What does it all mean? That is going to be the question that all of the political pundits are going to be attempting to answer after the midterm elections on Tuesday. While midterm elections generally favor the political party out of power, this election has some interesting nuances. While the Republicans appear poised to gain control of the House of Representatives, the Democrats seem as though they may be able to keep control of the Senate.
The mainstream media’s narrative surrounding the midterm elections has been that the electorate is angry. The Republican Party’s narrative for the midterm election is that President Obama and the Congressional Democrats are out of touch. The Democratic Party’s narrative is that they prevented the recession from deepening. There may be some validity to these narratives, but they hardly describe the entirety of the election. While Tuesday night commentators from both sides will be spinning their own versions of what the midterm elections mean. But we will not really know what the midterm election actually mean until well after the concession phone calls and the victory speeches.
The Republican Party will no longer be the opposition party, and will no share the responsibility of governing with the Democrats. However, a Congress fractured along ideological lines is going to make it very difficult to govern. The Senate which experienced and unprecedented level of obstructionism from the Republicans during the last Congress will in all likelihood be able to accomplish little legislatively. Even if the Democrats retain their majority, the Republicans will have the votes to prevent anything from passing. Secret holds will likely remain on many of President Obama’s nominees.
In the House the Republicans will have the majority, but it remains unclear if a Republican Speaker of the House will be able to control the Republican caucus. The freshman crop of Republican lawmakers will not be made up of moderate Republicans as the group of Republicans that we swept into office during the 1994 midterm elections. There will be a significant portion of Republican lawmakers that where elected with the backing of the Tea Party, and it is unlikely that they will be willing to negotiate are reach bipartisan deals. The Democrats in the House will also be much more ideologically liberal as many of the moderate Democrats that allowed the Democrats to achieve majorities in 2006 and 2008 will likely be defeated in the midterms.
So what does it all mean? The bigger the victory for Republicans, the better it is for the Democrats. Why? Because over the next two year the Congressional Republicans will remind the American public why they voted them out of office in the first place.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Week in Headlines
Texas News
Texas Death Row Inmate Freed After Prosecutors Drop Charges
Texas Politics
Millions Fund Last Month of Texas Campaigns
National News
Halliburton Tests Showed Faulty Cement Before Spill
National Politics
Corporate Campaign Ads Haven't Followed Supreme Court's Prediction
Foreign Policy
US Can't Untangle Billions in Bush-Era Afghan Spending
War & Peace
Intelligence Spending at Record $80.1 Billion
Economy
Foreclosure Crisis Is Spreading
Education
College Tuition Costs Climbing Again This Fall
Environment
Largest Solar Farm in Northeast US Under Construction
Civil Rights
Prison Economics Help Drive Ariz. Immigration Law
Human Rights
US Continues Aid to Nations That Used Child Soldiers
Reproductive Rights
Obama Administration Sex-Ed Program Criticized
Women’s Issues
Issues of Gender and Wealth Loom Over California Races
GLBT Issues
Most Troops Wouldn't Oppose Serving With Gays
Race & Racism
Nearly Two-Thirds of US Latinos Detect Bias
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Local News: Bill Flores Leads Chet Edwards in TX-17 Campaign
Poll Puts Flores in Lead
By Matthew Watkins
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Republican Bill Flores holds a 12 percent lead over incumbent Democrat Chet Edwards in the race to represent Brazos County in the U.S. House, according to an independent survey of likely voters.
The poll commissioned by The Hill newspaper in Washington, D.C., indicates Flores leads 52 percent to 40 percent. Seven percent of voters said they were undecided.
Pollsters reported conducting 404 phone interviews with likely voters between Oct. 19 and 21. The margin of error was listed as 4.9 percent.
Both candidates have released internal polls in recent months, but The Hill poll is the first independent look at the race. Flores' campaign said it shows that he's in strong shape with less than a week to go before Election Day.
"This independent poll confirms what we have seen for many months. The folks of this district are gravely concerned about the Obama/Pelosi agenda and they want a limited-government conservative to restore America's future for our children and grandchildren," said campaign manager Matt Mackowiak.
Flores has emphasized Edwards' links to President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a time that the Democratic leadership is unpopular nationwide. Congressional District 17 is a staunchly conservative area that Edwards has been able to win in the past with a centrist message.
But The Hill poll shows independent voters favoring Flores 48 percent to 37 percent, and Edwards receiving the backing of only 9 percent of Republican voters.
Edwards campaign spokeswoman Megan Jacobs cast doubt on the results.
"Our internal polls show this race to be very close," she said.
The Hill poll was taken more than a week ago, she said, and the Edwards campaign has made a late push.
Last week, Flores made news for telling a Dallas television station that he was open to the idea of raising the Social Security retirement age -- and then saying later that he misspoke because of a headache. The Edwards campaign jumped on the statement and has warned voters that Flores wants to privatize Social Security -- a suggestion that Flores has called a lie.
The poll shows Flores leading 51 percent to 42 percent among voters over the age of 55 at the time the questions were asked.
Despite the seemingly uphill battle, Democrats haven't let up on their defense of Edwards' seat. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reported to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday that it has bought about $569,000 worth of last-minute advertising opposing Flores.
The Republican Party had planned to spend about $75,000 on advertising in the race but redirected that money to other races earlier this week.
The Hill poll was part of a larger project to survey competitive races across the country. The newspaper predicted Republicans would see "a blowout election win that seems certain to seize more than enough seats to knock out the Democrats and take control of the House."
Published on Thursday, October 28, 2010
By Matthew Watkins
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Republican Bill Flores holds a 12 percent lead over incumbent Democrat Chet Edwards in the race to represent Brazos County in the U.S. House, according to an independent survey of likely voters.
The poll commissioned by The Hill newspaper in Washington, D.C., indicates Flores leads 52 percent to 40 percent. Seven percent of voters said they were undecided.
Pollsters reported conducting 404 phone interviews with likely voters between Oct. 19 and 21. The margin of error was listed as 4.9 percent.
Both candidates have released internal polls in recent months, but The Hill poll is the first independent look at the race. Flores' campaign said it shows that he's in strong shape with less than a week to go before Election Day.
"This independent poll confirms what we have seen for many months. The folks of this district are gravely concerned about the Obama/Pelosi agenda and they want a limited-government conservative to restore America's future for our children and grandchildren," said campaign manager Matt Mackowiak.
Flores has emphasized Edwards' links to President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a time that the Democratic leadership is unpopular nationwide. Congressional District 17 is a staunchly conservative area that Edwards has been able to win in the past with a centrist message.
But The Hill poll shows independent voters favoring Flores 48 percent to 37 percent, and Edwards receiving the backing of only 9 percent of Republican voters.
Edwards campaign spokeswoman Megan Jacobs cast doubt on the results.
"Our internal polls show this race to be very close," she said.
The Hill poll was taken more than a week ago, she said, and the Edwards campaign has made a late push.
Last week, Flores made news for telling a Dallas television station that he was open to the idea of raising the Social Security retirement age -- and then saying later that he misspoke because of a headache. The Edwards campaign jumped on the statement and has warned voters that Flores wants to privatize Social Security -- a suggestion that Flores has called a lie.
The poll shows Flores leading 51 percent to 42 percent among voters over the age of 55 at the time the questions were asked.
Despite the seemingly uphill battle, Democrats haven't let up on their defense of Edwards' seat. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reported to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday that it has bought about $569,000 worth of last-minute advertising opposing Flores.
The Republican Party had planned to spend about $75,000 on advertising in the race but redirected that money to other races earlier this week.
The Hill poll was part of a larger project to survey competitive races across the country. The newspaper predicted Republicans would see "a blowout election win that seems certain to seize more than enough seats to knock out the Democrats and take control of the House."
Published on Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tonight on Biased Transmission
This week on Biased Transmission our studio guest is Kristofer Cowles, the publisher of the conservative political blog American Writes. Our topics of conversation will include the politics of the upcoming midterm election, the resurgence of the conservative movement, and the effects politics have on our public policy.
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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Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Local News: Edwards and Flores Debate
Edwards, Flores Spar at Bryan Debate
By Matthew Watkins
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
The two candidates for Texas' District 17 House seat appeared face-to-face in Brazos County for the first time Monday. But their debate didn't differ much from the discourse they've had through press releases and campaign commercials over the past six months.
Incumbent Democrat Chet Edwards stressed the work he said he's done for the southern part of the 17th Congressional District, including obtaining millions of dollars in funding for Texas A&M, transportation projects and a new Army Reserve center in Bryan.
"I think together we have made a positive difference for our communities and families," he said.
Republican challenger Bill Flores repeatedly mentioned Democratic leadership and the damage he said Edwards has helped them inflict with things like health care reform, federal stimulus and financial regulation.
"The past 22 months have seen the most destructive policies ever imagined forced down the throats of the American people," he said.
The forum -- hosted by the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce and WTAW radio -- was the second debate in two days for the candidates. They met in Waco on Sunday night.
The debate's moderators -- WTAW's Scott Delucia and KBTX-TV's Steve Fullhart -- spent much of the 90 minutes focusing on two national issues: Social Security and health care reform.
Edwards criticized a plan supported by Flores that would give taxpayers the right to direct their Social Security contributions into private accounts. He said that idea would put citizens' benefits at risk and increase the national debt.
But Flores said such benefits are already at risk and called for the Social Security money to be protected.
"We have got to have a real trust fund where the funds are really locked up," Flores said. "We have got to make sure that Congress can't reach in and take out the money and put in IOUs."
He said that economic growth could make up for the drop in revenue caused by some people putting their Social Security contributions into private accounts.
Edwards continued to criticize his opponent for holding an inconsistent position on the Social Security retirement age. In an interview with a Dallas television station, Flores said he's "not philosophically opposed" to raising the age. Later, he said he misspoke because of a headache he had from a recent surgery.
But last week a Waco radio host revealed that Flores told him in April that "you've got to look at different retirement ages."
Flores took a firm stand on Monday.
"I am against raising the retirement age," he said. "One time I said I was not philosophically opposed to it, but I meant I was philosophically opposed. I had some neck surgery and [Edwards] doesn't respect that."
On health care, Flores pledged to work to repeal the entire reform signed into law in March and criticized Edwards for not making a similar promise.
"There is only one candidate up here that has hurt seniors, and that is because he has refused to repeal Obamacare," Flores said.
Edwards said he voted twice against the bill.
"The reason I wouldn't support the full repeal of the bill is you don't know whether there is a chance in getting a majority in the House, 60 votes in the Senate and presidential signature on a bill that would replace it," Edwards said.
Failure to do so would mean the loss of a law that keeps children eligible to be on their parents' health insurance until the age of 26 and establishes a private health care exchange, he said.
"I think a much smarter approach is to try to get Democrats and Republicans together to repeal the provisions of the bill that most Americans don't like, such as cuts in Medicare for seniors," Edwards said.
Later in the debate, Edwards defended his vote for the 2009 federal stimulus package, saying it brought millions of dollars to the district and created between an estimated 1.3 million and 3.5 million jobs. He declined to say who he would support for House speaker if re-elected and cited endorsements from conservative groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Farm Bureau and the National Rifle Association, as a sign that he works in a bipartisan manner.
Flores called for the elimination of the earmark process and said a vote for him would help break apart the current Congress, which he called "one of the worst in history."
The retired oil and gas executive didn't say who he would support for House speaker, but noted that Edwards has twice supported current Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Unsurprisingly, both campaigns declared victory soon after the debate ended. The event may be the major chance for the candidates to sell themselves to voters. Early voting ends Friday and Election Day is Nov. 2.
Voter's guide put together by the League of Women Voters.
Published on Tuesday, October 26, 2010
By Matthew Watkins
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
The two candidates for Texas' District 17 House seat appeared face-to-face in Brazos County for the first time Monday. But their debate didn't differ much from the discourse they've had through press releases and campaign commercials over the past six months.
Incumbent Democrat Chet Edwards stressed the work he said he's done for the southern part of the 17th Congressional District, including obtaining millions of dollars in funding for Texas A&M, transportation projects and a new Army Reserve center in Bryan.
"I think together we have made a positive difference for our communities and families," he said.
Republican challenger Bill Flores repeatedly mentioned Democratic leadership and the damage he said Edwards has helped them inflict with things like health care reform, federal stimulus and financial regulation.
"The past 22 months have seen the most destructive policies ever imagined forced down the throats of the American people," he said.
The forum -- hosted by the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce and WTAW radio -- was the second debate in two days for the candidates. They met in Waco on Sunday night.
The debate's moderators -- WTAW's Scott Delucia and KBTX-TV's Steve Fullhart -- spent much of the 90 minutes focusing on two national issues: Social Security and health care reform.
Edwards criticized a plan supported by Flores that would give taxpayers the right to direct their Social Security contributions into private accounts. He said that idea would put citizens' benefits at risk and increase the national debt.
But Flores said such benefits are already at risk and called for the Social Security money to be protected.
"We have got to have a real trust fund where the funds are really locked up," Flores said. "We have got to make sure that Congress can't reach in and take out the money and put in IOUs."
He said that economic growth could make up for the drop in revenue caused by some people putting their Social Security contributions into private accounts.
Edwards continued to criticize his opponent for holding an inconsistent position on the Social Security retirement age. In an interview with a Dallas television station, Flores said he's "not philosophically opposed" to raising the age. Later, he said he misspoke because of a headache he had from a recent surgery.
But last week a Waco radio host revealed that Flores told him in April that "you've got to look at different retirement ages."
Flores took a firm stand on Monday.
"I am against raising the retirement age," he said. "One time I said I was not philosophically opposed to it, but I meant I was philosophically opposed. I had some neck surgery and [Edwards] doesn't respect that."
On health care, Flores pledged to work to repeal the entire reform signed into law in March and criticized Edwards for not making a similar promise.
"There is only one candidate up here that has hurt seniors, and that is because he has refused to repeal Obamacare," Flores said.
Edwards said he voted twice against the bill.
"The reason I wouldn't support the full repeal of the bill is you don't know whether there is a chance in getting a majority in the House, 60 votes in the Senate and presidential signature on a bill that would replace it," Edwards said.
Failure to do so would mean the loss of a law that keeps children eligible to be on their parents' health insurance until the age of 26 and establishes a private health care exchange, he said.
"I think a much smarter approach is to try to get Democrats and Republicans together to repeal the provisions of the bill that most Americans don't like, such as cuts in Medicare for seniors," Edwards said.
Later in the debate, Edwards defended his vote for the 2009 federal stimulus package, saying it brought millions of dollars to the district and created between an estimated 1.3 million and 3.5 million jobs. He declined to say who he would support for House speaker if re-elected and cited endorsements from conservative groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Farm Bureau and the National Rifle Association, as a sign that he works in a bipartisan manner.
Flores called for the elimination of the earmark process and said a vote for him would help break apart the current Congress, which he called "one of the worst in history."
The retired oil and gas executive didn't say who he would support for House speaker, but noted that Edwards has twice supported current Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Unsurprisingly, both campaigns declared victory soon after the debate ended. The event may be the major chance for the candidates to sell themselves to voters. Early voting ends Friday and Election Day is Nov. 2.
Voter's guide put together by the League of Women Voters.
Published on Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Texas Progressive Alliance Roundup - October 25, 2010
The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes you all have voted or will be voting soon as it brings you this week's blog roundup.
This week at McBlogger, we take a look at the increasingly desperate campaign being run by Todd Staples. On Friday they attempted to eavesdrop on a conference call line if that tell you much. You simply won't believe the rest...
Letters From Texas spent most of the week pointing to Republican efforts to scapegoat and alienate minorities, first pointing out both Parties' failure to communicate effectively with Hispanic voters, then pointing out Republicans' blatant attempts to prevent them from voting, and showing that they'd planned to do it in Texas too. Most shocking, however, was the release of a photo of the most disturbing political sign in Texas.
Off the Kuff published his last interview of this cycle, with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White.
Bay Area Houston would vote for Proposition 1 in Houston if....
Ever wonder why republicans have gotten so batsh*t crazy? CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks they're locked inside their own tiny, tiny minds.
The news of the week in Harris County spread all across the country: well-fed Caucasian conservatives are going places they've never gone before -- minority early voting polling locations -- and doing their damndest to keep as few of 'those people' from casting a ballot as possible. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs kept the story up to date.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson shows the choice for governor comes down to this very simple issue, We must end Perry's unprecedented time as governor - he's been in office too long.
Martha Griffin at musings has questions about Prop 1 on the ballot in Houston. Why the lack of details about the plan and where is the political muscle to get this passed?
BossKitty at TruthHugger just decided to vent about the direction this election is trying to take this country ... with me in it - Federal Government in the crosshairs – OpEd.
Public Citizen is getting into the fray over early voting and intimidation activities across the state, with a press release and conference Monday afternoon in Houston with the League of Women Voters and a blog over at TexasVox. Keep watching for more coverage as this story continues to develop.
Len Hart at BlueBloggin looks at A Party of Panic and Depression, the Republican world of economics, death and destruction, K-Street and war. The administration of Ronald Reagan ushered in a depression of some two years. A depression of some two years, a contraction of the economy, a transfer of wealth upward to the upper quintile, the nation’s richest 20 percent. A windfall of this nature is not stimulus to invest but, rather, to transfer the gains offshore.
Lightseeker reports that , according to a recent Gallup Poll, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans...basically our non-white/non-black population...are going to vote for the Republicans in this election by a 52%-42% margin. Turns out that polling on this mid-term election has some serious problems. There is more at The Polls are Off and Nobody Knows by How Much!
Neil at Texas Liberal offered his election endorsements for Texas in 2010. And for good measure, Neil, a long-time resident of Ohio, also made endorsements for Ohio.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Week in Headlines
Texas News
State Schools for the Disabled Could Face Budget Ax
Texas Politics
Voter Intimidation Complaints Surface
Foreign Policy
Pentagon Braces for WikiLeaks Disclosure on Iraq
War and Peace
US Announces $2 Billion in Military Aid to Pakistan
Veterans Issues
Supporting Those Left Behind By Military Suicides
Economy
US Taxpayers Warned Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac May Need $363 Billion
Education
Average College Debt Rose to $24,000 in 2009
Environment
Warming Arctic Unlikely to Return to How it Was
Climate Change
Sea Ice Melting as Arctic Temperature Rises
Health Care
Drug Companies Hire Troubled Doctors As Experts
Immigration
Barrage of GOP Bills Would Deny Citizenship to U.S.-Born Kids
Human Rights
Human Rights Activists Face Persecution in China
Civil Rights
Supreme Court to Decide Whether Ashcroft Can Be Sued by Detained Citizen
Reproductive Rights
Anti-Choice Activist Aim to Further Isolate Abortion from Mainstream Health Care
Women’s Issues
Court Rules Spousal Abuse Permitted in UAE
GLBT Issues
Military Tightens Controls on Gay Discharges
Race and Racism
Racial Disparities in Quality of Breast Cancer Care in Chicago
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Local News: Conservation Promoted on Texas A&M Campus
Aggies Celebrate Conservation Efforts
By Vimal Patel
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Student Brandi Handley creates art using discarded water bottles at a recycled art display.
Texas A&M used 3.2 billion gallons of water in 1991. Last year, it used half that, despite a 43 percent increase in building space over that time to 21.5 million square feet.
"Technology has really improved," said Nathan Jones, who handles the university's water management.
On Wednesday, Texas A&M celebrated the third annual Campus Sustainability Day to highlight some of its environmental efforts, with dozens of students manning educational booths and handing out items, such as five-minute hourglasses to remind people not to take showers longer than that.
"Students of this generation are the most socially conscious students since the '70s," said Kelly Wellman of Texas A&M's Sustainability Office, which was created in 2008.
Officials recently completed an ambitious sustainability road map for the next several years. The plan has more than 100 specific goals, including creating a "vendor code of conduct" of A&M's expectations by 2013 and developing undergraduate and graduate programs on sustainability by 2021.
"For the plan to work, we need support from all the campus community," Wellman said. "This is so in line with the mission of the campus as a land-grant institution."
In the spring, A&M students voted for a $3 per semester Green Fund fee, which generates roughly $300,000 a year for campus projects. The advisory board for administration of that fund was formed Monday.
"With the BP spill and everything else, I think students are saying, 'OK, we need to take care of our world so it stays a good place to live,'" said Alyssa Politte, a civil engineering major who was participating in an educational booth about water runoff.
The water-reduction effort was more the result of technology than human behavior, said Jones, manager for water and environmental services for utilities and energy management at Texas A&M.
Three areas largely accounted for the massive dip: Implementation of a uniform plumbing code in 1993 leading to low-flow plumbing fixtures, reduction in the power plant's use of water and irrigation improvements.
But human behavior did contribute here and there, he said.
"Look around. How many people drink from water fountains?" he said. "They drink out of water bottles now. All these things play a role in it."
Published on Thursday, October 21, 2010
By Vimal Patel
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Student Brandi Handley creates art using discarded water bottles at a recycled art display.
Texas A&M used 3.2 billion gallons of water in 1991. Last year, it used half that, despite a 43 percent increase in building space over that time to 21.5 million square feet.
"Technology has really improved," said Nathan Jones, who handles the university's water management.
On Wednesday, Texas A&M celebrated the third annual Campus Sustainability Day to highlight some of its environmental efforts, with dozens of students manning educational booths and handing out items, such as five-minute hourglasses to remind people not to take showers longer than that.
"Students of this generation are the most socially conscious students since the '70s," said Kelly Wellman of Texas A&M's Sustainability Office, which was created in 2008.
Officials recently completed an ambitious sustainability road map for the next several years. The plan has more than 100 specific goals, including creating a "vendor code of conduct" of A&M's expectations by 2013 and developing undergraduate and graduate programs on sustainability by 2021.
"For the plan to work, we need support from all the campus community," Wellman said. "This is so in line with the mission of the campus as a land-grant institution."
In the spring, A&M students voted for a $3 per semester Green Fund fee, which generates roughly $300,000 a year for campus projects. The advisory board for administration of that fund was formed Monday.
"With the BP spill and everything else, I think students are saying, 'OK, we need to take care of our world so it stays a good place to live,'" said Alyssa Politte, a civil engineering major who was participating in an educational booth about water runoff.
The water-reduction effort was more the result of technology than human behavior, said Jones, manager for water and environmental services for utilities and energy management at Texas A&M.
Three areas largely accounted for the massive dip: Implementation of a uniform plumbing code in 1993 leading to low-flow plumbing fixtures, reduction in the power plant's use of water and irrigation improvements.
But human behavior did contribute here and there, he said.
"Look around. How many people drink from water fountains?" he said. "They drink out of water bottles now. All these things play a role in it."
Published on Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Republicans Campaign Against Stimulus While Campaigning for Stimulus Funds
If the Republican Party’s message during the midterm elections could be distilled into one word it that it has been campaigning against it would be: spending. The Republicans have been campaigning against spending without identifying any particular spending they would actually like to reduce. Except there is one particular program that they have been campaigning against: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Otherwise known as the stimulus.
In February of 2009 Congress passed the Recovery Act and President Obama signed it, with the intent to prevent the Great Recession from turning into the Great Depression 2.0. While Republicans have criticized the Recovery Act for being ineffective, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report that stated that the stimulus raised the gross domestic product (GDP) by between 1.7% and 4.5%, lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.7% and 1.8%, and increased the number of people employed by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million. Not exactly as ineffective as the Republicans claim. However, over the last year and a half the Republicans have consistently criticized the stimulus as ineffective, and the economy’s achingly slow recovery coupled with persistently high unemployment has contributed to the public’s overall negative view of the stimulus.
But, while the Republicans openly opposed the Recovery Act in Congress and criticized it in public, many of them worked behind the scenes to secure funds from the stimulus for their own districts. The Center for Public Integrity reported this week about a expansive letter writing campaign, where Congressional Republicans who voted against the stimulus sent letters to federal agencies requesting stimulus funds for projects in their districts. The Texas Observer reports that of the 22 Congressional Republicans from Texas, at least 16 officially requested stimulus funds from federal agencies.
After the Recovery Act was signed by President Obama, Michael McCaul, Republican Congressman from the 10th Congressional District of Texas, penned an editorial in the Houston Chronicle. McCaul wrote that the stimulus would not stimulate the economy and that it was a “one giant earmark, a massive collection of unnecessary spending, pet projects and kickbacks to well-heeled contributors.” However, McCaul, along with fellow Texas Republican Congressmen Pete Olson and Ron Paul, submitted a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood requesting $81.3 million in funding for “construction of freight rail improvements in the Houston area.
In a press release Pete Sessions, Republican Congressman from the 32nd Congressional District of Texas, said that the stimulus was “more about stimulating the government and rewarding political allies than growing the economy and creating jobs.” However, Sessions then wrote three letters to Secretary LaHood requesting funds for a project in the suburb of Carrollton. Sessions claimed that the request for $81 million would “create jobs, stimulate the economy, improve regional mobility and reduce pollution.”
The typical response to inquiries to Republicans about their request for stimulus funds was that while they might be opposed to the stimulus their districts disserved their fair share. Of course don’t expect them to mention where the funds came from. Michael Burgess, Republican Congressman from the 26th Congressional District of Texas, wrote a letter to Secretary LaHood requesting $61 million in funds to improve a congested rail intersection in Fort Worth known as Tower 55. In an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Burgess said that he received criticism from a constituent about the Tower 55 project but that he hadn’t voted for it and he was only “supporting a grant request.”
As the midterms approach and the Republicans appear prepared to take control of the House of Representatives and make significant gains in the Senate, one question remains to be answered. How will the Republicans take credit for projects in their districts over the next two years without Democrats to pass the legislation?
In February of 2009 Congress passed the Recovery Act and President Obama signed it, with the intent to prevent the Great Recession from turning into the Great Depression 2.0. While Republicans have criticized the Recovery Act for being ineffective, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report that stated that the stimulus raised the gross domestic product (GDP) by between 1.7% and 4.5%, lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.7% and 1.8%, and increased the number of people employed by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million. Not exactly as ineffective as the Republicans claim. However, over the last year and a half the Republicans have consistently criticized the stimulus as ineffective, and the economy’s achingly slow recovery coupled with persistently high unemployment has contributed to the public’s overall negative view of the stimulus.
But, while the Republicans openly opposed the Recovery Act in Congress and criticized it in public, many of them worked behind the scenes to secure funds from the stimulus for their own districts. The Center for Public Integrity reported this week about a expansive letter writing campaign, where Congressional Republicans who voted against the stimulus sent letters to federal agencies requesting stimulus funds for projects in their districts. The Texas Observer reports that of the 22 Congressional Republicans from Texas, at least 16 officially requested stimulus funds from federal agencies.
After the Recovery Act was signed by President Obama, Michael McCaul, Republican Congressman from the 10th Congressional District of Texas, penned an editorial in the Houston Chronicle. McCaul wrote that the stimulus would not stimulate the economy and that it was a “one giant earmark, a massive collection of unnecessary spending, pet projects and kickbacks to well-heeled contributors.” However, McCaul, along with fellow Texas Republican Congressmen Pete Olson and Ron Paul, submitted a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood requesting $81.3 million in funding for “construction of freight rail improvements in the Houston area.
In a press release Pete Sessions, Republican Congressman from the 32nd Congressional District of Texas, said that the stimulus was “more about stimulating the government and rewarding political allies than growing the economy and creating jobs.” However, Sessions then wrote three letters to Secretary LaHood requesting funds for a project in the suburb of Carrollton. Sessions claimed that the request for $81 million would “create jobs, stimulate the economy, improve regional mobility and reduce pollution.”
The typical response to inquiries to Republicans about their request for stimulus funds was that while they might be opposed to the stimulus their districts disserved their fair share. Of course don’t expect them to mention where the funds came from. Michael Burgess, Republican Congressman from the 26th Congressional District of Texas, wrote a letter to Secretary LaHood requesting $61 million in funds to improve a congested rail intersection in Fort Worth known as Tower 55. In an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Burgess said that he received criticism from a constituent about the Tower 55 project but that he hadn’t voted for it and he was only “supporting a grant request.”
As the midterms approach and the Republicans appear prepared to take control of the House of Representatives and make significant gains in the Senate, one question remains to be answered. How will the Republicans take credit for projects in their districts over the next two years without Democrats to pass the legislation?
Tonight on Biased Transmission
This week on Biased Transmission our guest is Stephen Sargent, one of the main organizers of Rock the Republic, and a well-known local slam poet. He will bring along some other slam poets and perhaps some other organizers. In addition to hearing some of their poetry we'll talk about the Rock the Republic Festival Oct. 21-23 that will take place in downtown Bryan.
Listen to Biased Transmission every Wednesday on 89.1FM KEOS College Station-Bryan from 6-7pm, to hear Teddy Wilson, Michael Alvard and Danny Yeager. 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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Tuesday, October 19, 2010
US Media and Afghan War
From the Real News Network:
The US military is fighting more than just the Taliban in it’s current counterinsurgency campaign in Kandahar, said journalist and author of Conversations with Terrorists: Middle East Leaders on Politics, Violence and Empire, Reese Erlich. In an interview with The Real News, Erlich said the US military is receiving resistance from the local people as well as supposed ally, the Pakistani government.
Local News: Unanswered Questions Surround Resignation of College Station City Attorney
Questions Remain on Departure of College Station City Attorney Cargill
Reporter: Clay Falls
From KBTX Channel 3
Changes continue to come to College Station City Hall after City Attorney Harvey Cargill resigned from his position without notice last week.
News 3 has been investigating a number of recent lawsuits the city has been involved in which turns out to be a lot of money at stake.
News 3 also spoke with one former College Station City Councilmember who hopes the city will be spending less time in court once a new city attorney is selected.
"I'm a firm believer in where there's smoke, there's fire and there definitely is a problem in the City of College Station in terms of the number of legal battles it has with it's neighbors, with it's own citizens and I'm hoping that perhaps getting some new blood in there will turn over a new leaf for the city," said Chris Scotti, a former College Station City Councilmember for Place 5.
Scotti served on the College Station City Council from May 2005 until May 2008.
"Harvey is very professional, I think he has been in the industry a very long time and to not give any notice at all means that something was very wrong at least to me," he said.
If so, College Station Mayor Nancy Berry never gave any indication of that.
In an interview with News 3 on Wednesday, Berry said Cargill never offered any explanation of his sudden resignation.
"I was really surprised, did not see it coming. He, we did have a face to face meeting that he requested," said College Station Mayor Nancy Berry.
A number of lengthy and costly lawsuits came during Cargill's tenure.
For fiscal year 2009 the city spent $1,764,009 on litigation.
For fiscal year 2010 the city spent $960,888.
A lawsuit between College Station and Wellborn Special Utility District alone set the city back $565,000 in defending itself.
That suit began in 2002 and reached a settlement in June.
Also College Station spent $427,00 defending itself from the BVSWMA related-suit stemming from July 2008.
An agreement was reached between the cities of Bryan and College Station in September.
One of the most contentious and costly suits to date is a lawsuit with Weingarten Realty after the city council voted against allowing a big box store be built on Rock Prairie Road. Weingarten then sued the city.
Since fiscal year 2009 the city has forked over $1,806,019 in litigation costs.
And that case is still not resolved.
Despite the recent suits, Scotti remains optimistic for both the city and Cargill as change comes.
"I think he did a lot of good things for the City of College Station and I think he'll continue to go on and do great things wherever he chooses to go," Scotti said.
And while we still don't know the circumstances for Cargill's resignation he's now the third prominent city staffer to be parting ways with the city.
College Station City Secretary Connie Hooks retired in March and City Manager Glenn Brown announced in March his intention to also retire at year's end.
Assistant City Attorney Carla Robinson has been named interim city attorney.
News 3's phone messages to Harvey Cargill were not returned.
Published on Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Reporter: Clay Falls
From KBTX Channel 3
Changes continue to come to College Station City Hall after City Attorney Harvey Cargill resigned from his position without notice last week.
News 3 has been investigating a number of recent lawsuits the city has been involved in which turns out to be a lot of money at stake.
News 3 also spoke with one former College Station City Councilmember who hopes the city will be spending less time in court once a new city attorney is selected.
"I'm a firm believer in where there's smoke, there's fire and there definitely is a problem in the City of College Station in terms of the number of legal battles it has with it's neighbors, with it's own citizens and I'm hoping that perhaps getting some new blood in there will turn over a new leaf for the city," said Chris Scotti, a former College Station City Councilmember for Place 5.
Scotti served on the College Station City Council from May 2005 until May 2008.
"Harvey is very professional, I think he has been in the industry a very long time and to not give any notice at all means that something was very wrong at least to me," he said.
If so, College Station Mayor Nancy Berry never gave any indication of that.
In an interview with News 3 on Wednesday, Berry said Cargill never offered any explanation of his sudden resignation.
"I was really surprised, did not see it coming. He, we did have a face to face meeting that he requested," said College Station Mayor Nancy Berry.
A number of lengthy and costly lawsuits came during Cargill's tenure.
For fiscal year 2009 the city spent $1,764,009 on litigation.
For fiscal year 2010 the city spent $960,888.
A lawsuit between College Station and Wellborn Special Utility District alone set the city back $565,000 in defending itself.
That suit began in 2002 and reached a settlement in June.
Also College Station spent $427,00 defending itself from the BVSWMA related-suit stemming from July 2008.
An agreement was reached between the cities of Bryan and College Station in September.
One of the most contentious and costly suits to date is a lawsuit with Weingarten Realty after the city council voted against allowing a big box store be built on Rock Prairie Road. Weingarten then sued the city.
Since fiscal year 2009 the city has forked over $1,806,019 in litigation costs.
And that case is still not resolved.
Despite the recent suits, Scotti remains optimistic for both the city and Cargill as change comes.
"I think he did a lot of good things for the City of College Station and I think he'll continue to go on and do great things wherever he chooses to go," Scotti said.
And while we still don't know the circumstances for Cargill's resignation he's now the third prominent city staffer to be parting ways with the city.
College Station City Secretary Connie Hooks retired in March and City Manager Glenn Brown announced in March his intention to also retire at year's end.
Assistant City Attorney Carla Robinson has been named interim city attorney.
News 3's phone messages to Harvey Cargill were not returned.
Published on Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Campaign for TX-17: Nothing Is As Certain As It Seems
The midterms are headed into the final two weeks of the campaigns, and the candidates are beginning their sprint for the finish line. In Texas Congressional District 17 that means we are going to see a blitz of television advertisements, and next week Democratic Congressman Chet Edwards will debate Republican challenger Bill Flores twice. The Bryan-College Station Eagle reported this week that both candidates are making their final pitch to the voters, and they are both going to be campaigning quite heavily in the district. The campaign for District 17 exemplifies the overall campaign during the midterms, as Democrats like Edwards have chosen to focus on local issues, while the Republicans like Flores have focused on making the election about national issues. Both parties have decided to follow the conventional wisdom. In stead of campaign on actually policy ideas the Republicans have campaigned as the opposition party, and have provided no real alternative. The Democrats have campaigned on their disagreements with the Obama Administration instead of campaigning on their legislative achievements.
Many of the major political observers are projecting the edge to Flores in the campaign, and Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight projects that Flores has a 95% chance of defeating Edwards. Real Clear Politics, CQ Politics, and the Cook Political Report all have the race leaning Republican, but I wouldn’t call this race for Flores just yet. First of all there has been no real public opinion polling in this campaign, with the exception of internal polling which generally favor the campaign conducting the poll. Edwards also has history on his side. He has defeated three straight Republican challengers, and actually fairs better in midterm elections than he does in Presidential election years. That being said, this is a seriously tough year for Democrats in any district. Let alone a district in which President Obama only received about 35% of the vote in during the 2008 election. In many ways this is Flores’ campaign to lose.
How might Flores lose this campaign? Well, he might get a headache. Last week Flores said that he was “not philosophically opposed” to raising the Social Security retirement age for future recipients, and the Dallas Morning News reported on Flores’ attempt to walk back that comment while saying that he had a “headache during the interview and the remarks did not properly characterize his position.” Political reported on Edwards’ response saying that “after Bill Flores blamed his position on raising the Social Security age to 70 on a 'headache,' what is next?" Is Mr. Flores going to blame his plan to privatize VA health care on a Dairy Queen Hunger-Buster and blame his company’s having stuck taxpayers with $7.5 million in unpaid government loans to a case of indigestion?” Of the two campaigns Edwards has been fair more disciplined and less prone to gaffs than the Flores’ campaign. However, in a political year when you can say as many outlandish things as Sharon Angle has said in Nevada and still be tied with Democratic Majority Lead Harry Reid, mistakes are not as much as a political liability that they would be in other years.
On of the measures being used to judge campaigns is the involvement of the national parties, and how much money the Democrat and Republican Senatorial and Congressional campaign committees are putting in place in different districts and states. There has been a buzz on the conservative blogs and Twitter that the DCCC was going to pull money from District 17 and send it to other places. Newsweek reported that Edwards would get few add buys, characterizing it as “bad news for Edwards, who's been one of the highest-profile Democrats to run away from the president and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, actively denouncing them in campaign ads.” However, the Texas Tribune reported today that the DCCC released a new ad attacking Flores for the bailout that a oil company he managed during bankruptcy received from the federal government costing the taxpayers $7.5 million.
To all of those Republicans working on the math to try and figure out what size seat majority you will have in the House of Representatives, and to all those Democrats feeling a bit demoralized by the way this election season has gone: just remember that nothing is as certain as it seems. What people tend to forget about is that midterm elections are decided in a district by district basis, and polling for the vast majority of even competitive campaigns is scarce at best. While it does appear that the Republicans will gain control of the majority in the House, they will probably not be able to gain control of the majority in the Senate. One more thing. While Democrats have become famous for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, the Republicans nominated a candidate that was the first person to have to campaign on not being a witch since the 1600’s. Anything can happen this year.
Many of the major political observers are projecting the edge to Flores in the campaign, and Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight projects that Flores has a 95% chance of defeating Edwards. Real Clear Politics, CQ Politics, and the Cook Political Report all have the race leaning Republican, but I wouldn’t call this race for Flores just yet. First of all there has been no real public opinion polling in this campaign, with the exception of internal polling which generally favor the campaign conducting the poll. Edwards also has history on his side. He has defeated three straight Republican challengers, and actually fairs better in midterm elections than he does in Presidential election years. That being said, this is a seriously tough year for Democrats in any district. Let alone a district in which President Obama only received about 35% of the vote in during the 2008 election. In many ways this is Flores’ campaign to lose.
How might Flores lose this campaign? Well, he might get a headache. Last week Flores said that he was “not philosophically opposed” to raising the Social Security retirement age for future recipients, and the Dallas Morning News reported on Flores’ attempt to walk back that comment while saying that he had a “headache during the interview and the remarks did not properly characterize his position.” Political reported on Edwards’ response saying that “after Bill Flores blamed his position on raising the Social Security age to 70 on a 'headache,' what is next?" Is Mr. Flores going to blame his plan to privatize VA health care on a Dairy Queen Hunger-Buster and blame his company’s having stuck taxpayers with $7.5 million in unpaid government loans to a case of indigestion?” Of the two campaigns Edwards has been fair more disciplined and less prone to gaffs than the Flores’ campaign. However, in a political year when you can say as many outlandish things as Sharon Angle has said in Nevada and still be tied with Democratic Majority Lead Harry Reid, mistakes are not as much as a political liability that they would be in other years.
On of the measures being used to judge campaigns is the involvement of the national parties, and how much money the Democrat and Republican Senatorial and Congressional campaign committees are putting in place in different districts and states. There has been a buzz on the conservative blogs and Twitter that the DCCC was going to pull money from District 17 and send it to other places. Newsweek reported that Edwards would get few add buys, characterizing it as “bad news for Edwards, who's been one of the highest-profile Democrats to run away from the president and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, actively denouncing them in campaign ads.” However, the Texas Tribune reported today that the DCCC released a new ad attacking Flores for the bailout that a oil company he managed during bankruptcy received from the federal government costing the taxpayers $7.5 million.
To all of those Republicans working on the math to try and figure out what size seat majority you will have in the House of Representatives, and to all those Democrats feeling a bit demoralized by the way this election season has gone: just remember that nothing is as certain as it seems. What people tend to forget about is that midterm elections are decided in a district by district basis, and polling for the vast majority of even competitive campaigns is scarce at best. While it does appear that the Republicans will gain control of the majority in the House, they will probably not be able to gain control of the majority in the Senate. One more thing. While Democrats have become famous for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, the Republicans nominated a candidate that was the first person to have to campaign on not being a witch since the 1600’s. Anything can happen this year.
Texas Progressive Alliance Roundup October - 18, 2010
The Texas Progressive Alliance is fired up and ready to vote as it brings you this week's blog roundup.
Off the Kuff has interviews with Linda Chavez-Thompson and Barbara Radnofsky.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks breathing benzene, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants is bad. Why doesn't the TCEQ agree?
The Texas Cloverleaf posts on Blog Action Day about clean water in the Barnett shale.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson points our that there a still many unanswered questions regarding Gov. Perry and a special favor for a mega donor, The drip, drip, drip continues for Perry's mega-donor problem.
The King Street Patriot extremists are breaking the law again in Harris County. A lot more voter suppression and intimidation is in store from these thugs. Brains and Eggs has the details, including the link to the video of TeaBaggin' Jim Murphy (he's going to lose to Kristi Thibaut again) doing the honors.
Neil at Texas Liberal can't imagine that the people of Houston might wish to get rid of Red Light Cameras. Our roads in Houston are already filled with drunks and crazies. Why would we want to make things even worse by making it easier to run red lights and get away with it? Neil urges folks in Houston to vote Yes on Prop. 3 and help keep our streets somewhat less bloody than they might otherwise become.
Intrepid Intern Ali Rawaf and Campaign Finance Curmudgeon Andy Wilson team up at TexasVox to remind you that early voting starts today, Monday, Oct 18, by giving you the sobering truth of who exactly is financing our Congressional midterm campaigns and what special favors they will want if you let their chosen candidates get into office. This is the first in a series-- keep an eye on TexasVox in the next 2 weeks for more in-depth looks at who's financing the Texas Governor's race, races for Ag Commissioner and Railroad Commissioner, and the Third Court of Appeals-- and maybe others.
Local News: Early Voting Begins Today
Polls Open This Week
By Matthew Watkins
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Voters in Texas may begin casting their ballots early on Monday in a mid-term election that includes races for governor, U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature.
The polls will be open in Brazos County from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday of this week. They'll be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 24; and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29. The regular election day is Nov. 2.
Brazos County has five early voting locations. In Bryan, ballots may be cast at the Brazos County Administration Building, 200 South Texas Avenue; Arena Hall, Tabor Road and North Earl Rudder Freeway; and Galilee Baptist Church, 804 North Logan in Bryan.
The two College Station polling places are the Memorial Student Center on the Texas A&M campus and the College Station Utilities Meeting and Training Facility, 1603 Graham Road.
Yes, the Memorial Student Center polling place will be open -- even though the building is being renovated. The polls will be in room 146, which currently isn't being touched.
"I have had an overwhelming amount of phone calls and e-mails with people who think it's an error on our polling place list because of the MSC renovation project," said Jaime Hines, elections coordinator for Brazos County.
There are 20 contested races on the ballot. College Station voters will also have the opportunity to vote for an open City Council seat and on a referendum about a possible transportation fee for property owners.
For more information about early voting, visit www.brazosvotes.org.
The contested races are listed below:
* Republican Gov. Rick Perry is being challenged by Democrat Bill White, Libertarian Kathie Glass and Green Party candidate Deb Shafto.
* Incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a Republican, is opposed by Democrat Linda Chavez-Thompson, Libertarian Scott Jameson and Green Party candidate Herb Gonzales Jr.
* Incumbent Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott faces Democrat Barbara Ann Radnofsky and Libertarian Jon Roland.
* State Comptroller Susan Combs, a Republican, is opposed by Libertarian Mary J. Ruwart and Green Party candidate Edwards Lindsay.
* Republican Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson faces a challenge from Democrat Hector Uribe and Libertarian James L. Holdar.
* Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples, a Republican, faces Democrat Hank Gilbert and Libertarian Rick Donaldson.
* Four candidates are running for Railroad Commissioner: Republican David Porter, Democrat Jeff Weems, Libertarian Roger Gary and Green Party candidate Art Browning.
* Debra Lehrmann, an incumbent Republican; Jim Sharp, a Democrat; and William Bryan Strange III, a Libertarian, are the three candidates for Place 3 in the Texas Supreme Court.
* Republican Paul Green, the Place 5 justice on the Texas Supreme Court, faces Democrat Bill Moody and Libertarian Tom Oxford.
* Place 9 on the Texas Supreme Court features a race between Republican incumbent Eva Guzman, Democrat Blake Bailey and Libertarian Jack Armstrong.
* In the race for the Place 2 seat on the state Court of Criminal Appeals, incumbent Republican Lawrence "Larry" Meyers faces Libertarian J. Randell Stevens.
* The race for the Place 5 seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals is between incumbent Republican Cheryl Johnson and Libertarian Dave Howard.
* The Place 6 seat race drew two challengers for incumbent Republican Michael E. Keasler -- Democrat Keith Hampton and Libertarian Robert Ravee Virasin.
* The race to succeed Don McLeroy in the State Board of Education District 9 seat will be between Republican Thomas Ratliff, Libertarian Jeff McGee and Green Party candidate Paul Cardwell.
* State Sen. Steve Ogden, a Republican, is opposed by Democrat Stephen Wyman.
* Voters in north Bryan can decide between incumbent Republican Tim Kleinschmidt, Democrat Pati Jacobs and Libertarian Travis Hill in the race for the state House District 17 seat.
* The candidates for Brazos County judge are Duane Peters, a Republican, and Clyde Garland, a Libertarian.
* Brazos County Pct. 4 County Commissioner Irma Cauley, a Republican, faces Democrat Louis Garcia.
* The race for Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace is between Republican Jim Cashion, Democrat Rose Jones and Libertarian Linda Wilbert.
* Pct. 1 Constable Brian Bachmann, a Republican, faces a challenge from Democrat Terry Smith.
* The two candidates for Place 5 on the College Station City Council are John Nichols and Jana McMillan.
Published on Sunday, October 17, 2010
By Matthew Watkins
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Voters in Texas may begin casting their ballots early on Monday in a mid-term election that includes races for governor, U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature.
The polls will be open in Brazos County from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday of this week. They'll be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 24; and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29. The regular election day is Nov. 2.
Brazos County has five early voting locations. In Bryan, ballots may be cast at the Brazos County Administration Building, 200 South Texas Avenue; Arena Hall, Tabor Road and North Earl Rudder Freeway; and Galilee Baptist Church, 804 North Logan in Bryan.
The two College Station polling places are the Memorial Student Center on the Texas A&M campus and the College Station Utilities Meeting and Training Facility, 1603 Graham Road.
Yes, the Memorial Student Center polling place will be open -- even though the building is being renovated. The polls will be in room 146, which currently isn't being touched.
"I have had an overwhelming amount of phone calls and e-mails with people who think it's an error on our polling place list because of the MSC renovation project," said Jaime Hines, elections coordinator for Brazos County.
There are 20 contested races on the ballot. College Station voters will also have the opportunity to vote for an open City Council seat and on a referendum about a possible transportation fee for property owners.
For more information about early voting, visit www.brazosvotes.org.
The contested races are listed below:
* Republican Gov. Rick Perry is being challenged by Democrat Bill White, Libertarian Kathie Glass and Green Party candidate Deb Shafto.
* Incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a Republican, is opposed by Democrat Linda Chavez-Thompson, Libertarian Scott Jameson and Green Party candidate Herb Gonzales Jr.
* Incumbent Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott faces Democrat Barbara Ann Radnofsky and Libertarian Jon Roland.
* State Comptroller Susan Combs, a Republican, is opposed by Libertarian Mary J. Ruwart and Green Party candidate Edwards Lindsay.
* Republican Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson faces a challenge from Democrat Hector Uribe and Libertarian James L. Holdar.
* Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples, a Republican, faces Democrat Hank Gilbert and Libertarian Rick Donaldson.
* Four candidates are running for Railroad Commissioner: Republican David Porter, Democrat Jeff Weems, Libertarian Roger Gary and Green Party candidate Art Browning.
* Debra Lehrmann, an incumbent Republican; Jim Sharp, a Democrat; and William Bryan Strange III, a Libertarian, are the three candidates for Place 3 in the Texas Supreme Court.
* Republican Paul Green, the Place 5 justice on the Texas Supreme Court, faces Democrat Bill Moody and Libertarian Tom Oxford.
* Place 9 on the Texas Supreme Court features a race between Republican incumbent Eva Guzman, Democrat Blake Bailey and Libertarian Jack Armstrong.
* In the race for the Place 2 seat on the state Court of Criminal Appeals, incumbent Republican Lawrence "Larry" Meyers faces Libertarian J. Randell Stevens.
* The race for the Place 5 seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals is between incumbent Republican Cheryl Johnson and Libertarian Dave Howard.
* The Place 6 seat race drew two challengers for incumbent Republican Michael E. Keasler -- Democrat Keith Hampton and Libertarian Robert Ravee Virasin.
* The race to succeed Don McLeroy in the State Board of Education District 9 seat will be between Republican Thomas Ratliff, Libertarian Jeff McGee and Green Party candidate Paul Cardwell.
* State Sen. Steve Ogden, a Republican, is opposed by Democrat Stephen Wyman.
* Voters in north Bryan can decide between incumbent Republican Tim Kleinschmidt, Democrat Pati Jacobs and Libertarian Travis Hill in the race for the state House District 17 seat.
* The candidates for Brazos County judge are Duane Peters, a Republican, and Clyde Garland, a Libertarian.
* Brazos County Pct. 4 County Commissioner Irma Cauley, a Republican, faces Democrat Louis Garcia.
* The race for Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace is between Republican Jim Cashion, Democrat Rose Jones and Libertarian Linda Wilbert.
* Pct. 1 Constable Brian Bachmann, a Republican, faces a challenge from Democrat Terry Smith.
* The two candidates for Place 5 on the College Station City Council are John Nichols and Jana McMillan.
Published on Sunday, October 17, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Week in Headlines
Media
WikiLeaks Says Funding Blocked After Government Blacklisting
Texas News
Judge in Willingham Case Goes Ahead With Court of Inquiry
Texas Politics
Rick Perry Approved $4.5 Million for Donor's Firm Without Regional Board Approval
National News
Bush Administration Detainee Experimentation Program Revealed
National Politics
Congress Staffers Gain From Trading In Stocks
Foreign Policy
US Spending on Afghan Security Contractors Criticized
War & Peace
Afghans Linked to the Taliban Guard US Bases
Veterans Issues
Veterans Bill Improves Benefits and Protections
Health Care
Billions Wasted in Way Medical Devices Are Bought
Economy
Banks Repossess Record Number of Homes
Education
Can 'Superman' fix what ails public schools?
Energy
The Promise of Fusion: Energy Miracle or Mirage?
Environment
Obama Administration Lifts Deepwater Drilling Moratorium
Climate Change
Why CO2 Is the "Control Knob" for Global Climate Change
Immigration
The Burden of Record-Breaking Deportations
Human Rights
Sex Trafficking Accelerates as Drug War Rages in Mexico
Civil Rights
Texas Death-Row Inmate Asks Supreme Court for New Testing of Old Evidence
Reproductive Rights
New Bill Would Set Strict Disclosure Requirements for Crisis-Pregnancy Centers
Women’s Issues
College Rapists Almost Always Get Off the Hook
GLBT Issues
Judge Rules Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Unconstitutional
Race & Racism
Minorities Get Less Treatment for Their Pain
From the Blogs
Life on the Brazos:
Cynicism Vs Experience
From Austin to A&M:
Privileged college students and "hobos": Exactly alike?
Eye on Williamson:
Republican Whine
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Local News: College Station City Attorney Resigns
CS City Attorney Calls it Quits
By Matthew Watkins
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
The College Station City Council will discuss appointing an interim city attorney Thursday after longtime counsel Harvey Cargill's abrupt resignation a day earlier.
Cargill stepped down during a short meeting with Mayor Nancy Berry on Wednesday afternoon. He gave her a hand-written, 64-word letter that offered no explanation for his decision.
"By this letter I am resigning as City Attorney," he wrote. "I thank you and the citizens of College Station for the opportunity to serve you."
Carla Robinson, one of the city's three assistant city attorneys, will serve as acting city attorney at Thursday's meeting. Cargill recommended in his brief letter that she fill in for him and be considered for the permanent position.
Reached on his cell phone late Wednesday afternoon, Cargill declined to comment, saying he "can't talk about it."
Berry said she had no idea that Cargill was planning to leave.
"I was as blind-sided as anyone," Berry said in a telephone interview. "I did not see this coming."
She said she received an e-mail from Cargill on Oct. 7 requesting that they meet. She responded that she would be out of town until Tuesday night, and they set up a meeting for Wednesday. In the meantime, Cargill requested that the city attorney position be put on the agenda for Thursday's City Council meeting.
The pair met at City Hall for about 10 minutes Wednesday, discussed normal city business and he then turned in his letter.
"I asked him to reconsider and think about announcing his retirement and that was something he did not want to do," Berry said.
She said he gave her no indication of future plans.
The 65-year-old served in the job for 13 years and was paid a $147,960 salary this year. He was hired after spending 20 years as city attorney of Abilene. His job included overseeing three attorneys and a support staff, providing legal advice to the council, representing the city in litigation and reviewing contracts, open records requests and other documents.
"He has a well-deserved reputation as an expert in municipal law," Berry said.
The city attorney job is one of five positions of which the City Council oversees the hiring and firing. Cargill was involved in some contentious issues that recently put the city in the courtroom -- red light traffic cameras, a lawsuit with the city of Bryan over the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency and the proposed incorporation of Wellborn. Ultimately, the law sided with the city on the constitutionality relating to red light cameras, as well as the Wellborn issue, voters took the camera issue to the polls and voters dismantled the program. Meanwhile, Bryan and College Station city officials recently negotiated an end to their dispute on the landfill.
Berry said she was unaware of any major issues the council had with Cargill.
"[Resigning] was something that he was thinking about," Berry said of the resignation. "The council was not."
The Eagle requested a copy of his most recent performance review, but was told the city doesn't conduct written evaluations for its five council appointees.
"Those evaluations are done verbally, and I'm told by our City Manager's Office that it's common practice for council-appointed positions in most cities," said city spokesman Jay Socol in an e-mail.
No other council members returned messages seeking comment Wednesday.
The resignation comes at a period of high turnover among the council-appointed city staff prompted by retirements. City Manager Glenn Brown announced in March that he plans to leave at the end of the year after a 35-year career in city management. The city hired a new city secretary in August a few months after Connie Hooks retired after 25 years of service.
Berry said she expects the city will advertise the job opening in trade publications instead of hiring a firm to do a national search. That same process was used to find a new city secretary and is being used for the city manager opening to save money, she said.
Published on Thursday, October 14, 2010
By Matthew Watkins
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
The College Station City Council will discuss appointing an interim city attorney Thursday after longtime counsel Harvey Cargill's abrupt resignation a day earlier.
Cargill stepped down during a short meeting with Mayor Nancy Berry on Wednesday afternoon. He gave her a hand-written, 64-word letter that offered no explanation for his decision.
"By this letter I am resigning as City Attorney," he wrote. "I thank you and the citizens of College Station for the opportunity to serve you."
Carla Robinson, one of the city's three assistant city attorneys, will serve as acting city attorney at Thursday's meeting. Cargill recommended in his brief letter that she fill in for him and be considered for the permanent position.
Reached on his cell phone late Wednesday afternoon, Cargill declined to comment, saying he "can't talk about it."
Berry said she had no idea that Cargill was planning to leave.
"I was as blind-sided as anyone," Berry said in a telephone interview. "I did not see this coming."
She said she received an e-mail from Cargill on Oct. 7 requesting that they meet. She responded that she would be out of town until Tuesday night, and they set up a meeting for Wednesday. In the meantime, Cargill requested that the city attorney position be put on the agenda for Thursday's City Council meeting.
The pair met at City Hall for about 10 minutes Wednesday, discussed normal city business and he then turned in his letter.
"I asked him to reconsider and think about announcing his retirement and that was something he did not want to do," Berry said.
She said he gave her no indication of future plans.
The 65-year-old served in the job for 13 years and was paid a $147,960 salary this year. He was hired after spending 20 years as city attorney of Abilene. His job included overseeing three attorneys and a support staff, providing legal advice to the council, representing the city in litigation and reviewing contracts, open records requests and other documents.
"He has a well-deserved reputation as an expert in municipal law," Berry said.
The city attorney job is one of five positions of which the City Council oversees the hiring and firing. Cargill was involved in some contentious issues that recently put the city in the courtroom -- red light traffic cameras, a lawsuit with the city of Bryan over the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency and the proposed incorporation of Wellborn. Ultimately, the law sided with the city on the constitutionality relating to red light cameras, as well as the Wellborn issue, voters took the camera issue to the polls and voters dismantled the program. Meanwhile, Bryan and College Station city officials recently negotiated an end to their dispute on the landfill.
Berry said she was unaware of any major issues the council had with Cargill.
"[Resigning] was something that he was thinking about," Berry said of the resignation. "The council was not."
The Eagle requested a copy of his most recent performance review, but was told the city doesn't conduct written evaluations for its five council appointees.
"Those evaluations are done verbally, and I'm told by our City Manager's Office that it's common practice for council-appointed positions in most cities," said city spokesman Jay Socol in an e-mail.
No other council members returned messages seeking comment Wednesday.
The resignation comes at a period of high turnover among the council-appointed city staff prompted by retirements. City Manager Glenn Brown announced in March that he plans to leave at the end of the year after a 35-year career in city management. The city hired a new city secretary in August a few months after Connie Hooks retired after 25 years of service.
Berry said she expects the city will advertise the job opening in trade publications instead of hiring a firm to do a national search. That same process was used to find a new city secretary and is being used for the city manager opening to save money, she said.
Published on Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Guest Blog: Letter from a Cadet
October 11, 2010
Colonel Jake Betty
Interim Commandant, Corps of Cadets
Texas A&M University
Colonel Betty,
I am a proud Aggie, and as such, I believe that it is my responsibility to inform you that as a cadet, I broke the Aggie Honor Code in every way and would like to come clean and come out.
As a closeted gay man in the Corps of Cadets, I lied. I lied to my buddies, to my leaders as an underclassman, to my followers as a First Sergeant and a Company Commander, and to myself. I lied because in a setting that is so masculinized that it is “Not a privilege to be gay, sir!” there was seemingly no possible way to be honest.
As a closeted gay man in the Corps of Cadets, I cheated. I cheated during the selection process for leadership positions. I was selected to be a company First Sergeant and Commander over my buddies because of my dishonesty. I knew that, should I have been truthful, I would not have been placed in those leadership positions.
As a closeted gay man in the Corps of Cadets, I stole. I stole the learning experience of knowing a gay person from my buddies and fellow cadets. There is a stigma and fear of gay people that only knowing and conversing with a gay person can dispel. I have seen it time and time again, the literal eye-opening experience when a person I knew has had a meaningful and educational conversation with a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person and realizes that what they have been told was wrong.
As you may know, today is National Coming Out Day. It is a day where gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and ally individuals across the nation make an effort to make people they know and love aware that they know and love a GLBT person. At this critical time in our nation and ultimately, humankinds history, it is imperative that you, the Commandants Staff, Corps Housing, cadets, and anyone affiliated with the corps know that you are all surrounded by co-workers, friends, family, cadets, classmates, buddies, ol‟ ladies, leaders, followers and professors who are openly being discriminated against and forced to live a life of lies. Since 1994, more than 14,000 soldiers have been discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, 29 states allow GLBT persons to be fired because of their sexuality, and GLBT youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.
With nearly 2,000 cadets walking the quad every day, it would be naive to believe that the Corps uniform is not being worn by even a single gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender individual. We are there. We are in the ranks of khaki. We are living on the quad. We are eating in Duncan. We are marching into Kyle Field to the beat of the drums that countless other gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender cadets have marched to for over a century.
Within each fish Cadence and in every Standard is a section of Core Values that states, “We respect others and have regard for their dignity, worth, and individuality.” Yet, I do not believe this to be so. When young men and women, destined to become leaders in the public and private sectors of society are made to feel rejected, insignificant and outcast, then there is no regard for dignity, worth and individuality.
As an integral part of a university that is constantly working on not only advancement in education and science, but in improving our society, the Corps, as a foundation of the university, should take a stand on the acceptance of GLBT cadets and individuals in general. The Corps of Cadets proudly boasts that it is producing “leaders of character.” These future leaders will undoubtedly lead or be GLBT people. To deny this is absurd. This nation is changing and the movement is reaching far and wide. People, young and old, are taking to the streets, picking up their phones and writing to their congressmen and women, demanding their own or their loved ones rights. One of our own, former-President of Texas A&M, Robert Gates, is currently working on the process of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Wouldn’t it be prudent for the Corps of Cadets to be at the forefront of this movement?
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is succumbing to public opinion and will be repealed sooner than later, states will change their employment laws that allow people to be fired based on their sexuality, and equality will lead to more public acceptance of the GLBT community. When this happens, should the Corps of Cadets be left behind as a relic of the past? Or should the Corps of Cadets take the necessary steps now to ensure that its former, current, and future cadets are proud to say that they received the quality leadership experience and education that I received without having to break the Aggie Honor Code?
Colonel Betty, I am asking you to take a stand for the rights and welfare of the cadets that you advise and oversee. Though they may not be known to you, they are there and they are looking to you for leadership. Support the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and make it known that the Corps of Cadets is a safe environment for everyone no matter their race, religion, gender, ethnicity, country of origin, (dis)ability or sexual orientation. That hate is not an Aggie value, discrimination based on sexuality will not be tolerated and that the leaders, destined for the military and for the civilian sector, which are forged and educated in our corps are true leaders of character. To not do so would be an injustice to them, to you, to our Cadet Corps, and to the university we hold so dear.
If you would like to discuss these issues with me or other Aggies with the same experience, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Very Respectfully,
Clint Hooper 09
Colonel Jake Betty
Interim Commandant, Corps of Cadets
Texas A&M University
Colonel Betty,
I am a proud Aggie, and as such, I believe that it is my responsibility to inform you that as a cadet, I broke the Aggie Honor Code in every way and would like to come clean and come out.
As a closeted gay man in the Corps of Cadets, I lied. I lied to my buddies, to my leaders as an underclassman, to my followers as a First Sergeant and a Company Commander, and to myself. I lied because in a setting that is so masculinized that it is “Not a privilege to be gay, sir!” there was seemingly no possible way to be honest.
As a closeted gay man in the Corps of Cadets, I cheated. I cheated during the selection process for leadership positions. I was selected to be a company First Sergeant and Commander over my buddies because of my dishonesty. I knew that, should I have been truthful, I would not have been placed in those leadership positions.
As a closeted gay man in the Corps of Cadets, I stole. I stole the learning experience of knowing a gay person from my buddies and fellow cadets. There is a stigma and fear of gay people that only knowing and conversing with a gay person can dispel. I have seen it time and time again, the literal eye-opening experience when a person I knew has had a meaningful and educational conversation with a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person and realizes that what they have been told was wrong.
As you may know, today is National Coming Out Day. It is a day where gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and ally individuals across the nation make an effort to make people they know and love aware that they know and love a GLBT person. At this critical time in our nation and ultimately, humankinds history, it is imperative that you, the Commandants Staff, Corps Housing, cadets, and anyone affiliated with the corps know that you are all surrounded by co-workers, friends, family, cadets, classmates, buddies, ol‟ ladies, leaders, followers and professors who are openly being discriminated against and forced to live a life of lies. Since 1994, more than 14,000 soldiers have been discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, 29 states allow GLBT persons to be fired because of their sexuality, and GLBT youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.
With nearly 2,000 cadets walking the quad every day, it would be naive to believe that the Corps uniform is not being worn by even a single gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender individual. We are there. We are in the ranks of khaki. We are living on the quad. We are eating in Duncan. We are marching into Kyle Field to the beat of the drums that countless other gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender cadets have marched to for over a century.
Within each fish Cadence and in every Standard is a section of Core Values that states, “We respect others and have regard for their dignity, worth, and individuality.” Yet, I do not believe this to be so. When young men and women, destined to become leaders in the public and private sectors of society are made to feel rejected, insignificant and outcast, then there is no regard for dignity, worth and individuality.
As an integral part of a university that is constantly working on not only advancement in education and science, but in improving our society, the Corps, as a foundation of the university, should take a stand on the acceptance of GLBT cadets and individuals in general. The Corps of Cadets proudly boasts that it is producing “leaders of character.” These future leaders will undoubtedly lead or be GLBT people. To deny this is absurd. This nation is changing and the movement is reaching far and wide. People, young and old, are taking to the streets, picking up their phones and writing to their congressmen and women, demanding their own or their loved ones rights. One of our own, former-President of Texas A&M, Robert Gates, is currently working on the process of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Wouldn’t it be prudent for the Corps of Cadets to be at the forefront of this movement?
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is succumbing to public opinion and will be repealed sooner than later, states will change their employment laws that allow people to be fired based on their sexuality, and equality will lead to more public acceptance of the GLBT community. When this happens, should the Corps of Cadets be left behind as a relic of the past? Or should the Corps of Cadets take the necessary steps now to ensure that its former, current, and future cadets are proud to say that they received the quality leadership experience and education that I received without having to break the Aggie Honor Code?
Colonel Betty, I am asking you to take a stand for the rights and welfare of the cadets that you advise and oversee. Though they may not be known to you, they are there and they are looking to you for leadership. Support the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and make it known that the Corps of Cadets is a safe environment for everyone no matter their race, religion, gender, ethnicity, country of origin, (dis)ability or sexual orientation. That hate is not an Aggie value, discrimination based on sexuality will not be tolerated and that the leaders, destined for the military and for the civilian sector, which are forged and educated in our corps are true leaders of character. To not do so would be an injustice to them, to you, to our Cadet Corps, and to the university we hold so dear.
If you would like to discuss these issues with me or other Aggies with the same experience, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Very Respectfully,
Clint Hooper 09
Tonight on Biased Transmission
This week on Biased Transmission our guest is author and book reviewer Alan Cheuse. As a book commentator, Cheuse is a regular contributor to National Public Radio's All Things Considered, and his short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Black Warrior Review, Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, Another Chicago Magazine, and elsewhere.
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 Sam White. 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: Bryan City Council Prepares Audit of BTU
Bryan Council Compiles BTU Audit List
By Cassie Smith
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
The city of Bryan will have an outside company review whether BTU employees need a bonus, if its general manager should have a $200,000 spending limit and if its board of directors have the right makeup.
City Internal Auditor Bob Shultz said he received feedback from all but one council member about what to have a third-party firm take a look at involving the city-owned electric utility.
The move comes after the council's Sept. 29 meeting in which the members unanimously agreed to pay up to $50,000 for an audit of BTU from an independent firm.
Shultz said he picked the Houston-based company of Weaver and Tidwell, which will give its preliminary findings 30 days after the cost is agreed upon.
For now, Shultz will hand over the complete request list to the audit committee, which is made up of BTU board members and council members. Then the list will be narrowed down to present a clear focus for the company. Shultz said he selected the Houston firm because it does the city's annual financial audits and is familiar with its operations.
Other questions council members want answered include information related to BTU's contracts and if the documents are approved by the city attorney, whether BTU employee salaries should be considered competitive and therefore blocked from the public's view and whether there are any departments within BTU that can be combined with existing departments in City Hall.
He said after the company's review of the topics and pricing, as long as it comes under $50,000, the firm can move forward. Otherwise, he said, the cost will have to be brought back to the council for consideration. Councilman Art Hughes has been out of town due to the death of his son; therefore, he was not asked about audit feedback.
Former City Manager David Watkins struggled for months to gain access to the city-owned utility's financial records, including salary and bonus information. He eventually resigned following an agreement that prevented city officials and Watkins from discussing his departure. Watkins had repeatedly said he needed the figures to craft the city budget, but BTU officials said the information couldn't be shared with the top executive because it involved competitive matters. BTU later said they gave him the information he requested.
BTU hasn't had to release those figures to the public because of an 11-year-old city ordinance meant to protect municipal utilities from revealing competitive financial information.
In unrelated matters, the City Council agreed to move the annual Texas Reds Steak & Grape Festival to October next year instead of July because of complaints from residents and vendors regarding the summer heat.
Deputy City Manager Joey Dunn said the downtown signature event has an economic impact of $1.6 million according to an estimate from the Bryan-College Station Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Revenues of $237,000 were down this year from the 2009 festival by about $37,000, but expenses also were down almost $40,000 from the year prior at $442,000, he said.
The City Council gave direction to city staff to look at charging admission, partnering with another organization to run the festivities for the city and to find ways to increase sponsorships to help the event start operating out of the red.
Money was on the minds of many Tuesday evening as the City Council unanimously approved accepting a $2 million state grant that will be processed through Bryan Commerce and Development then given to G-CON LLC for Project Greenvax.
The Texas A&M University System project partnering with the local biomedical company aims to create vaccines out of tobacco plants. The GreenVax facility on a 145,000-square-foot facility near Texas 47 is about 80 percent complete.
Officials said the project will have a major economic impact, initially adding 88 jobs by the beginning of 2011.
Mayor Jason Bienski said the project "will blow you away."
"This is monumental for Bryan-College Station, the research valley area, and what this can do for our communities," said Bienski, who recently toured the facility. "And this will definitely put us on the map. This is not just any project, this is the project and it's only the beginning."
City Attorney Janice Hampton said $50,000 of the grant will be retained as a fee for the city's administration of the funds.
Bienski said he'd like the administrative fee money to go toward economic development projects.
Published on Wednesday, October 13, 2010
By Cassie Smith
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
The city of Bryan will have an outside company review whether BTU employees need a bonus, if its general manager should have a $200,000 spending limit and if its board of directors have the right makeup.
City Internal Auditor Bob Shultz said he received feedback from all but one council member about what to have a third-party firm take a look at involving the city-owned electric utility.
The move comes after the council's Sept. 29 meeting in which the members unanimously agreed to pay up to $50,000 for an audit of BTU from an independent firm.
Shultz said he picked the Houston-based company of Weaver and Tidwell, which will give its preliminary findings 30 days after the cost is agreed upon.
For now, Shultz will hand over the complete request list to the audit committee, which is made up of BTU board members and council members. Then the list will be narrowed down to present a clear focus for the company. Shultz said he selected the Houston firm because it does the city's annual financial audits and is familiar with its operations.
Other questions council members want answered include information related to BTU's contracts and if the documents are approved by the city attorney, whether BTU employee salaries should be considered competitive and therefore blocked from the public's view and whether there are any departments within BTU that can be combined with existing departments in City Hall.
He said after the company's review of the topics and pricing, as long as it comes under $50,000, the firm can move forward. Otherwise, he said, the cost will have to be brought back to the council for consideration. Councilman Art Hughes has been out of town due to the death of his son; therefore, he was not asked about audit feedback.
Former City Manager David Watkins struggled for months to gain access to the city-owned utility's financial records, including salary and bonus information. He eventually resigned following an agreement that prevented city officials and Watkins from discussing his departure. Watkins had repeatedly said he needed the figures to craft the city budget, but BTU officials said the information couldn't be shared with the top executive because it involved competitive matters. BTU later said they gave him the information he requested.
BTU hasn't had to release those figures to the public because of an 11-year-old city ordinance meant to protect municipal utilities from revealing competitive financial information.
In unrelated matters, the City Council agreed to move the annual Texas Reds Steak & Grape Festival to October next year instead of July because of complaints from residents and vendors regarding the summer heat.
Deputy City Manager Joey Dunn said the downtown signature event has an economic impact of $1.6 million according to an estimate from the Bryan-College Station Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Revenues of $237,000 were down this year from the 2009 festival by about $37,000, but expenses also were down almost $40,000 from the year prior at $442,000, he said.
The City Council gave direction to city staff to look at charging admission, partnering with another organization to run the festivities for the city and to find ways to increase sponsorships to help the event start operating out of the red.
Money was on the minds of many Tuesday evening as the City Council unanimously approved accepting a $2 million state grant that will be processed through Bryan Commerce and Development then given to G-CON LLC for Project Greenvax.
The Texas A&M University System project partnering with the local biomedical company aims to create vaccines out of tobacco plants. The GreenVax facility on a 145,000-square-foot facility near Texas 47 is about 80 percent complete.
Officials said the project will have a major economic impact, initially adding 88 jobs by the beginning of 2011.
Mayor Jason Bienski said the project "will blow you away."
"This is monumental for Bryan-College Station, the research valley area, and what this can do for our communities," said Bienski, who recently toured the facility. "And this will definitely put us on the map. This is not just any project, this is the project and it's only the beginning."
City Attorney Janice Hampton said $50,000 of the grant will be retained as a fee for the city's administration of the funds.
Bienski said he'd like the administrative fee money to go toward economic development projects.
Published on Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Government Regulation Key to Healthy Economy
Complete Video
While some point to the economically stable decades following the Great Depression as a triumph of the free market, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz begs to differ. In reality, he says, these years were made possible by careful government intervention and regulation.
Visiting Nobel Laureate and global economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz believes Australia's good fortune in being sheltered from the worst of the GFC means we may not fully comprehend its impact internationally.
On his tour of Australia, he comments on the state of the Australian economy, particularly in context of the Global Financial Crisis, the role of natural resources within this economy, and Australia's response to global warming.
Professor Stiglitz travelled all over Australia for three weeks as the inaugural speaker for the Eminent Speaker Series, hosted by the Economic Society of Australia. The series has been initiated to provide an opportunity for industry professionals, government representatives and academics to hear from the world's leading economists in an open forum. - Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Joseph Stiglitz was chief economist at the World Bank until January 2000. Before that, he was the chairman of President Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in economics in 2001. He is currently a finance and economics professor at Columbia University. He is the author of Globalization and Its Discontents and The Roaring Nineties.
Local News: Texas A&M Revamps Faculty Award System
Texas A&M Revamps Faculty Award System
By Vimal Patel
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
A controversial program that gave cash awards up to $10,000 to Texas A&M faculty members based on anonymous student evaluations is getting a makeover: The award amount has been sliced to the range of $800 to $1,500, but far more faculty members will receive it.
The program -- called SLATE, or Student Led Awards for Teaching Excellence, at the College Station campus -- also will get a new name to reflect that it's less a gauge of teaching "excellence" and more like teaching "appreciation." It's new name is SNAP: Student Nominated Appreciation Program.
"This is not how you evaluate teaching excellence," said Interim Provost Karan Watson, addressing the Faculty Senate on Monday. "But it is how students can show their appreciation."
The previous form had 16 questions that averaged the numerical score. Now, students will only be posed two questions: who was your best instructor this semester and who has been the best instructor you've had at Texas A&M University?
The Teaching Excellence Awards were implemented by the 11-university Texas A&M System as a way, officials said, to give students a way to thank teachers. Some faculty members saw it as a step toward consumerizing higher education by viewing students as "customers" and gauging their "satisfaction."
"It's very important and appropriate that its name be changed to appreciation, not teaching excellence, because it isn't," said Bob Bednarz, a geography professor and last year's Faculty Senate speaker. "That's the good news. The bad news is, in our current environment, it just seems this wouldn't be a priority. There are plenty of needy causes that fall under teaching and learning, ranging from additional teaching assistant help to tutoring."
Jacob Robinson, student body president, had not heard of the proposed changes to the program Monday evening. He said he supported the general idea of being able to give professors awards.
"As a student, I want to make sure that I can reward my professors for a job well done, especially when you have someone who went above and beyond the call of duty," he said. "How to do that, I'm not exactly sure right now."
Published on Tuesday, October 12, 2010
By Vimal Patel
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
A controversial program that gave cash awards up to $10,000 to Texas A&M faculty members based on anonymous student evaluations is getting a makeover: The award amount has been sliced to the range of $800 to $1,500, but far more faculty members will receive it.
The program -- called SLATE, or Student Led Awards for Teaching Excellence, at the College Station campus -- also will get a new name to reflect that it's less a gauge of teaching "excellence" and more like teaching "appreciation." It's new name is SNAP: Student Nominated Appreciation Program.
"This is not how you evaluate teaching excellence," said Interim Provost Karan Watson, addressing the Faculty Senate on Monday. "But it is how students can show their appreciation."
The previous form had 16 questions that averaged the numerical score. Now, students will only be posed two questions: who was your best instructor this semester and who has been the best instructor you've had at Texas A&M University?
The Teaching Excellence Awards were implemented by the 11-university Texas A&M System as a way, officials said, to give students a way to thank teachers. Some faculty members saw it as a step toward consumerizing higher education by viewing students as "customers" and gauging their "satisfaction."
"It's very important and appropriate that its name be changed to appreciation, not teaching excellence, because it isn't," said Bob Bednarz, a geography professor and last year's Faculty Senate speaker. "That's the good news. The bad news is, in our current environment, it just seems this wouldn't be a priority. There are plenty of needy causes that fall under teaching and learning, ranging from additional teaching assistant help to tutoring."
Jacob Robinson, student body president, had not heard of the proposed changes to the program Monday evening. He said he supported the general idea of being able to give professors awards.
"As a student, I want to make sure that I can reward my professors for a job well done, especially when you have someone who went above and beyond the call of duty," he said. "How to do that, I'm not exactly sure right now."
Published on Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Texas Progressive Alliance Roundup - October 11, 2010
The Texas Progressive Alliance is imagining a world in which John Lennon lived to see his 70th birthday as it brings you this week's roundup.
Off the Kuff published interviews with Democratic candidates Jeff Weems, Hector Uribe, and Hank Gilbert.
BossKitty at TruthHugger is disgusted again. This is a very serious election. America is the deer in the headlights and appears to be frozen. So, the last thing I want to hear is "its a TRUCK"! This election is all spin and conspiracy, not that previous elections haven't been. But this one is critical because even hinting at rolling back what forward motion has been achieved. Israel is sliding, America is sliding and the radicals are ready. This is NOT the choice American's should face.
Mathew Dowd, a Bushbot, longs for the glory days of the Bush presidency and envisions Rick Perry as president. That sound you hear is CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme retching uncontrollably.
Bay Area Houston says during Breast Cancer Awareness Month Americans are truly a sick bunch of people.
nytexan at BlueBloggin is beyond irritation at the continual hypocrisy of Congress and Republican policy of NO. Coburn and Brown Take Pay Raise and Say No To Federal Employees. It’s stunning that the US Congress can continue to give themselves pay raises every years and then claim that federal employees are overpaid. Tom Coburn believes “We need to expect more, and we need to pay less.â€
The Texas governor is apparently going to finish the 2010 campaign much the way he started it: remaining cowardly, and trying to get re-elected based solely on his good looks.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts (again) on the failure of our states leadership, Public school finance continues to be a problem.
WhosPlayin writes about why it is so important for Texans to log on to www.donatelifetexas.com and check the status of their organ donor registration, and sign up if they are not already.
Neil at Texas Liberal attended the Governor's race debate on the topic of education that was held in Houston. All the candidates were there except incumbent Rick Perry.
Local News: Democrat Has Uphill Battle Against Republican Incumbent In Texas Senate District 5 Campaign
Senate Race a Battle of David Versus Goliath
By Vimal Patel
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Stephen Wyman has just one person working on his campaign -- his wife -- and has only $500 in campaign contributions in his bid to oust incumbent Steve Ogden in the race for the Senate District 5 seat.
It's not easy being a Democratic challenger in a reliably Republican district. But if he doesn't try, then who will give the voters a choice, Wyman tells himself. So he's been handing out yard signs and bumper stickers, and keeping a blog.
"If you're going to run against a well-entrenched incumbent like Mr. Ogden," Wyman said, "you're going to be the underdog, and you've got to start from somewhere. Somebody has to do it, and I couldn't really ask anybody to do something that I wasn't willing to try myself."
The last time he challenged Ogden, in 2006, he received about 35 percent of the vote. He thinks he'll do better this time, saying he'll pick off more independents and capitalize on Republican discontent toward Ogden, who easily staved off a primary challenge from the right in March by Huntsville businessman Ben Bius.
In a district with a major research university and heavily reliant on government jobs, the expected budget shortfall of between $11 billion and $18 billion will dominate the Legislative session, both candidates agree.
Voters in this election can't complain they don't have a choice. They have one of the oldest in the book. Ogden's plan: Cut spending. Wyman's: Raise taxes.
Ogden Touts Experience
Ogden, of Bryan, calls the expected budget reductions because of the shortfall "an unpleasant but necessary exercise."
"The situation is so serious right now that there are no sacred cows. Everything's going to be cut," said Ogden, a 13-year incumbent and chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee. "We're going to have to cut spending to get within available revenue, and then use the Rainy Day Fund to cover areas where we've went too far."
The emergency fund will be about $9 billion, and Ogden said he wants to use it all to mitigate the cuts, but that could be contentious. Using the fund to backfill a revenue shortfall requires a 60 percent vote in both legislative houses.
Higher education institutions statewide have been asked to prepare for a 10 percent state funding cut. Texas A&M University already has drafted detailed plans and has implemented job reductions.
"I think if you ask anybody that's actually on the ground working on it, they'll say we do have some ability to cut without affecting the fundamental missions of the institutions," Ogden said. "But there comes a point when you're no longer cutting fat, but muscle. My job is to basically be sensitive to that and understand where the fat ends and muscle begins."
In addition to the budget, the biggest issue this session will be redistricting, Ogden said. Texas' growth means it likely will pick up three or four more U.S. congressional seats, he said.
"That's going to require pretty much a wholesale change in congressional districts," Ogden said. "The best that I can promise is that we won't basically cut up Brazos County. We'll try to leave the entire county in whatever district it ends up in, so the total voting power of the county is represented."
Ogden said his experience in navigating the Legislature is why voters should give him another term.
"I'm uniquely qualified to try to address these issues," he said.
State Services 'Already Pathetic'
Wyman wants to deal with the cuts by implementing a state income tax, a move he acknowledges would be politically difficult. But the alternative is further cuts, and the quality of state services is "already pathetic," he said.
State leaders, he said, misleadingly tout Texas as economically sound. He points to states such as New York and California that have income taxes and higher taxes and cost-of-living expenses but still have a significantly greater per capita rate of gross state product -- the counterpart to the national gross domestic product -- than the Lone Star State.
"So, basically, when you talk about economic success per capita and the GDP, there are quite a few states doing better than us," Wyman said. "So when they talk about economic success, I have no idea what they're referring to."
Aside from budget reductions, the greatest challenge facing Texas is the state of public schools, both K-12 and higher education, Wyman said. Much of that is the result of inadequate funding, he said, but other issues also plague public schools.
He criticized the State Board of Education for politicizing education. "When it comes to rewriting textbooks, why are we giving it to elected officials instead of academics and researchers?" he said. "For years, they've shown a distrust of people who actually know what they're talking about."
In higher education, Wyman lamented that the state only had three Tier 1 research universities -- Texas A&M, the University of Texas at Austin, and private Rice University. He also said a lack of funding has caused universities to pass along skyrocketing tuition rates to students. That, he said, could only be remedied by increased state funding.
"Public universities that the public can't afford to go to are not particularly functional," he said. "The only thing that's going to keep our economy viable in the 21st century is if we have a well-educated workforce."
Published on Sunday, October 10, 2010
By Vimal Patel
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle
Stephen Wyman has just one person working on his campaign -- his wife -- and has only $500 in campaign contributions in his bid to oust incumbent Steve Ogden in the race for the Senate District 5 seat.
It's not easy being a Democratic challenger in a reliably Republican district. But if he doesn't try, then who will give the voters a choice, Wyman tells himself. So he's been handing out yard signs and bumper stickers, and keeping a blog.
"If you're going to run against a well-entrenched incumbent like Mr. Ogden," Wyman said, "you're going to be the underdog, and you've got to start from somewhere. Somebody has to do it, and I couldn't really ask anybody to do something that I wasn't willing to try myself."
The last time he challenged Ogden, in 2006, he received about 35 percent of the vote. He thinks he'll do better this time, saying he'll pick off more independents and capitalize on Republican discontent toward Ogden, who easily staved off a primary challenge from the right in March by Huntsville businessman Ben Bius.
In a district with a major research university and heavily reliant on government jobs, the expected budget shortfall of between $11 billion and $18 billion will dominate the Legislative session, both candidates agree.
Voters in this election can't complain they don't have a choice. They have one of the oldest in the book. Ogden's plan: Cut spending. Wyman's: Raise taxes.
Ogden Touts Experience
Ogden, of Bryan, calls the expected budget reductions because of the shortfall "an unpleasant but necessary exercise."
"The situation is so serious right now that there are no sacred cows. Everything's going to be cut," said Ogden, a 13-year incumbent and chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee. "We're going to have to cut spending to get within available revenue, and then use the Rainy Day Fund to cover areas where we've went too far."
The emergency fund will be about $9 billion, and Ogden said he wants to use it all to mitigate the cuts, but that could be contentious. Using the fund to backfill a revenue shortfall requires a 60 percent vote in both legislative houses.
Higher education institutions statewide have been asked to prepare for a 10 percent state funding cut. Texas A&M University already has drafted detailed plans and has implemented job reductions.
"I think if you ask anybody that's actually on the ground working on it, they'll say we do have some ability to cut without affecting the fundamental missions of the institutions," Ogden said. "But there comes a point when you're no longer cutting fat, but muscle. My job is to basically be sensitive to that and understand where the fat ends and muscle begins."
In addition to the budget, the biggest issue this session will be redistricting, Ogden said. Texas' growth means it likely will pick up three or four more U.S. congressional seats, he said.
"That's going to require pretty much a wholesale change in congressional districts," Ogden said. "The best that I can promise is that we won't basically cut up Brazos County. We'll try to leave the entire county in whatever district it ends up in, so the total voting power of the county is represented."
Ogden said his experience in navigating the Legislature is why voters should give him another term.
"I'm uniquely qualified to try to address these issues," he said.
State Services 'Already Pathetic'
Wyman wants to deal with the cuts by implementing a state income tax, a move he acknowledges would be politically difficult. But the alternative is further cuts, and the quality of state services is "already pathetic," he said.
State leaders, he said, misleadingly tout Texas as economically sound. He points to states such as New York and California that have income taxes and higher taxes and cost-of-living expenses but still have a significantly greater per capita rate of gross state product -- the counterpart to the national gross domestic product -- than the Lone Star State.
"So, basically, when you talk about economic success per capita and the GDP, there are quite a few states doing better than us," Wyman said. "So when they talk about economic success, I have no idea what they're referring to."
Aside from budget reductions, the greatest challenge facing Texas is the state of public schools, both K-12 and higher education, Wyman said. Much of that is the result of inadequate funding, he said, but other issues also plague public schools.
He criticized the State Board of Education for politicizing education. "When it comes to rewriting textbooks, why are we giving it to elected officials instead of academics and researchers?" he said. "For years, they've shown a distrust of people who actually know what they're talking about."
In higher education, Wyman lamented that the state only had three Tier 1 research universities -- Texas A&M, the University of Texas at Austin, and private Rice University. He also said a lack of funding has caused universities to pass along skyrocketing tuition rates to students. That, he said, could only be remedied by increased state funding.
"Public universities that the public can't afford to go to are not particularly functional," he said. "The only thing that's going to keep our economy viable in the 21st century is if we have a well-educated workforce."
Published on Sunday, October 10, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Week in Headlines
Local Politics
Edwards Internal Poll Shows Narrowing of Flores Lead
Texas A&M News
Slain Aggies Honored at Vigil
Texas News
Willingham Case Goes Back to Court
Texas Politics
Latest Polls Show Rick Perry With Lead Over Bill White
National News
Report Finds US Transportation System Failing
National Politics
House Still Waiting for Senate Action on Over 400 Bills
War & Peace
US Contractors Employed Taliban
Veterans Issues
Veteran-Led Campaign Seeks to End Deployment of Traumatized Soldiers
Economy
US Jobs Continue to Flow Overseas
Education
College Dropouts Cost Taxpayers
Energy
Oil Spill Hearings Focus on Who Was in Charge
Environment
EPA Launches Study To Look At Effects of Hydrofracking
Climate Change
Global 2020 Emissions Will Far Exceed Dangerous Levels
Science & Technology
First Potentially Habitable Earth-like Planet Found
Immigration
How Immigration Reform Got Caught in the Deportation Dragnet
Human Rights
USA Increasingly Isolated as the World Turns Against Death Penalty
Civil Rights
Ex-detainee Sues the US Claiming Captors Tortured Him
Reproductive Rights
New Sex Education Funding Ends Decade of Abstinence-Only
Women’s Issues
Wall Street Says Women Worth Less as Disparity Over Pay Widens
GLBT Issues
Gay Marriage Gains More Acceptance
Race & Racism
Study Finds Racial Predatory Loans Fueled US Housing Crisis
From the Blogs
Mean Rachel:
Twitter's Influence on Texas Politics This Week
Eye on Williamson:
Public School Finance Continues to Be a Problem
Latina Lista:
Stats on Deportations Fail to Tell the True Story
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tonight on Biased Transmission
This week on Biased Transmission, or guests are Brad Dressler, Chairman of Aggie Allies, and Camden Breeding, VIce President for GLBT Aggies. We'll be discussing bullying and the recent rash of teen suicides in the United States. We'll also discuss "Coming Out Week" here at Texas A&M and the resources that GLBT students and adults have at their disposal in our community. Join us this evening at 6pm for Biased Transmission, on the Left Side of the Radio done right, KEOS, 89.1 FM.
Listen to Biased Transmission every Wednesday on 89.1FM KEOS College Station-Bryan from 6-7pm, to hear Teddy Wilson, Michael Alvard and Danny Yeager. 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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Tuesday, October 5, 2010
(Astro)Turf Wars
From the Tea Parties to the healthcare and climate wars, America's conservative citizens have revolted against the Obama agenda. But are these grassroots actions in fact examples of 'astroturfing'? - The practice of manufacturing citizens groups for the purpose of delivering corporate messages. Curious to find out, Australian filmmaker Taki Oldham went undercover to investigate. What he found was astroturfing on a scale greater than he could have imagined, threatening not only the heath of American democracy, but that of its citizens and the planet as a whole.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Texas Progressive Alliance Roundup - October 4, 2010
The Texas Progressive Alliance welcomes the arrival of October as it brings you this week's blog roundup.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on Texas Governor Rick Perry is still in denial about the economy in Texas, Trying to make a living in the best state not to have a job in.
Off the Kuff examined the possibility of a Libertarian effect on the Governor's race.
Bay Area Houston has an opinion on Renew Houston's new tax for drainage improvements.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks that the republican running for Harris County Clerk is an idiot.
News you won't hear on the Lamestream Media this week is that the conservative/TeaBag/GOP momentum peaked three weeks too soon, while the liberal/progressive/Democratic momentum is surging. You can wait a month and learn what happened on FOX ... or you can read all about it now at PDiddie's Brains and Eggs.
Rev. Manny at BlueBloggin takes a look at Tea Party Candidates — More Proof that they are running cover for the Corporate Agenda. When I think of ultimate horrible business hustles, it’s a long list, but near the top are sweatshops, mercenaries, commodity profiteering and environmental assault. Enter the Tea Party.
It was another bad week for Sleazy Todd Staples. First off, there is now a video to go with his votes to expand eminent domain. Then he tried to defend some of his inaction with stupidity. Hank, of course, slapped him down hard.
Libby Shaw does yeoman service to us all be gathering together a sort of besatiary of Far Out Right Wing Republicans who are running for office this cycle. Check out the videos. Oh, word of warning don't try to ingest anything while you are viewing. Either you will gag or you will brust out in laughter. Neither is good for your digestion. Check it out....The Scourge of the Republican Radical Right.
Neil at Texas Liberal noted a report that aliens are disarming nuclear missiles in the U.K. and the U.S. Neil supports this course of action by our alien visitors, and urges them to come to Texas to disable the means by which we execute people. The number of innocent people executed in the U.S. is a crime of a galactic scale.
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