Texas House backs Perry on Texas sovereignty

After an arduous two weeks for state lawmakers that witnessed a partisan battle over voter ID and a rural-versus-urban split over top 10 percent, legislators on Saturday addressed another controversial issue: reaffirming Texas’ sovereignty.

State Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, laid out his House Concurrent Resolution 50 that would reaffirm Texas’ sovereignty under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and would call upon Congress to “cease and desist” certain federal mandates.

The vote passed 99-36 with 11 members absent and four not voting.

Yippee. A bunch of boys had a temper tantrum.

Republican ambition blamed for current Texas Legislature results

In charging a lack of leadership, [Homeland Security Chairman John] Carona [R-Dallas] referred to Perry’s expected tough primary battle to keep his job against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, speculation that Dewhurst may run for U.S. Senate and the fact that GOP Speaker Joe Straus is a novice House leader.

“You can determine that perhaps that’s because the state’s top two leaders are considering their future political ambitions. You might consider that part of it is due to the fact we have a new speaker who has his own troubles,” Carona said. “The bottom line is you can’t lead 181 members without strong personalities and a set and significant agenda.”

He particularly said Perry has failed to lead on the transportation bill, saying the governor should have supported the local-option idea since money is running short to meet transportation needs.

What do you expect with the national Republican leadership decided suppressing the Democratic vote was the top priority?

Jason Embry of the Austin American Statesman describes what happened on the Democrats side in the voter id fight.

Texas reserves 25% of UT admissions for the rich and powerful

High-school students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class will no longer automatically get into the University of Texas at Austin under a bill the Texas Senate approved Saturday and sent to Gov. Rick Perry.

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This change would not mean a sizable shift from the current situation at UT Austin, where 81 percent of the freshmen enrolled this year were admitted under the top 10 percent rule.

The top 10% kids did better than others admitted and represented diverse geographical, ethnic and class backgrounds. What is the problem then? Not enough top tier slots for top tier college students. And, no discretion for the connected to get their kids into UT Austin with a phone call and a ...

The 3rd Wednesday in September is Dr. Garcia day

Dr. Hector P. Garcia is a civil rights icon.

Garcia created the American GI Forum in 1948 and fought for the rights of area Hispanics and veterans denied educational, medical and housing benefits. He also served as an adviser to three U.S. presidents and was the first Hispanic on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-Mission, and State Reps. Abel Herrero, D-Corpus Christi, Solomon Ortiz Jr., D-Corpus Christi, and Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, filed Senate and House bills to create the holiday.

Tejanos will be commemorated at the state capitol.

Gov. Rick Perry signed a House Bill Friday that allows placement for a Tejano monument in front of the capitol.

The monument is the first Hispanic statue ever at the Texas capitol.

Cornyn, Hutchison backpedaling on Sotomayor due to polling on Republican women?

Mydd has some interesting perspective on the reaction of Republican women to Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the US Supreme Court. Republican men come out -39 in a favorable/unfavorable percentage while Republican women are -9. That's a large gap. I wonder if John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison are dialing back their anti-Sotomayor because they've seen the polls, too?

How long will it take the Republican party to be consist of only old, rich, white, religious right Christian, men? The Republicans are really the party of identity politics. If you're not white, you're racist. If you're not practicing their form of religion, then your anti-Christian. Heaven forbid that anyone with experience as a poor female Latina reaches the US Supreme Court.

Baptist school officials sue over job losses

Both women claim the church pastor fired them because women should not work outside the home. What century is this guy living in? Oh, wait. Women have always worked outside of the home. Especially during the hunter/gatherer years.

A principal and a school administrator said they were fired from a Baptist school in Bastrop last year because the pastor didn't believe that women should work outside their homes, according to a lawsuit filed in Travis County.

Rebecca Mayes and Lynda Eichorst have sued the Faith Baptist Church and the Faith Baptist Academy School and are seeking an unspecified amount in damages. A deacon at the church, Earnest Salazar, denied the allegations this week, saying that Mayes and Eichorst were never fired.

Rick Perry says 'die, worker die'

That's what his veto of a bill meant to rectify a convoluted Texas Supreme Court ruling against workers seems to me.

Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, the author of the bill, said Perry had problems with provisions that addressed a controversial Supreme Court decision in a case involving Entergy Gulf States.

In that case, critics complained that the court seemed to cherry-pick state laws to find a way to give a property owner the same protections from an injured worker’s lawsuit that a contractor has compared with an employer. The worker, hired by a contractor, was injured in a plant owned by Entergy.

Texas A&M SA to raise tuition 6%

Why? Because Republicans hate public education.

San Antonio vying to be nation's top city. For crime.

Overall, crime in the Alamo City jumped 17 percent in 2008, while Dallas recorded a 10 percent drop and Houston saw its total crime fall 8 percent.

Here, property crimes accounted for most of the increase, with 10,000 more larceny thefts and about 2,200 more burglaries reported last year than in 2007. And one category of violent crime — aggravated assaults — rose by about 55 percent.

But fewer homicides and rapes were recorded, two categories generally considered the most violent and the best barometer of how dangerous a city truly is. Last year, 116 slayings were reported, down from 122 in 2007. And rape fell from 635 incidents to 424, according to the DPS statistics.

And so far this year, overall crime is down, said Police Chief William McManus, with the most recent figures indicating a 5 percent drop.

17%!!! Yikes!

Legislature lessens chance for election fraud

No, Voter ID wasn't passed. THAT has nothing to do with election fraud.

A bill lawmakers’ hope will stymie allegations of voter fraud in small border communities passed the Texas Legislature on Friday with little fanfare.

The quiet moment stood in stark contrast to the emotions carried by the champions of the bill, who drove to Austin from Hidalgo County in March to testify in support of the highly contentious voter ID bill.

SB 1402 by state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, allows voters in communities with no more than 150,000 inhabitants to petition their county elections office to run local elections.

Progreso activists asked for this ability as THEIR solution to ALL of the problems around recent elections.

Harris County DA wants treatment for DWI or drug use

Solving the problem instead of punishing. Hmmm.

The plan, referred to as pretrial diversion and scheduled to begin in August, was heartily endorsed by the county’s defense attorneys, supported by the sheriff deputies’ and the Houston police officers’ unions, but strongly opposed by the local chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.

“What we’re trying to do is prevent recidivism. So, it’s a carrot-stick approach,” Lykos said. “With respect to DWI, that’s an absolute plague in Harris County. If we can get first offenders, get them into treatment … and divert them so they don’t become repeat offenders, that’s going to have enormous dividends. And the same thing for first-time drug possession.”

Mauricio Celis indicted for perjury

Nueces County indictment on a perjury charge was thrown out for jurisdiction. Now Zapata County has indicted. Finally.

Celis had said in testimony during a civil trial in May 2007 in Zapata County that he had a law degree from a university in Mexico. Prosecutors say that is not true, and a Zapata County grand jury indicted Celis on Thursday on a charge of aggravated perjury.

Celis said under questioning from a Nueces County district judge this month that he does not have a degree.

Celis was convicted in Neuces County for representing himself as a lawyer and got probation.

Celis faces three more trials in Nueces County on charges of money laundering, theft and impersonating a peace officer.

Celis is politically connected with ties to Mikal Watts, a supporter of the new San Antonio Mayor, and ties to former police chief Larry Olivarez.

San Benito worker testified she was told to get an abortion.

[San Benito] City officials have found records of a settlement paid to a former employee who claims former City Manager Victor Treviño gave her money to "leave quietly" after he suggested she get an abortion to keep her job, an official said Thursday.

Officials were reviewing records to determine whether any wrongdoing surrounded the payment to former human resources Director Sylvia Padilla, Rene Coronado, the city's Civil Service director, said.

Wrongdoing? Who the baby's father is can't be as be a deal as demanding an abortion as a condition for continued employment.

San Benito police officer avoids DWI charge

Armando Posada was driving an unmarked police car when he was pulled over. He refused a breath test. What about video evidence and a blood test?

The commission ruled on Wednesday that the city must pay Officer Armando Posada about $5,000 after his DWI charge was dropped.

No proof of citizenship needed for a Texas driver's license

A proposed bill strongly decried by minority and civil rights advocates that would require applicants for new or renewed driver’s licenses to furnish proof of citizenship or residency died in the Texas House on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 1785 by state Sen. John Carona would have hindered the ability of legal residents, minorities and the elderly from receiving driver’s licenses or IDs, opponents allege.

The bill was knocked off the Local, Consent and Resolutions calendar after House Democrats used a “signature” rule to first move the bill to the end of the calendar. Five members who affirm with their signatures they oppose a bill may kick it back to the end of the calendar. If the bill is called up again and the signatures remain, the bill dies.

Whatever will the batsh*t crazy base do?

Windstorm insurance and no special session? Maybe so.

Hours after the Texas Senate approved key windstorm insurance reforms, Gov. Rick Perry expressed cautious optimism Thursday that lawmakers can avoid a special legislative session this summer.

"We've got time to get things done," Perry told reporters outside the Senate chamber. "We are working to get a solution."

In the wee hours Thursday, the Senate approved legislation that would restore Texas' depleted windstorm insurance fund. Perry has warned he could call an emergency special session if the reforms aren't enacted. The current session must end by law on June 1 but Perry can call an unlimited number of 30-day special sessions.

McLeroy loses bid to return as chief SBOE Christian warrior

Republicans either want public schools to indoctrinate children into their particular batsh*t crazy vision or be destroyed.

In a rare rejection of an appointment by the Texas governor, the Senate Thursday ousted Don McLeroy as chairman of the State Board of Education, with his supporters claiming the Bryan dentist was the victim of his strong religious beliefs.

McLeroy is a devout Christian who believes in creationism and the notion that the Earth is about 6,000 years old. He has steadfastly argued that Texas students should be taught the weaknesses of evolution.

Since Rick Perry has consistently gone for the batsh*t crazy vote, who will he nominate next? Pat Robertson? James Dobson?

Republicans punish Democrats by dropping CHIP extension

That is, indeed, a heavy price to pay. Is it worth it?

Lawmakers entered the endgame of the 81st Legislature Thursday still struggling to avoid a special session on windstorm insurance — while also trying in vain to salvage expansion of health care for low-income Texas children.

Gov. Rick Perry suggested Thursday that he might veto the Children’s Health Insurance Program bill, assuming it survived the legislative maze necessary to reach his desk. The bill would make available subsidized health insurance for an additional 80,000 Texas children by raising eligibility for CHIP to 300 percent of poverty, or a maximum income of $66,540 a year for a family of four.

“I would probably not be in favor of that expansion, even if it came to my desk. The members know that,” Perry said. “That’s not what I consider to be a piece of legislation that has the vast support of the people of Texas.”

Perry was going to veto it anyway. We can't ever forget that Perry is going for the batsh*t crazy vote. Garnet Coleman knew what the Republicans were doing.

So why was Coleman angry?

“When somebody sends over a package that explodes when you open it, I don’t think that’s a gift,” he said.

Dewhurst and other Senate leaders basked in one-day headlines saying they had saved the popular bill, but Coleman knew better. It was dead on arrival.

For more on the Senate's nasty bait and switch on Texas children's heath, check out the Burnt Orange Report.

Richard Raymond was 'punished' by the Senate.

The delay tactic worked as the voter ID bill never made it to the floor, but the Senate leadership, in what Raymond assumed was retaliation, gutted $5.5 million from a supplemental spending bill for a border security and intelligence center in Laredo. The Senate passed the voter ID bill weeks ago and Republicans sent a clear message early on they were intent getting the legislation through.

Who needs border security?

DHS' Alan Bersin met with El Paso civic leaders

Some community leaders were left with mixed feelings after a closed-door meeting with U.S. border czar Alan Bersin on Thursday afternoon during his visit to El Paso.

Bersin and other Department of Homeland Security officials met with more than 40 elected and religious leaders, academics, activists and other residents of the El Paso area during a "Border Policy Listening Session" at St. Pius X Catholic Church.

"This is unprecedented," said Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights, an immigrant advocacy group. "We haven't seen this much willingness from an administration to actually come to talk to border communities."

Many were disappointed that immigration reform was put on the back burner. Why is it that Obama thinks that people must wait until the batsh*t crazy crowd is ready to do the right thing?

Despite chubbing, Texas Legislature has the means to pass bills that they want

Texas lawmakers have until Monday to iron out a windstorm insurance compromise before the end of legislative session, which coincidentally is the start of hurricane season.

Without addressing windstorm coverage, lawmakers say the state is left vulnerable to potentially billions in hurricane recovery costs, with no funding mechanism.

The House adjourned Thursday without considering the measure. State Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, said he expects the issue to come up today.

The can add amendments to bills already teed up. If the bill is important and both sides agree, it's a deal. Of course, the Republicans thought Voter ID was the most important bill, because their power depends on suppressing Democratic voters.

Padilla says her signature was forged on San Benito firefighter's promotion

The three-member commission Wednesday appointed Commissioner Luis Gonzalez to investigate former Fire Chief Orlando Garcia's promotion of firefighter Rafael Perez to the position of driver.

Part of the investigation will likely focus on former Civil Service Director Sylvia Padilla's claim that her signature was forged.

Last week, Padilla shocked the community when she testified before the Civil Service Commission that former City Manager Victor Treviño paid her off after he suggested that she get an abortion to keep her job.

Somebody's completely nuts. Lets find out who or what it is.

Perry considering another dud appointment

he man thought to be the frontrunner for Texas' top health and human services job is already being criticized as lacking experience and failing to fully grasp key issues.

Gov. Rick Perry's office has said Austin lawyer Lowell Keig is being considered to replace Albert Hawkins, who is retiring later this year after six years on the job. Two other people — a Washington, D.C., neurosurgeon and a New York resident who was until recently a federal health official — are also being considered, according to documents obtained from the governor's office by the American-Statesman under the state's Public Information Act.

Lack of experience and the ability to fully grasp key issues is not a Republican requirement for office. Just ask George Bush. The big question is how can Lowell Keig help Rick Perry?

San Antonio city council candidate is more than $18K behind in taxes

City Council candidate Michael Berlanga, a certified public accountant and developer, owes more than $18,000 in past-due property taxes, including more than $2,300 from 2007, according to Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector records.

The delinquency was pointed out by Berlanga’s opponent in the June 13 runoff in District 8, Reed Williams, who said it was “inexcusable for a CPA and tax expert like Berlanga to be delinquent.”

“There is simply no logical explanation for it, except that there is a contradiction between the public record and my opponent’s claims about his record.”

Medicare costs almost 2 times as much in McAllen

A story in this month's New Yorker magazine reveals that McAllen is one of the most expensive health-care markets in the country, with Medicare spending an average of $15,000 per enrollee here - nearly twice the national average.

The article, penned by surgeon, writer and Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Atul Gawande, explores why Medicare costs per enrollee are so much higher here than almost anywhere else in the country.

Somebody may want to take a better look.

House grants disabled veterans homestead tax relief

Though a day later than anticipated, the House voted on Wednesday to finally grant disabled veterans property tax relief.

A senate amendment to a House bill authored by John Otto, R-Dayton, made the move possible after a bill authored for that specific purpose by state Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, D-Palmview, was an unintended victim of a partisan squabble over the sensitive voter ID bill.

CHIP expansion and windstorm insurance get new life in the senate

Time literally stood still (the Senate Sergeant at Arms pulled the plug on the Senate wall clock) as Senators quickly added amendments to existing bills.

The Senate late Wednesday rescued a bill to move 80,000 children from the ranks of the uninsured to a government-subsidized health insurance program.

Also Wednesday: Acting on a must-pass issue, the Senate stopped the clock in its chamber at midnight in order to revive a bill to restore the state's depleted windstorm insurance fund.

Fair is fair. The Republicans in the senate started the problem by changing their time honored 2/3 rule to force Voter ID on the Texas Legislature.

Inching towards the impeachment of the despicable Judge Kent

Kent admits using his position to sexually assault and otherwise demean the women who worked for him. The 5th circuit court of appeals investigated a complaint late in Kent's career and slapped his wrist with a 4 month paid vacay. Later the 5th circuit court of appeals moved him from Galveston to the Houston building where the woman who complained worked. Nice job, 5th circuit court. You should be proud.

Now what is the 5th circuit court of appeals saying?

The Judicial Council of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recommended Wednesday that impeachment proceedings begin against convicted U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent and rejected his claim to early retirement on disability.

Poor Kent. Poor 5th circuit court of appeals. One of their own got some jail time. Probably at club fed.

Norma Chávez doesn't like fellow El Paso rep Marisa Marquez

"She's never, never treated me with any kind of respect at all," Chávez said.

Is Norma sorry she helped defeat Paul Moreno? Sometimes you just have to grow up.

Petitioners miss deadline to recall Del Rio Mayor

Max Perales and Blanca Barragan were no-shows at City Hall Tuesday afternoon, making their petition to recall Del Rio Mayor Efrain Valdez null and void.

Former Jim Wells County DA spent drug funds on secretaries and Las Vegas trips

You gotta love them 'seminars'.

Jim Wells County is investigating how its former district attorney spent more than $4.2 million in drug forfeiture funds, thus far finding trips to casinos and hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra pay for three secretaries.

The former district attorney, Joe Frank Garza, says he did nothing wrong. He acknowledges using drug funds to pay the secretaries and says the casinos were the sites of seminars.

County officials complained throughout Garza’s 16 years in office that he refused to disclose how he spent drug funds, and current District Attorney Armando Barrera used it as a campaign issue to unseat Garza last year.

Was San Benito city employee told to get an abortion in order to keep her job?

Whaa? Pregnant women work nowadays. Don't they know that in San Benito?

Former city manager Victor Treviño said Tuesday that city commissioners approved a settlement in 2007 to a former city employee who claims she was paid off because she was pregnant.

Former human resources director Sylvia Padilla testified last week that Treviño gave her $13,000 to $15,000 so that she would "leave quietly" after she refused his suggestion that she undergo an abortion in order to keep her job.

City Commissioner Victor Garza said commissioners agreed on the settlement, but Commissioner Celeste Sanchez strongly denied approving any settlement for Padilla.

Who are these people?

Texans to vote on a Valley VA hospital

Will Texans do the right thing and support our troops?

A constitutional amendment resolution authored by state Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, passed the House some weeks ago. On Monday, state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, successfully steered the same resolution through the Senate.

“Right now the state does not have the authority to appropriate money for the construction of a veterans’ hospital. This constitutional amendment will change that,” Hinojosa said.

Both Texas senators on the line for Sotomayor's confirmation

We've discussed Hutchison's dilemma in her race for the Texas Republican nomination for governor. Appease the batsh*t crazy crowd and alienate Texas Hispanics or vote to confirm the first Latina Supreme Court nominee. Since Hutchison voted against her before, I suspect she'll do it again. Batsh*ts come first for Republicans.

Cornyn has to balance the Republican party comeback with the calls from the batsh*t crazy base to vilify Sonia Sotomayor.

Reflecting a wider dilemma for Senate Republicans, Texas Sen. John Cornyn on Tuesday tried walking a political tightrope to challenge a Supreme Court nominee put forward by a Democratic president without alienating Hispanic voters who could be key to a Republican comeback.

Cornyn, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee and leads Senate GOP campaign efforts in 2010, seized a prominent role in Republican preparations to carefully question federal appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

The batsh*t crazies already control the party. I expect racism and sexism to run rampant.

League City fires city attorney associated with developer

League City council members ousted the city’s attorney Dick Gregg Jr. in a split vote Tuesday night.

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Gregg has been criticized for representing controversial developer Nick Scotto in a deal to acquire the Glen Cove Park neighborhood bridge from League City before he represented League City.

The city’s decision to give the bridge to Scotto’s company, MB Harbour Ltd., is now the center of a lawsuit against the city by the neighborhood residents. Gregg does not represent the city in the lawsuit.

Voter ID, a special session and the governor's race

Will a special session help Perry's race to be re-elected? If yes, then yes.

A measure that would require voters to show photo identification succumbed Tuesday to a Democratic talking-to-death in the Texas House on the fifth day of incessant delays that also invited the specter of special legislative session.

Perry's got Kay Bailey on his left, but now he has Leo Berman on his far, far right. The batsh*t crazy crowd Perry has been appealing to may rally around Berman and his 'we've got to get the Mexicans out of America' cries.

"They haven't (addressed illegal immigration) up until now," [Berman] said. "I think they are so concerned that it is such a hot-button topic that they won't do it period. I will. I will enforce the laws of the state of Texas as governor."

Berman said though he will work toward addressing illegal immigration, he will not be a "one- issue candidate." He said he will run on a conservative platform and, if elected governor, will "move the Republican Party back to its winning ways on the right."

Speaking of Kay Bailey. She is signaling another vote against Sonia Sotomayor. I don't think a no vote on the first Latina Supreme Court nominee will fly with Hispanics in Texas. Sotomayor's credentials are impeccable. Yet a no vote is the minimum entry fee for the Texas batsh*t crazy crowd. Oh, what is a Republican to do? Appeal to the batsh*t crazies.

Why doesn't the new Corpus Christi City Council know that giving contracts to your relatives is wrong?

Isn't that obvious?

The city’s ethics commission will spend two months reviewing the new ordinance banning City Council members and senior city staff from self-dealing or awarding contracts to their relatives.

The City Council decided to suspend the rule, which was passed two weeks ago by the previous council, after members of the ethics commission asked for a chance to evaluate the change.

More Kemp's ridley turtle nests

Now up to 140 nests found.

Valley Medical school ready for Perry's signature

Senate Bill 98 has passed both houses of the Texas Legislature paving the way for expansion of the Regional Academic Health Center into a full-fledged medical school here.

Mayor Chris Boswell made the announcement Tuesday when he told the Development Corporation of Harlingen Inc.'s board that the bill to expand the RAHC into a medical school in Cameron County awaits the governor's signature.

Kay Bailey Hutchison voted against Sotomayor in 1998

Will she continue to follow the current Republican talking points that a woman or a Hispanic is too dumb and illiterate to be a Supreme Court justice? Will she oppose Sotomayor just because Obama picked her? Or, both?

Harris County court appointed attorneys overworked

The GOP will like that. Lower costs and less justice for death penalty defendants.

In all, 10 of 32 Harris County lawyers approved by judges to represent clients facing life or death sentences regularly exceeded the recommended limit of 150 felony clients per year — a standard established in 1973 and adopted by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, the Houston Chronicle found. The lawyers, each assigned anywhere from one to 10 capital cases, simultaneously juggled 160 to 360 other felony clients each year, according to an analysis of official district court appointments from 2004-2009.

Stephen Bright, an expert in capital case representation who has taught at Yale and Harvard law schools and reviewed the Chronicle’s findings, said death penalty lawyers have no business handling nearly 400 clients in one year. “That’s way too many cases and would not leave time for any other cases, particularly capital cases.”

We will have first Hispanic female on the Supreme Court!

Okay. She does have to get confirmed. How hard can that be.

President Barack Obama tapped federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court on Tuesday, officials said, making her the first Hispanic in history picked to wear the robes of a justice.

So, why did Obama want to suck the life out of the Prop 8 debate? Just asking.

Update: Republican oppo says a woman or a Hispanic would be too dumb and lightweight to be a Supreme Court justice. Like women and Hispanics don't dislike Republicans enough.

Texas GOP uses PR machine on Voter ID fight in legislature

[Democratic leader Jim] Dunnam said Republicans have a p.r. consultant in their caucus meetings and are spinning false stories of Democratic caucus disunity. While he conceded that "we're a very diverse group," with disagreements over tactics and message strategy, he said "no one disagrees on the merits" -- that the voter ID bill is "an effort to suppress legal voting" and should be scuttled.

The GOP hasn't been reality based since Ronald Reagan.

Meanwhile, a frustrated Joe Straus called Democrats obstructionists.

House Democratic Minority Leader Jim Dunnam is beating back the Straus "obstructionist" claim. He argues that the backlog is not because of the D's recent weekend slowdown, but because of a general slowness in getting to bills all session long.

What does the PR machine have to say? Apparently, some bull hockie about Democrats supporting Voter ID in 1997: When the voter isn't on the voter rolls. AND, the voter doesn't have a voter card. So, not on the rolls and no voter card DOES NOT EQUAL ON THE ROLLS WITH A VOTER CARD. Just saying.

What about the other bills behind voter id?

Even though the deadline is approaching, at the end of the day, we'll find a way to get together to vote on these things to come forward," said Rep. Allen Vaught, a Dallas Democrat who has not participated in his party's stall tactics. "We'll do it for what's important."

By the way. Democrats are fighting hard because the Voter ID solves only one problem: keeping some Democrats away from the polls. The only election integrity problems that are widespread deal with electronic voting machines. The Republicans HAVE DONE NOTHING about them.

Someone on the right tells the truth about being against gay marriage

What do anti-choice, anti-gay marriage and anti-birth control fanatics have in common? They all want to enhance and preserve their ideas about women's place in marriage and in society. If Adam and Steve can marry, then who washes the dishes and fetches the beer?

Finally, a trogildate fesses up.

Consider four of the most profound effects of marriage within the kinship system.

The first is the most important: It is that marriage is concerned above all with female sexuality. The very existence of kinship depends on the protection of females from rape, degradation, and concubinage. This is why marriage between men and women has been necessary in virtually every society ever known. Marriage, whatever its particular manifestation in a particular culture or epoch, is essentially about who may and who may not have sexual access to a woman when she becomes an adult, and is also about how her adulthood--and sexual accessibility--is defined.

Again, until quite recently, the woman herself had little or nothing to say about this, while her parents and the community to which they answered had total control. The guardians of a female child or young woman had a duty to protect her virginity until the time came when marriage was permitted or, more frequently, insisted upon. This may seem a grim thing for the young woman--if you think of how the teenaged Natalie Wood was not permitted to go too far with Warren Beatty in Splendor in the Grass. But the duty of virginity can seem like a privilege, even a luxury, if you contrast it with the fate of child-prostitutes in brothels around the world. No wonder that weddings tend to be regarded as religious ceremonies in almost every culture: They celebrate the completion of a difficult task for the community as a whole.

This most profound aspect of marriage--protecting and controlling the sexuality of the child-bearing sex--is its only true reason for being, and it has no equivalent in same-sex marriage. Virginity until marriage, arranged marriages, the special status of the sexuality of one partner but not the other (and her protection from the other sex)--these motivating forces for marriage do not apply to same-sex lovers.

This guy would love the Texas Mormon sect that forced little girls to marry old men.

Republicans wanted Voter ID to be the most important issue of the session

They got their wish. You knew that they would.

For now, the driving force of the session is the voter ID legislation, which would require voters to present a photo ID or two documents indicating their identity before voting. House Democrats used a stalling tactic — "chubbing," or talking at length about noncontroversial bills —to delay consideration of the voter ID bill all weekend and appear poised to stall until a crucial deadline at midnight Tuesday, in effect, killing the bill.

The key question for bills that have not yet passed the House is whether they are scheduled for debate before or after the voter ID measure. If voter ID is killed, everything after it is likely to die also.

Some of those measures can be saved in the Senate, but there is no guarantee that will work.

The legislation on the House agenda after voter ID includes a wide-ranging air quality measure that bolsters incentives for clean-air technologies and expands appliance standards to make them more energy efficient.

Republicans made Voter ID an issue for their pliant base just by declaring it so. There is no documented problem with voter impersonation in Texas that requires big dollars and big focus to fix. Electronic voting machines have documented problems, but Republicans don't really care about election integrity. Republicans care about suppressing the Democratic vote. So much so, that nothing else this session matters.

44% of Texans went without health insurance

A report released by Families USA found 44 percent of Texans did not have health insurance, many for six months or more, in 2007 and 2008, said Ron Pollack, the group's executive director.

Of the 9.3 million Texans affected, 82.6 percent were in working families, Pollack said.

Working people can't afford health insurance. The US pays more for insurance and gets less. Check out the chart breaking out public spending and private spending for health care by country. The US pays up to 5.5 times as much as other developed countries.

That cr*p about single payer or public heath insurance will ration heath care is a joke. The 44% aren't laughing.

Poor, poor Perry

Republican women and Republican legislators don't like him.

Perhaps state lawmakers are fatigued by Gov. Rick Perry’s long tenure or maybe they’re just balking at his leadership, but the Republican-led Legislature this year has turned its back repeatedly on the governor’s decisions and policy positions.

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Perry’s staff also had to spend part of the week distancing him from his chief campaign consultant, who told the Dallas newspaper that expanding the GOP philosophical base is like opening a “whorehouse.” Several prominent Republican women denounced the statement in a letter to Perry as “in keeping with how you’ve governed — through division and an appeal to fear.”’

Whaa? Division and an appeal to fear. Aren't those the basics for Republicans? What are you complaining about?

League City attorney, associated with developer, may be replaced

League City Attorney Dick Gregg Jr.’s days with the city could be numbered.

...

Gregg was later criticized for representing controversial developer Nick Scotto in a deal to acquire the Glen Cove Park neighborhood bridge from League City before he represented League City.

Sounds like a great idea.

Another memorial day

More troops lost, injured and worn out in service to their country. More families stretched. More families broken. Your sacrifices are noted today and respected always.

It's Monday! Time for the TPA blogger roundup.

It's a special Memorial Day edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance weekly blog roundup. Here are the highlights:

WhosPlayin only had Random Thoughts this week, but guest blogger Calvin Tillman - mayor of Dish, TX - weighed in with his thoughts on the Stacked Deck being dealt by the Texas Railroad Commission and their bias towards the interests of the oil and gas companies.

At Left of College Station, Teddy reports on the recent increase in violence, the withdrawal of troops, and the possibility of what could happen in the war that has vanished from public debate: the fading war in Iraq.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme says the Voter ID debacle demonstrates the differences between Republicans and Democrats.

Off the Kuff takes a look at a battle between cities and some legislators over red light cameras.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the great job our Democratic state representative in HD-52 is doing this session in, Diana Maldonado’s legislation.

TXsharon asked you to help Close the Halliburton Loophole and it looks like it's working, but don't let up on the pressure yet. From Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS

New TPA member blog Castle Hills Democrats ran a satire piece by the blogger's good friend Melinda, poking fun at those who say they're Tired of Big Government.

Neil at Texas Liberal has been accepted as a member of the Academy of Political Science. Also, Neil finds that Houston's District H Council special election makes him ill.

This week, the Republican's sent out an email asking people to fight... for toll roads. McBlogger, predictably, thought their arguments were pretty weak.

Rick Carney, Gov. Suckseed's political consultant, likened efforts to broaden the appeal of the Texas Republican Party "becoming a whorehouse", and for some reason several of Kay Bailey's female supporters took offense. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs pops the corn and documents the atrocity.

Over at TexasKaos, TxSharon begs Congress to Close the Halliburton Loophole. She explains that the drilling industry is the only industry allowed to pump toxics into our water sources without special permission! Read the rest!

What the current Voter ID stand off shows us about Republicans and Democrats

National Republican leaders came up with the Voter ID concept to suppress some of the Democratic vote. The Republicans from the top down embraced Voter ID. The base ate it up - racist, elitist and a good 'us versus them fight'. What's not to like?

Tom Craddick style Republican leadership prevailed in the Senate where Republicans decided Voter ID was the most important piece of legislation this cycle. Regular rules were suspended in order to promote Voter ID in the senate.

Now, on to the House where Joe Straus presides over a 75-74 House. Joe overthrew King Craddick by promising to lead in a reasonable way, i.e. not the Republican preferred, top down, autocratic, Craddick style.

"I've been asked about exerting leadership," Straus told The Dallas Morning News on Saturday, pointing to what he called the "razor thin" partisan divide in the House. "The most important thing I can do is be a facilitator and keep people talking about something that is pretty much intractable."

Facilitator? Way to go, Joe! But, that's not the Republican way.

Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, said that while the speaker has met with Democrats and they have offered compromises, he seems to be unable to deliver the GOP.

"There seems to be a consensus, and the leadership have arrived at a win-win conclusion, but when the respective caucuses meet among themselves, the net result is always a hard-line Republican response," Martinez Fischer said. "That's not characteristic of Speaker Straus. So I have to question who's running the Republican caucus."

As for the Democrats, they're standing tall, forcing a show down. If Republicans really want Voter ID to be the most important piece of legislation this cycle, then it is.

Why did Republicans kill bill to benefit disabled veterans?

Because Republicans say they support the troops while stabbing them in the back. Apparently, House Republicans don't want disabled veterans to have property tax breaks. Nice.

“Getting back to my question, are these 49 names keeping me from coming to this House floor with (HB) 469?” [Rep. Kino] Flores asked.

“At this time, yes,” [Speaker Pro Tem Craig] Eiland said.

After the exchange, Flores provided a copy of the petition with the names of the Republicans blocking his legislation from being heard to a reporter. At least three of the Republicans who signed it are veterans – Reps. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, and Carl Isett, R-Lubbock.

[John A. Miterko, legislative liaison for the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations] said he was taking note of which House members refused to allow SB 469 from being heard. He said that when he writes his report card at the end of the session, he would be reminding veterans about the antics on the House floor. Asked if lawmakers should be concerned, Miterko said they should indeed.

Democrats tried to get the bill heard last night.

Property rights will kill Houston's light rail program

Legislation working its way through the Capitol could curb the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s ability to take property for its planned light rail lines, potentially imperiling the plan, agency officials say.

The proposal, which still faces an uphill battle in the final days of the legislative session, was quietly attached last week to a loosely related bill by House lawmakers.

“It effectively kills the light rail program,” said George Smalley, Metro’s vice president for communications and marketing.

The new restrictions, if enacted, would limit the agency’s eminent domain authority, needed to buy property for the rail lines, if a route differs from the 2003 referendum that authorized the light rail program.

120 Kemp's ridley turtle nests!

12 new nests were just found.

Public corruption exposed in Waller County

[Hempstead alderman Paris Kincaid Jr. and Hempstead’s mayor pro-tem Larry W. Wilson Sr.] have since been forced to resign after pleading guilty to soliciting kickbacks in exchange for city contracts and will be sentenced this summer. Their meetings and conversations with the contractor, who was working undercover for the FBI, are documented in surveillance recordings and court records. The two will join the former Brookshire mayor and public works director from the opposite end of Waller County — Keith Woods and Henry Cheney — who were arrested last year and are already serving time in federal prisons for the same crime.

These cases hint of a systemic problem in Waller County that has been the target of an ongoing FBI probe that began four years ago.

Michael McCaul is fundraising with Rush Limbaugh

Yup. Just got my very own invitation. Ole Rushbo is the star of the Republican party.

I didn't see the event on his website, though I saw this:

Congressman McCaul Reaffirms Support for More Stimuli, Less Spending

Whaa? Republican logic.

League City Mayor's road rage incident gets weirder

Who followed who into the Discount Tire parking lot? Was there a racial slur? At least they agree that the driver of the car pushed the Mayor and hit another car on the way out of the parking lot.

Activist Quanell X is calling on federal and state law enforcement agencies to investigate the alleged road rage assault of League City Mayor Toni Randall in Clear Lake Shores on Wednesday.

Police charged an African-American high school student with trying to force Randall off the road on her scooter and then shoving her to the ground when they confronted each other in a parking lot.

Quanell said that he is now advising Denshay Benson, 17, and his mother, who claim the mayor forced the confrontation by braking abruptly in front of him, following him into the parking lot, shouting racial slurs at him and pouring a drink on him.

Texas must hire 1K more workers for state schools

Texas must improve living conditions and medical care and more quickly investigate claims of abuse at the state’s large institutions for the developmentally disabled, under a five-year settlement with the U.S. Justice Department.

Details of the $112-million settlement — which will require hiring more than 1,000 new care workers — were given Friday to lawmakers, who must still approve the deal negotiated by state and federal officials.

Should the undocumented fill out census forms?

Some say no. Punish the state and local governments.

The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, a national evangelical organization of which [Rev. Ben] Piña is an officer, launched its call for a boycott of the 2010 census in April, hoping to put immigration reform back on Congress' front burner.

Local and state governments nationwide hope census data collected next year will show that they have more people and therefore need more federal money. But coalition leaders said holding that money hostage by eschewing the survey forms may be illegal immigrants' only way to pressure the U.S. government for a route to legal residency.

Sure. Cut off your nose to spit your face.

Want proof that Republicans hate public education?

Look who they want to continue running the State Board of Education.

Just what are State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy's chances for winning re-nomination next week by the full Senate? He was already resurrected by committee in a party line vote on Wednesday. Now he needs two-thirds of the Senate to approve him to keep his job as chairman of the controversial SBOE.backed teaching "weaknesses" of evolution.

How did his nomination get resurrected?

It could have been highly effective lobbying of a few groups influential with Republicans.

Well, a possibility comes to mind when one considers McLeroy's senator is: Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, chair of the all-powerful finance committee that holds the purse strings for many of the senators' projects.

According to Republicans, Texas is a Christian nation whose official religion matches Don McLeroy's.

The 10% rule is a great idea

Instead of changing it to 8%, why not increase the number of top tier slots? The top 10% kids have proven that they deserve top tier slots. Why would anyone want to deny them that? Republicans who are elitists. Administrators who want power.

More on the legislative debate here.

Legislature funds to reopen McAllen cancer clinic

A cancer clinic in McAllen that was closed last December due, indirectly, to the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike is to reopen, lawmakers have announced.

State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and state Rep. Veronica Gonzales said Thursday that they had secured $1 million in the new state budget for the Cancer Stop/Dysplasia Clinic. It will be housed at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance.

Hinojosa also that he had secured $1 million for a bio-security program for McAllen to be administered by Texas A&M. The McAllen Democrat is a member of a House-Senate conference committee that finalized the $183 billion 2010-2011 budget.

Do gun rights activists think drug cartels should have guns?

Just wondering.

Attorney General Greg Abbott said the legislation, passed last week by the state Senate, is intended to prevent drug cartels from obtaining weapons that have fueled recent violence and instability in Mexico.

...

The bill, co-authored by state Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Antonio, would create a “firearm smuggling” offense, which, in cases involving several guns, could be punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Gun smuggling is already a Federal crime.

Protestors march on La Marque police station

About 60 people marched on the La Marque police station and city hall Thursday afternoon protesting the police department’s handling of a case involving a man who died after getting into a fight with police and shocked with a Taser gun.

Jamaal Valentine died Sunday night after the incident in which three La Marque police officers tried to arrest him after people reporting him walking down the middle of main street and rolling in the grass on the side of the road. One of those eye witnesses said that he called police asking for medical help for Valentine who claimed he thought he was having a heart attack.

Celis may still be in trouble

The Nueces County District Attorney’s Office is considering refiling a perjury charge against former law firm operator Mauricio Celis after Celis said during a sentencing hearing Monday he does not have a college degree.

Celis had said in testimony during a civil trial in May 2007 in Zapata County that he had a degree from a university in Mexico. A Nueces County grand jury indicted Celis on an aggravated perjury charge based on that statement. The charge was thrown out in April 2008 because a judge decided it should be filed in Zapata County.

Go for it. The Bañales decision to take over and let Celis skate stinks in more ways than one.

Rick Perry's threat of a special session moves windstorm bill along

This does NOT sound good.

Both inland and coastal lawmakers expressed concerns about the bill they voted on, but said they needed to get something to a House/Senate conference committee if there is any hope of reaching a compromise to avoid a special session.

Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, complained that he was being forced to vote on a 51-page bill that he had not read. He said the House has had the entire session to work on a compromise and now was being presented a “false choice” of voting on an unseen bill or having it die in the Legislature’s closing crunch.

“The House is on fire! Let’s vote it out,” Martinez Fischer said.

More here.

Texas agrees to improve Texas State Schools

The state has reached an agreement with the U.S. Justice Department to improve conditions inside Texas' state schools for the mentally disabled.

Under the agreement, approved Wednesday by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Texas must spend $112 million more over five years to improve standards of care, increase monitoring and oversight, and enhance staffing ratios at the facilities.

Republican women object to Perry's guy using whorehouse metaphor

Was Kay Bailey Hutchison the pimp in Carney's metaphor?

A comment by a strategist for Gov. Rick Perry that the Republican Party shouldn't open itself like "a whorehouse" to new voters has infuriated prominent GOP women in Texas and given Perry's primary rival, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, fuel for the election fight.

Perry is trying to distance himself from the remark by consultant David Carney, which was published in The Dallas Morning News, but as Texas Republicans split between the governor's social conservative camp and Hutchison's more moderate one before the March 2010 primary, the damage was done.

Santa Rosa has its first female mayor

A packed City Hall with standing room only was the setting Wednesday evening as America Gonzales became the first woman to be sworn in as mayor of Santa Rosa.

However, outgoing Mayor Ruben Ochoa, who headed the city on and off for 28 years beginning in 1975, said he is still considering contesting the election results, which show he lost to Gonzales by only two votes.

Steve Tyler to appeal dismissal of his petty a** charge against police chief

"Case law doesn't give [Judge Stephen Williams] the authority to dismiss the way he did," [Victoria DA Steve] Tyler said Wednesday. He gave notice of his appeal Tuesday.

Blah, blah. Steve Tyler appears to be continuing a very, very long temper tantrum. Apparently, Tyler didn't like other people questioning his investigation of his buddy.

Michael Ratcliff plead guilty to charges associated with sexually assaulting a boy in his custody. Steve Tyler had already hired his good buddy, Ratcliff, to be his assistant in the DA's office. What did he do about the investigation into Ratcliff? Not enough, because Victoria city officials, including the police chief talked to the press to get justice. What did Tyler do about that? Indicted them all and subpoenaed everyone. Including the newspaper.

See previous posts.

Why not increase the number of border agents instead of deploying the National Guard?

National Guard troops could be returning to the border, this time in an expanded role that includes "riding shotgun for Border Patrol," if the U.S. House has its way.

"If we give them a little more training on this, I think we can do some more, have them play a more active role in law enforcement," said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo.

"That's what I'm looking at."

Not everyone agrees with that plan.

"We've always taken the stand that the National Guard should not be called in," said LULAC National President Rosa Rosales.

The military should NOT be involved in ongoing domestic law enforcement.

Progreso City Manager arrested for DWI

Progreso is a happening place. And, not in a good way.

Alfredo Espinosa was smacked with a one-two punch late Tuesday night.

Investigators with the Hidalgo County District Attorney's Office said they caught up with the Progreso city manager as he rolled through a stop sign in a city-owned Chevrolet Tahoe SUV about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The district attorney's investigators were seeking Espinosa to serve a grand jury subpoena related to an ongoing municipal election corruption probe.

Espinosa has a previous DWI conviction. Hidalgo DA, Rene Guerra expects indictments from the election fraud investigations. The witnesses are making it difficult.

"We've been having problems during the day," [ Hidalgo County district attorney's investigator Jorge] Salazar said. "As soon as we serve the first [subpoena], word gets around and everybody hides."

Progreso is a happening place. See previous posts.

League City Mayor in road rage incident

Mayor Toni Randall was attacked Wednesday by a motorist who she said forced her off the road on her motor scooter in Clear Lake Shores and punched her.

More here.

In the parking lot, the motorist argued with Randall and pushed her in the back, then fled the scene and hit a parked car while doing so.

A witness called police, and the motorist's full license plate was given to police.

Border officials argue Feds, not locals, should police immigration laws

Local law enforcement agencies, such as the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, should not be required to enforce immigration laws, because doing so would hurt their ability to solve murders, rapes and burglaries, elected border officials said Wednesday.

At a U.S. Senate hearing on border security in Washington, El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles and Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster urged senators not to rely on police and sheriff's departments to help federal agents enforce immigration laws.

Houston's police chief agrees.

“Immigration enforcement by local police is counterproductive to community policing efforts. It undermines the trust and cooperation of immigrant communities, could lead to charges of racial profiling, and increases our response time to urgent calls for service,” [Houston Police Chief Harold] Hurtt said during a Capitol Hill press event in Washington.

Obama's leadership AWOL on that d*mn fence!

Certainly our new president is way better than the disaster that preceded him. That said, Obama could do much better.

"Dear Mr. President."

Thus begins a letter to President Barack Obama that residents in Brownsville and along the U.S.-Mexico border opposed to a border fence are signing. They are seeking his intervention, "having been rebuked by a range of officials in your Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security."

"We write you as our last hope," states the letter to Obama, which reminds him of unfulfilled promises of added manpower and technology as alternatives to a fence.

Texas Republicans want SBOE to be a laughingstock

How else do you explain McLeroy's nomination for Chair of the State Board of Education passing out of the Senate Committee?

Republican Don McLeroy's nomination as chairman of the State Board of Education was revived Wednesday when a Senate committee finally voted to recommend him to the full Senate.

Here's one view of McLeroy's role.

Critical thinking is gobbledy-gook. Public education is tyrannical and unconstitutional. Darwin was wrong and somebody’s gotta stand up to those menacing scientific experts!

If you agree or at least feel comfortable with the above statements that have come from various Texas State Board of Education members in the past year, then fear not.

The Texas Legislature apparently has your back, and that of the far-right voting bloc of the SBOE as well.

For the rest of us foolish enough to value critical thinking skills, public education, Darwin’s limitless contributions to science, and the opinions of educators, scientists and other people who have spent their lives accumulating invaluable expertise that can only make our schools better, be afraid. Be very afraid.

More here, here and here.

Joe Barton wins 'stupidest Republican official' award

That's just for today. The competition is way to steep to give away the ultimate championship.

They call him Smokey Joe for his relentless and energetic defense of the "right to pollute". Today, Congressman Joe Barton had himself quite the day. It's not everyday one earns a profile in the Economist albeit that this profile is filed under heading of Profiles in Stupidity.

With Rick Perry, Pete Sessions, and Joe Barton, Republicans should be soooo proud.

Texas legislators continue to diss Perry

Lawmakers are whacking many of Gov. Rick Perry's priorities in the budget. And they haven't quite turned cartwheels for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, either.

In a two-year spending blueprint that House and Senate budget negotiators are close to finishing, many Perry priorities such as the deal-closing Texas Enterprise Fund and a border security effort with South Texas sheriffs are being cut.

...

Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, the chief House budget writer, said the Republican governor has bypassed the House in favor of dealing with senators.

"The governor has never asked us for anything," Pitts said, expressing amazement. "I've been chairman of Appropriations since February, and the governor's office has not come to see me. They're contacting the Senate, which is the first time that's ever happened. ... You know, there's two chambers here."

I thought maybe Republicans in the legislature were spurning the batsh*t crazy wind of the party. Apparently, they're just pouting. Newt Gingrich anyone?

Rio Hondo city commissioner misses oath of office

City Commissioner-elect Richard Gonzales did not show up to take the oath of office Tuesday night after a city official warned a felony conviction disqualified him for serving on the commission, he said.

"It's in limbo right now," outgoing Mayor Santiago Saldaña said, referring to whether Gonzales will take office.

Gonzales said he will seek legal advice today to decide whether to go ahead with the oath.

Couldn't they have figured this out before the election? And, by they I mean Gonzales and the city attorney.

Bye bye to Aransas Pass city manager

Aransas Pass City Council fired City Manager Kandi Hubert after less than a year on the job, the mayor said.

The council voted 3-to-1 Monday night to terminate Hubert, 62, who had been city manager for six months, Mayor Tommy Knight said.

...

During a public evaluation of Hubert’s first 180 days, some city council members said they didn’t like the way Hubert treated staff. There also were concerns with spending, including creating a janitorial department at the city, Councilwoman Vicki Abrego said.

Here's a tip to potential city manager candidates, Aransas Pass has been through 4 city managers in 4 years.

There should be NO religious broadcasting on PBS

Apparently, some PBS stations do carry religious broadcasting even though it is against the rules. What to do? Don't change the rules!

The PBS board will vote June 16 on how to interpret 1985 rules that promise to strip the network's affiliation from any station that does not limit itself to noncommercial, non-partisan and non-sectarian programming.

The Rio Grande Valley's PBS affiliate, KMBH TV-60, features several hours of religious programming every week. Under proposed plans for the digital transition, KMBH will have four stations and shift all religious programs and more to a station that is separate from PBS programming.

Whether that shift will be enough to satisfy the network is unclear at this point.

Rio Hondo city commissioner elect ruled ineligible to take his seat

City Commissioner-elect Richard Gonzales has a felony conviction that will disqualify him from taking the oath of office today, City Attorney Jan Cassidy said Monday.

Gonzales, a one-time police officer who ran unopposed for the commission's Place 2 seat in the May 9 election, was convicted of theft in 1990, when he was sentenced to 10 years' probation, Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos said in a written statement.

Cassidy said state law disqualifies convicted felons from serving on the City Commission.

Santa Rosa mayor loses election, but won't leave

Ruben Ochoa, mayor for 28 years, lost his re-election bid by 214 to 212 votes after the votes were recounted.

[America] Gonzales will take the mayor's oath at 7 p.m. Wednesday at a special meeting where the city election results will be canvassed.

But Ochoa said Monday that he intends to preside over the meeting, and added he is considering contesting the election.

After 7PM he won't be mayor.

Texas House says veteran legal immigrants entitled to tuition

Legal immigrants who served in the U.S. military would be exempted from paying tuition and fees at public universities under a bill the Texas House tentatively approved Monday.

"We do place a value on the service of individuals," said state Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, a sponsor of the measure, which passed on a vote of 81-50.

Celis gets no jail time

District Judge Manuel Bañales sentenced former law firm operator Mauricio Celis to 10 years probation with no jail time and took him off house arrest at a hearing Monday morning.

Bañales’ decision lessened the terms set in an earlier ruling. In March, visiting Judge Mark Luitjen outlined a sentence for Celis of 10 years probation with one year in jail and restitution, expected to be more than $1 million, as conditions of probation. Bañales removed Luitjen from the case Friday. Luitjen’s sentencing order hadn’t been signed, so the sentence was never official.

State officials minimized fights at Corpus Christi state school

State officials have said the Corpus Christi fight club abuse was isolated – that it was perpetuated by a handful of bad apples who worked on undersupervised night shifts.

But a Dallas Morning News review of state termination records shows at least 40 Corpus Christi State School employees were fired or forced to resign for abusing or neglecting residents in the last four years – most of them for incidents that occurred during day shifts. Twenty-two more were suspended without pay for their offenses.

The revelations are the latest in a string of problems at the state schools stretching back years and prompting a federal investigation.

Liar. Liar. Pants on fire.

It's TPA blogger time!

It’s Monday, and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance’s weekly round-up.

At Bluedaze, TXsharon asks: What are the chances that an industry in charge of conducting its own testing to determine waste disposal methods will find toxin levels too high if that means disposal of the waste will be more costly? Landfarms: Spreading Toxic Drilling Waste on Farmland. With VIDEO.

BossKitty at TruthHugger sees lessons never learned … it is NOT about religion, ya’ll! How does it fit that US Military crusader evangelists want to save these souls right before we blow them away. How can we justify putting Mulims on death row, by their own people, just because we convinced them to become APOSTATES?! General Order Number One, Forbid Proselytizing – Evangelists Cannot Protect Murtads – Wars fought using 12th century religious mentality means that civilization has made two steps backwards!

Mean Rachel is reminded on Mother’s Day of children, the lack thereof and why The Pill should be available over the counter.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to know how can Rick Perry brag about how well Texas is doing when over 22% of our children face hunger every day?

Gary at Easter Lemming Liberal News showed a video from the Texas Freedom Network of our own Texas Department of Miseducation in action.

WhosPlayin covered the Denton County Democrats’ election of a new County Chair, after previous chairman Neil Durrance resigned to run for U.S. Congress in District 26 in 2010.

The bad news is that unemployment keeps rising in Texas. The good news is that means there’s more federal stimulus money available for unemployment insurance, if the Lege and Governor Perry take it. Off the Kuff has the details.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the latest stunt by our member of Congress, AusChron asks a question about Rep. John Carter – is he a nutball?

Neil at Texas Liberal is very glad that the left won a big election victory in India, Strong Victory For Center-Left Congress Party In India—World’s Two Largest Democracies Now Firmly Reject Conservatives, and that now the world’s two largest democracies have firmly rejected conservatives.

Harry Balczak is a little upset. Come by McBlogger so you to can understand how much he hates the idea of Texas becoming so $%@*$%%^ puritanical.

John Coby at Bay Area Houston says it is Time to Sunset Bob Perry’s Builder Commission.

This week Teddy at Left of College Station covers President Obama’s decision to continue to use the Bush Administration “con-missions” to prosecute detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Also, Wednesday Teddy will be a co-host of Biased Transmission, a progressive talk radio show on the community radio station 89.1FM KEOS. This week Jim Olson, Texas A&M University Senior Lecturer and CIA-Officer-in-Residence, will return to the show to discuss the “enhanced interrogations” used during the Bush Administration.

Over at TexasKaos, liberaltexan takes on the Obama administration’s decision to continue the military Con-Missions. He seems to believe we should, like, trust our own judicial institutions and not make up new, untested ones with no demonstration of necessity or superiority.. See his diary, President Obama to Continue Con-Missions…

Xanthippas at Three Wise Men takes heed of journalist Ahmed Rashid’s warnings about Pakistan, which teeters on the brink of chaos.

Good ol’ boy Gene Green got real scared by some progressive activists who came to his office this past week. PDiddie recounted the poor Congressman’s terror at Brains and Eggs.

Spot checks turning up few guns and little cash

"I do not believe we can even make a dent in [southbound smuggling] because that assumes the cartels are complete idiots, which they’re not. Why in the world would they try to smuggle weapons and currency through a checkpoint when there are so many other options?" said Border Patrol Agent T.J. Bonner, president of the agents’ union.

We need to be smarter. How about decriminalizing drugs?

Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt looking for new opportunities

“I’ve told the mayor I’d stay until the end of his administration,” said Hurtt, 62. “However, I still have to look out for what’s best for myself and my family. I would love to stay in Houston, but I think it’s inappropriate to raise any assumptions or raise any issues with any potential candidate for mayor at this time.”

Galveston port police accused of extortion

Why wasn't there a criminal investigation? Was there one?

A lawsuit filed by the president of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 20 and his wife accuse Port of Galveston police of intimidation, abuse and extortion.

E.L. “Teddy” O’Rourke and his wife, Charlotte O’Rourke, a former trustee of the Galveston Wharves Board, are plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed May 9 demanding a jury trial.

Among the allegations listed are reported “shakedowns” in which port police ask luggage porters for money.

Members of the longshoremen’s association unload ships and porter luggage from cruise lines that enter the Port of Galveston. Some receive tips.

Hidalgo County grand jury looking at Progreso election fraud

No need for Voter ID.

An Hidalgo County grand jury is investigating whether Progreso Mayor Omar Vela's supporters bought votes and recruited people to impersonate others at the polls during the city's November 2008 municipal elections.

District Attorney Rene Guerra declined to discuss the scope of the inquiry last week but said grand jurors had already uncovered several points of concern.

"I expect this grand jury to return indictments," he said.

Solomon Ortiz Sr. looking at levee options while DHS goes for a land grab

"I am not pleased," Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, said of DHS' move amid negotiations with the city on a proposed levee-temporary fence alternative. Ortiz's spokesman Jose Borjon said Friday that the congressman had asked DHS not to begin proceedings to take possession of city land.

The Brownsville Herald also learned that Ortiz is attempting to obtain funding for the levee-temporary fence alternative.

This comes on the heels of DHS' trip to the federal courthouse May 12 to file the motion to take possession of 15.919 acres of city land, although DHS officials say talks with city officials continue in an effort to reach an agreement on a temporary fence.

Who could be pleased? Spending taxpayer money to sue taxpayers. Continuing with a fence that will do lots of harm and no good. P*ssing off the locals. What's to like? Where is common sense leadership from the White House?

Why is there only one voter in this Medina utility district?

[Roger Stone ] holds that power by virtue of living beside Kings Gate subdivision near Mico, where 383 upscale homes are planned on lots, starting at 2 acres, inside the special district.

“I don't understand why they only have one voter in this district,” said the drywall contractor, noting his mother lives nearby but can't vote. “It's kind of strange, actually.”

Some nearby residents, concerned about the new subdivision's impact on traffic and groundwater supplies, would have liked to have had a say in it.

Colonias get short stick again from Texas Legislature

A House bill that would have amended current platting requirements and made it easier for colonia residents to have water and sewer connections failed on Thursday to make it out of the Texas House.

House Bill 1656 by state Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, would have amended the local government code and allowed certificates of compliance to be issued to homestead owners whose land was gifted to them before platting laws changed almost two decades ago.

Guillen explained during a committee hearing in March that certificates of compliance must be obtained before cities, counties or any public utility service could connect the services, even if the lot on which the dwelling sits was gifted to a family member. The platting, he said, could cost more than $10,000.

Too busy. Can't be bothered. Just go hungry and drop dead.

Texas #1. In starving children.

The next time you hear a Republican politician brag about how well Texas is doing in today's economy, think about the the hungry children.

More children in Texas face hunger than anywhere else in the nation, according to a recently released study by national group Feeding America.

The organization found that a staggering 22.1 percent of Texas children live in households facing hunger.

The new figure is based on the most recent public census data, which was used to calculate the number of children living in "food insecurity," a term denoting inconsistent access to food.

22.1 percent? We're disgraceful.

Shakeup at Fort Bend DA's office

Mike Elliott, chief of the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Economic Crimes Division, has been fired, in what Elliott said was a move by his boss to find a political scapegoat.

District Attorney John Healey said Saturday that Elliott “was discharged yesterday at 4:45 p.m.” Adding that it was a personnel matter, he wouldn’t discuss the reasons he took the action beyond saying they involved “performance issues.”

But Elliott said Healey fired him as “a pre-emptive strike” because Healey knew Elliott was “open to the possibility” of running against the district attorney in next year’s election.

They're popping the champagne corks over at Kiss My Big Blue Butt.

Corpus Christi to get new police chief

City Manager Angel Escobar wanted interim Police Chief Mike Walsh to take the position full time, but he declined, Escobar said Saturday.

Now, the city will advertise the chief position within the department as well as police departments outside the city.

Previous police chief, Bryan Smith, was a piece of work. And, I don't me that in a good way.

Saga of Brownsville ISD superintendent puzzling

What did he do? Why is the board of trustees split on their decision 4/3? Why fire him?

Don McAdams, president of the Center for Reform of School Systems (CRSS) in Houston, said he has followed developments in the [Hector] Gonzales case through news clips as part of his work for the non-profit center. The center's mission is to teach board-superintendent teams how to transform their districts for high student achievement, according to the organization's Web site www.crss.org.

"It's bizarre from afar, exceedingly so," McAdams said of the Gonzales matter, stressing that he has no first-hand information about the situation.

We do know that the Brownsville ISD was singled out for a prestigious award: 2008 Broad Prize for Urban Education.

In fact, 100 percent of Putegnat's fifth-graders passed the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills math test given in March. At Victoria Heights Elementary, the passing rate was 98 percent and at Morningside Elementary it was 99 percent. In all 3,022 BISD fifth-graders were tested and 88 percent passed the statewide assessment test, a 3 percent improvement over last year when 85 percent passed, BISD officials said.

The district has achieved similar results on other TAKS tests this year.

Like they said about Watergate: Follow the money.

The investigation comes amid allegations involving the amount of money spent on special education consultant fees, which reportedly tripled between 2006 and 2008, and other issues in the department.

See previous posts.

Republican xenophobia in driver's licenses and voter cards

Rumor has it that proof of citizenship to renew or get a driver's license will be tied to Voter ID.

There is a committee meeting for Public Safety on Monday where one of two Senate bills may get amended to tack on Carona's SB 1784 which died but is being resurrected from the dead as an amendment.

Brownsville Mayor catches break in travel investigation

The Cameron County District Attorney's Office has cleared Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr. of any wrongdoing regarding a trip to Tampico, Mexico, the mayor's attorney said.

There is still the indictment over the magical deposit of a $26K payment that wasn't his into the mayor's personal bank account.

Judge picks technicality to toss fence suit

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton, in Washington, D.C., ruled the Texas Border Coalition did not have standing to sue because its members were not affected property owners.

The Texas Border Coalition, which represents several mayors and business and community leaders, sued the Homeland Security Department, alleging the department did not fairly negotiate compensation with landowners for access to their land for six-month surveys to choose fence sites.

So, the border communities have no standing>

Taft mayoral election party fight pits police against officials

The arresting officer, Diego Solis, and another off-duty officer, Joe Tamez, who witnessed the altercation, were fired Monday by City Manager Florencio Sauceda, while pursuing charges against City Councilwoman Lucy Lopez and acting Taft Police Chief Gregorio Hinojosa. All sides in the fight began hiring lawyers Monday. And the Texas Rangers and San Patricio County Attorney and District Attorney are trying to sort out what happened and whether anyone should be charged.

On Saturday, former City Councilman Bobby Vega defeated first-term Mayor Filberto Rivera. A party to celebrate, with roughly 200 revelers, overflowed out of a downtown business onto Green Avenue, the town’s main drag, according to the San Patricio County Sheriff’s Department.

Judge Bañales says Judge Luitjen looked biased in Celis case

So, does Celis get a redo?

The remaining criminal cases against former law firm operator Mauricio Celis will be heard by a different judge, though it was unclear Friday who will take the bench.

...

[District Judge Manue] Bañales ruled Friday that visiting Judge Mark Luitjen must step down from future proceedings regarding Celis. Bañales agreed with Celis’ attorneys that Luitjen showed at least the appearance of bias in the first criminal trial against Celis. Celis faces three other trials and has asked for a new trial in the first case.

A jury convicted Celis in February and recommended probation on 14 of 22 counts of falsely holding himself out as a lawyer, a third-degree felony. At a hearing in March, Luitjen sentenced Celis to a year in jail and to pay restitution as conditions of 10 years’ probation.

I thought that Celis got off too easy.

Alice ISD race determined by provisonal ballots

The Jim Wells County Ballot Board’s decision led to a reversal on the Alice ISD Place 1 race, with candidate Mike Cochran now the winner over incumbent Roger Saenz by one vote, 1,350 to 1,349.

The ballot board met Thursday night to review the 25 provisional ballots and one overseas ballot received by the JWC Election Administrator’s office by the end of the day Thursday. After more than an hour, the board accepted six ballots, which were added to the Alice ISD election totals from Saturday.

Did Rick Perry's guy call Kay Bailey a whore?

Or, maybe he was calling her a pimp.

Hutchison's political team believes its campaign would benefit from a higher turnout and is targeting center-right voters, including suburban women and economic conservatives.

...

Perry political consultant Dave Carney said the Republican governor agrees the party should welcome new voters.

"But that doesn't mean you take your principles and throw them out the door and become a whorehouse and let anybody in who wants to come in, regardless," Carney said.

And, 'dumb as a box of rocks' Perry doesn't know that blue is for Democrats.

"I don't make any apologies to anybody for being a true-blue conservative, both a social conservative and a fiscal conservative," Perry said Thursday night on a teleconference, dubbed "Tea Party 2.0," with opponents of government spending and corporate bailouts. "I don't think it's in the Republican Party's best interest, as some people have said, to tack to the center."

Radnofsky for Texas Attorney General

She says we have more Democrats than Republicans in Texas, but that only counts if you vote. Really.

Helotes City Council member resigns after child rape charges filed

Jeffrey Ellis, the Helotes City Councilman who was arrested May 7 on a charge of sexual assault of a child, resigned Thursday as Place 3 representative.

The mayor didn't seem happy to let him go.

In a phone call the day of the arrest, Helotes Mayor Tom Schoolcraft said Ellis is innocent until proven guilty and retains his seat on the City Council unless a resignation is tendered.

A Valley Medical school is one step closer

State legislators Thursday celebrated the passage of a bill in the Texas House authorizing the University of Texas System to create a South Texas medical school at the current Regional Academic Health Center in Harlingen. The measure, which has already cleared the Senate, faces a final vote today on the House floor before it heads for Gov. Rick Perry's desk.

Sponsors from Cameron and Hidalgo counties agreed not to ask for any money from the state to establish the school until 2016, a compromise that was key to getting a "foot in the door," said Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg.

No money until 2016? That can't be good. That can't be right.

The Rio Grande Guardian notes that a new Dallas law school got a different deal. Why does Dallas need more lawyers than the Valley needs more doctors?

African American woman sworn in as La Marque mayor

Geraldine Sam became the city’s first African-American mayor Thursday, but only after someone pulled out the biblical testament when she refused to be sworn in without a bible.

Why didn't she bring her own bible?

When sworn in, Sam became the first African-American woman to be a mayor in Galveston County.

She also solidified a female majority on city council with Councilwoman Deanie Barrett and newly sworn in Councilwoman Connie Trube.

First African-American woman in Galveston County!

Rick Perry not in list of up and coming Republican governors

You mean even other Republicans see he's a dumb as a box of rocks? Apparently. Out of 100 Republican insiders the National Journal asked, not one voted for Rick Perry. The top Republican governors:

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal       21 percent
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour    20 percent
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty       17 percent
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist        13 percent
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford   8 percent
Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.         6 percent

Senate slaps Perry

Although it looks like the Texas Legislature won't force Perry to take all of the stimulus funds, they did tweak him on an appointment.

The Senate on Wednesday rejected one of Gov. Rick Perry's appointments for the first time this year, overwhelmingly turning down the nomination of a Burleson political activist to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Shanda Perkins, who was known for battling sex toy parties in her hometown, was denied confirmation on a 27-4 vote. No senators tried to salvage her appointment to the seven-member board.

Who gets fixated on other people's sex toys anyway? The batsh*t crazy Republican base.

This headline says it all

'House Democrats' emissions bill includes concessions to major polluters'

Cronies rule. Citizens get to drool.

House Democrats are approaching consensus on a major legislative effort to regulate greenhouse gas emissions – with significant concessions to nearly every major polluter except the oil industry.

Under the proposal, big polluters would have to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions or buy pollution credits to meet government targets. Lawmakers have offered free credits to electric utilities – the largest source of emissions – to blunt the impact on electricity prices and garner votes from lawmakers who represent coal-producing states.

So, if you get a free credit, then you neither have to reduce your pollution or pay a price?

Ex La Grulla police chief guilty of soliciting sex from a minor

Sounds like quite a guy.

Former La Grulla police chief Alfredo Hernandez was convicted of sexually soliciting a minor Wednesday and will now have to register as a sex offender.

He got probation.

DPS citizen provision gone from sunset bill. For now.

The batsh*t crazy Republican base will not be happy.

Legislation that would have required applicants for driver’s licenses to furnish proof of citizenship or legal residency was tentatively removed from a DPS sunset bill.

The bill was passed on a voice vote by the Texas House on Wednesday and faces a third and final vote before being considered by the Texas Senate.

Last week the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund expressed their frustration that lawmakers were trying to include the requirement into the DPS sunset bill, especially after a state district judge ordered DPS to halt that and other practices earlier this year.

El Paso nearly 82% Hispanic

As El Paso County's population grows steadily, the gap between the number of Hispanics and non-Hispanics continues to widen, a new U.S. Census Bureau report shows.

El Paso's population increased by more than 60,000 from 2000 through 2008, according to the update released Thursday morning.

It shows that El Paso County's population has been growing by about 1 percent a year since 2000, when it had 679,622 residents. The 2008 estimate puts the population at 742,062.

In addition, the Hispanic population rose by slightly more than 3 percentage points during the same time. El Paso is now 81.77 percent Hispanic, according to the estimate.

26 Kemp's ridley sea turtle nests found

WOW! The most ever found in one day. 14 of these were found on Padre Island National Seashore.

Twisting identity theft charges against immigrants not allowed

Immigrants who use false documents cannot be prosecuted for identity theft unless they know those documents belong to a real person, the Supreme Court ruled last week.

Local immigration attorneys called the ruling a "huge victory," saying government attorneys have frequently used the threat of an identity theft charge to intimidate undocumented immigrants into pleading guilty for lesser offenses. Identity theft carries a minimum sentence of two years.

Looks like Sylvia Handy's co-defendants made a deal

Two women told a federal judge Wednesday that they helped Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Commissioner Sylvia Handy fleece taxpayers out of more than $111,000.

Maria de los Angeles Landa de Hernandez, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and conceded she collected a county paycheck while working as Handy's personal housekeeper and babysitter over a period of five years. During that time, Hernandez did no actual government work and did not have legal status to work in the country.

Laredo colonia to water, sewer service

Welcome to what life in the US should be.

Construction began Monday to provide water and sewer connections to the Pueblo Nuevo colonia on Texas 359.

Contractors estimate the connections will be complete in about 10 months.

Laredo pays for firing school superintendent

Former LISD Superintendent Veronica Guerra will get more than $200,000 in compensation under a separation agreement recently reached with the district. Guerra will receive the compensation over an eight-month period, from March 31 to Dec. 1, in which she will continue to work full time for the district as a legislative liaison, reporting to the superintendent.

This sort of thing seems to happen all of the time. Not just in Laredo. Hire a school superintendent. Fire said superintendent. Pay buckets of money twice.

Judge Kent will likely get club Fed

I think Hell would be more appropriate. That's how Kent made life for who knows how many women for how long.

A federal judge has not gone to prison since 1991, but now comes U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent — a longtime jurist who handed out judgments to thousands — who now will spend the next 33 months like 190,000 other federal convicts.

...

Kent will likely be sent to a minimum security federal prison like the other judges who did time before him. Kent on Monday became only the fourth federal judge this century to be convicted of a felony; he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for lying to judges who investigated sexual misconduct complaints against him. He is the first to be indicted on suspicion of a sex-related crime.

U.S. prison officials also will consider whether other prisoners might pose a threat to him when they evaluate security needs for Kent, who sent others to prison for 19 years. He also might qualify for one of the 50 federal prisons with inpatient residential drug and alcohol treatment programs, since alcohol abuse was a factor in his case .

They can't impeach this guy fast enough.

I do hope that they make a movie out of this case.

Republican state rep's collapse leaves Texas House less Republican

Lets hope he recovers.

State Rep. Edmund Kuempel collapsed in a Capitol elevator on Tuesday night, and was rushed to Austin's University Medical Center at Brackenridge.

The lawmaker who helped resuscitate him said Kuempel had regained a pulse by the time he left the Capitol by ambulance but was not breathing on his own.

What does Kuempel's absence do to the balance of power?

No gambling casinos for Tiguas

Efforts to allow casino gambling in Texas, including operations at Speaking Rock Casino, met their demise for the current legislative session Tuesday.

State Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin -- who collapsed late Tuesday and was author of a broad-based proposal to amend the state constitution to let voters decide whether casinos should be allowed in Texas -- said the fight to get gambling in the state was over.

Kuempel was found in the Texas House elevator with a weak pulse, not breathing.

More kemp's ridley turtle nests found

Good news! 4 new nests on Padre Island National Seashore.

Latinos suffering in housing bust

"The boom-and-bust cycle in the U.S. housing market over the past decade and a half has generated greater gains and larger losses for minority groups than it has for whites," the report states. "The analysis reveals that blacks and native born Hispanics experienced the sharpest reversals in homeownership in recent years."

The foreclosure rate was higher in areas of the country that are typically home to a high concentration of Hispanics, the [Pew Hispanic Center] report said.