Now in our 12th year on KPFT!

FYI: WordPress is forcing me to work with a new type of editor, so things will look … different … for a while. I’m hoping I’ll improve with a learning curve. Please bear with me, and let me know of any odd glitches you see that I may not, so I can try to fix them. — Mike

Beginning April 20th, Thinkwing Radio will air on KPFT 90.1-HD2 on Sundays at 1PM, and will re-air on Mondays at 2PM and Wednesdays at 11AM. Thanks for listening!

AUDIO: 

Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig (@ThinkwingRadio) is now on Sundays at 1PM and re-runs Wednesday at 11AM (CT) on KPFT 90.1 FM-HD2, Houston’s Community Media. You can also hear the show:

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1. Welcome to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig on KPFT Houston at 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2, and Huntsville at 91.9-HD2. KPFT is Houston’s Community Media. On this show, we discuss local, state, national, and international stories that may have slipped under your radar. At my website, THINKWINGRADIO-dot-COM, I link to all the articles I read and cite, as well as other relevant sources.

   1. Regarding the May 3^rd elections, you can check for results and in included links from the Houston Chronicle for Fort Bend County | Brazoria County | Galveston County | [and] Montgomery County
      1. The Houston Chronicle has a story from May 4^th (yes, May the 4^th be with you) with some reporting and analysis of the election results. It’s called — Winners and losers from Houston-area elections on bond packages, school board races and more; By Claire Goodman, Ralph Green, Staff writers | COM | Updated May 4, 2025 2:50 p.m. TAGS: Elections, Metro-Houston Region,
      2. MIKE: You can see if there’s helpful information in that story if you are so inclined.
      3. Spring Branch ISD elections were not conducted under Harris County, but rather under their own auspices. As of late Friday night on the 9th, I was unable to find any place on their site to get election results. I find that really annoying. If the elections results are just hard to find, that’s already bad, but if they’re still not posted, that’s downright irresponsible.
      4. Also, I’m fairly certain that there will be some runoff elections in some jurisdictions. I’ll let you know when I know.
   2. Conroe City Council authorizes staff to begin citywide moratorium processes; By Nichaela Shaheen | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 4:32 PM May 9, 2025 CDT/Updated 4:32 PM May 9, 2025 CDT. TAGS: Conroe City Council, Citywide Development Moratorium, Water Capacity, Texas Commission On Environmental Quality [TCEQ],
      1. During its May 8 meeting, Conroe City Council voted 3-2 to allow staff to begin the formal process of enacting a temporary citywide development moratorium due to growing concerns over water capacity and compliance with state regulations. Council members Howard Wood and Harry Hardman voted against.
      2. … The approval allows city staff to prepare documentation and set public hearings on upcoming meeting agendas after which City Council will then vote on officially enacting a citywide moratorium, City Attorney Mike Garner said.
      3. [Council member Marsha Porter said,] “This is not voting on a moratorium. This is voting on the process of a moratorium. … I would rather err on the side of maybe making a bad decision or a wrong decision, than mess with the citizens of Conroe, because I think that is the impact that we are all under an obligation to take care of.”
      4. [City Attorney] Garner told City Council that the city has been out of compliance with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s [TCEQ’s] state requirements related to water capacity.
      5. Norman McGuire, assistant city administrator and public works director, said the city is applying for a waiver from TCEQ that would allow it to use a lower connection threshold, roughly 4762 gallons per minute, to account for multifamily developments, which generally use less water. Currently, the regulation for compliance is 0.6.
      6. Garner said the city could be fined up to $25,000 per day by TECQ, and the state could intervene if it saw fit due to its noncompliance.
      7. … Purchasing contract administrator Brandy Taylor said underfunded water infrastructure projects throughout the years has led the city to this point of considering a citywide moratorium.
      8. MIKE: Take note of this next comment:]
      9. [Purchasing contract administrator Brandy Taylor said,] “Between beautification and [other budget-funded] projects, that is … $112.5 million that we could have spent on water and sewer infrastructure, and we would not have needed a moratorium.”
      10. During the meetings May 7-8, Wood and Hardman said they are concerned with the impact the moratorium will have on the economy. …
      11. … City Council first approved a temporary development moratorium for the northern portion of the city in August, according to prior reporting. It was then extended in December, and again in
      12. City staff first raised concerns to City Council about the water capacity strain in April 2024, according to prior reporting. In May 2024, officials estimated that addressing critical infrastructure needs would require approximately $50 million in funding, as previously reported.
      13. Then, City Council approved implementing seasonal irrigation restrictions last June, limiting watering from May through October to help conserve water, per prior reporting.
      14. … City Council will revisit voting on enacting a temporary citywide moratorium after two public hearings in the upcoming weeks.
      15. MIKE: Administrator Brandy Taylor’s comments are among the most important part of this story, and it touches upon the most important part of any governance: Foresight.
      16. MIKE: We don’t know why the Conroe City Council put beautification ahead of water infrastructure. It’s possible that the future inadequacy of Conroe’s water infrastructure was unknown to city government at the time. Perhaps development outstripped projections. Maybe the information simply wasn’t sufficiently available to council at the time these choices were made.
      17. MIKE: There is a chart included in the story showing how much money was requested from City Council for water wells from 2011 through 2024 versus how much was approved. Apparently, someone in city government was taking the future into account, but for some reason, city council wasn’t.
      18. MIKE: There were enough elections during this time period that no one council member or group of council members can be held accountable, but if these projections were known to city council, and if the seriousness of future consequences was made clear, then there is a definite question about why these projections were repeatedly not taken seriously over the span of time.
      19. MIKE: I think that Conroe should conduct an investigation into why this consequential failure to fund requested water needs occurred over more than a decade, and how to avoid a similar problem in the future.
      20. MIKE: Also, Houston and other Texas cities might take note of Conroe’s current water dilemma, and learn from it how to avoid something similar down the road in their communities.
   3. Judge orders sale of Texas Renaissance Festival following lawsuit; By Lizzy Spangler | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 1:14 PM May 9, 2025 CDT/Updated 1:14 PM May 9, 2025 CDT. TAGS: Grimes County District Judge Gary W. Chaney, Texas Renaissance Festival,
      1. On May 7, Grimes County District Judge Gary W. Chaney ordered the sale of the Texas Renaissance Festival, along with over $23 million in damages and attorneys’ fees awarded to the plaintiffs following a lawsuit filed against the festival, according to court documents.
      2. In August 2023, plaintiffs RW Lands, Inc., Texas Stargate Inc., Royal Campground, Inc., and Texas RF, Inc. sued … defendants Texas Renaissance Festivals, LLC, Stargate Manor Arboretum, LLC, and festival founder George Coulam, alleging a breach of contract, according to court documents.
      3. [MIKE: Important to note:]
      4. The sale is not expected to affect the festival itself, as Texas Renaissance Festival officials said operations are moving forward on this year’s festival in a statement posted to Facebook on May 8.
      5. … According to the original petition filed by the plaintiffs, in April 2023, Texas Renaissance Festivals, LLC allegedly agreed to sell the festival property at 21788 FM 1774, Todd Mission, and its assets and liabilities, for $48 million.
      6. The original buyer … assigned its rights, title and interest to the plaintiffs, according to the petition.
      7. The plaintiffs then allege they learned the defendants would likely not close the transactions, and the closing date of Aug. 8, 2023, went without the defendants complying with their closing obligations, according to the petition.
      8. [In the petition,] plaintiffs allege that the defendants ignored their obligations under the sale agreements.
      9. … In the original answer from Texas Renaissance Festivals, LLC, Stargate Manor Arboretum, LLC, and [Fair owner] Coulam, among other defenses, [that] the defendants: 1- Alleged that … plaintiffs did not comply with their contractual obligations to close; 2- Denied that the plaintiffs complied with the contracts; 3- Denied that either party was ready to close [on] Aug. 8, 2023; 4- Denied that there was a valid contract [on] Aug. 8, 2023; [and] 5- Alleged the plaintiffs were foreign entities that were not authorized to do business in Texas on Aug. 8, 2023, which was a condition of closing
      10. … In his May 7 order, among other stipulations, Judge Chaney ordered: 1- The sales of the festival property and the neighboring property; 2- $22.35 million in damages awarded to the plaintiffs; [and] 3- $1 million in attorneys’ fees awarded to the plaintiffs;
      11. … [Texas Renaissance Festival officials said in a May 8 Facebook post,] “The commitment will remain unchanged: to deliver a safe, vibrant and memorable experience for the hundreds of thousands of guests who visit each year. Festival operations are moving forward as planned for the 2025 season and beyond.”
      12. … In 2024, the Texas Renaissance Festival — which offers a recreation of a 16th-century European village with various attractions, vendors and entertainment — celebrated 50 years, Community Impact previously reported.
      13. … [A link is provided for anyone wishing to] View the original petition, original answer and order documents … .
      14. MIKE: This is so messy!
      15. MIKE: The Renaissance Fair is a big deal for many in metro-Houston and the surrounding region. For anyone who was of aware of these proceedings, I felt that fans of the Fair deserved to know what was going on behind the scenes, and that the Fair itself should not be affected.
   4. In a cybersecurity story from CLICK2HOUSTON-dot-COM — Hackers steal nearly 20k from small Houston business owner, leaving shop in limbo. How to prevent it; Deven Clarke, Reporter | CLICK2HOUSTON.COM | Published: May 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM. TAGS: Crime, Cyber Crime, Business, Houston,
      1. A Spring small business owner faces potential closure after cybercriminals siphoned nearly $20,000 from her business bank account, despite following standard security protocols.
      2. Gabriela Clemons, owner of Kumarama Cafe and Retail Shop, discovered the fraudulent wire transfer shortly after logging into her Chase bank account using standard two-factor authentication.
      3. The incident occurred just months after the business opened its doors in October.
      4. “We opened this ourselves with just everything, our savings and a little bit of a loan,” said Clemons, who describes her establishment as a cosplay anime cafe. “There was nothing like that in this area of town.”
      5. What makes this case particularly concerning is that Clemons, a CPA with cybersecurity training, followed recommended security practices. She manually typed the bank’s web address and completed the two-factor authentication process before discovering unauthorized activity.
      6. “I went into my computer, logged in, and typed in my browser http://www.chase.com,” Clemons explained.
      7. Shortly after accessing her account, she received notification of an unauthorized wire transfer totaling $19,230.
      8. Tim Howard, founder of Fortify Experts, suggests the attack likely originated from a threat already present on Clemons’ computer.
      9. “If she typed in the Chase.com address, it’s possible that there was an attacker already in her laptop watching what was going on,” Howard said.
      10. Cybersecurity experts recommend implementing endpoint protection as an additional security layer.
      11. “You need really strong endpoint protection which is constantly monitoring,” Howard explained. “It’s like an additional layer that prevents somebody from just living in your system.”
      12. The financial loss has forced Kumarama to make difficult operational decisions. Clemons says that Chase has indicated they won’t reimburse the stolen funds, leading to: Reduced hours for her sole employee; Canceled inventory shipments; [and] Uncertain business sustainability.
      13. Protecting your business from wire fraud — Howard recommends these essential steps for business owners: 1- Install robust endpoint protection software; 2-Implement secure login protocols; 3- Use additional security layers for financial transactions; 4- Regularly monitor account activity for unauthorized transactions; [and] 5- Create unique passwords for different logins and store them in a secure password app. 
      14. For more information on end point protection, visit com.
      15. MIKE: I went to the provided link for Fortify Experts. It took me to their main page. I then searched specifically for “end point protection” and it took me to a page, where there were no specific aids, guidance, or recommendations for end point protection.
      16. MIKE: Given those results, I don’t know why the reporter and Click2News even bothered to provide the link except that they may have done it as a courtesy in return for any cyber security guidance they got for this story from Fortify Experts.
      17. MIKE: I think the first and most important point to take from this unfortunate event is how important it is to have effective anti-virus and security software.
      18. MIKE: A possible avenue for this crime is briefly touched upon in the article
      19. MIKE: Sometimes you can do everything right, but thieves are smart, and you can still be victimized.
      20. MIKE: If the business’s computer was already infected with spyware like a key logger, there would have been very little that could be done to prevent this theft. Even two-factor authentication can be beaten if the thieves have “spoofed” the owner’s phone number.
      21. MIKE: So, my additional advice would be that even having anti-virus software on your machine and relying on “real-time” protection is not enough.
      22. MIKE: Make sure to frequently check that your AV software’s definitions are current. The software should be checking every day, and you might want to manually update it periodically. You can also search the internet for “best antivirus software” and compare their ratings to the one you’re using.
      23. MIKE: Equally important, do your own periodic scans and don’t just rely on the automated quick scans. Maybe every week or so, manually order a full scan. On my machine, that can take up to 2 days, but it gives me peace of mind. And occasionally, bad stuff turns up!
      24. MIKE: A hint that you might have intrusive software on your computer is, it might act funny. Maybe it starts to run slower than usual, or you see odd things popping up and then going away.
      25. MIKE: It’s possible that these things are innocent annoyances caused by software or operating system updates, but they automatically should make you order a full computer scan as the first order of business.
      26. MIKE: This story also led me to make a general search using the phrase, “Can a wire transfer be clawed back?” The Google AI led me to a page from Western Union/Canada entitled, “Can a wire transfer reversed? Understanding your options”.
      27. MIKE: The full article runs about 2-1/2 pages, and I’ve included a link in this blogpost, but the main points are as follows:
      28. MIKE: [There] are a few valid reasons [for attempting to reverse a wire transfer]: 1- Sending the incorrect amount of funds; 2- Providing the wrong account number; 3- Duplicated transaction; 4- Suspecting fraud
      29. You need to be able to support your reason with evidence like screenshots or transaction receipts.
      30. Ask Your Bank to Contact The Receiving Bank: If you suspect that you’re being scammed, it’s important you should ask your bank to contact the receiving bank to freeze the funds in the recipient’s account. You can also ask your bank to trace where your money was sent and contact that bank [yourself] as well.
      31. Follow Up With Your Bank: … to track the status of your reversal request. Keep a record of the people you spoke with, the dates, and any timelines they provided. …
      32. … While there may be many reasons to reverse a wire transfer, you need a solid [reason] to execute one.
      33. [In the case of] Fraudulent transactions: As soon as you notice a fraudulent transaction that someone initiated without your consent, contact your bank immediately. In the majority of cases, your account will be frozen until they determine if you were hacked or scammed.
      34. Challenges and Costs of Reversing a Wire Transfer: There are many challenges you will experience if you want to reverse a wire transfer.
      35. If the transfer is completed and the recipient receives the funds, it’s almost impossible to reverse the transaction.
      36. Wire transfers are popular payment methods because banks process them quickly, which makes them difficult to reverse.
      37. If the transaction was fraudulent or unauthorized, you’ll have a better chance of reversing it if you can prove that someone initiated it without your consent.
      38. This would be a long and drawn-out process that will involve both banks, but you still have no guarantee that you’ll get your money back.
      39. Keep in mind that reversing a wire transfer can be expensive because some banks might charge fees for initiating the reversal.
      40. MIKE: I have no idea if the victimized business did any of this, and what their chances are of getting their money back, but I think it’s important that folks understand what they must do and how they must do it in the event that they are victimized like this in the future. And that can happen, even if they feel they’re taking all the reasonable precautions.
      41. MIKE: One final point: Make sure you report a fraud to the proper authorities. Start by contacting the FBI and go to their cybercrime page, which I’ve linked to in this blog post.
      42. MIKE: On that page, there is among other things, this suggestion: “If you are the victim of a cyber-enabled crime or fraud, file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) as soon as possible.” [Link provided.]
      43. MIKE: I’m also including a link to Field Offices for the FBI. There is even a field office in Houston that you can call at (713) 693-5000, and I’m also including a link to that office.
      44. MIKE: At the end of the day, all you can do is best you can, and follow the advice of the Duty Sargent on Hill Street Blues when he used to say, “Be careful out there.”
      45. REFERENCE: Can a wire transfer reversed? Understanding your options; By Serra Pinto Avimlah | WESTERNUNION.COM | June 5, 2024.
   5. Bill mandating AC for renters meets resistance in Texas Legislature; By Ali Juell, Staff writer | HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM | May 6, 2025. TAGS: Texas Summers, Air Conditioning, Texas Legislature,
      1. At the height of Texas summers, residents whose homes lack air conditioners have no escape from the extreme heat. And it’s only getting hotter.
      2. Air conditioning has long been considered an amenity for renters in the state, but as temperatures continue to rise, experts and some lawmakers are beginning to see cooling as a fundamental right.
      3. State Rep. Sheryl Cole, D-Austin, is trying again this year to pass a bill that guarantees a tenant’s right to air conditioning. The bill would require landlords to provide cooling systems and offer accommodations when repairs take more than five days. 
      4. The proposal, which is the same as one Cole filed two years ago, faces a tough road because of hesitancy in the GOP-led House and Senate to put more onus on landlords and more regulations on the books.
      5. Nevertheless, proponents believe the issue is becoming more pressing, including in cities like Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
      6. [Rep. Christina Morales, D-Houston, one of the bill’s coauthors, said,] “No one should suffer or die in their own home just because they can’t afford air-conditioning. In Texas, this isn’t just about comfort. This is about survival.” 
      7. In Harris County, 80 deaths were linked to heat-related complications from 2019 to 2023, according to a Harris County Public Health report. Exposure to extreme heat can strain a person’s heart and kidneys as well as worsen chronic conditions and cause acute kidney injuries, according to the World Health Organization.
      8. When people pick up fans from Family Eldercare’s annual summer fan drive, they’re often getting relief from intense conditions, said Meghan Jones, the Austin organization’s interim chief development and communication officer. 
      9. Of the more than 10,000 recipients the group served last year, 48% reported feeling sick from the summer heat, according to Jones. …
      10. In Texas, about 54,200 occupied rental units had no form of air conditioning in 2021, according to the American Housing Survey, and many more tenants suffer through extreme heat when their systems break for extended periods, said Ben Martin, research director [of] Texas Housers, which advocates for low-income residents.
      11. While Martin said he knows thousands of units don’t have air conditioning, the statistics don’t show a much bigger issue: faulty units. “The broader problem that we see is broken air conditioning that is not fixed in a timely manner, which has the same effect as no air conditioning at all,” he said.
      12. There are no statewide protections for tenants for cooling or a guaranteed time frame for repairs. But several cities have some in place, even if they’re limited. 
      13. Houston’s mandate only applies if the rental units lack screens on doors and windows, meaning cross ventilation cancels the right to an air conditioning unit.
      14. The Texas Apartment Association did not respond to requests for comment on the proposed legislation. During a hearing on a recent Austin ordinance mandating air conditioning, Emily Blair, a representative for the Austin Apartment Association, said it’s difficult to install cooling equipment in apartments built before the 1970s.
      15. She said such costs could be “financially devastating” for property owners and mean higher rents for tenants.
      16. “We understand the intent behind the proposed requirement,” Blair said. “Although we want renters to be as comfortable as possible in their home, the realities of older construction limit what can realistically be provided.”
      17. Larissa Larsen, a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan, said policies are increasingly reflecting a change in the need for air conditioning. 
      18. [Larsen said,] “We used to think air conditioning was a luxury. Now we’re realizing it’s not – it’s a necessity.”
      19. While air conditioning mandates are only beginning to pop up, heating requirements have existed across the nation for years, mostly because people in northern states pushed through such protections decades ago. 
      20. California, New York and Oregon have all adopted at least some tenant protections for air conditioning. Arizona state law requires landlords to repair AC units within 10 days.
      21. But Elizabeth Mueller, an associate professor of community and regional planning at the University of Texas at Austin, said a statewide mandate is unlikely to pass in Texas any time soon.
      22. [She said,] “There’s just a reflexive reaction against any efforts to regulate rental property conditions.”
      23. Martin, of Texas Housers, said he worries for Texans as summer fast approaches. The future of the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps low-income households cover weather-related utility costs, is uncertain following staff layoffs.
      24. To Martin, cost burdens aren’t a good enough reason for landlords to oppose new cooling guidelines. 
      25. [He said,] “If we want to make housing really cost effective, it’s very cost effective to not put a roof on the house. These landlords are housing human beings, and we must establish a baseline of dignity for the humans, for the families, for the individuals that are living in these homes.”
      26. MIKE: This is a topic I feel somewhat qualified to speak on because I used to be a landlord for 5 houses.
      27. MIKE: When I bought two “shotgun” houses, I made sure they all had working window air conditioners in each room, including the kitchen. At least one unit in each house also provided heat. The tenant pays for the electric to run them, so that expense was not on me. I did have the consideration to pay a bit more for more energy-efficient units.
      28. MIKE: There is actually a lot that isn’t mentioned in the story about adding A/C to places that don’t have it. For example, would every room require A/C, or only some rooms, such as bedrooms? Would the mandate be for whole-house or whole-apartment central A/C, or would window units suffice? Because adding central air to a dwelling that never had it is a big and expensive I know because I’ve done it. And yes, that did increase the rent to cover the loan I needed to do it.
      29. MIKE: Window units are not quite as big a hit to the bottom line, and I mostly absorbed that. I considered it an amortized expense over time.
      30. MIKE: And speaking of amortization, keep in mind that those kinds of expenses are tax deductible for a landlord, and that is in effect a substantial discount.
      31. MIKE: In many older homes or apartments, adding A/C might require upgrading electrical panels or even adding some 220v wiring for units over about 8000 BTUs. That can be somewhat costly.
      32. MIKE: In many newer subdivisions with Homeowners Associations, homes are not allowed to have window units, and certainly not window units that can be seen from the street. On the other hand, as with solar panels, TV antennas, and fences, State law over-rides HOA covenants.
      33. MIKE: Also, and somewhat importantly, the story doesn’t make clear what kind of air conditioning must be provided, and in what circumstances. For example, there is no reason for apartment complexes not to provide window air conditioners, at a minimum.
      34. MIKE: The virtue of window units is that they’re relatively cheap, unless you invest in high-efficiency units. Units that both heat and cool also cost more.
      35. MIKE: I believe that in climates like we have in Houston and most of the South, A/C is really not Even Texas prisoners are technically entitled to temperatures no higher than 85 degrees.
      36. MIKE: Should paying tenants be allowed less?
   6. On Facebook, I ran across a transcript for a video under the title: “Murphy To Secretary Of Homeland Security Kristi Noem: Your Department Is Out Of Control”. Included in this show’s blog post, I included the video link (6m 53s) of a senate hearing where Senator Chris Murphy made an opening statement to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. In the show’s blog post, I’ll be including a transcript of Senator Murphy’s statement that I acquired from a Facebook friend’s post, but I’ll be playing the audio of that statement in Murphy’s own voice. The only editing I’ve done — totaling about 4 seconds — is for very long pauses and extraneous sound. [PLAY AUDIO, 6m 49s]. TAGS: Secretary Of Homeland Security, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Senator Chris Murphy, Senate Hearing,
      1. TRANSCRIPT:
      2. Secretary Noem testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. Ranking Member Senator Chris Murphy gave his opening remarks, which were so powerful and informative, I decided to post them here.
      3. I say this with seriousness and respect, but your department is out of control. You’re spending like you don’t have a budget. You are running out of money for this fiscal year. You are illegally refusing to spend funds that have been authorized by this Congress and appropriated by this committee. You are ignoring the immigration laws of this nation, implementing a brand new immigration system that you have invented that has little relation to the statutes that you are required to follow as spelled out in your oath of office. You are routinely violating the rights of immigrants who may not be citizens, but whether you like it or not, they have constitutional and statutory rights when they reside in the United States. Your agency acts as if laws don’t matter, as if the election gave you some mandate to violate the Constitution and the laws passed by this Congress. It did not give you that mandate. You act as if your disagreement with the law, or even the public’s disagreement with the law, is relevant and gives you the ability to create your own law. It does not give you that ability.
      4. Let’s start with your spending. You are on track to trigger the anti-deficiency act. That means you are on track to spend more money than you have been allocated by Congress. This is a rare occurrence and it is wildly illegal. Your agency will be broke by July, over 2 months before the end of the fiscal year. You may not think that Congress has allotted enough money to ICE, but the Constitution and the federal law does not allow you to spend more money than you have been given or to invent money.
      5. This obsession with spending at the border has left the country unprotected elsewhere. The security threats to national security are higher, not lower, since Trump came to office. To fund the border you have illegally gutted spending to cybersecurity. As we speak, Russian and Chinese hackers are having a field day attacking our nation. You have withdrawn funds for disaster prevention. Storms are going to kill more people because of your illegal withholding of these funds. Your myopia about the border fueled by President Trump’s prejudice against people who speak a different language have shattered most of this country’s most important defenses.
      6. Now let’s talk about the impoundments. When Congress appropriates funds for a specific purpose the administration has no discretion whether or not to spend that money unless you go through a specific process with this committee.
      7. Let me give you two of many instances of this illegal impoundment. The first is a shelter and services program. Senator Britt may want to zero that account out, but that account is funded in a bipartisan way. You may not like the program. Your policy is to treat migrants badly. I think that’s abhorrent, but it doesn’t matter that you don’t like the program. You cannot cancel spending in this program, and you cannot use the funds, as you have, to fund other things, like ICE.
      8. You have also cancelled citizenship and integration grants, which help lawful permanent residents become citizens, helping them take the citizenship test. I know your goal is to try to make life as hard as possible for immigrants, but that goal is not broadly shared by the American public. That’s why Congress, in a bipartisan way, for decades has funded this program to help immigrants become citizens.
      9. Now let’s talk about why encounters at the southern border are down so much. This is clearly going to be your primary talking point today. You will tell us that it represents as success. But the prime reason why encounters are down is because you are brazenly violating the law every hour of every day. You are refusing to allow people showing up at the southern border to apply for asylum. I acknowledge that you don’t believe that people should be allowed to apply for asylum, but the White House doesn’t get to choose that. The law requires you to process people who are showing up at the border to apply for asylum. Why? Because our asylum law is a bipartisan commitment, an effort to correct for our nation’s unconscionable decision to deny entry to Jews to this country who were being hunted and killed by the Nazis. Our nation, Republicans and Democrats, decided, wrote it into law, that we would not repeat that horror ever again, and thus we would allow for people who were fleeing terror and torture to come here, arrive at the border, and make a case for asylum.
      10. Finally let’s talk about these disappearances. In an autocratic society, people who the regime does not like or who are protesting the regime are often picked up off the street, and spirited away, often to open-ended detention. Sometimes they’re never seen again. What you are doing, both to individuals who have legal rights to stay here, like Kilmar Abrego Garcia, or students who are just protesting Trump’s policies, is immoral and, to follow the theme, it is illegal. You have no right to deport a student visa holder with no due process simply because they have spoken in a way that offends the President. You can’t remove migrants who a court has given humanitarian protection from removal.
      11. Now, reports suggest that you are planning to remove immigrants with no due process and send them to prisons in Libya. Libya is in the middle of a civil war. It is subject to a level 4 travel advisory, meaning we tell American citizens never to travel to Libya. We don’t have an embassy there because it is not safe for our diplomats. Sending migrants with pending asylum claims into a war zone, just because it’s cruel, is so deeply disturbing.
      12. Listen, I understand that my Republican colleagues on this committee don’t view the policy as I do, don’t share my level of concern for the way the government treats immigrants, but what I don’t understand is why we don’t have consensus in the Senate and on this committee on the decision by this Administration to impound the spending that we have decided together to allocate in defense of this nation. We as an appropriations committee worked interminable hours to write and pass this budget, and so we make ourselves irrelevant when we allow the administration to ignore what we have decided. And then when we look the other way when the administration rounds up immigrants who are here illegally and have committed no offenses worthy of detainment, we also do potential irreversible damage to the Constitution. These should not be partisan concerns—destroying the power of Congress, eroding individuals’ Constitutional rights. This should matter to both parties.
      13. MIKE: There’s nothing I can really add to this except to say that we need more courageous statements like this in the House, in the Senate, and in front of national media, to point out the increasing lawlessness and disregard for the Constitution of Trump’s regime.
      14. REFERENCE: Murphy To Secretary Of Homeland Security Kristi Noem: Your Department Is Out Of Control (6m 53s)— YOUTUBE.COM
   7. MIKE: I think that this is an appropriate point in the show for me to make some comments of my own.
      1. MIKE: Kristi Neom is just one of a horrible batch of incompetent, ideologically-motivated, law-breaking Trumpian cabinet appointments that the Senate confirmed with all or mostly Republican support.
      2. MIKE: The senators who voted to confirm Noem and her ilk need to own their votes and their responsibilities for all subsequent official mismanagement, malfeasance, and cruelty committed by these unqualified cabinet members.
      3. MIKE: There should be impeachments of all these secretaries in any case where they violated the law and/or their oaths of office. And in theory at least, time should be of the essence.
      4. MIKE: In the future, barring some unforeseen exceptional circumstances, there is really no need for public senate confirmation hearings, and there should be none. They are merely political shows that no longer serve any real purpose. Perhaps the correct course would be to have senate committees do investigations and background checks that can subsequently be released to the public, explaining why a candidate should, or should not, be confirmed. The media can then report on those findings.
      5. MIKE: There might be some unforeseen, extraordinary need for a public Senate hearing on a nominee, but a nominee should be judged solely on what they’ve previously said and done. Anything they say at a Senate nomination hearing should be considered obfuscation and window dressing for what they think senators want you to hear.
      6. MIKE: It actually wasn’t until the mid-20^th century that public hearings in the Senate for presidential nominations started to become routine, and I’m afraid that they’ve mostly deteriorated from legitimate fact-finding into political performances for speeches and softball questions by senators whose minds — for good or ill — have already been made up.
      7. MIKE: This brings us to the question of whether a president saying that he might decline to protect and defend the US Constitution in violation of his oath of office should by itself be grounds for impeachment.
      8. MIKE: Note that in September of 2020, Trump waffled in an interview about whether he would ensure a peaceful transfer of power if he lost the election. On January 6, 2021, he did not peacefully transfer power. In fact, with his passive or active cooperation, his followers attempted to overthrow the 2020 election. In blunt language, all evidence revealed so far is that Trump conducted an attempted coup d’état.
      9. MIKE: Trump has certainly demonstrated his contempt for law and the Constitution in the past and in the present, but to hear him say it in so many words should force a call for his immediate impeachment. This should not be a partisan issue, and it is itself a Constitutional crisis that it is a partisan issue.
      10. MIKE: Then there’s the problem of federal law enforcement acting upon the orders of those in higher authority when those orders might be requiring federal officers to commit illegal or immoral acts.
      11. MIKE: Thanks to the ubiquity of smart phone video, we have seen ICE agents and other so-called law-enforcement commit violent acts against otherwise innocent people — sometimes US citizens and legal residents, or sometimes against people with legal visas, and sometimes against otherwise innocent undocumented immigrants.
      12. MIKE: These law enforcement agents have destroyed private property. They’ve swept people off the street wearing masks and plain clothes, while failing to identify themselves. And they have done so without documentation proving that due process has taken place for their actions
      13. MIKE: These are things that occur in a police state, not in the United States. At least, not until now.
      14. MIKE: Even worse, Trump has now demanded that elected representatives — mainly Democrats — be arrested for essentially trying to do their jobs.
      15. MIKE: The Nuremberg Trials that took place after World War 2 set the precedent that “just following orders” is not a defense. In many cases, people who were “just following orders” were imprisoned or even hanged for their crimes against humanity.
      16. MIKE: Then there’s the Department of Justice, which has fallen completely under the thrall of King Donny Two-dolls. The DOJ — originally created by an act of Congress and therefore subject to the will of Congress — should be put under the Judiciary, and the Attorney General should be separately elected.
      17. MIKE: This will obviously not happen under our current Trump-controlled and gutless Republican Congress, but should be seriously considered if and when Democrats are back in control.
      18. MIKE: Some of what’s occurring in our country today raises again the question of the need for Universal National Service.
      19. MIKE: A possible reason to have Universal National Service is that the individuals who choose to serve in the military as their National Service will exercise that obligation as “citizen soldiers” who might be more inclined to refuse to follow illegal or unconscionable orders.
      20. MIKE: Professional soldiers — whom I respect for their bravery and competence — are perhaps more likely to obey questionable orders because of their training and personal inclinations. Would the same be true of so-called “citizen soldiers”?
      21. MIKE: Is it possible that “citizen soldiers”, even after military indoctrination, would be less predisposed to a military mindset, and would be more likely to disobey questionable orders?
      22. MIKE: This is a question that, under current circumstances, might be worth reconsidering.
      23. MIKE: Now, along the lines I’ve discussed that appear to symbolize our rapid slide toward a literal police state, the first judge has been arrested under questionable circumstances. The mayor of Newark has been arrested on what appear to be Trumped up charges; and that phrase should take on a whole new meaning from this time, forward. And King Trump demands that Democratic, and democratically-elected, representatives of Congress be arrested.
   8. That’s appropriately our next story, from AXIOS-dot-COM — Trump admin eyes arrests for House Dems over ICE incident; By Andrew Solender | AXIOS.COM | May 10, 2025. TAGS: Democratic members of Congress, ICE, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Newark, Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark, Donald Trump,
      1. Democratic members of Congress who were part of a scuffle with law enforcement officers at an ICE facility in New Jersey may face arrests, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to Axios Saturday.
      2. … It would be a major escalation in the Trump administration’s arrests of politicians and other public servants, including the mayor of Newark and a judge in Milwaukee.
      3. DHS is accusing the House Democrats of assaulting law enforcement. The lawmakers say they were the ones who were assaulted.
      4. The lawmakers involved in the incident: Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Rob Menendez (D-N.J.) and LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.).
      5. … DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a CNN interview on Saturday morning that “there will likely be more arrests coming.”
      6. “We actually have body camera footage of these members of Congress assaulting these ICE enforcement officers, including body slamming a female ICE officer,” she added.
      7. McLaughlin said there is an “ongoing investigation” and that arresting the lawmakers is “definitely on the table.”
      8. She confirmed in a text message to Axios that the House Democrats may be arrested.
      9. [Said a spokesperson for Representative Watson Coleman,] “Threatening to arrest Members of Congress for exercising their lawful oversight authority is another example of this administration abusing its power to try to intimidate anyone who stands up to them.”
      10. The spokesperson said their office has “reviewed the body came [sic] footage” and that it proves [that,] “ICE agents put their hands on Members of Congress … it also proves that DHS has been lying about this incident.”
      11. [The spokesperson for Rep. Watson Coleman continued,]”We’re honestly surprised they released this footage given that it so wholly contradicts their claims. Nobody was ‘body slammed’ nobody ‘assaulted’ any agents, and this footage confirms that.”
      12. DHS posted to social media a video that it said proved [Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver] assaulted an ICE officer.
      13. … McIver said at a press conference Friday after the incident that she was “assaulted by multiple ICE officers while regional directors of ICE watched it happen.”
      14. [McIver added,] “Nobody offered an apology or said anything to me about what occurred out here.”
      15. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) stood by his members in a statement saying, “the masked agents who physically accosted two Congresswomen must be identified immediately.”
      16. [This is what happened at the event in question:] The lawmakers and ICE officers got into a physical confrontation over the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for allegedly trespassing at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark.
      17. The Democrats were there protesting the reopening of the facility to hold migrants, arguing that the private prison company operating it has failed to obtain the proper sanitation and safety permits.
      18. Watson Coleman told reporters after a tour of the facility on Friday that the conditions “aren’t bad … it’s clean, they’re feeding them.”
      19. … Democrats have argued that the arrests are unjustified based on laws that prohibit federal resources from being used to impede congressional oversight.
      20. DHS has said that the lawmakers needed to provide advanced notice of their visit, and that a tour would have been facilitated had they done so.
      21. MIKE: When the President of the United States, begins to demand arrests — especially arrests of legal delegates of the House of Representatives — that’s how you know that we are ‘just this close’ to being in a dictatorship.
      22. MIKE: Now, the next time someone knocks on your door late at night or in the early morning hours, they may be coming for you.
      23. MIKE: Yes. I believe we are there.
   9. MIKE: As long as I seem to be in an editorializing mood, let’s talk about the irony of MAGA.
      1. MIKE: Until Donald Trump, America actually was still great. Having the most powerful military in the world is not the only measure of greatness. It may not even be the most important one.
      2. MIKE: Until Donald Trump, the United States was viewed as a reliable and trusted ally. We held global respect for our willingness to feed the hungry. We were often considered to be honest brokers in international disputes.
      3. MIKE: In short, the United States had a deep well of respect for our ‘soft power’.
      4. MIKE: It was Trump who made the first serious cracks in the wall of American greatness, which it was up to Joe Biden to try to patch.
      5. MIKE: Trump may now be creating the final structural failures in American greatness. Then, it will really be a major task to make America great again after the terrible damage that Trump has done to our greatness in economic power, soft diplomatic power, moral power, and military power.
      6. MIKE: It make take generations, if ever.
      7. MIKE: And make no mistake. Military power ultimately comes from economic power. That is the very power that Trump is putting in real-time danger.
      8. MIKE: Countries, including even Canada and those in NATO, are now seriously reconsidering their reliance on US weapons, ranging from guns and tanks to fighter aircraft like the F-35.
      9. MIKE: This will have far-reaching consequences for our military and for our defense industries.
      10. MIKE: It will make weapons development and manufacture much more difficult and expensive. International competition for these industries will become more fierce.
      11. MIKE: The US will likely get less allied technical and cost participation, and the costs of weapons procurement will be more expensive due to reduced foreign sales.
      12. MIKE: In short, our newfound allies’ distrust of us will have real and almost immediate consequences.
      13. MIKE: These consequences will extend to the realm of national security due to a reduction in shared intelligence from our allies, who may now feel more like tentative or transactional allies.
      14. MIKE: Why should these formally rock-solid allies risk their intelligence with us when we may betray their methods and sources at any time upon the whim of a change of administration?
      15. MIKE: The short answer is, maybe they shouldn’t.
   10. MIKE: Now, one last thing I want to address is so-called “Trump Derangement Syndrome” which is what MAGAs claim afflicts liberals. In fact, I think it’s more applicable to the MAGAs themselves.
       1. MIKE: Liberals and others who doubt and fear Trump are actually acting upon perfectly rational, provable concerns about a man who has historically flouted and broken the law.
       2. MIKE: Trump is in fact a convicted felon, as well as a man who has been found civilly liable for sexual assault, and who now flouts national law, Constitutional law, and court rulings.
       3. MIKE: These followers of the Trump-MAGA cult are the actual victims of Trump Derangement Syndrome. It’s up to liberals, and whomever opposes Trump and his policies, to take that term away from cultists and turn it around on them.
   11. Now, back to some news — Senate overturns EPA rule on seven highly toxic air pollutants; By Maxine Joselow | WASHINGTONPOST.COM | May 1, 2025. TAGS: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Hazardous Air Pollutants, Clean Air Act, Toxic Air Pollutants,
       1. The Senate voted [on May 1^st] to overturn an Environmental Protection Agency rule limiting the seven most hazardous air pollutants emitted by chemical plants, oil refineries and other industrial facilities, reversing one of President Joe Biden’s major environmental regulations.
       2. The 52-46 vote delivers a key victory to major companies and trade groups in the fossil fuel and petrochemical sectors that had lobbied against the regulation. It also marks the first time in the Clean Air Act’s 55-year history that Congress has scaled back protections under the landmark environmental law.
       3. John Curtis (R-Utah) introduced the resolution under the Congressional Review Act, which allows lawmakers to nullify a regulation within 60 days of its enactment with a simple majority vote. The House is expected to pass the same resolution, and President Donald Trump has signaled he will sign it into law.
       4. The EPA rule dictates that once a facility emits any of the seven toxic air pollutants at unsafe levels, it must always maintain strict pollution controls, even if its emissions later drop to safe levels. Inhaling even small amounts of these pollutants — including mercury, alkylated lead, and dioxins — can cause cancer, brain damage, and other serious health effects.
       5. Environmentalists have strongly supported the regulation, saying it has protected public health in poor and minority communities that are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy air. But business groups have criticized the rule, saying it has imposed burdensome requirements for companies to monitor, report, and reduce their emissions.
       6. According to an analysis by the environmental law firm Earthjustice, the regulation has compelled more than 1,800 facilities nationwide to curb their pollution.
       7. [Said Nathan Park, a legislative representative at Earthjustice,] “Repealing this rule would be such a giveaway to corporate polluters. These facilities could increase their toxic pollution without any accountability or oversight.”
       8. Jo Banner, co-director and co-founder of the nonprofit Descendants Project, said [that] scrapping the rule could particularly harm her community of St. John the Baptist Parish in Louisiana. The majority-Black parish lies in a stretch of Louisiana known as “Cancer Alley” because of the many industrial facilities there.
       9. Across the Mississippi River from her neighborhood, Banner can sometimes see pollution billowing from an oil refinery and an aluminum plant. Four of her neighbors either are battling cancer or recently recovered from the disease. Though it is nearly impossible to prove the cause of these cases, a robust body of scientific evidence has linked air pollution to an increased risk of numerous types of cancer.
       10. [Banner said,] “Any time the wind shifts, all of this pollution is coming over to our community. This impacts our community first and worst.”
       11. Business groups, however, have assailed the rule as burdensome. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), a trade group representing 14,000 companies across the country, has led the charge. In a letter sent to Trump one month after the 2024 election, the group included the rule in a list of regulations that it said were “strangling our economy” and should be reversed.
       12. Chris Phalen, the NAM’s vice president for domestic policy, argued in an interview that despite its intent, the rule has disincentivized companies from curbing their pollution.
       13. [MIKE: I want you to listen carefully to the arguments about to be made by the NAM vice president and Senator Curtis:]
       14. [Phalen said,] “We believe the EPA should be rewarding good behavior by encouraging manufacturers to reduce their emissions, and getting rid of the ‘Once In, Always In’ rule will restore the pathway to a win-win outcome: reduced compliance costs on industry for improved environmental outcomes.”
       15. Curtis, the senator, agreed, saying in a statement: “EPA’s current rule eliminates any incentive for major polluters to deploy new technologies to clean up. It effectively told the worst emitters, ‘Don’t worry about coming into compliance — you will never be reclassified.’ That’s backwards.”
       16. [MIKE: With all due respect (assuming any is due), that sounds like a lot of contradictory, double-talk baloney. Continuing with the story …]
       17. The battle over the rule dates to 1995, when a top EPA air official under President Bill Clinton issued a memo establishing a policy known as “Once In, Always In.” The policy dictated that once a facility is classified as a “major source” of 187 air pollutants, it must always meet strict emissions limits, even if it is later reclassified.
       18. During Trump’s first term, the EPA unofficially ended this policy in 2018 and formally revoked it in 2020. The Biden administration never fully reinstated the Clinton-era memo covering all 187 pollutants, opting instead to target the seven most hazardous pollutants in a rule finalized last year.
       19. While Trump’s EPA could have rolled back the Biden-era rule, that regulatory process could have taken years, whereas lawmakers can act immediately under the Congressional Review Act.
       20. Also [on the same day], the House passed another Congressional Review Act resolution that would block California from banning sales of new gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035. It is unclear whether the Senate will follow suit.
       21. MIKE: So much for making America healthy again.
       22. MIKE: Industry doesn’t want to make America healthy again. It wants to make money hand-over-fist without interference again. Trump and his minions are just their puppet enablers.
   12. I’m going to end this show with a bit of a feel-good story. From KHOU-dot-COM — Houston woman’s cat quinceañera goes viral, unexpectedly saves local shelter; By Anayeli Ruiz (KHOU) | KHOU.COM | Published: 9:49 PM CDT May 9, 2025/Updated: 10:25 PM CDT May 9, 2025. TAGS: Quinceañera, Cats, Cat Rescue, No-Kill Shelters,
       1. A Houston woman’s decision to throw a quinceañera celebration for her cat has captured the internet’s attention and unexpectedly helped save a struggling animal rescue organization.
       2. Miranda Gonzalez recently hosted an elaborate 15th birthday celebration for her cat Holly Marie Gonzalez, complete with a custom dress, mariachi band, and a remote-controlled [miniature] Bentley for the grand entrance. The event has garnered over 21 million views online.
       3. [Gonzalez said about her beloved pet,] “I rescued Holly when she was 6 months old. I had her before I had children. She is really my first born.”
       4. [So as] Holly approached her 14th birthday, Gonzalez decided it was time to plan something special. 
       5. [She explained,] “All right, it’s time. I have a year. Everyone was doing this,”.
       6. The celebration featured all the traditional elements of a quinceañera including padrinos (sponsors) for various aspects of the event, a guestbook with a bible and rosary, and even a father-daughter dance. 
       7. [Gonzalez said,] “It was a quinceañera. I really wanted to go all out to celebrate my love for her.”
       8. Beyond the celebration itself, Gonzalez used the occasion as an opportunity to give back. 
       9. [She said,] “We are very blessed to have everything. Let’s donate to a rescue.”
       10. The beneficiary was Almost Home Cat Haven, a local rescue organization housing more than 100 cats that relies entirely on donations to operate. Deena Urich, Managing Director of Almost Home Cat Heaven, said the shelter had been on the verge of closing before Holly’s quinceañera changed everything.
       11. [Urich said,] “It has been a ride all week long. We have been blessed beyond. Every time we think ‘I don’t know if I can keep doing this’, some blessing will drop in. And this time it was Miranda, her family, and Holly’s blessed day she got to have.”
       12. Thanks to the viral attention and subsequent donations from strangers around the world, Almost Home Cat Heaven is now back on [a] stable footing. When asked what she would like to tell those who donated, Urich simply said, “Thank you… Bless you.”
       13. The story demonstrates how one woman’s celebration of her rescue cat has transformed into a lifeline for dozens of other cats in need.
       14. [Gonzalez said of Holly’s reaction to her special day,] ” She loved it, she really did”
       15. From viral sensation to real-life hero, Holly proves that love, glitter, and a remote-control Bentley can make a meaningful difference in the world.
       16. Those interested in supportingAlmost Home Cat Haven can find donation information here.
       17. MIKE: If you go to the original story that I’ve linked to in this blog post, there are numerous adorable videos that you can watch, making you both smile and tear up, maybe at the same time.

   There’s always more to discuss, but that’s all we have time for today. You’ve been listening to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig from KPFT Houston 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2, and Huntsville 91.9-HD2. We are Houston’s Community Media. I hope you’ve enjoyed the show and found it interesting, and I look forward to sharing this time with you again next week. Y’all take care!

That’s all we have time for today. You’ve been listening to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig from KPFT Houston 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2, and Huntsville 91.9-HD2. We are Houston’s Community Media. I hope you’ve enjoyed the show and found it interesting, and I look forward to sharing this time with you again next week. Y’all take care!

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