Burnt Orange Report
News, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas
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Burnt Orange ReportNews, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas |
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February 28, 2005Tired of SG Endorsements Yet?By Zach NeumannI'll make this really brief because I know everyone is tired of hearing about this crap from Andrew, Karl Thomas and myself. I agree with most of the endorsements up to now (as well as the justifications for them). Overall, I tend to support the Ignite ticket-- and I really hope they win. However,for all you people out there who could care less about SG, here are the names of the active Democrats who are running. If anything, vote for them tommorrow to boost their advocacy power on campus. Jessica Rice-- President Thats about it. If I left anyone who is active in the party out, I apologize. Voting starts tommorrow. Here is the link. Doing a Favor For Jon MureenBy Andrew DobbsWith all this talk about SG, I forgot to mention that my one time nemesis Jon Mureen called me the other day. Jon ran for SG President my freshman year and I gladly helped Brian Haley beat him. Jon's a nice enough guy I suppose and we became rather cordial after it all was over. Now he's apparantly at the University of Virginia law school and did a Google Search of himself to see what future employers would find. He claimed that the first thing were some comments some trickster left on BOR claiming to be him saying crazy things. The search didn't turn this up, and someone had removed the posts, probably Byron. I wanted to put the posts up so everyone could see what Mureen was so worried about, but now I can't. What I CAN do is put up the rather silly email that Jon sent me threatening me to take down the posts. Here you go: Andrew, I’m still hoping to resolve this civilly, but judging by your refusal to respond, I can infer that you do not care to. This issue will have to be resolved one way or another, so unless I hear from you within 48 hours, we will commence legal proceedings, and you will receive word from my attorney. At that point, I will leave the rest of the communication to him. If doing the right thing is not enough motivation for you to remove the pages, you should also know that it is in your best interest to do so. If you refuse, not only will the Burnt Orange Report and its agents be held liable for knowingly publicizing slanderous and false information (and refusing to remove it), but it will also be fairly easy to determine who created the false identity. In addition to his own civil liability, that individual will face criminal charges for identity theft. Andrew, I hope it doesn’t come to any of this, but please know that I am serious. As a law student, I have the time, resources, and access to quality legal counsel that will allow me to see this through. Regards, Jon Mureen Well Jon, we didn't slander you- if anything we were libelous seeing that libel is written and slander is spoken, but we weren't even doing that. See, we run a website and anyone can put whatever name and write here. We didn't say anything about you, so we couldn't have libeled or slandered you. If I owned a truck stop and someone put on a bathroom wall "For a Good Time, Call Jon Mureen 434-906-04**", could I be sued for insinuating that you would show some lonely trucker a good time? I think not. And this unknown webperson didn't really "steal your identity" so much as s/he portrayed a parody, a satire- protected speech under the First Amendment (I'm sure you'll cover that in law school at some point). So bring your attorneys on, Mr. Mureen. I don't know what this shows- that Mureen will be a good attorney because he is an uptight prick or a bad attorney because a) his knowledge of the law is feeble at best and b) he is such a weak-willed type that he is worried that a few silly BOR posts will keep a graduate of the University of Texas and UVA law out of a job. Either way, the email was a bit on the silly side. The posts are down and this suggests to me that there will likely be no reason for me ever to talk to Jon Mureen again, which makes me rather happy. I hold no grudges, I kicked his ass once already and got my jollies then. Hope Mr. Mureen can let it go sooner or later as well. SG Debates TonightBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanTonight at 9:30, I'll be on the local tele since I was a panelist for the KVR cable news debates for the Student Government elections. Plus you can watch the rather bizarre lightning round which lead today's Texan coverage. You can watch it online here when it gets posted later on. But if you live in the Austin area, it's Channel 16 on Cable, Channel 15 in the dorms, and Channel 9 for Antenna at 9:30 pm tonight, and again at 9:00 pm tomorrow night. Chris Bell to Speak in Austin on WednesdayBy Byron LaMastersAUSTIN - Chris Bell, the congressman who filed the ethics complaint against Tom DeLay, will give the first speech by a potential statewide Democratic candidate this year to an Austin gathering of Democracy for Texas. Chris is exploring a Democratic bid for Texas Governor. An informal media availability will take place after his remarks. He can also squeeze in individual interview requests if scheduled earlier. WHAT: Chris Bell speaking to Democracy for Texas My SG EndorsementsBy Andrew DobbsSo Karl-T and the Daily Texan have spoken, now its time for the guy who almost got into this mess to speak up about who should be in the new Student Government. I'll only make endorsements in the races I can vote in- President, VP, Two-Year At Large, One-Year At Large, Liberal Arts, Communications, Union Board and SEC. I'll also throw in some info about a few other people that should be supported. President- Jessica Rice, Ignite. This one was the toughest for me because I think that they would both be decent presidents, but for different reasons. Omar Ochoa is a natural politician and can schmooze legislators and other powerful people with the best of them. Furthermore, he is a staunch Democrat and SG would be a good foot-in-the-door for a future elected official. He's tough and knows about organizing, so he wouldn't be a bad choice. But I choose Jessica Rice. To be honest, part of it is because she is a friend of mine and has always treated me well, even when I worked against her last year. But a larger part of it is that she is just as smart as Omar, perhaps not as experienced or tough, but she is much less prone to the mendacity that Omar has demonstrated to me. He showed up, uninvited, to a party my friends were holding and when I asked him later who had invited him he lied to me without blinking, without pausing for a second. A good skill for a politician perhaps, but only for the wrong kind of politician. Jessica Rice is a better person, and in the end, that is all that matters. VP- Colby Hanks, Ignite. This one was tough as well, but very similar to the Presidential race. Elizabeth Brummett is a tough gal, smart and well-organized. Hanks' strength is in her almost unlimited charisma. But Brummmett has a couple of things that make me say no. First, I have the unique distinction of having been severely beaten by Elizabeth Brummett in last year's election. That didn't figure into this at all- I knew I was going to lose and if anything her popularity makes her a good choice. But one thing she was a part of in that campaign did- the effort to portray me as a sexual harrasser and misogynist. A friend of mine later hung out with one of the girls who filed the charges and she confirmed what we had always known- they put on an act to make me look bad so that we would lose. They pretended to be all upset and to speak a lot of jibberish to ruin my reputation. When charges of sexual harrassment are politicized, it makes it infinitely harder for real victims to get a fair hearing. Elizabeth Brummett is a part of that shame. But she is not someone I dislike, I understand why she did it. A much more pertinent reason to vote for Colby is that she is truly an independent with no baggage. Brummett has a lot of committments to some special interests that I think get too much money from students- namely the Multicultural Information Center and other bottomless pits of irrelevance that suck down student fees. I like Colby because she'll take these people to task. Finally, Colby has guts. Brummett is the type to vote for inane resolutions because she is afraid of hacking off various leftish interests on campus. Colby leaned towards me and told me during one meeting when I asked her if she would support such nonsense and said "That's why I'm running- to stop this stuff." That gets my vote any day of the week. Two Year At Large: Michael Windle, Connect I only ensorse three out of 4 spots because I don't know who any of these other people are, though many seem like they have some great ideas. Many of them are from the same handful of groups that dominate these sorts of things- spirit and greek organizations. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it just seems to promote the student council mindset of student government- an unwillingness to take responsibility. So I'll go with the three I endorse. Courtney Livingston is a rock star. From the first time I met her when she was a freshman with about 3 classdays under her belt she impressed me. She is tireless, devoted, driven and has big ideas. She will set the world on fire some day and she will bring the kind of strength and leadership SG needs. Michael Windle is a good guy as well. He is one of the smartest guys in the Assembly and has a lot of great insight into issues important to students. He knows how to get things done and he'll be a great leader for students. Anjali Fleury I don't know. But from what I've heard she is a great environmental activist that seeks ways to make the university more sustainable and environmentally aware. Perhaps a single issue focus, but you need that from time to time and I think she'll be a good conscience for the Assembly. One Year At Large: Kunal Das I don't know, but he sounds like a great person to have in the Assembly. He started a successful online small business here at the University and has some great ideas about how to improve funding for student groups with a single application. Leadership and vision, that is what we need and this guy's got it. Jessica Fertitta I don't know either but I've read enough to know that she has at least some level of expertise in activism regarding the legislature and tracking important legislation. That is important in this session so she gets my vote. Plus, she's a Terry Scholar like me and poor smart people gotta stick together. Bekah Hotze is a friend of mine and I think that she would be a great leader in the Assembly. She is friendly and charismatic with a history of family activism in Republican politics, she knows how to communicate with legislative leaders. She is a good person and deserves the position. Danielle Rugoff is a very dear friend of mine and is one of the most impressive people I know. A tireless activist for Israel and other important issues, particularly in the Jewish community, she has interned in Washington DC and has a lot of friends here in Austin. She is an organizer, and someone that will be an important person one day. She ought to be in the Assembly. Liberal Arts: Katie Naranjo, Ignite I only endorse three people out of five slots because I don't know many of these people and a quick look at their qualifications make me think that they are simply going to be part of the problem. Katie Naranjo is one of the most impressive people I've met in a long time. She came to this university this year and set it on fire. An officer in the University Democrats, an intern for my old boss Rep. Jim McReynolds (D-Lufkin), someone with enough charisma for 10 people she is going to be someone someday. She also let me use her tire iron once and I've broken the law with her so I think I owe her. I don't know Clint Adcox or Andrew Solomon but they both sound like great candidates. Anyone who says he doesn't care what his unelected college council says, he's going to vote his conscience gets my vote- so go Clint Adcox. Andrew Solomon is a Terry Scholar. Other than that I don't know, but once again T-Scholars gotta stick together! Communications: Amy Salek, Ignite. Freshman year it was funny- every single organization I was in, Amanda Johnson ended up being in also. Terry Scholars, UDs, Student Government, Communication Council- we were always around one another. She is smart, charismatic, unflappable and driven. She will provide great leaderhip in the Assembly and will be an independent voice for Communications students. Amy Salek is probably among the most specificially qualified people on the ballot. She's on the Dean Selection Committee for the College of Communications, meaning she will personally know and in fact have some leverage over the new Dean of the Communications school. She is also active in many other organizations in the college making her an effective and representative voice for the students of the University. Union Board- Wes Carpenter, Ignite. Interestingly enough, I looked over the pages for the Connect candidates and while both of them seem like good enough guys, neither have ANY experience with Union facilities listed. So I figured I'd vote for the people who know what they are doing. Wes is an old friend and has worked with the Distinguished Speakers Commmittee, Fallon is apparantly on the African American Culture Committee- the chair in fact. So they get my vote. Still, I would like someone who is going to kick out Taco Bell for their atrocious labor practices, but I suppose that's wanting too much. SEC President- John Grube The UDs endorsed him, Zach says he knows him and is voting for him, that's all I need in a race I'm not too informed on. Julio Vela looks impressive and I've been told that the opinion of one other whose opinion matters most to me in this regard (who will remain nameless) is supporting Vela. So Grube or Vela- vote twice if you can. So that's everything. Just one last note- I'd vote for Grant Stanis of Connect and Paul Albrecht of Ignite if I were in the Business School. Grant is a rock star- someone who doesn't take shit from anyone and who has a passion that makes SG more effective. Paul is a great guy who knows the needs of business students. I'd vote for Jan Carroll in the Social Work school for her work on GLBT issues. Mario Sanchez for Engineering Rep wants to get rid of the ticket system, a cause near and dear to my heart. He's running on the Connect Ticket. Finally, Jack Waite is an independent in the LBJ school. Independence is a good thing and seeing as the small and graduate college reps on the big tickets are usually just placeholders who do nothing, a guy who is psyched enough about SG to start his own campaign is clearly going to be a good representative. Other than these, check out the other endorsements from people more knowledgeable than me and don't forget to vote! Open ThreadBy Byron LaMastersI won't be posting until later in the day, but yall are welcome to use this as an open thread, since we haven't done one in awhile. Feel free to talk about the Oscars last night, or about BOR's mention in two daily newspapers today, the Dallas Morning News and the Daily Texan, or whatever else you'd like. Texan Splits- Endorses Rice / BrummettBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanAn interesting combo defined more by weaknesses than strengths which are all explained online here in the Texan's full list of endorsements. Plus the awesome chart of the Panel's decision is avaiable here (just for today) on page 5 (PDF). All of the panelist's individual commentary is located here. Laura Gladney-Lemon has a Progressive list she put together in hers as well. As a service that I hope the Panel does not mind, I have uploaded all the candidates who returned the Texan Questionaires to a central organized location. Information is power, so here is some more. SG EndorsementsBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanSaturday saw me in the Daily Texan basement for 16 long hours, interviewing candidates for Tuesday and Wednesday's Student Elections. Today I slept, wrote commentary for each and every race, and served on the KVR Presidential Debate Panel (which will be on Monday and Tuesday nights, I'll post specifics tomorrow). Actual voting is Tuesday and Wednesday online here. I believe that this Panel was one of the most intensive, in-depth, and comprehensive reviews by a group of people for whom each and every member I will champion. I personally look forward to the others' conclusions, few of which I know or can even gauge, (this panel was of that high of quality). And I hope that candidates would have realized the importance of returning their questionaire or showing up for their interview for the Panel. In some races, I think that single factor could determine whether they win or lost due to the Texan endorsements (since Ben Heath the editor was also of course, on the Panel) There is no election for Pharmacy Rep. as Connect's candidate has dropped out, bringing Ignite's automatic representation in the next Assembly to 2. Following is my personal Endorsement List following ballot order, with commentary on each race in the Extended Remarks in the same order. Overall, my endorsements split about 60%/40% Ignite over Connect. If you seen me wearing an Ignite T-Shirt in the next few days it is due to this split and the vote in the Pres and VP races. I still plan to vote this ballot as published here. *President* *Vice-President* *Two Year At-Large* *One Year At-Large* *Architecture* *Business* *Communication* *Education* *Engineering* *Fine Arts* *Graduate* *Law* *LBJ* *Liberal Arts* *Natural Sciences* *Nursing* *Social Work* *Union Board* *Student Events Center President* President- Students are fortunate that in the unlikely event of a ticket sweep this year, either President will be able to fully serve their interests. From particular student initiatives to larger legislative or university concerns, neither candidate is lacking in their ability to pursue solutions to which students will be amiable. That said, Ignite’s Jessica Rice represents the first half of a vision which her running-mate fulfills-- truly connecting students at large to the representative governing body which does affect their lives by making it more open, accessible, and responsible to student concerns. Rice’s desire to have the Assembly respond to student led concerns instead of tabling them is refreshing. Her non-standard entrance into this race driven by the concerns of students around her, instead of the traditional methodically planned advancement many presidents have followed, is also refreshing. Having worked on the executive committee of SG handling the appropriations process to student groups, Rice knows first hand the diverse range of activism, seen and unseen by the rest of this 50,000 member community, that many times is forgotten about or not known by the Assembly. As Rice has said, it is time to see “an element of service and humility restored to Student Government.” Vice President- Vice Presidential Candidate Elizabeth Brummett has a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge of Student Government. In fact, many candidates who have run in this and past elections have a lot of experience and knowledge of Student Government. But even so, it seems the same issues and complaints return year after year and little changes in the perception of SG by students at large. While reformers have tried to gain a voice, they often are shut out of the Assembly, most recently by landslide elections. The opportunity to begin to break this perpetual recycling is now. The opportunity for bridge the gap between insider knowledge and outsider dissatisfaction lies with Ignite’s Colby Hanks, who brings to the second highest elected level of student representation, the voice of over 70% of this campus that will find out in next year’s election why they should have voted in this one. She is right in saying that when “one has been with something a long time, they can become insulated by it.” The Vice President has the chance to set the tone of the Assembly room as the chair of SG meetings. It is time to shift the tone for the benefit of student engagement at large in SG. Two-Year at Large- Michael Windle of Connect stands out among those running for this position. His work on issues in this assembly, including that done without recognition, should give us confidence in his commitment to fulfill the workload demanded by the office for which he is running. Steven Hardt is one of the “big thinkers” which any assembly needs. His personal drive to investigate the restructuring of the entire upper/lower division class structure at UT is certainly a worthwhile multi-year project which would befit both Steven, and the office for which he is running. Anjali Fleury of Ignite could fulfill the activist progressive voice which should be present in any assembly considering the make-up of the UT campus. This role is best served at the at-large level than lower on the ballot where a self ascribed social activist may have a harder time representing a narrower slice of students. Deven Fletcher of Ignite rounds out the two-year at large endorsements by being someone interesting in serving as an advocate of underrepresented populations, including those beyond his own. In an Assembly always short in the representation of the African-American voice on campus, Fletcher would be a powerful addition. At an at large level, students should have full confidence in Fletcher’s statement that he will “continue to do what I need to continue to empower my people.” One-Year at Large- As one of the strongest candidates on last year’s failed RepreZent campaign, Danielle Rugoff, now of Ignite, would be one of any Assembly’s more active participants. Having worked for the past year in SG’s Agency and Director’s community, Rugoff would help to bridge the gap of understanding and respect that sometimes exists between that group, the representatives, and executive committee. Connect’s Kumal Das brings the issue of funding application standardization for student groups to the table. As a business major and someone who currently runs his own company, Das would be well served to kick start discussion about an issue that would reduce stress and confusion among student group leaders and allow groups to spend more time on events than red tape. Tiffany Jan of Ignite would initiate discussion as to the lack of a coordinated council for Asian student groups (as well as other categories) similar to the Latino Leadership Council which has served to unite and empower that community. In addition, her proposal to improve Fine Arts practice rooms, extension of room hours, and the tuning of pianos would bring issues to the Assembly not being brought by actual Fine Arts candidates. Connect’s Jessica Fertitta, as the incoming head of the University Pan-Hellenic Council, would best serve the interests of the Greek community, from the timing of Rush to complaints of SG interference with West Campus life. In an election that could see fewer than average wins by Greek students at lower levels on the ballot, Fertitta as an at large member would balance this absence. Though Jessica Hart of Connect will serve as a solid representative if elected, she receives no specific endorsement due to what seems to be a dependence on past work and a lack of a particular new or defining issue or quality that separates her from these four endorsed candidates. Architecture- In a race marked by similar candidates with similar concerns and similar platforms, it is difficult to choose the best candidate for Architecture Rep. Though the current Architecture Rep is supporting Ignite, it is Lane Sealy’s academic involvement and honors (compared to spirit involvement) that give her the edge she needs to garner this endorsement in this race. Business- Though often one of the most controversial members of the Assembly and certainly one of the few active conservative voices, Grant Stanis of Connect has served the interests of Business students in the assembly and deserves re-election to the seat he currently holds. Paul Albrecht of Ignite brings connections from both outside and business organization at UT and his logical take on issue and good relationship with Stannis would be a major asset to productive work in the Assembly on business issues. While students would be well served by Ignite’s Ruth Yen, Connect’s Maria Rivera receives the third endorsement due to her personal work on initiating a comprehensive updating and unification of campus resources into a more accessible Resource Guide, which with SG attention, would be widely beneficial to all students. Communication- While all the candidates understand the major issues facing the College of Communications, Ignite’s Amy Salek and Amanda Johnson have a major edge in one important area, the search for the next Dean. Salek, serving on the Dean search committee brings an unparalleled edge to the understanding and connections needed to make sure her college will be in good hands for years to come. In addition, Johnson appears to have a better understanding of this particular subject as well as others in comparison to her opponents. Education- Though both candidates are fairly similar and would do a good job, Connect’s Rebecca Frankel appears to have more specifics on her agenda for representing the College of Education, from free student printing to nightly parking passes to more study lounge space. Engineering- The first of the three votes that should be cast in this race must go to Chris Wayman of Ignite, current President of the Engineering College Council who is the stand out best candidate for this college. Jessica Bradley of Ignite is involved in her college community organizations and would bring a fresh and needed perspective as a woman in engineering. Mario Sanchez of Connect is aware of the issues in his college and was the lone voice among candidates for any position in speaking out against the Ticket System of elections, a voice that should not be silenced. Fine Arts- Henry Baker of Ignite is endorsed less because of his own qualities but of his opponent being out of step. Connect’s Bryan Kettlewell, also involved in the medical community, focused on issues outside the realm of the fine arts school, from Top 10% to Affirmative Action (which for the most part he is against). Graduate- Sadly, it appears next year’s assembly will lack the intensity, dedication, and representation that Paul Navratil, Laura Gladney-Lemon, and Yamissette Westerband have given in the last few years. It is hard to endorse in this race considering only 1 in 10 candidates was interviewed by the panel and less than half even returned their questionnaire. Only five even have active profiles on the campaign’s websites. That being said, two of the “more qualified” candidates are Ignite’s Alex Pekker and Charlotte Allmon, both of whom are involved in their school councils. As a member of GLBT grad, Pekker may be most likely to continue in current Grad Rep Westerband’s footsteps in advocating issues concerning that particular community on campus. Connect’s Mariana Del Sol and Chris Seaberg receive an endorsement due to at least some level of interest or commitment visible by returning their questionnaires. Ignite’s Mike Scholfield’s membership in the Malt Beverage Appreciation Society will give representation to the often ignored legal consumption of alcohol segment of the student population and his claim to make all of our “wildest dreams come true” should not be dismissed as pure campaign propaganda! Law- In a race not marked by any standout qualities or candidates, Chris Lee of Ignite garners this endorsement. His service to communities outside of the University and representation of the Korean community in and outside of law would be beneficial to the assembly. LBJ- Often viewed as an independent college on the East edge of campus, it is only fitting that the single Independent candidate in all student elections receives this endorsement, J. Waite. He says it best in that he may not be “old and wise, but brings more perspectives than the average student” to the assembly. Liberal Arts- Ignite’s Katie Naranjo brings an impressive level of involvement and knowledge for having been at UT only one semester. In addition, her connections to the state legislature and internships past and current would give SG yet another avenue of access to outside bodies it deals with. Clint Adcox, also of Ignite, brings his connection to the Liberal Arts Council which would be a plus in the ongoing concerns between that body and SG. Nawal Abdeladim of Ignite would like to see more four year planning for Liberal Arts in advising, in idea that should be explored considering the enormous size of the college. Such planning could help decrease the years spent by Liberal Arts majors as UT as well as the rate of major changing. Connect’s C.J. Ginn personal idea to push for non-dorm residents to buy into the Dine-In dollar meal plans is one that should be represented in the Assembly. Meg Clifford of Connect speaks well for her ticket’s plank for more Liberal Arts student space on campus. Though this issue may not be the most important to Liberal Arts students, her energy to seek out a solution would benefit SG. Natural Sciences- Toyin Falola and Eric Longoria of Connect define the issues for their college and provided the most detailed concerns and plans for Natural Sciences making them Representative quality. Kim Skrobarcek of Ignite would bring a needed grassroots oriented style and aggressive role to SG by pushing SG to be more active in its resolutions while standing up communities outside of her own, such as GLBT students. Nicole Trinh, though not the same quality candidate as Falola or Longria, would work well with their plan of action. Her endorsement is due in part though, simply to the lack of interest or information available about the remainder of her opponents. Nursing- In this race Connect's Nicole Capriles presents a much stronger background of involvement and is on top of her college's issues. Little else needs to be said. Social Work- With a tradition of activist representatives in past assemblies, Social Work would be best served in electing Jan Carroll of Ignite. She will most certainly be an outspoken advocate of her college as well as the often underrepresented GLBT community on campus. Union Board- Wes Carpenter and Fallon McLane of the Ignite ticket deserve your vote. Each has more experience with the Union and SEC than either of the other candidates, who lack a certain level of competence and understanding of the job. SEC President- In various endorsements running up to this election, three different candidates have gained this writer’s vote at various points. Today, that endorsement readily goes to Julio “JV” Vela due to his grander vision punctuated by specific answers and ideas for the SEC. The GOP's Reframing Of The DebateBy Vince LeibowitzI recieved an email today with a link to a Think Progressive that discusses conservative Political strategist Frank Luntz's 160-page "playbook" (download it here) which devotes a lot of discussion to reframing the debate on a myriad of issues. Evidently, someone acquired a copy of the book and scanned it and made a PDF of it. It first surfaced on DailyKOS earlier this week, and was followed up with subsequent posts, both linking to Think Progressive's posts. I haven't had the chance to read the entire thing yet, but I did find some interesting tidbits. First, this little tidbit:
God, I think I'm going to be sick. I actually decided to Google the bolded phrase above and, in a Google news search, the State of the Union transcript actually came up first. Though Bush doesn't use all of that language or the exact same language, he follows the "adverb" rule:
And, he used "innovation," but not exactly in the reccomended context:
At any rate, the document, which is evidently entitled "The New American Lexicon," since that appears in the footers of several pages, covers just about everything a conservative should know when it comes to "reframing the debate." There are sections (which include "do"s and "don't"s to say) on ANWR, energy policy, tort reform (which should never be called that, according to the report), healthcare, Social Security privitization (which should be called "personalization" by Republicans, the report notes), the tax code and on and on and on. There are even sample speeches in the document you can take, personalize, and deliver to the local Rotary Club! While this is all very interesting, what I'd really like to get my hands on is a Texas version of a "playbook" like this, specifically the pages that deal with "tax relief" and "education reform." I'm sure some Texas consultant (probably Royal Massett) has written one. I'd also love to know the Texas GOP's "buzz words" they'll use when they have to justify leagalizing casino gambling as a means of funding education. Instead of saying "casino gambling" they'll probably say something like "speculative enterprise lyceums," or "recreational monetary venture facilities." February 27, 2005Van Os Announces For AGBy Vince LeibowitzSan Antonio attorney David Van Os announced Saturday he will be a candidate for Attorney General in the 2006 Democratic Primary. Van Os' announcement came during the annual meeting of the Texas Democratic Progressive Populist Caucus in Houston. A public announcement is expected early next week. Van Os' Saturday announcement wasn't entirely unexpected. In an e-mail sent by Van Os Sunday night, he noted:
Van Os, known across the state for his populist, firey, no-holds-barred style of campaigning and oratory, ran for Texas Supreme Court in 2004 and in 1998. As an attorney practicing labor law, Van os has served as Associate Counsel for the National Treasury Employees Union; In-house counsel for District 12, Texas, Communications Workers of America; and as General Counsel for the Texas AFL-CIO. Presently, he heads up David Van Os & Associates, P.C. in San Antonio. In 2003, he sought the unexpired term of Chairman of the Democratic Party of Texas along with former Land Commissioner Gary Muaro, State Rep. Garnett Coleman and Mary Moore when Molly Beth Malcom vacated the seat. Van Os is the second Democrat to formally announce a 2006 candidacy. Houston attorney Barbara Radnofsky announced earlier this year--after a year-long exploration--that she would seek the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate next year. Also, former U.S. Congressman Chris Bell announced earlier this month an exploratory effort to examine the possibility of running for Texas governor. It is unknown when or if Bell will turn his exploration into an actual candidacy. With announcements for marquee positions on the 2006 ballot begining so early, it remains to be seen whether or not other Democratic officials who previously sought statewide office will throw their hats into the ring. Likely contender for governor, John Sharp, has been exceedingly quite over the past few months. Ex-state senator Ted Lyon has also mentioned a possible run for the seat, but has reportedly made no decision. Ron Kirk, who ran for Senate in 2006 reportedly will not run at all this cycle and it remains unclear if Ken Bentsten, who finished third behind Kirk and Victor Morales in the Democratic Primary, will try to run against fellow Houstonite Radnofsky. Morales, who has almost earned Gene Kelly's "perennial candidate" status has also been mentioned in some circles as a possible candidate again. Ex-Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is also rumored to be considering another run for statewide office--possibly Lt. Governor or Governor. Tony Sanchez is reported to be leaning against a rematch with Perry in 2006. Former U.S. Congressman Jim Turner of Crockett is also reportedly eyeing the Governor's mansion, but will not be considering a Senate run as many believe. Ex-Congressmen Charlie Stenholm (D-Abilene) and Max Sandlin (D-Marshall) have also been mentioned as possible contenders for statewide office. Agricultural policy advocate and rancher David Cleavinger of Deaf Smith County announced last summer he may seak the post of Ag Commissioner. East Texan Tom Ramsey may also run for the post again. In The Trenches: My Visit With The Wood County DemocratsBy Vince LeibowitzOn Friday night, I was surprised to see about 35 Democrats gathered in my hometown of Mineola for the Wood County Democratic Party's monthly meeting. I had been asked by my counterpart in that county, Dr. Charles Thompson, to speak to that group about some of the things we've been doing in Van Zandt County as well as to offer my take on the Legislative session and (basically) whatever else I wanted to talk about. Needless to say, I couldn't resist such an invitation, especially when it meant showing off some of the great ads our PAC ran last cycle. For those of you unfamiliar with Wood County (where I lived most of my life and graduated high school before going to college and eventually coming to Van Zandt County), it is a very, very, very "red" county. However, during the last election cycle, they made some good gains for Democrats, and almost won the Sheriff's race there, which was quite an accomplishment given the way people in that county tend to vote, which is "straight ticket R." Right before I spoke, Charles updated the group on two local officeholders, one recently re-elected County Commissioner and one recently elected constable, who just switched parties and became Republicans. Since we had a little experience with that here in 2001, when one of our commissioners turncoated, I opened by telling the people there that it wasn't the end of the world, and that they just had to do everything within their power to defeat those guys in the next election cycle. After talking about our plan of action for the 2004 election and our plans for the upcoming cycle in 2006, I talked a little about the Lege, specifically school finance, and gave my humble opinion that gambling would be the Lege's poison of choice with regard to school finance, pointing to a Lone Star Survey that shows over 50 percent of Texas voters have no major opposition to large-scale casino gambling in Texas. I noted that, though the GOP may talk a big "morals" game on this, in the end it is what they will end up for a number of reasons. I also told the Wood County Democrats about all of the lovely work their State Rep, Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) is doing in Austin, including introducing one of the session's dumbest bills to outlaw nudist youth camps in Texas--all while there is real work to be done on school finance. I also got a lot of good questions from the Democrats who are, arguably, more conservative than the "hometown crowd" I'm used to here in Canton. Specifically, I was asked about abortion and the Platform. One elected official present noted that many of his GOP friends are constantly throwing the party platform in his face and claiming how "liberal" Democrats are. So, I pointed him to the masterpiece that is the Texas GOP platform and told him that the next time they did that, to remind him his own party was so far to the right they were advocating things like the dissolution of the United Nations, among other crazy stuff. On the abortion issue, I advised everyone to discuss the issue as a matter of constitutionality and not religion. I also said that it's best to talk about it in terms of being for or against the "right to choose" as opposed to being for or against abortion. I also noted it wouldn't hurt to point out the GOP's hypocritical stance in that area. They essentially insist every child be brought to term and raised by the mother all the while slashing or eleminating programs that would help that child get off to a good start in life. Clearly, that's not a very good "family values stance," for the GOP. At any rate, I think the talk was fairly well recieved. I got several laughs talking about GOP hypocrisy and some of the dumb bills legislators are filing all the while we've got school finance staring us in the face. Too, the crowd (that big that soon after an election) should tell everyone in Wood County that there is hope for the future. Considering the GOP increased its number of voters in the Presidential election my more than 30 percent (while the Dems did so by about 2 percent), I think it's safe to say that the GOP has about plateaued in terms of the number of new voters it can attract in that county. And, given the behavior of some of the elected officials in that county, hopefully the GOP will actually start losing some votes in the next cycle. Vince Leibowitz is County Chairman of the Democratic Party of Van Zandt County. Craddick Avoids TestifyingBy Byron LaMastersShocker! Craddick cuts a deal:
What Republicans Want, but are Afraid to SayBy Byron LaMastersDick Armey isn't afraid to point out the real agenda though (emphasis mine):
Is Dick Armey in La-la-land? Oh, wait, is the Pope Catholic? Besides the obvious idiocy of Armey's remarks, and his utter inability to comprehend poverty and understand the working class in America, Armey's remarks are very telling. The Republican agenda on Social Security is not one of minor tweaking, or of harmless "personal accounts". They want to dismantle the entire program. Not all at once - it'll be a piecemeal process, but have no doubt, that is their aim. Just ask the Pennsylvania young Republicans... "Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Social Security has got to go"! Meanwhile, Tom DeLay notes that only one-third of GOP congressmen tried to sell the GOP Social Security plan during the congressional recess - typically with little success. The other two-thirds? They didn't even bother trying:
NoteBy Jim DallasOne thing I'm absolutely tired of is the perception that Democrats' "cultural problems" are issues which pertain specifically to the South, and modest changes will result in restored competitiveness throughout the entire South (as if it were a monolithic voting bloc!) Look, about the only places in this great country where we might not be at risk of losing votes because of being identified with the cultural left are a few precincts in San Franscisco, New York, and Boston. This includes black precincts, white precincts, poor precincts, white precincts, holy-roller boxes and secular boxes. Just a small adjustment - a dozen votes in every precinct worth of adjustment - in message would have made the difference in Ohio, New Mexico, Nevada, and Iowa - and none of these states are in the South. And it was is those four states that John Kerry lost the presidency. Yes, I think Mudcat Saunders has some good points; but I think the most apparent benefit of moderating on some cultural issues isn't that we'll start carrying Southern states. We won't: Southern conservatism runs a lot deeper than just "God, Gays, and Guns," and the assumption that we can win the South (outside of Florida, Virignia, and urban centers) just by appealing to economic populism is probably bunk. The first sign we're doing something right will be that we'll be able to carry the rest of the country with substantial enough margins such that losing the South won't matter. A more important concern than winning, though, is always the ultimate issue of morality. I very consciously used the term "risk" above because I think it accurately sums up my thinking: we take risks by standing up for what is right, but the risk itself doesn't justify inaction. At any rate, "the South" is turning into a McGuffin: instead of thinking about maximizing our vote totals among those 12 or 13 voters per precinct that would have delivered us the White House; or even those places in the South which really are competitive now; we've fixated on an entire region of the country which is probably going to be rather hostile for the forseeable future. There's only so much good that "positioning" can do. In the end, the only effective way to return the South to the "D" column (on the national level) is community organization and shifting the entire national political discourse to the left, and not by treating this big amorphous monolithic South as just another special interest. Kevin Drum has some thoughts here. Also, read Ed Kilgore's take on this. Bush... wins?By Jim DallasGeorge W. Bush was awarded the Golden Raspberry for
If I'm ever awarded a Raspberry, or win an election for that matter, I intend to channel Sally Field. February 26, 2005Democracy in Egypt?By Zach NeumannRecently, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called off a visit to Egypt to protest the imprisonment of Al-Ghad opposition leader Ayman Nour. It looks like Hosni Mubarak is attempting to mount a response. I don’t know how sincere this is, but it seems that Egypt might be considering democratic reform.
Again, I want to emphasize how skeptical I am about Mubarak’s sincerity. He has made it fairly clear on several occasions that he wants his son to succeed him. Moreover, all he has offered at this point is some feel good, pro-democracy rhetoric (perhaps to assuage the concerns of the United States). I’m going to keep following this one… Dallas Democrats Prepare for Executive Committee MeetingBy Byron LaMastersLast week, I reported that for the first time in memory, the Dallas County Democratic Party will be holding an executive committee meeting called not by the chair, but by petition of 51% of the executive committee (precinct chairs). While there were runors that the Chair would attempt to challenge the legality of the meeting, notice of the meeting is now on the webpage of the Dallas County Democratic Party. The meeting will be Monday, February 28, at 6:30 p.m. at the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Hall. I plan on attending the meeting in order to keep an unofficial record of the proceedings. Both supporters and opponents of Chair Susan Hays have sent a series of emails and letters this past week. Much of the criticism of Susan Hays is related to her letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee last year in support of Bush judicial nominee Michael Schneider. I wrote at the time that I didn't think that the letter was that big of a deal, but there are a few issues of concern which I was not aware of at the time. First, the fact that Susan Hays wrote the letter on a Dallas County Democratic Party letterhead implied that she was not only speaking for herself, but for the Dallas County Democratic Party. That apparently was the assumption made by Senator Cornyn who said the following in the Senate record:
Also of concern is the fact that this appointment violated the so-called "Thurmond Rule". Sen. Leahy (D-VT) said the following in the Senate record on the Schneider confirmation:
So, while Schneider was not an egregious nominee, it could be argued that the letter by Susan Hays legitimized the violation of the "Thurmond Rule" by Senate Republicans. It should be noted that Susan Hays sent a letter to precinct chairs apologizing for using the party letterhead, but not for writing the letter after at least six local clubs passed resolutions denouncing her leadership. You can view copies of the letter and resolutions here. Four Dallas County Democratic elected officials co-signed a letter to precinct chairs this week indicating their support for Susan Hays. Here is the letter:
I would say that it is rather unimpressive that Susan Hays could only find four Dallas County elected officials willing to go on the record stating their support for her. Furthermore, her backing from Rafael Anchia is unsurprising considering Hays' role in bringing forth a legal challenge to knock Anchia's Democratic primary opponent off the ballot. Valdez's support is unsurprising as well. After the election, Hays fired the executive director of the Dallas County Democratic Party, and hired Valdez's campaign manager to fill the job. More telling is who is NOT on the list (State Reps. Hodge, Alonzo, Davis, Jones, Giddings and Judges Adams, Montgomery, Garcia and Raggio). Needless to say, the meeting on Monday ought to provide some fireworks. Update: Former Dallas County Democratic Party Chair Bill Howell shares his thoughts on the matter over at Stout Dem Blog. Craddick, DeLay get more bad PRBy Byron LaMastersOliver Willis and The Raw Story have the scoop on a story by the National Journal that will report that Tom DeLay violated House rules:
Turning to Tom Craddick, Vince reported on Political State Report that Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick has been subpoenaed to testify in lawsuit against TRMPAC for their election activities in 2002. Kuff and The Daily DeLay have more. Ben Barnes / KBH Rumor DeniedBy Byron LaMastersI posted last week on rumors that Ben Barnes would be heading up "Democrats for Hutchison" in the 2006 Governor's race. Rick Perry vs. the World reports that both Barnes and KBH have denied the rumors with Barnes speculating that Perry was behind it. No surprise here - I failed to see the logic of how Ben Barnes could help KBH in a GOP primary, and it certainly would make sense if the story was floated by the Perry campaign as an attempt to tarnish KBH's GOP credentials. A Close Look at CD 23By Byron LaMastersI read Charles Kuffner's post on the looming primary fight in CD 28 (currently held by Henry Cuellar, previously held by Ciro Rodriguez, and eyed by State Rep. Richard Raymond). Kuff (among others) has pointed out that Richard Raymond should take a serious look at running in CD 23 which would be open if Henry Bonilla runs for the U.S. Senate. I started writing a comment, but an hour of typing and research later (yes, I'm a big dork), I developed a detailed analysis of Democratic chances in CD 23. The DPI (Democratic Performance Index) of CD 23 (based on 2002 data - pdf file) is 43.2, whereas the DPI of CD 28 is 58.9. That begs the question of how much can an intense voter persuasion campaign shift the DPI? I decided to take a look at the 2002 DPI of the six congressional races with well funded Democrats, and compare that with the 2004 election results. Here's what we get: Data District 1 (Sandlin) District 2 (Lampson) District 17 (Edwards) District 19 (Stenholm) District 22 (Morrison) District 32 (Frost) Analysis In four of six races, the Democratic candidate ran 7 points or better ahead of the DPI - the margin a Democrat would need in order to win in CD 23. A well-funded Democrat running an intense voter persuasion campaign has a real shot at winning an open CD 23 in 2006. However, several other factors should be considered as well. First, it is very probable that the DPI of CD 23 decreased in 2004. Webb County (Laredo) turned out very heavily for Tony Sanchez and the Democratic ticket in 2002. The turnout was only slightly higher and decidedly less Democratic in 2004: 2002 U. S. Senator 2002 Governor 2004 President/Vice-President The abortion issue obviously hurt John Kerry in Webb County with the high profile campaign in the Catholic Church made against Kerry. Webb County is overwhelmingly Hispanic and Catholic. Other down-ballot Democrats significantly outperformed Kerry: 2004 Railroad Commissioner 2004 Justice, Supreme Court, Place 9 2004 Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Place 6 From these numbers it is clear that John Kerry’s performance is an anomaly, and that a generic Democrat can expect to receive a sizeable margin from the county. Hispanic candidates of any party run very well here. Perhaps most instructive is to look at the Supreme Court race where there were two White candidates. If Van Os’s total is what a generic Democrat can expect out of Webb County, then that would peg the DPI in the high sixties – still a nearly 20 point drop from 2002. Conclusions Even though only half of Webb County is in CD 23, the massive drop in Democratic performance in 2004 in the county severely reduces the DPI of the district as a whole. Finding the exact DPI of CD 23 in 2004 would take a bit of time and research, but one can reasonably conclude that the DPI decreased in 2004 from the 2002 DPI of 43.2. Another factor to consider is what kind of candidate would be best for Democrats to run in an open CD 23. Would someone like Richard Raymond – who took a very high profile and partisan role during the 2003 redistricting fight, be the best candidate to run in a GOP-leaning district? Should a more conservative candidate be recruited? The ideology of the candidate didn’t seem to make that big of a difference in the ability of a candidate to run a successful voter persuasion campaign. Martin Frost was a prominent member of the Democratic leadership for many years and had a voting record in the mainstream of the Democratic Party and still ran 8.3 points ahead of the DPI. On the other hand Blue Dog Max Sandlin ran only 0.7 ahead of the DPI. Conservatives Charlie Stenholm and Chet Edwards ran very successful voter persuasion campaigns as well. I would argue that the candidate mattered less than the campaign. Chet Edwards, Martin Frost, Charlie Stenholm and Richard Morrison all ran campaigns where swing voters were highly targeted and many GOP-leaning voters crossed over to vote for them. Looking at the tactics used by those campaigns should give us insight as to how those efforts could be replicated in a district such as CD 23. February 25, 2005SG: Fun with Facebook!By Karl-Thomas MusselmanNo, this has nothing to do with me and facebook, but rather, funny things I have found on Facebook related to SG. As far as group membership goes at this point... Connect: 425 That last group had a very clever picture which I've posted here. In addition, I found it slightly amusing that one of the few Connect "groupies" was none other than Jessica Rice, Ignite's Presidential Candidate. (being a group's groupie means you have x number of friends in that group but you aren't in it yourself). So all the connect supporters that log in to view their group page, see this most every time. (pop-up) And not to forget the SEC President Race!!! Voting Justin Burniske For Sec President: 1 (himself) I don't know how much this says about the SEC race momentum wise, but I would say that it seems like Mr. Grube is in a good position. Joy seems to be very popular in the gay community for some reason (must be our natural attraction to black women?) and Justin is winning in the "I have the most overexposed pictures of myself on my posters" category. (Does anyone else find those slighty disturbing besides me?) Equal TimeBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanFirst off, look for Daily Texan endorsements on all the student elections on Monday. The Texan editorial board issues it's own endorsement, separate from the panelists, though we'll be on our own page. (I'm looking forward to the 12 hours of interviews we have tomorrow, I kid you not!) After today's little scuffle noted in the Texan, both campaigns have since sent out e-mails to their listservs, so I have posted the relevent info in the extended entry. Oh, and Dusty Mangum, UT's hot Rose Bowl kick winning Kicker will be appearing at the Ignite Rally on Sunday 8 PM on the main mall. Daron Roberts, former SG president four years ago, will also be an invited guest according to one of the thousands of SG ticket related flyers I've run across this week. I've had no word yet on the level of 'campaign activites' that Connect will be hosting this weekend as I'm sure everyone is still sorting out today's ruling. So with that, to the extended entry! First, a short note from Ignite.
Fairly short, professional, and self-explanatory so I'll move on to Connect.
If anyone else has comments or a response that's in addition to what was already said in the last post, please post them. Connect Ticket Faces 2 Day BanBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanWhoa. This is huge. The Texan article explains it, but it seems the Connect ticket (which was challening my panel status yesterday) is now banned from campaigning entirely until elections start next Tuesday. And this is a result of new charges, not any of the ones filed last week from what I can gather. I've got class so I'll comment more later. February 24, 2005Questions Avoided, Constables Called at Hensarling Townhall MeetingBy Byron LaMastersThis morning U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Dallas) had a townhall meeting in Forney, TX (just east of Dallas in Kaufman County). For some reason, not one, but three Constables arrived at the peaceful town hall meeting of 25 after some tough Social Security questions were asked (which Hensarling did his best to avoid). Read the full story at 100 Monkeys Typing. Yay! Gannon/Guckert/whatever is Back!By Byron LaMastersHow cute. Gannon's website is back up ready to "battle the Left", while the Talon News website has taken a hiatus. Nothing like watching a few right-wingers give fuel to a story that would otherwise be dead or dying. Blogging Out Loud explains it in sexual terms, and of course, America Blog covers all the details. A Question of my Panel StatusBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanSubmitted in response to a charge against me by one of the tickets. As one of the Student Government involved students on the Daily Texan Panel, it would be irresponsible to state that myself, the two current SG Reps, or SG Executive member are blind to the individuals and personalties that this year's Student Election Tickets consist of. My work and experience with members of the Assembly and various Committees and Agencies has allowed me to become familiar with many of the candidates that are already running and view this as a strength for each of the SG involved students on this Panel. In regards to recent concerns made by one of the campaign's members with whom I've worked in the Assembly: Questions were asked about my membership in regards to particular "The Facebook" groups. My membership in these groups was made early in the campaign season as I was invited to join them and being one interested in the promotion of Student Government as an entity and Elections as a practice for democracy. Had I been invited to join any other related SG or SEC or Union Board or Co-op Board election groups I would have been more than happy to confirm them, especially due to their lower visibility. This follows with my philosophy of elections and is why I am in such groups like "If You are a City Council Election Ballot, I Will Fill You Out" and "I Love my Constable". Any such groups I have joined have been due to invitation only. To alleviate any such concerns over the "appearance of corruption", I have removed myself from all Election related groups, even those that are unrelated to tickets but may contain candidates. Being a panelist, I would rather have the option of being invited to all the groups in order to keep up with campaign news and activities to make a more informed decision. In fact, I have been on the Connect campaign listserv a full week longer than the Ignite campaign listserv. I take making an informed vote seriously and less information makes that more difficult, but if either campaign has a problem with this action, they may remove me from their lists. As the University Democrats Webmaster, I am charged with notifying our membership of any endorsements made by the collective membership at endorsement meetings. My notification to the UDems members listserv of the body's vote to endorse Ignite and Grube for SEC president was made as part of my job description as outlined in the UDems constitution which is available on our website, www.udems.org. Nothing more, nothing less. I notified the two leaders of each campaign about this action before the vote was held, and such action would have been taken if UDems had decided to endorse Connect. As a blogger for the Burnt Orange Report, I have been covering SG politics since last August. My recent coverage of the SG campaign season is nothing new, as I reported on it last year as well. I notified b |
