TX Senate Not To Confirm Creationist Don McLeroy As Chairman Of The State Board of Education, Or Maybe They Will

Update Wednesday May 20, 2009 - He's back - Chairman Don McLeroy got his once-imperiled nomination approved by the Senate Nominations committee this afternoon in a 4-2 vote. Lobbying effort's have apparently been under way for weeks - it worked. McLeroy's nomination could reach the full Senate for debate and a vote by Monday or Tuesday.

Senate confirmation of Don McLeroy, as chairman of the State Board of Education, is dead in the water, according to the Senate Nominations Committee chairman. (Statesman.com)

McLeroy, a dentist, was first appointed board chairman by Republican Governor Rick Perry in the summer of 2007. Young earth creationist McLeroy, recently reappointed as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) by Gov. Perry, believes Texas students should be taught the earth is only 6,000 to 10,000 years old and that modern man and dinosaurs walk the earth together.

Texas State Senate Nominations Committee Chairman Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, said that McLeroy's nomination will be left pending in committee because there is enough opposition on the floor of the Senate to block his confirmation, which requires approval of two-thirds of the senators. Senate Democrats alone could stop McLeroy's confirmation, but Republicans, too, have taken issue with the board.

McLeroy will keep his seat as a board member even if he was not confirmed as board chairman. Perry would then appoint a chairman from among the other board members who would not face Senate confirmation until 2011. Perry will likely continue to pander to the evangelical base of Texas Republicans and simply appoint one of the other creationists currently sitting on the board of education who also opposes teaching evolution in Texas school science class rooms.

Perry is playing politics with Texas Students - Perry's anti-Washington secessionist rhetoric and pandering on a range of right-wing social issues, including teaching creationism in Texas schools, is clearly working with the Texas Republican base. Perry is trying to woo the right-wing base 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.

The Texas House of Representatives approved a constitutional amendment in late April that would move the decisions about the $17.5 billion Permanent School Fund away from the state board of education to an appointed council of financial professionals. Plus, a bipartisan group of Texas State Senators introduced a bill to take away the elected board's authority over curriculum and textbooks.

The high-profile, bloody curriculum battles and controversial comments from creationist board members has Texas legislators, both Republicans and Democrats, in the mood to leave the state board of education headless and toothless after this session. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Texas legislature will have time to actually take up these measures by the time the session adjourns on June 1st.

Related Posts:

• Young Earth Creationists Win The Day On Questioning Evolution In Texas Classrooms
• Science Takes Hits in Texas
• Texas School Board Set to Vote on Challenge to Evolution
• Texas House Bill End Run To Teach Creation In TX Schools
• Teaching Creationism Has Evolved

Stem Cell Prohibition Stripped From Texas Budget

The controversial budget rider prohibiting state dollars from going to medical research using embryonic stem cells, which was strongly supported by Gov. Perry, won't make it into the final version of the budget bill. Gov. Perry has been touting his support of legislation to eliminate stem cell research from Texas to religious-right conservative groups in the run up to his primary election face-off with Kay Bailey Hutchison. More at The Statesman. . .

Perry Adviser Likens Hutchison's Campaign Camp To A "Whorehouse"

Women supporting Kay Bailey Hutchison's run for the Texas governor's mansion are demanding an apology from Rick Perry for remarks that they say disparage women. In a letter to the Perry camp, the women accuse political adviser Dave Carney of likening Hutchison's campaign camp to a "whorehouse." Read more in the DMN

As if Perry hasn't been prostituting himself to religious social-conservatives with his high-profile support for a "Choose Life" license plate motto, high-profile criticism of "Washington" and Obama's economic stimulus legislation, refusal of federal stimulus money for jobless benefits, conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh to move to Texas, teaching only "abstinence" sex education in Texas schools, teaching creation in public schools by appointing a young earth (earth age only 6,000 years) creationist as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education and preventing stem cell research in Texas.

Republicans Eliminating The Straight Party Vote Option

The Republican authored bill (SB 317) that would limit voters' choices by denying them the ability to cast a straight party vote was placed on the Senate intent calendar today. (During a regular session, a bill or joint resolution may be brought up for floor debate out of its regular order by filling a notice of intent the secretary of the senate.) So, SB 317 is up for debate and a possible vote on the Senate floor on Wednesday.

Texas voters, both Democrats and Republicans, have already sent a message to Texas legislators that they oppose SB 317 by voting the straight party option in record numbers during the last election. Yet, Republican proponents of this legislation suggest that a voter who casts a straight party ticket is somehow making a less educated choice than a voter who makes their selections one race at a time.

Call your State Senators and let them know you want to keep your straight party vote option. Ironically, in Collin County, Republican voters choose to cast a straight party vote in greater numbers than Democrats.

Click Here to find your State Senator's contact information.

GPS System Left To Age into Failure By Lack Of Reinvestment

Network of GPS satellites could begin to fail as early as 2010 - another legacy of the Bush presidency operating under the conservative philosophy of governance; Government can never provide for the common good of its citizens, so why make the effort to make it work? Better to just cut taxes and hope someone else will take care of it!

It has become one of the staples of modern, hi-tech life and warfare: using satellite navigation tools built into cars, mobile phones and the military's smart bombs. According to a study by the US government accountability office (GAO), mismanagement and a lack of investment means that some of the crucial GPS satellites could begin to fail as early as next year. The report says that Air Force officials [which includes the chain of command up to President Bush] have failed to execute the necessary reinvestment planning to replace 20-year-old GPS satellites as they reach the end of their expected service live.

"It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption," said the report, presented to Congress. "If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected."

Russia, India and China are deploying satellite navigation systems that could surpass the U.S. system as the commercial standard for GPS devices. So, under the conservative philosophy of governance that dictates - it's better to just cut taxes and hope someone else will take care of it - turns out Russia, India and China is that someone else! And that's good for National Security?
Read More. . .

Hutchison-Perry Governor's Office Race Shows The GOP's Struggle For Identity

The Hutchison-Perry governor's office race is viewed as a test of whether the GOP's social-conservative wing will shape the party's future. DMN: March 2010 Texas primary could define GOP future:

"You've got a very hard case to make that Kay Bailey Hutchison wouldn't be the stronger [November 2010] general election candidate," said Charles Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report. "To me, she projects moderation, which is great – except in a Republican primary."

Perry has the clear advantage in the March primary, Cook said. Recent GOP primaries have averaged around 650,000 voters, and religious conservatives have dominated the outcome.

Hutchison [is not popular with religious social-conservatives because she] supports embryonic stem cell research and abortion rights, though she backs restrictions on abortion such as a ban on federal funding for organizations that perform abortion and a ban on late-term procedures.

Perry has been making a focused effort to appeal to the religious social-conservatives with his high-profile support for a "Choose Life" license plate motto, high-profile criticism of "Washington" and Obama's economic stimulus legislation, refusal of federal stimulus money for jobless benefits, conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh to move to Texas, teaching only "abstinence" sex education in Texas schools, teaching creation in public schools by appointing a young earth (earth age only 6,000 years) creationist as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education and preventing stem cell research in Texas.

Hutchison likely will not win the GOP primary next March unless she can convince independents go to their polling place, ask for the Republican primary election ballot (rather than the Democratic Primary ballot) and mark that ballot for Hutchison. "You can't win a major race without the independents, and independents are leaving the Republican Party." says Galen, a GOP political consultant, as quoted in the DMN article.

So, "the big question" for the March 2010 primary is, can Hutchison motivate enough independents to get out the vote for her? And, if they don't vote for Hutchison, will they just stay home or will they vote for one of the Democratic primary candidates for governor? All that likely depends on whether a strong Democratic candidate emerges for the governor's race. (It is not clear that "strong" Democrat has yet announce for the governor's race.) Even nine months out from when primary early voting starts in February 2010 there seems to be little doubt that Republican conservatives will be motivated enough to not only get out and vote for Perry, but also work to help get out the vote for him.

Related links:

• Is The GOP Shrinking In Collin Co. Like It Is Nationally?
• Republican Brand Growing Weak In Texas
• Where Did All the Republicans Go?
• Texas voters increasingly unhappy with GOP - DMN
• Poll's shocking SOS for Texas GOP - DMN

Perry: I Don't Advocate Secession

Gov. Rick Perry, in an op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman, claims he never advocated or supported the idea or possibility of secession at last month’s tea part anti-tax rallies. Read Perry's op-ed at the Austin American-Statesman.

Last month Gov. Perry so incited an anti-tax "tea party" with his anti-Washington and states' rights rhetoric that the audience began to shout, "Secede!" "We've got a great union," Perry said,

"There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it - But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. "

This was less than a week after Perry appeared with sponsors and supporters of a Texas House resolution affirming the state's claim of sovereignty. Later, in response to reporters' questions, Perry said,

"At some point Texans might get so fed up they would want to secede from the union. There's a lot of different scenarios. ...if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that..."

Perry added that when Texas entered the union in 1845 it was with the understanding it could pull out. Perry got that wrong, however; Texas negotiated the power to divide into five additional states at some point, but Texas did not reserve the right to secede.

President Obama’s Notre Dame Commencement Speech

As Catholics and pro-life activists protested President Obama’s Notre Dame commencement speech, the President reminded people that a woman's right to choice, or not, is a serious issue and opposing opinions may never agree, but the debate should focus on facts and the difficult decisions faced by women:

“So let’s work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies, and making adoption more available, and providing care and support for women who do carry their child to term.”

YouTube.com/watch: Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3 and Part 4

AP transcript of Obama’s Notre Dame speech

New Chairperson Of The Denton County Democratic Party

Phyllis Wolper last week was elected to serve as the new Chairperson of the Denton County Democratic Party.

Ms Wolper, a Denton real estate agent who replaces Neil Durrance after he resigned to prepare for his 2010 run for Congress, has been active with the Denton County Party for the last 3 years.

Ms Wolper also founded and served as President of the Democratic Business Referral Club, and was the Chairperson of the Business Outreach committee of the Denton County Democratic Party.

Phyllis ran a tough, but unsuccessful race for one of the Denton County Commissioner precincts in 2008.

A Discussion With Collin County Commissioners' Court Judge, Keith Self

On Monday, May 18, from 6:45 to 9 P.M. the Texas Democratic Women of Collin County (TDWCC) will host guest speaker Collin County Commissioners' Court Judge, Keith Self.

Judge Self will discuss the workings of the Collin County Commissioners' Court and answer questions from the audience.

The Texas Constitution vests broad judicial and administrative powers in the position of County Commissioners' Court 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. Judge Keith Self is the Presiding Commissioners' Court Judge for Collin County.

The Commissioners' Court approves the annual budget and all county expenditures, sets the county property tax rates, approves the tax roll and determines public works policy such as building programs and conducting elections. The court appoints most non-elected department heads and standing committees and represents the county in state and regional matters. Members of the court also serve as Trustees of the Collin County Health Care Foundation, Collin County Housing Finance Corporation, and the Collin County Substance Abuse Foundation.

Advanced questions for Judge Self may be submitted by e-mail to TDWCC Programs Chairperson, Prissy Wisnewski at 'programs@tdwcc.org.' Questions will be compiled prior to the meeting so that Judge Self can cover as many topics and questions as possible.

All are welcome to attend on Monday, May 18, from from 6:45 to 9 P.M. at Collin College, 9700 Wade Blvd. Frisco, in the Founders Hall building, Rm F249 for an interesting evening of conversation with Judge Keith Self.

The four county commissioners vote with the presiding county judge to:

• Set the yearly property tax rate;
• Approve the budget and employment level for the county;
• Set commissioners and justice of the peace precinct boundaries;
• Call, conducts and certifies elections, including bond elections;
• Set employment and benefit policy;
• Establish long-range thoroughfare, open space, land use, financial and law enforcement/jail needs plans;
• Acquire property for rights-of-way or other uses determined to be in the public's best interest;
• Review and approve subdivision platting and waste water treatment for rural areas;
• Provide rural ambulance services and subsidizes rural fire protection;
• Oversee the construction, maintenance and improvement of county roads and bridges;
• Appoint non-elected department heads and standing committees;
• Supervise and controls the county courthouse, county buildings and facilities;
• Adopt a county budget;
• Determine county tax rates;
• Assure that county roads are maintained;
• Fill vacancies in elective and appointive positions; and
• Exorcise exclusive authority to authorize contracts in the name of the county.