Representative Louis Gohmert actually wants to create a panel of political appointees that will decide what treatments you can use your Health Savings Account funds for as part of his "Patient-Controlled Healthcare Protection Act". For a Republican fighting to protect the country from "government control of heath care" this is the ultimate in hypocrisy.
We have a GOP health care Bill actually proposed in Congress and my Congressman Louis Gohmert is shooting for an exacta in GOP hyperbole with it.
While none of these claims come as a shock to anyone who knows about Congressman Gohmert the fact that he proposed legislation that actually creates a health care panel composed of political appointees whose mandate was to determine what treatments would be covered under expanded Health Savings Accounts as part of his "Patient-Controlled Healthcare Protection Act" may actually surprise you.
Over at MyDD, a call went out for thoughts on candidates to consider adding to national Netroots Endorsed list. What started as a short comment, turned into a very long and detailed post which I have decided to post here in its entirety. Realize that these thoughts are meant for a national scale. Candidate that I don't argue for particular national focus, are ones that I am very much behind for garnering in state attention. So if you want to have some insight into how this blogger thinks, read on...
So let's talk Congressional seats.
Even though it is 2006, this will only have been the 2nd time that we have used the current map as Texas was victim to the DeLay re-redistricting scheme (the 2000, 2002, and 2004 maps were all different). Since 2004, Bush has become less popular in the state, as has the Republican Governor (drawing 2 independents in the race which may alter some downballot turnout).
We have 32 Congressional seats.
-21 Republican
-11 Democratic (counting Cuellar)
There are Democrats running in 31 of the 31 seats (with my hometown district of TX-11 going empty). The only Democrat with any serious challenge is Chet Edwards, last of the Blue Dogs that hung on in the 2002 'DeLay scrubbing' that knocked off 4 other incumbent Dems, which combined with the Party switch of Ralph Hall and the retirement of Democrat Jim Turner give us a list of seats that I describe as "if we can't win with scads of $$ and incumbent Congressmen, we ain't gonna win them with less money and the people put up this year". (which is why I look to areas we didn't fight for as hard last time where we have better candidates, changing demographics, and a less competition for dollars).
Let's look at the 4 seats we lost in 2004 and what we have this year, none of which I'd nominate for a national netroots candidate.
TX-1 Gohmert (Sandlin loss) - Roger Owen (crazy) TX-2 Poe (Lampson loss) - Gary Binderim (Dos has a report) TX-19 Neugebauer (Stenholm loss) - Robert Ricketts (even Stenholm lost by 58%) TX-32 Sessions (Frost loss) - Will Pryor (this was the most expensive race in 2004, over $8 mil, though Pryor is a good candidate and best of this bunch with some actual cash)
Outside of these, there are a select few candidates who have received netroots coverage among the Texas bloggers, then after that a smaller set that have maintained active fundraising in districts that are actually winnable.
Courage and Harris are Band of Brothers members. Harrell has a son in Iraq. Sklar is one of the few Dems to get the Texas Ag related endorsements.
Of these four though, Harrell is on the weak side of fundraising, and as of a couple of weeks ago, was still hunting around for a campaign manager. I fear that the netroots presence over at Kos that the campaign has built is about the only thing built, and little has changed about the district that makes an already difficult seat easier to pick up.
Of the remaining three, Harris (certainly engaged in the netroots as well) seems to have lagged behind in fundraising in comparison to Courage and Sklar as well, though the Net Neutrality issue seems to have raised the profile of his opponent Joe Barton of late, though I'm not sure if that is enough.
That leaves Sklar and Courage, probably our top two netroots targets among Texas bloggers. I will now attempt to run them through the 3 points given in this post. read on...
Thanks to Vince for heading this one up. I am a signatory to it on behalf of BOR. District media picked up on our letter here.
Dear Mr. Owen:
Congratulations on your victory last Tuesday in the Democratic Primary race in Congressional District 1. All of us in the Texas Blogsphere look forward to a good campaign to unseat Rep. Louie Gohmert.
However, as we issue our congratulations to you, we must confess that we have concerns—about your candidacy, about some of your statements, and about some of your beliefs.
As progressives, we have numerous concerns about some of your recent remarks concerning gays and lesbians, especially some of the remarks you have directed at other Democratic candidates in your area1. We are also very concerned about the fact that you have reportedly renounced your affiliation with at least one county Democratic Party in Congressional District 1 and engaged in name-calling with at least one Democrat Leader—all of which has been highly publicized in your district. In addition, it is alarming to us that national political press such as “The Hill3” have, as a result of your unconventional actions, reduced your candidacy to that of “oddball” status.
Please understand that, in writing you this letter, we are hoping that you will understand our position and consider making some modifications in the way in which you conduct your campaign so that we and other Democrats across the state, in your district, and nationally, will have no reservations about supporting your candidacy.
The Democratic Party is the party of the “big tent.” Perhaps there are none who understand this more than those of us in the Blogsphere. Our party welcomes those who are pro-life, pro-choice, gay, straight, Christian, Jewish, athiest, and people of all other religions and races without reservation. What our party does not stand for is intolerance.
We are concerned that, though your rhetoric may appeal to some of the conservative climate in your district, it is out of touch with both mainstream Democratic voters and the party in general.
In the hope that your candidacy may be successful and that it will not alienate any progressives or other Democrats, we must respectfully ask that you please reconsider your recent actions. While we do not support your beliefs, including those you have about gay Democrats and gay Democratic candidates, we respect your right to have those beliefs. However all Democrats— gay, straight, black, white and Latino—are working toward one goal: a better Party and a better Texas.
With those goals in mind, rhetoric and behavior such as yours does not have any place in the Party. We want very much to be able to support your candidacy in the strongest possible way. However, for those of us in the Blogsphere who truly support the ideals of the Party, that is difficult in the present climate.
We do not seek appologies to those you have offended, though that may be appropriate; we do not seek you to change your beliefs, as that is inappropriate. However, we do ask that you consider the thoughts expressed in this letter more carefully and consider a more tolerant and polite approach to your campaign and your fellow Democrats.
We wish you the best of luck this fall against Louie Gohmert. We are united in the belief that he must be defeated.
Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee has mailed some Austinites a survey. Find out about the weirdness of it.
If you were ever curious, here is a list of the 05/06 Chapter 41 "Rich" districts. Might come in useful this session as our representatives muddle their way through yet another attempt at school finance.
Speaking of representatives, please help out or donate to Katy Hubener up in Dallas as there are only 3 more days of Early Voting in her race.
PinkDome has the skinny on why one of the Democratic candidates for TX-01 does NOT deserve your vote. Patrick Franklin, a candidate for HD-7 gets attacked by Roger Owen (of TX-01) on his sexuality. I understand not all Democrats are on the same page in terms of glbt issues, but to openly attack a fellow Democrat simply because of it, in a race that you aren't running in? Forget it. I will not support that.
Judge Charlie Baird picks up the last 4 Travis County endorsements, giving him a near clean sweep in his primary challenge against Buddy Meyer for the 299th District Court. They include: Austin Women's Political Caucus, Black Women's Political Caucus, Capitol City Young Democrats, and North by Northwest Democrats.
A request for all you Travis Country Democrats out there...be an election judge and get paid for it. Details and precincts vacant on the flip. It's a class day for me so I can't help out. Instead, I'm going to be serving on the Early Vote Ballot Board on March 4th.
