This is the same fuckup who, as chair of the Texas Republican Party, got sidelined by that buttertroll Rove. Now, I know y'all think Rove is some sort of douche with a direct line to Satan, but in reality he can't do shit unless the other guy is crazy, stupid, completely incompetent or a combination of all of the above. Tom Pauken, just so you know, IS ALL OF THE FUCKING ABOVE.

Exhibit A

Fortunately, in my own state of Texas, Republican Gov. Rick Perry and the Republican-controlled Texas legislature have kept the growth of state spending at reasonable levels, tracking the rise of cost of living (the inflation index) and population growth. That was not the case, however, when George W. Bush was governor. Then, state spending grew far faster than inflation and population growth. Nor is that the case in many other states, which kept milking the cow of the productive private sector by imposing higher and higher taxes and spending more and more of the taxpayers’ money. Those high-tax states are feeling the pain, as companies and taxpayers, suffering from high taxes and the loss of good jobs, move elsewhere. Moreover, the drop in housing prices and the slowdown in the economy since 2007 means that many states are racking up even more debt to fund state government.

Tom, you can take your mouth off 39%'s dick now since he's already cashed his paycheck. This is bullshit chockablock with utter nonsense. How big a deficit are we going to run in the biennium? No one can say because our bright as a blacklight Comptroller keeps pushing out different numbers. However, we all know there will be one WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ECONOMY IS IN RECESSION, PEOPLE ARE LOSING JOBS AND THE GOVERNMENT LOSES REVENUE. The government can't just magically stop spending, mostly because it provides essential services to people who didn't fucking disappear just because there is a recession and they can't pay their taxes. THAT is why when you're running surpluses, you don't cut taxes. Instead, you store up that cash to meet the needs you have down the road. That's what true conservatives do. Of course, Republicans have already ground through the surplus (which was smoke and mirrors anyway) AND still needed, what, $13 bn from the Feds? Wasn't it Perry, not too long ago, begging for more federal money from the Congressional delegation (so Schwarzenegger-esque) ?

On to Exhibit B

Even in an ostensibly low-tax state like Texas, many local taxing bodies have shown little fiscal restraint in recent years. The housing boom allowed many of these local governments to raise property taxes in a seemingly painless fashion through the “stealth tax” of skyrocketing appraisal values. Property-tax revenues rose ten percent or more annually without local governments actually raising the tax rate. Local officials could tell voters that they had not raised taxes since the tax rate hadn’t gone up, yet property-tax revenue grew from $9 billion in 1985 to $30 billion in 2004. That was approximately three times faster than the rate of inflation during the same period. Texas had the ninth-highest property taxes in the country until Governor Perry and the Texas legislature cut school property taxes by one third in 2006. Unfortunately, that set off a feeding frenzy among local taxing bodies, and a major portion of the education property tax cut was negated over the next three years.

I LOVE conservatives who don't know what the hell they're talking about but seem to want to talk at length in an effort to prove their ignorance. What Tommy doesn't realize because he's too stupid to get is that "the “stealth tax” of skyrocketing appraisal values" is nothing more than APPRECIATION. Ideally, when you buy an asset like, for example, real fucking property (aka, a house, Tom), it will increase in value over time. If the value of that asset is taxed, ideally it will be linked with your income so that an increase in the asset will also increase your income, easily enabling you to pay the higher tax. Of course, in Texas, wages have been essentially flat for more than 30 years (roughly about the time we elected that idiot old man, Clements), after adjusting for inflation. Meanwhile, house prices have gone up considerably. SEE THE PROBLEM? While you're still making basically the same $65k per year, your house is now worth 4 or 5 times what you paid for it and your taxes are 4 to 5 times higher.

Morons like Pauken wanted a cap on appraised value increases, as if a government could dictate such a measure. They did that in California and it's pretty much THE reason they're bankrupt. Well, that and the fact that their economy collapsed spectacularly because they allowed the kind of lending you can't do in Texas thanks to Democrats. Without those caps, property prices wouldn't have spiraled out of control.

What we need is a system of taxation that tracks income and population growth so we can pay for services (PUBLIC SAFETY, ROADS, SEWERS, SCHOOLS... you know, THAT STUFF) as all these new people come here. As it stands now, most new Texans don't pay dick for their first few years, but they sure as hell don't mind dropping the kids into public schools and clogging up the 35. And no, Tom, it ain't the 'messicans'. They pay a disproportionally high percentage of their income in taxes, something you and your conservatives-in-name-only would do well to remember the next time you moan and whine about how immigration is killing Texas.

Now we come to Exhibit C...

Unfunded pension liabilities at the local and state levels present another huge problem that most Americans do not even know exists. Shad Rowe, the former chairman of the Texas Pension Review Board, calls it a “time bomb.” The people who should care are taxpayers, “but they don’t know anything about it,” Mr. Rowe said in an interview with the Dallas Morning News. A report released in March 2009 revealed that the Texas Teachers Retirement Fund had unfunded liabilities of more than $40 billion as a result of the stock-market and hedge-fund collapse of 2008.

To paraphrase the immortal words of Dan Ackroyd, Tom you ignorant slut. TRS has been underfunded since before the meltdown and credit crisis, mostly because the Republican lege hasn't paid it's share. Oh, and those cola's you're whining about also aren't the problem, at least in TRS where the beneficiaries haven't even received one since 1995, you scumbag. And keep in mind, MOST of the money in TRS came from educators. It's their money and your buddy 39%'s appointees went and lost a bunch of it, then blamed it first on 9/11 and now on the Bush Credit Crisis.

It's profoundly insulting, Tom, for you to blame the innocent retirees who have tried to block some of the more damaging decisions at TRS. Every teacher in this state deserves far more than we give them and all you stupid Republicans can do is think of how best to blame them for your screw ups and deny them the retirement benefits they've earned. Think I'm lying? Not so much, as it turns out.

I'll leave you with this bon mot

Our motto needs to be, “Let’s do more with less.”

No, our motto needs to be, "Let's stop listening to old, stupid asshats and put the economy back on a more traditional footing which allows everyone to prosper."

Go fuck yourself, Tom Pauken, you obnoxious, detestable piece of shit.

The second thing was that they decided to endorse Michael Williams for Senator. Which is funny since he has absolutely no shot in hell since there will be some white Republican who will probably be their standard bearer. But enough about Elizabeth Ames Jones.

So, yeah, they're crazy. And their leader is saying this...

“Michael Williams is the Democrat Party’s worst nightmare. He’s a principled, outspoken conservative who will fight to stop the massive spending, bailouts and takeovers that have destroyed millions of jobs and piled a mountain of debt on our children and grandchildren,” said Senator DeMint.

Wait, wait, wait Senator DeMint. The country was losing jobs BEFORE President Obama took office. In fact, the economy you, your fellow Republicans and President W gave us was nothing more than a shell game with little job and wage growth, massive wealth concentration and, of course, a doubling of the national debt. The recession that was the direct result of Conservative folly (spending while cutting taxes on the rich and fuck the middle class) would have been a depression were it not for the Democrats and few Republicans who voted to save this nation, not let it sink into the oblivion. AND NOW YOU WANT TO BLAME YOUR MISTAKES ON DEMOCRATS??!?! Not so much, dickhead, but it's a super try. Oh, and Jim, it was President W that gave us TARP, not President Obama. Of course, left out of all this is the very real fact that TARP actually did help save us all from ruin.

In other news, 39% gave Senator Hutchison (whose campaign made Tony Sanchez look like the best.candidate.evah!) all the political cover she needed to stay in the Senate. Which sucks because that means three more years until we can finally get John Sharp sworn in.

Hey, if we have to have a conservative, let's at least have one that actually knows how to balance the books. It's clear Jim DeMint doesn't.

"Shutter Island" moviegoer stabbed in neck with meat thermometer after complaining about cellphone call

The theater was packed for a 9 p.m. Saturday screening of the Martin Scorsese horror movie when the victim complained about a woman near him who was using a cellphone during the show. She and two men with her left the movie theater. Two men returned a few minutes later and stabbed the victim, said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.

"It was vicious and cowardly attack," Whitmore said.

The victim, who was not identified, was hospitalized with serious injuries Two other moviegoers who came to the victim's aid were also were hurt during the fight, officials said.

The worst part about this is now TSA will probably ban meat thermometers from our carry-on luggage.

After the latest prevarication on her date of departure from the Senate, PDiddie at Brains and Eggs opines: "Kay Bailey, won't you please GO HOME?!"

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme shows the Texas Supreme Court flipping the finger to Texans, yet again.

SNOWMAGEDDON may have stricken Austin, Texas -- but don't let that cold, hard evidence convince you that global warming ain't real. Let Citizen Sarah (with a little help from President Obama) break it down for you at Texas Vox.

Bay Area Houston highlights yet more hypocrisy from Rick Perry with his I Came and Took it! teabagging campaign.

At WhosPlayin the recent discussion has centered around equity in the Lewisville ISD. It looks like the district may be taking a big step by considering a tear-down and rebuild of the district's oldest high school after costs for asbestos remediation and fire sprinkler installation in the old building went too high. Construction is not equity, though, and there are still issues to be addressed.

Over at McBlogger, Mayor McSleaze takes a look at the Republican HD 47 primary fight and finds it almost as entertaining as an old-fashioned pie fight.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison changes her story again about when she might leave the Senate. Off the Kuff has lost count of how many times this has happened.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a round up of the campaign cash and who's giving in Williamson County, Bob Perry looms large in Williamson County GOP House races.

The Texas Cloverleaf looks at the early voting turnout in Denton County and the GOP surge.

This week on Left of College Station, Teddy makes the case for Brazos County Democrats to vote in the Republican primary, and releases the Left of College Station Democratic primary candidate endorsements. Left of College Station also covers the debate in the Texas A&M Student Senate over the anti-discrimination policy.

Pollchecker , over at TexasKaos calls out McCain on using Texas Health care as an example of "success". And he wonders why he is not president?

Neil at Texas Liberal offered up his 2010 Democratic Primary slate. Neil also noted that Texas Liberal passed one million page views. Thanks to everybody who has read the blog.

One thing and this is purely directed at you folks in CD 22 ... KESHA ROGERS? She's a Larouchebag!

A jury has awarded the people who took on Bob Perry (because he built them a defective home) $7 million in actual damages and $40 million in punitive damages. Coby over at BAH has the full story. I'm just pleased to see a home builder finally taken to task for defective construction.

Congratulations to the Culls from everyone here at McBlogger!

SBOE 5
The State Board of Education has been a cluster of epic proportions since the Republican Party figured out it was a sleeper position no one paid attention to and took it over. Well, WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION NOW.

The 5th District is represented by a guy who believes dinosaurs were Jesus ponies, and he keeps telling people that kids aren't allowed to ask questions in science class. Had he ever been in a science class, he might know better. For the Democrats, there is a pile of candidates, and some of them are pretty good. But, since we have to pick one, I suggest Rebecca Bell-Metereau. She knows her stuff, she'll work effectively with the remainder of the Board, and will not be an embarrassment like the incumbent on his best day, even on her worst day. Let's try to get her out of this race without an expensive runoff, OK?

JP 2
Wow. Some people just won't go away. Some people don't get that they are not good candidates, no matter what office they run for. This is why I suggest that all of you fine voters in Precinct 2 vote for Karin Crump. The backlog in that court is too hefty for us to waste time on a poor candidate with no legal training. No, you don't HAVE to be a lawyer to be on the JP Court Bench, but it's a good idea. Karin is smart, and will be an asset to the court that the Last Republican Standing has neglected so badly.

Pct 220 Chair
Once again, we're looking at a contested precinct chair race. What makes me think that Jan Soifer is a good candidate? She cares. It's not to say that Richard Anton (the incumbent) doesn't care. I believe he does. However, there's not a whole lot of moving and shaking going on in a precinct that has 1,771 registered voters, but only 289 ballots cast in the November 2008 election. Yes, there are a lot of precincts that did better, and a whole lot more that did worse. But Jan is actively campaigning for the job, so I think she should get the chance to prove what she can accomplish in the next two years.

Y'all have a goodun!

See, party resolutions are a lot like writing letters to Santa Claus. Except in this case there's no chance the parental units will sneak a peek and discover the unsettling news you'd prefer a set of Ninja throwing stars instead of that lame Easy Bake Oven.

Oh, I hear some ask, can you really be so cynical? After all, didn't Abraham Lincoln say all politics is local? Or was it Joey Bishop? Well, to be honest, this scarcely scratches the surface of my cynicism. But as Pliny the Elder wrote, "Don't hate the playa, hate the game." So in the spirit of unity I again offer the official McBlogger Precinct Resolution:

For your convenience, you can download a PDF here.

Finally, I'd like to point out to the Republicans who read this blog (yes, we know you're out there and, thanks to the just-renewed Patriot Act Comrade Obama has your IP addresses) that there's nothing in the way this resolution is written that would prevent it from being introduced at your precinct conventions. After all, chips and salsa is not a party issue, they're a fundamental right we share as Texans.

So, if you must, have at it.

Abandon the creeping meatball!

¡Salsa o muerte!

Now I'll admit that for a while I really didn't pay much attention to this contest. In fact, when Holly Turner's 4x8's first started popping up, I thought they were advertising a new realtor, or maybe a cosmetologist, to judge from the vivid shade of lipstick on display. But then the mailers started landing.

Once again, I wasn't paying too much attention. After all, my voting history shows a pretty consistent turnout as a D, but I figured as long as the Republicans wanted to throw their money away they were welcome to do it. But as i carried them on the short journey from the mailbox to the recycling bin I did notice that both candidates seemed to be more concerned with sending some kind of message to Washington than they were about any Texas issues. Typical of these was this one from Turner, all wound up about her kid growing up in a land crushed by debt.

Now I've blown up the box of terrifying financial numbers from the corner of that mailer so we can all cower in fear at the evil legacy-to-be of Comrade Obama and the Dummycrat Congress. (And if you can't trust the Heritage Foundation's take on this, who can you trust?} Next I'll pose a little civics-related question to the candidate: How much influence does a member of the Texas House have over the federal deficit or the national debt? Oooh, that would be zero.

Things got more interesting when Workman quit talking about how important Voter ID was and blasted Turner's residency status:

(Quick sidebar: how do we immediately know this is a republican mailer? That's right, both babies are white.)

Workman's contention is that Turner has lived for some time in Fort Worth and rented an apartment here for the sole purpose of running for office. Turner, however, claims on her website to be just a regular ol' local gal:

Holly was raised in the Hill Country and she shares our values: less government, lower taxes, and more individual freedom.

Now, it has been stated elsewhere (like that first mailer I posted) that "Holly Turner grew up 38 miles from here in Seguin, Texas." Umm, Holly, last time I was in Seguin, it struck me as being pretty flat. And in fact it looks like it was left off the list of places in the Hill Country.

(Poor thing. Not too clear on federalism, shaky on geography. I'm starting to understand that lipstick.)

But wait, there's more.

She believes that more people need to be taking care of themselves, not relying on the government. And that government needs to serve the people – not the other way around.

So government should serve the people, but people shouldn't expect anything from the government. Logic? Fugeddaboutit!

Yes, in case you're wondering, Holly Turner is a Tea Partier, at least if we can infer anything from the Meetup Groups she's joined. (Remember Meetup.com, the social networking juggernaut that propelled Howard Dean into the White House?) Well, bless her heart.

In case voters didn't get Workman's point, he sent out another blast a few days later touting his attack website www.hollydoesnotlivehere.com where he rolls out the C-Word...

CARPETBAGGERS

Well, which C-Word were you expecting?

CARPETBAGGERS, if you'll remember from history class, were the Northerners who came down to the South around the end of the American Civil War. Their sole purpose was to hoodwink the Southerners — to take advantage, impose their ways and force themselves into political power.

If you've done any reading since history class about Reconstruction, you might have come across the interesting fact that one other thing those hoodwinking carpetbaggers did, as part of taking advantage, imposing their ways and forcing themselves into political power, was help found the Texas Republican Party... whose nomination Mr. Workman now seeks.

The latest to hit my mailbox has come not from Holly Turner per se, but rather on her behalf...

(We know this will be trustworthy because would a bald eagle lie?)

That's right, folks, Paul Workman is NOT (cue creepy music) A Real Conservative because in the past he has donated to "ultra left wing liberals" like Dawnna Dukes and Pete Laney. No wonder the tea party-inspired Conservatives In Action PAC of Terrell, Texas has the vapors.

(Just a damn minute... Terrell? More carpetbaggers? Bubba, lemme git ma shotgun!)

Will there be more salvos in this mail bombardment? Still a few to go before Election Day. Kepp 'em coming, folks, keep 'em coming.

Please Mister Postman look and see

If there's a mailer on the truck for me

What should come today but a rejoinder from Holly Turner, repeating the same shocking accusations as her Terrell carpetbagger amigos.Workman funds the campaigns of Travis County's most liberal Democrats!

Travis County liberals like... Kirk Watson... Mina Brees... Dawnna Dukes... Pete Laney... John Sharp... Patrick Rose... Uhhh Holly? Pete Laney? Patrick Rose? They're not from Travis County. And honestly, they're not all that liberal. Geography, civics, logic: Holly's trifecta of Fail.

It seems the latest thing to get rightwing panties all in a bind is the new logo for the Missile Defense Agency. The knuckledragger crowd detects traces of the sinister Obama logo, the sinister Islamic crescent and moon emblem, and the sinister Iranian Space Agency logo. All of which led Frank Gaffney, who passed for a strategic thinker during the Reagan years and later accused Grover Norquist of being soft on Islam to whine...

Team Obama is behaving in a way that — as the new MDA logo suggests — is all about accommodating that ‘Islamic Republic’ and its ever-more aggressive stance.

Me, I think it looks like the sinister Starfleet logo.

Be that as it may, if this is what's coming from the Big Brains on the Right, what could the rank and file loonies be saying? Luckily, we don't have to wonder, all we have to do is check the comments in the Washington Times.

WendySC

This looks very similar to the flag of the former Soviet Union. I wonder what type of message we are sending.

You may be on to something there, Wendy. Except for the Soviet banner being red cloth with a hammer and sickle, there's hardly any difference. And what message are we sending? Perhaps that publicly funded mental health care is desperately needed in this country?

wqflagwaver

Why was this even made? Why are BOTH logos being left on the site? Maybe one to be used when shown among his Muslim friends, and one for the stupid unsuspecting American public who voted for their own demise? So many little signals that mean "nothing". Right. And we don't have terrorist training camps hiding all over the country, either. 'Course not.

First they came for the paranoid flagwavers, and I said nothing.

billwhit1357

I certainly didn't vote for this Worthless Excuse of a President and until he shows a long form BC, he will not be my president ever! Obama and his Legion of Demons are America's Greatest Enemy! November, People! End the Legion of Demons Reign!

Paging Doctor Taitz. Paging Doctor Taitz.

I swear, if Jeff Foxworthy ever wants to reinvent himself as a political humorist he could change his tagline to "You might be a batshit insane wingnut if..."

Ms Taitz requested the Black Helicopters come to her rescue after Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus rejected her plea for political asylum.