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This video documents the real stories of abortion providers, clinic employees and patients. In this video, shot in Pennsylvania, meet the executive director of a clinic in Allentown who refuses to let harassment stop her from doing her critical work and clinic employees in Philadelphia recalling the nightmare of a blockade of protesters on their front door step. This video parallels the findings in the Center for Reproductive Rights "Defending Human Rights" report.
Showing newest 38 of 50 posts from February 2010. Show older posts
Showing newest 38 of 50 posts from February 2010. Show older posts
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Week in Headlines
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On Campus
Baylor Student Groups Ready for Primaries
Bush Administration
CIA Memo Used to Justify Waterboarding Was Inaccurate
Politics
Fixing the Senate by Forcing Real Filibusters
War and Peace
Unjustifiable Airstrike Kills 27 Afghan Civilians
Immigration
Legalizing Unauthorized Immigrants Would Boost the Economy
Civil Rights
Death Penalty Is Thrown Out in Texas Murders
Human Rights
ACLU Calls on UN to Intervene In Inhumane Treatment of Juvenile Prisoner
Reproductive Rights
Lawmaker Proposes Ban on Funding for Abortion Without Exceptions
Women’s Issues
Iran Continues Crackdown on Women’s-Rights Advocates
GLBT Issues
Conference Calls for Equal Benefits
Race and Racism
People of Color Targeted With Subprime Mortgages Not Benefiting From Recovery
From the Blogs
Dos Centavos:
Recommending the Recommender
Mean Rachel:
My 2010 Democratic Primary Endorsements
TFN Insider:
The Religious Right’s Secret Candidate ‘Forum’
On Campus
Baylor Student Groups Ready for Primaries
Bush Administration
CIA Memo Used to Justify Waterboarding Was Inaccurate
Politics
Fixing the Senate by Forcing Real Filibusters
War and Peace
Unjustifiable Airstrike Kills 27 Afghan Civilians
Immigration
Legalizing Unauthorized Immigrants Would Boost the Economy
Civil Rights
Death Penalty Is Thrown Out in Texas Murders
Human Rights
ACLU Calls on UN to Intervene In Inhumane Treatment of Juvenile Prisoner
Reproductive Rights
Lawmaker Proposes Ban on Funding for Abortion Without Exceptions
Women’s Issues
Iran Continues Crackdown on Women’s-Rights Advocates
GLBT Issues
Conference Calls for Equal Benefits
Race and Racism
People of Color Targeted With Subprime Mortgages Not Benefiting From Recovery
From the Blogs
Dos Centavos:
Recommending the Recommender
Mean Rachel:
My 2010 Democratic Primary Endorsements
TFN Insider:
The Religious Right’s Secret Candidate ‘Forum’
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Video Lunch: Protesting Birth Control
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From RH Reality Check: The religious right in Central Wisconsin pickets a family planning clinic with the intention of having the clinic closed and all birth control made illegal.
From RH Reality Check: The religious right in Central Wisconsin pickets a family planning clinic with the intention of having the clinic closed and all birth control made illegal.
Local New: Congressional District 17 Republican Primary Candidates Debate Issues
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Candidates Talk Issues
By: Meagan O'Toole-Pitts
The five Republican congressional candidates for Texas District 17 answered questions in a forum addressing national and state issues in College Station Wednesday, in time for the March 2 primary.
"This election is not about me, it's about you and it's certainly not about enabling Washington to interfere with our lives even more," said College Station resident and candidate Timothy Delasandro, class of 1998. "I'm conservative Republican and I'm proud of that. What I'm not proud of is that those two terms have to be spelled out."
Candidates discussed positions on the $14 trillion national debt, healthcare reform, illegal immigration, abortion, taxes and the jobs bill passed by the Senate Wednesday.
"I would rather kill that bill and kill the stimulus bill passed last year and start over," said candidate Bill Flores, Class of 1976, in reference to the jobs bill. "I would stop [payroll taxes] for six months, lower income taxes and then let's see if we can get the economy going … By the end of that time period, we would have so much job creation we would start recouping part of the investment in job creation."
Running against Democrat Chet Edwards for the second time, candidate Rob Curnock set straight his stance on the Fair Tax.
"In the last election, Chet Edwards tried to beat me up unmercifully on that one and I was on record supporting the Fair Tax because I think we should be doing something like a national sales tax, so that, indeed, everyone is paying their fair share, such as drug dealers and prostitutes and pimps - whenever they buy something they're going to have to pay taxes and the rest of us aren't subsidizing them," Curnock said. "Edwards was trying to demagogue saying that I wanted to raise everybody's taxes 30 percent. That was the ad that you saw him running because quite honestly the numbers were getting closer in the last election and his internal polling showed that he was in trouble."
The forum centered on government limitation and reduced spending.
"We do take a serious look at cutting the size of government. When we do that, when we make the federal government smaller, we're going to explode our economy and these things are going to take care of themselves," Delasandro said. "But the last issue is the Federal Reserve. You know we can solve our issues with China over night, just have the Federal Reserve print a few more trillion dollars and pay them off and that seems to be the philosophy that's going on in Washington. I don't advocate that."
Though the Republican Party does not support the current health care bill, candidate Dave McIntyre said he believes reform is necessary.
"I would not favor a new or different health care bill. I would favor new or different healthcare bills," McIntyre said. "I am not in favor of trying to solve all of the bills of the United States, whatever challenges we have today, in a single bill. That's been part of our problem; it requires so many trade-offs. We have a number of individual issues to address, so let's address all of
them individually."
All candidates said they opposed amnesty for illegal immigrant and government support of abortion.
"This next election is about something far greater than taxing and spending. It's about restoring our founding principles of individual liberty, free enterprise and a limited government that respects life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," said candidate Chuck Wilson. "As long as we cherish those things and our creator our future is bright."
Election information
Early voting ends Feb. 26. For a list of times and locations visit BrazosVotes.org.
Published on Thursday, February 25, 2010
By: Meagan O'Toole-Pitts
From the Texas A&M University Battalion
The five Republican congressional candidates for Texas District 17 answered questions in a forum addressing national and state issues in College Station Wednesday, in time for the March 2 primary.
"This election is not about me, it's about you and it's certainly not about enabling Washington to interfere with our lives even more," said College Station resident and candidate Timothy Delasandro, class of 1998. "I'm conservative Republican and I'm proud of that. What I'm not proud of is that those two terms have to be spelled out."
Candidates discussed positions on the $14 trillion national debt, healthcare reform, illegal immigration, abortion, taxes and the jobs bill passed by the Senate Wednesday.
"I would rather kill that bill and kill the stimulus bill passed last year and start over," said candidate Bill Flores, Class of 1976, in reference to the jobs bill. "I would stop [payroll taxes] for six months, lower income taxes and then let's see if we can get the economy going … By the end of that time period, we would have so much job creation we would start recouping part of the investment in job creation."
Running against Democrat Chet Edwards for the second time, candidate Rob Curnock set straight his stance on the Fair Tax.
"In the last election, Chet Edwards tried to beat me up unmercifully on that one and I was on record supporting the Fair Tax because I think we should be doing something like a national sales tax, so that, indeed, everyone is paying their fair share, such as drug dealers and prostitutes and pimps - whenever they buy something they're going to have to pay taxes and the rest of us aren't subsidizing them," Curnock said. "Edwards was trying to demagogue saying that I wanted to raise everybody's taxes 30 percent. That was the ad that you saw him running because quite honestly the numbers were getting closer in the last election and his internal polling showed that he was in trouble."
The forum centered on government limitation and reduced spending.
"We do take a serious look at cutting the size of government. When we do that, when we make the federal government smaller, we're going to explode our economy and these things are going to take care of themselves," Delasandro said. "But the last issue is the Federal Reserve. You know we can solve our issues with China over night, just have the Federal Reserve print a few more trillion dollars and pay them off and that seems to be the philosophy that's going on in Washington. I don't advocate that."
Though the Republican Party does not support the current health care bill, candidate Dave McIntyre said he believes reform is necessary.
"I would not favor a new or different health care bill. I would favor new or different healthcare bills," McIntyre said. "I am not in favor of trying to solve all of the bills of the United States, whatever challenges we have today, in a single bill. That's been part of our problem; it requires so many trade-offs. We have a number of individual issues to address, so let's address all of
them individually."
All candidates said they opposed amnesty for illegal immigrant and government support of abortion.
"This next election is about something far greater than taxing and spending. It's about restoring our founding principles of individual liberty, free enterprise and a limited government that respects life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," said candidate Chuck Wilson. "As long as we cherish those things and our creator our future is bright."
Election information
Early voting ends Feb. 26. For a list of times and locations visit BrazosVotes.org.
Published on Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
This Week on Biased Transmission
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This week on Biased Transmission our studio guest are Martin Gates and Janie, war tax resisters and peace and social justice activists who are visiting this Brazos Valley. They have been arrested several times including in October 2008 for nonviolent direct action in response to Hawgsmoke, and a bombing and strafing competition involving the A-10 “warthog” fighter jets. In addition to talking with them about their activism and beliefs Janie and Martin will be performing live in the KEOS studio during the show.
Listen to Biased Transmission every Wednesday on 89.1FM KEOS College Station-Bryan from 6-7pm, to hear Teddy Wilson, Michael Alvard, Danny Yeager, and Ann Preston. If you have a question or comment you can post it here, or call the KEOS Bell Studios: 979-779-5367.
Biased Transmission on Facebook
Biased Transmission Online Archive of Shows
Listen to Biased Transmission streaming live on Live Stream
This week on Biased Transmission our studio guest are Martin Gates and Janie, war tax resisters and peace and social justice activists who are visiting this Brazos Valley. They have been arrested several times including in October 2008 for nonviolent direct action in response to Hawgsmoke, and a bombing and strafing competition involving the A-10 “warthog” fighter jets. In addition to talking with them about their activism and beliefs Janie and Martin will be performing live in the KEOS studio during the show.
Listen to Biased Transmission every Wednesday on 89.1FM KEOS College Station-Bryan from 6-7pm, to hear Teddy Wilson, Michael Alvard, Danny Yeager, and Ann Preston. If you have a question or comment you can post it here, or call the KEOS Bell Studios: 979-779-5367.
Biased Transmission on Facebook
Biased Transmission Online Archive of Shows
Listen to Biased Transmission streaming live on Live Stream
Video Lunch: Closing Ceremony to Honor the Victims of American Empire - Escalate the Peace!
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Neither sleet nor drizzle deterred a scheduled antiwar rally on the Texas State University (TSU) Campus in San Marcos on Wednesday, February 10. In the courtyard of the LBJ Amphitheatre, speakers used bullhorns to talk about Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Palestine under a banner that read, Escalate the Peace! The rally was organized by two TSU student organizations, the Campus Antiwar Movement to End the Occupations (CAMEO) and the Progressive Bobcats Union (PBU). Speakers included Rev. Jim Rigby from St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Austin and Bobby Whittenberg, an antiwar activist who was deployed to Iraq as a Marine. Courtney Glenn, one of the rally organizers, read a poem about returning soldiers. Caitlin Eaves spoke about Yemen. Liz Welch read a passage from Howard Zinn about why we should never lose hope.
Neither sleet nor drizzle deterred a scheduled antiwar rally on the Texas State University (TSU) Campus in San Marcos on Wednesday, February 10. In the courtyard of the LBJ Amphitheatre, speakers used bullhorns to talk about Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Palestine under a banner that read, Escalate the Peace! The rally was organized by two TSU student organizations, the Campus Antiwar Movement to End the Occupations (CAMEO) and the Progressive Bobcats Union (PBU). Speakers included Rev. Jim Rigby from St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Austin and Bobby Whittenberg, an antiwar activist who was deployed to Iraq as a Marine. Courtney Glenn, one of the rally organizers, read a poem about returning soldiers. Caitlin Eaves spoke about Yemen. Liz Welch read a passage from Howard Zinn about why we should never lose hope.
Anti-Discrimination Debated in Texas A&M Student Senate
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The Texas A&M Student Senate may resume debate tonight on SB 09(F) 14, Texas A&M University Anti-Discrimination Policy Bill, which would recommend adding the terms “race, ethnicity, creed, color, citizenship, national or ethnic origin, pregnancy, religion or lack thereof, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, parental status, marital status, military or veteran status” to the anti-discrimination policy. The opponents of the bill claimed that it was simply politics, and that this type of “policy making” should be left to legislature in Austin. During the debate Senator Steve Bolner refuted the idea that the bill was a political statement and said that “this is about representing every student at this university, something that we have all taken an oath to do.”
However, politics in the Texas A&M Student Senate is not unusual. Last year SB 09(S) 36, Concealed Carry Referendum, was passed by the Student Senate which called for “a referendum of the student body of Texas A&M concerning pending legislation concerning concealed carry in the Texas State Legislature.” Also, SB 09(S) 26, The College Station Smoking Ban Referendum Support Bill, was introduced into the Student Senate which called “for a referendum from the City of College Station on the smoking ban.” The Student Senate has been a place of political debate in the past, and the very nature of a student senate lends itself to political debate.
During the debate February 10th Student Senate meeting, the bill was debated and Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Womack made strong arguments for the legislation and address the concerns of those who questioned whether or not there was discrimination experienced on campus by saying that “it’s not really that big of a surprise to me that a white, Christian, male at Texas A&M has not experienced discrimination.” Womack made the case for the bill by noting that non-discrimination policies help protect the university from litigation brought by parties that may experience the discrimination. Also, he expressed the view that people should be protected from discrimination simply because it is the right thing to do to protect people who “seek to be a part of the Aggie family.” Finally he noted that although Texas A&M is known as a conservative university that does not mean that they should “overlook the plight of other people.”
Senator Justin Pulliam, who is also Chairman of the Texas A&M Chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas, continued to assert that the bill was political in nature, and then yielded the remainder of his time to fellow conservative Steven Crumpley who made the argument that the definitions are too broad. Opponents of the legislation often brought up that there are no protections under Texas law for the specified groups. According to the Human Rights Campaign, “Texas' non-discrimination law does not explicitly address gender identity discrimination. Sex and disability discrimination are addressed by Texas law, but it is unclear whether these provisions could provide a cause of action for gender identity discrimination”
What those who spoke out against the legislation continued to repeat was the idea that somehow anyone could be considered a protected class and that everyone is open to discrimination. One speaker even made the hyperbolic assertion that he could be discriminated against because he liked Sponge Bob. However, the truth is that there is not a long history of discrimination against people who like Sponge Bob, but there is a long history against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In fact, there is a history of that type of discrimination at Texas A&M. Only after being taken all the way to the United States Supreme Court (Gay Student Services v. Texas A&M Unversity) where gay student groups allowed on campus.
Colleges and universities from Duke to Berkeley, from Penn State to Boise State, and even that other college down the road all embrace non-discrimination policies that include all of these protected classes. Senator Daniel W. Dick, External Affairs Chair, said, "I think it is absolutely necessary for those governing to voice their support of equal rights for ALL Aggies and to make sure we stand by our Spirit. We are the Aggies the Aggies are we true to each other as Aggies can be.”
Watch the Texas A&M Student Senate meetings on uStream.tv tonight beginning at 7:00pm.
However, politics in the Texas A&M Student Senate is not unusual. Last year SB 09(S) 36, Concealed Carry Referendum, was passed by the Student Senate which called for “a referendum of the student body of Texas A&M concerning pending legislation concerning concealed carry in the Texas State Legislature.” Also, SB 09(S) 26, The College Station Smoking Ban Referendum Support Bill, was introduced into the Student Senate which called “for a referendum from the City of College Station on the smoking ban.” The Student Senate has been a place of political debate in the past, and the very nature of a student senate lends itself to political debate.
During the debate February 10th Student Senate meeting, the bill was debated and Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Womack made strong arguments for the legislation and address the concerns of those who questioned whether or not there was discrimination experienced on campus by saying that “it’s not really that big of a surprise to me that a white, Christian, male at Texas A&M has not experienced discrimination.” Womack made the case for the bill by noting that non-discrimination policies help protect the university from litigation brought by parties that may experience the discrimination. Also, he expressed the view that people should be protected from discrimination simply because it is the right thing to do to protect people who “seek to be a part of the Aggie family.” Finally he noted that although Texas A&M is known as a conservative university that does not mean that they should “overlook the plight of other people.”
Senator Justin Pulliam, who is also Chairman of the Texas A&M Chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas, continued to assert that the bill was political in nature, and then yielded the remainder of his time to fellow conservative Steven Crumpley who made the argument that the definitions are too broad. Opponents of the legislation often brought up that there are no protections under Texas law for the specified groups. According to the Human Rights Campaign, “Texas' non-discrimination law does not explicitly address gender identity discrimination. Sex and disability discrimination are addressed by Texas law, but it is unclear whether these provisions could provide a cause of action for gender identity discrimination”
What those who spoke out against the legislation continued to repeat was the idea that somehow anyone could be considered a protected class and that everyone is open to discrimination. One speaker even made the hyperbolic assertion that he could be discriminated against because he liked Sponge Bob. However, the truth is that there is not a long history of discrimination against people who like Sponge Bob, but there is a long history against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In fact, there is a history of that type of discrimination at Texas A&M. Only after being taken all the way to the United States Supreme Court (Gay Student Services v. Texas A&M Unversity) where gay student groups allowed on campus.
Colleges and universities from Duke to Berkeley, from Penn State to Boise State, and even that other college down the road all embrace non-discrimination policies that include all of these protected classes. Senator Daniel W. Dick, External Affairs Chair, said, "I think it is absolutely necessary for those governing to voice their support of equal rights for ALL Aggies and to make sure we stand by our Spirit. We are the Aggies the Aggies are we true to each other as Aggies can be.”
Watch the Texas A&M Student Senate meetings on uStream.tv tonight beginning at 7:00pm.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Left of College Station Candidate Endorsements
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Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 - Martha Garcia Opersteny
County Commissioner, Precinct 4 - Irma Cauley
Commissioner of Agriculture - Hank Gilbert
Commissioner of the General Land Office - Bill Burton
Lieutenant Governor - Ronnie Earle
Governor - Bill White
County Commissioner, Precinct 4 - Irma Cauley
Commissioner of Agriculture - Hank Gilbert
Commissioner of the General Land Office - Bill Burton
Lieutenant Governor - Ronnie Earle
Governor - Bill White
*Endorsements only of candidates that are involved in contested Democrat primaries.
Video Lunch: Intimidation and Harassment: Preying on Providers
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From the Center for Reproductive Rights: This video documents the real stories of abortion providers, clinic employees and patients. In this video, shot in Pennsylvania, meet the executive director of a clinic in Allentown who refuses to let harassment stop her from doing her critical work and clinic employees in Philadelphia recalling the nightmare of a blockade of protesters on their front door step. This video parallels the findings in the Center for Reproductive Rights "Defending Human Rights" report.
From the Center for Reproductive Rights: This video documents the real stories of abortion providers, clinic employees and patients. In this video, shot in Pennsylvania, meet the executive director of a clinic in Allentown who refuses to let harassment stop her from doing her critical work and clinic employees in Philadelphia recalling the nightmare of a blockade of protesters on their front door step. This video parallels the findings in the Center for Reproductive Rights "Defending Human Rights" report.
Local News: Bryan City Council Prepares for Several Issues
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Busy Night Ahead for Bryan Council
From WTAW 1620
The Bryan City Council will discuss a number of topics as part of their regular Tuesday meetings.
Coulter Airfield will be the primary topic of discussion at the 1:30 p.m. workshop meeting Tuesday.
Watkins says the airport is a great asset to the community, but could be utilized more fully.
Changes are underway as the City is terminating the lease with the current operator when it expires on March 31.
Coulter also comes back up during the regular 6 p.m. meeting as Council talks about a Coulter Airfield Advisory Committee ordinance.
Last month the Bryan Council decided not to take action on the controversial issue of personal residential care facilities.
Mayor Mark Conlee tabled the item, saying he did not want a Council vote until the public had more time to provide feedback on the facilities that operate in residential neighborhoods providing health care services.
Now Watkins says a number of Council members have placed an item on the agenda that would leave things as they are, meaning a personal residential care facility can be operated in Bryan if the business gets a conditional use permit from the City.
You can see the full Bryan Council agendas here.
Published on Tuesday, February 23, 2010
From WTAW 1620
The Bryan City Council will discuss a number of topics as part of their regular Tuesday meetings.
Coulter Airfield will be the primary topic of discussion at the 1:30 p.m. workshop meeting Tuesday.
Watkins says the airport is a great asset to the community, but could be utilized more fully.
Changes are underway as the City is terminating the lease with the current operator when it expires on March 31.
Coulter also comes back up during the regular 6 p.m. meeting as Council talks about a Coulter Airfield Advisory Committee ordinance.
Last month the Bryan Council decided not to take action on the controversial issue of personal residential care facilities.
Mayor Mark Conlee tabled the item, saying he did not want a Council vote until the public had more time to provide feedback on the facilities that operate in residential neighborhoods providing health care services.
Now Watkins says a number of Council members have placed an item on the agenda that would leave things as they are, meaning a personal residential care facility can be operated in Bryan if the business gets a conditional use permit from the City.
You can see the full Bryan Council agendas here.
Published on Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Case for Brazos County Democrats to Vote in the Republican Primary
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First of all, this is not “operation chaos.” This is not an argument for a Limbaughvian strategy to disrupt the Texas Republican primary; this is an argument for Democrats in Brazos County to actually have a voice in the election process. In Brazos County there are twenty-one public offices in which there are Republican candidates and no Democrat candidates participating in the primaries and out of those twenty-one public offices there are ten in which there is a contested Republican primary. Out of those ten contested Republican primaries four are public offices which act as elected representatives for the constituents, including an office of county commissioner, county judge, member of the State Board of Education member, and member of the Texas State House of Representatives.
However, if you are Democrat who lives in County Commissioner Precinct 4, then you should absolutely not vote in the Republican primary. In many ways this area of Brazos County is the exception to the rule, and when it comes to politics this is the one area of Brazos County that is predominately Democrats. The Democrat Primary for Justice of the Peace of Precinct 4 has the most amount of candidates for any public office in Brazos County, as seven Democrats are competing the primary and will face one of the two Republican candidates. There is also a contested primary for County Commissioner of Precinct 4, between incumbent Irma Cauley and challenger Paul Madison. If you are a Democrat in Precinct 4 it is much more important that you vote in the Democrat primary than the Republican primary.
If you’re a Democrat who lives anywhere else in Brazos County, then there is a case for voting in the Republican primary. If you happen to live in County Commissioner Precinct 2, then you are going to be represented on the County Commissioners Court by Hugh Seale, Jerry Fickey, are Sammy Catalena. Everyone in Brazos County is choosing between four Republican candidates for County Judge; Brian Alg, Mark Conlee, Duane Peters, and Ernie Wentreck are all campaigning to replace current County Judge Randy Sims.
Texas State House of Representatives District 14 encompasses almost all of Brazos County except for the northern part of the county which is part of District 17. This is another reason why it is more important for Democrats in County Commissioner Precinct 4 to vote in the Democrat primary rather than the Republican primary; most of the precinct is located in District 17. In District 14 there are four Republican candidates in a significantly contested campaign. The incumbent, Representative Fred Brown, is being challenged by former Judge Rick Davis, former Tax Assessor-Collector Gerald “Buddy” Winn, and college professor Blanche Brick. While I will not endorse any of the Republican candidates, I will make a recommendation. Representative Brown has been an ineffective legislature and I think he should not be reelected, and Judge Davis might be the most conservative ideologically and I doubt that he would represent the entire constituency. While I was impressed with Dr. Bricks nuanced approach to issues, he lack of political experience is a liability. Buddy Winn has significant expertise in policy issues, and I found him to be somewhat of a political pragmatist. If Democrats in Brazos County want to have a voice in who their representative should be in the Texas House of Representatives, they should consider voting for Buddy Winn.
Perhaps the most important public office that will be decided in the Republican primary is the State Board of Education member for District 9. The incumbent Don McLeroy, who was the nominated chairman of the State Board of Education but was not confirmed by the Texas State Senate, is being challenged by Thomas Ratliff. McLeroy is part of group of conservative Republicans on the State Board of Education who advocate far right ideological educational policies. Ratliff has campaigned as a moderate Republican who has promoted more pragmatic ideas on how education policy should be formed. Recently McLeroy received national attention during the debate on science standards in Texas text books, and supports teaching the “weaknesses of evolution.” McLeroy is a “young earth creationist” who believe that the world is 10,000 years old, and that America was founded as a “Christian nation.” I recommend that if Democrats want to have a voice on the State Board of Education that will represent mainstream views on science and social studies that they should consider voting for Thomas Ratliff.
Democrats in Brazos County will have something to look forward to during the general election. For the first time in several years the Democrats will likely have a strong candidate campaigning for Governor; the former Mayor of House Bill White is the probably Democrat nominee and if Governor Rick Perry wins the Republican nomination then there will be a significant chance for the Democrats to take back the Governor’s Mansion. There are also excellent candidates for Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Commissioner of Agriculture. Democrats in Brazos County also have the opportunity continue to be represented by a Democrat in Congress, as Congressman Chet Edwards is running for reelection against one of the five Republican candidates. While there may be a good case to vote for Republicans in March there are good Democrats to vote for in November.
However, if you are Democrat who lives in County Commissioner Precinct 4, then you should absolutely not vote in the Republican primary. In many ways this area of Brazos County is the exception to the rule, and when it comes to politics this is the one area of Brazos County that is predominately Democrats. The Democrat Primary for Justice of the Peace of Precinct 4 has the most amount of candidates for any public office in Brazos County, as seven Democrats are competing the primary and will face one of the two Republican candidates. There is also a contested primary for County Commissioner of Precinct 4, between incumbent Irma Cauley and challenger Paul Madison. If you are a Democrat in Precinct 4 it is much more important that you vote in the Democrat primary than the Republican primary.
If you’re a Democrat who lives anywhere else in Brazos County, then there is a case for voting in the Republican primary. If you happen to live in County Commissioner Precinct 2, then you are going to be represented on the County Commissioners Court by Hugh Seale, Jerry Fickey, are Sammy Catalena. Everyone in Brazos County is choosing between four Republican candidates for County Judge; Brian Alg, Mark Conlee, Duane Peters, and Ernie Wentreck are all campaigning to replace current County Judge Randy Sims.
Texas State House of Representatives District 14 encompasses almost all of Brazos County except for the northern part of the county which is part of District 17. This is another reason why it is more important for Democrats in County Commissioner Precinct 4 to vote in the Democrat primary rather than the Republican primary; most of the precinct is located in District 17. In District 14 there are four Republican candidates in a significantly contested campaign. The incumbent, Representative Fred Brown, is being challenged by former Judge Rick Davis, former Tax Assessor-Collector Gerald “Buddy” Winn, and college professor Blanche Brick. While I will not endorse any of the Republican candidates, I will make a recommendation. Representative Brown has been an ineffective legislature and I think he should not be reelected, and Judge Davis might be the most conservative ideologically and I doubt that he would represent the entire constituency. While I was impressed with Dr. Bricks nuanced approach to issues, he lack of political experience is a liability. Buddy Winn has significant expertise in policy issues, and I found him to be somewhat of a political pragmatist. If Democrats in Brazos County want to have a voice in who their representative should be in the Texas House of Representatives, they should consider voting for Buddy Winn.
Perhaps the most important public office that will be decided in the Republican primary is the State Board of Education member for District 9. The incumbent Don McLeroy, who was the nominated chairman of the State Board of Education but was not confirmed by the Texas State Senate, is being challenged by Thomas Ratliff. McLeroy is part of group of conservative Republicans on the State Board of Education who advocate far right ideological educational policies. Ratliff has campaigned as a moderate Republican who has promoted more pragmatic ideas on how education policy should be formed. Recently McLeroy received national attention during the debate on science standards in Texas text books, and supports teaching the “weaknesses of evolution.” McLeroy is a “young earth creationist” who believe that the world is 10,000 years old, and that America was founded as a “Christian nation.” I recommend that if Democrats want to have a voice on the State Board of Education that will represent mainstream views on science and social studies that they should consider voting for Thomas Ratliff.
Democrats in Brazos County will have something to look forward to during the general election. For the first time in several years the Democrats will likely have a strong candidate campaigning for Governor; the former Mayor of House Bill White is the probably Democrat nominee and if Governor Rick Perry wins the Republican nomination then there will be a significant chance for the Democrats to take back the Governor’s Mansion. There are also excellent candidates for Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Commissioner of Agriculture. Democrats in Brazos County also have the opportunity continue to be represented by a Democrat in Congress, as Congressman Chet Edwards is running for reelection against one of the five Republican candidates. While there may be a good case to vote for Republicans in March there are good Democrats to vote for in November.
Texas Progressive Alliance Roundup - February 22, 2010
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The Texas Progressive Alliance reminds you that early voting runs through this Friday at 7 PM for the primaries as it brings you this week's blog highlights.
BossKitty at TruthHugger is amazed that anger is directed toward the Internal Revenue Service when Americans elect the very people who make the laws IRS enforces. Joe Stack targeted the wrong end of this chain. Taxpayers get end up owing money because they do not understand the laws their representatives make. Tax and Defiance – Short Sighted Protester, Joe Stack.
In times of depleting incomes, Republican Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack brags about his $2.3 Million tax funded soap box derby track.
Two Steps Forward One Step Back for Tainted Texas Air at Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.
This week on Left of College Station, Teddy reflects on the next 40 days of protest that are taking place at Planned Parenthood, and reviews a performance of the Vagina Monologues at Texas A&M. Also, a look at the poll numbers in the campaign to be the next governor of Texas, and a review of the week in headlines.
The Conservative Politicians Against Compromise convention picked an old-school nutjob as the presidential nominee in 2012, notes PDiddie at Brains and Eggs.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to know why Republicans hate education so much? Why make community colleges unaffordable?
In Lewisville, the school district has revoked consent for a community organization use their parking lots to gather signatures for a petition drive on the weekend.
In what will come as a massive surprise, McBlogger endorses Hank Gilbert. Find out why here.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson shows that even without the severe decrease in sales tax receipts Texas would still be facing a budget crisis, Understanding the budget and Texas' structural deficit.
Off the Kuff notes the humor of our Attorney General suing to protect the sanctity of divorce.
Libby shaw at TexasKaos does the accountability analysis on the GOP stimulus hypocrites. See her scorecard here; TX U.S. House Members Join Senators in GOP Hall of Hypocritical Shame.
If Citizen Sarah had a nickel for every time she's put out a statement saying something along the lines of “Governor Perry is blowing hot air about climate changeâ€â€¦ she could probably buy something really fancy, like a Mexican coke in a glass bottle. See Texas Vox for more details.
The Texas Cloverleaf reports from frigid New Jersey and wants everyone to know the state, and others, have not fallen into GOP hands.
The Texas Progressive Alliance reminds you that early voting runs through this Friday at 7 PM for the primaries as it brings you this week's blog highlights.
BossKitty at TruthHugger is amazed that anger is directed toward the Internal Revenue Service when Americans elect the very people who make the laws IRS enforces. Joe Stack targeted the wrong end of this chain. Taxpayers get end up owing money because they do not understand the laws their representatives make. Tax and Defiance – Short Sighted Protester, Joe Stack.
In times of depleting incomes, Republican Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack brags about his $2.3 Million tax funded soap box derby track.
Two Steps Forward One Step Back for Tainted Texas Air at Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.
This week on Left of College Station, Teddy reflects on the next 40 days of protest that are taking place at Planned Parenthood, and reviews a performance of the Vagina Monologues at Texas A&M. Also, a look at the poll numbers in the campaign to be the next governor of Texas, and a review of the week in headlines.
The Conservative Politicians Against Compromise convention picked an old-school nutjob as the presidential nominee in 2012, notes PDiddie at Brains and Eggs.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to know why Republicans hate education so much? Why make community colleges unaffordable?
In Lewisville, the school district has revoked consent for a community organization use their parking lots to gather signatures for a petition drive on the weekend.
In what will come as a massive surprise, McBlogger endorses Hank Gilbert. Find out why here.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson shows that even without the severe decrease in sales tax receipts Texas would still be facing a budget crisis, Understanding the budget and Texas' structural deficit.
Off the Kuff notes the humor of our Attorney General suing to protect the sanctity of divorce.
Libby shaw at TexasKaos does the accountability analysis on the GOP stimulus hypocrites. See her scorecard here; TX U.S. House Members Join Senators in GOP Hall of Hypocritical Shame.
If Citizen Sarah had a nickel for every time she's put out a statement saying something along the lines of “Governor Perry is blowing hot air about climate changeâ€â€¦ she could probably buy something really fancy, like a Mexican coke in a glass bottle. See Texas Vox for more details.
The Texas Cloverleaf reports from frigid New Jersey and wants everyone to know the state, and others, have not fallen into GOP hands.
Local News: Former Commissioner and Councilman Files for College Station City Council
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Familiar Face Files for CS Council
By Cassie Smith
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
A former Brazos County commissioner and College Station City Council member has re-entered the political arena.
Tony Jones, 63, on Friday filed to run for the Place 2 seat on the College Station City Council.
James Massey, who holds the seat, has said he will not run for re-election.
Jones is the second candidate to file for the seat. Jess Fields, the owner of Texas Avenue Cigars and a Texas A&M student, has also submitted paperwork to run.
The election is May 8. The last day to file is March 8, and candidates have until March 16 to withdraw from the race.
The mayor's seat is also up for election, and Mayor Ben White has filed to run again.
Jones said he's been involved in the community for the past 30 to 40 years, having served on the school board, as a county commissioner and on the council in the late 70s and early 80s.
Jones, the owner of Legacy Realty & Development, said that experience has given him an understanding of the procedures and policies of government. Each entity works differently than the other and offers varying perspectives, he said.
"You start working all these things together, you have a good feel for how everybody does things. ... I could facilitate working a lot better with them," he said. "If we had good communications, we could get along tremendously, and we could go forward at a better rate and cheaper."
Jones said the city is involved in too many lawsuits, which he called an unnecessary burden on taxpayers. He also said he's interested in researching the city's proposals for a convention center and a new City Hall to try to determine if there are less-expensive options.
He said it was important for the city to focus on increasing sales tax numbers and turning the budget away from a deficit.
The city should also invest in more bonds for infrastructure improvements because the return on the investment would help the community while providing additional money for other projects, he said.
"If we stop good, healthy growth, then the taxes fall back on the homeowners and that's something no one wants, and it's not necessary," he said.
Published on Sunday, February 21, 2010
By Cassie Smith
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
A former Brazos County commissioner and College Station City Council member has re-entered the political arena.
Tony Jones, 63, on Friday filed to run for the Place 2 seat on the College Station City Council.
James Massey, who holds the seat, has said he will not run for re-election.
Jones is the second candidate to file for the seat. Jess Fields, the owner of Texas Avenue Cigars and a Texas A&M student, has also submitted paperwork to run.
The election is May 8. The last day to file is March 8, and candidates have until March 16 to withdraw from the race.
The mayor's seat is also up for election, and Mayor Ben White has filed to run again.
Jones said he's been involved in the community for the past 30 to 40 years, having served on the school board, as a county commissioner and on the council in the late 70s and early 80s.
Jones, the owner of Legacy Realty & Development, said that experience has given him an understanding of the procedures and policies of government. Each entity works differently than the other and offers varying perspectives, he said.
"You start working all these things together, you have a good feel for how everybody does things. ... I could facilitate working a lot better with them," he said. "If we had good communications, we could get along tremendously, and we could go forward at a better rate and cheaper."
Jones said the city is involved in too many lawsuits, which he called an unnecessary burden on taxpayers. He also said he's interested in researching the city's proposals for a convention center and a new City Hall to try to determine if there are less-expensive options.
He said it was important for the city to focus on increasing sales tax numbers and turning the budget away from a deficit.
The city should also invest in more bonds for infrastructure improvements because the return on the investment would help the community while providing additional money for other projects, he said.
"If we stop good, healthy growth, then the taxes fall back on the homeowners and that's something no one wants, and it's not necessary," he said.
Published on Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Searching For Signs of Deception
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Help Us Collect and Investigate "Signs of Deception." Drive through most any city in America and the offers will leap out at you: "Repair Your Credit!" "Modify Your Loan!" "Sell Your House Quick!" The creators of these signs -- Hard Times Profiteers, as we at the Huffington Post Investigative Fund have dubbed them -- are moving to capitalize on the financial troubles of others. In Baltimore, Robert Strupp, director of research and policy at the Community Law Center, says he has collected about 1,200 signs posted throughout the city since 2006. Strupp took the Investigative Fund through Baltimore to learn about this troubling trend and pick up some signs along the way. Now we’d like you, our readers, to help us find them across the country. Have you spotted suspicious signs in your neighborhood, or on your way to work? Snap a photo and send it to us.
Help Us Collect and Investigate "Signs of Deception." Drive through most any city in America and the offers will leap out at you: "Repair Your Credit!" "Modify Your Loan!" "Sell Your House Quick!" The creators of these signs -- Hard Times Profiteers, as we at the Huffington Post Investigative Fund have dubbed them -- are moving to capitalize on the financial troubles of others. In Baltimore, Robert Strupp, director of research and policy at the Community Law Center, says he has collected about 1,200 signs posted throughout the city since 2006. Strupp took the Investigative Fund through Baltimore to learn about this troubling trend and pick up some signs along the way. Now we’d like you, our readers, to help us find them across the country. Have you spotted suspicious signs in your neighborhood, or on your way to work? Snap a photo and send it to us.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Vaginas Speak: The Vagina Monologues at Texas A&M
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It was at times heartbreaking and at other times hilarious. There were times when the auditorium was filled with laughter, and there were times when it was so quiet that you could the faint sounds of weeping. There were times when you would sit forward in your seat smiling, and times when you would sit back in your seat with your hand over your mouth. There were not easy transitions from one topic to the next, but sharp contrast in tone and subject. During a performance of the Vagina Monologues at Texas A&M University I felt confronted with the stories of women. At times it made me feel so uncomfortable that it was difficult to keep watching, to keep listening, to keep hearing the stories. But that’s the point. Each performance left you feeling something, but before you could digest and become comfortable with what you had witnessed the next performance pushed you further.
The first monologue, “Hair” was comical and witty and it left me thinking about my own preconceived notions of what is sexy and what is not. The woman talked about her husband wanting her to shave her vagina, and how she did not feel comfortable when she did. But more than that she talked about how he, and the therapist, blamed her for his infidelity. It is interesting how often when someone cheats on their husband, lover, or partner so often we wonder why and often ponder whether or not it was the person who is being cheated on fault. The “Wear and Say” list was simple a list of answers to those questions; women’s answers for what their vagina would wear and what it would say. What would it wear? It would wear everything from Armani to sweatpants. What would it say? Slow down. Think again. Remember me. Then there was the workshop for vaginas. What does your vagina look like? Well, to the woman that the monologue was based on it looked like a big black dot that acted as a vacuum. Let’s just say by the end of the workshop she had a whole different view of her vagina.
Bob liked to look at it. There is a monologue about a woman who met a man who was completely ordinary in every way, except for the fact that he was obsessed with looking at vaginas. This was how this particular woman was able to fully appreciate her vagina. It was not necessarily that it was a man, but that it was someone else. Bob could have been named Brandi and it would have been the same type of experience. Sometimes we need to see ourselves through someone else. Sometimes we need to see the beauty that we fail to recognize.
Probably the most powerful performance was a monologue entitled “The Memory of Her Face.” From an Iraqi girl being disfigured from a bomb dropped by an American war plane, to a woman kidnapped and beaten in Mexico, to a woman in Pakistan that is burned by acid, you will wanted to look away even though in front of you there is only a stage. This performance was so raw and delivered with such emotional impact that it is difficult to encapsulate what I witnessed on stage. There was anger that you felt toward the man that beat his wife and disfigured her with acid, so much anger that you do not care about justice but only vengeance. There was deep sorry for the woman who was kidnapped and a lack of understand how so many women could simply be made to disappear. There was guilt felt for the woman disfigured in the war zone because of our foreign policy of “spreading democracy,” and the resulting disruption of so many lives.
There was so much more. There was the angry vagina, which was justifiable angry at all the ways in which vaginas are mistreated. Then there was the little coochie snorcher that could. Of course there was the woman that was reclaiming cunt, taking back the word so often used in such disparaging ways. Then there was the woman who liked to make vaginas happy, and she could moan in so many ways. One of my personal favorites was about being in the room when a woman gave birth, and how a vagina can sacrifice so much. The last monologue was a teenage girl’s guide to surviving sex slavery, and how one girls spent two years of her life struggling to survive and how she made it through.
The performances where like nothing that I could have imagined. There where at times so moving that it pained your very soul to listen to the sadness emanating from the voices of the women on stage. And then one of the performers would say things that would make you chuckle followed by an uncontrolled laughter. This would only last until the next performer pushed your emotions to the very edge was again. This was not something that you should watch as a casual observer, something that you can simply watch on a Saturday night before having drinks. The words and the voices stay with you for much longer. The vagina speaks, and it is powerful.
It was at times heartbreaking and at other times hilarious. There were times when the auditorium was filled with laughter, and there were times when it was so quiet that you could the faint sounds of weeping. There were times when you would sit forward in your seat smiling, and times when you would sit back in your seat with your hand over your mouth. There were not easy transitions from one topic to the next, but sharp contrast in tone and subject. During a performance of the Vagina Monologues at Texas A&M University I felt confronted with the stories of women. At times it made me feel so uncomfortable that it was difficult to keep watching, to keep listening, to keep hearing the stories. But that’s the point. Each performance left you feeling something, but before you could digest and become comfortable with what you had witnessed the next performance pushed you further.The first monologue, “Hair” was comical and witty and it left me thinking about my own preconceived notions of what is sexy and what is not. The woman talked about her husband wanting her to shave her vagina, and how she did not feel comfortable when she did. But more than that she talked about how he, and the therapist, blamed her for his infidelity. It is interesting how often when someone cheats on their husband, lover, or partner so often we wonder why and often ponder whether or not it was the person who is being cheated on fault. The “Wear and Say” list was simple a list of answers to those questions; women’s answers for what their vagina would wear and what it would say. What would it wear? It would wear everything from Armani to sweatpants. What would it say? Slow down. Think again. Remember me. Then there was the workshop for vaginas. What does your vagina look like? Well, to the woman that the monologue was based on it looked like a big black dot that acted as a vacuum. Let’s just say by the end of the workshop she had a whole different view of her vagina.
Bob liked to look at it. There is a monologue about a woman who met a man who was completely ordinary in every way, except for the fact that he was obsessed with looking at vaginas. This was how this particular woman was able to fully appreciate her vagina. It was not necessarily that it was a man, but that it was someone else. Bob could have been named Brandi and it would have been the same type of experience. Sometimes we need to see ourselves through someone else. Sometimes we need to see the beauty that we fail to recognize.
Probably the most powerful performance was a monologue entitled “The Memory of Her Face.” From an Iraqi girl being disfigured from a bomb dropped by an American war plane, to a woman kidnapped and beaten in Mexico, to a woman in Pakistan that is burned by acid, you will wanted to look away even though in front of you there is only a stage. This performance was so raw and delivered with such emotional impact that it is difficult to encapsulate what I witnessed on stage. There was anger that you felt toward the man that beat his wife and disfigured her with acid, so much anger that you do not care about justice but only vengeance. There was deep sorry for the woman who was kidnapped and a lack of understand how so many women could simply be made to disappear. There was guilt felt for the woman disfigured in the war zone because of our foreign policy of “spreading democracy,” and the resulting disruption of so many lives.
There was so much more. There was the angry vagina, which was justifiable angry at all the ways in which vaginas are mistreated. Then there was the little coochie snorcher that could. Of course there was the woman that was reclaiming cunt, taking back the word so often used in such disparaging ways. Then there was the woman who liked to make vaginas happy, and she could moan in so many ways. One of my personal favorites was about being in the room when a woman gave birth, and how a vagina can sacrifice so much. The last monologue was a teenage girl’s guide to surviving sex slavery, and how one girls spent two years of her life struggling to survive and how she made it through.
The performances where like nothing that I could have imagined. There where at times so moving that it pained your very soul to listen to the sadness emanating from the voices of the women on stage. And then one of the performers would say things that would make you chuckle followed by an uncontrolled laughter. This would only last until the next performer pushed your emotions to the very edge was again. This was not something that you should watch as a casual observer, something that you can simply watch on a Saturday night before having drinks. The words and the voices stay with you for much longer. The vagina speaks, and it is powerful.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Week in Headlines
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Texas Politics
Three's a Crowd in Texas GOP Governor's Race
Politics
Where You Vote Affects How You Vote
Media
US Media Replays Iraq Fiasco on Iran
Veterans Issues
The Toll of Service and Search for Answers
War and Peace
The Expanding US War in Pakistan
Economy
The Human Face of the Stimulus
Education
Detroit Teachers Fight Back Against Obsequious Politicians
Health Care
Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer
Immigration
Deportation System Called "Severely Flawed"
Human Rights
Lawsuit Sheds Light on Guestworkers in Hostile Terrain
Women’s Issues
Study Finds Many Women Think Rape Victims are Partly to Blame
GLBT Issues
Texas Attorney General Intervenes in Same-Sex Divorce
Race and Racism
On Air With Black America
From the Blogs
Burnt Orange Report:
We Endorse Bill White
Fair and Feminist:
Is “vegetarian” a dirty word in Texas?
Texas Politics
Three's a Crowd in Texas GOP Governor's Race
Politics
Where You Vote Affects How You Vote
Media
US Media Replays Iraq Fiasco on Iran
Veterans Issues
The Toll of Service and Search for Answers
War and Peace
The Expanding US War in Pakistan
Economy
The Human Face of the Stimulus
Education
Detroit Teachers Fight Back Against Obsequious Politicians
Health Care
Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer
Immigration
Deportation System Called "Severely Flawed"
Human Rights
Lawsuit Sheds Light on Guestworkers in Hostile Terrain
Women’s Issues
Study Finds Many Women Think Rape Victims are Partly to Blame
GLBT Issues
Texas Attorney General Intervenes in Same-Sex Divorce
Race and Racism
On Air With Black America
From the Blogs
Burnt Orange Report:
We Endorse Bill White
Fair and Feminist:
Is “vegetarian” a dirty word in Texas?
Video Lunch: What Does Choice Mean to You?
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RH Reality Checks Rachel Larris, in front of the Supreme Court on the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, asks pro-choice activists what choice means to them.
RH Reality Checks Rachel Larris, in front of the Supreme Court on the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, asks pro-choice activists what choice means to them.
Local News: Fashion Show at Texas A&M Raises Awareness About HIV/AIDS
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Catwalk Raises AIDS Awareness
By: Katy Ralston
From the Texas A&M University Battalion
Students will be strapping on high heels and hitting the runway at the Catwalk for HIV/AIDS Awareness Fashion Show as part of the National Sexual Responsibility Week.
Sponsored by Student Health Services, the fashion show features donated items from six businesses modeled by student volunteers.
Prior to the fashion show, the area surrounding Rudder Theatre will be filled with informational booths and tables by organizations for an hour-long health fair.
"The health fair is going to be made up of different on-campus and off-campus organizations that have an HIV/AIDS component," said Student Health Services health educator Lauren Dorsett. "The Bryan College Station Community Health Center, the Aggie GLBT group, Aggie REACH and the County Health department, will be there to display lots of different information on what's available in the community for HIV/AIDS awareness - from where to get tested, to where to get information, to how can you be a volunteer."
Free anonymous HIV testing open to students and faculty members will be offered by the Community Health Center at the health fair. The rapid HIV testing is anonymous and takes 10 minutes to find out the results, Dorsett said.
Some of the informational booths are more than just posters and fact sheets. Aggie REACH vice president and junior health education major Amy Hutchinson said their booth will be interactive.
"Last year we came up with games like 'Guess This STD,' and we would give them symptoms of different things. This year we are going to do something similar," Hutchinson said. "We are basically going just going to have fun with it; we have a lot of open people in our group that makes it a lot easier for people to ask questions."
REACH secretary and senior health major Kristen Garrett is participating as a model. Garrett said this catwalk is needed, especially at our campus, because it is often looked over.
"I think HIV/AIDS is very prevalent around the world, and it is something that should be brought into the eyes of the Aggies so they can really learn and be aware of the fact that it can happen to them," Garrett said.
Catwalk model and junior urban and regional sciences major Carlos Espinoza said he got involved with the event because of the proximity of the disease in his own life and the impact it has had his family.
"My uncle died of AIDS in the late 90s. Though I was beginning my teen years my parents were very honest and told me everything and how the disease develops and why it occurs," Espinoza said. "With this in mind, last year I saw one of the flyers in my dorm informational wall and felt the necessity to help others and prevent this disease from spreading further across my community or any family members."
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, there are 73,000 known cases of people living with HIV/AIDS in Texas alone. Brazos County amounts for 246 of those people, with 31 new cases reported in 2008.
"It's a virus that doesn't necessarily have outward symptoms … in most cases many people can be infected with the virus and never show symptoms for a long period of time," Dorsett said. "So the catwalk shows people you can still be a normal person; you can still be a fashionable person; you can still be an up-and-coming hip person and still be infected with HIV/AIDS."
Dorsett said the catwalk's purpose is to educate people about different facts and statistics about HIV, outline the ways it is contracted, dispel common myths about ways to contract it and provide information on various local resources for HIV testing and support in a unique way. In place of long lectures, the models will present the information while they strut down the runway.
The Aggie Wranglers, Fade to Black and Aggies in Motion will perform throughout the night. Attendees will get a chance to win various door prizes from restaurant gift cards to a free massage.
Espinoza said to watch for surprises on the runway this year.
"One of the many things I am most looking forward to is the awesome production we have every year. It is just amazing, the way everything works 'behind the scenes,' and the end product which is an informational, fun, and fashionable event with the support of big name stores," Espinoza said.
This year the models' clothes will be provided by Dillard's, Maurices, Buckle, the Closet Door, Gap and Gemini.
Published on Thursday, February 18, 2010
By: Katy Ralston
From the Texas A&M University Battalion
Students will be strapping on high heels and hitting the runway at the Catwalk for HIV/AIDS Awareness Fashion Show as part of the National Sexual Responsibility Week.
Sponsored by Student Health Services, the fashion show features donated items from six businesses modeled by student volunteers.
Prior to the fashion show, the area surrounding Rudder Theatre will be filled with informational booths and tables by organizations for an hour-long health fair.
"The health fair is going to be made up of different on-campus and off-campus organizations that have an HIV/AIDS component," said Student Health Services health educator Lauren Dorsett. "The Bryan College Station Community Health Center, the Aggie GLBT group, Aggie REACH and the County Health department, will be there to display lots of different information on what's available in the community for HIV/AIDS awareness - from where to get tested, to where to get information, to how can you be a volunteer."
Free anonymous HIV testing open to students and faculty members will be offered by the Community Health Center at the health fair. The rapid HIV testing is anonymous and takes 10 minutes to find out the results, Dorsett said.
Some of the informational booths are more than just posters and fact sheets. Aggie REACH vice president and junior health education major Amy Hutchinson said their booth will be interactive.
"Last year we came up with games like 'Guess This STD,' and we would give them symptoms of different things. This year we are going to do something similar," Hutchinson said. "We are basically going just going to have fun with it; we have a lot of open people in our group that makes it a lot easier for people to ask questions."
REACH secretary and senior health major Kristen Garrett is participating as a model. Garrett said this catwalk is needed, especially at our campus, because it is often looked over.
"I think HIV/AIDS is very prevalent around the world, and it is something that should be brought into the eyes of the Aggies so they can really learn and be aware of the fact that it can happen to them," Garrett said.
Catwalk model and junior urban and regional sciences major Carlos Espinoza said he got involved with the event because of the proximity of the disease in his own life and the impact it has had his family.
"My uncle died of AIDS in the late 90s. Though I was beginning my teen years my parents were very honest and told me everything and how the disease develops and why it occurs," Espinoza said. "With this in mind, last year I saw one of the flyers in my dorm informational wall and felt the necessity to help others and prevent this disease from spreading further across my community or any family members."
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, there are 73,000 known cases of people living with HIV/AIDS in Texas alone. Brazos County amounts for 246 of those people, with 31 new cases reported in 2008.
"It's a virus that doesn't necessarily have outward symptoms … in most cases many people can be infected with the virus and never show symptoms for a long period of time," Dorsett said. "So the catwalk shows people you can still be a normal person; you can still be a fashionable person; you can still be an up-and-coming hip person and still be infected with HIV/AIDS."
Dorsett said the catwalk's purpose is to educate people about different facts and statistics about HIV, outline the ways it is contracted, dispel common myths about ways to contract it and provide information on various local resources for HIV testing and support in a unique way. In place of long lectures, the models will present the information while they strut down the runway.
The Aggie Wranglers, Fade to Black and Aggies in Motion will perform throughout the night. Attendees will get a chance to win various door prizes from restaurant gift cards to a free massage.
Espinoza said to watch for surprises on the runway this year.
"One of the many things I am most looking forward to is the awesome production we have every year. It is just amazing, the way everything works 'behind the scenes,' and the end product which is an informational, fun, and fashionable event with the support of big name stores," Espinoza said.
This year the models' clothes will be provided by Dillard's, Maurices, Buckle, the Closet Door, Gap and Gemini.
Published on Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Another 40 Days
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The anti-choice protest 40 Days for Life began yesterday, and for the next forty days clients of Planned Parenthood will be subjected to harassment from protesters. The protest, which takes place during the forty days of Lent and forty days in the fall, focuses on reproductive health care facilities and specifically on Planned Parenthood. This protest has been happening for several years and each year they have expanded the protest to more locations around the country. However, locally the protest has received less media coverage and the amount of protesters who have continued the vigil throughout the protest has also diminished. But, something is different this time.
What makes this 40 Days for Life different is that it is the first protest since the former director of Planned Parenthood Abby Johnson resigned, and joined the organizer of the protest the Coalition for Life. When Johnson first resigned I was among the first to question the validity of the claims that she made against Planned Parenthood. Recently investigations by Texas Monthly, and the Texas Observer also raised questions about the legitimacy her conversion. Fellow KEOS radio show host and blogger, Shelly Blair, was interview for both of those stories, and appeared on Biased Transmission last night and gave more insight into those events.
That is the only thing that is different this time. Nothing has changed about the message of the protesters, and none of the information given to clients has become more factual. Nothing has change the fact that women need access to reproductive health care, and the protesters continue to harass and impede women’s ability to access reproductive health care while having their privacy protected. Nothing has changed the dedication of the employees of Planned Parenthood, and the volunteers who escort patients into the facility. Nothing has changed except that there is a new face on the other side of the fence.
There is one thing that does need to change. The issue of reproductive rights needs to be stop being viewed by male allies as simply a women’s issue. Recently Hugh Ryan wrote an article on the Daily Beast about the problem with pro-choice men and the lack of local male voices for reproductive rights, while male voices can be found quite easily on the other side of the issue. Tim Tebow is probably one of the most visible male athletes in the country and his view on abortion is well known. However, Scott Fajiti is not well known (although the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl may add to his visibility), and his views on reproductive rights are not well known. Reproductive rights are not simply a women’s issue. While male allies should acknowledge that the choice that surrounds abortion should be a woman’s choice that it is important that we trust women, we should not leave advocating for that choice to women alone.
During the next forty days it is important as every that those who support reproductive rights to become involved. There are reproductive health facilities that need volunteers to escort clients and show them that there are people that support their decisions. During the next forty days make a phone call or send an email and find out how you can help. For more information on how to volunteer to protect reproductive rights in the Bryan-College Station area send an email to leftofcollegestation@gmail.com
What makes this 40 Days for Life different is that it is the first protest since the former director of Planned Parenthood Abby Johnson resigned, and joined the organizer of the protest the Coalition for Life. When Johnson first resigned I was among the first to question the validity of the claims that she made against Planned Parenthood. Recently investigations by Texas Monthly, and the Texas Observer also raised questions about the legitimacy her conversion. Fellow KEOS radio show host and blogger, Shelly Blair, was interview for both of those stories, and appeared on Biased Transmission last night and gave more insight into those events.
That is the only thing that is different this time. Nothing has changed about the message of the protesters, and none of the information given to clients has become more factual. Nothing has change the fact that women need access to reproductive health care, and the protesters continue to harass and impede women’s ability to access reproductive health care while having their privacy protected. Nothing has changed the dedication of the employees of Planned Parenthood, and the volunteers who escort patients into the facility. Nothing has changed except that there is a new face on the other side of the fence.
There is one thing that does need to change. The issue of reproductive rights needs to be stop being viewed by male allies as simply a women’s issue. Recently Hugh Ryan wrote an article on the Daily Beast about the problem with pro-choice men and the lack of local male voices for reproductive rights, while male voices can be found quite easily on the other side of the issue. Tim Tebow is probably one of the most visible male athletes in the country and his view on abortion is well known. However, Scott Fajiti is not well known (although the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl may add to his visibility), and his views on reproductive rights are not well known. Reproductive rights are not simply a women’s issue. While male allies should acknowledge that the choice that surrounds abortion should be a woman’s choice that it is important that we trust women, we should not leave advocating for that choice to women alone.
During the next forty days it is important as every that those who support reproductive rights to become involved. There are reproductive health facilities that need volunteers to escort clients and show them that there are people that support their decisions. During the next forty days make a phone call or send an email and find out how you can help. For more information on how to volunteer to protect reproductive rights in the Bryan-College Station area send an email to leftofcollegestation@gmail.com
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tonight on Biased Transmission
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This week on Biased Transmission our studio guests are Brandi Hutchins, the director of Planned Parenthood in Bryan and Shelly Blair, the co-host of Fair & Feminist and volunteer escort at Planned Parenthood. Our topics of conversation will include the much publicized “conversion” of former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson, the Coalition for Life’s biannual 40 Days for Life protest, and the current state of reproductive rights.
Listen to Biased Transmission every Wednesday on 89.1FM KEOS College Station-Bryan from 6-7pm, to hear Teddy Wilson, Michael Alvard, Danny Yeager, and Ann Preston. If you have a question or comment you can post it here, or call the KEOS Bell Studios: 979-779-5367.
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This week on Biased Transmission our studio guests are Brandi Hutchins, the director of Planned Parenthood in Bryan and Shelly Blair, the co-host of Fair & Feminist and volunteer escort at Planned Parenthood. Our topics of conversation will include the much publicized “conversion” of former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson, the Coalition for Life’s biannual 40 Days for Life protest, and the current state of reproductive rights.
Listen to Biased Transmission every Wednesday on 89.1FM KEOS College Station-Bryan from 6-7pm, to hear Teddy Wilson, Michael Alvard, Danny Yeager, and Ann Preston. If you have a question or comment you can post it here, or call the KEOS Bell Studios: 979-779-5367.
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Local News: Texas A&M Posts Proposed Budget Cuts
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A&M Budget Cut Proposal Posted
Reporter: Steve Fullhart
From KBTX Channel 3
Tuesday, Texas A&M's plan for a state-mandated $28 million budget cut over the next two years was forwarded to state leaders. From there, experts in Austin will analyze the plan and get back to A&M.
The five percent cut was mandated by the state for all its institutions. The University of Texas, University of Houston and Texas Tech University are among those also having to trim five percent of its budget over the next two years.
For A&M, more than seven million dollars would come from so-called operational reductions by non-colleges if the state approves its plan. That would be deferring equipment and furnishing purchases, reducing supplies and materials, among other things.
Another $5 million-plus would be saved by operational reductions by the colleges.
Position savings in colleges and non-colleges would account for a combined $10.5 million according to the plan. President Bowen Loftin says merit pay increases won't happen this year, which is not part of this category.
"Most of it is focusing on not filling positions right now that are currently vacant," Loftin said last week. "We placed a selective hiring freeze, so we're not saying you can't hire to fill a position, but you've got to be really sure that you need it, and you've got to justify it up the chain of command to the dean or the vice president to get it filled.
"We're being very careful not to fill positions that are vacant now," he continued. "That's a huge way to save dollars without hurting anybody right now, except the people around that have got to come together and shoulder part of the burden then perhaps as well."
Reducing travel and combining non-degree programs are also money savers in the proposal.
The university has posted information on its plan at its website.
Published on Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Reporter: Steve Fullhart
From KBTX Channel 3
Tuesday, Texas A&M's plan for a state-mandated $28 million budget cut over the next two years was forwarded to state leaders. From there, experts in Austin will analyze the plan and get back to A&M.
The five percent cut was mandated by the state for all its institutions. The University of Texas, University of Houston and Texas Tech University are among those also having to trim five percent of its budget over the next two years.
For A&M, more than seven million dollars would come from so-called operational reductions by non-colleges if the state approves its plan. That would be deferring equipment and furnishing purchases, reducing supplies and materials, among other things.
Another $5 million-plus would be saved by operational reductions by the colleges.
Position savings in colleges and non-colleges would account for a combined $10.5 million according to the plan. President Bowen Loftin says merit pay increases won't happen this year, which is not part of this category.
"Most of it is focusing on not filling positions right now that are currently vacant," Loftin said last week. "We placed a selective hiring freeze, so we're not saying you can't hire to fill a position, but you've got to be really sure that you need it, and you've got to justify it up the chain of command to the dean or the vice president to get it filled.
"We're being very careful not to fill positions that are vacant now," he continued. "That's a huge way to save dollars without hurting anybody right now, except the people around that have got to come together and shoulder part of the burden then perhaps as well."
Reducing travel and combining non-degree programs are also money savers in the proposal.
The university has posted information on its plan at its website.
Published on Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Looking at the Poll Numbers for Texas Governor
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According to the most recent Blum & Weprin poll, Perry leads the Republican candidates with 45% while Hutchinson is second with 29% and Medina appears to have lost her momentum with 17%. Voters who are supporting Perry are the most certain about their choice with 66% qualifying themselves as “very certain.” However, there is not much of a gap when it comes to certainty, with 56% of Hutchinson voters and 55% of Medina voters considering the choices to be “very certain.”
If you just look at the numbers then it becomes apparent White has a significant opportunity to seriously compete in November. Neither Perry nor Hutchinson holds a significant lead over White. In hypothetical match ups Perry leads White 43%-37% and Hutchinson leads White 42%-34%, and 13%-15% undecided. While Perry and Hutchinson have similar job approval ratings, 46% and 48%, Perry has a much higher disapproval rating at 38% compared to 27%. Only 23% have a favorable opinion of White, but 65% do not know enough about him. So who would White stand the best chance against in November? When asked if there should be term limits for governor 75% said that there should, which means that White will have a built in advantage against Perry.
The Daily Kos/Research 2000 Texas Poll from February 10th paints a slightly different picture. Perry leads the Republican candidates with 42% while Hutchinson is again second with 30% and Medina in third with 17%. While those numbers are about the same, the favorable numbers are different. Both the Governor and the Senator’s disapproval ratings are significantly higher, with Perry’s disapproval rating is 45% while Hutchinson’s disapproval rating is 37%.While White has a higher favorable rating of 49% is unfavorable rating is much higher at 33%. Another noticeable difference in these polls is that in the hypothetical matchups, in which Perry only leads White 46%-42% and Hutchinson leads White 47%-41%.
The Public Policy Polling numbers from February 10th are much closer to the Blum & Weprin poll than the Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll. In the hypothetical matchup Perry leads White 48%-42, and Hutchinson leads White 45%-38%. According to the Texas Tribune/University of Texas poll from February 7th Perry leads White 44%-35% and Hutchinson leads White 43%-34%. According to the Rasmussen Reports poll from February 1st Perry leads White 48%-39% and Hutchinson leads White 49%-36%.
So what is the take away from these numbers? There are trends that are beginning to emerge, and by the time the primary election is over I think the poll numbers are going to be much closer than anyone could have imagined.
If you just look at the numbers then it becomes apparent White has a significant opportunity to seriously compete in November. Neither Perry nor Hutchinson holds a significant lead over White. In hypothetical match ups Perry leads White 43%-37% and Hutchinson leads White 42%-34%, and 13%-15% undecided. While Perry and Hutchinson have similar job approval ratings, 46% and 48%, Perry has a much higher disapproval rating at 38% compared to 27%. Only 23% have a favorable opinion of White, but 65% do not know enough about him. So who would White stand the best chance against in November? When asked if there should be term limits for governor 75% said that there should, which means that White will have a built in advantage against Perry.
The Daily Kos/Research 2000 Texas Poll from February 10th paints a slightly different picture. Perry leads the Republican candidates with 42% while Hutchinson is again second with 30% and Medina in third with 17%. While those numbers are about the same, the favorable numbers are different. Both the Governor and the Senator’s disapproval ratings are significantly higher, with Perry’s disapproval rating is 45% while Hutchinson’s disapproval rating is 37%.While White has a higher favorable rating of 49% is unfavorable rating is much higher at 33%. Another noticeable difference in these polls is that in the hypothetical matchups, in which Perry only leads White 46%-42% and Hutchinson leads White 47%-41%.
The Public Policy Polling numbers from February 10th are much closer to the Blum & Weprin poll than the Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll. In the hypothetical matchup Perry leads White 48%-42, and Hutchinson leads White 45%-38%. According to the Texas Tribune/University of Texas poll from February 7th Perry leads White 44%-35% and Hutchinson leads White 43%-34%. According to the Rasmussen Reports poll from February 1st Perry leads White 48%-39% and Hutchinson leads White 49%-36%.
So what is the take away from these numbers? There are trends that are beginning to emerge, and by the time the primary election is over I think the poll numbers are going to be much closer than anyone could have imagined.
Local News: Early Voting Begins
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Early Voting Starts Tuesday
Eagle Staff Report
From the Bryan College Station Eagle
Eleven days of early voting for the March 2 primary begins Tuesday at five Brazos County locations.
The Bryan sites include the Brazos County Administra-tion Building, 200 S. Texas Ave.; Arena Hall off Tabor Road and North Earl Rudder Freeway; and Galilee Baptist Church, 804 N. Logan St.
In College Station, voters can go to the second floor of Texas A&M's Rudder Tower off Joe Routt Boulevard and the College Station Utilities Meeting and Training Facility, 1603 Graham Road.
Officials reminded those wanting to cast an early ballot that they could do so at any of those five places.
The schedule is as follows: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday; and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Feb. 26.
Election workers said the last day to receive an application for ballot by mail is 5 p.m. Feb. 23
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 2. To find your polling place, go to www.brazosvotes.org/en/electionday/find-polling-place.
For more information, call 361-4528.
Published on Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Eagle Staff Report
From the Bryan College Station Eagle
Eleven days of early voting for the March 2 primary begins Tuesday at five Brazos County locations.
The Bryan sites include the Brazos County Administra-tion Building, 200 S. Texas Ave.; Arena Hall off Tabor Road and North Earl Rudder Freeway; and Galilee Baptist Church, 804 N. Logan St.
In College Station, voters can go to the second floor of Texas A&M's Rudder Tower off Joe Routt Boulevard and the College Station Utilities Meeting and Training Facility, 1603 Graham Road.
Officials reminded those wanting to cast an early ballot that they could do so at any of those five places.
The schedule is as follows: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday; and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Feb. 26.
Election workers said the last day to receive an application for ballot by mail is 5 p.m. Feb. 23
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 2. To find your polling place, go to www.brazosvotes.org/en/electionday/find-polling-place.
For more information, call 361-4528.
Published on Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Texas Progressive Alliance Roundup - February 14, 2010
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The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes you all a happy Lunar New Year, and brings you the first Year of the Tiger blog roundup.
Justin at Asian American Action Fund Blog notes that Houston is the first locale President Obama named in his Lunar New Year Greeting. Could there be a political meaning behind it?
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme marvels at the jackassery presented to voters on the Republican ballot. No, we're not talking about the candidates. It's the propositions that disenfranchise voters, turn Texas into Colorado Springs or California, and humiliate pregnant women.
Fake Consultant, over at TexasKaos, gives us a tale from the health care frontier. He points out that even in the little things the present system is fundamentally broken. Check it out here.
From TXsharon: How Oil and Gas industry bullies turned an ordinary, honest man into a modern day hero. Read it on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.
WhosPlayin is watching candidates file for the 2010 Lewisville ISD School board election.
Contrary to what the Star Telegram keeps repeating, the Texas Cloverleaf reminds everyone that there is a Democrat running in CD-26.
"Why I'm supporting Dr. Alma Aguado for Texas governor" is PDiddie's endorsement in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Read more at Brains and Eggs.
MeanRachel endorses Bill White and Linda Chavez-Thompson in the two top spots on the Democratic primary ticket.
Adam at Three Wise Men lays out our blog's endorsements for the 2010 Texas Democratic Primary.
Off the Kuff says there's a smart way to do budget cuts and a dumb way to do budget cuts, and we need to do it the smart way.
Neil at Texas Liberal endorsed Hank Gilbert in the Democratic Primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. The post includes a picture of a Longhorn steer, a watermelon, and of a Channel Catfish.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the coming budget woes and that we can't balance the budget on the back of the poor again, the 2011 budget cannot be balanced like in 2003, not this time.
This week at McBlogger, Mojito takes a look at a Travis County JP race and find the challenger lacking.
The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes you all a happy Lunar New Year, and brings you the first Year of the Tiger blog roundup.
Justin at Asian American Action Fund Blog notes that Houston is the first locale President Obama named in his Lunar New Year Greeting. Could there be a political meaning behind it?
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme marvels at the jackassery presented to voters on the Republican ballot. No, we're not talking about the candidates. It's the propositions that disenfranchise voters, turn Texas into Colorado Springs or California, and humiliate pregnant women.
Fake Consultant, over at TexasKaos, gives us a tale from the health care frontier. He points out that even in the little things the present system is fundamentally broken. Check it out here.
From TXsharon: How Oil and Gas industry bullies turned an ordinary, honest man into a modern day hero. Read it on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.
WhosPlayin is watching candidates file for the 2010 Lewisville ISD School board election.
Contrary to what the Star Telegram keeps repeating, the Texas Cloverleaf reminds everyone that there is a Democrat running in CD-26.
"Why I'm supporting Dr. Alma Aguado for Texas governor" is PDiddie's endorsement in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Read more at Brains and Eggs.
MeanRachel endorses Bill White and Linda Chavez-Thompson in the two top spots on the Democratic primary ticket.
Adam at Three Wise Men lays out our blog's endorsements for the 2010 Texas Democratic Primary.
Off the Kuff says there's a smart way to do budget cuts and a dumb way to do budget cuts, and we need to do it the smart way.
Neil at Texas Liberal endorsed Hank Gilbert in the Democratic Primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. The post includes a picture of a Longhorn steer, a watermelon, and of a Channel Catfish.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the coming budget woes and that we can't balance the budget on the back of the poor again, the 2011 budget cannot be balanced like in 2003, not this time.
This week at McBlogger, Mojito takes a look at a Travis County JP race and find the challenger lacking.
Local News: R. Bowen Loftin Officially Texas A&M President
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Board of Regents Vote Loftin to Presidency
By: Robert Carpenter
From the Texas A&M University Battalion
The Board of Regents voted unanimously Friday in a telephone conference to appoint R. Bowen Loftin as president of Texas A&M University. Board of Regents Chairman Morris E. Foster said the vote confirms the interim president was the right candidate for the job. "The extensive and inclusive search process that we conducted to find the very best individual to lead the flagship institution of the A&M System resulted in the conclusion that we already had the right person in place," Foster said. "Today we have confirmed and formalized that decision." Hunter Bollman, student representative on the Board of Regents, said Loftin is a student-oriented leader who is qualified to lead the University.
"He is a president who is student focused, and I know I can speak for all students when I say how excited we are to have him as the 24th president of Texas A&M," Bollman said. Loftin reacted to the confirmation by promising to continue the University's commitment to excellence. "I am humbled and deeply honored to lead Texas A&M, my alma mater and truly one of the top universities in the nation," Loftin said. "I pledge to continue to do my very best to ensure that Texas A&M remains a great university." The Regents allowed the University to draft an employment contract with defensive line coach Tarrell Williams and confirmed the appointment of Maria Hernandez-Ferrier as president of Texas A&M San Antonio.
Published on Monday, February 15, 2010
http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2010/02/15/News/Board.Of.Regents.Vote.Loftin.To.Presidency-3871705.shtml
By: Robert Carpenter
From the Texas A&M University Battalion
The Board of Regents voted unanimously Friday in a telephone conference to appoint R. Bowen Loftin as president of Texas A&M University. Board of Regents Chairman Morris E. Foster said the vote confirms the interim president was the right candidate for the job. "The extensive and inclusive search process that we conducted to find the very best individual to lead the flagship institution of the A&M System resulted in the conclusion that we already had the right person in place," Foster said. "Today we have confirmed and formalized that decision." Hunter Bollman, student representative on the Board of Regents, said Loftin is a student-oriented leader who is qualified to lead the University.
"He is a president who is student focused, and I know I can speak for all students when I say how excited we are to have him as the 24th president of Texas A&M," Bollman said. Loftin reacted to the confirmation by promising to continue the University's commitment to excellence. "I am humbled and deeply honored to lead Texas A&M, my alma mater and truly one of the top universities in the nation," Loftin said. "I pledge to continue to do my very best to ensure that Texas A&M remains a great university." The Regents allowed the University to draft an employment contract with defensive line coach Tarrell Williams and confirmed the appointment of Maria Hernandez-Ferrier as president of Texas A&M San Antonio.
Published on Monday, February 15, 2010
http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2010/02/15/News/Board.Of.Regents.Vote.Loftin.To.Presidency-3871705.shtml
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Fact Checking the Candidates: Bill Flores and Timothy Delasandro
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Bill Flores
During an interview with KBTX Channel 3, Bill Flores made the following claim:
Claim: On cap and trade legislation Edwards could have “stood up in several committee sessions and said that we need to not let this get out of committee.”
Check: The American Clean Energy and Security Act (HR 2454), was passed by House of Representatives in June of 2009, and has yet to be voted on by the Senate. Before being voted on by the House, HR 2454 was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Education and Labor, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Ways and Means. Congressman Edwards service on the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and the House Committee on Budget. HR 2454 was not referred to any of the committees that Edwards is a member of, so it is doubtful that Edwards had any opportunity to object to the cap and trade legislation during a committee hearing.
Timothy Delasandro
During an interview with KBTX Channel 3, Timothy Delasandro made the following claims:
Claim: He is the only candidate that believes that the United States should withdraw from the United Nations.
Check: According to the campaign literature, none of the other four candidates has made withdrawing the United States from the United Nations an issue. Is criticizing the United States’ membership in the United Nations a successful political strategy? According to a recent Gallup poll, only 26% of Americans feel that the UN is doing a “good job” compared to the 65% that believe it is doing a “poor job.” However, when asked if the United States should give up its membership in the United Nations only 13% believed that it should. Criticizing the UN might be good politics, but the United States leaving the UN is not a significant issue to most Americans.
Claim: Almost half of all health care dollars are spent through Medicare and Medicaid.
Check: According to one study, in 2008 government spending accounted for between 45% and 56.1% of health care spending in the United States. However, while it would be fair to say that half of all care dollars are spent by government programs it would be unfair to say that amount was spent exclusively by Medicare and Medicaid. According to a study by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Studies, national health expenditures in 2008 totaled $2.3 trillion, or 16.2 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Medicare accounted for $469 billion and Medicaid accounted for $344 billion, which actually accounts for about 35% of all health care spending.
Claim: The stimulus has “not been helpful to the economy.”
Check: According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is keeping large numbers of Americans out of poverty in states across the country. In addition to boosting economic activity and preserving or creating jobs, the recovery act is softening the recession’s impact on poverty by directly lifting family incomes. The American Enterprise Institute concluded in a recently published report that the economic stimulus worked and prevented the worsening of the recession, finding that the stimulus added about 4 percentage points to U.S. growth and that the economy would have contracted at about a 1 percent annual rate during the second half of 2009 without the stimulus. The claim that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was not helpful to the economy is factually inaccurate.
Claim: Fair tax would “reinvigorate the economy and bring jobs back from overseas.”
During an interview with KBTX Channel 3, Bill Flores made the following claim:
Claim: On cap and trade legislation Edwards could have “stood up in several committee sessions and said that we need to not let this get out of committee.”
Check: The American Clean Energy and Security Act (HR 2454), was passed by House of Representatives in June of 2009, and has yet to be voted on by the Senate. Before being voted on by the House, HR 2454 was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Education and Labor, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Ways and Means. Congressman Edwards service on the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and the House Committee on Budget. HR 2454 was not referred to any of the committees that Edwards is a member of, so it is doubtful that Edwards had any opportunity to object to the cap and trade legislation during a committee hearing.
Timothy Delasandro
During an interview with KBTX Channel 3, Timothy Delasandro made the following claims:
Claim: He is the only candidate that believes that the United States should withdraw from the United Nations.
Check: According to the campaign literature, none of the other four candidates has made withdrawing the United States from the United Nations an issue. Is criticizing the United States’ membership in the United Nations a successful political strategy? According to a recent Gallup poll, only 26% of Americans feel that the UN is doing a “good job” compared to the 65% that believe it is doing a “poor job.” However, when asked if the United States should give up its membership in the United Nations only 13% believed that it should. Criticizing the UN might be good politics, but the United States leaving the UN is not a significant issue to most Americans.
Claim: Almost half of all health care dollars are spent through Medicare and Medicaid.
Check: According to one study, in 2008 government spending accounted for between 45% and 56.1% of health care spending in the United States. However, while it would be fair to say that half of all care dollars are spent by government programs it would be unfair to say that amount was spent exclusively by Medicare and Medicaid. According to a study by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Studies, national health expenditures in 2008 totaled $2.3 trillion, or 16.2 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Medicare accounted for $469 billion and Medicaid accounted for $344 billion, which actually accounts for about 35% of all health care spending.
Claim: The stimulus has “not been helpful to the economy.”
Check: According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is keeping large numbers of Americans out of poverty in states across the country. In addition to boosting economic activity and preserving or creating jobs, the recovery act is softening the recession’s impact on poverty by directly lifting family incomes. The American Enterprise Institute concluded in a recently published report that the economic stimulus worked and prevented the worsening of the recession, finding that the stimulus added about 4 percentage points to U.S. growth and that the economy would have contracted at about a 1 percent annual rate during the second half of 2009 without the stimulus. The claim that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was not helpful to the economy is factually inaccurate.
Claim: Fair tax would “reinvigorate the economy and bring jobs back from overseas.”
According to a report commissioned by the Bush Administration, in order to generate enough revenue the sales tax that would needed to be levied would be 34%, and this tax would need to be included on purchasing new homes, rent, doctors bill, utility bills; essential everything that the consumer needs to purchase. This tax would place the largest tax burden on the working class and middle class, which is not the way in which to reinvigorate the economy. According to studies by the Economic Policy Institute, most of the jobs that have been outsourced overseas are due to trade policies and not to tax policies.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tonight on Biased Transmission
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The Republican primary candidates for the Texas State Board of Education District 9 will debate the issues during a debate that will air live on 89.1FM KEOS. The debate between Don McLeroy and Thomas Ratliff will be moderated by the hosts of Biased Transmission. The debate will also be recorded and available to listen to on the KEOS website after the debate.
Listen to Biased Transmission every Wednesday on 89.1FM KEOS College Station-Bryan from 6-7pm, to hear Teddy Wilson, Michael Alvard, Danny Yeager, and Ann Preston. If you have a question or comment you can post it here, or call the KEOS Bell Studios: 979-779-5367.
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The Republican primary candidates for the Texas State Board of Education District 9 will debate the issues during a debate that will air live on 89.1FM KEOS. The debate between Don McLeroy and Thomas Ratliff will be moderated by the hosts of Biased Transmission. The debate will also be recorded and available to listen to on the KEOS website after the debate.
Listen to Biased Transmission every Wednesday on 89.1FM KEOS College Station-Bryan from 6-7pm, to hear Teddy Wilson, Michael Alvard, Danny Yeager, and Ann Preston. If you have a question or comment you can post it here, or call the KEOS Bell Studios: 979-779-5367.
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Biased Transmission Online Archive of Shows
Local News: Candidates File for City Council Campaigns
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Hopefuls File for City Spots
By Cassie Smith
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Bryan Councilman Al Saenz put in a bid for re-election Monday, the first day to officially file for local city council races.
Bryan has four seats open, and College Station has two on the ballot. The election is May 8.
Saenz is the first to file for the Single Member District 1 seat. Single Member District 2 and 3 and the mayor's seat also will be up for a vote.
Candidates have until March 8 to file; the last day for someone to withdraw is March 16.
Saenz said his district has been known as the "forgotten district" in the city, and many are aware of the nickname. He said he's worked throughout his term to help change that description and wants to return to the council so he can follow through on his work.
"I think my presence on the City Council has really gone a long way to bring attention to Single Member District 1 and fair distribution of city resources to that district," he said.
If re-elected, Saenz said, he will continue to listen to concerns from residents, as well as what their proposed solutions are for the problems. Many residents are willing to step up and assist the city with it's needs, he said, if only officials would listen.
Other filings Monday included Mayor Pro Tem Jason Bienski, a Realtor, and Mitch Morehead, owner of Acme Glass, each submitting paperwork for the mayor's seat; Chuck Konderla, owner of Fifth 'C' Fine Jewelry, and Bettye Pool each filed for the seat Bienski is leaving -- Single Member District 3.
City Councilman Paul Madison is running for Brazos County Precinct 4 commission, leaving Single Member District 2 open.
In College Station, Jess Fields, owner of Texas Avenue Cigars, filed for Place 2 on the council, a position held by James Massey, who said he will not run again.
Mayor Ben White filed to retain his seat overseeing the council.
Both city councils consists of seven members and are elected for alternating three-year terms. The Bryan council has one at-large seat and five single-member districts. The College Station council does not have single-member districts.
Published on Tuesday, February 09, 2010
By Cassie Smith
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Bryan Councilman Al Saenz put in a bid for re-election Monday, the first day to officially file for local city council races.
Bryan has four seats open, and College Station has two on the ballot. The election is May 8.
Saenz is the first to file for the Single Member District 1 seat. Single Member District 2 and 3 and the mayor's seat also will be up for a vote.
Candidates have until March 8 to file; the last day for someone to withdraw is March 16.
Saenz said his district has been known as the "forgotten district" in the city, and many are aware of the nickname. He said he's worked throughout his term to help change that description and wants to return to the council so he can follow through on his work.
"I think my presence on the City Council has really gone a long way to bring attention to Single Member District 1 and fair distribution of city resources to that district," he said.
If re-elected, Saenz said, he will continue to listen to concerns from residents, as well as what their proposed solutions are for the problems. Many residents are willing to step up and assist the city with it's needs, he said, if only officials would listen.
Other filings Monday included Mayor Pro Tem Jason Bienski, a Realtor, and Mitch Morehead, owner of Acme Glass, each submitting paperwork for the mayor's seat; Chuck Konderla, owner of Fifth 'C' Fine Jewelry, and Bettye Pool each filed for the seat Bienski is leaving -- Single Member District 3.
City Councilman Paul Madison is running for Brazos County Precinct 4 commission, leaving Single Member District 2 open.
In College Station, Jess Fields, owner of Texas Avenue Cigars, filed for Place 2 on the council, a position held by James Massey, who said he will not run again.
Mayor Ben White filed to retain his seat overseeing the council.
Both city councils consists of seven members and are elected for alternating three-year terms. The Bryan council has one at-large seat and five single-member districts. The College Station council does not have single-member districts.
Published on Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Fact Checking the Candidates: Rob Curnock and Chuck Wilson
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Rob Curnock
During an interview with KBTX Channel 3, Rob Curnock made the following claims:
Claim: Edwards voted to pull troops out of Iraq “in defeat.”
Check: The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, included a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and was passed by Congress but vetoed by the President George W. Bush. The bill included a provision requiring troop redeployment to begin within 120 days of enactment of the legislation and be completed by April 1, 2008. Considering the inability of those who continued to support the war in Iraq to define “victory,” the claim that Congressman Edwards voted to pull troops out of Iraq “in defeat” is a purely political claim.
Claim: Edwards voted to keep partial birth abortion legal.
Check: Congressman Edwards voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, which prohibits the procedure commonly known as partial-birth abortion, a procedure that is usually performed during the fifth month of gestation or later. This law was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in Gonzales v. Carhart, when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in the dissenting opinion that "the absence of a health exception burdens all women for whom it is relevant—women who, in the judgment of their doctors, require an intact D&E because other procedures would place their health at risk." That Edwards did vote to keep partial birth abortion legal is factual.
Claim: Edwards won reelection “barley by 4 ½ percent.”
Check: Congressman Edwards defeated Curnock in the 2008 general election with 52.98% of the vote, and Curnock received 45.50% of the vote. In general the spread in which candidates are defeated is calculated by the determining the spread of the percentage, which in this case would be 7.48%. What Curnock is referring to is the 4.5% below 50% of the vote that he received. It should also be noted that Edwards received 19,011 more votes than Curnock who, in order to win, would have had to received 11,431 more votes than he received. The claim that Edwards won reelection by 4 ½ percent depends on the math, but the claim that Edwards barely won reelection is another purely political claim.
Claim: Edwards outspent Curnock by $2 million in the 2008 general election.
Check: During the 2008 election campaign Congressman Edwards spent $2,114,653, while Curnock spent $109,335. However, it should also be noted that Edwards raised $2,267,333 compared to $110,597 raised by Curnock. The numbers for the 2010 election campaign are similar; Edwards has raised $1,405,252, while Curnock has raised $138,763. During this election cycle Edwards may be able to outspent Curnock 10 to 1 as opposed to 20 to 1. Edwards did outspent Curnock by $2 million during the 2008 general election, but Edwards also raise more money than Curnock.
Claim: “Most central Texans are absolutely opposed” to health care reform and cape and trade.
Check: According to polling data, majority of Americans survey are opposed to the current health care reform legislation, however, the majority of Americans are support specific health care reform proposals and support health care reform in general. According to polling data, cap and trade and environmental policies are supported by the majority of Americans surveyed in recent polls. However, there is no specific polling data that suggest that most Texans or most central Texans are “absolutely opposed” to either health care reform or cape and trade. This type of claim is simply a political assertion and not based in any empirical evidence.
Claim: Edwards held no position on health care legislation until “until literally the last second.”
Check: Congressman Edwards did not announce his specific intention to vote against HR 3200 until the day that the vote was scheduled. However, Edwards did make clear the provisions that if included in the final bill that he would not support. On several occasions Edwards stated that he would not vote for any bill that he believed “would result in a Canadian–style, socialized health care system.” In an August 19, 2009 editorial in the Bryan-College Station Eagle, Edwards stated that he “strongly oppose any one-size-fits-all single-payer plan that socializes our health care system or prevents people from keeping the quality private health care plan of their choice.” While it might be fair to say that Edwards did not take a stand on the specific health care legislation until “the last second,” Edwards has made clear what his positions are on specific health care proposals throughout the debate.
Chuck Wilson
During an interview with KBTX Channel 3, Chuck Wilson made the following claims:
Claim: “There is no stimulus in that bill.” (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)
Check: According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is keeping large numbers of Americans out of poverty in states across the country. In addition to boosting economic activity and preserving or creating jobs, the recovery act is softening the recession’s impact on poverty by directly lifting family incomes. The American Enterprise Institute concluded in a recently published report that the economic stimulus worked and prevented the worsening of the recession, finding that the stimulus added about 4 percentage points to U.S. growth and that the economy would have contracted at about a 1 percent annual rate during the second half of 2009 without the stimulus. The claim that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 did not stimulate the economy is factually inaccurate.
Claim: Local Banks “weren’t part of the problem” that caused economic recession.
Check: While there are several causes to the economic crisis that resulted on the current economic recession, perhaps one of the most visible has been that of failed banks. However, the economic crisis did not just affect large banks. According to the Wall Street Journal, 181 banks have failed since January 2008, and many of them where local banks. To say that local banks were not the central cause of the economic recession might be fair, but to say that local banks were not part of the problem over looks much of the evidence.
Claim: Tax cuts will grow the economy.
Check: The tax cuts during President George W. Bush’s Administration have had a direct cost of $860 billion and a total effect on the deficit of $929 billion. According to the Economic Policy Institute, during the President George W. Bush the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased an average annual rate of 2.8%, well below the average 3.4% GDP growth rate. Any economic growth experienced during the Bush Administration was experienced exclusively by the upper class, median household income dropped, adjusted for inflation, by $1,175 between 2000 and 2007. The idea that simply cutting tax will grow the economy is unrealistic.
Claim: 70% of jobs are created by small businesses.
Check: The percentage of jobs created by small businesses depends on the definition of small businesses, or how many people that each business employees. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses employ just over half of U.S. workers. Of 119.9 million nonfarm private sector workers in 2006, small firms with fewer than 500 workers employed 60.2. Firms with fewer than 500 employees accounted for 64 percent (or 14.5 million) of the 22.5 million net new jobs (gains minus losses) between 1993 and the third quarter of 2008. Even using the official definition of 500 employees, the claim that 70% of jobs are created by small business is an overestimate.
During an interview with KBTX Channel 3, Rob Curnock made the following claims:
Claim: Edwards voted to pull troops out of Iraq “in defeat.”
Check: The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, included a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and was passed by Congress but vetoed by the President George W. Bush. The bill included a provision requiring troop redeployment to begin within 120 days of enactment of the legislation and be completed by April 1, 2008. Considering the inability of those who continued to support the war in Iraq to define “victory,” the claim that Congressman Edwards voted to pull troops out of Iraq “in defeat” is a purely political claim.
Claim: Edwards voted to keep partial birth abortion legal.
Check: Congressman Edwards voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, which prohibits the procedure commonly known as partial-birth abortion, a procedure that is usually performed during the fifth month of gestation or later. This law was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in Gonzales v. Carhart, when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in the dissenting opinion that "the absence of a health exception burdens all women for whom it is relevant—women who, in the judgment of their doctors, require an intact D&E because other procedures would place their health at risk." That Edwards did vote to keep partial birth abortion legal is factual.
Claim: Edwards won reelection “barley by 4 ½ percent.”
Check: Congressman Edwards defeated Curnock in the 2008 general election with 52.98% of the vote, and Curnock received 45.50% of the vote. In general the spread in which candidates are defeated is calculated by the determining the spread of the percentage, which in this case would be 7.48%. What Curnock is referring to is the 4.5% below 50% of the vote that he received. It should also be noted that Edwards received 19,011 more votes than Curnock who, in order to win, would have had to received 11,431 more votes than he received. The claim that Edwards won reelection by 4 ½ percent depends on the math, but the claim that Edwards barely won reelection is another purely political claim.
Claim: Edwards outspent Curnock by $2 million in the 2008 general election.
Check: During the 2008 election campaign Congressman Edwards spent $2,114,653, while Curnock spent $109,335. However, it should also be noted that Edwards raised $2,267,333 compared to $110,597 raised by Curnock. The numbers for the 2010 election campaign are similar; Edwards has raised $1,405,252, while Curnock has raised $138,763. During this election cycle Edwards may be able to outspent Curnock 10 to 1 as opposed to 20 to 1. Edwards did outspent Curnock by $2 million during the 2008 general election, but Edwards also raise more money than Curnock.
Claim: “Most central Texans are absolutely opposed” to health care reform and cape and trade.
Check: According to polling data, majority of Americans survey are opposed to the current health care reform legislation, however, the majority of Americans are support specific health care reform proposals and support health care reform in general. According to polling data, cap and trade and environmental policies are supported by the majority of Americans surveyed in recent polls. However, there is no specific polling data that suggest that most Texans or most central Texans are “absolutely opposed” to either health care reform or cape and trade. This type of claim is simply a political assertion and not based in any empirical evidence.
Claim: Edwards held no position on health care legislation until “until literally the last second.”
Check: Congressman Edwards did not announce his specific intention to vote against HR 3200 until the day that the vote was scheduled. However, Edwards did make clear the provisions that if included in the final bill that he would not support. On several occasions Edwards stated that he would not vote for any bill that he believed “would result in a Canadian–style, socialized health care system.” In an August 19, 2009 editorial in the Bryan-College Station Eagle, Edwards stated that he “strongly oppose any one-size-fits-all single-payer plan that socializes our health care system or prevents people from keeping the quality private health care plan of their choice.” While it might be fair to say that Edwards did not take a stand on the specific health care legislation until “the last second,” Edwards has made clear what his positions are on specific health care proposals throughout the debate.
Chuck Wilson
During an interview with KBTX Channel 3, Chuck Wilson made the following claims:
Claim: “There is no stimulus in that bill.” (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)
Check: According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is keeping large numbers of Americans out of poverty in states across the country. In addition to boosting economic activity and preserving or creating jobs, the recovery act is softening the recession’s impact on poverty by directly lifting family incomes. The American Enterprise Institute concluded in a recently published report that the economic stimulus worked and prevented the worsening of the recession, finding that the stimulus added about 4 percentage points to U.S. growth and that the economy would have contracted at about a 1 percent annual rate during the second half of 2009 without the stimulus. The claim that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 did not stimulate the economy is factually inaccurate.
Claim: Local Banks “weren’t part of the problem” that caused economic recession.
Check: While there are several causes to the economic crisis that resulted on the current economic recession, perhaps one of the most visible has been that of failed banks. However, the economic crisis did not just affect large banks. According to the Wall Street Journal, 181 banks have failed since January 2008, and many of them where local banks. To say that local banks were not the central cause of the economic recession might be fair, but to say that local banks were not part of the problem over looks much of the evidence.
Claim: Tax cuts will grow the economy.
Check: The tax cuts during President George W. Bush’s Administration have had a direct cost of $860 billion and a total effect on the deficit of $929 billion. According to the Economic Policy Institute, during the President George W. Bush the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased an average annual rate of 2.8%, well below the average 3.4% GDP growth rate. Any economic growth experienced during the Bush Administration was experienced exclusively by the upper class, median household income dropped, adjusted for inflation, by $1,175 between 2000 and 2007. The idea that simply cutting tax will grow the economy is unrealistic.
Claim: 70% of jobs are created by small businesses.
Check: The percentage of jobs created by small businesses depends on the definition of small businesses, or how many people that each business employees. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses employ just over half of U.S. workers. Of 119.9 million nonfarm private sector workers in 2006, small firms with fewer than 500 workers employed 60.2. Firms with fewer than 500 employees accounted for 64 percent (or 14.5 million) of the 22.5 million net new jobs (gains minus losses) between 1993 and the third quarter of 2008. Even using the official definition of 500 employees, the claim that 70% of jobs are created by small business is an overestimate.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Texas Progressive Alliance Roundup - February 8, 2010
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The Texas Progressive Alliance congratulates the city of New Orleans for the Saints' stirring Super Bowl victory, and reminds them that the "hair of the dog" trick doesn't really help with the hangover.
The Texas Cloverleaf highlights the sentencing of GOP Denton County Constable Ken Jannereth. Probation, anger management, laying off the bottle, and maybe more to come for the disgraced lawman.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is watching 2 Texas Counties fight it out with their DAs over legal duties.
Bay Area Houston says Teabaggers claim illiterate Blacks elected Obama.
Is your gas wet or dry? Despite industry spin, it seems to not matter. TCEQ testing shows Barnett Shale "Dry Gas" health hazard. TXsharon thanks State Representative Lon Burnam for wading through the recent TCEQ testing report to find the truth. Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.
Over at TexasKaos, lightseeker connects Obama's big picture with our big picture, in Obama's Problem is Our Problem In a Nutshell. Is our future Sarah Palin, Tea Partyers and failure?
This week at Left of College Station, Teddy interviews several members of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community at Texas A&M while investigating what it is like to be gay in Aggieland. Left of College Station also takes a look at American’s ignorance of current events and the political process, and a report on the local campaign spending and donations. Left of College Station also covers the week in headlines.
The Nuge was campaigning for 39% over the weekend. Can't you just feel the greasy, smelly excitement?
WCNews at Eye On Williamson looks at how the legislature is already laying the groundwork for adding sales taxes to items currently excluded like bottled water, basic internet service, and coin operated services, House Ways and Means Committee to look at "Certain Sales Tax Exemptions & Exclusions.
Off the Kuff looks at the effect of the "Citizens United" ruling on judicial elections in Texas.
WhosPlayin is neck-deep in local issues in North Texas, having spent the weekend with the Lewisville City Council at their retreat, and noting that he local school district is discouraging candidates from running for school board.
This week at Texas Vox Citizen Sarah geeked out on the new energy generation plan presented to Austin City Council. May not sound too snazzy but there's enormous potential there to reduce carbon emissions, build up our local economy, and improve public health with this plan, so she thinks it is pretty cool.
Neil at Texas Liberal commented that office building janitors in Houston have set up a Facebook page as they prepare for a new round of contract negotiations in 2010. All work has merit and all people should be paid a living wage.
Yesterday was huge for New Orleans but it was also TeaBagger Rally Day in northwest Harris County, as PDiddie at Brains and Eggs recounted in "Rick and Ted's (and Sarah's) Excellent Super Bowl Sunday Venture".
The Texas Progressive Alliance congratulates the city of New Orleans for the Saints' stirring Super Bowl victory, and reminds them that the "hair of the dog" trick doesn't really help with the hangover.
The Texas Cloverleaf highlights the sentencing of GOP Denton County Constable Ken Jannereth. Probation, anger management, laying off the bottle, and maybe more to come for the disgraced lawman.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is watching 2 Texas Counties fight it out with their DAs over legal duties.
Bay Area Houston says Teabaggers claim illiterate Blacks elected Obama.
Is your gas wet or dry? Despite industry spin, it seems to not matter. TCEQ testing shows Barnett Shale "Dry Gas" health hazard. TXsharon thanks State Representative Lon Burnam for wading through the recent TCEQ testing report to find the truth. Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.
Over at TexasKaos, lightseeker connects Obama's big picture with our big picture, in Obama's Problem is Our Problem In a Nutshell. Is our future Sarah Palin, Tea Partyers and failure?
This week at Left of College Station, Teddy interviews several members of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community at Texas A&M while investigating what it is like to be gay in Aggieland. Left of College Station also takes a look at American’s ignorance of current events and the political process, and a report on the local campaign spending and donations. Left of College Station also covers the week in headlines.
The Nuge was campaigning for 39% over the weekend. Can't you just feel the greasy, smelly excitement?
WCNews at Eye On Williamson looks at how the legislature is already laying the groundwork for adding sales taxes to items currently excluded like bottled water, basic internet service, and coin operated services, House Ways and Means Committee to look at "Certain Sales Tax Exemptions & Exclusions.
Off the Kuff looks at the effect of the "Citizens United" ruling on judicial elections in Texas.
WhosPlayin is neck-deep in local issues in North Texas, having spent the weekend with the Lewisville City Council at their retreat, and noting that he local school district is discouraging candidates from running for school board.
This week at Texas Vox Citizen Sarah geeked out on the new energy generation plan presented to Austin City Council. May not sound too snazzy but there's enormous potential there to reduce carbon emissions, build up our local economy, and improve public health with this plan, so she thinks it is pretty cool.
Neil at Texas Liberal commented that office building janitors in Houston have set up a Facebook page as they prepare for a new round of contract negotiations in 2010. All work has merit and all people should be paid a living wage.
Yesterday was huge for New Orleans but it was also TeaBagger Rally Day in northwest Harris County, as PDiddie at Brains and Eggs recounted in "Rick and Ted's (and Sarah's) Excellent Super Bowl Sunday Venture".
Local News: Bryan-College Station Economy Declines
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Study Details Decline in Local Economy
By Maggie Kiely
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
It's no secret that last year was rough for the local economy, but some experts say improvement likely will hit as early as mid-summer.
The Bryan-College Station economic index decreased during each month of 2009 and dropped from 116.9 in November to 115.2 percent in December, according to Karr Ingham, an Amarillo-based economist who compiles an economic index report.
The index started January 2000 with a baseline measure of 100 and reached its highest in December 2008, at 127.4.
Ingham's study -- which is conducted through a partnership between Commerce National Bank and The Eagle -- showed consumer activity was down significantly in 2009 as the local economy lost a considerable number of jobs and the unemployment rate remained elevated through year-end.
"I'm glad to have 2009 behind us, and I'm looking for a positive 2010," said Glen Davis, who recently was promoted to regional president of Commerce National Bank.
Davis said he predicted the index would begin picking up in mid-to-late 2010.
Before things can improve, he said, sales need to increase and the unemployment rate needs to decrease.
According to the report, spending declined 17 percent when comparing 2009 to 2008, and sales dropped 7 percent compared to the prior year.
The unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in December, a negative difference of 3.7 percent compared to December 2008, according to the report. The only major employment sector to add jobs in 2009 was health care. Government, Ingham said, was the big loser, dropping 1,800 of the net 3,600 jobs lost.
"I still think there is an overall lack of consumer confidence in the market and the economy," Davis said. "The bottom line is we're going to have to see improvement in consumer spending and hiring."
Those two sectors suffered greater rates of decline at the end of the year rather than the beginning, Ingham said, adding that flagging tax receipts to the state continue to raise concerns about funding levels for the state's universities in the near future.
"These trends certainly lead to the conclusion that the 2010 turnaround may not be just right around the corner," he said.
Ingham said the latest report likely will be revised in the coming months because employment data will be revised and released from the state, while sales tax numbers are released on a two-month delay from the time taxable purchases are made.
The report shows that the auto sales sector declined by 17 percent for the year, in what Ingham described as an "absolutely dismal year for the industry and its manufacturers and dealers."
Looking on the bright side, Davis pointed out a positive difference of 12.7 percent in the number of home sales when comparing 4th quarter year-over-year.
"You couple that with the average home sale price remaining relatively flat throughout the year and that's certainly positive," he said.
Published on Sunday, February 07, 2010
By Maggie Kiely
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
It's no secret that last year was rough for the local economy, but some experts say improvement likely will hit as early as mid-summer.
The Bryan-College Station economic index decreased during each month of 2009 and dropped from 116.9 in November to 115.2 percent in December, according to Karr Ingham, an Amarillo-based economist who compiles an economic index report.
The index started January 2000 with a baseline measure of 100 and reached its highest in December 2008, at 127.4.
Ingham's study -- which is conducted through a partnership between Commerce National Bank and The Eagle -- showed consumer activity was down significantly in 2009 as the local economy lost a considerable number of jobs and the unemployment rate remained elevated through year-end.
"I'm glad to have 2009 behind us, and I'm looking for a positive 2010," said Glen Davis, who recently was promoted to regional president of Commerce National Bank.
Davis said he predicted the index would begin picking up in mid-to-late 2010.
Before things can improve, he said, sales need to increase and the unemployment rate needs to decrease.
According to the report, spending declined 17 percent when comparing 2009 to 2008, and sales dropped 7 percent compared to the prior year.
The unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in December, a negative difference of 3.7 percent compared to December 2008, according to the report. The only major employment sector to add jobs in 2009 was health care. Government, Ingham said, was the big loser, dropping 1,800 of the net 3,600 jobs lost.
"I still think there is an overall lack of consumer confidence in the market and the economy," Davis said. "The bottom line is we're going to have to see improvement in consumer spending and hiring."
Those two sectors suffered greater rates of decline at the end of the year rather than the beginning, Ingham said, adding that flagging tax receipts to the state continue to raise concerns about funding levels for the state's universities in the near future.
"These trends certainly lead to the conclusion that the 2010 turnaround may not be just right around the corner," he said.
Ingham said the latest report likely will be revised in the coming months because employment data will be revised and released from the state, while sales tax numbers are released on a two-month delay from the time taxable purchases are made.
The report shows that the auto sales sector declined by 17 percent for the year, in what Ingham described as an "absolutely dismal year for the industry and its manufacturers and dealers."
Looking on the bright side, Davis pointed out a positive difference of 12.7 percent in the number of home sales when comparing 4th quarter year-over-year.
"You couple that with the average home sale price remaining relatively flat throughout the year and that's certainly positive," he said.
Published on Sunday, February 07, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Week in Headlines
Sphere: Related Content
Memorial
Remembering Howard Zinn
Texas
Federal Aid Unlikely to Fill Texas' Expected Budget Gap
Politics
The New Deal Was a Good Idea, We Should Try It This Time
War and Peace
Obama's Budget Calls for Billions in New Spending for Drones
Economy
Economic Stimulus Saved or Created 600,000 Jobs in Fourth Quarter
Environment
China Green Projects Will Surpass the United States in 2010
Immigration
Immigrants in Texas Detention Center Begin Hunger Strike
Human Rights
Seniors Abused in Washington’s Adult Family Homes
Reproductive Rights
More Dangerous to Give Birth in California Than It Is in Kuwait or Bosnia
Women Issues
U.N. Delivers Relief Directly to Haitian Women
GLBT Issues
Colin Powell Favors Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
Race and Racism
Company Exposes Black Workers to More Radiation Than White Workers
From the Blogs
Fair and Feminist:
Social Change Through Love
Rhetoric & Rhythm:
What do they think "socialism" is anyway?
Latina Lista:
How the Democratic Party Can Re-Energize Latino Voters
Memorial
Remembering Howard Zinn
Texas
Federal Aid Unlikely to Fill Texas' Expected Budget Gap
Politics
The New Deal Was a Good Idea, We Should Try It This Time
War and Peace
Obama's Budget Calls for Billions in New Spending for Drones
Economy
Economic Stimulus Saved or Created 600,000 Jobs in Fourth Quarter
Environment
China Green Projects Will Surpass the United States in 2010
Immigration
Immigrants in Texas Detention Center Begin Hunger Strike
Human Rights
Seniors Abused in Washington’s Adult Family Homes
Reproductive Rights
More Dangerous to Give Birth in California Than It Is in Kuwait or Bosnia
Women Issues
U.N. Delivers Relief Directly to Haitian Women
GLBT Issues
Colin Powell Favors Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
Race and Racism
Company Exposes Black Workers to More Radiation Than White Workers
From the Blogs
Fair and Feminist:
Social Change Through Love
Rhetoric & Rhythm:
What do they think "socialism" is anyway?
Latina Lista:
How the Democratic Party Can Re-Energize Latino Voters
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