Chad’s Morning Brief: Rick Perry’s Big Announcement Today, Lubbock Power and Light Has An Image Problem, & More
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of July 8, 2013. Give me your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11am. Remember, you can listen online at KFYO.com or with the radioPup App.
1. Decision Day (link)
Today is a huge day in Texas politics. Governor Rick Perry will be making an announcement today regarding his political future. In an interview on FOX News Sunday, the Governor didn't rule out running in 2016, but he didn't tip his hand either when it came to today's announcement.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry isn't ruling out another Republican presidential run in 2016. But he didn't announce on Sunday whether he'll seek a fourth term as governor.
Asked about 2016 on "Fox News Sunday," Perry said: "Well, certainly, that's an option out there, but again, we got a lot of work to do in this building right behind me [the Texas capitol] over the course of the next couple of weeks that have my focus substantially more than even 2014 or 2016."
As for whether he'll run for another term as governor, he said he's making an announcement on Monday.
"I'm going to have an announcement tomorrow," he said. "But we have a special session with some important issues in front of us. We're going to pass some restrictions on abortion in Texas so that Texas is a place where we defend life ...That's the powerful message here. And that's what we're focused on. Politics will take care of itself."
The eyes and ears of many will be on Perry today. If he announces that he will not seek reelection, then the dominoes will start to fall. If Perry announces he will be seeking reelection, everyone will wait to see what Greg Abbott does.
Perry will be making his announcement at the nation's largest Caterpillar equipment dealership in San Antonio. This backdrop allows Perry to talk a lot about the business climate in Texas.
I don't expect to hear much about 2016 today. Instead, I believe today's announcement will tout Perry's successes as Governor. Today, I still believe that Governor Rick Perry will announce he will not seek reelection.
2. LP&L
Members of LP&L's Electric Utility Board are reportedly exploring their options when it comes to splitting the city utility bills. Mayor Glen Robertson is firmly against the idea of sending out two different bills. The Mayor has said in the past that splitting LP&L from water would hurt taxpayers because of redundant services.
Part of the reason LP&L wants to do this is because of their image. Members of the EUB told the AJ that splitting the bills would help with LP&L's public image.
BS.
The EUB doesn't care about LP&L's image. If they did care then they would have provided better customer service years ago. They would address the horrible website and the many, many stories that are out there of people who haven't had a meter reader come by in months.
LP&L would also reign in spending and salaries if they really cared about their image as well. Oh and let's not forget that this board took months to debate whether or not the public should be able to speak at their meetings.
And they think splitting the bills will help their image?
Good luck with that LP&L.
3. Bush Talks Immigration Reform (link)
Former President George W. Bush spoke about immigration reform on Sunday.
Former President George W. Bush expressed optimism Sunday that Congress will pass immigration reform legislation, expressing disappointment that his attempt failed but suggesting the timing is now right to “fix a broken system.”
Bush, out of office since 2009, expressed understanding about why the White House and both parties in Congress have wrangled over the issue point-by-point while the rest of America waits for them to resolve the issue of roughly 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States.
"Sometimes, it takes time for some of these complex issues to evolve, the 67-year-old Republican said in an interview for ABC’s “This Week.” “And it looks like immigration has a chance to pass."
Bush said immigration reform is very difficult to pass because it has “a lot of moving parts” and the legislative process “can be ugly.”
Though saying he has no desire to weigh in on political issues, including the state of the Republican Party, Bush said passing immigration reform is not about the GOP winning more votes in elections.
“It's to fix a system that's broken,” he said. “Good policy yields good politics, as far as I'm concerned."
The Democrat-controlled Senate last month passed an immigration bill, but the legislation faces a more uncertain future in the Republican-led House when Congress returns Tuesday from Fourth of July break.
"It's very important to fix a broken system, to treat people with respect and have confidence in our capacity to assimilate people," Bush continued.
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These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.
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