09.06.07
Posted in Animal Shelter, Williamson County at 3:24 pm by wcnews
The WCRAS has euthanized another family pet. Just like the last time they euthanized a family pet, it appears that another sweet family pet became aggressive while at the shelter and had to be “put down”.
Shelter officials say it was a combination of bad timing and miscommunication as to why Lady was put to sleep and that shelter employees were following policy.”It was the dog’s day to be euthanized because it was aggressive, and we weren’t able to adopt it. Our policy is we hold it for 72 hours and if it’s aggressive it’s usually euthanized,” interim shelter director Ethel Spence said.
Martinez said his sweet-eyed white dog was not aggressive and always wanted to play.
The shelter’s policy doesn’t say anything about temperament. It says an animal must be critically ill or seriously injured to be euthanized. There’s a discrepancy whether Lady was brought to the shelter Thursday or Friday. And, by shelter policy, Lady had barely been there three days when she was killed.
Shelter Concerns has information on the very Williamson County-like setup up of a new executive committee to oversee the shelter. It consists of 5 members: County Judge Dan Gattis, Sr. and members of each participating city (Cedar Park, Hutto, Leandra, and Round Rock).
One of the issues that the cities of Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander and Hutto noted in their letters to the County sent last Friday, August 24 is that they want an executive committee formed. I have since learned that when such meetings are held they are considered closed. Therefore, no one from the public would be allowed to attend and the meeting dates and times would not have to be made public. What a brillant idea for the elected officials…another way to keep eyes off of the shelter!
The committee has not met and does not have a meeting scheduled.
This week More than 40 dogs removed from Round Rock home. And it appears the WCRAS helped out as much as it could.
Half of the dogs were taken by an Austin Chihuahua rescue group called Jack’s Fur Angels of Texas; the rest were transferred to the Austin Humane Society on Wednesday after the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter called for help and the nonprofit organization Animal Trustees of Austin offered to pay for 20 of the Chihuahuas’ medical care.
This AAS article, Shelters unite to reduce pet overpopulation, updates us on the state of animal services in Williamson County.
Despite a string of problems at the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, other local shelters have pushed forward with efforts to reduce the number of animals that are euthanized because of a lack of space.
The Humane Society of Williamson County, Georgetown’s shelter, the Central Texas Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the regional shelter united in March to form the Pet Alliance of Central Texas. The group’s first major event, Pet Expo, will include adoptions, demonstrations and other activities Oct. 20 at San Gabriel Park in Georgetown.
The regional shelter, which is in Georgetown, has not been involved in the alliance since former Director Melanie Sobel resigned in May, but shelter manager Ethel Spence said last week that the new management will take part.
One more thing from Shelter Concerns this lackluster response from Sheriff Jim Wilson regarding the criminal investigation of the shelter.
The comments below are in response to a letter I sent Williamson County Sheriff James R. Wilson in which I asked about the status of the criminal investigation into allegations of animal cruelty.
August 24, 2007
Dear Ms. Moses:
The investigation at the Animal Shelter is complex. It covers many issues and is on-going. I do not want to sound flippant, but it appears that the investigaton continues to grow. The most appropriate answer is simply that it will be completed when it is done. We have not reached that point yet. I speak to the investigator on a daily basis.
Thank you for your concern.
Sincerely,
James R. Wilson
Sheriff
Oh my.
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Posted in Road Issues, Privatization, Taxes, Central Texas, Commentary, Around The State, Around The Nation, Uncategorized at 12:40 pm by wcnews
EOW had a great back and forth regarding tolls, Democrats and Republicans in the comments to this post, Will TxDOT’ Plan To Toll Interstates Be Tipping Point? As the reader will see, while EOW believes this is primarily a Republican created problem, antitollrepublican believes there’s plenty of blame to go around for both parties. While there are some complicit Democrats - more on that below - EOW believes in situations like this if everyone is blamed then no one gets blamed. This is not a case, necessarily, of they’re all crooked.
By now most readers should know EOW’s take on the whole toll road extravaganza. Starting with Goldwater and coming to fruition with St. Ronnie, the American people were told that taxes are always bad and that anything the government does with that tax money is bad too. We all know quite clearly where that has gotten us, we’re currently living it. This post is about the neglect of our transportation infrastructure. Of course it could be about are energy infrastructure, sewer infrastructure, health care, etc.. Leaving these things to the private sector and the “free market” just hasn’t worked out. Now tothe problem with the Democrats, especially Sen. Kirk Watson and Rep. Dawnna Dukes. They have bought the GOP/corporate line that the only way we can get roads built is to toll everything. Instead of using simple facts and figures to educate the public about how much cheaper and fair it would be to build roads if we raised and indexed the gas tax - lead on this issue - they’re caving to the GOP/Chamber of Commerce/Corproate toll mantra that nothing that if we toll everything it will be just fine.
It is extremely frustrating to see so few Democrats fighting back, especially in Democrat dominant Austin and Travis County, against the toll everything mantra. It’s estremely puzzling why they would be so set against the will of the voters. When being pro-toll could end their political careers and being against them is not only right, but right politically too. Voters will understand that it’s better to do this right, and maybe a little slower, instead of doing it wrong, fast, and in a way that will cost us much more for generations. If their elected representatives would take the time to explain the concepts, the voters it will reward them for their leadership. Voters are overwhelmingly against more toll roads, the corporations aren’t. It really makes one wonder who the politicians true constituents are.
The main thing to take away from this is that the current GOP power structure in Texas will never allow for a gas tax solution to our transportation problem. Therefore we must have leadership on this from the Democrats or it will never happen. And it’s troubling that it’s not happening, especially with Democrats in Texas, but even more so with Central Texas Democrats.
Be sure and check out what Sal’s been writing about all of this at The Muckraker. He has great posts up regarding CAMPO and Sen. Watson. Be sure to take not of the next CAMPO meeting and attend if you can.
The last CAMPO public hearing for freeway tolls is
Sept 10th at the Capitol (6pm)
please put it on your calendar.Since 2004, our show of force has proven to push back
the corrupt politicos who benefit from tolling our freeways.
They fear the voters wrath - if enough of us are there
watching them.
- we need you on Monday, Sept 10th to stop them
from using that $700 million of our tax dollars,
that was intended for our Austin freeways,
for the double tax toll scheme!
Notice that Sen. Hutchison has come out completely against tolling interstate highways, thanks Senator.
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09.05.07
Posted in Election 2008, US Senate Race, 2008 Primary, Congress, Around The State, Williamson County at 3:41 pm by wcnews
Bad news for Mikal Watts today, Senate candidate played up contributions to justices. Don’t get EOW wrong we have absolutely no problem with trial lawyers, especially the work they do holding corporations accountable. EOW also has never believed the GOP talking points that “exorbitant” jury verdicts, which are almost always lowered on appeal, are the cause of astronomical insurance premiums. That’s just greed that causes that. Anyway. This doesn’t look good for Watts.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mikal Watts of San Antonio once tried to pressure a legal opponent into a $60 million personal injury lawsuit settlement by claiming he would have an advantage on appeal because of his firm’s “heavy” campaign financial support to an appellate court’s justices, “all of whom are good Democrats.”
There is no evidence that his firm’s support of justices of the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi ever gained him any undue influence.
But a nine-page letter Watts wrote to opposing counsel in 2001 apparently was intended to make an out-of-state corporation think the donations could sway the court. Watts is running for the Democratic senatorial nomination against Houston state Rep. Rick Noriega.
“This letter seems to confirm what everybody thinks about Texas justice. Very seldom is it this well-articulated,” said Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice, an organization that advocates for campaign finance reform. “It confirms the fact Texas courts are filled with politics.”
Watts mentioned his campaign donations to the justices in an April 26, 2001, letter to a lawyer representing American Electric Power in an automobile accident case. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount four months later without going to trial.
Watts attempts to smooth it over a bit.
Watts said Tuesday he noted his contributions in the letter because defense lawyers always tell trial lawyers they cannot win their cases ultimately because the Texas Supreme Court consists of all Republican justices.
“It was in response to the garbage we hear from defense lawyers every day,” Watts said.
Opposing counsel, he noted, typically will say, “It doesn’t matter what a jury is going to do because we’ve got nine angry Republicans on the Texas Supreme Court who will take away whatever a jury does.”
Watts said he was only trying to point out that if he won at the appeals court level, it would be unlikely that the Supreme Court would accept the case on further appeal.
In the election cycles surrounding the 2001 letter, Watts and his law firm donated a total of $82,500 to five of the six justices sitting on the 13th Court of Appeals.
As Kos says.
I honestly have little interest in trashing Rick Noriega’s Democratic opponent in the Texas Senate primary, but this is bad.
[…]
It’s things like this that make Rick Noriega — already an incredibly impressive man — extra appealing.
More on this from BOR, Mikal Watts: A Pattern of Buying Influence. EOW likes what Burka says about this, Don’t Put It In Writing, the title pretty much speaks for itself. He also has a pretty good analysis of the Democratic Primary and how each candidate would far against Sen. Cornyn at the end of the post.
The primary: Noriega has a great personal story; the question is whether he can raise enough money to get it out to the electorate. Watts has oodles of money, but no compelling personal narrative. The question is whether money or an Hispanic surname is the greater asset in a Democratic primary. Does the name “Victor Morales” mean anything to you? It meant something to congressmen John Bryant and Jim Chapman, who lost the 1996 Senate primary to the unknown schoolteacher, and the Hispanic vote means more in the Democratic primary today than it did then.
The general election: Neither candidate is that well known. Cornyn is the favorite but not an overwhelming one. Most national surveys rate the race as “Republican favored,” one step short of “Strong republican.” If Watts wins the primary, his background as a trial lawyer will hurt him, but Cornyn will carry a lot of the baggage that has piled up during Bush’s second term. Watts will have enough money to focus the race on Cornyn’s record. If Noriega wins the primary, he has the better shot to beat Cornyn if he can raise the money.
It’s a pretty clear choice. Do you want substance or cash as your candidate next fall? It’s kind of like what EOW said a little while back, Experience And Money Needed To Win. If we get Rick Noriega some money he can win, Watts…not so much.
Great write up in the Startlegram about Noriega’s visit to Fort Worth and Rep. Lon Burnam, The citizen-soldier and the political prophet.
In a church turned reception hall, state Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, told local Democrats last week that Fort Worth Rep. Lon Burnam is a prophet.
Burnam was the lone representative in 2005 to vote against electing Tom Craddick as speaker of the Texas House. In 2007, Burnam led another House dissent against Craddick, but this time he wasn’t standing alone.
Perhaps Burnam is foretelling the future with his endorsement of Noriega to win the Democratic nomination for the 2008 U.S. Senate race. Noriega, citizen-solider, believes that Texans are as frustrated as other Americans with the Iraq war debacle and yearn for experienced leadership to end that conflict.
As battalion commander of an infantry unit in the Texas National Guard, he has led troops in Afghanistan and guarded the southern U.S. border.
Noriega said he’s running partly because of his warrior ethos, which demands you leave no soldier behind.
“We have 160,000 brothers and sisters right now who I think are being misled by civilian leadership that has never walked the walk,” he said.
Noriega claims that his experience at the front lines and the border gives him the expertise to formulate policy based on the realities of war and diplomacy. After five terms as state representative from District 145, he said he’s ready to go to Washington to help fill the leadership void.
Noriega’s the definite choice if we want to get rid of John Cornyn.
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Posted in Commissioners Court, Bad Government Republicans, Landfill, Williamson County at 12:45 pm by wcnews
The Hutto Citizens Group (HCG) is reporting on two things concerning the landfill. The first is that the county has filed a lawsuit for “declaratory judgment” in order to get a ruling, once and for all, whether the new landfill contract can be put out for bid/request for proposal (RFP). It’s long past due on that one. Also keep in mind, no matter what the courts say, it still may be worthwhile for the county to bid the contract and pay damages, depending on how much another entity would pay for the new contract. Not to mention just using the threat of an RFP process as a bargaining tool. Unfortunately the county is probably expecting a ruling in WMI’s favor and will use that ruling to bolster their capitulation to WMI and this “Limmer Lemon”.
The second sticking point is that despite the court’s 5 - 0 vote last week on what appeared to be a clear cut motion to have Waste Management, Inc. (WMI) taken off all permits - past, present and proposed. It appears something was lost in the translation from what was actually said in the meeting to what was printed in the official minutes.
Note that the Motion, as described in the Minutes, does not instruct Mr. Dietz to remove Waste Management’s name from the three permit documents (1995 permit, 2003 permit application, and the proposed draft permit. Now note the highlighted portions of the transcript underlying the Motion, showing that the Minutes do not accurately reflect the intent of the Motion. The Minutes do not call for the REMOVAL of Waste Management’s name from the 1995 permit, the 2003 permit application, and the pending draft permit. Conversely, that’s what the MOTION calls for in the context of the agreed discussion.)
Click here [.PDF] to read much more about the discrepancy. It’s hard to imagine any non-nefarious reason that Judge Gattis and outside counsel continue to play games and keep WMI’s name on the permits. When the court spells it out, and unanimously votes to have their name taken off the permit and it still remains this can no longer be seen as an oversight or a slip up, it’s hard to imagine that this isn’t being done on purpose. At this point what should be done is WMI’s name should be taken off all permits. If they have a problem with it make them fight to get their name on the permits, at the least make them negotiate to get their name back on the contract.
Be sure to read the HCG’s latest release for more on both of these issues.
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09.04.07
Posted in Privatization, Road Issues, Commentary, Around The Nation, Around The State at 12:58 pm by wcnews
If you’re not familiar with the story, you can catch up here, it’s a cautionary tale for all of us. Along with the 99 year lease the foreign corporation also received a “non-compete” agreement. From this editorial, Parkway lease fool’s gambit, over the weekend.
Who is the greater fool?
a) Those who would rather pay tolls than taxes.
b) The Northwest Parkway Public Highway Authority, which built a 9-mile road to nowhere that hasn’t generated enough tolls to pay its debts.
c) Investors from Portugal and Brazil who last week agreed to pay up to $800 million to lease and possibly expand the failing roadway for 99 years.
d) The next generation of suckers who get sucked into this scheme.
[…]
Brisa also received a noncompete clause in its lease. For the next 99 years, nobody can build a roadway or transportation that adversely affects Brisa’s toll-road traffic. If they do, Brisa can demand compensation or back out of the lease.
Anyone who wants to build a road, railway or bus line in Broomfield had better brush up on their Portuguese.
It’s practically congestion by design. Jack the tolls. Make sure nobody builds new roads.
“It’s a protection that Brisa wanted for its monopoly on this corridor,” said John Putnam, a private attorney for the city of Golden, which is doing everything it can to keep the exorbitantly priced parkway from crossing its borders.
[…]
It’s either a stroke of genius or folly.
In the meantime, some Colorado motorists will either be paying tolls to foreign investors or stuck in traffic because Brisa put the fix on developing other roads. So who is the greater fool? I think the answer is a).
That’s the corporate “rigged” free-market at work. To the toll corporations the “non-compete” is like hitting the lottery.
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Posted in HD-52, Election 2008, 2008 Primary, Around The State, Williamson County at 12:34 pm by wcnews
Anyone know what the word is on a primary opponent is for Rep. Mike Krusee (R -Toll Everything)? It’s hard to believe that the “conservatives” of Williamson County will let Krusee - who spoke out so harshly against conservative idol, Speaker Tom Craddick, during the late session coup - run unopposed in the GOP primary. Or are the “conservative” WCGOP and Craddick going soft and they’ll let Krusee slide on this one?
What brought this to mind is Harvey Kronberg’s latest at News 8, Political season heats up. He talks about a couple of pick-up opportunity’s for Democrats in the Austin area, including Krusee, but how the real fun will be in the primary’s.
Austin is the perfect example of what Democrats see as real opportunity. Two House seats designed by Republicans to be Republican were won by Democrats Donna Howard and Valinda Bolton in 2006. In 2008, local Democrats think Congressman Mike McCaul and State Rep. Mike Krusee are vulnerable to changing demographics and the fact that so many Texans think the country is heading in the wrong direction.
But if you are a political junkie like me, the March primary is the action to watch.
He goes on to talk about how Craddick is recruiting opponents for those that opposed him.
Craddick’s allies are busy recruiting challengers for the independent Republicans who refused to submit to the speaker’s claim of absolute authority to impose silence on opponents. Sure, the Republican primary will have all the standard flaming rhetoric on taxes, smaller government and immigration. But even more than in previous years, those issues will be diversions. There are no neutral parties in this battle over prohibiting the right to speak on the House floor.
Beware challenger from the right, you may wind up in court. I’m sure there will be, at the least, an anti-toll opponent for Krusee in the primary. The question is will there be an opponent from the far-righ, Craddick wing of the party, to take on Krusee as well? It’s also extremely hard to believe that Craddick would let such an affront to his authority go unpunished.
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09.03.07
Posted in Commentary, Around The State at 9:03 am by wcnews
Even though it’s Labor Day, Texas Progressive bloggers are still hard at work, and so the Texas Progressive Alliance is proud to present the TPA Blog Round-Up for September 3, 2007. This Labor Day edition was compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.In the opening part of his in-depth series on the policies of the Democratic presidential candidates, Phillip Martin at Burnt Orange Report examines where the candidates fall on issues concerning energy and the environment. From their stance on CAFE standards to new coal plants, to renewable energy and greenhouse emissions, the post provides a well-sourced comparison of all 8 of the candidates’ platforms.
Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal lets us know that, even after embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ resignation, Texas’ unpopular Sen. John Cornyn is still defending Bush’s crony.
As Bush prepares to ask Congress for $200 billion in supplemental spending TXsharon at Bluedaze tells us just who The Iraq War Profiteers are.
Muse at Musings live blogs NASA Administrator Michael Griffin’s press conference about astronauts and alcohol use and finds his “sensationalism” and “urban legend” accusations of the independent commission¹s report a little tiresome. Not to mention defensive.
Over at Texas Kaos, in “Clinton Did Nothing to Stop Bin Laden” Is a GOP Lie, Krazypuppy takes on the Republican lie that Democrats are soft on terror with some of them facts we in the Reality Based Community are always on about. As one commenter notes, Dems aren’t weak on terror, they’re weak on Republicans. Time for that to change, for America’s sake, Iran’s sake, and the entire world’s sake.
Someone shoved a press release under Hal at Half Empty’s nose: Ron E. Reynolds will challenge Dora Olivo for state Representative in HD 27.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on TxDOT’s plan to buy back interstate highways from the federal government and put tolls on them and asks Will TxDOT’ Plan To Toll Interstates Be Tipping Point?
The last public hearing prior to METRO choosing a route for its Universities light rail line was this past Tuesday. Alexandria Ragsdale attended the hearing, made her statement in favor of a Richmond Avenue alignment, and blogged all about it at Off The Kuff
Whosplayin.com shares correspondence with his Congressman urging the avoidance of pre-emptive war against Iran and shares a study regarding the administrations probable plans on the matter.
John at Bay Area Houston claims the recent changes to the Texas Residential Construction Commission makes it the most expensively worthless Commission in Texas.
Vince at Capitol Annex examines some interesting questions raised by the lawsuit against the changes to the pledge to the Texas flag made by the 80th Legislature.
Unchecked development in Texas now threatens the continued long-term existence of an iconic bird species, the Whooping Crane, notes Peter at B & B.
CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme shows how El Paso Women are taking a stand against NAFTA. These courageous women staged a hunger strike for the Labor Day weekend to bring attention to the loss of American jobs due to NAFTA.
And, McBlogger will be celebrating a birthday soon and has some convenient gift ideas for everyone.
Be sure to check out these other great Texas Progressive Alliance blogs, too: Brains & Eggs, Casual Soap Box, Common Sense, Dos Centavos, Easter Lemming Liberal News, Feet To Fire, In The Pink Texas, Marc’s Miscellany, People’s Republic of Seabrook, Rhetoric & Rhythm, Three Wise Men, Truth Serum Blog, Winding Road In Urban Area,
and Wyld Card.
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09.02.07
Posted in 2008 Primary, Williamson County at 11:22 pm by wcnews
Some Williamson County Republicans have had it out for Precinct 1 Constable Gary Griffin for quite a while. They’ve recruited a primary challenger Robert Chody. He’s a former APD officer who’s wife bought the winning ticket for an $85 million lottery jackpot in 2001. They took the cash option, smart move, and received $51 million, Texas Lottery press release here [.PDF]. From his campaign web site he looks like the latest C&W pretty boy. He appears to be well qualified, maybe even overqualified, for the job. It seems a little strange that someone in Chody’s position would want to be a constable.
Obviously he can self-finance, even though a constable’s race in Williamson County is probably not too expensive. From what I’ve been lead to believe Chody has been prodded to run by the contingent in the county that has it out for current Precinct 1 Constable Gary Griffin. Chody also has campaign signs up already at 620 & Parmer Lane. It would be interesting to know Chody’s thoughts on what has transpired between the county and Griffin over the last couple of years.
From looking at his qualifications and his financial position Chody does not seem like a person that would put up with the games that go on in Williamson County politics. If he’s ultimately elected constable it will be interesting to see how he and the “Mayberry Machaivellis” get along. Anyway, should make for an interesting primary.
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09.01.07
Posted in HD-52, Election 2008, 2008 Primary, Around The State, The Lege at 11:51 pm by wcnews
The main story, Speaker politics an undercurrent in House races, pertains to what Craddick is up to at this point in the upcoming primary season.
On the campaign trail, it is Craddick’s ability to call on big Republican donors, lobbyists and his own $3.8 million war chest that makes him so formidable — and makes so many GOP incumbents fearful that he will recruit opposition for them. Democrats expect him to dabble in their primaries by trying to protect his Democrat allies, without making it obvious, or recruiting Democrat incumbents in swing districts by convincing them that he can discourage GOP opposition.
Craddick isn’t saying. He refused an interview to discuss his plans for the 2008 campaign, and press secretary Alexis DeLee said he’s not answering speculative questions about strategy. As in the past, DeLee said, Craddick will campaign personally for any incumbent of either party who requests him to do so.
His actions, however, say volumes to his opponents.
Kelly Fero, an Austin-based Democratic consultant, said people close to Craddick talked to him about helping in Democrat primaries, but nothing came of it.
“It showed me they are looking for new ways to hang on to power,” Fero said.
Two other things in this article. The GOP primary races will move the candidates to the right which could open up some of these areas to Democratic challenges. The second is that the Democrats are having trouble finding someone to challenge Rep. Dawnna Dukes.
Benkiser said competitive primaries can be healthy and re-energize the Republican base, but Democratic consultant Matt Angle said it will prove to be a distraction that forces GOP nominees toward political extremes.
“It absorbs their money, takes up their time and reminds people they are ideological,” he said. “They’ll end up outbidding each other in moving to the right.”
Democrats, of course, will have their own contested primaries, although most of them appear in safe areas such as the Rio Grande Valley, where the issue is whether to replace one Democrat with another.
But challenging an incumbent, even a Craddick supporter in a Democratic primary, is no easy thing, as Travis County Democrats are finding out. Several consultants have sought candidates to oppose Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, whose support of Craddick brought her key committee assignments she said would help her district.
Austin Democratic consultant David Butts is still looking.
“We have to have people who give a damn for average people in this state, and I don’t think Tom Craddick does,” he said. “She voted for him to advance her own position. I think that was wrong.”
Butts acknowledges, however, that Dukes has made few bad votes for Democrats outside of her support for Craddick. He added that it is hard to persuade someone to tackle an incumbent for a $7,200-a-year job.
The second article on this is what they’re calling the Early Birds. Of course Diana Maldonado’s challenge in HD-52 is on the list.
Mike Krusee, R-Williamson County: Round Rock school trustee Diana Maldonado, a Democrat, may test whether Krusee’s narrow victory in 2006 over underfunded Democrat portends trouble for next year. Once a Craddick lieutenant, Krusee split with the speaker over his quest to hold onto power
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Posted in Take Action, US Senate Race, Election 2008, 2008 Primary, Around The Nation, Democratic Events, Around The State at 11:01 am by wcnews
Probably won’t be much posting this weekend unless something really grabs me. EOW will post a few items below that caught our “eye”. Happy Labor Day!!
Rick Noriega went over very well in the Metroplex yesterday, Rick Noriega in Dallas Yesterday.
Because in the reddest of red states, in the heart of maybe the most Republican state in the country, Rick Noriega looks like he can do the unthinkable: run as a Democrat for a statewide office and win. And after listening to him last night, I’m more convinced than ever.
Part of his appeal is his military bearing. The Texas National Guard lieutenant colonel and Afghanistan vet isn’t vulnerable to accusation of being “soft” on security. He can talk about running a convoy and setting up checkpoints because he’s been there. As he puts it, he knows the difference between an M203 and an M&M.
The campaign is also starting a grassroots effort to get 25,000 names on his petition for filing for the Senate. If you didn’t get the email it can be read here, it tells all about the effort and how to get started.
I also found this article from The Agonist pertinent and troubling,
Why Japan Is Eating America’s Lunch On Broadband.
Now, ten years ago Japan had slower internet than the US. So they looked to the US to see how to do it - and they saw that the US had open access laws (where in the old days, companies could buy access to the lines at wholesale rates - which is why there was an ISP on every corner in the 90’s) and decided they were key.
So they opened up broadband access - mandated that phone and cable lines had to be available to whoever wanted access.
[…]
Now here’s the thing. What we’re talking about is the Republican administration reducing competition. In a competitive market this wouldn’t have happened. When you’re dealing with a natural monopoly (and phone and cable lines are natural monopolies because driving more than one each to each home doesn’t make sense) you have to legislate the market in such a way as to make sure competition exists. The free market can’t do its thing if there isn’t a market - and in most of the US there isn’t a market. You have at best two possible suppliers. Often one. And in many areas - if you want “high” speed - none.
The modern “conservative” fallacy is that free markets means lack of government regulation. That isn’t even close to what it means - what it means is a market with many actors, relatively transparent information, and no one actor or group with pricing power, whether through collusion or monopoly.
The laws that made the US resistant to this sort of bullshit have either been taken away (open access) or have been weakend by the courts (for example the recent ruling that prices all being the same wasn’t prima facie evidence of price fixing, which it has been for the last, oh, over 100 years.)
When you don’t have competition, with few exceptions, you don’t get progress or better products. And so the US has worse broadband. It has worse wireless. It has worse (and deliberately crippled) phones. It’s falling behind in the very industry it invented. All because a few gatekeeper corporations don’t want to have to compete and because the Bush administration and conservative justices believe in concentration of wealth rather than progress and competition.
There’s more on this topic over at SaveTheInternet.
Just a couple of items for over the weekend to read. Be sure and print you petition before heading out for that weekend barbecue.
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