Hillary Wins!

Hillary always wins. That's obvious to me and to Salon. They reviewed the Democratic debate last night and declared Hillary the bionic woman. Full disclosure: I only watched 25 minutes of it before taking a break then switching over to the almost-finale of Top Chef. The debate was kind of boring (except the parts where Hillary was laughing maniacally in response to the defensive, lessor rivals. Men: "Hillary, you are bad, bad, bad and wrong, wrong, wrong!" Hillary: "HA, HA, HA, HA, HAAAAAAA!)

Doesn't Hillary look like she is dying to use her bionic elbows to put the Kucinich-Gravel twins out of their misery right now? And, Edwards. Body language says, "Get me as far away from the next POTUS-in-an-orange-superhero-suit as possible. Obama is making sure he knows where she is at all times. In case she makes yet another move to use her super-strength to neutralize him.

I don't think these guys have a chance, even if they watch six million dollar man re-runs day and night until the next debate.

VoteVets.org Makes Texas The Battleground On Ending The War In Iraq

I received this press release today - great news! Also, the netroots has surpassed our goal of 800 online donations this quarter.

We are 38 donations away from 1000.

Can you help us reach that next milestone by the September 30th deadline?

Leading Veteran political organization for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans endorses Rick Noriega for Senate

VoteVets.org makes Texas the battleground on ending the War in Iraq

(Houston, TX) — VoteVets.org, the leading political organization for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, today endorsed the U.S. Senate candidacy of Rick Noriega in his effort to unseat incumbent Republican John Cornyn.

Founded in 2006 by Iraq War Veterans Jon Soltz and Jeremy Broussard, VoteVets.org has endorsed eight candidates, both Democrats and Republicans, and held 11 Members of Congress accountable for failing to provide body armor and health care to active service members. The organization’s Board of Advisors includes respected veterans who speak from experience, including General Wesley K. Clark (ret.) and former Senator Bob Kerrey.

“As an Afghanistan veteran, you are keenly aware that the current course we are on has not only brought our fine Army and Marine Corps to the breaking point, but has endangered our security,” Soltz wrote in his letter to Noriega, noting the growing threat of al Qaeda once again in Afghanistan and Pakistan. “The dose of reality you will bring to the floor of the Senate couldn’t come at a more important time.”

Noriega, who serves as a Lt. Col. in the National Guard, has been an outspoken critic of the Administration’s policies in Iraq, and John Cornyn’s failed leadership. “The problem is, we hold a private in the US Army to a higher level of accountability than the junior Senator from the state of Texas,” Noriega stated. “Real Texans don't vote against giving troops time home with their families. I've had the privilege of serving shoulder-to-shoulder with our men and women in uniform, and I'm ready to lead the fight in the US Senate to end this war."

Soltz, in his letter, called John Cornyn “one of the weakest voices on troops’ and veterans’ issues,” and noting his refusal to allow our military to refit and rearm along with his votes against care for veterans, he added “Texans have little to be proud of when it comes to John Cornyn’s record on veterans and troops.” The endorsement from VoteVets.org follows on the heels of the endorsement by the State Association of Fire Fighters, and a growing number of Democratic leaders supporting Noriega’s candidacy to represent the State of Texas in the United States Senate.

Hank Gilbert On the Trans Texas Corridor: Sept. 29 in Sugar Land

The Fort Bend County Democratic Party is sponsoring a talk at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, at First Colony Library by Hank Gilbert, on the proposed Trans Texas Corridor.

A former Democratic candidate for state agriculture commissioner, Gilbert has spoken to Democratic and Republican groups concerning this TTC.

The Trans Texas Corridor is a proposed road from Mexico to Oklahoma and eventually all the way to Canada. Taking land from farmers and ranchers via eminent domain, the environment, the possibility of Texas changing existing roads into toll roads, etc. We all need to know.

Come find out why you should be opposed to this TTC and also about the possibility of current roads being turned into toll roads. This is a non-partisan issue and Democrats and Republicans alike are opposed to this. The library is on Austin Parkway at Grants Lake in Sugar Land. For further information – call 281-240-6361.

(Thanks to Fort Bend Now for the heads up on this.)

Another Candidate Throws His Hat Into The TX-22 Race

A 25-year old from Sugar Land, Alan Steinberg, wants to be your Congressman. Hey, he has pictures of cute girls on his myspace page! Maybe he'll do well with that demographic. You need to know he went to A&M. I think that's important. He's got quite the bio. He's had fellowships and internships and published papers on weaponization of space, worked at the Department of Defense and started up a wireless company. Overachiever, thy name is Alan Steinberg. Hat tip to Pink Dome for unearthing the next candidate to join Talton/Hrbacek/Sekula-Gibbs/Manlove road show. (We assume he is a Republican right? He went to A&M, afterall.)

Another Great Texas Progressive Blogs Round-Up

Good stuff this week. I especially was interested in Easter Lemming Liberal News' info on Pasadena Mayor Manlove joining the race for TX-22 on the R side. You'll get a good laugh from the McBlogger entry and from PDiddie at Brains and Eggs. ---muse It's Monday, and that means it's time for yet another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Blog Round-Up. This week's installment is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex. It's about one thing. TXsharon at Bluedaze tells us why we have to make it about something else. Bill Howell of StoutDemBlog, a new member of the Texas Progressive Alliance, takes a look at Kirk England's recent party switch as well as other recent party switches in Dallas County in Rove's Permanent Majority Collapses: Now What Do We Do With All These Defectors? Boadicea at Texas Kaos wonders if MoveOn doesn't owe John Cornyn a thank you note. Musings discovers that the lead GOP presidential contenders are too busy for Black and Latino sponsored debates, while the local Harris County GOP claim they are home to Hispanics because of their once a year bike give away. Gary at Easter Lemming Liberal News has word on Mayor Manlove of Pasadena entering the race to challenge Lampson for Congress and the mayor's race it opens up He also has a short colorful digest of Naomi Klein promoting her book on Disaster Capitalism. WCNews at Eye on Williamson posts on recent news that Gov. Perry and Speaker Craddick - who Krussee excoriated at the end of the legislative session--will appear at a fundraiser for him in Krusee Throws Reagan Over The Wall And Under The Bus. Mayor McSleaze at McBlogger takes a look at some of the dumber things to come out of the right this week, like Bill O'Reilly's trip to a Harlem hot spot where he discovered that it was just like a 'real' restaurant, you know, like Olive Garden. Off the Kuff looks at the causes and effects of Kirk England's party switch. Refinish69 at Doing My Part For The Left looks at UT football and ask a simple question - UTLonghorns or UT Thugs. Burnt Orange Report and its diarists are following the Kirk England switchover with enthusiasm. After breaking the story on Wednesday, the entirestaff, welcomes the newest Democrat to the House. KT at Stop Cornyn shows how Junior Senator John Cornyn is wasting time again. Instead of getting funding for CHIP or getting our troops the armor they need, John Cornyn forced a vote condemning MoveOn.org. Yet another example of failed leadership and Junior John being out of touch with Texas needs. Evan at the Caucus Blog covered two major stories this week. First, after months of investigation, discussion, and debate, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus has decided to endorse the HISD bond proposal. Second, Evan has looked into the history of the fight for a federal Employment Non-discrimination Act in the post "ENDA Deja Vu." Bradley at North Texas Liberal discusses how Washington, D.C. almost had the vote, but lost it due to greedy Senate Republicans. Only eight Republicans could be bothered to vote for the legendary bill that would have allowed the District a voting member of Congress. The marriage of the Republican party to theocracy is no accident. Right wing investors like Richard Mellon Scaife are molding US churches, notes CouldBeTrue at in "What does an El Paso Church have to do with the right wing" at South Texas Chisme. It was quite a week for Senator Box Turtle; he led the Senate charge against free speech, voted against habeas corpus, and against adequate down time for our soldiers. As PDiddie at Brains and Eggs points out, he now owns the war on terror -- in addition to the war on the Constitution and all Americans. But he did unwittingly sponsor a successful fundraiser for MoveOn.org, so he wasn't a complete failure. WhosPlayin joins a local Republican activist in opposing tax abatements for speculative real estate development in Lewisville. Vince at Capitol Annex has been keeping tabs on the Texas Conservative Coalition and its town hall meetings across East Texas in which they propose to eliminate property taxes in favor of an expanded sales tax, and points out that at least one new candidate has already started drinking their Kool-Aid. Hal at Half Empty was at a campaign kickoff fundraiser for Ron Reynolds who is running for State Rep in HD 27. He took videos and did a series. Links to the series is at his summary posting: Ron E. Reynolds is Running for StateRep in HD 27. Blue 19th notes that Randy Neugebauer can't hide his contempt for veterans from everyone. So which party was it that supported our troops? Oh yeah, the one that doesn't start with "Republican".

Vote For Rick Noriega Today!

This is your first opportunity to cast your vote for Rick Noriega. Democracy for Texas is conducting a poll to determine who they will endorse in the Senate primary.

Go here to read Mikal Watts' and Rick Noriega's DFT questionnaire answers and VOTE!

Do it now. Voting ends on Saturday at midnight.

Republicans Too Busy For Hispanics And Blacks

Unlike Jared Woodfill of the Harris County GOP, who has time once a year to give bikes to Hispanic kids, the lead Republican GOP presidential contenders have such busy schedules that they can't attend Black and Latino sponsored debates:

"What's the win?" said the adviser, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. "Why would [the candidates] go into a crowd where they're probably going to be booed?"

Giuliani, Romney and McCain also declined to appear at events sponsored by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and the National Urban League, which Smiley said suggests a pattern of ignoring minority voters. He said debate organizers will set up lecterns showing the names of the absent candidates.

"When you reject every black invitation and every brown invitation you receive, is that a scheduling issue or is it a pattern?" he asked. "I don't believe anybody should be elected president of the United States if they think along the way they can ignore people of color. That's just not the America we live in."

They also aren't aren't attending a Tavis Smiley sponsored debate, nor will they agree to attend one sponsored by Univision. Yet, Jared Woodfill is convinced the GOP here in Harris County is home to Hispanics. I think we need to sponsor a "Give a Bike Back to the GOP Day" in Harris County.

ARRR!

It's Talk Like A Pirate Day. There's a TLAPD website with pictures of unattractive pirates - which begs the question, "are there attractive pirates?" Depends on if you are a Johnny Depp fan and think that he is gorgeous no matter what the costume and makeup (raises hand). I found a pirate speak translator. So I tried this:

Girl bloggers rock!

And, got this translation:

Aye, girl bloggers rock. Ye'll ne'er get me buried booty!

Well, obviously, the translator works. :)

NYT: Free At Last

Thank God. Now, all of the online content will be free again, with the exception of some archival stuff. Now people will actually read those columnists. And, I'll get to snark on them.

Monday's Texas Progressive Blog Round-Up

It's Monday, and that means it's time for another Texas Progressive Alliance Blog Round-Up. This week's round up is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex. As the TPA welcomed aboard a few new members this week, you may notice some new names and blogs. Muse at Musings liveblogs Lap Dog Cornyn’s portion of Petraeus’ appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee this past week and notes that he slobbers all over himself praising the surge. McBlogger at McBlogger goes to the CAMPO meeting on the Phase 2 toll roads and finds lies, damn lies and statistics as well as an Austin City Council Member who seems hell bent on ending his political career. Is resurrection possible? Sure... if you believe McCracken is the second coming. Spoiler alert: McBlogger doesn't. While on vacation, PDiddie at Brains and Eggs discovered quite a few similarities between the Texas Legislature and the Nevada State Assembly. Good news brought by TXsharon at Bluedaze: Bush Economy Solves Obesity Problem! Could Be True at South Texas Chisme notes that the Republican tactics of purging voter rolls, creating barriers to voting, and discouraging new voter registration are moving right along and could get serious in Bexar County. After the demolition of yet another historic structure in Houston, Charles at Off the Kuff looks at what can be done to abet preservation efforts going forward. Adam Silva of Three Wise Men, blogging for the UNT Democrats, provides a detailed analysis of competitive U.S. Senate races for 2008. City life can be complicated-but it includes an awfully lot of conveniences that we take utterly for granted-as long as they work. In Houston, We Have a Problem, on Texas Kaos, The Houston Organization of Public Employees (HOPE) invites all of us to get a little taste, so to speak, of what it takes to keep the fourth largest city in the nation running. WhosPlayin notes that some Republican Members of Congress just don't know when to stop digging a hole in continuing to support a failed president. Since 9/11, an increasingly strident message of xenophobia has seeped into both fringe and mainstream political movements. A new climate of exclusion has formed as a result of this country's heightened anxiety against racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. Whether or not intended as such, new Texas Progressive Alliance member Xicno Pwr at ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! tells us we are in the midst of a growing culture of hate as the number of hate crimes in this country are on the rise. WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the unintended consequences of the 2003 GOP redistricting scheme in Are Democrats Statewide Prospects Improving Because Of GOP Gerrymandering? Refinish69, another recent addition to the TPA, at Doing My Part for the Left examines sex scandals and hypocrites in the Repugnant Party and Texas Stonewall Caucus. Have Republicans moved in a "ringer" to challenge Chet Edwards in TX-CD 17? Vince addresses that in a post at Capitol Annex. The Texas Clover Leaf (a new member of the Alliance) notes that Alan Keyes has entered the GOP race for President, but asks if he is actually the Republican's version of Obama. Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal tells us about the controversy surrounding the preservation of trees at the Trinity Trail in Ft. Worth. John at Bay Area Houston tells us that Jared Woodfill, Chairman of he Harris County Republican Party, must think Hispanics are stupid with his recent op-ed in the Houston Chronicle "Hispanics can feel right at home in the Texas GOP". Jack Cluth at The People's Republic of Seabrook notes that it would seem that we've learned nothing from the 60s. Today, in allegedly-enlightened 21st century America, a man or woman can be fired from their job in 31 states for the simple fact of being a homosexual. Regardless of how you feel about the "lifestyle", how can anyone who values liberty and freedom be OK with this...especially with Americans dying in Iraq to "protect and defend out freedom"? Jaye at Winding Road in Urban Area addresses several things, including machine-gun-toting cops in a 'brain dump,' post, The Stream of Consciousness Just Overflowed the Toilet. (Please flush!) Todd Hill (another new addition to the Texas Progressive Alliance) blogging at Burnt Orange Report tells us all about a North Texas Tribute to Speaker Jim Wright. Matt at Stop Cornyn tells us how John Cornyn worked to disenfranchise minority voters while he was Attorney General. Evan Leslie at Caucus Blog (a new member of the Alliance) reviews the Houston GLBT Political Caucus's deliberations over its potential endorsement of the Houston Independent School District bond proposal. Don't forget to check out other Texas Progressive Alliance blogs, too: BlueBloggin (new member!), The Agonist, Blue 19th (new member!), In The Pink Texas, Grassroots News U Can Use (new member!), The Texas Blue (new member!), Casual Soap Box, Common Sense, Dos Centavos, Easter Lemming Liberal News, Feet To Fire, Marc’s Miscellany, Rhetoric & Rhythm, Three Wise Men, Truth Serum Blog, and Wyld Card.

Everybody Loves Guero's

I love Guero's Taco Bar in Austin. Amazing carne guisada soft tacos. Spectacular margaritas. Turns out Bill Clinton loves it, too! Imagine my dismay when I found out J.S. (Junior Senator) Cornyn, likes it, also:

The junior senator from Texas, known as Corn Dog by the president and John Cornyn to the rest of us, has hired a new campaign director, Rob Jesmer. The senator was teaching the Minnesota native a few Texas fundamentals on Thursday by taking him out for Mexican food at Guero's restaurant in Austin. The rest of politics, Jesmer has a pretty good handle on. He was part of the lopped off top echelon of the John McCain campaign, where he had served as political director. Before that he was the southeast political director of the Republican National Committee, and in 2002 he was a national field director for the national GOP's congressional committee. Before that, he was barely out of college.

Oh, goody! Cornyn has hired someone McCain ditched. From Minnesota! Sounds like a young 'un.

22

No, not 24 as in Jack Bauer and perimeters and treos that can be programmed to blow up buildings and Chloe looking all sad-sack-ish and Jack being un-dead all the time and wimpy girlfriend Audrey. 22 as in 22 more donations to Rick Noriega through ActBlue and bloggers will have reached our goal of 800 donors online by the end of the third quarter fundraising. Click here to do a quick and easy online donation and be one of the 22. How about a donation of $11.04, the date next year that Noriega beats Cornyn? November 4, 2008.

Press Release Parody

This "press release" is "Watts" funny today. I can't take credit for it, although I wish I could be that funny.

Bush Dyes, Soldiers Die

Um, what happened to Bush's gray hair? Obviously, this is a deliberate strategy to keep us from paying attention to his lame-o speech to the nation tonight. He's talking about Eye-Rain-Ee-Uns.

The guy is a failed comedian.

Everything he is saying tonight is a sick, sad joke.

On all of us.

Lapdog Cornyn Licks All Over Petraeus With His Big, Slobbery Tongue

The junior Senator from Texas, John Cornyn, had his turn today to question General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. Cornyn is often called Bush's lapdog, and the slobber was certainly flowing today. He started off with praise and admiration for Petraeus and Crocker and expressed SHOCK! at an anti-Petraeus Move On ad - and held it up for all to see - saying he had (HYPERBOLE ALERT) never witnessed a more reprehensible slander of a public servant. He asked that all members of the committee condemn this ad and restate confidence in General Betray Us (that ain't gonna happen). Cornyn also said (HYPERBOLE ALERT) that this is the first case he has ever seen while he has been in the Senate of shooting the messenger for bringing good news. He praised Petraeus for "talking to people in the neighborhood" - Syria, Iran and others. He also praised him for calling for (HYPERBOLE ALERT) "significant cuts" in troops, something "people in this room" have been calling for. (Way more people than just the people "in this room" have been calling for significant cuts, and Petraeus' call for a draw down to pre-surge force levels isn't the significant draw down we are looking for.) What kind of nonsense is this from Cornyn: "this is a strange time we find ourselves in." Whatever. It got interesting when Cornyn asked Crocker "what are the consequences of failure?", particularly in terms of a humanitarian crisis. Crocker answers that there there has already been a significant humanitarian crisis with 2 million people who've left the country and that many inside Iraq who are displaced, and that it is already a tragic situation. He says sectarian violence is the engine of displacement and that many areas have stabilized due to U.S. efforts (cough: geez, I guess he thinks we don't realize that our "liberating" troop presence brought all this sectarian violence on in the first place.) Cornyn then made a reference to Darfur, where he says there have been 400,000 killed in ethnic cleansing (did we know Cornyn had such concern about Darfur??) and asks if it could get this bad or worse - hundreds of thousands or millions killed in Iraq - if the U.S. pulls out. Crocker's answer is interesting. He said he would be very concerned about the U.S. backing away and signaling that there would not be a second surge in Iraq and elsewhere. The results could be truly catastrophic - although he doesn't know that would be so, nor is he saying that would be so. But, he predicts that neighboring states would go in and cause a meltdown in Iraq. Did we know that a second surge is being considered? So, the draw down to pre-surge levels - is that just a precursor to Bush asking for a second surge? And, the rumors/information we see on blogs about the U.S. attacking Iran - I think that is being more than hinted at here.

I'm A Texas Majority Builder!

The Texas Democratic Party has changed the name of its sustaining membership program to Texas Majority Builders. I like the new name - a lot.

What I remember about my sustaining membership was that I paid a one time fee of . . . something. The TDP is asking for monthly contributions in order to become a Texas Majority Builder. I don't have a problem with that. It will be charged to my credit card (I'm cheap; I chose $10/month, but hey, I'm doing my part.)

The funds will be used to enable the TDP to help take back Texas for Democrats.

After I signed up today, I got a message saying my welcome package will be arriving in a few weeks. A welcome package! I hope there is some swag in that.

You need to know that being a Texas Majority Leader is a no-brainer, if you plan on attending any TDP functions that have a cost either in the near future or at the state convention. Majority Leaders will get a discount. Here's an example:

Please Join
Betty and Boyd Richie
and the Texas Democratic Party

And Honorary Hosts
Representative Alma Allen
Representative Ellen Cohen
Representative Jessica Farrar
Representative Ana Hernandez
Representative Senfronia Thompson

With Special Guest
Mary Beth Cahill

Monday, September 24th

11:30am VIP Reception
12:00-1:30 pm Luncheon

Crystal Ballroom at the Rice Lofts
909 Texas Street
Houston, Texas

Tickets start at $100, or $50 for Texas Majority Builders. To purchase a ticket, click here.

So, in conclusion, Texas Majority Builders: no-brainer. Sign up here.

Craig Gets Caught With His Pants Down - Again

Uh oh. Bad things can happen when you program the wrong number into the contact list of your cell phone. Senator Larry Craig got caught leaving a "stratergy" message on what he thought was his lawyer's phone - 30 minutes prior to his recent press conference announcing his "intent" to resign. Instead, the message was left on some unknown person's phone who forwarded the message to Roll Call. You can hear the message here. From Roll Call (subscription only):

"Yes, Billy, this is Larry Craig calling. You can reach me on my cell. [Sen.] Arlen Specter [R-Pa.] is now willing to come out in my defense, arguing that it appears, by all that he knows, that I've been railroaded and all of that," Craig said on the voice mail. "Having all of that, we've reshaped my statement a little bit to say it is my 'intent' to resign on Sept. 30. "I think it is very important for you to make as bold a statement as you are comfortable with this afternoon and I would hope you could make it in front of the cameras," Craig continued. "I think it would help drive the story that I am willing to fight, that I've got quality people out there fighting in my defense, and that this thing could take a new turn or a new shape; it has that potential." Although it could not be determined who the Senator was trying to reach when he incorrectly dialed the phone number, Craig recently hired Washington, D.C., lawyer Billy Martin, who put out a statement Saturday in support of his new client. Craig spokesman Dan Whiting confirmed Tuesday that the incoming phone number identified by the cell phone where the voice mail was left is in fact the Senator's cell number. The cell phone's owner, who requested anonymity, said Craig's number has shown up on his phone as a missed call a handful of times over the past several weeks, but said that this was the first time the Senator left a message.

This guy keeps getting caught with his pants down. He flips, he flops. He's not gay, he's not gay, he's not gay. The GOP: The gift that keeps on giving.

Hillary Debate Watch Party In Houston This Sunday

America Con Hillary Democratic Debate Watch Party

When

Sunday, September 9, 2007 at 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Where

Irma's Southwest Grill 1314 Texas Ave at Austin Houston, TX 77002 General Area: Downtown Houston

Description

Please join Texas for Hillary hosted by Council Member Carol Alvarado with Senator Mario Gallegos and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee to complimentary appetizers and a cash bar on Sunday, September 9. Hillary will participate in an historic televised forum on issues of importance to the Latino community. Univision will broadcast the forum live and in Spanish from Miami at 6:00 p.m. CST. We are encouraging Hillary's Latino supporters from across the country, and their families and friends to host an "América con Hillary" Forum watch party. This is a great way for you to get involved and to help us grow our Hillary network.

Host: Texas for Hillary

Sounds like a fun event. Here's something else of interest for Hillary fans - North Texas Liberal attended a D.C. event for her and has a great write-up. I've heard Hillary speak twice and I haven't heard this story that she told at the D.C. thing:

She ended the speech with a story that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright once told her about visiting "behind the Iron Curtain" for a WWII memorial: she saw many American flags with only 48 stars. When President Clinton's cabinet member asked them why they had these old flags, it was explained to her that they were family heirlooms that were first given to them by American soldiers. The flags, in pristine condition, represented freedom that many of these people could only ever hope for. Not only did Sen. Clinton say that this sentiment should still be felt abroad, but she said that she wants us to be able to feel it about ourselves, as well. We should be proud to be Americans, where we value liberty and democracy.

Cool.

Texas Blog Round-Up

Even though it's Labor Day, Texas Progressive bloggers are still hard at work! The Texas Progressive Alliance is proud to present the TPA Blog Round-Up for September 3, 2007. This Labor Day edition was compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex. In the opening part of his in-depth series on the policies of the Democratic presidential candidates, Phillip Martin at Burnt Orange Report examines where the candidates fall on issues concerning energy and the environment. From their stance on CAFE standards to new coal plants, to renewable energy and greenhouse emissions, the post provides a well-sourced comparison of all 8 of the candidates' platforms. Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal lets us know that, even after embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' resignation, Texas' unpopular Sen. John Cornyn is still defending Bush's crony. As Bush prepares to ask Congress for $200 billion in supplemental spending, TXsharon at Bluedaze tells us just who The Iraq War Profiteers are. Muse at Musings liveblogs NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's press conference about astronauts and alcohol use and finds his "sensationalism" and "urban legend" accusations of the independent commission's report a little tiresome. Not to mention defensive. Over at Texas Kaos, in "Clinton Did Nothing to Stop Bin Laden" Is a GOP Lie, Krazypuppy takes on the Republican lie that Democrats are soft on terror, with some of them facts we in the Reality Based Community are all about. As one commenter notes, Dems aren't weak on terror, they're weak on Republicans. Time for that to change, for America's sake, Iran's sake, and the entire world's sake. Someone shoved a press release under Hal at Half Empty's nose: Ron E. Reynolds will challenge Dora Olivo for state Representative in HD 27. WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on TxDOT's plan to buy back interstate highways from the federal government and put tolls on them, and asks Will TxDOT' Plan To Toll Interstates Be Tipping Point? The last public hearing prior to METRO choosing a route for its Universities light rail line was held this past Tuesday. Alexandria Ragsdale attended the hearing, made her statement in favor of a Richmond Avenue alignment, and blogged all about it at Off The Kuff Whosplayin.com shares correspondence with his Congressman urging the avoidance of pre-emptive war against Iran and shares a study regarding the administrations probable plans on the matter. John at Bay Area Houston claims the recent changes to the Texas Residential Construction Commission makes it the most expensively worthless Commission in Texas. Vince at Capitol Annex examines some interesting questions raised by the lawsuit against the changes to the pledge to the Texas flag made by the 80th Legislature. Unchecked development in Texas now threatens the continued long-term existence of an iconic bird species, the Whooping Crane, notes Peter at B & B. CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme shows how El Paso Women are taking a stand against NAFTA. These courageous women staged a hunger strike for the Labor Day weekend to bring attention to the loss of American jobs due to NAFTA. And, McBlogger will be celebrating a birthday soon and has some convenient gift ideas for everyone. Be sure to check out these other great Texas Progressive Alliance blogs, too: Brains & Eggs, Casual Soap Box, Common Sense, Dos Centavos, Easter Lemming Liberal News, Feet To Fire, In The Pink Texas, Marc's Miscellany, People's Republic of Seabrook, Rhetoric & Rhythm, Three Wise Men, Truth Serum Blog, Winding Road In Urban Area, and Wyld Card.

Texas GOP Grasping At Straws

1300 of the expected 20,000 GOP "delegates " showed up at the Fort Worth convention center on Saturday to vote in a presidential straw poll. To prove the irrelevancy of the exercise, they did the right thing and cast the most votes - 41% - for an irrelevant candidate, Rep. Duncan Hunter of the great liberal state of California. Number two, with 20% of the vote, was "I Look Even Older Than I Am" Fred Thompson and number three was Texan Ron "yee haw, I'm on the internets" Paul with 17%. "This is very gratifying," Hunter said, (but not in a Larry Craig in a bathroom stall kind of way.) A delegate was overheard saying, "It's important to bring (the pitiful few of) us together" (so we can swap prostitution and gay sex in public stories.) Tina Benkiser, she who controls God's Only Party in Texas, said "we will not quit, we will not retreat", (we will not surrender, we will pretend Tom DeLay is still telling us what to do.) There was a $50 early fee and a $75 onsite fee to vote in the GOP straw poll. Delegates had to have been a delegate to a recent state or national GOP convention. There was also the expense of getting to Fort Worth. Texas Democrats, on the other hand, are conducting an e-primary poll through Friday, September 7th. It's free. It's online. Go check it out.