Home

About
- Who We Are
- Community Guidelines
- Right to Respond

Advertising on BOR
- Advertise on BOR
- Buy on all Texas Blogs

Advertisements

Search




Advanced Search


Dewhurst

Texas Senate Showdown: GOP Debate Helps Define Race


by: Ben Sherman

Mon Feb 06, 2012 at 04:45 PM CST

On Wednesday, the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate debated in Austin.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, working to raise his name recognition, touted his business experience and bragged about bringing down Dallas' crime rate.

ESPN football analyst Craig James claimed that his experience as a football player, broadcaster and parent qualified him for the Senate. "God blessed me with the ability to communicate, and we need people to go to Washington who can communicate their experiences of being a citizen," James said.

Lt. Gov. Dewhurst, the front-runner, faced direct attacks from only one candidate: former Solicitor General Ted Cruz.

"He's a nice man, but his record is consistently been that of a conciliator, it has consistently been that of a moderate," Cruz said. "If you think what we need right now is a fighter, then I am asking for your support."

Cruz is trying fervently to take the "true conservative" mantle in this race. Dewhurst defended himself by portraying his career of that as a doer, not a talker.

But Cruz's attacks may be reaching more GOP ears than Dewhurst would like. On Saturday, Cruz won a Tarrant County GOP straw poll with 44 percent support. Tarrant County's GOP is considered more ideologically conservative than average, suggesting that Cruz may be able to corner the Tea Party faction of the Republican electorate.

Cruz may also benefit from Rick Perry's failure to capitalize on his "Texas Miracle" message during his presidential campaign. Dewhurst talks at length about his administration's record of pure conservative leadership, but at least some Republicans can see that Texas government is anything but pure under Perry and Dewhurst's leadership.

Looks like the Perry-Dewhurst administration could be in for another Texas-sized blow to its reputation, this time coming from inside the state. Great!

Discuss :: (0 Comments)

Texas Senate Showdown: The 1% Republicans


by: Ben Sherman

Wed Feb 01, 2012 at 09:03 AM CST

The 2012 Republican primary for U.S. Senate has begun.

There are four main candidates: Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, former Solicitor General Ted Cruz, and ESPN sports analyst Craig James. With the ongoing Texas district maps court battle, there has not been a primary date set yet. This week, however, the four candidates plan to debate at the Texas Association of Business's annual conference. It's not unsurprising that the candidates chose that venue for their first debate. They are all corporate robots with no core conviction other than "profits for my donors."

According to the most recent poll, Dewhurst has the support of 50 percent of Republican primary voters, followed by Leppert at 9 percent, Cruz at 5 percent and James at 3 percent. The race is starting slow, but there is already notable movement.

Fundraising

  • This Tuesday, Tom Leppert announced that he put in another $500,000 of his money on top of the $2.6 million he had previously loaned to his campaign. With the $387,000 he brought in during the last quarter, he now has about $3.5 million to spend.
  • Dewhurst has brought in $6.1 million, a third of which is his own money.
  • Cruz took in $1.1 million in the last quarter, bringing his total to more than $4 million.

Tax Returns
  • On Thursday, Craig James, who entered the race in the last few weeks, released his tax returns and called for the other candidates to do the same. James' showed an adjusted income of $257,000 in 2010 and $1.1 million in 2009.
  • On Friday, David Dewhurst released his returns, which showed that his investments exceeded $225 million in 2010.
  • This week, Leppert released his returns, which showed adjusted gross income of $1.5 million in 2008, $1.28 million in 2009 and $443,194 in 2010. In all three years, he paid effective tax rates of more than 21 percent.
  • Cruz reported an adjusted gross income of more than $2 million in 2010.

This primary is a primary of the 1% doing battle for who gets to represent the 1% in the Senate.

The spectre of Mitt Romney paying less than 14 percent in income taxes has horrified so many Americans that Republicans are trying their hardest to seem less sleazy than their frontrunning presidential standard-bearer. That's good news - and evidence that the Occupy movement is bringing income inequality into the national debate.

Overview

This primary race is playing out like every other Republican contest in America: a rhetorical battle for the mantle of "most conservative." Each candidate is advocating against essentials like the environment, strong public education, and reproductive rights, while advocating corporatist government policies. These are not unique candidates; they are four examples of what is so wrong with the Republican Party today. They are not here to represent Texans, they are here to represent the industry interests who pay them.

Hopefully in the general election, a majority of Texas voters will vote against any one of these corporate shills.

Discuss :: (2 Comments)

Texas Senate Showdown 2012


by: Ben Sherman

Wed Jan 25, 2012 at 09:20 AM CST

This November, Texans must choose someone to replace Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is (finally) retiring.

In the Republican primary, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is running on the myth of a Texas economic miracle. Dewhurst is so dedicated to this strategy, which didn't seem to work with the Perry campaign, that they've put together an ad featuring Gov. Perry's praise for Dewhurst while campaigning in Iowa.

Dewhurst has collected the high-profile endorsements of former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, Michael Reagan, and the Texas Oil and Gas Political Action Committee (shocking).

Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz is running against Dewhurst. Of course, he's angling as the "true conservative" in the race.

Cruz has collected the endorsements of Sen. Jim DeMint (R - SC), the Young Conservatives of Texas, social conservative James Dobson, George P. Bush and former Republican Party of Texas chairwoman Cathie Adams.

Right now, Cruz is slamming Dewhurst for missing several debates and candidate forums. The Cruz campaign has set up a website, www.DuckingDewhurst.com, with a memorable video calling Dewhurst a "political animal." There's even a "Ducking Dewhurst" duck costume that keeps showing up at Dewhurst's events.

The latest poll of the race shows Dewhurst sitting at 36% of the vote with 18% support for Cruz. However, Cruz leads among those who know who he is. Expect a bloody Republican primary...if the hilarious Fake Ted Cruz Twitter account doesn't end it before it even begins.

The Democratic primary has been much more quiet thus far, and is really just starting to get revved up.

There are six Democratic candidates so far, including Jason Gibson, President of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association,
Sean Hubbard, strategy director of Manny Molera's 2002 congressional campaign, and Paul Sadler, former state representative.

Let the race (slowly) begin.  

Discuss :: (5 Comments)

Is Obama Waging War on Texas? Dewhurst Give Credit Where It Is Due I Did It!


by: Arctotraveler

Sun Jan 01, 2012 at 02:36 PM CST

The Economy Restored Several Times Destroyed by Tea Party Right Wing Mob Opinion

David Dewhurst enters the US Texas Senate campaign last month with "Tell Obama To Stop Waging War Against Texas." How can these Texas politicians be so misinformed? I say, David Dewhurst, stop giving Obama credit for my hard work!

Suffering the web for hours to find a Tea Party Sympathizer, I found an interesting article that tells the tale of  Tea Party big lie, "The second response is purely political-and Orwellian.  It is to repeat ad nauseum the Big Lie that this is the Tea Party downgrade, attributable lock, stock, and barrel to the failure of the Tea Party caucus in Congress to even countenance taxes as a part of any debt ceiling deal."

The author claims the credit rating was based on bad math calculations by the Obama Administration; however, memories are short and I wrote a valid justified complaint to the Office of the Inspector General April 2009 with concerns that the Tea Party is a Right Wing Extremist Group with one objective, to remove the first black president of the United States of America. In fact, I was specific with my concerns again last summer when our infrastructure fell apart with the BP Oil Spill, the main attraction based on discriminatory acts of hatred and narcissism in a post as follows:

In April 2009, Rick Perry succeeded from the Union founding an organized  rebellion (paid for by the state)  by posting the 'Stop' web page instructing all Texas employees to group together [Those that did not co-operate faced termination from their job] and rebel against the Constitution of the United States as members of  the  "Tea Party" rebellion, targeting not just the new presidential administration but the Honorable Barack Obama personally.

Rick Perry and his cronies, wealthy corporate owners and investors have just declared "War on the EPA" a statement just mentioned verbally in the state of Texas by a private citizens is enough to be harassed, arrested, and/or jailed by Law Enforcement for an unknown length of time waiting for Terrorist Threat charges to be collaborated by Texas District Attorneys.

Texas Steals Oil Rights 001: http://iamnotanonymousihaveana...

Texas Steals Oil Rights 002: http://www.burntorangereport.c...

It is unimaginable the Governor of Texas would publicly "Declare  War" against regulating authorities that would of prevented the  Gulf disaster. Employee Whistle Blower Postings At These Operations Have The Maranda Act Printed On The Top Of The Federal Document. This is why oil clean-up workers would not talk to the press and the root cause to all the oil fires because the employees cannot say anything about safety "You Have The Right To Remain Silent, Anything You Say Can And Will Be Use Against You In A Court Of Law."

See Nobody Likes a Snitch Everybody Honors a Whistle Blower at this link:
http://iamnotanonymousihaveana...

The Gulf  Disaster investigation shows hard evidence, a repeat of special interest favors that also caused the Texas BP refinery explosion in 2005 as Perry justifies his words by stating "Obama has declared War on Texas."  The 911 Patriot Act is clearly unconstitutional if the rule of law is not applied universally to those that Govern (Rick Perry) and those that are governed too.

The state of Texas has no record of any virtuous acts other than those good deeds provided by private citizens and organizations in and out of the State of Texas. Over the last eight years, government agencies such as the EPA, Transportation Department, and Office of Civil Rights have tried every form of diplomacy  to protect property and lives and seldom pursue violations by court of law against the state of Texas.

Some good local examples are Kelly AFB which is an active EPA Toxic Super Fund,  our farm burn 3 times in a five year period due to faulty oil well heads (fire from the lack of routine safety maintenance and inspections example BP), and the mass exodus of disabled students from the university of Texas because of hostile policies that segregate the disabled population from all other campus community members.

My Demands Non-negotiable at this Link:
http://iamnotanonymousihaveana...

Most Texans believe that Perry's coalition is made of the few wealthy and corrupt State investors that have no regard for their fellow man or loss of human life. Countless examples of Perry's special interest policies such as the recent big pharmaceutical mortality spike of 88,000 deaths [Merck Vioxx], Vaccine legislation support by special interest cash linked to autism, drug legislation doughnut hole that deprives elderly for necessary medicines, antiquated DEA laws that aid the illegal drug trade, and finance terrorism.

In addition, burning fuel farms and oil well heads where cash buys safety certificates, academic payoffs justifying cheaper unsafe manufacturing processes, a "No Child Left Behind Law" that has filled Texas prisons with those very children the law intended to protect ad infinitum. Texas Governor Rick Perry defended his action by sarcastically apologizing for his anti-ethical behavior, to him justified his actions.

Ethics:  Ethics (also known as moral philosophy) is a branch of philosophy  that addresses questions about morality-that is, concepts such as good and bad, noble and ignoble, right and wrong, justice, and virtue.

Anti-ethics: categories of good and evil do not apply

But why should Right Wing Extremist have a concern that does not concern themselves? The united States Constitution does not imply or express that fellow citizens should have a concern of the welfare of others as Rick Perry recently justified his "Anti-ethical practices" which is a true indicator that he and his coalition do not understand the term or value of 'ethics' or the destruction caused by unethical practices guarded against by the United States Constitution:

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves  and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America"

• in Order to form a more perfect Union:  "to improve the general well-being of the country (McGire)"

• establish Justice: "Justice is the concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, fairness, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics (wiki)."

• insure domestic Tranquility: "One of the main goals of the Convention, then, was to ensure the federal government had powers to squash rebellion and to smooth tensions between states (US Constitution)."

• provide for the common defense: "The primary responsibility of the government of the United States of America; to ensure the nation is protected from threats both inside and outside the country, such as terrorism, war, subterfuge, etc. (Answers)"

• promote the general Welfare: All peoples of the United States rich, poor, health, sick, young, or old

Yes, empirical facts point to the struggle to get America back on its feet was defeated by Mob Tea Party Right Wing Extremist that is "political-and Orwellian" that abused the 911 patriot Act at the state level with Rick Perry's Executive Order Declaring himself God, creating a police state that created a strong market in the first quarter by inside trading of Domestic Surveillance, Security Private Firms, and Manufactures of such devices; the symptoms that were not felt until the "Orwellian Lie" news break that the 911 Patriot Act had been breach with security devices that now are used by the news media to get the inside scope to victims of the disaster that the 911 Patriot act was supposed to "Keep Us Safer."

Read Full Article: http://www.scribd.com/fullscre...

Texans have been screaming at the top of their lungs disputing the notion that the wealthy few create jobs, and can be clearly demonstrated to be false by the failed Rick Perry Tax Plan with a warning from the Texas Comptroller's Office detailing in 2006 a projected FYI budget in 2010 a 23,000,000,000 deficit, which is perfect math.

citation: http://www.window.state.tx.us/...

As predicted by the Obama administration and It is a fact, the quick fix is to Repeal the Bush Tax Relief Plan to the wealthy few who built their wealth on the backs on ordinary middle class citizens.

Compounding the problem of the debt is that we are at war declared by George Bush on Iraq as Osama bin Laden, a CIA operative, followed detailed plans that were given him, so our intelligence could devise a plan to counter such attacks.

Unfortunately, Osama was successful with the attack on New York by duping our intelligence agency. He should of been arrested for his first terrorist bombing during the Clinton Administration which would of made the attack on New York impossible and avoided the deaths of 4,000 American citizens.

My family is a victim of one his first high tech bombings in Riyadh Saudi Arabia November 13, 1993, and still wonder with the prudence and tip toeing done around the Osama bin Laden clan while it was a known fact, he attacked the United States and continued to do so before the twin towers were destroyed killing near 4000 people. [Conspiracy or stupidity? Your choice]

Citation: http://iamnotanonymousihaveana...

The attack on New York mortally spike is small in comparison to the millions of deaths by deregulation of Big Pharmaceutical, conflicts of Interest with political leaders, and manufacturing of products that still kill thousands daily such as asbestos.

Let's us not forget the mass shooting on U.S. Campuses that were in fact Orwellian Big Brother protection of the wealthy few, that could of been avoided if George Bush did not obstruct justice and cull professionals from the justice department.

It does not amaze me that Texas seemed to dance with impunity as if they had a copy of the hit list of professional District Attorneys that seemed to contradict Republican ideologies or wrote the list themselves blessed by Senator Cornyn.

Citation: http://iamnotanonymousihaveana...

The best indicator of economic health is the quality of care a State or Country provides for those that cannot care for themselves, and the evidence was there long before the election of Barack Obama, as seen as the abuses in Texas Protective Institutions of beatings, rape, and murder.

Graduates of these same institutions were shipped over state lines to slave farms as so called employers pocketed their social security checks while they lived in scalar. Not long after the investigation, Governor Rick Perry transfers a multimillion dollar budget from disabled care to Digital Ally for an x-ray machine that can penetrate metal to catch the human trafficking of slaves which are illegal Hispanics crossing the borders, while U.S. citizens were deported from the state of Texas over state lines in open public to slave farms in Missouri.

Amazingly, all this could be turned around in a matter of months if the Tea Party, or let's be fair, the Right Wing co-operated and supported the executive branch in a time of crisis. The Obama Administration saved the U.S. from destruction on several repeated occasions, only to be defamed by Right Wing Mob hatred!

I understand that you do not understand the value of ethics, but how about a little patriotism instead of conspiring with Right Wing Extremist such as the John Birch Society or banning together in the name of God as political day of prayer which is the "political-and Orwellian Big Lie" to 30,000 innocent people that was preplanned, premeditated, and orchestrated by the Republican party by instructing Perry to do so!

Consider a little empathy even if you have to fake compassion, now that doomsday is not just knocking on the foreclosed houses of the middle class, but making the wealthy few jump ship to off shore accounts, while the sting of consequences of Tea Party Hatred is now in your own living rooms as the result of your Mob Forced Intrusion on Congressional Legislators!

Now David Dewhurst Is Crying "Tell Obama To Stop Waging War On Texas." Don't blame Obama, give me and other Texans full credit for taking the time to report the legislatures illegal activity to the Justice Department including the EPA! That's right, I did it Dewhurst, so sue me!

If Right Wing Extremism is not addressed by the Justice Department now, history will repeat as it did on November 13, 1963 by the detonation of a dirty bomb that even shook the foundation of resident Texas Republican conspirators living in San Antonio - you know who you are.

Texas Right Wing Extremist Plan To Assassinate The President 1963 Set Off Nuclear Dirty Bomb:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ns8Z...

John Birch Society Hate Group Started A Texas Nazi Cult America's Youth just Like Rick Perry:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ejP...

Who defended the biggest funds on the defense to protect themselves that cost more to watch us than to care for us - as you have stated in your article, "Would Rather Starve Than Feed" as follows:

It Doesn't Take a Rating Agency to Tell Which Way the Debt Grows By Craig Pirrong Aug 8, 2011, 4:02 AM Author's Website

citation: http://wallstreetpit.com/81097...

"The second response is purely political-and Orwellian.  It is to repeat ad nauseum the Big Lie that this is the Tea Party downgrade, attributable lock, stock, and barrel to the failure of the Tea Party caucus in Congress to even countenance taxes as a part of any debt ceiling deal."

"The Tea Party doesn't consider raising taxes to be a constructive part of any effort to address the problem because its members believe that spending is the problem, not the way the spending is financed.  They believe that the government is too big, it spends too much, it spends badly, and that raising taxes just extends, but only for a little while, the life of Destructive Leviathan-whom they would rather starve than feed."

Oddly, there is still time for the Right Wing Mob that defeated every progressive step to restore America, to join the rest of us and support the actions of the Obama administration, even if you do not favor him, because it is no longer an ethical concern beyond your understanding. The doomsday riders are now at your front doors as a hazard to yourselves and family, no longer just a patriotic concern for the future of a collapsing United States economy!

by Texas Threatened My Family And Now Texas Pays The Price. You have yet to pay the price and I still have a full deck of cards to play and nothing to lose! Pay Up of Shut Up David Dewhurst! And stop giving Obama credit for my hard work!

Want to resolve the issue? Read this article:

http://iamnotanonymousihaveana...

Your Welcome Communications Is Key! Gregory O'Dell:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CawW...

Discuss :: (0 Comments)

When The Texas Governor is Away Lt. Governor David Dewhurst Listens to the People of Texas


by: Arctotraveler

Sat Sep 10, 2011 at 10:44 AM CDT

The Texas Park with No Name
by G N O'Dell

A critique to the public concerning trash left behind after visiting Old Pue Road River Access where the Medina River meets West 1604, in South West Bexar County. I was a part of a group of South Side Fisherman who made a plea to Texas Senator Hutchinson concerning the difficulties to access large tracks of land owned by the public such as Niches of Nature created by the construction of bridges;specifically, the 1604 Medina River crossing on the west side of Bexar County also serving the North Side of Atascosa County and West Side Medina County.

There are three high schools in this area, and many of these children never spend time in the outdoors because most land in Texas is privately owned and accessible to only the wealthy few who pay a lower tax rate than anyone else; however, enjoy more Civil Liberties than the Majority of Texans.

Sometimes, encroaching development gives back to community such as the construction of the 1 mile 1604 bridge crossing replacing the Old Pue Road bridge that spans the Medina River on the west side of San Antonio. There are very few places on the South Side of San Antonio area that a family can go and harvest Texas Pecans, Texas Wild Grapes, Fish, Swim, and Hike or just kick back and reflect about the wonders of nature which is my personal passion.

Please consider the next time you visit this area to bring a trash bag with you and remove, not just items you would discard, but some of the trash that others have carelessly left behind. I know the first thing that comes to mind is River access on the North Side of Texas is always in the News and the South Side is forgotten or never mentioned. So I thought I would write something for US!

Why It Concerns Me:

a. Because Barack Obama, the President of The United States of America told me to do so via a general  email to all Americans, "There are so many ways to get involved, and every American can do something. You can join me in participating in the National Day of Service by finding a service opportunity in your area on Serve.gov."

Note: I did not like the theme of the uTube video put out by the Sheriffs Association, "The President of the United States cannot tell us what to do." Oh yes he can! We are a Nation Transformed and We The People will not tolerate the insolence of a Police State any longer. You can bet your pay check I have already made that call and reported you treasonous Commies. You are starting to sound like that crazed governor of Texas playing his fiddle while Texas burns!

b. We could lose access to this area if we do not police our own behavior!

c. I am a registered Texas Horned Lizard Watch Volunteer who documents sittings of the famous near extinct Texas Horny Toad for the Texas Wildlife diversity Program 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744 www.tpwd.state.tx.us/tracker .

Since 1999, I have seen one Horny Toad on a Texas rural dirt road leading to the famous Chalk Bluff River Side park in Real County Texas.
Citation Image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DM07...

d. The rare Guadalupe River Bass, mentioned in Senator Cornyn's article "Celebrating Texas' Great Outdoors" can be found in the waters below the Medina Dam in this area. Warning to fisherman - Catch and release is the only way this species will survive!
Citation: http://cornyn.senate.gov/publi...

e. There are 100rds of acres of private land which belongs to the public that is blocked off to the public on the South Side of Town. Why should the State of Texas allow us our liberties to enjoy nature if we do not keep it free from human pollution by discarding our trash anywhere we please?

A group of poverty stricken South Side San Antonio fisherman, as me as their proxy, made a plea to  Congressman Ciro Rodrigues via  Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison  to reopen this Public Area approximately 15 Acers of River, Streams,  Pecan Groves, trails, and Texas Wild Grapes.

You're Representatives in Congress and the U.S. Senate responded with a used car parking rail, a trash can, and the construction of a rock wire-mess wall to stop the sand from washing out the bridge.

The protective wire mess wall was designed by the Texas Highway Department in such a way that any healthy person can access the Medina River south of the Medina Dam. We thank you.

I now see children hiking with their parents in those same areas of untouched natural resources with big smiles of adventure as they prove to themselves that there is a forest beyond the tress!

I and other Texans would like to develop some of these areas with profit making concessions that will help preserve Nature and Our Right to enjoy them. Privatizing the concessions of these areas is a stroke to the heart strings of any True Texas Republican.

Tell me, how can I approach the Texas Department of Agriculture if their counter argument is that the People on the South Side of San Antonio have no respect for their natural resources? Hey, that's what they are saying about the People on the North Side - I Know We Can Do Better!

We can start by giving the Park a name such as a green highway sign that reads "The Park With No Name" or if you would like an entrepreneur like me to take ownership and responsibility with no cost to the State of Texas, you can name it after me "O'Dell Park." When you make a citizen of the State the responsible party, he/she takes ownership that will ensure access to Texas Public land and the preservation of Niches in Nature by defending Our Right to enjoy them!

God Blessed Texas with Natural Resources. Please help preserve public lands. The Best Things In Life Are Free!

God Bless America!

Discuss :: (0 Comments)

Open Thread / Live Blog on Senate Voter Suppression Committee


by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas

Tue Mar 10, 2009 at 10:39 AM CDT

Ed. Note. Want a quick refresher on why this is voter suppression? Go to the TDP voter twister website to find out...

4:30pm - I forgot to mention the Texas Observer's blog, Floor Pass, as one to follow today.

Democrats continue to lay the groundwork for the case against voter ID. The arguments are important -- all of this is being entered by a court reporter for a reason. Should the Republicans in the House decide to actually see this thing through to the end -- and guarantee their own political undoing when the Democrats take over the House in 2010 -- then the bill still will have to pass the muster of the courts.

Republicans who are whining about the process so far should remember -- they chose this path. They chose to place this ridiculous piece of legislation before every other issue facing the state of Texas, and they chose to throw out the Senate procedures in the process. I have no sympathy for their whining about the extended discussion of the process -- either it is important enough to merit a week's worth of discussion, or it's not.

2:45pm - Continue following updates here:

A quick scan shows nothing too new. Senator Watson doing a great job asking questions. Senate to break for "10 minutes." I may not miss anything during this class if they break for "10 minutes." Little known rule -- the whole Senate gets ten minutes to break, but each Senator takes those 10 minutes at different times, thus explaining the delays.

2:00pm - Duncan has now dismissed aside all procedural arguments; Republicans begin their inane arguments.

It can't be stressed enough -- voter fraud (and every example that they are going to bring up today) is not what the bill is designed to stop. The bill is designed to stop voter impersonation, not voter fraud. And there is no case of voter impersonation in Texas. They know it is designed to lower the ability of college students, recently married women, seniors, minorities, and practically every other Democratic constituency from being able to vote. They know that it will reduce turnout by 2-3% almost exclusively among Democratic voters -- unless the President runs a major campaign in that state (re: Indiana, Georgia).

I can't listen to their idiocy on this -- I'll write a wrap-up later. In the mean time, read "Manic Suppression" by Paul Burka and take a look at the excellent post Glenn Smith penned earlier this week: "The Ultimate Wedge Issue in Democracy."

I'm out for the afternoon. Feel free to continue the conversation in the comments below.

1:38pm - Senator Tommy Williams -- who admits voter suppression legislation is more important than CHIP or tuition deregulation -- now says that the rules of the Senate floor don't apply to the Committee of the Whole. It's wonderfully symbolic: Republicans will follow those rules that they want, and ignore those they don't want -- that's the entire story of the voter suppression legislation.

1:35pm - Dewhurst/Duncan ruling throwing out the Senate rules basically leaves the Senate without any official rules to operate under. Senator Royce West is pointing out that the Republicans threw out the rules -- and to say now that they don't want to follow them and "apply them to the situation" is beyond logic, reason, or understanding.

Basically -- the R's wanted to play this game. The Democrats are better at procedure, because when R's break tradition in the Senate they don't have a way to really get in and fight back appropriately.

1:30pm - Selby breaks a big story: Duncan sent a memo to Senator Van de Putte saying that Abbott shouldn't testify (today he is saying he never suggested such a thing to Abbott...which may be true, but give me a break). Again, from Selby (who, along with Elise Hu is doing phenomenal work today):

Duncan didn’t think it appropriate that Abbott testify and told the Senate Democrats’ leader that last week. He still could have kept that position to himself—that is, not talked to Abbott or Abbott’s office about it. Seems unlikely, perhaps, but that’s what’s in the public record.

Here's the relevant quote from the Duncan memo:

Given the fact that the Office of Attorney General will represent the state of Texas in litigation, if any, arising out of this legislation, it would be inappropriate to present the Attorney General as a witness in the legislative debate. To the extent there are procedural or technical questions relating to elections in Texas, the Office of Secretary of State may be invited as a resource. 

A-mazing.

1:15pm - Dewhurst/Duncan basically say that the rules of the Senate do not apply to the Committee of the Whole...questions on that going on now.

12:58pm - Senator Royce West is raising several points of order on the leigslation. Selby is reporting that Dewhurst told him that the points of order shouldn't be valid:

“It’s not valid,” Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst told me shortly before yielding his gavel to Sen. Robert Duncan, the Senate’s president pro tempore, to preside over the Senate sitting as a committee of the whole.

Gallegos this morning put a “tag” on Senate Bill 362 by Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, a move that under Senate rules usually results in delaying a hearing by 48 hours. Dewhurst told me it wouldn’t stick; he didn’t elaborate except to call it invalid.

(Click "There's More" below to read earlier updates)
There's More... :: (4 Comments, 1246 words in story)

Connect With BOR
Your source for Texas politics.

On Facebook: BOR
On Twitter: @BOR
On the Go: Mobile App

Upcoming BOR Events

"Do I Look Illegal?"
Arizona GOP Debate Watch

Wednesday, February 22
6:00-9:00 p.m.
Angie's Restaurant
1307 E. 7th Street
RSVP on Facebook

Save The Date:
Super Tuesday Super Watch Party!
Tuesday, March 6
6:00-10:00 p.m.
Scholz Garten
1607 San Jacinto



Menu

Make a New Account

Username:

Password:



Forget your username or password?


Shared On Facebook

Advertisement

Best of Texas Left
- (Complete Directory)
- B & B
- Bay Area Houston
- Blue Bloggin
- Bluedaze
- Brains and Eggs
- Capitol Annex
- Collin County Democrats
- Collin County Observer
- Community Forum
- Dog Canyon
- Dos Centavos
- Easter Lemming Liberal
- Eye on Williamson County
- Feet to the Fire
- Grading Texas
- Greg's Opinion
- Grits for Breakfast
- Half Empty
- Houtopia
- In the Pink Texas
- Kiss My Big Blue Butt
- Letters from Texas
- McBlogger
- Mean Rachel
- Musings
- North Texas Liberal
- Off the Kuff
- Panhandle Truth Squad
- Para Justicia y Libertad!
- Pink Dome
- San Antonio Mayor
- South Texas Chisme
- StoudDemBlog
- Texas Clover Leaf
- Texas Kaos
- The Caucus Blog
- There..Already
- Three Wise Men
Best of Texas Right
- Blogs of War
- BlogHouston
- Boots and Sabers
- Lone Star Times
- Publius TX
- Rick Perry vs the World
- Safety for Dummies
- Slightly Rough
- Urban Grounds
Other Texas Reads
- Burka Blog
- D Magazine
- DOT Show
- Statesman Elections
- Strong Political Analysis
- Texas Monthly
- Texas Observer
- The Texas Blue
- Quorum Report Daily Buzz
Around Austin
- Austin Bloggers
- Austin Chronicle
- Austin Contrarian
- Austin Metblogs
- Austin on Two Wheels
- Austin Real Estate Blog
- Austin Statesman
- Austin Texas Bike Shit Stuff
- Austin Towers
- Austinist
- Capital MetroBlog
- Daily Texan
- Do512
- Downtown Austin Blog
- East Austinite
- Elise Hu
-
Flash Mob Austin
- Keep Austin Blue
- M1EK
- Travis County Democrats
- University Democrats
TX Progressive Orgs
- ACLU Legislative Blog
- Atticus Circle
- Criminal Justice Coalition
- Equality Texas
- NOW Texas
- PFAW Texas
- Public Citizen
- SEIU Texas
- Tejano Insider
- Texas AFT
- Texas HDCC
- Texas Watch
- TFN
- TSTA
- TSEU
- Texas Young Democrats
- United Ways of Texas
TX Elections/Returns
- TX Returns 1992-present
- TX Media/Candidate List

- Bexar County
- Collin County
- Dallas county
- Denton County
- El Paso County
- Fort Bend County
- Harris County
- Jefferson County
- Tarrant County
- Travis County

- CNN 1998 Returns
- CNN 2000 Returns
- CNN 2002 Returns
- CNN 2004 Returns
- CNN 2006 Returns
- CNN 2008 Returns
Traffic Ratings
- Alexa Rating
- Quantcast Ratings
-
Syndication

Powered by: SoapBlox