# Screw Greg Abbott {Texas Governor}

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [March 2, 2021, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141 "2021-03-02T21:00:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 13

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**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/242 "2021-08-19T14:59:55Z")

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> [@DesertDog](#):
>
> We got a whole thread about it – oh, wait.

Where? Where? Oh.

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**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/243 "2021-08-19T15:01:35Z")

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> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> In addition to being at high risk (half the population), you also need to have symptoms of covid to qualify. Mild or moderate, not for too long.
> 
> He was reported to be asymptomatic. He did not qualify for that treatment.
> 
> And unless he’s immune compromised he didn’t qualify for a booster shot, either.

Oh good. I can go back to hating him for the Regeneron too.

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**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/244 "2021-08-19T18:44:10Z")

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> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> …weighing at least ≤ 40 kg…

Okay, math was never my strong suit, but…

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**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/245 "2021-08-19T19:43:05Z")

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I cut and pasted that from the link, but maybe I garbled it. I’m certain that’s meant to be BMI, which is expressed as kg/meters or some such.

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**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/246 "2021-08-19T20:08:43Z")

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Fortnights per Furlong.

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/247 "2021-08-19T20:10:02Z")

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Does Edward play Fortnite?

[![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/07/02/1372777791000-edward-1307021111_3_4.jpg) ](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/07/02/1372777791000-edward-1307021111_3_4.jpg)

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**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/248 "2021-08-19T20:57:05Z")

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oopsie post

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**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/249 "2021-08-20T13:49:31Z")

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WHOA! 😲

> **[Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick falsely claims ‘African Americans who have not...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/20/dan-patrick-covid-african-americans/)**
>
> Patrick was asked on a Fox News show to respond to criticism from Democrats that coronavirus cases and deaths were on the rise in Texas because of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s policies.

Complete headline:  
**Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says ‘African Americans who have not been vaccinated’ are driving covid surge**

> When Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was asked about the surge in coronavirus cases during a Thursday night appearance on Fox News, the Republican said “African Americans who have not been vaccinated” are “the biggest group in most states” contributing to the spike.
> 
> Laura Ingraham had asked Patrick to respond to criticism from Democrats that covid-19 cases and deaths were on the rise in Texas due to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s policies.  
> …
> 
> Patrick acknowledged that “covid is spreading” and that infections are largely among people who have not received the vaccine.
> 
> “Democrats like to blame Republicans on that,” Patrick said. “Well, the biggest group in most states are African Americans who have not been vaccinated. The last time I checked, over 90 percent of them vote for Democrats in their major cities and major counties.”  
> …

I put this in the Greg Abbott thread because the two of them are cheek-by-jowl (as it were). If Greg left office for some reason, Dan would succeed him.

I hope there is major blow-back from this. 🤞🏽

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/250 "2021-08-20T13:55:42Z")

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Man, what a shit that guy is. He’s the same one who suggested that old people take the COVID-19 bullet on behalf of the economy also.

I’m sure where he’s coming from is even more reprehensible than it sounds… if you look at white people’s vaccination rates vs. black people’s rates, the white people are generally more vaccinated.

But it’s disingenous; most of the vaccinated people are Democrats or at least sane/science-believing people. The single largest group of unvaccinated in Texas is by far the right-wing, anti-science GOP types, not black people, but they’re not counted as a separate group.

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**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/251 "2021-08-20T14:01:33Z")

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Fact checking by the Root with charts for new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Red states bad, blue states better.

> **[We Fact-Checked Fox News' Racist Lie. It Turns Out, the Pandemic Is Worse in...](https://www.theroot.com/we-fact-checked-fox-news-racist-lie-it-turns-out-the-1847523366)**
>
> People who live in MAGA states are infected, hospitalized and killed by COVID at twice the rate of people living in Democrat-led states.

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**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/252 "2021-08-20T14:16:12Z")

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Without even having to look at vaccine hesitancy, it’s clear Patrick is a moron. Blacks are less than 13% of the Texas population while non-hispanic white is 42% of the population. 58% of whites are republican. So even if their refusal is the same, there’s simply more white republicans in the state. However, it turns out that white republican hesitancy is higher than that of blacks so, the moron is doubly wrong.

> **[Analysis | The ‘what about Black people’ defense of Republican vaccine hesitancy](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/08/04/what-about-black-people-defense-republican-vaccine-hesitancy/)**
>
> Polling repeatedly shows more support for vaccination among Black people than Republicans. So why do vaccination rates trail Whites?

Oh, and blacks are much more willing to wear masks in public so he’s triply wrong.

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**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/253 "2021-08-20T14:52:18Z")

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That clip is nothing but televised racism. And fuck Laura I for piling on the racism by mentioning tiktok. I assume she is implying they are all lazy and sit around tiktok’ing all day? I cannot think of any charitable interpretation.

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**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/254 "2021-08-20T16:55:00Z")

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> [@ThelmaLou](#):
>
> I hope there is major blow-back from this. 🤞🏽

I wouldn’t count on it. Patrick (along with Abbott and all statewide offices) is up for reelection next year. But the Democratic bench in Texas is so thin that it’s hard to find a credible candidate to run against him. Maybe if Matthew McConaughey runs against Abbott he can talk Owen Wilson into taking on Patrick.

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**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/255 "2021-08-20T17:54:52Z")

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Maybe Wendy Davis or Beto O’Rourke will run. Or both, one for each.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/256 "2021-08-20T19:22:11Z")

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I think a lot of that is because, as bad as it sounds, a lot of Democratic candidates are minority candidates, and don’t play well in the state at large.

I mean, as politically correct as Lupe Valdez was for the Democratic party, there was zero chance that a gay Hispanic woman would actually win the race for governor. I think maybe one of those might not be such a huge handicap, if the rest were expected- a gay white man, or a straight minority man, or a straight white woman might all have a chance.

I actually expect one of the Castro brothers to eventually run for Governor and/or Senate in the near future and do very well. I also doubt Beto O’Rourke is done in state politics either. Outside of those three, I’m not sure who else there is on the Democratic side.

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**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/257 "2021-08-20T20:03:34Z")

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Lupe did better than Wendy Davis and Bill White, who were both white and straight.

And as for the Castro brothers, Democrats have been begging them for years to come run for Governor. But it’s been seven years since Julian was mayor of San Antonio and I don’t think his Presidential campaign did him any favors. Whereas Joaquin was elected to Congress and never heard from again.

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**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/258 "2021-08-21T17:08:12Z")

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# Texas Supreme Court rejects Governor Abbott’s ban on school mask mandates: CNN

Some actual good news for kids/adults for a change.

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**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/259 "2021-08-21T19:07:09Z")

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That’s a _very_ misleading headline. The Texas Supreme Court refused to immediately vacate some lower courts’ temporary restraining orders that allow school districts to mandate masks. They determined that the matter has to go through the appellate courts before it can come before the Supreme Court – they did not rule on the validity of Abbott’s mask mandate ban itself.

> **[Texas Supreme Court temporarily allows school mask mandates to remain](https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/19/texas-schools-mask-mandates-supreme-court-greg-abbott/)**
>
> Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott wanted the high court to disallow mask mandates in Texas school districts. Justices dismissed their request on a technicality, without issuing a ruling on their legal arguments.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/260 "2021-08-22T02:49:24Z")

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In essence, the Texas Supreme Court told Paxton & Abbott that they can’t jump the line. Which is still good news, because all this takes time, and the longer we can keep masks in place, the larger chance we have to get on the downside of the peak.

However… the best defense yet came out of Paris, Texas of all places. They simply amended their dress code to include masks, and basically told all and sundry that the Governor has no power to affect their dress code requirements.

I suspect you’ll see some dress code revisions in the near future if the request eventually makes it to the Supreme Court.

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**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-greg-abbott-texas-governor/934141/261 "2021-08-22T05:22:01Z")

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> [@flurb](#):
>
> That’s a _very_ misleading headline. The Texas Supreme Court refused to immediately vacate some lower courts’ temporary restraining orders that allow school districts to mandate masks.

> [@bump](#):
>
> Which is still good news, because all this takes time,

This. As @ThelmaLou pointed out yesterday, this could possibly result in the case being tied up in the courts for years. In the meantime, school districts can go ahead with their mask mandates.

ETA: One of the few examples, perhaps, where the glacial pace of court cases might be a _good_ thing.

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