Jim S at the Daily Kos tells us that the Bush administration has finally ponied up the truth: they've been sweeping the health care needs of 103,000 veterans--four times as many as the VA had admitted even existed--under the rug in order to avoid paying their doctor bills.

Even Republican House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis now says, "It borders on stupidity. ... I think someone was hoping they could hide the ball for a while."

VA Undersecretary for Health Jonathan Perlin finally copped to the administration's shell game last week when he testified, "We weren't on the mark from the actuarial model" -- meaning that instead of frittering away a promised $1.6 billion on such fripperies as prosthetic limbs for maimed veterans, they've kited the money around from one account to another to make it look as though our troops were really being provided for.

Veterans' organizations and our returning troops who go begging for health care haven't been fooled. Steve Robertson of the Disabled American Veterans summed it up bluntly, charging that BushCo and its Congressional minions push shortchanging policies that "subdivide veterans into little groups, the ones that 'deserve' and the ones who 'don't deserve.'"

In fact, the Washington Post reports that "Leaders of the American Legion, the Paralyzed Veterans and the Disabled American Veterans all noted a striking partisan division in Congress on veterans issues, with Democrats giving them much more support than Republicans."

But the VA's game of three card monte still made the Secretary of Veterans Affairs cocky enough to write this:

Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison
Chairman
Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Committee on Appropriations

U.S. Senate
Washington, DC


Dear Madam Chairman:

... I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the consideration and interest you have shown VA through your leadership in this year's appropriation hearing and many other endeavors on behalf of our veterans. I very much appreciate your proactive involvement and commitment to providing for those who have served this country with such dedication.

I write to you today to address certain issues regarding VA's FY 2005 fiscal situation. I know some have said that VA must have emergency supplemental funds to continue providing the services for which veterans depend on us--timely health care and delivery of benefits.

[snip]

It does not, however, indicate a "dire emergency". I can assure you that VA does not need emergency supplemental funds in FY 2005 to continue to provide the timely, quality service that is always our goal.

[snip]

I look forward to continuing to work with you as we strive to provide the very best service possible for those veterans who depend on us the most. Thank you again for your leadership in this important area.

Sincerely yours,

R. James Nicholson

That very letter was used by Sen. Hutchison and most of the Republican majority to excuse their repeated refusal to give our vets the health care we owe them, even as Sen. Patty Murray and the rest of the Senate Democrats protested until they were blue in the face--along with AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the American Legion--that Republicans were shortchanging and neglecting our returning troops.

Now that those 103,000 "hidden" vets have surfaced and made the papers, Sen. Hutchison ("shocked, shocked I say" to learn that they exist anywhere except in the fevered imaginations of traitorous liberal Democrats) is quick to reassure us that "We can never fall short on our promises to those who have sacrificed so much."

As our dedicated senator recently remarked about her desire to keep helping President Bush in the Senate, "We have a president who is trying very hard to do the right thing under very difficult circumstances ... I want to be there to try to make sure that we do not waver in our support."

I'd say that I hope Senator Hutchison supports Dubya better than she supports our troops ... but that would be wrong.






















Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

to UUA Moderator Gini Courter (She's the one in the stars and stripes on slide 26. Gini came out as a member of the reality-based community in Fort Worth Thursday night. She was discussing the UU commitment to family, and she noted that, "we stand for reality-based family values". Read about and view the opening ceremony here.

Oh, yeah. And go back to look at the slideshow. That event was "the Prom you never had", and it was opened to GLBT's in the larger Fort Worth community. It was marvelous to see in these times, with all the things that are going on, that for a few hours we could create a safe space for GLBT's.

This is sort of the opposite of what we normally cover, but it occurred in Texas, and I thought we deserve some good news.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

... is a documentary film that chronicles the (unsuccessful) battle of the Lubbock Youth Commission, and in particular a young lady named Shelby Knox, to introduce comprensive sex education into the public school system.

The film contains extensive footage of the "True Love Waits" program, which is quite valuable in terms of seeing how abstinence-only programs work and what is taught.

In addition, the film shows how Shelby develops into a fairly liberal democrat in light of her experiences. In addition to her sex education work, she befriended some youth who were attempting to start a Gay-Straight Alliance in Lubbock high schools. It is interesting to note that hundreds of GSA cases have been won, but the Lubbock case was lost on the basis that permitting the group would conflict with the abstinence-only policy.

In the discussion after the viewing, Shelby noted that she thinks that the abstinence-only policy remains in effect at this point, not because the parents want it, but so that the GSA ban will remain effective. For Shame - that these parents would consider their kids' safety and health to be less important than banning a support group for gay kids. Eh, but I guess the parents don't know the difference between a support group and a sex club. What else would you expect from a locality where the picketers scream at young ladies (like Shelby) entering the Planned Parenthood facility (that does not perform abortions) "Don't kill your baby!". On second thought, maybe they were just concerned that Shelby was getting
birth control pills from Planned Parenthood.

Cross-posted to mUUsings.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

From the Houston Chronic, today:

Documents released in a civil lawsuit Friday show that Texas Association of Business officials were trying to influence the outcome of state House races when they ran a $1.7 million "voter education project" paid for with corporate money.

"Of the nine incumbents ... we went after, seven were defeated. This is huge news," a TAB executive said in a 2002 e-mail the day after the group helped Republicans win control of the Texas House for the first time since Reconstruction.

TAB officials have claimed that their corporate spending was meant to educate voters, not affect elections.

Charles Kuffner has more:

What do they say doesn't count as advocacy? Here's an example.

One mailer targeted voters in Bexar County, where Rep. Ken Mercer, a Republican, was running against Democrat Raul Prado and would ultimately defeat him.

"The Texas Association of Business is committed to fighting for free enterprise," the mailer said. Then beside a picture of Mercer, the ad reads: "Ken Mercer stands with us in promoting the principles that will ensure that Texas remains a leader in jobs, economic development, quality education and improving transportation."

It also mentioned Mercer's positions on jobs and the economy, healthcare and corporate responsibility.

If you can read something like that and not conclude that the Texas Association of Business wants you to vote for Ken Mercer, then all I can say is that it's a good thing you finished school before there were TAKS tests.

Exactly.

And Tejano Politico reiterates that indictments are due any day.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Kay Bailey Hutchison Just Can't Help Herself: This Time Her Bush Rubber Stamping Hurts Veterans

Barbara Ann Radnofsky called Kay Bailey Hutchison out for opposing emergency appropriations for Veterans benefits. But even worse than that, it is the way she did it, according to Radnofsky in her press release,

'Sen. Hutchison is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. In a floor speech on April 12, 2005 opposing Sen. Murray's Amendment for Emergency Supplemental Appropriations this year, she confessed to relying on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Congr Record S3457, 3465 et seq), while major organizations had already uncovered the truth in terms of needs.' Radnofsky continued, 'Had the issue of funding for veterans been presented to me as a sitting Senator, I would have vigorously done my homework. We expect our Senator to be an independent voice for Texans, not a rubber stamp for the administration.'

So even though the American Legion had uncovered the shortfall, Senator Rubber Stamp was listening to the administration instead.

Senator Rubber Stamp, stamping away. What use is it for Texas to even have Senators?
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

The American Prospect "...called the offices of every Republican senator and asked their press staff the following: "Does Karl Rove speak for Senator X in his recent comments on liberals and September 11?" [...]

Kay Bailey Hutchinson’s staff told us she agrees with Rove’s remarks"

Well, now we know where she stands.

[Cross-posted from Politics Plus Stuff.]
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Oh, Kay. OK? First she says Durbin "arms America's enemies" and now, we have word that she is done examining the "context" of Rove's remarks and she supports his statements. That means that she supports Rove's argument that it is the MOTIVE of liberals to put our troops in greater danger.

Kay wants to be your Senator again, Texas. That is a pretty un-Texan thing to say if you ask me. My buddy, a Texas liberal, who is in Iraq right now fighting while the Young Republicans are having their convention certainly would not agree with Rove's statements.

Her arguments on Hardball were of the "Rove was just talking about differences" and he "wasn't even talking about Democrats" type. More when I get the transcript:

I was surprised that people are jumping so hard on [Rove]...He was talking about the differences between conservatives and liberals...He didn't even say Democrats.

Sounds pretty nuanced to me...
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Well, John Aravosis of AMERICAblog has found that she co-sponsored a congratulations to the Baylor University women's basketball team for their first place finish in the NCAA tournament. So It is not just that the good Senator only concerns herself with important policy issues. There you go again, Texas righties, embarrassing the rest of us.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

And her press release is blatently false when it says that Durbin "[compared] United States military men and women to" Nazis.

Here is the quote:

Sen. Durbin not only diminished the horrific treatment of so many people during the last century, he brazenly sullied the reputation of our military men and women, arming America’s enemies with false reason to hold us in contempt.

Emphasis mine. But, her staff says she has to wait for "context" to decide if Rove's words were appropriate.

[From Corked Bats]

UPDATE: Just wanted to pass on that Hutchison finally did sign on as a co-sponsor to the lynching apology. Don't know why she had to be prodded to do so. Cornyn still has not signed on. We keep it honest at CATI.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Rick Perry is at it again - and that means the average red-necked, white-socked, blue-ribbon-beer-drinking, hard-working Texan is about to get screwed with their pants on.

The Chron put Governor Goodhair's tax plan to the test. It's full of good news if you don't need it. If you are one of the vast majority of Texans who manages to surive on less than $100,000 a year - well, keep the Vaseline handy.

At the median point - the exact middle of income earners where a family earns a whopping $45,861 per year - a Texas family could expect to save a heart-stopping $12,75 per month. That's not even enough to fill the gas tank on a Volkswagon Rabbit! Hell, it it's barely enough to fill the gas tank on a Cottontail Rabbit.

Those who break the six-figure income mark will save a collective $351 million per year with Ken Doll's plan. That would be paid for by saddling the working man with a $935 million tax hike. Hey, Governor, help like this I don't need!

The Governor's plan is basically to allow the 37% of families who make less than $35,000 to subsidize the existence of the 5% who earn more than $150,000. A family of four with an income of $35,000 would actually pay $72 per year more - and that money would be bundled together along with six other families and given to someone who makes $150,000 a year and lives in a $300,000 house. Man, now that's the way to build prosperity!

In defense of this idiotic plan, Byron Schlomach from the Texas Public Policy Foundation claims it will actually help the working poor to take more money out of their pocket. "If you're a welder, you may not realize you would have lost your job if this had not happened," Schlomach said. "Property tax decreases do a lot to stimulate investment."

Yep, you read that right. Republicans think welders are too stupid to know if they have a job.

That explains why they reward themselves with extra pay by forcing the Governor to look busy by calling a special Legislative session - they think Texans are too stupid to realize their lack of leadership actually costs us money.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Breaking my own posting rules here. Hey, kind of like Tom DeLay. Anyway, just wanted to say it was great meeting PDiddie, Susan B, roses, Denson In 2024 and Othniel in Austin this weekend. I also saw but did not get a chance to meet wcnews's wife. Cheers.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

For the fourth consecutive year, Bush has addressed the Southern Baptist Convention.
He focused on the following things: Support for the troops and government funding of faith-based organizations, and opposition to gay marriage, abortion, and stem cell research.

In his introduction, SBC president Bobby Welch said, “It is always a blessing when our nation has a president who really knows the Lord.” Al Gore and Bill Clinton, both of whom are Southern Baptists, were not invited to address the SBC during Clinton's tenure as president.

Details here.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

That's how Governor "God is my campaign manager" Rick Perry signed off an interview with Houston's ABC affiliate KTRK today.

Really. I can't make this stuff up. Click on the link up there.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

"I am not a weak leadin', ethics ignorin', pointin' the finger at everyone blamin', special session callin', public school slashin', slush fund spendin', toll road buildin', special interest panderin', rainy day fund raidin', fee increasin', no property tax cuttin', promise breakin', do-nothin' Rick Perry phony conservative."

That would be Carole Strayhorn talking. She's a big fan of Rick Perry. You can tell because she also said this:

"A leader does not hold our children's education hostage — and certainly would never even allow a discussion about schools not opening on time — because he cannot fix what is broken. A leader does not intimidate or threaten.

"Rick Perry is no leader."

What a difference from the solemn words of Bill Clements who all but begged Kaye Bailey Hutchinson not to divide the party in a hotly contested primary with Rick Perry. So why did no one mention Strayhorn in their warnings?

Well, for one thing, she started as a Democrat - and she's never been fully forgiven by the Republicans for that. In fact, Strayhorn is cut from the same cloth as former Senator Phil Gramm - who also started life as a Democrat and bolted to the Republicans for political expediency.

Strayhorn's move came some years after Gramm's - after she had already won every office she could as a Democrat and could no longer be the "first woman" to do anything else. Her move was pure political opportunism - timed just right to hitch her wagon to the rising star of George W. Bush - even good enough to get two of her sons jobs with the Bush Administration in Washington.

It's that opportunism that leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Republicans when they look forward to the primary. You see, Strayhorn doesn't sound at all like a Republican from Texas is supposed to sound. She's more an ideological conservative than a Republi-vangelical. In fact, she sounds an awful lot like Ann Richards - and Texas Republicans can't even hold their nose and vote for Ann Richards.

She also sounds a lot like Chris Bell - and that will help Bell even more than it will hurt Strayhorn. After a long and nasty primary, all of Rick Perry's lies and attacks will be laid in the open. The rapid-fire, smart-mouth attacks of Strayhorn and the Bible thumping attacks of Perry will leave many Texans looking for a voice of reason. That's where Chris Bell comes in. He's the right candidate with the right issues at the right time - and he has shown leadership consistantly throughout his public life.

Time is running short on Texas Rebubli-vangelicals. They've shown beyond any doubt that they are totally incapable of leading. As my grandpa used to say, they couldn't lead a fish to water in a rainstorm.

And, Rick Perry, it's raining hard on your parade.

Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Tulsa, that is. For once we are behind the curve.

This is a little old, but too good to pass up.

The Tulsa zoo has an exhibit that shows elephant images in various cultures, such as Ganesh and the Republican elephant mascot.

Well, the municipal government's gone and decided that since there's a statue of Ganesh and of a Native American with a spiritual inscription, that Christians are being discriminated against ... so there's got to be an exhibit depicting a six-day creation. No word on which Biblical creation account they are going to use. City attorneys say the exhibit will depict creation stories from multiple religious and cultural traditions.

Zoo officials say it will take six months or so to organize the exhibit, and that they are concerned that "we are going in the wrong direction". Look on the bright side, creation stories are fun. I've always been partial to the Norse Creation story, but maybe that's because of the beautiful illustration of the event in D'Aulaire's book of Norse Myths (which is being reprinted.

I think someone didn't think this one through. In real life, many conservative preachers won't share a pulpit with non-Christians. In zoo life, their Creation account will essentially share a pulpit with other creation accounts. How does this solve their problem, really?

And how long before our local Texas zoos get hit with demands for equal time for Creation Science?

AP article here.

Crossposted at mUUsings.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

All nine Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges are Republicans and their zeal for death couldn't be more evident. The Supreme Court has just overturned another death penalty that was upheld by the Texas Court and the Fifth Circuit Court in New Orleans--the fourth such reversal in two years. Kill first, ask questions later. What do you expect from a party that worships a President who mocked a condemned death row inmate before her death when he was the Governor of Texas? Texas has executed well over 300 people, more than three times the number of the next highest state, since reinstating the death penalty.

People can disagree on the death penalty (though I think it is categorically immoral), but they cannot in good conscience support the sloppy, often racially biased application of the death penalty in Texas and in most of the Fifth Circuit.

Read all about it in this Reuters article.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

... about her 2006 plans. Since a street in downtown Austin next to the Capitol will be closed for the 'announcement' -- and there'll be free hot dogs -- I'm guessing she's not going to say that she'll run for comptroller again.

Lots of other bloggers are reporting and speculating on this rumor/news.

Here's my take:

1. This has to chap Kay Bailey's ass. Now she has to a) announce her own intentions sooner than she planned in order to avoid being left in the starting gate, or b) continue shilly-shallying and risk looking indecisive.

2. The Guvnah's disciples are saying this development is good for him, as it means that two moderate GOP women will be fighting over the scraps of non-evangelical Republican primary voters next spring. To quote Mrs. K-McC-R-S: hogwash.

Rick Perry's going to have his hide torn off between now and next May. And he'll have to spend millions of dollars to try and lock down the nomination, money he could have saved for autumn 2006.

3. It makes a Kinky candidacy either less likely or more formidable, depending on your POV. Friedman needs something like 12,000 signatures of registered voters who can't have voted in either primary next May, and he has a small window after those primaries to gather them. So if he can get on the ballot -- a tall task, considering how many people will be drawn to a GOP primary with Perry and Hutchison and Strayhorn and a Dem primary with possibly Chris Bell and maybe John Sharp -- he stands a reasonable chance of drawing off that 15 or perhaps 20% of general election votes, giving him kingmaker status and nothing more.

Dammit, I've got to get to Costco for a case of Orville Redenbacher's ...
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Why does Kay Bailey Hutchison think it is possible to be the Governor of Texas when she won't even condemn lynching?

Apparently, after some confusion, she is also on the list of Senators who will not co-sponsor this bill. It speaks to the nature of Texas' right wing--it is extreme and way out of the mainstream.

From AmericaBlog:

STILL HAVEN'T COSPONSORED

Lamar Alexander (R-TN) - (202) 224-4944
Robert Bennett (R-UT) - (202) 224-5444
Thad Cochran (R-MS) - (202) 224-5054
John Cornyn (R-TX) - (202) 224-2934
Michael Crapo (R-ID) - (202) 224-6142
Michael Enzi (R-WY) - (202) 224-3424
Chuck Grassley (R-IA) - (202) 224-3744
Judd Gregg (R-NH) - (202) 224-3324
Orrin Hatch (R-UT) - (202) 224-5251
Kay Hutchison (R-TX) - (202) 224-5922
Jon Kyl (R-AZ) - (202) 224-4521
Trent Lott (R-MS) - (202) 224-6253
Richard Shelby (R-AL) - (202) 224-5744
John Sununu (R-NH) - (202) 224-2841
Craig Thomas (R-WY) - (202) 224-6441

LATEST TWO WHO NOW HAVE COSPONSORED

George Voinovich (R-OH)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

It is good to know that our Senators--the Senators representing the greatest state in the USA--will not even join the 20th century (let alone the 21st) and oppose extra-judicial terror killings. Outside Report has an idea of why Texas won't sign on. But is this acceptable to our state? Where is the morality? Where is the Texas pride? Senator Cornyn, it should be noted, recently came out with statements that seemingly justify killing judges because of politics. Another courtroom killing occurred today in Connecticut. Though it had nothing to do with politics, will Cornyn talk further about the need to crack down on so-called judicial activism in order to "protect" the judicial system?

The Texas right wing is out of control and out of step with modern society.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

That's how PinkDome and In the Pink sum up the debut of the new Marriage Alliance web site, dedicated to saving the marriages of millions of innocent Texans from the Godless gay and lesbian hordes hellbent on perverting that sacred institution beyond all recognition.

Fresh from his consecration of Texas' latest auto da fé against pregnant and abused teenagers, and understandably eager to get our statewide pogrom against gay and lesbian Texans indecorous enough to emerge from their closets kickstarted on schedule, Gov. Rick "Goodhair" Perry lends his chiseled good looks and eponymous coiffure to a video welcome on the main page.

Marriage is at the heart of our social fabric. It brings us love, structure, stability and family. Marriage throughout the ages has been between a man and a woman and in that tradition we must support it. Join our Marriage Alliance and let your voice be heard.

What an uncharacteristically Democratic idea ...

And thank the Lord that Pope Ricky isn't having to lead God's Army into battle alone. His trumpet call to action is joined by the Texas Legislature's Patron Saints of Bigotry: Reps. Warren Chisum, Linda Harper-Brown and Phil King, looking almost as goofy as they do in real life ... or as close as they get to it.

In addition to yet-to-be-completed pages allowing you the privilege of contributing your money to this Godly Crusade, or even volunteering your time as a Team Leader (I wonder if they'll supply the choir robes, or whether you'll have to bring your own sheets?), there's even a Marriage Blog!

You'll read one or two comments from patriotic Christians like "burty":

Important to our Country
This issue is representative of the challenge that is facing our entire country. Majority "Rights" are being trampled by fringe groups. We need to set standards that we want our children to live by.

But even though it's encouraging to know that those who lack all Biblical understanding can still type, what the overwhelming majority of my fellow Texans have to say is a living testament to the demonstrable and overwhelmingly urgent need for Internet regulation.

The Importance of Relationships
I find it highly ironic that the majority of the blog responses I read are in support of providing gays and lesbians with the right to enter into legally recognized unions. Wonder how long it will be before the webmaster realizes that we have opinions, too.

The truth of the matter is that I and other gays and lesbians are not asking for any sort of special right. I just want to have the opportunity to have my relationship recognized by the government and have access to the same legal rights as my straight friends. I don't know how that threatens their marriages any more than their marriages might threaten my own relationship.

My future marriage is going to fail I'm getting married in a couple weeks to beautiful lady whom I love very much. But unfortunately I don't know if my marriage will last if homosexual friends of mine can also marry. Once this ammendment is passed I think the state should also legislate who we can love.

On to the next goal...
I am so happy this legislation protecting marriage passed. But we are not done!! We have to go after divorce next. Just like the Bible says that gay people should never, ever get married, it says that no one should get married a second time. We have to work to end all second "marriages." I'm up for the fight, are you?

maybe Rick Perry should find somewhere else to live
I'm actually not shocked but still appalled that Gov. Perry would suggest that veterans who fought for this country should move out of the great state of Texas because they want to be free to be in a relationship of their choice with a loved one.

For marriage
This August my wife & I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. Add that to our 9-year courtship & it's plain to see that my high school sweetheart & I are a one-man woman and one-woman man, committed and usually quite happy. We think marriage is a great institution for couples & families.

We are pro-marriage and we're saddened by this effort against marriage. From the beginning, it's clearly been driven by political showmanship. As most know, marriage between persons of the same sex was already outlawed in Texas. And that guff about activist judges, what a hoot. This is Texas, folks. We elect our judges here & a substantial number of those on the various appeals courts & state supreme court were appointed by governors Bush & Perry.

[snip]

It's sure sad that these folks feel compelled to rhetorically flog homosexuals and play politics with the scared (sic) blessing of marriage. I hope y'all will find peace some day.

We hope and pray that it does happen some day, but they haven’t earned any peace just yet.

You can help by showing them the love that passeth all understanding. Pope Ricky wants to hear from you, too.

He said so himself, and he is the man in charge.

Crossposted at The Booman Tribune and The Daily Kos
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

That's right, John Cornyn was one of 27% of Republican Senators who did not sign on as a co sponsor to the Senate apology for refusing to address lynching yesterday. There was no roll call vote, only a voice vote. There is no real way to tell if he even voted for it.

Aravosis from AmericaBlog has the 27% of Republicans who wouldn't co-sponsor here. Reproduced here:

Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Robert Bennett (R-UT)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Michael Crapo (R-ID)
Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Trent Lott (R-MS)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Richard Shelby (R-AL)
John Sununu (R-NH)
Craig Thomas (R-WY)
George Voinovich (R-OH)

Enough is enough, John Cornyn. Texans deserve a Senator that will at least come into the 20th Century, nevermind the 21st.

John "Old 19th Century" Cornyn.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Daily Kos has the full story about a Senate resolution that formally apologizes for not criminalizing the lynching that took place between 1880 and 1960. Included is a link to a list of Senators who co-sponsored the bill.

Noticably absent from that list are the two Senators from Texas, Kay Bailey Hutchinson and John Cornyn. Maybe it was just an oversight... or they weren't informed... or they didn't have time. I can begrudgingly give them the benefit of the doubt. But it might also be that they realize there's a large constituency of redneck, rascists that would pull their support if they openly approved of such a resolution.

[UPDATE: It looks like Hutchison signed on, but I haven't confirmed it.--UG]
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

This should have been simply a Caption This Picture post, but we had not mentioned Phil "Abused Teenager Ninja Mutant Turtle" King's plan to raise the state sales tax or utility bills or, wait for it, both! King thinks it would be a good idea to let the voters of Texas decide.

Are you shitting me? Yep, voters always line up to vote for an increase in taxes. See...nobody likes tax increases. Even liberal 'whiners' and the really poor people don't like taxes. That's why we elect people to figure that shit out and make it happen and we gripe and bitch and then pay the damn taxes.

That's how it works, Phil. Now, shut your stupid pie hole and get back to Austin and fix the mess. Put it to a statewide vote, indeed! [FW Star-Telegram]

PinkDome
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

From this morning's Houston Chronic:

A long-awaited ruling from the Texas Supreme Court on Friday requires the Texas Association of Business to answer questions about how it raised $2 million spent in targeted Texas House races in 2002.

The Supreme Court, without comment, lifted a stay it had issued on Jan. 28, 2004.

"All the information we requested is due right now," said Buck Wood, who represents James Sylvester of Austin, a Democratic candidate who was defeated in the November 2002 general election for District 50 in Travis County. "I'm sending a letter giving them a week."

Oh, but there's more:

Wood is asking for communications that were used to raise the money, the number and amount of donations, the date donations were made and whether the donor was a member of the TAB. He said he believes the answers will show that the group should have formed a political action committee and disclosed its donors.

The TAB targeted 22 Texas House races, with its endorsed candidates winning 18 of those contests. The wins were key to the Republican takeover of the House.

There's several significant developments in this news, and two jump out at me:

1) The Texas Supreme Court is comprised of nine Republicans, all of them securely paid for by the corporations who do business in Texas.

That they would rule against the Texas Association of Business is nothing less than stunning.

2) Andy Taylor, the GOP attorney referenced in the article, is on one hell of a losing streak. You may recall he represented Talmadge Heflin in the State District 149 election recount squabble, which quickly resulted in the swearing-in of Vietnamese-American and Democrat Hubert Vo. Taylor likewise was -- along with platoons of other lawyers -- part of the legal representation of TRMPAC, which likewise has suffered a string of recent court defeats (with more sure to come in the future).

I sure hope the Texas GOP keeps retaining Andy Taylor. =)
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

My grandfather was a giant of a man in my eyes when I was growing up. Although the years closed the height difference between us, the greater my knowledge became of him, the bigger he became. The discovery that he had been, in his youth, one of the Battlin' Bastards of Bataan cemented this feeling. I remember how President Reagan sent a personal letter - signed by his own hand, not by a machine like they do now - to thank my Granny for his service after Grampa died. Until she was no longer able to look after herself, it stood in a frame on her mantle, right next to his Purple Heart.

It wasn't until I joined the Navy that Grampa - or just 'Pa, as we called him - began to actually speak to me about his experience in the military. Even as he spoke of life as a POW, he found humorous stories to relate of how they would whisper New York Yankees box scores that Filipeano women snuck into camp when they delivered rice and milk to the camp. He didn't have to tell me, "You're a man now." The drastic difference in the way he treated me said it. He did pull me aside just before I left. At the time I had no way of knowing it would be his last words to me.

"Your a smart young man," he said, "and strong. If you want, you can go far. There will be times when you want to quit. Don't give in to that. Be a man. When no one else leads, you lead. When someone can lead better, you follow. If you're too scared to go on, you get out of the way."

Lead, Follow, or get the Hell out of the way. That was the last bit of advice he had for me.

It's a good bit of advice, and one that needs to be whispered in the ear of Rick Perry and his Brotherhood of Pretenders.

Under the so-called leadership of Texas Republicans, the education system in the State of Texas has become a joke. Fewer than half of all teachers that have been certified by the State of Texas remain in classrooms today. The appalling lack of any plan to address this crisis has contributed directly to the rising numbers of children who do not complete their basic education. Some districts now have drop-out rates in excess of 40%. Best selling text books have been banned from being used by Texas schools by Republican leadership.

An entire generation of Texans has been written off by Republicans as being unworthy of a quality education. Rick Perry would have us believe that he is marching boldly into the twenty-first century. Unfortunately, Texas children won't be able to read the traffic signs on that march because of Perry's startling inability to lead his dual majority State Lege into even funding the state's education system.

Rick Perry's ill-advised decision to allow tuition at state-run schools rise faster than the heat waves in McAllen have taken a disasterous toll on those Texas children who are able to complete high school. Families who had scrimped and saved to send their children to quality schools in Texas suddenly found the 23% rise in tuition too much to bear. Middle class students were cut down at the knees when the Comptroller had to suspend the Texas Tomorrow Fund - a program that pre-paid college tuition to keep the best and brightest minds right here in Texas. Poorer students can only listen to their parents' dreams of sending their children to college and memorize them so they can repeat them to their own kids.

Now the University of Texas - after raising tuition a nation-leading thirty-seven percent - is facing a budget shortfall of over eight and a half million dollars. What does Rick Perry say? "Well, I didn't raise taxes."

Tell that to the young man who is driving a tractor now instead of studying biogenetics. Tell that to the woman struggling to make it on minimum wage when she should be cracking her Chemistry book for finals. Tell that to the proud Mom and Dad who watch their son or daughter cross the stage at a high school graduation when they realize they will never, ever, watch their child cross another stage.

Tell it to the laborer in Lubbock County who dropped out in eighth grade because she realized that the school couldn't buy text books anyway. Tell it to the thirty percent of Texas workers who can't get a good enough job to afford medical insurance. Tell it to the new mommy crying tears of joy in Houston as she gets her first look at her new baby and watch those tears turn from happy to sad when she realizes that this baby will never be able to do anything but live and die to pay bills from the lowest common paycheck.

Yes, no tax increases. Instead, we saw an opportunity cut.

The Republican leadership has proven they are unable to lead. They have never been interested in following. The only thing left is for them to get the Hell out of the way.

Our children deserve it. Our honor demands it.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

God, how I love PinkDome.

There’s no more entertaining place to keep up with what’s really going on in Reichstag-on-the-Brazos (yes, y’all, I know Austin’s on the Colorado, but these days I’m trying as hard as I can to stay rooted) than the deliciously seditious and nutritious PD.

Now, along with an account of Little Ricky’s bill-signing service last Sunday with that hate-peddling Pharisee Rod Parsley, PinkDome treats us to a peek at self-described "Evangelical leader" Ted Haggard’s e-mailed instructions to his flock at Colorado City’s New Life Church on how to try their best to pass as "normal" during an upcoming opportunity to be on TV.

As Mrs. Patrick Campbell so famously said, one shouldn't frighten the horses, let alone Barbara Walters -- but this bunch just might.

Thanks again, PD, for this look behind the blinkers (emphasis added):

Yesterday a small team of Evangelical leaders

[snip]

and myself spent just about three hours with Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Finance for Israel near/on the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Then we were in Jerusalem and in two hours we're leaving to meet Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

[snip]

I wanted you to see this e-mail about some upcoming media attention that was just forwarded to me so you can help me.

[snip]

Here are a few tips:

1. If a camera is on you during a worship service, worship; don't dance, jump, etc. Secular people watching TV are touched with authentic worship, but jumping and dancing in church looks too bizarre for most to relate to. Remember, people watching TV news are not experiencing what you are experiencing. They are watching and thinking. Worship indicates sincerity, dancing and jumping looks like excessive
emotionalism.

2. If reporters want to interview you, talk with them, but use words that make sense to them. Speak their language. Don't talk about the devil, demons, voices speaking to you, God giving you supernatural revelations, etc. Instead, tell your personal story in common sense language (I was a drunk but God changed me and now I'm sober, I'm grateful, etc.).

3. Don't be nervous. Be friendly and open. Reporters typically don't have an agenda, they authentically want to know what we do and why we do it. For example, Barbara Walters is working on a story about heaven and will interview me

[snip]

if she talks with you, don't be spooky or weird. Don't switch into a glassy-eyed heavenly mode, just answer, "Heaven is real. It's the place where God will be fully present with his people. He will reward people in heaven. Heaven is better than Colorado Springs." Say it straight and clear. Don't worry (Yeah, sure!).

Okay, Brent and I are

[snip]

going to a meeting on Thursday night in Washington, then on Friday morning we'll fly to New York to interview with Barbara Walters and then appear on the O'Reilly Factor Friday evening. Then we'll zip home on Saturday to be with YOU on Sunday. Saints, I need your strength. I would love to see you all on Sunday so we can just have a wonderful family time together. I LOVE you!

And I love being your pastor,

Ted

I don't know about you, but what spooks this old gray mare as much as what Haggard preaches is the company he keeps.

Next time you see Brother Rick, be sure and tell him Brother Ted said hello.

Crossposted at the Booman Tribune and The Daily Kos

Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Via DU, my friend reprehensor has the following excellent post on the Govnah, the Ministah, and Our Saveyah (we're not talkin' 'bout Bush in this instance):

Let's see... when was the last time a Texas Governor who cleverly manipulated Conservative Christian voters to catapult himself into power become a liability for the USA?

Nah, I can't think of one either... but somehow, Rick Perry seems to keep popping up on my radar. It might be because Gov. Perry is at the forefront of the Ohio Restoration Project's launch into nation-wide status; cleverly titled the 'Texas Restoration Project'. I mean, beyond the shared name, I didn't notice anything amiss until this dandy little article appeared on the front cover (of all papers), the Dallas Morning News.

Church voter drive finds ally in Perry

Gov. Rick Perry is taking an active role in the development of a network of Christian pastors who seek to register at least 300,000 new "values voters" in Texas and elect candidates who reflect their moral agenda.

Dubbed the "Texas Restoration Project," the network constitutes the most ambitious effort by conservative religious leaders in Texas to mobilize churches, conduct voter-registration drives and turn out voters on Election Day.

*snip*

About 500 ministers gathered last month in Austin for a closed-door session in which Mr. Perry, top members of his administration and influential religious figures touted the involvement of churches in political affairs. Mr. Perry is expected to attend future gatherings as well.

*snip*

Ohio evangelist Rod Parsley, who spoke at the Austin event, said abortion, marriage and religious expression are issues that can galvanize Christian voters.

...and I said to myself, not that Rod Parsley, surely. Sadly, it is indeed that Rod Parsley.

The Austin visit in May was just a dip in the water. Perry and Parsley did the full-dunk on Sunday, June 5th, where Governor Goodhair decorated anti-gay and anti-choice legislation with a ceremonial flourish of the quill. This 'male-bonding' took place in Fort Worth; it was supposed to be in a church, but after public scrutiny, they had to settle for the nearby gym.

Re-electing Rick Perry seems to be religious obligation now

On an all-star lineup of political preachers, Perry shared top billing with Daystar TV personality Rod Parsley, here from Ohio to help organize 500 Texas ministers for the upcoming political campaign.

Later, Parsley took his pitch and his new activist book, 'Silent No More', inside the church.

And I do mean pitch.

"This book comes with DVDs that sell for $60!" he shouted in the middle of the evening sermon long after Perry had left.

Oboy.

Didn't Jesus physically toss money-lenders from a temple once? I wonder how he would have reacted to this jackass, peddling books, politics and divisiveness?

Just curious...
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

David in Austin mentions the following quote from Rick Perry:

"Texans have made a decision about marriage and if there is some other state that has a more lenient view than Texas then maybe that's a better place for them [gays] to live," Perry said.

Here's the URL.

I personally got a letter from Perry's public affairs coordinator that stated that the governor opposes gay marriage because we need to keep our communities safe for Texas families. Huh? Where's this coming from. I wonder if the Republican party platform will give us any clue what Perry means by family, how the Republican Party is going to make Texas communities safer, and get a basic understanding of what's coming down the pike.

I am looking at the 2004 Platform.

They took out all the stuff about rebuking the Lawrence v. Texas judges. I don't know why, that was kind of cute.

They urge the immediate repeal of the Hate Crimes Law. That sure helps makes Texas safer for Texas families.

"We oppose the recognition and granting of benefits to people who represent themselves as domestic partners without being legally married." I wonder, do they oppose it so strongly they will interfere with private employment arrangements? Only time will tell.

They urge the Texas legislature to rescind no-fault divorce and to encourage Covenant Marriage.

It should be a felony to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple or for a civil official to marry a same-sex couple.

The practice of sodomy "tears at the fabric of society, contributes to the breakdown of society, and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases.... We are opposed to any granting of special legal entitlements, recognition, or privileges including, but not limited to, marriage between persons of the same sex, custody of children by homosexuals, homosexual partner insurance or retirement benefits.

They oppose the legalization of sodomy.

They believe "that no homosexual or any individual convicted of child abuse or molestation should have the right to custody or adoption of a minor child, and that visitation with minor children by such persons should be limited to supervised periods.

Okay ... well. I guess the short story of the Republican Party is, gay people are simply not welcome in Texas. And if you are gay and have kids, if the Republicans get their way, the government will remove your child from your home and you will be, like a child molestor, prohibited from seeing your child except under supervised circumstances.

I for one think a gay-friendly company like Apple Computer should know what the governor of Texas thinks about their employees.

Apple had an earful, I am sure, back in 1993, when the Williamson County commissioners voted to rescind a previously-offered tax incentive package to convince Apple to locate a facility in Williamson County because they realized Apple not only hires gays, but provides domestic partner benefits (see Apple stands firm on this page). Williamson County backed down when Apple refused to change the policy. Now that people like these Williamson County commissioners are more or less runnning the government in the state of Texas, and they are actively promoting an anti-gay agenda, it's downright irresponsible for Apple to send its gay employees here. Indeed, Apple should take the governor's advice and relocate its facilities to a state where all of its employees are welcome.

Apple's contact information is:

Apple
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
408.996.1010
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

From The Daily Kos:

Local NBC Anchor: "Among the protesters were gay veterans and their partners. We asked the governor about his take on gay veterans, many of whom may one day have fewer rights than everyone else."

Rick Perry: "Texans made a decision about marriage and if there's a state that has more lenient views than Texas, then maybe that's a better place for them to live."

[taken from video recording, no official transcript yet]

I am sure that Governor Goodhair's Rapture Right supporters love this. But, last I checked Texas wasn't building a security wall to keep "undesirables" out.

Is that his next move?

Will that be a part of his campaign platform?

This should make for an interesting Gubernatorial campaign.

Cross posted from The Supreme Irony of Life ...

[Headline edited-UG]
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

We received an email from a journalist from San Francisco. She is currently working on a project where she travels to the red states and interviews people and is on a quest to understand America. What a great concept, because personally there is a lot about America we don't understand anymore. Her most recent entry is from the Perry Tent Revival in Fort Worth. Read the entire piece here, but here are a few of the Republican 'man on the street' interview excerpts:

The woman who runs the nursing homes is also a Republican. She said she tried to work with lawmakers and got nowhere. She says her patients are dying.
I'm sure they are. People have been dying for years. Does she care about the babies who are dying from abortions?

PD says: That's compassionate conservatism in case you've missed it.

How do you feel about prevention and giving women the information and resources they need so they don't have an unwanted pregnancy? With the exception of chastity, I didn't heard anyone talk about preventing unwanted pregnancies at today's event.
Isn't that amazing. Well, don't get yourself in a position where you'll get pregnant.

*blink*

I talked to some of the protesters out here who are concerned about separation of church and state. How do you feel about that?
I go to church and I'm a member of the state so how can I separate myself? There shouldn't be a separation.

Fascinating. I'm going to stick my head in the freezer for a minute, I'll be back later.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

When economics is being discussed, there is almost always a Forgotton Man in the room.

Instead, grand words are thrown around to defend the latest symptom of economic malaise as being simply temporary and due to factors beyond the control of the government (or more specifically, the party in power). These words quickly give way into the tired old euphemisms lauding whatever economic indicator is particularly hot at that moment. This is up, that's down, and the only thing that we know for sure that will happen is that the rich will, in fact, get richer. After all, wealth is self-perpetuating - or at very least allows one to take advantage of many more options than are available to those with less wealth.

For the monetarist - the Supply-sider, the Reaganomic-ist, the Free Trader, the Voodoo Economist - the only goal is the unfettered flow of money. Anything and anyone who stands in the way of this goal is The Enemy. Taxes, for example, restrict the free flow of money by diverting a portion of that money into the public coffers. The Wealthy Man is the Hero to this group - it is because he invests his money that businesses exist, it is because he expands his business that jobs are created, it is because he "takes a chance" on running a business that the economy runs. Here is Atlas Unchained in his Armani, dashing here and there in his Mercedes, battered by incessant phone calls and business deals and haunted by a family that aches for his presence. He is Sacrifice. He is Entrepreneur. He is Business.

The Forgotten Man here is the one that is described as being a "structural weakness" in the changing economy. The Forgotten Man is the one who punches the time clock and lives by the sweat of his brow, the muscles of his back and arms, the wit and wisdom of his intellect. When he is done with his work, he goes home to a family that is overburdened with bills and responsibilities. His wife works two part-time jobs and they sit at the kitchen table and decide which bill not to pay this week. He is Hero to his kids when he can coach their Little League team or when his hard-won lessons of life can ease the ache of disappointment. When his children are sick, he knows how many hours his wife will miss work and he schedules overtime to make up for it - because they are a team and they are partners and partners know how to give and take for each other to be successful. His reward is the love that glows in the eyes of his wife, the respect that is won from his friends for his work ethic, the emmulation and rebellion of his kids as they strike out on their own.

He is invisible, but his dollars are not. He scrimps and saves and manages to buy his son the latest video game, his daughter the new prom dress, his wife that night out with the girls, and on weekends he drinks a few beers with his friends, gets a little too loud, a little too rambunctious. When the sun comes up Monday, he's back with his crew or his staff or maybe on his own - working, working, working. His Invisible hands produce the economy from the ground up and his Invisible needs, when added to those of his friends, becomes the Invisible Hand that monetarists like to rely upon to make sure the economy stays on track.

Because he is invisible to the monetarist, his needs are invisible. This Forgotten Man depends upon Providence to make sure the food he feeds his children is safe - but Providence in this case is the hand of the government inspector at the FDA. The Forgotten Man depends on a transportation system he cannot even fully understand - and that dependence is upheld as a Public Trust by the government that paves the roads, maintains the bridges, and connects the cities into a throbbing, pulsing living economic system. But he is invisible - because his bank account does not have enough commas in it - and he is Forgotten.

The Forgotten Man's needs begin to fall from the minds of the Monetarists. They see the Cross of Gold on the Mountain, and they will not let a few minor "economic adjustments" dissuade them. They demand more control over their money - so their taxes are cut. They demand greater suppy of money - so interest rates fall and money becomes cheaper and - oh, by the way less valuable. And when all the dollars from all the corners of the country are overflowing the coffers, the Monetarist demands a greater pool to draw from and suddenly international laws become void. Now the Monetarist draws money from neighboring countries or even distant countries with which he does business. The Cross! The Cross! It is within reach! Only a bit more! Hurry! Cut taxes again! Overspend government treasuries to create new money! Push interest rates lower so more people overmortgage their future! Create bigger "Free Trade Zones"!

But the Cross is an illusion. Like the Seven Cities of Cibola disappearing before the eyes of the Conquistadores, the economic targets are never good enough. With more and more millionaires reporting record income to the IRS and paying smaller and smaller portions of their fortunes, the economy still struggles through its malaise. Like a horse with a wounded leg, it flounders, it squeals, it kicks out in rage and pain.

And the Forgotten Man staggers on under a crushing burden of debt - some of it his own, some of it foisted upon him through the Monetarists shifting tax brackets - and still he struggles to make sure that he can lie honestly upon his death bed and know that his efforts are the reason his children will never know hunger or want.

And with every day, another dollar flows from the Invisible Man into the coffers of the Monetarist where it magically becomes ennobled. Now visible, it is used as a weapon to rob the Forgotten Man of his reward - it turns the sacrifices for his children into foolishness and erodes the hope and faith that made him rise anew every morning to face his job again.

The addictive lie of the Monetarist world pumps through our veins, inducing euphoria as we plunge the needle back into our arms again and again. Each time, we make ourselves a little more invisible, a little more addicted, a little more dead. And when the eventual reality comes to pass that the Monetarist drive for greed destroys the empty husk of consumer-driven economics, it is the Forgotten Man that will starve and apologize to his children for bringing them into the world. The Monetarist will sip champagne and wait for the next "recovery" to begin the cycle anew.


This message is cross-posted at Xpatriated Texan's home site - http://xpatriatedtexan.blogspot.com/ . Don't forget to visit and make comments!
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Well the big show went off without a hitch yesterday, as Governor "Christ died for me, not you" Perry signed the anti-gay marriage amendment bill and an abortion restriction bill at a megachurch that once was a platform for Ollie North to explain why God likes felons better than ordinary Americans.

Perry said, "We may be on the grounds of a Christian school today, but our message speaks to all who believe in standing up for the unborn, all who cherish strong, traditional families, regardless of party, ethnicity or creed." Because you know that every time a gay family is created, a heterosexual couple has to divorce. It's the law of conservation of matrimitrons, the particles that make marriage possible. Or something like that. I'm still waiting for some person who wants to ban gay marriage to explain exactly what the process is by which gay marriages destroy society.

Most bizarre comment of the day: Tony Perkins of the (Only Certain Kinds Of) American Family Association, who said, ""The issue is there is intolerance against Christians in America who simply want their voices to be heard."

Because you really never hear a Christian viewpoint on anything here in Texas, now do you?

(from By the Bayou)
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Governor Rick Perry will sign two bills, one compelling a minor's parents' consent in writing before she can choose not to give birth and one which sets a public vote on the definition-of-marriage constitutional amendment. He will do so this Sunday at Calvary Cathedral (a megachurch located in Fort Worth that has previously sponsored a speech by Oliver North).

With the news from inside sources this week that Kay Bailey Hutchison's gubernatorial campaign announcement is imminent, we can expect to see more of this pandering to the fundavangelicals who control the Texas GOP.

Here's the story (bold emphasis is mine):

Perry taking politics through church doors
By Bud Kennedy, Star-Telegram Staff Writer

The governor is coming here Sunday for church.

Lord knows there's nothing wrong with that. But he's coming to sign two bills into law for all Texans.

I hope all Texans will feel welcome Sunday at Calvary Cathedral.

Gov. Rick Perry is going to the church to sign bills restricting abortion and setting a vote on a definition-of-marriage constitutional amendment.

Sounds like this will have less to do with praise than with politics.

We're about to see an awful lot of the governor between now and March. He's running for re-election against possible opponents from Austin and Dallas, so he's lobbying to line up conservative church support from Fort Worth. Even for a governor who says bluntly that he thinks the United States was founded "on Christian faith," it's audacious to bring a public ceremony into a church.

Perry doesn't see it that way.

I asked him Wednesday at another bill-signing ceremony inside Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, where a workers compensation compromise was somehow signed into law without any political pitch for 'values'. Asked about the choice of a church, he first said: "I try to go to church on Sunday."

He called Calvary Cathedral -- one of the largest churches in town, the home of the private-school Calvary Academy Conquerors -- a "great setting" for a bill signing and said he hopes for a "large and boisterous" crowd.

"Most Texans get it," he said, belittling the question. "The two issues talk about values. A church is an appropriate place to come together and celebrate a victory for the values of the people of Texas."

No question that most Texans think a parent should have a say-so over a minor daughter's abortion. There might be more disagreement over whether to constitutionally limit the use of the word marriage. Some Texans think love and commitment are also worthwhile values.

I'm not the only person surprised that Perry would bring a bill-signing to a church.

Cal Jillson, the oft-quoted political science professor at Southern Methodist University, called the signings "extraordinary" and "over the top."

"There is no question that the Republican Party, nationally and in Texas, is the home of the Protestant fundamentalists and Christian conservatives," he said. In other words, the "values voters" who stuck with President Bush in 2004.

"But" -- he paused for emphasis -- "the idea of taking bills passed in the Legislature into a church to sign them into law, instead of in the Texas Capitol or the governor's office, seems unusually political. And unusually inflammatory."

Calvary Cathedral is a strong church -- strong enough to have survived the 2000 tornado. It has ventured into politics and even government before, hosting conservative commentator Oliver North and also a memorable county deputies' town hall meeting. That night, then-Tarrant County Sheriff David Williams thanked "divine intervention" and claimed "sovereign" rule over the county under the Magna Carta.

The Rev. Bob Nichols was not available for comment Wednesday. The church was handling a funeral. But when the church hosted a city council campaign forum for the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association last month, the candidates were warned not to say anything remotely political.

Will Perry have to follow the same rules?

And will all Texans -- even, say, same-sex couples living lawfully in commitment but without legal recognition -- feel welcome to come and share in the public signing of Texas law? "These are the laws of all the people of Texas," Jillson said.

"The idea of signing them in a church, where there is what might be seen as a political connection, seems ill-advised. This will be seen by independent Republicans and independent voters as something way over the top."

See everybody in church.

Rabid conservatism defeats itself!

Greetings bloggers in CATI-land. You are all doing solid work. And we need more of it. Some of you have stories posted on your blogs that have not been cross-posted here. I encourage you to do so, in part because this site actually has some good traffic (that is the "what's in it for you" part).

But I also wanted to clarify briefly my roll in this community. I intend to post pretty frequently here, but this is not "my blog." This is a blog for all Texas bloggers. It is intended to be a community like the Diaries at Daily Kos. So I am here to create the space. I don't have the ability to be a one-person watchdog of the Texas right wing. Neither do you. But together, with our boots on the ground all over the state, we do. So do not hesitate to post your stories here so long as they expose the character of the Texas right wing at all levels--that is what the CATI Project is for.

This site is kicking butt so far. So keep up the good work and lets see a little more cross-posting. Make it a habit. Ya'll are too good to bottle this stuff up in committee like the school finance reform proposals. Ha!

By the way, I just noticed that I forgot to add at least one link to the sidebar. If you have joined and I have not yet added your link, send me an email to remind me. You have a right to that link! Sorry to Eye on Williamson County for the oversight.
Rabid conservatism defeats itself!