July 02, 2009

Fools and their money...

...never stay together for long. From QR:

U.S. Senate candidate Roger Williams reports that he raised more than $400,000 at a Saturday fundraiser in Weatherford. The former Secretary of State is exploring a run for the Senate seat when (or if) incumbent Kay Bailey Hutchison steps down to pursue the office of Governor.

Based on his campaign’s release, Williams now appears satisfied that he can mount a successful campaign. “This event was one of the final major events in the exploratory phase of my campaign. In this phase, I am testing the water,” said Williams. “Based on what I saw on Saturday, the water is just right for diving in.”

Among the luminaries at Williams’ event were: former Dallas Cowboys players Bob Lilly and Rayfield Wright, former football announcer Pat Summerall, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) and boxing promoter Don King.

Keep throwin' money down the rabbit hole, R's!

Posted by mcblogger at 12:03 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Hasselbeck : Plagiarist

No joke, The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck copied a cookbook...

A lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts alleges that Hasselbeck lifted "word for word" content from a book on celiac disease written by a self-published author on Cape Cod.

Hasselbeck's book, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide," has appeared over the past month on several best-seller lists.

Author Susan Hassett filed the lawsuit Monday, saying she sent Hasselbeck a copy of her "Living With Celiac Disease" book as a courtesy after the TV celebrity disclosed she had the illness last year.

The lawsuit says Hasselbeck's book reproduces lists of grains containing gluten along with scientific names of the grains.

Hasselbeck's book "includes dozens of paraphrased as well as word for word regurgitations of phrases" from Hassett's book, the lawsuit claims, but it doesn't cite specific examples.

It's funny, actually, because I've just begun work on a cookbook demystifying french cooking. I'm calling it Perfecting the Skill of Cooking French Cuisine. Look for it on Amazon literally any day now.

Good Appetite!

Posted by mcblogger at 09:08 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

July 01, 2009

Draft Ronnie Earle!

I found this site tonight on Facebook and am extremely excited. I think Ronnie Earle has the perfect combination of intelligence and personality to really impress people all over the state and take the Office of Governor back for real Texans! Vince has a post up about this Draft over at Capitol Annex.

One of the reasons I like Earle is the fire and passion he brings to everything he does. He's the kind of candidate who won't let Republicans in this state know that it's OK for them to vote for a Democrat, he's the kind of man who can convince them the Republicans are full of shit, with a smile on his face and a beer in his hand.

Click the link and let's get ready to beat some 39% (or KBH) ass in 2010! It's time for REAL leadership in Austin! Run, Ronnie, Run!

For those of you wringing your hands over such a partisan choice, keep in mind that Earle prosecuted Tom Delay, a man universally reviled by Republicans and Democrats for his corruption and deep ties to lobbyists (Abramoff ringing a bell?). I'd say some other nasty things about 'worrying' and being 'stupid' and thinking that the Austin bubble represents Texas, but I'm under the impression that some of your are persuadable.

So get on board or get the goddamn hell out of the motherfucking way.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:47 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Dukes Campaign Reports

So, finally, we can see just what was on those credit cards she's been hiding from us... drumroll please...

New details in Dukes' corrected reports show that she used campaign funds for gifts for constituents from Family Christian Stores, fees for the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, gas from Chevron and utilities from the City of Austin.

Umm, WHAT?! Sorority fees are a campaign expense? REALLY? Something about that doesn't pass the smell test!

Posted by MasterConsultant at 12:55 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

What really happened at the Rainbow Lounge?

Early Sunday morning, 40 years after the Stonewall Riots, TABC and Fort Worth PD raided a gay bar in Fort Worth. A few things were strange... the bar had only been open for a week and it was clear from the get-go, this raid wasn't about service at the bar. It was about harassing the patrons of the bar. Asterisk has a detailed account of what happened that night pieced together from multiple sources.

Normally when there's a raid on an establishment that's been overserving, TABC is looking to arrest servers and bar tenders who are violating regs. That didn't happen. Instead, they arrested patrons on the flimsiest of charges, Public Intox. To see how vague the law is, take a look here. This gives law enforcement an enormous amount of latitude, something the courts usually take into account on contested PI charges. PI is used as frequently against the violent as it is against the non-violent. To get arrested for PI, you need only be walking down the street after a drink or two. That's how easy it is.

According to the account, the raid was based on the report of a 'disgruntled employee'. Now, the bar had been open for a week so that was a weak excuse. Further, taking the word of a 'disgruntled employee' makes about as much sense as me asking one of my exes to write a profile for me on a dating site.

Fortunately, it looks like political leaders in Fort Worth are asking questions and trying to investigate the true nature of this raid. These officers have just cost the city, in terms of bad PR and lawsuits, probably a couple of million dollars. Whatever your feelings on gays and lesbians, ANY taxpayer should be pissed as hell about these officers going commando on the taxpayer's dime.

Additionally, Fort Worth's PD Chief Jeff Halstead has promised to look into the 'inspection' and determine what happened. From reports he's received, it appears that the TABC agents were the bad actors in the all this.

"Why didn’t they do something?" asked Elizabeth Pax, ambassador for Queer Liberaction, a Dallas-based advocacy group. "Why didn’t your officers speak up?"

One Fort Worth officer made an initial call for assistance early on, Halstead said. Investigators think that call took place while Gibson was being injured, Halstead said.

Once patrons confronted the officers, Halstead said, the bar check took on a very different tone.

Halstead asked again for people who were at the Rainbow Lounge to come forward and tell police what they saw.

He said that the department had received about 500 calls but that only two were from people who had been at the bar. Investigators need to hear from witnesses, not just from people who want to complain, he said.

Halstead promised that he will work to employ a liaison between police and the gay community.

"We’ve got to work together," Halstead said. "Be patient, and you will see that this is just not lip service. I will meet with you wherever you want to meet. I will go to your restaurants, your house, we can eat barbecue, whatever you want to do. But we’ve got to talk.

"We will heal beyond this."

Posted by mcblogger at 12:37 PM | Comments (1) | | TrackBack (0)

I love ice cream treats!

see more Fail Blog

Posted by mcblogger at 10:05 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

June 30, 2009

Someone stole Mr. The Plumber's brain

What a tool...

Referring to the Constitution as "almost like the Bible," Wurzelbacher said of the Founding Fathers: "They knew socialism doesn't work. They knew communism doesn't work."

Yes, they did. Almost 30 years before the author of The Communist Manifesto was even born. What vision!

Mr. The Plumber then went on to discuss progressive taxation (without even mentioning the Ovarian Lottery) which he thinks is immoral though he doesn't really understand the concept, nor the concept of morality. He also declared he was still a member of the Republican Party which will make some of my more affluent Republican friends vomit. Or, rather, it should.

One has to wonder how much the Republicans are paying this sad, pathetic douche of a man. Hopefully it's enough for him to finally realize his dream of owning his own plumbing business. Then he can actually bitch about paying taxes since he really doesn't pay much right now.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:39 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

The Special : Two items worth noting

First item worth noting, this piece from Kronberg regarding what Dunnam is thinking of in terms of a proper duration for the Special...

DUNNAM: NO PLANS TO SLOW ANYTHING DOWN

Wants to be clear on CDA reauthorizations; otherwise plans to expedite speedy session

The Austin rumor mill continues to churn about grand plans by House Democrats to throw a little sand into the gears of the special session.

Not so says House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam.

"I met with Armbrister and Morrisey on another matter yesterday. I told Armbrister that while we want to be sure we understand what is in the CDA re-authorizations, we were ready to make the session go smoothly."

Dunnam added, "Of course we would like to see CHIP, unemployment insurance and TDI added to the call but we don't have any control over that."

Then there was this in the Statesman on how Sen. Nichols' zeal for open ended CDA renewal could lead us to a much longer session. My question is, simply, CAN WE JUST END THESE AND MOVE ON? The Republicans want CDA's. The Republicans want privatization. The Democrats might be OK with some of it if they know what's going on in the contracts?

Seriously, Rep. Dunnam? The fact that every time y'all vote to continue this garbage it ends up leading to a larger clusterfuck isn't enough of a clue that maybe, just maybe, y'all should just go ahead and be intransigent on the whole thing?

This is a cut and dry issue. Privatization of infrastructure is not an acceptable solution. And now, ahead of an election year, is not the time to play bipartisanship with right wing lunatics like Sen. Nichols. Not when even people in his own district are shopping for primary and general opponents for him.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:18 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Eat our holes

The Hardee's unit of CKE Restaurants is rolling out a new product which is, no joke, a biscuit hole (whatever that is) that's been deep fried, then rolled in cinnamon and sugar and served to you hot with icing in which to dip the balls of fried dough.

Do you have any idea how much restraint I exercised just there talking about fried dough balls?

There is, however, a small problem. The company has had some issues with a name for what many are calling a delicious product. So, they're asking for your help. Please visit here and feel free to leave your suggestions.

Yes, I own stock in CKE. A lot of stock.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:31 AM | Comments (4) | | TrackBack (0)

2010 : Watson and Reality

Paul Burka has a piece up about Sen. Watson's chances in the '10 gubernatorial race. Honestly, it's not a bad read but it's a conventional analysis about an election cycle that's going to be strange in many ways, in state that is anything but conventional, especially right now. Where Burka and I differ on this is that while I think Sen. Watson can easily slide through the primary, I do not think he has the talent to win statewide at the top of the ticket. His best shot is Lt. Gov, but it remains to be seen whether or not his ego can handle not being at the top (insert bad relationship joke here).

Oh, and every politico in and around Austin who thinks Kirk is the golden boy for '10 needs to rethink things a bit. Seriously, they're offbase and don't know the state (outside of Austin) or the mood of it right now. Sorry to rain doodoo on the parade, but reality is reality... and if you think Kirk will sell well in Smith or Gregg Counties, think again. Kirk's only shot is predicated on 39% winning the R primary (not at all a given) AND managing to work the campaign well. Therin lies the problem... his 02 run was pathetic, even worse than the 2006 Van Os run with that retarded 254 county strategy. Even if that's fixed, he's a drag at the top given some of his 'reasonable, but hard to defend' votes in the Senate. Down ballot, there's less pressure and an easier sell for a respected Senate insider that can actually be an amazing Lt. Governor.

Texans are angry. Like a nest of hornets that's been disturbed, the people of this state are looking for someone to blame for the shitty roads, the shitty schools, their economy which is not so great everywhere BUT Austin and their horrendously inflated property taxes driven up by the fact that businesses pay little in taxes. Let's not even mention they have to pay for the most expensive insurance and some of the most expensive electricity in the country.The state, in short, ain't in especially great shape as anyone who's driven on 35 between Austin and Dallas already knows. And the blame is being assigned to 39% and the worthless R's in the Lege. 15 years of Republicans have worked hard to turn Texas into Guatemala.

39% is, of course, trying to make it about 'hating Texas'. What his brill strategists don't seem to get is that Texans already think their guy is a piece of shit. His 39% of the vote in 06 wasn't, you know, an accident. All that's needed is a nasty, drag you through the mud and junk punch you on the way down, fighter to remind them all who's been in charge while the state's been going to hell. Sen. Watson ain't that guy.

They're pissed as hell because they're proud of where they live and what they've accomplished in spite of 39% and the Republicans. They're mad because they see the state circling the drain while 39% gives taxpayer money to big banks, asking nothing in return and who then turn around and screw Texas homeowners with their toxic subprime loans.

Texans are looking for a warrior, someone who can throw a punch into 39% glass jaw, then sit down and have a beer with them but at all times know that he's the kind of guy who doesn't let anything slide. I don't think that guy is Sen. Watson. I think it's Ronnie Earle.

Burka says the 'burbs will be the big battlefield because of toll roads and schools. They're a bigger deal this cycle for D's and easier to pick up in but the real opportunity is East Texas. And this year, with all the TTC 69 bullshit and the R primary, Democrats have the first real shot they've had since the 80's at rebuilding a Democratic base in East Texas.

Now, there are a number of constituencies hoping and praying that Sen. Watson runs statewide. I'm one of them, but where we break is for the office. TTLA and others are rumored to be pushing for Governor and I'd urge them to reconsider. I'd also urge Senator Watson to be realistic about what he really wants and to really think about where he can do the most good.

Posted by mcblogger at 10:24 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Toll Me Another Story

"Toll" is just another dirty 4-letter word

Telling people not to use toll roads if they don't want to and then building them is almost like telling people not to breathe if they don't want to. They are going to be hurt.

Why? Because we all will be paying toll road TAXES even if we "don't use them".

How? We will pay the extra tolls at the cash register when we purchase goods and services because businesses will divert their toll costs onto the consumer. It's common-sense.

In addition, toll roads are long-term debts that our children's grandchildren will continue to pay.

Lastly, if you think toll roads are the panacea for all our roadway, traffic and pollution ills, you are grossly mistaken. Just look at the long-time toll roads in tolling meccas like CA, NY, FL, etc., and you will see that not only do they still have the same issues and problems, but new ones have been created directly due to the building and maintenance of toll roads and plazas.

Another issue is that of Eminent Domain. Thanks to lackluster laws created by lawmakers and their wealthy special interests, property owners will NOT be compensated properly for the taking of their land.

Obviously, there are MANY reasons NOT to approve toll roads throughout Texas, but the main reasons are that toll roads are NOT cost-effective and why should Texans provide wealthy special interests with more avenues for profiteering at our expense?

The special session starts Wednesday July 1st. Contact your state lawmakers and tell them you do NOT want toll roads and to vote AGAINST private toll road leases and any other pro-toll agendas.

Contacts:

House: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php

Senate: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/Members.htm

----

Peter Stern

Posted by pstern at 09:41 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Crush the TTC and Toll Road Agendas at the Capitol

Wednesday starts the Special Interest Special Session

Reprinted by Peter Stern with permission from Terri Hall and TURF

PRESS ADVISORY

Contact: Hank Gilbert, Board Member, Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF), President of Piney Woods Subregional Planning Commission, (903) 570-3613, WEB: www.TexasTURF.org

Legislature poised to pass largest tax increase in Texas history, sell roads to foreign corporations

Texans reject quick fix, ask lawmakers to slow down and get it right

Austin, TX, July 1, 2009 – The Texas Legislature, at the behest of Texas Governor Rick Perry, convenes Wednesday for a Special Session in order to ram through three bills that will affect Texans for generations. Concerned citizens are hopping mad about lawmakers’ rush to get home for the 4th of July holiday rather than give due consideration to what some have dubbed the largest tax increase in Texas history, selling Texas highways to PRIVATE foreign corporations that charge 75 cents PER MILE in new toll taxes to access PUBLIC roads.

On Wednesday morning, Texans will converge at the capitol to demand Perry’s controversial and virtually universally detested road privatization schemes die a natural death August 31 as scheduled, which will also KILL the mechanism to build the Trans Texas Corridor.

What: Press conference on the citizens’ transportation agenda

Where: South steps of the Texas capitol, Austin, TX

Background:

In 2007 by a combined vote of 169-5, the Texas Legislature passed a bill, SB 792, to put a moratorium on private toll contracts, called comprehensive development agreements (or CDAs) that privatize and sell Texas highways to the highest bidder. The moratorium ends August 31, 2009, and CDAs, except for approximately a dozen projects that were exempted, sunset with it. CDAs are the primary vehicle used to construct the Trans Texas Corridor.

###

Posted by pstern at 08:51 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

June 29, 2009

100% Disabled Veterans May Apply for Their Total Residential Property Exemptions

Veterans can apply now!


Now that Texas Legislators approved the bill for total home property tax exemptions for 100% Disabled Veterans and Gov. Perry signed the bill into law, the Texas Comptroller's Office is offering a download of the application form.

A 100% Disabled Veteran must complete the application and attach a copy of the letter sent to the veteran by the VA that documents the percent of disability to the appraisal office of the homeowner's district.

Read the directions carefully and note that the application may be completed online but is temporary and must be copied to a printer before closing the site. It will NOT be saved online.

You can go to the site by clicking HERE


--- Peter Stern

Posted by pstern at 04:49 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Good idea, 39%

As it turns out, turning down the unemployment money from the Feds was one of the dumber decisions ever made by 39% since we'll now have to go begging DC for the money to cover the gap between demand by people out of work and available unemployment funds.

Is there ANYTHING 39% does that isn't a shell game?

Posted by mcblogger at 02:22 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Thank you, Barney Frank!

The long overdue first shot in the battle to end the War on Drugs has been fired...

Barney Frank's bill may not be the solution. It may even create a whole raft load of new and different problems. Even so, isn't it time that we admit that the pointless, never-ending War on Drugs © just isn't doing what we've convinced ourselves it is? Why is it that we rail against wasteful government spending...and yet never address the moral and financial black hole that is the War on Drugs ©? If any other public policy initiative had been show to be such an abject faiilure, the demands for it to be ended would be legion. Yet the War on Drugs © continues apace, unimpeded by expectations of success. The mere fact of the existence of the War on Drugs © seems to be sufficient, because politicians have come to see it as the third rail of public policy: touch it at your own substantial risk.

I'll begin to think that we're serious about address drug use in this country when we finally begin to address the reality of our national alcohol problem. Until and unless our elected leaders take off their collective blinders, we'll no doubt continue flushing billions more tax dollars down the drain. And nothing will change.

Posted by mcblogger at 11:07 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Gov. Rick Perry Lies to Texans About Home Insurance Premium Costs

Perry is a lying sack of manure

by Peter Stern

We need to ask ourselves, "Why?" [...do Texans continue to pay the highest home insurance premiums in the nation.]

Five years ago with Gov. Rick Perry, then Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Commissioner Jose Montemayor, and legislators "looking the other way," lax insurance legislation permitted the industry to double overnight the premiums paid by Texas homeowners. Bear in mind that Gov. Perry will have a tough battle for reelection in 2010 from fellow Republican, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Texans now have some "clout" to demand the governor do something before the election.

In 2004 and during the previous several years, the insurance industry had been experiencing a hard market and was losing revenue; we were told it was caused by excessive claims due to storms, winds, flooding, hail, and mold. The industry collectively had called upon the state informally to help with correcting the market, but few listened to its pleas.

As in many previous years of hard markets, the insurance industry elected to act independently on the problem without waiting any longer for government interaction on its behalf. Virtually overnight, it then over-corrected the market by doubling home insurance premiums. Texas homeowners are still paying those doubled premiums.

In some instances, the industry decreased the coverage and still increased the premiums significantly.

Initially, the reaction of homeowners was disbelief and then anger. Many contacted the offices of the governor, TDI, and various legislators. They were told publicly by Gov. Perry and his appointee Comm. Montemayor that by the next year, the insurance industry would refund up to 14 percent of the increased premiums. To date, that has never occurred. Homeowners must have forgotten the promises made by Perry, Montemayor and now TDI Commissioner Mike Geeslin.

So, now it's been 5 years of insurance over-compensation and profiteering, while premiums still are doubled! Texans still are being lied to, while the governor and state officials continue to permit the insurance industry in Texas to maintain the highest home insurance premiums anywhere else in the nation.

Currently, we are in the middle of the 3rd fiscal business quarter of year 2009 and are in a softer market. The industry has been reaping substantial profits for the past several years and is still content to keep premiums at this highest-ever level.

Despite high revenues, there is no sign of legislators providing more oversight and/or regulations on the insurance market, nor is the industry on its own considering lowering the premiums of home insurance to a more reasonable amount.

Periodically, when public opinion and discontent require it, Perry gives the issue some lip service and feigns to leave it up to the Legislature to consider, but no one seriously acts on behalf of overburdened Texas homeowners. With ever-increasing property values via appraisal creep generating escalating taxes annually (whether or not appropriate), home insurance may be a close second as the cause of the record number of foreclosure throughout the state.

Apparently, unless Texans pound on the gubernatorial and legislative doors, communicating via phone and letters that home insurance relief is needed now, no one will do anything about it and Texas homeowners will continue to pay the highest premium costs anywhere in the nation. We can NOT depend on the governor, legislators, current TDI Commissioner Mike Geeslin, or the insurance industry to offer homeowners relief. To them, the sweet smell of profits overrides the stench of decay from the American Dream of owning your own home becoming a nightmare for most of us.

We either can remain the docile sheep officials want us to be, or we can move on correcting this unacceptable series of insurance events.

DEMAND REDUCTIONS IN PREMIUM COSTS WITHOUT REDUCING COVERAGE!!!

Naturally, an easier option for fed-up Texans is to vote-out Gov. Rick Perry in the 2010 GOP Gubernatorial Primary, by voting-in fellow Republican opponent Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Texas taxpayers finally have a viable option in lowering their home insurance premiums by removing a lying and deceitful special interest governor from office.

---

Posted by pstern at 06:54 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

June 28, 2009

Ditto, Frank Rich.

With the President caving in to Republicans and Blue Dogs unnecessarily, you'd think on some level he'd develop a spine on a simple civil rights issue. But that's not, as Frank Rich astutely points out, the case.

No president possesses that magic wand, but Obama’s inaction on gay civil rights is striking. So is his utterly uncharacteristic inarticulateness. The Justice Department brief defending DOMA has spoken louder for this president than any of his own words on the subject. Chrisler noted that he has given major speeches on race, on abortion and to the Muslim world. “People are waiting for that passionate speech from him on equal rights,” she said, “and the time is now.”

Action would be even better. It’s a press cliché that “gay supporters” are disappointed with Obama, but we should all be. Gay Americans aren’t just another political special interest group. They are Americans who are actively discriminated against by federal laws. If the president is to properly honor the memory of Stonewall, he should get up to speed on what happened there 40 years ago, when courageous kids who had nothing, not even a public acknowledgment of their existence, stood up to make history happen in the least likely of places.

Posted by mcblogger at 04:04 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Veterans Deserve Our Support

Suicide: A Painful National And Local Community Issue

Veterans are hit hardest.

The media tells us little regarding suicide unless it occurs to a famous individual.

The truth is that suicides occur all too frequently within our society. There has been an increase of teenage suicides and among our elderly population, but the most dramatic increase in suicide has occurred with our returning Veteran population — but we don’t hear about it on the news.

The media was all too quick to jump on the recent possible suicide of actor David Carradine when he was found hung in a Thailand hotel. Too quick because authorities now believe it looks like the actor may have been murdered. Unfortunately, no one is notified that many of our Veterans are having problems reentering our society after serving our nation.

Why aren’t the media writing about the increasing high rate of suicide by our returning Veterans? The suicide rate is the highest among that population than ever before. It’s time we recognize the problem and do something about it.

The increase of suicide by our Veteran population is not just a problem for the federal government, it is a local problem as well and state lawmakers should be doing everything possible to provide needed services, including counseling to help our returning veterans in readjusting to civilian life. As a Disabled Veteran myself, I can tell you that it is not an easy task to acclimate back into our culture after being in a war zone for long periods far away from civilization and loved ones. It is a heck of a return journey.

Reentry is especially difficult during these hard economic times, where Veterans especially have a tough time finding employment. Outsourcing, layoffs and immigrant cheaper labor have taken a toll on available, well-paying jobs for Americans. It is no secret that Americans need jobs and it should not take this long to generate jobs for those who need and want them.

Perhaps the dismal job market is hardest for our returning Veterans because in addition to readjusting to civilian life, there are fewer jobs available for them.

Isn’t it time we provide our Veterans with the services they need and improve job availability, along with a viable means to follow-up on their reentry into American communities? Suicide is a painful alternative and it hurts everyone in our community.

-----

(Peter Stern of Driftwood, Texas, , a former Director of Information Services, university professor and public school administrator, is a political writer well-known and published frequently throughout the Texas community and nationwide. He is a Disabled Vietnam Veteran and holds three post-graduate degrees.)

Posted by pstern at 03:41 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

June 27, 2009

I had no idea he was still alive

Noted American retard Stephen Baldwin is,like, apparently still alive and has quit 'I'm a Celebrity...' which is, like, some TV show on the NBC which is, like, some network (it's one of those channels you don't have to, like, pay extra for).

I'm not joking when I said I thought he was dead. I figured he'd been eaten by his brother Daniel in an effort to stay alive after a tragic plane crash in the Andes.

Posted by mcblogger at 05:45 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Lyceum Poll fun

Honestly, this past week was kinda busy at work for the team here at McBlogger. For me, it was actual work. For the rest of the team it was probably taking long lunches and just ignoring my emailed pleas to PLEASE WRITE SOMETHING.

Via Twitter came word of the Lyceum poll on Tuesday. Kuff and EOW have analysis pieces up on the poll that are pretty revealing. The biggest surprise is the sea change in attitudes toward gay and lesbian couples with a solid majority now in support of civil unions.

Unsurprising were the voter ID numbers which are the same voter ID numbers you always get in a poll because, not knowing anything about the issue other than being asked if you think it would be OK to require a photo ID, people think it's fine.

What I'd like, just once, is for the poll to ask if it's a voting issue. I already know it isn't, but it would be nice to finally have real data.

Posted by mcblogger at 01:46 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

June 26, 2009

July 4th Has a Vivid Memory

The Freedom We Won is Still the Freedom We Must Continue to Fight For

by Peter Stern

July 4th 1776 is the victorious celebration of the American Revolution, when the King of England's oppressive rule was overthrown by American colonists.

Today it's good for Americans to remember that time period and the real reason we broke away from such an autocratic ruler:

"No taxation without representation" means you can't be taxed without fair representation and agreeing to it

Freedom of speech

Freedom of religion

Freedom to become educated and to do whatever you want to do as long as it's legal

Freedom to read whatever you want to

Freedom to buy a home and not lose it to foreclosure due to sky-high property taxes and a depressive economy

Freedom to run for political office without having to pay astronomical fees to do so, nor by being bought out by wealthy special interests

The new American government of the Thirteen Colonies would refuse to go into the sort of debt that the George W. Bush and Barack H. Obama administrations undertook for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and reconstruction -- $300 Billion!

President George Washington believed in tending to American needs with a more isolationist policy regarding our world neighbors; perhaps he was on to something

Veterans of the Revolutionary War were taken care of by the new American government; our government needs to step-up and do the same

American patriotism was for wealthy, middle class and poor alike.

On July 4th it is important to remember why Americans really celebrate this event in our history and it is equally important to recall the reasons we decided to separate from England and the King's autocratic rule --- including the oppressive taxation prevalent during those times for the King's special interests.

We must remember and honor our Veterans who continue to die to protect America from its enemies and that our tax dollars must go to provide returning Veterans with the services and health care programs they need to be well and to continue to be productive members of our society.

Lastly, we must ensure that our forefathers didn't fight and die in vain.

We must ensure that our government never loses sight of the fact that our officials are in their positions as representatives "of the people, by the people and for the people."

These days it appears that our President and Congress constantly must be reminded of this fact.

---

Posted by pstern at 05:30 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

The Phone Call : The Real Housewives of NJ

Posted by mcblogger at 04:55 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

China whines (again) about the dollar

Symbiotic relationships are a bitch. You hate the other party but you need them so much you just can't let go.

Sounds like most of the marriages I know.

China is still casting about for a new reserve currency, using the International Monetary Fund's Special Drawing Rights.

"To prevent the deficiencies in the main reserve currency, there's a need to create a new currency that's delinked from the economies of the issuers," the People's Bank of China said in a review of the economy in 2008 released on Friday.

The subtext is "We don't believe the US can balance it's budget and we believe they will monetize their debt by printing ever more currency. This will devalue our already large position in dollars and dollar denominated assets. We are therefore looking for another currency in which we can invest without the fear of depreciation".

Which is kinda dumb since China is effectively tied to the dollar as long as they have an export driven economy. So, good luck with the SDR's, bitches. Realpolitick aside, they do have a valid point. There is zero chance that we will monetize the debt, but there is a real chance we will continue to run structural deficits forever if the cut and spend crowd comes back into power.

Posted by mcblogger at 02:42 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Jonah Goldberg : I want to cut off the Ayatollah's head

Jonah is also unhappy that Obama isn't willing to 'do more' to aid the protesters in Iran. Of course, he doesn't go into specifics, just assaults the President's efforts to keep us out of a third theater of combat operations.

That's the problem with someone like Goldberg. He sits in the shadows, carping and sniping, offering no real solutions. Which is appropriate since he has none.

The funniest thing about the Republicans chastising President Obama for not working harder to 'end the regime' is how it betrays their ignorance of Iran...

If the forces of reform and democracy win, Obama's plan to negotiate with the regime is moot, for the regime will be gone. And if the forces of reform are crushed into submission by the regime, Obama's plan is moot, because the regime will still be there.

Iran is a REPUBLIC with DEMOCRATICALLY elected leaders. The regime is supported by the majority of Iranians who truly believe in the Islamic Republic, despite the corruption of the theocrats who sit atop the state. Most of the protesters don't want to end the Islamic Republic... they're just pissed their candidate didn't win.

Which reminds me of Mr. Goldberg and his gang here in the US.

Posted by mcblogger at 08:50 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

June 25, 2009

The Come To Jesus - Democratic Gov Primary edition

Let me preface this, once again, by saying that neither myself nor anyone who authors on McBlogger has a preference in the Democratic Primary for Governor. I think we're pretty unanimous regarding Perry on the R side but, frankly, we feel like a Democrat can beat Sen. Indecisive Old Bitch, too.

I'm going to be reprising my efforts in 2006 by once again working for Hank Gilbert as he gears up to win the Ag Commissioner's office which is the reason I'm posting this. Not for nothing, but we're playing to win and, frankly, the amateur hour fuckups in the D primary for Governor are giving me indigestion.

KT has a nice discussion post over at BOR regarding the race for Governor. The parts that caught my eye were the referenced quotes like this...

"And also remind people that this is not going to be easy. It's going to be really hard. And if they want to do that, I get to be governor. And if they don't want ot do that, I can go make money, and I've done my civic duty of trying to lay it out."

Well, Geewhiz, Tom. Looks to me like you're saying that we'll either make you Governor or we won't. It's awesome that you can so easily absolve yourself of responsibility. Like it or not, you can't just put your name on a ballot and hope for the best. You're going to have to persuade people to vote for YOU. We can help, but you gotta give us something to work with.

Tom, I like you as a person and I think you might actually make a good Governor. But this was just a fucking stupid thing to say. Of course, that was eclipsed by Mark Thompson. It's always the peanut gallery that chimes in with something pithy...

Tom Schieffer Channeling Sam Rayburn now to run as a Democrat? Didn't he channel Benedict Arnold to sellout the TX Democrat Party with Bush?

All bullshit aside, calling Schieffer a traitor just pisses me the fuck off. The man was asked by the President to represent the United States of America. He wasn't asked to change parties. He wasn't asked to sign off on Bush's policies and this is inexcusable politicking of the worst kind. It makes people hate you, Mark, and it validates the opinion many had of you as an angry, irritating fuck in 2008.

On the subject of also-ran Kinky Friedman, to paraphrase a very good friend of mine up in far North Texas, fuck me to tears. Anyone else remember his halting, ridiculous performance during the 2006 debates? Yeah, that was a real high-water mark for a campaign that featured nothing of any real value. His particular appeal centered on "Why not Kinky?". I'll refresh your memory... he's a miserable attention whore with an ego that comes close in size to AK Governor Sarah Palin's.

Now, let's not make this about keeping people out of the primary. I'm all for people running but they need to take it (and Democratic voters) seriously. So far we have half-assery, snide remarks that are largely buffoonish and off base and a lame comedy routine from the man you brought you 'nigger eggs'. Is it any wonder why no one is real excited right now about the D Gubernatorial field?

Texas Democrats deserve a whole lot better and so do the down ballot candidates. It's time for those who choose to run (don't act like you're doing us a goddamn favor) to straighten the fuck up and run like real people who are serious about doing a good job for their fellow Texans.

And it's 'DEMOCRATIC', Mr. Thompson. Quit channeling Tom Delay.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:00 PM | Comments (1) | | TrackBack (0)

Sad news...

Posted by mcblogger at 12:52 PM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

Roundin' Up The TPA

It's time for another Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup.

President Obama, Bill White, and John Sharp are all in the same sinking DOMA boat. The Texas Cloverleaf comes off of hiatus to tell you why.

strong>CouldBeTrue from South Texas Chisme cheers the impeachment of Judge Kent. 4 articles passed without a single nay. Lets hope the Senate is through with him by August.

BossKitty at TruthHugger finally signed up for Twitter to get updates on the Iran protests. What a day of drama and emotion it brought, Icons and Martyrs – All Day On Twitter Watching Iran. I was really meaning to highlight the regressive influences causing upheaval in personal lives, especially in Texas. Immigration Policies and Gay Rights – Contradictions

Supersize "Roundin' Up The TPA"

Posted by mcblogger at 11:10 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

But, no, Senator Graham. They just want the coverage you get

Apparently, Sen. Lindsey Graham thinks a true universal coverage plan would be a disaster...

"The reason you are not going to have a government-run health care pass the Senate is because it will be devastating for this country," he said. "The last thing in the world I think that Democrats and Republicans will do at the end of the day is create a government-run health care system."

Now, this WAS on Stephanopolous so no one pressed Sweetness to back up his claim. Afterall, the government runs Medicare quite well with little waste and overhead. In fact, it runs far better than ANY private health insurance company. VA runs pretty well as well despite the fact that it's facilities need to be updated which was a funding failure on the part of the Republicans when they were in charge that the Democrats are now rectifying.

Graham himself also gets really extraordinary health insurance coverage as a member of Congress. Does he really view his coverage as a disaster? If so, would he be willing to forego it and pay for coverage through a private entity? I might have a little more respect for his position then. Right now he just looks like yet another hypocrite.

Why is it such a disaster to give all Americans access to the same health care that Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. John Cornyn enjoy? We WASTE enough in the private system to cover everyone. So why aren't we doing that? Why are the Republicans and a few Democrats playing with lives of Americans?

Posted by mcblogger at 08:50 AM | Comments (0) | | TrackBack (0)

June 24, 2009

Iran : Did you really think this was a real revolution?

A little bit about the Iranian election and subsequent protests... I think the election was fraud. The stupid thing is that it was unnecessary, Ahmadinejad would have won anyway. Stratfor has a very nice analysis piece on this and the framework I've been using is that Tehran is to Iran and Austin is to Texas. Just as Austin tends to be more progressive than the rest of the State, Tehran tends to be more progressive (relatively speaking) than the rest of Iran.

In the global discussion last week outside Iran, there was a great deal of confusion about basic facts. For example, it is said that the urban-rural distinction in Iran is not critical any longer because according to the United Nations, 68 percent of Iranians are urbanized. This is an important point because it implies Iran is homogeneous and the demonstrators representative of the country. The problem is the Iranian definition of urban — and this is quite common around the world — includes very small communities (some with only a few thousand people) as “urban.” But the social difference between someone living in a town with 10,000 people and someone living in Tehran is the difference between someone living in Bastrop, Texas and someone living in New York. We can assure you that that difference is not only vast, but that most of the good people of Bastrop and the fine people of New York would probably not see the world the same way. The failure to understand the dramatic diversity of Iranian society led observers to assume that students at Iran’s elite university somehow spoke for the rest of the country.

Could these protests evolve? Absolutely. But that would require the various factions to cooperate and not all of them share common goals (they run the gamut from preserving to ending the Islamic Republic with the latter being very small). The one commonality between the groups is their faith in Iranian democracy... they get to vote and elect their leaders just as we do and it's a cherished right that cuts across all classes.

Which makes me think about the 04 cycle here in the US. A few days before the election, I had a conversation with a friend who thought people would be marching in the streets if Kerry didn't win. I said that was silly and wouldn't happen even if Bush won. Her point was that the people will rise up against a stolen election. In established democracies where the franchise is taken seriously, an egregious theft won't be tolerated which is why there weren't mass protests in the wake of Apocalypse Bush, Redux. You CAN steal an election that's close and you won't run the risk of revolution.

Iran is a little trickier because there was election fraud but the general consensus is that it Ahmadinejad would have won without it (as a side note, anyone else think someone went a little overboard thinking it would be good to run up the score?). It's the egregiousness of the fraud that drives the protests and it's the fact that he would have won anyway that will, IMHO, drive them to fail as a broad change agent in Iran. However this works out, these will be the first firm seeds of doubt in the theocracy and from those seeds something great could very well grow.

Posted by mcblogger at 03:33 PM | Comments (1) | | TrackBack (0)