Cornyn Out Of Touch With Reality

Senator John Cornyn did some campaigning in Fort Worth on Tuesday, and once again showed just how out-of-touch with the real world he is. It's bad enough that he wants to foul our coastlines, the Rocky Mountains and the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve with new oil drilling, even though the oil companies have thousands of leases they have not yet drilled on, and they export a huge amount of our domestic oil production.

But he is also opposed to any new taxes on the oil companies. It doesn't matter to him that they continue to set new records for windfall profits, to the tune of thousadns of dollars per second for every second of every day. Like most Republicans, he wants to shift the burden of taxes from the rich to the children and grandchildren of middle and working class people.

He's not opposed to spending government money. He's voted for all of Bush's record-breaking spending. He just doesn't want the corporations or the rich to have to pay for any of it. He seems to be perfectly willing for the Saudis and the Chinese to bankroll an ever-increasing portion of our growing national debt.

A prime example of how out-of-touch with reality the soon-to-be ex-senator is, concerns our transportation infrastructure. He knows our highways and bridges are crumbling, but how does he want to fix that? In Ft. Worth, he called for a "new system" to finance our transportation needs. The one thing he didn't do was explain how he's going to actually pay for it.

He wants to lower income taxes on the rich, refuses to support higher gasoline taxes, and says he opposes toll roads. What is left? Does he want the Chinese and Saudis to finance even more deficit spending? What happened to old-time conservatism that said we should balance our budget and pay-as-we-go?

Or mabe he thinks he a just pray new roads and bridges into being. We have got to vote this fool out of office. We need a senator that understands the simple concepts of economics. It's really not that complicated. You cannot cut your income and increase your spending. It doesn't work for an individual or family, and it doesn't work for a government either.

Fortunately for Texans, we have a candidate this year with some common sense -- Rick Noriega. He understands that no entity can earn less and spend more. He understands that deficit spending just means we are shoving our debts onto our children and grandchildren.

It's time we do something good for ourselves, our state and our country. It's time to send John Cornyn home and send Rick Noriega to Washington!

Cornyn Hates The Troops

It's getting harder and harder to have even a ounce of respect for the junior senator from Texas. A couple of days ago, the U.S. Senate voted 75-22 to pass a new G.I. Bill. This bill grants education benefits to those who have served our country in the military. Guess who was one of the 22 senators voting against the bill?

That's right -- Senator Cornyn of Texas voted against supplying the education benefits for our soldiers! It was bad enough that "Chickenhawk" Cornyn avoided military duty himself and then voted to support Bush starting an unnecessary war in Iraq. A war that has killed at least 4,081 American soldiers and wounded, both physically and psychologically, many thousands more.

It became worse when he voted time and again to continue the war, even after it became obvious to most Americans that it was a terrible blunder. Now he has voted to deny education benefits to those who fought in the unnecessary war he helped to start and continue. The man has no shame!

This makes it very clear that the people of Texas need a new senator. They need a senator that will support and help our brave soldiers. Fortunately, there is such a candidate in this election -- Rick Noriega.

Lt. Col. Rick Noriega has proudly served his country in the military -- commanding troops in the Afghanistan conflict.He understands what our soldiers are going through because he has experienced it himself. He also believes that we owe these soldiers a debt when they return.

Noriega thinks we must offer our returning troops the best medical and psychological care. He also knows that we must fulfill our obligation to help these troops get an education and find decent jobs.

I don't know why Cornyn hates our troops, but his actions show that he does. He's even said he will vote to support Bush if he vetos the new G.I. Bill. It's time to replace him. Support Rick Noriega for Senate.

Noriega Closing The Gap On Cornyn

I have to admit, this took me a bit by surprise. I've believed for several months that Democrats have an excellent campaigner and a great candidate in Rick Noriega, but the real campaign hasn't even started yet. Traditionally, campaigns don't kick into high gear until after the state convention.

Noriega hasn't even been able to run any commercials, and doesn't have anywhere near the money or name-recognition of his incumbent opponent. Additionally, with the presidential nominating race sucking up all the media attention, the senate race has not received much coverage. But even with all these things working against him, Noriega has been able to pull to within a few points of Cornyn.

According to the latest Rasmussen poll on the Texas senate race, Noriega is now only four points behind. The poll gives Cornyn 47% and Noriega 43%. Those are incredibly good numbers for Noriega at this point in the campaign!

This should worry the hell out of Cornyn. At this point, before the serious campaigning has really started, it doesn't look good for an incumbent to be polling less than 50%.

I think there are two things at work here. First, Cornyn is not a really popular senator and has not distinguished himself with the poor job he has done. Second, the public is really disappointed in the terrible job the Republicans have done for the last few years.

Even in a state as red as Texas, it looks like people are ready to give Democrats serious consideration. If Democrats can get all the people who voted in their primary back to the polls in November, Rick Noriega will be the next senator from Texas.

But it won't be easy. Cornyn has a lot of money, and he'll be willing to spend it to keep his job. This would be a great time to help Noriega out financially. Even if you can only give $10 or $20 dollars, please do it. Every dollar matters.

Rick can win this thing with a little help from us!

Noriega Has The Experience Texas Needs

We're still several months away from the primary election here in Texas, but Texans already know who their choices are in the race for the U.S. Senate. And the two men could not be more different.

The Republican candidate is John Cornyn. Cornyn is a right-winger who blindly votes with the Bush administration, regardless of what's good for the country and Texas. Even though he has no military experience himself, he has repeatedly voted to sacrifice our brave soldiers in the unwise and unwinnable war and occupation of Iraq. Even though over 70% of Americans oppose the war and want to bring our soldiers home, Cornyn continues to vote against any kind of timetable for withdrawal.

Cornyn also opposes providing health insurance for for poor and working class children. He voted against the SCHIP bill which would have provided healthcare for children, and then supported Bush's veto of the bill. Once again he took this position even though over 70% of the population supported the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Instead of representing the people, Cornyn has simply been a lackey who votes as the White House tells him to vote.

The Democratic candidate is different -- a real man of the people, who's not afraid to stand up for what's right. Rick Noriega joined the Army in 1979. After finishing his term honorably, he went to college at the University of Houston, where he completed R.O.T.C. and became an officer in the National Guard after his graduation. He also earned a master's degree from Harvard University.

In 2004, Lt. Co. Noriega proudly served with his unit in Afghanistan. As Lt. Col. Noriega says, "It's time this state had people in Washington, D.C., who have the wartime experience to understand what is going on". He adds, "We need a change, and we need new leadership that has walked the walk, whether we're talking about the war or border issues or working in a bipartisan way".

And it's not just wartime experience that qualifies Rick Noriega. He has also coordinated efforts to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees, led his Guard unit at the Texas border to help law enforcement officials, and served as a state representative since 1999. He has been a school teacher and an energy executive. Rick Noriega has the broad experience that Texas needs.

Rick Noriega is also starting to get the endorsements of some Texas political veterans such as former Gov. Dolph Briscoe, former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby and former Cabinet Secretary Henry Cisneros. State Rep. Lon Burnam says of Rick, "He is a fundamentally decent man who has the right head and the right heart to represent this state in the Senate".

If you haven't climbed aboard the Noriega Express, it's time to do so. Tell your friends and neighbors about Rick. And if you can, give a few dollars to his campaign -- any amount will help. Rick is the best candidate, but he's going to need some campaign dollars to get his message out to all Texans.

Texas needs Rick Noriega -- and Rick Noriega needs your help.

This Blogger's Proud To Support Noriega

It looks like the Watts campaign is jealous of the nearly unanimous support that his opponent, Rick Noriega, is receiving from Texas blogs. Watts may have millions of dollars with which to try and buy a senate seat, but he has virtually no support among progressive Texas blogs. This led the Watts campaign to plant a story in the San Antonio Express News saying that Noriega denigrated Texas bloggers.

Of course, Noriega's words were taken out of context. I won't go into detail because other bloggers have covered this well -- among them are McBlogger, Bluedaze and Eye on Williamson.

I personally think this was a rather pathetic attempt to try and convince progressive bloggers not to support Noriega. That is the aspect I wish to address.

My decision to support Rick Noriega for senate was reached on my own. I was never contacted by the Noriega campaign or anyone else. After looking at the candidates, it was my opinion that Rick Noriega was the candidate who would best represent the people of Texas in Washington, DC.

Although I believe that Noriega's comments were taken out of context, I personally do not care what he thinks of this blog or any other. I did not give him my support because he loves blogs, and I would not withdraw support because someone says he doesn't like blogs. I really don't care whether he likes blogs or not.

I am proud to be a supporter of Rick Noriega for senate, and he will have the support of this blog as long as he remains a candidate. He has served his country honorably and ably in the military. He has also served his state honorably and ably in the legislature. He is a family man, an honest man and a man of the people.

I support Noriega with this blog and with monthly campaign donations, because I am convinced that he will make a great senator. I urge my readers to do the same.

Thoughts On Noriega vs. Cornyn

I've noticed recently that some of the right-wing blogs seem to be uncomfortable with the fact that senate candidate Rick Noriega has a distinguished record of service in the military. It bothers them that Noriega is proud of his continuing military service to our country and doesn't mind discussing it while on the campaign trail.

Rick Noriega joined the United States Army during the Iran Hostage crises, and currently serves as a Lt. Colonel in the National Guard. He proudly served his country in Afghanistan, fighting against the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 bombing of the World Trade Center.

Why would the right-wingers not want a candidate to discuss his military record during the campaign? Isn't this a valid criteria to help voters to judge a candidate's qualification for office? This got me to wondering what was going on here -- after all, couldn't their candidate just counter this with his own military record? Evidently not.

I went to Cornyn's web site, but was surprised to find it doesn't even contain a biography! I guess he thinks that being Bush's lapdog is enough to qualify him for the senate. Then I went to Cornyn's page on the government web site. This site did contain a short biograpgy of Cornyn, but there seemed to be a glaring omission -- any mention of any kind of military service.

Now I begin to understand the right-wing's nervousness when the subject of Noriega's military service is discussed. It looks like their candidate is one of those Bush/Cheney type of "Yellow Elephants" -- a person who is willing to vote to send others to die in an unending and unwinnable war, even though they did not serve themselves. It must be pretty embarrassing to have your candidate turn out to be a chickenhawk.

This is just another reason I am happy to be supporting Lt. Colonel Rick Noriega for U.S. Senate. Not only has he served his country proudly and unselfishly, but that service has given him the experience and wisdom to understand what a horrible mistake has been made in Iraq.

Comparing Noriega to Cornyn is like comparing day to night. One has a proud record of service to his country, and the other has been a parrot-like supporter of Bush's most disastrous decisions.

I hope you will join me in voting for and providing financial support for Lt. Colonel and State Rep. Rick Noriega. Texas needs this capable and honorable man.

Cornyn Shows His True Colors

Most people who watch what is happening in Washington have known for quite a while now that "Box Turtle" John Cornyn is one of the least effective legislators in the U.S. Senate. He has been little more than a lapdog for the current president. Regardless of how bad a bill might be for the citizens of Texas and America, Bush can always count on support from "Box Turtle" John.

But just before Congress adjourned for the summer, "Box Turtle" John cast a couple of votes in the Senate that highlights just how bad a senator he is, and how out of touch with American citizens he has become. These two votes were so out of the mainstream, that I can only assume he was trying to protect the corporations and lobbyists that supply so much of his campaign money -- money he will need to stave off a strong Democratic challenge in 2008.

The first of these two ridiculous votes was a vote against children. Millions of poor and working class children in America do not have any health insurance coverage. Evidently "Box Turtle" John thinks that is the way it should be. He joined 30 of his Republican buddies in voting to oppose increasing the funds available for the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

He said his vote was to prevent a government takeover of health care. But the truth is that he receives large donations from insurance and drug companies, and his vote was to protect these corporate interests at the expense of America's children. Whatever the reason, it is just sick to vote to deny health insurance to children. Since the insurance and drug companies won't address the problem of insuring children, who is left to get it done other than the government?

The second of his ridiculous votes was his vote against ethics reform. The American people are sick of government by lobbyists. One of the reasons that Democrats made a major comeback in the last election was because of the lack of ethical behavior between the Republicans and the K Street lobbyists.

The ethics reform bill would limit the gifts and money a lobbyist could give a congressman or senator. It would also force lobbyists to publicly disclose the number and amount of campaign donations they give to individual candidates. With his close ties to corporate lobbyists, it is easy to see why "Box Turtle" John voted against ethics reform (He was one of only 13 senators to vote against it). He doesn't want the people of Texas to know just how much money he receives from the lobbyists.

Do you really want a senator that opposes both children's health insurance and ethics reform? I certainly don't! That's why I'm supporting Rick Noriega for U.S. Senate. I can assure you that Lt. Colonel Noriega would have voted in favor of both of these bills.

If you don't support the indefensible voting record of our current senator, "Box Turtle" John Cornyn, then it is time to step forward and support the only viable alternative for 2008 -- State Rep. Rick Noriega. If we are to defeat Cornyn in 2008, then we must start now to support Noriega both politically and financially.

Rick Noriega isn't rich, and he doesn't receive money from the corporate lobbyists. He is depending on support from common folks like you and me. You don't have to give a lot, but please do give something! Even a very small donation will help more than you could imagine. If you'd like to donate online, go to ricknoriega.com. If you'd prefer to send a check or money order by mail, then send it to this address:

Rick Noriega Campaign

P.O. Box 231163

Houston, Texas

77223-1163

Help stop Cornyn now, and give Texas a senator we can be proud of.

Keeping My Promise To Rick Noriega

Yesterday I joined Rick Noriega's "800". Back in July, I climbed down off the fence and declared Rick Noriega was my candidate for the Democratic nomination to be our next senator. On July 15th, I promised to send Mr. Noriega my first donation when I received my next paycheck.

Being a state employee, those paychecks only come once a month. But yesterday was payday, and I kept my promise. I put my check to the Noriega for Senate Campaign in the mail. It wasn't a huge check, but today I pledge to send another check on the first of each month until the primary (and hopefully until the November election).

I truly believe that Rick Noriega is the best candidate to be Texas' next U.S. Senator. I hope you do also. If you haven't donated yet, I urge you to do so. It doesn't have to be a lot. Donations of all sizes will be deeply appreciated. If you would like to donate online, then click on ricknoriega.com. If you're old-fashioned like me, and would prefer to send a check or money order by mail, then send it to this address:

Rick Noriega Campaign

P.O. Box 231163

Houston, Texas

77223-1163

Send a donation soon, and help rid Texas of "Box Turtle" John. You'll be glad you did.

Will Money Rule Texas Senate Race ?

With the ending of this last campaign reporting period, we know who the candidates are that corporations and rich people would like to see elected. They have made that clear with their donations.

The rich would like to see either Republican "Box Turtle" John Cornyn or Democrat Mikal Watts elected. I understand why. These are the candidates who would most likely protect the interests of the rich. "Box Turtle" John long ago sold out to the corporations, and Watts is himself one of the extremely rich. Frankly, the more I learn about Watts, the less difference I see between the two of them.

Fortunately for the people of Texas, there is a "people's" candidate about to enter the race -- a candidate who believes that ALL Texans deserve to partake of the American Dream. State Rep. Rick Noriega (pictured above) will announce next week that he is forming an exploratory committee to examine running for the senate. This will allow him to begin collecting donations also.

Noriega will be starting out far behind in campaign money. "Box Turtle" John raised $2.1 million in the last period, giving him a total of $5.4 million. Watts raised $1.1 million in the last period, and combined with his own contributions to his campaign, has a total of $4.9 million.

But even though Noriega may be starting out behind in money, he does have a couple of things working in his favor. He is the candidate supported by the blogs and most Democratic grassroots organizers. This should not be underestimated. The ability to get voters to the polls can trump a lot of money spent on TV and newspaper ads.

Noriega is also a Lt. Colonel in the National Guard and an Iraqi veteran, giving him a better understanding of the situation in Iraq than either of the other candidates. This could be very valuable in a campaign where Iraq will probably be one of the major issues.

But this doesn't mean that Noriega will not need money to compete -- he will, and lots of it. With my next paycheck, I plan to make my first donation to the Noriega campaign. I urge you to do the same.

Let's replace "Box Turtle" John with a real senator of the people. A senator we can be proud of -- Rick Noriega.

Climbing On Board The Noriega Train

Until now, I haven't had much to say about the upcoming race for US senate in Texas next year. I guess I've been waiting for a candidate to excite me. But I've been watching and listening to how things are shaping up.

It's now starting to look like it's coming down to a choice between Mikal Watts and Rick Noriega. Quite frankly, being a North Texan, I didn't know much about either one and I've never been able to jump on the bandwagon of a candidate I don't know anything about.

Watts is a rich lawyer, willing to finance much of his own campaign. Noriega is an energy company executive and National Guard officer. To someone not familiar with either, it looked to me like both could really turn out to be DINO's, and Texas already has too many of them.

But slowly, my fellow left-wing bloggers began to help me see the light. Blogs that I really respect such as Boadicea, Dos Centavos, South Texas Chisme, Texas Liberal and McBlogger (among others) let it be known that they supported Noriega. This forced me to take a closer look at the man, and the more I found out, the more I began to like and respect him.

Couple this with the fact that the more I find out about Watts, the more I am scared of him. He seems to be the real DINO in the race. He's already let it be known he doesn't support a woman's right to govern her own body. I suspect he probably wouldn't help poor people very much either.

But the thing that shoved me off the fence finally was a post by North Texas Liberal yesterday. He wrote that Noriega would be in Fort Worth to help celebrate Rep. Lon Burnam's birthday. If you've read this blog much, then you know that Burnam is my favorite legislator. He is a true left-winger and not a bit ashamed of it.

If Noriega is willing to come up to North Texas and stand with Burnam, then he's my kind of candidate. You won't see any DINO's giving Burnam a helping hand.

So today, I'm proudly getting aboard the Noriega for Senate train. It is my fervent hope that Rick Noriega can drive that train all the way to Washington, where I have no doubt that he'll make an excellent senator.