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Friday, October 16, 2026

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James Talarico: We are often told that the only way to tackle the deficit or the debt is on the backs of working people -- and that's not true. We can close the deficit by closing billionaire tax loopholes.

[image or embed]

-- Team Talarico (@teamtalaricohq.bsky.social) 9:16 PM · Oct 14, 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

Texas officials are now reporting that a "GLITCH" is now holding off 600,000 voter registrations. Just as early voting is to begin on Monday.

electionlawblog.org

nytimes.com

newrepublic.com

#11 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-16 12:33 AM | Reply

@btucukertime

News reports out of Texas are like:

"Talarico is running on a broad agenda with proposals to cap credit card rates, cut middle-class taxes, lower prices, and assist people with their first down payment on a home."

"Ken Paxton is running on an agenda that Talarico is a "----."

#12 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-10-16 12:59 AM | Reply

@#10 ... He's been saying the same things for years ...

I do not disagree.

But of late, the comments seem to be more, I'll say, emphatic.

Again, I am not criticizing the candidate, but the campaign process that we have become accustomed to.


#13 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-16 01:02 AM | Reply

@#13 ... Again, I am not criticizing the candidate ...

... and if I were to venture into the Texas Senatorial race, my first comment might be along the lines of ...

AG Paxton? WTF were the Republicans thinking? Their choice seems to indicate a total lack of thought or morality.

In deep red Texas, the Republicans are scrambling to keep up.

Wow, just friggin' wow.

But I won't go there ...



#14 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-16 01:08 AM | Reply

New Model Army - White Coats (1989)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ..

genius.com

...
Well, we know what makes the flowers grow, but we - We don't know why
And we all have the knowledge of DNA, but we still die
We perch so thin and fragile here upon the land
And the earth that moves beneath us, we don't understand

[Verse]
So we rush towards the Judgement Day, when she reclaims
A toast to the Luddite martyrs then, who died in vain
Down at the lab they're working still, finishing off

[Hook]
How do we tell the people in the white coats
Enough is enough, is enough, is enough, is enough, is enough?
...


#15 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-10-16 01:12 AM | Reply

"Texas officials are now reporting that a "GLITCH" is now holding off 600,000 voter registrations"

Paging BillJohnson. Remind us how many voters you're willing to suppress ... .

Remember: Texas, no slouch in prosecuting illegal aliens voting, has recorded 27 convictions over the past 40 years. Are they not trying? Are they inept? Or, are they looking and looking and looking, and can't find any?

#16 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-10-16 01:25 AM | Reply

Wow, just friggin' wow.

But I won't go there ...

#14 | POSTED BY LAMPLIGHTER

Austin is nice. I hear San Antonio is affordable.

#17 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-10-16 12:47 PM | Reply

I lived in Austin for several years after I left the Silicon Valley; Austin was being touted as the 'Third Coast' for IT development in the early 80's... talked to Michael Dell once on the phone, and or his brother, I can't remember which.

Better yet I saw SRV perform at a tiny venue on the main drag, it was awesome!

Caucused for Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow Coalition.

My daughter was 6 mos old when we got there and we did all the new parent stuff around town and the river/lake, it was just starting get crowded, though, and we moved to New England after afew years.

San Antonio with the Riverwalk downtown and the Hill Country were also great places.

#18 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-16 01:25 PM | Reply

#2 | Posted by Corky

I just saw Elon Musk has poured $130,000,000 into Ken Paxton's campaign.

(insert reflex right wing retort about George Soros, who's a nickel-dime donor compared to Musk)

#19 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-10-16 01:33 PM | Reply

"No, James Talarico does not explicitly call for reducing government spending in other domestic or discretionary sectors. Instead, his deficit-reduction strategy focuses almost entirely on increasing revenue from the wealthy and cutting specific foreign military expenditures."

Unfortunately that's not an effective plan. Tax capital gains as income, estate tax to 77%, corporate rate to 35%, eliminate social security tax cap and it's still only 29.2% of the income needed to zero the deficit, without worrying about paying it off.

#20 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-16 01:35 PM | Reply

a democrat running for the senate is promising to raise taxes on the other guy and cut defense spending?

blows up my skirt.........LOL

If I were in Texas, I'd vote for Talarico but not because of the oldest and expected promises made by all democrats when running for office.

#21 | Posted by eberly at 2026-10-16 01:45 PM | Reply


Unfortunately that's not an effective plan. Tax capital gains as income, estate tax to 77%, corporate rate to 35%, eliminate social security tax cap and it's still only 29.2% of the income needed to zero the deficit, without worrying about paying it off.

#20 | POSTED BY SITZKRIEG

What about tax capital gains & income 100%, estate tax to 100%, corporate rate to 100%, 100% tax on wealth, & eliminate social security payments?

What about that?

#22 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-10-16 02:19 PM | Reply


(insert reflex right wing retort about George Soros, who's a nickel-dime donor compared to Musk)
#19 | POSTED BY AMERICANUNITY

The difference is Soros funded DA's which were fundamentally against safety for the general population.

#23 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-10-16 02:21 PM | Reply

What about tax capital gains & income 100%

#22 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-10-16 02:19 PM | Reply | Flag:

While hilarious conceptually, would immediately tank the value of the stock to begin with and then nobody gets ----.

#24 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-16 02:24 PM | Reply

The difference is Soros funded DA's which were fundamentally against safety for the general population.

#23 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-10-16 02:21 PM | Reply

Musk is funding the guy that gets the minimums for pedophiles, as long as they're donors.

#25 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-16 02:31 PM | Reply

Speaking of Austin:

AUSTIN (KXAN) " Austin Energy wants to help pay for your next electric vehicle.

Through its updated and expanded e-bike rebate program, Austin Energy customers can receive rebates that range from hundreds of dollars to more than a thousand dollars.

Eligible vehicles include electric scooters, bikes, mopeds, and e-motos.

The possible rebates include:

Up to $600 for individual customers
Up to $800 per vehicle for fleet customers purchasing 5-25 vehicles
Up to $1,300 for participants in Austin Energy's Customer Assistance Program

"We wanted to provide a more affordable way for people to get from point A to point B in the city," Bobby Godsey, the electric vehicle program outreach manager with Austin Energy, said.

"The community tasked us with being net zero emissions by 2040, so this is an opportunity for us to help our citizens go electric sooner rather than later."

more

www.kxan.com

#26 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-16 02:40 PM | Reply

Bold choice. Teenagers on small electric dirt bikes are the plague of high schools right now, and scooter riders the plague of college campuses.

#27 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-10-16 02:47 PM | Reply

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