Lt. Gov. Patrick: Texas will forego federal funds over transgender bathroom policy

[Capt. Obvious]

Source: Associated Press

Texas' lieutenant governor says the state is prepared to forfeit billions of dollars in federal funding for public schools following an Obama administration directive over bathroom access for transgender students.

Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday that Texas "will not yield to blackmail" and urged superintendents to defy the new federal guidance. The directive says public schools are obligated to treat transgender students in a way matching their gender identity.

The guidance doesn't impose new legal requirements, but rather clarifies expectations for districts receiving federal funds.

Patrick says Texas receives roughly $10 billion in federal education dollars. He didn't say how that money might be replaced. Patrick's remarks came only moments after more than half the state's 1,200 school districts lost a major lawsuit claiming that Texas unconstitutionally underfunds public schools.

Read more: http://keyetv.com/news/local/lt-gov-patrick-texas-will-forego-federal-funds-over-transgenger-bathroom-policy

[lark]

1. How stupid can one be?

OMG!!! This is truly looney-tunes.

[LonePirate]

4. Never underestimate the stupidity of an elected Republican.

[lark]

6. so true

[Salviati]

103. Or those that vote them into office.

[jberryhill]

5. Well, I imagine Texas believes there is room to be a lot more stupider

Texas - Dumb, and prepared to get dumber.

[hobbit709]

8. Don't ask

[hueymahl]

41. I'm stealing that.

[lunatica]

63. LOL!

That's a definite keeper.

[passiveporcupine]

37. Mabye he's shooting for two birds with one stone

Keep the homophobia going, and eliminate public schools...replace them with all private schools that don't need government funding.

[awoke_in_2003]

67. lots of charter schools popping up...

and they depend (read steal) on tax money. The shortcome will be made up by raising property taxes. Of course, my federal taxes won't go down. The money not sent to Texas will just be shifted to the MIC.

[LarryNM]

76. +1,000 n/t

[lark]

83. Wouldn't put it past him, that's the repugs wet dream

An ignorant work force that will work for slave wages and not ask for anything else. They can also indoctrinate them in RW religious dogma at will that way. Win, win, win for the idiots.

[RoccoR5955]

52. They have the BIGGEST stupids in Texass!

I also thought they were going to secede. What happened to that?

[NurseJackie]

68. And with less federal money for education, they'll be even more stupid. Or ...

... the state will be poorer, or other services will be under-funded as money is diverted into the school system.

I guess it's true... you can't fix stupid.

[Paladin]

86. The proper spelling is "Texas."

Helpful hint from a Texas liberal. You're welcome.

[kentauros]

87. I've stopped bothering to correct them.

They don't care about us, and have likely put us on ignore. A person has to have empathy to care. Probably too much Tylenol

[Paladin]

88. Yeah, I know. But I'm a 5th-generation Texan and a lifelong Democrat.

And whenever somebody on our own side groups me and the entire population of the state down at the level of a right-wing fuckhead like Dan Patrick, I'm liable to get upset and respond---no matter how futile a gesture it is.......

[kentauros]

89. I don't know how many generations of a Texan I am,

but it's at least three

Well, keep correcting them then. And as that one is from the NYC area, perhaps it's best to rub in the fact that Houston is more diverse ethnically than NYC now

[RoccoR5955]

90. Gee, sorry I upset a few Texans

I thought all of you were going to secede!
Gotta remember to be fair to the handful of liberals that are there.
I guess that liberals are the one thing that are small (at least in number) in Texas. However, anyone that I have met in person from Texas, has turned out to be an ass, which is why I spell your state, the way that I do.

[kentauros]

91. Then you haven't met many of us.

And we're being rude because, well, that's what happens when you're rude to a Texan. It also makes me suspect how antagonistic you were to those other Texans. We don't like it when people are rude and insulting to us, and will return it in kind.

Project kindness and you will get that in return

[LiberalArkie]

101. I wish Arkansas and Texas would play football again. It gave someplace to put the antagonism.

[kentauros]

102. I don't pay attention to sports any more,

but I still get that one

[Paladin]

95. Over 3 million Texans voted for Obama, in both 2008 and 2012.

Obama carried all the big metro areas, with the exception of Ft. Worth. But if trashing the entire state of Texas makes you feel like a better human being, you just go right ahead. Bless your heart.

[jberryhill]

2. "the state is prepared to forfeit billions of dollars in federal funding for public schools"

...not as if it was doing much good anyway.

[COLGATE4]

96. Actually, this mouth-breather was on MSNBC last night telling

Chris Hayes that his plan is to make sure that the money forfeited comes out of the lunch for indigent children budget. He plans to ride it out by making sure poor kids can't get their one decent meal a day.

[jberryhill]

99. "Worst thing since they took prayer out of school"

From the inadvertently funny political quote department.

Surprised he didn't go for Brown v. Board of Education.

[Major Nikon]

3. The city of McKinney, Texas is building a $63 million high school football stadium

Yet there are school districts which the state is illegally underfunding.

This is the party that constantly claims to be morally superior, yet constantly provides examples of moral bankruptcy.

[Capt. Obvious]

9. But wait there's more!

That stadium is only 4 miles from the $60M stadium that was just built.

[truebrit71]

34. For fucking HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL....

Un-fucking-believable...

[Major Nikon]

57. If you lived around here, you'd believe it

Understanding it is a bigger trick.

The city in which I live often has the highest rated team in the nation. Parents from other states move here just so their kids can be on the team.

[KatyMan]

92. Gotta be Katy

Or Carrolton (I think)?

[Major Nikon]

93. Southlake Carroll

[procon]

55. Other than exalting a few teenaged boys on the football team

what about everyone else in that school get? Do the computer geeks get a new IT lab, do the science nerds get new sciencey stuff, or the musicians a new music facility? What about building something academic, something that rewards brains rather than brawn?

[Dustlawyer]

58. Lt Dan, a former RW radio host doesnt care, like all good republicans it doesnt matter unless

it happens to them. Their kids all go to private schools. They want Public Schools to be bad to get more privatization.

[Major Nikon]

61. Many of the public school systems in Tarrant county are quite good

The farther away you get from the rich suburbs the worse it gets and the difference can only be described as immoral.

[Purveyor]

7. This might be a solid step in the direction of succession. This could get interesting, indeed. eom

[Chicago1980]

10. Mexico is laughing their asses off right not saying...

You got what you stole, now keep em'.

You don't want the money Lt. Governor? Fine... There are other placed much more worthy than Texasistan.

[Deuce]

11. There are a few military installations in Texas...

[IronLionZion]

12. Of course they would gladly screw over their own schools

and blame Obama as a way to spite the gays and gender nonconformists.

This is NOT about transgender people because they will likely pass for their gender anyway by this unenforceable law. Plus they might have ID that says their current gender on it.

This is to spite butch/masculine women and encourage violence against feminine men.

Watch this female at birth girl get thrown out for looking like a boy.

[yuiyoshida]

14. wow whats next....

I guess I could be thrown out of a girls room for being Asian... dat's some kinda fukedup!

[IronLionZion]

60. People will be thrown out of America soon

for looking Asian or Latino. American-born US citizens have already been detained in jail by police until a family member could bring their birth certificates. I believe this has happened to native Americans too (like Navajo).

[yuiyoshida]

77. yeah so where

does a Native American get thrown to ...at least with me, I would be sent back to Hawaii...but of course that is not far enough. Most would wish i would "go back ta china!" cause, all Asians look alike....

[IronLionZion]

84. Mexico

This isn't a hypothetical. Native Americans have already been detained for looking Mexican/Central American.

I'm curious where they will deport mixed people, or if we are to be cut in half.

[yuiyoshida]

85. Knowing Trump's and (Ted Nugent) People

sending us out on a boat in the ocean, and when its past the county's limit, sink them or use the boats for NAVY target practice.

[mainer]

38. Horrifying. Where is this?

So now we need ID to use the bathroom.

[Saviolo]

39. That one made me so angry.

Somehow that cis male cop felt like he had more right to be in the women's room than a cis lesbian woman because she dressed in what he felt was a masculine way. Absolutely incredible.

[Scruffy1]

13. Good. More for us. NT

[christx30]

15. Seriously?!

Austin has closed like 8 schools (including the one where I went to Kindergarten) in the past 2 years because of budget cuts.
And this is the hill you want to die on?! Ugh. I weep for my state. Damn these people.

[47of74]

26. I kind of wish sometimes that..

...Texas would avail itself of that ability to split itself into five states that it got when it came in to the Union and split off Austin from the Teabagistan parts of Texas.

[Mz Pip]

16. Go for it.

I'm sick of my taxes going to Red State welfare anyway.

Just don't come whining the next time a flood or tornado rips through your state.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

43. Don't worry. They will.

[mac56]

17. 10 BILLION in education money?!

Boy howdy. Way to keep the young'uns D-U-M, y'all potty-watchin' pervs. Hope it's worth it to y'all - lessin' y'all plannin' to secede sometime soon -

[underpants]

32. Hey! They are dumb, they just like football.

$62M for a high school football stadium because the rival high school 4 miles away already has a $60M stadium.
https://gma.yahoo.com/texas-district-oks-62-8m-high-school-stadium-052900635--abc-news-topstories.html

[TexasBushwhacker]

18. I wish some school districts would sue HIM n/t

[narnian60]

40. +100

[allan01]

19. so, are you going to post a person at every female bathroom? wait untill someone screams

[Capt. Obvious]

24. They'll be keeping an eye out

for the the pot bellied man with five o'clock shadow, mustache, anchor tattoo, wearing a blond wig, and chomping on a cigar.

[Paladin]

20. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is an ugly, devisive, Tea Party hand puppet.

He cut his fangs in right-wing AM hate radio, then he took his odious beliefs to Texas state government. He's making regular public appearances over the school bathroom issue, now---a sure sign he's commencing his race for the governorship. He was Ted Cruz's Texas campaign manager. He has made no secret of his preference for a theocratic form of leadership. This is a genuinely dangerous man.

[hamsterjill]

50. He's crazier than a bed bug.

As the old saying goes. He is a complete and utter nut case.

[TexasBushwhacker]

74. He actually does have a history of mental illness

He's bipolar and had 2 suicide attempts.

[Hare Krishna]

81. So yeah, he's probably off his meds

Sounds like he hasn't been on it for a very long time.

[TexasBushwhacker]

82. My dad was bipolar

Bipolar folks often like their mania so much that they reduce or quit their meds.

[COLGATE4]

97. Well, maybe we'll get lucky on his third try.

[hamsterjill]

104. Yes, I know.

And I'm not dismissing mental illness, but I do not believe that this man is competent to hold the position that he holds.

[Cryptoad]

21. Lordy,,,,,

dont give these Red States am excuse to cut public school funding! Defunding of Public EDU is one of their main edicts!

[EL34x4]

70. The first cuts will come to school lunch programs.

You can bet on it.

[COLGATE4]

98. He announced that last night on MSNBC, actually crowing

that the only effect these budget cuts would have was to reduce the budget for poor kids' lunches.

[marble falls]

22. What happens when the ignorant elect ignorant RW radio personalities. It isn't as if Texas isn't ...

the largest recipient of other people's tax dollars. If the GOP thinks they can turn this into the knee jerk issue they made out of abortion, they are bound for disappointment.

[silverweb]

23. Texas TeaGOP hates edumacation anyway.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]People who can think may challenge their authority and that's the biggest no-no of all.

Keep in mind, these same TeaGOP goons want to eliminate the Department of Education completely, anyway, so what do they care if money dedicated to that purpose is forfeited?

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

25. He'd probably change his tune

Don't want federal funds? Let's include Lackland AFB and Fort Hood on the chopping block then.

[Tab]

27. Please let them secede

I'm so tired of this shit.

And take Arizona with you.

[perdita9]

29. Agreed

I'm tired of picking up the bill for all the Hurricane damage in Texas

[Jchall2000]

47. Maybe.

I'd much prefer not to be a member of the Christian Democratic Republic of Arizona.

[perdita9]

28. Potty Obsessed Perverts Shoot Selves in Foot

I hope the Texas billionaires step up to cover all the missing federal funds.

[47of74]

33. All while making a wide stance in a stall.

[6chars]

30. all the bathrooms in my house are gender neutral

it really isn't a problem at all. although i do get hassled if i leave the seat up.

[underpants]

31. But voters okayed $62 MILLION for a high school football stadium.

https://gma.yahoo.com/texas-district-oks-62-8m-high-school-stadium-052900635--abc-news-topstories.html

[HenryWallace]

35. Dan "Boom goes the dynamite" Patrick is an idiot!

The move away from fossil will not be kind to Texas or their state budget.

[47of74]

44. They would've been better off electing one on the other Dan Patricks...

...either the sportscaster or the film director/screenwriter.

Of course (and I know this is TMI) what I just eliminated from my bowels this morning would be better than Abbot/Patrick and that dumb fuck attorney general.

[mainer]

36. More money for everyone else!

Let's send that ten billion to some progressive state.

[kairos12]

42. This is his Alacomode.

[mgardener]

45. Good

More for the rest of us in states that send more money to Washington then we get back.
It should go into an educational fund.

[elljay]

46. It's a WIN-WIN

The trans kids get humiliated and the kids who can't afford private school become less educated. Doesn't get better than that for a Republican. I hope no one is surprised by this.

[EL34x4]

72. No more reduced-price school lunches either

As I mentioned elsewhere, these will be the first to get cut.

[elljay]

75. Don't want to encourage laziness

by feeding them. In the good 'ol days, when America Was Great, a hungry kid would get a job in the steel mill, coal mine, or garment factory to earn money for food. We're raising a generation of unmotivated children who think it is their right to be fed. The Republicans surely plan to get to hold labor laws at some point.

[Martin Eden]

80. Yep -- dumbing down schools is a long term Rethug goal

Damn facts have a librul bias.

[Jopin Klobe]

48. Proof of Dannie's moral and intelligence configuration ...

"Dan Patrick radio deal financed by S&L swindler"
[link:http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20140502-dan-patrick-radio-deal-financed-by-sl-swindler.ece|

"Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Appoints Allen West to Texas Sunset Commission"
[link:https://www.texastribune.org/2015/12/18/patrick-appoints-allen-west-former-florida-congres/|

"Amid Lawsuit, Patrick Defends Medicaid Cuts to Therapy"
"Amid an ongoing lawsuit over deep cuts that lawmakers made this year to a therapy program for children with disabilities, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday offered a sternly worded defense of the Legislature’s move."
[link:https://www.texastribune.org/2015/09/30/amid-lawsuit-dan-patrick-defends-medicaid-cuts-the/|

... swimming in the morally degenerate sewer that is the neo-Con "Republican" party ...

[olddad56]

49. Texas wants to seceed anyway, so there will be no more ded funds for them anyway. We can hope.

[muntrv]

51. So, no more FEMA money to Texas after a flood or tornado?

[LeftInTX]

53. Patrick showed up at a Ft. Worth school board meeting the other night

Trying to get the superintendent to resign over LBGT bathroom issues.

Talk about abuse of power.......

[beachbum bob]

54. we will take the money for Illinois....

[cannabis_flower]

56. Whoever voted for this fool

should only blame themselves when their property taxes go up.

[FighttheFuture]

59. Excellent!! Money saved so when Texassistan secedes it will not have been wasted!

[TipTok]

62. Way to pick your battles...

Genius...

[dem in texas]

64. Now Texas will reach the bottom of the list

Only a few states rank lower than Texas in educational achievement, but no more, Texas will be the lowest of all 50 states, I think we are 47th lowest right now.

[sinkingfeeling]

65. Oh , please do, Texas. Why don't you throw all of the US military out of your state as well?

[awoke_in_2003]

66. Looks like my property taxes are going up...

fucking asshole.

[kentauros]

78. I should expect rents to go up, too.

Seems like this issue would be perfect to get all of the people in this state that do not vote, especially those who do not vote in local/state election, to finally understand just what happens when they do not vote!

Hispanics are slated to be the majority race in Texas quite soon. Well, it doesn't mean a damn if we can't get them to vote. Let's point out when their children are no longer getting free lunches (or breakfasts) or when their local school is shut down, or when their rents go up 20% due to increased property taxes just to fund their local school, that the actual blame can be pointed directly at Lt. Gov. Patrick. And remind them that it wouldn't have ever happened that way had they all decided to vote last time around.

[SusanLarson]

69. Make sure it's all federal funds not just education funds.

Also close a couple dozen military bases down there, they will switch their tunes right damn fast...

[Egnever]

71. If anything can end the string of republican governors

This might just be it. Sadly it will be devastating to an already struggling school system.

[kentauros]

79. Excellent point.

And I think this should be the single issue to use in the next election. If that alone doesn't bring out the Democratic vote, then I will admit that it's pointless to bother any more.

[olddad56]

73. It is a plot to decrease the quality of education in Texas.

they know that if the students are educated, they will realize that can leave Texas.

[Major Nikon]

94. They don't really need more help with that

There's no state income taxes in Texas, so all school funding comes from property taxes. This system insures a huge disparity between the haves and the have nots. The haves neither need or get federal funding, so such a move only penalizes the have nots which are already in very bad shape, and the state GOP could give a fuck less about.

[apnu]

100. All according to their privatization plan

Conservatives, for years, have chaffed at public education. They hate the fact they are on the wrong side of history and facts and have convinced themselves otherwise. They hate that they pay taxes for public education because education inoculates people from their bullshit. They can't program students to be good lemmings anymore and so education has become part of the culture wars.

So their plan is to destroy public education and replace it with a private system that they can control and shape outside of the view of the public. That way they can cook up false histories that America is super awesome in all things at all times while also denying science in general.

Any way they can destroy public education, they're for. They're so desperate because they're losing the culture wars, they've fallen back on scorched earth tactics to get their way.

This is exactly what we're seeing in Illinois with the budget impasse. Gov. Rauner can sit in Springfield and do nothing and he'll win. The more things go to shit, the greater chance the citizens will accept anything, including privitazation of all things out of desperation. Its a win-win game. He, and Texas for that matter, never have to cave. And if the voters throw them out, no matter, the Republican party is thrilled with their antics and will keep them around.

The only thing we have going for us, is these assholes are dwindling despite doing nothing and watching the country go to hell. Eventually they'll break down into a regional party and that will dwindle too.

In our life time we'll see the death of the Republican party by suicide.

While that's happening, however, its going to suck for everybody before it gets better.