Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a state aid package that will help 160,000 teachers keep their jobs, and also provide funds for more cops and firemen. Despite strong Republican objection, our Democratic Congress passed aid to help protect the jobs of these professionals who do so much to uphold the fabric of our society.
In this package is a Texas-specific amendment that will force our state to spend education aid on schools and teachers, preventing Rick Perry from using it to plug budget gaps elsewhere. Kudos to Lloyd Doggett for making sure this money goes where it's intended--into our local schools and classrooms, making education better for all Texans.
Video of Representative Doggett's comments below, with full text (emphasis mine) following:
"Listening to the concerns of parents, the hopes of students, and the needs of our local Texas school leaders, today we are responding with essential federal aid to education, fully paid for by closing international corporate tax loopholes that should never had been there in the first place.
"Because we believe in local control of education, we require that the State of Texas, specifically, forward this new federal aid to our local school districts, not divert it or spend it on something else. The Texas Association of School Boards, Texas teachers, principals, and school administrators support this legislation and this approach.
"Now those, who have never wanted Texas or any other place in this country to receive a dime of additional federal aid to education, they complain that because we are holding Texas Governor Rick Perry accountable for proper use of these taxpayer dollars.
"There is absolutely no Constitutional limitation on doing right by our Texas schoolchildren. Instead of concocting phony legalistic arguments Governor Perry and his cohorts here in Congress ought to be joining us in supporting quality public education.
"You can be sure that Texas is singled out by this legislation-it was singled out by the Governor who grabbed $3.2 billion of federal aid to education to bailout a mismanaged state government-that's the bailout that occurred. It occurred last year in the State of Texas. We didn't send that federal aid for education to Texas to plug a mismanaged state budget; we sent it to help our schoolchildren.
"Today, in order to avoid history from repeating itself, we demand accountability, we demand support for quality public education and local control of education and not more mismanagement and interference from the State of Texas."
Any Republicans have problems with this? Using education money on education, not to cover up fiscal mismanagement? Actually funding our schools and teachers, in order to provide our children--all of our children--with the best education possible? What about closing the tax loophole that benefited corporations shipping American jobs overseas? Anything?
You go, Lloyd Doggett! You may only represent a portion of our state, but your amendment has ensured a brighter day for schoolchildren all across Texas.
Join all of your favorite Democrats today as we kick off the 2010 Coordinated Campaign! There's a lot of fun to be had with the TCDP this cycle, and we want you to be a part of it. Come on down to HQ, meet the candidates, and help us contact the voters that we need to win this November!
2010 Coordinated Campaign Kick-Off Featuring Bill White, Candidate for Governor
Congressman Lloyd Doggett
State Senator Kirk Watson
and many more!
Saturday, June 12th, 2:00-5:00 p.m. Coordinated Campaign Headquarters
605 West 13th Street, Austin, TX
Meet your candidates, learn about why every one of these races is important to the future of Texas, and find out how you can get involved and make a difference!
If you can't make it, we'll have a live video stream of the event, starting at 2:00 p.m. below.
To many voters, it might seem like a long time until November 2nd, seeing as it's still more than six months away. But to county parties organizing to win crucial races this fall, Election Day is already fast approaching. Thus, now is a good time to highlight some of the great organizing that's going on in crucial areas of the state.
Case in point: Hays County, Austin's neighbor to the south. Hays County can serve as a great model for how our rapidly growing and Democratic-trending counties can organize via traditional and new methods to turn Blue and accelerate the partisan change that is coming to Texas.
Hays County is usually considered to be a genuine "swing" county. In 2008 Barack Obama received 48% to John McCain's 50%. In 2006, Bill Moody bested Don Willett 48% to 46%. In 2004, Jan Patterson received 51% to Bill Green's 49%. Every cycle, there are razor-thin margins in Hays County. But most importantly, over the past few cycles Democrats have really been closing the gap in our top-ticket races. It's not wide-eyed optimism to think that Bill White has a very strong chance of carrying the swing county this November, especially given the immense organization already going on.
Importantly, Hays is also one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas, as are many of our suburban/exurban counties along the IH-35 corridor. Thus, work on the ground can pay off exponentially, as the county both increases its volume of voters and expands its Democratic voting strength. It's a win-win for Democrats, thanks to the hard work of local activists committed to moving Hays from "swing" status to reliably Democratic.
This cycle, just about every race on the ballot will be hotly contested by both parties, with the Democrats looking to run hard to hold the Sheriff and County Judge positions, as well as several key County Commissioner districts. (In fact, there were even spirited Democratic primaries for many of these seats, which is an even better sign -- we're growing an even bigger farm team of potential Democrats to run and win in crucial races.)
The HCDP is in good hands, thanks to their fantastic county chair, Katie Bell Moore. The several Democratic clubs in the county are also hard at work, organizing forums and events to give candidates a chance to interact with key activists and garner support for their campaigns.
This year they're expanding even more with a new media coordinator, and there's talk of vastly ramping up their fall campaign efforts too. Local activist Amanda Domaschk also started a website, Hays County for Bill White, to help organize local volunteers and spread the word about events in the area. And the Texas State Democrats are working hard on their 30,000-student campus to organize, as evidenced by the BBQ they're holding today at the Hays County Courthouse. That group is really working hard to expand its reach and support their Democratic candidates.
Now, Hays County has been reliably re-electing Dripping Springs native and Democratic State Representative Patrick Rose since he knocked out Rick Green (pun totally intended) in 2002. Thanks to post re-redistricting, they're also lucky to be represented by Congressman Lloyd Doggett in the House, who also puts in serious time addressing the needs of Hays County. Both candidates are a great boon to the county, working hard to attend events, reach out, and spread the positive message that Democrats work harder for the people of Texas.
Hays isn't the only area county worthy of praise: Bastrop is looking incredibly strong with their organizational efforts to support Pati Jacobs for HD-17, and Williamson County continues to expand their efforts to help keep Rep. Diana Maldonado in HD-52. It's great to see Democrats organizing locally to help take extra advantage of the population boom and demographic changes that will have long-term positive impacts on our state.
And if you're in the area, stop by the BBQ today and see what's going on in Hays County for yourself!
Yesterday, Travis County supporters of Congressman Lloyd Doggett held a celebration to thank Congressman Doggett for the passage of the health care reform bill. Predictably, protesters showed up, as they did last summer when a mob of Tea Party protesters disrupted Congressman Doggett's appearance at a local grocery store. What caught my attention was the reporting the local NBC affiliate, KXAN did on an incident that occurred before the event, and the different take reported in the Austin Statesman. I was not there, so I'm hoping some of you in Travis County who were there, can shed more light on what happened.
Great Texas Progressive Lloyd Doggett just gave a strong, short speech in favor of the health reform bill on the floor of the House. (Some folks are getting error messages on the video -- try clicking through to YouTube.)
"So very fearful of being held accountable, the giant insurance monopolies have spent millions spewing out anger and spreading fear of reform. We have not seen such outlandish, outrageous arguments raised since the same forces failed to block President Lyndon Johnson from securing approval of Medicare.
"For Republicans our bill is too long or too short, it's too thick or too thin, never just right, because their real answer to reform is 'never, never, never!' Our determined efforts should not be derided as a four letter word, but you can certainly sum up our many, many pages with 4 words-'you've got health care.'
"With this reform, every insured American gets valuable consumer protections, and every uninsured American can become insured. 32 million Americans protected from the risk of bankruptcy from health care. This bill restrains soaring insurance premiums, reduces federal deficits, and strengthens Medicare.
"Our families deserved more, like the choice of a Medicare-type option, yet they will get so much more than what they have today. To this valuable reform foundation we must, we will, do more."
Rep. Doggett has been a leader pushing for a more aggressive, progressive bill to insure the millions of Americans who lack access to care, and help the millions more who are under-insured or fearful of losing what coverage they have. We are lucky to have him fighting so hard on behalf of the 25% of Texans who lack insurance.
Voters in Travis County Commissioner Precinct 4 have been barraged by campaign ads in recent days and weeks, and it should be no surprise that one local incumbent, Margaret Gomez has decided to go negative in the waning days of the election.
One attack ad run by the Margaret Gomez campaign against her opponent, former City Councilman Raul Alvarez, goes so far as to depict the Republican party's elephant-logo bearing the name of the well known Democratic challenger Raul Alvarez. It bears noting that challenger Raul Alvarez's record reflects a considerably more progressive pattern of votes than Gomez's.
Another ad run by the Margaret Gomez campaign involves the unauthorized use and implied endorsement of popular Congressman Lloyd Doggett.
Upon being contacted, Congressman Doggett's office has stated that they in fact did not endorse Margaret Gomez and further stated that the Gomez campaign has no permission to use either Congressman Doggett's name or his likeness.
The unauthorized use of Congressman Doggett's name and likeness is the latest in a series of controversies regarding the Margaret Gomez campaign's use of the names of high-profile residents and public figures without their consent, including her former chief of Staff Joe Vela. Joe Vela noted this in a letter to the Austin Chronicle, adding "the name Joe Vela appears on the supporters list of both candidates for Precinct 4 Travis County Commissioner. To clarify any confusion, I support Raul Alvarez for this office. We need an advocate who will show up for work and speak to the needs of precinct 4."
This shows the fevered pitch that the race for Precinct 4's Commissioner seat has reached, as well as the desperation of the incumbent Gomez to hang on to her seat.
It's no secret that the House version of health reform is a stronger, more progressive bill. That's what happens in a body with strict majority-rule, and none of this Nelson and Lieberman courting needed to get to 60 cloture votes.
The bill now moves to conference committee, where leaders from the House and Senate work to resolve differences between the two bodies' legislation. The House version has better cost controls, as well as a public option. It is imperative that we keep the pressure on and keep pushing for a better bill that can pass both bodies and be signed into law by President Obama.
Congressman Doggett, TX-25, sent out the following statement after the vote:
"Opening up this Senate health care package reveals much good wrapped up with unwise taxes on employer plans and too little competition for insurance monopolies. Let's take time for a little Christmas cheer now that the Senate finally acted, but make and keep a New Year's Resolution in the House demanding at least a little more consumer and taxpayer protection."
Come Monday, let's keep the pressure on. Folks in Texas can volunteer with Organizing for America to make calls into swing-vote Senators' states, encouraging their constituents to call in favor of a stronger bill to come out of committee. Folks in Blue Dog Congressional districts can call their Representatives in favor of an even stronger bill.
And folks in Austin can remind our one Democratic representative, Congressman Lloyd Doggett, that even though this bill is far from perfect, it goes a long way to insure the 24% of Texans who lack access to care. This bill may well become the greatest social achievement of our time, normalizing access to quality, affordable care for all Americans. There is room to improve, but so it was with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and many other government programs that are now viewed as the fabric of our society.
Two years ago, despite our majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats could only dream of one day passing sweeping health insurance reform legislation. Today, a Democratic president makes that reform not only possible but probable. We must all keep working to expand those majorities and elect more and better Democrats, in order to have the votes to pass the legislative changes we need.
As the House of Representatives continues debate on health reform, we've heard appalling untruths from Republicans and heart-wrenching stories from the Democrats. One of our great Texas Democratic representatives stood up tonight to oppose the Republican "alternative," that won't insure the 37 million Americans who lack coverage, and won't cut costs as well as the Democratic bill.
To help cover huge medical bills in Bastrop, Texas, they hold a Main Street pancake supper, an American Legion auction. Essential health care shouldn't depend on the kindness of strangers, the goodness of neighbors, and certainly not the just say "No" of Republicans or the weak tea parties brewed up by the insurance lobby.
Now, belatedly, they offer a scheme as skimpy as a hospital gown. They do nothing to help seniors. Their proposal is inefficient, ineffective, and wasteful. Masquerading as reform, their bill authorizes insurers to continue denying coverage for pre-existing health conditions, such as acne or a C-section. Republican obstructionism has, itself, become a giant pre-existing condition to any meaningful change.
This is a typical old time Republican medicine show--do a little for 5% of the uninsured, do nothing for the other 95% and leave the portion of American families uninsured largely unchanged. The only thing they propose more of is more insurance policy loopholes. Freedom? The only freedom they offer is the freedom to go broke from medical debts - the leading cause of personal bankruptcy.
24% of Texas residents are uninsured, the highest rate in the nation. We have the most uninsured adults, and the most uninsured children. Tonight, all Texans are lucky to have Rep. Lloyd Doggett fighting for our access to quality, affordable healthcare on the floor of the House tonight.
If you can't follow along at CSPAN, I've been live-Tweeting the highs and lows: @KathTX. I'll have some of the better comments from our Texas delegation tomorrow.
A Fayette County "teaparty" activist is planning to protest the opening of a Veterans Affairs clinic.
That's right. A VA clinic. You know, where veterans receive their benefits earned through years of service in our military. The teabaggers' hatred of taxpayer-funded social services extends even to those who have fought and risked death to protect our nation.
Chris Boyle, the teabagger in question, serves as Vice President and Secretary of "The Fayette County Taxpayers' Coalition," and apparently just wants to protest Congressman Lloyd Doggett. Seeing as Doggett is participating in the dedication of the VA clinic, what the heck? Looks like a great opportunity to rail against Doggett and the evil socialist agenda of giving benefits to our fellow Americans, especially those who served in the military.
Fayette County Judge Ed Janecka called Boyle and suggested that perhaps, just maybe, the opening of a VA clinic might not be the most appropriate venue for this. From the Statesman:
Janecka, saying he made the call after a VA representative expressed concern about the protest, stressed that he didn't tell Boyle to can the protest. He said Doggett's office did not contact him about the protest.
The judge said: "There is no way in hell I would ever tell anybody they can't go protest anything. I just told her it would not be good for the veterans."
Boyle, a retiree, said of the judge's call: "He told me he wanted me to stop this 'tea party.' He said this is going to make the veterans feel like you're against the clinic.
[Boyle responded] "I said bull... no it's not, they know better than that."
Actually, you know, I think someone calling for secession at best and treason at worst really might in fact offend people who were willing to fight and die for America. That means all of America, including Texas. Oh, and what funds the military and the VA? That's right! Tax dollars.
But no surprise. Perhaps Boyle read about the VA in Wikipedia and decided that they must be stopped!
It is a socialized government-run health-care system, and the American government's second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense. With a total 2009 budget of about $87.6 billion, VA employs nearly 280,000 people at hundreds of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, clinics, and benefits offices. (Emphasis mine.)
Uh oh, sounds like socialist Obamacare! It must be stopped! Someone make a sign with a hammer and sickle, quick!
The Statesman story continues:
Regardless, Boyle said, she plans to be there to urge Congress to heed the Constitution, uphold free speech and to stop meddling in people's lives.
Yes, Congress. Stop meddling in the lives of those veterans and giving them medical care. Especially stop here in Texas, where one third of vets are otherwise uninsured, and many more live in rural areas where they can't access a VA clinic at all. This new facility in Fayette will actually help America keep its promise to our veterans. As such, it must be protested at all costs!
As for Judge Janecka, he regrets even opening up this big old bag of crazy:
"It's so sad that it's getting to this point," he said. "People sometimes are just looking for a fight. I wanted this to be a day for the veterans of Fayette County."
It can be hard to focus on what's best for all of America when a crazy few try to hijack the conversation with all of this "teabagging" ridiculousness. America needs health insurance reform. America needs more VA clinics. America needs access to health care for all.
And just think -- with a strong public option, Chris Boyle herself would be able to seek psychiatric help. Ironically, maybe while she's there she should thank Congressman Doggett for standing up for Americans like her, who clearly need all the help they can get.
The GOP is supporting, and promoting, the extreme elements of their Party which encompass secession motivated Teabaggers, and conspiracy theorist radicals known as Birthers, to actively organize and disrupt congressional town hall meetings designed for feedback from constituents on Health Insurance Reform. Congressman Lloyd Doggett was the latest target of these extremists as he and his constituents were shouted down at the end of an hour-long weekend town hall in South Austin.
The extremists could be heard shouting "just say no," which has become the platform of the Republican Party since President Obama has taken office. Instead of offering anything constructive to the conversation on Health Insurance Reform, or any other pressing issue of the day, the Republican Party is being led by Rush Limbaugh and his legion of extremists who simply believe in gotcha, destructive politics versus real constructive reform. "No," is far more important to the Limbaugh-led GOP than real reform for the American people.
Congressman Doggett had this to say after being cornered by Teabaggers and Birthers this past Saturday:
This mob, sent by the local Republican and Libertarian parties, did not come just to be heard, but to deny others the right to be heard. And this appears to be part of a coordinated, nationwide effort. What could be more appropriate for the "party of no" than having its stalwarts drowning out the voices of their neighbors by screaming "just say no!" Their fanatical insistence on repealing Social Security and Medicare is not just about halting health care reform but rolling back 75 years of progress. I am more committed than ever to win approval of legislation to offer more individual choice to access affordable health care. An effective public plan is essential to achieve that goal.
What Congressman Doggett is referring to when he mentions a "coordinated, nationwide effort" is the fact that lobbyist run think-tanks such as Freedom Works and Americans for Prosperity, both of whom were responsible for taking over much of the underwhelming Tea Bag parties held earlier this year, are behind organized efforts to disrupt town halls of mostly Democratic House Representatives. A leaked memo by a Freedom Works supported Teabagger website details how their extremist members should disrupt town halls.
Thankfully the aggressive and extreme actions of this small minority of GOP fanatics are having the opposite effect on members of congress like Representative Lloyd Doggett. He is now more motivated then ever to pass Health Insurance Reform on behalf of the vast majority of Americans who need it. Little does this small population of fanatics know, but Health Insurance Reform will benefit them too by making health care truly affordable.
The HCDP is in good hands, thanks to their fantastic county chair, Katie Bell Moore. The several Democratic clubs in the county are also hard at work, organizing forums and events to give candidates a chance to interact with key activists and garner support for their campaigns.
