Burnt Orange Report

Dallas Police to Endorse Martin Frost

By Byron LaMasters

From the Martin Frost Press Release:

Dallas Police Officer's Political Action Committee to Endorse Congressman Martin Frost Endorsement Represents Over 2,500 Police Officers

DALLAS, TX - The Dallas Police Officer's Political Action Committee, the largest such law enforcement political organization in Dallas, will announce their endorsement of Congressman Martin Frost for re-election to Congress in the new 32nd district.

Frost will receive the endorsement because of his long-standing commitment to community safety, and his work in supporting the dedicated public servants of the Dallas Police Department.

WHAT: Dallas Police Officer's Political Action Committee Endorsement of Congressman Martin Frost for TX 32

WHERE: Dallas Police Association Building, 1412 Griffin St. East, Dallas (Mapsco 45Q)

WHEN: Tuesday, June 1, 2004, 10:00 AM

Honoring Memorial Day

By Byron LaMasters

I'll borrow from the Free State Standard and use this space to remember all of the men and women from Texas who have paid the ultimate price - their lives - serving their country in Iraq. It's important to remember that when we read the news clips everyday or watch the 15 second sound bytes on CNN about more Americans killed in Iraq, that we be able to understand that these soldiers are more than just a name and number. They left behind families, sons, daughters, wife's and husbands, mother's and father's, and their uncompleted lives. As a tribute to our military, our Veterans and all those who have served America, here is a list of the Texas soldiers who have lost their life in Iraq, via the Houston Chronicle:

2004:

�May 15: Staff Sgt. Rene Ledesma, 34, of Abilene, died in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device exploded near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Ledesma was assigned to the Army's 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood.

�May 8: Spc. Isela Rubalcava, 25, of El Paso, died in Mosul when a mortar round hit near her. Rubalcava was assigned to the 296th Combat Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), out of Fort Lewis, Wash.

�April 19: Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Austin, 21, of Sunray, died from hostile fire in the Al Anbar province in western Iraq. Austin was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

�April 17: Lance Cpl. Ruben Valdez, Jr., 21, of San Diego, was killed with fellow Marines by enemy forces in Al Anbar province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Twentynine Palms, Calif.

�April 17: Army Pfc. Clayton W. Henson, 20, of Stanton, was killed when his convoy was ambushed in Dwaniyan. He was assigned to the Army's 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, in Fort Polk, La.

�April 14: Sgt. Christopher Ramirez, 34, of McAllen, died in Al Anbar province from injuries sustained in combat.

�April 11: Marine Cpl. Daniel R. Amaya, 22, Odessa, died from hostile fire in Anbar province; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

�April 11: Army Chief Warrant Officer Wesley C. Fortenberry, 38, Woodville; one of two soldiers who died when their helicopter was shot down; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood.

�April 10: Sgt. William C. Eckhart, 25, of Rocksprings, died in an explosion in Baqubah.

�April 9: Marine Cpl. Matthew E. Matula, 20, Spicewood; died in fighting; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

�April 9: Marine Lance Cpl. Elias Torrez III, 21, Veribest; died in fighting; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

�April 6: Army Sgt. Gerardo Moreno, 23, who had lived in Winters and Terrell and was assigned to Fort Hood, died in a rocket-propelled grenade attack near Ashula, Iraq.

�April 5: Lance Cpl. Shane L. Goldman, 19, of Orange, died of injuries received from hostile fire in Al Anbar province, Iraq.

�April 3: Army Spc. Robert Arsiaga, 25, of Greenwood, died when his unit's convoy was attacked by Shiite militiamen in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City.

�April 3: Army Spc. Israel Garza, 25, of Lubbock, died when his unit's convoy was attacked by Shiite militiamen in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City.

�April 1: Marine Pfc. Dustin M. Sekula, 18, of Edinburg, died April 1 of injuries sustained from enemy fire in Al Anbar province.

�March 31: Army Spc. Michael Greg Karr Jr., 23, of Garland, was killed when an explosive detonated under the M-113 armored personnel carrier he was riding in north of Fallujah.

�March 31: Army 1st Lt. Doyle M. Hufstedler III, 25, of Abilene, was killed when an explosive detonated under the M-113 armored personnel carrier he was riding in north of Fallujah.

�March 25: Cpl. James A. Casper, 20, of Coolidge, died March 25 in a noncombat-related incident at Al Asad.

�March 17: Army Spc. Tracy L. Laramore, 30, of Greenville died in Baji. He drowned after the Bradley fighting vehicle in which he was riding overturned in a river.

�March 18: Pfc. Ricky A. Morris Jr., 20, of Lubbock, died as a result of enemy action in Al Qaim.

�March 19: Pfc. Jason C. Ludlam, 22, of Arlington died March 19 in Baqubah, when he was electrocuted while laying telephone wires.

�March 11: Staff Sgt. Joe L. Dunigan Jr., 37, of Belton died in Fallujah, when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device.

�Jan. 24: Army Pfc. Ervin Dervishi, 21, of Fort Worth, died when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the Bradley Fighting Vehicle in which he was traveling in Baji.

�Jan. 21: Army Pfc. James Parker, 20, of Bryan, died when a mortar round exploded near him at his compound in Baqubah.

�Jan. 18: Army Master Sgt. Kelly L. Hornbeck, 36, of Fort Worth, died at the 28th Combat Support Hospital of wounds received Jan. 16 when an explosive hit his vehicle south of Samarra.

�Jan. 17: Spc. Larry E. Polley Jr., 20, of Center, died when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle struck a roadside bomb while his unit was conducting a surveillance sweep near the town of Taji, north of Baghdad.

�Jan. 16: Army Staff Sgt. Roland L. Castro, 26, of San Antonio, died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Camp Cedar II.

2003:

�Dec. 28: Army Capt. Ernesto M. Blanco, 28, of San Antonio, died in Qaryat Ash Shababi when an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle.

�Dec. 28: Pvt. Rey D. Cuervo, 24, of Laguna Vista, was killed when an improvised explosive device hit his mounted patrol in Baghdad.

�Nov. 28: Army Sgt. Ariel Rico, 25, of El Paso, was killed in action near Mosul when four mortar shells hit his base.

�Nov. 8: Staff Sgt. Gary L. Collins, 32, of Hardin, killed while riding in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle that hit an improvised explosive device.

�Oct. 13: Army Pfc. Stephen E. Wyatt, 19, of Kilgore, killed in action in Balad when his convoy was hit by an explosive and gunfire.

�Sept. 18: Army Spc. Richard Arriaga, 20, of Ganado and based at Fort Hood, killed in action near Tikrit. He was one of three soldiers killed in a small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade ambush on their Humvee.

�Sept. 11: Army Sgt. Henry Ybarra, III, 32, of Austin, killed in an accident in Balad. He died from injuries sustained when he was changing a tire on his military truck and the tire exploded.

�July 26: Army Sgt. Daniel K. Methvin, 22, of Belton and based at Fort Hood, killed in action in Baghdad when a grenade was thrown from a window of an Iraqi civilian hospital.

�July 24: Army Staff Sgt. Hector R. Perez, 40, of Corpus Christi, killed in action when his military convoy came under fire on the way toward Qayyarah, 185 miles north of Baghdad.

�July 11: Army Spc. Christian C. Schulz, 20, of Colleyville and based in Fort Hood, killed in noncombat-related incident in Baqubah.

�July 9: Army Sgt. Melissa Valles, 26, of Eagle Pass, killed in noncombat-related incident in Balad.

�June 17: Army Pvt. Robert L. Frantz, 19, of San Antonio, killed in action in Baghdad. He was on guard duty when a local resident threw a grenade over the wall.

�June 16: Army Spc. Joseph D. Suell, 24, of Lufkin, killed in a noncombat-related incident in Todjie.

�May 28: Army Spc. Jose A. Perez, III, 22, of San Diego, killed in action in Taji. His convoy was ambushed.

�April 28: Army 1st Sgt. Joe J. Garza, 43, of Robstown, killed in an accident in Baghdad when his Humvee swerved to avoid a civilian vehicle. He fell out and was hit by a civilian vehicle.

�April 7: Air Force Capt. Eric B. Das, 30, of Amarillo, killed in action when the F-15E he was flying went down during a combat mission.

�April 7: Marine Cpl. Jesus Martin Antonio Medellin, 21, of Fort Worth, killed in action in central Iraq. He was riding in an Amphibious Assault Vehicle that was hit by enemy artillery.

�April 7: Army Pfc. Anthony S. Miller, 19, of San Antonio, killed in action.

�April 3: Marine Pfc. Chad E. Bales, 20, of Coahoma, killed in an accident near Ash Shahin. He was involved in a non-hostile vehicle accident during combat operations.

�April 2: Army Master Sgt. George A. Fernandez, 36, of El Paso, killed in action in northern Iraq.

�April 2: Army Chief Warrant Officer Scott Jamar, 32, of Granbury, killed in a helicopter accident in central Iraq. He was in an UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that crashed.

�March 23: Army Sgt. Edward J. Anguiano, 24, of Brownsville, killed in action near Nasiriyah. He was in a convoy on Iraqi Highway 7 that was ambushed before dawn after their convoy made a wrong turn.

�March 23: Army Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto, 18, of El Paso and based at Fort Bliss, killed in action near Nasiriyah. He was in a convoy on Iraqi Highway 7 that was ambushed before dawn after making a wrong turn.

�March 23: Army Spc. James Kiehl, 22, of Comfort and based at Fort Bliss, killed in action near Nasiriyah. He was in the convoy on Iraqi Highway 7 that was ambushed.

�March 23: Army Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal Mata, 35, of El Paso and based at Fort Bliss, killed in action near Nasiriyah. He was in the convoy on Iraqi Highway 7 that was ambushed.

Texas GOP Convention Next Weekend

By Byron LaMasters

They'll meet next weekend to decide who will be their state party chairwoman. It won't particularly matter who wins. We all know who is really in charge of the Texas GOP.... Tom DeLay. Anyway, the AP reports:

It'll be a rematch between two Texas Republican women when the state party selects its next chairman this week.

The Republican Party of Texas meets Thursday through Saturday in San Antonio at what is considered the nation's largest political party convention because of the 10,000 to 12,000 delegates and alternates expected to attend.

Tina Benkiser, a corporate and patent attorney in Houston, is running for a full term as leader of the Texas GOP, a post she was elected to last year when the previous chairman resigned. Gina Parker, a Waco trial lawyer, who also sought the chairmanship in November 2003, seeks it again.

Among other business, Texas Republicans will decide on their 2004 party platform. I doubt that it will have changed much from their 2002 document (PDF file). Here are some of my favorite parts:

Not just "English", but "American English" as our official language: "American English – The Party supports the immediate adoption of American English as the official language of Texas and of the United States of America, while encouraging fluency in additional languages by all citizens."

On the seperation of church and state: "Christian Nation – The Republican Party of Texas reaffirms the United States of America is a Christian nation, which was founded on fundamental Judeo-Christian principles based on the Holy Bible." and "Our Party pledges to do everything within its power to restore the original intent of the First Amendment of the United States and dispel the myth of the separation of Church and State. We support the right of individuals and state and local governments to display the Ten Commandments on public property subject to their control."

On Hate Crimes: "Equality of All Citizens – [...] We believe that the Hate Crimes Law is unnecessary, and that it unconstitutionally creates a lower class of victims. We urge that it be repealed immediately."

On Homosexuality: "Homosexuality – The Party believes that the practice of sodomy tears at the fabric of society, contributes to the breakdown of the family unit, and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable “alternative” lifestyle in our public education and policy, nor should “family” be redefined to include homosexual “couples.” We are opposed to any granting of special legal entitlements, recognition, or privileges including, but not limited to, marriage between persons of the same sex, custody of children by homosexuals, homosexual partner insurance or retirement benefits. We oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values."

On a "Human Life Amendment": "Right To Life – The Party affirms its support for a human life amendment to the Constitution ... We urge the reversal of Roe v. Wade."

On comparing homosexuals to child molesters: "Child Support and Visitation – [...] We also believe; that no homosexual or any individual convicted of child abuse or molestation should have the right to custody or adoption of a minor child, and that visitation with minor children by such persons should be limited to supervised periods."

On phasing out Social Security: "Social Security – The Party supports an orderly transition to a system of private pensions based on the concept of individual retirement accounts, and gradually phasing out the Social Security tax."

On enhancing the power of the religious-right (creationist) controlled SBOE: "Local Control – We call for the abolition of the regulatory authority of the Texas Education Agency and to transfer its responsibilities to the elected State Board of Education (SBOE)." ... "We call on the legislature to abolish the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) and its authority returned to the State Board Of Education"

On Private School Vouchers: "School Choice – The Party encourages the Governor and the Texas Legislature to enact legislation which establishes child–centered school funding options to bring about the maximum freedom of choice in public, private or parochial education"

On the U.S. Department of Education: "U.S. Department of Education – We call for the abolition of the U. S. Department of Education and the prohibition of the transfer of any of its functions to any other federal agency."

On Sex Education that Lies to Students: "Sex Education – The Party recognizes parental responsibility and authority regarding sex education. We support the requirement that schools teaching sex education must teach directive abstinence until heterosexual marriage with an uninfected person as the only safe and healthy means of preventing sexually transmitted diseases, the spread of AIDS, and pregnancies in unwed students, and is also a way to build strong and lasting relationships. Sex education classes, if conducted, should be separated by sex and must teach that the use of condoms does not make sex safe. We support policies that mandate parents must be notified before any sex education course or program is implemented and they must be given an opportunity to review the material and give their consent."

On Corporal Punishment in the Classroom: "Classroom Discipline – [...] Corporal punishment should be used when appropriate and we encourage the legislature to strengthen existing immunity laws respecting corporal punishment. We urge the Texas Legislature, Governor, Commissioner of Education and State Board of Education to remind administrators and school boards that corporal punishment is effective and legal in Texas."

On Bilingual Education: "Bilingual Education – The Party supports the termination of bilingual education programs in Texas."

On teaching "Creation Science": "Scientific Theories – The Party believes that scientific topics, such as the question of universe and life origins and environmental theories, should not be constrained to one opinion or viewpoint. We support the teaching equally of scientific strengths and weaknesses of all scientific theories – as Texas now requires (but has yet to enforce) in public school science course standards. We urge revising all environmental education standards to require this also. We support individual teachers’ right to teach creation science in Texas public schools."

On the Americans with Disabilities Act: "Americans with Disabilities Act – The Party supports amendment of the Americans with Disabilities Act to exclude from its definition those persons with infectious diseases, substance addiction, learning disabilities, behavior disorders, homosexual practices and mental stress thereby reducing abuse of the Act."

On abolishing the IRS and Income Tax: "Federal Tax Reform – The Internal Revenue Service is unacceptable to U. S. taxpayers! The Party urges that the IRS be abolished and the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution be repealed. We further urge that the personal income tax, inheritance (death) tax, gift tax, capital gains, corporate income tax, and payroll tax be eliminated. We recommend the implementation of a national retail sales tax, with the provision that a two-thirds majority of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate is required to raise the rate."

On Worker's Rights: "Workers’ Compensation – The Party calls on our Texas legislators to resist any efforts to make Workers’ Compensation mandatory for all Texas employers."

On the Minimum Wage: "Minimum Wage – The Party believes the Minimum Wage Law should be repealed and that wages should be determined by the free market conditions prevalent in each individual market."

On Ending Just about Every New Deal and Great Society Program, and then some: "Downsizing the Federal Government – The Party supports the downsizing of the federal government in order to re-establish states’ rights guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. We further support the abolition of federal agencies involved in activities not delegated to the federal government under the original intent of the Constitution including, but not limited to, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the position of Surgeon General; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Departments of Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Education, Commerce, and Labor. These authorities should be eliminated or, where needed, transferred to the state or local governments. We also call for the de–funding and abolition of the National Endowment for the Arts."

On the Panama Canal: "Panama Canal – The Party urges Congress to support HJR 77, “The Panama and America Security Act, or similar legislation, which declares the Carter-Torrijos Treaty null and void. We support re-establishing United States control over the Canal in order to retain our military bases in Panama..."

On Withdrawing for the United Nations: "United Nations – The Party believes it is in the best interest of the citizens of the United States that we
immediately rescind our membership in, as well as all financial and military contributions to, the United Nations."

So, if you need no other reason to vote Democrat, just read the entire document (PDF file). I'll be sure to go through and analsye their platform when they complete it for this year. I'm not expecting too many big changes, except they'll probably dedicate a page to the evils of gay marriage. I've never voted for a Republican in my life, and I have no plans to. Why? Isn't there a chance when the Republican candidate just might be better qualified? Yes, at times that is the case. But anyone who decides to run for office as a Republican in this state is required to sign their initials to each page of this document. They may not agree with every word of this, but they affirm that this is their party, and I cannot in good conscience support, or vote for any person that associates themselves with the Texas Republican Party Platform. It's just so far outside of the mainstream, it's really just complete insanity.

From Across the Pond

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

I received this e-mail from a friend of mine the other day who had the chance to live in Cannes for the past four months and thus was around all the films that were screened this past month. He has some great thoughts on Michael Moore's latest as well...

I have just got back from Cannes after four months of 'studying' (hence my inability to type coherently due to different types of keyboard), and really feel my French has made a great improvement.

I also feel a bit of an insider in the film world due to the lucky chances I had to go and see a few of the films, such as The Ladykillers (on which, I feel the critics have been a little too harsh, and which for me was both funny and time well spent - possibly because I haven't seen the original), the Assassination of Richard Nixon (OK, a little similar to Mystic River with Sean Penn's part, though with funny moments as wel) and a few French or Italian films that are probably of no interest to the rest of the world, though the Italian film, my chance to go properly on the tapis rouge, was actually quite good.

On Monday, howver, I managed to get an invitation for a special screening of the winner of the Palme d'Or for this year for people living and studying in Cannes. Follow this advice - go see it, whatever your political persuasions and/or opinions on Michael Moore, as soon as possible, for a few reasons.

Firstly, the cinematic value. I am sceptical about the idea of documentary as film, but the film has been well put together. I'm not saying it was worth the biggest prize in internqtional cinema, however, which is something I will leave you to decide.

Secondly, it is, I think, better than Moore's other work, from my experience of Stupid White Men and Bowling For columbine. In Fahrenheit 9/11 he lets the images (or merely the sounds in one scene) speak for themselves. This is unlike Columbine, where we see far more of Moore talking to people and in doing so, dominating the scene. In some ways it is not Moore who fires the anti-Bush salvoes, but more the president shooting himself in the foot, with the aid of his administration, such as, for example, Condy stating in Feb 2000 that "Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction"

Thirdly, it is actually a reasonable piece of investigative journalism on his part, though some Moorish exaggeration does creep in,

But also because you should see it before you make your own opinions. As I said, it is unlike his other work in some respects, with better usage of images, sounds and even the infamous on screen appearences that he limits in this film. To damn it or to praise it beforehand would be foolish.

Pro-Gay Catholics Denied Communion

By Byron LaMasters

The Cardinal of Chicago has ordered his diocese not to serve communion to parishioners wearing rainbow-colored sashes. Who's next? Red-heads? The AP reports:

Roman Catholic gay-rights supporters wearing rainbow-colored sashes to Mass were denied communion Sunday, while dozens in Minnesota had to walk around protesters to receive the holy sacrament.

About 10 people wearing the sashes stood in line to receive communion at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, but priests refused to give them the Eucharist. One priest shook each one's hand; another made the sign of the cross on their foreheads.

"The priest told me you cannot receive communion if you're wearing a sash, as per the cardinal's direction," said James Luxton, a Chicago member of the Rainbow Sash Movement, an organization of Catholic gay-rights supporters with chapters around the country.

A memo from Chicago Cardinal Francis George that became public last week instructed priests not to give communion to people wearing the sashes, which the group's members wear every year for Pentecost. The memo says the sashes symbolize opposition to the church's doctrine on homosexuality and exploit the communion ritual.

It's one thing to have a church doctrine, but it's another thing to enforce it in such an arbitrary manner. This is just a bit silly.

The Unitarian Universalists

By Jim Dallas

I had an opportunity to hang with the Unitarian Universalist fellowship here in Galveston this morning. (My friend's parents were getting re-married after the service).

From my perspective, the UUs clearly don't have that old time religion. I kept looking at my watch during the service wondering how long it was going to take someone to mention "God" (it took about a half an hour) and I never did here anyone cite (or even mention) Scripture. Indeed, I heard before the service that last week Scripture was cited -- and some congregants were rather upset by it. Snark fails me.

(Incidentally, today marked the first time I'd ever heard anyone say the word "vagina" on a Sunday morning).

On the other hand, I've rarely seen such a tightly-knit group of spiritually-inclined people. While UU theology (or lack thereof) is not my cup of tea, it boggles my mind that the Comptroller's office toyed with kicking them out of the religion club this week.

Anyhow, congratulations to family friends Steve and Mary on their wedding, and to the Unitarians for getting their religious bona fides.

Bush Flip-Flops

By Byron LaMasters

If Kerry would only repeat what he says in his Salon interview everytime the Bush administration accuses him of flip-flopping, he'll be in good shape:

I'll tell you what. What's really so craven about it is that they pick something that they implement badly and screw up, like Iraq or No Child Left Behind or the Patriot Act. And when you point out that they screwed it up, they say that you're "flip-flopping."

But they, on the other hand, break a promise to have no deficit, break a promise not to invade Social Security, break a promise to fund No Child Left Behind, break a promise to introduce the four-pollutant bill and move forward on the environment, break a promise to deal with the real health issues and prescription drugs, break a promise of humility in American foreign policy. I mean, you start running down the list -- I've never seen a grander array of flip-flops. This is the biggest "say one thing, do another" administration in modern history.

That's straight from the mouth of John Kerry. The entire interview is a must read for anyone that's unclear about where John Kerry is coming from in his campaign.

Good stuff.

Russo Defeated for Libertarian Nomination

By Byron LaMasters

The Libertarians have nominated their candidate for President on the 2004 ballott. The winner is Michael Badnarik. That's good news for Republicans and George Bush's reelection. If the Hollywood producer, Aaron Russo would have won the nomination, he would have likely spent several million dollars on the race, and his somewhat celebrity status could have brought more attention to the race, and the Libertarians could have probably drained more votes from Bush. I doubt that Badnarik will get nearly the attention. Anyway, the AP reports:

Michael Badnarik, a computer programmer from Texas, won the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination today.

Badnarik, 49, of Austin, defeated former Hollywood movie producer Aaron Russo on the convention's third ballot, after former radio host Gary Nolan, who was eliminated on the second ballot, endorsed Badnarik.

"If I can win the nomination, there's no reason I can't win this election," Badnarik told a cheering convention that drew more than 800 delegates.

Badnarik teaches a course in constitutional law.

Libertarians may be more or less irrelevent, but they sure are persistent. So we now know our three choices for U.S. President on the ballot in Texas in 2004: Republican George W. Bush, Democrat John Kerry and Libertarian Michael Badnarik.

MyDD has more thoughts on the Libertarian convention.

The Roy Moore Primary

By Byron LaMasters

While the big race on Tuesday will be the special election for the open At-Large seat U.S. House seat in South Dakota, it'll be interesting to take a look at the returns from the Republican primary in Alabama. Ten Commandments judge, Roy Moore, who was removed from office after defying a federal order to remove them from his court is not on the ballot, but his lawyer and spokesman are on the ballot, among other Moore allies.

The New York Times had a story about the races today. The best place for coverage of the Alabama primaries is The Birmingham News. There are Moore allies running for three Supreme Court seats and one Congressional seat. The Birmingham News reports:

The significant races on Tuesday's ballot are largely those on the Republican side, where the party is choosing nominees for three Supreme Court seats, a Civil Appeals court seat and the 6th District congressional seat.

n the GOP primary, analysts say a low turnout could be a plus for those candidates who have linked themselves to former Chief Justice Roy Moore and his fight to keep a Ten Commandments monument in the state judicial building.

Gerald Johnson, director of the Alabama Education Association's Capital Research Survey Center, said the lower the turnout, "the higher and stronger the Moore impact will be."

"And if his vote turns out, it will probably have the deciding impact on the election for the court races," Johnson said.

[...]

In the GOP nomination fight for Place 1 on the Supreme Court, Tom Parker, a top aide to Moore when he was chief justice, is running against incumbent Jean Brown. The winner of this race will face Democrat Robert Smith in the Nov. 2 general election.

In the nomination fight for Place 2 on the high court, Criminal Appeals Court Judge Pam Baschab, who has cited Moore's support, is matched against Shelby County District Judge Patti Smith. The winner will face Democrat Roger Monroe in November.

In the nomination race for Place 3, retired Covington County Circuit Judge Jerry Stokes has been the most vocal in his support for Moore. The other candidates in the race are Jefferson County Probate Judge Mike Bolin, Montgomery County District Judge Peggy Givhan and Houston County Circuit Judge Denny Holloway. In November, the winner will face Democrat John Rochester.

Moore was removed from office last year after refusing to obey a federal court order and move a Ten Commandments monument he had placed in the judicial building.

Phillip Jauregui, who is Moore's chief attorney in his legal battle to regain his job, is also on Tuesday's GOP primary ballot. Jauregui is opposing six-term incumbent Spencer Bachus for the 6th Congressional District nomination. The winner of that contest will be virtually assured of election on Nov. 2, because there is no 6th District Democratic candidate.

Under a normal situation, I'd probably be hoping the crazy right-wing Moore allies win the GOP nomination. However, considering that this is Alabama, and in all likelihood the Moore allies would win in November, I'm hoping the the Alabama GOP voters show some sanity and nominate the moderate pro-business folks. We'll see. I'll be following these returns along with the South Dakota House race Tuesday night.

A Road to Somewhere

By Jim Dallas

The Washington Post catches Kerry being realistic again.

I think there's a lot of people out there who want to hear Kerry talk about exit "strategies" (by which they seem to mean not "strategy" in the broad, true sense of the word, but rather a 400-page to-do-list) and when, to the day, we're gonna get our guys out of Iraq. Quite honestly, I think that's putting the cart before the horse.

Iraq is a huge mess, and at this point "I don't know" maybe the only reasonable answer. It may not inspire confidence, but the truth rarely does.

Candidate Kerry has committed to actually winning the war in Iraq. That may or may not be doable, but I admire the fact that the focus is on results and not on arbitrary deadlines. We really have only one chance to get this right (if we're going to do it at all).

Now, turning to another issue domain, I wish Kerry would apply the same realism to economics. One of the more absurd things Kerry has done is promising the creation of "10 million new jobs."

Admittedly, the "10 million new jobs" claim is not as implausible and hokey as Bush's repeated insistence on enshrining June 30/July 1 as the "handover date" in Iraq.

But still, I'd rather the president dwell on the substance of an issue instead of set overtly-political-yet-otherwise-arbitrary deadlines/quotas.

Yay Pacers

By Jim Dallas

I usually don't care much for the entire NBA eastern conference, and frankly I don't care much for the Lakers or the Timberwolves either. But my buddy Dave is in town this week and is a big Pacers fan, and I guess it tends to rub off.

After getting out-played in games two and three, the Pacers came back to pound the Detroit Pistons 83-68 tonight in game four.

<Rasheed Wallace>The Pistons will not win game five. I guarantee it. You can write.</Rasheed Wallace>

Of course, I get the feeling whoever wins the eastern conference title will get to be the sacrificial lamb to L.A., but one can always hope.

Red State Barbecue versus Blue State Barbecue

By Jim Dallas

DailyKOS user plunkitt comments on the recent Q-pac poll showing "voters would prefer Bush at a barbecue."

Which begs the question -- define barbecue. Could John Kerry be up among pork eaters, but down among brisket lovers? Inquiring minds want to know!

I once did an entire college project on the history of barbecue variants in Texas. Really really.

Precinct Chairs Needed in Travis County

By Byron LaMasters

Also via Sarah at Roman Candles is a call for precinct chairs in Travis County. They're looking especially for students and young people since most of the current folks are over 50. There's 60 vacancies in the county, and I believe that some are in the University area:

The Travis County Democratic Party is trying to find volunteers to serve as Precinct Chairs for about 60 vacant positions. Precinct chairs help organize voters in their local districts and serve on the County Executive Committee of the party. At this week's Executive Committee meeting it was noted that a large number a vacancies exist for precincts located around the University.

The average age of Executive Committee members looks to be around 50 so it would be good to have some younger faces from anywhere around town as well. The County Party is asking interested persons to email them at: info@traviscountydemocrats.org.

I would have run for precinct chair of my precinct, because it was vacant after the precinct chair was redistricted into the next precinct over. Everyone was pretty confused about it - myself, the precinct chair, the County Party, etc. - because of the whole redistricting fiasco. I live about 200 feet from where the three congressional districts meet in Austin, and the precincts had to be reconfigured after redistricting. Anyway, my current precinct is pretty small with just a few apartment complexes and the other person at my precinct caucus wanted to be the precinct chair. I just told him to go ahead an do it, since I'm in Dallas for the summer, and I don't know where I'll be living after I graduate next Spring.

The precinct chairst run the party (at least in theory). It's an important job, and regardless of where you live, check with your local party office to see if you live in a precinct where there's a vacancy. More often than not, you can get appointed at the next Executive Committee meeting.

Abu- What?

By Byron LaMasters

I mentioned after listening to the Bush speech on Iraq on Monday that he stumbled over the two words that were probably most important that he get right: Abu Ghraib

The Nation has the full Bushisms of how to say Abu Gharib.

It's supposed to be: "abu-grabe"

Bush's first attempt was: "abugah-rayp"

Bush's second attempt was: "abu-garon"

And his third attempt was: "abu-garah"

Most people probably wouldn't have noticed if he was wrong consistently. Sure, it might have sounded a little odd, but then again most words with more than two sylables sound a little odd coming from Bush's mouth. We all misspeak, but I think Bush's unpreparedness on the name of the prison where the abuse of Iraqi prisoners occured, coupled with the small amount of time spent on the subject during his Monday speech and his unwillingness to hold anyone in his administration show an alarming lack of respect for the victims of the abuse by American soldiers and the Geneva Convention.

Via Roman Candles.

Analysing TX-32

By Byron LaMasters

Excelent analysis by Greg of the Frost / Sessions matchup. He has a color coded map of the district and outlines what both candidates must do to win. For Sessions, it's easy. Just get the Republicans and GOP-leaning Independents in north Dallas to continue their typical voting behavior. For Frost, it's an uphill climb to defeat Sessions in a high-powered communications battle. One interesting thought that I'll echo here, is that this race will be a guide for the Democratic expansion in Texas over the next twenty years. In order to win statewide, we're going to have to learn how to communicate with voters in places like north Dallas and be competetive there. Frost won't win north Dallas, but if he can be competetive there, he'll be able to win with a strong turnout in Oak Cliff. Anyway, be sure to read the entire post and check out Greg's analysis of the TX-17 race (Chet Edwards vs. Arlene Wohlgemuth). I'd be inclined to agree with him there too. That race will be decided on Edwards' ability to win in Brazos County (College Station) and getting a decisive margin out of Waco.

We're #1... in prisoners

By Byron LaMasters

The Houston Chronicle reports:

A federal study released Thursday shows that Texas led the nation in the number of inmates incarcerated in state prisons and county jails in June 2003.

Texas had 164,222 inmates on the last day of that month, about 800 more than California. The Texas inmate population was up by 4.2 percent, or 6,578 inmates, from June 2002, according to the study by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Although Texas had the most inmates incarcerated from 1999-2001, according to the bureau's midyear reports, California edged ahead of the Lone Star State in June 2002.

Texas' June 2003 incarceration rate also was the highest in the nation, with 692 inmates per 100,000 population. Mississippi ran a close second with an incarceration rate of 688 per 100,000 residents.

Though the number of people incarcerated in California was almost the same as in Texas, California's incarceration rate was far lower: 455 inmates per 100,000 residents. Nationally, the average number of sentenced inmates incarcerated was 480 per 100,000 U.S. residents.

Let's see. We incarcerate more prisoners (total and per capita) than any other country, yet Dallas is still #1 in crime (ok, I'll admit that this is partially due to local circumstances and politics at play). I'm all for locking up violent criminals and all, but I think it's silly to lock people up for minor drug offenses. It's our tax money being spent to put people who are not a danger to society (just to themselves) in jail for decades. Why?

Kerry Expands Ads to Virginia

By Byron LaMasters

Is it worth it?

Here's what happened in 2000:

Bush, 1,431,654, 52%
Gore, 1,221,094 45%
Nader 59,270 2%
Browne 15,085 1%

So basically it was a 53% - 47% victory for right-leaning candidates over left-leaning candidates, even though Gore never seriously contested the state. Perhaps this could be a hint that Kerry is considering Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) for his Vice Presidential candidate. However, I see that as highly unlikely. The main advantage to putting Warner on the ticket would be his ability to help self-finance the race (he's a multi-millionaire). But Kerry has been so successful fundraising on his own, that he really doesn't need Warner, who wouldn't bring much else to the ticket, other than creditability in a Republican-leaning swing state. Warner's only been in office since 2002 (elected in 2001), so he makes John Edwards look like a veteran. Virginia is also a good state for Kerry to contest regardless. It has a large military and veteran population that ought to be receptive to Kerry's message. It's GOP leaning, but not overwhelmingly so. Check out this AP article for more info.

Anyway, the AP reports the story. It looks like Bush is pulling back on ads while Kerry is expanding. Bush must be realizing that he'll run out of money if he responds to every Kerry ad. Kerry is going to be up on the air unopposed in Louisiana and Virginia next week. Louisiana is also GOP leaning, but with multiple Democratic candidates (Chris John, John Kennedy) in the primary for the open U.S. Senate seat (which is held on the general election day, Nov. 2), a good Democratic turnout in Louisiana based on strong GOTV opperations by the Senate candidates could give Kerry the needed boost to carry the state. It probably won't happen, but it's good to see Kerry seriously contesting the state.

A Tough Road Ahead for US Olympians

By Byron LaMasters

I really feel bad for our Olympic athletes this year. The Olympics are supposed to be a celebration and a way for the diverse cultures and nations of the world to come together. Instead, beacause of the divisive leadership of George W. Bush, the Olympics look to be a political spectical. The Dallas Morning News reports:

The U.S. Olympic team will carry some extra baggage to the Summer Games in Athens, Greece.

Because of the war in Iraq, American athletes are being prepared for what may be the most hostile environment they have ever faced at the Olympics.

"We're not the favorite kid in the world as a country," said Bill Martin, president of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The USOC wants to make sure its athletes, its 600 ambassadors, behave as "great guests" in the Athens Games, which will be Aug. 13 to 29.

They will be given the usual instruction on the culture of the host nation to try to prevent any social faux pas. But beyond that, they will be counseled to think twice about things they never gave a thought to in the past – such as how to celebrate a victory without going over the top and offending anyone.

"Being an American abroad is not like Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain," said Mike Moran, a consultant to the U.S. Olympic Committee. "It's a different world."

The USOC will caution its athletes about pregame gestures or acts that might have seemed innocent enough four years ago but today might be interpreted as arrogant, ungracious, taunting or jingoistic.

It's not just Europe where we are looked down upon. American athletes were taunted by our southern neighbor, Mexico in a qualifying soccer game which we lost:

In February, the U.S. men's soccer team played Mexico in Guadalajara in a game to determine which team would go to the Olympics. Mexican fans booed and whistled during the playing of the U.S. national anthem. And after Mexico won, 4-0, some celebrated by chanting, "Osama, Osama, Osama."

The actions of the Mexican fans are outrageous, but the fact that the citizens in our neighboring country feel so hostile towards America is highly disturbing. All we can do is hope and pray that this won't be Munich in 1972 all over again, and that in November we elect John Kerry so that we can regain the dignity and respect around the world that America deserves.

Perry Seeks to Change 10% Rule

By Byron LaMasters

And for once I actually agree with Rick Perry. The problem with the top ten percent law is that it is crowding out everyone else. The ten percent law was designed as a way to increase (or at least hold) minority enrollment after the Hopwood decision prevented race from being a factor in admissions. With last year's Supreme Court decision allowing race to be used as a factor in admissions, it is no longer necessary to use the ten percent rule as a remedy for the underrepresenation of minorities. My problem with the ten percent rule is that it ties the hands of the admissions board. It's important for Universities to be allowed to choose a diverse group of students (not just regarding race, but in regards to student interests, fields of study, musical and athletic talent, etc.). The problem with the ten percent rule is that it fills up such a large percentage of slots in the University before the admissions department even has an opportunity to look at everyone else that applies. If the ten percent rule stays in place much longer, there will be more students automatically accepted than there are spots for them. Last year 65% of the freshman class at UT got in under the ten percent rule, leaving only 35% of the slots for everyone else. Anyway, the Houston Chronicle reports:

The 1997 law guaranteeing state university admission to the top 10 percent of each public high school graduating class is forcing too many high-achieving students to attend out-of-state institutions and should be revised, Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday.

The law's goal of boosting college enrollment among minorities could be achieved with more aggressive recruiting by colleges, Perry suggested.

Speaking at an event to tout results of TAKS testing, Perry was asked whether a state so reliant on standardized exams should ignore them to boost minority college admissions.

"I think the Texas Legislature is going to have to revisit the top 10 percent rule, particularly with the change of the lawsuit dealing with Hopwood," Perry said.

The Hopwood case forced changes in the University of Texas' efforts to broaden minority enrollment, but the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled in a Michigan case that colleges are free to consider race as an admissions factor. UT said it will do so, but Texas A&M University said it won't.

[...]

For months, UT officials have been urging a change in the law to limit the number of students that universities would have to admit under its provisions. One proposal called for capping at 60 percent the percentage of the freshmen class who could get automatic admission. The percentage admitted automatically by UT was 65 percent in 2003.

Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, who was present for Perry's remarks, said she agrees the law's impacts should be studied. She said it was passed because of "the over-reaching impact of Hopwood to fellowships and scholarships, not just admissions. The Legislature had to come up with a way to maintain diversity."

Even so, she said, "we hope that the universities will look at the importance of diversity and come up with some different methods to achieve that without having to implement the top 10 percent rule."

Although the subject was discussed in the 2003 legislative session, no action was taken because the Michigan case had not been decided. Now, Van de Putte said, "I'm going to tell you that I'm in support of revisiting" the issue.

Sen. Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) is right on target on this one. It's critical that we work to increase admission levels for qualified minority students while at the same time giving universities more flexibility in choosing their freshman classes. This requires a revision in the ten percent rule.

Kerry/McCain?

By Byron LaMasters

Every time the talk of a Kerry/McCain ticket is squashed, it seems to start back up again. Last month McCain flirted with the temptation before flatly ruling it out on several occations and restating his support for Bush. Even so, the idea of a Kerry/McCain ticket is about all Washington can talk about:

Washington is abuzz with rumors that John McCain, one of the most popular Republicans in Congress, could team up with Democratic contender John Kerry (news - web sites) in the race for the White House. The outlandish notion that a Republican could be a vice presidential partner for Kerry has added new drama to the campaign for the November 2 election, in which Republican president George W. Bush is already looking vulnerable.

McCain has repeatedly denied interest, but top Democrats refuse to let the rumour die. Senator Hillary Clinton (news - web sites) fueled speculation by saying Sunday she would have no problem supporting the maverick Arizona senator.

"I'm a big admirer of John McCain's," Clinton said.

"I've spoken with Senator McCain and he assures me he's not interested -- but you know, we'll see what happens."

On Monday, former Democratic presidential contender Dick Gephardt (news - web sites), another contender for the Kerry ticket, said the Democratic faithful could easily rally around McCain.

"He is a very bipartisan figure," the Missouri representative said. "He would be accepted by the Democratic party."

Comments this week by Hillary Clinton and Dick Gephardt signing off on John McCain as Veep don't just occur in a vacuum. Obviously, there is a real possibility of a Kerry / McCain ticket. Perhaps the two have talked behind the scenes of the idea and Kerry is gauging the reaction by other party leaders, or perhaps Clinton and Gephardt are trying to put preasure on McCain. There's no denying that Kerry/McCain would be the kind of national unity ticket that would turn this election upside down and immidiately catapult Kerry into a commanding position. Just take a look at this CBS Poll (via Political Wire):

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry holds an eight-point lead over President George W. Bush among registered voters in the latest CBS News poll, 49% to 41%, but one of the names currently bandied about as a running mate for him - Republican Sen. John McCain - gives Kerry an even larger edge when added to the ticket.

McCain has continued to face questions about joining his fellow Vietnam veteran Kerry on a ticket, despite having insisted that he is not interested in doing so. America’s voters, meanwhile, do have interest in such a bi-partisan slate: a hypothetical Kerry/McCain pairing holds a 14-point advantage over President Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney, nearly double the 8-point lead Kerry has alone over Bush.

The CBS Poll shows Kerry/McCain beating Bush/Cheney 53%-39%. I think John McCain would be a decent Vice President, and he'd be a great Secretary of Defense. My only problem would be if something should happen to John Kerry and McCain would become President. It would be hard not feeling at least somewhat betrayed - putting lots of time and money into electing a Democrat, only to wind up with a Republican. It would be like 1840 all over again when the Whigs put John Tyler on the ticket as Vice President, only to see William Henry Harrison die after a month in office, while Tyler, the former Democrat frustrated the entire Whig legislative program. If not 1840, how about 1864 when Abraham Lincoln put a Democrat Andrew Johnson on his ticket only to be assassinated a year later. Only after being impeached and surviving removal from office by one vote did Johnson make concessions to the Republicans on Reconstruction. Will that happen again in 2005? I sure as hell hope not, but it is a legitimate concern for all those McCain-for-VP backers.

Martin Frost Mailers Hitting North Dallas this Week

By Byron LaMasters

I'll have to say, they look pretty good. Martin Frost highlights his work as author of the Amber laws (named after the nine year old girl, Amber Hagerman who was kidnapped and murdered in 1996). Frost also emphasises his work with the economy, American Airlines, transportation and the environment. Anyway, check them out here (this one hit last week) and here (this week's one), or you can see what the actual mailer looks like in the pdf form here.

Speaking of Martin Frost, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright will be in town to support him on June 14th (I'll be there if anyone wants to buy me a $250 ticket). Heh. Or you can just donate to the Frost campaign here.

Political Survivor

By Byron LaMasters

I watched some of the first season of Survivor, and then I think I've watched one episode since then. It was interesting and innovative when it started, then it just got old, but today, for the second time this month, a game of political Survivor has popped up on the Internet.

First it was Politics 1. It allows viewers to decide who to vote off the hypothetical island that you're stuck on with George W. Bush, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Dick Cheney, Howard Dean, Ralph Nader, Tom DeLay, Al Sharpton, John McCain and Zell Miller. Bush was booted in round one, Kerry in round two, and Clinton was narrowly kicked off in round three over Cheney. We're trying to kick Cheney off in round four, so go over to Polotics 1 to vote to boot him off.

Today, the DCCC started the D TRIP TV, which features a Republican Survivor show featuring George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Ann Coulter, John Ashcroft, Katherine Harris and Tom DeLay. They'll give you a "pass" to see all the episodes begining June 3rd if you sign up for their email list. Currently, they just have the trailer up, which is rather funny in a cute sort of way. Anyway, check it out.

Barney Frank Gears Up for Senate Run

By Byron LaMasters

When John Kerry is elected President this November, it'll create a senate vacancy in Massachusetts. And Congressional Quarterly indicates that U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) is gearing up to run for the U.S. Senate in what would be a 2005 special election after Kerry resigns his seat:

Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Barney Frank in 1987 became the first member of Congress to make a personal acknowledgment of homosexuality, and he has been an outspoken advocate of gay rights.

But he had never sought the endorsement of the Victory Fund, a leading national organization that supports openly gay candidates and officials -- until this year.

Frank, who is seeking a 12th term in Massachusetts' 4th District, said he'd never asked for the group's backing before because "the only tough races I had were in [19]80 and '82, and the Victory Fund did not exist back then."

Yet Frank says it is not this year's House race that spurred him to contact the fundraising organization -- even though he has drawn a challenge from Chuck Morse, a former radio talk show host and staunch conservative who is running as an independent.

Rather, the congressman said he is trying to build up his campaign treasury, in advance of a possible bid for the seat Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John Kerry would vacate were he to win the White House this year.

Not only would Frank become the first openly gay U.S. Senator if elected, he is perhaps the best debater in the U.S. House, and would bring his extraordinary legislative talent to the U.S. Senate.

Interestingly, Frank's conservative challenger this year, Chuck Morse is an admitted right-wing extremist. CQ continues:

Morse has, however, been embroiled in past controversies that have led Frank and the Victory Fund to label him as "anti-gay."

In his 2002 book "Why I am a Right-Wing Extremist," Morse wrote: "Frank, a self-described homosexual, exhibits the type of aggressive male behavior that is perhaps enhanced by a life without the civilizing influence of a woman."

I don't think that Barney Frank has too much to worry about this year, but I'm sure a special election in 2005 would be a barnburner, especially if Frank were the Democratic nominee.

Kerry will accept nomination in Boston

By Byron LaMasters

I would have liked to have seen Kerry accept the nomination when Bush does, but at least this won't create any controversy. Kerry still has a lot of options to stay even with Bush in campaign spending. First, I think that Kerry could proabably buy television ads to run after the convention before the convention (I'm not sure what the rules on this are, but I'd be surprised if it were illegal). Second, Kerry can raise money for the DNC and state parties to spend on his behalf, and on generic Democratic GOTV. Third, Kerry can decline matching funding and spending limits if he thinks that it's realistic that he can raise over $75 million after the convention. Considering that Kerry has proven that he can consistently raise over $1 million per day on the internet, this option is not totally out of the question.

Anyway, CNN reports on Kerry's decision. The Kerry campaign has a statement here.

Help the Van Zandt County Democrats!

By Byron LaMasters

One of the best things about being a blogger is having the opportunity to meet all kinds of great people, either in person or via email, etc. So many of these people are on the front lines fighting the good fight for Democrats across the country, and especially here in Texas. One such person that I've coresponded with via email for a few months now is the Democratic County Chair of Van Zandt County, Vince Leibowitz.

Van, what? Van Zandt County is a rural county about 50 miles east of Dallas along I-20. The county has been growing significantly over the past couple of decades from 31,000 in 1980 to 38,000 in 1990 to just over 48,000 in the 2000 census. Its just outside the Dallas - Fort Worth metropolitan area, but many of its residents work there. It's mostly White, religious, socially conservative and historically heavily Democratic, but trending Republican.

So, why am I mentioning Van Zandt County? It's an example of what we as Democrats need to do here in Texas to take back this state one precinct, one county, one election at a time. Many rural historically Democratic counties in this state have seen their County Democratic organizations crumble in recent decades. The Van Zandt County Democratic Party offers an example of how combining Internet technology with a grassroots approach can make a difference in a county that is highly competetive on the local level.

Take a look at their County Party webpage. They have all the essentials, and more. You can learn about and contact their chairman, elected officials, precinct chairs (28 of 29 of which are filled), etc. But in addition to what you would expect from a county party site, their chair, Vince Leibowitz has come up with several innovative ideas that should be instructive to any county party.

Of course, I have to mention the County Party Blog to communicate to the grassroots that Vince has set up. But most importantly they have a strategy to win in November. In 2002, one of the Van Zandt County Democratic candidates lost by 80 votes, so they've started the Overcome 80 project. The project includes a letter writing campaign and a voter registration and canvassing drive.

They're asking for our help, not only to help the Van Zandt County Democrats win in November, but so that we can show other rural counties how that it is possible to win in conservative, rural parts of this state with an effective door-to-door, neighbor-to-neighbor campaign. The best part about the campaign is that they're not asking for much. Unlike a lot of campaigns where a $5 or $10 donation is a drop in the bucket, a small donation of $5 will go a long way towards helping keep this conservative rural county in Democratic hands. Go here to learn more and donate.

Charlie Cook on the Texas Races

By Byron LaMasters

Charlie Cook has a must read on the current state of the "2004 toss up races", which include all five of the embattled Texas Democratic incumbents. Check it out here (pdf file). If you don't have time to catch the whole thing, here's the gist of what Cook says (with a few of my thoughts added in).

On TX-1, Cook gives Sandlin opponent Gohmert the edge, although a recent poll showed the race within the margin of error (44-41 Gohmert). For Sandlin to win, Cook says Sandlin must make the race about the candidates and not their party labels - ok, tell us something we don't know. One thing that Cook said about Gohmert really caught my eye:

An Associated Press story noted that Gohmert built a reputation as a “tough, conservative judge who didn’t shy away from controversy.” For example, in 1996, Gohmert ordered a man with AIDS to obtain written, informed consent from future sex partners as part of his probation agreement for a car theft conviction. Gohmert defends the ruling as common sense and it is unlikely that it will create much backlash here.

Yikes. That's just weird. I support laws requiring people that have HIV / AIDS to inform their sex partners of their condition before having unprotected sex, but in terms of having the punishment fit the crime, the above ruling makes little sense. Anyway, moving on...

Cook calls TX-2 a complete toss up that will come down to the ability of Nick Lampson to overperform in Jefferson County and be able to at least hold his own (35%) in Harris County. Tough, but doable.

Cook says that in TX-17, Chet Edwards is the best campaigner in the Texas delegation and the race will be decided on who best defines the other. If Edwards wins, it will be because he successfully defined Arlene Wohlgemuth as an out-of-touch, right-wing extremist. If Wohlgemuth wins, she will have succeeded in portraying Edwards as a liberal Democrat.

In TX-19, competing polls paint different pictures of the race. A Republican poll has Randy Neugebauer up by eleven points and a Democratic poll has Stenholm up by four. The reality is likely somewhere in between. The district strongly favors Neugebauer, but Stenholm will be the hardest of any of the Texas Democrats to paint as a liberal. He has deep roots in west Texas and ought to have a fighting chance.

In TX-32, it's already a hard hitting fight between Pete Sessions and Martin Frost. Cook notes something that I've thought before. The race currently leans towards Sessions, but should he stumble, Frost will take advantage of it. Unlike Frost, Sessions is much less of a seasoned campaigner, and he's prone to saying silly things.

Anyway, I'd pretty much agree with most of Charlie Cook's thoughts. He knows what he's talking about, so read away!

Via Political Wire and Off the Kuff.

David Van Os in Second Dean Dozen

By Byron LaMasters

I was a little bit surprised to see a "second Dean dozen" so soon, but overall they're a stronger group of candidates. The first "Dean Dozen" had a few strong candidates, but most of the candidates seemed to be hat tips so people who had supported Dean in the primary (a kos diary entry detailed this) - many of whom were either in uncompetetive or slam-dunk races. This dozen has a few more competetive candidates in it, and here's what they say about David Van Os:

David Van Os for Texas Supreme Court. Grassroots activists are strongly behind progressive David Van Os. The Texas Supreme Court is 100% Republican and it's time to take it back - one seat at a time. www.vanosforsupremecourt.com.

Kos Profiles Richard Morrison

By Byron LaMasters

The Daily Kos profiled Richard Morrison today. I swear, you get a competent, talented candidate to run against Tom DeLay and you get national attention even if your chances are marginal at best (ie. DeLay gets indicted). Morrison is not only a member of the Kos 8, but of the Dean Dozen. Anyway, here's some of what kos has to say about the race:

Some of us may donate based on nothing more than Morrison's opponent. Sometimes, making a statement can be all the satisfaction one needs. But crazy as it seems, Morrison has an outside chance of success. We're talking maybe a 5 percent chance, so not to build expectations too high. But giants have been slayed before. And the shifting national mood could put even the most marginal Republican seats in play.

(Partisan) polling of the district shows a surprisingly unpopular DeLay. His Approval/Disapprovals are 44/48. On the reelect question, 36 percent would definitely vote for him, 27 percent would consider someone else, and 27 percent would definitely vote for someone else. DeLay's redistricting efforts, designed to give the GOP 4-7 new seats in the district, ironically made his own district slightly more Democratic (he was feeling mighty secure).

The biggest wild card in this race is DeLay's legal problems. There's a possibility he will be indicted over the next few months, while a host of other scandals swirl around him. But at worst, a strong Morrison candidacy forces DeLay to pay attention to his own backyard, rather than spending time and fundraising energy directing resources at some of the closer battleground district.

Anyway, you can check out Morrison's webpage here and donate here.

Peace, Love, and Golf

By Jim Dallas

Let's take a minute to recognize Iraqi and Afghan sports fans. In a time of war and want, the people of Baghdad and Kabul need something to keep them going.

The Iraqi national soccer team qualified for and will compete in the Olympic Games this year, which is quite a feat (the United States team did not make the cut). While this is a bit of old news, I don't think we've yet taken the opportunity at BOR to wish the Iraqi national team good luck in Athens.

Reuters is also reporting that a group of Afghan golfers are making plans to rebuild and re-open Kabul's 9-hole golf course. The course was trashed first by the Communists and then by the Taliban, who associated the noble game of golf with "the West."

We're not sure that liberal democracy will take hold in the Middle East, but we're pretty sure soccer and golf will.

Ideological Warfare

By Byron LaMasters

I'd say that there's about five or six blogs that I try and read on a daily basis. There's a lot more that I read every few days, or that I should read on a daily basis (and with the semester over, and having settled down finally for the summer, hopefully I'll increase that), but right now it's about five. As for Texas blogs, I read Off the Kuff and Greg's Opinion, and for national stuff I'll check out the Daily Kos, Political Wire and Atrios. So it interested me when Greg wrote a post yesterday entitled "Kos Idiocy Strikes Again" as a reaction to Kos's post yesterday that it is "Time for the DLC to Die". Greg also has a follow-up here.

The whole deal stems from the clash between Howard Dean and Al From, the head of the DLC (Democratic Leadership Council). Al From's protoge Simon Rosenberg of the New Democrats Network embraced the Dean campaign and the blogosphere while the DLC attacked Dean and his approach. For more background read this Joe Klien article.

I tend to take the middle ground on this one. I don't hesitate to call myself a liberal, even if some of my economic and foreign policy views range the Democratic spectrum (on social issues I'm an admitted unabashed liberal). Both Kos and the DLC have made their share of mistakes and misstatements, but I think that both are worthy contributors to the party. Obviously, Kos's comments about the deaths of the American contractors were inappropriate and ill-advised. I think he should have apologized more forcefully for the statement, and it's hard to be too critical of campaigns that disassociated themselves from him. Still, Kos has a large following, and has done tremendous work in organizing online progressive activists. As for the DLC, they ruthlessly hammered Howard Dean in the primary, and it worked. The DLC line was repeated throughout the media that Dean was angry, undisciplined and unelectable (just search "Howard Dean" on the DLC website). For this, many Democrats hate the DLC, blaming them for helping derail the Dean candidacy. On the other hand, if Dean couldn't stand up to his detractors within the Democratic Party, how the heck could he have stood up against the Republican attack machine? In retrospect, I'm glad that Dean isn't the nominee. I supported him, I gave him money, but in the end Dean failed to connect with middle America, which caused me to begin doubting his candidacy as early as last fall. John Kerry has united the Democratic Party - something that I'm not sure if Howard Dean could have done.

While Greg notes that the DLC is helping John Kerry with various aspects of his campaign, in some ways the DLC doesn't really get it either. Unlike Rothenberg's New Democrat Network (NDN), the DLC has refused to embrace the Netroots. I don't have a problem with moderate-to-centrist Democratic groups. We need them to win. But they need the Netroots to gain legitimacy among the Democratic base. Denouncing the Internet, like this anti-Dean diatribe last year only serve to alienate the DLC from the grassroots / netroots base:

The Internet may be giving angry, protest-oriented activists the rope they need to hang the party. The vaunted new medium for grassroots political organizing may in fact be contributing to the Iowafication of the nominating process, disproportionately magnifying the voices of the activist groups with the loudest, most combative, and populist voices.

The effect has been like two currents flowing together: Caucuses like Iowa's are briar patches where born and bred activists flourish. They are run according to complex procedures, and they exclude independents. The arrival of the Internet has provided a powerful set of tools for activists to get organized well in advance of the already front-loaded nominating season -- a period when, almost by definition, activists are the only ones focused on politics. Using the Internet, Dean has achieved a virtual mind meld with those activists by capitalizing on their visceral hatred of President Bush and disdain for moderate Democrats. When all is said and done, the new dynamic could lead Democrats right into the hands of President Bush, who wants nothing more than a liberal Democratic opponent.

Except the DLC was wrong. Iowa didn't "disproportionately magnify the voices of the activist groups with the loudest, most combative, and populist voice". Instead, as the DLC wrote post-Iowa, that it was a "vote for hope over anger":

Now the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party has spoken: Iowa was a landslide victory for hope over anger.

The word "stunning" hardly does service to the performance of Kerry and Edwards in Iowa. Up against all of Howard Dean's endorsements and organization, Kerry and Edwards each won more delegate shares (the arcane measurement used to judge success in Iowa) than Dean and Rep. Dick Gephardt combined.

The Dean campaign proved two things. First, that the Internet can be used as an extraordinary organizing tool. It can raise millions of dollars from grassroots activists and can dilute the power of special interest money. It can also organize thousands of volunteers to get involved in their communities and neighborhoods. Second, the Dean campaign proved that the Internet alone won't win elections. Thousands of out of state volunteers and $50 Million won't win an election without a message the connects with average voters. S