The accolades continue to pour in for members of the Tarrant Democratic delegation to Austin. You'll recall that Senator Wendy Davisalready received"Freshman of the Year" honors by Texas Monthly. This past week State Representative Chris Turner of House District 96 received "Freshman of the Year" honors from Texas Watch, a non-profit citizens' organization that lobbies for insurance reforms, as did Senator Wendy Davis--both key legislators representing Tarrant County.
"Rep. Chris Turner is a tireless advocate for the interests of Texas families, consumers, and workers. During his first term in the Texas House, Rep. Turner showed that he is not afraid to stand up for the needs of homeowners and small businesses," said Alex Winslow, Texas Watch's Executive Director. "The people of Tarrant County and all of Texas are better off because Chris Turner is fighting on their behalf."
During the 81st legislative session, Senator Davis and Representative Turner worked together and authored a number of pieces of legislation, much of which passed, on consumer protection issues and homeowner's insurance reform---key issues that mainstream Texans demanded action on and that Davis and Turner delivered on.
There is no doubt that in 2010 Republicans will be targeting Chris Turner, with Republican Bill Zedler potentially taking aim at his old seat. Tarrant Democrats will have our hands full in defending a real leader who advocates on behalf of not only the people of his district, but Texans in whole. Senator Davis will not be up for re-election until 2012.
Late in the session, I had an online exchange with Texas Monthly's Paul Burka regarding the fight over voter suppression/voter I.D. In the course of that argument, Burka mocked concerns over fundamental voting rights. "Principles, Schminciples," he said, leading TM's president, Evan Smith, to refer to his lead political writer as "Mr. Schminciple."
I bet Burka would like to take back that comment, betraying as it does the emptiness of a focus on process. Burka loves politics, as do I. But I love it because it's full of people and it's about people, whether they live or die or get an education or an opportunity to succeed. Burka loves the mechanics of politics. In Burka's world, end results, as measured by the lives of Texans, matter little so long as the proper form is followed.
Burka is not alone in his approach. Many experienced and inexperienced political journalists believe a focus on process guards against bias in their reporting. Also, Burka writes in good faith. I just disagree, and I think the issue at stake is a critical one.
Post-session, legislators are waiting breathlessly for TM's infamous Ten Best/Ten Worst list of legislators. While they wait, I wonder if they could answer the question, ten best and ten worst at what exactly?
I respect Burka's experience, and the online reporting of Burka and his colleague, Patricia Kilday Hart, was terrific. But over the years Burka has reduced the Ten Best/Ten Worst to a hollow ritual.
If Burka reported on the 10 best or worst surgeons in Texas, he wouldn't give much attention to the patients who lived or died. Instead, he'd hold forth on operating room technique. We'd learn who had scalpel envy, whose surgical team had the most panache.
Now, it's true that Burka will be especially kind to the surgeon with polished scalpels who is lucky enough to save a patient. And Burka's wrath will come down on bumbling fools who can recite the Hippocratic oath backwards but kill patient after patient with rusty saws.
It's in the non-obvious middle ground that Burka fails. The legislator who puts principle over process precisely because he or she is concerned about saving lives - that person scores low on the Burka scale. There's a particular group who also is uneasy around this kind of person - lobbyists. Lobbyists adore, how shall we put it, "flexibility of conscience."
It's the attachment to the ideals of process that leads to legislative cowardice and failure. It has proven impossible in Texas to fix public education, build roads, make college affordable, and get health care to kids. You know why? Because "process" is the last refuge of scoundrels.
Unsurprisingly, sacrificing principles to process gives an enormous advantage to the unprincipled.
The good news is that voters know all this in their guts, and that's one reason why Burka's Ten Best/Ten Worst makes little difference in campaigns. Sure, people have attacked their opponents unlucky enough to have the scarlet W for Worst sewed to their jacket. And the gold B for Best finds its away into the lucky winners' ads. It's like checking off a box, and voters aren't moved either way.
For voters, what's it really mean? Again, ten best or ten worst at what exactly?
Being best at the process that has led Texas into its current mess can't really be much to brag about.
This is still a Republican state, and it will remain so for at least the next presidential cycle. Texas Democrats can dream, but the only thing likely to be blue in 2012 is their mood. --Evan Smith, Texas Monthly
Let's look at this again -- does this look like a Republican state to anyone?
U.S. Senate: TX Fundraising Totals (1st Q)
Party
1Q 2009 Raised
Cash on Hand
2 Democrats
$4,392,996
$4,564,313
4 Republicans
$181,000 + ???
$977,248
Two Democrats have nearly five times as much cash on hand as their four Republican counterparts in the U.S. Senate race.
I bet Republicans wish they could be so blue. Oh, the sadness of having five times as much cash on hand -- and having potentially raised as much as ten times more -- than Republicans after the end of the first quarter.
John Sharp and Bill White each reported some excellent numbers, and there is a lot of reasons to be proud about each of them. What's more, each campaign is reaching out to bloggers this year -- whether we like how they do it or not -- and each has shown some tremendous strength in the simple ways they are organizing their campaigns.
This year, conventional wisdom needs to get thrown out like the rest of the Republican bums that are running this state. Texas Democrats are ready to win today, and so far we've got two great names atop our Party that are helping us make that happen.
Congratuiations to both Sharp and White on strong early numbers. We hope to learn more -- and report more -- about how they intend to put those dollars to use in the coming weeks and months.
Eileen Smith, of Texas Monthly, interviews Paul Burka, also from Texas Monthly about the BOR analysis of the TX Speaker of the House Race.
Burka on BOR's analysis of the TX Speaker's race:
"BOR did a great job, good research, but a little bit of a naive feel because it's a mathematical model of a speaker's race, but you can't do it because right now there is no speaker's race, only one candidate".
That one candidate that Burka is referencing is obviously Rep. Tom Craddick.
Here's the link to the full 8+ minute video at BurkaBlog, titled "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You", Fri., Nov. 14th, 08'. There's a lot more juice to this and y'all should check it out. If below link does not work, do a search for "burkablog" at the texasmonthly.com site. Here's the link to the 8 min. video:
Join KLRU and Texas Monthly October 15 when they talk to netroots candidate, Rep. Rick Noriega.
Rick Noriega, the Democratic challenger for John Cornyn's U.S. Senate seat, sits down with Texas Monthly Talks host Evan Smith for an in-depth interview. As a five-term member of the Texas House, Noriega has represented his southeast Houston district since 1999. He's also been deeply and often personally involved with some of the decade's hottest political issues.
Noriega served as a Lieutenant Colonel in Afghanistan with the Texas Army National Guard and oversaw relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina at Houston's convention center. He also spent time commanding the Laredo Sector for Operation Jump Start, as the National Guard worked alongside the Border Patrol.
Taping Details: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:00 p.m. (Please arrive by 3:30 p.m.) KLRU Studio A
(Austin City Limits Studio)
2504-B Whitis (Southeast corner of 26th and Guadalupe), 6th Floor
Tomorrow is Memorial Day and while we honor the men and women who have fought for our country, we should also take the time to remember the many great Democrats and Veterans who continue to fight for a better Texas.
While Lt Col. Rick Noriega is working to defeat Bush Crony Cornyn, and Navy pilot Juan Garcia is taking on lobbyist Todd Hunter, we have the opportunity to hear Rep. Allen Vaught talk foreign policy with Texas Month Editor Evan Smith.
Listen here, and join in the comments to honor the men and women who come home from months and years abroad and continue to serve our state by running for public office.
Join KLRU for an interview with Governor Bill Richardson
As part of Texas Monthly Talks' series of interviews with presidential hopefuls, Evan Smith speaks with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Richardson spent much of his childhood in Mexico City, and has led many lives in U.S. politics. He followed 14 years in Congress with two positions in the Clinton administration: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Secretary of Energy. Now he's working to add U.S. President to the list. Learn more on September 12, when Richardson comes to KLRU.
Wednesday, September 12th at 4:45 p.m. (Please arrive by 4:15p.m.)
KLRU Studio A (Austin City Limits Studio)
2504-B Whitis (Southeast corner of 26th and Guadalupe), 6th Floor
Burka and Smith have been seen on many a political/blogger panel together and whispers have been circulating about Eileen getting cozy with the PBS, Texas Monthly establishment.
All of us at Burnt Orange Report wish Eileen the very best and many of us will consider getting a subscription.
(Grits points out that there is still a chance to save the Innocence Commission. Far be it from us to point out procedural methods that could be used to save this bill if it truly has the support to pass. - promoted by Burnt Orange Report)
Burnt Orange Report has received some attention this past week.
With only a week left in the 80th Legislative Session, rumors are still flying that any day now, Speaker Craddick will become just another Rep. Paul Burka and this community did not necessarily see eye to eye on who should be the next Speaker of the House or the events that may lead to that. While we disagreed with Burka on the Speakers race, we did not remove a link to his site.
Rep. Aaron Pena on the other hand, did just that. After we reported on a bill lagging in committee, Rep. Pena heard the bill. Sadly, that bill was killed, but at least the vote was held before a procedural deadline killed it without a vote. It would have been inappropriate for us to ignore this legislation considering it was referred to a committee packed with Democrats and lead by a Democratic Chair (Pena) and Vice-chair, and supported by Democratic leaders in the Senate. Rep. Pena has decided that he will remove his link to us from his site. That's his choice, but we see no reason to engage in such pettiness.
Sure, we are saddened that Rep. Pena blames us for the death of SB 263 (odd considering we aren't the chair of the committee that was supposed to pass the bill). In this case, Burnt Orange Report and Grits for Breakfast could only shine light on his bill as we could not vote on it for them. If we could have, Rep. Pena and the people of Texas would have had two more aye votes last week and maybe an Innocence Commission.
Sometimes we disagree. That's part of politics and it's certainly part of blogging. It is not our job to be complacent or accept the good because we do not want to fight for the perfect. If there is an opportunity to fight for something better, then that is what we will do.
As staff members at the capitol, campaign operatives, former elected officials, and pundits, Burnt Orange Writers are more than just the UT Students who started this blog. We have political agendas and electoral priorities. Here at Burnt Orange Report we will continue to support Democrats and progressive positions.
With only one full week left of this session and an interesting election cycle on the horizon, we promise to continue to do what is right regardless of whether it is popular. That's a promise.
