Keith Olbermann takes on Congressman Pete Olson

Ahhhh the power of the internets. Olson lasts 47 seconds when confronted with the truth.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

As Keith said, the deer want Olson's "Deer in the headlights" look back.

Update on Congressman Olson and the sick kid

I just got off the phone with Congressman Pete Olson's office voicing my disgust about him exploiting that young kid at a townhall meeting in Sugar Land and again in La Marque where he was challenged. The conversation was interesting to say the least. (background here)

The video below has been on Huffington Post, Crooks and Liars, YouTube, and the audio was played on the Stephanie Miller Show. Olson's office has been receiving calls about it and they were not very happy.



The staff member refused to give me her name especially when I caught her trying to deceive me. At one time she agreed that the private hospitals had denied coverage, but she said that was because the mother did not have insurance. (something the public option would have resolved) When asked who paid for the health care she claimed it was Medicare. (imagine that, a government public option paid for the health care the private sector refused to pay for) She then changed her story again saying she didn't know who paid for what after I pointed this out.

Out of frustration she said "Sir, you don't have the whole story, you should have been there." not knowing that I was the one who took the video. She was silent after I told her that.

One thing is for sure in all of this, the young boy received health care. And that is good. What is not known is why Olson tried to exploit this child for political gain especially when he was dead wrong on the issue.

$100 Million deficit. Houston Police may be asked to take a furlough?

Police to be furloughed? No, but according to Isiah Carey, Fox 26 Houston, it may happen, key word "may". The City of Houston will be facing a steep deficit for the year 2010, that at least seems to be true. From Isiah's blog (that is a perfect example of a poorly designed blog):

Sources have said and we've confirmed through the City Controller's office - Houston faces a $103 million budget shortfall for the fiscal year of 2010. Janice Evans with the Controllers office tells the Insite Annise Parker will announce the big hole this Tuesday and Wednesday to council members.

Unfortunately what was not confirmed and clearly speculation on Isiah's part was the furlough of city workers. Which leads to the question: What the Fox? Also not confirmed is putting our police force on a month long furlough. Or how about our fire fighters? How about trash pickup? If you are going to speculate, then speculate with gusto for the maximum effect. Furloughing the police for a month is much more effective journalism than furloughing city workers.

Local Fox TV has not been this sloppy in the past but this is just bad reporting. It doesn't compare to the lack of journalism leading to the war in Iraq, but it is based upon the same foundation of not doing your homework like you are supposed to do.

In the past (prior to the war) the media was our source of debunking myths, exaggerations, or just plain lying out your teeth, but that has changed. Local Fox has been relatively good compared to the national FoxTV which not only does not debunk bad information, it perpetuates false information, myths, and just plain lies. I hope the local Fox station doesn't become like their parent organization because their parents are on crack. And about the furloughs:

"Parker believes all options need to be considered (to balance the budget) but ultimately this is a decision that will be left up to the Mayor and City Council."

Now, that is much better.

Congressman Olson's townhall mtg

Congressman Pete Olson (R-TX) had a town hall mtg in La Marque Texas on a number of issues with health care taking the majority of the time. Here are the highlights:

Overall
The room was too small for the 150, mostly elderly on socialized medicine called Medicare. Someone in the crowd had to remind the young conservative men (50 years or less) to give up their seats to the elderly standing in the room. Only a few stood up. The crowd was clearly pro insurance companies. They didn't have a problem when one of their own would ask a question, but demanded others to "shut up" when they did the same. A small vocal pro-health care crowd stood their ground and raised some embarrassing issues for Olson.

Disrespect
Olson on many times claimed we were all "Texans" and as such should show each other respect, and then he let in a lady with a large red sign in the front of the room comparing pro-health care advocates to communists. Olson continued his lack of respect:

Rahm Emanuel
Olson talked about his heart problem and fainting in the health spa provided by taxpayers. He made it a point, with strategic pauses, to say that the first person who was at his side to help him was Rahm Emanuel. He didn't say anything like "Even though we do not agree on many issues, he put that aside to help me and I am grateful". Instead he said it to get a negative rise out of the audience and they were glad to give it to him. Real classless.

Olson's tax funded health care.
Olson has a pre-existing condition, but since he has accepted the public option called "Federal employees health benefits" paid by tax dollars, he is covered. He has been on tax funded health care all his adult life, serving in the Navy, as a staff member to Phil Gramm, and as a Congressman. Tax payers pick up 72% of his premiums for him and his family, as well as for 2 million federal employees.

Getting punked
Olson tried to use the horrible illness of one of his constituents for political gain and it backfired. In the end Olson unknowingly was supporting the public option and stating how his free market system had failed his constituent. Watch the video.

His free market
Olson was asked a few "canned" questions from the glenn beck audience but got snagged on the tough ones. He was asked why if his free market insurance system was working so well, why are we here. Olson stumbled on the answer, then went into the same old arguments of letting the free market work (it hasn't) and good old tort reform. Tort reform was to have lowered health care costs in Texas. It hasn't worked. Medical malpractice costs are just .5% of the cost of health care, but the audience wasn't interested in facts.

Fat people
In one of the more funny moments, Olson stated that we must become a more healthy nation, one that rewards people for staying healthy. It was almost funny when all the fat people started clapping. It reminded me of NAAFP on family guy.


Conclusion
Olson is a strange person. He is hard to respect when he talks about being respectful but then acts like a classless rookie. The town hall meeting was nothing more than a republican love fest, as predicted. Most in the crowd was worried about their own public health care, Medicare, and Olson continued to scare them with false claims that Medicare is going broke and will be cut.

Was it a waste of time? Yes. He is not interested in anything close to bipartisanship or anything but to protect the insurance industry, the very one he doesn't even pay for.

Congressman Olson talks about the free market death panels

Republican Congressman Olson (R-TX) tells the townhall about a mother who was turned away by the free market doctors for her unborn child's heart defect. She was denied by the free market doctors but persisted and was able to find a specialized doctor and got a very delicate operation and a heart transplant 17 days after he was born. Olson then claims that the public option would have denied him the needed health care and he would have died! After being challenged he abruptly ended the discussion. Watch as he is challenged, and clueless as to what to say.

Councilman Sullivan grandstanding in Clear Lake

From the get go I have not been very excited about Mike Sullivan as a Houston City Councilman. He is combative. He has a holier than thou attitude. (literally) He is not a team player on city council. His staff is slow to return calls or respond to letters (if they do) And he loves to grandstand on council and in public. All of this could change since he is being challenged by Wayne Garrison (pictured right). (Nothing like a challenger to get a much needed attitude adjustment.)

Recently Sullivan inspected the railroad crossings along Hwy 3 and was "furious".

Union Pacific poured new asphalt at the Bay Area, Pineloch, El Dorado and Clear Lake City Boulevard crossings about six weeks ago, but the crossings are still uneven, Sullivan said. “I went out and looked, and I was furious.”

Unlike Sullivan, I have lived a few blocks from Hwy 3 and Clear Lake City blvd for almost 20 years and have crossed the intersection thousands of times and have not seen anything that would make anyone"furious". Union Pacific who handled the repairs have a much different story. (imagine that)

Sullivan claims this is a "quality of life" issue, a title usually reserved for clean air, clean water, flood control, parks, community centers, and issues like that, instead of railroad crossings. Maybe Mike could spend a little more time on those important issues instead of nitpicking and grandstanding.

Sullivan said he was so angry after seeing the Clear Lake repairs that he returned $1,000 that Union Pacific has donated to his campaign since he first ran for office.

Maybe he will return the tens of thousands of dollars from his developer buddies for trying to develop on the Clear Lake Golf course? You think? Let's hold our breath.

Health care replaces 9/11 fear mongering

The masters of fear mongering, the ones that brought you the false claims of a mushroom cloud, the need for duct tape and plastic, anthrax and weapons of mass destruction, has now shifted its strategy to health care in a recent fundraising letter.

A questionnaire accompanying the appeal says the government could check voting registration records, "prompting fears that GOP voters might be discriminated against for medical treatment in a Democrat-imposed health care rationing system."

Michael Steele, the head idiot of the gop, can't stoop any lower than this. This is not only fear mongering, it is just absolutely, incredibly stupid.

And that is why it might work for republicans.

Tea baggers going after federal employee health care.

McCain gives a real lame response

It's not about health care.

It was just a matter of time.

A man who was holding a sign reading "Death to Obama" Wednesday outside a town hall meeting on health care reform in Hagerstown, Md., has been turned over to the Secret Service.

The people at these health care events are not interested in voicing their opposition to health care reform which the vast majority of Americans are in favor of. Instead it is about their loss in November of 2008. With this you have gun nuts joining tea baggers and now people calling for the death of the President and his kids.

No place but the gop.

Things to do at Pete Olson's townhall meeting

If you intend to attend Pete Olson's loon fest in La Marque to attempt to discuss health care reform, here are some ideas for you to keep it interesting.

1. Every now and then just jump up and yell SOCIALISM!
   
2. When someone jumps up and yells SOCIALISM, stand up, put your hand on your heart and start saying the pledge of allegiance. See how many will join you.
3. When you get to the microphone, offer a prayer for those without insurance. Invite everyone to bow their heads, hold hands, and then say the Hail Mary. See if you get thrown out.
   
4. Every now and then, yell I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!
   
5. Find a member of the LaRouche Young Nazi Movement and put a boot up their ass.
6. In the middle of Olson's introduction, stand up, run around aimlessly, stomping your feet, waving your arms above your head, and yelling SOCIALISM!!!!!!
   
7. Eat a burrito for breakfast and sit in the middle of a bunch of tea baggers. Let nature take it's course.
   

Olson's townhall meeting should be a useless love fest with a surprise visit by the KKK, the LaRouche Young Nazi Movement, and a bunch of old tea baggers. Enjoy!

And it's one, two, three, what are we fightin for?

Don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Afghanistan.

8 years and counting. Today another 4 American soldiers were killed in Afghanistan. Cleaning up Bush's mistakes will continue at least for another 2 years while we complete whatever mission we accomplished in Iraq. The results of these wars, one we have never completed, and one we never should have started, will linger for decades.

As I said years ago, let's start the draft with no deferments and watch the young, patriotic, conservatives, tuck tail and run to the nearest anti-war protest.

Questions to ask Pete Olson at his town hall mtg

Congressman Pete Olson will have a health care town hall meeting on Saturday in La Marque. After the tea baggers stop yelling "I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!" and the elderly on Medicare stop yelling "I DON'T WANT SOCIALIZED HEALTH CARE!" and the LaRouche nutjobs stop comparing the Presidents efforts to provide health care to all Americans to Hitler's gassing of 6 million Jews, then here are a few questions that might interest Olson:

1. Why should the tax payers pay for your socialized health care plan? Why don't you find and pay for your health care like everyone else does?
   
2. Under your socialized health care, your pre-existing condition (heart pacemaker) will continue to be covered even if you change health plans. Why do you refuse to fight for that same right for your own constituents?
   
3. Why should the tax payers pay for socialized health care for the 2 million federal employees, many who work in your district? If we can't afford to cover all Americans, then let the federal employees pay for their own insurance.
   
4. What happened to the Christian compassion that should be reaching out to those who are sick and need help?

La Marque Town Hall Mtg
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Location: La Marque City Hall 1111 Bayou Rd
La Marque TX

Dick Armey's man indicted

The Jack Abramoff scandal continues. Long time staff member of former Congressman Dick Armey, Horace Cooper, was indicted on 5 felony counts associated with Jack Abramoff including Conspiracy, Concealment Scheme, False Statements, and Obstruction of Justice.

In the indictment, Abramoff suggested that Cooper use a private email address instead of his government account.

On or about June 24, 2002, Abramoff apologized for missing COOPER at Signatures, asked COOPER to call him to discuss the VOA broadcasting project, and suggested that COOPER use his personal rather than his government e-mail account to communicate with Abramoff.

Cooper, quite creatively, created armeyman@netscape.net which still seems to be active. The indictment, which references emails from this account, alleges Cooper did not disclose thousands of dollars in gifts from Abramoff as required by federal law. And he obstructed justice by telling investigators that he paid all his expenses with his credit card, but the investigators found otherwise:

COOPER and Abramoff's associates utilized a scheme whereby COOPER would be served "comped" food and drinks at Signatures restaurant, but typically present his credit card to the server to create the appearance that he was paying his entire bill. Instead of charging COOPER for the actual amount of food and drink provided, the server would charge COOPER for a nominal item, such as a lemonade or soft drink, and COOPER would leave a tip on the credit card. COOPER intended that this would make it appear to observers that he had paid for his Signatures meals and drinks when he actually did not. COOPER also dined at Signatures or other restaurants on numerous additional occasions during which his meal was either paid for directly by a lobbyist or dining companion or for which he left a cash tip and did not use a credit card in the manner described above.

Dick Armey's Man is so busted. Armey might want to stop obstructing health care reform and concentrate on more important matters, like buying a shredder. The indictment was filed Aug 21, 2009 and can be read at: http://www.politico.com/static/PPM130_indictment_filed_copy.html

Hutchison: Texas sucks.

Leave it to a republican running for Governor to acknowledge that Texas is leading the pack in the race to last passing Mississippi as the "Thank God for Mississippi" state. As David Ortez wrote:

Texas is:

• 51st (counting the District of Columbia) in the percentage of people older than 25 who have a high school diploma.
• 50th in the percentage of unemployed people receiving benefits
  49th in teacher pay.
• 49th in benefits paid to women, infants and children under the WIC program.
• 46th in SAT scores.

And look at what we’re at the top in:
The highest homeowners insurance rates in the country.

• No. 1 in the percentage of uninsured children.
• No. 1 in the percentage of uninsured adults.
• No. 1 in toxic chemicals released into the water supply.
• No. 1 in air pollution emissions.
• No. 1 in cancer-causing agents released into the air.
• No. 3 in teen pregnancy rate.
• No. 3 in percentage of people living below the poverty line.
  

Hutchison
In Corpus Christi Hutchison, a former cheerleader for Texas, said that "Texas can do better". Really? You think? What gave you this idea? Was it the teen pregnancy rate? The cost of home insurance? Or the incredible rise in college tuition costs? Pick one of the many reasons your party has given you and then talk about something else, like:

Hutchison told voters she has five top priorities, education, fiscal policy, transportation, health care, and government reform. She spoke about each issue at length, but NewsChannel 11 also wanted to know her thoughts on the controversy stirred up by hidden text in her web site.

Oh and to top it off, Hutchison who broke her promise on term limits in the Senate, promised to, wait for it..........

Hutchison says she also supports term limits for Texas governor as part of government reform.

Uh. Yea. Right.

Gun nuts and tea baggers.

It was just a matter of time. From the AP:

Charles McAffee, 33, was among Idaho's anti-tax tea-party activists, and is a member of the Idaho Republican Party Central Committee. He was arrested after pulling a handgun on a homeowner whose mortgage his employer sought to photograph for being delinquent. His employer is a contractor for Wells Fargo.

No place but the GOP.

Dining out in space: Tierra Luna

If you haven't had the opportunity to have the mini taco plate for lunch at Tierra Luna in Clear Lake, Tuesday might be a good day to go. The owner's husband, Jose Hernandez, is an astronaut slated for his first flight on Tuesday Aug 25 at 1:36 AM EST. From his Wikipedia:

José Moreno Hernández was born on August 7, 1962 in French Camp, California, but calls Stockton, California as his hometown. He is an American engineer of Mexican descent and a NASA astronaut. He is currently assigned to the crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-128. Hernandez also served as chief of the Materials and Processes branch of Johnson Space Center. He previously developed equipment for full-field digital mammography at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

You can follow Jose on twitter at http://twitter.com/Astro_Jose and don't forget to order the mini tacos al pastor for lunch. It is the best in town. Tierra Luna also has a big screen projector TV and conference area with hook ups for a PC.

Have a good flight Jose! And we will see you back at Tierra Luna! ¡Buen apetito!

Tierra Luna 17062 Saturn Ln, Houston. 281-488-5033

What planet are you from?

The perfect way to smack down a tea baggin' idiot.

Insurance death panels

Coming from a country that claims to be "compassionate" and "christian", Fighting insurer tougher than fighting cancer:

An ex-Marine, my husband was a tough customer. Toward the end, he said to me, “You know, fighting the insurance company was worse than fighting the cancer.”

A year after my husband died, I was still receiving medical bills for some of the treatment that United Healthcare had agreed to cover. Oh, they eventually paid. The game is to break you down.

Those yelling at town hall meetings are only concerned with keeping their greedy hands on their money. They could care less about Ms. Harrop and her husbands fight with cancer, or for anyone for that matter until it happens to them or their family. They are cold hearted, greedy, ignorant, gun toting, right wing, hypocrites.

It is just that simple.

Katie Couric better late than never

Are we really still debating health care when a man brings a handgun to a church where the President is speaking?

How does a swastika spray-painted on a Congressman's office further a discussion about Medicare?

Astroturf isn't greener for the "Energy CItizen"

Public Citizen Texas was able to infiltrate an astroturf, fake grassroots, organization paid for by various energy corporations calling themselves "Energy Citizens". This fake organization created by the energy corporations to affect energy legislation was discovered by Green Peace in a series of emails.

An internal memo obtained recently by Greenpeace USA details polluting interests’ plans to launch a nationwide astroturf campaign attacking climate legislation at public events scheduled throughout the final weeks of recess before the Senate returns to debate the issue in September.

Public Citizen adds to this by reporting on the inside of one of the various "public events".

Yesterday the Public Citizen Texas team drove down to Houston to crash the American Petroleum Institute’s Energy Citizen event. Billed as a “grassroots” rally against the cap and trade bill currently before Congress, this event was nothing more than a company picnic.

Take the time to read it. It is great! Thanks to Public Citizen for their work on exposing the event and these tools who have been called "energy citizens" by the energy corporations.

HE'S GOT A GUN!

And you wonder why they are the minority party?

About 12 people were carrying guns, including at least one semi-automatic assault rifle, outside a building where President Obama was speaking today.

No one was arrested outside the VFW National Convention in Phoenix, according to the Associated Press, where hundreds of people demonstrated both for and against health care reform. There are no reports that the 12 were part of an organized group.

Frickin' idiot party.

About that Houston Hispanic Museum....

Candidate for Mayor, Gene Locke, announced his support for a Hispanic Museum in the east side of Houston at the Hispanic Forum held in July. Like many in the audience, I was trying to find someone who knew about a proposed museum. Unfortunately announcing a new Hispanic Museum at a Hispanic forum might come off like pandering. And, as expected, it did.

Like many, I believe a Hispanic Museum would be great, although it wasn't a high priority of mine when I went to the forum. I have to agree with Dos Centavos, I am more concerned about lowering our crime rate, increasing high school graduation rates, maintaining services during this recession, encouraging the Hispanic Community to vote, and encouraging small business growth for the Hispanic community. A Hispanic Museum just wasn't on my radar. From Stace:

Promise me you’ll fight developers who damage our environment; promise me you’ll fill the potholes that leave me with a bad suspension; promise me that the cops aren’t going to be targeting me based on the color of my skin; promise to help me become empowered so that I can build wealth and in turn help pay for a museum.

I also wondered where the money would come from to build such a museum, and why it wouldn't be built in the museum district? The city isn't exactly swimming in money. Every bit of surplus is being dogged by the tea baggers, each wanting every penny of tax relief to buy another can of Budweiser or a new wife beater t-shirt.

So there are significant issues with building a Hispanic Museum or a museum honoring the achievement of any group, but if Gene Locke can do it, more power to him.

We will see.

Glenn Beck'ss hemorrhoid operation.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Glenn Beck's Operation
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Spinal Tap Performance

Let's see who kisses Beck's ass now.

Republican John Culberson gets owned by MSNBC

It's not fun is it John?

Locke-ing in on lower electricity rates for Houston

Candidate for Mayor, Gene Locke, is very well spoken but was lacking on his response to how the city of Houston could help lower electricity rates for the citizens. Candidate Peter Brown has already addressed it in a recent press release and Annise Parker has addressed it, although not formally as of yet.

To his credit, Locke said he did not have an answer to the question at the time. He instead addressed conservation and new tax breaks for those who can afford a new air conditioner, or weatherizing, or new windows. This is all great, but doesn't address the failure of electricity deregulation and the cost to the city, the taxpayers, and to the citizens of Houston.

Houston's rates:
The city has realized that electricity deregulation has failed and has researched options such as becoming a Municipally Owned Utility (not going to happen) such as San Antonio, or becoming a reseller of electricity (also not going to happen) such as Reliant. Neither are fiscally viable solutions. From Peter Brown's press release:

The City should use its leverage to get a better deal for consumers, while exploring creative ways to lower monthly electric bills.

Amen brother! Currently the city is on a long term contract at 9 cents a kWh expiring in 2013. What we have asked the city to research is how the citizens of Houston could benefit from the negotiating power of the City of Houston and receive a long term, low cost rate. This is NOT a simple task and has significant challenges.

CHARGE!
(Citizens of Houston for Affordable Reliable Group Electricity) will be following this issue through the election. We hope all the candidates will address this.

Congressman Pete Olson as the Tinman

Babara Ewing ripped Congressman Pete Olson (R-TX) in a letter to the editor about the socialized medicine program that keeps his pace maker, making pace.

Olson has benefited from a government-run health care plan ever since he left college and joined the Marine Corps, later served in the offices of Sens. Gramm and Cornyn, and now serves in the Legislature.

Shortly afterwards Olson had a heart problem and was treated by the best health care your money can buy. This is the same healthcare that 1.5 million civil service employees have. So while Olson is being pampered with tax funded socialized medicine and will be for the rest of his life, even with his pre-existing condition, others in his district will be denied common sense health care.

Maybe Olson should stop being such a flaming liberal and give up his socialized medicine and go find an insurance company that will take him with a heart condition.

I suggest Olson either help Americans who have struggled obtaining health care benefits and in many cases gone without them as I have done at various times, or give up his own benefits and come out here in the real world.

But, don't bet on this happening. Deep down, he has no heart.

NASA needs more money. And/Or DUH!

In the and/or duh category, the Augustine Commission has stated NASA needs more money to continue it's quest to build a new vehicle(s), maintain the International Space Station, return to the Moon, and go to Mars.

Current budget constraints confronting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration make it virtually impossible to sustain manned missions to the Moon, Mars or further into space in coming decades, a blue-ribbon study group is expected to tell the White House.

Once again, NASA has been sent on a wild goose chase that will cost hundreds of billions yet they haven't received adequate funding and for good reason: NASA hasn't stated how much they need. In 1989 when Vice President Dan Quayle called for a Mars mission, NASA was up front about the cost, $489Billion, and the project was dead in it's tracks. $489Billion in 1989 dollars.

And in 2005 Bush did the same thing, but this time he learned from the mistake of the past and the cost to return to the moon ($160Billion) and Mars $600Billion, was never disclosed. So here we are locked into an idea without anything remotely near adequate funding.

If the Augustine Commission was smart they would suggest that we concentrate on building a new vehicle, retire the shuttle, build a new heavy lift vehicle, retire the Station, then, and only then, start going to the Moon. (in that order)

It is the only way we can afford it, whatever the cost is.

USAA supporting the troops with a hike in premiums

USAA is an exclusive insurance company for members of the military and their families. Rates in the Clear Lake area have skyrocketed, tripling in just a few years. Deductibles have risen almost 10 fold and sewer, water, and foundation damage were removed without reducing premiums. Any USAA member in the area is free to change companies, but if you do, USAA will not renew your policy in the future. Good luck in finding anything better. Although USAA has raked us over the coals over the last few years, no other company can come close to the rates. From the Chronicle:

USAA plans to hike rates for thousands of homeowners in Harris County later this year.

The state's fourth-largest home insurer, USAA told state regulators is will increase rates an average 5 percent to 20 percent in Harris County. The actual increase will vary for individual policyholders depending on past claim histories, how close they are to the coast and other factors.

Way to support the troops USAA!

Candidate Peter Brown on electricity costs

The issue of the failure of electricity deregulation has received attention by 2 of the 3 candidates for Mayor of Houston. Here is the first press release from Peter Brown:

At-Large City Council Member and candidate for Mayor Peter Brown today unveiled his Energy Blueprint to deliver reliable, efficient, and affordable electricity to Houston, and hold utility companies accountable. Standing below a series of unmaintained power lines, and joined by Houston residents frustrated by the lack of action and high electricity prices, Brown called for increased accountability and transparency from CenterPoint and other utility companies.

Not only does the failure to reduce utility rates affect the City of Houston, it affects the taxpayers, the homeowner, and business owners.

Pedro Diaz, a local small businessman who joined Brown at the event, said the high cost of electricity is “choking businesses here in Houston.”

“It’s tough to survive, let alone expand, when I’m paying $3,000 to the utility company every single month,” said Diaz.

Citizens of Houston for Affordable Reliable Group Electricity (CHARGE!) is following this issue very closely and have made some proposals to the various candidates. Today, they are visiting City Council. More on CHARGE! later.

The smell of health care irony in the morning.

A tea bagger got into a scuffle at a townhall meeting on health care reform. In the melee where 6 people were arrested, he fell and hurt his knee. Here comes the irony:

Brown told the crowd that Gladney is accepting donations toward his medical expenses. Gladney told reporters he was laid off recently and has no health insurance.

Wait, this isn't irony. This is being a dumbass. Under any other health care plan in other nations, he would be covered regardless of his employment status. He would be covered if he had an existing condition and changed jobs with a new insurance policy. He would not have to worry about his health care or the health care for his family. Instead he could concentrate on finding a new job.

And yet here he is, a bum with no insurance, protesting health care reform, getting hurt, and now asking for donations to pay his health care. The only person dumber than this dumbass is the dumbass donating money to him.

Changing electricity provider may save you money.

KHOU did a story called Saving Cents: Switching electric companies on how you can take advantage of the relatively low rates of 10 cents per kWh, but it might cost you later.

To switch, all you need to do is look on your current electric bill to see what you are paying per kilowatt hour. After you do that, go to the state website Powertochoose.org and click on “Compare Your Choices”. It shows you what each electric company charges per kilowatt hour.

Once there, pick a company that is offering a cheaper fixed rate than what you’re paying now and call them.

Of course you will have to pay a cancellation fee and there is no guarantee that the rates one year from now when your plan expires will be as low as you are currently paying. Based upon last years rates, the summer months are generally higher. So, you might save enough to make up for the cancellation fee, but the price for renewal in a year might be alot higher.

Aren't you glad deregulation made it so easy?

Power Watch: Electricity rates for August 2009

Rates are lower than they were a year ago, but deregulation is still not working, it is still a scam. From August 2008:

Reliant Energy, the Goliath of David and Goliath in energy providers, is leading the pack this month with a variable rate of 23.5 cents per kWh for electricity while the little known David, YEP, is offering a rate of 13.8 cents. Doesn't seem to make cents, does it?

On the fixed rate scale for August, First Choice Power is charging 21.7 cents for a 12 month contract, while Stream Energy is charging 13.7 cents for a 6 month contract.

YEP is offering the lowest month to month rate at 10.5 while First Choice Power has the highest at 14.7. The giants, Reliant has three variable rates at 14.0, 13.1, and 11.8 and TXU is at 10.8.

First Choice Power again tops the charts like last year with a rate of 15.0 for a 24 month contract. Mega Energy is the lowest at 10.6 for a 12 month contract. There are lower rates of 10.1 for a 4 month contract and a 10.2 for a 6 month by StarTex Power.

Congressman Culberson on socialized health care.

Congressman John Culberson (Rightwing- Houston) claimed that he was not on socialized medicine, but instead on "Blue Cross Blue Shield". This doesn't make sense. Federal employees and members of Congress are covered by a wide range of insurance options, one being Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal.

Culberson might have forgottent to state that the taxpayers, his constituents, pay 72% of his premiums for himself and his entire family. Every year Culberson, like all federal employees, have the option to "shop around" and pick from the various insurance plans that suits their particular family's needs. And no plan can deny coverage due to a pre-existing condition, like hypocrisy which Culberson has plenty of.

Culberson also has a free yearly medical checkups, a free lower GI inspection, and a cadre of doctors available in the Capitol just in case he lodges his head in the wrong place.

So it is kind of funny to watch all his rabid rightwing constituents rant and rave about socialized medicine, when their Congressman, John Culberson, himself is sucking off the tit of government enjoying socialized medicine, paid for by the very people who are ranting and raving!

Oh the smell of ignorance and hypocrisy in the morning!

GOP reaches out to the Jewish community again

Once again the republican party is working hard to alienate the Jewish community:

The Jewish Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is hopping mad at hardline Republican radio host Rush Limbaugh for his "outrageous and inappropriate" analogy comparing President Barack Obama to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

"Regardless of the political differences and the substantive differences in the debate over health care, the use of Nazi symbolism is outrageous, offensive and inappropriate," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director and a Holocaust survivor, in an media advisory released Friday morning. "Americans should be able to disagree on the issues without coloring it with Nazi imagery and comparisons to Hitler. This is not where the debate should be at all."

By 2010, the republican party will be righter, whiter, and even more wrong-er.

And let the violence begin....

Timothy McVeigh would be proud of the way the tea baggers and republicans are disrupting town hall meetings across the country getting whipped up into a frenzy with their anti-government rants and raves. Violence was just a matter of time, and will probably get worse.

(CNN) -- A health care town hall meeting in Florida on Thursday dissolved into bouts of heckling and violent pushing and shoving among attendees.

As Castor first began to speak, scuffles broke out as people tried to get into the meeting room. Parts of the congresswoman's speech was drowned out by chants of "read the bill, read the bill" and "tyranny," video of the meeting showed.

Video available here. The look on this lady's face says it all.

We can't afford health care reform.

And we wonder why? From Sick for Profit:

UnitedHealthcare CEO Stephen Hemsley owns $744,232,068 in unexercised stock options. CIGNA’s Edward Hanway spends his holidays in a $13 million beach house in New Jersey. Meanwhile, regular Americans are routinely denied coverage for the care they need when they need it most.

Welcome to the American health insurance industry. Instead of helping policyholders attain the health security they need for their families, big insurance companies get rich by denying coverage to patients. Now they’re sending lobbyists to Washington, DC to twist the arms of lawmakers to oppose reform of the status quo. Why? Because the status quo pays.

Talk about a sick nation.

Kentucky republicans reaching out to "naggers"

Just when you think republicans can't sink any lower, they do. Story and video available here.

And speaking of "the mob"

From the party of Timothy McVeigh.

The Tea Baggers mob.

Nassau Bay post office to close.

The Nassau Bay post office could be on the chopping block:

The Postal Service may register a loss of nearly $7 billion this fiscal year in spite of a 2-cent increase in the price of stamps in May, cuts in staff and removal of collection boxes.

Post officials sent a list of nearly 700 potential candidates for closing or consolidation to the independent Postal Regulatory Commission for review. More may be added.

In the Houston area, officials are targeting four locations: Addicks Barker, 16830 Barker Springs; Genoa, 10935 Almeda Genoa; Westchase Finance, 3836 S Gessner and Nassau Bay, 18214 Upper Bay.

Of the four, one will be closed. Would anyone miss it? Something interesting:

The Postal Service lost $1.1 billion in its latest quarter. That number would be even larger if it weren't for direct mailings, which now constitute 52 percent of mail volume, up from 38 percent in 1990. Revenue from direct mail "is the financial underpinning of the Postal Service—it could not survive without it," says Michael Coughlin, former deputy postmaster.

Would Timothy McVeigh join the Tea Baggers?

The tea baggers are the worst of the worst of the republican party. They have an obvious dislike of the United States Government and those who represent the people of the country. Their hatred for their country reminds us of others who listen to right wing radio and believed everything they read on the internets. Others like Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.

If McVeigh hadn't have been executed for bombing a federal building and killing 168 innocent men, women, and children, he would have found a home with the tea baggers spewing their hate for their government and disrupting civilized gatherings.

Tea baggers, like McVeigh are truly sick individuals. They will incite violence. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but it will happen. With people like tea baggers, who needs terrorists?

Texas Congressional after birth.

No place but Texas. Just one week after paying Congressman John Culberson a compliment, he goes off the far white side of the aisle along with other far white wing nuts, Ted "and that's the way it is" Poe, Gohmert, Neugebauer, Marchant, and Carter by supporting the after birth movement.

WASHINGTON — Six Texas congressmen are in the middle of a summertime political tempest sweeping the nation's capital over legislation to require future presidential candidates to show birth certificates to prove they are “natural born citizens” of the United States eligible to serve as president.

...

Of the 10 co-sponsors enlisted by Posey, six are from Texas, including Poe, Culberson, Gohmert, Neugebauer, Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell and John Carter, R-Round Rock.

All of this begs the question: Is Neugebauer an American name? Is he an American citizen? Is John Culberson? Or is he an alien? Is "Marchant" Marchant's real name? And what kind of a name is "Gohmert"? This is why we need legislation requiring all candidates for Congress to provide proof they are Americans, have American names, and are capable of producing real proof by providing a video tape of their birth.

Of course all of them have refused to provide proof of their citizenship, and when they do, it will most probably be a fake.

Before you trust a Republican with your health care

The republican party and the insurance industry are out in force with their scare tactic talking points including rationing of health care, death squads for seniors, out of control spending, yada yada. But before you put your health care in the hands of the republicans just remember:

These are the same guys who:

1. Told you Iraq had weapons of mass destruction
2. Told you to buy duct tape and plastic before the invasion of Iraq (and many of you did)
3. Have spent nearly $1Trillion of your money on invading the wrong country
4. Scared you with talk about a "mushroom cloud" before the invasion
   
5. Told you that tax cuts for the richest Americans would help you, the little guy
6. Turned a $250 surplus into a $450 deficit
7. Nearly doubled our debt to other countries
   
8. Put the country in the worst recession in it's history
   
9. Attempted to privatize social security right before the wall street crash
10. Said tort reform in Texas would lower our insurance rates
11. Who deregulated electricity in Texas with the help of Ken Lay resulting in higher rates
12. Who deregulated insurance in Texas resulting in the highest rates in the nation
13. Who deregulated college tuition Texas which resulted in skyrocketing costs
14. Who was in charge of this country for 8 full years and did nothing about immigration

Before you trust a republican with your health care, pull your head out and smell their deception. You would think that after invading the wrong country and losing the lives of almost 5000 of our soldiers all for nothing, Americans would know better.

But republicans are banking on your stupidity and ignorance. And why not? It has worked for almost 10 years now.