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Around Texas
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11-14-09 |
Tex Mess
by William Murchison
Just what conservatives
need right now -- a family feud in our largest conservative state. "You
louse!" "You heel!" "Get that thumb out of my eye!" "No -- put down that
frying pan first!"
Part I of III: The Left’s War on U.S. History - Have Liberal Activists
Hijacked Texas’ Social Studies Curriculum Process?
by Bill Ames
In Part I of a
three-day series of articles here, Bill Ames today reveals how various
left-leaning groups in Texas might have come together to hijack the social
studies review process in order to promote their agenda of indoctrinating
Texas’ public school students with a negative, politically biased view of
America.
Update on Texas' New Science Standards
by Ken Mercer
At the January 2009
meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) debated the new textbook
standards for Science. As noted in the public record of that meeting, the
SBOE was in 99% agreement with the science experts' document.
Rick Perry Campaign Update 11-10-09
Texas Medical
Association endorses Governor Perry for re-election!
Serve on Governor Rick Perry’s Campaign
Help reelect a friend,
teach your children how government works, and fulfill the state requirement
to teach a course in good citizenship.
Texan of the Year … Rick Perry?
by William McKenzie
Love him or hate him –
and trust me, there are plenty of Texans in each camp – you can't ignore
Rick Perry. Our governor's domination of the 2009 news cycle makes him my
nominee as this newspaper's Texan of the Year.
Houston Sheriffs Round up Thousands of Illegals
While Sheriff Joe
Arpaio in Phoenix gets all the media attention for his crackdown on illegal
immigrants, eight deputies in an unremarkable office at the Harris County
Jail are posting similar numbers for deportation -- and doing so without
controversy.
New Endorsements Mark Ongoing Momentum of Governor's Campaign
In the last several
days, Gov. Perry has earned more endorsements from important statewide
groups including the Texas Association of Builders HOMEPAC, Texas
Association of Manufactures MPACT, the Texas Medical Association TEXPAC, and
the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists PAC.
Election 2010: Texas Republican Primary
Governor Rick Perry is
back out front of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison with an 11-point lead in the
2010 Republican Primary gubernatorial race in Texas. |
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11-07-09 |
True Phonics is Back in Texas Textbooks
by Ken Mercer
In May of 2008,
education liberals attacked me for my decisive vote to move Texas public
schools into the teaching of explicit and systematic phonics, back-to-basics
grammar and usage, expository and persuasive writing, spelling, penmanship,
and quality literature.
Perry leads KBH by 12
Gov. Rick Perry leads
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison by 12 percentage points in the Republican
primary for governor, but she does better than him in hypothetical matchups
with Democrats in next November's general election.
Texas GOP Senators Advanced Gay U.S. Attorney Candidate
The Dallas Morning
News outed Republican Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison
yesterday for making a rather uncharacteristic decision in one of their U.S.
Attorney recommendations.
Senate Favorite Would Make History
Railroad Commissioner
Michael Williams is emerging as a favorite to be named as U.S. Sen. Kay
Bailey Hutchison's successor if she resigns to run for governor, creating
the possibility he could become the first black U.S. senator from Texas.
Houston Tea Party Rally Draws More than 10,000
More than 10,000 people
turned out Monday night for a North Houston Tea Party Patriots gathering to
protest proposed health care reform and what they called big government
spending and overzealous government leadership, according to preliminary
attendance figures. |
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10-31-09 |
Rebuttal to the Express-News
by Ken Mercer
On Thursday, October
15, the San Antonio Express-News published a long editorial
announcing an opponent to my re-election in the March Republican Primary for
the Texas State Board of Education.
Adams Wins Election: Now What?
by Will Lutz
Now that Cathie Adams
is chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, what’s next? Adams said
recruiting good candidates and raising the money to fund them is her next
top priority.
Stacy Kuykendall's Statement about the 1991 Fire
Stacy Kuykendall, the
ex-wife of Cameron Todd Willingham, offers her first detailed account of the
1991 fire that claimed the lives of her three daughters and led to
Willingham’s
execution in 2004. Todd set our house on fire then stood outside and watched
it burn, Kuykendall asserts, saying she agrees with Gov. Rick Perry’s
portrayal of her husband as a monster.
Perry-Hutchison Fight May Cause Major Fallout in GOP
Texas Democrats
watching the state’s top two Republicans fight for their party’s
gubernatorial nomination are glad that Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay
Bailey Hutchison have apparently abandoned the Republicans’ 11th
Commandment, established during Ronald Reagan’s run for California governor
in 1966: Thou shall not speak ill of another Republican.
Perry, Hutchison Slug It Out on Web
A bruising political
battle like the one between Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison
usually means a slew of tough television ads. But for now, the candidates
are saving their barbs for the Web.
Hutchison in a Pickle over When to Resign
by Peggy Fikac
It looks like U.S. Sen.
Kay Bailey Hutchison can't win — and no, I'm not talking about the
governor's race. I'm talking about the resignation question — that
when-will-she-do-it mystery that occasionally morphs into the
will-she-or-won't-she debate.
Smokescreen of a Wannabe Governor
By Ken Herman
Life has its eternal
mysteries, never to be solved by mere mortals (or even newspaper
columnists). These would include the BCS college football system and who put
Al Sharpton in charge of anything. Then there are the periodic mysteries
that pop up every four years or so.
Governor's Race: Is Cheney Key to Conservatives' Vote in Texas Primary?
Kay Bailey Hutchison's
campaign hopes the endorsement of former Vice President Dick Cheney will
help woo conservatives in the GOP base that will be key to winning the
Republican nomination for governor.
New GOP Chair Nearly Sidelined in 2007 Wreck
by W. Gardner Selby
The car was headed off
a cliff with Republican powerhouse Cathie Adams of Dallas destined for 13
broken ribs and months of little activity. Boy, did she recover. Adams,
59, is the new chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas — a huge rebound,
considering she could have been permanently sidelined by the December 2007
crash.
Texas GOP Stuck in Reverse
by Editors of
dallasnews.com
Dallas County
Republican Party chief Jonathan Neerman has been working to shore up the
local GOP in a time when local government has gone Democratic and the
national Republican Party has been in freefall. He's been trying to reach
out to younger voters, who are more secular and more socially moderate than
many older Texas Republicans.
Texas Gubernatorial Candidates Spar over Endorsements
Endorsements,
transportation and even the Texas Rangers — the peace officers, not the
baseball players — were on the minds of gubernatorial candidates Thursday.
What’s the Real Agenda behind the Willingham Brouhaha?
by Janet Jacobs
When I moved back to
Corsicana, I figured my dealings with the "big boys" in big media were over.
I worked at a major metro daily once, and it was swell, but I was glad to
get out, away from the office politics, the pressure and the big-city
traffic.
Governor Perry Receives More Endorsements
Governor Perry received
several big endorsements just this week from the Texas Association of
Builders, Texas Association of Manufacturers and Mississippi Governor Haley
Barbour.
CPS in Need of Major Reform
Gov. Rick Perry came to
San Antonio at the beginning of the legislative session in 2005 to announce
a major reform of the state's Child Protective Services. In the months
leading up to the announcement, a number of child deaths that resulted from
abuse — including several in Bexar County — shocked Texans. |
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10-24-09 |
No Home Schooler Left Behind?
by Tim Lambert
This week I responded
to a letter from a woman in Amarillo who wrote to express her strong
disagreement with our publicly stated support of the Leeper vs Arlington ISD
decision that the Texas Supreme Court rendered in 1994. As many Texas home
schoolers know, that decision upheld the Tarrant County lower court decision
that clarified that home schools in Texas have historically been considered
private schools by the Texas Legislature. As private school students, home
school students are therefore exempt from the compulsory attendance laws as
are all private school students in the state.
Perry and the Realtors
by BurkaBlog
I attended the
governor’s speech to the realtors yesterday. If the Hutchison folks
videotaped it, they got an eyeful, and not one that they would have liked.
He was greeted with a robust ovation accompanied by the waving of placards
that said, “Realtors for Perry.” I was standing outside the room at the
time, and it was LOUD, even through closed doors. My summary of the speech,
which follows, reflects my notes, not the actual text.
New Study on Texas House Trends, KBH Resignation in Limbo?
by Mike Hailey
A new report on
partisan shifting in Texas House districts suggests that seven seats that
Republicans currently hold are within the Democrats' reach in what the
author of the study defines as GOP swing districts based on voting trends in
the last two election cycles.
Perry, Hutchison Lock Horns in Texas Race
Republican infighting
is getting nasty early in Texas' gubernatorial primary race - a bellwether
indicating whether the party will enhance its electoral fortunes by tacking
center or right, or devour itself and raise the prospects for Democrats in
the reddest of red states.
Perry's Fingerprints All over State
by Peggy Fikac
So, this is what you
get with a governor who's appointed everyone to everything after nearly nine
years in office: You name it, Gov. Rick Perry has a hand in it.
Itching for a Fight, Republicans Take Aim at Themselves
by Bud Kennedy
In 12 years in the
Texas House, Keller Republican Vicki Truitt has been called a lot of names.
But until now, she had never been called liberal. In the new world of
internal Republican name-calling, Truitt and fellow Republican incumbent
Todd Smith of Euless are suddenly under attack from an Austin membership
group that calls them "left-leaning."
Willingham Confessed, Former In-Law Says
Nine days before
Cameron Todd Willingham was to be executed for setting a house fire that
killed his three daughters, his ex-wife called her family together to
tearfully recount a conversation with the condemned prisoner, according to a
newly released statement from Willingham's former brother-in-law.
Prop. 11 Provides Greater Private Property Protection
by Peggy Venable
We Texans value our
property and private property rights are at the very core of a free society.
That explains why the controversial Kelo decision of 2005 rocked the nation
as property rights activists rolled up their sleeves to get greater
protections written into state constitutions, as the U.S. Supreme Court
suggested. The Texas legislature has passed a bill which, if passed on the
November ballot, will improve private property rights in the State of Texas.
By declaring that Prop.11 is “counterfeit eminent domain reform,” some
opponents are suggesting the legislation doesn’t go far enough.
How Texas Lives within Its Means
by David Dewhurst
Given recent comments
about our state budget, I feel it’s time to separate fact from political
fiction.
Gov. Rick Perry Reiterates Support for Texas' Death Penalty Process
Gov. Rick Perry
reiterated his support for the state's death penalty system Tuesday after
one of his predecessors raised questions about its reliability.
Many Child Deaths Come Despite CPS Visits
Nearly half of all
Texas children killed by abuse belonged to families previously investigated
by Texas Child Protective Services — a statistic that has shown no
improvement since 2004, despite efforts to save more children, records show. |
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10-17-09 |
Lessons of Life
by Tim Lambert
This post is different
from most. It is not about public policy or issues that could impact our
freedom. Rather, it is about life. Lyndsay and I decided to homeschool our
children twenty-five years ago because we wanted to have the greatest impact
possible on the spiritual growth and well-being of our children. We reasoned
that, if we taught them ourselves, we could better integrate our faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ with their academic instruction. We realized that
someone was going to "indoctrinate" them or "disciple" them, and we believed
it should be us, their parents.
Plethora of Candidates Eyeing Texas Governor’s Seat
With so many candidates
eyeing the governor’s seat, Texas is headed for a busy primary season. More
than 20 candidates have filed paperwork with the State Ethics Commission as
of the end of September, and new candidates continue to announce their
interest in the seat every few weeks.
Perry: Washington Bad, Willingham Prosecution Good
Gov. Rick Perry fired
up a friendly crowd of real estate agents at a luncheon that sounded and
felt like a campaign rally. Perry, without mentioning Republican primary
opponent Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, railed against federal spending and lack
of federal border protection.
CPS Plan to Save Kids Loses Momentum
An ambitious plan to
save more children by hiring former law enforcement officers to improve
abuse investigations lies in disarray with more than half the investigators
leaving Texas Child Protective Services since the program began in 2005,
state records show.
An Election about Whom State Serves
by Peggy Fikac
Grover Norquist, known
for saying he wants to cut government “to the size where I can drag it into
the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub,” says he was sort of, you know,
kidding.
Propositions and Recommendations
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Early voting begins
this coming Monday for the Nov. 3 constitutional amendment propositions
election. The propositions cover a range of issues, including curbing
eminent domain abuse and controlling Texas' property tax appraisal system.
Other propositions fix errors that have crept into the constitution, allow
for new debt, or provide the legislature with the authority to spend money. |
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10-10-09 |
Who Makes Public Policy
by Tim
Lambert
David
Brooks wrote a piece in the New York Times today in which he argues that
radio talk show giants like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity do
not represent the views of the majority of Americans. He points out that
they could not sway voters to support their favorite candidates in last
year's presidential primaries.
Latest on the Campaign for Texas Governor
by Tim
Lambert
The
campaign for Governor of Texas continues to evolve even though the filing
deadline is in early January next year. The most watched and commented on
are the campaigns of incumbent Governor Rick Perry, who is unabashedly
conservative on fiscal and social issues, and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey
Hutichison, who is recognized as a "moderate." Debra Medina, a former
Republican County Chairman in Wharton County has also joined the fray as a
conservative.
Learning from the Great Depression
by Tim
Lambert
As home
school parents, we find that we often get an education in the process of
teaching our own children, and very often, that education challenges what we
learned in high school or college. In fact, the statement, "Those who do not
learn from history are doomed to repeat it," was brought to my mind recently
in regard to our current economic crisis and what happened during the Great
Depression.
Abbott, Perry Want Appeal of Dallas Judge's Decision to Hear Gay Divorce
Case
A state district judge
in Dallas has ruled that the Texas ban on same-sex marriage violates the
constitutional guarantee to equal protection under the law.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison: Conservative Enough?
Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison often talks up her anti-abortion voting record in Washington, but
she has a steep hill to climb with many conservatives who think her views on
abortion and embryonic stem cell research make her a bad fit for the Texas
governor's office.
Farabee Retirement Could Cause Shift in Power of Texas Politics
It's been a long run
for the quiet man from Wichita Falls. David Farabee, the lanky, low-key
state representative first elected in 1998, recently announced he won't run
for re-election.
Farm Bureau Changes Its Mind about Perry
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison today is scheduled to collect the Texas Farm Bureau political
arm's endorsement in her GOP primary challenge to Perry, showcasing it with
visits to Waco and Lubbock farms, the Fort Worth Stockyards and an Austin
boot store.
Taxes, Taxes, and Bureaucrats
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
In less than a month,
Tim, Texans will be going to the polls to decide on 11 constitutional
amendments. We’ll be addressing most of them, with our recommendations, in a
special e-mail next week. But wanted to point two out today.
Hutchison Defends Earmarks Despite Perry Jabs
Gov. Rick Perry has
hammered Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison time and again as a Washington-style big
spender. He decries the $2.6 billion that she slipped "secretly" into the
last two annual budgets. But he doesn't know the half of it.
Houston's Guzman First Latina on Texas High Court
Houston Judge Eva
Guzman, the child of an immigrant welder and cleaning lady, became the first
Hispanic woman to serve on the Texas Supreme Court on Thursday when Gov.
Rick Perry appointed her to the court.
Texas Republicans Looking for New Party Chairman
Texas Republicans will
select a new party leader this month following the resignation of party
chairwoman Tina Benkiser, who recently left the post to become a senior
adviser to Gov. Rick Perry's re-election campaign. |
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10-03-09 |
Next Lieutenant Governor May Depend on Hutchison
by Dave McNeely
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst,
the Senate’s presiding officer since 2003, is hankering for the United
States Senate seat Kay Bailey Hutchison has said she’ll relinquish late this
year to concentrate on her Republican primary challenge to Gov. Rick Perry.
Amarillo Man Unsure of Chances to Become Republican Chairman
Tom Mechler of Amarillo
and other Texas Republicans have one less intra-party fight to worry about.
Over the weekend, Republican Party of Texas Chairwoman Tina Benkiser
announced that she is stepping down on Oct. 5 to join the re-election
campaign of Gov. Rick Perry.
Benkiser Explains Texas GOP Chairman Resignation, Joining Perry Campaign
by Will Lutz
Republican Party of
Texas Chairman Tina Benkiser announced her resignation at today’s meeting of
the State Republican Executive Committee.
After the Census, New Battle Begins
by Peggy Fikac
The coming months will
tell whether Democrats can influence redistricting and, thus, policy-making
for the next decade — or if they'll blow it.
What Did Founding Fathers Believe?
by Gary Scharrar
Texas schoolchildren
should know how God and religion greatly influenced the country's Founding
Fathers more than 230 years ago, say some of the experts reviewing the
state's social studies curriculum.
Perry Campaign Says Internet Message Was Hacked
An attempt by
Republican Gov. Rick Perry to jump-start his re-election campaign via the
Internet was disrupted by a hacker, his campaign claimed Tuesday, calling
the attack "political sabotage."
Perry Camp Uses Amway as Model
You know those ads that
promise to show you how to make thousands of dollars working at home on your
personal computer? They're mainly bogus, of course. But Gov. Rick Perry,
ever dedicated to helping the Texas economy, has come up with a program to
allow Texans to do just that.
Texas Governor Voices Opposition to Climate Bill
A climate bill being
debated in Congress is "draconian" and would wreak havoc on the Texas
economy by wiping out thousands of jobs in the energy sector, Texas Gov.
Rick Perry said Wednesday.
Dallas Judge Paves Way for Gay Couple to Get Divorce
In a first for Texas, a
judge ruled Thursday that two men married in another state can divorce here
and that the state's ban on gay marriage violates the U.S. Constitution.
Secession Movement Spreads Well beyond Texas
As head of the Texas
Nationalist Movement, Daniel Miller of Nederland believes it’s time for the
Lone Star State to sever its bond with the United States and return to the
days when Texas was an independent republic. |
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9-26-09 |
Is Texas Ready for a Moderate Governor?
by A.W.R. Hawkins
As the 2010
gubernatorial race unfolds in Texas, battle lines are clearly drawn between
two candidates -- Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison: both of
whom are Republicans, but only one of whom is a conservative.
Gloves Are Off in Texas Race
Charges of economic
cluelessness and political hackery are flying in Texas as U.S. Sen. Kay
Bailey Hutchison challenges Gov. Rick Perry for the Republican nomination
for governor.
Perry Says He's Got Pickens' Vote
Gov. Rick Perry
announced Tuesday that he's won the endorsement of Dallas energy executive
T. Boone Pickens, and Perry declared himself an ally in the billionaire's
effort to promote wind energy and natural gas as a way of weaning the nation
from foreign oil.
Perry on Israel, Chavez, and Secession
by Michael Goldfarb
Texas Governor Rick
Perry came to Washington last week and I had a chance to hear him talk for
about an hour on a wide range of issues before a small number of
journalists.
Gov. Rick Perry's Wealth Fueled by Land Deals
Gov. Rick Perry never
had much money growing up, and he has spent most of his adult life in public
office, drawing a part-time salary as a legislator and relatively modest
earnings in statewide office for the last quarter century. |
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9-19-09 |
Partisanship and Healthcare Reform
by Tim Lambert
President Obama
continues his full-court press to pass "healthcare reform" without
Republican support. George Will has a very interesting take on this in his
Newsweek article. Proponents of the various Democratic plans argue
that the government can run an efficient health care program and offer
Medicare as an example, while the President says he can pay for the 900
billion dollar plan by saving almost 500 billion dollars by eliminating
"fraud, waste and abuse" from Medicare and Medicaid.
A Uniter not a Divider?
by Tim Lambert
In an article in the
San Antonio Express News yesterday, Karen Hughes announced the need for a
"different tone" from the Republican Party and the Governor. Of course, she
is supporting Senator Kay Bailey Hutchision in her bid to unseat Governor
Rick Perry. Another report on a presentation by Senator Hutchison was not so
positive.
Texas Home School Coalition PAC Endorses Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst for
Reelection
THSC PAC today
announced its endorsement of Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst in his
campaign for reelection for Lieutenant Governor of Texas. Tim Lambert,
chairman of THSC PAC, noted, “Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has been a
staunch supporter of home schoolers and parental rights in Texas.”
Governor Perry Forms Border Security Strike Teams
Last Thursday, Gov.
Perry announced Operation Ranger ReCon, a new joint mission aimed at
bolstering security along the Texas/Mexico border. The operation will send
at least 200 highly-trained soldiers and airmen from the Texas National
Guard to rural areas along the Rio Grande valley where they will join
"strike teams," comprised of state police under the direction of the Texas
Rangers.
Wharton County Republican Chair Debra Medina Joins Race for Texas Governor
Saying her two
high-profile rivals have dropped the ball for Texas, Wharton County GOP
chairwoman Debra Medina on Saturday announced her campaign for the
Republican nomination for governor.
Curriculum Plan Would Remove Mention of Christmas
A proposal for new
social studies curriculum in Texas public schools removes a mention of
Christmas in a sixth-grade lesson, replacing it with a Hindu religious
festival, a change that's riled conservatives who say it's another battle in
the "war" against the Christian holiday.
Federal Health Care Reform Would Cost Texas Dearly
by Arlene Wohlgemuth
As Congress continues
its health care debate, the American public is focused squarely on the
implications that current federal proposals will have on our nation's
economy, health-care system and fiscal future.
Gattis Announces for Ogden Seat
State Rep. Dan Gattis,
R-Georgetown, has just informed supporters he is running for the Texas
Senate District 5 seat being vacated by Bryan GOP powerhouse Steve Ogden.
Controversy over ACORN Flares in Texas
As controversy over the
advocacy group ACORN flared from Washington into Texas on Tuesday, state
politicians quickly began lining up to oppose federal financing for the
group and to cut off any state financing.
Perry Touts Guiliani, but Not on Social Issues
by Wayne Slater
What better place for
Rick Perry to showcase America’s Mayor than a police station? Rudy Giuliani
— the hero of 9/11, the voice of heroic first responders the day terrorists
struck — came to Texas this week to raise money for Perry’s re-election.
It’s payback by Giuliani, who got the Texas governor to campaign for him in
Iowa and Florida in last year’s presidential race.
Texas Rangers' Deployment to Mexico Border a Military-Style Effort
To much of the public,
the iconic image of the Texas Ranger is that of a taciturn lawman in a
Western hat, a pistol holstered at his side. But the specialized team of
Rangers that Gov. Rick Perry is dispatching to the Texas border comes closer
to resembling a military-style commando unit in a foreign war zone.
Election 2010: Texas Republican Primary
The volatile 2010
Republican Primary race for governor in Texas has become a toss-up, with
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison currently inching ahead of incumbent Rick Perry
by two points – 40% to 38%.
Education Board Looks at Curriculum Standards Today
State Board of
Education members surely will have lots of questions today when experts
responsible for the first draft of new history curriculum standards appear
before them.
No More Christmas in America?
by Ken Mercer, SBOE
“A proposal for new
social studies curriculum in Texas public schools removes a mention of
Christmas in a sixth-grade lesson, replacing it with a Hindu religious
festival …” 11-Sep Houston Chronicle. To my 12 counties and 1.5
million constituents, I can not make this stuff up. Texas is in the middle
of a Nationwide Culture War, and I need your help! Right now in Austin,
September 16-18, the State Board of Education (SBOE) will vote on the above
proposed change and a multitude of other new social studies “standards”
developed by liberal “experts”.
Tort Reform? We’ve Done It In Texas Already
by Peggy Venable
In his address last
week, President Obama said he had talked to some doctors and learned that
medical procedures were being done that may not be necessary due to fear of
medical malpractice lawsuits, and he entertained the idea of tort reform,
saying we could try it in some states with pilot projects. But there’s no
need for a pilot project. Texas enacted malpractice reform years ago.
Welcome to Texas, Madame Speaker: An Open Letter to Nancy Pelosi
by
Rep. Ken Paxton
Dear Madame Speaker, I
want to be one of the first to welcome you to Texas for your fundraising
visit on Saturday in Austin. You should feel at home as you drive from the
airport to your event, passing by businesses that were once located in your
home state of California and being greeted by the smiles of friendly
Californians who now call Texas home.
Senator Hutchison Absent for Key Vote to Protect Taxpayers
ACORN, a leftist
community activist organization notorious for shady and illegal election
activities, was subject to a vote to prevent federal dollars from funding
its operations. The amendment came Monday as a result to recent exposure of
organization employees involved in aiding and abetting illegal sex trade
workers.
Insertion of Liberal’s Texas History Warrants SBOE Action, Part I
by Bill Ames
Even as tens of
thousands of Texas citizens rally against the Obama administration’s agenda
of deficit spending and socialist health care policy, another leftist agenda
is going relatively unnoticed. A group of educators, some of whom are
liberal activists, have descended on Austin. This year they have been
busily rewriting U. S. history, revising the story of the most successful
experiment in history – with its roots firmly anchored in Western
Civilization – and replacing it with their own negative view of America told
thru an overly multicultural lens of victimization and oppression of
minorities and women.
Insertion of Liberal’s Texas History Warrants SBOE Action, Part II
by Bill Ames
In Part I of this
article, published yesterday, I exposed the liberal agenda of education
activists to rewrite American history, downplaying the story of the most
successful experiment in freedom and liberty in the world’s history. Their
goal is to replace that story with one in which even America’s greatest
achievements are told in the context of negativism and multicultural
oppression and exploitation.
Insertion of Liberal’s Texas History Warrants SBOE Action, Part III
by Bill Ames
On Wednesday, in Part I
of this series, I exposed the agenda of education activists to rewrite
American history. Yesterday in Part II, I discussed actions taken by the
SBOE to address the situation, and the writing teams’ subsequent actions in
response to the SBOE’s instruction during their second meeting on July
28-31. Today, Part III will discuss what happens to textbooks when their
content is driven by negative and overly multicultural standards, closing
with what Texas citizens can do to urge the SBOE to approve a set of Social
Studies Standards that will make our youth proud to be Americans. |
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9-12-09 |
Why Endorse Governor Perry?
by Tim Lambert
We have received a good
deal of discussion about why we chose to endorse Governor Perry. As home
schoolers are independent by nature and opinionated as well, I thought you
deserved to have more details on our decision.
Battle Brewing over Control of State GOP
The bitter
gubernatorial race between Republican incumbent Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay
Bailey Hutchison is already worrying high-ranking GOP leaders such as Texas
House Speaker Joe Straus.
Eye on Austin: Lots of 'No-Name' Democrats Running
by Enrique Rangel
Next year will see 15
statewide races and possibly 16 if U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison resigns
her seat. But except for Houston Mayor Bill White, former State Comptroller
John Sharp plus singer and humorist Kinky Friedman, the other declared and
undeclared Democratic candidates for major races such as governor,
lieutenant governor and U.S. senator are virtually unknown.
State Launches Review of CPS
A state review team is
looking at a possible breakdown in the way Texas Child Protective Services
follows up on its own abuse investigations after three Houston-area children
died despite the agency's intervention.
Democratic Field Gets Crowded in Governor Race
by R.G. Ratcliffe
The field of Democratic
candidates for governor continues to grow, but the question remains whether
there is an elephant slayer in the bunch.
Endorsements for Gov. Perry Keep Rolling In
"Gov. Perry's
endorsements for re-election keep on coming, last week from Texas
Alliance for Life, Texas Department of Public Safety Officers
Association PAC, Texas Home School Coalition PAC, Texans for Life
President Kyleen Wright and Conservative Republicans for Texas President
Dr. Steve Hotze.
Insertion of Liberal’s Texas History Warrants SBOE Action
by Bill Ames
Even as tens of
thousands of Texas citizens rally against the Obama administration’s agenda
of deficit spending and socialist health care policy, another leftist agenda
is going relatively unnoticed. A group of educators, some of whom are
liberal activists, have descended on Austin. This year they have been
busily rewriting U. S. history, revising the story of the most successful
experiment in history – with its roots firmly anchored in Western
Civilization – and replacing it with their own negative view of America told
thru an overly multicultural lens of victimization and oppression of
minorities and women.
Dewhurst Announces Re-Election Bid for Texas Lt. Governor in 2010
I wanted you to be one
of the first to know that I am running for re-election as Lt. Governor of
Texas, and I would like to humbly ask for your endorsement and continued
support in my re-election.
Special Election Costs and Remembering 9/11
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
How much will electing
a new U.S. Senator cost? No matter what you think of the gubernatorial race,
or the candidates involved, should Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison resign a
special election will be needed to fill the unexpired term.
Speaker Paves Path Rest of GOP Should Follow
by Scott Stroud
Republicans these days
should follow the example set by Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, who led the
GOP down a pretty smart path during the 2009 legislative session — and
didn't even have to raise his voice.
Rick Perry Campaign Update
by
Texans for Rick Perry
It was another exciting
week for Texans for Rick Perry! In case anyone is wondering…we have 172 days
until the March 2nd primary and 157 days until early voting begins (but,
who’s counting). |
|
9-05-09 |
THSC PAC Endorses Governor Perry
by Tim Lambert
THSC PAC today
announced its endorsement of Governor Rick Perry in his campaign for
reelection for Governor of Texas. Tim Lambert, chairman of THSC PAC, noted,
“Home schoolers in Texas have never had a better friend in the Governor’s
mansion than Rick Perry.”
Opposing State Regulation of Home Schools
by Tim Lambert
This week I fielded the usual calls and e-mails we get at
this time of year from people who have family members or neighbors that
homeschool, whom they believe are unqualified to teach their
own children. These folks usually contact the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
to ask what state requirements are in place for people who homeschool.
The TEA refers those kinds of calls to us.
Texas Democrats Should Field Full Ticket in 2010
by
Statesman.com
Editorial Board
The filing period for
the March primaries starts Dec. 3 and ends Jan. 4. But last call may be
closer than you realize and the fields are forming now
TAL PAC Endorses Texas Governor Rick Perry for Re-election
The Texas Alliance for
Life PAC is proud to endorse Gov. Rick Perry for re-election in 2010.
"We enthusiastically
endorse Governor Perry in his bid for re-election," says Joe Pojman, Ph.D.,
executive director of Texas Alliance for Life and a leader of the
organization's political action committee. "He is a loyal advocate for the
protection of unborn babies and their mothers, and TAL is eager for him to
continue his dedicated and effective leadership of our state."
Internship Announcement, Texas for Rick Perry!
I am excited to extend
to you the attached Texans for Rick Perry 2010 internship opportunities to
your political science/etc students for the upcoming Fall semester! We have
both paid and unpaid opportunities available and will be happy to work with
you to get them college credit for their participation.
Texas High-School Athletes Gain Ground in Class
A new Texas law that
could double the amount of academic credit high-school athletes receive for
playing sports is stoking a long-standing debate in the Lone Star State
about whether athletics should count the same as schoolwork.
War of the Roses in Texas
by Cragg Hines
Kay Bailey Hutchison
had sweet dreams of the governor's mansion. She'll have to play smash-mouth
politics to get there.
Elected School Board Should Be Thanked, not Attacked
by Will Lutz
Frequent Dallas Blog
contributor William Lutz appeared on WFAA Channel 8's Inside Texas Politics
with Brad Watson. Lutz took aim at the liberal Democrats and RINOs
(Republicans in Name Only) who are attacking the conservatives on the
elected State Board of Education. He argues that the SBOE should be thanked,
not attacked, for insisting that public schools portray America positively
and teach students about our country's Founding Fathers.
Friedman Running for Governor Again, This Time as Democrat
Kinky Friedman, the
author-musician who railed against the two-party system as an independent
candidate for governor three years ago, joined that system Monday when he
declared he will seek the Democratic nomination for the state's top job next
year.
Rancher Aims to Be Governor
by Lisa Falkenberg
One of the last times I
saw Hank Gilbert, he was staring out the window of a campaign bus that had
another candidate's name on it, bemoaning the fact that he'd missed his
wife's birthday and remarking how the cows dotting the dusk-lit landscape
made him lonesome for home.
School Spending and Tough Times Ahead
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
School is back in
session, but are our expectations high enough? Since 1998, public education
spending is up 113%. On a per-pupil basis, we spent $5,597 per pupil in
1998. In 2008, Texas was spending $9,998 per student. What do we get for it?
Secessionist -- No, not Perry -- Is Getting More and More Republican Votes
If any Texas
Republicans had never heard of Larry Kilgore, they probably have now.
Kilgore, 44, of Mansfield, is an anti-abortion activist and perennial
Republican candidate. Until Gov. Rick Perry piped up, he was the only
candidate talking about Texas seceding from the United States.
How Will Perry Play Interim Senate Choice?
by Mark Davis
When Congress
reconvenes next week after an eventful August recess, the Senate will be
particularly busy. From health care to cap and trade and beyond, senators
will be the focus of several vital battles.
Swine Flu Vaccine Personal Protection Alert
by Dawn Richardson
The recent discussion
at the state, federal, and even international level about an impending
aggressive fall vaccination campaign for H1N1, or swine flu, has many Texas
families alarmed that the government may attempt to force them to submit to
a vaccine or drug treatment they do not want. Foremost in these Texas
citizens’ minds are questions about how they will be able to protect
themselves and their families from vaccines and treatments that have
debatable safety, efficacy, and even necessity while simultaneously
protecting themselves from a new strain of the flu.
Sharp's Back, and the Weirdness Continues
As promised in the
invitation, there were "Fireworks!" and "Live Music!" at U.S. Senate
candidate John Sharp's "blast-off rally" at a Lake Austin restaurant
Wednesday night.
Hair Care Exec Might Run for Governor as Democrat
Rick Perry might not be
the only candidate in the 2010 race for Texas governor who is known for
great hair.
|
|
8-29-09 |
The "Best Interest" of the Child
by Tim Lambert
One of the concerns
that many parents have about CPS workers coming to their doors is that often
these caseworkers are young, have no children, and have unrealistic views of
what is and is not appropriate for children. These young caseworkers often
assume a house that is not clean is a sign of abuse or neglect, whereas a
parent of several children will know that it is often only a sign of a
mother of several children who is overwhelmed.
Statewide Texas Tea Party
Meet fellow Texans
Saturday, September 5th, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on the steps of the State
Capitol in Austin, Texas.
Fiscal Conservatism and the Soul of the GOP
California needs a
strong leader, says Texas governor Rick Perry. That strong leader, Mr. Perry
thinks, needs to go to Sacramento and "take special interests out" of
government. He needs to "make massive cuts" in spending and taxes. And he
needs "to make major changes in the constitution," including tort reform.
Straus Worried about GOP Gov Race Impact on House
Texas House Speaker Joe
Straus said Tuesday he is concerned that the political and financial cost of
a bitter GOP gubernatorial primary election could undermine “the delicate
balance” he developed earlier this year with Democrats in the GOP-controlled
House.
Hutchison versus Perry ... versus Medina?
Republican Debra
Medina, a former nurse and the pride of Orangedale, could be a spoiler
candidate in the 2010 party primary for governor.
Dems' Best Hope for Gov? Maybe a Senate Candidate
By the time Texas
Democrats stop accumulating long shots for governor, I won't be shocked if
Austin's Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent Carole Keeton
Strayhorn dives in.
Comptroller Susan Combs’ Texas Economic Outlook
Both the U.S. and Texas
economies have contracted in 2009, but Texas continues to perform relatively
better than the nation. While Texas’ economy, the world’s 11th-largest,
continues to fare better than many other states, Texas is feeling the
effects of the worldwide recession. According to the National Bureau of
Economic Research, the U.S. economy peaked in December 2007 and has been in
recession since then. Although the Texas economy slowed with the nation’s
late in 2008, Texas’ gross product expanded almost twice as fast as the U.S.
economy (2.0 percent versus 1.1 percent) during calendar 2008.
Tea Parties Galore Around the State
The Tea Party Express,
a bus criss-crossing the nation rallying Americans to oppose the
out-of-control spending, higher taxes, bail-outs and the growth and power of
the government, will roll into Dallas on Friday, September 4 at 11 a.m. at
the Cape Buffalo Grille, 17717 Addison Rd., Dallas.
Texas Attracts Toyota Tacoma Production Line, TEF Investment Draws 225 New
Jobs
Citing further evidence
of Texas' ongoing economic clout, Toyota announced Thursday it will relocate
its Tacoma production line to San Antonio, creating up to 1,100 new Texas
jobs. In a Thursday statement, Governor Perry said, "Following on the heels
of major jobs announcements from Caterpillar, Farouk Systems, Medtronic, and
other employers, the good news from Toyota affirms my unshakeable belief
that Texas is the best place to do business."
Government Takeover of Health Care Has Constituents Dogging Doggett;
Liberals Busing in Supporters
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett
will walk into an Astroturf-filled town hall meeting following a rally at
the Texas Capitol today, all designed to give the impression of widespread
support of a government takeover of the country’s health care system.
Conservative Ken Mercer Announces Re-Election Campaign
I am honored to serve
as your representative (1.5 million constituents in twelve counties !) on
the State Board of Education and to announce my 2010 re-election campaign!
Kay Bailey Hutchison Calls for More 'Enlightened' Leadership in
Texas
Kay Bailey Hutchison
called Friday for more "enlightened" leadership in state government, arguing
that statements from rival Rick Perry on subjects such as secession hurt
both Texas and the Republican Party. |
|
8-22-09 |
Texas Continues to Leads the Way
by Tim Lambert
More data has been
released showing that Texas and its approach of limited government and more
freedom for business and individuals is the right approach in encouraging
economic development and the prosperity of the people.
WashingtonKay.com Launches, Exposes Hutchison Flip-Flops
For 16 years, Senator
Kay Bailey Hutchison has said one thing in Texas and done another in
Washington. Visitors to the website WashingtonKay.com will learn of Senator
Hutchison's hypocrisy and the truth about her record, including insight on
her broken promises and support of overwhelming debt, earmarks and bailouts.
Your Tax Dollars Being Used Against You (Still)
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
If Thomas Jefferson was
right, that taxpayer-funded lobbying is sinful and tyrannical, then many of
Texas' cities and counties might want to check the status of their fiscal
souls. |
|
8-15-09 |
Senator Dan Patrick Announces for Re-election
“During the past few
weeks there has been speculation I might run for, or be appointed to, higher
office. My goal is to return to the Texas Senate to continue to fight for
the conservative values and principles in which I and many Texans believe.
“Today, I hereby announce my re-election campaign for the Texas Senate. If
an opportunity presents itself to serve in the United States Senate, I will
seriously consider it at the appropriate time, but my sights are set on the
Texas Senate. I feel honored and blessed each day I walk onto the Senate
floor to represent my district and my state. |
|
8-08-09 |
Governor Calls on Christians to Get Involved
by Tim Lambert
There is no question
that evangelical Christians are a key element of the Republican Party's
coalition that leads to electoral success. Today a report in the San Antonio
Express-News is almost breathless in describing Governor Perry's comments to
a church in that city yesterday. He articulated, quite rightly in my view,
that freedom of religion should not be confused with freedom from religion.
The mainstream media will have a field day with this and will call Perry
extreme and a right-winger - just as they have when he has talked about
taking on the federal government in defense of our freedom in Texas.
However, this resonates with the vast majority of Texans.
Texas vs California or Red States vs. Blue States
by Tim Lambert
A recent opinion piece
in the New York Times highlights a comparison being made more and more often
between Texas and California. It highlights the difference between a
conservative and liberal approach to governance.
Lloyd Doggett Faces Angry Crowd at Randalls
by Patrick George
Back in Central Texas
while Congress is on a month-long recess, Congressman Lloyd Doggett faced an
angry reception at a town hall meeting at an Austin Randalls store
yesterday.
Health Care Protest Set Up by Partisans, Doggett Says
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett
said Monday that a weekend showdown with constituents in Southwest Austin
over national health care proposals was a "mob" scene driven by Republicans
and Libertarians intent on derailing universal coverage.
Path to Victory for Hutchison Now a Challenge
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison began this year as “Kay the Invincible.” But as she prepares to
officially launch her bid for governor later this month, that aura is gone.
Texas Senate Seat within Democrats's Reach
by Martin Frost
I received an e-mail
from one of my law partners in Denver recently asking me about Houston Mayor
Bill White, who was in town raising money. Basically, my partner wanted to
know who White is and why he is running for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in a
reliably Republican state for a vacancy that did not yet exist.
Hutchison Critics See Conflict in Husband's Work
As the state's senior
U.S. senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison has secured hundreds of millions of
federal dollars for public projects across Texas. As one of the state's top
public finance attorneys, Ray Hutchison has helped issue and defend the
government bonds that benefit many of the same cities and public agencies
getting that federal money.
Governor Perry Brings Jobs to Texas, Honors Veterans
Last week, Governor
Perry spoke at a press conference announcing Farouk Systems' relocation to
Houston where they foresee creating 1,200 new jobs and investing $26 million
in additional capital. The billion dollar company manufactures and exports
professional spa products to more than 90 countries. |
|
8-01-09 |
Texas No. 1 in Cutting Teen Traffic Deaths
Texas leads the nation
in the decline in fatal crashes involving teen drivers. Fatalities involving
16- to 19-year-old drivers fell 33 percent from 2002 to 2007, more than
double the national rate of decline, according to a study released Monday.
Hutchison Now Wants Federal Mandates?
Regardless of the
rewrites attempted by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's unannounced gubernatorial
campaign, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and the conservatives in the Legislature
were right to stop the string-laden "stimulus" dollars from entering Texas'
unemployment fund. After having voted against the stimulus package in DC,
Hutchison now says Texas should have taken those costly dollars.
Hutchison vs. Perry Promises a Texas-Size Brawl
Texas is bracing for a
ferocious bout of political campaigning now that Kay Bailey Hutchison has
confirmed she will leave the U.S. Senate to challenge Gov. Rick Perry for
his job.
Governor Perry Continues Fight Against Big Government
Wednesday's
Washington Times featured Governor Perry's op-ed highlighting economic
strengths in Texas as a result of limited government and low taxes. Texas
has been in the national spotlight for its success during a tough national
economic picture.
After Close 2008 Result, 2010 State House Race in Irving is Already Being
Closely Watched
In the bid for Irving's
Texas House District 105 seat, the campaign coffers are filling up.
Political jabs have begun stoking bipartisan fires. A center-stage role in
the statewide election circus has already been secured.
A&M Regents Contribute to Perry
Gov. Rick Perry is the
state's most high-profile Aggie. A student yell leader during his days at
Texas A&M University, he regularly touts his Aggie roots. And in his
campaign's latest financial report, Perry collected $106,000 in political
donations from five A&M regents – all of them his appointees.
Political Notes
by Gromer Jeffers
State Sen. Florence
Shapiro is first up for the Dallas County Republican Party's "Rise & Shine"
breakfast series featuring potential candidates for the U.S. Senate seat now
held by Kay Bailey Hutchison . |
|
7-25-09 |
Economic Recovery May Be Less Tough on Texas
by Brendan Case
The Great Recession may
be nearing an end. Sort of. An index of leading economic indicators rose in
June for the third month in a row.
State Board of Education Rejects Math Course
by William Lutz
s a curriculum
requiring students to “apply, compare, and contrast ratios, rates, and
ratings (such as television program ratings, NFL Quarterback ratings, and
job ratings) to make informed decisions” a clever way to get kids interested
in statistics or another example of “fuzzy math and social engineering”?
Perry Raises Possibility of States' Rights Showdown with White House over
Healthcare
Gov. Rick Perry,
raising the specter of a showdown with the Obama administration, suggested
Thursday that he would consider invoking states’ rights protections under
the 10th Amendment to resist the president’s healthcare plan, which he said
would be "disastrous" for Texas. |
|
7-18-09 |
Ted Cruz Campaign for Attorney General Endorsed by Conservative Leaders
Former Texas Solicitor
General Ted Cruz announced Monday that a broad coalition of statewide
grassroots leaders and prominent national leaders have endorsed his campaign
for Texas Attorney General.
What You Can Look for as Campaign Season 2010 Develops
by
Will Lutz
Now that the policy
season is over, most in Austin are taking a well-deserved summer vacation.
Those not on vacation are switching their attention to the upcoming
elections and the March primary.
Less Lincoln, More Religion in Class?
Biographies of
Washington, Lincoln, Stephen F. Austin? Not fit reading material for
children in the early grades.
Campaign Reports Will Offer Glimpse of the Future
by Peggy Fikac
If a candidate's most
reliable friend is ready money, as former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm once famously
said, this is the week we judge the candidates for governor by the greenback
buddies in their campaign chests.
Hutchison's Accusations Kick Off a War of Words with Perry Rep
Kay Bailey Hutchison
said Monday that she's raised $6.7 million in the first half of the year for
her Republican primary challenge to Gov. Rick Perry.
Perry Shrugs Off Hutchison's Fundraising Lead in Texas Governor Contest
Gov. Rick Perry
dismissed U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's fundraising prowess Tuesday,
suggesting that he's still not convinced she will challenge him in the March
Republican primary for governor.
Will Kay Bailey Hutchison Play Texas Hold 'Em?
by Nate Silver
No, this is not a poker
post. Instead, it's one about Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas senator, who
today announced that it's full speed ahead in her bid to challenge to Texas'
incumbent governor, Rick Perry. The news comes to absolutely no one's
surprise as Hutchison has been contemplating this race for years and long
ago hired consultants and established a website toward her bid, while
already having raised some $6.7 million dollars on behalf of it.
This Isn't California
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Texas' economic
position keeps getting better, if for no other reason than the antics of the
other states. Perhaps one of the best economic development tools the Lone
Star State has right now is that we're not California.
Former Donors of Gov. Rick Perry Backing Kay Bailey Hutchison
At least 26 past major
donors to Gov. Rick Perry are now giving to rival Kay Bailey Hutchison,
contributing more than $1 million to the senator in the last six months. |
|
7-11-09 |
Tea Parties Try to Keep Momentum Brewing
Organizers of the
Independence Day Tea Party at Southfork Ranch said Sunday that it and other
rallies have helped energize their grass-roots anti-tax movement.
Other Governors Come and Go, but Not Texas' Perry
Sex and bribery
scandals have rocked three governors; four have resigned or announced they
won’t seek re-election because of aspirations for higher office — and term
limits are about to terminate California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Perry Reports Having $9.3M on Hand in June
Gov. Rick Perry's
campaign reported ending June with $9.3 million in its kitty Wednesday as
Perry said that if re-elected next year, he'll serve the full four-year
term.
We Have Great News To Share!
by
Texans for Rick Perry
This has been a great
week to be part of Team Perry. Not only were we able to report your
tremendous support on the financial side ($4.2 million raised in nine days
has to be some kind of record), but a new poll is out showing a 12-point
lead over the closest presumed competitor in the race for governor.
Brief Filed on Behalf of Friendswood Taxpayers
by
Americans for Prosperity
In response to the
outrageous efforts of Friendswood City Council members to raise taxes, abort
the city charter, and buy land outside of its jurisdictional limits,
Americans for Prosperity Foundation-Texas has filed an amicus brief on
behalf of its members in Friendswood.
Gov. Perry Appoints Gail Lowe to State Board Chair
Today, Gov. Perry
selected Gail Lowe to be the next chair of the State Board of Education (SBOE).
Gail Lowe, of Lampasas, Texas, is one of the more conservative SBOE members,
and was first elected to the SBOE in 2002. |
|
7-04-09 |
Governor Takes Heat for Standing Up for Families
by Tim Lambert
Governor Perry is taking heat for his veto of
SB 1440 which would have given CPS authority to obtain a court order ex
parte (without notification of the family or their counsel present) to
gain access to the home or children in the course of an investigation of
abuse or neglect. In his official statement with the veto, the Governor
said, "Senate Bill No. 1440 ... overreaches and may not give due
consideration to the Fourth Amendment rights of a parent or guardian ...
I am also directing DFPS, through its parental advisory committee, to
develop and recommend statewide procedures to follow when seeking court
orders to aid investigations, while protecting the rights of parents and
families."
Gov. Perry: Cap and Trade Would Be Largest Tax Increase In U.S. History
and Hurt Texas' Economy
Gov. Rick Perry has urged Texas leaders in
Washington to vote against House Resolution 2454, the American Clean
Energy and Security Act, which would amount to the single largest tax
increase in U.S. history and hurt the Texas economy.
Capping Your Prosperity
by Michael Quinn Sullivan
Check the locks on your doors, gather the kids,
and hide your cash - the Legislature is meeting in a special session
starting Wednesday. While the governor's call is very narrow, never
underestimate the mischief 181 lawmakers can cause when they gather.
Prepare for the Fifth of July
by Michael Quinn Sullivan
Each Independence Day I think of my ancestor
Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Two
centuries and numerous generations later, I take much inspiration from
what he and his colleagues committed to in the summer of 1776.
'We're not going to put up with this any longer,' Wentworth says.
Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, thinks that
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst abused his authority in the recently completed
legislative session, and he wants senators to change their rules in 2011
to prevent it from happening again.
Tea Party's Organizers Hope to Draw 50,000 to Southfork Ranch on
Saturday
Southfork Ranch, the symbol of Dallas and doing
things big, is the stage Saturday for the largest tea party in the
nation, aimed at attracting 50,000 folks for fireworks, both in the air
and from the microphone.
In Just 30 Hours, Legislature Sends 2 of 3 Bills to Perry, Then Adjourns
After less than 30 hours of fast lawmaking, the
Texas Legislature adjourned Thursday having resolved two of the three
problems Gov. Rick Perry wanted them to fix.
|
|
6-27-09 |
Texas Democrats Try to Block Perry's Use of Stimulus Funds
Texas Democrats in
Congress vowed Wednesday to keep pushing the White House to help them block
what they see as Gov. Rick Perry's misuse of $3 billion in federal aid for
public schools.
Gov. Perry Vetoes SB 1440
Pursuant to Article IV,
Section 14, of the Texas Constitution, I, Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, do
hereby disapprove of and veto Senate Bill No. 1440 of the 81st Texas
Legislature, Regular Session, due to the following objections….
Governor Vetoes Child-Abuse Bill
by Corrie MacLaggan
Gov. Rick Perry today
vetoed a child-abuse bill that critics said would have violated families’
rights.
Think Elections Don't Matter?
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
You’ve probably heard
this at least as many times as I have from family and friends: “I don’t
vote because there isn’t a difference between the candidates and the
parties.”
Comments on Perry Budget Action, Veto of HB 130
by Texas for Fiscal
Responsibility
The president of Texans
for Fiscal Responsibility said Gov. Rick Perry correctly wielded his pen
this legislative session on the state budget. The governor used his
line-item veto authority to cut $288.9 million from the budget, of which
$97.2 million came from general revenue spending.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry Shuns Protection for Kids
by
statesman.com
Editorial Board
Nothing government does
is more important than protecting those least able to protect themselves.
Children — particularly the depressingly-too-many Texas children abused at
home — are among those at the top of that list.
Perry Surges to Lead in New Poll
An article in
Wednesday's San Antonio Express-News titled “Perry tops GOP rival in
gov race poll” highlights some great news, "Gov. Rick Perry leads U.S. Sen.
Kay Bailey Hutchison by double digits in their race for the GOP
gubernatorial nomination, according to a new statewide poll by the Texas
Lyceum." |
|
6-20-09 |
Governor Perry Vetos SB 1440!
by Tim Lambert
Moments ago (June 19) I
received a phone call from Governor Perry's office to let us know that he
will announce shortly that he is going to veto SB 1440. He has heard the
outcry from parents all over Texas (and many other parts of the country) and
is responding.
Veto SB 1440
Yesterday (June 14) the
Ft. Worth Star Telegram printed an editorial by supporters of SB 1440
calling on the governor to sign the bill into law. I have sent the following
response to several papers in the state.
Legal Basis for Veto of SB 1440
by Tim Lambert
Yesterday (June 15) we
delivered a letter outlining the legal arguments for our request that
Governor Perry veto SB 1440. This letter was drafted with the help of
several attorneys who defend innocent families in CPS investigations on a
regular basis, as well as some constitutional attorneys. It is a long and
detailed legal argument that clearly shows why this bill must not become
law.
Sponsor of SB 1440 Calls for Veto
by Tim Lambert
Rep. Jerry Madden, the
House sponsor of SB 1440, has issued a letter asking the governor to veto
his own bill. This is a huge development as it supports our position that
this legislation was passed without the full understanding of the
legislature. The governor may make his decision as soon as today. Read
Madden's letter.
Coalition Asks Texas Governor to Veto “Take Away Your Child Act”
It’s been just over a
year since the Texas Child Protective Services, acting on a hoax phone call,
launched a military-style raid against polygamist families of the
Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints (FLDS) at their West Texas
ranch, seizing 440 children that they placed in foster homes scattered
across the state.
Last-Minute Legislative Flurry Led to Controversial Amendments
For chambers of
commerce across Texas, the five pages of words were like gold. Enacted into
law, they would exempt dozens of "nonprofit community business organizations
providing economic development services to local communities" from paying
property taxes — at a cost of more than
Texas Now Key Battlefield for National Standards
The concept of national
education standards is, at first glance, a great idea. And that’s what the
politicians, education bureaucrats and education marketers are counting on.
The battle is political, and the ultimate question is: who controls public
education?
Texas Gov. Rick Perry Signs Off on Tax Cut for Small Businesses
Nearly 40,000 small
businesses would see their state franchise taxes go away for at least the
next two years – an average annual savings of $2,200 – under legislation
Gov. Rick Perry approved Tuesday.
Texas Should Adopt and Measure Learning Expectations for Technology
by William Lutz
The politics of
education has little to do with what's good for kids and everything to do
with which adults get to spend the taxpayers' money. |
|
6-13-09 |
CPS Blank Check II
by Tim Lambert
SB 1440 was delivered
to the governor on June 3. He has twenty days after the end of the session
to take action on the bill by signing or vetoing it or allowing it to become
law without his signature, which means he has until the 21st or 22nd of June
to veto the bill.
GOP Primary for Governor May Become Costliest in State History
The theatrics of the
81st Texas Legislature may be over, but Texans are now gearing up for the
state’s next feature attraction — a roiling political season topped by a
marquee race for governor.
GOP Chief Appears to Be Fielding Two Challengers for Re-election
The Houston lawyer who
chairs the Republican Party of Texas has fielded an Amarillo challenger for
the chairmanship and is expected to pick up a Katy foe as soon as Tuesday,
though it’s probably safe to say both start as longshots—assuming Tina
Benkiser commits to seeking another two-year term leading the party.
Texas Child Protective Services Looking to Expand Powers
The Travis County
Republican Party joins several organizations in urging Texas Governor Rick
Perry to veto SB 1440, a bill which would allow Texas Child Protective
Services to enter homes, take children, subject them to interviews and
investigations without a court hearing or notice to the parent or even
showing good cause.
Texas Legislator Ratings Released
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Texans for Fiscal
Responsibility released its final ratings today for members of the 81st
Texas Legislature. TFR President Michael Quinn Sullivan says that while the
partisan gap narrowed, the ratings of the House and Senate members show a
more fiscally conservative direction.
Groups Pushing for Perry to Veto Bill on CPS Interviews
A wide assortment of
groups wants Gov. Rick Perry to veto a bill that clarifies when Child
Protective Services may enter a child's home, take a child from school for
an interview and obtain medical records.
Special Session for the Texas Legislature?
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
While the date hasn’t
been set, Governor Rick Perry said this week a special session was
inevitable. Lawmakers failed to reauthorize, reform, or even just continue
for the interim the Texas Department of Transportation, the Department of
Insurance and other agencies. Unless action is taken this summer, those will
shut down within the next year. |
|
6-06-09 |
Giving CPS a Blank Check
by Tim Lambert
SB 1064 by Senator Kirk
Watson was filed early in the session, and it sought to allow CPS, in the
course of an investigation of abuse or neglect, to get the medical or mental
health records of children who are the focus of an investigation. In order
for CPS to accomplish this, the person refusing to give the records and
parents must be given notice and a court hearing and CPS must show "good
cause" for the action before the court would order the release of said
records to CPS.
Handful of Democrats Grind Session to a Halt
by Will Lutz
Give the Democratic
leadership high marks for creativity. Every session (except 2005), Rep. Jim
Dunnam (D-Waco) finds some new way to create end-of-session chaos.
Perry Blasts Senators Who Let Bill Die, Says a Special Session May Be
Necessary
Gov. Rick Perry said
Tuesday that he may be forced to call a special session because of actions
by a group of senators the night before.
Perry Declares Session Victory
Staring at a rough
Republican primary battle ahead, Gov. Rick Perry declared success Tuesday in
the just-completed Texas legislative session, trumpeting victories like
small-business tax cuts and unspent savings money. But primary voters may
see defeat in the failure to pass anti-abortion measures he vocally backed.
Special Session Still an Option
State lawmakers on
Sunday approved a windstorm insurance reform measure — eliminating the need
for a special session — but legislative brinksmanship on transportation and
insurance created new threats that such a session will be necessary.
There's Very Little to Remember This Session By
by Wayne Slater
The Texas Legislature
creeped Saturday toward the end of its Seinfeld session, the session about
nothing.
This Session, Both Parties Lose as Red-Hot Legislation Fizzles Out
Dozens of hotly debated
measures, from mandatory pre-abortion sonograms to concealed handguns on
college campuses, appear to have fizzled out in the Legislature – the result
of a politically divided House and an ever-ticking clock.
Officials' Efforts Against Sex Trade Help Close Illicit Businesses in
Northwest Dallas
There was a time when
neighborhoods in northwest Dallas were besieged by massage parlors,
bathhouses and rogue bars that served as fronts for prostitution and even
the trafficking and exploitation of minors.
Defeat of Texas’ Statewide Smoking Ban a Victory for Private Property Rights
by J.R. Labbe
There is perhaps no
more zealous crusader in the world of social causes than a reformed smoker.
Once people make the decision to kick the habit, they become vocal critics
of anyone who chooses to continue contaminating their lungs and the health
of those around them with burning tobacco.
Texas Legislature Adjourns after Meltdown in Senate; Special Session Looms
The 81st Legislature
adjourned Monday night with angry state senators urging Gov. Rick Perry to
call a special session to salvage $2 billion in highway transportation
money. The money was left in limbo when the House killed legislation to keep
the Texas Department of Transportation and four other state agencies
operating.
Texas Legislature Adjourns with 2 Major State Agencies Unaddressed
The Legislature’s 2009
session ended in a bitter meltdown late Monday as the Senate refused to vote
on whether to keep two major state agencies alive, setting up the
possibility of a special session within months to revive the transportation
and insurance departments.
Two Dallas-Area Republicans Reflect on Power Shift in House
As power shifted in the
House in January, two Dallas-area Republicans found themselves in unfamiliar
roles.
Taxpayers Did Well This Legislative Session
The first business of
any legislative session is to pass a budget. In these though economic times,
Texas is one of only a few states able to balance their budget, Texas is in
the black, and the state budget stabilization fund is intact. This is a
major victory for Texas taxpayers and good news for the Texas economy.
Ex-CPS Worker to Serve 90 Days in Jail
A former Child
Protective Services supervisor who falsely accused a man of molestation must
spend 90 days in jail as a condition of her probation. |
|
5-30-09 |
Beating Back Efforts to Undermine Parental Rights
by Tim Lambert
The last couple of
weeks, the Texas legislature has heard from home school parents, who are the
driving force to defend and protect parental rights in Texas. On May 14 we
sent an Alert to our list asking home schoolers to call their state senators
in opposition to HB 1232, a bill requiring mental health screening for
certain children and the sharing of health care information with CPS and
other agencies.
Democrats Spend Third Straight Day Stalling the House
House Democrats spent a
third straight day Sunday tediously debating routine and noncontroversial
bills, chewing up time in hopes of derailing a controversial voter
identification bill.
Senate Tradition Has Been Abused
by Editors of the San
Antonio
Express News
Two years ago, the
Texas Youth Commission was a national embarrassment. An internal
investigation by the agency in early 2007 had uncovered sexual abuse at the
West Texas State School in Pyote. But that was only the beginning.
Democrats' TacticsTake Down Voter ID Bill in Texas House
Democrats appear to
have stalled business in the House long enough to prevent consideration of a
divisive measure to require photo identification for voting, after a long,
lost weekend of legislating.
McLeroy Opposed as Board of Ed Leader
Senate Democrats say
they have more than enough votes to remove Don McLeroy as chairman of the
State Board of Education Tuesday when McLeroy’s confirmation reaches the
Senate floor.
School Board Reins Yanked from McLeroy
In a rare rejection of
an appointment by the Texas governor, the Senate Thursday ousted Don McLeroy
as chairman of the State Board of Education, with his supporters claiming
the Bryan dentist was the victim of his strong religious beliefs.
Who Says They Don't Listen?
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Anyone who thinks
lawmakers don't move to fix unintended problems in legislative initiatives
should see what State Rep. Jerry Madden of Plano did. He took what could
have accidentially been a joke on the taxpayers, and fixed it to become a
cost-saving initiative good for everyone.
Texas Republican Speaker Joe Straus Criticizes Democrats
Republican Speaker Joe
Straus broke away Monday from the Democrats who lifted him to power, calling
them “obstructionists” and criticizing the partisan gridlock he says they
have brought to the Texas House.
State Representative Dan Flynn’s Statement Regarding Actions of the Texas
House
While I know there are
widely varying opinions about “Voter ID” please remember that the “Block” is
not from the folks on the list not wishing to suspend the rules of the
House.
Social Promotion Change May Doom School Accountability Bill
Gov. Rick Perry has
warned legislative leaders that he may veto a wide-ranging school
accountability bill if it scraps the state's longtime rules to curtail
social promotion – the practice of automatically passing students regardless
of achievement.
Capitol Journal: Texas Democrats Filibuster Voter ID Bill for Fifth Day
House members learned
the hard way Tuesday that red ties and butterflies may be free, but killing
a voter ID bill is expensive.
Texas House Feeling the Pain
Little known: When
state Rep. Edmund Kuempel had a heart attack, the guy who found him punched
in "911" three times on his cell phone without getting an answer, though he
still was able to help save the Seguin Republican.
Surprised at Lack of Support
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Thought you might be
interested in seeing this e-mail Vicki Truitt sent earlier this morning to
her supporters. Apparently she is finding there aren't many people, that
many actual taxpayers, interested in hiking taxes and raising fees during
the worst economic climate in recent memory. Just don't seem to be that many
families eager to see their cost of living rise so projects can be funded
that aren't required to reduce congestion! (The Truitt/Corona language on
HB300 has no requirement for congestion relief; just more spending.)
Rep. Jim Jackson’s Tactical Analysis of Memorial Day Bill Killing
Many people have heard
or read from news sources about the 4 to 5 days of delay over Memorial Day
weekend that some Democratic members of the Texas House have used to slow
the legislative calendar in order to kill the Voter ID Law for voter
integrity. Some have even told me they watched some of the action or
inaction on the streaming video.
June 2009 Texas Eagle Forum News & Notes
June 1 is the last day
of the 81st Legislative Session in Austin. Hundreds of bills never saw the
light of day in the waning days of the session, including the Ultrasound
Bill, due to House Democrats invoking a five-day stall so the Voter ID bill
would never come up before the May 26th deadline. In the final week,
legislators scrambled to cut and paste some of these bills as amendments
onto other bills. |
|
5-23-09 |
I Don't Advocate Secession
by Governor Rick Perry
About a month ago, I
stood with a bipartisan group of Texas legislators to speak in support of a
resolution honoring the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The
resolution simply restates the Constitution's principle of federalism — that
powers not granted to the national government, nor prohibited to the states,
are reserved to the states or the people.
From the Midwest to the Pacific, Job Seekers are Heading to Texas
Across the nation,
unemployment is sky-high, the housing market is sucking wind and
recessionary fears have frozen Americans in place.
Texas Primary Could Help define GOP of Future
As the GOP struggles
nationally to redefine itself, the debate over what it means to be a
Republican is playing out in Texas, too, through Kay Bailey Hutchison's
challenge to Gov. Rick Perry.
Texas House Takes Moderate Direction
The Texas House,
tightly controlled by conservatives just a couple of years ago, has become
downright moderate.
Martinez: Looking after the Interests of the Blue Collar Worker
Every now and then a
bill comes to the floor of the House or Senate that allows a state
legislator an opportunity to really “vote their district.”
Hutchison Supporters Seek Apology from Perry over Strategist's Comment
A group of Kay Bailey
Hutchison supporters is demanding an apology from Rick Perry, saying his top
political strategist insulted her by invoking the imagery of a brothel.
Texas Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy a Step Closer to Retaining
Post
Republican Don
McLeroy's nomination as chairman of the State Board of Education was revived
Wednesday when a Senate committee finally voted to recommend him to the full
Senate.
Plan to Change Sex Ed in Texas Fails
A bill geared to help
reduce childhood obesity erupted into a fight Wednesday in the Texas House
over the way sex education is taught in the state’s public schools.
Technicality Shoots Down States' Rights Bill
A Republican-launched
initiative embraced by Gov. Rick Perry, exhorting Congress to affirm states'
rights as outlined in the 10th Amendment, was shot down Tuesday by a lone
Democrat on a point of parliamentary procedure. |
|
5-16-09 |
Parental Rights - Never Give Up!
by Tim Lambert
The battle for
restoring or defending parental rights goes on. In April, hundreds of home
schoolers met on the steps of the Texas State Capitol to rally for the Texas
Parental Rights Restoration Act (TPRRA), and Governor Rick Perry announced
his support along with several state legislators. Later that week, well over
a hundred showed their support in a public hearing, and on the 29th of last
month the bill was voted out of the Human Services Committee on a 5-3 vote.
Open Letter to Texas Legislators -- Your Call
by Donna Garner, SBOE
If you are a caring
citizen and are concerned about our Texas public schools, please make your
wishes known to your elected Texas Legislators. They cannot read your minds,
and they constantly have high-priced vendors and special interest groups
breathing down their necks. This is the time to express yourselves clearly
to your elected legislators.
Will Party Switching Return Soon in Texas? Observers Skeptical
by Anna M. Tinsley
Former Tarrant County
Judge Tom Vandergriff did it. So did Gov. Rick Perry. Even former U.S. Sen.
Phil Gramm. These Texans are among the many politicians who have switched
parties and survived — maybe even thrived.
Stalled Voter ID Plan Shows Struggle to Find Compromise on Thorny Issue
In a touchy stretch of
his 12-year legislative career, Rep. Todd Smith huddled late last month with
fellow House Republicans leery of his proposed compromise on a voter
identification bill.
House's About Face on SBOE Sunset
by Elise Hu
First it narrowly
passed. Then it was narrowly defeated.
Response to Editorial Board's Attacks on the State Board of Education (SBOE)
by Ken Mercer, SBOE
Change in education is
hard. Texas has many people who are deeply entrenched – education
bureaucrats/lobbyists (a.k.a., “educrats”) who make their living off
education dollars but who devote their lives to defeating any true education
reform involving real change.
Backers of Expanded Texas Gambling Fold 'Em
Lawmakers have folded
on their last chance this year to expand gambling in Texas, saying neither a
budget crunch nor growing public interest can overcome staunch conservative
opposition.
To Help UT, Modify the Top 10% Admissions Law
by Rep. Dan Branch,
R-Dallas, Texas Legislature
The House will soon be
debating Senate Bill 175, legislation that proposes to modify Texas' top 10
percent automatic admissions policy, or what has become known as the top 10
percent law. The legislation does not propose to repeal the top 10 percent
law, nor does it seek to reduce efforts promoting diversity or academic
excellence. Rather, it is designed to correct an unintended consequence
creating a critical imbalance at one of our state's tier one universities,
the University of Texas. |
|
5-09-09 |
Victory over Daytime Curfew Bill - We Think
by Tim Lambert
The battle against
daytime curfews has continued to take many forms over the last few years. We
have opposed HB 1886 since early spring because it would expand the
possibilities of daytime curfews in Texas. We opposed the bill in the Urban
Affairs Committee; it passed. We opposed it in Calendars Committee, and it
was finally brought to the floor last Friday for consideration.
Liberals Make It Official--Christians Need Not Apply
by Ken Mercer
It is official;
conservative Christians are unqualified and need not apply. It happened at
the Miss USA Pageant and then at the Nominations Committee of the Texas
State Senate.
Skullduggery in the House – HB 710
by Donna Garner
As described to me by
someone who was there in person, this is the high drama that took place on
the floor of the Texas House today. Please write your legislators and tell
them that you are ashamed that such obvious tricks are being used to take
the authority away from the elected State Board of Education members. We
want to retain our Constitutional right to elect these Board members who
make decisions over the 4.6 million public school children in our state.
Oppose Pre-K Program
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Later today the Texas
House will consider House Bill 130 which would create a full-day
pre-kindergarten grant program. At a time when public education dollars are
already stretched thin, this is an inappropriate expansion of government. |
|
5-02-09 |
Texas House Battles Over Daytime Curfews
HB 1886 by Miklos is a
bill requested by the mayor of Balch Springs,, which has little or no police
force. The bill would allow them to ask the county sheriff and deputies to
enforce the city's daytime curfew.
Home-School Interest Grows in Hard Times
More budget-conscious
Houston families appear to be contemplating home schooling as an alternative
to pricey private school tuition.
Leadership Style of New Speaker Taking Shape
The role of Texas House
speaker isn't defined by the state Constitution, but rather by the
individual holding the office. From reform-minded Price Daniel Jr. to the
iron-fisted rule of Tom Craddick, circumstances and personalities have
dictated each leader's power and prestige.
ICR Launches Federal and State Lawsuits against Texas Agency
The Institute for
Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) has filed two lawsuits against the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) defendants as of Thursday,
April 16. Commissioner Raymund Paredes was formally served at his offices in
Austin yesterday afternoon.
Procedural Games Get Anti-SBOE Constitutional Amendment Over the Line
by Terri Leo, State
Board of Education
The Democrats (with
help from a handful of Republicans) succeeded in passing the constitutional
amendment taking the Permanent School Fund away from the elected State Board
of Education, but it sure didn’t look pretty.
Perry Practices the Politics of Division
by Matt Mackowiak
Texas has as singular
and unique a history as any of the 50 states and it's evident in our deeply
felt independent streak. In Texas, we commemorate the Battle of San Jacinto
and we celebrate March 2, which is known as Texas Independence Day.
Texas House Moves Toward Likely Confrontation over Voter ID Law
The House of
Representatives moved closer toward a likely confrontation over voter
identification legislation on Wednesday as House Elections Committee
Chairman Todd Smith unveiled a plan that he said strikes a balance between
ballot box security and increased citizen access to the polls.
Voter ID Compromise Gets Cool Reception
A proposed compromise
offered Wednesday on the politically charged voter ID proposal in the
Legislature would delay the mandate until 2013, a wrinkle opposed by nearly
every House Republican.
Legislators May Strip Education Board of Power
The legislative session
so far has not been kind to the State Board of Education. Senate
confirmation of Board Chairman Don McLeroy, R-College Station, is dead in
the water, the Nominations Committee chairman said Thursday.
Texas Senate Passes Bill Requiring Doctors to Offer Ultrasounds to Women
Seeking Abortions
The Texas Senate voted
Thursday to require doctors to offer an ultrasound to women seeking
abortions and to let them see the results if they want to. |
|
4-25-09 |
San Jacinto: A Reflection
by Paul Perry
On the afternoon of
April 21, 1836, at San Jacinto, an army of outnumbered frontiersmen charged
the most experienced professional army in the Western Hemisphere.
With ‘Tea Parties,’ Perry Is Both Culture Warrior and National Conservative
Darling
by Wayne Slater
The governor arrived
for the “tea party” protests in a hunter’s cap with a camouflage brim. The
cap, like his speech denouncing runaway spending in Washington and embracing
states’ rights, carried a distinct message: Rick Perry, culture warrior.
French Republicans? Budgets and Taxes
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Okay, a day early,
actually. Our forefathers defeated Santa Anna on the San Jacinto battlefield
outside modern Houston on April 21, 2009, securing Texas' independence.
An Open Letter to Republican Members of the Texas Senate
by Ken Mercer
I am more than just a
little “shocked" to learn that some Republicans are behind Senate Bill 2275
and other efforts to strip power from the elected State Board of Education.
Dallas-Based Institute for Creation Research Sues State over Denial of Its
Master's Program
The Institute for
Creation Research has taken its fight to train future science teachers to
the federal courthouse.
TEA Parties Draw Attack from Democratic Senate Candidate Sharp
Former Texas
Comptroller and candidate for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Senate seat, John
Sharp, launched a web ad criticizing Governor Rick Perry’s recent comments
about state sovereignty during the nationwide tea parties on April 15, 2009.
Action Alert Cargill Connection April 2009 State Board of Education
by Barbara Cargill
The State Board of
Education passed academically strong and rigorous science standards at our
March meeting. These standards, like the English Language Arts and Reading
standards that were passed last year, will equip our students with the
knowledge and skills they need for college and/or the workforce.
Dallas Council Keeps Nighttime Curfew for Kids, to Decide on Day Proposal
May 13
A nighttime curfew for
children will remain law, although the Dallas City Council on Wednesday
delayed voting on whether to implement a more contentious daytime curfew
proposal.
End Poor Guidance of Texas Education
It’s time for Don
McLeroy to step down as chairman of the State Board of Education. Since he
won't go willingly (and Gov. Rick Perry apparently won't remove his
appointee), it is up to the Texas Senate to remove him from the chair.
Senate OKs Purchase of Guns in all 50 States
The Senate voted
unanimously Thursday to let state residents purchase firearms, ammunition
and accessories in all 50 states.
ALERT: SBOE Chm. Don McLeroy's Reappointment
Texas Eagle Forum
The State Board of
Education Chairman Dr. Don McLeroy has been reappointed by Governor Perry,
but it must be approved by the TX Senate. Please ask the Nominations
Committee members to vote YES for Dr. Don McLeroy. |
|
4-18-09 |
Bedford Battle Moves to the Voting Booth
by Tim Lambert
Freedom-loving people
have been fighting the adoption of daytime curfews in cities all over Texas,
which we have covered for some time. Bedford has been ground zero since last
fall as the city council there adopted the curfew without a public hearing;
this week they voted again to keep the curfew in the face of growing
opposition from business owners, civil liberty activists, and parents of
public, private, and home school students.
TPRRA Gains Ground in Austin
by Tim Lambert
Last week was a busy
one in Austin for THSC. On Tuesday almost 400 home schoolers attended the
second of three THSC Capitol Days. They learned about the legislative
process and lobbied all 150 Texas House members and 31 Texas State Senators
to support the Texas Parental Rights Restoration Act (TPRRA).
Legislators Seek to Gut SBOE
by Tim Lambert
One thing that seems to
be constant is that if conservatives have power and are making policy, they
will be accused of being divisive and "political" and even "not caring about
the children." This year is no different, as a contentious debate over
science standards on the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) resulted in a
compromise that took a conservative position.
Dallas Daytime Curfew
Support the effort to
defeat the Dallas Daytime Curfew.
Daytime Curfews, While Perhaps Popular, Are Bad Policy
by Bob Barr
Local governments, from
Kennesaw, Georgia to Benicia, California, are jumping on the curfew
bandwagon as a way to tighten control of the citizenry. While
late-night/early-morning curfews for children have been employed for decades
as a way to limit gang and other youth-based violence — often unsuccessfully
— the latest, 21st-Century iteration is to extend the concept to daytime
hours.
Gov. Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas’ Sovereignty Under 10th
Amendment
Gov. Rick Perry today
joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent
Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states’ rights under the 10th Amendment to
the U.S. Constitution.
Texas Lawmakers Debate Stripping Education Board of Authority Over
Curriculum, Textbooks
Four state senators,
fed up with curriculum and textbook battles at the State Board of Education,
pitched legislation Tuesday that would strip the board of its authority over
curriculum and textbooks and transfer it to the commissioner of education.
House Panel to Consider State’s Actions in Sect Raid
The House Committee on
Human Services tomorrow is scheduled to take a look at how the state handled
last year’s child-welfare operation at a West Texas ranch owned by a
polygamist sect.
Why are Rep. Branch and Sen. Wentworth Assaulting 20 Million Texans?
by Mike Ford
House Bill 3458
introduced by Rep. Dan Branch R-Dallas is the same as Sen. Wentworth's
anti-petition bill (SB 690). It will be heard in the House Urban Affairs
Committee (see members below). A hearing is set for THIS Thursday, April
16, at 10:30 a.m. in Room E 2.028.
Board That Disciplines Doctors May Be Reined In
A bill that was the
subject of a 5½-hour hearing Tuesday would sharply curtail the powers of the
Texas Medical Board if it becomes law.
Why Does Dallas Need a Daytime Curfew?
by Jim Olvera
Why are Dallas city
officials and police so keen on passing a daytime curfew? Curfews are
usually imposed for public safety in times of crisis such as natural
disasters or riots.
Rick Perry: Tea Party Darling
Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s
star is rising among a new constituency — the anti-tax “tea party” crowd —
in the wake of his recent endorsement of a Texas state House resolution
affirming the state’s sovereignty.
Government Fights Back, and Our Budget Boneheads
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Were you able to be at
a Tea Party? It was remarkable -- people gathering by the tens, the hundreds
and the thousands in nearly every town in Texas and across the country. All
peacefully, and all for the purpose of calling for restrained government
spending, low taxes and individual liberty.
Three Cheers for Our Elected State Board of Education
by William Lutz
Here we go again.
Another session; another attempt from the social left to neuter this state's
elected State Board of Education (SBOE).
Perry Stands by Secession Comments
Gov. Rick Perry on
Thursday stuck by his earlier statement that Texas can secede from the
United States — a far-reaching, legally questionable prospect that
nevertheless drew Perry a fresh favorable mention by Rush Limbaugh, one of
the nation's leading conservative voices.
Perry Gets the Buzz and the Bucks, Too
With the fiery rhetoric
of a prairie populist, Gov. Rick Perry calls on “Texas patriots” to protest
against “bailouts, all this stimulus, all this runaway spending” in the
nation’s capital. |
|
4-11-09 |
Tea and Taxes
by Wes Riddle
On the night of 16
December 1773, members of the Sons of Liberty dressed up as Mohawk Indians
and boarded ships in Boston harbor. A large number of citizens gathered to
watch as they broke open hundreds of chests of tea and heaved them overboard
into the water.
STOP Gambling Bills
Texas Eagle Forum
Two extremely dangerous
gambling expansion bills that were quietly voted out of committee last week
are now in Calendar’s Committee waiting to be scheduled for floor votes.
These are HB 222, which would legalizing electronic poker, and HB 1424, a
so-called bingo “clean-up” bill that – oh yes – expands bingo far beyond its
original charitable purposes and also allows bingo slot machines. Both bills
would create “Class III” gambling in Texas, opening a breach in state law
that, under federal law, will allow untaxed and unregulated Indian gambling.
Gambling Backers Pitch Their Ideas to Texas House, but Foes Fire Back
Racetrack operators and
Las Vegas developers played their best hands Wednesday, trying to persuade
Texas lawmakers to authorize resort-style casinos, legalize slot machines at
tracks and bring gaming back to Indian reservations.
Republican Lawmakers Resisting Perry Repeatedly
Democrats always have
chafed under the rule of socially conservative, fiscally tight Rick Perry.
But in the current legislative session, it's not the opposition party that's
pushing back.
GOP Holds Key to Unemployment Stimulus Dollars
Against the wishes of
Gov. Rick Perry, lawmakers are pressing ahead with efforts to claim $555
million in federal economic stimulus money for unemployment benefits.
Rep. King, Home-Schooling Group Push to Make It Harder for Grandparents to
Sue for Access
Parents of home-school
children showed their support in Austin this week for a bill aimed at
protecting their parental rights from litigious grandparents.
Campus Guns Bill Gaining Support in Texas House
Legislation allowing
state university students and employees to carry their concealed handguns on
campus appears to have enough pledged support from lawmakers to pass the
full Texas House.
Gov. Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas’ Sovereignty Under 10th
Amendment
Gov. Rick Perry today
(April 9, 2009) joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House
Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states’ rights under the 10th
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. |
|
4-04-09 |
Sausage Making and Friendly Fire
by Tim Lambert
This week was a busy
one in Austin for THSC Association. It seems like I have been in Austin two
or three days a week for months. One of the most important things we try to
do in Austin is to maintain our credibility as an organization by making
sure that our information is correct and that we only call for appropriate
action and at the right times.
The Political Realities of Daytime Curfews
by Tim Lambert
Last week many home
schoolers in Dallas and Bedford joined other concerned parents and leaders
of the ACLU in rallies protesting the current and proposed daytime curfews
in those cities.
Huge Education Victory for Texas Students
by Ken Mercer, State
Board of Education
Common sense, combined
with the pressure of at least 14,000 constituent communications in favor
of allowing students to discuss all sides of a science theory, finally
prevailed.
Governor Perry Announces Jobs and Talks Economic Stimulus
Last week was a busy
week in Austin, but Gov. Perry still made time to get out with the people in
West and South Texas to go face to face with citizens and discuss a number
of key issues.
Suit Dismissed in Firing over Creationism E-Mail
A federal judge
dismissed a lawsuit Tuesday by a former state science curriculum director
who alleged that she was illegally fired for sending out an e-mail on a
lecture that was critical of those wanting to teach creationism in science
classes.
Pro-Life Issue One to Watch as March 2010 Primary Approaches
Recent polls already
show United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison with a slight advantage over
Governor Rick Perry for the 2010 gubernatorial election.
UIL Soon May Be Forced to Accept Private School Teams
For the last 14 years,
a handful of private schools have been asking the Legislature for a chance
to participate in the league for public school sports and academic
competitions.
Help Governor Perry Kickoff His Campaign This Summer with Your Ideas
While Governor Perry is
working hard and focused on making the 2009 legislative session a success,
at the campaign we are now gearing up for the race ahead.
A Year After Sect Raid, Changes in Laws Sought
A year after a massive
child welfare raid at a West Texas ranch run by a polygamist sect, some
legislators want to rewrite the laws that guided the state's actions during
an investigation into whether young girls there were being forced to marry
older men.
Big-Government Strikes Back
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
When it comes to public
policy, the big-government crowd can only fight in two ways: cheating, and
with personal attacks.
Texas Eagle Forum ALERT: DNA Database
House Bill 1672
concerns an existing DNA database of newborns in Texas. TEF believes that
before a child's DNA is taken at birth and stored by the TX Department of
Health, PARENTS should consent. |
|
3-28-09 |
Parental Rights and Custody Cases
by Tim Lambert
We have seen home
school parents in custody cases faced with judges who decide arbitrarily
that the children should not be home schooled again and again. The most
recent high profile case was in North Carolina where a judge ruled that the
children must be place in a public school in spite of the fact that they
were doing very well academically evidently because of the religious beliefs
of the mother. The basis upon which judges are allowed to do this is called
"the best interest of the child." HB 1611 is designed to reassert parental
rights by requiring an equal treatment of the parents unless a parent is
found to be unfit.
Science Curriculum Standards for Grades K-12
by Barbara Cargill,
State Board of Education
The State Board of
Education began discussing the science curriculum standards for grades
K-12 in November. The final vote is quickly approaching. We have listened
to many testifiers, and we have received over 9,000 e-mails about this
issue. The vast majority are from concerned citizens who want the
scientific weaknesses of evolution to continue being taught to our
students. Interestingly, a Zogby poll released in January reflects similar
results in that over 78% of likely voters agree with teaching both the
evidence for and against Darwin’s theory.
Opponents of Daytime Curfew in Bedford Plan Rally Today
Saying it’s unfair to
children, people who oppose a daytime curfew ordinance plan to rally at
Bedford City Hall this afternoon.
Demonstrators Rally Against Bedford Daytime Curfew
Chloe Kozak, 13, said
daytime curfews make her very nervous.
Daytime Curfew Onslaught Continues
by Tim Lambert
Opponents to current
and proposed daytime curfews rallied recently in Dallas and Bedford. The
Dallas City Council held a hearing two days later to consider adopting the
curfew. Many home schoolers testified against the measure as ineffective and
dangerous to the liberty of law abiding citizens. The American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU), a group known for their liberal leanings, is also
heavily involved in the battle to stop or roll back daytime curfews.
Daytime Curfew Criminalizes Children, ACLU Says
It's 12 p.m. Do you
know where your children are? The City of Dallas wants to make sure they are
in school by instituting a daytime curfew, which could carry a $500 fine for
violators.
ACLU to Stage Rally Today Against Dallas' Daytime Curfew Ordinance Proposal
Members of the American
Civil Liberties Union of Texas and a group called Citizens Against the
Dallas Daytime Curfew are planning to stage a rally at 4 p.m. today outside
Dallas City Hall.
Texas Senate Endorses Bill to Have Commission Redraw Congressional Districts
Congressional
redistricting in Texas would be handled by an independent commission rather
than the Legislature under a bill tentatively approved Monday by the Senate.
Hutchison Urges Perry to Find Way to Take Federal Unemployment Money
Gubernatorial candidate
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Monday that Gov. Rick Perry should look for
ways to accept $550 million in unemployment fund stimulus money without
committing the state to future federal mandates.
A Senator Does Right
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Political courage is
hard to find. And while State Sen. Jane Nelson of Flower Mound is known for
her rather steely-eyed determination, on Monday she cast the lone vote
standing up for fiscal responsibility on Texas’ powerful Senate Finance
Committee.
Texas Senate Tentatively Approves Limiting Automatic College Admission to
Top 10%
Texas' top 10 percent
law for automatic college admission would be limited to 60 percent of the
incoming freshman class at state universities under legislation tentatively
approved Tuesday by the Senate.
Texas Dems Say Energy Is at Risk
More than a dozen House
Democrats on Tuesday warned that President Barack Obama’s proposal to hike
taxes and levy new fees on the oil and gas industry could curb domestic
energy production.
HB 319 Hearing
by Tim Lambert
A THSC representative
testified yesterday at the hearing of HB 319, a bill by State Representative
Richard Raymond, that will change the current statute that allows adults to
be exempt from jury duty if serving on a jury would cause a child ten years
of age or younger to be left alone. The Judiciary Committee hearing was to
begin at 2PM, but we did not give testimony on the bill till almost 6:30PM. |
|
3-22-09 |
TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION: Fight Human Trafficking of Children!
by Dennis Mark
Human Trafficking bill
HB 639 will be heard on Monday, March 23rd, by the House Judiciary and Civil
Jurisprudence Committee and we need your support! HB 639 will launch a
number of measures to fight human trafficking, including establishing a
state-wide human trafficking task force and requiring training of law
enforcement officers who are often the first to come in contact with the
victim.
Dallas and Tarrant County Citizens Rally Against Daytime Curfews
by Tim Lambert
I have received the
following announcement that I share for your information: Citizen activists
in Dallas and Tarrant counties will hold rallies Monday, March 23, to
show public opposition to the current daytime curfew in Bedford and the
proposed daytime curfew in Dallas. The Dallas City Council will hold
hearings on the issue on March 25; the Bedford City Council will meet on
March 24. Many home schoolers who do not live in those cities recognize that
they or their children could be impacted by these ordinances because their
teen children may go to jobs and/or educational activities without their
parents in those cities.
Summary of HB 1886 Hearing
by Tim Lambert
House Urban Affairs
Committee hears bill that would allow county officers to enforce city
daytime curfews...
Proposed Law Allows Texas Parents to Opt Out of Storage of Babies' Blood
Texas lawmakers are the
latest group to seek changes in the state health department's policy of
indefinitely storing, without disclosure or consent, blood samples from
virtually all babies born in Texas.
Bedford Leaves Daytime Curfew in Place
Almost a dozen
employees of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district asked the City Council
on Tuesday night to continue its daytime curfew for schoolchildren.
Law Puts Home-Schooling Parents on Long Leash
When a child listed on
the Wichita Falls Independent School District’s rolls as home-schooled was
implicated in a drive-by shooting, the incident piqued the concern of WFISD
Truancy Director Diann Taylor. She wondered just how much legitimate
academic work was going on in that home.
Bill Proposes More Exemptions to Texas Business Tax Proposed
Many small Texas
businesses would no longer have to pay the state business tax and others
would see their tax liability drop under legislation endorsed by Lt. Gov.
David Dewhurst and a majority of senators.
A Daytime Curfew for Teens
by Michael Tate
I am hopeful that the
City of Dallas' daytime curfew plan for teenagers will die a quiet death. It
is a clueless and short-sighted idea that won't fix the truancy problem,
although I know it has just enough appeal that some people might consider it
a plausible solution to daytime crime. It was plausible enough for the city
council to schedule two public hearings on it this spring.
Texas Ranked Number One in Two Important Categories
This week, Texas earned
the number one ranking in two important categories: government transparency
and economic climate.
Texas' GOP Senators Rule Day on Judges
Texas' Republican
senators refused to cede control of judicial nominations, and now the
Democratic White House seems to have struck a deal in their favor: The
senators will continue screening applicants, though Texas Democrats will get
input.
Report Says Gambling Interests Bet $7.6 Million on Texas Politicians in 2008
Cycle
A report released by a
campaign-finance watchdog group shows border-area lawmakers received more
than a quarter million dollars in campaign contributions from the gambling
industry in 2008.
Proposal Targets State Funding for Planned Parenthood Facilities
A Senate budget
proposal threatens to cut off state funding to Planned Parenthood in favor
of "comprehensive primary care" facilities – clinics that offer more than
reproductive health services.
First Hearing Held on Pre-Abortion Sonograms
Emotions ran high
Thursday as lawmakers had their first hearing on a bill that would require
women seeking abortions to first get a sonogram of the fetus.
Take Action to Stop the Abuse of the Texas Medical Board against Physicians!
by Steven F. Hotze,
M.D.
Legislation has been
introduced in the 2009 Texas Legislature to require transparency of the
actions of the Texas Medical Board (TMB) and to protect patients’ and
physicians’ rights. The TMB has for too long cloaked itself in secrecy which
allows dishonorable individuals to corrupt the process. This is a free
society and the light of day should shine brightly on the actions of all of
those in positions of authority.
Lawmakers Want More Funds for Regulatory Agencies
Texas regulatory
agencies could get as much as $41.2 million more over the next two years to
better do their jobs keeping an eye on everything from banks to investment
advisers to doctors.
Texas Democrats at Crossroads in 2010 Elections
by Jay Root
The once-mighty Texas
Democratic Party was essentially broke and flirting with fringe status when
wealthy trial lawyer Fred Baron rescued it in 2005.
Straus Disagrees with Federal Stimulus Package
House Speaker Joe
Straus said Friday that he "strongly disagrees" with the federal economic
stimulus package, even though the money expected to flow into Texas will
help balance the state budget for the next two years.
Continue Allowing Strengths and Weaknesses of Theories
by Ken Mercer
For twenty years, Texas
teachers have been required by the Texas Education Code to teach both the
“strengths and weaknesses” of scientific theories. |
|
3-14-09 |
Bill Will Allow Guns on Campus
If some Texas lawmakers
have their way, concealed weapons will soon be allowed on UTEP's campus.
Texas Senate Sharply Debates Voter ID Bill
Democratic and
Republican senators skirmished Tuesday over legislation that would require
Texans to show a photo ID before voting – but the debate was mainly for
show, as the measure was expected to win approval.
Texas Voter ID Bill Passes Senate Committee
A sharply divided
Senate on Wednesday tentatively approved legislation that would require
Texans to show a photo ID before voting, but the measure faces longer odds
in the House and an expected court challenge if it becomes law.
Faith in Faith Unites Many Legislators
In any legislative
session, you never know where a moment might lead. So it was for me after a
prayer breakfast the other day where Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst recited
Scripture, House Speaker Joe Straus read from the Old Testament and Gov.
Rick Perry playfully blew air kisses to the president of the Texas
Association of Business.
Bedford Daytime Curfew Battle Escalates
by Tim Lambert
Anne Gebhart has posted
another blog on the continuing saga of the battle by citizens of Bedford
against the daytime curfew adopted by that city at the request of HEB school
district.
To Fight Truancy, Wise County Judge Trades Hall Monitors for Ankle Monitors
Wise
County is going high-tech on truants. To keep tabs on students who are
habitually absent, Justice of the Peace Terri Johnson can now place a GPS
ankle monitor on them for 30 days.
Dallas Curfew Opponents Gear Up
by Tim Lambert
Tracy Wallace with
"Citizens Against the Dallas Daytime Curfew" sent the following message out
regarding strategy and tactics to defeat the proposed Dallas Daytime Curfew.
I think this is a good strategy and makes sense. Pass this on to like-minded
friends who live in the Dallas area. |
|
3-07-09 |
Concealed Carry on College Campuses i\Is on Texas Lawmakers’ Agenda
Jason Bowman would feel
safer walking to his night classes at Tarrant County College if he had his
concealed handgun.
Report - Weaknesses Expelled from Texas Schools
by Terri Leo, State
Board of Education
In spite of a reported
6500 constituent emails, three-quarters of the public testifiers, and
recommendations of half of the "experts" to keep weaknesses in theories and
two-thirds of the "experts" to keep weaknesses of hypotheses, Darwinists
succeeded in deceiving eight members of the State Board of Education (SBOE)
on most votes -- including a decisive one specifically related to retaining
"strengths and weaknesses" in biology standards. How did YOUR SBOE member
vote? (Above was typical vote split--8 votes were required to pass, hence
passed items needed abstentions or swing votes from the above 8 NOs to
pass. Note that Craig, Hardy, and Miller are Republicans).
Fiscal Restraint Key to Economic Recovery
by Representative Phil
King
As a board member of
the Texas Conservative Coalition (TCC), the conservative caucus of the Texas
Legislature, I am excited to talk to you about our roadmap for a responsible
state budget.
Texas Independence
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Texas Independence Day,
that is. We should pause to consider not only the blessings of our great
state, but the dedication of those who declared our freedom on March 2,
1836.
Measure Would Move Sex Ed in Texas Away from Abstinence-Only
Texas’ sex education
curriculum, which now teaches abstinence as the only form of birth control,
would include more medical information about contraception and disease
prevention under a bill proposed Monday by Democratic lawmakers.
Californication of Texas
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Just what does an
economic disaster look like? California is a good place to start. They have
tried to spend and tax their way out of horrible economic times and only
made matters mind-numbingly worse. And some Texas lawmakers cannot work fast
enough to make us look like California.
Democrats in Austin Want Perry to Take More Stimulus Aid for Unemployment
Texas should take a
half-billion more federal stimulus dollars that it can tap by allowing more
jobless workers to qualify for aid, Democrat legislative leaders said
Tuesday.
Bill Would Raise License Hurdles for Teen Drivers
Obtaining a license to
drive could get tougher for Texas teenagers.
Teen Driver Safety - Round II
by Tim Lambert
Home schoolers made
themselves heard this week before and during a hearing at the House Public
Education Committee. |
|
2-28-09 |
Texas Gov. Rick Perry Touts Abortion Opposition at Austin Rally
Gov. Rick Perry greeted
several hundred anti-abortion activists rallying outside the Capitol by
promising to prevent embryonic stem cell research in Texas and touting his
record for passing more restrictions on the procedure than any previous
Texas governor.
Stimulus Funds Throw Wrench into Capitol Works
Passage of a $787
billion stimulus package by the Democrat-controlled Congress has thrown the
Republican-controlled Texas Legislature off-kilter.
$16 Billion Stimulus Windfall Dividing Texas Legislature
Texas lawmakers, given
a $16 billion windfall from the federal stimulus bill, are forming two
camps.
Texas Should Beware Strings in Stimulus
by Dallas Morning News
Editors
Readers of this page
know that we have not supported the Obama stimulus plan, largely because we
didn't agree that some parts are the best way to revive the economy.
Texas Lawmakers' Reactions Follow Party Lines
Reaction from some
Texas lawmakers to President Barack Obama’s speech Tuesday was divided along
partisan lines, with Democrats hailing his economic plan and Republicans
concerned about rising debt.
Straus Doesn't Take Stand on Ultrasound Bill
A bill requiring women
seeking an abortion to first get an ultrasound got a big push Tuesday from
three top Texas Republicans — but GOP House Speaker Joe Straus didn't take a
stand.
Child Protective Services Seeks More Funding to Improve Services
Debbie Pendergrass
flops down on the bedroom carpet with two sisters rescued by Child
Protective Services from violence and drug abuse. The CPS worker, the one
constant in the girls' move through three foster homes in two years, scans
for any hint of fresh psychic wounds.
Poll Shows No Clear Favorite for Kay Bailey Hutchison's Senate Seat
The race for Republican
Kay Bailey Hutchison’s U.S. Senate seat will likely be close should the seat
become available soon, according to a poll released Wednesday by a North
Carolina firm.
Perry’s Pandering to the Far Right
by Lisa Falkenberg
Let me save Gov. Rick
Perry some money on glossy mailers. In a gubernatorial contest against
fellow Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Perry is, hands down, the Right
candidate. Make that Far Right. Righter by the day, it seems.
Perry's Camp Digs for Dirt on Kay Bailey Hutchison at Dallas City Hall
A political operative
working for Gov. Rick Perry has asked Dallas City Hall for numerous
documents concerning Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, a signal that the campaign
for governor could include personal attacks.
Mayor Takes Responsibility for Idea to Pay Homebuyer Debt
Mayor Bill White
accepted responsibility for the widely disparaged plan for using public
funds to pay some home buyers’ personal debts, saying he was not clear on
the details and that the idea should have been reviewed more thoroughly.
Defending Spending, and a Tea Party
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Can your elected
officials defend what they spend? Do they even ever have to? Of course not,
because the spending is all too often hidden from view.
Signs Point to Democrat Tom Schieffer Announcing Bid for Texas Governor
Monday
Fort Worth Democrat Tom
Schieffer, who has served as U.S. ambassador to Japan and Australia, is all
but certain to run for governor and will announce the formation of an
exploratory committee Monday in Austin.
Driver Education and Teen Safety
by Tim Lambert
Next Tuesday, March 3,
the Public Education Committee in the Texas House will hold a hearing on HB
339, which is authored by State Representative Larry Phillips. This bill is
designed to address teen driver safety and includes almost everyone's ideas
about how improve it.
Everyman's Fight for Freedom
by Tim Lambert
I sometimes meet
members of the Texas Home School Coalition Association who say that they
support THSC because we work hard to protect parental rights and the freedom
to home school so they can focus on other things. While I appreciate the
kindness of their comments, the reality is that no one person or group alone
can effectively defend the freedom of parents to direct the education and
upbringing of their children. |
|
2-21-09 |
New Speaker Brings New Blood and a New Attitude to Texas House
The change in
leadership in the Texas House of Representatives' majority party brought a
breath of fresh air to the Capitol last week. Surprise Speaker Joe Straus, a
Republican from San Antonio, set a bold new direction for the House with his
committee appointments.
Perry Says Texas Will Take Its Share of Stimulus Package, but He Has
Reservations
Gov. Rick Perry said
Wednesday that Texas will accept the state’s $16 billion share of the new
federal stimulus package, but he is leaving the door open to rejecting funds
that place an onerous burden on the state and require state taxpayers to put
up long-term matching funds.
Darwin Would Not Have Supported Censorship
by Terri Leo, State
Board of Education
In the article (Houston
Chronicle, "State Board of Education Must Be Held Accountable," February
12, 2009), the Texas Legislators, who were quoted, misstated the current
debate when they said, "The SBOE continues to engage in narrow theological
debate about the validity of evolution." These Senators obviously have been
getting their information from far-leftwing groups and from many in the
liberal news media. |
|
2-14-09 |
Daytime Curfew Update: Dallas and Bedford
The Dallas City Council
and the Bedford City Council are holding public hearings to discuss the
expansion of the current curfew to include school days from 9a.m. - 2:30
p.m.
Perry, Hutchison Exchange Bitter Words in Austin
A rivalry almost 20
years in the making between Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison erupted in open acrimony Monday as she accused him of playing
politics to embarrass one of her supporters while he all but accused her of
shirking her duties in the nation’s capital.
Conservative Groups: Texas Legislature Shouldn't Drain 'Rainy Day Fund'
Texas budget writers
should resist temptation to drain the state’s “rainy day fund” and accept
some of the billions offered in a federal economic stimulus bill, according
to seven conservative groups and a trade group for small business owners.
In Making Committee Appointments, Straus Scatters Social Conservatives
Hither and Yon
The hill
got a little steeper and the ball a little heavier for social conservatives
Thursday. |
|
2-7-09 |
Report - Weaknesses Expelled from Texas Schools
In spite of a reported
6500 constituent emails, three-quarters of the public testifiers, and
recommendations of half of the "experts" to keep weaknesses in theories and
two-thirds of the "experts" to keep weaknesses of hypotheses, Darwinists
succeeded in deceiving eight members of the State Board of Education (SBOE)
on most votes -- including a decisive one specifically related to retaining
"strengths and weaknesses" in biology standards. How did YOUR SBOE member
vote? (Above was typical vote split--8 votes were required to pass, hence
passed items needed abstentions or swing votes from the above 8 NOs to
pass. Note that Craig, Hardy, and Miller are Republicans).
Education board to Confront Ellis’ 'Club' and 'Stiletto'
by Clay Robison
The State Board of
Education’s latest fight with scientists over how or whether evolutionary
theory should be taught in the public schools was just about the last straw
for Sen. Rodney Ellis.
Fort Worth Couple: Take Our Money, Keep Your Stuff
For nine days, a
Georgia family’s plan to sell all their belongings on eBay to pay their
children’s medical bills looked hopeless.
Dewhurst and Straus: Help Us Cut
by Will Lutz
Lt. Governor David
Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus Jan. 30 issued a letter to all entities
getting money from the state, indicating at least general agreement with
Gov. Rick Perry that now is the time to tighten the belt. The two leaders
say they "will be looking for recommendations to reduce the Fiscal Year
General Revenue and General Revenue-Dedicated appropriations by
approximately 2.5%."
The Gallup Poll: Is Texas Blue?
by Paul Burka
The Gallup organization
released a nationwide poll last week showing the partisan preference in
every state. The daily tracking poll, conducted during the election
campaign, sampled 19,415 adult Texans concerning their self-identification
by political party and found that 43.4% identified themselves as Democrats
compared to 41.0% who identified themselves as Republicans.
CPS Drops Case Involving FLDS Leader’s Teen Daughter
Texas Child Protective
Services notified a judge Monday that it is removing the 17-year-old
daughter of jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs from court
supervision even though evidence shows her father encouraged her marriage to
a 34-year-old sect member.
Sarah Palin Endorses Texas Gov. Rick Perry for Re-Election
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
has endorsed Rick Perry for re-election, calling him the "true conservative"
in a primary election showdown with fellow Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Hutchison Says Palin’s Endorsement of Perry Won’t Be a Factor
So what does Sen. Kay
Bailey Hutchison really think about Republican rising star Sarah Palin
endorsing Gov. Rick Perry?
It's Time to Extend Dallas' Juvenile Curfew to Daylight Hours
by Jacquielynn Floyd
You can’t tie a kid to
a chair to keep him in school, but you can at least make sure he doesn’t
have anyplace more exciting to go. This pretty much sums up the philosophy
behind a daytime curfew for juveniles, which Dallas is considering as an
expansion of its existing night-hours curfew.
Seeing Red-Ink, Bailouts and UT Bonuses
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
In political and policy
fights, winning is as much about showing up as anything else. That will
perhaps never be more true for Texas' taxpayers than this legislative
session. The key, of course, is knowing when to show up – knowing when and
where to focus our energies at the most opportune times.
A Tale of Two Cities
by Tim Lambert
The daytime
curfew issue continues to raise its ugly head across the state of
Texas as more and more cities decide the statute that the legislature
adopted to allow cities to deal with crime is a good "tool" to use to
circumvent the compulsory attendance laws of the state of Texas. |
|
1-31-09 |
PACs Flex Muscle in 2008 Elections
Fifteen Texas political
action committees spent more than $1 million each over the past two years,
often trying to influence state elections and curry favor with
officeholders.
Gambling Expansion Difficult to Handicap This Session
A new speaker with
family ties to horse racing is leading the Texas House. A chairman who
oversaw gambling legislation two years ago is under investigation and likely
out of the picture. And a slowing state economy leaves lawmakers looking for
budget cuts or new revenue.
Hutchison Gathers Supporters for Governor, While Perry Rallies Anti-Abortion
Marchers
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison and Gov. Rick Perry rallied crowds at distinct Austin events less
than 10 blocks apart Saturday, signaling a possible showdown for the
Republican nomination for governor next year punctuated by differences on
abortion rights and Congress propping up Wall Street.
Proposed Texas House Rules Trim Committees, Moderate Speaker's Power
The House speaker would
no longer have unchecked power to keep his seat but could swat down
nitpicking parliamentary objections to keep legislation moving under
proposed rules for the chamber unveiled Monday.
Perry: Tightening of Funds Likely for State
Gov. Rick Perry is
expected to tell lawmakers today that the state’s economy can be best kept
above water by keeping a tight state budget, revising the new franchise tax
and by continuing the economic development funds his office uses to attract
new business into the state.
Change Is Good – or Not
by Tim Lambert
The New York Times
ran a story recently on the takeover of the speakership of the Texas House
by moderate Republicans. "When the Republicans nearly lost their majority in
the Texas House in November, a small group of moderates from the party
joined with Democrats to oust the archconservative speaker, Thomas Craddick
of Midland." The article also reported that Staus, the new speaker, "voted
against banning gay men and lesbians from serving as foster parents and
against a ban on late-term abortions. (His wife, Julie Brink Straus, was on
the board of Planned Parenthood in the early 1990s.)"
Don’t Shoot Till You See the Whites of Their Eyes
by Tim Lambert
I continue to see from
different sources e-mails and comments that quote a comment or policy
proposal by President Obama or a Texas legislator calling on the recipient
to take action or we will lose either our freedom to homeschool or some
other freedom. The danger of such messages are twofold.
Texas Rebellion Gives a Centrist a Lift
On first blush, it is
easy to think the Democratic tide that swept President Obama into office
barely touched Texas. After all, Republicans still run the state and hold
all the top offices and, if Texas voters had had their way, John McCain
would be in the Oval Office.
Fossils: Some on Texas Education Board Prove Yet Again that Evolution Is a
Long, Slow Process
Finally, the science
curriculum for Texas students and its standards for teaching evolution are
poised to enter the 21st century. Well, almost. It sure looked that way for
a while when the Texas Board of Education met last week to set standards for
its new science curriculum.
Perry's Address Aimed at Businesses and Social Conservatives
The agenda that Gov.
Rick Perry presented for the state Tuesday was designed to cheer business
and social conservatives, while rebuking the ways of Washington, and by
extension, political rival Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
State of the Taxpayers
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Texas Gov. Rick Perry
just offered his State of the State address before a joint session of the
House and Senate. Taken in all, Perry's recommendations for the Legislature
are good for taxpayers.
Perry Blasts 'Bailout Mentality' but Would Take Texas' Share of Stimulus
For months, Gov. Rick
Perry has been an outspoken opponent of emergency spending measures that
created a record federal deficit. At the same time, his Transportation
Department has lobbied to maximize its haul of federal money from an $819
billion stimulus bill. |
|
1-24-09 |
Teaching Evolution in Public Schools
A debate carries on
today in Austin, TX, one with a decade’s worth of consequences for Texas’
younger generation. At issue is a proposed update to the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) document.
Senator's Voting Move Underscores GOP's Power
by W. Gardner Selby
Tommy Williams, who
ranks 22nd in seniority in the 31-member Texas Senate, showed unexpected
big-dog swagger on behalf of an unsatisfied Republican cause the other day.
Who Needs Truancy Laws? We Have Daytime Curfews
by Tim Lambert
More and more Texas
cities are jumping on the bandwagon of daytime curfews. In 1995, the Texas
legislature enacted a law to allow cities and counties to adopt daytime
curfews under the reasoning that students not in school were driving up
crime rates. Homeschoolers have generally opposed these ordinances because
home school students sometimes get caught up by over zealous police
officers.
Gather Your Children and Watch Your Property - The Texas Legislature Is in
Session
by Tim Lambert
The 81st Texas
Legislature officially began the 2009 legislative session almost two weeks
ago. In 1866, Gideon J. Tucker said, “No man’s life, liberty or property are
safe when the legislature is in session.” That is particularly true for home
school families. This year there is a great deal of uncertainty around the
country regarding our home school freedom.
Duncan Bill to Strengthen Property Rights
One of the most sacred
rights of all Americans is to own property, but a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court
ruling turned such rights upside down, according to Gov. Rick Perry, Sen.
Robert Duncan and a state representative from North Texas.
Dallas Same-Sex Divorce Case a First for Texas
In what could further
define the rights of same-sex couples in Texas and beyond, a Dallas man has
filed for divorce from his husband and longtime partner. |
|
1-17-09 |
Perhaps Conservatives Can Survive Under Straus
by Will Lutz
Does Speaker-designate
Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) offer the House a fresh start or – as some of his
detractors argue – a dose of Barack Obama’s "Change You Can Believe In"?
Texas Leads the Way in Home School Growth
by Tim Lambert
According to a recently
released report by the U. S. Department of Education's National Center for
Education Statistics, the number of home schooled students reached 1.5
million in 2007. This represents a 74% increase since its first report in
1999 and a 36% increase since its 2003 estimate. The percentage of the
school-age population being homeschooled increased from 2.2% in 2003 to 2.9%
in 2007, according to the Department of Education.
U.N. Convention on The Rights of the Child in Texas?
by Tim Lambert
HB 188 is a bill filed
by State Representative Roberto Alonzo from Dallas that has a very strong
potential to undermine the Right of Parents to direct the education and
upbringing of their children. Let me give you
a few examples.
Knives Out of Sight in Texas House, for Now
The Texas House
arranged itself like a pretty picture Tuesday — yellow roses on the desks,
families gathered for pictures, members greeting one another arm in arm.
Texas Senate at Odds Over Voter ID Legislation, Two-Thirds Rule
The usually harmonious
Senate began its year with discord Tuesday over Republican proposals to
advance voter ID legislation and change a long-standing rule that requires a
two-thirds majority to take up any bill.
Legislative Revolution? No, Tradition
by Rick Casey
Rep. Rob Eissler was
the only Houston-area member of the Gang of 11 Republicans who dethroned
House Speaker Tom Craddick.
Perry Has Doubts Hutchison Will Run for Governor
Gov. Rick Perry
expressed doubts Tuesday that U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison will enter the
2010 Republican primary race against him and said Texans want a leader like
him with "big ideas."
Democratic Group Lays Groundwork for House Change
If Republican Tom
Craddick ever makes a list of people to blame for the fact that his tenure
as Texas House speaker officially ends today, he should include a
Washington-based operative who is leading the effort to remake the
Democratic Party in Texas.
Hutchison Pressured to Stay in Senate
Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison (R-Texas) is reconsidering a plan to resign from the Senate this
year, a huge relief to Republicans who fear that a special election — even
in deeply red Texas — could give Democrats a 60-seat, filibuster-resistant
majority in the Senate. |
|
1-10-09 |
First Shots in 2010 Race for Governor
While Gov. Rick Perry
took a whirlwind tour of Iraq Tuesday to support 3,800 Texas troops deployed
to the Mideast, his likely GOP nemesis in 2010, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison, was circulating criticism that Perry's tenure has set a poor tone
back at home.
Young Rep. Straus is Bringing Change -- Sort of -- to Austin
by Bud Kennedy
Texas Republicans, meet
Joe the Speaker.
As the Texas House
speaker-in-waiting, Alamo Heights Republican Joe Straus comes packing an
old-school family political legacy that traces back to former Sen. John
Tower, four Republican presidents and Straus family friends Barbara and
George H.W. Bush.
The question is whether
that’s good enough for the "grassroots" Republicans in the Texas party.
Session Starting, Dewhurst Was Right
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Have you checked the
locks on your doors? The Legislature is about to convene…
The 81st Legislative
Session kicks off on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Given the national economic
situation, the Session will prove to be an interesting one as lawmakers
struggle to keep Texas in the black – one of only six states without a
budget deficit! |
|
1-03-09 |
CPS Final Report: Most Children from FLDS Ranch Were Abused or Neglected
A Texas Child
Protective Services investigation has found that of the 439 children removed
from the Yearning for Zion ranch in West Texas earlier this year, 275 were
abused or neglected.
Agency Officials Conclude Raid on Ranch Was Justified
State child welfare
officials on Tuesday defended their controversial raid on a West Texas
polygamist compound, saying a dozen girls living on the ranch had been
forced into underage marriages and that seven had given birth.
Texas Dems on Verge of Leadership
by The Dallas Morning
News Editorial Staff
With incumbent Rep.
Linda Harper-Brown of Irving finally winning her disputed race, Republicans
will control the Texas House for a fourth consecutive regular session,
albeit by just two seats. |
|
12-20-08 |
Democrats Back Off in Voting Dispute
Texas Democrats changed
course Tuesday in a federal voting rights lawsuit, probably clearing the way
for a narrow Republican majority when state House members elect a speaker
next month.
Teaching Weaknesses in Science Accepted in Texas for 20 Years
by Ken Mercer
Thank you for allowing
me to present the other side of the State Board of Education’s debate on
teaching scientific strengths and “weaknesses” of evolutionary theory in
future textbooks.
Huffman Takes Senate Dist. 17 Seat in Runoff
Republican Joan Huffman
defeated Democrat Chris Bell in Tuesday's runoff election for a Houston-area
seat in the Texas Senate, setting a new high for the number of women in the
31-member legislative chamber.
Daycare Fighting Order to Shut Down over Spanking
Miss Endy’s Playhouse
and Christian Day School is fighting state efforts to shut it down after
children told an investigator they were spanked for wetting their pants.
State Officials Refuse to Release FLDS Findings
Texas Child Protective
Services, the agency that removed 439 children from a polygamists' ranch in
West Texas last spring because caseworkers suspected child abuse, is
refusing to release the findings of their completed abuse investigation to
the Houston Chronicle. |
|
12-08-08 |
Blocker Rule Change Needed for Conservative Success in Upcoming Texas
Legislature
by Steven F. Hotze
The Texas Senate
Blocker Rule must be changed in order for Republicans to pass conservative
legislation in the upcoming 2009 Texas Legislature.
Speaker Politics and Texas' Future
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Texas newspapers are
full of speculation about the election. Thought the elections were behind
us? This is the election for the Speaker of the Texas House.
Texas State Comptroller Susan Combs Says State Has Tightened Its Belt
Through Transparency Initiatives
Texas Comptroller Susan
Combs says transparency initiatives have allowed the state to tighten its
belt by shedding light on potential savings. Today, Combs introduced “Open
Book Texas,” a three-part effort to ensure tax dollars go farther in
challenging economic times. The three projects include Texas Smart Buy, the
Texas Transparency Check-Up Web site and the Single Set of Books initiative.
Gov. Perry More Pro-life than Sen. Hutchison
by Tom McGregor
The most recent news in
Texas politics is that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has taken her first steps
to make her gubernatorial bid official. If she campaigns, she would take on
fellow Republican and incumbent Gov. Rick Perry, who is deemed to be more
pro-life on the issue of abortion.
Saving Taxpayers by Limiting Government
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
When we first started
talking about putting all the state's expenditures online, we knew it was
the right thing to do -- which is why tens of thousands of Texans sent
postcards and letters to lawmakers demanding it get done. |
|
11-22-08 |
Can Turner Win His Latest Race?
Rep. Sylvester Turner
of Houston is a long shot in the race for speaker of the Texas House,
although surprises could happen if the behind-the-scenes politicking drags
on much longer.
Big Show of 2009 Will Be All About Hutchison's Job
by W. Gardner Selby
After November's
elections, Dallas lawyer Ken Emanuelson launched a Web site to draft Michael
Williams, the Texas Railroad Commission chairman, for the U.S. Senate.
A Conservative’s View of the Republicans’ Problems
by Paul Burka
Since most Republican
lawmakers go to church, they’ve probably sung the refrain, “On Christ the
solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is
sinking sand.” It’s a hymn that kept going though my head as I watched the
election results come in. The GOP has built its foundation on quicksand, and
Tuesday, the voters told the GOP — nationally and in Texas — that they’ve
had enough. The voters sent the same message in 2006 and it didn’t register
with the GOP leadership. Perhaps the second time is the charm. The quicksand
here is the Austin lobby, a handful of purely self-interested major campaign
contributors, and large corporate bureaucracies.
Heiligenstein Tapped to Lead Protective Services Department
Texas Health and Human
Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins on Thursday tapped one of his
deputies to take over the state agency that earlier this year oversaw the
seizure of hundreds of children from a West Texas ranch owned by a
polygamous sect. |
|
11-15-08 |
Narrow GOP Majority in State House Appears to Bolster Craddick
A late legislative win
for Republicans seems to have secured the GOP majority in the state House,
if only by a two-seat margin.
Democrats Could Seal Deal for Craddick's Return to Top Job
Quirky but true: A few
Texas House Democrats could lift Republican Tom Craddick — pasted by foes
for everything secretive, bullheaded and wrong at the Texas Capitol — to a
fourth two-year stint as speaker of the House.
Some GOP House Members Fear Another Craddick ‘Fiasco’
Some Republican
supporters of House Speaker Tom Craddick said they’re getting fed up with
behind-the-scenes fighting in the speaker’s race.
Dallas County Republicans Protest Provisional Ballot Rulings in State House
Race
Republican Party
officials are threatening to file a complaint with the Dallas County
district attorney over allegations that a Democratic election judge used
white correction fluid to improperly change rulings about accepting and
rejecting provisional ballots. |
|
11-08-08 |
General Election Review
by Tim Lambert
The 2008 General
Election is now history, and the question is: How will the results affect
home schoolers? Let me give you my opinion on where we are at this point in
time.
Davis Narrowly Beats Brimer; Tarrant Dems Gain No Ground in House
Democrat Wendy Davis
edged 20-year Republican lawmaker Kim Brimer on Tuesday in the state Senate
District 10 race, but Democrats gained no ground in several competitive
state House races in Tarrant County, according to unofficial and incomplete
results.
Texas GOP Spared, This Time
by Christy Hoppe
Texas Republicans were
spared the flood of change that swept the nation, but they have begun to
notice it's raining.
County Leadership to Get Bipartisan Look
It was all a matter of
timing. More precisely, the time the votes were counted. What looked early
like something close to a Democratic sweep of countywide offices was really
just a matter of which votes were counted first. As the hours slipped by,
the Republicans turned the tables in a few races. The margins grew slim. For
people whose names were all but eclipsed on a historic night in American
politics, it was an agonizing wait.
Hutchison Mum on Challenge to Perry
For months, she has
campaigned for fellow Republicans and delayed any announcement of whether
she’d make a bid to become Texas’ governor in 2010 — potentially setting up
a partisan primary battle between her and GOP Gov. Rick Perry — after
Tuesday’s election. On Wednesday, her staff had little to say.
Hopefuls in Texas House District 105 Race Separated by Handful of Votes in
Irving
The eyes of Texas are
on Irving, where the balance of power in the state House could hinge on a
race that probably won't be decided for days, if not weeks.
Are Dems on Their Way Back?
by W. Gardner Selby
Texas Democrats claimed
promising gains in Tuesday's elections, which leaders labeled a big step
toward ending Republican dominance in the state. Maybe so — or maybe not so
fast.
Texas Stores Say Gun-Control Fears Spur Sales
While watching
Republican presidential candidate John McCain's concession speech, gun owner
AJ Sullivan had a sinking feeling.
Exit Poll: Breaking Down the Texas Vote
Even in losing Texas,
Barack Obama cut into Republican strength among young voters, those in rural
areas and even among the affluent, but like other Democratic presidential
candidates, he struggled to win over whites, according to final figures from
an Associated Press exit poll.
Texas Must Avoid Need for Handouts
by Bill Hammond
In the weeks since the
Emergency Economic Wall Street Rescue measure was approved by Congress and
signed into law by the administration, global markets have continued to
experience erratic fluctuation. |
|
11-1-08 |
Garcia, Hunter Tussle in Barnburner of a Race
by William Lutz
The race between Rep.
Juan Garcia (D-Corpus Christi) and former Rep. Todd Hunter is crucial for
both parties and could determine effective control of the House.
Tarrant Is 'Battleground' for Control of Legislature
As Election Day grew
closer, campaign cash flowed into Tarrant County’s hotly contested Senate
and House races, where the political subtext is how much power each party
will have in Austin next year.
Williamson Voters Getting Rare, Expensive Slugfest
Williamson County
voters are getting a rare sight: A $1 million-plus slugfest between a
Democrat and Republican, including television commercials, for a state
legislative seat.
Campaign Finance Reports: $1.8M Spent in District 32
Need a sign the
election is near? Check the candidates' bank accounts. After spending $1.8
million in the race for District 32, Democratic state Rep. Juan Garcia and
his Republican challenger Todd Hunter have a little more than $108,000 in
the bank.
Texas House District 96 Incumbent Boosted by Late Funds That Show Tarrant
County Race Is Vital
For most of the year,
Texas Democrats managed to keep a first-time legislative candidate ahead of
a Republican incumbent in fundraising in a tight Tarrant County race.
Contributions Help Castro Wage Stronger Campaign for House
The House District 85
race is back on track thanks to the Republican Party of Texas and a Houston
mega donor. Although incumbent Joe Heflin, D-Crosbyton, raised $52,387 in
the last 30 days, his Republican challenger, Isaac Castro of Hamlin, raised
two and a half times as much - $130,310 to be precise - during the same
period, with most of the money coming from the Republican Party, Houston
homebuilder Bob Perry and other generous donors.
Now’s Your Chance!
How would you like to
have lunch with Texas Gov. Rick Perry? How about during the upcoming
legislative session to discuss one-on-one the issues facing Texas'
taxpayers? Ever wanted, literally, a seat at the table?
Republicans Get Late Infusion of Cash
As Democrats eye a rare
takeover of the Texas House, Republican donors have injected a late infusion
of cash -- nearly $1 million -- into party coffers since Monday, records
show.
Texas' Power Struggle Adds to Election Intrigue
With less than a week
before the Tuesday election, energized Texas Democrats believe that they are
within striking distance of reclaiming control of the Texas House of
Representatives but are confronting a fierce push-back from besieged House
Speaker Tom Craddick and Republican allies battling to retain their slim GOP
majority.
Court Ends Monitoring of Most FLDS Kids
Nearly all of the 439
children taken from their polygamist parents in West Texas have been
formally released from court oversight, but a child abuse investigation into
their care slowly moves into its seventh month.
Polygamist Child Custody Case Winds Down in Texas
The custody case that
swept 439 children from a polygamist sect's western Texas ranch into foster
care has largely evaporated, with state authorities dropping all but a few
dozen cases against parents. |
|
10-25-08 |
Democrats Hope to Follow Dallas' Lead with a Sweep
Republicans have worn
the robes in every Harris County district court for nearly a decade. Now,
two weeks from the election, many are holding their breaths to see whether
they may be wearing business suits to court come January.
Battle for State House District 101 Shows Importance Parties Have Placed on
Seat
The bruising battle
between Republican Mike Anderson and Democrat Robert Miklos points up the
importance both parties are placing on District 101 as they wrangle for
control of the Texas House.
FLDS Saga Takes New Turn
The lead attorney at
the center of the largest child removal case in U.S. history has turned in
his resignation and neither he nor Texas Child Protective Services are
saying why. |
|
10-11-08 |
Gov. Perry Meets with Leaders of Key State Agencies to Assess Impact of
National Economy on Texas
Gov. Rick Perry today
met with leaders of key state agencies for an assessment of the impact of
the current national economic situation on their agencies and the people
they serve.
Dems Resurgent While Speaker Fights
Texas House Speaker Tom
Craddick has poured more than $200,000 into the effort to keep his
Republican majority, but resurgent Democrats were fighting back hard in
hotly contested races across the state, an Associated Press analysis shows.
Maldonado Raises Much More Money Than Daniel
Texas Democrats are
betting big money on winning a legislative seat in Williamson County.
Recommendation: Texas House District 61
Fort Worth
Star-Telegram
Editorial
State Rep. Phil King,
R-Weatherford, is an energetic, high-profile lawmaker who has been a
significant player in the Texas Legislature, where he chairs the powerful
House Regulated Industries Committee.
The Libertarians
by Richard Whittaker
Democrats and
Libertarians in Texas don’t agree on too many things, but they cheerfully
share antagonism toward the GOP. |
|
10-04-08 |
Democrats Hope to Break Republican Grip in Williamson County
In a strip center off
Interstate 35, there's an excitement at the shared headquarters for
Williamson County's fledgling Democratic Party and Texas House candidate
Diana Maldonado.
Recommendations: Texas Supreme Court
Maybe it’s a positive
sign that voters can choose from qualified Republicans or Democrats for
three seats on the Texas Supreme Court in November.
Libertarians Could Help Democratic Texas House Candidates
The Libertarian getting
national attention is the party's presidential candidate, Bob Barr, a former
Republican congressman from Georgia.
More Deals over Discovery in FLDS Case
Child welfare officials
have reached more agreements with lawyers for children from the
fundamentalist LDS Church’s YFZ Ranch.
Justices Ponder If It's Too Late to Oust Davis
The legal battle over
whether former Fort Worth Councilwoman Wendy Davis is eligible to run
against state Sen. Kim Brimer may hinge on whether the 5th Court of Appeals
is willing to rule against her candidacy after voting has started. |
|
9-27-08 |
Texas' Female Politicians Can Relate to Palin's Ordeal
Kay Granger knew what
was coming. As soon as she heard that the governor of Alaska — a mother of
five — was the Republican vice presidential candidate, Granger said she knew
that Sarah Palin would be questioned about issues ranging from motherhood to
job qualifications.
Bill Keffer Gets Rematch with Vaught in North Dallas
Did Republican voters
stay home in 2006 and contribute to a Democrat candidate’s victory in the
Dallas area in the 2006 election? Or are Dallas voters truly tired of seeing
red?
Davis gets F from State Gun Rights PAC
The Second Amendment
has just become an issue in the state senate race between Wendy Davis and
Sen. Kim Brimer (R-Fort Worth).
Three Vie to Win in Swing District
The two women running
in Texas House District 48 — Republican Pam Waggoner and Democrat Donna
Howard, the incumbent — are both former school board members who consider
themselves advocates for public education, but the similarities may end
there.
Already in Spotlight, House Race Gets Added Notoriety
The race to represent
Texas House District 17, which includes Bastrop and nearby counties, was
already a focus of attention for the Capitol crowd because it is one of the
state's most competitive contests. Now it's gaining notoriety for something
that didn't happen: the candidates' first joint appearance.
Hundreds of Thousands May Stay without Water for a While
A quarter of a million
people in the Houston region were without running water Tuesday, according
to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which regulates more than
2,500 public water systems in the 10-county region hammered by Hurricane
Ike.
Galveston Residents Return to Horror
Ten days after
Hurricane Ike, the devastated beach town of Galveston reopened to residents
Wednesday with stern warnings about what still lurks on the island — rotting
cattle carcasses, snakes and swarms of mosquitoes — and what isn't there —
drinking water, reliable electricity, medical care and sewer service.
Kay Bailey Hutchison to Establish Committee to Explore Run for Texas
Governor
Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison has told some Republican colleagues she intends to establish an
exploratory committee to begin raising money to run for governor, according
to congressional sources.
Crosby Frustrated by Lack of Power, Water
Two weeks after Ike
roared ashore, patience with power outages is wearing thing.
FLDS Seeking CPS Evidence
More lawyers for
children taken in the raid of the YFZ Ranch are taking Texas Child
Protective Services back to court to force the agency to hand over evidence
of abuse. |
|
9-20-08 |
Swinton Trial to Begin Next Year
The woman who may have
prompted a raid on the FLDS Ranch in Texas won't go to trial until next
year. The Deseret News reports 33-year-old Rozita Swinton waived her right
to a speedy trial at a Colorado Springs court hearing yesterday. Her trial
is now set for January 2009.
Hurricane May Alter Political Landscape, Too
Hurricane Ike not only
devastated Galveston Island, it also may have blown away Democrats' chances
to pick up a seat or two in the Texas Senate.
Miserable Post-Ike Life Won't Change Soon for Many
Republican Sen. John
Cornyn's campaign, after saying it canceled a planned run of television ads
because of the devastation of Hurricane Ike, acknowledged Tuesday that
Cornyn commercials are on the air in some markets after all.
Texas Voting Information
Applications for a
ballot by mail for the November 4 general election must be submitted to the
early voting clerk between September 5 and before the close of business on
October 28, 2008. We recommend that you apply for your ballot no later than
October 19, 2008 to allow enough time to process your application.
Freshman Paula Pierson’s Legal Issues Impact Race Against Republican Bill
Burch
The Democrat incumbent
in Texas House District 93, Paula Pierson, is currently being challenged by
Republican Bill Burch. The task of unseating the incumbent is beginning to
look more likely as her activities, and those of her husband, attorney Grey
Pierson, become public.
Brimer Suit Challenging Davis' Status Moved to Dallas County
The Texas Supreme Court
moved a lawsuit to Dallas County that would determine whether former Fort
Worth City Councilwoman Wendy Davis is ineligible to challenge Republican
State Sen. Kim Brimer on the November ballot.
In the Founders' Own Words
by
Justice Don R. Willett, Texas Supreme Court
September
17 is Constitution Day, when Americans celebrate the birthday of our
government and the 39 brave souls who signed the document that altered
history. As a Texas jurist, and a concealed handgun license-holder, I know
that my fellow Texans love freedom ...and firearms. So no surprise when the
Lone Star State combined the two and led a successful 31-state charge in the
U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the District of Columbia's gun ban. The
Court's landmark Heller decision last June agreed 5-4 with Texas that "the
District of Columbia's categorical gun ban is markedly out of step with the
judgment of the legislatures of the fifty States, all of which protect the
right of private citizens to own handguns." |
|
9-13-08 |
Family Advocates Shun Juvenile Court Hearings
Saying he is angry that
a judge ordered two of his family advocates into a holding cell during a
juvenile court hearing two weeks ago, the director of a group contracted to
support children at risk of being removed from their homes in Travis County
refuses to send advocates to any more court hearings.
How Palin Could Change Texas Political Races
by Andy Hogue and Mark
Lavergne
Texas Democrats went
into the 2008 elections with a long list of goals, including taking back a
majority in the Texas House of Representatives, and turning Harris County
blue following Dallas County’s switch in 2006.
Reagan Adviser Unveils Texas vs. California Economic Study
by Mark Levergne
And guess which state
won out? Arthur Laffer, the semi-legendary progenitor of supply side
economics, has only praise for Texas’ “pro-growth” and limited-regulation
economy, which he contrasts with a high-tax, high-spending, increasingly
hard-pressed California economy.
Analysis: Texas Outpaces California Economically
Gov. Rick Perry on
Tuesday touted an economic report that he said validated the state's 2003
decision to close a $10 billion budget hole by reducing services and cutting
state jobs rather than raising taxes.
District 17 Race
Democrat Chris Bell
lost his attempt Monday to have a Democratic opponent removed from the
ballot in the Nov. 4 special election for the District 17 state Senate seat.
Friends Say Sharp Is Weighing U.S. Senate Run
by Chris Robison
Sometimes, the
political itch just won't go away. Friends of former Comptroller John Sharp,
who has lost two races for lieutenant governor and has long eyed the
governor's office, say he now is focusing on a U.S. Senate seat.
Another FLLDS Child “Nonsuited”
One by one, children
taken into state protective custody during the raid on the Fundamentalist
LDS Church's YFZ Ranch are being dropped from court oversight in the
nation's largest child custody case.
Governor Bid by Hutchison Appears Increasingly Likely
Kay Bailey Hutchison is
increasingly looking like a candidate for Texas governor in 2010 as she
strongly considers leaving the Senate early to pursue the bid. |
|
9-06-08 |
Court Won't Reconsider Decision Against DeLay's Former Associates
An Austin-based appeals
court split along party lines in rejecting a call from one of its members
for a full-court rehearing of a case involving Tom DeLay's onetime political
associates.
2010 Races Already on Minds of Texas Delegates, Politicians
The big show's on the
Republican National Convention stage, and the big election is this year, but
maneuvering for the 2010 Texas governor's race provides as least as much
intrigue, with state GOP officials jockeying for support here. |
|
8-30-08 |
Alleged False Abuse Tipper Could Testify in FLDS Case
The Colorado Springs
woman who court documents indicate made false abuse allegations that
prompted more than 400 children to be removed from a Fundamentalist Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) ranch, could be required to
testify in the case for the church.
Girl from Polygamist Group Ordered into State Care
A 14-year-old girl
allegedly married to jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs with her
parents' blessing at age 12 was ordered back into foster care Tuesday by a
Texas judge.
Jeffs Lawyer Says He'll Challenge Search in Texas
A lawyer for polygamist
sect leader Warren Jeffs said Friday that he plans to fight the use of any
evidence seized during a raid on the sect's Texas ranch at Jeffs' trial in
Arizona.
24 More FLDS Kids Dropped
Texas child welfare
officials have dismissed cases involving another 24 children taken from the
FLDS polygamous sect in April.
Texas Education Board Doing Its Job
by Don McLeroy
Early in the 1980s,
Texas embarked on major educational reforms, establishing for the first time
state curriculum standards and tests.
FLDS Child-Custody Evidence Is Subject of Dispute
Lawyers representing a
group of FLDS mothers caught up in the raid on the YFZ Ranch are headed back
to court in an attempt to force child welfare authorities to hand over
evidence of child abuse and neglect
Texas SAT Scores Slip Below Farther U.S. Averages
Texas students lost
ground on the SAT this year, widening the long-standing gap between them and
their counterparts elsewhere in the U.S.
Texas Ends Cases Involving 34 Polygamist Sect Kids
Texas child welfare
authorities have dropped custody cases for 34 children from a polygamist
group in West Texas.
Texas Agency Tightens Procedures for Abuse Cases
Because of a federal
appeals court ruling, child welfare workers will be required to obtain court
orders in most cases before removing allegedly abused children from their
homes, officials said.
Howard Stands By His Comments On FBISD Tax Burden
In an interview with
FortBendNow earlier today, State Rep. Charlie Howard (R-Sugar Land) said he
never intended to anger or humiliate Fort Bend ISD trustees with his remarks
earlier this week, but that his primary commitment is to reduce his
constituents’ property tax burden.
In Texas School, Teachers Carry Books and Guns
Students in this tiny
town of grain silos and ranch-style houses spent much of the first couple of
days in school this week trying to guess which of their teachers were
carrying pistols under their clothes.
Law Enforcement Groups Aren't Backing Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez in
Re-Election Bid
Dallas County Sheriff
Lupe Valdez says she has improved her agency since taking office almost four
years ago, but local law enforcement associations – including those
representing her own deputies – are endorsing her Republican opponent.
Harris County Democrats Hope to Wrest Control from GOP
Texas Democrats leave
Denver today with high hopes that Harris County will tip their way in local
and judicial races this fall, just as Dallas County did two years ago.
To Texans, Ballot Isn't Just Obama
Texas delegates are
getting a strong dose of national politics as the push to elect Barack Obama
president in November approaches the final turn.
Family Court Feud: Public Defenders for CPS Cases
The Travis County
Judges are trying to achieve the impossible: create a bureaucracy that will
improve service to the public and save taxpayer dollars. |
|
8-16-08 |
Handful of Trial Lawyers Inflate Democratic Purse
A handful of handsomely
rich trial lawyers has been quite busy this year donating money with a
partisan loyalty that can scarcely be discovered anywhere else on either
side of the political aisle in Texas.
Hupp: Libertarians Could Cause “Real Damage”
Congressman Ron Paul’s
Republican followers, who caused a ruckus leading up to and to some extent
during the GOP state convention, have, in the words of Mr. Potter from "It’s
a Wonderful Life," "suddenly become quite important."
Rangers Investigating Dozens in Texas Polygamist Sect
The Texas Department of
Public Safety on Tuesday confirmed that at one time, state authorities
opened 20 sexual abuse and 50 bigamy investigations against members of a
West Texas polygamist group. |
|
8-9-08 |
Medellin Set to Die Tuesday for Ertman-Pena Killings
"Texas. It's like a
whole other country." Coined to promote tourism, that wry verbal wink at
the state's mythic image has assumed a literal meaning as Texas finds itself
in defiance of the United Nations, the Organization of American States and
national leaders in its planned Tuesday execution of Mexican citizen Jose
Medellin.
Texas Executes Mexican National
Jose Ernesto Medellin,
whose Death Row appeal provoked an international dispute over U.S. treaty
obligations, was executed Tuesday night for his role in the gang rape and
murder of two teenage girls in Houston 15 years ago.
Clashing Stories, Similar DNA Hurt FLDS Prosecution
Indicting members of a
polygamist sect on child sexual assault is one thing. But prosecuting anyone
on child sexual assault charges is a much different, and tougher, thing to
accomplish, according to legal experts.
Texas Dems Waiting for Support from Obama
Weeks ago, Texas
Democratic officials got an important commitment, or so they thought, from
Barack Obama's campaign.
Fight for 8 FLDS Children Renewed
Texas Child Protective
Services moved Tuesday to return eight polygamist sect children to foster
care, the first such action since the Texas Supreme Court ordered these
children and more than 400 others returned to their parents in May. |
|
8-02-08 |
Down-Ballot Races Seen as Main Event in Texas Vote
When Barack Obama's
presidential campaign and national Democratic officials talk about putting
resources into Texas this year, they're not necessarily focused on beating
Republican John McCain.
Gov. Perry Raising Eyebrows with Early Fundraising
Gearing up for an
unprecedented fourth term, Gov. Rick Perry is planning about 20 fundraisers
between now and December, even though he won't face an election until March
2010.
Republicans Break Solicitation Rules at Baseball Game
Politics can be a rough
sport, even at a minor league baseball game. Last week, local Republican
organizers were registering voters at the AirHogs game in Grand Prairie when
they ventured beyond their small table.
GOP Income Taxes for Texas
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Is a Republican state
senator really saying we need an income tax? Can cutting ketchup save
Dallas County? Schools revenues are up, so why are districts raising taxes?
Could it be because of expensive retreats at fancy hotels? And one state
representative warns Texas could be facing real problems ahead.
Child Protective Services Criticized for Lax Employee Screening
Child Protective
Services doesn't regularly run criminal background checks on most of its
employees, including at least 90 percent of workers who perform sensitive
tasks with abused and neglected youngsters.
At Least 370 Texas CPS Workers Have Criminal Histories
Assault, burglary,
driving while intoxicated, theft, domestic violence, indecent exposure and
prostitution, possession of cocaine and marijuana, selling alcohol to minors
- what do all of these crimes have in common? They are just some of the
crimes committed by people who work for the Texas Department of Family and
Protective Services, the agency in charge of protecting the state’s
children. |
|
7-26-08 |
Changes to Texas College Grant Program Will Hurt El Paso Students, Lawmakers
Say
Fewer El Paso students
would be eligible for a college grant program under recommendations in a
report the state's higher education board is set to adopt Thursday, a report
some lawmakers said will hurt poor and minority students.
Davis Again Cleared to Take on Brimer
A state district judge
ruled Tuesday that Wendy Davis is eligible to run against state Sen. Kim
Brimer in November.
Disaster Areas Declared in 14 South Texas Counties
Gov. Rick Perry
declared 14 South Texas counties disaster areas Tuesday and deployed a
variety of state assets in anticipation of Hurricane Dolly’s making landfall
and dumping what forecasters expect will be more than 15 inches of rain.
Leader Jeffs, 5 Others Indicted in FLDS Polygamist Case
Five members of a West
Texas polygamist sect, including leader Warren Jeffs, were indicted Tuesday
in Schleicher County on charges of sexual assault of a child. A sixth member
was indicted on charges of failing to report child abuse.
6 from Polygamist Sect Facing Charges
Six men from a West
Texas polygamist community – including incarcerated sect leader Warren Jeffs
– have been indicted by a grand jury on charges including felony sexual
assault of a child.
Judge Divides FLDS Child Cases
Nearly four months
after the largest child-custody case in U.S. history commenced, Texas 51st
District Judge Barbara Walther has broken it up, leaving 234 separate cases
involving the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Polygamist Custody Battle Now 234 Separate Cases
The judge who had her
custody decision reversed on more than 400 polygamist sect children has
ordered the cases divided by mother, meaning there are now 234 separate
child welfare cases from the Yearning For Zion Ranch.
Lawmakers Consider More Involvement on Polygamists
Lawmakers and former
polygamist church members at a hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary
Committee on Thursday accused a sect under investigation in Texas and
elsewhere of denying women and children their basic rights.
Democrats Focus on County Elections
Little-known Texas
organizations that support Democratic candidates are pouring money and
personnel into Harris County at seldom-seen levels for the Nov. 4 election,
with the help of a few wealthy statewide donors and national labor unions.
EPA Delays Decision on Waiver for Ethanol
Gov. Rick Perry on
Tuesday renewed his request for a waiver from ethanol requirements for
gasoline, after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's postponement of a
decision.
Down-ballot Races May Hinge on Whether Obama, McCain Visit Texas
As local candidates and
political operatives look toward November, they are increasingly concerned
about the Texas campaigns of presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack
Obama.
Bell Vying for Shift in Voting
As politicians go, it
might seem like an unlikely trajectory: Houston City Council to U.S. House
of Representatives, then a failed run for governor.
Johnson's 1948 Election Still Looms Large
The humming campaign
helicopter, the hat-tossing trick with the crowd and the late-arriving,
decisive ballots from the suspicious "Box 13" in South Texas. There's no
Texas election quite like the 1948 U.S. Senate primary race between Lyndon
B. Johnson and Coke Stevenson, a contest that gave Johnson an 87-vote
surprise victory and propelled him on his path toward the presidency.
Texas Victory Strike Force Summer Registration Drive
Guess who made a visit
to Crawford, Texas, last week?
If you guessed the
President and First Lady, you'd be incorrect. Howard Dean! Yes, that's
Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. And he was not
just in town to see the sites.
Schooling Waste, Tax Bills, Bree-Cheese Cons
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
Have you ever noticed
that when government spends too much money, they say it is a "shortfall" and
not overspending? School boards, legislators, congressmen, – they cannot
fathom that they've misspent or over-committed, so obviously it's your fault
for not presenting enough money to the god of government excess. |
|
7-19-08 |
Brimer May Have to Fight to Keep Seat
While no politician is
unbeatable, state senators may be as close to that as it gets in Texas.
Skelly Plans Barrage of TV Ads for House Bid
Democratic
congressional challenger Michael Skelly brought an unusually early and
extensive start Tuesday night to the next season of political TV advertising
in the Houston area. |
|
7-05-08 |
Head of Agency That Removed Children from Sect Retiring
Carey Cockerell, head
of the state agency that removed more than 400 children from a West Texas
polygamist sect, announced his retirement Friday.
Texas May Feel Ripple Effect of Supreme Court's Handgun Ban Ruling
In Texas, the state
constitution always has provided "every citizen the right to keep and bear
arms," but the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling gave hope to those who want
greater freedom to carry guns.
Lawmaker Wants to Make Couples Wait 2 Years for Divorce
Texans would have to
wait two years to get a divorce — unless they take a class designed to save
their marriage — under a proposal a key state lawmaker says he plans to
revive. |
|
6-28-08 |
Pay More Taxes
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
You just don't pay
enough in taxes, you greedy cheat. You're probably one of those miserable
people who provides for your family, creates jobs and plans for the future.
How dare you?
King Speaks Out on Property Tax Reform
State Representative
Phil King (R – Weatherford) spoke today of his concern with the status quo
of the property tax and appraisal system in Texas following a hearing of the
House Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform.
Grand Jury to Hear Polygamist Case
A Schleicher County
grand jury will begin hearing testimony next week as part of a state
criminal investigation of a polygamist sect.
FLDS is Left Without a Leader
Al Holm lived his
entire life as a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints — until he confessed two years ago to being addicted to
online porn sites and was expelled.
FLDS Leader's Daughter, 16, Wants to Dump Her Attorney
A daughter of convicted
polygamist leader Warren Jeffs says she doesn't need protection from church
leaders and wants her court-appointed attorney to step down for asking for
it.
Polygamist Sect Fights Back by Emerging from Isolation
The days of turning the
other cheek appear to be over for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints.
New Path is Vowed for DPS
Under accusations that
it can't quickly deliver such basic services as renewing drivers' licenses —
much less protect the Governor's Mansion from an arsonist — top Texas
Department of Public Safety officials pledged Tuesday to modernize the
troubled agency.
Friedman Says He Could Win as a Dem
Writing off his 2006
independent gubernatorial campaign as failed from the start, Kinky Friedman
now says he’s the Democrats’ best chance to wrest the governor’s office from
the Republicans.
Supreme Court Tosses Out Death Penalty for Child Rapists
When Texas' leading
politicians called loudly for the death penalty for repeat child rapists
last year, they knew there was a good chance the U.S. Supreme Court might
find the provision unconstitutional. Legal experts told them so –
repeatedly. |
|
6-21-08 |
AFP-Texas Calls for Removing Barriers to Texans Realizing the American Dream
June is home ownership
month in Texas. Home ownership is considered part of the American dream.
However, Texas ranks 45th in the country in home ownership. In 2006, Texans
paid the highest property taxes as a percentage of home values in the
country according to the American Community Survey, Tax Foundation
Calculation.
New Poll Shows Hunter Ahead in District 32 House Race
A new poll by a
nonpartisan survey group in Austin shows Republican Todd Hunter ahead in the
race for House District 32 against incumbent Democrat Juan Garcia.
Make Your Voice Heard In Austin
by Michael Quinn
Sullivan
'm excited to let you
know about a new project we're launching: TexasTaxpayers.com. This new
website is a portal for pro-taxpayer efforts to make your voice heard! At
TexasTaxpayers.com you can sign petitions and letters that will be
hand-delivered to your state representative, state senator and key
lawmakers.
Texas Evangelical Republicans Reluctantly Back McCain
For religious
conservatives at the Texas Republican Convention, even the song list at
Friday’s prayer rally suggested dark days ahead for the GOP.
Texas Bar Foundation Donates $25k for FLDS Children's Ad Litem Attorneys
When hundreds of
children were removed from the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints
compound, hundreds of Texas attorneys stepped up to provide legal
representation to the children at no charge.
Was State GOP Confab the Calm Before 2010 Storm?
Maybe because Sen. John
McCain didn't come, there was a hold-fire quality to the Texas GOP's
convention in Houston this month — with the exception of swipes at Sen.
Barack Obama, McCain's presumptive Democratic opponent for president.
Just When You Thought It Couldn’t Get Any Worse
by
Tim Lambert
The postmortem for the
Republican Party of Texas (RPT) State Convention continues to be written and
analyzed. One thing that appears to be different this year is that people
are not just going home and writing off the experience but seem to be saying
that we are not going to take it anymore. |
|
6-14-08 |
Dallas Morning News Editorial
Not being one to fawn over
politicians of any stripe, I'm surprising even myself today: If I could, I
would send Gov. Rick Perry a bouquet of yellow roses. I'd buy him a beer.
State Democrats Make Religion a Focal Point
by Wayne Slater
Pastor Carl Rohlfs had hardly finished preaching to the choir Friday
when somebody jumped up and asked why he was preaching to the choir.
Faith in Science
It's shaping up to be a long,
hot summer, even by Texas standards, as the State Board of Education gears
up to determine the curriculum standards for the state's new science
textbooks. Science includes evolution - the phenomenon whereby the species
on Earth today evolved from species now extinct. That fact is what
creationists on the board don't believe in.
Gov. Rick Perry took personal
responsibility Thursday if Texas "stepped across some legal line" in the
April raid on a West Texas polygamist sect's ranch while defending the
state's action, The Dallas Morning News reported.
An FLDS couple won another
court victory Monday. But their quest to obtain full legal custody of
their children from Texas officials is still up in the air.
The attorney for the
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said Tuesday
that the polygamist sect intends to sue state and county officials over
the April 3 raid on the Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado.
|
|
6-07-08 |
For nearly two months,
Texas child-welfare officials had insisted conditions at a
polygamist group's ranch were so abusive that none of its members
should be allowed to keep their children.
Critics Say CPS Failed to Foresee Nuances
In the early days of the
state's raid on a West Texas polygamist sect's compound, child
welfare officials insisted that they were going by the book in
removing children from a potentially dangerous living situation.
Texas Dems Seek Unity
Dwayne "Pop" Freeman has
begun calling for an "Austin tea party."
The oil field service company owner first suggested overturning the
Legislature with revolutionary fervor at a recent meeting of
independent business owners. They were discussing the new state
franchise tax, which evens the taxpaying field, supporters say.
Texas Gay Couples Heading to California for Licensed
Marriages
For nearly 28 years, the
Rev. Cindi Love and Sue Jennings have lived like a married
couple. They've paid bills together, worshipped together and raised
children together. But the Abilene couple never had the option to
getmarried on U.S. soil until California's Supreme Court ruled last
month to legalize same-sex marriage.
English Coalition Lobby Gets a Spanking
Two months after Texas
officials raided a ranch and removed 468 children from their homes,
a court, at the direction of the Texas Supreme Court, has ended this
injustice, ordering that the children be reunited with their
parents. Many of the children, whose parents belong to the
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, had been
forced into foster care and scattered across the vast Lone Star
State.
FLDS Promises to Stop Marrying Underage Girls
The Fundamentalist Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints made the startling announcement
Monday that it will no longer allow underage girls to marry adults
within their sect.
What to Watch for at the State Conventions
In the next two weeks,
both parties will hold their state conventions - the Democrats June
6-7 in Austin and the Republicans June 12-14 in Houston. Just
because the really big action comes at the national conventions
later this summer you can't assume the state confabs don't matter.
They do. Always.
Sheriff Predicts Criminal Charges Against Polygamist Sect Members
Even as children continue
to stream back home to the Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado,
Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran predicted Tuesday that
numerous criminal charges will eventually be returned against
followers of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS).
Creationist School Fights Ruling
A Bible-based school and
research institute has asked the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board to reverse its decision not to allow the school to offer a
master's degree in science education.
The State's Red-Headed Stepchild
State officials, fearing
a violent reaction from members of a West Texas polygamist sect,
considered a secret plan to haul hundreds of children and their
mothers to Midlothian to be separated, internal e-mails show. But a
judge vetoed the plan.
State Makes a Mess Taking Sect Children
MySanAntonio.com
Editorial
Mother-and-child
reunions continued around the state Tuesday but most families
belonging to a polygamist sect are staying away from the windswept
ranch they used to call home - at least temporarily.
Sued Texas GOP Ordered to Follow Convention Rules
A Harris County judge
on Wednesday ordered the Texas Republican Party to comply with
state election law at its state convention in Houston next week
after Republican activists alleged that the party illegally uses
procedures to minimize grass-root dissent.
County GOP Hands over Convention Minutes
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison's criticism of the state's new business tax drew a sharp
rebuke Wednesday from the office of Gov. Rick Perry. The Dallas
Morning News reported that, in a speech to the Texas Association
of Business, Hutchison called the tax an abject failure.
|
|
|
5-31-08 |
As Archie Bunker, in "All in the Family," used to affirm, "Nixon knows
something I don't know." It was both a comical and a semi-logical way of
standing behind the President's much-berated Vietnam policies.
Lawyers for a conservative advocacy group are worried the uproar over
allegations of child abuse at a West Texas polygamous sect's compound
could entice the courts to overstep their bounds and limit the rights of
parents in the general public.
Deal to Seat Demo Delegates at State Convention Collapses
Child welfare officials were up against a culture of secrecy, unlimited
resources and sect members well-schooled in the art of misleading
authorities as they tried to build their case for removing hundreds of
children from a West Texas polygamist enclave, religious experts and
former adherents say.
FLDS Sect Case Hits CPS Staff in Wallet
The strain of handling the huge child custody case involving a
polygamous sect in West Texas is trickling down through the ranks of
Child Protective Services caseworkers who are pinching pennies while
waiting for the state to repay them for overdue travel expenses.
Texas CPS Appeals to Keep Custody of Children Taken from Ranch
Child Protective Services should be allowed to retain custody of the
youngsters seized from the West Texas polygamist ranch last month
because returning them might lead to further abuse, the state agency
said Friday in an emergency appeal to the Texas Supreme Court.
The 2010 Election Looks Interesting in Texas
While the political attention of many Texans is focused on
the 2008 presidential election, and to a more involved few, the
control of the Texas House of Representatives, there are some folks
already looking ahead to 2010. That's the next time that most of
Texas' non-judicial statewide offices are up for election.
Lawyers Cry Foul in FLDS Seizures
Many lawyers for children and parents in a Texas polygamist sect are
boiling mad about the growing number of legal errors they claim the
state has made in seizing and holding more than 460 children.
English Standards Head Back to Basics
A bitterly divided State Board of Education voted Thursday on new
English language arts and reading standards that infuriated teacher
groups whose recommendations were cast aside.
A Tax Win, Awarding Waste, Grim Liberals
by Michael Quinn Sullivan
Taxpayers were handed a much-deserved victory this week by Attorney
General Gregg Abbott. What's that? You didn't read about it in the
press? Big surprise, eh?
Will Bell Get in Ring?
Scott McClellan's critics in Washington have speculated about his
motives for writing a book bashing President Bush, but back in the
former White House spokesman's home state of Texas, some chalk it up
to something very simple: his gene pool.
Polygamist Sect's Kids Could Be Returned Within Days
A Texas judge refused on Friday to sign an agreement that would have
paved the way for the first large batch of children taken from a
polygamist sect's ranch to return to their parents, dashing hopes
raised by a Supreme Court ruling in the case.
Texas Judge Adjourns Hearing on Polygamist Children
A four-hour conference ended in mass confusion today (May 31) in a
Texas courthouse where attorneys had gathered to work out a plan for
getting the children of a polygamous sect out of state custody and
back home.
Cycle of Ab | |