Texas Guard Officers double dip taxpayers on Perry's watch

This is a followup on a series of award winning reports by KHOU (Mark Greenblatt, producer David Raziq and photojournalist Keith Tomshe) concerning Texas National Guard Officers double dipping the taxpayers. Guard officers were being paid twice for the same work resulting in billing the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars and yet Governor Rick Perry has done nothing.

One year ago, Governor Perry said he expected repayment to be complete, and in a timely manner. Records newly uncovered by 11 News revealed just one former general paid the state back after receiving demand letters from the Texas National Guard, which were sent out in June of 2009.

Repayments? Is that all? KHOU catches these people committing a felony and Perry just asks for repayment? What about the "era of responsibility" crap? Not only that, but KHOU has found even more double dippers and what has Perry done? Nothing. The updated report is below. The original report can be viewed here.


 KHOU claims there is an ongoing criminal investigation concerning this issue. Unfortunately the Officers do not have a Texas Ethics Commission to protect them. Look for an update after the investigation has been complete.

Flying with Texas State Senator Troy Fraser

The Back to Basics PAC has raised some serious questions about Governor Rick Perry's latest land grab (Not the Trans Texas Corridor) but his own personal land grab that netted him nearly half a million dollars. Back to Basic PAC also questioned the involvement of State Senator Troy Fraser (R Horseshoe Bay), Rick Perry's boyhood friend.

This land grab includes some interesting characters such as Alan Moffatt, owner of  the "now-defunct Peak Aviation, a company investigated by the British government for arms shipments to Rwanda during the time of the genocide." Which brings me to Troy Fraser and his spending habits.

Aviation expenditures.
Over the last ten years, Fraser has spent $1.9 Million of his donors money, including $306,000 to Abilene Areo, $108,000 to Austin Jet, $230,000 to Horseshoe Bay Aviation, $13,000 to Jeppesen Sanderson (flight instruction), and $11,000 to Simuflite Training International (Pilot flight training). Over the past 10 years he has spent $668,000 on airplane rentals and pilot lessons.

The last time I looked at a map, Horseshoe Bay Texas aint but 53.9 miles from Austin. Not sure why a State Senator needs to spend $668,000 on a personal airplane trip to Austin and Abilene. A trip to Austin would take about 40 minutes in a fast car. Speaking of......

BMW and Lexus lease
He also has paid $71,000 for his BMW lease and $42,000 for his Lexus. Unlike what Linda Harper-Brown did by hiding the use of a 2010 Mercedes from her husband's company, Fraser simply let his donors pay for his cars and has been upfront with it. This is the smart way since the Texas Ethics Commission will protect him in case a complaint is filed.

It sure must be nice to be a State Senator with free air travel and a new car every few years all paid with donors money.

DADT: Don't Ask Don't be on TV

The following from the John Stewart Show shows how incredibly stupid the don't ask don't tell argument has become. It is incredibly stupid and funny.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Gay Reichs
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

A moment of Zen. Again.

Nothing like a Moment of Zen from the John Stewart Show. This was from the protest of Tom DeLay at the NRA convention, Arpil 2005. I love the end of the clip:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Moment of Zen - Tom DeLay
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Jeff Weems and the other guy for Texas Railroad Commission

The Texas Tribune posted a great side by side video of the candidates for Texas Railroad Commission, Jeff Weems with 35 years of hands on experience in the oil and gas industry, and the other guy, a CPA. When I met Weems he was passionate about the office and the role of the Commissioners and it shows in this short video. He was knowledgeable about the office, the law, the industry, and he was very supportive of those who create jobs and provide energy in Texas.

Thanks to Elise Hu and the Texas Tribune for this night and day look at the two candidates:

Revenge is best served with a side of potato salad

There is an old saying I just made up "Revenge is best served with a side of potato salad".

Over the last few days I had an opportunity to read a book, in between fishing, lounging on the beach, and hanging with the locals at the Wahoo Salon in South Padre Island. In the book, Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child, a group of Army special investigators are reunited after four of their Army buddies were thrown from a helicopter. Needless to say revenge was on their minds. (Oh, thanks to the person who left the book in my seat on my flight to SPI! It was a great read!)

There is nothing better than  cold, calculated, untraceable revenge. I expected the revenge in this book to have been a bit different than just pushing someone out the door of helicopter at 3000 ft. I knew that was going to happen from the first few pages. I expected a much longer, drawn out, push through the door, maybe with some taunting, or a few practice runs.

Many years ago I was in the back of a helicopter with the side doors locked open. The pilot made a hard left turn leaving me and my Army buddies staring at the ground and having a new appreciation for the straps that kept us from flying out the door. It was an interesting experience.

But back to revenge. Revenge is fun especially when someone really deserves it. It can be very satisfying. And it is always never expected. So think twice about eating that complimentary potato salad disguised as a random act of kindness.

You never know if the straps will hold you in.

Oh Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?

Back to Basics has issued a press release calling for State Representative Lind Harper to come clean on her charging the taxpayers $13,000 for car maintenance on a car she didn't know. As I blogged about in an earlier post:

Let's start with this question: "If the Mercedes didn't belong to the Representative, why is she being paid for mileage from the Comptrollers Office?"

I thought this was a very legitimate question at the time and now so does Back to Basics:

If Linda Harper-Benz inappropriately took $13,000 for mileage reimbursements on vehicles belonging to transportation contractor Durable Enterprises, today we call upon Linda Harper-Benz to immediately refund the $13,000 to Texas taxpayers.

This whole Mercedes Benz controversy must have Harper Brown neck high in attorney fees, which she can pay for with her campaign cash. Maybe a song from Janis Joplin will help. Enjoy. From Pdiddie:

Fishing in South Padre Island with Captain Ruben Garcia

The only thing better than a day of fishing is fishing with a great guide, and we found one in South Padre Island, Ruben Garcia of Reel Off Charters 956-459-3286.

The biggest catch was a 28 inch Redfish, a 23 inch Redfish, and a 27 inch trout (pictured at left). Of course we also caught some huge fish but they got away. (Seriously, one did get away! It was a keeper.) The 23 inch red gave Justin a cramp while bringing it in. We had enough fish to feed 12 people and had fish left over. Most of the restaurants will cook the fish you catch in different ways, blackened, fried, and pecan fried (our favorite).

We had two rookies with us and both caught on reel fast and are now hooked on fishing with a guide. Ruben kept us busy and we were pretty tired by the time we got back to the dock. Finding a guide that is fun to be with, will help the rookies, and willing to keep you out till you catch fish is pretty hard. We were lucky to find one in SPI. So if you are looking to have a fun day of fishing in South Padre Island, call Ruben.

Reel Off Charters

South Padre Island

Captain Ruben Garcia

956-459-3286

Right wing radio driving Ms Daisy Harper Brown crazy

Some right wing radio dude in Dallas continues to bash State Representative Linda Harper Brown and now takes on Speaker of the House Joe Strauss for donating $34,000 to her re-election. This radio show reminds me of Dingo and the Baby from Family Guy. You can hear the right winger here.

And here is Dingo and the Baby:

WiFi spots in Clear Lake

I've been looking for WiFi spots in Clear Lake. If you know of  a location, put it in a comment. Here are the locations I know of:

• Starbucks. Bay Area and I45, Bay Area and Hwy 3, NASA Rd 1 across from Space Center Houston) Recently they changed their policy and it is now free to all customers.
• Panera Bread. Bay Area and I45 in the Best Buy mall area.
• Durango's Mexican Restaurant. Might have to check your internet settings.
• The Clear Lake Library. Corner of Bay Area and Buccaneer.
• Sherlocks Pub. Have a beer and blog. Corner of Space Center Blvd and Bay Area
• Starfire Grill. Sometimes the signal is a bit weak. Corner of Space Center Blvd and Bay Area 
• Coffee Oasis on NASA Rd 1 at Kirby. Great coffee shop! 
• Freebirds on Bay Area and Texas Ave. Lots of screens for sports viewing. 
• Chelsea Wine Bar in Seabrook on NASA Rd 1. Great pub. Very nice wine selection. Great place to hang out after work.
• Wael's Mediterranean Cuisine. Great, well priced, Mediterranean food on Bay Area and Space Center blvd. 2449 Bay Area Boulevard.

Bob Perry meet Steve Mostyn

In 2010 alone, Bob Perry, the home builder, has donated over $1.8 million to various republican candidates, sometimes providing the majority of a candidates donations, such as Larry Gonzales. Because republican lawmakers have refused to put a reasonable limit on campaign donations, Perry can donate millions, and has. For many years he has been unopposed in donations. Until now......from the Houston Chronicle:

Attorney Steve Mostyn said Tuesday he and his wife, Amber Anderson, are committed to putting a “substantial” amount of money that likely will exceed $3 million into ending hard-right Republican politics in Texas government.

Under Governor Perry's rule, Bob Perry's knows his donations will not go unnoticed. In 2003 after Perry helped win the House for republicans, they created the Texas Residential Construction Commission. Gov Perry quickly appointed John Krugh, Perry's Vice President of Bob Perry Homes, to the commission. This is what Perry got for his $1 Million donation to Rick Perry. (The commission was abolished 6 years later. See "The Texas Residential Construction Commission. A Consumer Perspective")

We know from experience who's side Perry's Representatives will be on. They will be the ones supporting the home builders, the insurance industry, and the American Arbitration Association with their private justice system.

And now Perry has some competition. As Kuff said, the legislature had an opportunity to stop this unlimited amount of money in Texas politics, but has refused. So they have no right to complain.

But they will........

Fox TV: Deaf, Dumb, and now Blind

It is almost as if God hates Glenn Beck. From CNN:

Fox TV personality Glenn Beck announced last week that he has an eye disorder known as macular dystrophy and “could go blind the next year."

A few years ago Rush Limbaugh announced that he was losing his hearing. He forgot to mention that hearing loss was a side effect of addiction to OxyContin, a narcotic. Limbaugh, an advocate for harsh punishment for illegal drug users, has since changed his mind on that particular topic. Now we have Beck losing his eyesight to a horrible disease leaving his audience speechless. Couple Rush with Beck and their listening audience and you get deaf, dumb, and blind.

Or dumb, dumber, and dumbest.

Fox News, a perverted news source

What he said. It is a good watch:

Fox News. A race to racism

Leave it to Fox News and the teabaggers to create a fake news story on racism that caused the resignation of a Federal employee. From CNN:

Shirley Sherrod -- an African-American -- resigned Monday under pressure after the video clip first appeared on a conservative website and later on Fox News. In the video, she seemed to tell an audience she did not do her utmost to help a white farmer avoid foreclosure. 

And that is all Fox and the Teabagger posted and commented on. This resulted in the NAACP calling for her resignation and the Agriculture Secretary following through with it. But today after the entire video was played the NAACP has apologized, the Obama Administration has called for a review of the resignation, and the Agriculture Secretary is doing just that. Here is the speech given by Ms. Sherrod as reported by Fox News:




And here is the entire speech provided by the NAACP:



Hopefully Sherrod will sue the living crap out of Fox News. It will be the only way to make Fox News take responsibility for their actions. Fox has an agenda which is promoting and supporting the republican party and using racism is just one of the ways they do it. Of course Fox is now blaming the Obama Administration taking the focus off the very people who created this fake racist story, Fox News.

Go figure.

Texas Governor flunks driving test

Leave it to our Governor to suggest a plan on how to reduce drop out rates in Texas.

HOUSTON-- Last week, after months of hammering from Bill White, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and others, Rick Perry re-released a so-called "plan" to reduce the dropout rate. He'd make having a driver's license contingent on enrollment in school or GED classes.

Sounds like a great idea, right? Not quite.

"Unfortunately for Rick Perry, this law has been on the books since 1989 and he's been responsible for enforcing it. Only a career politician would try to sell a law already in existence as his own slick new idea," said Katy Bacon, campaign spokesperson.

OOPS. Under Perry's watch, Texas has one of the highest dropout rate in the nation and what has he done about it? Absolutely nothing, so little so, that even his special interest buddies, the Texas Association of Business, has something to say about it. From the Houston Chronicle:

Hammond, head of the Texas business group, noted that much of the state's leadership looks like him - Anglo - and said they "do not understand that in 20 years time, their children are going to face a bleak future in spite of the fact that they have a college education because there are not going to be enough educated workers to move the economy ahead."

Governor Rick Perry. 20 years late and $18 Billion short.

Thinking of donating to the Texas State Troopers Association? Think again.

Every six months or so I get a call from the Texas State Troopers Association asking if they can count on my generous donation. I got that call tonight. In return for my generous donation I could receive a bumper sticker for my car. Wow. A bumper sticker! To make a long post short, they take 80% for fundraising and bumper stickers and only 20% of your donation actually goes to support the troopers. Amy Davis of KPRC has a great story on this scam.

Just an FYI. Anytime someone asks for a donation ask how much actually goes to the charity and how much goes to the fund-raising activities. By law they are required to disclose this information. The TSTA has a say about these fund-raising activities.

Are taxpayers driving Ms Daisy Harper Brown?

The recent disclosure by the Dallas Morning News of Representative Linda Harper Brown's use of a $50,000 Mercedes could raise a lot more questions.

Harper-Brown, R-Irving, requested and received State Official license plates for a 2010 Mercedes E550 sedan and 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe. But Durable Enterprises Equipment Ltd. owns the vehicles. Harper-Brown’s husband, William E. Brown III, said the cars are compensation for accounting work he does for the owner of Durable and that he lets his wife drive the Mercedes. 

Let's start with this question: "If the Mercedes didn't belong to the Representative, why is she being paid for mileage from the Comptrollers Office?"

According to records from the Texas Comptroller's office Representative Brown was paid over $13,000 for "7102 TRAV IN-STATE MILEAGE" from 2008-2010. This would amount to over 26,000 miles of usage of her own privately owned vehicle at 50 cents per mile, the standard government rate. But according to the article, this Mercedes is not her privately owned vehicle (POV). So how can she request and be paid for mileage for a POV?

Usually this payment is to cover the cost of maintenance, gasoline, insurance, and general use of your POV. Maybe Brown owns another car for legislative purposes which qualifies her for mileage payments, although her official state license plates are on the Mercedes. Also, this mileage may have been for a car prior to the 2010 Mercedes. Who knows?

Second question: Who else in the State Legislature is doing the same thing? Who bought a vehicle with campaign donations then filed with the Comptrollers office for the mileage of a vehicle they didn't own?

Representative Harper-Brown has a lot of explaining to do and may have started a round of inquiries about her fellow lawmakers.

Raising Campaign Cash: Larry Gonzales

Bob Perry has a new boy. Larry Gonzales is running for State Representative in HD 52 challenging a very well respected freshman, Diana Maldonado. In Texas politics, what Bob Perry wants, Bob Perry pays for.

According to records at the Texas Ethics Commission, almost half of the $337,000 raised by Gonzales came from one person, Bob Perry. Of the $1.8 Million Perry has donated in 2010, $150,000 was donated to Gonzales and $90,000 was PAC related money. Only 1/3 of all of Gonzales donations came from individuals.

As noted before:

Larry Gonzales won the Republican primary to challenge Diana Maldonado for State Representative District 52 in the Austin area. Maldonado has recently called for insurance reform after the massive failures of the reforms of 2003. She has worked with homeowners in Hutto, a small city with wide spread housing defects. She has been a great advocate for the hard working consumers of this state trying to restore some sort of fairness.

Don't expect Gonzales to side with the consumer if elected to the House. Here in Texas, you get what you pay for. And Bob Perry has paid a lot for Larry Gonzales.

Will the Texas Farm Bureau roll over Rick Perry?

From the Waco Tribune: In the race for Governor.

Gene Hall, the bureau’s spokesman, said the committee will make a decision either to endorse a candidate or stay out of the race entirely, but that won’t happen until its next meeting later this month or at a subsequent meeting in September.

My bet is that the Farm Bureau, regardless of Perry's veto of am eminent domain bill and his support of the Trans Texas Corridor, will endorse Rick Perry for Governor. The Bureau knows better. Perry has controlled his supporters and those who oppose him much like Sadaam Hussein controlled Iraq, with a very heavy hand.

Perry' pay to play rues requires loyalty, donations, and endorsements. The Bureau will be shut out of Perry's $10 Million mansion, and the back room discussions if they decline to endorse or if they would take a stand against one of the worst Governors in the history of Texas.
.
My bet is that the Bureau will follow the insurance industry, the home builders, the chemical industry, and the Houston Association of Realtors, or pay the political consequences if Perry is re-elected.

WARTS on Parade. White Angry Racists TeabaggerS

Another Texas commission does the right thing

Over the last ten years or so most commissions in Texas have protected the industry that they are suppose to regulate or oversee. The now abolished Texas Residential Construction Commission was a great example of this, designed to protect the homebuilders while pretending to provide consumer protection. Add the Texas Department of Insurance, the TECQ, the Texas Railroad Commission, the Texas Ethics Commission and now, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct concerning Judge Sharon "Killer" Keller. From the Houston Chronicle:

AUSTIN — Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller was publicly rebuked by a state judicial commission Friday for blocking a condemned man’s lawyers from filing a last-minute appeal in 2007, but she will keep her job.

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct’s “public warning” to Keller came nearly three years after convicted murderer Michael Wayne Richard was executed. 

Yep. A "PUBLIC WARNING". That is about as powerful as a "CERTIFIED LETTER" or a "LETTER" placed in your permanent record.  Here in Texas you can pollute our air and water, you can steal your donors money and buy a condo, you can over charge consumers, and  you can close the doors on a death sentence appeal so you can get home for dinner, and the Commissions in Texas will protect you.

 Yep. The Commissions are doing exactly what they are designed to do. Welcome to Texas.

NAACP on WARTS: Stop the racist behavior

Good for them!

The NAACP has passed a resolution condemning racism in the Tea Party movement. The resolution was approved in a vote by more than 2,000 delegates at the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Kansas City. Versions of the resolution condemned "explicitly racist behavior" in the Tea Party movement and called on people to "repudiate" what it described as racist elements of the Tea Party. 

Of course the WARTS (White Angry Republican Teabaggers) have something to say about it:

Members of the Tea Party movement vehemently deny that their movement is racist."Some of our best friends are black, or a mix there of. We are not racists........but.......".

OK. That isn't exactly what they said, but you get the idea. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand excuses.

SBOE Candidate Farney claims US soldiers are "America-bashing"

Marsha Farney, a WART (White Angry Republican Teabagger) running for State Board of Education, spent the 4th of July with other WARTS making comments about our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan:

“I'd rather be here than with those America-bashing Democrats.”

Unfortunately for this WART running for office, many Democrats are members of the Armed Forces and some of them are up to their ass in sand fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am sure they would not appreciate a WART or anyone for that matter claiming they were "America-bashing".

This is the kind of person this state does not need on the SBOE. Maybe she would be more suited to be on the board of the local WART organization, but not on the SBOE. Over the last few years, the SBOE has been the laughing stock of the country. Putting Farney on the SBOE would be another joke on the students of Texas.

But nobody is laughing. Ask a soldier in Iraq.

Harris County Socialist in Republican clothing

And they have the balls to call others socialists? From Texas Watchdog:

But after spending more than $2 million of public money on a new hill in Houston, Commissioner Steve Radack has high hopes for the new Hockley Park soap box derby track. That's even as a very similar public-private soap box derby park in Ohio is facing a financial bailout.

The Harris County Republican party has lost their claim to being the party of "Family Values" (Harris County DA Rosenthal), the party of "conservative values" (Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole), and now they are losing their claim to being republicans with County Commissioner Steve Radack wasting $2 Million on a soap box derby track. He could have spent $2 Million on an indoor slot car track, or a $2 Million indoor interpretive dance studio, but instead he caved to the demand of his constituents, all 10 of them, and built a soap box derby track. Or he could have let the private sector fund and maintain the track like every good republican demands.

So now the Harris County republican party can call for the resignation of their very own socialist just like they have called for the resignation of Eversole and Rosenthal. Or else risk being called a bunch of hypocrites.

Or socialists.

Texas Tribune on electricity deregulation: It failed?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that electricity deregulation has been a huge failure in Texas. You would have thought that after California's disaster, Texas would have been a bit smarter, after all we put a man on the damn moon . The Texas Tribune started their article "Has Electricity Deregulation Helped of Hurt Texans?":

Since 1999, when then-Gov. George Bush signed a law that deregulated the Texas electricity market...

And there you have it. It was Bush and his long time friend Kenny. Ken Lay of Enron.  Who would have thought that George W. Bush would screw anything up? Who would have thought that after screwing the citizens of Texas Ken Lay would later become the talk of the decade.

The article has enough excuses and distractions to last a lifetime. For instance:

Last week, the Legislature's Sunset Advisory Commission, which is currently evaluating the Public Utility Commission and ERCOT, the grid operator, recommended several important changes, including making it easier for Texas ratepayers to lodge complaints against electric companies.

How about recommending LOWERING RATES FOR ELECTRICITY? No instead they make a weak recommendation of helping consumers lodge complaints. So the hell what? If electricity deregulation was working, there would be NO NEED to lodge complaints. As with every commission in the state, the PUC is doing nothing but protecting the industry.

I was wondering how anyone could think that deregulation has helped Texans and then I realized that the author is in Austin, a regulated market with low rates, long term contracts. She needs to move to Houston and try to use her "power to choose". Then she will have an answer to her question  Has Electricity Deregulation Helped of Hurt Texans?

*&^% no.

AARP on electricity deregulation in Texas: It failed.

AARP has finally gotten the picture. After electricity deregulation, lobbied for by Ken Lay and Enron, rates for Texans in unregulated areas has skyrocketed. As the article states

Texas' electric rates have gone from 30th to 17th highest since deregulation in 1999....According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Texas ranks 17th among the states for the highest average price of electricity—11.7 cents per kilowatt hour. In 1999, before deregulation, Texas tied with Louisiana for 30th, at 7.1 cents per kilowatt hour.

Go look at your current rate and figure out what's not in your wallet. I find it amazing that people in Texas (mainly teabaggers and anti-tax republicans) will yell and scream about a $60/year increase to pay for flooding and water infrastructure, but will do nothing when the private sector, with the help of the republican party, increases your electricity bill by hundreds of dollars a year.

The lobbyists and electricity companies that are gouging consumers, with the help of the republican party, have already lined up to stop any legislation that would level the playing field and provide real competition to lower rates. From State Representative Sylvester Turner, an advocate for consumer protection:

Turner said consumers should contact their state legislators and let them know that deregulation is not working. "You don't want to miss providing your input because in this upcoming session this issue will be front and center," he said. "I can assure you the industry and their consultants and lobbyists are already gearing up for it." 

Or just roll over and take it.

Townhall meeting on electricity rates in Dallas/Burleson July 13/14

If you are hot about the high cost of electricity since deregulation you have an opportunity to speak up in Dallas and Burleson Texas. This is obviously for individuals who do not work since the townhall is during the day. From AARP:

Average electricity rates in Texas are significantly higher than surrounding states. Some of the highest in the nation! More and more households face dangerous disconnections each summer. Join AARP and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in demanding legislative and regulatory action to establish stable, reasonably priced rates and better protections against dangerous disconnections. For more information call 1 (214) 265-4078.

Town Hall, Burleson
Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Place: First National Bank of Burleson,
Wilshire Room
740 S.W. Wilshire, Burleson, TX 76028

Town Hall, Dallas
Date: Thursday, July 15, 2010
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Place: Spring Valley United Methodist Church
7700 Spring Valley Rd, Dallas, TX 75245

No Freedom Kissing in the Galveston County Republican Party

You never know who will read and forward an email around.

Case in point: the chair of the Galveston County republican party, John LeCour, sent a rather nasty termination email to his website volunteer.

LeCour (the name reminds of when the republican party renamed french fries to freedom fries because the French, along with every major country in the world, would not participate in an unnecessary invasion of Iraq) decided to share this email with one too many people. And now it is on the internets. All of them.

I am sending you official notice of your termination as Website Committee Chair.  I am acting in accordance with Article V, Section 5 in the Bylaws of the Galveston County Republican Party.  All website passwords have been changed.   You should no longer have access to party websites, yahoo notices, or any Internet media.

Obviously, LeCour is hotter than freshly made freedom toast sprinkled with light confection sugar and threatens criminal action using the services of the Friendswood Police Department:

I must also inform you that I have filed a, “Criminal Trespass Warning,” against you.  You will receive official notice of this, “Criminal Trespass Warning,” from the Friendswood Police Department shortly.

Stick that in your freedom bread and toast it! Clearly LeCour is pissed and is showing the volunteer the freedom doors of the party. In blowing his freedom horn, he is making some rather strong allegations. As a friend used to say "If you are going to call me a drunk, you better have pictures!" 

I and others have observed your public intoxication at Republican events, harassment of volunteers and the families of volunteers, and use of language that is sexual in nature. 

Obviously the republican party in Galveston has some major internal problems. Nothing a good pile of freedom fries and a cold beer won't fix. The entire email is below:

Oh and the "freedom fries"?

In May 2005, Representative Jones, having arrived at the belief that the United States went to war "with no justification", said of the "freedom fries" episode: "I wish it had never happened."^[12] By July 2006, the House had changed the name of the two foods in all of its restaurants back to "French fries" and "French toast".^[13]

From: John R. LeCour <gcrpchairman@comcast.net>
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, July 8, 2010 8:17:07 AM
Subject: Notice of Termination

XXXXX,

I am sending you official notice of your termination as Website Committee Chair.  I am acting in accordance with Article V, Section 5 in the Bylaws of the Galveston County Republican Party.  All website passwords have been changed.   You should no longer have access to party websites, yahoo notices, or any Internet media.  You should no longer post any information that represent the Galveston County Republican Party or act in any capacity as a representative of the Galveston County Republican Party. 

I must also inform you that I have filed a, “Criminal Trespass Warning,” against you.  You will receive official notice of this, “Criminal Trespass Warning,” from the Friendswood Police Department shortly.  This forbids you any access to the Galveston County Republican Party Headquarters or to the parking area that services the Headquarters.  I will also see if this, “Criminal Trespass Warning,” extends to Galveston County Republican Party events that are located outside the Headquarters’ location.  

If you possess any property of the Galveston County Republican Party, please return it by certified mail,  as soon as possible.    If you have any property to return that cannot be mailed, the exchange must take place at a location other than the Galveston County Republican Headquarters or associated party activity locations.  You may choose to send a representative to the Party Headquarters.  The lock to the Party Headquarters has been changed. 

It is my understanding that some of your property is at the Headquarters.  If you would like to take possession of this property, please email me a list of your property, with sufficient description to facilitate its identity.  Once I have identified your property, I will email you of my findings and you may send a representative to retrieve the property.  Please let me know the name of person who will be retrieving your property.   I will be the only one who will represent the Galveston County Republican Party on any transition of property between you and the Galveston County Republican Party. 

My reason for your termination and, “Criminal Trespass Warning,” is your behavior over the past year, along with your latest outburst and public verbal attack at Party Headquarters.  I and others have observed your public intoxication at Republican events, harassment of volunteers and the families of volunteers, and use of language that is sexual in nature.  All of this behavior is unacceptable in a work-place environment and is contrary to the principles to the Republican Party.  Also, your behavior constitutes harassment and has caused volunteers to feel threatened emotionally and physically.  For reasons of their safety, I am ethically obligated to take this action.

Sincerely,

John R. LeCour

Chairman, Galveston County Republican Party

Article V. 

COMMITTEES

Section 5.            A committee member or members may be removed from a committee upon request of the committee Chair or the County Chair

Renew Houston: "Tax and Spend" name calling is over.

Renew Houston, a non profit organization created by conservative engineering firms and elected officials have declared the end of the "Tax and Spend" name calling in Houston:

Houston, TX – The ReNew Houston Campaign is pleased to announce it has gathered approximately 35,000 petition signatures from registered Houston voters which call for a city-wide charter amendment election to establish a dedicated pay-as-you-go funding source to renew Houston’s streets and drainage. 

It's a tax
This new funding source is a  new tax on developers and citizens of Houston, a tax proposed by City Councilman Stephen Costello, a staunch Republican, and his conservative engineers who will eventually profit from the contracts to repair the failing infrastructure. Let's just call this what it is, a tax increase. An increase proposed by conservatives. (Who would have thunk it?)

It's a good idea
Make no mistake about this proposal, it is a great idea. Candidates for City Council have run on solving the flooding issues of the city for decades without ever solving the flooding issues of the city or the funding problems associated with it. (Ask Councilman Mike Sullivan) Unfortunately solving serious problems such as flooding in Houston requires significant money, raised from taxes, and that is exactly what Renew Houston's amendment will do. For those of us who believe in effective government this is the right thing to do.

“Getting on the ballot is only the first step,” said Council Member Stephen Costello, Chair of the Flooding and Drainage Committee. “Houstonians must now vote yes to this responsible solution to pay for fixing our crumbling streets and drainage system.

It's the end
The other conservatives in Houstons and those who depend on government handouts will attack this for what it is, a tax increase, because it is easy to say "Tax and Spend" liberal and then benefit from the results. Unfortunately this tax increase was not proposed by liberals. Costello is about as conservative as you can get. The engineers of the firms who will profit from these contracts are too.

Through sex scandals and fiscal mismanagement the  republican party in Houston have lost their right to yell "Family Values", and "Fiscal Responsibility". And now with their new tax proposal, they lost the right to yell Tax and Spend".

Or else they will look like a bunch of hypocrites.

p.s. As I have said in the past, this is a great idea. It is the responsible thing to do. Good for Renew Houston.

Rick Perry's ballot scandal sugar daddy

According to documents discovered in the Green Party ballot scandal it looks like they have identified one of his sugar daddies, Bob Perry, as a significant donor to the Green Party. From the Lone Star Project:

A document surrendered under court order identifies Rick Perry campaign consultant, Anthony Holm, as a key person working with Green Party leaders to use Republican money to fund a signature gathering campaign to qualify Green Party of Texas candidates for the 2010 ballot. 

Holm is also Bob,the builder, Perry's spokesman and was hired by the House Republican Caucus for message development and communication assistance, QR learned today." (thanks to Quorum Report)

It's no secret Bob Perry is Rick Perry's sugar daddy, well, actually, it is. After the 2006 election Perry was sued for hiding a $1 Million donation from Bob Perry via the Republican Governor’s Association. Perry, the builder, is the largest donor to republican candidates in the entire United States with Perry receiving at least $300,000 in 2009. Now it seems Perry is supporting Perry via the Green Party.

For the donations, Rick Perry has been the homebuilders best friend in Texas history. Perry created the Texas Residential Construction Commission then appointed Bob Perry's Vice President to the Commission. The TRCC was abolished just 6 years later after being a complete waste of tax dollars.

So who is Bob Perry's bitch this year? Looks like it is the Green Party.

Governor Rick Perry responds to claims he chickened out on debate.

Texas Governor Rick Perry has once again chickened out on a debate with Mayor Bill White, but the debate will go on with the Libertarian candidate tonight, Monday July 5 7:00 PM. The debate will be streamed live on the KVHC website. Mayor White issued the following on his Facebook page:

Perry's handlers don't want him to answer questions about the state's financial condition or all the insider dealing and mismanagement, so he won't show up.

You can hear Governor Rick Perry's angry reaction in a short statement here.

The Tea Party. The WARTS of America

TJ Aulds of the Galveston Daily News has an interesting article on the teabagger movement.. I appreciate that he gave me an opportunity to be quoted. Here is my favorite about the teabaggers:

“Those are some angry people,” John Cobarruvias, a Democratic Party activist and author of the Bay Area Houston blog, said. “They have a lot to be angry about. Their party really screwed this country up.

“They should be angry.”

As should we.

For eight full years they remained silent while their party sold our country to China, doubling our debt. They pumped their fists to invade a country then became silent when it was declared a mistake. They watched in silence while regulations and oversight were cut and our country was pushed in a massive recession. And they remain silent when trying to defend their party's record, or when trying to name something their party did that was good for the country. Complete silence.

Teabaggers are a decade late and $11 Trillion short of a full loaf of bread. They are the ignorant of the ignorant. They think it is funny depicting the President as Hitler or carry a racist sign with the N word on it. They are angry, white, racists republicans who are mad at their own party for massively screwing up this country.

And I am just as angry at them for for keeping their damn pie hole shut for 8 &^%damn years. They don't deserve to be called patriots. They deserve to be called what they are. WARTS. White Angry Racists republican Traitors.

Teabaggers are the WARTS of America. They don't deserve to hijack the 4th of July.

Just what we need. A teabagger running for State Board of Education

As if the republican party hasn't screwed the State Board of Education up enough, they now have a teabagger running for a position on the board. The last thing we need is a teabagger filled with anger and racism making decisions about our kids education. From Muse:

Marsha Farney, who is running for a State Board of Education seat, was not as reserved about where she stood. "I'd rather be here than with those America-bashing Democrats," she said.

The SBOE doesn't need another wide eyed, white, angry, racist, republican on the board.  We have enough of them already.

Republican Chair, Michael Steele, apologizes to the Taliban

Michael Steele on the heels of Congressman Joe Barton bowed to the Taliban and apologized for the war in Afghanistan prompting calls for his resignation. Again. At a fundraiser which was secretly recorded Steele said:

"This was a war of Obama's choosing. This was not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in." 

All Steele had left to do was to get on his knees and say "I'm sorry" on behalf of the republican party. According to the Atlantic Wire conservatives are now asking for his walking papers:

Rush Limbaugh: "Look, I can get on the radio and apologize for illegal drug use, or being caught with massive amounts of  viagra, or getting married for the 8th time, or apologizing to BP for criticizing their handling of the worst oil spill in history, but I know my limits".

Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX) "I will be damned if I allow Michael Steele to apologize to the Taliban before I do!"

Sean Hanity: "I am making a ton of money on this war with my military charity scandal. Ain't no one one needs to be apologizing for nothing!

Texas State Land Commissioner Jerry Patternson: "I'm gonna shoot dat sum bitch".

State Attorney General Greg Abbott: "I will volunteer tax money and the services of my staff to represent the Taliban from such slander."

Steele has since release a statement: "The republican party is nothing but a bunch of frickin, redneck, color blind, racists, incompetent, hypocritical, ignorant mo-fos. They are my kinds of peoples."

Texas Green Party will do anything to lose

It's not like the Green Party candidates have any chance of winning. These candidates are  locked into an extremely narrow view of what they would campaign on, environmental issues. It is disturbing when the Texas League of Conservation Voters writes to the Green Party asking them to withdraw their candidates. From Burnt Orange Report:

Unfortunately, the League cannot support Green Party candidates in Texas at this time as it appears the Green Party used corporate money directed from out-of-state partisan sources whose positions on environmental policy are antithetical to those of the Green Party. The League believes the use of corporate, out-of-state money directed from partisan operatives for a petition drive corrupts and manipulates the electoral process.
...

It stands to reason that the ballot petition drive funders' primary interest was to siphon votes away from Bill White to the benefit of a big polluter like Rick Perry.  It is profoundly dismaying that the Green Party decided, by accepting this tainted money, to be a willing accomplice in this endeavor.

Again, The Texas League of Conservation Voters respectfully reiterates its call for Green Party candidates to remove their names from the ballot in Texas in 2010. 

As of today at least one candidate has done the honorable thing and has withdrawn from the November ballot. I am sure the other candidates had no idea this corporate money was being used to put them on the ballot, so they can lean on their ignorance instead of standing on their honor.

The Democratic Party has a huge hurdle to overcome, Rick Perry's Republican Supreme Court of Texas.  If by chance Perry's republican court will uphold the lower courts decision to remove the candidates from the ballot, look for a full court press on those who knew of the illegal donations.

In the end whether they are on the ballot or not, the Green Party is going to lose and it seems they will do anything to do so.

Republican Supreme Court rescues Rick Perry

Wow. I didn't see this one coming. The Texas Supreme Court, all republicans, who have voted 87% in favor of Rick Perry's donors, has rescued the Governor, for at least a while. From the Lone Star Project:

The Texas State Supreme Court, made up of nine Republicans – six of whom were originally appointed by Rick Perry – reversed a lower court decision and are allowing the Green Party of Texas to certify candidates for the 2010 election, at least until further briefing is provided to the Court next week.

The Green Party spokesman stated "Green Party officials have said if their candidates are blocked from the ballot, it would be a "death penalty" for the party." And/Or duh. If they broke the law as the evidence points to, they should be off the ballot. Lucky for Rick Perry, his boys on the Texas Supreme Court will probably rule in his favor.

Hey, you get what you pay for. How much did you pay for the Texas Supreme Court. Remember that when one of Rick Perry's buddies kills one of your family members, builds a shoddy home, or won't pay when they lose a court case.

And you wonder why NASA's budget is getting cut?

Wonder no more.

Pete Olson

In 2008 the voters of Congressional District 22 voted for Pete Olson who took it as his personal goal to call the President of the United States a socialist as many times as he possibly can. He ridiculed his staff, made wide accusation about the health care reform, and disrespected the office. Because of his personal attacks and lack of civility NASA has to depend upon other Congressman to work with the Administration.

Rick Perry
Our Governor also has decided that the Federal Government is the modern day boogie man and the President is the socialist of all socialists. Funny how when Bush was in office, the Federal Government was his close friend. Perry, like Olson, is not capable of conducting himself like a Governor, acting like a human being or conducting himself in a civil manner. He too is out of the picture.

NASA employees
NASA employees aren't helping either. This week KPRC aired a story about the racially insensitive email about the President sent by an employee of Jacobs Engineering and distributed by a high ranking NASA employee. You would think that someone intelligent enough to be working for NASA could figure out that distributing racist emails about the President of the United States isn't in their best interest.

Kesha Rogers
And then you have the LaRouche candidate Kesha Rogers and her band of *&^%ing brain dead idiots hanging out at the post office depicting the President of the United States as Hitler. They too are incapable of conducting themselves as human beings much less as someone running for office.

Pete Olson. Rick Perry. NASA employees. Kesha Rogers. We have people being laid off wondering where their next paycheck will be coming from and all they have is their elected officials acting like fools and others playing games.

It just doesn't take a frickin rocket scientist to figure out that Houston has a problem.

Who else is driving Ms Daisy-Harper-Brown?

State Representative Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving) has a huge ethics problem that could cost her the election in November. (Ask former State Senator, Kim Brimer, what happens when you get caught with a lapse in ethics during an election) Brown is on the Transportation Committee and was driving a 2010 Mercedes from a company that received contracts from the Committee.

Brown will spend the next few months leading to November trying to explain why she thought it was ethical and "above board" to be driving a $60,000 Mercedes provided by someone doing business with the state. While she is doing this, someone else on the Transportation Committee is benefiting from his donors money, but this time it is legal. Maybe not ethical, but it is legal.

State Senator Robert Nichols is also on the Transportation Committee. In 2009, using his donors money, he purchased a $54,000 Ford, for official business only, of course. Unlike Brown, Nichols was up front with this purchase. It was disclosed on his campaign finance reports. There is no hide the Mercedes.

Of course you have to wonder what kind of vehicle Ford sells for $54,000 and why any elected official needs something like a Mercedes or F250 to do their job. But, Nichols did it right. Collect donations and buy a Ford for himself.

Ms Daisy-Harper-Brown could learn from him.

87% percent disapprove of Perry's mansion. Perry doesn' t care.

Good for Governor Rick Perry. He isn't going to change his mind about renting a $10,000/month mansion with tax payers money just because of a poll. This poll from from deep red Amarillo, courtesy of KVII, shows 87% disapprove of his spending habits. Perry's response? "I'll get back to ya", Palin style.