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?"

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.

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

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

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:

• Last Public Hearing On Implementing Voting Centers
• Vote Centers Coming To Collin Co. For Election Day This November?
• Consolidated Polling Centers Coming To Collin Co. Next Election Day?

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:

• November 3, 2009 Special Elections - Early Voting Locations & Hours
• November 3, 2009 Special Elections - Election Day Vote Centers & Sample Ballots

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:

• League of Women Voters - (PDF)
• Texas Legislative Council
• Texas Secretary of State
• Burnt Orange Report

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.

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.

TDWCC 3rd Annual Dinner: Blue Boots Bash

For more information click HERE

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.

How to Win Democratic Campaigns in Collin Co.

The Democratic Party of Collin County has posted an announcement on its website that it is joining with the Democratic Campaign Development Coalition (DCDC) and Texas Democratic Women of Collin County (TDWCC) to put on a series of education seminars they are calling "How to Win Democratic Campaigns in Collin Co." The DCDC group is sponsoring the seminars.

According to a spokesperson for DCDC the group has recruited a number of guest speakers from across North Texas who have experience organizing GOTV activities and running political campaigns as well as some former North Texas Democratic candidates. "We hope to have Precinct Chairs, active Democrats and possibly some potential local candidates from Collin and several surrounding counties attend some or all our training days," said the spokesperson, "Anyone who wants to help Democratic Candidates win in Collin Co. and North Texas is invited to sign up for the training"

The training program will begin Monday evening October 12th and continuing every Monday from 6:30p.m. till 9:00 p.m. until Monday November 30th at Collin College – Frisco Campus, Library Room L245. The guest speakers will cover a variety of topics during the training series including:

• Week 1 – How I Won: It Can Be Done
• Week 2 - The Winning Team
• Week 3 – Organizing to Win
• Week 4 – The Winning Message
• Week 5 – Marketing to Win
• Week 6 – To Win It Takes Money
• *No workshop Thanksgiving week – Nov. 23
• Week 7 –Creating the Winning Plan

The county party organization is charging a nominal registration fee to cover the cost of producing the training program. Registration for the class is now open. For registration information go to the announcement posted on the Democratic Party of Collin County website.

Google Wave - A Future Campaign Support Tool?

At Google's recent "I/O" developer conference in San Francisco, the company unveiled an intriguing new tool called Wave. Wave is a web-based, open-source platform that is designed to seamlessly integrate communication and collaboration. When Wave is available it may make an interesting campaign support tool. Take a look at it in action: video left.

Poll: Public Option Favored By 65% Of Americans

By Jeff Parker, cagle.com

NYTimes.com: A New York Times/CBS poll again finds that 65% of Americans want a public health care option, while only 26% opposed such a plan. Those polled also responded that they feel President Obama has not clearly explained the main points of health care reform. Fifty-five percent said he had not explained his plan clearly, and many felt under-informed about the policies under discussion.

Maybe it's not so much that President Obama hasn't repeatedly and clearly explained the main points of health care reform, and more that Republicans and health insurance industry lobbyists have so widely and loudly sowed fear-based mis-information, that people feel confused and therefore under informed.

After all, the program of mis-information has closely and successfully followed the plan written by right-wing message guru Frank Luntz last May instructing the Republican Party how to frame the health care debate to both alarm and confuse people on the issues. More...

By R.J. Matson, cagle.com

Have You Ever Thought About Running For Elected Office?

Have you ever thought about running for elected office? With the pivotal 2010 elections fast approaching, now is the time to give it some serious thought! One great place to get experience running for and serving in elected office is by serving as a Precinct Chair in your own neighborhood. There are many other elected office positions that you might consider too.

Precinct Chairs, of either party, serve as the most direct link between voters and their respective political party and and the party's candidates. Precinct Chairs help to carry the party's and candidate's message to their neighborhoods and they help Get Out The Vote for their respective party's candidates.

The Chairperson of each county Democratic Party Election Precinct is publicly elected by precinct voters during the Primary Election. The term of office for a Precinct Chair is two years, beginning on the 20th day following Primary Election Day or the following primary runoff election day, if scheduled. (The Party's County Executive Committee can elect interim Precinct Chairs for unfilled Precinct Chair offices and for Precinct Chairs who are unable to serve out their two year term of office.)

The next Precinct Chair election for the March/April 2010 to March/April 2012 term of office occurs on Primary Election Day, March 2, 2010. Qualified candidates can file (form PDF) to have their name placed on the March 2, 2010 Primary Ballot for the position of Precinct Chair from Monday, October 5th, 2009 through 6:00 PM January 4, 2010. Contact your local Democratic County Chair to ask if a Precinct Chair vacancy exists in your election precinct and find out the requirements to run for this, or any other, elected office. To find out more about Democratic Precinct Chairs - click here.

There are many other elected office positions that you might consider too. Of coarse, nearly all the elected office positions that will appear on Collin County ballots in 2010 are currently filled with incumbent Republicans, but perhaps it is time for incumbent Republicans to have a Democratic challenger in 2010, for the first time in many years.

The following elected office positions will first appear on each of the March 2, 2010 Democratic Party and Republican Party Primary Election ballots and then finally on the November 2010 General Election ballot.

Collin County Executive and Judiciary

• County Clerk
• District Clerk
• District Attorney

Collin County Commissioners Court - info

• County Judge - incumbent Keith Self
  
• Place 2 - incumbent Jerry Hoagland
  
• Place 4 - incumbent Kathy Ward
  

Collin County Courts

• 5 District Judges
• 6 County Court at Law Judges
• 1 Probate Court Judge
• 4 Justices f the Peace

State Executive

• Governor
• Lt. Governor
• Attorney General
• Comptroller
• Commissioner of General Land Office
• Agriculture Commissioner
• Railroad Commissioner - info
  
• State Board of Education, place 9 and 12

State Judicial

• Several Justices of the Supreme Court - info
  
• Several Justices of the Court of Criminal Appeals - info
  

Regional Courts

• Several Justices, 5th District Court of Appeals - info
  

State House of Representatives

• State Rep., Dist. 66 (McCall)
• State Rep., Dist. 67 (Madden)
• State Rep., Dist. 70 (Paxton)
• State Rep., Dist. 89 (Laubenberg)

State Senate

• District 8 (Shapiro)

Federal

• US Congress 3rd Congressional Dist. (Johnson) - info
  
• US Congress 4th Congressional Dist. (Hall) - info
  
• US Senate (Hutchison) possible resignation triggering a special election - info
  

Party Offices

• County Chair
• Al1 Precinct Chairs
• And County and State Convention after the primaries.
  • State Chair
  • DNC Reps
  • SDEC Committee members

The filing period to have your name placed on the primary ballot runs from December 2009 to January 2010. The Democratic and Republican primary winners of each elected office position appearing on the primary ballot will then face each other in the November 2010 General Election.

The following "non-partisan" local city and school board trustee elected office positions will appear on election ballot for the May 2010 city and school election.

• CCCCD Trustees( non-partisan)
• City Council races (non-partisan)
• School Board races (non-partisan)

Republicans Out-Tweet Democrats

While progressive blogs, with the encouragement of DNC Chairman Howard Dean, help power Democratic electoral wins in 2006 and 2008, many in the Democratic party have been reticent about, and towards, its blogosphere echo chamber.

And now it seems that reticence has carried over into the use of Twitter.

Nearly twice as many Republicans as Democrats have accounts on the social networking platform Twitter (101 compared with 57), and the GOP dominates Twitter usage by an even wider margin, according to a report released this week by the Congressional Research Service that analyzed two weeklong periods in July and August. During those spans, congressional Republicans posted 932 messages — or tweets — compared with 255 for Democrats, CRS analysts found.

Twitter allows users to text short messages of 140 characters or fewer from their phones, BlackBerrys or computers to their profile pages and their followers’ phones and computers. And though some experts question the effectiveness of Twitter as a political communication tool and more than a few lawmakers have already experienced the downside of the unfiltered communication it offers, Republican communications staffers have actively encouraged their lawmakers to tweet away. And so they have.

Democrats seem all too willing to let it all slip away by not leveraging the new media approach to political campaigning.

Conservatives Ask - What Recession? What Health Care Crisis?

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, declaring last week that Texas is recession proof said, "... someone had put a report out that the first state that's coming out of the recession is going to be the state of Texas ... I said, 'We're in one?'" (video left)

Paul Burka of the Texas Monthly: "This gaffe is going to stick. ... You cannot be callous and cavalier when people are losing their jobs, [their health insurance] and their homes. I don't care how ideological the Republican base is. ... Everybody knows someone who is suffering in these times."

The Labor Department reported last week that 42 states lost jobs in August, up from 29 in July, with the biggest net payroll cuts coming in Texas, Michigan, Georgia and Ohio.

Texas lost 62,200 jobs as its unemployment rate rose to 8% in August for the first time in 22 years. The state's leisure, construction and manufacturing industries were hardest hit, losing 35,500 jobs.

The Labor Department report shows jobs remain scarce even as most analysts believe the economy is pulling out of the worst recession since the 1930s. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said earlier this week that the recovery isn't likely to be rapid enough to reduce unemployment for some time. The jobless rate nationwide is expected to peak above 10% next year, from its current 9.7%.

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) 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]

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.

For an average family of four in Dallas, medical care and health insurance this year will cost nearly $17,000. Of that, 41 percent – almost $7,000 – will be paid by the employee, MHBT found in a survey of 139 local businesses. "

Texas has the highest percentage of those without health insurance in the entire country. A Families USA report released in March found that the number of uninsured in Texas throughout 2007 and 2008 is around 9.3 million:

The report went further to say that 7.5 million Texans were uninsured for six months or more during that same time period and about 82.6 percent, were in working families, either working full or part-time.

An estimated 5,550 Texans are losing their health coverage each week, Families USA says in another report out in July 2009. “Rising like a deadly tide, escalating health care costs will have caused 866,580 Texans to lose their health coverage between January 2008 and December 2010,” the organization says.

The average health-care coverage for the average family now costs $13,375, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's 2009 Employer Benefits Survey. Over the past decade, premiums have increased by 138 percent. And if the trend continues, by 2019 the average family plan will cost $30,083.

About 160 million Americans receive health coverage through their employers. In general, the employer picks up 73 percent of the tab. This seems like a good deal. In reality, that money comes out of wages.

As Ezekiel Emanuel, who advises Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag on health-care policy, has pointed out, health-care premiums have risen by 300 percent over the past 30 years (and that's after adjusting for inflation). Corporate profit per employee has soared by 200 percent. Hourly earnings for workers, adjusted for inflation, have fallen. The wage increases have been consumed by health-care costs.

In a new study, "Health Insurance and Mortality in U.S. Adults," published in the online edition of the American Journal of Public Health, Harvard-based researchers found that uninsured, working-age Americans have a 40 percent higher risk of death than their privately insured counterparts, up from a 25 percent excess death rate found in 1993. The researchers estimate that lack of health insurance causes 44,789 excess deaths annually which are hight than previous estimate of 18,000 annual deaths published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2002.

“I can’t imagine that anyone from Texas who cares about this state would vote for Obama Care. I don’t care whether you’re Democrat or Republican,” Perry has said. Gov. Perry has no need to worry - Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Sam Johnson and every conservative Republican elected official in Texas stand united in their support of giving the private insurance industry a free hand to increase fees annually for increasingly reduced health coverage insurance policies sold to only those most likely to not get sick.

Though luck if you are unemployed and without health insurance. If you are employed, though luck, if neither you nor your employer can afford to buy health insurance coverage. Though luck, if you have insurance, but your insurance company cancels your policy as soon as are diagnosed with cancer or some other expensive to treat disease. Though luck trying to buy insurance, if you have a pre-exisiting health condition. And, tough luck, if your big corporate employer moves your job to China or India, where the government provides health coverage, to cut its overhead cost of U.S. employee private health insurance.

Rachel Maddow: From Fear To Eternity
On Health Reform - 09/21/09

527 Restrictions Lifted - Federal Appeals Court Overturns Campaign Finance Reform Law

A federal appeals court overturned campaign finance reform law regulations in a ruling on Friday that, if not reversed on appeal, will make it easier for independent "527" political groups to raise and spend money to influence elections.

The ruling frees political action groups to accept unlimited contributions and to spend unlimited funds independently supporting or opposing federal candidates.

The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit came in a lawsuit brought by Emily's List, a nonprofit political organization that backs female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights.

The group challenged several Federal Election Commission regulations, arguing that the rules violated its First Amendment rights by limiting its ability to spend and raise money to influence elections. Circuit judges Brett M. Kavanaugh and Karen LeCraft Henderson agreed that the regulations violate free speech rights. A third judge, Janice Rogers Brown, said the regulations were invalid for other reasons.

"The First Amendment, as the Court has construed it, safeguards the right of citizens to band together and pool their resources . . . to express their views about policy issues and candidates for public office," Kavanaugh wrote in his 44-page opinion.

Federal Election Commission (FEC) spokeswoman, Judith Ingram, said commission officials will review the opinion for a possible appeal to the full slate of appellate court judges or to the Supreme court.

The FEC's 2005 regulations, now repelled by the DC Circuit Court, prevented political groups such as Emily's List from raising unlimited amounts of "soft money," donations by unions, corporations and individuals, for activities such as voter registration drives and issue advertising. Soft money could not be donated to candidates or used to advocate the election of a candidate.

During the 2004 campaign, political groups, known as 527s, aggressively raised and spent soft money to run advertisements that attacked and supported candidates. The 2005 rules were designed to rein in such behavior by requiring groups to rely more on "hard money," strictly limited donations by individuals or political action committees.

The FEC regulation required political committees to use hard money for at least 50 percent of their generic get-out-the-vote efforts and voter registration drives. It also compelled the organizations to use hard-money accounts to pay all costs of advertisements that referred to a federal candidate. If a group's solicitations mentioned a specific candidate, the regulations required them to treat the donation as hard money.

Judge Kavanaugh wrote that such campaign finance restrictions were unconstitutional because they limited speech by political groups such as Emily's List. The rules "do not pass muster," he wrote, adding that they did not serve an anti-corruption purpose and had been enacted to "better equalize the voices of citizens and groups who participate in the political process."

The challenge by Emily's List is just one of several assaults on campaign finance laws and regulations in the courts. Last week, in a case with high stakes for campaign finance advocates, the Supreme Court heard arguments in an appeal that seeks to strip decades of restrictions on corporate support of candidates. [LATimes, RawStory]

New Texas Law Authorizes Bible "Literacy" In Public Schools

You may have recently heard news accounts of a new Texas law that authorizes Bible literacy studies in public schools. The law, which went into effect at the start of the 2009-2010 school year, was passed by the Texas Legislature in 2007 and allows Texas public schools to teach from the Bible as literature or as cultural context to history.

The ACLU has posted a notice about this law on its website and published a "Know Your Rights" document (PDF) for students and teachers. Here's an excerpt from the email they recently distributed:

My fellow Texan,

You may have recently heard news accounts of a law that deals with teaching Bible literacy in our state's public schools and went into effect at the start of the 2009-2010 school year.

This law, passed by the Texas Legislature during the 2007 session, authorizes Texas pubic schools to offer a high school elective course on the Bible’s role in history and literature.

We have received numerous inquiries from parents, students, teachers and concerned citizens regarding this law. To help guide you, the ACLU of Texas has published a fact sheet, titled Know Your Rights: The Bible In Texas Public Schools (PDF) ...

Parents interested in finding out how their individual school or overall ISD plans to introduce the Bible into classroom teaching plans should contact their their local school administrator, ISD board representative, and State Board of Education (SBOE) representative.

Republican Party's Favorability Strongest In The South

Northeast: DC, ME, VT, NY, MD, PA, CT, DE, MA, NH, RI, WV, NJ South: FL, NC, SC, AL, MS, GA, VA, TN, KY, LA, AR, TX Midwest: IL, MN, MI, OH, WI, IA, MO, KS, IN, ND, SD, OK, NE West: NM, CA, OR, WA, AK, HI, MT, ID, UT, NV, AZ, WY, CO

New results from the weekly Research 2000 poll conducted for Daily Kos. Most of the results are about what we've come to expect -- President Obama's ratings are more favorable than unfavorable (55% to 38%); neither congressional caucus is popular, though Dems are more than twice as popular as Republicans (39% to 18%), and the Democratic Party has a 41% favorable rating to the GOP's 23%.

When the Republican Party favorability poll numbers are broken down by region, the GOP's favorable vs. unfavorable numbers are very weak in Northeast (7% vs. 87%), and only marginally better in the Midwest (13% vs. 78%) and West (14% vs. 75%). In the South, however, 50% have a favorable opinion of the GOP, and only 37% have an unfavorable view.

Life In A Conservative World

Last weekend, tens of thousands of right-wing protesters invaded Washington, DC for the 9/12 March. Not only were they rallying against President Obama’s plans for health care reform, but more generally against government-run services “socialism!”

A large number of the tea party protesters relied on DC’s big "socialist" government run Washington Metropolitan Transit system to get around the city. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX 8th Dist.) has written a letter to DC Transit Authority complaining that the tea baggers found the DC transit service crowded and inadequate. In his letter, Rep. Brandy demands answers for the crowded and inadequate conditions on the metro line:

By David Horsey published in The San Antonio Express News

“These individuals came all the way from Southeast Texas [on 'socialist' built and maintained roads funded by the federal government] to protest the excessive spending and growing government intrusion by the 111th Congress and the new Obama administration,” Brady wrote. “These participants, whose tax dollars were used to create and maintain this ['socialist' DC Metro] public transit system, were frustrated and disappointed that our nation’s capital did not make a great effort to simply provide a basic level of ['socialist'] transit for them.”

A large part of the reason that the DC metro has had so many problems in recent years is that its tax-based funding was cut in the years conservatives controlled congress and the White House. Conservatives such as Sen. Tom Coburn (R-TX), has said that we [congress] shouldn’t steal tax money so that we can ride on the Metro. When a bill containing $150 million for emergency maintenance funding for the DC metro system came up this summer, Rep. Brady himself voted against such big government socalist spending.

Conservatives who protest "socialist" government services and advocate secession from our federalist form of government do not seem to stop and think about the comforts and safety they would give up in their conservative world of no federal government. The following essay says it all.

Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican by John Gray Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised. All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe’s bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry. Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor. Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe’s employer pays these standards because Joe’s employer doesn’t want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he’ll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn’t think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune. Its noon time, Joe needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe’s deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression. Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time. Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn’t want to make rural loans. The house didn’t have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republican’s would still be sitting in the dark) He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn’t have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home. He turns on a radio talk show, the host’s keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn’t tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day) Joe agrees, “We don’t need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I’m a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have”.xx

Civility

By Stuart Carlson posted at carlsontoons.com

NPR Fresh Air Program [37 min 27 sec] "A 'Shattered' Republican Party?"

In his new book "Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party," investigative reporter Max Blumenthal the movement that has transformed the Grand Old Party.

A Dozen Blue Dogs Block Insurance Reform

By Tom Daley 2008 Democratic candidate U.S. House of Representatives, TX 3th Congressional District

Last night, the President, in a blockbuster of a speech, reminded us that we all agree on the need for health insurance reform. He's right. Other than a few wing nuts on the Blogosphere and FOX, every one agrees that health insurance reform is badly needed. And in all polls--ALL POLLS--large majorities of the American people agree.

So what's stopping us?

The House of Representatives is ready to pass a strong, deficit-neutral bill. But as usual, it's the Senate that stands in the way. But it's not the entire Senate. In fact, an easy majority of Senators are on board. But as we've all come to know, either through 6th grade civics class or recent news stories, for all practical purposes, it takes 60 votes in the Senate to pass any substantive legislation.

I'll leave the details of the civics lesson to others. But what this means is that a simple majority won't do the trick--we need 60 Senators. Republicans continue to hide behind the numeric Democrat majority in the Senate by effectively saying, "If you want reform, then you've got the votes: go do it."

Exactly who in the Senate is blocking insurance reform?

The 12 blue dogs listed below. That's all. And here's where the most egregious antidemocratic effect lies: The Democrat Senators who are blocking reform represent barely 16% of the American population!

Here's the honor roll along with the population of the state (in millions)

1. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), pop 0.967 (more about his "framework" tomorrow)
2. Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN), pop 6.376
3. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), pop 6.549
4. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), pop 0.873
5. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), pop 0.641
6. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), pop 4.410
7. Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), pop 3.501
8. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), pop 2.855
9. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), pop 18.328
10. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) , pop 1.783
11. Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR), pop 2.855 (be sure not to count AR twice!!)
12. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), pop 3.790

That's right. Senators representing barely 16% of the American population are blocking insurance reform for 100% of the nation.

Once again, I urge you to keep writing letters, phone banking, and doing what you do. But direct it to those folks on the list above. They are the only people who stand between us and comprehensive insurance reform. That's it: TWELVE DEMOCRATS ARE BLOCKING COMPREHENSIVE REFORM.

Don't blame FOX "news" for spreading lies (they do, but we have to progress in spite of that).

Don't blame tea-baggers for their Klanish histrionics (it's an apt description, but they are side show freaks).

Don't blame Republican House members like Sam Johnson, Pete Sessions, or the rest of the North Texas delegation (they are irrelevant).

It's just 12 dogs who need to be heeled in and made to behave like the progressives they pretend to be at election time.

Last night, in what is probably the most substantive and powerful speech I've ever heard from any president, Pres. Obama rejoined the fight with fierce determination. Let's follow up by hammering on the last bastion defending the status quo: The Dozen Dogs.