Thoughts This Fortnight

By Gary Polland
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

The news is coming fast and furious.  This fortnight is quite full, and the comments will be concise so we can cover a lot of ground.

BIBAS CHILDREN MURDERED (WITH BARE HANDS) BY SAVAGES OF HAMAS/GAZA

Any civilized person had to be sickened by the murder of Ariel, Kfir and their mother.  Those who embraced Hamas myths about “Israeli oppressors” and you know who they are, should be ashamed of celebrating those who kidnap and murder babies.

Remember that, when some of your friends call for a “two-state solution” or trash Israel, they are complacent in the murdering of Jewish children.

HOW DEI CRIPPLED OUR MILITARY – WHY SECRETARY HEGSETH IS CORRECT IN GUTTING IT

Under the Biden-Harris administration, DEI became the priority throughout the federal government.  It probably did more damage to the military than about any other agency.  Joe Biden spent around $270 million to further DEI’s goals at DOD.  Supporting diversity and inclusion was made a requirement to get promoted and advance military careers.  Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Brown actually supported “quotas” for the Air Force-36% female, 67.5% white, 13% black and 10% Asian.  To get these, the Air Force planned to lower standards.  This is for what is supposed to be merit based.

No wonder recruiting goals were not met under the Biden DEA regime.

President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are shutting this insanity down.  It is past time that our military is unshackled, and the social agenda needs to be excised from the Pentagon.

HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMISSIONERS ARE SPENDING MONEY LIKE DRUNKEN SAILORS AND LINA WANTS HIGHER TAXES

This past week, www.reduceflooding.com revealed shocking information about shortfalls on flood control projects funded by our last bond issues.

What makes this story worse, the County Commissioners – Hidalgo, Ellis, Briones and Garcia actually paid for a pay study that wholly failed to take account of pay scales in similar Texas cities.  The Chief Medical Examiner is to get over half a million a year and seven others – more than $400,000 a year!  That includes the Flood Control Administration responsible for shortfalls in our flood control projects.  Add to this the same Democrats voted to pawn off their responsibilities to a County Administrator’s office (created just a few years ago) whose leader is set to make $411,984.80 and its entire budget is around $6 million a year.

Waste and fraud have now come to Harris County government.  What we need is a DOGE for Harris County, not more tax increases.

MEANWHILE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON—
MAYOR WHITMIRE IS WORKING ON EFFICIENCY

What a contrast.  Mayor Whitmire is doing all he can to get control of runaway City of Houston spending. But Houston has a $220 million budget deficit plus $100 million now due for the improper diversion of the infrastructural/ drainage taxes.

Whitmire recently received the Ernst & Young report on City spending.  He is also looking at reclaiming taxpayer money from the bloated Metro budget and taking control of runaway wasteful TIRZ’s spending.

RUNAWAY LEFTIST FEDERAL JUDGES TRYING TO HIJACK THE WHITE HOUSE

Are you tired of Federal District Judges form the left-wing giving out nationwide injunctions like candy?  These runaway Judges have ruled that the President can’t offer buyouts to the bloated Federal work force, can’t reduce funds from wasteful Federal programs (USAID), can’t remove transgender ideology from government web sites, can’t fire Federal political appointees’ form prior administrations and more!  The U.S. Supreme Court needs to shut down this leftist coup from Judges who want to run the country.  Not so fast.

BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP-TIME TO GET WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD

Birthright citizenship in the USA makes no sense.  If you have a baby in the USA, the current interpretation says citizen.  Most countries require significant ties beyond touring, illegal entry to have a baby in the U.S.  It’s not complicated, if you are not a citizen or permanent resident you should not be able to obtain citizenship due to the happenstance of where you were born.

Here’s a simple idea— let’s have a civil debate and let the citizens decide.

TRUMP, PUTIN, UKRAINE WE NEED PEACE WITH SECURITY

Peace in the Russia-Ukraine war is a wonderful idea.  The hundreds of thousands of casualties on both sides are a great tragedy.  President Trump, unlike President Biden is talking to Vladimir Putin.  In these negotiations, the old Ronald Reagan advice “trust but verify” applies.

President Trump must be careful in his off the cuff remarks when he says things that are not accurate like the Ukraine started the war.  Or belittling Ukraine’s President.  There may be method in his oratory.  Friendly advice do not make concessions before the negotiations start.

CARTOON OF THE WEEK

About Your Editor

Gary Polland is a long-time conservative and Republican spokesman, fund-raiser, and leader who completed three terms as the Harris County Republican Chairman. During his three terms, Gary was described as “the most successful county Chairman in America” by Human Events – The National Conservative Weekly. He is in his twenty-eighth year of editing a newsletter dealing with key conservative and Republican issues. For the last twenty-three years, he has edited the Texas Conservative Review. As a public service for the previous 20 years, Gary has published election guides for the GOP primary, general elections, and city elections, all to assist conservative candidates. Gary also for 20 years cohosted Red, White and Blue on Houston Public Media TV 8 PBS Houston, longest running political talk show in Texas history and for the last two-plus years Gary has been a regular commentator on Fox 26-Houston’s “What’s Your Point” airing Sunday’s at 7 a.m. Gary serves on the Board of Directors of American Values, a national pro-family, pro-faith, conservative organization supporting the unity of the American people around the vision of our founding fathers and dedicated to reminding the public of the conservative principles fundamental to the survival of our nation. Gary is a practicing attorney and strategic consultant. He can be reached at (713) 621-6335.