Too Many Mistakes

One screw-up can be written off as just a mistake -- everybody makes them. Two mistakes, and I begin wondering just what is going on. But when the third one comes, I have to think that someone is not doing their job. Who is vetting President Obama's picks for high-ranking positions in his administration? Why aren't they doing their job?

It was bad enough that Treasury Secretary Geitner seems to have forgotten to pay $34,000 in federal taxes. He's lucky that he finally got confirmed. Personally, I wouldn't have cared much if he hadn't. Ordinary Americans are expected to pay their taxes on time. I don't see why the head of the Treasury Department shouldn't be expected to do the same. But every administration makes some mistakes, and I was willing to forgive and forget.

But now we find out there are at least two other nominees who also have tax problems. They are Tom Daschle, who was nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services, and Nancy Killefer, who was to oversee budget and spending reform. Both have admitted to making "honest mistakes" and failing to pay some federal taxes.

I am a supporter of Barack Obama, and I have been since Bill Richardson left the presidential race, but I'm starting to get irritated about this. Why wasn't this known in the vetting process? It was easy enough for the Republicans to find out about it. If they can do it, surely the Obama vetters could have done the same. And if they did know, why were these picks allowed to proceed?

Fortunately, both of them withdrew their names from consideration yesterday. That's a good thing, but it should never have been allowed to get this far. Also yesterday, President Obama took responsibility for the screw-ups and promised it wouldn't happen again.

The president said, "I've got to own up to my mistake which is that ultimately it's important for this administration to send a message that there aren't two sets of rules. You know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes. I think I screwed up. And, you know, I take responsibility for it and we're going to make sure we fix it so it doesn't happen again."

He's right. It does give the impression that there's two sets of rules. And it's also true that since he's the president, he must be ultimately responsible. At least, he's man enough to admit it -- that's quite a change from the last administration in which the president could never own up to his mistakes.

I hope President Obama has learned from this, and that it doesn't happen again. The country really needs for him to succeed and fulfill his campaign promises.

Cabinet Nominations

Political Cartoon is by Larry Wright in The Detroit News.

Banks Still Not Lending

One of the last acts of the Bush administration was to give banks a multi-billion dollar bail-out. The intent of the huge bailout was not just to save banks, but to loosen credit and get the banks to lending again. So far, it hasn't worked.

The banks took the money, but instead of loosening credit and starting to lend again, they gave billions of dollars in executive bonuses, threw lavish parties and hoarded the rest. We should have known that's what they would do, because the Bush administration didn't set up rules for using the money, and in fact, couldn't even trace what happened to most of it.

The Federal Reserve released their latest survey of banks yesterday, and it was not good. Instead of loosening credit and lending, most banks last month tightened their credit even further. They made it even harder to borrow. Even the few who didn't tightened loan standards were raising the rates for their loans.

This is not the way it was supposed to go. Before another penny is given to these (or any) banks, rules must be created and imposed. There is simply no point in bailing out the banks, if they aren't going to do their part to bailout the economy in general. Both small and large companies need credit. Without it, they have to begin laying off even more workers.

Loosening credit won't solve all of our economic woes, but it is a necessary piece of the solution.

Not Even A Thank You

Political Cartoon is by John Darkow in The Columbia Daily Tribune.

A Republican Making Sense ?

I think it's become obvious to anyone who drives that TxDOT has let our Texas roads fall behind where they should be. There are many roads and bridges in bad need of repair, and in some areas, the roads just aren't capable of handling the ever increasing traffic. Both parties know something has to be done -- the question is what.

The governor and most of his Republican cronies thought they had the solution a few years ago. They wanted to turn many roads over to private companies who would build new toll roads or turn existing roads into toll roads. The highlight of this plan was the boondoggle called the Trans-Texas Corridor. The only problem was they forgot to ask Texans what they wanted, and they quickly found out Texans don't want private companies building toll roads.

Our governor would still like to build the private toll roads. He just wants to do it slower and more secretively -- maybe do it in smaller pieces and under the people's radar.

Frankly, this is the most expensive way for Texas motorists (and the most lucrative for his corporate buddies). It would be cheaper for everyone to just raise the gas tax and build free roads, but few legislators in Austin have the political courage to do that (from either party).

However, it looks like at least one legislator is trying to do the right thing, and surprisingly, he is a Republican -- Senator John Carona of Dallas. Carona has just sent a letter to his colleagues in both houses with a proposal that could put Texas on the right path, or at least make a start down that path. His proposal is to:

* index the motor fuel tax so it increases with inflation (this may be the only way to raise the tax until the legislators grow a spine).

* make TxDOT a more efficient agency with fewer employees.

* get TxDOT to raise funds by fully levering its debt capacity.

* minimize toll roads & private partnerships.

* amend Tx Constitution to prevent diversion of transportation funds to other uses.

Now I'm not crazy enough to believe this proposal will solve all our road problems, but it is a hell of a lot better than building private toll roads. It is a start -- a step in the right direction.

Who's Vetting These Guys ?

Political Cartoon is by David Fitzsimmons in the Arizona Daily Star.

Blog Amnesty Day Links

Today is Blogroll Amnesty Day! According to Jon Swift, Blogroll Amnesty Day is a day when we celebrate smaller blogs by linking to a few. It's a way to sort of "spread the wealth" by linking to other liberal or progressive blogs and showcase them. For a fuller explanation, you can go to this post at Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
Anyway, I am proud to be a part of Blog Amnesty Day. I have linked to the following smaller or newer blogs, and I urge you to go over and give them a try. They are:

Wild Chihuahuas - this blogger hails from Arizona and is always on target with her progressive message (and she has some great dogs).

True Blue Texan - this blogger wants to do her part to turn Texas blue.

The Osterly Times - the voice of reason from London, England.

Social Seppuku - this leftist blog from Austin will celebrate one year in April.

seeing purple politics - this Houston blogger is a voice for moderate Democrats.

Lotus-Surviving a Dark Time - aging hippie political activist with an anarchist bent.

La Sanbe - a progressive voice from Laredo.

Janet Morrison's Community Dialogue - a Dallas blog seeking social justice.

Eddie Griffin (BASG) - you get brutal honesty from this Ft. Worth blogger.

David Ortez - a young Hispanic's perspective on political & social issues.

BlackAmarillo - the African-American voice of the Texas Panhandle.

And Here's My Opinion - a new Texas blog with a lot of promise.

I was supposed to pick at least five blogs to link and promote. I guess I went a little overboard, but I like these blogs and I think they all deserve more readership. Give some or all of them a try. You might find something special.

Once A Crook ...

Political Cartoon is by Jerry Holbert in The Boston Herald.

A Tale Of Two Coaches

This post is about the totally different approach of two coaches. Both of the men coach and teach at private christian high schools and both coach in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. But the similarities end there, because the two men have vastly different coaching philosophies.

You have probably heard about the first coach, Micah Grimes, since his last victory made national headlines as his Covenant High School girl's basketball team defeated tiny Dallas Academy by a score of 100-0. His team was ahead by 59-0 at halftime and they were assured of winning the game. After all, Dallas Academy only has 8 girls on their team, and they are winless in the last four years. But Coach Grimes didn't let up.

He continued to have his team do a full-court press on defense, and continue to shoot three-point shots on offense. It seemed like winning was not enough. This coach wanted to totally humiliate the opposing team. But what he did was humiliate his own school and its supporters.

The director of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) praised the girls on the losing team saying, "They showed much more character than the coach that allowed that score to get out of hand. It's up to the coach to control the outcome." Kyle Queal, head of Covenant High School, agreed saying the game "does not reflect a Christ-like and honorable approach to competition. We humbly apologize for our actions and seek the forgiveness of Dallas Academy, TAPPS and our community." Covenant asked TAPPS to allow them to forfeit the game.

But Coach Grimes refused to apologize. He said, “I respectfully disagree with the apology, especially the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel ‘embarrassed’ or ‘ashamed’. We played the game as it was meant to be played. My girls played with honour and integrity.” He is partially right. It is not the team who should be embarrassed. It is the team's coach. After he made this statement, the school terminated his contract.

The other coach I want to discuss is Kris Hogan, who coaches at Faith Christian High School in Grapevine. Going into the tenth game of his season, his team was 7-2. The next game was against Gainesville State School, who was 0-8 and had only scored two touchdowns all year. Faith Christian was a heavy favorite to win the game, but Coach Hogan saw more than an opportunity to win -- he saw an opportunity to teach.

You see, Gainesville State School is a juvenile prison that houses 260 teenagers who have broken the law. They only play the juniors and seniors that are excelling, both in the classroom and in their behavior. The team has a lot of turnover of players, as some of those who do well are discharged and some trouble-makers are kicked off the team. Their coach says, "Some weeks I might take 25 or 28, sometimes 12 or 13. We went through six quarterbacks this year." The team usually has less than 40 fans show up for a game -- mostly school employees.

Coach Hogan sent an e-mail to all the parents and fans of Faith Christian. He asked that half of them become Gainesville fans for that one night, and the Faith Christian fans responded. Over 200 of them sat on the Gainesville side of the field and rooted for Gainesville. They even formed two rows of 100 people on the field with a huge banner for the Gainesville team to run through, and they provided cheerleaders.

The game was still pretty one-sided, and Faith Christian led by 33-0 at halftime. For the second half, Coach Hogan played his third-stringers, and put many of them in positions they had never played. For example, his third-string nose guard played safety, and a cornerback got his shot at playing defensive end. Gainesville was able to score two touchdowns (while the entire crowd cheered) and the final score was 33-14.

Faith Christian didn't just win the game -- they won it with honor. After the game, the two teams prayed together. The Gainesville quarterback asked to lead the prayer, and said, "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us." The Gainesville coach told Coach Hogan, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."

Now Coach Hogan and the Faith Christian fans didn't do this for reward or glory -- honorable people usually don't. But the school and its fans were rewarded with national headlines and a write-up in ESPN Magazine.

The coach also got his reward. Troy Aikman brought the story to the attention of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and Goodell rewarded the coach with Super Bowl tickets. The Commissioner said, "Coach Hogan inspired an entire community in an extraordinary way and gave those young men on the Gainesville team a chance to believe in themselves. It’s a powerful message and shows how football can be such a positive force in shaping values and building communities.”

There you have it -- the tale of two coaches. I only have one question. Which coach would you want teaching your child?

Republicans Channel Hoover

Political Cartoon is by Bob Englehart in The Hartford Courant.

Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up

It is Monday, and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Blog Round-Up.

In her first ever YouTube video, TXsharon shows the emissions boiling into the air when a Barnett Shale gas well undergoes hydraulic fracture.

jobsanger examines the modern Republicans who call themselves conservatives, but have betrayed the beliefs and philosophical standards of past conservatives in Where Are The Real Conservatives?

Nat-Wu at Three Wise Men has something to say about the student loan mess that's making it impossible for many young adults to attend college these days.

The Texas Cloverleaf shows that pictures can tell a thousand words. And the pictures of ships at anchor in Singapore is telling the world we are screwed.

Burnt Orange Report discusses the over 22,000 voters
being purged from the Hidalgo County Voter Rolls.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme explains how the Republican free market principles work in real life using contaminated peanut butter as exhibit A.

Redistricting isn't just a state issue. The City of Houston is under pressure to redraw its City Council lines Off the Kuff takes a look at where this stands.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is amazed at the social progress creeping around the world. America elects a half black, half white President. Iceland appoints an openly lesbian Prime Minister. Whats next? Yes We Can - Iceland Courageous

Easter Lemming Liberal News writes his congressman while considering the Republican death spiral.

WhosPlayin announced 46,000 layoffs this past week - just in the blogging industry.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson points out John Carter's latest shenanigans in Carter's political ploy, the "Rangel Rule".

Things can get pretty ugly between fans of competing sports franchises and we at McBlogger were not immune as Cap'n Kroc and Harry tear each other apart.

Over at Texas Kaos, Libby Shaw's keeping an eye on Senator Jackass of Texas as he tries to heighten his national profile at the expense of American families. in his latest hit, the buckskin fringed one votes against children having health care. Again.

The Republicans are having an identity crisis, and the election of Michael Steele as RNC chair is not likely to help them solve it. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs observes that Rush Limbaugh is still calling the shots, and they are all cheap.

Neil at Texas Liberal offers some thoughts on city elections in Houston.

John Coby at Bay Area Houston publishes what Rick Perry really said at his campaign kickoff speech in the Capitol.

If...

Political Cartoon is by Pat Bagley in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Industrialization Has A Social Cost

In the last couple of decades, China has turned to their own brand of capitalism in order to turn their country from a rural society to a modern industrial state. They have been very successful in this effort, mainly because their workers are not protected by unions or the government as in most modern industrialized societies. Because of this, they have had great success in attracting foreign corporate investment. There are few things a corporation loves more than workers who are easily exploited.

But while the Chinese welcomed the economic benefits that unregulated industrialization has brought (even an exploited worker is better off than China's rural inhabitants), they are now beginning to realize that this industrialization also has other effects on society -- detrimental effects.

We saw one of those effects when we watched the Olympics last August -- air pollution. There are many days where an unhealthy haze hangs over Chinese cities (just like many American cities). But it doesn't stop there. The earth and the water are also being polluted by the rampant and uncontrolled industrialization.

It shouldn't come as any surprise that the same corporations that will exploit workers, will also happily take shortcuts that destroy the environment. After all, it costs money to properly dispose of the poisonous waste produced by many industries, and a corporation will not spend that money until it is forced to do so. That would cut into the exorbitant corporate profits.

This industrial pollution has now reached the level in China where it's affecting the health of the people. A senior government official recently noted they are experiencing an alarming rise in the birth of babies with birth defects. It has gotten so bad that a baby with birth defects is now born every 30 seconds in China, and as the pollution spreads, it is even beginning to affect rural areas.

But we should not feel superior to the Chinese. While they are just beginning to feel the effects of a poisoned environment, we have been dumping poisons into our air, ground and water for many decades. And while we talk about it, we do very little about it. Every year, more and more pollutants are being dumped into our environment.

Here in Texas, our legislators are trying to build more coal-fired power plants -- even though coal is the worst polluter of any energy source. They will probably get it done too, because they are lying to citizens and calling the plants "clean coal plants". The truth is that this is not actually "clean", since these plants will produce at least 60% of the same pollutants as the old-style coal-fired power plants.

For the last eight years, the corporate-owned Republican Party has fought anything that would rein in the polluters. I hope Obama and the Democrats will do better. We are not only poisoning ourselves, but also the planet we must live on. We must decide soon which is most important -- corporate profits or human survival.

A Republican Joke

Political Cartoon is by Daryl Cagle at msnbc.com.