The Campaign For DA


An Abbreviated Spring Break Edition Of Let's Get Out Of Here

Just A Random Day At The Bank

It's St. Patrick's Day

And, as a Liberally Lean tradition, I'll repost the greatest youtube video of all time.

(When you have some time, here's 35 minutes of two boys from the Ticket rolling tape in Alabama as they try to track down the leprechaun.  Gold.)

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

  • Former UT quarterback David Ash, who quit the game in 2014 due to concussions, has been cleared to try out for the NFL. I think someone needs to send him through the concussion protocol right now.
  • For some reason I looked up and saw Days of Our Lives on TV. There are characters on there who were on the show when I was in high school. 
  • The legislature is close to outlawing texting while driving. It's stupid to text and drive but I don't know how you enforce it. What if you were just looking at GPS?  But look at this unintended consequence: The police, if they had probable cause to believe you were texting and driving, could seize your phone for a search of it. 
  • Trump!
  • Trump seconds ago. (We are all going to die.): 
  • The Eighth Grader in the House has discovered that surgery causes pain. 
  • I've never explored the LBJ Grasslands, and I'm ashamed to admit it. 
  • I watched the early Channel 8 morning news show. The forced happiness makes it unbearable.
  • I've bought so much Advil Cold & Sinus this Spring (over the counter but you have to go through the pharmacist to get to it and show your driver's license) that I think DPS probably has me registered as a meth dealer. 
  • An apartment complex under construction in downtown Raleigh, NC is gone due to a massive fire last night:
  • Odd Star-Telegram headline: 
  • The leaderboard in the Pick 'Em Tourney:
  • BagOfNothing wrote something yesterday that I 100% agree with. I'm at a point in my life where I don't want to watch emotional shows like This Is Us. I've lived through that crap. I don't want to re-live it. 


Let's Begin: I'll Revise The List As We Go. Then Rank.

The 10 Best Legal Movies.

So far, these come to mind:

Edit: Now with current rankings.
  •  (1) 12 Angry Men (I listed it first by chance, but it may be the best.)
  •  (2) To Kill A Mockingbird (But, man, the prosecutor was horrible.)
  •  (5) A Time To Kill (The only Grisham film worthy)
  •  (3) My Cousin Vinny (more realistic than you think)
  •  (4) The Paper Chase (great law school movie)
  •  (6A) Jagged Edge (underrated)
  •  (10) Witness for the Prosecution (oldie but a goodie)
  •  Anatomy of a Murder (ditto)(And, I admit, it's been a long time since I've seen it and might under value it.)
  • (7) The People vs. Larry Flynt (Has the greatest line ever when the defense lawyer is simply fed up with him but Flynt replies with: "You don't want to quit me, I'm your dream client: I'm the most fun, I'm rich, and I'm always in trouble."
  •  A Few Good Men (overrated)
  •  (9) Philadelphia (better when you watch it now)
  •  (10) Devil's Advocate (Pacino's performance alone makes it worthy of the list)
  • (6) Presumed Innocent (Still confusing to me but very realistic if you want to know how a DA's office works, the pressure of being a defense lawyer and, more importantly, the pressure of being accused.)
  • (9) The Verdict (A great movie on legal ethics.)
  • Edit: Cape Fear. (This was nominated by a reader and I wanted to dismiss it because it wasn't a "legal" movie. But the more I think about it, it is exactly that. )
  • Edit: Fracture (Something about it just bugged me. I can't put my finger on it, though)
  • Edit: (8A) Primal Fear (I'm thinking it might go higher)
  • Edit: Suspect
  • Edit: Murder in the First
  • Edit: Sleepers
  • Edit: JFK
  • Edit: Kramer vs. Kramer
Edit: Nominated by readers but which I have not seen:
  • Justice For All
  • Body Heat
  • Lincoln Lawyer (my bad for not seeing this)
  • Absence of Malice
  • Inherit The Wind (how have not seen this?)
  • Judgment at Nuremberg 
  • Class Action
  • Ghosts of Mississppi
  • Life of David Gale
Disqualified as not being worthy:
  • Legal Eagles
  • Legally Blonde
  • The Firm
  • The Juror
  • The Rainmaker
  • The Pelican Brief
  • Runaway Jury (as you can tell, I don't think much of John Grisham movies because I don't think he ever spent time in the courtroom.)
  • Liar, Liar

Someone Got Fired This Morning

There Are Corgi Races?

I'm in!

(And that announcer is funny.)

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

  • My genius healthcare plan. Complaints: (1) "$400 to $600 isn't enough to cover my medical expenses over the years." First, baloney. How do you think insurance companies can survive if that is the  premium they charge for a person. You just admitted they couldn't make a profit. Secondly, you forgot how my "open market" concept drives down costs. (2) "You take out another $500 out of my check, I can't survive." You might not survive because you can't read. That is already happening, but it is going to an insurance company. My trademarked health care plan lets you keep your money in an account that belongs to you. Which one would you prefer?
  • Our U.S. AG thinks marijuana and heroin are basically the same. He said, "And I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana – so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that’s only slightly less awful." And that wasn't an off the cuff remark. They was a prepared speech. 
  • General thought: Racists these days don't wear Klan hoods. Especially smart racists. When you hear someone smart say something which makes you cock an eyebrow, ask yourself, "Is that something a very smart racist would say who doesn't want to admit, or maybe doesn't even know, he's a racist?" It's a test I've used for years.
  • This Obamacare "Repeal and Replace" isn't going very well.
  • I had my very intense re-occurring dream/nightmare of being back in college, having missed most of my classes, and not being able to find where they are even being held. It's so bizarre. 
  • For the one Dennis Prager fan out there,  I listened to him yesterday and he said this: "We are living in an era of stupidity because so many people are going to college and being indoctrinated." Yes, being exposed to the world and other ideas makes you stupid. Stay in your closet and be smart. Sheesh. 
  • Resignation letter at Cleburne ISD: “Athletic Director Mark Walker and Human Resources Director Kyle Boles, along with Dr. Kyle Heath, have used such malicious tactics as bullying, harassment, and retaliation, and have threatened poor evaluations and non-renewal if I did not comply with their schemes.” 
  • I thought about doing a Top Ten Movie List Of All Time. It's impossible. I'll have to do special categories. I might start with Best Legal Movies and let you boys join in with suggestions. 
  • We watch a lot of softball in the house and I saw something yesterday that I had no idea what the rule is: What if the bat, because of some crazy fluke and ball spin, hits the ball twice before it goes into play? (And that's why I'd never be an umpire in a girl's softball league. Parents would be yelling, "That's a double hit!", and I'd have a question mark floating over my head.) Uh, what is the rule? I think dead ball. 
  • I rarely splurge and treat myself to chicken tenders but I did yesterday at Popeye's. They gave me dark gravy. Noy white. That's unacceptable. 
  • Fox 4's Mike Doocy said the morning on The Ticket that he fainted at work and was out for a few minutes. Doctors don't know why. 
  • Last chance to sign up for Liberally Lean March Madness Tourney.


And They Say We Can't Drive In Winter Weather

This is actually from last year, and I may have posted it before. But, still. Oh, my.

Above The Fold

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

  • I'm not an advertising lawyer, but I abandoned the Yellow Pages a year ago. I have not seen one iota of difference (other than not having to pay a ridiculous price for senseless advertising.)
  • I was home yesterday and saw for the first time the lawn care crew come through. It was like ants on a a dropped piece of cake at a picnic.
  • MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, before her show last night, tweeted she had "Trump's tax returns." The network then even did a countdown clock.  All it was were two pages from 2005 which showed he paid a bunch of taxes. I was embarrassed for her. (Some even suspect Trump leaked the return himself.) 
  • But he does need to release his tax returns for the last ten years to see if he has Russians ties -- which is almost a certainty. 
  • Trump is "confident" his Obama wiretap claim will be proven. Can I have Vegas odds?
  • My nephew has started a podcast. Funny and weird concept: "We take a person born on this day and a person who died on this day and then we try to decide who had the greater impact. One this week was L. Ron Hubbard vs. Benjamin Harrison." They also did James Taylor vs. Anne Frank.
  • Kelly Clarkson is putting her Tennessee mansion up for sale. Question: Who thinks "saddle chairs" is actually a good look and/or functional?:
  • The Eighth Grader in The House's foot surgery went well. 
  • The Wise County Grand Jury handed down 99 indictments. That is mind blowing. 
  • Let's check in on Trump this morning: 
  • I don't know how to describe it, but if you go to a grocery store or any public place like that, people seem "oblivious." That is, they don't seem to be aware of their surroundings. 
  • We are in a housing price bubble of biblical proportions. And I don't know how people have the money to buy one to support this housing boom. 
  • Don't forget to sign up for the Liberally Lean 2007 Pick 'Em Tourney


I'm Running For President --- Tell Me Why My Healthcare Plan Would Not Work

Oh, come on. Give me a chance. 
How about this for a Healthcare Plan: Scrap everything you know.

Have the government take $300 to $600 (this cost will vary based upon income) every month out of your paycheck -- just like social security. That money is yours.  That is already happening but the money under the LiberallyLeanCare™ does not go to an insurance company.  It goes into an account which belongs to you, and you can even have investment options like an HSA. However, the money can only be used for healthcare expenses. If you get sick, you get to tap into it. If you don't, you can't touch it.  If you have routine expenses that exceed the balance of the account, you pay it. Just like if your refrigerator goes out -- you suck it up an pay for it. What about a catastrophic illness or injury? The government steps in to pay the cost with the taxes we are already paying. (And which is routinely happening these days. See Parkland Hospital.)

Here's the key: With insurance companies out the picture, hospitals and doctors have to compete in the open market because you have no limit on who or where you can go for treatment.  They would have to give you the best yet most affordable treatment to survive.  There would be no gouging. That's the problem with healthcare (i.e. charging $5 for an aspirin.)

You hang on to your money and healthcare costs go down. Genius. 

And if you get lucky enough never to have a catastrophic illness or injury, you will be sitting on a fortune. Just like Social Security, you get to use your fund for any reason once you reach, say, 65.

Medicaid and Medicare stay the same.

Green 2020.

Oh, The Happy Gilmore Trick Shot

Not Mother Of The Year

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

  • On Sunday, Mark Cuban called Trump a "Zoolander President" and that he hadn't read a book in 30 years. 
  • I wouldn't mind being in the blizzard in the Northeast right now. 
  • When they show shots of airport flight boards at airports, you'll see both "canceled" and "cancelled."
  • NBC's Al Roker has already been a beating to me. 
  • The Eighth Grader in the House is having foot surgery today, and I may be the only one in te house who is nervous. 
  • And the Best Sign goes to . . . (and it was at a high school game):

  • Zeke Elliott pulled down a girl's top at the St. Patrick Day's parade on Saturday. There are reports that she really wasn't mad and might have even exposed herself earlier. Still, you can't be that stupid. But he is that stupid. 
  • I can't get over the Decatur Hospital (I'll always call it that) sponsoring the NASCAR race. How much does that system make? Our healthcare system is a disaster.
  • I watched the documentary Weiner on Anthony Weiner. If you like politics, you will be glued to the TV. The behind the scenes looks (which is basically 99% of the film) are incredible. 
  • Thanks to Kellyanne Conway, I'm scared to microwave anything. 
  • The AG Paxton prosecution in Collin County is weird because the county commissioners are basically trying to kill it by not paying the special prosecutors their (excessive) fee demands. That being said, Paxton's lawyers are getting cocky: 
  • Baylor has fired a new assistant football coach for "inappropriate" texts with a teen. Yes, I just slapped myself in the forehead. 
  • Don't forget to sign up for the Liberally Lean 2017 Pick 'Em Tourney.



Isn't that Decatur based? Or am I wrong?

How much does that sponsorship cost?

Dr. Robert Jeffress - First Baptist Dallas

He hit another new low yesterday. Right before his service (and I expect he is preaching a sermon someone else has written for him since he spends all his time on Fox News), he tweeted this:

After the sermon, he tweeted this:
So he hawks a product on Sunday afternoon? That wouldn't have anything to do with collecting money, right? That wouldn't have anything to do with greed, right? Here's the link and here's a screenshot:

And, note, that site is called Pathway to Victory - a technically different entity that FBC Dallas. I want to know where the money goes. He's becoming a modern day Robert Tilton.

Get Me This Dog!

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

  • Is there something going on with one of the Decatur High athletic squads? I heard something but I'm not even close to confirming it.
  • Kind of funny: The Decatur HS Golf Booster Club will have a fundraiser at the Bridgeport Country Club.
  • RG3 got cut while Vince Young attempts to make a comeback in the Canadian Football League. Both started off with a bang and then withered quickly. 
  • Friday breaking news: Trump demanding resignations of all US attorneys appointed by Obama. That's not news. That happens every time there is a change in administrations. I think the bigger news is that it took Trump's group this long to figure it out.
  • Some say Jerry Jones wouldn't trade Romo to Washington because of playing Redskins twice a year. You kidding me? That league is about making money and that would be money.
  • OU quarterback Baker Mayfield was arrested after being told to stay because he was a witness. He attempted to flee. That was one violent tackle by the cops. Side note: I've been doing criminal law a long time and off the top of my head I have no idea if that is a crime if that were to occur in Texas. (And before some goofball says, "Obstruction of Justice!", there is no such crime in Texas.)
  • This "jumping forward and hour" is a beating but having it happen during Spring Break is a genius idea 
  • Let's check in on Trump this morning and his understanding of a Free Press:
  • What's the name of the tree that has those vivid purple leaves? 
  • One Texas legislator is doing a bit in order to retaliate against a male dominated legislature constantly trying to impose abortion restrictions: 
  • They found the body of the guy who went missing in the creek near Grapevine lake. (His two year old was found on land.) They say he was hit by the propeller. Best guess. He fell out. Boat started going in a circle, and he tried to get back in. 
  • A couple of weeks ago, Henryetta, OK repealed its "no dancing" ordinance. After everyone gets past the Footloose references, you should realize there is no way a government ban on dancing is constitutional. It's free speech.