Gov. Perry Hosting Tea Party 2.0 Tele-Town Hall On Thursday

Texas Gov. Rick Perry so incited participants of three conservative anti-tax (and largely anti-Obama) "tea party" rallies with his anti-Washington and states' rights rhetoric on April 15th that the audience began to shout, "Secede!"

Perry has further sparked approval of the Texas hard-right Republican base with his secessionist talk and fiery anti-Washington rhetoric on his support of a Texas sovereignty resolution in the Texas legislature.

Perry's anti-Washington secessionist rhetoric and pandering on a range of right-wing social issues is clearly working with the Texas Republican base Perry is trying to woo away from Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) who will oppose Perry in the 2010 GOP primary next March.

An internal poll from Perry's campaign finds Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) beating him in a Republican primary now by just 45% to 39%. A more recent Rasmussen poll shows Perry passing Hutchison 42% to 38% in the last month. Hutchison was far ahead of Perry just a few months ago.

Hoping to build on his fiery “tea party” anti-tax, secessionist and anti-Washington rhetoric momentum of the last month, Perry will host a “Tea Party 2.0” tele-town hall with Republican Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina Thursday. 30,000 people are expected to dial into the teleconference town hall. This is an excellent way for the incumbent governor to gather phone numbers and email addresses he can later use to solicit campaign donations and volunteer support in his campaign against Kay Bailey Hutchison.

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Before the Storm - Barry Goldwater

Part 1 Part 2

Back in the 1960's, the GOP ran a candidate that was so out of touch with society and full of some of the worst ideas in political history that he lost the 1964 election in a landslide.

But Barry Goldwater's legacy is still alive in the GOP, and many believe that it was his right-wing fringe ideas that helped boost Ronald Reagan into the White House.

Today, the Republican Party is so desperate for a new direction that they're trying to resurrect the failed Goldwater ideals to breathe new life into their party.

Mike Papantonio of Air America's Ring of Fire talks about why this might be the worst idea the GOP's had in a long time with Rick Perlstein, author of the book "Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus."

Kinky Friedman Looking To Democratic Primary In March'10

Humorist and political satirist Kinky Friedman announced the names of two more well known Texans, Houston lawyer Richard "Racehorse" Haynes and former Austin councilman and UT regent Lowell Lebermann, to advise him on his possible run for governor on the Democratic primary ballot next March. Already advising Friedman are former Ag Commissioner and pundit Jim Hightower and San Antonio lawyer Abel Dominguez. Friedman finished fourth and netted 12 percent of the vote in his independent run for governor in 2006. DMN trailblazersblog.

Long time Texas Democrat Tom Schieffer is also exploring a run for the Texas governor's office. (website)

Tom Schieffer is a former State Representative, former partner in the Texas Rangers, brother to Face the Nation moderator Bob Schieffer, and Bush-era Ambassador to Australia and Japan.

Schieffer, a lifelong Democrat, did endorse G.W. Bush for the offices of both Governor and President, but he supported Barack Obama for the 2008 primary and general election, and he supported Democrat Chris Bell in the 2006 Governor's race. Conventional wisdom suggests that Schieffer can attract not only Democrats, but Independents and even some moderate Republicans.

• Todd Hill of the Burnt Orange Report sat down for an extended interview with Tom Schieffer in March. (D)

Politics 101 Seminars By The Texas Democratic Women of Collin County

On Monday, May 11, from 7-9 p.m. the Texas Democratic Women of Collin County are hosting the first of the organization's planned series of "Politics 101" seminars. The purpose of these seminars is to promote increased political awareness, activity and influence of Democratic women in TX politics and government.

In the first seminar Bill Baumbach and Victor Manuel, former candidates, will explain the workings of the Collin County Court of Commissioners.

All are welcome. . . Please plan to attend on Monday, May 11, from 7-9 p.m. at Collin College in Frisco, Founders Hall, Rm F148 to learn about the County Commissioners Court.

	VICTOR MANUEL 2008 Candidate For Collin County Commissioner, Precinct 3 www.victor4collincounty.com

The Texas Constitution vests broad judicial and administrative powers in the position of County Judge, who presides over a five-member Commissioner's Court.

Four Commissioners, each elected to a commissioners precinct representing approximately a quarter of the county's population, serve with the Presiding County Judge on the Commissioners Court. Click the map.

Members of the Collin County Commissioners Court also serve as Trustees of the Collin County Health Care Foundation, Collin County Housing Finance Corporation, and the Collin County Substance Abuse Foundation.

In addition to assuring that county roads are maintained, commissioners vote with the county judge to set the budget for all county departments and adopt a tax rate. The County Commissioners Court also:

• Sets the yearly property tax rate and approves the budget and employment level for the county;
• Sets commissioners and justice of the peace precinct boundaries;
• Calls, conducts and certifies elections, including bond elections;
• Sets employment and benefit policy;
• Establishes long-range thoroughfare, open space, land use, financial and law enforcement/jail needs plans;
• Acquires property for rights-of-way or other uses determined to be in the public's best interest;
• Reviews and approve subdivision platting and wastewater treatment for rural areas;
• Provides rural ambulance services and subsidizes rural fire protection;
• Oversees the construction, maintenance and improvement of county roads and bridges;
• Appoints non-elected department heads and standing committees;
• Supervises and controls the county courthouse, county buildings and facilities;
• Adopts a county budget;
• Determines county tax rates;
• Fills vacancies in elective and appointive positions; and
• Has exclusive authority to authorize contracts in the name of the county.

Your Collin County Commissioner's Court Precinct Number can be found on your 2008 Orange Voter's Registration Card within the box titled "Com."