https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2008-01-08/579192/

BATPAC Swoops Into Austin

By Wells Dunbar, January 8, 2008, 9:14am, Newsdesk

Da-nah-nuh-nah-nuh-nah-nuh-nah-nuh!
Da-nah-nuh-nah-nuh-nah-nuh-nah-nuh!
BATPAC!

The somewhat dubiously dubbed BATPAC, or Better Austin Today political action committee makes their inaugural appearance today at City Hall. Says their press release, the BATPAC is "a broad coalition comprised of city leaders from neighborhood, environment, social equity, small/local business, social services, civil liberties, and various others." It's truly a who's who of progressive, riled up Austin: love 'ems or hate 'ems from Responsible Growth for Northcross, the Austin Neighborhoods Council, the ACLU, SOS, the Gray Panthers, Stop Domain Subsidies, and parts elsewhere. Not to mix our nerd metaphors here, but essentially, the BATPAC fancies themselves one ring to rule them all, all being Liberal Austin.

Yours truly is entirely receptive to their message that City Council needs to listen more to the people of Austin and less to lobbyists, developers and corporate interests. But I'm also mildly unnerved by the will to power here, to what end this progressive sphere (including the Domain zealots) will be used, to further whose interests. I'll leave it to the commenters – I'm looking at you, Seriously, and A CONCERNED CITIZEN – to further hash that out.

The press conference is noon today, in City Hall's media room.