Blue Dot Blues: August 2008

August 29, 2008

Sarah Palin for VP!

That's what MSNBC is reporting.

WOW. I'm...wow.

I'll have a coherent reaction later, I swear.

August 28, 2008

GOP Veep Pick is Pawlenty

Okay, so the Obama/Biden train is getting ready to leave Invesco Field, and my husband and I are playing out quickly. I want to get in a quick thought about the GOP vice presidential pick.

Earlier, a friend asked for opinions on who might be the pick, as he's convinced it's Lieberman. Other people on the email thread said Romney. I said my bet is on Pawlenty.

Now RedState.com is saying that it's probably Pawlenty.

I'm calling it for Pawlenty. Let the chips fall where they may. It'll all be official tomorrow of course, so we'll see.

But here's some info on Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota governor, just in case you're interested.

The tie....

Is actually pink. It goes with his daughter's dress.

Aww...

Biggest takeaway from Obama's speech

Mine is that the government can do more for me than I should do for my country.

Indeed, the party of JFK is no more.

Also, I think it's hilarious to hear Lincoln referenced so often in this convention, either by Democrat/liberal pundits or Obama himself. Since Lincoln did more to expand the reach and power of the federal government of anyone prior to Woodrow Wilson, this is a totally expected stance for the Democrats to take.

"We don't agree on abortion"

No kidding.

Since Obama supports actual infanticide by opposing the Born Alive Act in Illinois, I think this is the key understatement of the speech.

We can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies, yes. But not by supporting abortion laws, not by referring to babies as a "choice," and not by promoting a culture of promiscuous sex.

95 ain't 100

What?

WHAT?

What does "I will cut taxes on 95% of working families" even mean? Why not 100%? How does Barack Obama define "working families"?

I am deeply disturbed.

Liveblogging Obama's acceptance speech

SPEECH - What? Obama in a red tie??? Means one of two things - the Dems are trying to take back the color red, as it is naturally associated with socialism and Communism (and Barack Obama stands for those things), or someone in his camp is seriously ignorant of cultural signals and signs?)

Michelle Obama looks much better in that dress than in the one she wore during her own speech (hey, I'm a woman - I'm allowed to comment on fashion).

Why does he always have to pose like that, with his nose in the air? Just look forward, dude.

Like that, straight into the camera for once.

Thanks Hillary in the beginning. So Hillary is an inspiration to the Obama girls, but not their own father? Huh.

Thanking Bill Clinton. A case for change? Clinton is the face of the same old - so are Kennedy and Obama's veep pick Biden.

Four years ago - I was just as scared for our country that night.

The next generation can't pursue their dreams under leadership that promises to tax and spend them into submission.

Not all of these hardships are of government's making? I call shenanigans. A great many of them are government's fault - through overregulation, overspending, and overtaxing of Americans in every tax bracket.

Uh, so where were the Democrats who were IN CHARGE in Louisiana while the "great American city" drowned?? Oh, that's right - sitting on their laurels.

Trust me, John McCain is not of the Bush/Cheney ilk.

Eight is enough. Bush is termlimited. But you know what? 2 is enough - turn over Congress now!
The economy must be doing fairly well, otherwise all these people couldn't descend on Denver and give money to Obama.

Someone needs to talk seriously about gas tax breaks, since the government makes more money off your fill-up at the gas station than the oil companies.

"You're on your own." YES. I'm damn proud of that idea. The Dems have no concept of "up-by-the-bootstraps" - their idea of it is that the government pulls the bootstraps. No thank you.

If you measure "progress" by how many people can pay the mortgage, why don't you LOWER TAXES and stop spending so much money so that they can do that on their own?

Scholarships are not government-provided. Just a thought.

What is that American promise? That we will all have the same opportunities to do well. Not a promise that we WILL do well. Also, companies have no moral obligation or any obligation to "provide jobs" - but if you quit taxing and regulating them to death, you might see more jobs open up. Just a thought.

"I am my brother's keeper" - doesn't mean I should be compelled by the government to help him. Means I should help him of my own volition.

Does Obama know that his Democrat colleagues are fighting the development and implementation of clean coal technology?

We can have new technology for energy - as soon as gas prices go down because we're drilling for new resources of OIL.

Mandated volunteer service for students. I'll refrain from the obvious historical allusions.

You'll guarantee education for every child, but you place "higher standards" and "greater accountability" at a lower priority?

Okay, I have to stop. He's just getting me angry now.

"Program elimination"?????? "Cannot meet 21st century with 20th century bureaucracy" I have to agree, but no Democrat in Congress will agree with getting rid of ineffective bureaucracies, and the worst of them are propped up by everything else Obama wants to promote.

Wow - calling on fathers to take care of their families? Didn't Bill Cosby get in trouble for saying that?

The war in Iraq started in 2003 - a year and a half after 9/11, not 3 days after.

I dare Obama to go find bin Laden "in the cave where he lives." I double dog dare him.

INTRO VIDEO - Not really anything we haven't heard a million times. The sunrise/horizon theme of his whole campaign shows up over and over. We get it, new day, etc.

"Self-reliance?" Obama's (and most Democrats') advocacy of big government is the antithesis of "self-reliance".

Yes, Obama. Listen to your mom. Realize what it's like to be in our shoes, watching you in your temple tonight. Scary stuff, no matter your background.

PRE-SPEECH - Dick Durbin is doing the intro? Were they going for the contrast on this - you know, terribly boring, short, and kind of uninspiring? Versus boring, tall, and scarily inspiring?

"Dawning of a new day" and "morning light" - way to invoke Reagan, guys. Too bad the Republicans have failed to do that so far.

The "Yes We Can" chanting freaks me out. As does the Obama stage set - Barackopolis indeed.

McCain is right - this is an historic day

I understand perfectly well why John McCain is airing that ad where he sets aside partisan rancor to congratulate Barack Obama on achieving something so historic and unprecedented. But there's much more than the obvious that is "historic" and "unprecented" about Obama's candidacy (thanks to Peter Kirsanow over at National Review):

In addition to being the first black candidate to be nominated by either major party for President of the United States:

the first presidential nominee known to have a terrorist as a friend and working associate
the first presidential nominee to vote against a measure designed to prevent a form of infanticide
the first Commander-in-Chief nominee to dismiss as an elitist a veteran who spent 5 1/2 years being tortured by the enemy
the first presidential nominee to favor giving habeas corpus rights to foreign terrorists
the first presidential nominee known to have a pastor who exclaimed "God damn America"
the first presidential nominee to state that he will talk without precondition to the leaders of state sponsors of terrorism
the first presidential nominee to support giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants
the first presidential nominee to assert that he's embarrassed that his countrymen don't speak French or German
the first presidential nominee to compare the U.S. infrastructure unfavorably to that of a communist country
the first presidential nominee to have a more extreme position on life issues than NARAL

It kind of speaks for itself, doesn't it.

Noriega talks smack....about Texas!

One would think that if one was running to represent a state in the United States Senate, one would refrain from trashing one's state on the national stage.

And yet, that is precisely what State Representative Rick Noriega did last night in Denver at the Democratic National Convention, at a fundraising gig. He resorted to cheap comments at the expense of Texas instead of giving a solid reason why Democrats should give him money, and how he intends to defeat Senator John Cornyn in November.

Does being a Texan today really mean "always having to say you're sorry?" I doubt many of even Rep. Noriega's Democratic colleagues would agree with that statement. Surely they are just as proud of their home state and heritage as any Republican might be.

Senator Cornyn is unabashedly proud of our state, which has been named the #1 state in the nation in which to do business by CNBC. We're the fastest-growing state in the nation, doing far better economically than our tax-and-spend fellow states. We're set to receive at least four new congressional seats after the 2010 census, largely at the expense of northeastern states which have taxed and regulated their citizens out of the ability to live there.

Senator Cornyn will continue to champion the kind of values that will make these things possible for all Americans. He is a great representative of Texas in Washington and he needs to stay there.

Rick Noriega can't even convince Texans to fund his campaign to the necessary level. Of what good would he be to Texans in the Senate - or indeed, all Americans?

August 27, 2008

Ron Paul's "revolution" reelects Alaskan porker

So this is small government, huh? This is a return to "constitutional values"?

Ron Paul endorsed Rep. Don Young (R-AK) for reelection recently, and it appears Young has won the Alaskan primary. If you aren't already aware, Don Young is (in)famous for his Congressional spending habits. That is, he's really great at finding ways to spend taxpayer money. In a classic move, he found $10 million in the federal budget for a road project in Florida (again, he's from Alaska) - which just happened to benefit a campaign contributor.

Radley Balko at Reason has a great breakdown on Rep. Young here.

The irresponsible use of taxpayer money is perhaps the most unconstitutional act a lawmaker can engage in. Supporting it is just as bad. What happened in Alaska is a disappointing development to say the very least.

August 26, 2008

Catching Michelle Obama's errors in Monday speech

Publicola - A Federalist Blog has a breakdown of specific errors (well, some may call them lies) in Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention last evening.

Before I give you a sample, a full disclosure: Publicola is run by my kid brother and is largely a philosophy blog.

Barack Obama was never a blue collar worker, and he didn’t grow up in a
blue collar home. He has lived a privileged life from the start and it is
impossible to believe that it is any different. Do we honestly want a man in the
White House who has to lie about where he comes from in order to gain the
support to win the office?

Austin ISD tax rate hike a huge burden on taxpayers

When my husband and I bought our house, we very purposefully chose one that did not sit in Austin ISD. Granted, property-tax-wise, very few choices are really awesome these days, but we figured Round Rock and Pflugerville were infinitely better options in Travis County than AISD. Seeing the Statesman this morning, I am confident we chose wisely.

Austin ISD is planning to raise the property tax rate, pending voter approval, by 3.9 cents. In other words, the budget is growing, and they believe they can justify asking taxpayers for more money.

Wait, didn't AISD actually see one of its schools close this last year due to poor performance?

Of course, the district is claiming that the majority of the new money in the budget is for teacher pay raises. Which makes sense, I suppose - in such a district, you'd need to pay your teachers more just to keep them from fleeing for higher ground, right?

Round Rock ISD is asking for $294 million in new bond money this fall, for new facilities. The board of trustees is claiming that they need this because of the growth in RRISD. One has to think that if Austin ISD continues to raise property taxes on citizens there, Round Rock ISD will begin taking even more overflow as Austin residents are priced out of their homes. And then RRISD taxpayers will be priced out of their homes, and so on. Until we're all living in Bell County and commuting to Austin.

August 25, 2008

Michelle Obama intro video

I am definitely not a cynic. That video brought tears to my eyes.

"Denver, Schmenver"

Stephen Spruill at NR is talking Minneapolis - as in, the Republican National Convention, which is next week. Right now, the 2008 platform committee is hashing out that all-important document, and Spruill has the scoop on the early draft (available to the public tomorrow).

Most interesting note so far, other than the fact that so far, John McCain's name doesn't even come up in the platform (unlike Bush's name in the previous 2 platforms):

Border security is addressed very early in the 2008 draft document, under the
national-security heading. The document very clearly states, "We oppose
amnesty." There is a subheading titled "Embracing immigrant communities," but
the language makes clear this applies to "legally present immigrants."

Dollars to donuts that Texas' own Cathie Adams, serving on the committee with fellow Texan Kelly Shackelford (and representing Texas Republicans as our newly elected RNC national committeewoman), had quite a lot to do with that particular portion.

Looking forward to seeing a draft - I'll have more once I've seen it.

Democratic National Convention "Live"blogging

Is it really liveblogging if I'm just watching on television like millions of other Americans?

And really, I'm more interested, I think, in covering the coverage. For instance, I just heard Keith Olbermann ask if there is room to be cynical about Ted Kennedy tonight, or if sentimental is the only reaction allowed.

My short answer is this: it's the Democrats' week, and the Kennedys are the royal family of the Democrats, and Ted is the current patriarch. Sentimentality is the order of the day. If you're a Democrat.

There's some speculation about who the Republican VP candidate will be, but I think that was really just an excuse for Bill Maher to make no sense for a few minutes.

I may have to change the channel. MSNBC is great for pre-State of the Union snark, but less so for conventions, apparently.

Judge knocks down spending limits in speaker's election

Texas political junkies spent a lot of time and energy dissecting the ins and outs of the speaker's race and the subsequent drama during the last legislative session. We even made national news at one point, things got so dramatic. But really, that was nothing, as outside groups were forbidden from spending money in an attempt to influence the race - and now district judge Sam Sparks has made a ruling that could change all that.

Laylin Copeland over at the Statesman is reporting that U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks has overturned two portions of state law limiting Texans from spending money to influence the speaker’s election. From the Postcards blog:

State law had limited individuals to spending no more than $100 on
correspondence to aid or defeat a speaker candidate. It also barred groups or
organizations from giving “anything of value,” directly or indirectly, to aid or
defeat a speaker candidate.

Sparks ruled that those provisions are unconstitutional infringement on
free speech.

The ACLU, Texas Eagle Forum and Free Market Foundation had challenged
the law. They praised the decision. (Interesting group of cohorts, to be sure.)

The ruling opens up the possibility that individual Texans or groups will
spend money in certain House campaigns this fall if candidates are supporting
different candidates for speaker.

They may also spend money — on phone banks, for example — after the
election to urge a House member’s constituents to contact their member before
the Jan. 13 election of the next speaker.

How this affects the speaker race in the 81st Legislature remains to be seen, of course, but it certainly sets a fascinating course. A lot of people, myself included, believe that the drama over Craddick and the question of whether or not the House could eject a sitting speaker was lengthened by the outside chatter on blogs and such. If actual money could be spent influencing the initial election, things could get heated earlier and a change effected at the outset.

I for one am hoping that the Texas legislature is not distracted by this once more, but with a tight November election guaranteed and a slim majority for Republicans in the balance, there's no doubt that Speaker Craddick has a battle to fight even before the start of session.

August 24, 2008

Pelosi, the Catechism, and Abortion

Ouch. I think my brain just broke. From Meet the Press this morning:

Brokaw: …"I if [Obama] were to come to you and say 'help me out here, Madam
Speaker, when does life begin,' what would you tell him?

Pelosi: "I would say that as an ardent practicing Catholic this is an issue
that I have studied for a long time, and what I know is over the centuries the
doctors of the Church have not been able to make that definition. And St.
Augustine said three months. We don't know. The point is it that it shouldn't
have an impact on a woman's right to chose."

Madam Speaker, if you are an "ardent practicing Catholic," you probably have a copy of the Catechism sitting on your shelf at home, and since you have been elevated to the position of Speaker of the US House of Representatives, you probably are fairly well-read and wouldn't have trouble with this document. So you probably understand that the Catholic Church's position is that life begins at conception, and that the Church is firm in it's belief that abortion at any stage is a mortal sin.

Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of
conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be
recognized as having the rights of a person -- among which is the inviolable
right of every innocent being to life (Catechism of the Catholic
Church, Section 2, Article 5 - THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT, #2270)

I could go on, but I suspect Madam Pelosi (and other so-called pro-choice Catholics like Joe Biden, Tom Ridge, etc) is aware of the Church's position on the subject, and simply chooses to ignore and misrepresent it in public. Which makes me very ill and should be the kind of thing that turns off voters completely. There is no room for interpretation in what gets handed down out of Rome (or really, the Higher Authority above that), and if they can't be straight about this sort of thing, what on earth will they (and have they) done to the US Constitution?!

August 23, 2008

This just in - 4 Texas Congressmen named "Friend of Foreign Oil"

Americans for Prosperity today released their "Freedom from Foreign Oil" list today, designating lawmakers as "Friends of Foreign Oil" or "Friends of the American Motorist."

From the press release:

In total, 21 of our U.S. Representatives from Texas were designated "Friends of
the American Motorist" for achieving scores of 70 percent or higher, and 17 of
our House lawmakers received perfect scores. The four Representatives from Texas
with scores of 17 percent or lower were named "Friends of Foreign Oil." Those
labeled "Friends of Foreign Oil" were Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Rep.
Al Green, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson.

Among the 17 perfect scores were Rep. Michael McCaul and Rep. Lamar Smith. Way to go, guys, and thank you for standing up for the American taxpayer!

Thoughts on McCain VP in the wake of Obama/Biden

The question that Neil Cavuto asked earlier, and which I've been thinking about since, is whether or not the Biden selection can/will/should affect John McCain's decision for the Republican VP candidate, set to be announced next Friday.

Let's assume it does. What should be taken into account?

- Enough with the US Senate insider crap. If McCain picks a fellow senator, it's far too easy for voters to tune out (how many Joe Sixpack voters can name their own senators, much less those in a state far far away?). So this eliminates choices like Kay Bailey Hutchison and Tom Coburn as well as Brownback or Lieberman.

- Another reason McCain can't go with Lieberman, aside from all the obvious points, is that Lieberman is too familiar a face. At this point, McCain needs someone much fresher to present to the American people.

- If you can't pick a senator, the obvious choice would be a governor. Here's where Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, and yes, Bobby Jindal get some play.

- Biden is a pro-choice Catholic who is certain to severely turn off pro-life moderate Catholics (if Obama himself doesn't do that on his own). So McCain would be likewise foolish to choose a pro-choice Catholic. Even if you're not playing to the base, you oughta be thinking about the Catholic vote, which represents a possible swing voter bloc. Tom Ridge is therefore disqualified.

- Biden has more time in the Senate than McCain and is likewise an old white guy. Its cliche and I hate it as much as anyone, but McCain's gotta choose someone who can offset that fact and play well against Obama. A woman, a younger man from Congress, or a "minority." I'll refrain from repeating my, uh, refrain.

Information about Joe Biden, the GOP's dream pick

I got the text message at 3:30am, though it was all but confirmed by midnight last night as news sources began getting information. We had a text from a friend at 12:01am saying that Fox News was reporting it was Biden. So much for Obama's "you'll be the first to know" plan. And no, I wasn't awake at 3:30am to actually see the official text when it came - I saw it when I woke up this morning.

So, without further adieu, here is some information on Joe Biden, which hit my inbox this morning - from the Almanac of American Politics (incidentally, the National Journal is open to the public from now until Sept. 7 for convention coverage):

*Joseph Biden, Delaware's longest-serving senator, was first elected in 1972, at age 29 (he reached the constitutional age of 30 by the time he took office); he has spent most of his life as a senator. Biden grew up in the suburbs of Wilmington in a middle class home; his father was a car salesman and one grandfather was a state senator in Pennsylvania.

*In the Senate, Biden has a moderate-to-liberal voting record. For many years he did much of his most visible work on the Judiciary Committee, which he chaired from 1987–95 and served as ranking Democrat on from 1981–87 and 1995–97. The issues that arise here—abortion, flag-burning, capital punishment, crime control—cut deeply, and for years the cultural liberals in the Democratic Party differed sharply on most of them from the constituents Biden saw in Delaware every day.

*In the middle of the Bork hearings came a climactic moment for Biden, who in 1987 started running for president. He hoped to inspire a new generation as John Kennedy had inspired his. But Biden decided to leave the race when a Michael Dukakis staffer leaked an "attack video" showing similarities between Biden's stump speech about his background and a speech by British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock. Paraphrasing someone else's words is not a political crime—most political discourse is conducted in familiar shorthand terms—but Biden in dramatizing his background actually distorted it, for unlike Kinnock he did not rise from working class roots, and unlike in Britain, upward social mobility is a common experience in the United States.

*After the Thomas hearings, Biden seemed defensive about attacks from the feminist left, then the greatest source of activism in the Democratic Party. He sought out women to serve on Judiciary and worked hard on the 1994 Violence Against Women Act; he helped renew it in 2000, although the Supreme Court declared part of it unconstitutional, and again in 2005. He opposed the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, and after the hearings on their nominations said, "I have reached a conclusion that we should not even have these hearings, that we should just go right to the floor like they used to do in the old days."

*Biden became chairman of Foreign Relations in June 2001 and America was attacked on September 11. In the weeks following the attack Biden praised Bush for being "patient, resolute and cautious." In July and August 2002 he held two days of hearings on Iraq, with administration witnesses. In August he said the United States has "no choice but to eliminate" Saddam Hussein and that "probably" it means war with Iraq. He conferred frequently with Secretary of State Colin Powell and pushed for the U.S. to bring the issue to the United Nations; he said a unilateral attack would be the "single worst option." In late September 2002, he and ranking Republican Richard Lugar were working to bring forward a resolution that would authorize the president to take action to remove weapons of mass destruction, but not Saddam Hussein himself, only after exhausting diplomatic options. Bush opposed this, and forestalled Biden and Lugar by getting agreement on terms of a resolution from Trent Lott, Dennis Hastert and Richard Gephardt. Biden voted for it in October 2002.

*As fighting and casualties continued and rose after major military operations were completed, Biden became more critical of the administration. In June 2003 he said Bush should "level with the American people" about the cost and length of the Iraq commitment; he was angry when administration officials refused to put a price tag on the effort. In August 2003 he said he did not regret his vote for the war, but added, "There's nothing international about this until we get NATO in there and we get Islamic forces in there." He said the administration was filled with "control freaks who are allowing their ideology to get in the way of common sense," and mentioned Dick Cheney. In April 2004, looking ahead to the June 30 turnover of power, he said, "Our goal should be to take the 'American face' off the occupation so that we are not blamed for everything that doesn't go right in Iraq."

*In December 2006 he came out against George W. Bush's surge strategy. "We've tried the military surge option before and it failed. If we try it again, it will fail again." He co-sponsored with Carl Levin a nonbinding resolution declaring that "it is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq."

*Being elected a senator at age 29 makes you think about running for president some day, and Biden has done that twice, once in his 40s and now in his 60s. He passed up the 1992 campaign, fresh after his vote against the Gulf war; in 1996 Bill Clinton was renominated without opposition and in 2000 Clinton tried to clear the field for Al Gore. In early 2003 he said he might run, but in August 2003 he announced he would not. In 2004 Biden campaigned for John Kerry, whom he has known since 1972, when they both hired the same political consultant. Biden was frequently mentioned as a possible secretary of state if Kerry had been elected, but said he liked serving in the Senate. After Kerry's defeat he made little secret that he was interested in running again. "My intention is to seek the nomination," he said on Face the Nation in June 2005. "I know I'm supposed to tell you, you know, that I'm not sure. But if, in fact, I think that I have a clear shot at winning the nomination by this November or December, then I'm going to seek the nomination." He made his first trip of the cycle to New Hampshire in May 2006 and to Iowa in August 2006. *Some of his off-the-cuff statements caused him some embarrassment. "You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts franchise unless you have a slight Indian accent," he remarked, presumably based on everyday observation; but some in the press suggested this was off bounds.

*On January 31, 2007, he officially announced his candidacy. Unfortunately, that day the New York Observer released a story in which he called Barack Obama "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Critics pointed out that this overlooked or insulted Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton; by six o'clock, in time for the evening news, Biden said, "I deeply regret any offense my remark in the New York Observer might have caused anyone." Washington insiders wrote off his candidacy, and he raised only $4 million in the first quarter of 2007.

*Biden's seat comes up in 2008. Delaware law allows him to run for reelection to the Senate and for president (or vice president) at the same time; the filing deadline is in late July. His electoral record has been strong. He was reelected by wide margins in 1978, 1984, 1990 and 1996. His 1996 opponent Raymond Clatworthy was a Naval Academy graduate, Marine aviator and businessman who walked, rode a bicycle and rollerbladed through the state, raised $1 million and questioned the sale of Biden's house to an executive of MBNA, the big credit card company whose top executives gave generously to Biden's campaign. Biden won 60%-38%. In 2002 Clatworthy ran again and raised $1.8 million: Evidently Biden has raised the hackles of many Republicans across the country, and you can raise money by direct mail against him. Clatworthy argued that he would support George W. Bush more fully on defense and foreign policy. This time the result was a little closer: Biden won 58%-41%, the same margin he had in 1978. He actually lost Kent County, which includes Dover, and only narrowly carried Sussex County; together the two counties cast 37% of the state's votes, up from 33% in 1996.

*Biden is one of 12 current incumbents who has spent more than half his life as a member of Congress; he can probably go on for many years more. One possible successor: his oldest son Beau Biden, who was elected attorney general of Delaware in 2006.

August 22, 2008

Biden?

Maybe.

The Weekly Standard is saying so, from a "Democrat involved in the presidential campaign."

Reuters is reporting that Evan Bayh and Tim Kaine have been informed that they are out of the running.

Jim Geraghty on Obama-Biden. And Kathryn Lopez on Biden from earlier this week.

I find it a bit flabbergasting that Obama would pick Joe Biden. Is it because he's a non-threatening Yankee? This is also a bit of a let-down, anticipation-wise. It's like bottle rockets on the 4th of July - lots of noise, good distance, and then just a tiny pop with no sparkle.

Oh well. One down, one to go.

Chet Edwards - Not really a "safe" choice

Rumor has been bouncing all over the internet that Barack Obama may go for a "safe" pick in his vice presidential selection with Texas congressman Chet Edwards. Thanks to the depth of Chet Edwards' time in public office, Randy Samuelson over at Policy Spotlight has been able to prove that Edwards is anything but "safe."

Edwards spent some time in the Texas Senate back in the '80s, and thanks to Young Conservatives of Texas, we have a ratings history that covers that time period. Edwards ranked as consistently liberal even in a time when the Texas Legislature was controlled by Democrats - to do that, you have to vote to the left of even Lloyd Doggett. His final session in the Texas Senate saw Edwards earn just an 18% rating from YCT. Check out a full list here.

Don't forget, Edwards is also the "king" of Congressional earmarks, bringing home more taxpayer dollars than practically any other congressman. While this no doubt endears him to less enlightened voters, it is nails on a chalkboard to any straight-thinking taxpayer/voter in the majority of the US.

And exactly how does one get a perfect rating from NARAL when one is a Baptist in the heart of pro-life country in Texas? Simply by ignoring your constiuents, I suppose.

We can have a field day with most of Obama's potential running mates, but Edwards is a particularly liberal sticky-wicket for the campaign. Military vet Edwards may seem like a safe choice to offset John McCain and appeal to moderates in the South, but he's actually a ticking time bomb.

Voice in the Wilderness: Palin for VP?

Voice in the Wilderness: Palin for VP?

Travis Fell has the story about a Texas State (!?!?) poli sci prof who recently wrote a recommendation for Palin as VP.

I'm all for it, personally. Palin-Cantor-or-Jindal 2008!

EPA moves to regulate American way of life, right down to your lawnmower

Thanks to Americans for Prosperity for the following ACTION ALERT:

EPA Moves to Regulate our Entire Way of Life
Act Now to Have Your Voice Heard

The EPA is asking for public comments on its intention to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, something the Act was never designed to do. We need your voice to be heard. Over the past year, AFP has been warning you about global warming alarmism and the environmental political correctness that it has spawned. One of the greatest dangers this alarmism presents is the continued rise of unelected bureaucrats and their attempts to grab power from the people. The proposed regulation by the EPA is a clear example of the regulations this panic will produce.

After the Senate rejected a plan to regulate greenhouse gases, the EPA decided to go ahead and do it anyway. The extent of their plan is truly terrifying. If this proposal becomes law, 33 programs within the EPA would be empowered to, among other things:

• Impose Grass Mileage Standards for Home Lawnmowers
• Put Speed Limiters on the Commercial Trucking Fleet
• List Large Single-Family Homes as Carbon-Polluters
• Require Carbon Permits for Retail, Restaurant, Hotel and School Construction

Click here for more talking points from AFP (.pdf file).

Mark Levin on the "McCain's Houses" non-story

Via The Corner, Mark Levin said something that made me giggle on last night's program:

What's more important: How many buildings John McCain and his wife own, or how many buildings Bill Ayers and his wife tried to blow up?

Anecdotal speculation on November election

So, I come from one of those families where being a Republican is something of a novelty (seriously, I had to sit quietly at a family dinner recently while my great-aunt and great-uncle ridiculed Reagan and praised Carter's shiny shoes as though he'd walked on water in them). My dad bucked the trend, beginning with Reagan in 1980. My grandparents are Truman Democrats - they've never voted for a Republican in their lives.

Conversation with my dad last night:

(Him) - I don't think I can vote for McCain. Did you hear what he plans to do about insurance premiums?

(Me) - Yes, but, did you hear about Obama's national health insurance ideas? I mean, which is worse, paying a new tax on a service you get by choice anyway, or being forced to pay into a system that will limit your choices and your income?

(Him) - Yeah, well. I still don't think I can vote for McCain. I hear he's going to choose a pro-choice VP. That's the last straw.

(Me) - murmurs assent, dreading November

(Him) - I'll stay home on election day before I vote for a pro-choice candidate. Oh, I talked to your grandmother, and she said to tell you she's probably voting for McCain.

(Me) - [[jaw drops]] Has she ever voted Republican?

(Him) - Not on purpose.

--

Conclusion: No one expects the Spanish Inquistion! Er, I mean, no one can safely predict the outcome of this race. Not if my dad (your typical pro-life Republican) and my grandmother (your typical pro-big-gov't Democrat) are any indication.

Obama VP Speculation

My money's on Hillary.

I just have an odd, ooky feeling.

August 21, 2008

Provision will redirect Pell Grants to deserving students

This is very interesting. Via The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste:

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) this month
expressed support for a provision in the Higher Education Opportunity Act (H.R.
4137) that will redirect wasteful Pell Grants from sex offenders to the
hard-working students who need them. Prison inmates have been banned from
receiving Pell Grants since 1994, and some students convicted of drug offenses
are barred. However, repeat sex criminals who have served their sentences
but are deemed too dangerous to be allowed back into society are kept in civil
confinement centers and have remained eligible for the grants. The
provision closing the loophole, introduced by Rep. Ric Keller (R-Fla.), became
law as part of H.R. 4137 on August 14. “With every penny of Pell Grants
needed for students, it was inexcusable for the federal government to be
providing any money to sex offenders,” declared CCAGW President Tom
Schatz. “Rep. Keller deserves the thanks of every taxpayer.” In
Florida in one year alone, 54 of the most violent sexual offenders in one center
obtained Pell Grants at taxpayer expense of more than $200,000. With 20
other states employing civil confinement centers, millions of dollars have been
wasted.

Read more here.

What I'd like to know, though, is whether all lawbreakers will be treated the same or not - will illegal aliens cease to be beneficiaries of Pell Grants and other federal financial aid?

HR 4137 does not address that, but perhaps this is an issue that can be taken up in the future.

August 20, 2008

Danger, HD 52, Danger!

Not many races are shaping up to be quite as interesting as the open seat in House District 52, currently occupied by Mike Krusee. This is in Williamson County, the part many Austinites are most familiar with - Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, Taylor. Parts of Anderson Mill are also in this district.

All of which makes it a seat paramount to conservatives in central Texas. While we all agree Travis County needs a lot of work, Williamson County has long been a stronghold of sanity. To lose HD 52 to a liberal Democrat would be devastating to the area as well as to the Texas House.

Enter Diana Maldonado, Round Rock school board maven and apparently sacred cow as far as the Round Rock Leader is concerned. She's taken money from Fred Baron, John Edwards' so-called "hush money man", and her campaign is being conducted by Genevieve Van Cleve from Annie's List. But worst of all is her history with the Round Rock school board, which is dismally out of touch with taxpayer concerns and issues. She boasts about the district's high ratings, while three major Round Rock high schools have failed to have at least 75% of all student groups graduate - McNeil High School, Round Rock High School, and Stony Point High School. The Texas Education Agency gave RRISD a "pass" on dropout rates, keeping it from receiving a failing rating.

And yet, Maldonado brags on RRISD's success and makes "putting Austin back on track" one of her priorities. So, she's blaming lawmakers for her school district's lack of performance?

The people of HD 52, especially voters in Round Rock and in Round Rock ISD, need to take a good look at Bryan Daniel, the conservative choice in this race. Daniel's goal in coming to Austin will be to enact protections for taxpayers against the tax-and-spend mentality of school boards and local governments. One of his major issues is appraisal reform, and with a conservative majority in the legislature, real progress can finally be made here. Daniel is exactly what Austin needs - and he's exactly what HD 52 needs.

McCain-Lieberman?? Surely you jest.

There's so much speculation about what McCain will do for his VP pick that even hardcore political junkies are either having a hard time keeping up or staying interested.

My personal Republican preferences are Sarah Palin, Eric Cantor, and Bobby Jindal (in that order). Dealbreakers? Tom Ridge, who has a lot of buzz and, frankly, a lot of baggage. Other than being an unabashedly pro-abortion Catholic (I know - what?!), he's also tainted with the Department of Homeland Security, representing the largest unnecessary growth of government under the Bush administration short of NCLB.

And of course, there's the Ever Popular Theory of the campaign season - will John McCain break ranks and choose - collective gasp - a Democrat or an independent as his running mate?

The man everyone is thinking of is none other than Joe Lieberman, he of VP nominee fame from 2000. On the Democratic ticket, of course.

The interwebs are fairly buzzing from statements from current McCain voters who swear up and down that the VP choice could undo it all - despite McCain's affirmation of his pro-life stance, rumor from trusted sources has it that McCain's camp is testing the idea of a pro-choice running mate.

Let's face facts here: A pro-choice running mate isn't necessarily McCain's utter downfall, though it is rather stupid of him. If the rumors are true, just the idea of a pro-choice running mate is enough to lather the grassroots into a seething foam. It means they'll stay home on November 4. But there are many people for whom this is a negotiable trait in a running mate. What may not be negotiable is whether or not said running mate is, you know, a Republican.

The buzz is favoring Ridge, Romney, and to some extent Pawlenty. Conservatives are making clear that they prefer Palin, Cantor, and Jindal. But there is speculation that is perhaps not all that farfetched, that McCain will ultimately go with Lieberman, an old friend and a mostly non-offensive liberal (there's no reason to believe he'll choose a conservative - nothing about John McCain says "willing to make a deal").

What will the grassroots do?

Conservative for Change, which has endorsed Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, floats the idea of Republican grassroots going for Barr if McCain picks Lieberman as his running mate. They've even got a poll up. I'll take that idea one step further and suggest that Republicans who don't stay home will vote for Barr if McCain chooses anyone pro-choice for his running mate.

(And I'll sit over here and continue ranting and raving about how Republicans need to care about more than just the life issue. What about choosing a running mate who believes in and practices smaller government, one with a proven track record of lowering taxes and spending, who also happens to be pro-life?)

Palin, Cantor, Jindal. If Republicans will remember their names and strive to emulate these people, in four years we could get what we want in the White House.

Rice: Russians "perhaps...want to reconsider" strategic air patrols in Alaska

H/T to Andy McCarthy at The Corner

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice confirms in an AP article that about six months ago, the Russians resumed strategic bomber patrols off Alaska (a practice that had died out with the Cold War).

As the Olympics wane and the nation gears up for the political parties' national conventions, news stories about the Russian/Georgian conflict aren't getting as much play, but it's still very much an issue. Despite a pledge to do so, the Russians have not withdrawn from Georgia. NATO is holding an emergency meeting to discuss what to do about this crisis.

Meanwhile, the Russians have been challenging our air space for six months and yet there are still questions about whether the United States is being too heavy-handed in criticizing Russia's move on Georgia.

The Georgia crisis aside (because there are very good reasons why the US cannot and should not get militarily involved), the US has a vested interest in protecting our own air space. I'm with Condi Rice - the Russians may want to reconsider this extremely foolish move.

August 18, 2008

McCain to name VP on Aug 29

The Politico is reporting that John McCain will name his VP on August 29.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12619.html

Will the Texas water debate become more partisan thanks to Pickens?

A bit of speculation from reading about Pickens' recent meetings with Barack Obama and Harry Reid. The Dems seem to be getting quite giddy over Pickens' wind power plan, which anyone with basic cognitive skills knows is really a way for Pickens to nail the coffin shut on his West Texas water grab. Of course, they could always discover that he's not actually "with them" on ANWR and offshore drilling. But that would undoubtedly put a damper on his plans.

As Democrats and Republicans line up on opposite sides of the energy debate on the congressional level, the trickle may be felt all the way down the ballot. I wonder if Texas legislative Dems will feel the same warm gooey feeling about Pickens as their Washington colleagues, and if a consequence of that will be a line drawn in the sand over Pickens' water wishes in our state.

Thus far, the water debate has remained non-partisan, simply because it's not precisely an issue for partisans to involve themselves in. But as power shifts in the Legislature from the rural panhandle and other westward points to urban centers, things may get very interesting.

---

In unrelated news, MoPac at 5:00pm is akin to a lesser circle of hell.

August 17, 2008

JROTC in high schools - protect these programs!

Last year, I signed up for "AISD-Watch," a Yahoo group mailing list that sends out information about things happening in Austin ISD. I thought at first that the group would be like other ISD watchdog groups I'm familiar with from my time at Americans for Prosperity. Instead, what AISD Watch does is promote a decidedly leftist agenda, posting anti-voucher articles, information on diversity promotion, and recently, anti-JROTC screeds.

The latest post had to do with marksmanship activities in the JROTC units at Austin high schools. Marksmanship is not offered in many units, if I recall, either because of a lack of instructors or in some cases, a lack of interest. It's a tough elective, and most JROTC cadets opt for drill team (armed or unarmed), color guards, or physical fitness teams. Apparently, AISD-Watch has a problem with JROTC in general, but is particularly annoyed by marksmanship activities. The information is largely coming from this group. Their goal appears to simply be offering alternatives, but I suspect (especially given the frequent anti-recruiting and anti-JROTC messages) that they also seek to utterly subvert the efforts of the US military.

We have an all-volunteer military in the United States, and like every career option, students should have the opportunity to decide for themselves if they will pursue it or not. JROTC is one of those avenues, yes, but it is not a primary recruiting tool.

I was a member of the Navy JROTC when I was in high school (long ago and not anywhere near Austin). There was no active recruiting or push toward enlisting in the service - in fact, JROTC students who do continue are urged to go to the academies, or in ROTC programs at universities. That's not to say JROTC students don't enlist - the graduating class before mine boasted 5 Marines, and I knew of three enlistees from my own graduating class. I chose not to enlist and spent some time in an ROTC program in college before deciding it was not for me. The real beauty of being an American is having that choice - not every country can say that.

Many more enlisting and even eventual ROTC cadets came from the greater high school population. There were only 130 or so cadets in my unit - in a school of over 4000.

JROTC programs build character, hone discipline, and serve the same purpose that the high school band, sports teams, and other extra curricular activities do. Please work to support these organizations, not hinder them!

August 16, 2008

Bush Administration Approves Reparations for....Libya?!?!

Yeah, this is a big ranty moment for me right now. But I'll spare you most of the rant and just give you the dish.

The Bush administration has reopened relations and approved reparations payments to Libya, for President Reagan's 1986 air strikes on Tripoli and Benghazi.

If your jaw just dropped and your blood pressure went up, well, join the club. From WND:

Nicole Thompson, a State Department spokeswoman, told World Net Daily, "The
settlement goes to both sides. The settlement is for outstanding claims on the
part of Libya as well as the United States."When asked whether the U.S. will
make reparations payments to Libya, Thompson responded, "Yes."

So let me get this straight. Libyans are responsible for killing 2 US soldiers and others in a night club attack in Berlin. So Reagan orders airstrikes. Two years after that, Gadhafi orders the terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103, which kills 268 people including 189 Americans.

And we're paying reparations to them?!

Andy McCarthy at NR says (emphasis mine):

Is there anyone out there who was pining for a "more normal relationship" with
Gadhafi? I confess I must have missed that. What would we be
saying if Clinton or Obama did this?

If Clinton or Obama did this, there'd be a firestorm for sure. This is just the most ludicrous thing to come out of the Bush administration in quite some time - I'm past being dismayed by anything that comes out of the administration, and I'm now right smack dab on furious.

Texas Republican Assembly: Voter ID Petition

I can't tell you often enough, or emphatically enough - Texas needs a voter identification law.

You need a photo ID to get a library card. You need one to get a mailbox key. You need a photo ID to get a job. You need a photo ID (sometimes) when you buy beer or a lottery ticket. You need a photo ID to drive a car. You need a photo ID to get a marriage license.

Why do we not need a photo ID to vote?

Many of us believe, as Americans, that our vote is one of the most precious things we have to give. It states that we believe in something. We believe in someone. We have principles and we're getting out on election day to declare to the world what they are.

Voting is more fundamental to who we are than any of the things I listed above. And yet, we are not required to show photo identification when we do it. We are not required to prove that yes, we are who we say we are, and our votes are being cast by no one other than ourselves.

It is vital that the Texas Legislature address this issue in the next session. It is crucial that a law requiring photo identification at the polls pass both houses of our government and be signed by the Governor, effective as soon as lawfully allowed.

Please take a moment to sign this petition, provided by the Texas Republican Assembly. It will be handed directly to the chairmen of the State Affairs committees in both houses, to stress that we will not rest until this law is passed.

Please feel free to forward this to as many people in the State of Texas as you can.

August 15, 2008

Speaker Gingrich on the Energy Debate

Check it out!

Brookhiser on attack ads and partisanship: "The founders hated it as much as you do. They also invented it"

I've been watching a series of short q&a video sessions with Richard Brookhiser on Uncommon Knowledge recently. The latest has Brookhiser commenting on today's election from George Washington's POV (in addition to some great comments on Henry Adams, Ulysses S. Grant, and other brief topics).

If you aren't already following it, I highly recommend Uncommon Knowledge, a weekly online video series produced by the Hoover Institution.

WaPo reporting Musharraf will step down

Well, this is interesting news! (and what is with Fridays and big news stories this month??)

From the Washington Post (h/t The Corner)

A week after leaders of the ruling coalition said they planned to impeach
Musharraf, the capital was abuzz with speculation that he would step down before
formal impeachment charges are filed in Parliament on Monday. Musharraf, who
seized power in a military coup nine years ago, has survived at least two
assassination attempts. But his opponents said Thursday that he was unlikely to
withstand the current challenge to his presidency.

The White House has not been in communication with Musharraf for some time, according to the WaPo article. This comes at a very interesting time in world politics, too, which makes any possible communication with Musharraf a risky deal at best. Bush is certainly not getting off easy for his last few months in office, is he?

Also from WaPo, a reminder that a destablized Pakistan is in itself risky business:

Musharraf's possible departure has raised fears that it could further
destabilize Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation, and hamper the multibillion-dollar
U.S. effort to fight al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents in the region. In the event of Musharraf's ouster, the chairman of the 100-seat Senate would become the de facto head of state, and Parliament would have 30 days to take up a vote for the president's replacement.

It will be important to watch closely what happens in Pakistan (and in Israel, another country facing the departure of their leader in September).

August 14, 2008

Fred Thompson on Georgia and more

Fred Thompson weighs in at Townhall on the Georgian crisis, and adds some notes about international conflict and leadership.

Of particular interest to me:

Who wasn’t impressed by the sea of Chinese performers, smiling and perfectly
synchronized at the opening ceremony of the summer Olympics, demonstrating to
the world their discipline and “organizational skills”? Or their ability to
present to TV viewers beautiful fireworks displays that don’t really exist? What
isn’t an illusion is that China is engaged in a rapid military buildup, the
extent of which we do not know. With hundreds of missiles pointed toward Taiwan, experts say China is developing the capability to take Taiwan before the U. S. has the ability to respond.

Indeed. And damn, this just makes me yearn for the good ol' days of the Republican primary.

I was happy to see, incidentally, that I am not the only person boycotting the Olympics this year on the basis that the Chinese represent the most dangerous threat in the modern world. Mike Potemra over at NR held to it for the same reasons.

August 13, 2008

Close Encounters of the Third Kind...of Republican

I keep hearing a lot of speculation about what makes a Republican.

Being a Democrat or a Republican is based on who you support in general elections. Being liberal or conservative (or libertarian, or communist, or whatever) is based on your specific ideological beliefs. A Republican is defined by party loyalty, as a Democrat is. If you are not loyal, on some level, to either party, you're either an independent, or you fit under some other party's umbrella.

Ron Paul Republicans in particular are facing this conundrum. A great many had never been involved in party politics in the past, either because they were too young, or because for years never had a candidate to rally behind. The first of those is a legitimate reason to not have been involved. The second is legitimate to a point, though political apathy is hard for those of us who have been active for years to swallow (especially if we've never been there). These first two kinds of Ron Paul Republicans, however, are exactly who needs to get involved now - and there are a lot of ways to do that, whether it's as a precinct chair, a club member, a block captain, or a campaign volunteer, for starters.

But there is one more type of Ron Paul Republican, and this particular group can only call themselves Republican because Texas law does not include any kind of actual party "joining." Here, we just vote in whichever primary strikes our fancy, and ta-da! For two years, we are Republicans or Democrats or neither.

This third kind of Ron Paul Republican not only never voted for any Republican ever, he or she voted for the likes of Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Ann Richards, or Chris Bell. This third kind of Republican says that he or she agrees with Ron Paul on economic issues - dig a bit deeper, and he or she is also pro-choice, pro-amnesty, and anti-war. At least two of those statements don't exactly fall under Ron Paul's principles.

This third kind of Ron Paul Republican rails against John McCain, and asks what would be so bad about a Barack Obama presidency. This third kind can find nothing good to say about any Republican other than Ron Paul, and finds little to agree with in the Republican platform. This third kind backed Dennis Kucinich four years ago, or Ralph Nader. This third kind makes a bigger deal out of how he or she differs from other Republicans, instead of focusing on what they may have in common. This third kind has spent either time, money, or even simply rhetoric tearing down good Republican candidates, and possibly helped contribute to a Republican's loss in a crucial election.

This third kind, really, has no desire to be a Republican. This third kind wishes to make the Republican party the Libertarian party. Or in some cases, yes, the Democrat party.

Voting in the primary, in short, isn't enough. You want to serve in a leadership role in the Republican party? You need to show some leadership as a Republican, period. Campaigning for Ron Paul was a great start! The primary is over and Congressman Paul is out of the race. If you want to be a Republican, start supporting Republicans. It's the job of a precinct chairman in a political party to get out the vote for that party in the general election. Not for this third party candidate or that Democrat.

I want Ron Paul Republicans to be involved with the party, but just like the rest of us, there are some basic requirements if you want to go all the way. And if you worked for Kinky Friedman or you still have a Howard Dean sticker on your car, well, you've got to prove yourself before we can let you represent the Republican party. It's not the fact that you backed Ron Paul in the primary - it's the fact that he was the only Republican you've ever supported that we have to stop and ask about.

Incidentally, there are some things that are non-negotiable, and supporting the platform is one of them. How can you expect our elected officials to support our platform if you don't?

August 12, 2008

Precinct 229!

I am now officially the Republican precinct chair in Pct 229, in north Austin.

Woohoo!

Now, bedtime :-)

Catholic schools and the English language in Kansas

I recall being required to take Spanish at my Catholic grade school in Oklahoma City - though our "minority" population was Vietnamese, and they held a Vietnamese mass every Sunday and never a Spanish one.

Anyway, moving right along....

Malkin reports on the Catholic Diocese of Wichita being sued after a school required English-only in the classrooms to help solve a discipline problem.

There are some serious problems here. One is the old separation of church and state schtick. Exactly how is it the government's business what language is required in a private Christian school? I could see how this case would happen in a public school, especially in a community with no English-only law in place. But in a Catholic school, it's ludicrous that a suit is even being taken seriously.

Finally, what really strikes me is that private schools are chosen by the parents - it is stated absolutely nowhere that a person who attends a private school must remain enrolled. Public schools (even homeschooling!) are always an option. I suspect that transferring into public school would be far less expensive for the plaintiffs. But then, I also suspect that certain parties feel that the more publicity for the "we're so oppressed!" crowd, the better.

I told you, don't call me Junior....

So, if you were a nation with totalitarian instincts and a grandiose sense of superiority, who would you get to design the stage sets when you host the Olympics?

If you said Albert Speer, Jr., go get yourself a cookie!

His father is an interesting person to study if you want to know a lot about the history of national socialism in Germany.

H/T to The Corner.

August 11, 2008

Who is the REAL Barack Obama?

Some friends of mine are publishing a book entitled Who is the Real Barack Obama?, and it's due to hit shelves later this week.

You can check out their website and get more information about the book here.

Also, you can check out co-author and YCT alum Brendan Steinhauser's blog here. Francisco Gonzalez (who introduced me to ISI a few years back) blogs here.

From the website:

The candidacy of Barack Obama has energized millions of
Americans who have turned out in record numbers to
participate in the 2008 presidential primaries. Much of his
candidacy’s success has been built upon the support he has
among the youth and other new voters. Obama has
convinced them that he is the candidate of “change.” This
book, written by three young voters, seeks to expose
Obama’s background, his inexperience, his far left
political agenda, and demonstrate that not all the youth
are behind him.

Russia at war

I managed to catch President Bush's Rose Garden statement on the war between Russia and Georgia - CNN was the only station I found that ran live coverage (Fox News was too busy interviewing Geraldine Ferraro - is she not totally obsolete yet?).

I do have to say, CNN's reporters and commentators really are the most ridiculously biased crew - saying things about this being Bush's "strongest speech" ever (really? Where were you on September 12?), etc. At least they acknowledged the language in the speech. Bush made comments like this action being "unacceptable in the 21st century" and referred to Russia's movement as "brutal." CNN ran footage of what's happening in Georgia right now as well, including footage of Russian tanks moving over the border.

I've got chills just thinking about those images. I don't think any of us who grew up during the Cold War, even the tail end of it, could think of Russian military force without a tinge of fear. And it must be said - Ronald Reagan ain't walking through that door, and Putin is no cuddly, popular Mikhail Gorbachev.

That said, I think once the world is done squealing over Olympic victories and making lewd comments about John Edwards, we're going to have to stop and consider seriously the situation in Georgia. There's a presidential election going on (no, really?), and I also think that the candidates need to make clear how they personally stand on this.

I'll make no secret of this - I feel that Georgia 2008 is Hungary 1956. It is a mistake to consider that the old totalitarian instinct in Russia died with the USSR. We are witnessing the beginning of a revival that will be utterly successful if we do not make it clear from the outset that this behavior is intolerable in the modern world. And it is worth remembering that Georgia, along with several other countries of the old Soviet eastern bloc, are American allies. It is further worth remembering that Russia is not the only country in the east that has been itching to stretch its claws.

I am not advocating military action on the part of the US - we don't have the resources or the international clout to do such a thing, and we cannot afford open war with Russia.

I encourage you to read today's National Review editorial on the issue. An excerpt:

In the long term, however, America and its allies must
demonstrate that Russia has lost more than it gained
from this conflict. One first step must be for the
U.S. to agree with its NATO allies to confirm an offer
of NATO membership for both Georgia and Ukraine.
Poland, the Baltic states, and other central European
countries are already calling for an emergency NATO
summit that might issue such a declaration. Only
Germany seems to stand in the way of such a
decision — and the Germans should be told firmly that
their opposition to Georgia membership earlier this year encouraged the siloviki to
mount this attack. Time for them to forget Rapallo once
and for all, and join the rest of the West in resisting
the re-emergence of the USSR.

The Pickens Plan....why I disagree

T. Boone Pickens isn't really being "civic-minded" by calling for wind power - what he's doing is a backdoor trick to gain mineral rights on west Texas land so that he can sell the water to the city of Dallas. He's been looking for a way to do this for years. Realistically, he's among the few who can afford to buy the land and build the windmills necessary for this kind of thing. Lord knows there's plenty of that land available, too. Once he's bought the property, Texas law states that he'll have exclusive rights to the minerals on site.

Once upon a time, that would have meant drilling for oil. Now, especially with the ongoing drought in Texas and the increasing demand for water in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, Pickens sees a profit in harvesting the water from those west Texas lands. Of course, west Texas residents won't benefit from it, and Dallas will still get water from reservoirs in surrounding counties (where the population is also booming and in need of water). Meanwhile, Pickens will get rich, and no one will stop him.

He's spent years helping build a Republican base in Texas that won't question his motives, and the power in the Republican party in Texas has shifted away from rural areas to Houston and Dallas in recent years. Also, there are very few legislators in Texas who really "get" the water problem our state is facing - something Pickens is no doubt counting on, so that no legislative roadblocks keep him from being able to accomplish this. It's a little fishy that he's calling for this plan in a non-legislature year for Texas, too.

Gaining all this momentum from television ads, spots on evening news programs, and relentless internet coverage is a smart plan - no doubt people who aren't from Texas and specifically not from areas that would be affected by Pickens' plan find it easier to smile and agree with him. But I think serious scrutiny is warranted before agreeing with him.

It just figures that Pelosi is in cahoots with him.

The Pelosi Premium

H/T to dontgo. From Rep. Jeff Miller's (R-Florida) website:

I know gas prices are down slightly across the nation (I paid $3.76 at the pump last Friday, compared to $3.89 the previous Wednesday), but they aren't down enough. What have we come to that we're all a bit glad to hear that in Tulsa, OK, gas is down to $3.50 per gallon?

When Hurricane Katrina hit, we were all worried that this would happen (refineries along the Gulf Coast are still in recovery mode, if they're open at all; the mess at the mouth of the Mississippi affected shipping, as well, since it's the main waterway used to transport such goods to the midwest). Witness the graphic above, however - Katrina hit in 2005, Pelosi didn't take office till 2007, and it was in 2007 that gas prices began to truly soar.

At home, we're not at the point of deciding between gasoline and food (our property taxes, now, that's a different story!), but I know many people are. And food prices have gone up in part because gas prices are high. Vicious cycle.

So, Madame Speaker, when are you going to listen to the people?

August 10, 2008

Straight-A student rejected because parents had degrees....

Sheffield University (Great Britain) applicant Erica Fidorra was apparently denied admission to the medical program, despite a stellar application, because both her parents have degrees.

I wish I could say this was hard to believe or even mildly surprising.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1043064/Straight-A-student-rejected-university-parents-degrees.html

August 09, 2008

Anuzis crashes Pelosi book signing in "People's Republic of Ann Arbor"

Oh, I loved this. Is Pelosi coming to Texas? If she does, will Benkiser follow in Anuzis' steps? Let's hope so. This is awesome political theater in action.

Also....Madame Speaker? I think you need to clarify how exactly a book signing is constituent work. Because that is what your 5-week break is supposed to be used for.

One last thing - so, Ann Arbor is also a "People's Republic," huh? I feel your pain, Michigan.

In response to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's book
signing in Ann Arbor, MI, Michigan Republican Chairman
Saul Anuzis decides to ask the Speaker why she is on vacation
with our country in a dire energy crunch.

Shadegg - GOP protest goes beyond gas prices

Hat tip to dontgo.

Washington Democrats’ anti-energy policies risk our economic, as well as
national security. Dollars spent on oil from the Middle East or Venezuela, cost
American jobs and finance America’s enemies, either directly or by providing
income to the people who bankroll them. We must stop!

We can no longer defend buying oil from the Middle East, Russia, or South
America when we have our own oil off our coasts, under public lands in the West,
in Alaska, and in millions of tons of oil shale.

We cannot defend creating jobs for oil field workers in Saudi Arabia and
Venezuela, but telling American workers they are out of luck. We cannot justify
saying to employees of a U.S. airline, that they must accept being laid off
after 10, or 15 years on the job because the majority party in Congress is more
sympathetic to views held by environmental extremists than it is to their
plight.

Read the whole thing here.

Also, this is Blue Dot Blues' 200th post!

August 08, 2008

Why should we Drill Here, and Drill Now?

Courtesy of American Solutions:

MYTH: Oil companies currently have 68 million acres of leased public lands that contain large amounts of economically recoverable oil available. Drilling in these areas could generate 4.8 million barrels a day so opening up more land is not necessary.

FACT: The estimates on the amount of oil available in those 68 million acres have been derived by assuming that the unused acres can produce the same amount as those acres being used. However, much of the land leased to oil companies has already been explored and determined not to carry enough recoverable oil to justify drilling. This is in stark contrast to the other 97% of currently banned offshore resources and areas with shale oil, where enormous quantities are known to exist.

That opponents to greater U.S. exploration believe they understand
better than petroleum engineers how we obtain oil from drilling is absolutely
ridiculous.

Read more about this here.

Russia, China, John Edwards....and it's a Friday!

Too many things to blog about this evening!! I thought it was Friday!

1 - The Olympics. Boycott boycott boycott. And, pray for China. (here's another resource - John Piper's website). There are a million reasons.

2 - Jim Warren. I was very sad to hear about Jim's death today. I never met the man, but we exchanged emails during the session last year and tried to meet for lunch, though it never came together. My husband is acquainted with his sister Jill, who ran for the Texas House a few cycles back. Our prayers and condolences go out to the family.

3 - John Edwards. You know, I just don't have the words for that. My heart goes out to Elizabeth and to Edwards' family, both for the media storm this launches and the private pain.

4 - War has been declared - Georgia declared war on Russia. Once again, my twisted mind had to look twice at those headlines today. Anyway. War in Russia.

5 - My very lighthearted thing for this post - I cannot wait until Sept. 25 and there are new episodes of The Office.

Blogging revolution in Austin

Close on the heels of American for Prosperity's Defending the American Dream summit in Austin last month, a group of conservative bloggers gathered in north Austin for lunch today to discuss "where do we go from here."

It was a great discussion. I came a little late, but got there right as The Conservative Austinite was introducing himself and some of the things he's been able to do with his blog (scored an interview with Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, among other things!).

I've known the guys over at Travis Monitor for awhile (I'm married to one of them, hehe), but it was really great to put faces to some of the familiar names from other blogs. So, shout-outs to Travis Fell and Robbie Cooper (whose blogs I've followed for about a year and a half), and to Keath Milligan and Quid Nimis.

Today's lunch was hopefully the first of many - it was great to meet everyone and get some new ideas and thoughts for how conservative bloggers can continue to paint Travis County BRIGHT RED!

Paranoid, much, Mr. Noriega?

Rick Noriega's campaign is doing so poorly, now he's blaming the media for his troubles.

http://blogs.chron.com/texaspolitics/archives/2008/08/coffee_break_po_6.html

It's quite simple. You do well, the media covers your campaign. When polling data and fundraising efforts consistently prove that you're a real underdog (in a race that most don't even consider truly in play), the MSM stop paying attention to you.

Senator Cornyn is a Republican incumbent in a (still!) Republican state. If Noriega were out-fundraising him, or even polling more closely, he'd be the story.

90 days out, folks! Hang in there!

August 07, 2008

Renaming Johnston High School - after Vietnam vets or a Communist?

Austin ISD's Johnston High School was closed at the end of the school year because of consistently high dropout rates and low TAKS performance - the plan is to reopen it under a new name. (KVUE story, including video, here)

AISD will decide on that new name next week. Under consideration are Eastside High School, Cesar Chavez High School, and Memorial High School.

The people behind the Memorial High School idea are alums who also happen to be veterans. 16 students from Johnston died in the Vietnam War, and the former students say this name change would be to honor them.

Now that's a name (and a good reason) I think even Blue Dot Austin could get behind. It's also a great way to rebrand Johnston, which was already named for a hero in Albert Sidney Johnston.

Naming it after Chavez, however, is exactly the wrong way to go.

August 06, 2008

They just don't know when to give up

This comes from a locked (non-public) entry on an Austin Livejournal community. I am reposting it here not because I support the cause (I clearly don't - MoveOn.org is a Communist front), but because I think y'all oughta know it's happening.

I very much wish I could be there to counterprotest.

Dear MoveOn member,
Republicans have been escalating their attacks on Obama and the Democrats over oil drilling, and we need to push back. Can you join us at an emergency action in Austin tomorrow (Thursday)?
House Republicans have been "protesting" ever since Congress adjourned on Friday because Speaker Pelosi blocked their offshore drilling plan. Speaker Pelosi blocked their plan because it won't help lower gas prices—but it will line the pockets of Big Oil
executives, the same people donating millions of dollars to Republicans. But
Republicans are working hard to make it seem like they're fighting for
cash-strapped commuters—and not the oil companies that want to drill the most.
So tomorrow (Thursday), we're organizing our own action to highlight the GOP's
extensive ties to Big Oil, and deliver a petition to our representatives calling
for a big switch to clean energy. We've invited the media, and having a good
crowd is critical to show them that voters don't want oil industry gimmicks,
they want real solutions like alternative energy to solve our energy crisis. Can
you make it?
Here are the details:
What: Petition Delivery to Stop Big Oil Gimmicks and Demand Clean Energy
Where: Michael McCaul's District Office (in Austin)
When: Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008, at 12:00 PM.

August 05, 2008

Cornyn Petition - Tell Reid and Pelosi to go back to work!

Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, right?

You answer to all of us, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid.

Sen. Cornyn is asking everyone to sign his petition to show Pelosi and Reid that the people want them in Washington working, instead of taking a 5-week paid vacation while the rest of us struggle with $4/gallon gasoline and the rising cost-of-living that comes with that.

From the press release:

“It’s disappointing Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid care more about
appeasing their Hollywood friends than they do about the hardship high
energy prices cause their constituents,” Cornyn communications director
Kevin McLaughlin said. “But sadly, they don’t.”

“The nation is confronted with an energy crisis. Congress should be working
day and night to pass a comprehensive plan. Instead, they went on vacation,”
McLaughlin concluded.

In honor of their gross negligence, Senator John Cornyn’s campaign has
launched a petition telling Pelosi and Reid to “Get Back To Work!” Please click here
to sign the petition telling Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi vacation is over
and it’s time to get back to work!

#dontgo has a website

Hat tip to Jonathan Klingler of the Facebook group "Let's Rock the House":

"Eric Odom, Patrick Ruffini, and others have created www.dontgomovement.com as a central hub for the entire #dontgo and Guerilla Congress movement. The site goes live at 2 PM Central and will have plenty of tools for all of us to use as we continue to move America forward on all of the above energy policy and use technology to bring the people back into the House of Representatives.

Check it out at www.dontgomovement.com!"

MoveOn.org wants to rumble with House GOP

MoveOn plans to ‘push back hard’ against House GOP
By Klaus Marre
Posted: 08/04/08 10:48 PM [ET]

Liberal group MoveOn.org is urging its supporters to “push back hard” against House Republicans who have been seeking to pressure Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to allow a vote on offshore drilling.

Although the House is in recess, several Republicans on Friday and Monday have taken to the floor of the chamber to discuss the country’s energy woes and demand that Pelosi bring back the House and give the GOP an up or down vote on expanding domestic oil production.

Now MoveOn is planning to get involved.

“Republicans have been escalating their attacks on [Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.)] and the Democrats over oil drilling, and we need to push back hard,” the group said in an e-mail to supporters, asking them to come to a 4 p.m. rally at the Capitol.

“Speaker Pelosi blocked their plan because it won't help lower gas prices—but it will line the pockets of Big Oil executives, the same people donating millions of dollars to Republicans,” the e-mail said. “But Republicans are working hard to make it seem like they're fighting for cash-strapped commuters—and not the oil companies who wrote their plan.”

The group plans to point to the ties between the GOP and Big Oil.

“We’ve invited the media, and having a good crowd is critical to show them that voters don’t want oil industry gimmicks—they want real solutions like alternative energy to solve our energy crisis,” the e-mail said.

MoveOn acknowledged that “Republicans have been dominating the debate around gas prices for weeks with their sham drilling plan,” adding that the House protest is “getting a lot of press coverage.”

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/moveon-plans-to-push-back-hard-against-house-gop-2008-08-04.html

August 04, 2008

Twitter

I'm on Twitter as mjsamuelson.

The revolution continues...

Sign the Petition

Three Ways You Can Help the GOP Revolt

This is from the Facebook group "Let's Rock the House! I Support the Guerilla Congress" - join this group to receive these updates about the movement to spread the message of the GOP revolt in Congress

Today over 20 members of the House GOP returned to the floor of the House to demand that Congress returns to work and passes the American Energy Act, which is an ‘all of the above’ energy solution. Users of Rock the House and #dontgo were on the scene, and the number of people participating in the ‘Twitter Revolution’ has been astounding. The House GOP will continue the phantom sessions all week, and may continue them throughout August.

Conservative Republican House members are taking this moment to lead when others refuse, and they deserve our support and gratitude. I’d also like to draw attention to the efforts of Robert Bluey, Eric Odom, Danny Glover, Jason Carini, Elisabeth ‘Media Lizzy’ Blackney, Jenn Sierra, Matthew Nehrling, and the countless others doing their part to make this happen.

The conservative netroots are forming a truly broad based movement, and each one of you can do your part to achieve comprehensive energy reform, bring the people back into the House, and embarrass the Democratic leadership.

Here are three things you can do today to help continue the push for comprehensive energy reform, greater House openness, and true Republican leadership.

1. Call Speaker Pelosi at (202) 225-0100 as well as your US Representative and ask that they return to work and approve the American Energy Act. The American Energy Act is an ‘all of the above’ solution that not only includes solar, wind and efficiency provisions, but domestic drilling and expanded use of safe and emissions-free nuclear power. You can learn more about the American Energy Act at http://www.gop.gov/energy/americanenergyact

2. Sign up for Twitter and start communicating on #dontgo. You can sign up for Twitter at www.twitter.com, and any update you post with ‘#dontgo’ included will be listed on the feed visible at www.dontgo.us. There is a thread on the Facebook group for people who wish to answer or ask questions about using Twitter and feeds.

3. Get involved with the effort to attract citizens into the House chamber for the phantom sessions. Americans are upset about Congressional inaction and high gas prices, and we need to make sure they get to the House chamber to interact with members during the sessions. If there is a huge crowd gathering outside the House every day to take part in the phantom session, it will be a news story in itself. Join the conversation on the ‘Open House’ thread on the Facebook group.

There are also some new developments which all of you should be aware of:

The folks behind dontgo.us have created www.dontgomovement.com as a new website for all of us to use- visit it and check it out as it grows.

Danny Glover has offered to publicize any video or audio from the sessions uploaded to Eyeblast.tv.

Jason Carini has created a new Youtube channel for the movement at http://www.youtube.com/dontgovids

Mike Bolitho is organizing people to provide food to the members participating in appreciation for the Guerilla Congress. He has a thread open on the Facebook group.

Get Involved and Lead
Invite Your Friends
Keep the Momentum Going

White House to House GOP: No special session

Figures.

I doubt this will have any affect on the House GOP leaders who are continuing their efforts this week from the House floor, but it is somewhat disheartening. The White House claims that there is no point in calling Congress back into session for a bill that the Democrats won't allow an up-down vote on.

The White House is wrong.

The point would be to force televised debate on an issue and shine a light on Pelosi's roadblocking. The point would be to support conservatives in Congress when they need it most. The point would be to align this White House with conservatives and give a badly needed boost to sagging conservative confidence in the Republican Party.

The point would be to gain momentum for drilling - just serious discussion about drilling has made oil prices drop slightly, putting us on the road to easing the deathgrip high gas prices have on the nation's economy. We're fooling ourselves if we don't believe that gas prices have been one of the primary causes for economic worry. And as we enter hurricane season in full force, with tropical storms already aiming dead-on at platforms and refineries in the Gulf, we need to do everything possible to give relief before the worst befalls us once again.

Incidentally, John McCain supports bringing Congress back into session.

ETA: The Next Right on Why #dontgo Matters - "For us political junkies who have watched too much West Wing, the idea of a Congress gone rogue in defense of the American people is too romantic, too fantastic not to spend the weekend gabbing about." - DAMN STRAIGHT!!!

The Revolution will not be televised - but we will blog about it!!

Follow the "guerilla" Congress live here: http://dontgo.us/

Congressmen will be coming and going. Culberson had to leave but put more stuff on Qik earlier.

Participating MoCs so far (based on a Laura Ingraham interview; more have participated today, included Culberson and Kevin Brady):

Rep. Tom Cole (OK)
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (CO)
Rep. Mike Conaway (TX)
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA)
Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC)
Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-IL)
Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA)
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA)
Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY)
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)
Rep. John Kline (R-MN)

Also, check out The Republican Cloakroom. Boehner is also liveblogging here.

For a good laugh, check out CNN's story here. You've especially got to love the last quote; of course, she can be excused for her ignorance, since none of this has received major media coverage (FAIL).

August 02, 2008

Madame Speaker - Turn the lights back on!

So, here's an idea.

How about we all get together and send packages of candles to Speaker Pelosi, with a note to urge her to turn the lights back to get some work done on gas prices?

Also - if you live in CD 10 (heck, even if you're just in Austin!!) Congressman Michael McCaul will be collecting gas receipts to send to Speaker Pelosi on Monday:

Date: Monday, August 4, 2008
Location: Shell Gas Station
10706 N. Mopac at Braker (Southbound side)
Time: 8:30 – 10:00AM

QUICK FACTS (via McCaul's office)

80% - the amount of oil the U.S. imports (10 million barrels per day)

1.127 trillion – total barrels of oil in "off limits" areas (ANWR, OCS)

91% - number of House Republicans since the early 1990's that have voted to increase domestic production

86% - number of House Democrats since the early 1990's that have voted against increased domestic production

2030 – in that year the U.S. will still rely on oil for most of its energy needs despite alternative energy development

2/3 - estimated number of Americans who say they favor increased domestic drilling to lower gas prices

$2.33 – price of a gallon of regular unleaded when Democrats gained control of Congress in January 2007

Hensarling and Pence want Bush to convene a special session on gas prices

Via Malkin, the House Study Committee sent this letter to President Bush.

Congressman Hensarling (YCT at UT alumnus) and Congressman Pence are proving once again why they are the leaders of the HSC and the conservative minority in the Republican delegation in Congress. Below is their press release:

Congressman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Chairman of the House Republican Study
Committee (RSC), and Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN), former Chairman of RSC,
today urged President Bush to call for a special session of Congress after the
House adjourned without allowing a vote on comprehensive legislation to develop
more American energy and help the millions of Americans currently feeling pain
at the gas pump.

The text of their letter is below:

The President
The White HouseWashington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President,

The House of Representatives has not taken a vote since January 2007
that would expand domestic energy production. All the while, Americans are
hurting. Every time they go to fill up their cars, trucks or tractors they feel
the pain at the pump. High gas prices are harming the vitality of our families,
the elderly, small businesses, and family farms. Each and every American is
affected.

Today the Democrat controlled Congress adjourned for a five-week
vacation without taking a vote on bipartisan measures that would lessen our
dependence on foreign oil by allowing more domestic drilling on the Outer
Continental Shelf. In fact, they adjourned without even allowing time for debate
on the subject of drilling.

On July 14, 2008, you took the strong action of lifting the executive
order that had banned offshore drilling. In so doing, you said that allowing
offshore oil drilling is “one of the most important steps we can take” to reduce
the burden of high gas prices. Now, all it would take is an act of Congress for
that drilling to begin.

Since Speaker Pelosi has decided not to keep the House in session to
allow this vote to take place, we urge you to use the power vested in you by the
Constitution to convene an immediate energy special session of Congress. Under
Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution, you have the power ‘on extraordinary
occasions’ to convene the Congress.

We believe that the energy emergency that has increased the pain felt
by Americans when they purchase $4 per gallon gasoline is an extraordinary
occasion. We urge you to immediately bring the Congress back into session to do
its job and give the bipartisan, pro-drilling majority a vote.

Thank you for your consideration of our request.

August 01, 2008

"New" Media shines the light on today's House happenings

Feel free to correct me, but it seemed like the so-called mainstream media really dropped the ball on the biggest political story of the year. After hearing what was happening - via Facebook - I ran upstairs in my house to turn on the television. CSPAN, of course, was not broadcasting from the House floor any longer (I did catch a little bit on CSPAN-2, which is relevant here, but they stopped broadcasting aroun 4pm). So I immediately went to Fox News. Nope, anthrax story. CNN, then. Nope. Nothing on MSNBC, either, or Headline News (I think it was a rerun Glenn Beck there).

I figured during the 5:00 newshour, we'd get something on the local stations. And....nope. They did a quick piece about Congress going on their 6-week break without doing anything about oil and gas prices, but said absolutely nothing about what was happening with the Republican's "Boston Tea Party" (quoting John Boehner, I believe). This is Austin, though, Blue Dot and all, so perhaps this was just a local glitch.

Online, however.....

Congressman John Culberson kept us all updated throughout the day via Twitter and Qik. Congressman Pete Hoekstra was on Twitter. Michelle Malkin, Ted Slater at Boundless, and RB at Conservative for Change all blogged with as much information as they could gather. Free Republic even has a thread. One of the most useful sites today was the Politico.

Americans for Prosperity hosted the first-ever conservative new media summit a couple of weeks ago in Texas, and highlighted how blogging (and all these other awesome tools we have online) have completely changed the way the news is distributed and communications are handled. Of course, conservatives are a little late to the party on this, but we do learn quickly, eh?

Culberson was on KSEV 700 AM in Houston this afternoon (on Dan Patrick's show, of course), and I'm sure talk radio will be buzzing come Monday morning as well. Also, the Washington Post's blog and the Wall Street Journal Online kept up with happenings. Proving that not all "old media" is obsolete (though it does need to use online tools to remain relevant).

But when 24 hour news stations can't even be bothered to put such a story on their scrolls, or interrupt endless debate over McCain's latest ads (this is August, folks, we have plenty of time to kvetch about presidential ads)....you gotta wonder. Is their heyday at an end?

US House GOP refuse to leave when lights go out!

Y'all, I don't recall seeing anything this ballsy, this incredible from Republicans in Congress in quite a long time. Pelosi adjourned the session, Democrats fled the floor, and the lights and microphones went off. But Republicans are staying behind, making post-adjournment speeches about gas prices! It's amazing!

I just caught Republican Congressman John Culberson (TX-7) on CSPAN-2, talking about the need to drill here and drill now. He's been filming the happenings from the House floor on his cell phone and he says it'll all be online for constituents to view. I'll be keeping an eye out to post a link here. ETA: Here's a link to LIVE video from Culberson.

Since the lights and mics are out, CSPAN can't cover what's happening directly. So turn your television to C-SPAN2 for coverage outside the chamber - congressmen are sharing what's happening and their views on fixing the gas price problem.

From Conservative for Change:

The scene on the floor is kind of crazy. Normally, members are not allowed to
speak directly to the visitor galleries, or visitors are prohibited from
cheering. But in this case, the members are walking up and down on the floor
during their speeches, standing on cheers, the visitors are cheering loudly.
Some members even brought in visitors, who are now sitting on the House floor in
the seats normally filled by lawmakers, cheering and clapping. Very funny.

THIS IS SO AWESOME!

While you're waiting to hear more about what's happening in Congress, go sign the "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" petition, and call your Congressman (if he/she is a Republican!!) to encourage and congratulate him!!!

Duncan calls for state income tax?

A great piece from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility today reports on Senator Robert Duncan's (R-Lubbock) call for a state income tax.

Yes, Duncan is a Republican. Or so he says. I don't think a Republican in Texas oughta be calling for a state income tax - page 21 of the Republican Party of Texas platform (passed by rousing acclamation at the state convention in June) states:

State Tax Reform – We believe strongly and urge the Legislature not to create any new tax or to increase any current taxes or fees. We strongly oppose creation of a state income tax or state property tax. We support a constitutional amendment providing a two-thirds super majority of both houses to increase any taxes or fees.

It's far past time for the Republicans in this state to act like what they claim to be. The "R" after their names is NOT just for decoration or fundraising ease. It is absolutely essential that Republican activists hold these elected officials accountable for their statements and votes.

Robert Duncan, for shame!

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About Blue Dot Blues

Blue Dot Blues began in 2006 when I moved to Travis County, Texas, from Denton County, Texas. This blog is primarily focused on state politics, with a dash of local and federal for flavor, and some opinions on general policy for color.

Why "Blue Dot Blues?" Travis County is traditionally the "blue dot" of Texas, the last true Democratic stronghold in the state. Having moved here from a Republican-held county (and Dick Armey's old congressional district!), it is easy to get "the blues." Blue Dot Blues, that is.

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