Are Republicans Running Scared ?
"This is a challenging time to be a Republican. No question about it. What happened in Dallas can happen anywhere in Texas. We know that. . . .We're the underdogs and we have to act like it." That's what Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams told a meeting of Republican GOTV workers last Tuesday night.
Just two years ago that would have been a laughable statement. After all, there are few states, if any, that were redder than Texas. But then Dallas County, long a Republican stronghold, did the unthinkable and turned blue in the 2006 election.
Since that time, the general public has turned against the war in Iraq and the economy has gone into the toilet. Add that to the fact that Democrats turned out about twice as many voters in their primary as Republicans did in Texas, and you have a formula for a possible Democratic victory. Even the well-financed Republican incumbent senator is leading his virtually unknown Democratic opponent by only 4 points.
Now Williams was trying to light a fire under his Republican workers. I don't think Republicans are quite underdogs in Texas -- not yet. But they know they have not done well with their turn in charge of this country and this state.
The stage is set for a real battle for the first time in years here in Texas. Will the Republican base turn out to support a candidate (McCain) that they're not really exicited about? Can the Democrats get that record number of primary voters back to the polls? We won't know the answer to those questions until November.
But for the first time in a very long time, the Republicans are running scared. There's a very good chance they face a devastating loss across the nation this Fall -- and it could even extend to the state of Texas.
Labels: Republicans, Roger Williams, Texas
FW Judge Gets Official Reprimand
A Fort Worth judge has received a public reprimand from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The commission said County Court-at-Law Judge Brent Keis was guilty of making racially insensitive remarks to an African-American attorney appearing in his court.
They also said his "unsolicited discussion of the facts, evidence and apparent value" of the car crash case in his court was "coercive and intimidating". They concluded that the statements made in the case last year had created doubts in the minds of the attorney and his clients "about the impartiality of the court regarding the merits of the case".
This all started last year when an African-American attorney was appearing before Keis' court. Keis remarked that African-Americans were good athletes because when their ancestors were brought over on slave ships, only the strong survived as the weak had died and been thrown overboard. This statement would have been outrageous enough, but the judge went further.
He then told the attorney's white clients that Tarrant county juries are made up of white Republicans like him, and continuing the case would be like "betting on black". This statement convinced the clients that the court was prejudiced against them. I don't blame them. I would have thought the same thing. What else could be construed from such inappropriate remarks from the judge?
The judge got off easy. He was publicly reprimanded and ordered to attend an 8-hour course on racial sensitivity and diversity. He has 120 days to complete the course.
He deserved a much harsher punishment. This was nothing short of judicial intimidation. I hope the good citizens of Tarrant county remember this when this fool comes up for re-election. He doesn't deserve the position of power and trust he has been given by the people.
Labels: Judge Brent Keis, judicial reprimand
Robert Taylor for Potter County Sheriff
Potter County (Texas) needs a new sheriff. I believe the best man for the job is Robert Taylor. He has the experience, the qualifications and the honesty necessary to make a great sheriff. For more details, you can go to http://www.myspace.com/taylor4sheriff
Contributions to his campaign can be made at Taylor Campaign, PO Box 31121, Amarillo, Texas 79120.
Labels: Potter County Sheriff
Another Victory For Equality
"I am proud of my career and want to continue doing my job. Wounded people never asked me about my sexual orientation. They were just glad to see me there." Those are the words of Major Margaret Witt. Witt was a decorated flight nurse, whose citation from President Bush said, "Her airmanship and courage directly contributed to the successful accomplishment of important missions under extremely hazardous conditions."
Now you might think the military would be proud to have such a dedicated soldier and nurse in their ranks -- but you would be wrong. The same year Witt (pictured above) received her citation, during a war and a military nursing shortage, the Air Force kicked her out.
It seems that they had, to their ultimate horror, discovered that she was homosexual and had a long-term relationship with a civilian woman. Even though she had 18 years of distinguished service (two short of receiving retirement benefits), they canned her. They were just following their "Don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding homosexuality.
This shows the ridiculous nature of that policy. How could you possibly terminate a dedicated professional during a war and with a critical nursing shortage? Not to mention ruining the career of an officer who had done nothing wrong. Witt justifiably filed suit against the military.
A U.S. District Court judge dismissed her case, but on Wednesday the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that dismissal. The court ruled that the military's policy must be reconsidered in light of a 2003 Supreme Court decision that found a Texas ban on sodomy was an unconstitutional invasion of an individual's right to privacy.
The court said the military must prove it has a good reason for each dismissal. The opinion says, "When the government attempts to intrude upon the personal and private lives of homosexuals, the government must advance an important governmental interest...and the intrusion must be neccessary to further that interest."
In other words, it is no longer enough to say a person is a homosexual. The military must prove that fact causes actual harm to the military's mission. This destroys the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy because even if a person "tells", the military cannot take action unless they can prove it causes harm.
Many homosexual Americans have sacrificed their lives and their health by serving our country in the military. It's about time they were treated fairly.
Labels: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", homosexuality, U.S. military
Obama Cements Majority Of Pledged Delegates
Well, two more states have had their primaries. In Kentucky, Clinton scored a big victory. In Oregon, the huge victory belonged to Obama. But neither of these victories is the story of the night.
The story of the night is that Obama has now assured himself of finishing with a majority of the pledged delegates. Even if Michigan and Florida are allowed delegates when Democrats meet on May 31st, they will only be approved for half-delegations. That means even if they are counted, Clinton cannot catch Obama in pledged delegates.
Some of the Clinton surrogates are saying the outstanding superdelegates have not picked a candidate because they still haven't made up their mind. They believe these delegates could still be convinced to vote for Clinton. I don't believe that is true at all.
The reason they haven't declared their support for a candidate is out of respect for the Clintons. They want to give her the opportunity to finish the primaries and exit gracefully. There is no way they will go against the will of the pledged delegates. After June 3rd, they will break hard and fast for Obama.
We are also hearing a lot of talk from the Clinton campaign about how Obama can't win among uneducated working-class whites. That's a load of crap! Yes, there are a group of these voters in Appalachia and the Deep South that will vote for McCain. They did it in 2000 and 2004, and they will do it again no matter who the Democratic candidate is.
Anyone who thinks Clinton can get these people to vote Democratic in the Fall is just living in a dream world. They didn't vote for Clinton last night as much as they voted against a black candidate. There are a few states that will vote Republican no matter who the Democrats run.
But in the vast majority of states, Obama is having no trouble at all in getting white votes from all classes. Over 87% of Obama voters in Oregon were white. And he certainly didn't depend on minority voters for his win in Iowa. Just look at the crowds Obama is drawing -- the huge majority of which are white.
Obama may not carry Appalachia and some Southern states this Fall. There is still too much racism in this country. But I think he'll carry enough of the other states to make him our next president, and he'll do it with millions of white votes.
Labels: 2008 campaign, Clinton, Obama
Radioactive Dumpground Is Wrong For Texas
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has an important decision to make today. They must decide whether to make Texas a dumping ground for the nations radioactive waste. A site is being prepared in West Texas (in Andrews County) at this time to receive that waste.
The TCEQ has to choose between three options. They can give Dallas-based Waste Control Specialists a license to operate the radioactive waste site, they can deny the license, or they can send the matter to an administrative judge to hear the concerns of those opposed to the site.
I hope they choose either the second or third option, because this site is just too close to the acquifer providing water to all of the South Plains and the Panhandle.
The waste company claims the site is dry and the radioactive waste cannot possibly get into the fresh-water acquifer. A geologist who used to work for the TCEQ disagrees. She says there is water in the clay at the site and this would cause the waste to be moved over time. Remember, this waste must be safely stored for hundreds of years.
Why should we take this chance? If the company is wrong, a huge protion of North and West Texas could be left with radioactively-poisoned water. Without water, the South Plains and Panhandle would become uninhabitable. There has to be a better place for this dangerous waste to be stored.
The Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter is holding a rally today in Austin. They still hope to convince the TCEQ to deny the license or at least submit the matter to an administrative judge. I wish them luck.
The issuance of this license could be a disaster-in-waiting for West Texas.
Labels: radioactive waste, Texas
Kennedy Faces His Toughest Fight
Senator Edward Kennedy and his family have received some bad news. He has been in the hospital the last couple of days after suffering a seizure, while doctors tried to determine the cause. Yesterday, the doctors revealed the seizure had been caused by a malignant brain cancer.
The type of cancer found is an especially aggressive and lethal type. Some experts are saying he may have less than a year to live. Currently doctors are investigating the tumor further to see how to attack it. Usually a combination of radiation and chemotherapy is used to fight this type of brain tumor.
At his age (76) this will be a tough fight, but not impossible. Another senator, Arlen Specter, was able to come back after this type of tumor (although it has since returned).
Senator Kennedy carries with him the hopes and best wishes of millions of liberals and other Americans. He has been in the U.S. Senate since 1962, and since that time he has been a bulwark of liberalism. Even when the Republicans took over Washington and many other Democrats were moving to the center, Kennedy remained true to his liberal roots and beliefs.
All Democrats owe Kennedy a debt of gratitude for his loyal service to his party and his country. I wish him the best and hope he has a speedy recovery. He is needed.
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Another Democratic leader has just died. Hamilton Jordan, President Carter's Chief of Staff, died after a long fight against cancer. He was largely responsible for taking an unknown governor all the way to the White House. He served his country well and deserves the respect of all Democrats.
Labels: cancer, Sen. Kennedy
U.S. Plane Violates Venezuela Airspace
A United States government plane "conducting counter-drugs operations" violated Venezuela airspace last Saturday. The plane flew over the Venezuela-owned island of La Orchila, which has a military base and a home owned by president Hugo Chavez. Venezuela claimed this was just the latest in a series of "provocations" by the United States and Columbia.
The government there called in the U.S. Ambassador and demanded an explanation, but the U.S. government just passed it off as "navigation problems". The S-3 aircraft is a reconnaissance plane that is based in Florida. It normally does recon for counter-narcotics actions.
This is a bit worrying. It is a bit strange that the plane just happened to fly over a military base and Chavez's home after losing its way. That sounds more like the navigation problems were planned.
All eyes recently have been on Iran, as Bush postures and threatens. Many of us have wondered if Bush was planning another military action before leaving office. But maybe we've been looking in the wrong place. Maybe his last military venture will be in South America rather than Iran.
It's no secret that Bush hates Chavez. Maybe he thinks an attack on Venezuela would be easier than trying again in the Middle East. I hope not.
Labels: U.S. Gov., Venezuela
Obama Widens Gallup Poll Lead Over Clinton
Things have really changed since the start of the Democratic presidential campaign. Last January, Clinton held a 20 point lead over Obama in the Gallup Daily Tracking Poll among Democrats. But then Iowa caucused and the Clinton slide began.
Even though Clinton has done well recently in selected states, the daily poll shows that in the country as a whole she has been running about 11 points behind Obama. That Obama lead has now been stretched to 16 points. In the latest poll, Obama has 55% to Clinton's 39% among the nation's Democrats.
Clinton may not believe the race is over, but it looks like the country's Democrats are starting to coalesce behind Obama.
Labels: 2008 campaign
Ferraro Puts Second Foot In Mouth
Evidently it wasn't bad enough that Geraldine Ferraro clumsily tried to play the race card a few weeks ago. She said then that the only reason Obama has been successful is because he is black. It was a ridiculous statement and resulted in her being tossed out of the Clinton campaign.
Now she has inserted a second foot in her big mouth. She has said she believes Barack Obama has run a "terribly sexist" campaign. She went on to say that she may not vote for him if he becomes the party's nominee. Does that mean she would prefer to have McCain as president?
I used to have a lot of respect for this lady, but she has now destroyed that. I'm sorry now that I voted for her when she ran for vice-president. I had no idea how petty and vindictive she could be. She can't really think the women of America would be better off with McCain as president.
To Clinton's credit, her campaign was quick to distance her from Ferraro's remark. And I don't think Ferraro was speaking for the campaign. I think she is still smarting from the outrage over her last remark, and was just trying to strike back.
But she is not now helping Clinton or herself. The only thing she is doing is destroying her reputation as a loyal Democrat.
Labels: 2008 campaign, Ferraro
Obama Leads In Kentucky Contributions
The 2008 Democratic campaign for the presidential nomination is finally nearing its end. It now looks like Barack Obama will have the votes necessary to assure his nomination by June 3rd. Tomorrow, the states of Oregon and Kentucky will choose how to apportion their delegates. It is expected that Obama will easily carry the day in Oregon.
Clinton did very well in West Virginia, and it is expected she will also get a majority of the vote in Kentucky. She is currently leading in the polls in Kentucky. But in a strage twist, she doesn't lead Kentucky in all catagories.
Obama leads the state in the amount of political contributions received. He has received a total of $847,405. That is more money than Clinton and McCain together have received. Clinton has received $625,976 and McCain has received about $170,000.
As in other states, it looks like Obama is appealing to new and independent voters. Many of his contributors are people who have never contributed to a political campaign before. They view his candidacy as inspiring.
Clinton may well carry Kentucky tomorrow, but it will not be by the huge margin she carried West Virginia, and it will be nullified by Oregon. Tuesday will put Obama within double digits of the nomination.
Labels: 2008 campaign, Clinton, contributions, Obama
Burnam Says Craddick Guilty Of Political Attacks
Recently, we've been hearing about "ghost workers" working for members of the Texas House of Representatives. These workers are on the payroll and receive the benefits (such as insurance) of full-time state employees, even though they do little or no actual work for the state.
State Rep. Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth) is accusing House Speaker Craddick of using a non-governmental entity (the Quorum Report) to investigate his political enemies, and then leaking the information to the Austin American-Statesman. He finds it odd that the only people named are opponents of Craddick's retaining his speakership.
Burnam has written a letter to the chairman of the House Committee on General Investigating and Ethics, Rep. Larry Phillips, asking the committee to be fair and thorough in its investigation. He wants the committee to make sure Craddick and his cronies are also investigated, and not just his political enemies. Click here to see Burnam's full letter.
This just once again points up the importance in electing Democrats this Fall, on the state level as well as the national level. The Texas House has been held captive to the dictatorial rule of Speaker Craddick, who seems much more interested in his own holding of power, than what is good for the citizens of Texas. Those who oppose Craddick find they can't get a fair hearing on their bills.
The easiest way to replace Craddick is to vote Democratic in November. It is time to remove this autocrat from his position of power in Austin.
Labels: Burnam, Craddick, ghost workers
Delegate Count
The current delegate count according to CNN:
Barack Obama.....1904
He needs 121 more delegates.
Hillary Clinton.....1717
She needs 308 more delegates.
Enough said.
Labels: 2008 campaign, Clinton, delegates, Obama
Union Says No To American Airlines
It looks like the problems are starting to to come home to roost for American Airlines. And it didn't take a genius to know this would happen. Unions don't take kindly to being slapped in the face.
The Transport Workers Union has just rejected a two-year contract offer from American Airlines. The offer would have given the workers a 5% raise immediately and another 3.5% raise after a year. It would also have paid workers 30% of net income up to $250 million, 25% between $250 and $500 million, and 20% of everything over $500 million.
But the one thing it did not do is restore the salary-cuts these employees agreed to in an effort to save the company a few years ago. They thought their salaries would be restored when the company was once again profitable. They were wrong.
Once the company started turning a nice profit, they rewarded their management with millions of dollars in bonuses for two years in a row. They gave the rank-and-file employees nothing, even though they had saved the company. They couldn't have insulted the employees more if they had spit in their faces.
Truth is, the union might well have approved this offer if they had not been ignored while management received huge bonuses. But company management didn't care as long as they got their big bucks. Now they will have to pay for their greed.
They can expect the same from the pilot's and the attendant's unions. Payback is a bitch, ain't it?
Labels: American Airlines, management bonuses, unions
"This is a challenging time to be a Republican. No question about it. What happened in Dallas can happen anywhere in Texas. We know that. . . .We're the underdogs and we have to act like it." That's what Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams told a meeting of Republican GOTV workers last Tuesday night.
