Former TCEQ Commissioner Larry Soward says the dispute over the Texas flexible air permitting program not working can be easily fixed if the TCEQ will just listen to the EPA’s concerns and go from there. “Get on with the business of getting the program compliant with the Federal Clean Air Act and get those permits that have been issued that are not compliant, get those adjusted to make them compliant.” Soward says changing the air permitting program to make it compliant won’t cost the state jobs. “These same companies are operating in other states with fully compliant air programs, they’re not losing jobs, the companies aren’t moving away or shutting down, and the same will be true with Texas.”
Soward was appointed Commissioner by Rick Perry in 2003. Here's what Perry said in his speech at Soward's oath of office ceremony:
I know Larry Soward is the right person to serve as a Commissioner at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality because I have worked side by side with him for many years...By virtue of more than 25 years of public service in high-level positions, and his background in environmental and water law, Larry Soward is imminently qualified to serve as the newest TCEQ Commissioner.
You could say this just by looking at his resume, but I know it because I have gotten to know the tremendous person that Larry is. Larry is a humble, hardworking Texan who believes in providing great customer service to the citizens of this state, and who has a deep and abiding love for the natural resources we must protect: the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, and the land that we live upon...
Larry is a good man and a devoted public servant. Texas is blessed to have him.
Rick Perry's land deal has put Texas' Governor into criminally dangerous legal territory, jeopardizing his campaign and thrusting the 10-year incumbent into a political scandal we haven't seen in Texas since the days of Sharpstown.
Rick Perry made $572,238 off of a land deal thanks to his political buddies. From the DMN:
The Dallas Morning News found evidence that Perry's investment was enhanced by a series of professional courtesies and personal favors from friends, campaign donors and the head of a Texas family with a rich history of political power-brokering.
Perry spokesman Mark Miner refuses to answer media questions about the land deal. Perry himself has brushed off the charge, but rumors are that top advisors in his campaign team have gone into lockdown to figure out how to handle the allegations. It may only be a matter of time before law enforcement agencies are brought in to investigate the charges themselves -- much like they've done with political criminals across the country.
What exactly did Perry do? Here's Part One: a recap of the land deal, focusing on exactly how Perry profited $572,238 on this scandal. Tomorrow, I'll post Part Two, which looks more closely at some of the friends in high places Perry got involved to help him make a profit.
The following news sources were used for the summary, which you can find below the fold:
The Annie E Casey Foundation released rankings with regards to a child's well-being and, unfortunately, Texas ranked 34th out of 50 states. That's a devastating indictment against the policies that career politicians like Rick Perry, and Republicans in the legislature, have championed for more than a decade. Texas' most vulnerable citizens, our children, have been left behind by the GOP.
According to the foundations report, the following statistics represent the condition of Texas children:
23% of Texas children live in poverty conditions
Texas ranks 48th in teen births
1/3 of Texas children, 33%, grow up in single parent homes
Don't you think it's time, particularly at a period when Texas Government has a conservative estimate of an $18 billion dollar shortfall facing the next legislative session, that we elect leaders who care about Texas's future? Most importantly what about electing leaders who care about Texas children? The two are synonymous with opportunity, growth, and long-term success.
We have had one-party domination of the governor's mansion since 1994. One Party has been in charge while these statistics continued to worsen. In a Republican legislative budget with an $18 billion dollar shortfall, how much worse will the lives of Texas children continue and get when more services will be cut? It's a fair question and most certainly a fair assessment of who one should vote for in November.
The Bill White campaign launched their latest TV ad, directed specifically at the San Antonio market, where he was born:
From the campaign's press release:
In the ad, Bill White describes growing up in San Antonio as the son of schoolteachers. White's mother and father taught in San Antonio public schools for decades and also taught Sunday school. White's father, a disabled WWII veteran, held down two jobs. Both of White's parents taught Bill and his brother Robert the value of hard work and a good education and taught them that "you have to give more than you take."
I think it's probably about that time in the campaign season, just before you hit the August beat down that activists in Texas tend to have, where we tap the brakes twice, take three breaths, and get ready to take a step forward.
A great many activists have expressed disappointment because our Democratic Candidate for Texas Governor, Bill White,will not appear with Democratic President Barack Obama. The President -- for who I donated, block walked, phone banked and voted for -- appears to be swooping in for the traditional hand in the cash register moment that happens every election cycle, so often that Texas Democrats have come to be immune to these sort of fundraisers.
I don't blame Bill White a bit for not going; this is not only smart political strategy, its smart personally, too. I want to explain why - and then also give others the chance to weigh in with their thoughts, because as I discovered bringing this up just among other BOR writers, there are lots of ways of thinking about this trip.
The fact is that right now President Obama is unpopular for most southern Democratic candidates, both incumbent and challenger, due to his sagging popularity nationally. We love our President and we support him, but he sure ain't helping our cause right now politically. That's not our fault, and it's not really the President's, either. He has - in the words of one speaker from Netroots - stood up and offered to drive the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. A great many of us have done plenty to help in any capacity we can and we continue to do so today.
But politically speaking, the best way we keep championing the policies and priorities of our party is to avoid visits that drive a wedge into state-focused races. That's true in some other states, but is especially true of Texas where the President is even less popular. Given those political realities, Bill White made the only move he could make. His is not a campaign about Washington; his is a campaign about Texas and its future. Bill White said those words at our state convention in Corpus Christi. Don't you remember? Nothing has changed; this IS the campaign about Texas and its future. These DNC fundraisers are a convenient reminder to us all that we Texas Democrats operate a different political and party strategy than Washington does. That makes White's decision that much more impressive, if you ask me.
Personally speaking, we know by White's record, his public statements, the way he governs, and most certainly the way he leads, that Bill is simply a different type of Democrat than our friends at the DNC. We are Texas Democrats! And we think differently, strategize differently, message differently, organize differently, mobilize differently, and it's about time that our years of work get respected and appreciated. We Texas Democrats have worked to rebuild our Party here for quite some time without the DNC's help. Although we have struggled, a great many of us have the scars and memories of how hard it took for us to get here, and appreciate that we are in a position to make a serious run not just for the governorship, but the legislature as well. Bill White made the right move not only for himself, but for Texas Democrats.
If it were up to me, everyone would tap the breaks a bit here, take three very deep breaths, and get ready to take a step forward again. We've got a great deal of work ahead of ourselves. We have the hot August weather, the September blur, October sprint, and early November Red Bull and 5 Hour Energy moments ahead of ourselves. The sweetest moment of all won't come from a high-dollar fundraiser. It will come from the exuberant feeling we'll all have when Texas Democrats win with Bill White, when we win back the legislature, and when we remind the rest of the Democratic Party that we Texas Democrats know how to win too!
Last year, I wrote a post about why I loved my first Netroots Nation. Today, back from my second trip with more ideas for projects than ever before -- and with only 99 days until the election -- I feel compelled to follow Matt's lead and share my energy and enthusiasm for what made the trip so great.
The election is less than a 100 days from now. Netroots Nation is over. The time for talk is over. Now, it's time to win.
Texas is in a tough spot. Rick Perry's 10 years in the Governor's mansion has given us two different budget shortfalls. The first time, budget cuts came on the backs of children and the working poor. They're not doing better under Perry's reign.
Now, we have another $18 billion shortfall. Even if we got rid of Rick Perry's two slush funds, we would be $17,899,000 away from a balanced budget. So who do you think is at risk under 4 more years of Perry and Dewhurst? Do you think it will hurt BP or the family that runs the corner market? Do you think Perry is going to stop dolling out political favors to Merck and Mike Toomey or do you think he is going to put a tighter grip around the throats of small businesses?
Needless to say, I am both mad as hell and fired up.
Texas is a competitive state this year. Thanks to Bill White, Loretta Haldenwang, Pati Jacobs, Kendra Yarbrough Camarena, two great candidates for State Board of Education (Judy Jennings and Rebecca Bell-Metereau) and the hundreds of local candidates across our state.
Two nights ago, Al Franken reminded a massive crowd at Netroots Nation, we can either roll over and die to make way for Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell or, we can fight and win and November.
I am tired of pundits and politicos saying that it'll be too hard to be worth it. I am tired of reading that Texans can't win so we should give up.
When Tom DeLay, Tom Craddick, Rick Perry, and David Dewhurst disenfranchised tens of thousands of minority voters for partisan gains, Democrats fought. The Killer D's went to New Mexico and Oklahoma to say enough is enough and no Democrat that fought for the rights of Texans lost.
Not a single one.
Now, in 2010, times are tough and Democrats are sitting on the side line. Yes, George Bush is gone. Health Care has passed. We have won a few policy battles over the last 18 months. But Texas isn't blue. With 3 or 4 new congressional seats on the horizon, we have no voice in the redistricting process and rather than fighting and winning the November, we see people giving up.
Simply and bluntly... that's bullshit. Seriously. Get off your ass and let's get to work.
The Democratic Governor's Association has a new site, Fight the Right in 2010 and a new video to go along with it.
It's time to get motivated. It's time to win. What we saw in 20008 was when we asked friends and family to give up a little time or money, they would. We also found, when we ask friends and total strangers to get out and vote... they would.
We know how to win. We know what to do. Now, we need to do it.
The Republican Party wants you to believe this election year is lost. That Democrats will lose every race. They want you to think a new era of Tea Party politics is here and John Cornyn, Pete Sessions, Rick Perry and Sarah Palin are the new faces of national politics. There is only one state that can stop them. Imagine how different our world would be if George Bush had lost to Ann Richards. Imaging the Lone Star state stopping the rise of the neoconservative wing of the Republican Party.
We have the next era of radical, far-right Republicans being born and bread in the halls of our government. It is time for us to say we will not surrender. It is time for us to stop ceding the high ground on the eve of redistricting.
This election is not over until 7:00 p.m. November 2nd and with 99 days until the election, it is time to campaign and win in 2010. Don't listen to the Republican echo chamber. Ignore them and we will win.
Last night in Las Vegas, Linda Chavez-Thompson not only lit up the auditorium in front of a crowd of 2000 eager progressives, she also lit up the currents in which online activism thrives, becoming a trending topic on Twitter and earning the attention--and money--of anyone paying attention online. Also paying attention was Politico, who quoted her this morning in their Netroots Nation wrap-up as saying, "The old way of doing politics is done. This is the new thing. If you don't embrace it, you lose out on a whole new way to get your message out."
The old way is done, indeed. Chavez-Thompson didn't just deliver a speech last night, she delivered a leader. In an unhurried, eighteen minute speech, Chavez-Thompson took her time, weaving the tale of a come-from-behind underdog who now has the power, drive and (my words, not hers) cojones to make it better. It was the making of a super hero--actually, make that heroine--in a time where both Texans and those squinting toward our state thinking "What the hell is going on down there?" are so desperately in need of one.
(Great live coverage from a big event in Houston. Broad coalition of Texans working for clean air and water! - promoted by Katherine Haenschen)
Hey all, We're live at the Discovery Green in Houston, moments from kicking off the Great Texas Clean Up Festival, what is being touted as the largest environmental event in Houston in decades. That's right, decades!
We'll be updating between acts and speakers, bringing you all the action and all the fun.
Juan Parras of Tejas (tejasbarrios.org) is calling the event a success before it even starts, simply because "it's brought a lot of people from a lot of different backgrounds together to fight for environmental justice."
The speakers' lineup is pretty long and pretty deep- expect some food for thought from Houston Director of Sustainability Laura Spanjian and Representative Ana Hernandez, representing a large portion of the Houston area. We'll give you their comments when they happen!
From the unverified rumor-mill: there are Tea Party protesters nearby.
From the verified rumor-mill: there's a woman working for BP public relations going around with a flip cam asking people if the entire oil industry should be penalized for the spill. Spin much? We're onto you, sister.
Note: It's currently 105 degrees, but we've still got a turnout from people concerned with cleaning up Texas and having a good time (at the same time, of course). We'll be right back!
While Matt, Katherine, MIchael, and Phillip are in the air on their way into Las Vegas for the 5th Annual Netroots Nation conference, I thought I'd do a big round-up of stories from across Texas. If you'd like to follow us while we're here at the conference, you can subscribe to our individual Twitter feeds or the BOR Staff Twitter List.
While he was at last year's Netroots Nation conference, Bill White is staying in Texas this time and will be campaigning in 18 East Texas towns this week. It may be the more politic thing for him to be doing (just like skipping out on meeting with President Obama when he's in Texas). Granted, the White campaign isn't particularly Netroots oriented, but he will be missed.
edit: Bill White does have staff at Netroots, including their primary communications guy who's worked with media and bloggers. Plus he's got an event Thursday that involves a very large pizza.
