Friday, December 4, 2009

Letter To The Editor From Linda Magid

Barbara Oldenburg, who has served on the Texas State Democratic Executive Committee as one of the two Senate District 8 Representatives for several years, has resigned effective January 1, 2010. (Dist. Map PDF) As specified in the Rules of the Texas Democratic Party, "When a vacancy occurs on the SDEC, the vacancy shall be filled by the majority vote of the members of the SDEC. The new member shall be an eligible person of the same sex and from the same senatorial district as the vacating member. The Senatorial District Committee of the affected district shall meet to nominate a person for such position." The following letter to the editor of the DBCC is from Linda Magid, who has announce her candidacy to fill Ms. Oldenburg's vacancy:

Letter To The Editor
by Linda Magid
The State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) is a special body created by the Texas Democratic Party (TDP) and effectively serves as the TDP governing body. The State Democratic Executive Committee's mission is to: "Carry on the activities of the Party between State Conventions in compliance with the law and with the directives of the Convention." The SDEC is composed of elected TDP officers, one female and one male representative from each of the 31 Senate Districts currently defined in Texas.

Rather than voting during a Texas Democratic State Convention, as normally happens, SD8 precinct chairs in Dallas and Collin County will vote for one precinct chair each to serve on a committee that will then recommend one person to the SDEC to fill the vacancy left by Ms. Oldenburg's resignation.

With the current vacancy of the Senate District 8 female SDEC member, I am asking SD-8 Precinct Chairs in Collin County to support my candidacy for this position.

As Campaign Manager for Tom Daley, the Democratic Congressional Candidate running against Sam Johnson in 2008, I understand the challenges we Democrats face in Collin County. I am by no means deterred by those challenges; in fact, I am only bolstered by them, ready to take on more responsibility and leadership to elect Democrats to county and state office.

I see this SDEC position as not just an opportunity to participate in the TDP leadership but as an opening for bringing knowledge, ideas and experience from around the state to our work here. Our Collin County Democratic Party Chair, Shawn Stevens, has shared that the State Party sees Collin County as an important ingredient in winning in 2010. I want to work with Shawn to remind the State Party of our growing numbers, our needs and our determination.

Three months after I moved to Texas in 2007, I joined the Texas Democratic Women of Collin County and almost immediately joined the Board of Directors as Events Chair. I successfully organized (with the North Dallas Texas Democratic Women) bringing Arianna Huffington to Collin County, a speaking engagement the Dallas Morning News said would be a flop. The event raised $2000 for each women's group.

When the Primary Caucus came, I had the privilege of running Precint 135's caucus and was elected a Delegate to our County Convention and served on the Resolutions Committee. By the State Convention, I was already Tom Daley's Campaign Manager and was elected as an alternate delegate to the State convention.

Once the election was over, I was elected Vice Chair to the Democratic Campaign Development Coalition (DCDC), a group committed to creating a pipeline of Democratic leadership in Collin County. Shortly after that I was promoted to Chair, which I serve as today. When the former Collin County Democratic Party Chair stepped down, the DCDC organized a successful County Chair Candidate Forum, providing a platform for Precinct Chairs to hear what the three candidates had to offer. Recently, the DCDC organized a seven session campaign training program to jump start possible candidates and campaign workers. Out of 44 unique attendees, we have 3 new Precinct Chairs and 4 new candidates for 2010, with more people considering a run in 2012.

I believe my experience, my effort and my passion are evidence that I will fulfill this SDEC position with the County in mind. I want us to win. I want you, the precinct chairs, to win. Vote for me, and I promise to do all I can to make that happen.

Disclosures: Ms. Magid is a guest author for this blog. The editor of this blog is an active member of the Democratic Campaign Development Coalition, which Ms. Magid chairs.

Bill White Files For Texas Governors Race

Official press release from the White campaign: Today, after listening to thousands of Texans from all backgrounds, Bill White filed to run for Governor, pledging to fight for Texas' future.

"I am proud of the people of Texas, and as Governor I will move us forward as America's great state of opportunity," White said. "I'll be a Governor who challenges Texans to lead, not leave, the United States."
White highlighted ways of creating new jobs with businesses small and large across the state. He emphasized that Texas could not be its best with skyrocketing insurance and electric rates and college tuition that increases faster than the incomes of Texans.

The son of San Antonio school teachers, White vowed to focus on improving educational achievement in K-12 grade levels, improving high school graduation rates, and reducing the costs of college.

White, a successful businessman, was first elected as Houston Mayor in 2003 and was twice re-elected with margins averaging 88%. He has been hailed as a strong leader and a problem-solver, with the Houston Chronicle noting that he has "deftly steered Houston through fiscal and tropical storms."

During White's administration, Houston led the nation's cities in job growth, adding more jobs than 16 states combined. At the same time, he cut property tax rates five years in a row. After Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike, Bill White mobilized an effective disaster response including first responders, businesses and churches.

"I don't have the polish of career politicians. But as a businessman and Mayor I know how to be accountable for results, not just rhetoric. I have a track record of bringing people together to get things done," White said. "That's what Texas needs now."

Last December, White launched a U.S. Senate campaign that in 11 months attracted more than 1500 volunteers, more than 5500 contributors, and more than $6.5 million. He has visited 70 Texas counties to date.
--------------------------------------------

Hank Gilbert

With Bill White entering the gubernatorial race, Hank Gilbert today announced he is dropping his gubernatorial bid and has instead filed to run for Agricultural Commissioner.

Hank Gilbert (picture right) ran for Agricultural Commissioner in the 2006 election cycle and received the most votes of any Democratic statewide candidate in that election year.


Farouk Shami
As part of his announcement that he is dropping his gubernatorial bid, Gilbert endorsed Houston hair care magnate Farouk Shami (picture right) for governor.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Conservative Sam Johnson Files For 10th Term In U.S. House

Conservative Republican U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson today announced through a press release that he plans to run for a tenth full term in the Texas 3rd U.S. Congressional District. (Shaded in yellow on map - Your Congressional District Number can be found on your Voter's Registration Card)

Johnson, who is 79 years old, first won his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election on May 8, 1991. Johnson has been reelected to the 3rd district seat in nine regular elections since 1992.

The Texas 3rd District House Seat has arguably been one of the deepest red Republican districts in Texas, or any other state, since 1968 when the Republican Party first took control of the 3rd district House Seat. Johnson ran for re-election unopposed by a Democratic candidate in the 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2004 elections.

Maybe Sam Johnson will snag an endorsement from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin when she drops by Plano to sign her book, "Going Rogue," at Legacy Books on Friday Dec. 4th. Get-R-Done Sam!

Johnson was opposed by Democratic challenger Daniel Dodd and Libertarian challenger Christopher Clayton in the 2006 election.
Candidate Party Votes Percent
Sam Johnson (R) 88,634 63%
Dan Dodd (D) 49,488 35%
Christopher Claytor (L) 3,656 3%
In the 2008 election Johnson was opposed again by Libertarian challenger Christopher Clayton and a new Democratic challenger, Tom Daley. In 2008 Johnson's margin of victory was trimmed to 59 percent of the vote with Tom Daley receiving 38 percent, even as Daley ran a modest "budget campaign" as compared to Johnson's campaign war chest of money.
Candidate Party Votes Percent
Sam Johnson (R) 169,557 59.8%
Tom Daley (D) 107,679 38.0%
Christopher Claytor (L) 6,300 2.2%
So far, a Democratic challenger to Johnson has not appeared for the 2010 election cycle, but the month long filing period has only just opened.

Johnson has voted against tax incentives for energy conservation, clean/alternative energy development and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Johnson also voted to eliminate "critical habitat" for endangered species and to reduce liability for hazardous waste dumping and clean up. Johnson opposes health insurance reform, supports the privatization of social security, has voted against regulating the home mortgage industry and opposes any repeal of the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999. That "Modernization Act" lifted Glass-Steagall regulations that prohibited any one financial institution from acting as a home mortgage company, investment bank, a commercial bank, and/or an insurance company. That single piece of banking deregulation is a root cause of the near collapse of the American financial system in 2008.
Gov. Perry: Federal Government Protecting The General Welfare Of Americans Is Socialist

On the issue of Texans who have lost their jobs; Gov. Perry, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Sam Johnson and every Republican elected official in Texas made headlines for months pronouncing that President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) "socialist" economic stimulus plan was unneeded and unwelcome in Texas.

On the issue of health insurance reform; Texas has the most expensive health care markets in the country, and the least number of people insured and Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) raise his 10th Amendment argument again over federal health insurance reform. [Star-Telegram] Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Sam Johnson and every Republican elected official in Texas again line up with Gov. Perry to reject the idea that Texans need health insurance reform.
To review Johnson's conservative positions all on the issues plus his U.S. House of Representatives voting record, click here.


picture of Ms. Van Auken used with her kind permission
On Monday August 31st of this year Texas G.O.P. Reps. Sam Johnson, Joe Barton of Arlington, Jeb Hensarling and Pete Sessions of Dallas hosted a town hall at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, TX.

During the meeting Barton said. "We do believe the president's proposal is a radicalization and some would say socialization." He said the best option would be to defeat the current plans.

Kelley van Auken (pictured above) attended the Eisemann Center town hall to voice her support for Health Insurance reform.

"Most people [who oppose health insurance reform] were actually quite nice, but there's an abundance of misinformation," said Ms. van Auken. She said that one opponent of health insurance reform told her that she doesn't need health insurance, rather, she just needs to go to church for help with health care costs. Ms. van Auken, who is confined to a wheelchair, commented that opponents of health insurance reform believe, "there are churches that will cover my $72k/year drug costs and other medical expenses." In a CBS 11 news interview Ms. van Auken said, "I've been disabled my whole life and I've been fortunate to have access to healthcare, unfortunately there are a lot of people like me or with less ailments who don't have it and really do need it."

Saturday, November 28, 2009

A Texas Monthly Article Featuring Bill White

Houston Mayor Bill White, pictured left, has been in the running for Kay Bailey Hutchison's U.S. Senate seat -- when, and if, she ever resigns her U.S. Senate seat to run for governor -- during most of 2009.

Mayor Bill White is strongly considering a run for the governor's office now that it is looking far less likely that Kay Bailey Hutchison will resign her senate seat.

A Texas Monthly article featuring Bill White hit the news stands last week. The article presents both a picture of Bill the Mayor and Bill the man:
The Great White Hope

Democrats haven’t won a statewide race since 1994, so why does this middle-aged guy with a bald head and big ears think he's the fresh face of the party? Because outgoing Houston mayor Bill White has a record that makes some Republicans envious, he can raise a ton of money, and he will kiss as many babies as it takes (whether they want him to or not).

Click here to read the rest of the story

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Conservatives Find No Sympathy For Tiny Tim Cratchit

At a town hall held by Rep. Lipinski (D-Ill.) on November 14th, Dan and Midge Hough spoke about the death of their daughter-in-law and her unborn child:
Twenty-four-year old Jennifer was not receiving regular prenatal care and she did not receive immediate medical care when she first got sick -- because she was uninsured. Jennifer's illness worsened and she eventually went to a hospital emergency room.

By then, Jennifer's illness had turned into double pneumonia. Complications from the pneumonia then resulted in septic shock. That further complication caused a heart attack, a brain bleed and then a stroke. Jennifer lost the baby and she died a few weeks later.
As the grieving Midge Hough told her story she was heckled by conservatives attending the town hall to protest against health insurance reform. Ms. Hough told the conservatives, "You can laugh at me, that's okay," she said, crying, "But I lost two people, and I know you think that's funny, that's okay." Catherina Wojtowicz, an organizer for the conservative Chicago Tea Party Patriots, who oppose health insurance reform, said the audience was exasperated by stories of these "isolated tragedies" that cloud debate about health insurance reform.

Clearly, conservatives can find no sympathy for the "isolated tragedy" of A Christmas Carol's Tiny Tim Cratchit. Can conservatives find any fault at all with Ebenezer Scrooge's character - before his spiritual reclamation?

About 44 million people in this country have no health insurance, and another 38 million have inadequate health insurance. This means that nearly one-third of Americans face each day without the security of medical care for them and their families, if and when they need it.

Research released in the American Journal of Public Health in September 2009 estimates that 45,000 deaths per year in the United States are associated with the lack of health insurance. [reference one and two]

Many of those who feel satisfied with their health insurance coverage and who reject the need for health insurance reform, in fact, aren’t “insured” from the financial burdens of rising health care costs or an unexpected high cost illness.
“Under-insurance is the great hidden risk of the American health care system,” says Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor who has analyzed medical bankruptcies. “People do not realize they are one diagnosis away from financial collapse.”
A national study released this year found that while medical debt contributed to 62 percent of the bankruptcies in 2007, 78 percent of those bankruptcy filers had health insurance but “still were overwhelmed by their medical debt.” No government agency keeps an official count of the under insured.

LATIMES: The public and employers are staggering under the cost of the present system -- rising at more than twice the rate of inflation and expected to surpass $2.2 trillion this year.


[From Rep. Lipinski's town hall]


HuffPost Editor Roy Sekoff Discusses The Heckling Of Hough Family
On MSNBC's 'The Ed Show'

Monday, November 23, 2009

Schieffer Drops Out And White (Maybe) Switches To Govenors Race

Two Democratic candidates have been in the running for Kay Bailey Hutchison's U.S. Senate seat -- when, and if, she ever resigns her U.S. Senate seat to run for governor -- during most of 2009. Those Democrats are Houston Mayor Bill White, pictured left, and former State Comptroller John Sharp, pictured right.

Hank Gilbert


Mark Thompson


Tom Schieffer
Democrats previously lined up for the 2010 Governor's race included Hank Gilbert, right, Mark Thompson, middle right, Tom Schieffer, bottom right. Former Independent, Kinky Friedman, has also announced plans to have his name added to the Governor's position on the Democratic primary ballot.

Democratic candidates for the Senate and Governor races are quickly lining up differently after news broke a week ago that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison had flip-flopped on her promise to resign from the U.S. Senate to focus on her gubernatorial campaign against Gov. Rick Perry.

Hutchison officially announced last Sunday that she won't resign her U.S. Senate seat until after the March 2010 Republican primary election. Hutchison's announcement strongly implies she will not resign from the U.S. Senate if Perry defeats her in the March primary.

Hutchison backed away from her commitment to resign from the Senate after a new Rasmussen poll of Texas GOP Primary voters showed Perry with 46% while Hutchison trails with only 35% of the Republican primary vote.

So, today, the Texas Tribune reports that the Tom Schieffer is dropping out of the race. A bit later in the day the Houston Chronicle breaks a story that Houston Mayor Bill White is going to switch races and make a run for the Governer's office rather that wait for a now very uncertain chance to run for KBH's Senate seat.

In remarks last June to an audience of Collin and Denton county Democrats, Mayor White made the point that, "TX needs leadership that is more interested in seeing the state succeed, rather than scoring partisan points and constantly looking for wedge issues - leadership who is more interested in the educating Texas children than in seceding from the union."

Here's a statement from Bill White, posted Monday Nov. 23rd on his campaign website:
"Since Friday a week ago Texans from all backgrounds and all regions have asked me to consider running to be our next Governor of Texas. Today I agree to consider running for Governor, and shall make a decision by Friday, December 4th.

Before then I invite the citizens of Texas to weigh in on this decision by visiting this page and emailing me at billwhite@billwhitefortexas.com."
Mark Thompson dropped out of the Texas governors race in early November and endorsed Hank Gilbert.

Last week Houston hair care magnate Farouk Shami (picture right) also announced for the Texas governors race. Shami has stated he will spend $10 million of his own money before the March 2 primary, plus he has hired veteran Democratic political consultants. Shami is on record saying he is a "Democrat all the way to the bone."

Fort Worth teacher Felix Alvarado has also announced for the Texas Democratic primary governors race.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Any Legal Status Identical Or Similar To Marriage Can't Be Recognized By Texas

Remember the so called "same-sex-marriage" amendment (PDF) to the Texas State Constitution approved by voters in November 2005? The wording of that amendment may have effectively nullified all marriage in Texas!

That amendment to the Texas Bill Of Rights said, "SECTION 1. Article I, Texas Constitution, is amended by adding "Section 32 MARRIAGE" to read as follows:
  1. Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman.
  2. This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that, Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer and Democratic candidate for attorney general, is saying that section (b) effectively “eliminates marriage in Texas”:
She calls it a “massive mistake” and blames the current attorney general, Republican Greg Abbott, for allowing the language to become part of the Texas Constitution. Radnofsky called on Abbott to acknowledge the wording as an error and consider an apology. She also said that another constitutional amendment may be necessary to reverse the problem.

“You do not have to have a fancy law degree to read this and understand what it plainly says,” said Radnofsky.
This isn’t the first time the reach of the second section has been questioned. Before the amendment passed, a group called Save Texas Marriage warned that a judge could potentially void all marriages in the state if the language became part of the Texas Constitution.

Star-Telegram story continues: Radnofsky acknowledged that the clause is not likely to result in an overnight dismantling of marriages in Texas. But she said the wording opens the door to legal claims involving spousal rights, insurance claims, inheritance and a host other marriage-related issues.
"This breeds unneeded arguments, lawsuits and expense which could have been avoided by good lawyering," Radnofsky said. "Yes, I believe the clear language of B bans all marriages, and this is indeed a huge mistake."
In October, Dallas District Judge Tena Callahan ruled that the same-sex-marriage ban is unconstitutional because it stands in the way of gay divorce. Abbott is appealing the ruling, which came in a divorce petition involving two men who were married in Massachusetts in 2006.

Friday, November 13, 2009

KBH Flip-Flops On Resigning From The Senate

A new Rasmussen poll of Texas GOP Primary voters finds Perry with 46% of the vote while Hutchison has 35%. Four percent (4%) support Debra Medina, a tea-party activist who joined the GOP race a few months ago, and 14% are undecided.

The Rasmussen poll also finds that 60 percent of those surveyed responded the KBH should stay in the Senate while she runs against Perry.

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison on Rasmussen
poll and resigning to run against Gov. Rick
Perry in the GOP primary.
News broke late Friday afternoon that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has flip-flopped on her publicly announced timetable for resigning from the Senate. Now Hutchison says she won't quit until after the March gubernatorial primary.

Hutchison told a Dallas WBAP radio talk show host host Mark Davis in July that she would resign her Senate seat in October or November. Hutchison told Davis in that interview that she would like to stay in office while running for governor, but she cannot so long as fellow Republican Gov. Rick Perry remains in the contest. [Transcript of the WBAP Interview at Houston Chronicle ]

Texas Tribune's Ross Ramsey reports that Hutchison's announcement is expected by the end of the day, and that she "began calling other Republicans Friday afternoon to tell them to make other plans." A resignation in March would still mean a May special election to fill her senate seat.

Fox News Pulls The Plug On Progressive Bloggers

The Raw Story: Liberal bloggers are accusing Fox News of launching an Internet war against them in a campaign to selectively remove Fox clips from YouTube.
On Wednesday, YouTube shut down the popular News1News channel, which featured news clips that many progressive bloggers and news sites would add to their stories. On the rare occasion, Raw Story also embedded News1News clips in stories having to do with media coverage. The channel provided clips from all news networks, but often focused on Fox's controversial commentators.
The decision to shut down News1News came after Fox News issued 150 take-down notices to the channel, which they are entitled to do under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, reports Adrian Chen at Gawker. YouTube's policy is to shut down any accounts that receive three or more take-down notices, so News1News was immediately pulled offline.

But Fox News' move appears to be limited to News1News, while other YouTube channels -- those viewed as having conservative leanings -- remain untouched. Chen points out that the Glenn Beck Daily Clips channel continues to operate, although it features 614 clips, as of last count, of Glenn Beck's Fox show. The Conservative Nation channel, with close to 200 clips, is also still online.

Thus, Fox's move will mostly affect stories posted on progressive-leaning blogs, such as Gawker, the Huffington Post and Truthdig, while leaving intact YouTube clips embedded at conservative Web sites. Instead of embedded video, visitors to those sites will now see a notice stating that the video in question is "no longer available."

Queerty blog reported Friday that News1News' creator, identified only as "Jon," has experienced this before. This past summer, Fox shut down his NewsPoliticsNews channel on similar copyright grounds, but the channel was reinstated after YouTube lawyers disagreed with Fox's basis for the take-down notice.

Because there's no limit to how many YouTube accounts someone can create, Jon's news channel is now back online, under the name NewsPoliticsAmerica (See "Top News of the Day" block in the right sidebar of this blog). Bloggers will no doubt be watching closely to see if and when the channel is once again shut down.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Gov. Perry: Federal Government Protecting The General Welfare Of Americans Is Socialist

“This is an administration hell-bent toward taking American towards a socialist country," Texas Gov. Rick Perry remarked, while speaking at luncheon for a conservative audience at the Midland Country Club on Wednesday.

Gov. Perry also called for doubling the size of Texas tea parties to tell Washington that Texas does not want any more of President Obama's socialist federal money and programs.

Gov. Perry says Texas just will not stand for the federal government promoting the general welfare of Americans -- That's just plain socialism!
The Preamble of The Constitution of the United States of America, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Back in late July we posted that Gov. Perry, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Sam Johnson and every Republican elected official in Texas made headlines for months pronouncing that President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) socalist economic stimulus plan was unneeded and unwelcome in Texas.
Gov. Perry, the top Republican in Texas, proclaimed that federal money from Washington is so onerous to "all" Texans that Texans might rise up in revolt and secede from the United States, by invoking the 10th Amendment of the Constitution, rather than accept "Washington money."
In March, Gov. Perry rejected $555 million in federal stimulus funds to fund unemployment benefits. By July, Perry was forced to ask the federal government for a $170 million loan to cover unemployment insurance. The state is expected to request a total of $650 million to fund unemployment insurance, around $100 million more than Perry originally rejected.

In Texas, the ARRA stimulas is expected to save or create 269,000 jobs over the next two years. The plan also includes provisions to help both employed and unemployed Texans. Nearly 8.2 million workers will receive the Making Work Pay tax cut of up to $1,000, and 677,000 unemployed workers will receive an additional $100 in unemployment benefits per month. In addition, the plan includes funding to help unemployed workers pay for COBRA coverage. [Monster.com]
Gov. Perry's Texas Transportation Commission is also ready to get Texans to work by approving construction and maintenance projects to be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. TxDOT has been working for months with its local and regional transportation planning officials to identify projects eligible for this funding.

Texas was appropriated approximately $2.6 billion for transportation projects, which will create 69,000 new jobs, 23,000 of them a direct result of the funding. Half of the funds must be dedicated within 120 days and the rest within 12 months. Obligations to Metropolitan Planning Organizations must also be made within 12 months. [Taken directly from the TxDOT website.]

On the issue of health insurance reform Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) also threatens 10th Amendment secession. [Star-Telegram] Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Sam Johnson and every Republican elected official in Texas have again lined up with Gov. Perry to reject the idea that Texans need health insurance reform.

According to facts given in a The Dallas Morning News article, Texas may need health insurance reform more than any other state:
"[Even after removing illegal immigrants from the numbers] Texas virtually leads the nation in percentage of residents without health insurance, according to both conservative and liberal researchers.

Only 49.5 percent of [Texas] residents were covered by employer-sponsored insurance, in a two-year average ending in 2008, compared with 58.5 percent nationwide, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated this month. Between 1996 and 2006, the cost of family coverage for private sector workers in Texas increased 86 percent, while incomes increased by less than 9 percent, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which finances health care research and supports universal health coverage.

Compared with the rest of the nation, the Texas economy relies heavily on small businesses and relatively low wages. So although most of the state's uninsured live in households with people who work, fewer employers offer coverage, and fewer employees can afford it.
The Texas Democratic Party recently put out -- the "Top Ten Rick Perry Failures." Here they are:
  1. What Recession?
  2. Perry: A Bad Prescription for Children's Health
  3. Perry's Political Cover-UP Compromises Texas Criminal Justice System
  4. Perry Education Report Card: F
  5. Perry's Stimulus Hypocrisy Costs Texans
  6. Perry Prices Texans Out of a College Education
  7. Perry Taking a Toll on Texans
  8. Utility Rates Out of Control
  9. Homeowner's Insurance Rates Skyrocket During Perry's Tenure
  10. Health Insurance Premiums Increase 91.6%
A least one more failure should be added to Gov. Perry's list; With Perry's steadfast insistence on abstinence-only sex education programs in Texas public schools, more of that socialist federal government money has been spent on the cause of sexual abstinence-only education in Texas than any other state, but Texas' teen birth rate has climbed to the third-highest in the country, the percentage of teen mothers giving birth more than once in Texas is the highest in the country and rates of sexually transmitted diseases among Texas' teens are rising. Teen childbearing (teens 19 and younger) now costs Texas taxpayers (federal, state, and local) at least $1 billion annually for social programs supporting teen mothers and their children. Of course, the official Texas Republican Party platform and every Republican elected to represent the people of Texas also oppose any sex education other than abstinence-only.

Rachel Maddow called out Gov. Perry for his states’ rights comments on health care in this MSNBC program aired in July 2009.

Maddow, "Governor Rick, you’ve been governor for nine years. How are you doing finding a solution for Texas’ health care problem, Governor? You’ve got the most expensive health care markets in the country, and the least number of people insured. And you’re worried the federal government is going to screw up the good thing you’ve got going on in Texas? You need to protect Texas’ health care system that you’re doing such an awesome job with, from people you think might really screw it up? Let the states find their own solution? You’ve had nine years, Governor. You’re the worst in the country. How are you doing with that?"

Monday, November 9, 2009

Sex Ed In Collin County Schools - Follow Up

Updated November 9, 2009 @ 11:05 P.M.
In June and July of this year this blog published a five part series of articles on sex education in Collin Co. ISDs. In this series we reported that the largest school districts in Collin County focus either heavily or exclusively on "abstinence only" instruction in their public schools.

Then, in September, the The Austin American-Statesman and KBTX-TV in College Station echoed our five part series by reporting that Texas currently has the third-highest teen birth rate in the country and “the highest rate of repeat teen births.” The Statesman also echoed our series saying that not only has the teen birth rate climbed in Texas under "abstinence only" instruction, but sexually transmitted disease rates are up too.

Today, the Dallas Morning News published a story titled, "Texas sex educators take tentative steps beyond abstinence" that also echoes our five part series on sex ed in Collin County school districts.
By JESSICA MEYERS / The Dallas Morning News - Monday, November 9, 2009

Parents at the McKinney school district's curriculum information night were talking condoms. And some were frustrated that district officials weren't.

"Where would I find it?" McKinney mother Melissa Willardson asked as she searched for "condoms" in the glossary of a state-approved health textbook. "Where's the word?"

Her response – consternation rather than headstrong support for the district's approach – is becoming increasingly prevalent in North Texas schools traditionally known for their staunch abstinence-only approach.

Click here to go the full Dallas Morning News Story
Original follow up to our series noting the Austin American-Statesman story - posted September 30, 2009

Our series reported that:
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) a Texas teen gets pregnant every 10 minutes. Texas Medicaid paid for 17,322 deliveries to teen mothers aged 13-17 in 2007 and according to National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy data, teen childbearing (teens 19 and younger) costs Texas taxpayers (federal, state, and local) at least $1 billion annually. That $1 billion annual payment is on top of the $21 million dollars in federal and state tax payer money spent annually on government sponsored abstinence-only sex education that is increasing rather decreasing Texas teen pregnancy rates.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, Texas received almost $18 million in federal "abstinence-only" funding in 2007, matched by $3 million in state funds in that year. While Republican Gov. Rick Perry rejected federal "economic stimulus" money in 2009, meant to aid unemployed Texans, Gov. Perry has said he supports Texas' abstinence-only sex ed programs, which have been largely funded by federal money. "The governor is comfortable with current law and supports abstinence programs," said Gov. Perry's spokeswoman, Allison Castle. [Houston Chronicle]

The Texas education code does not require public schools to offer sex education. But if they do, the teaching plan must be abstinence-focused, and instruction about contraceptives must be couched in terms of how often they fail.
Now the The Austin American-Statesman and KBTX-TV in College Station echo our stories reporting that Texas currently has the third-highest teen birth rate in the country and “the highest rate of repeat teen births.”
Texas also leads the nation in the amount of government money it spends on abstinence-only education. But some school districts in the state are now shifting away from that approach, admitting that it isn’t working: “We mainly did it because of our pregnancy rate,” said Whitney Self, lead teacher for health and physical education at the Hays Consolidated Independent School District. “We don’t think abstinence-only is working.” [...]

Both approaches to sex education teach that refraining from sexual activity is the safest choice for teens.

But abstinence-only gives limited information about contraceptives and condoms and tends to downplay their effectiveness, while abstinence-plus stresses the importance of using such protection if teens are sexually active.
Medical experts have concluded that not only do abstinence-only programs not curb teen pregnancy, but “there is evidence to suggest that some of these programs are even harmful and have negative consequences by not providing adequate information for those teens who do become sexually active.”

When will Collin County school districts see the light and being to shift from the abstinence-only education program to an abstinence-plus program?

Abstinence-plus programs stress pre-marital abstinence as the best choice, but also providing accurate information on safe sex and planned parenting options, which fully prepares teens for adult life decisions.

You can make a difference by joining your local School Health Advisory Council (SHAC).

Texas Legislature defined the roles of state government and local government in Senate Bill 1 (SB1) in 1995 by including the requirement that every school district establish a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC).

SB1 also included general guidelines for sexuality education instructions while at the same time charging SHACs with the responsibility of making recommendations to local school boards.

Local school boards must listen to both the SHACs and the Texas Education Code while deciding what to teach resulting in a diverse and inconsistent array of instructional materials – guaranteeing that teens across the state are learning different information and likely incorrect information.

Information on Collin County SHACs can be found in our post at Sex Ed In Collin County Schools - Part 5.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

The Audacity to Win - The First Anniversary Of Obama's 2008 Presidential Win

Marking the one year anniversary of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential win comes the November 3rd release of David Plouffe's book, "The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory" from Viking publishing. Plouffe is also scheduled to speak at the Dallas Angelika Theater November 9th at 6:30-7:15pm. Tickets are $20. Call 214-855-7151. (click book image to go to Amazon)

Plouffe was the campaign manager for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. After winning the election on Nov. 4, President-elect Obama credited Plouffe in his acceptance speech, calling him “the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.”

Plouffe is credited with the campaign’s successful overall strategy in the race for the Democratic Party presidential nomination and the general election by maintaining discipline over communications to deliver a consistent campaign message through a broad spectrum of media channels.

Obama's success owes a lot, of course, to his message of "change," but there was something more subtle at work, too. It was not just the message and the man and the speeches that swayed Democratic voters, it was the way the campaign folded the man and the message and the speeches into a systemic branding effort.

Reinforced with a coherent, comprehensive program of fonts, logos, slogans and web design, Obama was the first presidential candidate to be marketed like a high-end consumer brand through a spectrum of new media communication channels.

Obama's campaign staff out performed opponents on the ground by adopting new and innovative web-based and cellular-based media strategies to recruit supporters, put supporters to work, organize supporter actions, turn out voters on election day and (of course) to raise unprecedented amounts of money — all contributing to a crucial edge in the 2008 primary and general elections.

The Obama campaign is widely credited for its unprecedented use of New Media for everything from fundraising to volunteer coordination. Another just published book, "Yes We Did!: An Inside Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand," by Rahaf Harfoush, takes a comprehensive look at the campaign's use of technology leading up to election night and explores the strategic insights that organizations can apply to their own brand. (click book image to go to Amazon)

Peppered with interviews, photos and anecdotes from key members of the New Media Team, this book reveals how the combination of an unwavering strategic vision and collaborative technologies including blogs, social networks, twitter, SMS messaging, and a state of the art campaign website empowered a formidable online community to elect the world's first "digital" President.

Author, Rahaf Harfoush witnessed the "disruptive innovations" of this pioneering new media campaign firsthand when she joined Obama's New Media team in Chicago for three months. From the book's forward: "The Internet and an extraordinary social movement enabled him to come to power and youth were the engine of his victory.
Anyone who watched Obama dutifully address ten different Inauguration Balls on January 20, 2009, could see that the Youth Ball audience most energized him. Speaking to 7,000 young people he said “thank you” to a generation, explaining that his campaign was “inspired by, was energized by young people all across America.”

Said the newly inaugurated president, “Young people everywhere are in process of imagining something different than what has come before us: Where there is war they imagine peace. Where there is hunger they imagine people being able to feed themselves. Where there is bigotry they imagine togetherness. The future will be in your hands if you are able to sustain the kind of energy and focus you showed on this campaign…. You are going to make it happen.”

The story of the new media group described in 'Yes We Did' is a truly amazing one. Through the internet and other digital technologies a group of young people changed just about everything: how money is raised, how people campaign, how organizers organize, and how the electorate comes to understand the issues, make choices, and become engaged in political action. Who better to tell this striking story, and draw some lessons from it, than one of the most talented soldiers of the campaign—Rahaf Harfoush. Rather than the official account, this book is a tale from the trenches of young volunteers working with a new set of weapons and tools—the digital media."
And, in yet another recognition of the anniversary of Obama's innovative digital-age campaign comes the HBO Documentary: "By The People: The Election of Barack Obama."


HBO Documentary: "By The People:
The Election of Barack Obama" Promo 1



HBO Documentary: "By The People:
The Election of Barack Obama" Promo 2

BY THE PEOPLE: THE ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA, initially airing on the first anniversary of the November 2008 general election, is a record of the Obama campaign's history-making odyssey to the White House.

Interwoven with the drama of the campaign is never-before-seen footage of Obama behind the scenes, as well as interviews and candid moments with wife Michelle Obama, the couple's young daughters, Malia and Sasha, and senior campaign staff, volunteers, reporters, supporters and opponents.

It premieres Tuesday, November 3 at 9pm only on HBO. For more information, log onto HBO.com."


MSNBC Countdown 10/29/09 Interview
of the HBO Documentary Producer

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Collin County: A Safe Haven For Republicans?

Shawn Stevens, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Collin County, takes exception with DMN statement. On Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Gromer Jeffers Jr. wrote an article for the Dallas Morning News containing the following statement: "More and more Republicans, however, are moving to the friendly confines of Collin County, leaving heavily Democratic southern Dallas more empowered." Here are a few snippets of that article to provide some context around Mr. Jeffers statement:
"It's been three years since local Democrats stunned Republicans and turned the Old Red Courthouse blue, along with nearly the rest of Dallas County.
[. . .]
Since that election, which swept into office Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins and County Judge Jim Foster, Democrats have seemingly solidified their dominance.
[. . .]
"Even the most ardent partisan can't claim we didn't get our clocks cleaned the last two cycles," said Dallas County Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Neerman. "The question is why? We don't know what's driving it. I, for one, don't believe this is a Democratic county."
[. . .]
The numbers could prove it [Dallas Co.] is indeed a haven for Democrats.
[. . .]
The percentage of the Democratic vote in Dallas County has been rising since the start of the decade. It's now closing in on 60 percent of the overall vote.
[. . .]
More and more Republicans, however, are moving to the friendly confines of Collin County, leaving heavily Democratic southern Dallas more empowered. [. . .] "

To read the full Dallas Morning News article click here.
Shawn Stevens, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Collin County, takes exception with Mr. Jeffers opinion that Collin Co. continues to be a safe haven for Republicans.

Mr Stevens sends a copy of a letter he sent to the editor of the Dallas Morning News to the editor of this blog - as follows:
To: letterstoeditor@dallasnews.com

I'm not sure on what facts Gromer Jeffers would base the statement in
his column that "More and more Republicans, however, are moving to the
friendly confines of Collin County . . ."

Actually, Kerry received 28.1% of the vote in Collin County in 2004, as
compared to Obama receiving 36.7% of the vote in 2008, with Collin
County Democrats achieving a 29,650 net vote increase over Republicans
from 2004 to 2008. The number of straight ticket Republican voters in
Collin County actually declined from 113,078 in 2004 to 112,959 in 2008,
while there was an increase of 20,059 Democratic straight ticket votes
over the same time period.

Those seem like strong indicators that within a fast growing population
in Collin County, Democrats are becoming more numerous in Collin County
in comparison to Republicans.

Sincerely,

Shawn Stevens
Chairman, Democratic Party of Collin County


Monday, October 19, 2009

November 3, 2009 Texas Constitutional Amendment Election

On Monday October 19, 2009 Texans will begin early voting for the November 3, 2009 Constitutional Amendment Election. Early voting ends on Friday October 30, 2009. The last day to register to vote in this election is October 5th. Election Day is on Tuesday November 3, 2009. Locally, in Collin Co., the Wylie school district has a bond issue, and the city of Farmersville has an alcohol proposition on the ballot for their respective residents.

On election day November 3, 2009, Collin County voters will take part in a "Vote Center" experiment. In late August of this year the Texas Secretary of State authorized Collin County to join four other Texas counties to experiment with a countywide "vote anywhere" Vote Center pilot program on election day. Election Day Vote Centers work almost exactly like Early Voting Vote Centers where any registered voter in the county can vote in any of the 59 Vote Centers located around the county.
More on Vote Centers:
Important Dates for this election:
  • September 4, 2009: First Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail
  • October 5, 2009: Last Day to Register to Vote
  • October 19, 2009: First Day of Early Voting.
  • October 27, 2009: Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (application must be received by October 27, not just postmarked October 27)
  • October 30, 2009: Last Day of Early Voting
  • November 3, 2009: Election Day
Election Information: There will be 11 proposed constitutional amendments on the November 3rd ballot. The Texas State Constitution has been amended more than 400 times since it was first enacted in 1876. In order for an amendment to appear on the ballot, the proposed amendment must pass by a two-thirds vote in both the Texas House and Senate. The proposals must receive a majority vote from the voters to be written into the constitution.

Below is a complete list of proposed amendments:

Proposition 1 - “The constitutional amendment authorizing the financing, including through tax increment financing, of the acquisition by municipalities and counties of buffer areas or open spaces adjacent to a military installation for the prevention of encroachment or for the construction of roadways, utilities, or other infrastructure to protect or promote the mission of the military installation.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 1: Military Buffer Open Space)

Proposition 2 - “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem (Latin for according to value) taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property’s value as a residence homestead.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 2: Homestead Appraisals)

Proposition 3 - “The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 3: Statewide Appraisal Process)

Proposition 4 - “The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 4: National Research University Fund)

Proposition 5 - “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to authorize a single board of equalization for two or more adjoining appraisal entities that elect to provide for consolidated equalizations.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 5: Consolidated Boards of Equalization)

Proposition 6 - “The constitutional amendment authorizing the Veterans’ Land Board to issue general obligation bonds in amounts equal to or less than amounts previously authorized.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 6: Renewing Veterans' Land Bonds)

Proposition 7 - “The constitutional amendment to allow an officer or enlisted member of the Texas State Guard or other state militia or military force to hold other civil offices.” (Burnt Orange Report - PropositionProposition 7: Texas State Guards in Civil Office)

Proposition 8 - “The constitutional amendment authorizing the state to contribute money, property, and other resources for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of veterans hospitals in this state.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 8: State Funding for Veterans' Hospitals)

Proposition 9 - “The constitutional amendment to protect the right of the public, individually and collectively, to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 9: Protect Open Beaches)

Proposition 10 - “The constitutional amendment to provide that elected members of the governing boards of emergency services districts may serve terms not to exceed four years.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 10: Emergency District Term Lengths)

Proposition 11 - “The constitutional amendment to prohibit the taking, damaging, or destroying of private property for public use unless the action is for the ownership, use, and enjoyment of the property by the State, a political subdivision of the State, the public at large, or entities granted the power of eminent domain under law or for the elimination of urban blight on a particular parcel of property, but not for certain economic development or enhancement of tax revenue purposes, and to limit the legislature’s authority to grant the power of eminent domain to an entity.” (Burnt Orange Report - Proposition 11: Eminent Domain Restrictions)

Detailed explanations of these amendments have been prepared by:
Other important information about this election:

Please vote early this year - you'll be glad you did. Early voting starts on Monday October 19th and continues until Friday October 30th at several convenient locations around Collin County.

Please remember to take your Voter's Registration Card with you to the polling place when you vote. Several forms of identification (in place of your voter registration card) are acceptable, but election clerks can use the bar code on the registration card to electronically verify your voter registration status. This makes the voting lines move much faster for everyone!!! Please DO NOT cut the bar code off of the card!!
Acceptable forms of identification for voting other than your voter registration certificate:
  1. a driver's license or personal identification card issued to you by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to you by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
  2. a form of identification containing your photograph that establishes your identity;
  3. a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes your identity;
  4. United States citizenship papers issued to you;
  5. a United States passport issued to you;
  6. official mail addressed to you, by name, from a governmental entity;
  7. a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.
Did you receive your Orange Voter's Registration Card? If you did not receive an orange registration card during 2008 or 2009 and you have moved or you have not voted in an election in Collin County during the past two years, your voting registration record may have been "suspended." Check your registration status here.

You are eligible to vote with a mail-in ballot if you meet certain conditions that are set by the Secretary of State. In general, you may be eligible if you are disabled, over 65, or if you will be out of Collin County on Election Day and during Early Voting. For specific information and to determine your eligibility, click here to visit the Secretary of State’s web site or click here to visit the Collin County website. To get an application for a mail-in ballot, click here to visit the Secretary of State’s web site, where you can download an application or request that one be mailed to you. See important dates above regarding when your application must be made and your ballot must be received.

Have you registered to vote yet?
The October 5th deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 3, 2009 election is fast approaching! In general, you are eligible to vote in Collin County if you are a United States Citizen, a resident of the county, 18 years old, not a convicted felon and not declared mentally incapacitated. For specific information and to determine your eligibility, click here to visit the Secretary of State’s web site and read the pamphlet on Texas Voting. Check whether you are already registered to vote here and if you are not yet registered to vote, get your Voter's Registration application here.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Obama's Speech About Public Service At Texas A&M, Oct. 16, 2009

President Obama received a thunderous standing ovation as he arrived at Texas A&M's Rudder Auditorium to join former President George H. W. Bush to make a renewed push for volunteerism in America. Obama said, "Howdy, Aggies," getting an enthusiastic "howdy" back from the audience. Obama started his speech with high praise for Pres. G.H.W Bush's life-long commitment top public service. Videos follow:

Speech - Part 1 / From YouTube News1News


Speech - Part 2 / From YouTube News1News


A few hundred conservatives gathered in Spence Park near Rudder Auditorium to protest against President Obama, health insurance reform, paying taxes and government in general.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

German Shepherd Rescue - URGENT

A German Shepherd rescue group called Camp Wolfgang, in Ennis, Texas is closing down on 31 October. They had nearly 200 dogs that must find a foster or be adopted before 31 October or they ALL will be EUTHANIZED. I don’t normally solicit with this type of request on this blog, but this is URGENT! All the dogs are vetted, spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, well cared-for and many have had training.

If you cannot help by fostering or adopting...YOU CAN STILL HELP!!! Please forward this information to everyone you know...if we all forward this to everyone we know, chances are good that many of these dogs can be saved!

They do not need or want donations, they simply MUST place all of the dogs.

Adoption fees are $75.00, free to verifiable rescue groups.

Current dogs: (approximate)
120 German Shepherds
2 Akitas
1 Anatolian/Great Pyrenees
4 Purebred Rottweiler
1 Great Dane/Lab
1 Boxer/Mastiff
1 St. Bernard/Akita
1 WolfDog
45 Other mixed breeds

Time is of the essence!!

If you know anyone who can adopt, accept a dog into their rescue, or help in any way, contact Neisha Livengood, Kennel Master at Camp Wolfgang.

Neisha Livengood
windigo1966@yahoo.com
wally@campwolfgang.com
campwolfgang@yahoo.com
phone: 214-755-1627
Camp Wolfgang
6234 FM 879
Ennis, Texas 75119
www.campwolfgang.petfinder.com
Thanks to everyone for anything you may be able to do to help these dogs.