The Texas Medical Board actually suspended a doctor

What did she do? Vote Democratic or something like that?

Dr. Uma Rani Gullapalli, a physician in physiatry, was suspended Monday because her practice of medicine was a continuing threat to the public's welfare, according to a press release issued Thursday by the board.

The board also suspended her two pain management clinic certificates after an investigation found the clinics were not owned by Gullapalli, which is required by law.

Gullapalli was receiving $20,000 a month from the owner of Winrock Medical Clinic in Houston, where she works, according to order documentation.

Poor Aaron Peña gets criticized

People just fail to realize that the world revolves around Aaron Peña.

Peña, R-Edinburg, supported a GOP redistricting plan late Wednesday that essentially swaps his Democratic district out for the Valley’s most conservative seat, currently held by state Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen. Attempts to modify the plan by Hidalgo County’s Democratic legislators failed along party lines, leaving Gonzales with less than 2 percent of her original district and also significantly modifying those held by state Reps. Armando “Mando” Martinez, D-Weslaco, and Sergio Muñoz Jr., D-Palmview.

But on the House floor during a spirited back-and-forth exchange between the county’s legislators, Peña responded to allegations that he alone drew the map altering the county’s districts and dogged claims about whether he lives within his current district.

You mean people have to live within their districts? You can't just pick a district to run in? Who knew anybody would dare to call 'me, me' Aaron Peña on that.

republicans screw Connie Scott in redistricting plan

That's the good news. The bad? Nueces County loses a house seat.

The Coastal Bend still stands to lose a seat in the Texas House following Wednesday's marathon debate over a Republican redistricting plan.

The map shows Rep. Todd Hunter gaining ground in some of Corpus Christi's wealthiest, most conservative areas while pairing freshmen Raul Torres' and Connie Scott's districts.

The GOP-led House early Thursday approved the plan that would all but guarantee a continued Republican majority statewide — albeit a smaller one than the party has now.

Strong claim about guaranteeing a republican majority. For how long? The demographics are a changin'.

Here's a headline we should see everyday

'Former president of failed Texas bank gets prison'

Why aren't all the banksters in jail? Why are Wall Street fraudsters still doing dirty work?

Former La Coste National Bank president Jodi P. Gwyn got five years for cooking the books.

Brownsville airport deal dies in its own stench

Fly Frontera, a proposed passenger air service between Brownsville and the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Tampico, has crashed to earth without ever getting off the ground..

It happened Tuesday, after weeks of turbulent public debate and two days before a city commission special meeting to vote on signing a contract with Public Charters Inc., the firm that would have been doing business as Fly Frontera. PCI president Jim Gallagher withdrew his proposal to the city of Brownsville on Tuesday, the same day the Brownsville Economic Development Council released its due diligence report of PCI and Charter Air Transport Inc., the second firm behind Fly Frontera. CAT would have provided the aircraft, which it leases, while PCI would have been responsible for ticket sales.

You knew republicans wouldn't let the Valley get a new Texas House seat

The dean of the Rio Grande Valley legislative delegation says it is morally wrong that the region is not being rewarded with an extra Texas House seat given its explosive population growth.

House Bill 150, the Texas House redistricting plan drawn by Republican leaders, keeps the number of House seats anchored in Cameron and Hidalgo counties at six. State Rep. René Oliveira, D-Brownsville, believes population growth in the Valley’s largest two counties is such that seven House seats are warranted.

“It is real clear that between Hidalgo and Cameron County, the Republicans could have created one new Texas House seat and it is an abomination that the people of the Valley are not getting that seventh seat,” Oliveira said.

Another refinery, another release of chemicals into your air

Valero officials say a transformer malfunctioned and the Valero East Refinery on Cantwell Lane was left without power Wednesday evening.

As a precaution, crews are burning off all the chemicals that could be coming out of the lines.

Converting public education money into Christian indoctrination centers

We're well on our way, folks.

A new charter school that promises to give its students “a tuition-free public education in a private school environment” is coming to Brownsville.

San Antonio-based Jubilee Academic Center, Inc. will transition Livingway Christian School into Livingway Leadership Academy in time for the start of school in the fall, said John Jacobson, associate director for Jubilee’s Rio Grande Valley District.

Jubilee, a state charter school district, is opening similar charter schools in Harlingen and Kingsville. The Texas Education Agency classifies Jubilee as a “recognized” district under its academic accountability system. Jacobson said Jubilee itself transitioned from a Christian school to a charter school district about 10 years ago.

Abel Limas public corruption case snares another

A Cameron County employee is implicated in a federal indictment returned Tuesday against Jose Manuel Longoria, a former associate of 404th state District Judge Abel C. Limas.

The indictment against Longoria, 52, of San Benito, alleges extortion, wire fraud and drug-related offenses. The wire fraud is related to the racketeering conviction of Limas, who pleaded guilty on March 31.

The case against Longoria — who was arrested on March 31 on a complaint by the FBI — has expanded with the indictment, which introduces Person F, a county employee. It could not be ascertained if the person, a man, continues to be employed by Cameron County.

republicans think that rapists should go free

Why else would republicans refuse to pay for the testing of already collected rape kits?

Thousands of untested rape kits could be examined for DNA evidence, but a bill considered today by a Senate panel carries a hefty price tag. The result could be that the boxes remain stacked on shelves in police storage rooms across the state.

The bill, by Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, would require a police department to submit a rape kit to a crime lab within at least 10 days, and complete the DNA analysis no later than 90 days after the sexual assault was reported. After testing, the Texas Department of Public Safety would compare the DNA profile to those already in databases maintained by the state and the FBI. To address the “backlog of evidence,” the bill requires — only to the extent that funding is available — that all untested rape kits from active cases since 1996 be tested by 2014.

Note that a Democrat wants the rape kits tested with future kits tested in a timely manner. republicans don't care.

Victoria fire fighters fired over doctored pictures of fellow employee

[Victoria City Manager Charmelle ] Garrett individualized the letters in a couple of instances, telling the firefighter who printed the photographs, "Your actions, by your own admission, were inappropriate, but not intended to offend or imply that your fellow firefighter was homosexual. You viewed your action as a prank or joke.

"It is my opinion that none of the pictures should have been printed, but three of the pictures you printed crossed the line and have no place in any work environment."

I think Garrett was too kind.

College employees to see huge increase in health care premiums

Cause, republicans would rather see you die than have their cronies miss an opportunity to make an outsized profit.

A computer sciences professor at South Texas College, [Bob] Ho pays just $158 to include his 6-year-old daughter on his health care plan, since the state and school cover 100 percent of his premium and 50 percent of his dependents.

But under one legislative proposal, that portion may drop to 80 percent for Ho and 40 percent for dependents, which could increase his out-of-pocket expenses to $239.51, a 51 percent monthly increase.

Sylvia Handy's over paid employees settle suit over firing

The employees were fired last March shortly after former Precinct 1 Commissioner Sylvia Handy pleaded guilty to felony tax fraud and conspiracy charges. Within two weeks of Handy’s resignation, an audit by the county’s legal counsel recommended cutting 26 positions from the precinct’s payroll, including two directors of operations who were paid more than their direct supervisor; an employee charged with answering the precinct phones who received an annual salary of $55,000; and the entirety of the precinct’s human resources and safety departments.

Then-County Judge Rene Ramirez argued the Commissioners Court needed to reduce overstaffing in Precinct 1, which had twice as many employees paid at least $40,000 annually than the other county precincts.

McAllen may lose Broadway shows

McAllen’s city-owned theater isn’t taking 2012 reservations until further notice, raising the possibility Broadway shows will look elsewhere next year.

Scheduling 2012 events would limit the City Commission’s options for the Civic Center Auditorium, City Manager Mike Perez said. In late May or early June, after city leaders review information about McAllen’s options for a new theater and about asbestos inside the existing building, booking might resume.

Chicago-based Theatre Council Productions, which books Broadway in McAllen, has already begun holding dates at other venues and may move the entire theater season elsewhere.

Blake Farenthold is proud of voting to kill Medicare, Medicaid

What an a**hole, aka a republican.

[Blake Farenthold] said he was proud of what he and other members of the House of Representatives, both newly elected members and “old-timers,” had accomplished.

Cause he likes destroying institutions that help people. Because he likes the idea of granny getting thrown out of the nursing home. Because he likes the idea that all seniors should just drop dead. No need for death panels. Let them all die.

Crystal Bowersox's Farmer's Daughter single

I don't ever write about entertainment, but Bowersox's single is powerful, well written and delivered. Not a happy song, but well worth a listen.

Texas school ratings formula changed

State Education Commissioner Robert Scott announced late last week the elimination of the Texas Projection Measure, or TPM, a calculation that allowed 100 Hidalgo County schools to take credit last year for students who failed state proficiency tests but were “projected” to pass in the future.

“Everybody wants to look good, right? But we don’t want the doctor touching up the X-rays, which is essentially what’s been happening,” said Tom Torkelson, CEO and founder of IDEA Public Schools, which benefited from the TPM. “TPM is hiding and masking a lot of challenges and problems in our schools.”

Ratings are just one more mechanism republicans can fiddle with to destroy public education. This is no joke. republicans are trying to destroy the democratic institutions of our country.

Galveston gets a 'shelter in place' order after losing power near chemical plants

Oh, the joy of living near a chemical plant. Regular citizens pay the price. Children suffer. But, oh, how republicans love their business owners more than you.

Emergency Management officials issued two different shelter-in-place orders overnight after power failures knocked three refineries and two chemical plants offline. The second alert prompted school officials in Texas City to cancel classes today.

Texas City residents were advised to stay indoors and turn off their air conditioners, emergency management officials said. There were no calls for evacuations.

The fist order was issued at about 11 p.m. when power outages took BP's Texas City refinery and chemical plants offline. Dow Chemical also had to shut down because of the lack of power.

El Paso Public Service Board cleans up its act

The El Paso Public Service Board voted unanimously Monday to toughen its oversight of major purchase awards and disclose conflicts of interest by board members.

A controversy over a board member's company being awarded contracts totaling $1.4 million for heavy machinery led to a special meeting on the ethics issues.

Maria Teran, the CEO and president of Sierra Machinery Inc. who has been on the PSB since 2005, sold the PSB equipment through the Texas Multiple Award Schedule (TXMAS) buy board.

El Paso Mayor John Cook, Teran and the rest of the board attended the meeting.

Bob Andron, the PSB's chief legal counsel, said no laws were violated by awarding the previous contracts to Teran's company.

File this one under 'what were they thinking' when they gave contracts to a board member.

Pan American Airways pushes its case with Brownsville

Is the process for selecting a recipient of development funds rigged?

Bob Hedrick, president of Brownsville-based Pan American Airways, has submitted to city officials his own proposal for air passenger service to Mexico.

The city has been negotiating with aircraft operator Charter Air Transport and charter broker Public Charters Inc. for service between Brownsville and the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Tampico for air service under the name “Fly Frontera.” Hedrick early this month publicly condemned the negotiations as secretive, a charge city officials have denied.

Still, city commissioners on April 5 delayed for “no more than 25 days” a scheduled vote on whether to sign a contract with the principals behind Fly Frontera. The contract would have included as part of an incentives package $500,000 in startup money and as much as $1.5 million in revenue guarantees over two years if ticket sales drastically fail to meet expectations. The Brownsville Economic Development Council was asked to perform due diligence on the Fly Frontera deal — but only after the commission’s April 5 decision to delay a contract vote. Since the delay, city officials have said they are willing to entertain other proposals for air service to Mexico.

republicans are breaking down our society so they can remake it

A Dominionist's dream backed by corporate sponsors. One nation, under their thumb, to promote the corporate welfare.

As we have explained before, Seven Mountains dominionism seeks to place Christians in control over the seven forces that shape and control our culture: (1) Business; (2) Government; (3) Media; (4) Arts and Entertainment; (5) Education; (6) Family; and (7) Religion. The reason for this, as Lance Wallnau, the leading advocate for Seven Mountains theology, explained is that Jesus "doesn't come back until He's accomplished the dominion of nations." And the way "dominion of nations" is accomplished is by having Christians gain control of these "seven mountains" in order to install a "virtual theocracy" overseen by "true apostles" who will fight Satan and his Antichrist agenda.

There is a method to their madness.

Texans go hungry while republicans give tax breaks to yacht owners

Did you know that there was this much hunger in Texas?

Every day more than 700,000 people in Harris County are uncertain about where they will get their next meal. Not all of them are poor — many are working people who don't qualify for federal food programs.

These are among the findings of a recent study that provides the first detailed look at hunger at the county level. Harris County families struggling to keep food on the table have a food budget shortfall of $12.97 per week, per person. To fill the meal gap, $277 million is needed annually to ensure that every person has three meals a day, according to the report's calculations.

The federal government defines food insecurity as limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods. On average, food insecure families go at least seven months of the year without enough food, the study said.

Note that workers can't afford food.

How do republicans respond?

A tax break for big yachts might seem like a long shot in these tough times, but a Houston lawmaker is floating the idea as an economic issue.

Republican Rep. John Davis said other states have paved the way for his proposal — primarily Florida, which backers of his bill say is No. 1 in boat sales to Texas' No. 2.

republicans love their rich cronies and hate you. Welcome to the ranks of other third world countries.

Chuy Hinojosa responds to Eliot Shapleigh

Why are Democrats fighting each other, while the republicans are busy destroying the fundamentals supporting our country?

State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa says former colleague Eliot Shapleigh does not know what he is talking about when he criticizes Senate Democrats for voting for the new state budget.

“I am very disappointed in Shapleigh’s comments,” Hinojosa told the Guardian on Friday, in an interview at his McAllen district office. “He’s out of touch with reality. His numbers are wrong. He does not know what is going on in the Senate. It is very unfortunate, the comments he made trying to depict us as traitors.”

So, why did you vote for that thing?

republicans poised to take away transgendered marriage rights

Why? Because, they're mean, sexist and homophobic. And, republicans would like to take your mind off the horrible, terrible, miserable job they've done running this state.T

wo years after Texas become one of the last states to allow transgendered people to use proof of their sex change to get a marriage license, Republican lawmakers are trying to roll back the clock.

Advocates for the transgendered say a proposal to bar transgendered people from getting married smacks of discrimination and would put their legally-granted marriages in danger of being nullified if challenged in court.

Mean. Sexist. Homophobic. Why can't they put any energy into solving real problems?

It's Monday blog roundup time!

The Texas Progressive Alliance thinks it's never too early to plan your Sine Die Day activities as it brings you this week's roundup.

The long range plan to kill public education is reaching the end game. Over at TexasKaos lightseeker talks about seeing one of the (unintentional) moving parts at a public lecture given by one of the premier charter schools in the nation. Check out Educational Reform and Our Common Peril!

Bay Area Houston has the latest on State Representative Larry Taylor's emergency surgery.

What conservatives believe to be true ranks far above what is actually true, and even what is demonstrably true according to science and mathematics. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs points out that this why Rick Perry declares Easter weekend as 'Days of Prayer for Rain in Texas', and why John Cornyn "isn't so sure" that Jon Kyl was wrong when he claimed that abortions were 90% of Planned Parenthood's budget. It should consequently be no surprise that they place no value in teachers and education.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks the Texas Supreme Court, aka the republican crony justice system, sucks.

Always looking out for your mental health and well-being, Letters From Texas Worldwide Headquarters, Psychological Testing Department, offers a redistricting rorschach test.

The Senate Finance Committee lead by GOP Senator Steve Ogden approved their version of the Texas budget last week. WCNews at Eye On Williamson shows that it truly is the lesser of two evils.

How about a bit of good news for a change? Off the Kuff notes that a bill that gives microbreweries greater latitude in getting their beers to customers passed the House last week.

Neil at Texas Liberal praised Governor Perry for his call for prayer to end the severe drought in Texas. At the same time, Neil asked that if prayer can end the drought, might it be that Texas is being punished by God for hard-hearted policies towards the poor?

McBlogger take a looks back on one idea to bring more water to Texas that will work, and another that's from Governor Perry.

Easter Lemming discovers Oh the places you will go as an iPhone, even if it is no longer your iPhone.

Nobody likes smartass republican rep, David Simpson

Hey, he's a republican. What is there to like?

Freshman Rep. David Simpson may be gaining a tough reputation in the lower chamber: black sheep.

The Longview Republican's "rogue" antics — using parliamentary procedures to knock three bills, including Rep. Senfronia Thompson’s contentious puppy mill bill, off of a fast-track House calendar — is attracting glares and backlash from his colleagues, some of whom are considering returning the favor.

Rick Perry goes all faith healer on our drought

Rick Perry is going after the batsh*t crazy religious vote while using religion to avoid solving problems.

With Texas in the throes of a terrible drought and wildfires raging across the state, Gov. Rick Perry designated April 22 to April 24 (the Easter weekend) as official days of prayer for rain.

Yes, Rick Perry is a sick joke on Texas. Perry would like to be a sick joke on the world.

Eliot Shapleigh calls out a few Democratic senators for helping the republicans destroy our state

“What is coming is awful. $27 billion in cuts will do generational damage to people’s lives. Whatever happens in the Senate, the House will cut more,” Shapleigh told the Guardian.

“All session long, some D’s diligently work on a budget that will wreck their town, all for a birding center or committee chair. Call it building a Bridge over the River Kwai.”

Shapleigh did not mention any names. He did not have to. On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Finance passed the Senate version of House Bill 1, the state budget for the 2012-13 biennium. Two Democrats voted with the Republicans, state Sens. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and Royce West, D-Dallas.

TCEQ ignored in Nueces County demolition

Demolition of the bankrupt and abandoned ASARCO/Encycle facility continued Thursday despite a notice from state regulators to stop.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, in a letter Wednesday to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court trustee, ordered work stopped after verifying a storage building was demolished without final approval of an air monitoring plan.

What? Ok, I can see the EPA dissing the TCEQ. The EPA should. But, not an individual ignoring the TCEQ just because he thinks he can. Sounds like a republican Tea Partier.

Duval County sheriff's deputy fired in sexual favors case

A Duval County sheriff's deputy turned himself in Tuesday after a Houston woman claimed he sought sexual favors following a traffic stop last month.

The deputy was arrested on suspicion of official oppression, a misdemeanor, about 3 p.m. after turning himself in at the Duval County Jail, said Romeo Ramirez, Duval County Sheriff.

More on former Abel Limas' corruption case

The years-long whispers regarding former 404th state District Judge Abel C. Limas’ involvement in gaming arcades ended following his admission that he used the bench to assist an acquaintance in the illicit business.

Last month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas charged Limas with racketeering saying that he used his position for personal gain through bribery and extortion. Limas pleaded guilty to the charge on March 31.

Former Sullivan police chief sentenced in drug cartel case

Sullivan City’s former police chief received a 10-year prison sentence for his role in a drug trafficking ring busted by federal authorities last year.

The sentence came after Hernan Guerra Jr. pleaded guilty for his role safeguarding Mexican drug traffickers moving more than 2 tons of marijuana through Sullivan City.

Take away the profit motive. Legalize drugs. Make these drugs less expensive, safer and provide rehab. Do this before all of our politicians are corrupted by drug cartel bosses.

Open admissions a casualty of UTB TSC split

Brownsville’s university will end its open admissions policy, Provost Alan Artibise said Wednesday.

Admissions standards won’t change dramatically one year to the next during the dissolution of the partnership between the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, Artibise said. But, over a three-year process UTB standards will eventually become similar those of the University of Texas-Pan American, he said.

Brownsville JP Tony Torres dies

Longtime Justice of the Peace Tony Torres has passed away, The Brownsville Herald has confirmed.

Torres will not be missed on the bench.

Jury gets the case in the Jones, Sanchez El Paso public corruption trial

[Attorney Luther] Jones and [former District Clerk Gilbert] Sanchez are accused of rigging a digitization contract for the district clerk's office in 2004 to ensure that Altep would win the bid. They are charged with one count of conspiring to commit mail fraud and one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud.

Each has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.

Jones, a former county judge, county attorney and state representative, was in private practice at the time of the alleged offenses, and Sanchez was the district clerk.

3,200 Gulf oil wells are unplugged

As if the BP oil disaster wasn't nearly enough.

More than 3,200 oil and gas wells classified as active lie abandoned beneath the Gulf of Mexico, with no cement plugging to help prevent leaks that could threaten the same waters fouled by last year's BP spill, The Associated Press has learned.

B'bye to Perry's boy sent to destroy UT

The controversial $200,000-a-year "special adviser" hired by the University of Texas Board of Regents six weeks ago was terminated Tuesday, the day after he issued a scathing letter accusing university administrators of sabotaging his efforts to increase efficiency and productivity in higher education.

So, was he worth that $200K tab? Sunshine on Perry's shenanigans - priceless.

Would you trust this republican supreme court to rule against a crony interest?

Texas Supreme Court = 'justice' for cronies. Look at their record. The republican crony court has been asked to reconsider its ruling allowing private property owners to take ownership of beaches formerly considered to be owned by the public.

The fallout from the Judge Limas corruption case continues

Federal court records reflect that former 404th state District Judge Abel C. Limas was indiscriminate about the cases for which he accepted bribes.

These included the up-to-$4,000 that federal prosecutors say Limas received to dismiss charges and probation against a registered sex offender who admitted that he sexually abused a 7-year-old girl.

Enjoy another TPA blog roundup!

The Texas Progressive Alliance sincerely hopes that the wildfires in West Texas will soon be controlled as it brings you this week's roundup.

The first State House redistricting map is out, and Off the Kuff has a look at it and some alternatives to it.

Letters From Texas poked fun at the...um...hard turn John Sharp's web domain has taken, in which somebody has...um...erected quite a different focus. But most of the week was spent on more serious concerns - the West Texas range fires.

Having previously declared himself out on supporting President Obama's re-election campaign, PDiddie at Brains and Eggs finds even less to like about the rumored candidacy of Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez for US Senate. Less, as in nothing.

The Texas Cloverleaf looks at the proposed TX House redistricting implications in Denton County.

This week on Left of College Station, Teddy covers the local politics of the City of College Station controversial vote to annex the community of Wellborn, and Teddy covers the national politics of the Congressional Republicans failure to lead by their politicalization of military pay. Left of College Station also covers the week in headlines.

From Bay Area Houston: The Houston Chronicle asks How stupid are Texans?

DosCentavos opines on State Rep. Leo Berman's kinder gentler racism through a "cost-saving" English-only bill.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants everyone to know that Victoria DA Hissy Fit's tainted case against city officials has been dropped.

The Texas GOP released it's proposed map of Texas state House districts for the next decade. Dembones at Eye On Williamson posted about the most oddest shaped district in the map, Gerrymandering Wilco.

Libby Shaw at TexasKaos tells us that When Middle Schoolers Serve in Congress there is price to be paid.

Neil at Texas Liberal noted that Rick Perry has asked Barack Obama and Washington on help with Texas wildfires. While everybody impacted by the fires merits help, it sure is something that Washington-basher Rick Perry feels he must turn to the federal government to solve Texas problems. Where are the Texas Tea Party citizen-volunteer disaster relief teams to help people in need?

Like many, the crew at McBlogger is feeling the pinch of higher gas prices. What's really causing it and what can be done about it may surprise you.

TexasVox brings you a double dose of bad news about fracking, first bad news for the climate from shale gas as it could be warming the planet worse than coal and second, the awesome press conference put on by our TPA friend TXSharon about health effects from fracking. Oh, and on a completely unrelated note and blog, I warn you not to go see the new movie version of Atlas Shrugged.

Aaron 'it's all about me' Peña doesn't want a new Valley Congressional seat

Could he be a bigger douche bag?

State Rep. Aaron Peña has broken with other elected officials in Hidalgo County and come out against a plan that creates an additional Texas House seat in the Rio Grande Valley.

Those supporting a brand new Texas House seat anchored in Hidalgo County include Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia, Hidalgo County Commissioner Joseph Palacios, state Reps. Veronica Gonzales, Armando “Mando” Martinez, and Sergio Muñoz, San Juan City Commissioner Armando “Mando” Garza, the Equal Voice for America’s Families network, and the American GI Forum-Rio Grande Valley chapter.

They say the additional seat is justified because of the region’s population growth over the past decade.

Cameron County is #1 - in unemployment for Texas

While Hidalgo County employers added 1,500 jobs during March, Cameron County shed 1,300 jobs and experienced Texas’ worst unemployment.

Texas Workforce Commission data released Friday shows the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area, which covers Cameron County, edged out the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area, which covers Hidalgo County, to claim the unfortunate title.

Looks like a divorce for UTB and TSC

A partnership termination deadline for the University of Texas Brownsville and Texas Southmost College is close to being finalized.

Today is the last day any changes can be made to Texas House Bill 3689, Tony Gray, legislative director for state Rep. Rene Oliveira’s office, said Friday.

republicans take official step to kill Medicare

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan proposed a budget plan for 2012. It's scheduled for a vote next week. Among its features: Ending Medicare and gutting Medicaid.

Texas seniors and family members beware. republicans want Grandma to die and the cost of health care to explode even further.

If the government can provide a service like health care insurance or retirement pensions more efficiently than the private sector, as a vast body of evidence suggests, then it means that we would either want higher taxes or a less efficient economy. It does appear that Ryan would prefer the latter. His Medicare proposal would add more than $30 trillion to the country's health care costs over Medicare's 75-year planning period. This amount, which reflects the pure increase in costs, not the shift from the government to beneficiaries, is almost 6 times the projected shortfall in the Social Security program.

Why was a current board member given $1.2M in contracts?

Ethics smethics.

Policies regarding how the Public Service Board awards contracts will be reviewed after concerns were raised this week that a current board member has been awarded $1.2 million in PSB contracts, officials said Thursday.

Though no laws or procedures were broken, El Paso Water Utilities CEO Ed Archuleta has directed his staff to review policies and make recommendations to the board on purchasing and contracting procedures, spokeswoman Christina Montoya said. The PSB oversees the water company.

The directive follows Wednesday's PSB meeting during which board members asked for information regarding the Texas Multiple Award Schedule, an alternative procurement system that simplifies the purchasing process. TXMAS contracts are based on existing commodity or service contracts that have been awarded by the federal government.

Gay Straight Alliance can meet at Flour Bluff school

Homophobia is beaten back. Financial sense is injected when the ACLU threatened to sue and the school district didn't have a decent case.

Flour Bluff Independent School District has approved a Gay-Straight Alliance a little more than a month after scores of protesters gathered at the high school and called on the district to approve the club.

The club, led by senior Bianca "Nikki" Peet, will meet for the first time on campus after school Friday and is expected to meet every first and third Friday through the end of the year, said district spokeswoman Lynn Kaylor.

More info on Abel Limas case

Former Judge Able Limas plead guilty to charges involving bribery and racketeering.  Limas indictment details released - case, plea agreement.

Steve Tyler's tainted case against city officials is dropped by special prosecutor

Is someone looking into the actions of a DA bent on helping his buddy out when that buddy was charged with rapping a boy in his buddy's custody?

A special outside prosecutor on Wednesday ended a more than three-year effort to try a handful of Victoria city officials.

A little after 9 a.m., San Antonio-based Terry McDonald filed a motion to dismiss the remaining aggravated perjury cases against Ralph Buentello, a police lieutenant, and David Smith, the former city attorney.

Moments later, District Judge Stephen Williams signed the motions, signifying their official dismissal.

Here's a recap of this sordid story.

Texas and Louisiana business people accused of human trafficking

A lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court seeks more than $200 million in damages from companies accused of the human trafficking of Vietnamese laborers to the United States to unknowingly work as indentured servants.

Attorneys Anthony Buzbee and Tammy Tran filed the lawsuit in Galveston federal court to “expose an international human trafficking conspiracy,” the lawsuit claims.

Nine of the 12 men named as plaintiffs live in Galveston County. The others, including 43 unnamed men, reside in Louisiana and Texas.

It seems that the majority of business leaders want to treat their workers this way.

Mexicans catch ammo coming from US at their end of the bridge

Mexican authorities announced Wednesday the seizure of thousands of ammunition rounds and the arrest of one man in connection with a smuggling attempt via tractor-trailer at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge.

More troubles for BP as shareholders protest and a Russian deal is slipping away

Boo hoo for BP. All they did was destroy lives, habitats, our environment and the gulf food supply. Can't a greedy oligarch get a break?

Bob Dudley, chief executive of BP, will face hostile shareholders on Thursday and, barring an 11th-hour breakthrough, the humiliating prospect of his controversial proposed alliance with Kremlin controlled oil company Rosneft collapsing.

Why aren't several executives in jail?

Rick Perry wanted his crony in a position to destroy UT

University of Texas officials interviewed a conservative think tank analyst prior to writing and posting a job description for a "special adviser," and apparently didn't consult with UT Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa about the posting, according to emails obtained Tuesday by the Houston Chronicle.

The attorney for the Board of Regents at the UT System met Rick O'Donnell in what she described as "an excellent meeting" the day before an official job description was written and posted online, and then asked Chairman Gene Powell if he would "like to get this show on the road?"

"Next step would be to craft a short job description (and I can start that for your review unless you already have something in mind) and for you to give me the target salary range," Francie Frederick wrote in an email to Powell.

This headline says it all

'Texas subsidizes gas drilling while cutting school budgets'

You know what republicans care about. And, it isn't your children.

Texas republicans, like national republicans, want the poor to drop dead

But, only after they've taken out the trash and mowed their lawns and dug their own graves.

If congressional Republicans' proposed solution to cutting health care costs — giving states block grants to fund Medicaid — sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Texas’ GOP lawmakers are backing similar proposals to put states in charge of deciding how to insure indigent children, the disabled and the very poor.

While the congressional proposal focuses on Medicaid financing, one Texas proposal, called a health care compact, takes it a step further — turning over not just the purse strings, but authority for operating Medicaid, to the states. Both are long shots. The Republican congressional proposal needs the unlikely support of the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate and the Obama administration. The Texas proposal has a good chance at passing here, but it too requires a congressional — and presidential — OK.

Turning over to the states is a euphemism for defunding health care for the poor, while increasing tax cuts to the rich and diverting other tax dollars to cronies. That's how republicans roll.

Would you donate money to hear a piece of sh*t speak?

Well, I don't mean literally. Maybe you would pay for that. Oliver North spoke at the Solomon Ortiz Center in Corpus Christi.

Retired Lt. Col Oliver North told a crowd of hundreds Tuesday that a proposed education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., would preserve the memory of the fallen for future generations.

Rick Perry is trying to destroy Texas A & M in order to help his buddies

The architect of some of Gov. Rick Perry's higher education reforms has worked closely with Texas A&M University System officials on implementing the controversial recommendations, records obtained under the Texas Public Information Act show.

Jeff Sandefer, a major Perry donor and co-founder of a graduate-level business school in Austin, also helped organize a private lunch where two higher education specialists briefed some A&M regents and some current or soon-to-be-appointed regents of the University of Texas System on online education, according to emails.

Some Perry cronies want to make billions in online education. Perry is all hot to help. Crony capitalism, yes. Promoting the general welfare, no.

republicans put private data on public website

The private information on more than three million people has been accidentally leaked on a government website. The State Comptroller's office is taking the blame, but for the millions at risk for identity theft the hassle is just beginning.

Even if you do everything you can to protect your identity from cyber-thieves, you're powerless if a government agency displays your information online.

Expect worse with new ids required for voting. More data and more chances for Texas republicans to screw up.

Pan Am fight with Brownsville gets personal

At stake is $500K start up money and guaranteed revenue subsidies.

Bob Hedrick, president of Brownsville-based Pan American, over the weekend released the contents of two cell phone messages he received from City Commissioner Charlie Atkinson on March 17 and March 23.

...

“Hello. Hey, Bob, give me a call, Charlie Atkinson, commissioner of Brownsville. I hope you’re not trying to get in the way from what we’re trying to do here in Brownsville by sparking another type of interest. I’d like to talk to you about this, because I truly hope you’re not trying to sabotage anything that the city of Brownsville’s doing.”

The second message, sent on the evening of March 23, is as follows:

“Hey, Mr. Hedrick, this is Charlie Atkinson, just calling you to see if you can call me back. I’d like to talk about the stuff going on at the airport, your involvement in some of these things and the future of your company with Brownsville.”

Senate republicans got mad at El Paso County judge for not telling them what they wanted to hear

Q Why did McCain get upset with your responses?

A Both he and Senator (Tom) Coburn, R-Okla., seemed irritated at the fact that I wasn't telling them what they wanted to hear. At one point I told Sen. Coburn, "I'm not here to tell you want you want to hear. I'm here to give you the facts and it should be in your interest to get the facts and keep us safe."

republicans want to throw military force and fear at brown people. It's that simple. Red meat for the racist republican base.

Tell all of your elderly relatives and friends that republicans in Congress are working to kill Medicare

The joke's on all of the Tea Baggers with their 'keep the government's hands off my Medicare' signs.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan proposed a budget plan for 2012. It's scheduled for a vote next week. Among its features: Ending Medicare and gutting Medicaid.

More here.

It's Monday blog roundup time!

The Texas Progressive Alliance reminds you that it does not shut down as it brings you this week's blog roundup.

Off the Kuff discusses the bet the Republicans have made about how the voters will react to deep cuts to public education.

At TexasKaos, Lightseeker warns Don't Buy Into the Lie - Help Spread the Truth About the Fiscal Mess! Updated with video! Check it out - be part of the solution, not part of the problem...

From Bay Area Houston: Unlike the gop who believes the solution to teen pregnancy is duct tape and a $50,000 speaking engagement by Bristol Palin, PP actually provides education services, family planning services, and low cost birth control.

Barack Obama asked the question "Are You In?" last week, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs decided he wasn't.

Texas has a revenue problem that's so bad even the GOP is starting to realize it. WCNews at Eye On Williamson posted about that this week, Texas GOP tax talk getting louder.

The Texas Cloverleaf looks at the potential, and potentially wacky, new districts in which Denton County might end up.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme notes that republicans want to stop you from voting, kill public education and control women's uteri. Did you see anything about creating jobs, except for the special uterus police?

More bad news for fracking from Public Citizen's Texas Vox blog, as they report House Appropriation will discuss on Thursday the tax exemption for "high cost" wells, valued at several billion dollars that should be going to schools and health care. As fate would have it, they had already planned to join a press conference that morning led by TPA's own TXSharon on health impacts of fracking- click for details!

Neil at Texas Liberal noted that while it is great for Houston Mayor Annise Parker that she raised $1 million for her reelection campaign in a single night, this fact is much less relevance to a public that finds little to care about in a Houston city politics that is nearly devoid of grassroots enthusiasms.

El Paso public corruption trial continues

More allegations of cocktails and corruption out of El Paso's federal courthouse on Thursday, as testimony continued in the trial of former District Clerk Gilbert Sanchez and attorney and former County Judge Luther Jones.

Sanchez is accused of conspiring with Jones to steer a private company's contract in late 2003 through 2004. Sanchez and Jones are being tried in federal court on two counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and deprivation of honest services.

With high energy prices, dwindling oil supplies, and foreign oil dependence, republicans move to raise speed lime to 85mph

Short sighted = republican. How else can you explain this? That's even without considering the safety issues involved. Will roads be re-engineered to take an 85MPH speed limit?

Texas moves to regulate wind farms

A bill that would give military installations more advance notice about wind farm developments passed the state Senate this week, but measures that would impose new permitting regulations on the wind industry may have a steeper climb.

Industry leaders say turbines have proliferated in Texas, the nation's leading wind energy state, largely because of its unrestrictive regulatory environment and because of state laws that require electricity providers to use renewable energy or buy renewable energy credits.

Lots of refineries and chemical plants in Corpus Christi. Lots of babies born with birth defects.

A new study reaffirming a higher rate of birth defects in the area has been handed to a federal agency to investigate whether refineries and chemical plants have played a role.

The follow-up study, released in December, found that birth defects are higher in Corpus Christi compared to the state even after the state researcher controlled for characteristics such as age, race and ethnicity that can sway the rates. Similar studies in the past also have found high birth defect rates in the area.

People in Brownsville, like elsewhere, will hurt because republicans want to kill npr and Planned Parenthood

Clearly, republicans have no interest in promoting the general welfare. How can there be the slightest doubt.

Certain Brownsville residents will suffer if the federal government shuts down tonight — had they planned to get a passport, visit area national parks or close federally backed home loans anytime soon.

Some federal employees locally could even be furloughed.

A shutdown of the federal government today at 11 p.m. local time would cause processing delays or office closures — even if some services continue uninterrupted, officials warn.

But, congress will continue to get paid. That is wrong.

Public corruption exposed in El Paso trial

He was once called 'the right hand man' of former District Clerk Gilbert Sanchez. Then he pleaded guilty to corruption and child porn charges. On Tuesday, Fernando Parra testified that Sanchez and former County Judge Luther Jones made shady, corrupt deals.

Parra, a witness for the prosecution, said attorney Luther Jones and Sanchez would meet with leaders of private company Altep and would even joke about the shady deals they allegedly schemed. Altep hired Jones to handle a proposal for a potential multi-million dollar contract with the county to digitize records.

Did Brownsville city commissoners have a 'special' deal with Fly Frontera?

The waters were roiled when Bob Hedrick, president of Brownsville-based Pan American Airways Inc., complained publicly that he’d been told by airport officials in August that no subsidies were available, and would not be available, for his company to establish passenger flights to Mexico. Hedrick accused airport and city officials of trying to slip Fly Frontera in through the “back door,” and said other air carriers should have been invited to bid.

Got a pre-existing condition? You can get medical coverage thanks to Democrats.

The federal agency Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services is hoping to boost enrollment in a public insurance program for U.S. residents who have been denied private health insurance because of pre-existing illness or disability.

CMMS estimates that more than a quarter-million uninsured Texas residents with pre-existing medical conditions are eligible for its “Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.” As many as 7 million U.S. residents may be eligible for the plan, which is part of the national Affordable Care Act passed last year. The PCIP program, which started last August in Texas, will end in 2014, when the Affordable Care Act stipulates that private insurance companies begin to cover people regardless of pre-existing illness or disability. But as of Feb. 1, only 1,007 Texas residents had signed up for the PCIP program, according to an official tally.

Deregulation = tainted food. Want some chicken?

Would you rather take you chances with someone like Kenneth Lay deciding on the safety of the products you consume? Do you want someone motivated by quick profits to protect your interests? Or, would you rather have someone elected by you and accountable to you who is motivated to protect you?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a press release this week to inform travelers about the regulations regarding poultry meats, including those that are deli-sliced, as well as cooked, hard-boiled eggs.

In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the regulations for poultry meat brought from Mexico to the United States.

The regulations are an attempt to stop an animal disease outbreak, USDA spokeswoman, Work Abeba Yigzaw, said.

republicans hold sway over Texas women's uteruses

republicans are trying to kill Planned Parenthood and Family planning services. There is a concerted, organized effort to kill all organizations perceived to be associated with Democratic power.

Why do republicans spend so much time worrying about other people's medical decisions? Even Grandma can't get enough pain medication to ease the pain of her bone cancer, because republicans are afraid she might become a drug addict.

Is "family planning" a euphemism for abortion? Many House Republicans seem to think so. In amendment after amendment during last weekend’s budget battle, they raided the Women’s Health Program — which funds reproductive health issues, but not abortions, for Texas’ poorest women — to divert money to other budget-whacked services, from autism to children’s mental health.

republicans are against women having control over their lives. To that end, republicans oppose birth control, too. There is no doubt, republicans hate women. Even republican women hate women. republicans would suggest burkas so that they wouldn't even have to look at a woman, but Muslims already thought of that.

What 'voter integrity' means to a republican

The Texas Tribune online editor titled this article 'GOP Lawmakers Push New Voter Integrity Bills' on the Tribune front page. The title on the referenced article is 'Texas GOP Legislators Push New Voter Bills'. If republicans really wanted us to have faith in our elections, they would certify electronic voting machines with a voter verifiable paper trail. But, sadly no. republicans want to suppress the vote.

To a republican, 'voter integrity' means white, affluent, their kind of Christian with a Tea Party mindset. Probably male and over 50, too. Nobody else should be allowed to vote. Really. That's what they want. That's what they think.

MALC sues over US Census

A group of Hispanic lawmakers has filed a lawsuit against Gov. Rick Perry and the state of Texas that seeks to halt redistricting activities based on allegedly flawed and discriminatory undercounts of Hispanics during the 2010 census.

The lawsuit by the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, filed Tuesday in Hidalgo County, alleges census officials missed 4 percent to 8 percent of the population with their special door-to-door counts in low-income “colonias.”

JP convicted of two counts of official oppression fights decision

For Justice of the Peace Mary Alice Palacios, the court fight rages on.

Palacios was in court Tuesday morning to learn the terms of her probation after a jury convicted her last month to two counts of official oppression, a misdemeanor.

She can't work as a JP after a conviction. Who knew the law could be so picky. And, how can official oppression be a misdemeanor?

Judge says Open Meeting Law is legal

Authoritarian city councils beware.

The recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Junell that the Texas Open Meetings Act is constitutional was a victory to ordinary citizens.

It’s not a real surprise that the law, which has been around since 1967, survived a clumsy legal challenge.

In 2005, a couple of members of the Alpine City Council, who exchanged emails about an engineering contract, got into trouble with a grand jury. Charges were dropped, but three people on the council at the time challenged the Texas Open Meetings Act, saying it was vague and infringed on their rights of free speech.

Public officials in several other Texas cities joined them.

Judge Limas racketeering case snares Longoria

A 52-year-old San Benito suspect in the racketeering case involving former 404th state District Judge Abel C. Limas has been placed under a $100,000 bond.

Jose Manuel Longoria appeared Tuesday afternoon for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Felix Recio, who set the bond. He stated Longoria would not only have to post 15 percent deposit of that amount, but also first post an immigration bond in order for him to be released from custody. Longoria, who is a legal resident, has an immigration detainer on him.

Get used to more headlines like this one

'Driver accused of pulling gun on bus driver in road rage incident'

republicans want everybody, even people who get really angry, to have a gun. I guess that might help slow down our population growth. On the other hand, this will put a drain on health services.

If you could only pick one of these a**holes to go, which would it be? Lamar Smith or Joe Barton

Hard to choose, but I'd say Lamar Smith because he runs the house judiciary committee. Apparently, they're fighting over who gets to gerrymander enough whites into their district to be reasonably safe for 2012.

The republican propaganda rag, Politico, is solidly on Lamar Smith's side.

And with concerns over the Voting Rights Act — which bars congressional districts from being drawn in a way that dilutes minority voting power — coming into play, Smith brought in an official from the Texas Supreme Court last week to tell GOP lawmakers that there is no way to craft solid GOP districts that would meet Justice Department or federal court approval. Under the Voting Rights Act, Texas is one of 16 states that needs outside approval to implement new state and federal districts.

But Barton, who was passed over in January by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) for the the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee’s gavel, has pushed to make three, or possibly all four, of the new districts Republican-favored, potentially shutting out Hispanic hopefuls from the new seats. Barton has harshly criticized Smith during Texas GOP delegation meetings, launching a profanity-laced tirade at Smith during one session early last month, and he’s privately tried to oust Smith as the lead Republican negotiator on redistricting.

I doubt very much that Lamar Smith gives a rat's a** about the voting rights of minorities. If so, why do republicans keep putting obstacles into the paths of voters?

republicans think that bad doctors should be taking care of injured workers

Why do republicans hate working people so much?

Are Texas doctors hamstrung by unfounded complaints? Reps. Bill Zedler and Fred Brown think so. They’ve filed bills that would make it tougher for the state Division of Workers’ Compensation and the Texas Medical Board to keep physicians off the job who are anonymously — and perhaps wrongly — accused of misconduct.

But both seemingly doctor-friendly bills are opposed by the state’s largest physician organization, which warns that, as written, they could jeopardize patient safety. And some health care observers have raised questions about the motivations of the key individuals backing the measures.

It's Monday so enjoy another TPA blog roundup!

The Texas Progressive Alliance would have voted against HB1 as well as it brings you this week's blog roundup.

Off the Kuff notes that when one Bradley goes away, another one gets nominated.

Three Wise Men examines the possibility of a federal government shutdown and what Republicans are doing with the budget in Texas.

Musings rounds up news on teacher layoffs across Texas.

Presenting the comedy gold of the Honorable Anthony Weiner of The Bronx, NY, now showing for a limited time at Brains and Eggs.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme says you just have to read the paper to see how republicans are destroying every thing and everybody they can.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson says It’s time for the left to join the class war.

At TexasKaos, more on Perry's assult on our State's future. See GOP Robs Texas of its Future. If this doesn't make clear what Perry is doing, you will never get it.

Marking the 43rd annivesary of the death of Martin Luther King, Neil at Texas Liberal reposted his 2011 MLK Reading & Reference List. Every day is the right day to be hopeful. Study MLK's life and make the decsion to take action for a better America. Nobody will do the work of freedom and democracy for you.

Who would have guessed that the biggest problem we have in the US is that taxes are too low? Turns out, that's THE problem with the budget, not spending.

After a weekend of masochistically watching the House debate the budget, TexasVox pointed out several billion in untapped and environmentally friendly revenue that we've left on the table, while the natural gas industry whines that without their corporate welfare check they'll have to move more of their drilling operations out of state to other states like Pennsylvania. Awww, poor babies.

Judge Limas' bribery conviction to take down others involved

The indictment against [former state 404th District Court Judge Abel Limas] includes details of alleged illicit activities of five other individuals, identified only as persons A, B, C, D and E. One is described as an associate of Limas and four are attorneys.

Former Limas associate Jose Manuel Longoria, 57, was arrested Thursday on a charge of wire fraud, and a comparison of Limas’ indictment and the complaint against Longoria shows that he is Person B of the indictment — an alleged middleman between Limas and criminal defendants. Longoria allegedly helped arrange favorable court treatment in return for monetary payments made directly or indirectly to Limas.

The indictment against Limas alleges that he, aided by Person B, obtained $600 in 2007 to continue and then terminate a probation revocation proceeding; $700 in 2008 to change the terms of a defendant’s appearance bond; and $1,500 as gleaned from a federal investigation using wiretaps that ran from April 22, 2008, to May 13, 2008. It was on May 13, 2008, that Limas changed the terms of probation for a defendant to allow him to report to his probation officer by mail rather than in person.

Wind farms set of tornado alarms

Time to figure out new sensors and new equations to account for wind farms.

Three or four times a day, an alarm goes off at the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi, warning of a tornado in San Patricio County.

In a dark air traffic control room at Naval Air Station Kingsville, a shadow looms on the radar screen over Kenedy County.

There is, of course, no tornado and no phantom lurking on the horizon.

But the wind farms that trigger these radar images are real, and they're causing a collision between clean energy, military and public safety priorities.

New Texas budget is mean to kids and the elderly. Just like republicans.

The Texas House voted 98-49 Sunday night to slash funding for public schools, nursing homes and college financial aid in a dramatic show by Republicans elected on a limited-government message in the face of a massive budget shortfall.

"This budget is the result of the worst recession that anybody in this room has ever experienced," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie. "I know this bill is not perfect. … This budget does fund the essential services of state government within our state revenue."

The $164.5 billion budget for the next two years - which would trim $23 billion from current state and federal spending - would have a disastrous effect on key services, said outnumbered Democrats, joined by some leading Republicans. Legislators voted along party lines, except for two Republicans who voted against it - David Simpson of Longview and Aaron Pena of Edinburg.

Wall Street and CEOs are doing booming business. Even the guys who ran the BP oil well got bonuses for safety. Why do the poor, the kids and other vulnerable people have to pay for Wall Street's excess? Why do republicans chortle while slashing the lifelines for so many?

republicans have been systematically destroying democratic institutions for years

First they came after the TV commentators, and we said nothing.  Here comes Fox news and John Stossel.  Gone are Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather from the evening news.  The New York Times succumbed with Judith Miller, Anne Kornblut and others not fit to shine Paul Krugman's shoes.  The Washington Post, e.g.  Chris Cillizza, has been a joke for years with just a few bright stars.  AM radio is nothing but non-stop right wing propaganda.  NPR has a bright target on its back.  Now, any lie will be repeated ad nauseum.   republicans have built a massive, effective machine to promote their ideology and their beliefs.  No referees allowed.  No real journalists allowed.  Just people who take their talking points from right wing think thanks.

Unions are clearly on the chopping block.  Ronald Reagan started it with the air controllers.  republican governors want to finish it.  Teachers, nurses, fire fighters, police officers must be turned into compliant drones.  Teachers have been demonized and marginalized for years. 

Public education itself is under non-stop attack this year by republicans all over this country.

ACORN, a community asset to the poor, has been destroyed.  Planned Parenthood is clearly in the rabid right's cross hairs.  Even AARP is to be destroyed for standing up for seniors.

This is breathtaking in its scope. When will Americans realized that the right has destroyed our country?  When will Americans stop voting their prejudices and start voting for freedom?

Another day, another attack on public education

Only the rich, white sons of the republican elite should receive an education. The rest of us can just dig ditches, clean houses and work in sweatshops till we drop dead.

A popular grant program that border students rely heavily on saw severe cuts for the current biennium all but codified into law on Thursday.

This happened after a South Texas lawmaker tried unsuccessfully to avert to cuts in the Toward Excellence, Access and Success (TEXAS) Grants program during debate on House Bill 4, a supplemental appropriations bill that was needed to shore up the current state budget.

Citing a vanishing “infrastructure of opportunity” for struggling Texas families, state Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, took to the podium on the House floor in a doomed attempt to roll back cuts that have left many border students uncertain of their future.

“The reason it hits the Valley perhaps hardest is that it’s meant for low income students, and lower-middle class students, and there’s also a concentration of those in South Texas. It’s a need-based financial aid program,” Castro told the Guardian.

Here's a headline were shouldn't have to see

'Former judge Limas pleads guilty'

Who, except republicans, wants to have bad, corrupt judges?

Former 404th state District Judge Abel C. Limas pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to a racketeering charge involving bribes and extortion.

A federal grand jury this week indicted Limas alleging that he “solicited and accepted bribes and extorted money” from people with cases before his court, their attorneys and representatives, in exchange for favorable rulings.

Texas wants to kill people

How else do you explain the use of the death penalty no matter what.

A decision to change one of the drugs Texas uses for lethal injections in its busy execution chamber has sparked anew the controversy over the state’s death penalty.

Two inmates filed suit this week against the state corrections department over its closed-door decision-making process. Lawyers for the inmates also called for a federal investigation into whether the state had illegally obtained death penalty drugs used in nearly all of the state’s previous 466 executions since 1982. And the sole American manufacturer of the drug that Texas plans to use urged state officials not to use it in executions.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced on March 16 that it would use pentobarbital in its three-drug cocktail to carry out lethal injections. Texas and other states with the death penalty were forced to find a substitute for the anesthetic sodium thiopental when its only American producer, Hospira Inc. of Lake Forest, Ill., announced in January that it would stop selling the drug.