Big Changes at BOR- I'm Leaving

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman

Fri Jan 12, 2007 at 08:00 AM CST

By the time you read this, I will be in transit to the Austin airport from Fredericksburg, where I will then board a JetBlue plane with my mother and my cat bound for Boston, Massachusetts.

Yes, I'm moving to Cambridge to work for ActBlue, the clearinghouse for Democratic online fundraising, through at least 2008. I'm excited as all get out to return to an area I first experienced as Texas' Youngest Delegate to the 2004 National Convention. At the same time, it's a huge shift from my beloved Texas to which I do hope to return one day. There are too many things left undone, fights not yet fought, reforms not yet made, and victories not yet won.

But for now, I'm going to pour my energies into something I've always loved- building the infrastructure to allow Democrats wherever they may be to build the party, the brand, and the candidates that win elections. Money can be a dirty business, but ActBlue is reforming that system- equalizing the playing field for the small donor and bringing the progressive movement transparency.

As such, like Byron before me, this means big changes to Burnt Orange Report. Because I will be working in a netroots oriented trade, I'm able to retain ownership of BOR for the time being and my new role will be that of Publisher- taking care of finances, technical issues, data, and staffing with some irregular writing of my own from time to time.

Matt Glazer is taking over the Editorial Guidance of the blog for me. Phillip Martin would be joining him in that effort but both he and Ryan Goodland due to unique job conflicts working at the Legislature are going on hiatus for the remainder of the session. Phillip may write some irregular pieces like myself as his time allows.

But with every closing door there is a window opened and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Three new writers are coming on board adding more diverse voices to BOR while keeping in line with our tradition of the youngest blogging staff in the state and our history of fighting for progressive reform in policy and the party.

Todd Hill, a student at the University of Texas-Arlington writes for the Mid-Cities Democrats and is active in the Tarrant County Stonewall Democrats and Tarrant County Young Democrats. Involved in Wes Clark's PAC and Bob Gammage's Gubernatorial bid, I think you'll be at home with Todd as he joins us here at BOR.

Sam Jones recently graduated from the University of North Texas and is part of the leadership committee for Denton County. Inspired into Democratic politics by Chris Bell, he was deputy North Texas Field Director under Josh Berthume who just launched The Texas Blue project. That team helped found a Young Democrats chapter and then raise $10,000 for Bell. With the addition of Sam and Todd, BOR will finally be able to fill the gaping hole that has been the Metroplex in our staff.

Glen Maxey is someone that most all of you are already familiar with, be you Establishment types or more grassrootsy. I've been proud to be mentored by Glen, work with him on probably a dozen campaigns in 3 years, and serve with him on the Democracy for Texas steering committee. I've personally asked Glen to come on board BOR to write when the inspiration strikes as he's the most knowledgeable technocrat/rules/history/legislation guy around with a story behind just about every thing you can imagine in Texas politics.

I want to thank all of you- the readers, the writers, fellow bloggers, and individually Al Gore, John Courage, and Howard Dean who collectively got me into politics and kept me there. One doesn't just happen to fall into the addiction of blogging 40 hours a week (literally) without some pure driven hope behind it all.

I may be moving into the land of Blue Bloods, but I'll always bleed Burnt Orange and be reading the Report.

And this is only the beginning.

Living in the Red

by: Sam Jones

Fri Jan 12, 2007 at 03:04 AM CST

Recent Republican efforts to essentially zig-zag our state with such toll roads truly embody the Texas GOP's politics.  I was laughing with a friend the other day about how 121 can be seen as a perfect metaphor for Republican policies of fast-tracking, undermining, and underachieving.

For example, four months after its grand opening, the highway's construction is less than 50% completed.  Furthermore, for several Counties at a time, this road stretches without the faintest sign of a toll booth.  And yet somehow Texans who claim to have never driven on the road are allegedly receiving bills from the Texas Turnpike Authority asking them to pay for passing through the 121 tolls.  In fact, I even received one of such bills, and though it was only for $0.80, the fact is that I was charged for a service that doesn't even exist.

Here in Denton County, you can expect such wacky government.  Republican officials have cut funding for school programs and libraries and have invested in wasteful, expensive, building projects.  They hang tight to that last bastion of Republican Neo Conservatism that has in the rest of the country been recognized as a hypocrisy of fraud, greed, and intolerance.

That is why in November, while the nation celebrated the Democratic revolution that had swept Congress, most of Texas, including this area, felt that victory was bittersweet.  For we knew that this generation of the Republican base would take a final stand here in Texas, and the task of overcoming it in the coming years will be extremely difficult.  We are truly living in the Red, and that what makes our task so important.

  I believe it is imperative that we always keep this discussion going, moving forward in deliberation and cooperation, to find unity in those values that unite us, to create strength through the marketplace of ideas.  As a new writer for BOR, I look forward to contributing to this ongoing conversation, and hope that my perspective from in the Red will be of some benefit to you.