Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Round-Up

A day late and a dollar short (as usual) but...

It is Monday, and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's weekly blog round-up. Here is your round-up for April 6, 2009.

Neil at Texas Liberal writes about Off the Kuff takes a look.

Justin at AAA-Fund Blog writes about the Pew study indicating Asian American students in Fort Bend and Pasadena ISDs face some of the highest segregation rates in the nation.

At McBlogger, we take a look at Ag Commissioner Todd Staples' efforts to make people sick. Nice work, Todd!

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is thoroughly disgusted with the crony-loving Texas Supreme Court which is hereby officially renamed the Texas Cronies' Protection Agency. Workers and consumers beware!
Labor gets its own television talk show, as MSNBC prepares to introduce Ed Schultz as part of its evening progressive lineup. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the details.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a round up of The state of the stimulus money in Texas.

WhosPlayin's MexicoBob took time to poke fun at the Republican Tax Day Tea Parties, wondering what other necessary evils that Republicans might protest next.

Over at TexasKaos Libby Shaw updates us on Houston KBR corporation's onging legal problems. It seems they got paid and paid and paid to create electrical death traps for our troops. As one civilan expert put it , " It was horrible - some of the worst electrical work I have ever seen. Read the rest here:
Lawsuit Claims KBR Responsible for Deaths of US Troops in Iraq


BossKitty at TruthHugger was struck by a single line on the news describing an Austin man turned away from medical care for lack of insurance, then going on a violent rampage, No Insurance, Meds Denied, Tate Mayhem and Perryman Murder - Op Ed. On a lighter note, it is amusing to watch opponents to gay marriage wring their hands in despair every time a court reverses the ban, Gay Marriage Apocalypse - Really Now

Vince at Capitol Annex points out that Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Tyler) has decided that the Iowa Supreme Court gay marriage decision signals the end of American civilization.

Just So You Know...

Folks, I have it on good authority that the picture at left is of the Obama's arrival at the White House this afternoon for their meetings with the Bush family. Seeing that reminds me of how giddy I still am from election night and I can't wait for his team to get on with the business of governing the country. Yet I realize that a significant part of the electorate is not happy.

At all.

I mean the Black/White; Christian/Muslim, Socialist/Communist, Terrorist-sympathizer won, and I’m sure a lot of people are wondering how the hell that happened. Of course, a lot of those folks live here in Texas, which predictably fell into the McCain column on election night. But I’ve noticed something strange since then, and I wonder if any of you are experiencing the same thing. Right now I’m calling it the “If an election happens and I voted for the losing candidate(s), does it still count if I don’t talk about it?” syndrome.

I mean, this was the first time I’d ever come to work the day after a national election, and no one wanted to talk politics. Last Wednesday was a political dead zone around my office building, and dramatically different from the last national election. I could tell that some folks were upset about the results. I also know that a lot of people were very pleased with the outcome. While in conversation with like-minded people I’ve expressed my justifiable joy at Barack Obama’s victory and overwhelming pride at its historic significance. However I (and seemingly everyone else) basically tip-toed around the folks on the losing side of the election, and let them grieve in their own way. Well no more.

This post is my official notice that I’ve ended that policy and will from this point forward express my unbridled pride and optimism towards the incoming Obama administration every chance I get. I’ve been unhappy after elections too, yet it didn’t stop me from discussing the results with people who agreed or disagreed with me. In other words, I don’t really care if you’re over it or not, although I hope you are. You just can’t expect for the nearly 3.5 million of us in Texas who voted for the winning candidate to continue to spare your feelings.

I guess looking back it was predictable that something like the “If an election happens and I voted for the losing candidate(s), does it still count if I don’t talk about it?” syndrome would happen...

I remember a conversation I had in Nov. 2004 with a guy who worked in my building, let's just call him G.D. Now G.D. was a conservative. I mean to the core. The kind of person who would get all fired up listening to Hannity, Limbaugh, and Fox News and come to work looking for someone with an opposing point of view to argue with. Invariably, he’d find me and rattle off the talking points of the day, and I’d invariably rebut them. This went on practically every day for the 2 years we worked together in that building, and while I disagreed with his positions on just about everything, I definitely respected G.D. for his commitment to his opinions, and willingness to defend them in open debate.

After the 2004 election Bush was reelected and a Republican majority in Congress elected, and I made the point to G.D. that Bush and the Republicans were most likely going to overreach, and that it would come back to hurt them in future elections. He vehemently denied that would be the case, and laid out the argument that the Republicans were more in tune with the American people than Democrats/Liberals/Progressives. I simply said “wait and see.”

Well, the Republicans under G.W. Bush not only overreached, they did so seemingly as a matter of policy. So much so that a lot of us were/are suffering from outrage fatigue, making it impossible to stay angry at anything for too long because the next outrage is always right around the corner. You had to pace yourself in order to maintain your sanity during the Bush administration.

And lo and behold the last two election cycles have proven me right, with the 2006 Congressional elections flipping control of the House and Senate to the Democrats, and the last Tuesday’s results speak for themselves. The funny thing is that after the 2006 Congressional elections, G.D. stopped talking politics with me. Just like that. Cold turkey. Anything but politics. I thought it was strange at the time, and an isolated case. However with the overwhelming results from last Tuesday apparent, I recognize it for the serious ailment that it is, and that its effects are more widespread than previously thought.

Regardless, pretending there’s not a problem is not helpful to anyone, so I’m not going to do that. I just hope y’all get over it soon.

One Of These Days I'll Get It Together And Submit a Round-UP Post

Until then, please check out the following from folks who already have their stuff together.

It is the Monday after the election, and that means it is time for another Texas Progressive Alliance weekly blog round-up--but with a twist. In this edition, TPA member blogs bring you some of their best posts from the last year of election coverage. Enjoy this trip down memory lane, courtesy of the TPA.

Muse enjoyed all things Hillary leading up to the March 4th Texas Primary. There was the Hillary endorsement post that made her mom cry. A high point was the event where Muse fulfilled her lifelong dream to touch Bill Clinton. (Little did she know there would be a more up close and personal opportunity.) She got to see Hillary four times in person, including this event. Even her Prius got in the act: Prius Owners for Hillary!

BossKitty at TruthHugger is angry that Sarah Palin's nasty rhetoric has ignited hateful fallout, she let the white Supremacist Genie Out Of The Bottle, Thanks Sarah - There are still 'stone aged' creatures marching around calling themselves Christians, wearing NAZI paraphernalia! Woe be to anyone who would harm the first family of America! On a more personal note, BossKitty has ideas about what to do when you lose your job ... but, the most daunting agenda on our plate is that our New America Must Reduce It’s Seven Deadly Sins if we want to survive as a nation.

Brains and Eggs had the good, the bad, the ugly, and some TBD in a series of election postmortems, and then a little more of each. PDiddie wrapped last week with the finger-pointing and recriminations that marked the last throes of the McCain-Palin campaign, which included an luxury undergarment update.

It's been a tumultuous week for everyone, but at McBlogger it was remarkably calm. We're chalking it up to a change in prescription medications. First up was Donna Keel attacking Austin Interfaith. Then there was an attack on Diana Maldonado by her parish priest and, for us, that was enough religion for all week. The funniest thing we saw was a commercial shot by former celebrities going after Al Franken that made us want to move to Minnesota and vote for him. There was also some funny about people upset that they weren't getting help from the Federal Government, even though they didn't need it. Wrapping everything up was our final farewell to those who loved them some Austin Proposition 2.

Justin at AAA-Fund Blog covered the presidential primacaucus in Texas including Clinton’s sweep of Asian American surrogates and both candidates' Asian American outreach . Justin also scolded Hubert Vo, evaluated Noriega’s immigration plan, and was amazed that both Barack Obama and Sherrie Matula were "That Ones."

Off the Kuff has some early observations about what happened on Election Day, plus a look at turnout figures and statewide trends.

At Texas Kaos, the bitter and the sweet mix together as we look back on an amazing rollercoaster of an election season. While it looked like there was a contest for the U.S. Senate nomination, Boadicea put together Rick's answers for Democracy for Texas to paint a picture of the candidate, This is Rick Noriega-Texas Progressive Leader Covering the snark beat, our friend from the Soggy North, Fake Consultant, gave some pointers to a hockey mom thrust onto the national stageOn Dressing for Success, Part One, or, How Much is Armani, Anyway? and followed up with more helpful tips in On Dressing for Success, Part Two, Or, We Costume Palin… for 2/3 off! Lightseeker took a reasoned and sober look at a more serious element this election: Respecting Life, Making Hard Choices and finally makes the point that the Nov 4 vote was not an ending, but a beginning, Looking Now, Looking Forward.

Ah the memories at The Texas Cloverleaf during the 2008 election season. The candidates would make their case on WWE Monday Night Raw. We learned that McCain would lose early on, with our own Congressman Michael Burgess advising him on healthcare. We wished Governor Palin well on her first Grandparents Day. We learned Texas Republicans can't figure out education, much less spell it correctly. But we finally came out on top with Barack Obama, and some mixed Texas results. Here is to a classic 2008!

Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex focused a considerable amount of energy this cycle covering Texas Democrats' attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. From racist mailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat Texas' most ethically compromised legislator, down to catching Republicans telling blatant lies, this was a busy cycle in Texas. In the primary, he was one of a few Texas bloggers who supported Senator Hillary Clinton, and offered her this open letter when she left the race.

Neil at Texas Liberal offers up his post on early voting in Downtown Houston. The post tells what Democrats Neil enjoyed voting for and also has colorful pictures that will please the eye.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme debunks 10 Republican excuses.

In the 2008 primary and election, Jobsanger continued his penchant for supporting losing candidates by backing Bill Richardson, Rick Noriega, Sherrie Matula and Nancy Moffatt, before finally breaking through with a winner in Barack Obama.

What a long strange journey it has been for the Easter Lemming. Gary has started pushing for a poll-workers union after working the primary and then another election this Spring. He found out people read blogs about as much as newspapers! Guess who the Easter Lemming supported? And finally, he ended too tired to party but not too tired to blog with a special mention that MoveOn.Org is bigger and more important than the NRA in politics now.. And here is the rest of it.

Today is the Day - VOTE!

Damn, where ya been DP?

I guess you could say I've been in a secure undisclosed location, loosely translated as working my behind off and not really having many spare moments for blogging or anything else. But I couldn't let this day go by because it's Election Day.

This is the day I've been waiting for since watching incredulously while John Kerry conceded while hundreds, maybe thousands of people were still waiting in line to cast their votes in Ohio. As bad as that day was, that election did spawn Howard Dean and the 50 state strategy which has put states into play all around the country that the Democrats and Progressives typically just abandoned. That national strategy provided the springboard for the phenomenal campaign of Barack Obama, and now we're on the verge of history.

We've all been waiting, and the tension is like the last two minutes of the big game; your team is up by a field goal and the question is can your defense hold? Well, we're about to see.

I exercised my right to vote last Friday in Ft. Bend County Texas, so I can officially admonish everyone else to get out there and vote. Personally I hope more of you vote for Barack Obama than for John McCain because hey, I'm pretty much fed up with being broke and watching the country go to hell in a handbasket under Republican "leadership." That's plenty enough reason for me to vote Democratic. Not to mention the Democratic candidate seems smarter, has a better plan, and doesn't seem to attract the most vile element of the American electorate like the other side does.

But there's the added bonus of the possibility of the first African-American President being elected, and that makes me very proud, almost to the point of giddy. I know that's not a position that everyone is comfortable with, but I can't help that. I feel the way I feel, and why shouldn't Black folks be proud at such a historically significant moment? Regardless of the outcome, this is another chapter in the amazing story that is Black folks in America.

My mother passed away in July. My Dad passed in 2001. My younger brother, grandparents, and a whole bunch of other people did not live to see even the possibility of this day. But I have, and the joy I'm sure I'll feel if Barack Obama pulls this thing off will be compounded by the fact that so many others who worked tirelessly and anonymously for this day to arrive, did not have a chance to to see it come to pass. So I'll be celebrating for the multitudes of those who came before me and helped pave this road to where we are now.

Or I might be grieving for those same multitudes, but I don't want to think about that right now.

So go vote. Preferably for Barack Obama and all of his down-ticket Democratic buddies, but exercise your right whoever your choice is. Too many people of all races fought, marched, struggled, and died for anyone in this country to be apathetic. And the razor thin results of 2000 and 2004 should dispel any notion that your vote doesn't matter.

Us and Them - The Palin Narrative

I'm so far behind on my blogging it's a shame, but I think it's time to weigh in on Sarah Palin. The current prevailing narrative is that "she's one of us," and because of that, independents and many white women voters are trending towards McCain. Maybe, maybe not. I am more than a bit skeptical about the polls, particularly since this election has never really been classified as anything other than a dead heat by those national polling outfits. I find that a little bit hard to believe, or maybe they're just not polling anyone I know. Or anyone who only uses a cell phone. Or anyone who... well, you get the idea, back to Sarah Palin and "us."

You know, I can relate to having and raising kids, and that sometimes they do things that you've specifically beaten into their heads not to do. That's life, as are circuitous routes through college and other such nonsense. I also understand the genuine excitement that so many women are feeling to have a female candidate at the top of a major party ticket. But my question still is who is "us?"

Honestly, I don't know. What I do know, is I don't feel like I'm included in this "us" thing. That's reason enough to give me pause because if the main reason folks are supposedly moving towards the McCain/Palin ticket is due to her being one of "us," then that implies that she's not one of "them." Which now means we have figure out who "they" are, and for some strange reason, I suspect that "they" are "us."

Confused? Yeah, well me too. According to the prevailing narrative, I can only surmise that "they" are the folks in this country who aren't white, or white women. Which leaves one to wonder about all of the white women and men who support the Obama campaign. Where do they stand? I'll let y'all try and figure that out yourselves, because I honestly don't know.

What I do know is that "they" haven't leveraged their positions to get people fired for petty, vindictive reasons. "They," by and large haven't shot a moose for no good reason or have bears hanging on their wall. "They" don't try to ban books, and definitely don't sneer condescendingly at those who make it their life's work to help empower others.

You know, looking at it like that, I guess I'm cool with not being included among "us" because really, all I need to know about Sarah Palin is that she's running on the Republican ticket. And after 8 years of their "leadership" running this country into the ground, I'll be ecstatic to pull the lever for anything with a "D" after it's name.

To me, it's as simple as that, and everything else is just background noise and distractions. Or lipstick on a pig. Or whatever. What about you?

Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Round-Up

Hey, better late than never, right? I have been kind of busy the past few days with an unwanted guest named Ike and cleaning up the mess he left behind. But enough with the excuses, here’s the latest edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Round-Up.

This week, many bloggers in Houston and in the Gulf Coast region are without power and digging out from Hurricane Ike. We extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery not only to our member bloggers in these regions but to all citizens in the areas hit by Ike.

Why does Sarah Palin hate wolves? The Texas Cloverleaf clues us in.

Everybody knows that this year's wedge'em and hate'em issue is Hispanics immigration. CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme says Texas leads the way with banning rents in Farmers Branch, denying passports to citizens in the Valley and threatening document checks during an evacuation.

During the preparations for Hurricane Ike, Off the Kuff noted yet another lawsuit filed against Farmers Branch for its ongoing war against immigrants and apartment renters.

Sen. John Cornyn claims to be voting "Texas values" when he consistently rubber-stamps Bush in the U. S. Senate. Eye On Williamson asks, since when have torture, spying on Americans and misleading the country on matters of war and peace been Texas values?

PDiddie survived Ike almost exactly as he predicted.

BossKitty at TruthHugger wonders if disaster lessons recently learned, will be used as we watch Hurricane Ike Recovery, Texas Style

Colloquialisms are a wonderful rhetorical device to create an instant sense of commonality within the minds of the voting public. However, they can at times be misconstrued (right, Governor Swift?) which is why McBlogger took some time to offer Sen. Obama (The BEST!) a phrase he could use that can't possibly be interpreted as anything other than an attack on John McCain and his worthless ideas, proposals and suggestions.

North Texas Liberal examines in-depth the Palin pick, comparing and contrasting her with Obama's VP pick of Joe Biden, and dissecting the media's coverage of Sarah Palin.

jobsanger writes about how United States interference into Bolivia's internal affairs have gotten American ambassadors kicked out of two countries in South America, and how some politicians can't refuse even a bad photo op.

Vince at Capitol Annex notes that State Rep. Phil King (R-Waxahachie), chair of the House Regulated Industries Committee, is having a fund-raiser at the home of a lobbyist for telecom giant AT&T. King's committee just happens to regulate telecommunications in Texas.

Texas Progressive Alliance Round Up - August 11, 2008

It's Monday, and that means it's time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Round-Up. The weekly round-up is complied from submissions made by TPA member blogs. This week's round-up is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.

The Truth About Texas Republicans, a new blogger-powered website designed to expose the real truth about GOP Texas legislators looks at the stuff State Reps. Dwayne Bohac, Betty Brown, John Davis, Bill Zedler and State Sen. Mike Jackson don't want you to see.

refinish69 was happy to introduce a real progressive Democrat to the readers of Doing My Part For The Left a few weeks ago but has to wonder how to describe Mike Skelly: Democrat or Republican Lite?

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the Texas State Teacher's Association lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency for giving public funds to private institutions.

Irony Alert: Mary McDaniels, Manager - Pipeline Safety, Texas Railroad Commission, who lied on camera about the Atmos Energy gas pipeline couplings, spoke in Ft Worth about pipeline safety, inspections and regulations, for Chesapeake Energy's Barnett Shale pipeline.TXsharon at Bluedaze.

Julie Pippert at MOMocrats asked, "Offshore drilling---whose issue is it anyway? The people's? Or the politician's?"

Women who enter the military know they may encounter danger along the way, just as their male counterparts do. Diarist Liberal Texas at Texas Kaos highlights an additional danger they face in Assault on Women in the Military, and calls on all of us to ensure that our fighting women are protected from sexual assault from the companions they should be able to trust.

WhosPlayin used to think John McCain was worthy of respect, even if wrong on issues. But mocking conservation and lying about Obama raising taxes show who John McCain really is.

jobsanger thinks Democrats should let Clinton's backers have their vote at the convention, and believes Barack Obama has a chance to win Texas this November.

Neil at Texas Liberal talks about AIDS and African Americans.

Due to purchase of McBlogger by a rival blogging firm, the regular writers are on strike. This week, we'd like to introduce you to a new McBlogger, Rose
Petal.

North Texas Liberal remarks on John McCain's anti-Obama ad comparing the Democratic nominee to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, and also includes Hilton's response ad. Still waiting on Britney's energy policy...

Off the Kuff takes a look at The Queue behind KBH for her maybe-to-be-abandoned Senate seat.

YaGottaLoveIt of South Texas Chisme urges Barack Obama to have a fundraiser for money that stays in Texas while urging Hillary Clinton to campaign for Rick Noriega in South Texas.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the Williamson County DA's unwillingness to test DNA evidence in a almost 30 year old unsolved murder, Lawsuit Filed Against County For New DNA, Fingerprint Tests.

Tropical Storm Edouard was more like a decent rainstorm, but that didn't stop the media -- old as well as new, including madcap reporter/Congressman John Culberson -- from building it up to a height it could no more sustain than its winds. PDiddie at has the roundup of the hyperventilating in Houston.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is concerned about the economy "Purses Tighten, Small Business Suffers, Families Budget"

nytexan at BlueBloggin points out, as the Gerogia Russia war continues and Bush plays with U.S. athletes at the Olympics, Could The U.S. Get Pulled Into Georgia�s War?

XicanoPwr discusses the immigration survey that was sent presidential candidates Obama and McCain put together by The Sanctuary, a web base grassroots community of pro-migrant, human rights, and civil-rights bloggers.

And here is the rest of it.

A Good, Swift, Kick In The...

I know, I know. Our blogging has been pretty infrequent as of late. I could offer up the usual excuses; busy, tired, brain lock, etc., but I won't. I think I've just been a little lazy for the past couple of weeks.

Wait a minute. Alright, it's full disclosure time. I actually received an email from Menopausal Mick, late of The Llama Ate My Flipflops. Mick basically told me that "Hey, some of us come here to your blog because we value your opinions. You kind of screw that up when you don't post for days at a time."

You know what Mick? You're right. Consider that kick in the a** duly received. And since you delivered it in such an eloquent manner, I'm going to include some excerpts from your email and my brief comments here in this post as a starting point towards catching up.

MM: What do you think about our fella (Barack Obama) voting for FISA? Are you going to do apost about that? I'm pretty steamed that he rolled over on this issue.

DP: Well, I think I will do a post on it, but for now, I think it's pretty sad that Obama and so many other Democrats rolled over on this issue. The rights of the individual have been sold down the river in support of corporate and so-called *national security* interests. I also think that the progressive folks might want to transition from the rock star adulation of the candidate and start holding his and other Democrats feet to fire as regards the party platform. There are only a couple of months left to shape the agenda.

MM: On another front, I understand why he's talking about faith based initiatives. He's used faith-based before with great success in Illinois. I still twinge at the blurring of separation of church and state but at least he's proposing an initiative that is all-inclusive of religious flavors.

DP: Agreed but I do think he's treading a thin line with the faith-based stuff. Some people looked at that whole Bush administration initiative as a good thing, but others of us saw it as a very effective way of splitting the Black community, and the Black vote. The Repubs only need a tiny percent of our votes to move into their column in order to win elections. Faith based initiatives effectively did that for them in the last couple of cycles by silencing many preachers who received the money. Besides, most religious conservatives are not voting for Obama no matter what, so why pander? His faith seems to stand on its own.

MM: OK, I guess what I'm asking is: Were we right about our fella or were we fooled into thinking he'd defend the constitution and put things back to a more constitutionally sound government? Whatcha think, DP? Am I gonna get my heart broken?

DP: I don't think Obama will be a disappointment, but I do think we're all gonna find out he doesn't walk on water, heal the sick, and feed the masses with a few loaves and fishes. He's a politician. I do think we all need to look at what the alternative to him is in this election. When I do that, I jump back on the bandwagon pretty quick.

MM: Oh! and what's up with Rev. Jackson? Don't you think he's mainly just jealous of what is obviously a crowning of the new guard. Obama doesn't fit anyone's stereotypical template. It appears to me that Jackson is both jealous of Obama's success and missing the spotlight.

DP: Regarding Jesse, the old saying goes that an old bull doesn't give anything up to the younger one. He has to take it. I think that's what's going on in this case. Not to mention a terminal case of stupid. I mean, how could you not know, as an "activist" that the microphone is most likely on when you appear on Fox News, apparently for this exact reason. Sheesh. My feeling is that Jesse and Obama will continue to make nice for the rest of this campaign season. But as soon as he hits the Oval Office, it's on again. We'll see how that pans out for the good Reverend. I for one am glad to see a Black, secular leader arise.

So how's that? I didn't hit everything (the New Yorker cover, etc.), but I'll catch up on the rest later.

Thanks a lot Mick for the wake up call and being a good friend. I know that removing yourself from political blogging has to be a painful experience. But you know you always have a home here. Maybe we'll make these public conversations a regular thing.

What do you think?

And here is the rest of it.

Texas Progressive Alliance Round Up

Round up time. Here are some posts you should've read last week from the Texas Progressive Alliance.

South Texas Chisme got what they were asking for - a spotlight on the Webb County Sheriff's race. BlackBox Voting's Bev Harris has asked for relevant auditable materials.

CouldBeTrue can hardly wait to find out what happened. WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the "rail-rage" that's hitting Central Texas, Rail, Rail, Rail - Do It Right, Not Fast.

President Bush hasn't seen Russian President Medvedev since his 'election' to the Russian Presidency. Last week, he had his first opportunity to look into his eyes. Check out McBlogger to see what he saw.

Lightseeker at Texas Kaos tells the chilling tale of Goodhair and the Fire at the Governor's Mansion. Governor Rick Perry didn't light the match, but decisions laid at his door certainly made things a lot easier for the arsonist who did.

The Texas Cloverleaf examines T. Boone Picken's Plan to save us from evil oil men and move forward with greener energy.

Texas Senators Cornfed and Bailey scored a perfect ten in synchronized flip-flopping on the Medicare bill last week, shortly after they and the rest of their Republicans exhibited mirror-image coordination on FISA. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the details.

BlueBloggin sees Maliki making the same mistakes as King George Iraq Hands Out Stimulus Money As Us Shifts Occupation.

BossKitty worries about the consequences of revaluing human life in America Dollar Value of American Life drops - Now What.

Vince at Capitol Annex notes that Senate Democrats have taken a strong stance on calling for reform of the Texas Department of Insurance, with one senator even calling for the Insurance Commissioner to be an elected official.

MeanRachel wonders when politics became unpatriotic on July 4th. Off the Kuff had a guest post from Rep. Pete Gallego about the HDCC and its efforts to reclaim the State House for the Democrats.

WhosPlayin was impressed that Ken Leach, candidate for U.S. Congress in CD 26 got good coverage in the Gainesville Register, even though his totally honest quote didn't pass the "smell" test.

jobsangertook a look at the lies being told in a McCain campaign ad in this post.

Nat-Wu of Three Wise Men ponders whether long-suffering American Indians could Bay Area Houston details the record $52,000 fine by the Texas Ethics Commission against State Senator Craig Estes.

Punch'em Back

This story gives me additional confidence in Barack Obama’s ability to withstand the withering attacks that are already starting to come, and demonstrate he has no intention of running a campaign remotely close to those run by recent Democratic standard bearers. From MSNBC.

Barack Obama said Tuesday that evangelical leader James Dobson was "making stuff up" when he accused the presumed Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible.

Dobson used his Focus on the Family radio program to highlight excerpts of a speech Obama gave in June 2006 to the liberal Christian group Call to Renewal.

…Obama said the speech made the argument that people of faith, like himself, "try to translate some of our concerns in a universal language so that we can have an open and vigorous debate rather than having religion divide us."

Obama added, "I think you'll see that he was just making stuff up, maybe for his own purposes."

Now that’s what I’m talking about. For years this type of religious bullying has been an integral part of national politics, and the typical Democratic response has been to offer some sort of mealy mouth response, or cower in fear. I’m glad that Obama is calling this out for what it is. Politics. And Obama is not the only one calling Dobson and his ilk on their nonsense.

The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, a Methodist pastor from Texas and longtime supporter of President Bush who has endorsed Obama, said Tuesday he belongs to a group of religious leaders who, working independently of Obama's campaign, launched a Web site to counter Dobson.

Caldwell said he has great respect for Dobson's advocacy for families, but said the criticism of Obama was "a bit over the top" and "crossed the line."

"There has been a call for a higher level of politics and politicking," Caldwell said. "So to attack at this level is inappropriate and I think unacceptable and we at least want to hold everybody accountable."

Over the top indeed, as it always is. That, by the way, is the same Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell who performed the nuptials for Jenna Bush a few weeks ago.

At any rate, I don’t expect this to be the end of attempts to portray Obama as the ultimate boogeyman; a Muslim- Radical Christian-Communist-Liberal and Black to boot.

I’m glad to see that the Obama campaign continues to not allow him to be painted as something he’s not. In so doing, the fear mongering so prevalent in recent campaigns just comes across looking like what it is; silly and ignorant.

Community Organizing 101

We've been pretty much inundated with "Why Hillary Lost" posts from all over the internet. So just to be different I'd like to point you to a "How Obama Won" post instead over at Jack and Jill Politics, and to use that example to reiterate why the current 50 state strategy being carried out by the Obama campaign is the right thing to do.

As a reader at JJP stated:

Barack Obama did what the 'Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy' couldn't do: He beat the Clintons.

And, he learned the foundation of how to do it in the Projects on the South Side of Chicago. Obama learned, through that job, the skill of community organizing. How, when faced with an entity more powerful, that one small voice maybe can't make a difference, but joining together hundreds , then thousands of small voices brings a loud chorus that can't be ignored.

Having done a little community organizing myself in a previous life, I know how frustrating, but ultimately effective it can be. I agree with Jack and Jill's conclusion, that

...Barack Obama benefited in one way from a long primary season: he was able to build an organization, from the ground up, in all 50 states. He can attempt to compete in places where Democrats used to just give up to the Republicans without a second thought. I believe this is a headstart of huge proportions for him over John McCain.

How about competing in Texas for example?

I keep saying that if the national Democrats put any kind of money and resources into this state, they may be pleasantly surprised by the results. Even if Obama doesn't carry the state, the effect of his candidacy and active campaigning on behalf of down ticket races has the potential to be huge. Remember what happened in Dallas in 2006? Not to mention the election of a new D.A. who has made it his mission to make sure everyone is treated equally in the eyes of the law, and to clear the jails of the wrongfully convicted.

And that's just the beginning. With a disgraced D.A. having been forced from office and what I hope will be a better alternative running for the position; multiple judgeships on the line, and a vulnerable U.S. Senator in John Cornyn who is facing a formidable challenger in Rick Noriega, Houston and Harris County are primed for the same sort of thing this year, and the Republicans know it. Democrats also have real opportunities to make gains in the Texas State Legislature, and to retain the seat in Congressional District 22 (my home district, Tom Delay's old stomping grounds), currently held by Nick Lampson.

So yeah, I'm all for a 50 state strategy, especially as long as the Lone Star State is one of those we're competitive in. Because ultimately, as the old saying goes, all politics are local.

Texas Democratic Convention - Part II, The Wrap Up

Since I wasn't at this weekend's convention in Austin, I've been depending on the bloggers who were there for the low down. Here's a wrap up of convention related posts from Texas bloggers.

Musings has the kickoff video up and comments regarding the Presidential primary:

On the day Hillary conceded there was a lot of ungracious winning going on. Give us a minute and we'll unite. We aren't going to let McCain win. But, give us just a few moments, OK?

Here's a link to all of the speeches, including Chelsea Clinton's.

Jobsanger reports on the actual delegate counts from the Texas Two-Step primary/caucus.

Total Delegates -- 7,239

Obama Delegates -- 4,144 (57.3%)

Clinton Delegates -- 3,088 (42.7%)

Undecided Delegates -- 7

I hope this puts to rest the argument over who won Texas. Barack Obama won Texas and has over 57% of her delegates.

Brains and Eggs has the story and the results of the State Party Leadership Elections, carried by incumbent Boyd Richie against challenges from David Van Os and Roy Laverne Brooks.

From Texas Politics we learn that Al Edwards

...lost his seat on the Democratic National Committee to state Sen. Royce West of Dallas in an election for one of the national board seats allocated to the state Black Caucus.

and that Houston's

Lenora Sorola-Pohlman was elected vice chair of the state party at the Texas Democratic Convention.

The Texas Observer Blog has a good piece up about U.S. Senate candidate Rick Noriega, who is mounting a challenge to incumbent John Cornyn. I especially liked this part:

He also stressed that Texas needed to become a leader in energy independence. He said that our dependence on fossil fuels was a national security issue.

...As a Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard who has fought in Afghanistan, he said he was well acquainted with the scarcity of resources such as oil and water forcing America to be involved in different parts of the world.

Off the Kuff has a nice roundup posted with links to pictures from fellow bloggers.

Finally, I know all of you conventioneers had a great time and are all fired up and all, but this wasn't the Super Bowl. Y'all didn't have to burn down the Governor's Mansion, did you?

If anyone has a link to the 2008 Platform, I sure would appreciate it., but overall, the Democratic Party in Texas looks like its fired up and ready to roll. This state should be in play in November if the national party puts any kind of time and resources into it.

Also There... Already is going to make a point of getting to the convention and other political gatherings in 2010 and beyond because the blogger pool could use just a little bit of our type of diversity. Hey, I'm just saying. This will be the last time AfroSpear bloggers will not be in attendance, I personally guarantee it.

That's it for now and nice job to all of the bloggers that were there for keeping us informed.

Texas Democratic Convention

I hear the work of the people is taking place in Austin this weekend, but so far it sounds like a party, and a good one.

The Texas Democratic Convention is underway, with about 10,000 delegates from across the state convening on Austin and vying for a spot in Denver. Tim Kaine will be there to speak on behalf of Barack Obama, and word is that even Chelsea Clinton is making her way to town to speak to the blue masses.

I wasn't able to make it, but a number of our blog buds are there, and we'll be keeping track of their reports. They kicked things off with a bash last night called the Blogger's Caucus, and apparently, jobsanger REALLY enjoyed himself.

It's called the Blogger's Caucus, but let's be honest -- it's just a huge party where bloggers and politicians meet in a laid-back atmosphere, do a little drinking and swap stories. If there's a better party at the State Democratic Convention, I certainly haven't found it.

...OK, I was drunk. I'm sure I'll need a bottle of Ibuprofen to start the convention tomorrow. I knew it was time to leave when I heard my daughter threatening to "dry hump" State Rep. Lon Burnam (she got a bit drunk herself).

OK, I appreciate the report, but I'm sure your daughter will be talking to you about "What happens in Austin, stays in Austin."

K.T. at the Burnt Orange Report goes the more traditional route, but delivers this nugget for those of in Houston and Dallas regarding a contested seat on the DNC.

Sen. Royce West had a full ballroom, lots of worker bees, and many lapel stickers on delegates in his effort to defeat Rep. Al "Sexy Cheerleader" Edwards for a seat on the DNC. Word to the wise, do not get between a Texas State Senator and something he wants. Being Rep. Al Edwards only makes you more of a target apparently. Should be great fun to watch the Dallas and Houston delegations battle each other over this one with the rest of the state likely tipping the balance for this race Saturday.

Sounds like Sen. West wants that seat bad, and he'll probably get it. If it wasn't for Mr. Keeping it Real, Boris Miles antics last December, Al Edwards wouldn't even be back in the legislature.

I know the AfroSpear's Eddie Griffin is participating as a delegate, but I'm not sure how much blogging he'll be doing while there. Luckily for us, we have plenty of friends who are there, so we'll keep you updated.

Obama Wins - On To November

It's over. Finally. Barack Obama has secured the Democratic nomination for the Presidency of the United States.

This is indeed an historic day for America as the first African-American has been nominated as a major party candidate. Many people felt that this day would not come in their lifetimes. Well it has, and its a cause worthy of celebration.

So congratulations to Barack Obama on a well run and classy campaign, and keep pushing forward to victory in November.

And, oh yeah, to the Clinton campaign - way to go out with class and unify the party.

Or not.

Selfish and self-centered does not begin to explain that speech you gave last night, and if it's the VP seat you're actually angling for, that's a strange way to go about getting it.

Face it, it's over.

Caught in the (Denouncement) Loop

Denounce, Reject, Repeat. I said weeks ago that Barack Obama, through his desire to appeal to all people all of the time, risked getting himself caught in a Denouncement Loop.

Well, if last week is any indication, with Obama being forced to denounce a guest Pastor at Trinity UCC, and leaving his church home of 20 years, I think he's there. AfroSpear blogger Black Canseco at Mr. HustleKnocker perhaps explains it best.

The day I trade my faith for someone else's approval is the day I cash out.

Obama on the other hand... He’s making deals with the devil in the name of winning over moderates and elections. Depending on whose offended by what, he jumps high and away. To the point that he’s left his church, a church that he’s claimed a 20 year membership because people who wouldn’t set foot in any black church outside an election year got offended. To the point that he renounces, repudiates—and all those other expedient phrases—anyone who offends critics and pundits, (the) opposition and voters, (or) jeopardizes his political aspirations.

Exactly. Enough is enough. What's next, denouncing and rejecting Michelle and the kids? You're going to need to stand on some things Barack, and not be moved. Otherwise, get used to denouncing everything you hold dear.

BTW - Congratulations DNC Bloggers!

I was remiss in expressing my congratulations and support to all of the bloggers credentialed to cover the Democratic National Convention in Denver this August.

In particular, congrats to our own AfroSpear members Dallas South Blog, Pam's House Blend, African American Political Pundit, What About Our Daughters, and Jack and Jill Politics.

The process was contentious for a minute there, and still leaves a lot to be desired, but the blogger pool will have diversity. The groundwork has been laid for future gatherings as well, and I think the DNC will work a little harder from here on out to make sure all of the diverse constituencies that make up the Democratic Party are represented.

To everyone selected, go on out there and represent. We're looking forward to the coverage.

Hillary - Girl, We're Gonna Miss You (Not Really)

With the DNC's decision on the Michigan and Florida delegations yesterday, it's time to wrap this primary process up and move on to the general election. I think everyone realizes this.

Well, except maybe Hillary Clinton campaign staffers. From MSNBC:

Democratic Party leaders agreed Saturday (to) seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half votes into this summer's convention with a compromise that left Barack Obama on the verge of the nomination but riled Hillary Rodham Clinton backers who threatened to fight to the August convention.

"Hijacking four delegates is not a good way to start down the path of party unity," said adviser Harold Ickes.

Clinton's camp maintains she was entitled to four additional Michigan delegates.

The decision by the party's Rules Committee raised slightly the total delegates Obama needs to clinch the nomination. Clinton advisers conceded privately he will likely hit the magic number after the final primaries are held Tuesday night, but said the ruling threatened to dash any hopes of a unified party.

"Mrs. Clinton has told me to reserve her right to take this to the Credentials Committee" at the convention, said Ickes, who is a member of the Rules Committee that voted Saturday.

All of this fake outrage got me to thinking about fake singing. And when you think of fake singers, you can't overlook the most famous fake singers ever, Milli Vanilli. Here they are "performing" what should be the new Democratic Party theme song - Girl, I'm Gonna Miss You.



Actually, the truth is that she can do what she wishes, but the reality still remains that the Florida and Michigan parties broke the rules by holding early primaries, and were punished according to guidelines signed off on by all of the presidential aspirants.

This ruling actually shows that you can break the rules and get away with it, and the Clinton campaign should be ashamed of themselves both for being complete and total hypocrites (imagine if the situation were reversed), and for the faux outrage being unleashed by their surrogates which has the potential to impact the unity of the Democratic Party come November, and the chance for victory against the Republicans. Is that in the best interests of the country?

Team Clinton, you ran a good (and dirty) campaign, but it's time to go, regardless of what happens in Puerto Rico today.

Hillary - Don't Go Away Mad, Just Go Away

I've heard that house guests and fish in the refrigerator have one thing in common: After seven days they both start to stink. That's how I'm feeling right now about Hillary's campaign, like an unwanted house guest who just won't leave.

And now she's really starting to stink.

In yet another case proving its well past time for her to get out of this race and let Barack Obama and America get on with the general election, she had the audacity to reference the assassination of Robert Kennedy in June, 1968 as rationale for her continuing on. Assassination?

As in 'Hey, somebody might shoot him before we get to the convention (hint, hint), and then y'all will be lucky that I'm still around."

Wow, anyway you try to spin it, that was just a very stupid thing to say. Or as Villager said:

Hillary Clinton is a brilliant, calculating, power-hungry woman. She doesn't do anything by accident. Therefore, I don't think it was an accident that she told folks in South Dakota that she refuses to concede defeat for the Democratic Party nomination because Barack Obama might be assassinated.

Exactly, and he points out another disturbing trend.

...Villagers, I am concerned about the careless way that Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee, Roswell Beacon, Francine Torge and Doris Lessing talk about assassination of the first legitimate African American candidate for President of the United States.

Now that it's obvious to everyone but her the nomination is lost, Hillary and her team are turning to the age old tactics of coercion and intimidation. How truly, utterly pathetic. That she's clarifying her remarks and apologizing to the Kennedy family means nothing, just as it meant nothing when she apologized for turning the West Virginia primary into a racial identity fest.

Hillary, your legacy is just about shot and you're killing any political future you might have. Like the unwanted house guest or the old fish in the refrigerator, it's time to go.

DNC - A Little Thought Goes A Long Way

Sometimes it pays to really think a process through, a lesson the DNC, despite it's successes of the past few years (2006 elections, 50 state party, fundraising) is finding out in relation to the issue of blogger floor credentials for the Democratic Convention coming up in Denver. The problem? The vast majority of the 55 State blogs, which have floor privileges at the convention are White-run, while no Black blogs were selected. This in a party where 20% of the membership is Black.

Predictably, this has caused quite a stir in the AfroSpear, and the mainstream media is starting to take notice. From today's Dallas Morning News:

Last week, the national Democratic Party announced that 55 online writers had been chosen for the “State Blogger Corps,” to cover the convention in Denver in September.

But some members of the self-titled “afrosphere” — blogs written or published by African Americans — are angry that the “State Blogger Corps” appears to be mostly white, particularly since the party appears poise to nominate a black candidate, Barack Obama, for president.

“OK, folks, black bloggers to the back of the bus,” read the headline on the African American Political Pundit blog.

Party leaders said the factors in determining state bloggers were readership, Internet ratings and focus on local and state politics, not race. The Texas representative, the Burnt Orange Report, has several writers, including at least one Hispanic contributor.

The issue is one of diversity, but there are so many angles to consider here its mind boggling. Here are just a few for your reading pleasure.

http://francislholland.blogspot.com/2008/05/jim-crow-at-democratic-national.html
http://aapoliticalpundit.blogspot.com/2008/05/just-in-case-you-missed-it.html
http://dallassouthblog.com/2008/05/20/the-cats-out-of-the-bag-dnc-state-blog-list-not-kind-to-black-bloggers/
http://divasblueoasis.blogspot.com/2008/05/blogger-selection-issues-include.html

There are plenty more as the topic is rapidly approaching firestorm level.

So what's my opinion? Well, I think the DNC screwed up by not thinking this process through and not really considering its Black base. Especially during such a race sensitive campaign. I'm a member of the AfroSpear and support whatever action is necessary to ensure that Black folks are represented on the convention floor. However I hope the issue can be resolved through the general blogger selection process, maybe by upgrading their level of access to include floor credentials. I also hope that other groups will be included on the floor as well, including Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans.

If it's not resolved, then I feel sorry for the DNC, because they will have to deal with a lot of pissed off members of the AfroSpear. In an election year like this, you really don't want to alienate such an important part of your base because every vote will definitely count in the general election.

At some point the Democratic Party really needs to stop taking the Black vote for granted and court the constituency as they do with every one else. Hindsight is of course 20/20, but this should not have even happened.

Just my thoughts on the matter.