Remember the governor's race when Rick Perry was complaining about Chris Bell accepting a million dollar donation from an individual? Well, it turns out Guv Goodhair did it too. Except that Perry tried to disguise it by having Bob Perry of Perry Homes route it through the Republican Governor's Association.
This is the same thing they caught Tom DeLay on. Texas law is very strict on registering as a PAC and not accepting corporate contributions and commingling of moneys. The Republican Governor's Association is not registered as a PAC in Texas. It appears to have placed the million dollars it held briefly for Bob Perry in a general account which could include corporate dollars. You can't tell if the million dollars they sent the governor is the same million they received from Bob Perry and the RGA would be guilty of a Texas campaign finance crime either way.
What does this mean? If found guilty double fines of the amount of the donation from both the RGA and Bob Perry. Four million dollars to delay exposing yourself as a hypocrite, way to go Goodhair.
There is more at the Houston Chron and the Austin Statesman.
Thanks Kuff and others for catching this and a special thanks to Chris Bell.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Pasadena Man Kills Two
Huge amount of commentary about this and I don't know if I want to wade in. I'll just say don't be around these old guys from Pasadena with guns if they get agitated.
It is likely he will be charged because it was daylight, the police dispatch told him repeatedly to stay inside, he said he was going out to kill, the two Hispanics were leaving and he said he was going out to stop them, a shotgun at less than 50 feet is lethal force. You are allowed to kill to stop your property from being robbed, you need better justification about your neighbor's property. He will likely be charge with some more minor offense and plead out with probation.
Would you want a neighbor like this? We have plenty of cheap housing in Pasadena if you do.
It is likely he will be charged because it was daylight, the police dispatch told him repeatedly to stay inside, he said he was going out to kill, the two Hispanics were leaving and he said he was going out to stop them, a shotgun at less than 50 feet is lethal force. You are allowed to kill to stop your property from being robbed, you need better justification about your neighbor's property. He will likely be charge with some more minor offense and plead out with probation.
Would you want a neighbor like this? We have plenty of cheap housing in Pasadena if you do.
Texas Round-Up 19
It's Monday, and that means it's time for the pre-Thanksgiving edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Blog Round-Up. This week's round-up is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.
The Texas Cloverleaf examines the ongoing feud between TxDOT and NTTA -- this time the funding for the Hwy 161 project Dallas County may face its wrath. To toll or not to toll? That is TxDOT's question.
Hal at Half Empty wants to ask John Cornyn just one question: "When are you going to stop flip flopping on a border wall?"
XicanoPwr reports on the noose found hanging from a scaffolding on separate occasions over at the Exxon Mobil facility in Baytown, TX.
NYTexan at Bluebloggin discovers that some things will just never go away. Tom DeLay Will Launch Activist Group. Two stellar citizens, Tom DeLay and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell have teamed up to promote the Coalition for a Conservative Majority (CCM).
Kay Granger pretends to care about the environment by sponsoring an Energy Expo but TXsharon at Bluedaze points to her ZERO score on environmentally friendly votes and begs to differ.
Harris County election officials adjusted the vote at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, after Tuesday's final election results had been released to the media. The Democratic Party's observer, a long-time voting rights activist, was stunned to watch it happen. What does this mean for the integrity of electronic voting in all of Texas? PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has questions without answers.
John Coby at Bay Area Houston reminds us that Texas is #1 in sucking with tuition for Texas University up by 63% since deregulation in 2003. The high cost of college tuition deregulation. Tuition increases again.
CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme complains that Texas keeps money meant for hospitals in 'state funds'. You can hear the Republicans yammering for another tax cut.
Muse wonders why Tom DeLay can't seem to stay away from Fort Bend County when he is supposed to be a Virginia resident. His new Coalition for a Conservative Majority kicks off there and has Ken Blackwell as its chair. Yeah, that Ken Blackwell. SOS in Ohio during the 2004 elections.
Mayor McSleaze at McBlogger asks What part of "interfaith" was not clear? in his post detailing the actions of Hyde Park Baptist Church.
Why can't Rudy Giuliani talk about baseball any more without pandering? Off the Kuff takes a look at his latest shenanigans.
Vince at Capitol Annex explores Texas Congressman Ron Paul's "surge" in the polls and in online contributions and wonders why his Republican supporters haven't bothered to examine his terrible record on behalf of the middle class in Texas.
WhosPlayin brings back the Texas Dim Bulb Award for Cracker-Barrell Craddick.
On The TexasBlue, David Gurney explores the total absence of integrity displayed by the Religious Right's endorsements of Giuliani and Thompson.
Easter Lemming watched the Pasadena mayor's race candidate forum in some amazement: How often do you hear a Texas candidate say: "He's just told me the position pays $102,000. I had no idea. If I had known that, I would have put out more yard signs." And Easter Lemming gets the candidate reply in the comments.
Texas Toad of North Texas Liberal explains why the Chicken Pickens of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth owes Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., a sum of $1 million.
The Texas Cloverleaf examines the ongoing feud between TxDOT and NTTA -- this time the funding for the Hwy 161 project Dallas County may face its wrath. To toll or not to toll? That is TxDOT's question.
Hal at Half Empty wants to ask John Cornyn just one question: "When are you going to stop flip flopping on a border wall?"
XicanoPwr reports on the noose found hanging from a scaffolding on separate occasions over at the Exxon Mobil facility in Baytown, TX.
NYTexan at Bluebloggin discovers that some things will just never go away. Tom DeLay Will Launch Activist Group. Two stellar citizens, Tom DeLay and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell have teamed up to promote the Coalition for a Conservative Majority (CCM).
Kay Granger pretends to care about the environment by sponsoring an Energy Expo but TXsharon at Bluedaze points to her ZERO score on environmentally friendly votes and begs to differ.
Harris County election officials adjusted the vote at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, after Tuesday's final election results had been released to the media. The Democratic Party's observer, a long-time voting rights activist, was stunned to watch it happen. What does this mean for the integrity of electronic voting in all of Texas? PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has questions without answers.
John Coby at Bay Area Houston reminds us that Texas is #1 in sucking with tuition for Texas University up by 63% since deregulation in 2003. The high cost of college tuition deregulation. Tuition increases again.
CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme complains that Texas keeps money meant for hospitals in 'state funds'. You can hear the Republicans yammering for another tax cut.
Muse wonders why Tom DeLay can't seem to stay away from Fort Bend County when he is supposed to be a Virginia resident. His new Coalition for a Conservative Majority kicks off there and has Ken Blackwell as its chair. Yeah, that Ken Blackwell. SOS in Ohio during the 2004 elections.
Mayor McSleaze at McBlogger asks What part of "interfaith" was not clear? in his post detailing the actions of Hyde Park Baptist Church.
Why can't Rudy Giuliani talk about baseball any more without pandering? Off the Kuff takes a look at his latest shenanigans.
Vince at Capitol Annex explores Texas Congressman Ron Paul's "surge" in the polls and in online contributions and wonders why his Republican supporters haven't bothered to examine his terrible record on behalf of the middle class in Texas.
WhosPlayin brings back the Texas Dim Bulb Award for Cracker-Barrell Craddick.
On The TexasBlue, David Gurney explores the total absence of integrity displayed by the Religious Right's endorsements of Giuliani and Thompson.
Texas Toad of North Texas Liberal explains why the Chicken Pickens of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth owes Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., a sum of $1 million.
Dominatrix with new book about S&M sex with Bush is missing
Rumors have circled around Bush for years about his sexual habits and cruelty. This July a well-known Dominatrix issued an ebook that detailed her experiences with conservative Republican leaders, including Bush.
Her friends report she has now gone missing.
Leola McConnell had recently run for governor of Nevada as an Independent. McConnell had also recently made allegations that a DC prostitute had told her stories about Vice President Dick Cheney.
Of course, these are all just gossip and possibly tall tales. If someone had proof they would be very quiet and rich or even quieter and dead.
American Politic's Journal:
Wayne Madsen Report -
Her friends report she has now gone missing.
Leola McConnell had recently run for governor of Nevada as an Independent. McConnell had also recently made allegations that a DC prostitute had told her stories about Vice President Dick Cheney.
Of course, these are all just gossip and possibly tall tales. If someone had proof they would be very quiet and rich or even quieter and dead.
Leola McConnell, the former dominatrice and militant for civil equality for people of all sexual orientations — who claimed in her memoir, “Lustful Utterances,” to have had S&M sex with George Bush in the 1980s — is feared by friends to be missing, according to this report.Bush's Secret Life in 1984
American Politic's Journal:
Leola McConnell, Liberal Democratic Candidate for Nevada Governor, On George W. BushAn update - still missing. Radar-Online had a brief mention earlier of her getting into body-building and her harassment and death threats from "Busheviks." Larry Flynt was interested in her story but negotiations fell through.
Press Release
June 4, 2006—Las Vegas—This Monday, George W. Bush will address the nation, calling for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. If he does not admit that he's a gay American (or perhaps bisexual), this speech will be as false as all his other public statements.
Too bad I won't be doing the rebuttal. In 1984 I watched George W. Bush enthusiastically and expertly perform a homosexual act on another man, one Victor Ashe.
Ashe is the current U.S. ambassador to Poland; and he too should come out, like former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevy, and admit to being a gay American.
Wayne Madsen Report -
George Bush, aka the 'jock sniffer'
Sep. 26, 2006 -- According to individuals who investigated George W. Bush's stint in the 147th Fighter Group of the Texas Air National Guard (TANG), the GOP's top dirty tricksters, notably Karl Rove and Roger Stone, interceded to derail the investigation and, instead, have CBS focus on Bush's faxed, scanned, and Xeroxed original TANG records -- which were later hyped by the right-wing media as fakes.
The reason for the GOP's concern was that the investigation was getting dangerously close to exposing Bush's suspected homosexual activity with other members of his TANG unit. Given the times and culture of the early 1970s, investigators were surprised to discover Bush's frequent association with an abundant number of gays in the unit, which was nicknamed the "Champagne Unit." Bush's homosexuality is the bête noire of Bush's past for GOP political operatives, precisely because of the anti-gay stance of the Republican right and its Christian fundamentalist base.
In 1986, the Bush family sent George W. Bush to El Paso's Worthy Creations, a Christian gay conversion center. From that time on, Bush became a tool of the Christian right and a self-hating homosexual. The investigation of Bush's gay activities in the TANG unit would have unraveled Bush's new "straight" persona. The GOP went to battle stations to prevent Bush's past from being resurrected.
Bush's alleged homosexuality in college was hinted at in Kitty Kelley's massive biography of the Bush family, The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty, which was released at about the same time as CBS 60 Minutes was investigating Bush's National Guard stint. In the case of Kelley's book and the gay charge, the criticism came not from the GOP operatives but from their allies in the corporate media, including the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz, who is married to a GOP operative. While Bush attended all-boys Andover prep school (nicknamed "bend over"), Bush, not able to make it as an athlete, instead became a male cheerleader. At Yale, Bush, according to Kelley, had a "special relationship" (i.e., gay relationship) with Victor Ashe, his room mate and fellow cheerleader. Ashe, a former Mayor of Knoxville, is now Bush's ambassador to Poland. At the Delta Kappa Epsilon frat house, Bush became known as "a jock sniffer."
Sunday, November 18, 2007
How big of idiots are Republican bloggers?
Pretty damn big ones.
There is a chorus on the right that are shocked, shocked! that Democratic activists are the undecided primary voters at a Democratic primary debate.
Of course, Michelle Malkin's Hot Air, although not Michelle herself, started this latest non-scandal. That really, really seems Hot Air's and Malkin's specialty - idiotic non-scandals raised to senseless smears.
The Democratic Party headquarters were given half the tickets to give out. Most of the others went to faculty and family members who wanted them at UNLV. Who do you think wanted to go to the debate? Somehow this is beyond the comprehension of the feeble-minded. After noting the audience makeup Reichstag's Riehll still doesn't get it: Did CNN plant the audience?
Rightwingnut bloggers must get their brains from the same pea pile they get their gonads.
There is a chorus on the right that are shocked, shocked! that Democratic activists are the undecided primary voters at a Democratic primary debate.
Of course, Michelle Malkin's Hot Air, although not Michelle herself, started this latest non-scandal. That really, really seems Hot Air's and Malkin's specialty - idiotic non-scandals raised to senseless smears.
The Democratic Party headquarters were given half the tickets to give out. Most of the others went to faculty and family members who wanted them at UNLV. Who do you think wanted to go to the debate? Somehow this is beyond the comprehension of the feeble-minded. After noting the audience makeup Reichstag's Riehll still doesn't get it: Did CNN plant the audience?
Rightwingnut bloggers must get their brains from the same pea pile they get their gonads.
Rumors of more Democratic candidates
Pretty definitive word that at least one candidate and probably two or more will be contesting to run for Texas House District 144 with Bob Sonnier.
This is the easiest Democratic House seat pick-up in the Houston area. Janette Sexton, who did not have a very active campaign, only needed 1500 more votes to switch to beat the Republican incumbent Talton. That is thousands less than the other GOP held seats in the Houston area.
The GOP race is also wide open with rumors of three or four people still considering campaigns. All candidates had better hurry up.
This is the easiest Democratic House seat pick-up in the Houston area. Janette Sexton, who did not have a very active campaign, only needed 1500 more votes to switch to beat the Republican incumbent Talton. That is thousands less than the other GOP held seats in the Houston area.
The GOP race is also wide open with rumors of three or four people still considering campaigns. All candidates had better hurry up.
PBS taking on Creationists
A little late but several programs on PBS have shot down (un)Intelligent Design in the last few years. The latest I happened to miss and supposedly was one of the best. (PBS's shift to the right has caused me to check what they are showing less often.)
Some see a link in the tactics and methods of the conservative movement generally with the misleading ID campaign. "The debate over the teaching of evolution in the schools will continue for generations to come, despite the one-sidedness of the factual evidence against “intelligent design.” So, too, the debate over the other lame-brained agenda items of the well-financed, relentless conservative movement."
Intelligent Design on Trial
If like me you missed the airtime you can watch it all online in digestible tasty chunks.
Count me as one of those in favor of science, of teaching myth as myth, and of shooting down lies.
On PBS tonight (Sunday) I will catch the last of The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, about a woman who capture the prime minister's office with a new populist party based on truth.
I have moved my giving from Houston PBS to Pacifica KPFT, although it looks like they may have misplaced my monthly pledge form.
Some see a link in the tactics and methods of the conservative movement generally with the misleading ID campaign. "The debate over the teaching of evolution in the schools will continue for generations to come, despite the one-sidedness of the factual evidence against “intelligent design.” So, too, the debate over the other lame-brained agenda items of the well-financed, relentless conservative movement."
Intelligent Design on Trial
If like me you missed the airtime you can watch it all online in digestible tasty chunks.
Count me as one of those in favor of science, of teaching myth as myth, and of shooting down lies.
On PBS tonight (Sunday) I will catch the last of The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, about a woman who capture the prime minister's office with a new populist party based on truth.
I have moved my giving from Houston PBS to Pacifica KPFT, although it looks like they may have misplaced my monthly pledge form.
Swift Boat Liars Backtracking
A short time ago, Texas's own T. Boone Pickens at a wealthy conservative get-together said he would give $1 million if anyone demonstrated the Swift Boat Veteran's allegations were untrue. Never one to pass up an easy million dollars Senator John Kerry said I'll take that offer.
Furiously backtracking, T. Boone is now attaching contingencies to the offer. To illustrate the extent of his ignorance about this subject among other new demands is that Kerry release all of his service records from 1971-1978. Kerry honorably served in the Navy from 1966-1970.
Continuing their record of enthusiastically applauding ignorance, the rightwingnut blogs are blasting the media for ignoring the challenge until Kerry accepted it.
PS, can I have a chunk of that million? Or at least get eRiposte a piece?
Kerry's medals and the real witnesses. More on the Swift Boat Liars.
From an Op-Ed by Veterans:
Furiously backtracking, T. Boone is now attaching contingencies to the offer. To illustrate the extent of his ignorance about this subject among other new demands is that Kerry release all of his service records from 1971-1978. Kerry honorably served in the Navy from 1966-1970.
Continuing their record of enthusiastically applauding ignorance, the rightwingnut blogs are blasting the media for ignoring the challenge until Kerry accepted it.
PS, can I have a chunk of that million? Or at least get eRiposte a piece?
Kerry's medals and the real witnesses. More on the Swift Boat Liars.
From an Op-Ed by Veterans:
As was shamefully done previously against decorated veterans like John McCain and Max Cleland, extreme right-wing groups such as the so-called 'Swift-Boat Veterans for Truth' are again spreading lies meant to discredit a decorated veteran. A veteran who volunteered for combat, who was brave enough not only to withstand the rigors of battle but then the equally difficult struggle to speak the truth about wars inevitable dark side: savagery, stupidity, recklessness, maiming, and death. These are the truths of every war -- those necessary and those avoidable; those just and those unjust.Houstonian John O'Neil gets tapped to often do the Republican dirty work against Kerry, first for the Nixon White House, later for the Bush. Another Houstonian, Perry of Perry Homes, paid to set up the Swift Boat Liars and provided millions of their funding.
"The slander about John Kerry's Purple Hearts and courage in command is fallacious at best and spuriously shameful. More, the attacks against Kerry's post-discharge protest of Vietnam represent a concerted attempt to prevent others from speaking the necessary truth of their experience by those too cowardly to admit their own share in our flawed humanity...
When voters go to the polls in November, McMahon said, they won't be choosing between John Kerry and "Unfit for Command" author John O'Neill; they'll be choosing between Kerry and Bush. "The choice is between a guy who volunteered to serve, went to war, fought on the front line, took enemy fire, was highly decorated, and saved the life of at least one of the troops -- and a guy who did everything he could to avoid service, jumped over 500 people to get into the National Guard, didn't show up for service in Alabama, and can't prove he was there."John Kerry was first a hero in Vietnam, where he volunteered to go instead of a safe birth at sea, and then taking on Nixon and the Republicans at home. How many people who believe the Swift Boat Liars even realize that all of the people who served on the Swift Boats during the disputed battles support Kerry?
Like many other Democrats, McMahon is incredulous that -- in light of Bush's record -- Vietnam service is even an issue in the campaign. "It seems to me that the president has an awful lot of explaining to do, particularly because he can't produce a single person, he can't remember where he lived, he can't remember who he hug out with, the folks he went drinking with, the bars he hung out in, and we're expected to take seriously their allegations about how many bullets were flying one day in Vietnam?"
Wayne Slater isn't surprised at all. Slater, the veteran Dallas Morning News reporter who coauthored "Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential," said Tuesday that the Swift Boat Veterans attack was entirely predictable. Slater has watched Karl Rove work for nearly two decades, and he said the "mark of Rove" in a campaign is always the same: Aim nasty attacks right at your opponent's strength, but keep your own fingerprints off them.
Long-run budget math and Social Security - Paul Krugman
Conservatives and even moderates have been fed so much propaganda on the failing Social Security system you have to beat them over the head repeatedly with the real truth. Social Security may not have any problems this century. The problem is medicare and health expenses and Bush's enormous budget deficits. Demographic shifts and the number of workers are a minimal problem for Social Security. Social Security was fixed under Reagan, badly by America's largest tax increase in history falling only upon workers, but fixed. The only way Social Security has a problem in ten years is if politicians refuse to honor the Social Security trust fund, which the GOP will like to default on.
I hate to sound partisan but the truth is if there develops a problem with Social Security it is because of the Republican politicians. Are the Republicans saying that Al Gore was right, Bush stole all the money in the Social Security lock box and they won't pay it back?
See also Dean Baker on the Washington Post's war on Social Security which is a follow-up to this. I will add part of R. Timms comment from there:
I hate to sound partisan but the truth is if there develops a problem with Social Security it is because of the Republican politicians. Are the Republicans saying that Al Gore was right, Bush stole all the money in the Social Security lock box and they won't pay it back?
See also Dean Baker on the Washington Post's war on Social Security which is a follow-up to this. I will add part of R. Timms comment from there:
The real crisis is readily apparent when you look at the rest of government expenditures and income. Taking Social Security (SS) out of the picture the FY07 Gov revenues were 1.667T and outlays were 2.277T. A 610 Billion deficit. Closing the deficit will take a 40% increase in revenues or 27% cut in spending or some combination.Tom Redburn at The New York Times - Obama fighting to fix a non-broken Social Security.
Conservatives see that the unified budget has a much smaller deficit due to the SS surplus. They think it is great that we are using workers SS money from a regressive tax to fund government. But the problem is this can only go on so long. Once boomers retire they want their SS money that has been used to fund government operations. In order to keep funding government with a regressive tax after boomers retire conservatives will have to make cuts to SS or increase SS payroll taxes or both.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Banning speech
I see Texas Rainmaker has banned me from commenting for disagreeing with him months ago. His latest message for his minions is to suggest they harass a San Francisco columnist for labeling the world's anxious period waiting for the end of Bush's term the Bush Death Watch.
OMG he girly shrieks! It is more liberal assassination fantasies!
My comment for him -
1. It is the "deeply satiric" Mark Morford - the Ann Coulter of the Left. Is he now suggesting we take Ann seriously for her death, destruction, bigoted, ignorant, biased smears and assassination remarks?
2. No where in the column does Mark call for the death of Bush. Getting the facts wrong has never stopped Jason Smith before, why should now be any different.
3. He encourages people to email Mark Morford and issuedeath threats reprimands to him. This is a common tactic of the false macho men, flood the mailboxes of people you disagree with.
If I wanted to I could urge people to contact conservative Houston lawyer Jason Smith and express their views but I find these people never listen.
OMG he girly shrieks! It is more liberal assassination fantasies!
My comment for him -
1. It is the "deeply satiric" Mark Morford - the Ann Coulter of the Left. Is he now suggesting we take Ann seriously for her death, destruction, bigoted, ignorant, biased smears and assassination remarks?
2. No where in the column does Mark call for the death of Bush. Getting the facts wrong has never stopped Jason Smith before, why should now be any different.
3. He encourages people to email Mark Morford and issue
If I wanted to I could urge people to contact conservative Houston lawyer Jason Smith and express their views but I find these people never listen.
Our media failing in debates
The so-called-liberal-media have produced light-weight fluffed-up debates which avoid the many failures of the Bush administration and most other substantive issues.
Media Matters:
Media Matters:
Through 17 debates this year, roughly 1,500 questions have been asked of the two parties' presidential candidates. But only a small handful of questions have touched on the candidates' views on executive power, the Constitution, torture, wiretapping, or other civil liberties concerns. (A description of those questions appears at the end of this column.)
Only one question about wiretapping. Not a single question about FISA.
There has, however, been a question about whether the Constitution should be changed to allow Arnold Schwarzenegger to be president.
Not one question about renditions. The words "habeas corpus" have not once been spoken by a debate moderator. Candidates have not been asked about telecom liability.
But there was this illuminating question, asked of a group of
Republicans running for president: "Seriously, would it be good for America to have Bill Clinton back living in the White House?"
Though Republicans often claim that the Bush administration's
warrantless wiretapping of Americans is necessary to prevent "another 9-11," debate moderators have not once asked candidates about recent revelations that suggest the administration began its surveillance efforts long before the September 11, 2001, attacks, not in response to them.
But NBC's Brian Williams did ask the Democratic candidates what they would "go as" for Halloween.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Dems debate
Too bad there are so many of these things. This one was the one to watch.
It was actually funny and a pitched battle, if only at the beginning. I gave up before the real folks offered questions after the CNN journalists with their set but heard I didn't miss anything.
Clinton - easily won and looked like she had spent a fortune on her face and hair. Looked tough and presidential and slugged and stabbed the boys repeatedly while smiling and looking charming. The charge that she says one thing on the stump and another in Washington seemed to bounce off.
Obama - big loser. I wonder if he is really the candidate trying for VP or practicing for his next run. Totally flubbed the illegal immigrants with driver's license question which he should have been well-prepared for. After getting on to Clinton for waffling a minute earlier showed a bigger longer example and was called on it.
Wolf Blitzer was another big loser - made clear that FOX NEWS isn't the only conservative network.
Biden was good, loose and biting and ignored.
Dodd, who I had previously liked, was very dull and moved to the right.
Edwards tried to take it to Hillary and then realized he was only making himself look bad. As a lawyer he may have also been responding to the audience, majority for Clinton. That itself is a very troubling sign for his race - Nevada was supposed to be his state.
Richardson was typical in demonstrating how he is an expert on everything and continued auditioning for VP.
Kucinich must have been seething with the contempt and deliberate ignoring the journalists showed. He will not resign, his motive is to move the party to the left by getting his supporters to state conventions from caucuses.
Gravel must not have been able to afford a plane ticket but wasn't missed.
Prediction: by early February Biden, Dodd, Richardson and Gravel will be out of the race.
If Obama and Edwards don't stop Hillary in Iowa and New Hampshire by holding her to third it will be a very short race.
About my bias, my preferred candidates in order are Edwards, Biden, Obama, Richardson. Biden moved up tonight - Obama and Dodd down.
Another professional opinion on the debate. Another point came up very briefly in the debate which Krugman addresses here: Obama, played for a sucker.
Josh Marshall: Can we just close down CNN?
It was actually funny and a pitched battle, if only at the beginning. I gave up before the real folks offered questions after the CNN journalists with their set but heard I didn't miss anything.
Clinton - easily won and looked like she had spent a fortune on her face and hair. Looked tough and presidential and slugged and stabbed the boys repeatedly while smiling and looking charming. The charge that she says one thing on the stump and another in Washington seemed to bounce off.
Obama - big loser. I wonder if he is really the candidate trying for VP or practicing for his next run. Totally flubbed the illegal immigrants with driver's license question which he should have been well-prepared for. After getting on to Clinton for waffling a minute earlier showed a bigger longer example and was called on it.
Wolf Blitzer was another big loser - made clear that FOX NEWS isn't the only conservative network.
Biden was good, loose and biting and ignored.
Dodd, who I had previously liked, was very dull and moved to the right.
Edwards tried to take it to Hillary and then realized he was only making himself look bad. As a lawyer he may have also been responding to the audience, majority for Clinton. That itself is a very troubling sign for his race - Nevada was supposed to be his state.
Richardson was typical in demonstrating how he is an expert on everything and continued auditioning for VP.
Kucinich must have been seething with the contempt and deliberate ignoring the journalists showed. He will not resign, his motive is to move the party to the left by getting his supporters to state conventions from caucuses.
Gravel must not have been able to afford a plane ticket but wasn't missed.
Prediction: by early February Biden, Dodd, Richardson and Gravel will be out of the race.
If Obama and Edwards don't stop Hillary in Iowa and New Hampshire by holding her to third it will be a very short race.
About my bias, my preferred candidates in order are Edwards, Biden, Obama, Richardson. Biden moved up tonight - Obama and Dodd down.
Another professional opinion on the debate. Another point came up very briefly in the debate which Krugman addresses here: Obama, played for a sucker.
Josh Marshall: Can we just close down CNN?
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Very Interesting Pasadena Mayor's Race
How often do you hear a Texas candidate say: "He's just told me the position pays $102,000. I had no idea. If I had known that, I would have put out more yard signs."
I went to the candidates forum at San Jacinto College last night. Very interesting and fun. Too bad there is no good late night place to eat afterwards nearby.
Pasadena has wide and varied interesting choices for mayor.
The candidates:
After starting out as the most clueless candidate, only running against the federal government and too many illegal immigrants in Pasadena, Stroder captured the crowd as the most honest clueless candidate. Stroder's campaign seemed to be that he is an average citizen and voters need a change from the typical Pasadena politicians also running. "After all, how much could I screw things up in 18 months." He did have several "I don't know" answers to questions. Perhaps Stroder should have inquired about all the other perks the Mayor has now.
A rundown of the rest:
Don Harrison came across as mumbling, almost senile, but wily and willing to throw the most jabs, about the only jabs in fact. (Take my opinions with a grain of salt, I don't like him even if he was the first to state the obvious, Pasadena is majority Latino and the city should be doing more for all citizens.) Kept exceeding his time limits. Repeated his false claim of a $41 million surplus in the rainy day fund.
O.L. Harris, very conservative, very representative of business interests. On a transportation system for Pasadena - "I don't know any private enterprise that could run it at a profit."
Johnny Isbell, slick, polished, knowledgeable. Running as the only one with experience running Pasadena, stressed his police backing, the reduction in crime rate under his term as mayor. The most typical successful politician, his flip-flop from Democrat to Republican did not come up.
A.J. Christ - we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. More actions, less studies and talk. Good speaker, but very unspecific.
Ralph Riggs, always repeated the question back. Very specific and knowledgeable. Stresses his accounting and problem solving background. Would be a full-time mayor. Not very charismatic but knowledgeable from his time on council, studious and has good experience.
Jerri Neely, very emotional, loves Pasadena. Has solved problems with slumlords and getting city services in the North end of town. Talks too much, had the most problem with always exceeding her time. Nice lady, also would be a full-time mayor but isn't there a garden club or volunteer organization she should be involved in?
Highlight of the forum was David Stroder (713-STRODER) who after a very bad first impression made strong appeals to electing a normal private citizen instead of the politicians who have created the current Pasadena.
Another interesting highlight was the complete rejection of the Strawberry Road extension by all candidates, with most favoring selling the land back for new housing development to get some money back. Other properties by city hall also needed to be sold or razed. Jerri Neely admitted she had made a naive mistake in supporting the Strawberry Road Extension originally in the interest of redeveloping North Pasadena. (Pat Van Houte must feel somewhat vindicated after leading the citizen opposition to the multi-million dollar boondoggle for years.)
Low point was a hard attack by Harrison on Isbell's very high tax and fee increases as mayor when Harrison was the last one to speak in the debate, allowing no opportunity for a rebuttal. As a student of politics I saw that hurting both Harrison and Isbell. Harrison's typical hardball tactics are probably more effective in a on-on-one race, not in a crowded field of candidates.
Isbell seemed to have the most people in the about 400 crowd. Buttons and badges were banned from entering the auditorium but a small number of people put Isbell badges on at the end.
Afterwards we went to the Skillet to confer. No other late night restaurants in that part of suburbia. They had a good cheap baby-back rib special Pat ordered and I got a hamburger and onion rings. Despite our warning her Janette made the mistake of ordering the most expensive thing on the menu in a dive - rib eye steak. What's worst, she had ordered the same thing before and hated it as I reminded her before she ordered it again.
Our forum consensus, a wide field of candidates and somebody could find something appealing about any of them.
Odds are that Isbell makes the runoff, nobody has close to a majority, impossible to rank how the other candidates will do right now. I like Riggs but I am not sure studious and informed is enough of an image to project in a crowded field or crowded stage.
Links: Pasadena Citizen
Houston Chronicle.
I went to the candidates forum at San Jacinto College last night. Very interesting and fun. Too bad there is no good late night place to eat afterwards nearby.
Pasadena has wide and varied interesting choices for mayor.
The candidates:
Don Harrison, former mayor's brother, council member.The highlight of the evening was that Harrison while answering a question mentioned the mayor's salary of $102,000. The next candidate David Stroder: "He's just told me the position pays $102,000. I had no idea. If I had known that, I would have put out more yard signs."
David Stroder, contractor, no experience in politics.
O.L. Harris, developer - conservative business candidate, last councilman in 93.
Johnny Isbell, former mayor, owns or is involved in three or four businesses.
A.J. Christ, pastor, former Firestone store manager, contractor.
Ralph Riggs, councilman, retired from NASA utility subcontractor.
Jerri Neely, former councilwoman, involved in citizen watch groups, former mayoral candidate.
After starting out as the most clueless candidate, only running against the federal government and too many illegal immigrants in Pasadena, Stroder captured the crowd as the most honest clueless candidate. Stroder's campaign seemed to be that he is an average citizen and voters need a change from the typical Pasadena politicians also running. "After all, how much could I screw things up in 18 months." He did have several "I don't know" answers to questions. Perhaps Stroder should have inquired about all the other perks the Mayor has now.
A rundown of the rest:
Don Harrison came across as mumbling, almost senile, but wily and willing to throw the most jabs, about the only jabs in fact. (Take my opinions with a grain of salt, I don't like him even if he was the first to state the obvious, Pasadena is majority Latino and the city should be doing more for all citizens.) Kept exceeding his time limits. Repeated his false claim of a $41 million surplus in the rainy day fund.
O.L. Harris, very conservative, very representative of business interests. On a transportation system for Pasadena - "I don't know any private enterprise that could run it at a profit."
Johnny Isbell, slick, polished, knowledgeable. Running as the only one with experience running Pasadena, stressed his police backing, the reduction in crime rate under his term as mayor. The most typical successful politician, his flip-flop from Democrat to Republican did not come up.
A.J. Christ - we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. More actions, less studies and talk. Good speaker, but very unspecific.
Ralph Riggs, always repeated the question back. Very specific and knowledgeable. Stresses his accounting and problem solving background. Would be a full-time mayor. Not very charismatic but knowledgeable from his time on council, studious and has good experience.
Jerri Neely, very emotional, loves Pasadena. Has solved problems with slumlords and getting city services in the North end of town. Talks too much, had the most problem with always exceeding her time. Nice lady, also would be a full-time mayor but isn't there a garden club or volunteer organization she should be involved in?
Highlight of the forum was David Stroder (713-STRODER) who after a very bad first impression made strong appeals to electing a normal private citizen instead of the politicians who have created the current Pasadena.
Another interesting highlight was the complete rejection of the Strawberry Road extension by all candidates, with most favoring selling the land back for new housing development to get some money back. Other properties by city hall also needed to be sold or razed. Jerri Neely admitted she had made a naive mistake in supporting the Strawberry Road Extension originally in the interest of redeveloping North Pasadena. (Pat Van Houte must feel somewhat vindicated after leading the citizen opposition to the multi-million dollar boondoggle for years.)
Low point was a hard attack by Harrison on Isbell's very high tax and fee increases as mayor when Harrison was the last one to speak in the debate, allowing no opportunity for a rebuttal. As a student of politics I saw that hurting both Harrison and Isbell. Harrison's typical hardball tactics are probably more effective in a on-on-one race, not in a crowded field of candidates.
Isbell seemed to have the most people in the about 400 crowd. Buttons and badges were banned from entering the auditorium but a small number of people put Isbell badges on at the end.
Afterwards we went to the Skillet to confer. No other late night restaurants in that part of suburbia. They had a good cheap baby-back rib special Pat ordered and I got a hamburger and onion rings. Despite our warning her Janette made the mistake of ordering the most expensive thing on the menu in a dive - rib eye steak. What's worst, she had ordered the same thing before and hated it as I reminded her before she ordered it again.
Our forum consensus, a wide field of candidates and somebody could find something appealing about any of them.
Odds are that Isbell makes the runoff, nobody has close to a majority, impossible to rank how the other candidates will do right now. I like Riggs but I am not sure studious and informed is enough of an image to project in a crowded field or crowded stage.
Links: Pasadena Citizen
Houston Chronicle.
Tags: Texas, politics, Pasadena, Don Harrison, David Stroder, Johnny Isbell, Ralph Riggs, Jerri Neely, mayor, 2007
Harris County demonstrates legal vote hacking
Harris County had to correct some ballots. No problem, just get into the county vote program and change a few votes. This time it was done under a fair amount of publicity and lots of observers. Sometime in the future we might not be that lucky.
The biggest cause of voter fraud for the last several decades have been partisan county officials doing what they feel is their duty to ensure a result which is good for them and their beliefs. This Houston Chronicle article just highlights that someone in the glass-enclosed booth could do right by God and correct what they feel are the voter's mistakes.
Our election officials are elected in partisan elections and the parties often support the person most willing to serve the party, whatever it takes. This is a problem for both Democrats and Republicans. I do see more in the GOP slowly recognizing the danger. We also have some seeing the opportunity, like Florida Rep. Tom Feeney hiring a hacker to write a program to electronically steal votes.
The county did add security measures to the voting booth hardware for this last election. Unfortunately, the biggest problem continues to be we depend on the honesty of the county and state officials with their easily hacked and easy to get into vote tabulator software.
Meanwhile, self-described RightWingNuts pursue a partisan agenda of requiring VOTER PHOTO ID to stop non-existent massive voter fraud. The real reason this is pursued is that Democrats are more likely to not have proper photo ID, 91% of R's, and 83% of D's according to a large recent Indiana study. Many Republicans believe this urban legend partly as a result of the fake GOP funded American Center For Voting Rights which was linked to Karl Rove cronies.
Stop real voter fraud, secure the vote tabulators and stop pursuing grandmothers without driver's licenses and seniors and immigrants without birth certificates.
UPDATE - Charles has more and I add a comment about bypassing the voter software entirely. The integrity of the vote is solely up to the honesty and integrity of our partisan county officials.
Off the subject, my brother was right to be worried about the trend to not being able to appeal tickets. Harris County has a non-refundable charge to appeal the new photo red light tickets.
The biggest cause of voter fraud for the last several decades have been partisan county officials doing what they feel is their duty to ensure a result which is good for them and their beliefs. This Houston Chronicle article just highlights that someone in the glass-enclosed booth could do right by God and correct what they feel are the voter's mistakes.
Our election officials are elected in partisan elections and the parties often support the person most willing to serve the party, whatever it takes. This is a problem for both Democrats and Republicans. I do see more in the GOP slowly recognizing the danger. We also have some seeing the opportunity, like Florida Rep. Tom Feeney hiring a hacker to write a program to electronically steal votes.
The county did add security measures to the voting booth hardware for this last election. Unfortunately, the biggest problem continues to be we depend on the honesty of the county and state officials with their easily hacked and easy to get into vote tabulator software.
Meanwhile, self-described RightWingNuts pursue a partisan agenda of requiring VOTER PHOTO ID to stop non-existent massive voter fraud. The real reason this is pursued is that Democrats are more likely to not have proper photo ID, 91% of R's, and 83% of D's according to a large recent Indiana study. Many Republicans believe this urban legend partly as a result of the fake GOP funded American Center For Voting Rights which was linked to Karl Rove cronies.
Stop real voter fraud, secure the vote tabulators and stop pursuing grandmothers without driver's licenses and seniors and immigrants without birth certificates.
UPDATE - Charles has more and I add a comment about bypassing the voter software entirely. The integrity of the vote is solely up to the honesty and integrity of our partisan county officials.
Off the subject, my brother was right to be worried about the trend to not being able to appeal tickets. Harris County has a non-refundable charge to appeal the new photo red light tickets.
Why does the U.S. lead in medical technology?
Sorry Republicans, it appears to be due to the world's largest government medical research program. The American National Institutes of Health spends $28 billion on medical research, dwarfing every other program on the planet. Read more at Jonathan Cohn's excellent article.
With universal health care, under the proper plan we could cover everyone and even expand this research at much less money then we spend now. First good story out of TNR in years?
In other healthcare news the Mass. universal plan is working.
With universal health care, under the proper plan we could cover everyone and even expand this research at much less money then we spend now. First good story out of TNR in years?
In other healthcare news the Mass. universal plan is working.
For once, not a gay GOP sex scandal
Arrested for aggravated DUI and unsafe lane change, almost running into a police car, the recently defeated Congressman had an excuse, a 24-year-old woman's face buried in his lap.
Times Union:
Times Union:
On Monday, State Police issued a news release stating that Sweeney was driving northbound on I-87 about 1:19 a.m. Sunday when troopers stopped him for making an unsafe lane change. A trooper, noticing a "strong odor" of alcohol on the former congressman's breath, issued sobriety tests, which Sweeney failed.
His blood alcohol level registered at 0.18 percent -- over twice the legal limit of 0.08 -- causing him to be charged with aggravated DWI as well as the standard DWI charge. He was also ticketed for the lane change.
Sweeney, a one-time STOP-DWI coordinator for Rensselaer County, lost his seat last November to Democratic Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand amid allegations of spousal abuse.
Ugly Iowa Fake Poll Calls
For various reasons to me it looks like a GOP operation to collect info on what negatives work best and also sow dissension in Democratic voters. Seems targeted to Democratic caucus goers using the state voter list. This campaign has a long way to go and will get ugly. This is a shot of the ugly starting.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Conservatives - bad taste in TV too
It turns out there really are three kinds of Americans, Red, Blue and Purple and their entertainment choices are as different as their political choices.
Conservatives love Fox News, hate NBC and MTV. Surprisingly they also like the anti-authoritarian Fox network as well. Only two music genres get more conservative support than average - country and gospel. They hate the arts.
Liberals like to watch the news, even those with opinions they disagree with. They also like comedies. Liberals are most likely to like nearly all music. Most likely to hate reality shows.
The more you study this cluster analysis, the more you realize conservatives don't have broad tastes and generally wouldn't make good friends to hang out with if you are a liberal.
Conservatives love Fox News, hate NBC and MTV. Surprisingly they also like the anti-authoritarian Fox network as well. Only two music genres get more conservative support than average - country and gospel. They hate the arts.
Liberals like to watch the news, even those with opinions they disagree with. They also like comedies. Liberals are most likely to like nearly all music. Most likely to hate reality shows.
The more you study this cluster analysis, the more you realize conservatives don't have broad tastes and generally wouldn't make good friends to hang out with if you are a liberal.
The typology revealed three significant clusters of respondents: "conservatives," as we decided to call them, make up 37% of the national sample, while "liberals" comprise 39% and "moderates" 24%. The same respondents were asked about their entertainment preferences, including their consumption of the most highly-rated TV shows and networks; popular movies, sports, music, books, art and theater. We discovered that just as there are conservatives, liberals and moderates, there are people with red, blue and purple taste.
Another New Meme - Should Edwards or Obama Quit and Support the Other?
Jonathan Stein in Mother Jones makes the argument that Obama and Edwards are very close reform candidates drawing much the same people. After Iowa and/or New Hampshire should the lesser candidate withdraw in favor of the other? This argument is also starting to be made elsewhere aimed at Edwards.
By the rules of Democratic convention delegate allocation there is little incentive for a candidate to withdraw as long as a candidate is still getting 15% of the vote in many areas.
Edwards has an advantage of being the leading second choice candidate in states with caucuses. As candidates don't make the 15% threshold their supporters will migrate to Edwards.
I don't think you will see any major candidate withdrawals until after Iowa and then Biden, Dodd, and Gravel may withdraw. Kucinich will not withdraw. He is in it just to provide a more liberal alternative and move the party leftward. Richardson looks to be out of the race early.
If Edwards or Obama doesn't get 15% in New Hampshire then there is a good case to be made for a withdrawal.
Will that candidate endorse the other to stop Hillary? It is impossible to say right now. Hillary is immeasurably better for most Democrats than any Republican running. Will Edwards or Obama want to anger an incoming Democratic administration? Only if there is a realistic chance of stopping Hillary will a withdrawal and endorsement of another reform candidate occur.
By the rules of Democratic convention delegate allocation there is little incentive for a candidate to withdraw as long as a candidate is still getting 15% of the vote in many areas.
Edwards has an advantage of being the leading second choice candidate in states with caucuses. As candidates don't make the 15% threshold their supporters will migrate to Edwards.
I don't think you will see any major candidate withdrawals until after Iowa and then Biden, Dodd, and Gravel may withdraw. Kucinich will not withdraw. He is in it just to provide a more liberal alternative and move the party leftward. Richardson looks to be out of the race early.
If Edwards or Obama doesn't get 15% in New Hampshire then there is a good case to be made for a withdrawal.
Will that candidate endorse the other to stop Hillary? It is impossible to say right now. Hillary is immeasurably better for most Democrats than any Republican running. Will Edwards or Obama want to anger an incoming Democratic administration? Only if there is a realistic chance of stopping Hillary will a withdrawal and endorsement of another reform candidate occur.
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