If Governor Perry is arrogant enough to appoint Cynthia Dunbar as Chair of the State Board of Education I would hope that the State Senate is sensible enough to reject her. How could a person who is bent on dismantling of the public school system be entrusted to head the body chartered for the purpose of advancing public education? She claims that the public school system is unconstitutional? As a lawyer one would believe that she has read the Texas Constitution at least once.
Article 7, Section 1 of the Texas Constitution states: "A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools.".
Ms. Dunbar also appears to be lacking in her factual knowledge of American History and the United States Constitution.
In a letter to John Tyler, Thomas Jefferson wrote: "I have indeed two great measures at heart, without which no republic can maintain itself in strength: 1. That of general education, to enable every man to judge for himself what will secure or endanger his freedom. 2. To divide every county into hundreds, of such size that all the children of each will be within reach of a central school in it."
In her book, Ms. Dunbar claims that the framers of the Constitution formulated an "emphatically Christian Government.". She also believes that only those who share in HER belief system should be allowed into Government.
Has she heard of the First Amendment? Did she fail her high school history classes? Does she realize that what she advocates is exactly what the founding fathers found reprehensible? In the 18th century, England was a theocracy. Only those of the correct faith were permitted hold public office or receive government commissions.
Lest we forget that Iran is a theocracy. The First amendment is the bulwark that protects us from the perils of a theocracy. Maybe the Texas Bar Association should reexamine her qualifications.
On April 3, Governor Perry addressed the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) in San Antonio. According to the Governors press release, he "promoted Texas as the premier state for biomedical research, development and manufacturing because of the state's strong business climate and investments through the Emerging Technology Fund (ETF)." http://governor.state.tx.us/ne...
Mr. Perry failed to mention two critical cornerstones in his vision for the future of Texas.
Biomedical research requires a well-educated and knowledgeable workforce. The Chair of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE), an appointee of Mr. Perry, is on a crusade to drag our children into the 15th Century. The SBOE is currently creating a Science Curriculum that is an echo chamber for conservative talking points. If we teach our Children science that has been diluted by dogma and littered with junk, then they will lack the skills essential to the Bio-Tech Industry.
In addition, the Republican controlled legislature is considering a budget that could effectively curtail stem cell research within Texas. http://www.chron.com/disp/stor...
Has anyone informed Messieurs Perry, Dewhurst and Strauss that Stem Cell Research is the principal Emerging Technology of the biotech industry?
While Mr. Perry and his ETF may make Texas a great place for Big-PhRMA to profit from handouts and tax-breaks underwritten by hardworking Texans, the ideology of his party will result in a Texas that is not very conducive for bio-medical research.
As reported in the A-Chronicle, Kay Bailey Hutchinson is likely running for governor in 2010, and considering her initial right hand peeps she's picked--doesn't look like she's going for a moderate platform, one to set herself apart from the last 8 years of the neo-con agenda. So if Perry runs again--will they attempt to out neo-con each other? Gonna need a hella strong Dem in this.
It's official: Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is thinking about maybe, possibly, running for governor in 2010.
Yesterday, Hutchison filed the paperwork with the Texas Ethics Commission to establish an exploratory committee for a run at the mansion. Former Bush pioneer Allan "Bud" Shivers, Jr. has signed on as her campaign treasurer: Shivers also helps run deep pocketed tort reformists and one time pals of Tom DeLay Texans for Lawsuit Reform.
Of course, this still only means she's thinking about it, but it would now be a shock to onlookers if her name wasn't on the ballot in two years time. All of which steps speculation about infighting in the Texas Republican establishment into high gear.
There's no reason to believe that Gov. Rick Perry will not run again, but Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst seems to have been squeezed out of this race, and out of the natural succession. Of course, if Hutchison does run, she'll have to stand down from her Senate seat (which Congressional Republicans may not be very happy about, and rumors swirl that they are actively lobbying the well-regarded and seasoned Hutchison to please, please not leave their ranks). All of which raises the question of who the Republicans (or rather, Perry, who would make the appointment) could put in her place to finish her unexpired term.
Gov. Perry apparently is ramping up the rhetoric in advance of the 2010 gubernatorial race. Today in the San Antonio Express-News an article highlights the harsh tones Perry is launching against the Feds to present his "tough for Texas" stance. Setting the Feds as the target essentially gets Sen. Hutchison in the sights, preparing the debate for who is really better for Texas. I'm sure he'll use this opportunity to start distancing himself from Bush as well, eyeing the Republican defeat as an indicator that pro-Bush is not a good banner to carry.
Perry appears to be in a tough fight for the Republican nomination for the governor's office. Unless the Ds launch a very credible candidate to match up against he and Kay this will shape out to be the real race. The question to ask then will be if the loser tries to launch an independent candidacy for the general election in November, 2010. I know we've talked about the candidates in here before so I ask the question of if this article brings to light any new information.
Also, have we seen any real challengers in the Democratic camp that can match the likes of these two in Texans' eyes (remember, I said Texan not Democratic Texan)?
The following is from an email sent to me by a good friend in Nacogdoches whose buddy has been over Galveston - names have been edited out to protect the folks those who relayed the report. Also relayed from this guy and others: persons going into the restricted area are apparently being patted down and cameras are being confiscated, by Army and Coast Guard personnel.
Okay...I've got some news on this front. Take it for what it's worth, but the guy I got it from is someone I trust to raise my children... He's never once lied to me...ever. And we're close.
He's in a pretty high-up supervisory position for a refinery down on the coast.
His refinery has some equipment and lines in and around Galveston county, and before they were to bring them back on line he and his crew had to inspect the place for damage and potential hazards. So they were given permission....after a background check....to helicopter in and inspect, which meant coming in over Galveston.
I kid you not when I say that he told me they saw AT LEAST 1500 bodies in trees scattered about Galveston. They also saw a lot in various ditches and marshes, esp. on the north side of East Galv. Bay, east side of Trinity Bay, and in the marshes between I-45 and Seabrook/Clear Lake/Deer Park.
It explains why they're not letting the media anywhere close to the Island except in limited sectors nd we're not hearing anything from or about the people who survived and those who stayed behind. It's like 20,000 people never
existed....where are they? Where'd they go? What are their names? Nothing....
Same thing in Orange county.
Take it for what it's worth....I believe him, though his count may be wrong given the shock of the sight. But like I said, I'd trust him to raise my kids.
I'd be more surprised if he were wrong than if he were right.
GALVESTON - Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas on Monday ordered all city employees not to talk to news reporters. She did not say when that order would be lifted.
Thomas and City Manager Steve LeBlanc will be the only officials allowed to talk to reporters. City spokeswoman Mary Jo Naschke vehemently denied the city was trying to clamp down on coverage.
......
Reporters would be allowed on the island only if they had proper identification, Thomas said. She didn't clarify what that meant.
Reporters were also forbidden from visiting areas on the far West End, Thomas said. She did not explain why.
I'm not normally one to be alarmist and I don't want to upset people, but this has me very worried. I know some folks who stayed down there to ride it out, as does the guy who sent me the email above - he has yet to hear from one of his friends and fears the worst. His report of the damage in Nacogdoches was not pretty either, and if this storm tore apart towns that far inland it's certainly not unreasonable to think that Galveston and the Triangle have experienced unprecedented devastation.
There could be arguably sound reasons for media blackouts, and the specter of hundreds of bodies among the wreckage may be one of them. It's not always easy in situations like this to know where to draw the line between respect for the deceased and their families, and the public's right to know about what has happened.
Perhaps the best thing we can all do now is pitch in and help:
Historically the most heavily utilized bus stop in town, +/-3,000 people a day step on and off buses with the Capitol as a backdrop, but "NO MORE!" says Governor Perry, who resides across the street.
The ACLU-TX Central Texas Chapter opposes the elimination of the Capitol Transfer Center (the 11th St. and Congress Ave. bus stops), scheduled for August 24, 2008, since the stated reason for doing so, "safety," has yet to be substantiated as a legitimate concern.
CapMetro offered several alternatives to closure in response to Perry's stated concerns (which just recently developed?), but he and the Board offered no viable explanation as to why the alternative solutions wouldn't suffice.* So now Transfer Center activities will be rerouted to 10th and Congress, causing serious interruption in traffic as buses will bottleneck in the traffic lanes vs. the utilizing the shouldered, designated bus lanes on 11th.
*The decision to close these stops was made by Gov. Perry and the State Preservation Board (since by law they oversee all infrastructure surrounding the Capitol).
http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/sp...
Debbie Russell,
president, ACLU-TX Central TX Chapter
secretary, Better Austin Today
member, CoA Public Safety Task Force
"Violence by government, as in all other relations, is a confession of failure. "
Our educational system is one of the most important things in our society. Gov. Perry and the right-of-center Rs continue to politicize the State Board of Education, instead of focusing on ensuring the provision of the highest quality education that we can have for our schoolkids. Instead of appointing someone who has a balanced, moderate perspective and policies for education, Perry has appointed someone known for promoting ideology, instead of facts and tools to make Texas one of the states that leads in education excellence. And now we find out that another member of the State Board, David Bradley, is being investigated by the AG's Office. I see this in the Quorum Report [http/www.quorumreport.com]. Let's have some ethical and honest behavior in those that are leading the education of our children.
In a response to a Muckraker blog article I published on 5/9/07 (see below), Hillco Partners, one of the most powerful lobby firms in Texas sent a letter to threaten me with a lawsuit.
