NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Can casino gambling and sports betting be legal in Texas? Also, Congressmen from North Texas discussed President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. CBS 11 political reporters cover these stories and more in this week's episode of An Eye on Politics (original air date: February 9).
Each week, CBS 11 Political Reporter Jack Fink covers some of the biggest political stories making headlines in North Texas and beyond. Watch the latest episode of Eye on Politics in the video above, and stream the new episode live every Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. on CBS News DFW.
The State of the Union
President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address this week. He emphasized the economy, and his speech turned tense and controversial when the president discussed the nation's debt.
Last month, the President spoke of job growth and an unemployment rate of 3.4 percent, the lowest in 50 years.
"We are in better shape now than any other country in the world," President Biden said. “Inflation is going down. Here at home, gas prices are down $1.50 from their peak. Food inflation is falling, not fast enough, but it is falling. Inflation has fallen every month for the past six months while purchases have fallen.”
The US House of Representatives exploded after the President accused some Republican lawmakers of wanting to cut Social Security and health care to reduce the national debt. The national debt is currently $31.5 trillion.
President Biden's speech comes as he faces a divided Congress for the first time in his presidency and is expected to announce a second term in the coming weeks.
After his speech, Congressional Democrats in North Texas gave the President a thumbs-up.
US Rep. Colin Allred, D-TX 32nd District, said: “I think we heard an upbeat President talk about some of the historic achievements he's made in recent years, many of them bipartisan, stemming from the Covid emerged pandemic. whoever gets the land goes back to work."
But Republicans say Americans are still feeling the effects of its second record high in the past year.
U.S. Representative Keith Self, 3rd District R-TX, said: "Americans are mourning around the kitchen table. They know better than to believe what President Biden says tonight because they feel the pain. He can tell it like it is, but Americans know they're not doing well.
CBS News polls continue to show that Americans are most concerned about gas prices and inflation. Opinion polls show most Americans believe Biden's policies have exacerbated gas prices and inflation.
Southwest Airlines' CEO is in the hot seat
The Southwest Airlines CEO has come under fire from lawmakers on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation over the airline's pre-Christmas operational collapse. Thousands of flights have been canceled and tens of thousands of travelers have been stranded, unable to vacation with their families.
In a hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Andrew Waterson, the airline's Dallas-based chief operating officer, heard US senators.
US Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) said: "What happened over Christmas was appalling."
US Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called it an "epic failure."
Captain Casey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, also criticized the airline. "It was an epic top-down blunder."
Watterson twice apologized in court. "Let's be clear, we're distracted."
Pilots and flight attendants said the airline's crew scheduling software was overwhelmed with all the flight cancellations, meaning they couldn't match crews to their planes.
said Murray. “Pilots have been sounding the alarm for more than a decade.
Waterson told Southwest Senators they're spending $1.3 billion, about 25% up from 2019, to improve technology, including workforce scheduling software. "Tomorrow the fix will flow into our production system and be there."
To learn more about the trial, watch the video in the player below.
Casino gambling and sports betting in Texas.
Can Texas Legalize Casino Gambling and Sports Betting? Now legislation has been introduced that would change the Texas Constitution if passed by a majority of lawmakers and then voters.
Republican State Representative Charlie Geren of Fort Worth introduces the HJR 97.
Gerren said: "I think we need it. We lost billions of dollars to Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and Nevada.”
The joint decree would also allow for two resort casinos in the Houston area and one such resort in San Antonio, Corpus Christi and McAllen.
Gerren said: “It's not just a casino, it's a fantastic hotel, restaurant, showroom and shop. All of this creates jobs, but generates a lot of money for the country.”
Opponents include Republican Rep. Matt Shahen of Plano;
“If you look at the other states that have legalized or expanded gambling, they have been promised all these great things in terms of additional revenue and additional economic impact. But nobody talks about the increase in homelessness, the domestic violence, the problems that result. legalized gambling and that is the concern I have.
Listen to Geren and Shaheen in the video below.
looking ahead
Governor Greg Abbott has scheduled a State of the Union address for Thursday evening, February 16th.
It's the speech many state lawmakers have been waiting to see what governors see as priorities or elements of an emergency. Lawmakers can discuss and pass emergency legislation as soon as possible. Another bill cannot be passed 60 days after the beginning of the legislative period.
