David Ortez - A Political/Social Thought Blog

Texas Democratic Party Convention Video

david — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:26:54 PDT

This was the introduction video that was presented to Texas Democrats at the 2010 State Convention in Corpus Christi. Check out this cool video and more importantly ... Win in 2010!

Senate District 6 Caucus

david — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:01:32 PDT

&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=179dc0f167&quot; mce_href=&quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=179dc0f167&quot; &gt;Senate District 6&lt;/a&gt;

The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous: Rick Perry

david — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 02:10:29 PDT

We are at the tail end of a recession but don't tell Texas Governor Rick Perry that because he feels like making it rain … with taxpayers money of course.

On the eve of a budget shortfall to the tune of $11 billion, the Associated Press has uncovered that Perry has spent close to $600K of taxpayer money in the last two years to live in a rental home.

Perry wastes $10K of your money and my money to rent and maintain a five-bedroom, seven-bath, three dining rooms mansion. The man has a toilet for every day of the week and can technically eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in three separate dining rooms.

If that is not offensive … consider the fact that he has thrown down over $1K in custom window coverings from Neiman Marcus, $700 clothes rack, $8400K for maintenance of a heated pool and $44K (a public school teacher's yearly salary) on landscaping.

Poor Rick Perry … times are soo tough that he has had to resort to only one full-time chef … the second chef works part time and one housekeeper has to clean all five bedrooms, seven baths and three dining rooms by her lonely self.

Texas Democratic Party Chair, Boyd Richie chose to humorously make an analogy between Perry and Louis XIV. The Austin American-Statesman PolitiFact decided to entertain the allegation that Perry was "spending Texans’ hard-earned money to live like Louie XIV."

Although it was tongue in cheek … I am still surprised that time and effort was used to address Richie's assertions. Was there nothing else that the truth-o-meter could have tested last week?

Come Clean Perry!

david — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 01:25:51 PDT

Perhaps, Rick Perry has learned a thing or two about being a career politician. His Washington style political approach puts some long time congress-members to shame.

Texas Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Bill White has pounced on some of the shenanigans that Perry has involved himself in. The White campaign notes, "Rick Perry recently asked reporters to use a dictionary to look up the definition of the phrase ‘act of god. Perhaps they should also look up the definition of kickback."

Oh snap! Them are some fighting words! It seems that Perry may have use the Texas Enterprise Fund to provide "kickbacks" to friends and supports ergo Peter M. Holt of Caterpillar Inc.

The Houston Chronicle reports, "The alleged kickback, the White campaign charges, came in the form of an $8.5 million subsidy to Caterpillar Inc. from the Texas Enterprise Fund, created by the Texas Legislature at Perry's behest in 2003."

The Perry team responded by claiming that it was "a sign of desperation" from the White campaign. Bill White is seeking an independent audit.

This allegation comes less than a month after Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released a report on the nation’s most incompetent and unethical governors.

Guess who made the list? You betcha … Rick Perry. CREW exposes and claims that Perry:

Allegedly disregarded campaign finance laws and aided a business that was especially generous to his campaign.
Refused to operate transparently, and has blocked access to information related to a death penalty case.
Rejected federal stimulus funds in a manner that appeared to put partisan politics ahead of the interests of the citizens of Texas.
Has perpetuated the revolving door between government and special interests.
Accepted travel and campaign donations from a business that received benefits from his official actions.
Used campaign funds for a personal trip with questionable relevance to his campaign for office.

What do you have to hide? An independent audit will either A) Exonerate or B) Incriminate your actions. Your work for the State of Texas … not your political and business buddies. You owe Texans an explanation … so come clean Perry.

That was Then, This is Then!

david — Fri, 28 May 2010 11:21:10 PDT

Somethings in life never fail to amaze me. Even though I was not alive in 1979 ... I cannot believe that 30+ years later we are reliving this ordeal. I will not be surprised if in 30 years or 2040 ... something similar to what we are witnessing in the Gulf of Mexico happens again. As long as we have idiots that keep yelling, "Drill, Baby, Drill," we will not have the productive discussion we need to prevent a future catastrophe like this.

The Texas Rick Perry has created for Us!

david — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:18:03 PDT

I love Texas! I love it so much that I am willing to put up with King Perry but that patience is deteriorating fast.

A clear example of how Perry is hurtful to Texans but in particular Hispanics regardless of political affiliation is to observe how his policies affect Texas.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

“If the American Dream is upward economic mobility and arrival in the middle class, the grim statistics show only a small percentage of Texas' Hispanics are on the road to success.

As the state's Latino population continues to expand over the next two decades, if current trends stay the same, Texas is in danger of developing what one academic describes as a “permanent underclass.” Widespread poverty could pull down the standard of living for all Texans.”

The following is some of the daunting data that should alarm all Texans.

Texas Hispanics not only make less money than Anglos, they make less money than Hispanics living in other states. The wage gap is broadest for Hispanics living on the border with Mexico, according to a report of Southwest Economy published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
Hispanics make up a third of the manual laborers in Texas. But U.S. Census statistics show that even in construction trades Hispanics account for less than a fifth of skilled labor, such as an electrician.
In February, 34 percent of all Texans receiving unemployment payments from the Texas Workforce Commission were Hispanic. The payments are not available for undocumented workers.
Texas native-born Hispanics have a higher high school dropout rate and a lower level of college attainment than those living in other states, Southwest Economy reported. The attrition rate among Hispanic high school students was 42 percent last year.
Hispanic girls accounted for 62 percent of all births to teen mothers in 2006, the most recent year reported by the National Center for Health Statistics.

The wage gap is not necessarily due to racism as much as it is because of education levels. It does not help that dropout rates among Hispanics is alarming.

But, who is responsible for those dropouts? That is easy … the state and federal government. One could argue that the responsibility falls upon the pupils but when dropout rates exceed personal responsibility to the degree it currently is, there has to be a flaw within the way the government approaches education.

The education of students should not be viewed as a cookie cutter format that applies to everyone. We do not learn the same regardless of socio-economic background.

The Houston Chronicle reports that, “Hispanic schoolchildren make up nearly 49 percent of Texas' 4.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade students, according to the Texas Education Agency.”

Rick Perry is not adequately funding our public education system and that hurts Hispanics in particular those who make up almost half of the students in the public education realm. Thus, should we be shocked that Perry is creating an underclass of Hispanics while continuing to engage in hurtful practices that only diminish the Texas middle class.

This is the same governor that deregulated our higher education system because he claims it would benefit students in the long run. Instead, he has created the environment in which college is unattainable for most people and requires the rest to become subservient to student loans because of the out of control cost of tuition.

It does not help that Rick Perry has not addressed the shenanigans that is going on with the State Board of Education (SBOE). Don McLeroy, a social conservative activist board member, plans on editing Texas history books in an Orwellian fashion in order to “correct years of liberal bias.” This dentist is part of the Republican movement on the SBOE that wants to rid textbooks of minority accomplishments in Texas History.

That is exactly what we need to be teaching students, right?

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Houston Mayor Bill White adds that he “would object to the intrusion of politics into matters of educational curriculum, regardless of where people stood on the political spectrum."

First it was Arizona, now it is Texas

david — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:54:04 PDT

Arizona State Bill 1070, otherwise known as “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” signed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer earlier this week may not have a long enough shelf life to determine its effect.

The verbiage that is causing the controversy and that must be reviewed would be “reasonable suspicion” and what exactly does it constitute.

The bill text states:

“Where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made to determine the immigration status of the person. The person's immigration status shall be verified with the federal government pursuant to 8 United States code section 1373(c).”

Those two words create a dilemma for local and state law enforcement officials who will enforce the newly minted law.

5th Amendment - No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

This amendment offers protection from self-incrimination and due process, which undoubtedly would be infringed when it is assumed that you have broken the law because you look like you should not be in the United States legally.

6th Amendment - In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

This amendment guarantees that any citizen or non-citizen has the right to legal representation and along with the 5th amendment it composes what we know as the Miranda Law. In essence, you do not have to speak to a police officer, which I highly recommend, regardless if you are innocent or guilty.

14th Amendment - All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

In other words, no one can be treated differently regardless of his or her citizenship status. In essence this is what deters racial profiling. Laws including state law have to apply equally to everyone. Furthermore, this amendment and the 1798 Naturalization Act establishes who is a citizen of the United States but neither law requires that one must carry proof of citizenship on their person.

Presumption of Innocence – Although the Constitution does not explicitly cite this right, it is widely accepted that it is followed from the previously listed amendments. Coffin v. United States is the Supreme Court case that established the presumption of innocence of persons accused of crimes. The burden of proof falls on the state to prove that you violated the law you are accused of violating. Remember the innocent until proven guilty … this is where we got it from. The way this bill is worded, one can be arrested because of “reasonable suspicion” and without due process or presumption of innocence … guess what just violated the US Constitution?

Now it seems that Texas felt like it was left behind and it wants in on the publicity. Tomball Republican Debbie Riddle plans to introduce a similar immigration measure to the new law in Arizona as soon as next January.

Riddle claims, “The first priority for any elected official is to make sure that the safety and security of Texans is well-established. If our federal government did their job, then Arizona wouldn't have to take this action, and neither would Texas”

This is not the first time Riddle has pulled this stunt. She introduced a similar measure last year but it died in committee.

State Representative Armando Walle released the following response to Riddle’s statement:

“Core American values should not be excluded in pursuit of border security, or in making a statement on immigration. The passage of S.B. 1070 in Arizona represents a giant step backwards, and a movement away from our core American values such as equal protection and due process. This new, anti-American law will also undermine public safety and trigger a greater budget deficit in Arizona. Texas cannot afford to go down Arizona's misguided and wasteful path.

Fair treatment, regardless of the color of someone's skin or the language they speak, lies at the heart of our American values. Arizona's new law fails to provide equal protection for folks in Arizona because "reasonable suspicion" that someone is undocumented could be as simple as how they look or speak. Arizona law enforcement agents will now have the power to require proof of lawful presence. In reality, immigration judges are the best referees of determining whether or not someone is in the country legally. In granting these sweeping powers to law enforcement, Arizona's new law is chipping away at the right to due process.

Imagine always having to leave home with your birth certificate in hand, or living in constant fear of the authorities who are supposed to keep you safe. This divisive law will cut off immigrant families from healthy communication with the authorities, and make it harder for law enforcement to do their job. And public safety in all neighborhoods will suffer.

Already there are calls for Texas to pass similar legislation. It would be a fiscal nightmare. If Texas were to pass a similar law, it would spell losses of $69.3 billion in economic activity 403,000 jobs. While Arizona moves backwards, Texas must take stock of what is best for the safety of our communities and the health of our economy, and follow our values away from Arizona's example.”

I find it hard for Riddle to accomplish anything with this bill. Texas will not pass a similar bill ... mark my words. Perhaps, this is the rallying call that Democrats need to energize Hispanics in the upcoming state election here in Texas. Let’s hope that Bill White and company capitalize on this.

The United Countries of Baseball

david — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:51:11 PDT

It is opening season today in Baseball ... whip out the glove, stretch during the 7th and don't forget root for the good guys. Let's Play Ball!

Outrageous!

david — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:40:06 PDT

Next time a Republican complains about the cost of the health care reform bill ... please point them in the direction of this awesome political cartoon and then tell them to have a nice cup of STFU!

Health Care Reform History

david — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:54:32 PDT

24 hours later the United States is a step closer to fulfilling the change we voted for in 2008. In a historic fashion, the United States Congress passed Health Care Reform that is long over due.

While Republicans may complain that we are rushing into something ... please take the time to review a time table of what to expect during the next ten years.

For example, beginning with the second that President Barack Obama signs the bill ... insurance companies will not be able to cancel your policy just because you get sick ... imagine if your car insurance company would cancel your policy whenever you get into an accident or you get a moving traffic violation ... well the big old insurance companies can no longer do that to us.

The Associated Press has a write up about the time line of how health care reform will affect you. This historic change does not fail to come with controversy.

In fact a conservative blogger created a mess when he called for the assassination of Obama. Of course he was not the only crazy reacting like a little kid due to change. Some Tea Party protesters decided to use some colorful words to describe Democratic Congressmen ... they used words like n*gger and f@ggot ... and they wonder why we think that Tea Party members are racist and bigots.

Then there is Lubbock Republican Congressman Randy Neugebauer who shouted "baby killer" at another congressman. Of course he apologized and tried to spin what he said.

Another person spinning what they said is Rush Limbaugh who claimed that he would move to Costa Rica if the health care bill was passed. Now he is claiming that he never said such thing.

I highly recommend that liberals but in particular conservatives read David Frum's Waterloo and take time to comprehend his valid claims. In an age of hyper-polorization ... it is Republicans that are the real losers.

Along with the bill is change to how student loans are handled. This will save American tax payers money to the tune of $61 billion ... of course do not let Republicans trick you that the benefits of such reform do not exist.

Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for voting against this bill. The bill is practically the same thing that Republicans proposed in 1993. So, are we to think that Republicans of 1993 are really Democrats in 2010?

Then there is King Perry who needed to get in on the action on federal legislation. Texas Attorney General Gregg Abbott under the direction of "I want to be President" Rick Perry plans to challenge the health care bill in a court room near you. Perry knows a thing or two about keeping millions of Texans uninsured and under insured. We really need to vote these two idiots out of office. They probably forgot that in September, thousands of Texans benefited from free medical care in Houston.

The New York Times has a nifty tool to see how health care reform will improve your life. The Washington Post has a cool calculator as well that can let you play around and figure out how you will benefit from the historic health care reform.

If you know someone that plans on moving to a country that does not partake in "socialized" medical coverage then take a peek at this helpful map and send it their way.

On the Eve of Health Care Reform

david — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:36:53 PDT

CBO Score On Health Care Bill Released: Boosts Democrats' Hopes Of Passing Reform - Comprehensive health care reform will cost the federal government $940 billion over a ten-year period, but will increase revenue and cut other costs by a greater amount, leading to a reduction of $138 billion in the federal deficit over the same period, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, a Democratic source tells HuffPost. It will cut the deficit by $1.2 trillion over the second ten year period.

Say it ain't so ... Health Care Reform will actually save us money in the long run? I have always told folks that "facts" have a liberal bias and this report from the Congressional Budget Office does not lie. Now let us wait and see how Republicans will spin this.

New England Journal of Medicine says it didn't publish or produce health care "survey" - Right-wing media have seized on a dubious, three-month old email "survey" that purports to show that physicians are concerned about health care reform and that 46 percent of the primary care doctors surveyed "indicated that they would leave medicine - or try to leave medicine - as a result of health reform." Many media figures have falsely attributed this survey to the New England Journal of Medicine. For example, on Fox & Friends, co-host Brian Kilmeade said: "The New England Journal of Medicine has published a report and did a survey, and they said the impact of reform on primary care physicians, 46 percent, they say, feel reform will force them out or make them want to leave medicine."

I am actually shocked that Republicans would resort to fear and lies ... not really but this is what happens when you can't win based on facts. One question you have to ask yourself ... why are they so against health care reform ... follow the money is all I am going to say!

Insurer targeted HIV patients to drop coverage - In May, 2002, Jerome Mitchell, a 17-year old college freshman from rural South Carolina, learned he had contracted HIV. The news, of course, was devastating, but Mitchell believed that he had one thing going for him: On his own initiative, in anticipation of his first year in college, he had purchased his own health insurance. Shortly after his diagnosis, however, his insurance company, Fortis, revoked his policy. Mitchell was told that without further treatment his HIV would become full-blown AIDS within a year or two and he would most likely die within two years after that.

This is what happens when you let greedy corporations put profits over health care. There is no valid excuse for the shenanigans that these corporations have practiced due to the monopoly they hold on an industry that needs reform now. Remember when Republicans said that Health Care Reform would mean that there would be death panels deciding who would live and who would die ... wake up folks ... that already exists ... they are referred to as stock holders and board of directors.

Health Care, Bill White and Border Patrol

david — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:11:30 PDT

Fact check: Premiums would rise under Obama plan - Premiums are likely to keep going up even if the health care bill passes, experts say. If cost controls work as advertised, annual increases would level off with time. But don't look for a rollback. Instead, the main reason premiums would be more affordable is that new government tax credits would help cover the cost for millions of people.

The Associated Press has a nice hit piece on the proposed benefits of the Obama Health Care Reform bill. Even upon reading and comprehending the article one can easily see that semantics are the root support of this flawed piece.

White linked to company facing pollution probe - Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill White earned more than $2.6 million serving on the board of a gas well servicing company that now is part of a congressional investigation into possible groundwater contamination.

How shocking! Of course if you are going to use this as a reason not to support Bill White for his run as Texas Governor than you must have forgot all the shady business that current Governor Rick Perry has been involved in. The fact that White is "linked" to a company facing a pollution probe is like saying I have a "link" because I have shaken Bill White's hand and I went to his house. Folks ... I am tainted goods!

Casey: Show us the money, Bill — and David - The heat is rising over gubernatorial candidate Bill White's refusal to release past income tax returns. Gov. Rick Perry's campaign Tuesday issued a press release asking “What's Bill White afraid of?” and concluding: “Show us the money.”

Rick Casey of the Houston Chronicle goes over a brief history in which he concludes that Bill White is not an anomaly when it comes to not releasing his past income tax returns. One must note that as Mayor, White has filed financial disclosure forms that reveal business relationships. It is not as detailed as tax returns but do not be surprised if he ends up releasing past income tax returns in order to placate King Perry. Katy Bacon has already confirmed that White will be releasing returns for periods in which he is a statewide candidate.

Perry orders beefed-up presence on border in wake of killings - Gov. Rick Perry moved Tuesday to step up Texas' law enforcement presence along the Mexico border to handle the threat of spillover violence from escalating drug cartel warfare in cities like Juarez and Matamoros. The governor also continued his call for additional federal assistance, saying he was activating the state violence contingency plan in the meantime because “with the safety of Texans on the line, we can't afford to wait.”

Someone must have told King Perry that it is an election year because he fired up the old computer and did some work in the wake of the killing of three U.S. consulate workers in Mexico. It must feel good to be a hypocrite Perry because while you are talking about seceding from the Union with idiots on one end ... there you go on your damn knees asking for Federal assistance on the other. Which is it? Is the Federal Government only useful when you need it to be, politically? Go rally up some of your Minute Men and let us see how long they last against the drug cartel ... and before the Feds send any help ... I hope they make you apologize publicly for chastising them.

Ron Paul Reminds Us that He is Crazy!

david — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:00:59 PST

In an op-ed titled, “Why I voted against encouraging people to complete Census form,” Congressman Ron Paul of Lake Jackson justifies why he voted “No” on a Congressional resolution intended to encourage participation in the 2010 census.

Paul claims that the census “has grown far beyond what the framers of our Constitution intended.” He notes, “The invasive nature of the current census raises serious questions about how and why government will use the collected information.”

Ron Paul then goes onto cite Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which, “calls for an enumeration of citizens every ten years, for the purpose of apportioning congressional seats among the various states.” Paul interprets this to mean, “the census should be nothing more than a headcount.”

Although the Constitution’s main goal is to figure out the state population for representation purposes at a Federal level. Paul makes the logical fallacy of assuming that the Constitution limits the census to only collecting certain data and not other information that our government currently collects.

He also incorrectly asserts that census only counts “citizens” when in fact it counts residents of the state regardless of their citizenship status. Paul claims that the census “was never intended to serve as a vehicle for gathering personal information on citizens.” It is unclear how Paul came to this realization because the Constitution does not state what information the census should or should not collect.

Then, Paul attempts to scare the living daylights out of people when he claims that, “the 2010 census state employees recorded GPS coordinates for every front door in the United States so they could locate individuals with greater accuracy!”

That’s scarier than Kazaam! Someone should tell Paul that if he fires up the Google and looks at the “Maps” feature he is going to think that you hacked into the Neo-Cons top-level satellite footage of the whole wide world. Just don’t show him the “Street View” feature … or he will faint on location.

But, let’s get to the root of the issue … the questions … the ones that Paul is so opposed to you answering. Paul states, “Individuals are asked detailed questions concerning their name, address, race, home ownership, and whether they periodically spend time in prison or a nursing home - just to name a few examples.”

Oh the horror … except for the fact that those questions are legitimate. Ron Paul must have forgotten what kind of information is asked on applications … like employment, credit or education. In a society where we share much more personal information on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube … ten questions about your household are not intrusive. College students disclose more personal information than the census asks and they do it for a t-shirt.

Congressman Paul should be ashamed of himself for stirring up fear of the perceived intentions of the census. The census uses the information collected to allocate funds for infrastructure projects, schools and government facilities, etcetera. Whether the government has abused the confidentiality of information obtained via the census in the past … that does not mean that they are guilty of such actions today. Failure to comply with the census not only lands you a hefty fine of $5000.00 but it also denies the State of Texas and the City of Houston of money that we as tax payers have contributed to the nation.

Mo Money, Mo Problems at Metro

david — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:41:37 PST

Click here to read my Houston Press article!

Beware of the Spin from Rick Perry!

david — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:24:01 PST

As I talk to friends and family about the upcoming Texas election where we have a chance to finally send that damn Aggie in Longhorn land packing … it dawned on me that Bill White will need to approach this race on the aggressive side and make King Perry defend every action for the past ten years.

For example, the budget … the economy is a land mine of an issue when it comes to politics for Democrats because one bad move and “boom” you have undermined your cause. Republicans are crafty and keen on distorting your words.

One shortcoming on White’s resume would have to be the City of Houston budget. It is not because he is at fault of the financial constraints we face … it is that he did not do enough to alienate himself from the problem to rid himself of any blame.

Then, there is King Perry and the myth that Republicans love to tout about the Texas economy and how well we are doing as a state compared to other states in the union.

Jason Embry of the Austin American Statesman reports that, “Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White said this morning that Gov. Rick Perry has taken too much credit for the success of the Texas economy.”

Bill White criticizes Rick Perry on the recent budget cuts and the budget shortfall that Texas faces in the future. This is the exact type of game plan that Democrats need to apply in the election for November. Perry has the burden of proof to justify why he should remain in office as the longest serving Texas Governor.

The moral of the story is that Rick Perry caused the budget deficit that we face in the state of Texas. ←Don’t let a Republican tell you otherwise!

I tell friends that facts tend to have a liberal bias and once you educate yourself … you can see the Republican spin from a mile away.

We, as a state, are facing close to an $11 billion shortfall … which translates to a lot of money if you are keeping score.

Jason Embry sheds light into why we are in this mess:
“The economic downturn isn't helping the shortfall, but it's not driving it, either. The driving factor is a decision by Gov. Rick Perry and the Legislature in 2006 to reduce property taxes by $14 billion every two years and raise only about $9 billion to replace that money. In other words, the Legislature committed $5 billion every two years to holding down property taxes instead of spending that money on education, public safety or other priorities.”

Team Perry has already started up the spin machine and are scaring Texas voters into thinking that Bill White is some crazy liberal that will raise taxes once he gets into office.

Mark Miner, Perry spokesman states, “The only new idea that came out of Bill White's mouth today was to raise taxes.”
I can’t blame Miner though … he keeps claiming “Texas is leading the nation economically because of the policies that Governor Perry put in place.”

Of course we will not reveal what has suffered as a result of our lax tax policies here in Texas.

Texas is:

51st (counting the District of Columbia) in the percentage of people older than 25 who have a high school diploma.
50th in the percentage of unemployed people receiving benefits
49th in teacher pay.
49th in benefits paid to women, infants and children under the WIC program.
46th in SAT scores.

And look at what we’re at the top in:
The highest homeowners insurance rates in the country.

No. 1 in the percentage of uninsured children.
No. 1 in the percentage of uninsured adults.
No. 1 in toxic chemicals released into the water supply.
No. 1 in air pollution emissions.
No. 1 in cancer-causing agents released into the air.
No. 3 in teen pregnancy rate.
No. 3 in percentage of people living below the poverty line.

Under the Perry administration, we’ve been in a race to the bottom, not the top. If we don’t turn this around, Texas isn’t going to be able to compete with our fellow states or with anyone else in the world.

Memo to King Perry: Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining!

Democratic Party Primary Election Results

david — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:57:04 PST

In what seemed like a blink of an eye and **flash** we have now concluded the March Primary here in Texas. The following is the list of winners on the Democratic ticket who will challenge the Republican nominees this November. Only a handful of races were not decided and those my friends are destined for runoff treatment.

FEDERAL

U.S. House District 18 – Sheila Jackson Lee

U.S. House District 22 – Kesha Rogers

STATE

Governor – Bill White

Lieutenant Governor – Linda Chavez-Thompson

Land Commissioner – Hector Uribe

Agriculture Commissioner – Hank Gilbert

State House District 27 – Ron Reynolds

State House District 146 – Borris Miles

DISTRICT

Judge, 113th District – Christina Bryan

Judge, 157th District – Shawn Thierry

Judge, 180th District – Darrell Jordan

Judge, 189th District – Ursula Hall

Judge, 190th District – Olan Boudreaux

Judge, 245th District – Janiece Horn

Judge, 247th District – Mary Kay Green

Judge, 248th District – Jim Sullivan

Judge, 281st District – Donna Roth

Judge, 295th District – Paul Simon

Judge, 310th District – Judy Dougherty

Judge, 313th District – Natalie Oakes

Judge, 314th District – David Longoria

Judge, 315th District – Keith Branch

COUNTY

County Judge – Gordon Quan

Judge, Civil Court at-law No. 1 – Erica Graham

Judge, Civil Court at-law No. 2 – Cheryl Elliott Thornton

Judge, Civil Court at-law No. 3 – Damon Crenshaw

Judge, County Criminal Court No. 1 – Beverly Melontree

Judge, County Criminal Court No. 2 – Mary Acosta

Judge, County Criminal Court No. 3 – Judith Snively

Judge, County Criminal Court No. 9 – Juanita Barner

Judge, County Criminal Court No. 10 – Lori Gray

Judge, County Criminal Court No. 12 – Cheryl Diggs

Judge, County Criminal Court No. 13 – Dennis Slate

Judge, County Probate Court No. 2 – Joellen Snow

Judge, County Probate Court No. 3 – Priscilla Walters

County Clerk – Ann Harris Bennett

County School Trustee Pos. 1, Pct. 2 – Mike Rose

Runoffs:

U.S. House District 14 – Winston Cochran vs. Robert Pruett

Judge, 234th District - Tanner Garth vs. Jim Peacock

Judge, 270th District - Lee Arellano vs. Bob Thomas

Judge, 308th District - Bruce Kessler vs. Julia Maldonado

Judge, 311th District - Brad Morris vs. Deborah Wright

Justice of the Peace, Pct. 3, Pl. 2 -Don Coffey vs. Denise Graves

Update: Corrected winner of Civil Court at Law 1 and updated information on Democratic runoff races.

March 2010 Texas Democratic Primary Cheat Sheet

david — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:36:26 PST

My recommendations after the jump!

Metro Shredding Scandal!

david — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:03:28 PST

Click here to read my Houston Press article!

Meet Jarvis Johnson!

david — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:56:44 PST

Click Here to Read my Houston Press Article!

On White Privilege and the TEA Party

david — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:38:35 PST

The tragic events that occurred yesterday in Austin, Texas are saddening but not surprising in a nation where everyday demagogues like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh or Alex Jones are allowed to stir up paranoia.

Joe Stack, the domestic terrorist that decided to attack innocent Federal employees with his small plane is the most recent casualty that folks in the TEA Party have taken up and declared a hero.

I was having a discussion with a friend about the TEA Party and what it meant to the political landscape of America. My friend was curious why the TEA Party was doing a bad marketing job of integrating folks other than Anglos to their cause.

Keith Olbermann brought up this point the other day where he asked TEA Party members to explain why they lacked people of color.

Then, it dawned on me … this whole time we have been overanalyzing the TEA Party and assumed that their goal was to integrate Americans of all facets of society. What if their goal was not that but the contrary? They do not want to include other people.

Then the question would be why?

Here one may speculate a bit but I would surmise that it has to do with the change in how minorities are viewed in the political spectrum. A lot has changed for these Anglo voters … it seems to them that they are no longer in power.

Perhaps, the wake up call was the election of President Barack Obama. Anglos are slowly realizing that they are losing control of their country.

Thus, they want to return America back to 1776 … to return to the America the founding fathers envisioned.

As a student of history I find the romantization of how are founding fathers set up our nation foolish. Our founding fathers were not perfect and they knew this and thus they created a living-breathing document that could change with time.

The TEA party does not understand that the United States circa 1776 would entail that a) women cannot vote b) minorities cannot vote c) only white land owners can vote.

Then again … maybe I am overanalyzing and that is exactly what they want. They want to restore America to a time where Anglos controlled every aspect of life … as if that has not changed right?

That is where Tim Wise, an Anglo anti-racist activist, who gave a lecture on “White Privilege” comes into play. The underlying thesis of his lecture is that Anglos are used to being in control all their lives that when something goes wrong … they do not know how to react accordingly. On the contrary, minorities including white women at times are used to disappointment that we have created defense mechanisms to handle these situations.

Thus, we come full circle back to Joe Stack. As a white male, he has trouble with the IRS and financial issues as a result of lack of employment opportunities.

His response … burn down his home to the ground and fly his plane into a building to make a statement.

Some in the TEA Party are already declaring him a martyr a patriot to the cause for which they stand for.

His act was no different than what occurred on September 11. Both groups had a political agenda and wanted make the biggest impact possible.

When Foreigners fly planes into buildings protesting the US Government, it is an act of terrorism. When Americans fly planes into buildings protesting the US Government, it is an act of liberty or patriotism?

I find it hard to empathize with someone that had financial issues yet managed to have real property valued at $232K and own a private plane that runs over $100K.

While Stacks grievances may have been legitimate, the means did not justify the ends. Minorities inclusive of women, gays, and racial/economic class have grievances against the government but they understand that there are other channels in resolving these issues. We have developed coping mechanisms that white men like Joe Stack never developed due to white privelege.

Meet Sean Roberts!

david — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:33:21 PST

Click Here to Read my Houston Press Article!

TabbedOut

david — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:48:46 PST

I went to Austin this weekend to celebrate a friend’s birthday. What I did not expect was to learn of a cool new iPhone App that will make going out a bit more fun.

TabbedOut was created to address the problem of leaving an establishment without closing your tab or skipping the long waits just to close your tab.

Developed by ATX Innovation, the App is available for free on iTunes and it let’s you open, review and close your tab from your iPhone.

The catch … just a nominal $0.99 fee for every tab you open. That is not much of an issue when you think of how much you will spend to drink.

The process is simple. You open a tab and show your bartender a unique code that connects to the in house tab to your account. All you have to do is order drinks and monitor your spending from your phone. When you are done, you just close the tab and tip your bartender from your phone.

Even though this only available in Austin … ATX Innovation plans to go nationwide. This will surely get a lot of buzz next month when SXSW rolls into town. Check out the video from KXAN in Austin for more info.

There Goes the Neighborhood!

david — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:43:52 PST

Late last week, it was reported that the Houston Dynamo are entertaining moving their proposed new stadium just south of 610 West Loop right across the street from The Galleria.

The new plans caused more uproar than the health care debate when folks led by Mayor Cindy Siegel of Bellaire City dissented. Folks that wanted the stadium in downtown Houston were equally as pissed at the idea.

It interesting the wording that Siegel used to express her concerns of the stadium proposal. Siegel states, “A stadium would be the final blow to what has been a neighborhood trying to reclaim its quality of life for decade.”

She went on to add that the Bellaire City Council would hold a closed session to discuss “how can we best protect that neighborhood.”

What the hell does it mean that the neighborhood is “trying to reclaim its quality of life?” If that is keyword for the 610 Loop … here is a memo to the City of Bellaire … the 610 Loop is not going anywhere, anytime soon.

Somehow though, there are underlying reasons why Siegel is opposed to the stadium and the best way she can convey it is by “protecting” the neighborhood.

It boils down to: traffic, quality of life and noise.

Siegel would like to make the argument that building a stadium that at capacity would hold a little over 20k folks would somehow be detrimental to the area. Someone forgot to remind Siegel that U.S. 59 that would be next to the stadium is one of the busiest thoroughfares in the state. Add to that fact the most popular mall in the city of Houston and the state of Texas is just across the street. The idea that traffic will get worse seems laughable when the whole area is already a parking lot.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

“Houston City Councilwoman Anne Clutterbuck, whose District C includes the Midway land, said that living near Rice University's 47,000-seat stadium has not diminished her quality of life, even with traffic snarls on event days.”

So much for the quality of life argument.

Then, there is the noise issue. Somehow it is hard to believe that a stadium occupied for three hours at a time during game days can compete with two major freeways in the noise department.

Even if the freeways were not there though, how awful can the noise get? If one has ever ventured to Robertson Stadium or Rice … one will quickly notice that people live across the street from the stadium. Shocking right?

The original stadium location is not off the table but what would happen to those 12 empty acres in East Houston?

Houston Mayor Annise Parker states, “The public is aware that we're looking at potential sites for an independent crime lab operation. We're looking for potential sites for a joint city-county (inmate) processing facility.”

For some reason the “city-county processing facility” does not seem as appealing as a soccer stadium.

For some crazy reason it has to be about the sport ergo futbol, which means more brown people that speak the Spanish and there goes the neighborhood!

Damian LaCroix

david — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:15:06 PST

Damian LaCroix is a Judicial Candidate for the Harris County Civil Court at Law Number 2 in Houston, Texas. Check out Charles Kuffner's Q&A as well. For more information please visit: http://www.damianlacroixforjudge.com

Why I Will Buy an iPad … Next Year!

david — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:34:32 PST

Ever since the release of the coveted Apple iPad … friends and family have inquired if I would hop onto the bandwagon and purchase the iPad once it was released to the general public to consume.

The easy and simple answer is Yes but it is the when that complicates my response … and an astute listener would quickly reply … why?

I will not attempt to convince YOU as to why you need to shell out $500 to buy this overpriced super-sized iPod Touch but merely I will explain why I will buy it for my personal use and that may shed insight into how it can benefit you.

For the last year I have been contemplating my future with my Apple products. In late 2009, I obtained my third MacBook Pro since I purchased my first Mac in 2005. That is a new laptop every 2 years and quite honestly I am ready to retire my 17 inch baby.

Do not get me wrong … I love her but she is just too big! I want to redo my setup and this is my ideal setup … iMac for work, Mac Mini for media and my iPhone for mobile access but I was missing something in between like when I traveled or I was on the couch.

I love my iPhone but I could not see myself typing a proposal or document for more than five minutes. I would love the ease of working at a local coffee shop or school.

My best bet would be a MacBook Air but now that the iPad is out … I have to rethink this scenario. You see … the iPad will satisfy those needs I needed a laptop for and the reason why I do not want one any more. It is small and portable and would be great for travel.

The wonderful thing is that I would be able to use the App Store to supplement any programs that I would need for the iPad. For example, I would most likely use “RowMote” to control my MacMini media center. If I needed to order pizza, all I would need to do is whip out the iPad that would be sitting on the coffee table to use the “Pizza Hut” app to send a quick order.

It would be a nice coffee table accessory … because guests could read online magazines or catch up on the news via the iPad. I could share recent photos via the “Photo” app … you see where I am going now?

The part that gets me the most excited though is that I can download flash cards from the App store related to law school. The iPad would be my personal study buddy without having to carry a laptop. The “Black’s Law Dictionary” App is available for $50 and would be at my disposal without the weight.

Now, you may be wondering why would I wait until NEXT year? Well, I have standards and I expect certain things from my electronics. First and foremost never purchase a first generation anything. Second, I need a camera on the iPad. It is not that I want to take photographs with this product … I want the ability to video chat on it. I also want to see USB support so that I can access data from a flash drive. I want to be able to add and take data away easily.

Other than those two major deficiencies … I am ready to jump aboard. One thing folks need to understand is that the iPad is not for everyone. It is for those folks that want to keep their iPhone but would like to use something else ergo the iPad to perform the similar functions that their iPhone is great at.

I love books and I love bookcases … there is something about writing notes in my books that I love. I do not think that I will ever join the e-book bandwagon but if it comes down to carrying one large dictionary that weighs 6 pounds and costs close to $100 … I think the iPad is a cool alternative.

Natalie Oakes

david — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:20:25 PST

Natalie Oakes is a Judicial Candidate for the 313th Juvenile District Court in Harris County, Houston, Texas. For more information please visit: http://www.natalieoakes.com

Note: This is a series of videos for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. The purpose of the sixty-second videos are to help introduce the candidates and their qualifications to those who plan to vote in the Democratic March primary. I do not endorse nor support any candidate based on the videos. I am not compensated by any candidate for the production of the video.

Save the Date: Perry and Palin Stop in Houston!

david — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:56:53 PST

The circus is coming to Houston on Sunday, February 7, 2010!

Correction … Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry and former Alaska Republican Governor and Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin will be in the 713 for a rally supporting King Perry as he seeks to retain his throne from the one they call Kay Bailey-Hutchinson.

It is surprising that Palin has time to stump for anyone as she just joined FOX News as a contributor and is touring America as she attempts to bribe folks to read her book. Some people say, FOX News de facto phrase to insert their commentary in news reports, that Palin is stopping in Texas in order to gain some much needed Foreign Policy experience. She was told that you can see Mexico from Texas.

Perry states:

"I look forward to standing with Sarah to promote our shared conservative values of limited government, low taxes and individual freedom. Gov. Palin is a true conservative leader whose priorities and message resonate with Texans, and I am honored to have her in Texas supporting my campaign."

In a letter released to the Texas Federation of Republican Women in February of 2009, Palin explains why she endorsed Perry over Hutchinson. She notes that “not every child is born into ideal circumstances, but every life is sacred. Rick Perry knows this -- it is at the core of his being."

Apparently Perry and Palin did not get the memo from Pastor David Grisham of Amarillo who released “Boycott Houston” for the Internet to enjoy. According to Grisham, Houston is “a Texas version of San Francisco" and "the abortion capital of America." One may surmise that Grisham is referring to the “Abortion Supercenter” off I-45.

The Perry campaign has not disclosed the venue or a time but you can register for tickets in the mean time. Stay tuned as more details will be released as the date approaches.

Join Me on Tuesday!

david — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:34:11 PST

Houston Area Table presents:

Charles Kuffner, Stace Medellin, David Ortez and other Houston political bloggers - as they give their post-election insight.

Panelists will discuss:

Post-Election analysis
The use of new media in campaigns
Issues that ultimately resonated w/voters
What the election is going to mean for Houston policy moving forward

January 19, 2010 11:30-1:00 p.m.

Networking and brown bag lunch begins at 11:30

Discussion begins at Noon

United Way

50 Waugh Drive

Houston, TX 77007

Feel free to bring a lunch and invite a friend.

Space is limited, please RSVP.

The Houston Area Table (HAT) is dedicated to fostering communication and cooperation among Houston area organizations and non-profits.

Click here for directions to the United Way, and here’s the Facebook event if you want to join in that way.

Haiti: Donate Money, Not Goods

david — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:43:14 PST

The World's Least Likely Democrat

david — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:54:32 PST