Democrat Leads Way To District 97 Runoff

The District 97 seat in Fort Worth for state representative has been a pretty safe seat for Republicans for the last few years, but that may be changing. There was a special election to fill that seat yesterday, and the Democrat, Dan Barrett, did very well.

Barrett was facing opposition from 6 Republican candidates in the election, and he led the field garnering about 32% of the vote. Here are the results:

Dan Barrett..........32%

Mark Shelton..........23%

Bob Leonard..........19%

Craig Goldman..........17%

Chris Hatch, Jeff Humber and James Schull all received less than 6%

There will now be a runoff between Barrett and Shelton. Now it comes down to which party can turn out the votes in the runoff. Traditionally, even less people will vote in the runoff than voted yesterday in the election. I believe the Democrats have a chance to take this seat. The Democrats are energized and I believe they will turn out in good numbers for the runoff.

It won't be easy though. We can expect Craddick to put some money in to support Shelton now. Barrett was the only candidate in the race who was not a Craddick supporter, and if he is elected it would be one more step toward a new Speaker of the House.

2007 Most Deadly Year Of Iraq War For U.S.

The Republicans and the White House would like for us to believe that we're turning the corner in Iraq, and things are going to get better there now. After all, the deaths of United States soldiers went down last month to only 38 (which is still 38 deaths too many when you consider that nothing has been accomplished).

So far, there have been 3,857 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq (not counting the soldiers that died after being evacuated). The sad part is that Iraq is no closer to a stable government than they were last year or the year before. Their own security forces are still a joke, and there's no way they could maintain the peace if the U.S. was to pull out. Hell, they can't even maintain the peace while we are there.

While Bush wants to pretend things are getting better, the truth is that 2007 has been the most deadly year of the war for U.S. troops. So far this year, 854 of our soldiers have been killed. Until now, the bloodiest year of the war for the United States was 2004 when 849 deaths were recorded. Sadly, there are still seven weeks left in 2007.

Isn't it time to withdraw all of our troops and let the Iraqis determine their own future? They don't want us there (except for the members of the puppet government we installed), and the American people don't want our troops to remain there.

No matter how much Bush would like to, we cannot force a settlement of the civil war, or a government on Iraq. This is something they must accomplish for themselves. Some say there will be bloodshed if we leave and that is probably true. But our staying is only costing lives while delaying the inevitable solution.

Hopefully, the Republicans will be swept from the White House in the next election, but that is a full year from now. If we must wait for that, there will be another 800-900 dead American soldiers. That is unacceptable.

It is time for Democrats to step up and do what they were elected to do -- stop the war. They have the power to defund the war and force Bush to bring our troops home. All they need now is the political courage to do it.

Cheney Impeachment Sent To Judiciary Committee

There is at least one Democrat will a full set of balls and a backbone -- Rep. Dennis Kucinich. Yesterday, he introduced and read into the House record three articles of impeachment against Dick Cheney. Kucinich charged Cheney with:

1. Purposely manipulating the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress by fabricating a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to justify the use of U.S. Armed Forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests.

2. Deceiving the nation about an alleged relationship between Iraq and Al Queda.

3. Openly threatening agression against the Republic of Iran absent any real threat to the United States.

I think any honest person would have to admit that Cheney is obviously guilty of all three charges. But it looks like Kucinich is one of the few Democrats with the afore-mentioned bits of human anatomy. Speaker Pelosi and the other Democrats successfully avoided a vote on the matter, and sent it to the Judiciary Committee.

I think they're hoping the matter will die in that committee, or at least linger there until after the next election. Instead of doing the right thing, they have decided to take the "politically safe" route.

This is very troubling. They weren't elected to protect their own asses, but to do the right thing for the citizens of the United States. If we put them in chage of the White House and both arms of Congress in the next election, will they find the courage to do what is right for America or act to protect their jobs in the next election?

Over 75% of Americans think this country is headed in the wrong direction. We know the Republicans won't change that direction. Do the Democrats have the political courage to do so?

Political Dirty Tricks Hit Fort Worth

Voters will be heading to the polls today all over Texas. In Ft. Worth, there are a couple of elections in addition to the constitutional amendments being voted on statewide. Ft. Worth will also be electing a new member of the city council to replace Wendy Davis, who resigned to run for the state senate. It will also elect a new state representative.

It now looks like someone thinks their candidate needs a little illegal help to get elected. Someone has recently been distributing fake flyers that urge voters to go vote on Saturday, November 10th. The bogus flyers have been distributed in areas of Ft. Worth where there are large numbers of Hispanics, and are printed in both English and Spanish.

No one knows yet who has been distributing the pamphlet. The Tarrant County District Attorney has assigned two investigators to find out. But it looks like someone wants to suppress the Hispanic turnout.

That makes me think it is most likely a Republican doing the dirty work. After all of the anti-immigrant and anti-Hispanic rhetoric from Republicans in the last few months, it is very likely that the Hispanic vote would be largely Democratic.

Maybe it's just a racist who thinks this would be a big joke to trick Hispanics into missing the election, but I tend to think someone is trying to help a city council or state representative candidate that is unlikely to get many Hispanic votes. Either way, it is an illegal and very un-American action -- not the action of a person who believes in our democratic system of government.

I hope they find the culprit soon, and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. A fine would not be enough. The criminal needs to get some jail time -- preferably a lot of jail time.

Richardson Gives Medal To Vet's Family

Bill Richardson grabbed an opportunity to look presidential today. He presented a long-overdue Purple Heart medal to the family of a Korean War veteran. This was the culmination of his recent visit to North Korea to retrieve the bodies of six American soldiers who died in the Korean War.

It all started last summer, when North Korean officials notified Richardson they were ready to return the remains of the six soldiers. They contacted Richardson because they had talked with him in the past and respected his diplomatic skills. With help from the White House, Richardson went to North Korea and brought back the remains of the missing soldiers.

One of those soldiers was Cpl. Clem Robert Boody (whose neice is pictured above with Richardson). The family recently told Richardson that it had been verified that Cpl. Boody was one of those he brought back.

The family also told Richardson that although Cpl. Boody had been awarded the Purple Heart many years ago, they had been unable to get the Defense Department to send them the medal. Richardson put his staff on it, and yesterday he presented the medal to the family "on behalf of a grateful nation".

This is one reason I think Bill Richardson would make a great president. He's a "can-do" kind of guy, who gets things done even if it requires dealing with those leaders that many others can't even talk to. His diplomatic skills are unsurpassed.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a competent president for a change?

Alaskan Teenager Outclasses Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh has once again shown us just what a classless and crass individual he is. Recently, he has attacked American soldiers for opposing the Iraq War, and a 12 year-old for having the audacity to need health insurance. Now he has aimed his venom at an 18 year-old Alaskan girl.

Yesterday, Charlee Lockwood spoke to Congress about how global warming is changing her home in Alaska. The 18 year-old Yupik Eskimo was a part of the 5,000 young people who descended on Washington to lobby Congress about energy and climate issues.

She told Congress, "Our traditional ways of life will die like the food we grew up eating, our hunters will have to travel farther to keep food in their homes. Our culture will die because everyone will have to move someplace and there will be no one to teach them to."

But Limbaugh doesn't see a passionate young person trying to save her home and culture. Instead, he wants to paint her as a mindless dupe being used by Democrats to force "big government" on our nation.

Limbaugh told his right-wing listeners that the teenager "makes me really want to puke. I just want to throw up. It's the Democrats exploiting a young child, ladies and gentlemen, for the exploitation of a political issue that will grow the size of government and increase their control over everyone."

It's funny how Bush trashing the Constitution is just fine with him, but a young person trying to save her home and culture is to him the epitomy of evil. The man truly has no shame.

But while Limbaugh is completely devoid of any trace of class or common decency, the young Alaskan has more than her share of both. When told of his attack, she said her upbringing included learning "about respect and treating people the way you want to be treated".

The teenager seems to be a lot more mature than the aging radio buffoon. It's hard to understand why he still has a radio audience.

$4 Million

If you want these insane wars to end -- or, at the very least, to stop getting bigger and more expensive -- look here

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Where Is Evidence For War With Iran ?

Recently, Bush and Cheney have been trying to ratchet up the rhetoric against Iran in much the same way they did against Iraq before they invaded. It seems like they are trying to drum up support for an attack on Iran, even though the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not going well.

A few days ago, Bush said, "I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from having the knowledge neccessary to make a nuclear weapon."

Cheney continued the argument by saying, "Our country, and the entire international community, cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions. We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon."

The way these two men carry on, you'd think they had irrefutable proof that Iran has a nuclear weapons plan. The truth is that there is absolutely no proof of any kind that Iran has such a program, or even has plans to develop such a program.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been making inspections for the last four years, and have turned up no proof of any kind of nuclear weapons program. The Director General of the IAEA says, "I have not received any information that there is a concrete active nuclear-weapons program going on right now."

As much as their rhetoric would make it seem otherwise, the Bush administration has yet to provide even one iota of proof for their claims.In fact, there are those within the Bush administration that don't agree that such a program exists.

One administration official (who requested anonymity) said, "I don't think that anyone right today thinks they're working on a bomb." Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns puts it this way, "Iran is seeking a nuclear capability...that some people fear might lead to a nuclear-weapons capability."

The Bush administration was allowed to build the case for war with Iraq on nothing but rhetoric and lies. We must not allow them to do the same with Iran.

Why Is El Paso Electric Outsourcing Jobs ?

A few weeks ago, El Paso Electric outsourced about 50 jobs in its Information Technology Department. These were good well-paying jobs held by people who had been with the company for years.

At the time it happened, I wondered why the company was doing it. It not only showed a disrespect for some longstanding and loyal employees, but showed the company had little regard for the community that buys the product they provide.

Since then, I've heard from a friend in El Paso and it's now starting to make sense. He tells us that the outsourcing is not over, and the company plans to outsource another 250 jobs. This would make the company very attractive for a buyout from one of the larger conglomerates.

This would not only be very profitable for company executives and owners, but could well accomplish another goal -- deregulation. The company was not included when many other Texas electric companies were deregulated, but a buyout by a larger conglomerate could well accomplish that.

And don't let the company try and tell you that would be good for the consumers. They tried that argument in other places, but all it produced was much higher prices for the consumers. Just ask the folks in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

It looks like you people in El Paso had better grab your wallets and hang on tight, because the future is not looking too bright.

Musharraf Shows His Desperation

It looks like Bush's friend in Pakistan has gone off the deep end. Yesterday, Pervez Musharraf suspended the Constitution, fired the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and sent his soldiers into the streets. It looks like he is tired of pretending that Pakistan is a democracy.

He said he took the actions because of tribal unrest in the rural areas of Pakistan, but what does that have to do with the Supreme Court? Nothing! The truth is that he was afraid the Supreme Court was going to rule that his re-election was illegal (and they probably were), so he took action to hang on to power.

He has tried to fire this same Chief Justice once before, and the people reacted so negatively that he had to rescind his order. I don't know why he thinks it will be different this time. Maybe he decided if the military in Burma could hold on to power at the point of a gun, then so could he. I think if anything, he may have just hastened his own demise. He only had a tenuous grip on power to begin with, and these recent actions won't improve his popularity and support .

You would think that after the remarks about Castro and Cuba (a country that just held elections) that Bush made last week, that he would be very upset at Musharraf's steps toward dictatorship, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The Pentagon has already announced that Musharraf's anti-democratic actions will have no effect on our support for and aid to Pakistan.

Obviously, Bush doesn't care whether another ruler supports democracy and freedom, as long as he pays homage to Bush's world view and is willing to cooperate with Bush's corporate buddies. To the Bush administration, money trumps everything.

It does make me wonder though, what are the corporations going to do when Musharraf is pushed out of power (as he soon will be)?

Ozzy Upset About North Dakota Arrests

Ozzy Osbourne is not very happy with the sheriff in Fargo, North Dakota. Ozzy and Rob Zombie recently held a concert in Fargo. That gave the sheriff there a bright idea. He decided to use the concert to cut down on some of the active warrants he had in his juristiction.

Sheriff Paul Laney sent about 500 invitations to a special pre-concert party at a Fargo nightclub, inferring that the invitees would get to rub elbows with rocker Ozzy Osbourne. About 30 people fell for the ruse and were arrested when they showed up at the nightclub.

Ozzy was incensed when he heard that his name had been used in connection with the ruse. He is demanding an apology from the sheriff. Meanwhile, the sheriff thinks he has done nothing wrong in using Ozzy's name. I'm afraid I'll have to agree with Ozzy on this one -- he is owed an apology.

I have no problem with law enforcement using a sting operation to arrest those with outstanding warrants. There have been stings where the arrestees thought they had won a TV or a trip or something else. I think those just showed some creativity on the part of law enforcement. But it's different when you use someone else's name, because it gives the impression that the person had something to do with the sting operation or at least approved it.

While you or I might not mind our names being used, it could be the kiss of death for a rock singer, especially one in the "metal" genre. This sheriff had no right to use Ozzy's name in connection with the sting, and should apologize to the rocker immediately.

Songs That Still Kick Ass

I love me some Zappa.

Richardson Would Beat Any Republican

I have been saying for a while now that I consider Bill Richardson to be the best candidate the Democrats could nominate for president. He is clearly the most qualified candidate.

He has a much broader range of experience than any other candidate. He has served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has been a special diplomatic envoy, securing the release of American prisoners from seemingly impossible situations. He has served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He has served in the White House Cabinet as Energy Secretary. And he has been a very successful governor. What other candidate can equal this depth of experience?

Richardson has some other things that would make him appeal to a broad range of the public. His being a Hispanic would help him appeal to minorities. His belief in the right to bear arms would help him to appeal to many conservatives. And his promise to immediately remove ALL of our troops from Iraq (something the other major candidates have not promised) would appeal to the left.

Obama and Edwards are both good candidates, but they don't have the experience that Richardson has. As for Clinton, I think that's who the Republicans want to run against. They believe that with her consistently high negatives, she is the candidate that offers them the most hope of an upset win.

I believe that Richardson is the candidate they would least like to run against, because of his experience and possible appeal to a wide range of different voters. Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, agrees with this assessment.

Sabato says, "He is unbeatable. It is amazing the Democrats haven't realized that. Republicans will tell you privately that if the Democrats nominate Bill Richardson the election is over. They know they will lose to Bill Richardson. He is perfectly positioned."

If you truly oppose the war. If you want the person with the right experience. And if you really believe that our country needs a Democrat in the White House, then Bill Richardson is the candidate you should seriously consider.

Not All New Laws Have The Desired Effect

In the last few years, communities all over the country have been passing more and tougher laws against criminals. This is especially true of sex offenders. These new laws are being passed in an effort to protect people, specifically children.

But this is the real world, and sometimes the real effect of a new law is far different from the desired effect of that law.

California recently passed "Jessica's Law", named after 9 year-old Jessica Lunsford who was kidnapped, raped and buried alive by a convicted sex offender in 2005. The law makes it illegal for a convicted sex offender to live within 2000 feet of a school or park. On the surface, this sounds like a good law that would have the effect of protecting children.

But in passing the law, no one took into account that some cities have no housing that is not within 2000 feet of a school or park -- San Francisco is one such city. Some might say the offenders should move somewhere else then, but the law also prohibits that. The law requires parolees to live in the county of their last residence.

Since the new law has made it almost impossible for them to find a place to live, many of them are declaring themselves to be homeless. Some are truly homeless, and others are now using this to hide where they really live. Since the law took effect, there has been a 27% increase in the number of registered sex offenders who claim to be homeless.

There is no reason to believe this trend will not continue, and that makes communities more dangerous. The police and parole officials are unable to effectively keep track of these homeless sex offenders. They are required to tell their parole officer each day where they slept the night before, but that does not mean anyone really knows where they are or how to find them.

The community was safer when the police knew where these offenders were living. As Deputy Attorney General Janet Neeley says, "Any law enforcement officer would tell you we prefer to have offenders at addresses where we can locate them."

It is only natural for people to not want these registered sex offenders to live in their neighborhood. But it really may be safer to have a known offender living in your neighborhood, where police and others can keep track of him, rather than have the offender homeless and able to roam any neighborhood without supervision.

This is not just a California problem. Many communities all over the nation are passing the same kind of laws, and these laws are having the same undesired effect. We must re-think these laws.

It is more important to have these offenders where police can check on them, than it is to pass "feel-good" laws that do not work.