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Thursday, October 15, 2026

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"James Talarico rolls out economic agenda that takes aim at "false Gospel of trickle-down economics"

Like his U.S. Senate rival, Ken Paxton, the Austin state lawmaker introduced a plan to address what he called an "affordability crisis." But they differed on who is to blame for rising costs."

"Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico proposed a sweeping economic agenda on Wednesday that called for repealing recent GOP tax cuts for the wealthy and enacting universal childcare, among other policies meant to lower everyday costs.

"We have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis," Talarico said during a nearly 30-minute speech to an audience of 1,300 people in Arlington.

"For too many of our neighbors " for too many Texans " the American dream has become an American nightmare."

"It's time for us to come together across these manufactured divisions, to take on the people at the top who have been screwing us over for far too long," Talarico said.

"That is the movement that we are building here in Texas. This is not a politics of fear. This is not a politics of division. This is a politics of unity, a politics of friendship, a politics of love. This new kind of politics can change our state. It can change our country."

www.texastribune.org

also

www.google.com

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-15 09:53 PM | Reply

"Oct 15, 2026

Billionaires are spending millions to bail out their top puppet, Ken Paxton. These dark money super PACs are flooding the airwaves with lies about me and my record. What do you do when you can't persuade? You lie. What do you do when you won't debate? You hide.

What do you do when you know you're losing? You call on your billionaire backers to bail you out. I know it feels like we're up against a lot to see all this dark money flowing into our state.

But where we could see reason to despair, I see reason to hope. You should believe in our power because they sure do. You should believe that we can make history because they sure do. And you should believe that our movement can beat their money because they sure do."

more from James Talarico SLAMMING Billionaires and Corrupt Politicians

www.youtube.com

Billionaires who pay politicians millions of dollars and receive in return profits of BILLIONS of dollars in tax and other laws and Gov Contracts... should both go to Prison if the mobs don't burn them at the stake first.

#2 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-15 10:10 PM | Reply

At this point in the campaign, his comments are little more than fluff.

They seem to be based more upon the current day-to-day conditions than any manner of a longer-term strategy.

And not just him, but all the candidates at this point, two and a half weeks before election day.

The problem they seem to be facing is that the voters may have already decided.

Not only who they might vote for, but whether or not they may even vote.

Will the Republicans or the Democrats encourage more of their supporters to actually go to the polls?

That's the current question I wish I knew.

And the polls to not seem to reflect that aspect ...

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-15 10:17 PM | Reply

from the thread link transcript:

Chapter 1: The American dream

The American dream has become an American nightmare. It is too expensive to buy a home. It's too expensive to get married and have kids. It's too expensive to retire comfortably. People are working hard every day.

They're playing by the rules. But those rules of today weren't written for us. They were written for billionaires.

We can't afford a home, but Jeff Bezos has at least a dozen. We can't afford to
fill up our tank, but Mark Zuckerberg is launching helicopters off his mega yacht.

One in five Texas children live in poverty. But one of our own residents became the world's first trillionaire.

Those three men now own more wealth than the entire middle class. The top 1% has put the American dream behind a paywall.

Chapter 2: Corporate welfare

I haven't heard a good democratic argument of great let's help people, but how are you pro? There are nasty people. There are welfare queens.

There are nasty people who take advantage of the system and take away from those who earned it, take away from those who need it.

So, how are you going to take that into account?

How are you going to going to make sure we we cover that risk as well?

The biggest welfare queens in this country are the giant corporations that don't pay a penny in federal taxes. The biggest welfare queens are the CEOs who get a tax deduction for flying on a private jet.

It's not hungry kids. It's not working parents who work multiple jobs to provide for their families."

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-15 10:25 PM | Reply

@#4

As I said, late-stage campaign fluff.


:)


#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-15 10:29 PM | Reply

= little more than fluff.

They are apparently important enough to resonate with voters in a state that's been Red for decades now.

There's a few left from that time, like Jim Hightower, but the Anne Francis, Molly Ivans, and Barbara Jordons from back when I grew up there haven't been heard from until James Talarico, and I'm damn glad of it... it's quite refreshing, actually.

#6 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-15 10:33 PM | Reply

@#6 ... They are apparently important enough to resonate with voters in a state that's been Red for decades now. ...

While I do not disagree, the ultimate decision of that resonance will be on Election Day.

Sly & The Family Stone - Everyday People (1968)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

www.azlyrics.com

...
Sometimes I'm right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group I'm in
I am everyday people, yeah, yeah
...


#7 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-15 10:57 PM | Reply

- that resonance will be on Election Day.

Which is better than it has been for, as I said, literally decades.

What's 'fluff' to you is something average everyday Texans haven't been hearing in a very long time.

It's somewhat possible that it might even elect the first Dem US Sen from TX since Lloyd Benson in 1988.

Be careful getting down off of that horse you're up on... apparently it's pretty high.

#8 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-15 11:03 PM | Reply

@#8 ... Which is better than it has been for, as I said, literally decades. ...

I do not disagree.

... What's 'fluff' to you is something average everyday Texans haven't been hearing in a very long time. ...

I called it "fluff" because it seems to be raised with such gravitas only in this late stage of the campaign.

I am commenting upon the tactics of campaigning, not the candidate.

And I have seen similar tactics time and time again across the decades.

Is there a better way for the US to put people into office, besides money-backed candidates and ads?

Yeah, the answer to that question may be a whole different thread ...



#9 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-15 11:16 PM | Reply

= it seems to be raised with such gravitas only in this late stage of the campaign.

He's been saying the same things for years, and from the very beginning of this Campaign; it's NOT some late game 'tactic'.

RELATED NEWS TODAY:

"Trump announces BAD NEWS for Ken Paxton in Texas"

www.youtube.com

wherein Trump posts a really whiny post about how Paxton is LOSING and DJT himself is NOT a Lewzer... with friends like these, who needs enemas?

#10 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-15 11:32 PM | Reply

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