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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September 30, 2005Where To See Your 2006 Democratic Hopefuls This WeekBy Damon McCullar
Barbara Radnofsky Chris Bell Calling all DFW area progressives! Chris Bell will be a special guest as the Dallas Air America affiliate, KXEB 910 AM, throws a party on October 6th at the FunAsia Theater in Richardson. Come on out to meet Chris, hear him say a few words about the governor's race, and then sit back and enjoy a screening of the new HBO documentary "Left of the Dial." More details are available on the KXEB website. Chris Bell is proud to be a featured guest as the Denton County Democratic Party presents DonkeyFest 2005 on Saturday, September 8. This fundraiser for the DCDP runs from 5 PM to 9 PM and will be hosted by Mary Begis, 806 Stowe Lane in Lakewood Village. The event costs $25 per person, and $5 for kids under 6. All attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs to enjoy entertainment from the String Theory Band, Phil & Elizabeth France, and Members of The Dallas Opera And Dallas Symphony Chorus. For more information, or if you need transportation to this event, call 940.566.1165. Chris will be in Brenham on October 11 to speak to a meeting of the Washington County Democratic Club. The meeting starts at 5:30 PM and is being held in the Blinn College Student Center on Blinn's Brenham campus. For more information, contact Duane Olney at 979-836-9354. Chris will be speaking at the University of St. Thomas in Houston on Thursday, October 13 at 12:30 PM. The event is being sponsored by the St. Thomas More Political Science Club and is open to all students. Chris's speech will take place at 12:30 pm in the Crooker Center's Ahern Room. A Q&A session will follow at the Political & Social Science House. A campus map is available here. For further information, contact Cameron Waldner at moreposc@stthom.edu. Felix Alvarado Felix Alvarado will be in Denton tonight (October 3rd.) speaking to the UNT Democrats at 7:00. On October 8th, he is scheduled to be at the Wise County Democratic Fundraiser in Greenwood. He is also scheduled to appear October 10th at Donkey Fest in Denton. Maria Alvarado is running for Lt. Governor. David Van Os Hank Gilbert David Harris On October 2nd, the campaign will attend the Civil Rights 2005 Conference in Addison to hear lectures covering the Patriot Act and Prisoner's Rights, with speakers that include David Van Os (for more information contact sackblair@sbcglobal.net). Block walking continues on Tuesday and on Thursday, David will be visiting with the Waxahachie chapter of Drinking Liberally (www.drinkingliberally.org). On Saturday, October 8th, the Greater Arlington Mansfield Democratic Women [http://www.tdw.org/GreaterArlingtonMansfieldTDW.html] will be hosting David at their Mansfield Hometown Festival Booth which was rescheduled because of Hurricane Rita's arrival in Texas. David will be at the booth from 9-12 collecting signatures and talking to voters about our district paying more for a gallon of gas everyday while our Representative cycles those profits back into his pocket through oil and gas PAC's Shane Sklar John Courage Friday, Sept. 30, 2005 - San Antonio Saturday, October 1, 2005 – Dallas Tuesday, October 4, 2005 – Austin Wednesday, October 5, 2005 - Austin Nick Lampson Henry Cuellar Richard Raymond Ciro Rodrigez Kirk Watson Mary-Beth Harrell Mary Beth will be speaking to the Salado Democratic Party on Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m in the Salado Communty Center. Also, Mary Beth's Official Campaign Kick-Off and Announcement will be held on Oct. 11, 2005. You can meet the candidate at both events. Join us at the Killeen Civic and Conference from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Refreshments and Food will be served. Then we'll be in Round Rock at the Louisiana Longhorn Cafe on Main Street. More refreshments and food will be served. A good time will be had by all. Andy Brown Andy Brown will be blockwalking this weekend. Come meet Andy, talk to West Austin voters, and work on your tan! Contact Marc at 636-4345 or at marc@voteandy.com for more information. Donna Howard is seeking the nomination for State Representative in District 48. Dan Barrett Fort Worth Democracy for America meeting - Wednesday, Oct. 5 @ 7:00 pm - Ol' South Pancake House. Paula Hightower-Pierson Judge Jim Coronado (site under construction) Tuesday 10/4: SAD Yellow Dawg fund-raiser 5:30-7:30 p.m. AFL-CIO Diane Henson Bree Buchanan Mina Brees Charles Baird Charlie is having a fundraiser on Thursday, 10/13, at 5:30 at Saengerrunde Hall, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin. Special guest Richard "Racehorse" Haynes and State Rep Dawnna Dukes as mistress of ceremonies. Suggested contributions $35.00 but everyone is welcome. Sponsorships available. Contact Nancy Williams at Nnwilliams@aol.com for more info. Kinky People on CampusBy Damon McCullarYou'd think with this being the Univ of Texas, that would go without My travels around campus did take me past the west mall where I did see the crowd and heard Kinky prattling on. First, the crowd was typical of any crowd on the west mall. Anytime anyone is speaking in that venue, there is usually a crowd of 50-75 gathered around the steps listening to whoever is talking. This was no exception. Contrast that with Chris Bell speaking at the UDems meeting a week ago Wednesday. There were few vacant seats available in GAR 1, a room that seats 230 souls. I would estimate there were 150-175 there. The notion that Kinky has a bigger presence on campus is a fallacy. There was a point when I was open to Kinky, but the flippant way he talks about issues that a lot of Texans take very seriously really has turned me off (post the "Ten Suggestions" in classrooms,). In addition, the fact that he would consider posting the Ten Commandments in public schools (an unconstitutional practice that has already decided on by the US Supreme Court) and re-establishing prayer in public schools (another point already decided by the Supremes) is a galling notion. Government has no business in religion and religion has no business in government. That should be taught by parents and churches, not on the public dime. Also, he wants to build a big fence between the Texas and Mexico. What's up with that? Kinky's campaign has about as much substance as the smoke from his cigars. Buzbee for Lt. GovernorBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanWord from high level sources in the Texas Democratic Party has it that prominent Galveston attorney and former Galveston County Democratic Chair Tony Buzbee is moving closer to running for Lieutenant Governor in 2006. Buzbee, a Marine veteran and so called "legal genius type" has been rumored to be able to self finance his campaign. The Fort Worth Star Telegram ran a piece on him back in August and had this to say...
Dobbs also had some comments back then on this post. I feel that this is great news if it pans out, because right our nominee is the Alvarado sister half of the Alvarado team, assuming they end up on the ballot. Let's round out the rest of those statewide spots as we ask Texans to Step Up. So prepared to get buzzed about Buzbee. (And maybe you too can be those high level sources over at the TDP.) Delay's Attorney is a Kinky Campaign AdviserBy Phillip MartinHere's something interesting: a campaign adviser for Kinky Friedman also happens to be Tom Delay's attorney. Back on August 11, Kinky Friedman, the independent candidate for Governor, hired Dick DeGuerin as a staff adviser. This came with little fanfare, but was noted in both the Houston Chronicle and on Kinky's blog as evidence that he's running a fairly conventional race:
Dick DeGuerin also happens to be Tom Delay's attorney, and has spent most of the last few days speaking up for the indicted (former) majority leader:
Looks like Mr. Independent isn't quite so independent after all. Ronnie Earle has received tremendous support from many in the Kinky camp for his fight against corrupt officials; yet, a man who has spent the last 48 hours attacking Ronnie Earle is on Kinky's payroll. What do you all think: would DeGuerin be paper or plastic? Shall we blame Mack Brown, or shant we?By Jim DallasThe Wall Street Journal (subscription required) says Texas A&M's football team is smarter than ours (their boys averaged a 21 on the Wonderlic test; ours 19.7). This is in addition to their higher graduation rate for their football team. (The population average is around 20; the WSJ says the "broader population" of job-seekers scored 21 -- although one might assume that including non-job seekers would probably lower the average for the entire population by a point or two). September 29, 2005Austin Capitol VigilBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI attended the No Nonsense in November vigil tonight at the capitol where hundreds of Austinites encircled the capitol in a silent march before heading over to a volunteer appreciation party at Mother Egan's. An interesting story, I was trying to get up inside the Capitol to someone's office that faced out over the crowd to take some shots from above and the only place open was the Governor's Press Office. So I went in and asked of course. Two very nice young women smiled at me and seemed somewhat helpful. One went off to get her superior, a bland looking white guy who came out and said they couldn't really open up the window for me to take pictures. Of course, I didn't need the window opened up, I could shoot through clear glass any day of the week, but he proceeded to say that he'd have to decline my request. Not that I was surprised, but it was worth the exchange. Especially since the House Floor was open and I just went over to that chamber and shot pictures out of their windows. So you can see that picture here. And I got a ground shot here and one shot that somewhat gets across the line we made around the Dome. But my favorite shot of all is in the extended entry.  Where's the Relief for College Students?By John PruettHurricane Katrina relief and rebuilding efforts (read no-bid contracts to Halliburton and other Republican donors). Ongoing war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Corporate giveaways to oil companies. No increase in taxes; or, more accurately, tax-breaks for the wealthy. Result: record deficit spending by the federal government. Everyone knows the federal budget is out of control and unsustainable. But, how can Congress balance it with so many priorities on the table? Well they have one solution: cut financial aid spending for college students. You see, for Republicans, social spending to improve people’s lives equals “big government,” whereas things such as war and corporate subsidies fall under “economic growth” and “national security.” Further infuriating my "bleeding heart," these financial aid cuts, if passed, will be the largest for higher education in US history. The House bill proposes $9 billion in financial aid cuts, while the Senate bill includes up to $14 billion in similar cuts. If passed as they are, these would be the largest college financial aid cuts in our nation’s history. Congress must fail to see the sick irony of their own legislation. As if Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of New Orleans didn’t do enough to point out the inequities of poverty in this country, Congress could be effectively stripping away the opportunities that allow the poor to escape their desperate situation. Many of those left behind in New Orleans either did not have the means to get out, or, if they could evacuate, did not have the resources to sustain themselves elsewhere. How many of the Katrina victims from 9th Ward had college degrees, professional jobs, and owned cars? How many of those who got out before the storm had these things? I leave it to you to decide. An editorial in the Star-Tribune states:
And, to make matters worse, the problem with providing college opportunities for low-income children is not a new one. No surprise there. It’s not as if federal financial aid budget has been adequate up until this point. Here’s an excerpt from a Seattle Post-Intelligencer article:
Today the struggle to attend college extends beyond the poor, now threatening many middle-class families. Need-based aid typically goes to students from the poorest families first, whereas many middle-class students unable to depend on their parents’ incomes for support are left out. With tuition costs rising at universities across the nation, the federal government should consider extending aid to middle-income families, not cutting the limited funds that already exist. Have state governments done anything to fill the gap? Well here in Texas, the legislature has relied on universities to offset rising tuition costs with increased financial aid. However, a recent report by the State Auditor’s Office found that this system isn’t going far enough. The Houston Chronicle sums it up:
Hmm…62,000 students. No small number. Where shall they turn for help? I’m disgusted by conservative politicians who twist the language of “hard work” and “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” to justify stripping away needed social programs. Have we as a country learned anything from the Katrina disaster? Education is one of the primary means of social progress and of improving people’s lives. Without it, the poor stay poor while the rich get richer. What’s happening to the American dream? Left/Right Oppose Amendment #2By Karl-Thomas MusselmanThe Log Cabin Republicans of Texas will work to defeat Prop 2.
The AFL-CIO will work to defeat Prop 2.
Vigil Tonight, Party TomorrowBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanWant to help defeat Proposition 2, the Texas Marriage Amendment? Then come take part in these activites here in Austin and the UT Campus over the next couple of days. Check out our UT- Campus Alliance Against Inequality website for more detail and future events or to get on our listserv. #1 Equality Vigil Join thousands of other Austinites in the city's first big show of public support for the No Nonsense in November campaign. #2 Discussion with Rep. Warren Chisum Author of Amendment #2, Rep. Chisum will square off with NNN campaign representative Anne Wynne and our very own CAAI Chair, Marti Bier! Please come support our side during this sure to be lively and professional exchange. #3 Party on the Patio Join the Campus Alliance in kicking off the countdown to election day with live music, a conference call with Glen Maxey and a special guest, as well getting up to date on upcoming campus actions and how you can help defeat Prop 2. #4 Neighborhood Block (Walking) Party You heard the word now spread it to West Campus! Join your foot soldiers for equality as we get trained and head into West Campus for some good old fashioned political footwork and spread our message. Please RSVP to Peter (peter_clark22@hotmail.com) so we can have enough food and supplies! Kinky on CampusBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI didn't have a chance to attend because of class, but I hear and read that the Kinky Spirit walk on campus yesterday was as fun and well attended as as say a food fight at the Goodall Wooten. In any case, the Texan and Kinky blog have some coverage of the 150 or so people that turned out so give them a read. Also, be sure to watch Chris Bell on Hardball, the campaign has a file of yesterday's exchange. "As long as I'm speaker, we're not going to do it."By Phillip MartinQ. Which of the following should be done to fix our public schools? If you answered D, you must be House Speaker Tom Craddick, who is quoted in an article in Sunday's Midland Reporter Telegram as saying not to expect more money for our public schools anytime soon. In his own words: "As long as I'm speaker, we're not going to do it." Touting Perry's 65% plan and the need for increased accountability, Speaker Craddick insisted that the state cannot afford to put more money into the "bottomless pit" of public education. However, as the Waco Tribune-Herald recently noted, Governor Perry's decree that the state should be allowed to micromanage every school in Texas not only defies local control, but arrogantly presumes that the needs in cities are the same as those in rural areas across Texas. That 65% doesn't factor in teacher aides, transporation, or nurses, just to name a few of the many "non-classroom" needs of our public schools. What's more, the increased cry for accountability is the worst of political rhetoric. As one rural Superintendent from Jacksonville recently noted, superintendents already administer 48 different tests to their students every year, not to mention countless other accountability measures placed on them by state and federal mandates. Why, then, do Republicans continue to push for meaningless reforms that will do nothing to help our schools? Two recent editorials give us some direction: First, a recent Houston Chronicle editorial (it was archived, so the link is to a Texas education blog that posted it) titled "Perry's order on spending says more about own failings than about school districts'" talks about how foolish the 65% order is, and how its primary aim seems to be preventing school districts from suing the state:
Secondly, a Fort-Worth editorial points out that maybe, just maybe, the Republican's want our schools to fail. In fact, Superintendent Kyle Collier of Pottsboro even bluntly accused state officials of trying to "de-emphasize public schools and make us fail so much that they have to pass vouchers." Can we ever expect the Republican leadership to stop failing our schools and start investing in real reforms for our public schools? In Craddick's own words: "As long as I'm speaker, we're not going to do it." On DeLay's CaseBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanKuff has a great roundup and analysis. Head over and read it. Scandal got your panties in a wad? Then express it and donate to John Courage before tomorrow's fundraising deadline for the 3rd quarter to show DeLay's Texas Shadow Lamar Smith that we're not fond of his stench either. September 28, 2005BORed: Aggies Boarding Up For A StormBy Matt HardigreeI thought it was important to interject a little bit of levity into a day whose news has left us sorrowful. This photo is courtesy of stirman.
Kay Bailey Hutchison was GUILTYBy Andrew DobbsIf you've been watching the coverage of the DeLay indictment today, you've seen plenty of GOP talking heads whining about how mean and partisan ol' Ronnie Earle is (on CNN you've also seen a mention of our very own BOR!). To prove their point, they trot out the fact that he once indicted Kay Bailey Hutchison--that sweet ol' girl--and lost the case. This seems to prove that he's more interested in getting Republicans than enforcing the law, but they are wrong. 11 years ago today, believe it or not, Ronnie Earle handed down several indictments for destroying evidence and tampering with government documents. In 1994 the Dallas Observer's Miriam Rozen gained access to grand jury documents in the case against Kay Bailey Hutchison. I can't find the article online, but I managed to find a contemporaneous Texas Monthly article that quotes largely from the piece. The testimony starts with employees, former coworkers and others noting her abusive behavior around the office. She literally threw a book at a subordinate and kept her office in a state of fear while she was Treasurer. These employees testify that when she told them to start destroying documents that showed her using state-paid staff, offices and other taxpayer-funded resources for her own political activities, they made copies behind her back. These documents proved damaging, but a technicality through most of the evidence out of the case. Many are still baffled by Earle's decision to drop the case, a decision many felt he didn't have to make. The judge, equally surprised, quickly selected and swore in a jury and instructed them to acquit her, rather than simply dropping the case. As a result, the charges died and most Texans have forgotten that Kay Bailey Hutchison was a prime suspect in a large-scale political corruption scandal. Ronnie Earle had KBH dead to rights in that case, and a technicality saved her from the slammer and let her rise through the ranks of the US Senate (to the point that she is a possible candidate for President or Vice President). He had her cold, just like he did the other THREE Republicans he had indicted (as opposed to the 12 Democrats) so when DeLay's defenders talk about that case, they are splitting hairs in the name of defending America's most corrupt politician. Roy Blunt Elected New Majority LeaderBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanThough some duties are apparently to be shared with other Reps, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) has been elected the new Majority Leader by the Republican Caucus by a unanimous vote. Rep. Dreier of California may share some duties, but has not been selected as the actual leader, contrary to other reports. The Family Research Council is happy and released this statement, and I would imagine they are quite thrilled that Drier likely will not have the influence to moderate the GOP's position on their favorite non-issue, the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Chris Bell Responds To Today's IndictmentBy Damon McCullarChris Bell had this to say about today's indictment.
The full post is available on his blog For those who haven't had the chance to meet Chris or here him speak, he will be on Hardball at 4pm CDT on MSNBC, and then Hannity and Colmes later tonight on Fox News. Tune in and check him out, let us here at BOR know what ya think. Now on the issue of disclosure. A friend of mine and fellow blogger was called out as being subcontractor on the Chris Bell campaign and, therefore impartial, for being paid $300 for some web set up work he did. I've never hid the fact that I work on the campaign as a volunteer. It was mentioned on this blog here and here that I do work for the Chris Bell campaign, so there ya have it. Am I impartial? I try to just report what's going on and try not to inject my personal slant into things. I will admit that I've done it from time to time. This is a blog though. You, the readers, are free to disagree with me, you have let know on several occasions that you don't agree with me and I respect your opinion. So there ya have it. Homosexual Man Chosen As Next Majority Leader?By Damon McCullarUpdate: Rep. Roy Blunt has been elected Majority Leader. When it rains, it pours... According to Blogactive.com the new "temporary" Republican Majority Leader is a homosexual.
There is also a story that ran in LA Weekly about the same subject, There is an excerpt from the article after the jump. I have zero problems with a homosexual man being in Congress, but with the Republicans current strategy of using homosexuals as a wedge in campaign politics, I wonder if change is in the air? Could it be that now that DeLay is out of power "temporarily" the Republican party is going to have a shift on it's policy toward homosexuals? One could only hope. From the LA Weekly story metioned in the main post: Rogers' campaign against Dreier got a major boost when it was taken up by Raw Story, the hot new liberal gadfly newsblog. Raw Story, which is edited out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, by 23-year-old John Byrne, who is also gay, last week published an interview with Dreier's Democratic opponent in 1998 and 2000, Dr. Janice Nelson, who said she was aware during her 2000 campaign that Dreier was living with his chief of staff, Brad Smith. "Brad was like an invisible presence," she said. "They really have the routine down slick." Nelson, a professor of pathology, says she came forward when she read on Raw Story that Hustler, the Larry Flynt magazine, was working on an expos of Dreier's secret gay life. Mark Cromer, the mag's features editor in charge of its outing of Dreier, is a former reporter for a string of Valley newspapers in Dreier's district, including the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and the Pasadena Star-News. Cromer said his mags expose on Dreier, part of a package on sexual hypocrisy by Republican spear-carriers in the culture wars, will be published in November. And he accuses the papers in Dreier's district, all of which spout a conservative, anti-gay editorial line, of having a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy toward the congressman and his relationship with Smith. These papers are all owned by Media News Group (MNG), whose CEO, Dean Singleton, is a major contributor to Republican campaigns. Opinion pages editor Steve Scauzillo said he could not comment on the Dreier matter without the approval of MNG higher-ups. DeLay Steps Down as Majority LeaderBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanApologies for the incorrect headline earlier- Speaker instead of Majority Leader. I guess it's just that I didn't think of DeLay as much of a leader of anything and simply as a voice for corruption. -kt From Quorum Report, Earle's statement (doc) and the indictment (doc). From the Statesman:
I hope that there is some blowback to our own Rep. Lamar Smith for being part of the crew that tried, while a sitting member of the ethics committee, to force through those rule changes. Let's not forget that Smith gave $10,000 to DeLay's legal defense fund. Though maybe he'll need to pony up some more to his "good friend of his" in his hour of need.  John Colyandro and Jim Ellis, associates of DeLay who were indicted previously were re-indicted as part of the conspiracy charge. And fyi...
Though we got DeLay, we didn't see anything happen to Craddick or his (lack of) leadership team. It's not too late, but it's quite unlikely that the following will come to pass. Then again, few people say DeLay being fingered even as late as a week ago.
But regardless of Craddick, the money laundering allegations tie Todd Baxter into all of this as he received those monies in his 2002 election. We already knocked out Stick here in Austin, now it's time for Baxter. And after all this, maybe having Jason Earle, son of Ronnie, challenge in Rep. Keel's open seat will trigger thoughts of Republican scandal in the minds of HD-47 voters. BREAKING NEWS: Tom DeLay Indicted On One Count Of ConspiracyBy Damon McCullarCNN is breaking the news. More to follow as information comes available. DeLay's Fate in Grand Jury's Hands TODAY!By Damon McCullarFrom today's Austin American Statesman:
Hot damn! Looks like the rat is finally getting his due. September 27, 2005Donna Howard Launches WebsiteBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanDonna Howard, candidate for the Democratic nomination for HD 48 against Todd Baxter, has launched her official campaign website: That makes two of our three announced candidates who have their web operations up and running early in the game, which is good for our party. Give it a look over to read up on her positions. Challenger Andy Brown's site is here for comparison. Kinky on CampusBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanAfter Bell visited campus last Wednesday, Kinky will join us tomorrow with a reprise of his "Spirit Walk". Details are as follows, though if you are a student, you should have seen the extensive flyering operation today, those signs are everywhere.
Courage Wins DFA EndorsementBy Karl-Thomas Musselman
From the Courage Campaign...
From the DFA release...
September 26, 2005The FlyerBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanA big thank you to Abram at Casual Soapbox for getting a scan of the flyers that have been finding their ways onto parking lots full of cars around Austin. This one appeared at Central Market South, which followed the two cases I wrote about earlier at Barton Creek Mall and a Chuckie Cheese.  Vote No on Prop 2. UPDATE: An interesting photoshop of the flyer. Get Galvan-ized?By Karl-Thomas MusselmanOdd Online Video award goes to Houston City Council Candidate for Place 3 At Large James Partsch-Galvan. His website, www.galvan.org forwards to the City of Houston site for some reason, but click here to get weirded out by the video ad and get 'galvanized for the revolution'. Slightly less odd, though with his own pair of blackened glasses, the Kinky ad for those that somehow missed it (I never realized we didn't front page that one). Oh, and check out http://www.dcdebate.com/ which just launched. I note that they are using WordPress which I'm a big fan of and using on a site that is almost ready for linkage here. ACL Fest AwardsBy Phillip MartinAs most all of you know, last weekend was the 4'th annual Austin City Limits Music Festival. After a weekend of music, sun, and 20+ bottles of water, my girlfriend, Kaiba, and I have sat down and created an arbitrary award list for the performers that impressed us for whatever reason. All winners will receive an e-mail from me, and will be asked to send me free tickets to their future concerts (except Mates of State, for whom I am filing a restraining order to ask that they never come within 100 yards of any music show I may attend in the future). For those who know more about the bands I mention here, or feel like I short-changed and/or didn't properly acknowledge other acts, feel free to destroy me in the comment section. I don't pretend to know everything about all bands -- I only know what I like, and I loved this past weekend. So, for a mix of traditional and not-so traditional awards, as well as a unique reflection on the best ACL Fest yet, click on the jump and see just how much work I didn't do over the weekend. Best Group Performer (tie): Wilco and Coldplay. Is it a copout to give the last two acts of the festival the best group nod? Not when they played the sets they did. For the first time in their years of playing the ACL Fest, Wilco seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves, and they mixed together a set that showed why they are the best-known, best-sounding "indie" band there is. Coldplay, meanwhile, surpassed the joke made about them in the movie Forty Year-Old Virgin to enormous lengths. I'm not gonna lie -- I thought they would just be OK. But between their connection with the audience, a killer setlist, and managing to upstage a weekend's worth of unbelievable music, I can understand why they're the biggest band in the world right now. As the English blokes in front of me screamed, "they're f***ing brilliant, mate!" Best Male Performer: John Prine. I'm probably the only person who would give Prine this award, but you got to understand -- I've been hearing these songs since I was in the crib. Watching him play, you would have thought he was in a 10-person bar, and not in front of thousands and thousands of people. From classics like "Samstone" and "Angel From Montgomery" to the crowd pleasers "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" and "Some People Ain't Human", Prine shined high above the rest. Best Female Performer: Ruthie Foster. Untouchably the most soulful person I saw the entire weekend, she impressed the hell out of me. Appearing on the Gospel and Blues stage, her voice stirred even the most dispassionate of folks to hand-clapping, feet-stomping, arm-waving good fun. An amazing artist, one you have to catch sometime in the very, very near future. Best Stage: Capitol Metro Gospel and Blues Stage. From deSol and Grupo Fantasma to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Ruthie Foster, this stage continues to be the best the ACL-Fest has to offer. Underneath a tent-structure that provides ideal shade, the stage features artists that aren't darlings of Rolling Stone or the indie-OC crowd. And that's a good thing. This stage featured artists filled with soul and spirit that perfectly embody everything that Austin City Limits is about. Best Artist I'd Never Heard: Aqualung. Going solely on my sister Amy's recommendation, these guys rocked. For those who don't know them, think Radiohead, circa "The Bends" album -- only happier. I'm going to Waterloo when I get my next paycheck to buy their album, though I imagine I won't ever get to hear their killer cover of Queen's "Somebody to Love" again. One of those great moments you can only experience if you're there. Speaking of covers, that leads me to my untraditional awards.... Jimi Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" Award: "Ring of Fire" by Coldplay. Given to the best cover song of the festival. While Oasis did a show-defining cover of The Who's "My Generation", Coldplay's cover of this Cash classic was funny, surprising, and enjoyable. An all acoustic rendition followed a well-done tribute to the Man in Black, it was a new take that worked perfectly and gave the tens of thousands watching a real treat. Damn, He Brought it Award: Robert Randolph. Given to the performer who you can't help but think, "damn, he brought it." I've heard about him for years, and finally got to see him. Randolph, during one song, jumped from steel guitar to drums to bass, all the while screaming and playing as if the music would burn him alive if he didn't get it all out. Bringing the 100-degree, sweat-soaked crowd to roaring ovations throughout his hour-long performance, Robert Randolph is officially the hardest working man in the music business. Period. Seinfeld Award: Robert Earl Keen. Given to the best ACL performer that continues to please no matter how many times you've seen them. REK always plays the classics, and this set included such staples as "Feelin' Good Again," "The Road Goes on Forever," and "Gringo Honeymoon." However, his new album, "What I Really Mean" is his best since "Picnic," and the songs he played proved it. No matter how many times you see him, Robert Earl Keen is always going to make you smile, make you sing, and make you glad you came to see him. We Understand and Actually Care Award: Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Given to the band who made the best New Orleans tribute. The Dirty Dozen played a long medley for New Orleans that culminated in an off-the-charts version of "When the Saints Go Marching In." After a week's worth of watching politicos roll up their sleeves and try their best to seem empathetic, watching the most prolific New Orleans brass band around sing this song was a refreshing, caring tribute. Miller Lite Award: Built to Spill. Given to the act who sounded great, but didn't fill me up and satisfy me as much as other acts (Great Taste, Less Filling). They had a nice sound, good crowd and all...but nothing to write home about. Adios, MoFo Award: Mates of State. Given to the band that needed to be run out of town on a rail. If some of you guys like them, great, have fun. Not at all for me. Imagine having an 8-year old brother and a 7-year old sister , and for Christmas your parents gave them a drum set and keyboard, respectively. Full of pierced screaming and repetitive pounding, I felt like the whole set was about who could out-quirk the other. Hey Jude Award: "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis. Given to the best anthem/sing-a-long song of the festival. While most of Coldplay's songs could be here (most noticeably, "Yellow" and "The Scientist"), Oasis didn't have to ask anyone to sing along. In fact, right before the song, Noel Gallagher shouted "this is the one you wanted, right?" While Oasis wasn't as crowd-friendly, this song sure was. Tom Petty "You Don't Know How it Feels" Award: Widespread Panic. Given to the band you most want to get high to listen to. All that burnt grass wasn't just on the ground, and those smoky clouds weren't just from the dust flowing through the air. Long jams that are undeniably repetitive, Widespread Panic's music remains endlessly pleasant and enjoyable. If you wanted to chill, relax, and embrace Matthew McConaugehy's Austin spirit, they were the band to see. That's all, folks. See you next year for the 5'th Annual ACL Fest. The most perfect closing act we could hope for? Van Morrison. Talk about a show everyone would go to see! Bell Campaign PR BoondoggleBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI'm glad to say that I'm not the only one on this blog that read this article by John Kelso today in the AAS and thought it was a serious misstep by the Chris Bell campaign. (Please read the article before reading this post).
So let me say right now this isn't me continuing some quest against the Bell campaign (I've held back my fingers a number of times this month), but it has forced me to write. So let's start bluntly. Chris Bell for Governor Campaign- stop being fake. You are not the Kinky Friedman for Governor campaign. You will never be as funny, as colorful, or as entertaining. Attempting to do clever creative press maneuvers such as this- 1) comes across as simply bizarre, 2) shows how desperate the campaign is for any media, and 3) makes your campaign look like a joke, almost Kinky-esque. At the same time that your campaign operatives' message about the Kinky campaign is "he's not serious, you can't take him seriously, he's a joke, can you imagine him in office," you pull a stunt like this. How does becoming more like the campaign you deprecate (one with a unique media angle) make you more appealing to anyone? No one wants Kinky-lite, just like they don't want Perry-lite. Be who you are, not what consultants try to make you. Just be who you are, don't tell us who you plan to be. I've heard enough of that from so many candidates running for office who spend half an hour going off on what 'we as Democrats should be saying'. That might have been needed in the dark years of Bush's first term, but now is the time to just be those people and let each candidate’s personality and strengths shine through. Run against Perry, he's the enemy. The closest that article got to that was the incredibly bizarre quote...
Huh? Texans don't have to take Kinky seriously, they never started to take Alvarado seriously, but with PR boondoggles such as this, it makes it hard for us to tell others to take Bell seriously either. I'll let Kelso end this post.
September 25, 2005Houston Chron Goes No on Amendment 2By Karl-Thomas MusselmanColor me suprised. The Houston Chronicle in an op-ed piece today endorses a NO vote on Proposition 2 (the discriminatory texas marriange amendment).
Now, I know that Houston has some city council races going on and I'll leave that to Greg and Charles to say how that will affect the Yes or No votes, but I can say that it will be one of the highest turnout urban counties simply because Municipal elections draw out more voters than drawn by constitutional ones. Austin has some environmental bonds on the ballot on November 8th which should help our turnout as well. Anyone else have some various proposals up for a vote that will alter turnout? Pro-Prop 2 Flyers DistributedBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanDo you remember Rep. Chisum claiming that Glen Maxey would be bussing in voters from other states to defeat Prop 2? Apparently there are still fliers going around claiming this to be the case. A LOT of fliers. According to Austinites, one Chuckee Cheese parking lot was covered (she removed them) and the parking lot at Barton Creek Mall was hit as well (tried to remove as many as possible, "but there were zillions.") Here is the text... (I'm trying to get a hold of a scan).
Why is it that these crazy right wingers never can put normal flier together and have awful grammar usage? Following was my response which was not actually printed in the Statesman after they accepted it.
Remember, join the No Nonsense in November campaign. Coalition BuildingBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI've been paying attention to the ongoing stalemate of who is to lead Germany after the most recent round of elections in which the ruling SPD-Grune Coalition lost its majority though pulled back from a crushing defeat to more or less tie the Conservative opposition. Because of German election laws, neither major party has an outright majority and cannot reach it with either of their traditional minor party partners. This has led to the possibility of odd major-minor partnerships which have mostly all been rejected now, leaving a grand coalition as the only remaining option- a union between the two major parties. And it seems like that is exactly what will end up happening, but it does not decide the big question of which Party gets the chancellery. While the CDU/CSU does have 3 more seats than the SPD, Gerhard Schroeder is more popular personally than the conservative Angela Merkel. I know this has nothing to do with Texas politics, but I'm half German and many of our Hill Country readers might be interested. If anyone has some thoughts on where this might end up, leave a comment. John Courage Leads DFA's Grassroots All-Star Balloting Going into the Final CountBy Damon McCullarBalloting closed on Saturday in the Democracy For America (DFA) Grassroots All-Star contest with John Courage in the lead. The final ballots are being counted and the winner will be announced later this week in an email sent from DFA. The Courage for Congress Campaign had this to say via email: "John Courage and the Courage for Congress Campaign wants to thank everyone for all their energetic support in our effort to win the Democracy For America Grassroots All-Star poll. It has been a very exciting and challenging effort, one in which many people have stepped forward and done some remarkable things to make this a successful effort. We know we can't thank everyone enough and there are many people who did so much that we do not even know about, but we want to express our appreciation to the following people and groups; Charles Soechting, Chair Democratic Party of Texas DFT/Austin and all its members and officers including: Jeff Hewitt, Hewitt Campaigns Burnt Orange Report Trei Brundrett, w/Handwire.com and a host of Texas Bloggers including: Sally Bolster, Chair Bexar County Democratic Women David Van Os, Candidate for Texas Attorney General And especially Zada True-Courage, State Democratic Executive Committee SD25 We know there were many others who emailed to countless hundreds of people on their lists and we will remain in their debt. We can win in November 2006 and with that win change the direction of this country and get us back on the right track to restore honesty and integrity in government, to restore American's confidence in our governments ability to meet their needs and to restoring the reputation of the United States as the world's leader for freedom, justice and democracy, which this Republican administration has nearly destroyed. Now we just have to wait until next week to get the results.." September 24, 2005Where To See Your 2006 Democratic Hopefuls This WeekBy Damon McCullar
Barbara Radnofsky Chris Bell Chris Bell has suspended campaign activites until the destruction of Huricane Rita has been assesed. Felix Alvarado Maria Alvarado is running for Lt. Governor. David Van Os Hank Gilbert David Harris Shane Sklar John Courage Saturday Sept. 24 - Sunday Sept 25 John will be participating in the Comal County Fair Parade in New Bruanfels on Saturday Morning and then will spend time on Saturday and Sunday at the Comal County Fair Grounds meeting and speaking with the residence of Comal, Hays , Blanco and Bexar County. Also John will be blogging around the Country gathering support for his DFA Grassroots All-Star polling nomination. John is in 1st place at this time but need the support of every Texan around the country to maintain that lead. Nick Lampson Henry Cuellar Richard Raymond Ciro Rodrigez Kirk Watson Mary-Beth Harrell Mary Beth will be speaking to the Young Democrats club on the Central Texas College campus, Sept. 28, 5 pm, in Bld. 104, Room 120. Andy Brown Andy Brown will be blockwalking this weekend. Come meet Andy, talk to West Austin voters, and work on your tan! Contact Marc at 636-4345 or at marc@voteandy.com for more information.
Dan Barrett Paula Hightower-Pierson Judge Jim Coronado (site under construction) Monday 9/26 7 p.m. Annie's List showing of "Iron Jawed Angels" at the Wed 9/28 5:45 PM Travis Co. Democratic Executive Committee; Travis Co. Commissioners' Courtroom, Granger Bldg. 11th St btwn Guadalupe and Lavaca, Austin, Tx. Wed 9/28 6:30 p.m. Keep Austin Blue Mother Egan's in Austin. Diane Henson Bree Buchanan Mina Brees Charles Baird BORed: The Morning After, Don't Come BackBy Matt HardigreeThrough rain, wind and limbs we've surived the storm. Though, for us, it wasn't much of a storm. Winds didn't seem to get much higher than 45 mph sustained with gusts up to 65 mph. I learned a lot about myself. I learned that half-frozen water is better than regular water. I now know which reporters for which stations don't speak Spanish. I learned how much my relatives smoke (about 600 cigarettes since Thursday morning), but also how much it means to have them around. I learned that the President, the governor and the mayor don't want people to return. Yet, I know people who are doing that. I now know which friends are well prepared for catastrophe, and which ones we'll eat first. There are a few trees down in the area, some large branches and about one million small branches. All of our utilities are working (with only an occasional flicker). I've got so many batteries I feel like I need to buy a Sega Nomad. I've decided I like Judge Robert Eckels and Mayor Bill White, a lot. Though, after Katrina I already decided that. Though we dodged a bullet, I hope that no one think that will happened again. In Corpus Christi, Hurricane Beulah struck in 1967 and everyone packed up. Not a lot happened to Corpus Christi, though it spawned a significant number of tornadoes and caused a lot of damage. Then, three years later Hurricane Celia struck Corpus and not as many people left. Unfortunately, 20 people died. People learned that a 130 mph storm can have gusts as high as 180 mph and do significant damage. We shouldn't make the mistake. I'm going to get something carbonated, I've been pigging out on storm food (and storing some away for next time). **UPDATE ONE** Highlight from local media "People need to not come through Hempstead, there's bumper-to-bumper traffic, no gas... and our McDonalds is Closed!" Having eaten at that McD's, I have to say it's a travesty. Godspped Terry Kolenovsky. Whew, it's windy outside. September 23, 2005BORed: The Pine Sky Is FallingBy Matt HardigreeAs I started to type this post and let everyone know that nothing's really happening yet, BOOM. The first large branch succumed to the wind and rain and hit the ground. As far as I can tell, it didn't hit anything important. All of our cars are in garages (with the exception of my car) and the entire staff of the news organizations are on the beach somewhere... including the sports guys! Nothing like play-by-play of a hurricane. For those who aren't seeing local news, here are some highlights from the disaster-that-probably- won't-be-quite-as-bad- for-us-except-for-the-people- who-died-on-the-roads: 1. The Reporter From KHOU-TV (11) losing his KHOU hat and chasing it into the Gulf of Mexico "Arnesto, can you... awwww!" 2. An interview with someone who waited in line for an hour to buy two Mountain Dews. The highlight being the guy behind him holding up a 40 of Colt 45 exclaiming "You need beer man, you need beer." That's a Houstonian for you. 3. Radar, the Weather Dog. KPRC-TV (2) has a weather forecasting dog and, apparantly, people calling up seem to be concerned about the dog. Okay, we were concerned too. The dog is cute and he's a weather nerd and I'm glad he's okay. 4. The guy who lost his hat, just lost his photographer and then holds up the wind measurement device (anemometer) and says "I think it's about 12 mph." Dr. Neil Frank (former head of the National Hurricane Center) is wise enough to tell him that his device is probably miscalibrated or he's using it incorrectly. I'm relocating to the living room, an update when something happens or I get drunk. **UPDATE 1** I fixed some errors, but I'm blogging from a moderately inconvenient storm, man. Winds are starting to pick up, I imagine we'll be getting 40 or 50 mph winds in the next few hours and will relocate again to a completely boarded up room (though the TV doesn't have a remote.). If it gets any worse than that, I've got a phone cable that will reach to the bathroom. I'd also like to add, in response to the nice comment below, that the MSM is doing a fairly good job here. Also, I'd like to add I'm not going to stand out in that shit for your edification. **UPDATE 2** ABC-13 seems to have had a lost hat incident that I missed, because they just reunited their reporter on Galveston with her hat. If you see a lost hat with a news organization name on it, please send them to me. I feel like I should lose something. Ummm... OMG, my iced tea. Where did I put my Iced tea? Oh, there it is. I've been reunited with my hat. Whew, that's great. The Moonlight TowersBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI first learned about Austin's apparently well known and well loved Moonlight Towers this summer when I lived at the 21st St Co-op and just a block away was one of the remaining 17 towers, the most well known of which turns into the big Zilker park electric Christmas Tree each fall. The Texan had a really great article on the history and background of them, as well as how Austin residents over the past 110 years have taken care of them, passing millions of dollars in bonds to secure their existence and maintenance.
Courage on KosBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanJohn just posted his first diary over on Daily Kos and I'm glad to see that his personality and some storytelling come across quite clearly in his writing, not the standard campaign spiel that you sometimes see. If you have an account there please recommend it, if not, give it a read over and remember to vote with Courage in the DFA Endorsement election before tomorrow! I love this paragraph...
BORed - Turkey Meatballs, Dos XX and Cats - Oh My!By Matt HardigreeThose of us here at Camp Rita are showering, cooking and drinking (in no particular order and sometimes simultaneously). I'm sitting on my couch, eating and blogging. I've got a lot to talk about, but for now a little Eye Candy:
That's me and my father boarding up windows yesterday. That's right, ya'll, Vote Focus! BORed - Writing out the stormBy Matt HardigreeNot to dissapoint, but it shouldn't be that bad here. Nevertheless, all of the work here is done and I'm just enjyoing the food, the live tv and the air-conditioning. A note on the live tv. I'm currently watching Channel 2 in Houston and I have to admit that it's better than the usual sensationalistic attitude they usually have. In fact, the station that brought us a guy whose job was to drive a car in a lake, get maced, attacked by a dog and make whoopy with one of the anchors in public places (okay, that's just a rumor, but a good one) is now the station that is not over-hyping or trying to scare people. It makes me think they should be unscripted more often. Also, Radar the Weather dog is safe... now I can sleep. IssuesBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI'm pretty sure no one has been able to comment in a while. Things seem really sluggish, which is in part to an error in admin system but I'm a bit befuddled beyond that. I'd call this an Open Thread but somehow I don't think that's possible right now... BORed - ContraflowingBy Matt HardigreeStayed up last night playing video games, drinking beer and eating cookies. These are things you can do when you've prepared. Having my nuts squirreled way feels good. Surprisingly, we're some of only 10% of The Woodlands population that has boarded up. Our neighbors, however, took are cue and started disassembling their fence for wood! WORD OF THE STORM: Contraflow - (n) 1. the reversal of traffic on a road. 2. When a Nicaraguan Guerilla gets funky. It's so fun when a word gets added to the Lexicon. As of now, people are using that word in every other sentence. Example, "I don't think that frozen burrito was good, I'm afraid I'm going to CONTRA FLOW." TASTELESS SAT ANALOGY OF THE STORM (Courtesy of Dan): Beaumont:Kennedy Assassination::Houston:Reagan Assassination That's it for now, more work to do!. September 22, 2005BORed: I want to eat a chicken, a whole damn chickenBy Matt HardigreeThe restaurants are closed, but the windows are boarded. A full day of effort and we've gotten the 2nd floor of my grandfather's house (two doors down) and my entire house boarded up. That just leaves cleaning up the backyards and nailing a few boards on the first floor of grandfather's place (which, compared to the 2nd floor, is going to be a dream). An Aunt and Uncle made it in (after 8 hours) from Clear Lake, and are now out of harms way. The current track looks to take the eyewall pretty close to us, of course it could be a Cat 1`by then, still nothing to scoff at. My baby is safe and sound after a 20 hour trip from Sugar Land to Austin (compared to the usual 3.25 hours). She said she had one bathroom break, no sleep and is so far past miserable that she almost doesn't feel bad. I feel great, knowing that she's safe. Now I want to eat a whole damn chicken. State Won't Open Both Sides of Highway 290By Phillip MartinWhereas the state plans to open up both sides of Interstate 10 and Interstate 45, so that all north/south/east/west-bound lanes will be helping people get out of Houston, the state, as of now, is not opening up Highway 290 or Highway 6. I work at the capitol, and we've received many phone calls from people who have family members that have only moved a mile or two in five hours. Apparently, some people are simply giving up on Highway 290 and turning back into Houston, despite the mandatory evacuation order. The reason not for turning around Highway 290? In Brenham, the road narrows, and it will all be gridlocked. So, rather than having there be a gridlock out of the path of the storm, the state feels it will be better to strand thousands of folks on Highway 290. Meanwhile, if anyone has folks stranded on Highway 290 or Highway 6, the best idea might be to turn back into Houston and try to exit on I-10 or I-45, where both sides of the highway will be open for outgoing traffic. **UPDATE*** OK, so the word is that the state wants to keep Highway 290 open for emergency vehicles. I can understand that...though I still feel that you could divert traffic to the other lane today and through some of tomorrow to help get people out, then close that other side again when the storm starts to hit (when emergency vehicles would need to get into the city). However, I take the point of my commenter well, that we don't need to tie up phone lines. Let's just hope those in charge make good decisions, and everyone gets out safe. Any word on Matt? Baseball Blogging 2005By Andrew DobbsAs Hurricane Rita threatens to obliterate half of Texas, I thought that a bit of light-hearted fare would be nice today, so I bring you BOR Baseball. One year ago yesterday I put up a post about my predictions for the end of the season. I predicted Boston in the AL (not even a sure bet at the time), St. Louis in the NL (an easy one) and several other things I was wrong about (like Chicago getting the NL wild card and the Cards winning the series). Still, I love writing about baseball, so here are my thoughts as the season comes towards a close. The National League is essentially locked up this year. Just a few weeks ago it looked like another free-for-all was to be had with San Francisco gaining serious ground on San Diego in the dismal NL West and several teams clawing their way to a wild card spot. There is still room for some chaos, but every division except for the West is knotted up and next week’s four game series between the Giants and the Padres should decide who gets to be violated by St. Louis in the first round. San Diego could actually have a losing record for the last 11 games of the season and still beat out the surging Giants if they simply win two of the four games at home against San Francisco and only lose three other games. I think that the Padres will pull it out and be dominated by St. Louis in the NLDS. There are a lot of Houston fans around here, and they have reason to worry. They are two games up in the wild card race, a respectable lead. However, they close out the season with one more game against Pittsburgh, seven games against the Cubs and two in St. Louis. Philly plays one more against Atlanta, then series against Cincinnati, New York and Washington. Houston’s magic number is nine, so assuming they can beat the Pirates today, break just better than even against the Cubs and drop both games to the Cards at Busch Stadium they’ll be 5-5 for the rest of the season. Philly just has to lose four games, which I think is probable. Houston has been playing lights out ball lately, but Philadelphia isn’t too bad either. Still, I think the Astros are going back to the playoffs. The division leaders in the East and Central are easy—Atlanta (for the 14th year in a row) and St. Louis (who has already locked in a spot) respectively. Houston will start out against Atlanta, a series that will be tough for both teams. However, I see the resurgent Braves with MVP candidate Andruw Jones taking the ‘Stros. St. Louis will manhandle the Padres or the Giants and I think that the pennant belongs to them again. They are too good a baseball team not to be in the Series. The NL is boring this year, though. I just took three paragraphs to say what everybody knows: St. Louis wins. The AL is where the action is at, as every single division is up in the air and the wild card is also still in flux. If the Indians can keep their act up and steal the Central from the team who’s had it since April—the Chicago White Sox—then Chicago will be the Wild Card team. This seems to be a real possibility, as Cleveland gets to face off against cellar dwellers in Kansas City and Tampa Bay and then a three game series against Chicago at home. The White Sox, on the other hand, play four games against Minnesota at home and then travel to Detroit for four games before the road trip to Cleveland. If Chicago breaks even against the Twins (a pretty steep order, in fact) and wins three of four against Detroit (shouldn’t be a problem), and Cleveland can simply win their series against KC and the Devil Rays (those are two teams, not a 70s cover band), the three game series will be the deciding factor. Chicago will HAVE to win two of three to win the division. This would be very difficult on the road against a surging Cleveland team. To be honest, I think that Cleveland wins the Central and Chicago settles for the AL Wild Card. In the West, the gap between one and two is the same, but the Angels are doing better right now than the White Sox and the A’s aren’t as good as the Indians. The Angels get four more games against Texas (one in Anaheim, three in Arlington), three at home versus Tampa Bay and four in Oakland. Oakland gets three at home versus Texas, three in Seattle and that four game series at home versus Anaheim. As long as Oakland wins both of its series against Texas and Seattle and the Angels don’t sweep both Texas and Tampa Bay, the four game series will be the decider. Oakland will need to win at least three games, and possibly all four to have a shot at the playoffs. I think the order is a little steep for Oakland, and while they might still pull it off, I think this division is Anaheim’s for the taking. Now we come to my division—the East. I am a fan of the Boston Red Sox, and by extension an enemy of all things Yankee. Last night was a bad night. Boston got beat by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the eighth inning while New York eked one out against Baltimore, putting the Yanks atop the division for the first time in two months. Their lead is only a half game, and the season ends with a three game series between the two teams in Boston. As long as Boston can keep the distance between the two a game or less, Boston should be able to take the division, as Fenway is their saving grace. Guys who play for the Sox know that stadium; they know how to win there. New York plays five games against Baltimore (1 at home, four on the road) and three against Toronto in the Bronx. Boston gets three at Baltimore and four versus Toronto. It’s a steep order for Boston, but I think they can do it. Right now, I’d say it is up in the air. New York is playing great baseball, but Boston has tough players. In the end, I’m going to cautiously (and optimistically) choose Boston for the East. I think that the odds of New York pulling away by more than a game or a game and a half and then winning more than one game at Fenway are less than Boston’s keeping up and then taking them out behind the Green Monster. Boston, Cleveland, Chicago and Anaheim are now in the playoffs. Boston plays Chicago and Cleveland gets Anaheim. I think that Boston’s home field advantage plays well for them, but Chicago’s superior pitching will make that division series tough. Boston went 4-3 in the series this season, hardly a dominating performance. All the stats point to a very even match up, but pitching rules. As much as it kills me to say it, I think that Chicago edges out Boston in the ALDS. Anaheim versus Cleveland will be another tough one, but Cleveland had momentum and better stats almost across the board. I think Cleveland edges them out. The ALCS versus Cleveland and Chicago will be a good one, it will be a tough one, but in the end I think Chicago will edge out the Indians. Better pitching as well as the confidence and momentum from beating out the Red Sox at home should be enough. The World Series? Easy—St. Louis beats Chicago soundly and finally gets the Championship it deserves. I love writing about this stuff, and hope y’all all get a chance to watch the phenomenal baseball that is going to be on for the next few weeks. BORed: Mid-day update from The Woods, Master Card 911By Matt HardigreeWhat's the X factor in surviving a disaster? Panic. Too much of it, you become careless. Not enough of it, you become careless. Today's example comes from right at home. My mother thought she lost her wallet and FREAKED OUT! She thought about identity theft, them taking stuff out of her wallet and emptying her bank accounts. Her voter registration card was in there, too, so she worried about someone voting Republican in her place. They went driving around town like chickens with their heads cut-off. Eventually, we were able to calm her down by calling the companies, cancelling the cards and reminding her that, at the most, we'd have to pay $50 for fraudulent charges. So, everything worked out and was cancelled and, up to that point, no one had used it. Then, when calm, a light snapped in her head and she walked right to the wallet, jammed in the seat of another car. Thus, the power of taking a deep breath. BTW, if anyone wants to send gas to my girlfriend, she's somewhere between SEALY and COLUMBUS in an ugly blue-to-light-blue Stinkin Lincoln Navigator. Burnt Orange BrunchBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanThe Saturday before last we tried to get a bunch of the Burnt Orange Reporting crew together as many of us have never met each other before, and some of the new writers I know only by their applications to begin with. It was a fun afternoon filled with good old fashioned Dirty Martin's greasy hamburgers as well as talk of the Texas-OSU game (which we of course won) and Texas politics (naturally). We managed to get our server to take a shot of those assembled and we are very much looking forward to having another get together this fall, hopefully one in which you the readers may be interesting in joining us at.  From L to R: Phillip Martin, Drew Clinton, Andrew Dobbs, Damon McCullar, Katie Naranjo, Karl-Thomas Musselman (me), and Zach Neumann BORed: Hurricane Update, morning edition, ironic that it should happen to a gumbo zone.By Matt Hardigree10:00 am CDT - Report From Camp Rita - Having stocked up on all necessary supplies (water, food and batteries) I thought it was time to get some less essential items... namely beer. So now I've got sixteen bottles of medicine (Dos X and Houston's own St. Arnold's Lawnmower) in the fridge. They way I look at it, I'm used to warm water but I can't stand warm beer. Storms truly do bring out the best and worst in people, and this was never more evident than at the grocery store. Amid huge lines, there was a spirit of generosity and hope. THE BEST: 1. People getting out line to get people things. At one point they announced fresh bread from the bakery and strangers buddied up to go retrieve bread for each other. 2. My grandfather called and asked for evaporated milk (they gotta have their coffee) and I wasn't sure where to find it. The family behind me called out direction and, when I still couldn't find it (I suffer from Refrigerator Blindness, chronicled by Pieget in his later work on the pre-teen, where I lack object permanence when it comes to food and drink in the fridge or on a shelf) they dispatched grandma to help me. 3. People letting me, with less items, cut through a massively long line. 4. People not hoarding water, taking what they think they'll need for a few days. THE WORST 1. I saw someone purchase a reasonable amount of water and food and then... wait for it... a 12 pack of Smirnoff Ice. Apparently, taste is the first thing to go in a catastrophe. The woman with the six pack of assorted white wines gave me a look that said "We most tolerate this, if only for the children." PLANS Continue boarding up. Trying to eat. Will check back in after the next tropical update. GIRLFRIEND My girlfriend has only made it to Sealy, Texas after leaving at 8:00 pm last night from Sugar Land. For those unfamiliar with the geography, that's usually the halfway point of a four hour drive. Not to mention, they're taking my girlfriend's mom's boyfriend's Lincoln Navigator, which sucks gas. If only they had a focus, it sips gas and you can push it if you're moving slowly. TRACK The latest update takes us out of the dirty side and seems to conspire with SHIPS to weaken it. We'll see if that holds. If so, that's slightly better news for us and the west side of Houston, bad news for Galveston/East Houston. Austin Rescheduled EventsBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanFrom the Statesman... Fitness The Marathon Kids kickoff celebration scheduled for Saturday at the UT Mike Myers track and field stadium has been canceled. There is no rain date. Go to www.marathonkids.com for more information. Arts The prostate cancer awareness play "A Matter of Manhood" on Friday has been postponed. Huston-Tillotson University, King Seabrook Chapel, 900 Chicon St. 919-1877. Schools ACT — Testing scheduled for Saturday has been postponed at: Akins High School; Cedar Park High School; Round Rock High School. Students will be notified of the makeup date. Bastrop school district — Elementary schools released at 11:30 a.m. Friday. Secondary schools released at 1:30 p.m. Friday. Afternoon pre-kindergarten and Head Start classes canceled Friday. All after-school activities on Friday and all weekend activities are canceled, including community-education classes and facility usage agreements. Lake Travis ISD — All weekend extracurricular events will be rescheduled. Baylor University — Friday classes canceled and all campus events and programs scheduled for Friday through Sunday are canceled. Sports HIGH SCHOOLS * These area high school games, originally planned for Friday, have been rescheduled for tonight: Temple at A&M Consolidated, 7 p.m. * These games will be played Friday but at new times: Lanier at Marble Falls, 6:30 p.m. * These games have been canceled: Gonzales at Lockhart * Nike Invitational cross-country meet in The Woodlands, featuring several Austin-area teams, is canceled. * Most Houston-area school districts canceled classes, games and other extracurricular events through Friday. OTHER COLLEGE SPORTS University of Texas Invitational — Friday through Sunday. The men's tennis tournament has been rescheduled for Oct. 28-30. Penick-Allison Tennis Center, UT campus. 471-3333. * Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas Southern in Houston and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi canceled all sports events. * Texas State's volleyball games at Lamar and McNeese State were canceled. UT-San Antonio canceled a cross-country meet of collegiate and high school runners Saturday. PRO SPORTS * Houston Astros are in Chicago this weekend. GrassrootsBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanA grassroots supporter here in Austin has created a website in support of John Courage's bid to gain the DFA-List All Star endorsement. Courage is still #1 though a certain Californian who was at the top of the first round vote has crept up to #2 this week. So check out the grassroots website and then vote for Courage. Balloting ends this Saturday. A Mighty WindBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanMay a suggest that if you havn't thought about it yet, you leave? Also, Texas is filling up fast. 20,000 rooms in Dallas booked overnight. 500 requests for rooms for a 40 room motel in Llano in one day. The largest hotels in Midland and Odessa, full. I just got off the phone with Councilman Musselman in Fredericksburg and everything is booked up down to the last B&B. Austinites, charge your cell phones in advance, and be on the lookout for ACL cancelations of some sort. The Statesman has a checklist that locals may want to think about. When that eye is 2-3 counties east of us, it's still expected to be a Category 1. BOR will be here, hopefully Matt will be able to report as long as he can (stay safe out there!), keep an eye on Kuff as well if you are closer to the Houston area. Houston Flood Map here which lists Cat 5 storm surge zones. September 21, 2005BOREed: Evening Report from The WoodlandsBy Matt HardigreeYou'll have to forgive me if I'm a little emo, but my girlfriend was going to come to The Woodlands but has decided to go to Austin instead with her folks (well, it wasn't much her decision). So, we're now hurricane-crossed lovers in the spirit of Shakespeare and, franky, I want to die. Not to mention, cell phone service is severly limited, making it very hard for me to holla at my girl. If that "Can you hear me now" guy was around, I'd probably steal his phone or pop him in the face. So, now I can't eat and I keep bumping my head on things. Thank god we've got ice because I'm going to be swollen. For the moment, I'm hoping when she gets to Austin we can communicate the old fashion way - over iChat. Holy crap, this is turning into a livejournal quicker than I expected. I'm like Murrow reporting from the blitz, except with a broken heart and The West Wing on DVD. Status Report from Camp Rita - Things we've got: Things to do: So that's it for now, when I start weeping and writing about how I've reached the depth of despair and my despair is greater than any others I imagine they'll just change my password. I'm going to be looking for ways to blame this on Tom Delay and then I'll get back with you later tonight. **Update** 12:20 AM CDT ** If anyone has any traffic information for I-10 out of town, let me know. I'm talking to someone who isn't moving very fast. I'm going to get some sleep and then start BOaRding windows and checking stocks. I'll let you know how it is. Kelly Fero Statement on Sharp's DecisionBy Andrew DobbsKelly Fero is a longtime Sharp consultant and confidant, and a friend and mentor of mine. He had this to say about today's decision by Sharp:
Indeed. Texas needed John Sharp, and he stood up to serve us all. Remember that the most successful reforms in Texas education over the last 30 years or so came about because outsiders put forth the ideas that elected officials can't. This is a significant moment for Texas, let's hope that the GOP simply listens to John Sharp, as his advice will be exactly what Texas needs. Lege Suggested the Education CommissionBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanThis summer, in an amendment to the Property Tax Bill offered by Sens. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, and Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth (originally designed to strip the partnership tax from the bill because it 'looked like an income tax on professionals') a 15 member commission was suggested to study business taxes in the interim. The last time such a commission was actually formed was in 1991 where one of its suggestions was to create a state income tax. The concept of creating commissions is not really a novel concept in itself. In addition, in the case of school finance in Texas, it's an excuse for non-existent leadership. Perry doesn't have a clue so he's creating a commission to look into it while removing Sharp from the picture. The lege didn't have a clue so Republicans suggested a commission to look into later. I don't know if Chris Bell had a clue either when he suggested the idea, though it did get rid of a primary opponent. The commission itself is a symbol of failed political leadership in Texas and the fact elected officials don't want to take responsibility for suggesting the tough tax proposals. Better to let the commission suggest it, and implement it (or bash it) without taking any personal heat and all the credit. Google Earth Helps Find Ancient RuinsBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanThis is a bit off topic but something so incredibly cool from an application that I found to be really powerful when viewing updated NOLA flooding imagery. The story on a man using Google Earth to look at his region discovered what turned out to be ancient Roman ruins from over 2000 years ago. If you havn't used Google Earth before, do so, though a broadband connection is almost a must. Rita graduates to Category 5 HurricaneBy Katie NaranjoMayor Bill White asks citizens in at risk areas to evacuate now, because Rita has winds ranging 165mph and the storm surge will flood low areas. The storm will most likely not directly hit Houston, but rather South-East in Corpus Christi. However, Galveston is under a state of emergency and is busing/flying people out. For additional info on the Texas coast and evacuations see here. Chris Bell Suggested the Education Commission in AprilBy Katie NaranjoIn his April 17th blog Chris Bell suggested a commission on education to figure out the problems with school finance. Interestingly enough Rick Perry caught on 4 months later and with the other potential Democratic primary candidate. Why the recent pair up of Sharp and Perry? A way to screw over strayhorn? Sharp who was major donor to Strayhorn's campaign is now sitting on a committee as the chair picked by her opponent. More will come as the primary unfolds, but now we can rally around Chris Bell for the Democratic candidacy. For the April blog http://www.chrisbell.com/node/249 Keep Your Enemies CloserBy Phillip MartinAs Damon reported a little earlier, John Sharp will not be running for Governor. The reason? Governor Perry appointed Sharp to chair a select commission on public school finance. The commission's job will be to carefully study the complex problem, and present a complete solution to the Texas Legislature in the near future. Due to the scope of that commission, Sharp will not be able to commit himself to a full-scale Governor campaign. With this news, one of Perry's biggest potential challengers for Governor is officially out of the running, and Perry has put himself up as Mr. Bipartisan. I will refrain from my usual editorializing, because I imagine a lot of people have a lot to say. BORed: Live Blogging The StormBy Matt HardigreeYou heard right. I'm going to be live blogging the wind, the rain and the unavoidable sense of panic from my homebase in The Woodlands, Texas . At the moment, everyone is in "wait and see" mode. Which here means "Wait (too long) and (you won't) see (any necessary supplies." If your in the Houston area and you're trying to find the following: Gas Then you're going to have to drive away from town or get up early in the morning. Speaking of early in the morning, the sooner you start at daylight, the easier it is going to be to get somewhere. One overturned 40' sailboat can block a highway. Here's a good example of a hurricane surival kit from the City of Tampa: John Sharp Announcing He WILL NOT Run For GovernorBy Damon McCullarJohn Sharp will announce momentarily (1:30PM CDT) that he will not seek the governor's mansion in 2006. More after the announcement. Update: Here's the Statesman story. September 20, 2005The Dalai LamaBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI attended the lecture series this afternoon at the Erwin Center where the Dalai Lama spoke. It was am impressive 2 hours of time and I can hardly begin to put into words. Thankfully, someone already has. I would suggest reading this detailed report to get a sense of what the reception was like. I do have to say, that he was funny at times, sitting cross-legged, wearing a visor to shade his eyes, and casually joking with the crowd which he felt more a part of, rather than apart from. KUT also has an audio recording of the event if you'd like to hear it. A Husband, A Candidate. A Congressman?By Zada True-CourageAs of this posting John was currently #1 in Democracy for America's All Stars Online Endoresment Election. Please help the only Texan in the race, endorsed by Richard Morrison, and vote for him in the DFA Election. -KT I figure it is important for the public to know from someone, who knows him very well, what kind of guy John Courage is and why I want him representing me, and you, in the 21st Congressional District. First, I have to say John is about the nicest man I know besides my 92 year old Dad. He is also extremely smart. He has an amazing ability to read, comprehend and retain knowledge and to communicate that knowledge back to others. So if you are looking for a legislator that will actually be able to read a bill before it comes up for a vote, John is your guy. He is also living with me and if he votes for a bill without knowing what is in it, he will be answering to US - that is you and ME! John cares about kids. John and I have a blended family. We have been married for 20 years and we love ALL of our 4 children, Jim, John Jr. Cari and Nikki very much. (We also have a grandchild Mikey). John was Dad to my girls, but he always respected their Dad too. He stepped in when needed and gave the parental guidance. He taught my girls to drive when I was a screaming maniac and could not be in the car. No person that did not love them as a parent would do that. He was never afraid to step in as a Dad in the gentlest way even when our kids found it appalling at the time. I came home one night when our oldest daughter's friend, who she had invited to the Jr./Sr. prom, had decided he could not afford it-a week before the prom because he had to buy new contacts. She was in tears and mortified because John was on the phone with the young man explaining that people did not back out on a commitment one week before the event after the dress and tickets had been purchased and arrangements made. He also offered to pay for the prom expenses, respecting that the the young man had a legitimate reason of expenses that he could not afford. Despite all the trauma, the prom date occurred and fun was had by all. The young man learned commitments will be kept, and our daughter although first feeling mortified at the time of the call, realized her dad cared a lot for her and her friends. John is not afraid to stand up for what he thinks is right and to offer solutions to enable things to work. John cares about kids and you can be assured as a legislator his votes will reflect that. John & I used to handle the Youth Group at our Church, the Episcopal Church of Reconciliation. We worked with the Middle School Group. We worked with a lot of the other parents and it was very fun. John was the guy who kept an eye on all the shennanigans throughout the retreats. We counted on him to look out for us. He kept things in-check but did not come off as some heavy. So I guess if you want to frame John's parenting and working with kids in Lakoff's terms, I call him "nurturant". This is the type of person I want representing me and you. With Congresspersons like John, we will get our country back! John Courage Pulls Into The LeadBy Damon McCullarAs of 10:00pm EDT John Courage leads Democracy for America's Grassroots All-Star competition. The winner of this "election" recieves Democracy for America's endorsement for the 2006 Congressional race. Also, Democracy for America will email all of its members with their endorsement. You can vote for John by clicking the following link: http://tools.democracyforamerica.com/housevote/ Richard Morrison has endorsed John in this competition. If any of you are members of Daily Kos, recommend this diary. There is also a story on My DD. John was allowed to put a post up on the DFA blog. He read the post to us bloggers last night during the conference call and allowed us to put a few finishing touches on it. You can read it here. Texas, lets get over to Democracy For America and make sure a native son wins this!
Morrison Endorses a Vote for CourageBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanRichard Morrison just posted over at DailyKos his endorsement of John Courage in the DFA-List second round voting that is going on. If you have a kos account, please reccommend his entry. (UPDATE- also recommend it over at MyDD if you have an account there as well.) Morrison also points out something that I will flesh out more here on BOR soon, which is a an intercepted faxed memo in which Smith make some rather interesting comments.
Smith will be one of those 'leaders' on the immigration wedge issue that we all know is coming in 2006. Just as Rep. Musgrave has become well known for her Federal Marriange Amendment sponsorship, Rep. Smith will be there for all your Immigrant Bashing legislative needs. In fact, the Supreme Court has alrady overturned parts of the 1996 Immigration Laws which he authored. I'll try to get a cite up soon, but this goes to show, here in Texas, we need Courage to take our Lamar Smith. Please vote for him in the DFA Second Round. We Must Confront This Moral PovertyBy Phillip MartinOn September 15, President Bush addressed the nation to talk about his plans for rebuilding the city of New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Coast region. During his address, he made the following comment about poverty in the region:
Poverty is hardly unique to the Gulf Coast region, nor is it solely rooted in racism and discrimination. Though racial discrimination has played its part in perpetuating Southern poverty levels, so too have the policy decisions of this and previous administrations. The same policy decisions that have impacted the South are rooted in a moral poverty that has perpetuated economic poverty in every region of the country – among Americans of all races and ethnicities. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that the Midwest was the only region in America to see an overall increase in the poverty level last year. The Census Bureau also reports that "both the number and rate (of people living in poverty) have risen for four consecutive years, from 31.6 million and 11.3 percent in 2000, to 37.0 million and 12.7 percent in 2004 respectively." That's 5.4 million new people in poverty in the last four years under the Bush administration and a Republican Congress. The primary cause for the increased poverty rate is a failed economic policy in which a vast majority of "new" jobs are actually replacement jobs that do not pay as well as jobs we have lost. These replacement jobs have caused the median income for American families to decrease for the second straight year, leaving more people with less money. The President's suggestion that he can raise New Orleans out of its "legacy of inequality" by creating a few minority-owned businesses is naïve at best, and condescending at worst. Poverty is not a disease we can cure with a prescription, nor is it a bad business deal we can counter with deeper investments. Poverty, at its most devastating level, cuts the hope from our lives and the good from our hearts. Among all races in all regions, poverty fills too many Americans with desperation and despair so real that the great American dream provides no real hope, opportunity or possibility. The cure for poverty is a true compassion that is carried beyond promise to practices and policies that reflect all the goodness we have and offer it to every single American, just as we have offered such to the people of the Gulf Coast. We cannot be conservative with our compassion, opening our hearts only in times of disaster, to those we choose, or when it is far too late. We must create policies that reach out to each and every citizen, just as we create weapons that search to destroy the most isolated of enemies. Unfortunately, our government does not provide or support such compassionate policies. Instead, we send money to fight wars where we don't belong while giving tax cuts to people who don't need them. We try to outlaw love between two people, yet are proud to sentence others to death. We talk about how our children are our most precious resource, yet cut public education funding and stand idly by while 1 in 4 American children have no health insurance. We will never be able to fully address the economic poverty in this country until we confront the moral poverty of our government. We have a duty to change our country, starting at the top, along with all those elected officials -- Democrat, Republican, or otherwise -- who choose to embrace or endure our President’s hollow promises. By taking responsibility with our voices and votes, we can turn from the path of willful ignorance to a course worthy of our country's central ideal: all men are created equal. A moral government would treat everyone that way. Express News PollBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanYou can vote in the totally unscientific online poll on the bottom of the front page of the San Antonio Express News online here. Current results as of Chris Bell Also, rember that today is the frist day this week you can vote for John Courage in Democracy for America's first DFA-List endorsement. City of Austin Sued over Smoking BanBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanOne last nugget from today's Central Texas Digest. I've only been downtown once since it went into effect, but then again, that's almost more often than I regularly visit 6th Street, and I've certainly spent more on 6th after the ban than before it, though not for smoking v. non-smoking reasons as of yet.
For those of you who have experienced the new nightlife, what are your thoughts on the effects of the new ordinance? Texas Libertarians Running for Gov, CD 10By Karl-Thomas MusselmanThe Statesman gives us a nice update on what the Texas Libertarian Party will be doing in 2006. It appears that some of the less crazy ones are going to take on Perry et al and Congressman McCaul in CD 10. Of course, that's fine by me as Rep. Strama is in office today in part to a Libertarian being on the ballot in his race last year and Kelly White might be in office today had someone managed to file a Libertarian to run in HD 48 last year. Plus in the Governor's race, it really may be a free for all with everybody who doesn't want to vote for Perry having plenty of options to choose from.
Adding to the PackBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanMake that yet another Republican jumping into the HD 47 Republican primary. Looks like Jason Earle is the only Democrat running on our side, though if anyone can put me in contact with his campaign, please drop me or Damon a line. From the Quorum Report...
Galveston Prepares for EvacuationBy Phillip MartinThe Houston Chronicle is reporting that Galveston's mayor will call for a 2pm voluntary evacuation of its citizens on Tuesday if Hurricane Rita continues on its path towards the Texas gulf coast. From the article:
September 19, 2005John Courage Talks About DFA Race, CampaignBy Damon McCullarJohn Courage, candidate for Congress in CD-21 hosted a conference call tonight to talk about his impending contest for the Democracy for America Endorsement. In the first round of voting on the endorsement, John was second going into the final hours of the voting. John was up against a field of 48 other candidates. The official results will be released tomorrow. John has a goal of raising $1,000,000 by the end of the year. One month in to fund raising, he has $20,000 in pledges. Someone on the conference call told us that Morrison picked up $60,000 from being picked in the first Dean's Dozen. John talked to us a bit about how his campaign is going so far. He likes his odds in '06. John ran against Lamar Smith in '02. At that time, CD-21 consisted of 14 counties with Bexar county making up the lion share of the the vote. Now in '06, the district is composed of 5 counties with Travis County being very significant this go 'round. John's also spoken with several Republicans that are fed up with what's going on in Washington and are voting Democrat this time. John is running for Congress because he believes that Republicans are systematically dismantling Social Security and Medicare, the social safety net that has been in place since the days of FDR. He sees the Federal government ruining public schools by demanding more in mandates but giving less and less in funding. Republicans are asking more and more of our troops but giving them less in the form of veterans benefits when they come home. The VA hospital in Kerrville, for example, is merely a shell of what it used to be. Finally, the politics of cronyism is strangling Washington. It can be summed up in a quote by Lamar Smith in one of his recent town hall meetings. He said, Tom DeLay "is a friend of mine." He continues to support his "friend" who cares more about a woman in a persistive vegetative state than those suffering from Hurricane Katrina. Voting starts tomorrow at 9am in the final round of the Democracy for America Grassroots All Star competition. You can vote for John by clicking the following link: John Courage, Cadidate for TX CD-21, is in the FinalsBy Damon McCullarJohn Courage, candidate for Congress from the 21st district, has made the final round in Democracy for America's "Grassroots All-Star Competition".
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/housevote Democracy For America had this to day via email: Congratulations! You are a finalist in DFA’s Grassroots All-Star competition to take back the House. The final round of voting will start this Tuesday, September 20th at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time and conclude on Saturday, September 24th at 5:00 p.m Eastern Time. Each voter from the first round of voting will be required to recast their ballot for the final round of voting in order to be counted. This will enable people to re-examine each candidate’s website and positions to select their favorite candidates. We will feature a blog entry from each candidate on the front page of BlogforAmerica.com during the final round of voting. Please send us a short description (500 words or less) of your campaign and a picture that we can feature online. We will be using an instant run-off voting system for the final round that enables people to vote for their favorite candidates. The voting will be open to all visitors to: www.democracyforamerica.com. Safeguards will be in place to assure a one person-one vote policy. Live updates will be posted on BlogforAmerica.com once every hour. The candidate with the most votes at the end of balloting on September 24th will receive a DFA-List endorsement and a national e-mail from DFA’s Chair Jim Dean during the last week of September. To vote, visit: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/housevote Democracy for America is committed to winning back the United States House and we are excited about starting our 2006 endorsement process. Over the next few months, we will endorse more congressional campaigns. But this competition will enable us to steer early resources to the campaign that has the most support within the DFA community. Thank you, Chris Warshaw September 18, 2005Smokey Joe Says No To Katrina VictimsBy Damon McCullarI got this earlier in the week but haven't taken the time to post it. Looks like Joe Barton doesn't want to spend any money for New Orleans. Dave Harris, candidate for CD-06 had this to say in his press release: Amongst a boisterous crowd of more than 100 people at last night's Tarrant County Executive Committee meeting, David Harris blasted Smokey Joe Barton who incredibly voted against funding relief for Katrina victims. Barton was one of only 11 Members of Congress to turn their back on our fellow Americans. September 17, 2005Texas Wins 51 to 10, OU loses to UCLABy Damon McCullar
In other Big 12 news, (17)OU was upset 42-24 by UCLA. By the numbers, it should have been a close game. Three turnovers, though, sealed OU's fate. OU is 1-2 for the first time since '97. Conference play starts for Texas in two weeks, as they have a bye next week. We will see what happens. "A Place to Lay His Head and a Place to Vote"By Karl-Thomas MusselmanRobert Andrews, Field Director for the Radnofsky campaign has been working at the Austin Convention Center almost nonstop the last few weeks. I can honestly say that his dedication is a reflection of the spirit of Barbara and her entire team, not as a political campaign, but as decent, caring Texans. The following is a touching report by Robert that you must read, if it is the one Katrina Human Interest story you ever read.
Winter Soldier ScreeningBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanIf you are on campus or in Austin tomorrow, I encourage you to check out a screening of Winter Soldier hosted by Vietnam Veterans Against War. A couple of local activists who were recently in Iraq will speak as part of a panel as well. So below is the info... When: Sunday, Sept. 18, 1 PM About: In February 1971 over 100 members of Viet Nam Veterans Against the War met in a hotel in Detroit and conducted what we called the "Winter Soldier Investigations". For two days veterans testified about their experiences in Viet Nam. It was the testimony of those veterans that John Kerry reported to Senator Fulbright's Foreign Relations Committee that summer during VVAW's "Dewey Canyon" operation in Washington. A documentary of the event was made, called simply 'Winter Soldier'. Although it opened to critical praise, it was not widely shown, being dubbed "too controversial". As a result of current conditions, the remnants of the Winter Soldier Collective that produced the film have reissued it and it is showing in many venues around the country. Site Outages (2)By Karl-Thomas MusselmanOver the last day, we had another problem with BOR, this time having the server on which it was hosted over at DreahHost fail. I put a support ticket in and it looks like it was cleared up, but the same happened again today. Now I understand that this is all mostly due to continuing problems throughout their systems because of the blackouts and then someone cutting their building's generators...
So if things here seem to go down again check out the dreamhost blog to see if it's a system wide issue first and then zing me an e-mail. September 16, 2005Another Drunken BushBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI think I had a Government class with him last semester. And does anyone else find it odd that his initials spell J.E.B.?
Everybody Loves Poll NumbersBy Damon McCullarA Hamilton, Beattie and Staff poll came out (via Hotline) today commissioned by the AtlanGroup, LLC. The AtlanGroup commissioned the poll to gauge Texan interest in video lottery terminals in the state. The poll shows that 85% of Texans want a referendum on video lottery terminals and that 58% are willing to hold legislators accountable if they do not support such legislation. Interestingly, the poll also included data on likely gubernatorial match up and gubernatorial primaries. In the GOP primary, Gov. Perry is favored 62% - 26% versus Carol Strayhorn. In the Democratic Primary 32% favor Sharp, 13% Alvarado, 11% Bell and 43% undecided. In a match up next November between Sharp and Perry, the poll concludes that 45% will go for Perry and 41% goes for Sharp In a match up next November between Perry and a generic Democrat, the numbers are 42% - 38% for Perry. They also site Gov. Perry's job approval ratings at 52% - 44% approve/disapprove. The poll sampled 700 likely voters in the General Election, 430 likely GOP primary voters and 430 likely Democratic Primary voters. The margin of error for the General Election poll is +3.7% and the margin of error for the primaries is +4.7% Okay...what's all this mean? I'm glad you asked 'cause here's my take on it. It seems that Sharp can't get but a third of likely Democratic Primary voters despite being on the ballot in every election since the Reagan administration. It also shows that Gov. Perry gets closer to winning in a Sharp-Perry match up (45% Perry, 41 Sharp) than with a generic Democrat (42% Perry, 38% Generic Democrat). It also shows a 13% bump in Perry's job approval rating since the Texas Poll came out a week ago. Anything else, you may ask? In the infamous words of Deep Throat, follow the money. Texas Weekly reports that the AtlanGroup shows up in Texas Ethics Commission records giving $50,000 to the Texas Democratic Party earlier this year, $50,000 to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and $200,000 to Strayhorn. David and Martha Alameel, who show up as principals of AtlanGroup in some reports, have contributed amounts ranging from $100 to $50,000 to 21 politicians and organizations since 2000. According to TEC filings, those includes totals of $100,000 to Sharp, $75,000 to Dewhurst, $50,000 to Strayhorn, $40,000 to Attorney General Greg Abbott, $30,000 to Democrat Kirk Watson, who ran against Abbott in 2002. They gave $50,000 to the Texas Democratic Party. The couple's contributions, most of them in his name, totaled $479,800 from 2000 to 2004. Texas Public Justice, a lobbyist watchdog group, reports that John Sharp took $25,000 dollars from slot machine interest and Gov. Perry took almost $700,000 from the same groups. Chris Bell has called the the slot machine lobby skuzzy and has taken $0 from slot machine interests. Bush to Use Federal Money to Reimburse ChurchesBy Phillip MartinDuring his address to the nation on Thursday night, President Bush said the following:
Personally, I think every single dime should go to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, and no charity -- religious or otherwise -- should receive reimbursements. Charity is about giving and expecting nothing in return. That is what I learned growing up in my Catholic Church. If some churches are asking for some money back, or if this is simply a play to the religious right... That all remains to be seen, I guess, but I sure hope that's not the case. Hopefully, these reimbursements will only be used to continue purchasing food and setting up shelters for evacuees. I really hope we aren't redirecting money from food, shelter, and clothing drives so that Lakewood Church can expand their parking garage. I've been looking for stories discussing this, but haven't found any. If anyone sees one, post in the comments section and let me know. Where To See Your 2006 Democratic Hopefuls This WeekBy Damon McCullar
Barbara Radnofsky Thursday, September 15 6:30-8:30pm Reception/Fundraiser Saturday, September 17 6-9pm Mexican Institute Gala Monday, September 19 Evening meeting with supporters in Dallas Tuesday, September 20 Chris Bell Chris will be honored to serve as Master of Ceremonies on Friday evening at a banquet for the Houston Tejano Democrats at the Sheraton Suites Houston-Galleria. Chris is proud to be coming back to UT on Wednesday evening to speak with the UT University Democrats at 8 PM in Garrison Hall room GAR 1. The University Democrats did a great job in hosting Chris's official campaign launch last month on campus, and Chris is proud to be coming back to his alma mater once again to speak with Young Democrats about this race and what it means for the future of our state. University Democrats meetings are open to all students, so come on down to room GAR 1 on Wednesday night for your chance to meet Chris and hear him talk about his ideas for Texas! Chris will be in Abilene on September 22nd and is proud to be addressing a meeting of the Taylor County Democratic Club that evening. The meeting starts at 7 PM at the T&P Events Center on N. First St. For more information, contact TCDC President Royse Kerr at rlk@1tex.net. Felix Alvarado Felix Alvarado has a meeting with the University of North Texas Democrats at 7:00PM, Monday in the UNT main campus in Denton. It's in the Environmental Sciences Building room 125. Maria Alvarado is running for Lt. Governor. David Van Os Hank Gilbert David Harris is running for Congress in CD-06. 400 signatures and going strong! Tuesday and Thursday block walking continues. The campaign has been overwhelmed with the response to volunteer and support David as this battle progresses. On September 24th, the Greater Arlington Mansfield Democratic Women [http://www.tdw.org/GreaterArlingtonMansfieldTDW.html] will be hosting David at their Mansfield Hometown Festival Booth [http://www.mansfieldchamber.org/yearly_events.php]. David will be at the booth from 8-12 collecting signatures and talking to voters about Barton's recent vote of NO on HR 3673. Shane Sklar John Courage September 17, 2005 - Democrat John Courage is publicly launching his campaign to represent the voters of Central Texas' 21st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Courage is expected to face incumbent Lamar Smith in the November 2006 election. For over thirty years Courage has served his state and his country as a member of the U.S. Air Force, as an educator and as a community leader. He and his supporters are boarding a school bus on September 17th and traveling throughout the District to announce his campaign in the following locations: * 10:00 am - Texas State Capital, Austin (east gate) Nick Lampson Henry Cuellar Richard Raymond Ciro Rodrigez Kirk Watson Mary-Beth Harrell Mary-Beth will be speaking at the monthly meeting of the Hamilton County Democrats on Sept. 22 at 7pm, in the Lee Conference Center on the southside of the courthouse square in Hamilton. She will also be speaking at the Election Workers Appreciation Lunch/Workshop hosted by the Williamson County Democrats Andy Brown Andy Brown will be blockwalking this weekend. Come meet Andy, talk to West Austin voters, and work on your tan! Contact Marc at 636-4345 or at marc@voteandy.com for more information.
Dan Barrett Paula Hightower-Pierson Diane Henson Charles Baird Jim Hightower Endorses David Van Os for Attorney GeneralBy Damon McCullarFrom the email press release:
September 15, 2005Frances Newton Put to Death by StateBy Phillip MartinFrom the Houston Chronicle:
It is past time for Texas to pass a law requiring a moratorium on state executions. According to the Texas Moratorium Network, 119 innocent people have walked off Death Row in the modern era. The cost to try a death penalty case costs about $2.3 million, three times as much as detaining someone in a cell at the highest security level for 40 years. The Courage to Vote (for)By Karl-Thomas MusselmanJohn Courage, candidate for CD 21 against Lamar Smith who represents the University of Texas and downtown Austin, I-35, and outer parts of San Antonio, will be having his official announcement tour this Saturday across the District. The schedule is as follows so please join him as he travels by school bus throughout the day. 10:00 am - Texas State Capital, Austin But what you can do RIGHT NOW to help his campaign by an incredible amount is to vote for him in Democracy for America's Open Congressional Poll on who will be their first candidate to endorse for the 2006 races. He has moved up from 26th to 3rd already and is the only Texan seeking DFA's endorsement. Voting closes on Saturday afternoon so get those votes in now and spread the word about the online poll as well as his announcement tour. http://www.democracyforamerica.com/housevote This will be one of the banner races in Texas, one in which the 230 students that showed up for tonight's first University Democrats meeting will be heavily involved in over the next year since near all of us are in CD 21. September 14, 2005Chris Bell Endorses Auditor's PlanBy Damon McCullarChris Bell put out a press release today endorsing the state auditor's plan to restrict the Comptroller's office from receiving political contributions from entities with pending business in her office. The DMN ran this story last this week and I'm just getting around to putting my two cents in on it. Greg wrote something about this as well on Sunday. The Chris Bell Blog also has some information on the results of the audit. This latest revelation of ethical shadiness in the Capitol is just another symptom in the culture of corruption that haunts our state government. Gov. Perry's administration has had no problem with the "revolving door" that they installed in the governor's mansion. Case in point is Perry's former Chief of Staff, Mike Toomey. After leaving the Perry administration, Toomey immediately and unabashedly became a corporate lobbyist for CIGNA, Liberty Mutual, pharmaceutical giant Merck and Co., Texas Association of Health Plans, United Healthcare, U.S. Oil Recovery L.P., Texas Gas Service, Texas Land and Mineral Owners Association, Philip Morris, and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Texas. Now the culture of corruption is spreading to other state-wide offices. The best thing that Carol Strayhorn had going for her was that she was seemingly a person of integrity. However, her bid for governor has been marred by the specter of quid pro quo from such giants as Ryan and Company where they "don't just react to Texas tax changes." They "engineer them." Fortunately Texans have a real reform candidate to look to. If elected, Chris Bell has promised to make the state government transparent and accountable to the peopl. While on the Houston City Council, he was successful in dismantling the "revolving door" that was installed in city hall. I have every confidence that he can do the same thing at the Governor's Mansion. HD 47 (Republican) CandidateBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanRich Phillips is your "Pro-Family, Pro-Small Business Leader for Texas" and he's running as a Republican in retiring Rep. Terry Keel's (R) HD 47. In an interesting article out today, he made some economic proposals that sound a bit iffy to me (in reaction to Texas being ranked #17 in terms of 'economic freedom'). Of course, being a Republican Primary candidate in West Austin can do that to a person anyways, but here's a taste.
That last quote is right up there with TEXAS isn't spelled TAXES crowd, which I guess we could include Mark Strama's opponent, Don Zimmerman into considering he only has three issues in his campaign, and each one of them is taxes... Which is interesting considering that shockingly, a recent statewide poll pegged approval/disapproval for a state income tax at 45/47 which is pretty amazing considering it's supposed to be the third rail of Texas Politics. Hugh Brady Officially Not Running for HD 48By Phillip MartinI received an e-mail today from Hugh Brady that he has officially decided not to enter the HD 48 race for Republican Rep. Todd Baxter's seat. That should leave us with three primary candidates, with Monday's announcement about Kathy Rider joining Andy Brown and Donna Howard in the Democratic Primary to unseat Baxter. From his statement:
It is my understanding that Hugh will continue working with the Democratic Caucuses of the Texas Legislature (among other things), trying to defeat bad bills and triumph good ones as he has in recent sessions. For his full statement, click on the jump. “For the past three months, I have been exploring a possible candidacy for state representative from District 48. Many friends, old and new, have visited with me and encouraged me to seriously consider this race. I am very grateful for their time, advice, counsel and support. “A man should “not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good “My late cousin, U.S. Congressman Noble J. Gregory, often quoted the “Elections are about choices. The voters of District 48 deserve a vigorous debate between the competing visions and philosophies of the candidates who seek to represent them at the Capitol. I am confident that, in the end, the voters will choose the right candidate to represent their hopes for their children and their community.” Mobile, AL Elects First Black MayorBy Phillip MartinOn Tuesday, Sam Jones was elected as mayor of Mobile, Alabama, making him the first African American to serve as mayor of that community. From the Mobile Register:
The article points out that Mobile's population is about 50 percent white and 46 percent black, making it an even balance for the community. Mobile joins Birmingham and Selma as other Alabama cities to have elected black mayors.
One of the first jobs of Mayor-Elect Jones will be to help Mobile rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. A brief article in Industry Week points out that, while much of the national attention has been paid to New Orleans and Louisiana, both Alabama and Mississippi are facing significant economic losses from the storm.
Mobile is located right on the Gulf Coast. FEMA has earmarked $5.2 million in disaster aid for Mobile and surrounding areas, as well as 1.17 million liters of water, 9.7 million pounds of ice, and 1.26 million MREs throughout the disaster area. Martin Frost Calls on Democratic Leaders to Adopt 50 State StrategyBy Damon McCullarFrom Hotline via Fox News:
Grand Jury Indicts Ellis and Colyandro, Adds More ChargesBy Damon McCullarFrom the Austin American Statesman:
Fresh off an indictment of both Texans for a Republican Majority and the Texas Association of Businesses, the Austin legal system seems to be picking up momentum on the 2002 election shenanigans. With the grand jury reindicted both Ellis and Colyandro and piling more charges on top of money laundering, it seems the dynamic duo are headed to trial, do not pass go, do not contribute $100,000. University Democrats 1st Meeting of the SemesterBy Katie NaranjoFor all Univeristy of Texas students, past U-Dems, and present the first meeting of the semester will be tomorrow at 8pm in Garrison 1. Cookies, candy and new programs will ensure much fun and democracy!!!!! September 13, 2005Nay on NaishtatBy Drew ClintonEarlier today, Veteran House Representative Elliot Naishtat formally ended any speculation about his intentions to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Barrientos. Naishtat told reporters that it was "not worth being out of the Legislature." Naishtat continued, "I'm keeping the door open for a future Senate race if the door opens up, and I decide that's where I should be." I tip my cap to Representative Naishtat and his rational solidarity with Kirk Watson on this one. We desperately need representatives of his caliber in the Legislature, and it would be nice to dispense with an overly expensive and bitter primary. Both men have prioritized consumer advocacy, healthcare, and poverty assistance throughout their political careers. Naishtat went out of his way to emphasize his respect and admiration for Kirk Watson. There seems to be a notion within the Democratic ranks and elsewhere that Kirk Watson offers a real opportunity for Democratic leadership and voting fidelity. I concur. Former Mayor Kirk Watson Throws Hat Into Senate RingBy Damon McCullarFrom the Press Release: Kirk Watson, former Mayor of Austin, attorney and mediator, kicked off his campaign for State Senate District 14 today with a strong list of endorsements. “I am passionate about Texas and Senate District 14 and am proud to run and serve this district,” said Watson. “I look forward to continuing to hear the concerns of Central Texans and discussing solutions for our future.” The Austin Police Association, Texas Public Employees Association (TPEA), and AFSCME Texas, the County, State and Municipal employees union, boosted the campaign with early endorsements for Watson, citing his commitment to safety, community and jobs. “As Mayor, his vision helped make Austin what it is today – the 2nd safest big city in the country to live in,” Mike Sheffield, president of the Austin Police Association said Monday. In 2001, the Austin Police Department honored Watson with the title of “Honorary Colonel” for his commitment to public safety. Greg Powell of AFSCME Texas shared Sheffield’s view. “Kirk has demonstrated he is a dynamic leader and tremendous advocate for Austin and will be a fantastic advocate for Travis County.” “Kirk Watson understands the needs of our community,” Gary Anderson, executive director of Texas Public Employees Association stated. “He is certainly part of Austin’s future and we look forward to working with him as State Senator. He has a deep understanding and knowledge of the public employees system, which represent a large and dynamic part of Austin, and Kirk will be a strong supporter of public servants as he always has been. “My father was a public employee for over 30 years, and that is why these organizations are so important to me,” Watson continued. “I look forward to representing everyone in my district because I remember my history.” Kirk Watson grew up in the Fort Worth area and attended public school in Saginaw, Texas. He has been married for 26 years to Liz McDaniel Watson. They have two sons, Preston and Cooper. Both children attend Austin public schools. Senate District 14, currently held by retiring Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, incorporates most of Travis County. For more information about the Kirk Watson for Texas Senate campaign, please visit www.KirkWatson.com An HD 48 Threesome?By Karl-Thomas MusselmanIt looks like Donna Howard won't be the only candidate with an educational background to try to challenge Todd Baxter in HD 48 next spring. Former AISD school board President Kathy Rider wants in on that action as well, creating a rather interesting 3 way race. Now, this could be spun two ways: one, she enhances the presence of education as "the" issue in the district making the primary a battle between which school board mom the voters want to be their gal, or splitting the female/education minded voters giving Andy Brown a run-off with one of the two ladies. It's hard to forecast this far out, but a run-off seems to be in the cards and in any case, there will be one female school board member to pick from... so let the campaign strategies begin?
But can someone please tell me why we don't have the big rush of candidates to run in HD 47 for Keel's OPEN seat? Bush Takes Responsiblity for Katrina FailuresBy Phillip MartinIn a stand up move today, President Bush stated that, "to the extent the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility." The Houston Chronicle article goes on to mention that the President will address the nation Thursday in Louisiana. The President went on to say that he hopes to examine the government's readiness for future disasters:
The political reasons and ramifications of this announcement notwithstanding, I am pleased to see the President accept some responsibility. Realizing there is a problem is the first step in beginning to fix the problem, and that first step doesn't always occur with our elected officials. How much of this is genuine and how much of it is merely posturing, we'll find out tomorrow night and in the coming weeks. Hopefully, promise will translate into actual policy, and Republicans and Democrats will work together to bring fast, focused relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, as well as find the best ways to bring efficient communication and coordination techniques to all agencies that work on disaster relief and homeland security efforts. In the mean time, we can still do our parts by continuing to donate to the Red Cross and continuing to volunteer our time for those still struggling to find direction in their lives. Barbara Ann drops inBy Jim DallasYesterday (and this would have been blogged sooner if not for the server outage) was going along pretty slowly until Professor Douglass, whose election law seminar I am in, announced we were going to have a guest speaker: his old friend Barbara Ann Radnofsky. That made for a nice surprise, and was educational to boost. (Most of the hour was spent talking about the logistics and legal-istics of fundraising and campaign planning. Because I am paying tuition and you are not, however, I'm not going to deal with that at length. Sorry.) It had been a few months since I had last seen Mrs. Radnofsky on the campaign trail -- and indeed, aside from the "Gumbo Zone" debate on the Internet this week (which, for what it's worth, Radnofsky is getting a tremendous kick out of), I had almost forgotten that she was running for Senate. Not that she isn't trying -- far from it; it's more a symptom of my general lack of time and ability to follow politics. But at some point in the last few months, it seems, Radnofsky has either gotten a lot more confident, a lot better at inspiring confidence in others, or both. Maybe it was what she had for breakfast yesterday morning. Regardless, I'm suddenly feeling a lot better about next year. Part of this new-found enthusiasm is based in the fact that she seems to know exactly what she's doing, something that still surprises me (a little bit) given that this is her first campaign. Granted, some people may read that last statement and react with a Gumbo-riffic wince. For what it's worth, I think the development zone idea is a good one, because it acknowledges the reality that the Katrina disaster is not one which is limited to the Gulf Coast but has resulted in a flood of "internally displaced persons" into Houston (and other place), many thousands of whom may never leave -- a reality which will profoundly change our culture and the economics of Harris County. But the biggest reason that I've come to the conclusion that I should back Radnofsky one-hundred-and-ten percent is simple: Senator Hutchison is probably more vulnerable than I had imagined her to be, in large part because she's currently residing in a bubble created by the relative unseriousness of previous challengers (read "Dancing" Gene Kelly, of Universal City). Of course, pretty much all of our candidates are dark-horses at the moment. But the dread feeling that Texas Democrats are hopelessly lost in the political wilderness is starting to lift. September 12, 2005Rhett Smith to Run for GovernorBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI wasn't sure if I should have posted this in the BOR Humor category or not, but then again, I could put most gubernatorial posts on either side of the aisle in that category. But Rhett Smith, former candidate for President, then Congress against Lamar Smith (and of the infamous "Wall of Tortillas" he wants UDems to build down I-35), and then candidate for Mayor of San Antonio, now wants to run for Governor. As a Republican. Of course, he'll have to face some stiff competition. From Perry or Strayhorn. Or maybe Kinky Friedman. Or Chris Bell, or John Sharp, or Felix Alvarado. Or the biggest threat, Jennifer Gale.  Of course, he will have to do without his old campaign site www.rhettsmith.com as it now belongs to Los Angeles Grad Student who's much cuter and going to the "God Blog Convention 2005". For what it's worth. Paula Hightower-Pierson Enters TX-93 RaceBy Damon McCullarPaula’s dedication to children and children’s issues has been at the core of her commitment to public service. Noting a lack of local resources for victims of child abuse, Paula founded the Alliance for Children to address this urgent need. Since then, Arlington’s Alliance for Children has been a safe haven of kindness, counseling and care for over 20,000 child abuse victims. In 1989, Paula was elected to the Arlington City Council where she served with distinction for four consecutive terms. Among other things, she chaired the Education, Crime Issues and Economic Development Committees and boards including Transportation, Housing, Downtown Revitalization and the Arlington Sports Authority. Paula has received recognition as a Life Member of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and as a Presidential appointee to the National Advisory Council of the United States Small Business Administration. Prior to creating her own company, Paula was a successful Realtor and served as Vice President of Business Development for the Henry S. Miller Company. In 2000, Paula founded Expedited Recovery, Inc. to provide services to healthcare providers and their patients, and she presently serves as CEO of this dynamic, rapidly-growing corporation. As a successful businesswoman, Paula has an acute appreciation of the fact that access to quality healthcare is vital for families and businesses. Today, Paula lives in Arlington with her husband, attorney Grey Pierson, and is the proud mother of two grown children, Chris Hightower and Lorie Quirk, and the very proud grandmother of Kendall Quirk, age 10, and Shaun Quirk, age 6. Paula and Grey attend the First Christian Church in Arlington. She's running against Rep. Toby Goodman. He's a vulnerable Republican in the House. He only beat his opponent, Mike Gregory, in 2004 56.6%-43.4%. This might be a race worth watching. A Power DownBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanA couple hours ago large parts of Los Angeles lost power. Due to our hosting company (Dreamhost) being located there it affected their servers. Luckily, as they started powering them back up, BOR was on a server that was earlier in the sequence. Even though this was a small hiccup, I certainly recommend Dreamhost for your hosting needs. They are otherwise simply awesome. Micheal Brown, FEMA Director, ResignsBy Damon McCullarFrom Reuters,
So one of the Kings of Disaster is gone, how long until the rest are gone? September 11, 2005Local (Gumbo) FlavorBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanThere have been some comments on Matt's earlier post about the Gumbo Zones which have prompted me to make a phone call and delete one comment. The reason why there were a couple of comment from NOLA survivors is because one of the Barbara Radnofsky campaign staff has been working almost nonstop with the refugees since they came here to Austin. He took Troy out to Lampasas where he apparently also met my parents. The other day he had some of the people from the Convention Center, who just wanted to have something else to eat than the fare offered there, over to his house where they cooked up some home-style dishes, giving them some taste of home. And in something that I don't think I've seen anywhere else, they gathering liveblogged their dinner experiences. It's given some of them hope, and a little bit of home. One person was able to get online and use Yahoo Messenger (something not available at the Convention Center) and was able to let about 5 people know that they were safe and alive for the first time. Their comments are something unique, connecting with our world which has tried to make sure that Austinites can help theirs. Now, agree or disagree with the concept of Gumbo Zones or the name of economic development zones, but let's at least find out the story of who and why people are commenting. In this case, I think theirs is a story we should listen to. "Go FEMA Yourself"By Karl-Thomas MusselmanApparently Vice President Cheney was in Austin Saturday to tour the sucesses of local efforts here in aid of those residing in the Convention Center. Or rather, he was here for a photo op that takes advantage of local Austin efforts that were successful because of the leadership of local officals (Democratic for the most part) and the support of an abundance of central city volunteers who have made this one of the better places in the state for displaced NOLA citizens. (Only a third of the original Convention Center occupants are still there, and more are being bussed in from Houston to replace them).
Yeah, learn some valuable lessons. I guess Bush/Cheney's federal government could use a few of those.
Kelso: Funny, Sadly.By Karl-Thomas MusselmanJohn Kelso with some lines that could hurt your sides and your heart.
September 10, 2005Texas Wins 25-22 Over "The" Ohio State UniversityBy Damon McCullar
The story tonight was the defense. They kept us in the game by denying Ohio State on several occasions and limiting their drives to field goals. The score should have been 30-22, but the officials denied a touchdown late in the 4th quarter. From what I saw of the replay, it was good. I'm kinda curious why THAT play wasn't reviewed as the refs had reviewed several plays prior to that. Next stop is the Cotton Bowl. Sure there are games between now and then, but that's next hurdle on our way back to Pasadena. That being said it was a day of upsets in the NCAA. (3)Michagan was upset by (20)Notre Dame, and (8)Iowa was downed by Iowa St. The Midshipmen of Navy lost to Stanford 41-38. ASA's Dining for Life, Monday September 12By Damon McCullarMonday September 12th and to a more limited degree on the 13th, AIDS Services of Austin will be having their 13th annual Dining for Life event. Area restaurants will donate 15% of their total dinner proceeds to AIDS Services of Austin. The list of area restaurants is located here. AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) responds to the HIV needs of the Austin area by providing services that enhance the health and well being of individuals and the community in the face of an evolving epidemic. So roll up your sleeves and take the family out to eat. It's a win-win situation.
BORed: Creating a "Gumbo Zone," Or, The Stupidest Campaign Proposal YetBy Matt HardigreeToday, Senate hopeful Barbara Ann Radnofsky issued a press release that demonstrated that the President isn't the only one who lacks any clear concept of how to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Here's a little taste:
Wow. Many may focus on the fact that this Senate hopeful, who I generally like, is proposing that what the people of NOLA are missing is Gumbo, and not their jobs. Others may place emphasis on the implication made, like Dennis Hastert's, that the residents of New Orleans won't have a chance to recapture the spirit of the Crescent City in the Crescent City. Surely, some of the pessimists among us may focus on the utter lack of any concept of urban planning that went into proposing, what is, an artistic ghetto loosely based on the spirit of a city. But I, the art fan, see something far more disturbing in this proposal. Constantin Brancusi, the abstract Romanian sculptor, once said "What is real is not the external form, but the essence of things . . . it is impossible for anyone to express anything essentially real by imitating its exterior surface." Barbara Ann is implying that a culture, a history, a style is something that can be federally funded and established in zones. Culture, at its simplest, is developed through the interaction of mankind with history, with the environment and with preexisting dominant cultures. New Orleans culture will be changed by this event, no doubt, and we should support the preservation of it. But it isn't something that can be transplanted so simply and the implication that it could be is absurd and embarrassing. September 09, 2005Austin Katrina Relief EffortBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanCharities Being Charitable Benefit Concert. WHAT: Benefit concert supporting the hurricane relief effort ADD’L INFO: In addition to the concert, the family-friendly, outdoor event will feature children’s activities along with local food and beverage vendors. Lawn chairs recommended. Free parking at nearby Classified lots. Reserved parking for news media. One hundred percent of the money raised from attendees will be donated to the Central Texas Red Cross. During the event, the Capital Area Food Bank will be accepting donations of diapers, bottled water, peanut butter (plastic containers preferred), canned meats (ring-pull lids preferred) and granola/cereal bars. Joining YouthLaunch are Austin Farmer’s Market (a project of the Sustainable Food Center), Austin Bar Association Foundation, Austin Children’s Museum, Austin Film Festival, Austin Public Library Foundation, Austin Sustainable Business Council, Austin Young Lawyers Association Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas, Community Action Network, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, Hispanic Bar Association of Austin Foundation, Liveable City, Meals on Wheels and More, Office of Austin Mayor Will Wynn, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, Seton Healthcare Network, Skillpoint Alliance, and Texans Standing Tall. When the Saints go marching out?By Jim DallasNPR's All Things Considered ran a story today on the now-homeless New Orleans Saints NFL franchise, which, like many of their fans, is now stranded in Texas. Indeed, the Saints has been a major rallying point for our Louisiana neighbors in crisis. Last weekend, you could tell who the evacuees were because many of them were wearing Saints jerseys. The Saints will play at least four of their home games in San Antonio (where the team's operation has been relocated) this season. But the end of the season may not be the end of the Saints' odyssey; it is likely that the New Orleans Superdome will be demolished and the same logic that is driving the Saints to schedule home games in Texas (rather than at LSU-Baton Rouge) is going to apply equally next season. The dialogue on NPR seemed to dance around what, by the end of the segment, had become an obvious question -- what if the Saints are never able to move back to New Orleans (which was already a "marginal" football market)? What then? Will the franchise fold, or will it look to make a permanent home in a new city? At the moment, this is something of an insensitive question, but it is growing more and more pressing as the hope of restoring New Orleans to its former glory dims. If the answer to that question is the latter, rather than the former -- and as a sports fan I am inclined to believe it is -- then a bidding war between cities for the Saints franchise may be imminent. And if that is the case, San Antonio may want to start thinking about what it might do if the Saints hint they want to stay in the Alamo City on a permanent basis (or prepare to fight other possible contenders -- Los Angeles, despite being a perennial failure in its attempts to hold down a football franchise, is vying to get football back).
It's an awkward, unfortunate, insensitive thing to say, but it needs to be said: San Antonio city officials should be getting ready to go to war. Texas vs. Ohio State PredictionsBy Phillip MartinOK, everyone, it's 5:00 on Friday, and I'm officially beginning my countdown to the UT-OSU game tonight. As someone who bleeds orange with the best of them, I'm almost jumping in anticipation for the "Showdown at the Shoe" tomorrow night. Anyone who wants to make a prediction, leave a comment, and we'll see who our BOR sports expert is. If you don't pick UT, I'm going to talk to K-T about banning you from the site. My pick? UT wins, 26-24. HOOK 'EM. Tax Relief at the PumpBy Katie NaranjoIt cost me $50.00 to fill my car up with gas today. Many Texans and Americans in general are hurting from the spike in gas prices due to Hurricane Katrina. Personally I have been curious as to when there will be any relief in prices at the pump and this morning Chris Bell provided an immediate short-term solution for Texans in an interview on the radio. To listen to the full interview Chris Speaks Chris: They are going over $3.00 a gallon. It’s really sad because you see this a lot of times after natural disasters, and it is sad when you see people trying to profit during times of catastrophe. I really think that’s what is going on, because here in Texas we really don’t have a gas shortage. There maybe other parts of the nation that are going to be impacted because of the refineries shutting down in Louisiana, but here there is an ample supply of gasoline. I think that is obvious that there is gouging going on and it needs to come to a stop. What I have recommended is that we follow the lead of other states and suspend the gasoline tax in the state of Texas for a while. We just discovered over a billion dollar surplus, we can afford it. What we can’t afford is for people to be paying $3.00 a gallon for gasoline. Prices are going up even though there is a gasoline surplus? Isn’t that something Gov. Perry should be addressing himself? Chris: Well despite Gov. Perry’s laudable efforts to aide Hurricane Katrina victims he’s really done next to nothing when it comes to sky rocketing gas prices. I know that the governor’s office, here in Texas, and the attorney general’s office have received complaints about the gouging that is going on. The attorney general said he was going to send out investigators to look into the high prices, but absolutely nothing has become of it. I think it is safe to assume, in this particular instance, that politics is playing a role. Those who have worked so diligently to fund the governor’s campaign and the attorney general’s campaign, that they don’t want to pick fights with the major oil companies. This is about the lively hood of the people here in our state and they need to put politics on the back burner for a while and look at where we are heading. We simply can’t afford to be paying over $3.00 a gallon for gasoline. It’s that simple. Micheal Brown Removed from Hurricane Katrina Relief EffortsBy Damon McCullarFrom Reuters: The director of Federal Emergency Management Agency, Michael Brown, who has been fiercely criticized over the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, will be pulled off relief operations in the Gulf Coast, two U.S. officials said on Friday. They said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was bringing Brown back to Washington and putting Vice Admiral Thad Allen, chief of staff of the U.S. Coast Guard, in charge of operations on the ground. One official familiar with the decision said Chertoff made the decision and was soon to make the announcement. Brown has been under heavy criticism for a slow emergency response to the hurricane, with some Democrats demanding he be fired. A senior Homeland Security Department official said: "The secretary will announce that Mike Brown will return to Washington and will continue to be the administrator for FEMA nationally but Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen will take over operations on the ground." Brown's removal from relief operations on the ground comes a week after Bush publicly applauded his efforts, saying: "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job. The FEMA Director is working 24 -- they're working 24 hours a day." East Texas Church Slams "The Big Easy"By Damon McCullarIt only took a week and a half, much longer than I expected, for a conservative Christian ideologue to say that it's New Orleans' own fault that it was destroyed. In the esteemed tradition of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson circa 9/11/2001, Pastor Wiley Bennett has proclaimed New Orleans as the new "Sodom and Gomorrah". The pastor from Tyler, Texas had this to say when confronted about the sign by a New Orleans evacuee:
and then went on to say:
KLTV in Tyler has the full story. TRMPAC and TAB Indicted for Election ShenanigansBy Damon McCullarThe AAS reports this morning that Texans for a Republican Majority PAC and the Texas Association of Buisnesses PAC have both been indicted on 128 counts. Previously only Jim Ellis, a former Tom DeLay staffer, and current head of Americans for a Republican Majority (Tom DeLay's PAC) and John Colyandro, executive director of Texas for a Republican Majority PAC and been indicted for election wrong-doing. Statements on the Indictments: Rep. Tom DeLay:
TAB:
Where To See Your 2006 Democratic Hopefuls This WeekBy Damon McCullar
Barbara Radnofsky Saturday, September 10, 6:30-9:00 p.m. Chris Bell 09/15/2005: Democrats from Harris, Brazoria, and Galveston Counties are invited to the Bay Area New Democrats' Candidates Forum on the evening of September 15th. The event starts at 6:30 with a social hour and meet-and-greet, and speakers will go on around 7:30 PM. The event will be held at Tequila Willie’s Mexican Restaurant, 1055 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston. Felix Alvarado Maria Alvarado is running for Lt. Governor. David Van Os Hank Gilbert David Harris is running for Congress in CD-06. Shelter work continues and we are working to schedule tutors for the displaced students in the area. Thanks so much for the incredible response we have had with volunteers and donations. For those that have not registered with us, please head to our holding page (www.followmetodc.com) and join the mailing list to be notified of our site launch and campaign kick off. On September 13th, we continue with our precinct block walking (thank goodness Dave has had plenty of practice between road marching and marathon running!). On September 15th, we will be attending the Tarrant County Executive Committee meeting to hear about upcoming plans for the 2006 State Convention that will be held in Fort Worth. September 17th will be a full day with Dave serving as a panel member for a discussion on recruiting abuses and alternatives to military service in the morning and we will be attending the candidate framing workshop in the afternoon with Dr. Jeffery Feldman (hosted by www.takingbacktexas.org). That evening, we will take a much needed rest to recharge for the next week! Shane Sklar John Courage Saturday September 10th - Bulverde Tuesday, September 13 - Austin Wednesday, September 14 - Austin Saturday, September 17 - Austin to San Antonio Nick Lampson
Richard Raymond Ciro Rodrigez
Mary-Beth will be riding the Democratic Party Float in the Friendship Fest Parade in Bartlett around 10am on Sat. Sept. 17, then later that afternoon on the 17th - She will be at the Democratic Party Booth and walking among the crowd at the LULAC Fiesta in Temple. We plan to sign up as many new voters as we can in Temple that day also. Andy Brown Andy Brown will be blockwalking this weekend. Come meet Andy, talk to West Austin voters, and work on your tan! Contact Marc at 636-4345 or at marc@voteandy.com for more information. Donna Howard Dan Barrett Dan will be attending the Tarrant County Democratic Party Executive Committee meeting on Thursday, September 15. Diane Henson Charles Baird Insta-scandal!By Jim DallasThey spinnin, bloggas, they spinnin!
Read further for fun and excitement about our pal John Sharp. As far as I can tell, there's not actually any scandal at all (and that's what the auditor said), but to see the Perry folks calling it the "biggest scandal in a generation" (because, you know, the Governor would never peddle influence) and the Strayhorn folks calling it a "witch hunt" (because, you know, the Comptroller would never use audits for political purposes)... well, it makes for great entertainment. Austin IT VolunteersBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanWant infomation on being an IT volunteer here in Austin to aid the Katrina Refugees, take a look at this site: http://www.austinfree.net/katrinavolunteer.htm Chip Rosenthal has some more info about a listserv for volunteers. September 08, 2005Arnold BacktracksBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanGov. Schwarzenegger, who has stated previously that he supports same-sex marriage, has now caved to the right wing of his party in order to shore up his diminishing political base as California voters have a serious case of buyers remorse. He has stated that he would veto the landmark legislation passed by both bodies of the California legislature and supported by 46% of the state's population, in order for either the people or the courts to decide. I think the following highlights the issue perfectly and the type of people the Governator is siding with.
The Texan ran a reaction piece in which I was quoted today with the following...and the Campus Alliance Against Inequality, which is working to defeat Prop 2 here in Texas, got a plug in as well (new website next week).
UDems in the NewsBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanUDems President Alex Hunt was quoted extensively in today's Daily Texan article about the fundraising efforts for Katrina Victim.
Of course, while the efforts to help locals here in Austin have been excellent, there are many concerns about what is going on on the federal level, which is apparent to most everyone. But even the Republicans on down to the campus level are trying to follow the "wait til Bush investigates himself" line before making judgment.
Compassionate Conservatives Gone WildBy Drew ClintonTexas bears the distinction of having two representatives vote against H.R. 3673, which included fifty-one billion dollars of necessary aide to Hurricane Katrina victims. Though Ron Paul's (R-Clute) nay vote is no surprise given his history of libertarian do-nothingism, such behavior is inexcusable. He and Joe Barton (R-Ennis) embarrass the state and its delegation with their callousness. Far worse than Hastert's comments about the location of New Orleans being unsuitable for reconstruction, these representatives seem to challenge the concept of rebuilding at all. I know that these districts are far from competitive, but it is still an outrage that such votes could go unpunished. More at Kos. Shane Sklar Kicks Off Campaign in CD 14By Phillip MartinShanke Sklar formally kicked off his campaign against incumbent Congressman Ron Paul in CD14 yesterday, announcing from his home town of Victoria yesterday. As the article notes, CD 14 stretches from Galveston all the way to Aransas county, making it one of the largest coastal congressional districts in the country. Sklar spoke of the need to work, in future years, with FEMA to ensure that Texas' gulf coast towns are prepared for hurricanes like Katrina.
Sklar, who has worked for Congressman Chet Edwards in the past, recently finished his fourth year as Executive Director for the Texas Cattleman's Association. To help Shane Sklar in his efforts, contribute to his campaign here. Scripps Howard Texas Poll Number Are Out.By Damon McCullarThat's right folks, the Texas Poll is out and the DMN has the story. There is some interesting results in the poll. Gov. Perry's job approval rating continues to fall (39%/45% approve/disapprove among the general public, 55%/30% with GOP voters, 24%/60% with Democratic voters). However, if the Republican primary were held to day, he would win it(46% Rick Perry, 28% Carol Keeton Strayhorn, 22% Undecided). KBH is sitting sitting pretty with a 64%/9% approve/disapprove rating. The Democratic primary is a horse race with John Sharp pulling 16%, Chris Bell pulling 10% and Felix Alvarado pulling 8% with 12% favoring other candidates. 54% of Democrats in the state remain undecided about their choice for Governor. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 3%. Here are some statements from the campaigns: Carol Keeton Strayhorn:
Gov. Rick Perry:
The Chris Bell Blog also has this to say:
John Sharp: Mr. Sharp could not be reached for comment. Felix Alvarado: There's nothing in the DMN story from his campaign, but I, the intrepid blogger have sent an email to the campaign and am awaiting a reply.
September 07, 2005BORed: Harry Connick, Jr. Named Prince Of New OrleansBy Matt Hardigree
Unfortunately, with the large numbers of evacuees from New Orleans camping out in the Reliant/Astrodome complex, ominous rumors have become as prevalent as fake breasts in Houston. I've heard stories of rape, suicide, disease, looting and car-jacking in the last few days connected with our new visitors. Fortunately, most of these are just that, rumors. The great people over at the Houston Chronicle's Dome Blog have been keeping track of them. I've been volunteering in and around Houston and I've yet to see anything out of the ordinary. As well, my father is a security officer and has been working shifts at the dome, supervising bag check and pat-down and he said the biggest issue at the Dome was the lack of privacy. I might add that having a Hardigree responsible for any amount of security is probably another area of concern. Sick of hearing all of these untrue and negative rumors aimed at a group that is, by and large, Black and socio-economically disadvantaged, I thought I'd start a few more positive rumors. I know that posting rumors on this blog is out-of-the-ordinary, so please forgive me this one time. 1. Harry Connick, Jr. Named King of New Orleans - Harry Connick, Jr., the beloved New Orleans-based songwriter named King of The Big Easy by the remaining residents of that city. When asked why, Tom DeJeanue explained that "It took four days for FEMA to get here, but it only took King Harry two to get here with a boat and a film crew... plus I love the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack." The line of succession is unclear as the kingdom could be divided amongst any of his three daughters: Princess Georgia, Sara or Cordelia. 2. Toxic Sludge Makes a Delicious Hot Sauce and Fossil Fuel - The toxic stew that now covers 60% of the Crescent City, while disease ridden, makes for a spicy compliment to poboys, red beans and rice and other regional cuisine. The sludge can also be used to power converted diesel engines, thus solving the gas crisis. 3. Kanye West "Bush Doesn't Care About Black People... but I Just Saved Money On My Car Insurance by Switching to GEICO" - When Kanye West went off-prompter during an NBC benefit concert for survivors of Katrina he said that "Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" and was then cutoff by the producer. West later explained that this was merely a segue for him to extoll the fiscal benefits of an insurance company that doesn't pay independent agents. 4. Geraldo attempts to excavate Louis Armstrong's tomb, eaten by alligators - Self-serving, gas-bag pseudo-journalist Geraldo Rivera was dispatched to New Orleans by pseudo-news source Fox News. After "borrowing" a few babies from evacuee mothers, Rivera hosted a special where he promised to unlock the secrets of Louis Armstrong's tomb. Unfortunately, the tomb was empty but for a few alligators which promptly tore him apart limb-from-limb. 5. Reliant center area renamed "Eckelsville" - In honor of Harris County Judge and Houston Homeland Security Chief Robert Eckels, the Reliant Center area has been named Eckelsville. The residents will be drinking Perry-a water and eating Mayor Bill White-bread lettuce and tomato sandwiches. All joking aside, I've been proud of Texas and proud of Houstonians who have worked hard to care for the victims of this tragedy. I've been turned down for dates before, but this is the first weekend that I've been turned down after volunteering. There is still a lot of need out there and I suggest that, before you drive to the dome, you check with Volunteer Houston or the specific entity you plant to volunteer with. State Rep. Richard Raymond Officially Running in CD28By Drew ClintonState Representative Richard Raymond (D-Laredo) will announce his candidacy for Congressional District 28 on the south Capitol steps at 10:00 AM on Thursday. Though this is merely a formality given the rather palpable hype and speculation surrounding the representative lately, it will mark the beginnings of what will prove to be a captivating and spirited primary amongst several well-known South Texas Democrats. Thank You, Senator BarrientosBy Phillip MartinThe Statesman has a good article, but here's my own: Though I know it's chic to follow Texas Monthly's lead and pretend like Sen. Barrientos never did much of anything, I find it short-sighted and insulting to attempt and diminish someone who has served in the Texas Legislature since 1975 and worked tirelessly for his constituents to a single, snarky put-down. He's done a tremendous amount for Austin and the state, from giving thousands of dollars of scholarships every year to Hispanic high school students in his district to refusing to cave on the issues that matter most (something some of our other Democratic Senators were continually unable to do). Though his successes working with public education, seniors, and state employees are numerous, I wanted to tell the story of how Sen. Barrientos actually helped launch my interest in covering politics: Back in high school, I wanted to write an article about my school's high school dropout rate for our high school paper. My high school class had shrunk from 540 students to around 370, and I wantd to know why TEA said we only had a 2% dropout rate. Everyone I called in the capitol told me one place to go: Sen. Barrientos' office. I met with his staff when I was a fledgling high school newspaper writer, and was treated like I wrote for the NY Times. They helped me out tremendously and taught me all about how terrible TEA's dropout system works. I ended up writing a front-page story that won an honorable mention in a statewide UIL-competition. This was actually the first political reporting I ever did, and to this day, fixing the problems facing our state's education system remains the number one reason why I'm in politics at all. Had I not had as engaging and satisfying experience that first time, I may have never gotten interested in politics. Therefore, I simply wanted to thank Sen. Barrientos for all the hard work he's done in the past years. He is about things that a lot of folks in politics don't pay as much attention to or really care about: honor, respect, and hard-work. Thank you, Senator. You've had a great impact on my life, and I wish you nothing but the best with your retirement. Tort Reform: Not working out for business, eitherBy Jim DallasI happened to stumble upon this op-ed in this week's Texas Lawyer, which raises the point that, really, nobody is winning under tort reform, except for insurance companies. So much for the pro-business tort reform agenda (excerpts below the flip)
California OKs Same-Sex MarriagesBy Phillip MartinIn case you've missed it, the California legislature has OK'ed same-sex marriages. Whether or not the Governator will sign the bill remains to be seen. Apparently, he wants to let the voters decide, but as the article mentions, they decided once five years ago...
What are people saying about the new law? There's those on the left...
...and those on the right:
So what will the Governor do? Well, according to an article posted on Fox News, what he does may not matter, as around 56% of the people want him out of office anyway. My take on it? I still can't believe the Kindergarten Cop is a Governor. Senator Gonzalo Barrinetos to RetireBy Damon McCullarFrom QR Senator Gonzalo Barrientos (D-Austin) will announce at an 11:30 press conference this morning that he has decided not to seek re-election. Instead, he plans to look at some private sector opportunities and enjoy his grandchildren. However, Senator Barrientos did imply he might have a few additional observations at his press conference. Stay tuned. Paging Kirk Watson... L.E.E.A.N. Advises Some New Orleans Police Officers Need Our HelpBy Damon McCullarWhat is L.E.E.A.N. you may ask? The Ft Worth Police Dept "Law Enforcement Emergency Assistance Network" is up and running to provide help to any Police Families coming into the North Texas area as well as collecting Equipment and needed personal itmes to send to the Storm Damaged areas. Donations of items may be brought to the FT Worth Police Academy. The collections will be for items only, no monies will be accepted. As we learn what is most needed by the Officers we will pass that information on. There are several relief efforts under way and we want to make sure that we do not duplicate too much! Officer Tom Wiederhold, one of our FWPD L.E.E.A.N coordinators, has spoken with Lt Carol Aldridge, Commander of Dist 2, New Orleans Police Department. She has made the following request for items: Contractor size heavy-duty trash bags, Donations can be taken to the Fort Worth Police Academy, 1000 Calvert Lt. Aldridge asked that all items be packaged to keep dry and stored so that they won't get wet (all materials are being kept outside). Their Officers are sleeping in tents, so anything "camping" would help. She will be gathering a list of boot sizes to forward as an additional need. September 06, 2005Representative Round-upBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanQR: Retired police officer and current Sunnyvale Town Council member Thomas Latham will run against state Rep. Elvira Reyna (R-Mesquite) in the GOP primary for House District 101. Senator Staples officially announces for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. Representative Rick Noriega's fundraisers this week have been cancelled because he has once again been conscripted. This time he has been asked by Houston Mayor Bill White to manage the evacuee center at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Off the Kuff has a story from his wife who served for him in the lege this year while he was away in Afghanistan. ITPT: According to a press advisory from his office, Barrientos will “announce future political plans” on Wednesday morning. 11:30AM. Speaker’s Committee Room. Can we only hope that they include an open Senate seat for Kirk Watson to run for? Mr. Smith Comes from WashingtonBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanYou know what to do.... Lamar Smith Travis County public meetings 9/10/05 9 AM -10AM Charlie Baird Official Throws His Hat in the Ring for the 299th District CourtBy Damon McCullarToday Charlie Baird, current justice for the state's highest criminal court threw his hat in the ring for the 299th District Court.
Judge Baird is running for the 299th District Court of Travis County. The current judge, Jon Wisser, is retiring at the end of his term. Judge Baird will be a candidate in the March 7, 2006 Democratic Primary.
Words Around the Labor Day CampfireBy Andrew DobbsLast Friday was the annual AFL-CIO Labor Day Fish Fry, a great opportunity to be around some of Texas' finest Democrats and catch up on what is going on around the state. Some first class tidbits came my way so I thought I'd let everyone know about what is going on. First off was the ad John Sharp had in this year's Texas AFL-CIO Convetion Brochure. The convention was a couple of weeks ago, but I just saw the ad (which I have a PDF of but I don't know how to upload a PDF onto Moveable Type. If someone explains I'll put it up) at the picnic. The ad simply says "Remember Leadership?" in large letters at the top, followed by "Have a Great Labor Day! John Sharp" at the bottom. Not quite an announcement, but enough to keep the chatter going. Secondly I talked to someone close to Texas DNC member David Holmes who told me that he is now seriously considering running for State Rep in HD 47. Holmes was the youngest DNC member in the entire country for some time and has faithfully served the interests of Texas before the committee. He also works as the Chief of Staff for Rep. Hubert Vo (D-Alief). Word has it that with some of the other potential Dem candidates out, David is looking at the option. David Holmes is a good guy and while I can't support anybody at this point, he would make a phenomenal state rep. Other than that just good fish, good beer, good times and decent weather for the event. Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and let us know if you hear anything else! David Harris Suspends Campaign Events for Katrina Relief EffortsBy Damon McCullarDavid Harris, candidate for CD -06, suspended campaign events today to dedicate more time to relief efforts in Arlington.
September 05, 2005A Part of America Once AgainBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanThe following is an Op-Ed written by Alexander Hunt, President of the University Democrats and TYD College Caucus Chair. -KT One week ago, Hurricane Katrina unleashed its fury on Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Initially, citizens of the vulnerable city of New Orleans breathed a sigh of relief; the storm predictably hooked right at the last minute and spared New Orleans a direct hit. However, as more time passed, the storm proved to be more powerful than the New Orleans levees could handle and the local government’s numerous flood warnings became reality. The storm left thousands stranded and pleading for help. It is always amazing to see how Americans come together to help their fellow man in times of need. Millions around our nation donated to the Red Cross and other charities. Here in Austin volunteers were actually turned away because of the massive outpouring of those trying to help. However, for every heartwarming picture I saw of people coming together, I saw a plethora more of people suffering needlessly. I saw people who followed the instructions of their government and trusted in the system, and were left behind. The question that I, and other frustrated citizens asked was Where was our federal government? Where was our government supposedly led by the ideals of “compassionate conservatism” and “the culture of life”? As I watched people on the ground doing the best they could and desperately pleading for more help, I saw Senate leadership leisurely coming back from break. I couldn’t help questioning the priorities of Congressional leadership who were able to vote in less than 24 hours on Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, but took 4 times the amount of time to provide nourishment to thousands in the Superdome in New Orleans, where people watched their loved ones die from starvation and dehydration in their arms. Surely nothing could have prevented Hurricane Katrina from disrupting and uprooting the lives of thousands in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, but something could have been done to curtail the misery of the masses. After much needed help arrived in the storm ravaged areas, numerous evacuees have expressed that they “once again feel they are a part of America.” Once again? How could we have let them become third-world foreigners in their own land? This is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. This is not a white or black issue. This is an American issue and this is a time for all Americans to come together and demand more from their government. Our government officials didn’t live up to their promise. However, there is still so much that we can all do NOW to make life better for the people whose lives have been affected. First, write to your Congressperson and demand that this never happens again. Ask that they do everything in their power to make Katrina’s victims lives’ as normal as possible. Get the survivors the funding to get back on their feet, get their children school supplies, and get them day-to-day necessities. Secondly, stop by the West Mall this Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday to see how you can help here in Austin. The University Democrats have asked the College Republicans to join us in a three-day rally to obtain donations and provide information about how students can volunteer in the Austin area. Even if you can’t donate money or supplies, your time will make a world of difference for those affected. Let’s make sure Katrina’s victims know that they are a part of America. Let’s make sure that every person that survived the torture of the past week finds shelter and the supplies needed for daily living. Let’s make sure all children have adequate school supplies. Join us this week on the West Mall to find out how you can help. Thank you, Andy Brown Campaign Kick-offBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanSeems that the Andy Brown campaign is going to have their kick-off event hosted by former statewide candidate Garry Mauro. Info below. Thursday, September 15, 2005 Suggested donation: $50 Please RSVP by contacting the campaign at (512) 636-4345 or kristi@voteandy.com. You may contribute online at www.voteandy.com. Best regards from the host committee, Robbie & Tom Ausley Arlington Area Mission Needs AssistanceBy Damon McCullarDavid Harris, candidate for CD 6, had this press release today. ASSISTANCE FOR KATRINA VICTIMS IN ARLINGTON September 04, 2005Austin's StoriesBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanRay in Austin brings us the first of what are likely to be many stories of those staying with us here in Austin. An eyewitness of one of NOLA's levee breaches.
But there are also stories that we may not be hearing. About those gay and lesbian partnered refugees who may get burned by the very bureaucracy which is supposed to help them, underscoring why we need to defeat Constitutional Amendment #2 on November 8 (a Bad Proposition for Texas).
Update: Another story here, this time from an Austin volunteer who talked with some of those staying with us. The Austin Red Cross is especially in need of the following list of items for the victims of Katrina. Please bring your donations to Freescale (Motorola), which is located at 3501 Ed Bluestein. Shoes (all sizes) From The Austin Convention CenterBy Damon McCullarA friend of mine just finished a shift as a volunteer Chaplin at the Austin Convention Center for the New Orleans Refugees. He told me of somethings that are needed there and brought back some stories of the survivors. Everything is contained after the jump.
I have just completed my second day as a volunteer chaplain at the Austin Convention Center. I have met the most incredible people with indomitable spirits. Another woman who managed to hold thirteen family members together in the New Orleans Convention Center, and somehow get them all together to Austin, watching her nine year old grandson play and return to childhood. A man who operated machinery to fill soft drink bottles, waiting on his first shower in six days and watching his wife sleep and rest at last on the adjacent cot. Wondering when he will work again, when he will again be a provider, but holding his head high. Small Site UpdateBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanGoogle ads are back on the site on the left sidebar as well as in some individual entries. The only reason that I've bothered to bring them back after the month it's been in shifting them over, is because I've found them to actually be of some use from time to time. They help to fund us as well to a smaller degree than blogads, but do help. Another reminder that the RSS feed for BOR for the time being is That of course is a bit different than it used to be but you may want to make sure you update it. We'll get it all sorted out later this fall when we have a new site launch that is fully ready, a project which just didn't work right this summer. Also, contact information on the left has been updated as well as the About page. Labor Day PicnicBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanOut in Lampasas tomorrow, hundreds of area Democrats from the 24th Senatorial District including Bell, Blanco, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Gillespie, Hamilton, Kerr, Kimble, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Mills, San Saba, and Taylor counties which I represented last summer as the SD24 delegate to the Democratic National Convention, will meet for a Labor Day picnic. When: Picnic starts at 11:00 am. BBQ lunch starts serving at 11:30. There will be a silent action with prizes from Democratic Presidents, Senators, Governors, and organizations. Plus don't miss the famous Cake Sale either. Lunch tickets are $9. Aid in AustinBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanIf you are looking to help in the Houston area, Charles has the latest requests and roundups. Here in Austin, things seem to be filling up with whispers of opening up the Frank Erwin Center at some point if President Faulkner goes for it. I was going to volunteer last night down at the Convention Center but so many people had already offered that by midnight they were turning away most people for the evening. They were busy sorting loads of clothes into piles by size, water, food, diapers, cots. It looked like most of the floor and ballrooms throughout the center were being occupied already. Remember to help here in Austin and to call 974-1110, the city hotline, before venturing out somewhere. If they can't use your help this weekend, be patient and help in upcoming days and weeks. I just called the hotline and as of now they have enough volunteers for the afternoon, but they asked people to go to this site and find specific actions they best match up with for now. One Action Item:
September 03, 2005Refugees Arrive in AustinBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanThe first wave of NOLA refugees has arrived in Austin on Capitol Metro buses headed to the Convention Center from the airport. They were sighted on Cesar Chavez just minutes ago with police escorts and an ambulance. The electronic displays say "Captal Metro/Welcome to Austin" alternating on the front of Express Route busses which don't otherwise run on weekends. The electonic highway notification signs are giving directions to incoming buses and cars. The first group sighted was a caravan of 10 buses. Remember to look at how you can help. Chief Justice William Rehnquist DiesBy Damon McCullar(Looks like Matt, Damon and I all jumped on this story, so we'll consolidate here. -KT) Chief Justice William Rehnquist died Saturday at age 80. More to come. Texas Wins 60 to 3, TCU Bests OUBy Damon McCullar
In other news, TCU beat OU 17-10. Looks like OU's dominance in the Red River Shootout is over. Austin Katrina AidBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanNow that Austin has been added as another hub of help for aiding Katrina victims, many Austin bloggers have found resources that may be of use for those of us in the Capitol City trying to figure out how we can help. Volunteer: 974-1110 (City-staffed hotline) First, the City of Austin's official page. Clicking on the How to Help page is important because in some cases they are asking volunteers to not just show up but call to ask how best to help. We don't want to get in the way of logistics so stay on top of the updates. If you are in search of help as a refugee, there is information there for you too. Austin Helping New Orleans is a new site that has popped up also helping to coordinate information. They have let us know that the Austin Convention Center, NOT the Tony Burger Center, is now the headquarters for evacuee activities. The city is requesting bedding donations for the following items: air mattresses, cots, folding lawn chairs, wash cloths, towels and anything that would make the refugees comfortable. Donations need to be taken to the Freescale Campus at 3501 Ed Bluestein Blvd. or the Trinity Street entrance of the Austin Convention Center. The Bicycle Sport Shop is also asking for donations of new or used bicycles, parts, helmets, bags, racks, or other cycling accessories to help refugees from Hurricane Katrina at the 517 S. Lamar location for delivery to Houston on Sunday, so if you have anything it needs to be dropped off today. If you can help out with techie work at the centers, look here. News 8 Austin has a good roundup story, and lets us know there are 5000 refugees on the way to our city. There is a Benefit Concert Sunday, September 4. Just the Facts?By Karl-Thomas MusselmanFrom the announcement of Molly Beth Malcolm, former TDP Chair of Chris Bell this week came some interesting quotes. (Besides the fact that I don't understand how her endorsement is a positive thing considering most of the "new grassroots" of the party never liked her, she led the party to loss after loss statewide, and was not liked by quite a large part of the county level party machinery...) But that aside...
Calculation and caution must not include that 6 months of exploring. And as far as consulting goes? Total contributions from Jan 1-June 30: $152,653.87
"Parents are nearly powerless to filter out a commercial culture that relentlessly pushes a permissive attitude toward explicit sex and violence. We need to find the moral courage to empower parents in this battle, and let’s start with violent video games. In any of the “Grand Theft Auto” video games, the player can beat up old ladies, steal cars, murder police officers, run over pedestrians, and pick up and murder prostitutes. Other states have made it a crime to sell this crud to our kids without a parent’s say-so, and I think we should do the same here in Texas." (Link) Does that mean that Joe Lieberman isn't Republican-lite either? Chris Bell Calls for Suspension of Gas TaxBy Damon McCullarHOUSTON – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell today called for a month-long suspension of the gas tax to counterbalance the recent spike in pump prices. September 02, 2005Molly Beth Malcolm Endorses Chris Bell for GovernorBy Damon McCullarFrom Texas Weekly:
David Van Os Rails Against Price Gouging in the Wake of Hurricane KatriniaBy Damon McCullarDavid Van Os, candidate for Attorney General had this to say about the price gouging occurring in the wake of the national tragedy known as Hurricane Katrina:
What do you think? Where To See Your 2006 Democratic Hopefuls This WeekBy Damon McCullar
Barbara Radnofsky Barbara Ann Radnofsky attended a meeting of the Houston Interfaith Alliance at Second Baptist Church in Houston on September 1st to assist in mobilizing the Houston Interfaith Community to respond to the influx of refugees from Hurricane Katrina from Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. Barbara’s summary of the meeting, which was facilitated by Dr. Ed Young of Second Baptist, is set forth at http://www.radnofsky.com/blog.php?items_id=95. All volunteers in the Radnofsky campaign are encouraged to participate personally in the relief effort across Texas. On Thursday, Field Director Robert Andrews of Austin and Deputy Field Director for Veterans Larry Romo of San Antonio represented Barbara at the Bexar County AFL-CIO Labor Day Reception in San Antonio, and Nueces County Field Coordinator Susie Smith represented Barbara at the monthly Corpus Christi TDW meeting. On Friday,. Robert Andrews and Travis County Field Coordinator Ralph Bordie, along with Kendrick Hackett of Austin, represented Barbara at the AFL-CIO Fish Fry and Reception in Austin. Barbara will be represented or will personally attend Labor Day weekend events across Texas including the Collin County Labor Day Picnic in McKinney at Towne Lake Park in McKinney on Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m., the Labor Day Cook-Off in Pasadena at the fair grounds on Sunday, the Dallas County Democratic Party Labor Day Picnic in Fair Park, at the Food and Fiber Pavilion, from 1 till 4 p.m. on Monday, the El Paso Labor Day Breakfast, El Paso Airport Hilton, 2027 Airway Blvd., 8:00 a.m., on Monday, the Democratic Celebration of Labor Day, Cypress Pavilion, Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Texas, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, on Monday, the Corpus Christi Labor Council Breakfast, IBEW Hall, 9:00 a.m., and the Senate District 24 Democratic Labor Day Picnic in Lampasas which begins at 11:30 AM at Hancock Park on Rt. 281 in Lampasas on Monday. Barbara will also be represented by Field Director Robert Andrews at the regular monthly Austin Stonewall Democrats Meeting in Austin on Tuesday, September 6th at the Magnolia Café on South Congress in Austin at 7:30, and at the first meeting this semester of the Aggie Democrats in College Station at 8:30 on Wednesday. Barbara continues to encourage all campaign volunteers to participate personally in the relief efforts for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina across Texas, asking her volunteers to invest their time and energy in showing simple human kindness and compassion to the many women, men and children Texas is hosting. Chris Bell 9/5/2005: Chris will be the featured speaker at the Senate District 24 Democratic Labor Day Picnic in Lampasas. The picnic starts at 11:30 AM at Hancock Park on Rt. 281, and Chris will be speaking around 1 PM. Come on out and spend your Labor Day with other Hill Country Dems! You'll have a chance to meet Chris and hear him talk about his plans for the campaign ahead. Don't miss out on the fun! 9/5/2005: Chris will be stopping by the Austin County Democratic Club's Labor Day Picnic in Sealy on Monday evening. The Picnic starts at 5 PM and Chris will be speaking around 6:30 PM. 9/7/2005: Chris is honored to be travelling to Dallas on Wednesday, September 7th to take part in DFA Dallas's Summer Speaker Series at the Dallas Public Library. Democracy for America's Dallas meetup group has invited Chris to come speak about his ideas for Texas and his plans for the campaign ahead, so if you're in the Metroplex, this is a great chance to come out and meet the next Governor of Texas! The meeting starts at 7 PM at the meeting room of the Downtown Public Library across from City Hall. For more information, please contact Juli Roland at juliro@sbcglobal.net.
Felix Alvarado Felix Alvarado will be in Lampasas on the 5th, and on the 7th he is in San Angelo. Maria Alvarado is running for Lt. Governor. "Take Back Texas" Picnic sponsored by the Democrats of Senate District 21. Hancock Park on Highway 281 just south of downtown Lampasas. Sept. 5th. The event starts at 11:00AM. Hot Dog Roast sponsored by the Brazos County Democratic Party, Texas David Van Os Saturday morning 9-3 I am guest speaker at North East Bexar County Hank Gilbert Charlie Thompson David Harris On September 2nd, David will be attending petition signing events in Waxahachie, Corsicana and Centerville, ending in Houston for radio and press events. (Anyone interested in assisting in the south county events, please email Michelle at FM2DC@aol.com or call 817-706-2521) Shane Sklar John Courage Friday, September 2nd in Austin Saturday September 3rd in San Antonio Also on Saturday September 3rd, John will speak at the San Antonio Area Progressive Action Coalition (SAAPAC) meeting at Grady's Restaurant (on San Pedro Ave. at Jackson Keller 1 mile south of Loop 410). The meeting begins at 1:00 PM Also on Monday September 3rd, in San Antonio, John will speak at the Bexar County Democratic Women's monthly meeting at Jim's Restaurant at San Pedro and Ramsey. The meeting begins at 6:00 PM, Tuesday September 6th in Austin. John plans to join the Lake Travis Democrats for their monthly meeting at Travis Co. Bridges/Roads Building, next to PECU Bldg. on 620 and Mansfield Dam Wednesday September 7th in San Antonio Nick Lampson Friday: Saturday: House Meeting (get to know Nick Lampson) Sunday Henry Cuellar Richard Raymond Ciro Rodrigez Mary-Beth Harrell Andy Brown Andy Brown will be blockwalking this weekend. Come meet Andy, talk to West Austin voters, and work on your tan! Contact Marc at 636-4345 or at marc@voteandy.com for more information. Donna Howard Dan Barrett Diane Henson Charles Baird September 01, 2005Rep. Jim Solis to RetireBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanDemocratic Rep. Jim Solis of San Benito has announced his plans to retire from the Texas House (HD38) according to Quorum Report. Elected back in 1992, Solis has headed up a number of important committees and issues in the lege, listed in his press release (pdf). He does say that he won't rule out running for other public offices in the future and will continue to stay involved in politics. His district is 63-37 Dem/Rep, though he won his past election with 68% of the vote, and even Marty Akins managed 53% against Carol in 2002, which was the low point for any candidate then. Dennis Hastert Suggests Not Rebuilding New OrleansBy Andrew DobbsEarlier, I put up a post about Congress' lack of action in the face of Hurricane Katrina's devastation. Now, the Associated Press is reporting some comments from House Speaker Dennis Hastert that might just clear things up:
"Looks like it could be bulldozed" huh? Good to know that the people of this city are so loved by members of Congress. Helping with HousingBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanMoveOn has a really great thing they have developed to help match up people who need housing with those willing to offer it. Hurricane Housing. It's a great use of a political tool normally used to match volunters up with events or rideshare programs, but now for hurricane victims in need of longer term housing that they may not be able to pay for. As Internet access gets set up at various shelters and at the AstroDome, this should be a workable resource. Sign up if you are in Texas where any of the refugees can stay. Also, we have approved the BlogAd for free and the AID graphic at the top left as part of the online effort to help support and aid hurricane victims. This gives the rest of us who can't spare a room (since all I have is one total here on campus) but can spare a dime. This one goes by paypal which is a lot easier for me certainly, and many online readers and activists. (And yes, it is legit, read throught the comments on the donation site if you are concerned. And if you want to ad the ad to your site or to your blogads list, look here for cut and paste code.) Of course, on campus the College Republicans and University Democrats are working together to gather donations, though it would be nice if their parent organization took up similar "compassionate" action instead of sitting around blasting Democrats about John Roberts, or the RNC from using their e-mail list to send a message about of all things, the death tax. Yeah, I'm worried about the death tax- the kind that death that's taxing millions of families in the Southern United States right now. Sheehan in AustinBy Karl-Thomas MusselmanI didn't make it last night, but Casual Soapbox has a really good roundup and pictures. The Daily Texan also has a report. Looks like there was a couple thousand people there last night, and Cindy said that when she gets to Houston she's donating the 5000 lbs of supplies they had left from Camp Casey in Crawford the relief effort there.
No Nonsense Newsletter #5By Karl-Thomas MusselmanHere is the latest NNiN newsletter from Glen Maxey. I cut out some of the supporter commentary because you can always go read that at their blog. More staff has been hired in San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley and I got word that here on campus today it looks like the UT LULAC chapter may soon be joining the Campus Alliance (which has a meeting tonight at 7 pm, Texas Union 2.102-Eastwoods Room). In this week's newsletter … find out about … * What Texans are saying about Constitutional Amendment #2 ORDINARY PEOPLE Glen Maxey Do The MathBy Andrew DobbsSomething Frank Cafferty said on CNN piqued my curiosity, and I did a little research. Check this out. March 20, 2005: "(Terri) Schiavo's feeding tube was disconnected about 1:45 p.m. Friday (March 19), George Felos, the attorney for her husband, told reporters." March 20, 2005: "The House is to meet at 1 p.m. today and the Senate at 2 p.m." Congress had to be called into emergency session as they were on vacation. That was then. This is now. "Both the House and Senate will be back at work by tomorrow (September 2) to begin work on a package of federal disaster aid for areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Western Florida affected by Hurricane Katrina, the aide said." The Hurricane, according to Wikipedia, hit Louisiana on Monday August 29 at 10 AM. So for those playing along at home, Congress came into emergency session to address Terri Schiavo's feeding tube 23 hours and 15 minutes after it was removed. They will take four days just to get started on developing a relief package for Katrina. Good to know that the "culture of life" is going strong... Bush Sent Funding for Levees to IraqBy Phillip MartinOver the past two years President Bush and the White House repeatedly cut funding for New Orleans levee projects, diverting sources to Iraq instead despite the recognition that something horrible could happen to the Louisiana area. Sidney Blumenthal, a former Clinton advisor, reports that the administration cut New Orleans flood control funding by 44 percent to pay for the Iraq war. According to an article posted on Editor and Publisher by Will Bunch, a pulitzer prize winning journalist:
Scott McCllelan started denying these reports in a press conference this morning. When asked about the Southeast Louisiana Flood Control Project that was only given 1/6 of what it needed to complete flood preparations, McCllelan simply said, "flood control has been a priority of this administration from day one." While no one believes this disaster was at all preventable, certain measures could have been taken to better prepare for such damage, a concern many had obviously voiced over the past few decades. For a complete look at the story, click on the jump below, or click on the link for Editor and Publisher above. Did New Orleans Catastrophe Have to Happen? 'Times-Picayune' Had Repeatedly Raised Federal Spending Issues
Published: August 31, 2005 9:00 PM ET PHILADELPHIA Even though Hurricane Katrina has moved well north of the city, the waters may still keep rising in New Orleans. That's because Lake Pontchartrain continues to pour through a two-block-long break in the main levee, near the city's 17th Street Canal. With much of the Crescent City some 10 feet below sea level, the rising tide may not stop until it's level with the massive lake. New Orleans had long known it was highly vulnerable to flooding and a direct hit from a hurricane. In fact, the federal government has been working with state and local officials in the region since the late 1960s on major hurricane and flood relief efforts. When flooding from a massive rainstorm in May 1995 killed six people, Congress authorized the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, or SELA. Over the next 10 years, the Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with carrying out SELA, spent $430 million on shoring up levees and building pumping stations, with $50 million in local aid. But at least $250 million in crucial projects remained, even as hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin increased dramatically and the levees surrounding New Orleans continued to subside. Yet after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA dropped to a trickle. The Corps never tried to hide the fact that the spending pressures of the war in Iraq, as well as homeland security -- coming at the same time as federal tax cuts -- was the reason for the strain. At least nine articles in the Times-Picayune from 2004 and 2005 specifically cite the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control dollars. Newhouse News Service, in an article posted late Tuesday night at The Times-Picayune Web site, reported: "No one can say they didn't see it coming. ... Now in the wake of one of the worst storms ever, serious questions are being asked about the lack of preparation." In early 2004, as the cost of the conflict in Iraq soared, President Bush proposed spending less than 20 percent of what the Corps said was needed for Lake Pontchartrain, according to a Feb. 16, 2004, article, in New Orleans CityBusiness. On June 8, 2004, Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; told the Times-Picayune: "It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can't be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us." Also that June, with the 2004 hurricane season starting, the Corps' project manager Al Naomi went before a local agency, the East Jefferson Levee Authority, and essentially begged for $2 million for urgent work that Washington was now unable to pay for. From the June 18, 2004 Times-Picayune: "The system is in great shape, but the levees are sinking. Everything is sinking, and if we don't get the money fast enough to raise them, then we can't stay ahead of the settlement," he said. "The problem that we have isn't that the levee is low, but that the federal funds have dried up so that we can't raise them." The panel authorized that money, and on July 1, 2004, it had to pony up another $250,000 when it learned that stretches of the levee in Metairie had sunk by four feet. The agency had to pay for the work with higher property taxes. The levee board noted in October 2004 that the feds were also now not paying for a hoped-for $15 million project to better shore up the banks of Lake Pontchartrain. The 2004 hurricane season was the worst in decades. In spite of that, the federal government came back this spring with the steepest reduction in hurricane and flood-control funding for New Orleans in history. Because of the proposed cuts, the Corps office there imposed a hiring freeze. Officials said that money targeted for the SELA project -- $10.4 million, down from $36.5 million -- was not enough to start any new jobs. There was, at the same time, a growing recognition that more research was needed to see what New Orleans must do to protect itself from a Category 4 or 5 hurricane. But once again, the money was not there. As the Times-Picayune reported last Sept. 22: "That second study would take about four years to complete and would cost about $4 million, said Army Corps of Engineers project manager Al Naomi. About $300,000 in federal money was proposed for the 2005 fiscal-year budget, and the state had agreed to match that amount. But the cost of the Iraq war forced the Bush administration to order the New Orleans district office not to begin any new studies, and the 2005 budget no longer includes the needed money, he said." The Senate was seeking to restore some of the SELA funding cuts for 2006. But now it's too late. One project that a contractor had been racing to finish this summer: a bridge and levee job right at the 17th Street Canal, site of the main breach on Monday. The Newhouse News Service article published Tuesday night observed, "The Louisiana congressional delegation urged Congress earlier this year to dedicate a stream of federal money to Louisiana's coast, only to be opposed by the White House. ... In its budget, the Bush administration proposed a significant reduction in funding for southeast Louisiana's chief hurricane protection project. Bush proposed $10.4 million, a sixth of what local officials say they need." Local officials are now saying, the article reported, that had Washington heeded their warnings about the dire need for hurricane protection, including building up levees and repairing barrier islands, "the damage might not have been nearly as bad as it turned out to be." |
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It's time for this week's installment of Where To See Your 2006 Democratic Hopefuls! This post has gotten long due to the number of candidates in the field. Use the extended entry to see what's going on this week and who is running for what! If anyone has any leads on candidates or knows of someone I'm leaving out, please 
Soon to be announced by Democracy for America, I'd like to let y'all know that 
The story to night was defense. The Longhorn's defense scored two defensive touch downs and limited the Owls 5-14 pass completions which resulted in 99 passing yards and 5.8 yards per pass. Texas D also limited the Owls to 110 yards rushing at 2.4 yards per carry. Vince Young is still having trouble in the turnover department. He needs to calm down and not throw junk. He threw one interception and another near miss. Is it too early to buy tickets for the Rose Bowl? Sports comentators are starting to talk about a match up between Texas and USC in the National Championship.
