Round-Up: Finals Are Coming!

by: Phillip Martin on Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 22:49:12 PM CDT

Anyways, as we hit the books, here's some stuff to check out:

+ Tom "Cut and Run" Delay: The Lone Star Project details all the legal aspects facing the Delay debacle. Also, if you want a great round-up of what the Texas blogosphere is saying about Delay, check out Vince's extensive list at Capitol Annex.

+ The Houston Chronicle had a great editorial about how the Texas Legislature needs to reform, reinvent, and reinvest in public schools if we want to see any kind of results in the upcoming special session.

+ Brian Doyle, a deputy press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, was arrested in a child porn sting for his attempts to sexually solict a 14-year old girl online. Sick.

+ The Comedy Central news guys had some good coverage tonight. Jon Stewart asked Senator John McCain why he's going to speak at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University - to which McCain replied, "I'm tired of being right. I want to win." OK, not really, but that's basically what happened. Also, The Colbert Report retired Delay's TX-22, saying that "just as they retired Michael Jordan's number, we're retiring Delay's district...because it will always belong to him."

+ And, finally, for whatever reason, I briefly exchanged e-mails from the guy who writes The Dumb Democrat today. Check out our back and forth e-mails below.

Most of the world would become refugees and come to America if they could because 200 years of Republican values have produced obvious results. That the America hating Democrats can't see this, is testimony to their treasonous stupidity. That Democrats would sell the Statue of Liberty theme and amnesty to every would-be refugee on earth for votes is just another of their anti American tricks to maintain power.

Phillip Martin (my reply): Thanks. It'd been a rough day. I needed a laugh.

Ted Baiamonte: of course if it funny and factually and logically in correct you'd be able to explain why wouldn't you?

Phillip Martin: I can't. My work visa is about to expire, and I've got to go renew it before 5.

Ted Baiamonte: Democrats always have an excuse not to think - see why we say dumb democrats?

Phillip Martin: No comprende, Senor.

Ted Baiamonte: dumb democrat

Phillip Martin: OK, look. I'm not a dumb democrat. I'm actually a very well-informed, educated Democrat. I *joke* with you, because your post is so incredibly one-sided, out-of-touch, and misguided I could do little more than laugh.

The fact is, immgitration is incredibly complex. Illegal immigration, especially, is an extremely important issue, and I'm pleased so many people are focusing on it now. We need a great debate in this country about immigration, and we need to hear well-informed arguments that come from a place of care and concern for this country, and not for political goals or gains.

That's not what your site, though, is about. "Dumb democrats." Not "let's solve the immigration issue." Not "Let's improve national security." Not about protecting jobs, about how expensive illegal immigrants are to local counties and cities, not about the strain illegal immigrants put on the cost of public education, health care, and other essential social services. It's about how Democrats are dumb. Your writing drips of the farthest-right talking points imaginable, and so I discard, discredit, and dismiss them with ease. You're not someone I could ever talk to -- noted, if nothing else, by how you can't take a joke.

Democrats and Republicans spend so much time huffing and puffing about who's right, they rarely get anything done. The "right" answer doesn't belong to any political party. The "right" answer belongs to discussion, debate, and compromise. That's how our country was founded - that's how our country should work.

What needs to happen with illegal immigration? All sorts of things. But the 9/11 terrorists didn't come from Mexico - they didn't cross there, and they didn't come from there. So, my first response to your argument would be that your first two points - which frame your discussion about 9/11 - is nothing more than a rhetorical, fear-inspiring way to haze the argument. It's simply disengenuous.

To be honest, I stopped reading after that. I finished reading just now -- and you do the same thing throughout! You raise good points and good concerns, from some very credible experts -- but then you claim that the Democrats would sell the statue of liberty? That Republicans are the only ones that made anything good in this country? Those two claims - quite frankly - are from someone not interested in having a discussion. They are from someone who has a political agenda.

I don't agree with all national Democrats, or all Texas Democrats for that matter. I'm not some robotic mind that churns out the talking points of Howard Dean or Nancy Pelosi. I have my own mind, and make my own decisions.

If you could say the same, I'd have a discussion with you. But you can't, so I won't. Get off your high horse, cut down the rhetoric-bullshit by 500%, and we can have a real discussion. Until then, I'm done wasting my time.

(Needless to say, I didn't hear back after that e-mail).