanics that Annise Parker got elected is hilarious.

dude, I never even hinted at such a thing, rather the racial breakdown discussion was showing how it wasn't representative of Texas or the USA.  Houston has a homosexual mayor because it is heavily Democratic, if Houston was evenly split between Dem and GOP voters, Parker would have gotten her head handed to her.

Here were the 2009 results:

Annise Parker (D) 54,193 31% 
Gene Locke    (D) 45,954 26% 
Peter Brown   (D) 39,904 22% 
Roy Morales   (R) 35,925 20%

and despite Link's idiotic claims, everyone and their dog knew Morales was the only Republican in the race and that the other candidates were Dems.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

What?!  The entire race is nonpartisan by LAW.  For someone that is an "expert" on Houston politics you have filled this thread with mistatements and flat out falsehoods.

so, because it is nonpartisan, you're claiming the candidates don't run as Democrats or Republicans?  As if Houstonians were shocked Mayor Bill White ran for Govenor as a Democrat in 2010?!

[Link]

I noticed this trend in the early 90’s when I stopped by Gulfgate Mall (it used to be the nicest mall in Houston) wanting to buy a book (it used to have 3 bookstores) and after about 20 minutes I stopped by the info desk to ask them for directions to the bookstore and they looked at me as if I were from Mars as they informed me there was no bookstore in the mall.

I'll try asking next time I'm in Texas.  Oh, wait, Gulfgate Mall was demolished a decade ago!



So you couldn't find a bookstore in a dying mall... fascinating.  I love how you tried to turn that little nugget into a slur against two entire races of people.

People you have to be very careful when reading jmfcst's posts.  The lies and distortions are rampant.  You better pray a business trip took you through whatever city he is slandering the minorities in or you better be damn good with the google machine, because this SOB is as cagey as they come.  I've just exposed the stuff that didn't jibe with faint memories I have of Houston.  Lord knows what else is a gross distortion.

[Joe Republic]

Link, there are many officially non-partisan elections all over the country in which the actual affiliation of the candidates is generally well-known.  Houston is one example.  Chicago and Las Vegas are two more.  Even the famously non-partisan Nebraska Legislature currently has an unofficial composition of 34 Republicans and 15 Democrats.

[Link]

Link, there are many officially non-partisan elections all over the country in which the actual affiliation of the candidates is generally well-known.  Houston is one example.  Chicago and Las Vegas are two more.  Even the famously non-partisan Nebraska Legislature currently has an unofficial composition of 34 Republicans and 15 Democrats.

Do NOT ruin this for me.

Seriously though I have never heard of party politics playing a big roll in Houston Municipal politics.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

I noticed this trend in the early 90’s when I stopped by Gulfgate Mall (it used to be the nicest mall in Houston) wanting to buy a book (it used to have 3 bookstores) and after about 20 minutes I stopped by the info desk to ask them for directions to the bookstore and they looked at me as if I were from Mars as they informed me there was no bookstore in the mall.

I'll try asking next time I'm in Texas.  Oh, wait, Gulfgate Mall was demolished a decade ago!

the early 90's was more than a decade ago, you know?

---

So you couldn't find a bookstore in a dying mall... fascinating.  I love how you tried to turn that little nugget into a slur against two entire races of people.

the population in the neighborhoods around the mall was exploding, in fact they any built a new high school to relieve overcrowding at HISD’s most crowded high school, Milby.  And Milby was MY high school, and Gulfgate Mall used to be the pride of Houston and it was my mall, so I know the area well.

The fact is the mall closed because the surrounding neighborhood began to suck more and more, with high rates of crime.  The mall had 3 bookstores when I was in high school (1981-85), but when I stopped by in early 90’s, 90% of the stores were still open in the mall, but all 3 bookstores were gone.  The bookstores were among the first to close.

Even before ebooks, that’s what happened in neighborhoods where education was not a priority in the home – bookstores closed.  And with the high crime rates, entire malls closed.  Businesses shutdown.  People who could afford to got the heck out of Dodge and moved their families to safer neighborhoods.  And so the area became more and more economically depressed.

---

People you have to be very careful when reading jmfcst's posts.  The lies and distortions are rampant.  You better pray a business trip took you through whatever city he is slandering the minorities in or you better be damn good with the google machine, because this SOB is as cagey as they come.  I've just exposed the stuff that didn't jibe with faint memories I have of Houston.  Lord knows what else is a gross distortion.

Yep, better be careful of jmfcst.  Very careful.  When he says “early 90’s”, he means more than a decade ago.  Tricky he is.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Link, there are many officially non-partisan elections all over the country in which the actual affiliation of the candidates is generally well-known.  Houston is one example.  Chicago and Las Vegas are two more.  Even the famously non-partisan Nebraska Legislature currently has an unofficial composition of 34 Republicans and 15 Democrats.

Do NOT ruin this for me.

Seriously though I have never heard of party politics playing a big roll in Houston Municipal politics.

that's because the city is overwhelmingly Democratic, Einstein.

[Sam Spade]

marking this thread for the chance to take apart a few people on Houston.

Btw, I once did numbers for the 2008 Prez election in Houston v. Harris County (deleted my file stupidly), and remember that I ended up getting something like 60%-65% Obama for Houston and 60%-65% McCain for Harris County.  They were about equal in votes.  There's a few places that you don't think are Houston, yet actually are, and vice versa.

Also, 50.86% for an incumbent Houston mayor is really piss poor, but I suspect it had more to do with the stupid flood levy that they've enacted, and then reneged on, and then the silly red-light camera thing than homosexuality.

Historically, Houston has always been a Democratic city.  Even when Louis Welch was running the place in the 1960s and 1970s, he was still a Democrat.  Don't let the non-partisan election thing fool you - the competitive mayoral races in Houston almost always end up between a Republican (usually a moderate one) and a Democrat, partially because the Republican base of Houston tends to be pretty organized (though they can't win elections because of the numbers).  2009 is really an exception in that regard, similar to 1991.  Go look at 1997, 2001, 2003, for example.  1991 and 2009 were elections about the white uniting against the black.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

but if you would like to wager $100 that registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by at least 2:1 in the City of Houston, then I'm sure we could find a neutral member of this forum to help transfer $100 from your pocket to my wallet.

Take that guy's money, TXMichael.  He has no idea what he is talking about.

You are going to have to transfer the $100 to TXMichael, jmfcst.  Voters don't register by party in Texas!

I know you don't live in Houston.  Do you even live in Texas?  This is getting embarrassing.

 people don't have to be "officially" register as Dems or Reps to know the party identification of a population.  Go and look at the Harris County (which is even more Republican than Houston) primary results and it's easy to tell Dems outnumber Reps by at least 2:1 (maybe even 5:1) in Houston.