Harvey KronBerg's Quorum Report posted today that ChronBlog/Hearst Austin Bureau reporter R.G. Ratcliffe has resigned from the newspaper effective immediately. I can't link directly to the story because of Kronberg's restrictive membership policy so go ahead over there and read the chub while it's still on the front page.
In order to avoid copyright infringement, I'll just say that I don't believe Ratcliffe's reason for leaving ChronBlog. As with all resigning ChronBlog reporters the question is this:
Which Democratic politician will hire Ratcliffe as head of PR?
Leave your guess in the comments.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Noise Machine (1/25/11)
Date night edition......
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A prime example of the difference between Corporatists and Progressives.
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BurkaBlog :: State of the disunion
Burka the clown is even worse when he tries to analyze National politics.
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My Chase Bank High School Checking Account Nightmare - Houston News - Hair Balls
Blaming the bank for one's lack of financial knowledge? Priceless.
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Another Graffiti-Removal Effort About to Be Launched by City - Houston News - Hair Balls
Pot-hole trucks, graffiti trucks....at least they're not trying to punish the victims this time.
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Democrats call President Obama's promise to clamp down on earmarks a power grab | Texas Watchdog
Power over the purse strings is real power, Democrats know that.
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A very early look at 2011 fundraising – Off the Kuff
Kuffner is at his best when he's crunching numbers.
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Final debate on voter ID to start now | Postcards
And so it goes. Be interesting to see if they decide to tackle the (very real) problem of mail-in ballots as well, or maybe even same-day voter registration. *Not that voter fraud doesn't exist (as some Progressives would have you believe) but it's not the only problem out there.*
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Houston Carl’s Jr. breaks sales records | Houston Business Journal
The $6 burger is a good burger.
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For Small Businesses, Big World Beckons - WSJ.com
Remember this the next time a politician slams "evil multinational corporations"
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It was bad draft picks, and an unwillingness to sign free agents, that got them into this mess in the first place. ChronBlog seems to have missed this..
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Federal budget deficit hits new high: $1.5 trillion | National | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Yeesh.
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And on and on it goes
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Downtown District hires bodyguards for downtown visitors and residents (blogHOUSTON - The Stream)
Glad to see Anne back engaged and blogging.
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KTRK-13's Tim Heller slams Chronicle weather "reporting" (blogHOUSTON - The Stream)
It's sad what passes as "news" at ChronBlog these days.
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Sheriff Garcia prefers executives over deputies
"The next time you read a puff piece about Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia's budget prowess, think about this: executives +93, patrol deputies -66. That's right, at the same time reporters are letting him get away with talk about spending less, they are ignoring the plain fact that he added 93 executive level positions at the same time he cut 66 positions from the patrol bureau. Not to mention the 39 detectives he cut." It's shameful that a blogger reported this first while the former newspaper of record decided it un-newsworthy.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Las Vegas is America....
....in microcosm.
You have the South side of the strip, Mandalay Bay, The Bellagio, Rio, etc. (the rich) the North side of the strip, with the Riviera, Circus Circus (the Middle Class) and Freemont Street (the retired) all trying very hard to ignore all of the pawn shops and pan-handlers (the poor) while occasionally hob-nobbing with one another in mixer settings. Then you have the prostitutes (politicians) who pander to whatever side they think can give them money (the vote or money).
At one time Vegas had style, it was filled with stars like Sinatra, Martin, etc. Gambling had style and panache and was done with flair. Today gambling is a sad sight to see. Poor folks and people with a lot of credit pumping more money than they should into slot machines (Flat Screen TV's, expensive cars, etc.) that slowly drain their wealth why the casino's charge a TON for mediocre food that's designed to have the appearance of luxury.
That being said, I still love Las Vegas, for all of its faults. I like being able to sit down at a poker table with a better than average chance of winning. I like playing the 25 cent Wheel of Fortune progressive slots with a way worse than average chance of winning. I also like seeing the lights, the shows and all of the entertainment Las Vegas has to offer.
Just like I still love America, for all of its faults. I like having a job, being free to write this blog, being able to approve comments from people who don't take the time to read what's written. I like having the freedom to worship (or not) as I choose, and to buy what car I want and to live where I want, work the job that I want without the central planning agency telling me how it should be. I like being able to go to Las Vegas to sit down at a poker table. Yes, I don't like the guys constantly shoving prostitute coupons in my face as I walk down the strip holding my wife's hand, and I don't like seeing bad Elvis impersonators (trust me, there were several of those) but I still like Vegas.
I could do without the prostitutes.
Keep the all you can eat seafood buffet at the Freemont casino however. That was good.
You have the South side of the strip, Mandalay Bay, The Bellagio, Rio, etc. (the rich) the North side of the strip, with the Riviera, Circus Circus (the Middle Class) and Freemont Street (the retired) all trying very hard to ignore all of the pawn shops and pan-handlers (the poor) while occasionally hob-nobbing with one another in mixer settings. Then you have the prostitutes (politicians) who pander to whatever side they think can give them money (the vote or money).
At one time Vegas had style, it was filled with stars like Sinatra, Martin, etc. Gambling had style and panache and was done with flair. Today gambling is a sad sight to see. Poor folks and people with a lot of credit pumping more money than they should into slot machines (Flat Screen TV's, expensive cars, etc.) that slowly drain their wealth why the casino's charge a TON for mediocre food that's designed to have the appearance of luxury.
That being said, I still love Las Vegas, for all of its faults. I like being able to sit down at a poker table with a better than average chance of winning. I like playing the 25 cent Wheel of Fortune progressive slots with a way worse than average chance of winning. I also like seeing the lights, the shows and all of the entertainment Las Vegas has to offer.
Just like I still love America, for all of its faults. I like having a job, being free to write this blog, being able to approve comments from people who don't take the time to read what's written. I like having the freedom to worship (or not) as I choose, and to buy what car I want and to live where I want, work the job that I want without the central planning agency telling me how it should be. I like being able to go to Las Vegas to sit down at a poker table. Yes, I don't like the guys constantly shoving prostitute coupons in my face as I walk down the strip holding my wife's hand, and I don't like seeing bad Elvis impersonators (trust me, there were several of those) but I still like Vegas.
I could do without the prostitutes.
Keep the all you can eat seafood buffet at the Freemont casino however. That was good.
The Noise Machine (1/25/11)
Back from Vegas and ready to go.......(repeat spin)
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Rhapsody in Red: NEW METRO touts safety, boosts PR staff, plans expansion (blogHOUSTON - The Stream)
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Guest Column: Dewhurst's Senate Win Not Inevitable — U.S. Congress | The Texas Tribune
Good stuff by Evan.
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Rhymes With Right - I Always Assumed Something Like This
People are surprised by this?
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Twenty-First-Century Reaganomics by Nicole Gelinas - City Journal
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Michele Bachmann responds to State of the Union address - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com
A second rebuttal is unneeded. I probably won't watch this noise-fest.
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Paul Ryan to lay out conservative fiscal vision - Richard E. Cohen - POLITICO.com
Good choice.
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Texas rep. among the State of the Union "aisle hogs" | Trail Blazers Blog | dallasnews.com
What's even more humorous is that a reporter would think this well-known event is "news".
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Sheriff spending down for first time in a decade | Houston Politics | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
I wondered if an elected Democrat would challenge this.
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Rick Perry's "Emergencies": An Agenda Set by Tea Party Talk Radio - Houston News - Hair Balls
Because Progressive legislative priorities aren't driven by idealism right?
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Foxes In the Henhouse - The Texas Observer
"This article is the first in a series of stories called “The Poverty Business” about regulators and the industries that enrich themselves at the expense of Texas consumers." News-ish in nutshell. Profit is BAD, Statism is the only truth etc. etc. It's a mess of a political philosophy that ignores the fact that Government doesn't create wealth. For that you need private industry.
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Lege By the Numbers - The Texas Observer
Of course, the news-ish agencies weren't around, but the media never displayed this type of interest in "the numbers" when others were in power.
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Texas Senate Will Begin Voter ID Debate Tuesday — Voter ID | The Texas Tribune
Is calling it a "fight" really fair? The Republicans are going to push this through and the Democrats can't do a thing about it. That's not a fight.
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Drink.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Noise Machine (1/19/11)
Don't expect your comment to be approved until after the weekend. I'm off to Vegas.
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On the South Steps, Some will never be contenders, part 2
Heh.
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Jerome Gray : Longtime Anchor Becomes Metro Spokesman - Houston News - Hair Balls
I thought Metro was going broke? $170K per year???
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Suddenly ideological identification is important? Houston's lack of media is glaring.
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Conservatives' Plan to Close Budget Gap: Sell Liquor on Sundays!! - Houston News - Hair Balls
This really is the best idea in the whole mess.
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Texas Senate Debates but Doesn't Change Two-Thirds Rule — Voter ID | The Texas Tribune
I've voted against Dan Patrick every time. To no avail, but one can hope.
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Where's the science behind this? The non-partisan science I mean...
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Critics Blast Approach to Community Colleges in HB 1 — Higher Education | The Texas Tribune
This budget blueprint is insane. If this is the best Republicans can do we're screwed. (Yes, this IS the best they can do FWIW)
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Two new sites launch to bring more transparency to Texas legislature | Texas Watchdog
More watchdogs are always a good thing.
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The Pitts budget – Off the Kuff
Hey! Imagine that....Democrats don't like the Republican budget.
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Big prison treatment cuts questioned | Postcards
Not smart.
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Commission OKs Capitol Complex Study | Postcards
Nero fiddles why Rome burns.
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TxDOT takes only glancing blow from House budget | Postcards
There's an argument to be made that cuts are better made here than in programs benefiting poor children. The GOP should, at the least, consider them.
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Williams to leave Railroad Commission in April | Postcards
Well, good for him.
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Poll shows Dewhurst, Paul in early Senate lead | Trail Blazers Blog | dallasnews.com
Meaningless. As is any poll showing Dr. Ron Paul in the "lead" for any Republican race other than his own.
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People who don't look too deeply at issues will think this is a good move. Those of us in the real world realize it's a re-election ploy.
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Texas Legislators to consider more — and higher — fees | Houston Business Journal
Fees are a taxes. The GOP is hoping you don't realize that.
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Katy attraction succumbs to Grand Parkway | Houston Politics | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
I haven't seen many people who are bullish on the GP, yet it continues to move along.
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Garbage fee? Not for now, Parker says | Houston Politics | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Is this the first fee Parker has shot down?
Monday, January 17, 2011
Oratory.
Closing out Martin Luther King Jr Day I give you one of the greatest speeches ever delivered....
As partisans, on both sides, try and drape themselves in the ideological cloak of Dr. King listening to this speech should remind the rest of us of something very important: The dream of Dr. King won't be reached by Government fiat, but by normal, work-a-day folks refusing to play the racist hands dealt to us by those in power who cash in on their remnants.
Happy MLK day. I hope you celebrated it well.
As partisans, on both sides, try and drape themselves in the ideological cloak of Dr. King listening to this speech should remind the rest of us of something very important: The dream of Dr. King won't be reached by Government fiat, but by normal, work-a-day folks refusing to play the racist hands dealt to us by those in power who cash in on their remnants.
Happy MLK day. I hope you celebrated it well.
The Noise Machine (1/17/11)
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Jets, Pats, Gervais and civility | MeMo | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
"Nobody's mentioning the part where he simulated oral sex, but I'm not making it up" She's really playing the offended card after the crap she puts in her features section? This, a woman who's a big fan of "worst person in the world" Keith Olbermann? Who treats people as sub-human for typos? Schlock. This is what we get instead of news in Houston. Blah.
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Data supports bike projects | Ray LaHood - Houston Tomorrow
Should read:Data from partisan, progressive groups support bike projects and bad studies (that don't mention trade-offs) show support for walkable projects. Sad that the Sec. of Transportation has so sold out to politics in lieu of fact. I thought Democrats didn't do that?
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Rhymes With Right - Crossing the Line From Reporting To Editorializing
Wow
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BurkaBlog: Michael Williams resigns as Railroad Commission chair
The DMN breaks it, Burka "reports" on it later. (with no link to the original story)
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You'd be surprised how often this happens.
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Getting beaten up in cyberspace does no one much harm - Telegraph
Seems the Brits have a better grasp on freedom of speech than do we?
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Galveston Council OKs park and ride | Cars and trucks | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
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Sheriff stays put, Bell says maybe | Houston Politics | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
"Bell said his thinking would get "a lot more serious" under two conditions: 1) if he thought there was a chance of going to the U. S. Senate and "helping restore opportunity to the middle class," and 2) if he felt he had a realistic chance of winning. "// - Well that just about puts an end to that. On another note: How desperate are the Dems that they're seriously thinking of placing a County Sheriff into the race for US Senator?
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She gets her name out there. And in Houston, that's all that matters.
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Tequila uprise? - chicagotribune.com
"Those disaffected voters may have a new home: the Tequila Party,"// - Insert joke here.
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The Brief: Top Texas News for Jan. 17, 2011 — Texas News | The Texas Tribune
"It'll be hard not to, after all, given the relentless will-he-or-won't-he presidential speculation that recently followed him on the national media tour he took to promote his new book and flaunt his conservative credentials." // - News-ish groups just can't help themselves
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Weekend Update (1/16/11)
Sunday fun-day called on account of rain......
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A scavenger hunt? Educational for her staff? Sounds as if there's more to be investigated here than just Jones' potty mouth.
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Agenda full for Houston gay rights caucus | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
They've had a good two years. Freeman seems like a sharp guy, I'm betting he does well in this position.
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Strayhorn and the Left's insistence that they were the only anti-margins tax crusaders out there is laughable. Most people saw this as a disaster in the making.
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Years from now historians will marvel at what American politicians did to destroy food production in this country.
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Gun-Control Opportunists - WSJ.com
The answer to any tragedy for progressives is always a reduction in the rights of law-abiding citizens.
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Breaking the cycle of fear, violence - chicagotribune.com
The answer to any tragedy for progressives is always a reduction in the rights of law-abiding citizens.
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Political left not likely to heed Obama on Arizona shooting | NewsOK.com
Obama gave a good speech. Unfortunately there are many in his party that won't listen to it.
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The Times Loses It | The Weekly Standard
The Left's reaction to the Arizona shootings is increasingly proving ridiculous, overly partisan and scripted.....
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The Tea Party Agenda For Our Nation—Is This What You Want? « Texas Liberal
"Mr. Jennings regularly attends and offers up reports from meetings of Tea Party cells." Comparing political opposites to terrorists? So much for that "chill" in political rhetoric the Left was pining for.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Weekend Update (1/15/11)
Bad, bad day for the Apple Dumpling Gang, and a worse week for MSM and the Left.
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"Gov. Perry's approach on the budget seems similar to the one he followed two years ago" The Apple Dumpling Gang's entire argument is made moot when you realize Perry's 2009 approach worked.
That's 0 for 3 for them today. Shutter this abomination of an Ed board.
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"we must be careful to remember that violence is no more prevalent among the mentally ill than in society as a whole"
Ummm...this statement is false with no statistical evidence to back it up.
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The Arizona issues: Time for healing | Editorial | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
"Whether it fed the killer's fantasies and prompted the attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is in the end probably unknowable."
Actually, it's fairly knowable. As in we know it didn't. Only people hiding their head in the sand think otherwise.
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Easy Rider in Bizarro World - WSJ.com
"Back in the 1960s, who'd have imagined that a septuagenarian white sheriff from Arizona with a hostility to free speech would one day become a hero to the left?"
Quoted for truth.
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Tim Rutten: America's bitter and poisonous political speech - latimes.com
"The Internet has been a great enabler of incivility"
That's a cop-out. The MSM has been guilty of focusing on the extreme instead of one the sane. See John Coby, Fox News and the Houston Press as exhibit B.
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The Tucson Witch Hunt - NYTimes.com
Once it became clear the guy was a leftist, oops....
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"Safety is one of the seven operating principles of the NEW METRO." (blogHOUSTON - The Stream)
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Hutchison: Under Perry, budget woes | Trail Blazers Blog | dallasnews.com
Old political grudges die hard.
Friday, January 14, 2011
82nd Lege Reference Guide (Part II)
Note: This will maybe, possibly be in something close to alphabetical order, but if it's that you want go buy a Webster's.
Dallas: The reason humanity invented the word "overrated". Living on the fumes of a TV show that aired over 20 years ago the closest Dallas comes to its former glory is when Jerry Jones is on TV. Oh, and they have a better rail system than Houston. Terrible Bar-B-Q though.
David Dewhurst: The king of starched shirts and the first player out of the tunnel in the race for Kay Bailey's Senate seat.
Dan Patrick, Sen: Master of political rhetoric and zero action. KDAN is all about keeping issues around but doing little to actually get things done. Appraisal caps? (his first signature issue) Now that the political climate is right for them he's abandoned the issue and decided to focus on sonograms for women considering an abortion. His ultimate goal is Statewide office. When you filter his rhetoric through that filter it all makes perfect sense.
Democrats, Texas: The political equivalent of a two year old throwing a tantrum in the corner. It's not that Texas Democrats are bad, it's that they're HISTORICALLY bad. Despite their ideas being out of step with a majority of Texans they're incapable of self-examination. When your one hope is: "Well, eventually the White folks who live outside of the cities will die" you're looking down the long, dark tunnel of political irrelevance.
Democratic Caucus: Harder to find than Waldo.
Department of Transportation, Texas: The Money Pit. Except without Tom Hanks keeping things light.
Ears: God gave us two of them and one mouth. This would suggest that listening is more important than talking but, in the political world, it just means that God wanted everyone else to hear what Dan Patrick is saying.
Easter: When all else fails, the Lege will hope the Bunny leaves them a basket full of cash to close the budget hole.
Easement: Legalized, institutionalized, theft.
Economy: The truth is, no one really knows what's going to happen in the future as far as the economy goes, but budget writers declare the next two years as fact regardless.
Environment: God of the Ecomentals, high legislative priority for what remains of the Democratic Party. The problem with unchecked environmentalism, of course, is that the greens consider humanity to be the real enemy. The only way to "save" the environment is to shut down the economy, throwing everyone into severe poverty and ushering in a new dark ages. Birth is also an issue, meaning humans being born. ANY humans being born. Instead we're promised such silliness as a "green economy" and a "bridge to the future".
Facebook: Another place for politicians to ignore feedback from their constituents.
Dallas: The reason humanity invented the word "overrated". Living on the fumes of a TV show that aired over 20 years ago the closest Dallas comes to its former glory is when Jerry Jones is on TV. Oh, and they have a better rail system than Houston. Terrible Bar-B-Q though.
David Dewhurst: The king of starched shirts and the first player out of the tunnel in the race for Kay Bailey's Senate seat.
Dan Patrick, Sen: Master of political rhetoric and zero action. KDAN is all about keeping issues around but doing little to actually get things done. Appraisal caps? (his first signature issue) Now that the political climate is right for them he's abandoned the issue and decided to focus on sonograms for women considering an abortion. His ultimate goal is Statewide office. When you filter his rhetoric through that filter it all makes perfect sense.
Democrats, Texas: The political equivalent of a two year old throwing a tantrum in the corner. It's not that Texas Democrats are bad, it's that they're HISTORICALLY bad. Despite their ideas being out of step with a majority of Texans they're incapable of self-examination. When your one hope is: "Well, eventually the White folks who live outside of the cities will die" you're looking down the long, dark tunnel of political irrelevance.
Democratic Caucus: Harder to find than Waldo.
Department of Transportation, Texas: The Money Pit. Except without Tom Hanks keeping things light.
Ears: God gave us two of them and one mouth. This would suggest that listening is more important than talking but, in the political world, it just means that God wanted everyone else to hear what Dan Patrick is saying.
Easter: When all else fails, the Lege will hope the Bunny leaves them a basket full of cash to close the budget hole.
Easement: Legalized, institutionalized, theft.
Economy: The truth is, no one really knows what's going to happen in the future as far as the economy goes, but budget writers declare the next two years as fact regardless.
Environment: God of the Ecomentals, high legislative priority for what remains of the Democratic Party. The problem with unchecked environmentalism, of course, is that the greens consider humanity to be the real enemy. The only way to "save" the environment is to shut down the economy, throwing everyone into severe poverty and ushering in a new dark ages. Birth is also an issue, meaning humans being born. ANY humans being born. Instead we're promised such silliness as a "green economy" and a "bridge to the future".
Facebook: Another place for politicians to ignore feedback from their constituents.
The Noise Machine (1/14/11)
I can't make this stuff up.
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Matt Bramanti in the comments: "My fellow readers: please don't point out that the State of the Union address is scheduled for Jan. 25. We might be spared a sanctimonious editorial on the 26th." Heh.
- President Obama has an opportunity to make this case - and we encourage him to do so in his State of the Union address, set for early February.
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Probably a reasonable decision....one of the few this team has ever made.
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Pothole patrol looks for Houston's bumps | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
There's a joke in here I know it.
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City of Galveston charges fees for trees | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Truly we are governed by the idiotic.
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Ooops?
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It's official, we're governed by idiots.
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Finally, a column from ChronBlog on an issue that was ruled on over a month ago. Pathetic.
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Regulator tries to ease concern about offshore rules | Energy | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Too late.
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Slow news day.
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Dallas Fed: Energy boosts Texas economy | Houston Business Journal
In related news...Texas Democrats are angry.
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Early word from Tea Party: Thumbs down on Dewhurst for Senate | Trail Blazers Blog | dallasnews.com
Well, nearly two years. I also don't trust Slater's instincts in regards to the Tea Party. This reads more like "Democrats are HOPING the Tea Party rejects Dewhurst."
- It's still two years before the 2012 election for Senate
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Land Commissioner Patterson may run for Lt. Gov. in 2014 | Trail Blazers Blog | dallasnews.com
Unless Perry runs again.
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For Democrats, a Texas-Sized Challenge - NYTimes.com
Nate's good at reading polls, bad at applying them to the real world.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Noise Machine (1/13/11)
Spaghetti all'amatriciana: Layers of flavor and history | Houston Restaurants | 29-95.com
- "But I've resigned myself to the fact that a taste of the real amatriciana is only attainable by a flight to Rome and a drive north on the Via Salaria to Amatrice — the "citta degli spaghetti all'amatriciana."
So the foodborg have infiltrated 29/95 I see? I hate people grousing that you can't get food here "just like over there" and then in the next breath rave about "local, sustainable ingredients".
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Kay Bailey Hutchison announces she will not run for re-election in 2012 | The American Independent
Heh, Bill White is not even on the news-ish radar.
- Among the many names that could seek Hutchison’s seat include Texas Railroad Commission members Elizabeth Ames Jones (R) and Michael Williams (R), former Secretary of State of Texas Roger Williams (R), former state solicitor general Ted Cruz (R), state Sen. Florence Shapiro (R) and former Democratic Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts John Sharp.
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The unintended consequence is that this will cost more, which will hurt the poor & State budgets the most.
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Same as the Old Boss? - Reason Magazine
"Give me a break! You mean to tell me the Republican leader in the House doesn't already know what he wants to cut? I don't know which is worse—that he doesn't have a list or that he won't talk about it in public."// - There is no cut list. Never has been never will be. It's all about votes.
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Pitts sets stage for upcoming budget release | Postcards
"But some members’ opposition to any new sources of state revenue might soften a bit once legislators see the concrete and local effects of balancing the 2012-13 budget by cuts alone, Pitts said at a talk sponsored by the Texas Tribune."// - My guess is, their song will change.
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A Mark White memory | Texas Politics | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
The Mark White Governorship marks about the last time ChronBlog political reporting was relavent. No wonder they're son enamoured of him...
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Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison won't run again | Politics | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
She really didn't have any other choice. No way she makes it out of a primary.
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"She predicted that the process, which gave rise to litigation last year before it even began, will not stir up too much controversy."// - This could go down as the worst prediction of the year.
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"Tree-loving students can get a chance to win a $500 U.S. Savings Bond in the 2011 Texas Arbor Day Poster Contest."// - Show your love for trees by designing a poster on paper stock made from.....dead trees.
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Gov. Quinn promises to quickly sign Ill. tax hike - Yahoo! News
Wonder how United/Continental are liking those Chicago HQ's now?
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BK Stuffed Steakhouse Reviews: I Did Not Hate It - Delish.com
"The Village Voice, which hadn’t tried it, is – frankly – less than supportive: “Whether those green and yellow chunks folded right into the patty will make you blow yours remains to be seen.” Does that surprise anyone coming from Village Voice?
How the Mighty have Fallen.
Kay Bailey Hutchison announced her (inevitable) no-go for re-election in 2012 today, and, predictably, ChronBlog wastes no time attempting to place Bill White at the head of the pack....
(Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison won't run again. Richard S. Dunham, ChronBlog)
For most of Texas it's going to boil down to who wins the Republican primary. The smart money is on Dewhurst. I've never been accused of being that smart so I'm still predicting State Sen. Dan Patrick will cut some kind of deal with Dewhurst that's designed to clear the way for the age of KDAN in DC. After starting his political career with anti-establishment rhetoric, Sen. Patrick has quietly spent most of his time in office wooing the establishment while throwing crumbs to his constituents. Can he win a State-wide race with no name ID outside of Houston? Who knows?
But based on the reaction of the News-ish organizations he probably could if he ran against Bill White:
(Kay Bailey Hutchison announces she will not run for re-election in 2012, Luke Johnson, The Texas Independent)
That a far-left, news-ish site doesn't even mention Bill White as a contender is a bad omen for his chances to eventually win the seat. It seems like only yesterday that White was being held up as the beacon leading the way forward for Texas Democrats. One absolutely horrendous* campaign later and he's found himself relegated to unpaid editorials and being blockquoted by members of the InterLeft. From Mayor of Houston (elected with 90% of the vote) to the vulgarity spewing fringe. That's quite a fall.
*Horrendous is probably too soft a word for the levels of bad that the White campaign plumbed. He cam out looking like a micro-managing nerd with honesty issues, hardly the type of person you want in government. (You want someone who will smile and shake your hand while lying to you. Bonus points if they have good hair and teeth.)
(Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison won't run again. Richard S. Dunham, ChronBlog)
And well....of course it would be Bill White and John Sharp leading the way. For ChronBlog that is.
Former Texas Comptroller John Sharp and former Houston Mayor Bill White are potential Democratic prospects. Republicans who have expressed interest in the seat include Secretary of State Roger Williams, Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, Railroad Commission Elizabeth Ames Jones and state Sen. Florence Shapiro. Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has not announced his plans but is considered a strong contender for the job.
For most of Texas it's going to boil down to who wins the Republican primary. The smart money is on Dewhurst. I've never been accused of being that smart so I'm still predicting State Sen. Dan Patrick will cut some kind of deal with Dewhurst that's designed to clear the way for the age of KDAN in DC. After starting his political career with anti-establishment rhetoric, Sen. Patrick has quietly spent most of his time in office wooing the establishment while throwing crumbs to his constituents. Can he win a State-wide race with no name ID outside of Houston? Who knows?
But based on the reaction of the News-ish organizations he probably could if he ran against Bill White:
(Kay Bailey Hutchison announces she will not run for re-election in 2012, Luke Johnson, The Texas Independent)
Among the many names that could seek Hutchison’s seat include Texas Railroad Commission members Elizabeth Ames Jones (R) and Michael Williams (R), former Secretary of State of Texas Roger Williams (R), former state solicitor general Ted Cruz (R), state Sen. Florence Shapiro (R) and former Democratic Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts John Sharp.
That a far-left, news-ish site doesn't even mention Bill White as a contender is a bad omen for his chances to eventually win the seat. It seems like only yesterday that White was being held up as the beacon leading the way forward for Texas Democrats. One absolutely horrendous* campaign later and he's found himself relegated to unpaid editorials and being blockquoted by members of the InterLeft. From Mayor of Houston (elected with 90% of the vote) to the vulgarity spewing fringe. That's quite a fall.
*Horrendous is probably too soft a word for the levels of bad that the White campaign plumbed. He cam out looking like a micro-managing nerd with honesty issues, hardly the type of person you want in government. (You want someone who will smile and shake your hand while lying to you. Bonus points if they have good hair and teeth.)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The Noise Machine (1/12/11)
Trying something new......
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Stephan Segraves | badice.com - musings for the masses
"Yet, none of this has stopped the calls for a return of the “fairness” doctrine, a blaming of Sarah Palin and her “crosshairs” map, and a move by the more liberal spectrum of Democrats to demand less rhetoric, specifically violent rhetoric. That last point, rhetoric is ironic. What happens when rhetoric demands less rhetoric, does it implode on itself?"
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Houston Strategies: Krugman's muddled argument against Texas
Krugman's even lost the moderates with his last piece.
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Lou Minatti: I think it's pretty obvious that there are far too many federal workers.
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On the South Steps, $555 million in UI funds. Round 2. FIGHT!
Good post.
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"Michigan officials may insist a formal offer was never made, but it seems clear Miles could have had the job if he wanted it."// - Idiot. Michigan never offered Miles the job. This bad speculation wins awards?
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The Speaker's Race is Over and the Budget Fight Has Just Begun - The Texas Observer
"Now, the exhaustion may be from spending hours running up and down packed stairways in the Capitol and climbing over other reporters to get a view. I didn't even have coffee."// - WTH??? Is she taking insipid lede classes from the Press?
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cafeteria test - The Texas Observer
Still not revealing her ties to the Rapaport Family Trust (and their liberal giving patterns) I see.
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Whistle of change blows for Railroad Commission | Energy | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
That's just too bad. I'm going to miss the RR commission if they change the name. Appointed commissioners are a terrible idea though.
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Chronicle's Justice named Texas sportswriter of year | Sports | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Rotational awards are nothing to be proud of.
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Google makes its users suffer in the name of 'open' | TechBlog | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
He's really just fully devolved to doing PR work for iApple now. This must be the new ChronBlog way.
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Carl’s Jr. to make Houston debut | Houston Business Journal
The best news is that we'll get their commercials now. Gonna drive the foodborg crazy though.
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Tea Party members protest Straus | Postcards
Why I'm not a Tea Party fan.
Monday, January 10, 2011
82nd Lege Reference Guide (Part I)
A handy, dandy, pocket-sized (if you have a smart phone) guide to all you need to know about the 82nd Legislative Session.
Abortion: An issue federally decided by the courts but which takes up much of the Lege's time. A sure-fire way for State Sen. Dan Patrick to get his name in the paper.
Aide, Legislative: The people in politics who REALLY write your laws and make the decisions. Not to be confused with bureaucrats, whose job it is to ensure nothing gets done. Typically fresh out of College, naive, partisan, and hoping to not be the subject of the next big sex scandal to come out of Austin.
Ardmore, OK: Texas Democrats home away from home when they're playing the Government in Exile role-playing game.
Austin: Technically, the physical home of the State Capitol of Texas. In reality: One giant hot-tub party thrown by lobbyists. Also home of angry journalists and bloggers who aren't invited to said hot tub party.
Bar-B-Que: Law: Every politician MUST have at least one (preferably more) photo-op showing him/her eating a pork rib and pretending to enjoy it. Bonus points if you can be shown next to an elderly man wearing a John Deere hat, plaid shirt and suspenders.
Bell, Chris: Perennial candidate.
Bell, Chris: Perennial candidate.
Bell, Chris: Perennial candidate.
Beer: There's plenty of beer in Austin during the Lege session, but the important thing is to count how many parties the beer distributors throw for the elected officials in an attempt to sustain their oligarchy over the distribution process.
Boondoggle: No one really uses this word any longer and, as such, it has no real meaning in non-political conversation. In politics however it can mean any program that the user chooses not to like at the present time.
Budget: Hard facts shrouded in the rhetoric of morality and statistics. It's typically pretty clear how much money the State is projected to have over the next biennium. What's not clear is how many political agenda groups are going to try and convince you otherwise. Because of this what you see as a process in budgeting is really just a one act play focusing on Enron's accounting during the last days.)
Burka, Paul: Proof of the theory that longevity in reporting is often mistaken for expertise.
California: In Texas politics, only used with the following: "Thank God we're not.....", "Texas doesn't run like.....", "....is the land of fruits & nuts."
Caucus: A polite way to say "creative way to legally bypass the Texas open meetings act." Used by political parties when they want to impart a false sense of drama onto a pre-ordained event. (See: Speaker of the House, Paxton, Straus & Dan Patrick for more.)
ChronBlog: What happens when a major city goes without a newspaper for an extended period of time.
Comptroller, Texas State: The Texas political equivalent of the Groundhog. Appears once per year to announce either financial Winter or Summer, then disappears until election season to tout abilities as a taxpayer fiscal watchdog.
Constituents: You, unless you have an issue to address with your elected representative, in which case you become a "crazed partisan whose sole agenda is making a mess of the process." Can also be used in the abstract to describe those the politician in question feels a God-like responsibility for. (See Mouth-breathers. for more)
Courtier: The one relic of the European monarchies that survived the American democratic experiment. Also known as staffers, advisers & lobbyists. Main job is to tell politicians how to think and to snag as many free Hors d'oeuvre's as possible from lobbyist funded events.
Cyan: Obscure word for blue. Not as obscure as Democratic political power in Texas, but you get the idea.
Abortion: An issue federally decided by the courts but which takes up much of the Lege's time. A sure-fire way for State Sen. Dan Patrick to get his name in the paper.
Aide, Legislative: The people in politics who REALLY write your laws and make the decisions. Not to be confused with bureaucrats, whose job it is to ensure nothing gets done. Typically fresh out of College, naive, partisan, and hoping to not be the subject of the next big sex scandal to come out of Austin.
Ardmore, OK: Texas Democrats home away from home when they're playing the Government in Exile role-playing game.
Austin: Technically, the physical home of the State Capitol of Texas. In reality: One giant hot-tub party thrown by lobbyists. Also home of angry journalists and bloggers who aren't invited to said hot tub party.
Bar-B-Que: Law: Every politician MUST have at least one (preferably more) photo-op showing him/her eating a pork rib and pretending to enjoy it. Bonus points if you can be shown next to an elderly man wearing a John Deere hat, plaid shirt and suspenders.
Bell, Chris: Perennial candidate.
Bell, Chris: Perennial candidate.
Bell, Chris: Perennial candidate.
Beer: There's plenty of beer in Austin during the Lege session, but the important thing is to count how many parties the beer distributors throw for the elected officials in an attempt to sustain their oligarchy over the distribution process.
Boondoggle: No one really uses this word any longer and, as such, it has no real meaning in non-political conversation. In politics however it can mean any program that the user chooses not to like at the present time.
Budget: Hard facts shrouded in the rhetoric of morality and statistics. It's typically pretty clear how much money the State is projected to have over the next biennium. What's not clear is how many political agenda groups are going to try and convince you otherwise. Because of this what you see as a process in budgeting is really just a one act play focusing on Enron's accounting during the last days.)
Burka, Paul: Proof of the theory that longevity in reporting is often mistaken for expertise.
California: In Texas politics, only used with the following: "Thank God we're not.....", "Texas doesn't run like.....", "....is the land of fruits & nuts."
Caucus: A polite way to say "creative way to legally bypass the Texas open meetings act." Used by political parties when they want to impart a false sense of drama onto a pre-ordained event. (See: Speaker of the House, Paxton, Straus & Dan Patrick for more.)
ChronBlog: What happens when a major city goes without a newspaper for an extended period of time.
Comptroller, Texas State: The Texas political equivalent of the Groundhog. Appears once per year to announce either financial Winter or Summer, then disappears until election season to tout abilities as a taxpayer fiscal watchdog.
Constituents: You, unless you have an issue to address with your elected representative, in which case you become a "crazed partisan whose sole agenda is making a mess of the process." Can also be used in the abstract to describe those the politician in question feels a God-like responsibility for. (See Mouth-breathers. for more)
Courtier: The one relic of the European monarchies that survived the American democratic experiment. Also known as staffers, advisers & lobbyists. Main job is to tell politicians how to think and to snag as many free Hors d'oeuvre's as possible from lobbyist funded events.
Cyan: Obscure word for blue. Not as obscure as Democratic political power in Texas, but you get the idea.
Caucus talk
Straus wins (going away), Ken Paxton can't quit, Republicans can't stop fighting.
Oh, and there's that budget mess to deal with.
It's Lege time, which means there's only 20 days left until State Sen. Dan Patrick rolls out yet another attention-getting group that he'll quickly abandon after the benefits to his planned State-wide race are exhausted.
Voting down both Sen. Patrick and former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt (R - Quitters Station) in one election cycle would almost be too much to hope for.
Until then, get ready for the cuts and howling, both are going to be too extreme.
Oh, and there's that budget mess to deal with.
It's Lege time, which means there's only 20 days left until State Sen. Dan Patrick rolls out yet another attention-getting group that he'll quickly abandon after the benefits to his planned State-wide race are exhausted.
Voting down both Sen. Patrick and former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt (R - Quitters Station) in one election cycle would almost be too much to hope for.
Until then, get ready for the cuts and howling, both are going to be too extreme.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Weekend Update (01/09/11)
No jokes today....
Of course the big story is the tragic shooting in Arizona. Prayers, thoughts and condolences are what's needed right now. Nothing else.
As for the shooter? It seems he's anti-American, communist, and a very disturbed individual who decided his early life statement was going to be giving up on the system. In his rush to judgement he killed six people, including a 9 y/o girl. Fortunately, it appears Rep. Giffords is going to make it. Keep praying for her & her family.
In Texas, the biggest story is the upcoming session of the Lege. The big news is the projected budget short-fall but there are other issues that are going to need addressing as well. It will be interesting to see how the Republican majority tries to do this.
Houston's new public defender has a rough road in front of him. Good luck.
And finally......
Let's end this on a good note: St. Arnold's is booming and 2011 sounds like it will be another big year for them....Good.
Of course the big story is the tragic shooting in Arizona. Prayers, thoughts and condolences are what's needed right now. Nothing else.
As for the shooter? It seems he's anti-American, communist, and a very disturbed individual who decided his early life statement was going to be giving up on the system. In his rush to judgement he killed six people, including a 9 y/o girl. Fortunately, it appears Rep. Giffords is going to make it. Keep praying for her & her family.
In Texas, the biggest story is the upcoming session of the Lege. The big news is the projected budget short-fall but there are other issues that are going to need addressing as well. It will be interesting to see how the Republican majority tries to do this.
Houston's new public defender has a rough road in front of him. Good luck.
And finally......
Let's end this on a good note: St. Arnold's is booming and 2011 sounds like it will be another big year for them....Good.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Weekend Update (01/08/11)
...they never let Dan Patrick (Patrick), join in any reindeer games.....
Maybe that explains why "Mr. Small Government" can't keep his nose out of Government? (I think he was ignored as a child)
Note to journalists: If you're in the business of defending this, you need to crush your tinfoil, you're getting some bad reception. (Maybe an alternate play to: "blame Israel for everything?" Just a thought.)
That Good intentions....but... historic preservation bill might not be the disaster everyone thought. Just because tragedy was averted doesn't mean the bill didn't suck. (See: Healthcare reform bill, 2010. For more)
Is it really wise to give the Austin press corps guns? After all, this is a group that would miss the story if it was handed to them, why do we think their aim is going to improve with metal?
We watch with amusement as The Apple Dumpling Gang disparages the entire Oil and Gas industry:
Shutter the Ed board, redeploy the resources to the newsroom. It's time for this wheezing, often inaccurate, dinosaur to be put out of its misery. Their dreck is an embarrassment to Houston.
And finally......
Chronpon? ChronBlog takes on Groupon by selling pole dances. (As of this writing, a staggering one person has taken advantage of the deal. I'm sure Groupon is shaking in their boots.) Wouldn't actual news be nice to see from the former newspaper of record?
Maybe that explains why "Mr. Small Government" can't keep his nose out of Government? (I think he was ignored as a child)
Note to journalists: If you're in the business of defending this, you need to crush your tinfoil, you're getting some bad reception. (Maybe an alternate play to: "blame Israel for everything?" Just a thought.)
That Good intentions....but... historic preservation bill might not be the disaster everyone thought. Just because tragedy was averted doesn't mean the bill didn't suck. (See: Healthcare reform bill, 2010. For more)
Is it really wise to give the Austin press corps guns? After all, this is a group that would miss the story if it was handed to them, why do we think their aim is going to improve with metal?
We watch with amusement as The Apple Dumpling Gang disparages the entire Oil and Gas industry:
BP wasn't (and isn't) the only company cutting corners in deepwater. It's not just one player who's rotten; it's the whole game.It's obvious, to those of us in the industry, that the gang that couldn't shoot straight hasn't spent a day visiting with the actual workers who drill the rigs and who oversee the process. On a whole they're good people doing some very dangerous work. Are their bad apples? You bet. But my experience is that they're a very small minority.
Shutter the Ed board, redeploy the resources to the newsroom. It's time for this wheezing, often inaccurate, dinosaur to be put out of its misery. Their dreck is an embarrassment to Houston.
And finally......
Chronpon? ChronBlog takes on Groupon by selling pole dances. (As of this writing, a staggering one person has taken advantage of the deal. I'm sure Groupon is shaking in their boots.) Wouldn't actual news be nice to see from the former newspaper of record?
Friday, January 7, 2011
You keep using that word.....
...I do not think it means what you think it does.*
So much ado today over Liberal economist Paul Krugman's column where he pretty much takes Texas to task for not tax and spending as he has recommended the rest of the Country do. Of course, the Right has had their say, specifically, that Texas is NOT broke, which led to the following response from a twenty-something anthropologist (not kidding) writing for the news-ish organization Texas Observer.
Partisan wrangling aside (is it really wise to start a serious piece of writing with the descriptor "kick-ass"?) it seems that people don't have a very clear standing of the fiscal concept of deficit. Let me explain. In order to have a "deficit" one must first have actual "expenditures". Right now Texas, by nature of it's biennial budget process, does not have any actual expenditures for their to be a revenue short-fall against. Because of this, future expected revenues are bounced up against future expected expenditures where assumptions are made that all past expenditures will be maintained at cost plus inflation.
What this is called is a projected revenue short-fall, or a projected deficit, much in the same way the Clinton projected government surplus never materialized, so might this projected short-fall be avoided by either reducing expenditures or increasing revenues. In other words, it's not broken, it just needs to be addressed. This differs from say...California in the sense that many of their costs are fixed and there are few mechanisms allowed to the State to fix the issue.
Texas, on the other hand, has many options available to it to prevent the State from operating at an actual deficit. Does this mean things will be easy? Most assuredly not. In fact, many of the so-called solutions are, in the eyes of many, worse than the projected revenue short-fall itself.
All that being said, this much is clear: Krugman got it wrong because he doesn't have a good understanding of how Texas budget process works. Kevin Williamson of the NRO got it wrong because Texas does have budget challenges in front of it that will not just be whisked away with some clever Republican sleight of hand. And finally, Forrest Wilder of the Texas Observer got it wrong because he's too willing to substitute progressive talking points for "facts".
The only "fact" we have on our side now is that Susan Combs (the Texas State Comptroller) is scheduled to issue the official numbers on Monday. At that point we'll know exactly how much money the Legislature has to work with, and then a budget process can start that may, or may not, be sufficient to deal with the problem, no matter how big (or small) it might be.
Note: The best way to deal with the problem is probably a mix of revenue increases and spending cuts. While it's true that Texas Republicans will probably not look at ways to increase revenues and will focus completely on cutting expenditures, it's also fair to say that Democrats, were they in power, would surely lean the other way. That's not a fact, it's just a prediction based on past performance. Both sides are, in my opinion, 50% wrong.
*Thank you once again The Princess Bride for continued blog fodder.
So much ado today over Liberal economist Paul Krugman's column where he pretty much takes Texas to task for not tax and spending as he has recommended the rest of the Country do. Of course, the Right has had their say, specifically, that Texas is NOT broke, which led to the following response from a twenty-something anthropologist (not kidding) writing for the news-ish organization Texas Observer.
Partisan wrangling aside (is it really wise to start a serious piece of writing with the descriptor "kick-ass"?) it seems that people don't have a very clear standing of the fiscal concept of deficit. Let me explain. In order to have a "deficit" one must first have actual "expenditures". Right now Texas, by nature of it's biennial budget process, does not have any actual expenditures for their to be a revenue short-fall against. Because of this, future expected revenues are bounced up against future expected expenditures where assumptions are made that all past expenditures will be maintained at cost plus inflation.
What this is called is a projected revenue short-fall, or a projected deficit, much in the same way the Clinton projected government surplus never materialized, so might this projected short-fall be avoided by either reducing expenditures or increasing revenues. In other words, it's not broken, it just needs to be addressed. This differs from say...California in the sense that many of their costs are fixed and there are few mechanisms allowed to the State to fix the issue.
Texas, on the other hand, has many options available to it to prevent the State from operating at an actual deficit. Does this mean things will be easy? Most assuredly not. In fact, many of the so-called solutions are, in the eyes of many, worse than the projected revenue short-fall itself.
All that being said, this much is clear: Krugman got it wrong because he doesn't have a good understanding of how Texas budget process works. Kevin Williamson of the NRO got it wrong because Texas does have budget challenges in front of it that will not just be whisked away with some clever Republican sleight of hand. And finally, Forrest Wilder of the Texas Observer got it wrong because he's too willing to substitute progressive talking points for "facts".
The only "fact" we have on our side now is that Susan Combs (the Texas State Comptroller) is scheduled to issue the official numbers on Monday. At that point we'll know exactly how much money the Legislature has to work with, and then a budget process can start that may, or may not, be sufficient to deal with the problem, no matter how big (or small) it might be.
Note: The best way to deal with the problem is probably a mix of revenue increases and spending cuts. While it's true that Texas Republicans will probably not look at ways to increase revenues and will focus completely on cutting expenditures, it's also fair to say that Democrats, were they in power, would surely lean the other way. That's not a fact, it's just a prediction based on past performance. Both sides are, in my opinion, 50% wrong.
*Thank you once again The Princess Bride for continued blog fodder.
The Noise Machine (01/07/11)
Today with 30% less noise.......
Bill King on Houston pensions. I wonder how long it takes for people to scoff at this one?
Ah...no...you mean no train to Galveston? That's not World Class!?!
The headline: Police Olympics champ catches watch thief in Woodlands....What???
The end of partisanship: That didn't last long.
Local Lefty blogger (and former Hatch Act violator)* blows the whistle on GOP free bike and turkey program for kids....Hilarity ensues. (Who says there's no fun in local politics any more? Oh, let us not forget the e-mail chain. Priceless.
And finally....
The same people who are OK with eminent domain for building Urban rail, stadiums and the like say No Way! When it comes to the oil and gas industry. (Of course, the correct answer is "No" on all accounts, but that doesn't make for a Place Called Perfect now does it?)
*Hey, he would know bout illegal partisan activity on Government property right?
Bill King on Houston pensions. I wonder how long it takes for people to scoff at this one?
Ah...no...you mean no train to Galveston? That's not World Class!?!
The headline: Police Olympics champ catches watch thief in Woodlands....What???
The end of partisanship: That didn't last long.
Local Lefty blogger (and former Hatch Act violator)* blows the whistle on GOP free bike and turkey program for kids....Hilarity ensues. (Who says there's no fun in local politics any more? Oh, let us not forget the e-mail chain. Priceless.
And finally....
The same people who are OK with eminent domain for building Urban rail, stadiums and the like say No Way! When it comes to the oil and gas industry. (Of course, the correct answer is "No" on all accounts, but that doesn't make for a Place Called Perfect now does it?)
*Hey, he would know bout illegal partisan activity on Government property right?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Noise Machine (01/04/11)
Get it?
Former State Rep. Ellen Cohen running for City Council? Could be. The operative word is "running". Actually "winning" that right leaning district could be a task for someone as progressive as she.
We need more money for roads, but no one seems to know how to get it. No one in elected office that is....
Adventures in media identification:
1. Texas Watchdog: The Texas Public Policy Foundation as a "policy group". Which they are, but they should also be categorized as "conservative" (Which they DO classify the CATO institute as later in the article FWIW)
2. Texas Tribune: Progressive groups aren't but conservative groups are. Not that you expect much from news-ish organizations on matters like this, but at least the Dallas Morning News got it right in identifying it as a progressive coalition....
Speaking of CATO, here's their full write up on ObamaCare. You may disagree with CATO's politics, but their numbers are typically fairly sound on matters such as this. The thing is, the bill can be fixed, provided our politicians are willing widen free-market options through high-deductible plans and HSA's....
Captain D(roubi}'s? That's not world class.
I can think of worse campaigns than Parker vs. Bettencourt but not many.
And finally.....
BigJolly on the Republican House Speaker's Race. And again. It's good to see both sides of the argument, even if you are anti-Straus.
Former State Rep. Ellen Cohen running for City Council? Could be. The operative word is "running". Actually "winning" that right leaning district could be a task for someone as progressive as she.
We need more money for roads, but no one seems to know how to get it. No one in elected office that is....
Adventures in media identification:
1. Texas Watchdog: The Texas Public Policy Foundation as a "policy group". Which they are, but they should also be categorized as "conservative" (Which they DO classify the CATO institute as later in the article FWIW)
2. Texas Tribune: Progressive groups aren't but conservative groups are. Not that you expect much from news-ish organizations on matters like this, but at least the Dallas Morning News got it right in identifying it as a progressive coalition....
Speaking of CATO, here's their full write up on ObamaCare. You may disagree with CATO's politics, but their numbers are typically fairly sound on matters such as this. The thing is, the bill can be fixed, provided our politicians are willing widen free-market options through high-deductible plans and HSA's....
Captain D(roubi}'s? That's not world class.
I can think of worse campaigns than Parker vs. Bettencourt but not many.
And finally.....
BigJolly on the Republican House Speaker's Race. And again. It's good to see both sides of the argument, even if you are anti-Straus.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The DMN drops the firewall.
The Dallas Morning News announced today that they're going to start charging for some online content....oh, and they've totally forgotten that Windows' Phone and Android devices exist.
What this means is that you'll have to fork over some greenbacks to keep playing the Wayne Slater/Karl Rove Drinking Game, follow ups to political news that's probably already been posted on a political blog, or Dallas Cowboys content that's also been previously reported on the blogs.
In short: you're still paying money for old news that's reactive instead of proactive due to massive cutbacks in the newsroom.
Oh, and the DMN understands tech about as well as ChronBlog. (Hint: hanging your hat on one platform (especially when other platforms are not only gaining ground, but threatening to pass the one you've chosen) is the digital equivalent of waving the white flag.)
On the bright side: Alcohol consumption among media watchdog types (you know, the type that would play the WS/KR drinking game) is sure to go down. Yay liver!!!
Good luck to 'em, but I just don't see what's there for significant numbers of iApple users to pay for.
What this means is that you'll have to fork over some greenbacks to keep playing the Wayne Slater/Karl Rove Drinking Game, follow ups to political news that's probably already been posted on a political blog, or Dallas Cowboys content that's also been previously reported on the blogs.
In short: you're still paying money for old news that's reactive instead of proactive due to massive cutbacks in the newsroom.
Oh, and the DMN understands tech about as well as ChronBlog. (Hint: hanging your hat on one platform (especially when other platforms are not only gaining ground, but threatening to pass the one you've chosen) is the digital equivalent of waving the white flag.)
On the bright side: Alcohol consumption among media watchdog types (you know, the type that would play the WS/KR drinking game) is sure to go down. Yay liver!!!
Good luck to 'em, but I just don't see what's there for significant numbers of iApple users to pay for.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011: Hey, it's not 2010.
For many of us, 2010 was a year that is better left on the trash-heap of history. I've had friends that have suffered personal loss, my family has seen professional upheaval, and Michigan football sucks.
With that in mind, lets take a look at some things that MIGHT happen in 2011 but probably won't:
Mayor Annise Parker vs. Houston City Council: 2011 will be the year of jockeying for position. With C.O. Bradford, Jolanda Jones and Mike Sullivan all trying to out-anti-Parker the other in hopes of unseating Parker in 2012. It's going to get ugly. The HCA official prediction is that some local blog will be leaked our local leaders' pet names for one another: "Crime Lab", "Ms. the Tenth", "Mr. Irrelevant" and "GLBT agenda".
Eversole Resigns: It's (thankfully) going to happen. Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole will resign as a result of his federal indictment. The Commissioner's Court (Read: Steve Radack) will then pick his successor. This successor will be former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt, who will come out of retirement "for the good of the County". There will be serious discussions of having the replacement decided by a slap-fight between HCRP's Jered Woodfill and HDCP's Gary Birnberg. HCA's official position is to ratify the latter option.
Metro pulls defeat out of the jaws of victory: The "New" Metro will revert to "Old" Metro tactics and declare the opening of .7 miles of new toy train track as a "significant development" in Houston's transit future. In order to make way for this new line 57 bus routes will be eliminated. ChronBlog will stop pretending and just run Metro press releases verbatim as original stories. At some point in 2011 Anti-Metro activist Tom Bazan's head will finally explode.
It's the end of political blogging as we know it: At their beginning, political blogs were a rowdy sort. They were the place that political outsiders went to vent, and gripe about things their chosen parties were doing wrong. Of late, many political blogs are official (if not publicly acknowledged) PR outlets for their party of choice. They coordinate talking points, disparage the other team, and add virtually nothing new to the political discourse. The next logical extension is for the InterLeft to devolve into nothing more than vulgarities repeated ad nauseum while the Bloggers O' the Right limit their topics to Obama's citizenship, immigration and Dan Patrick's latestpolitical movement PR stunt.
Speaking of Dan Patrick: In 2011 the ambitious (yet results poor) TX State Senator for District 7 will formally announce his intentions to make a run for Kay Bailey Hutchison's Senate seat. His political platforms will include adding "In God we Trust" to every sign in America, anywhere, creating FIVE new legislative groups with the intention of catering to the Tea Party and getting his name in the press. His Democratic opponent will be Chris Bell.
The "green" economy will finally be exposed as a sham: This one will actually happen, as increasingly difficult regulations force Big Oil to move more and more resources overseas there just won't be surplus jobs in green energy to fill the void. Still, this result will be applauded by the ecomental movement whose biggest problem in 2011 is going to have to find creative ways to not admit that wealth and humans are what they're really fighting against. A poorer world is a greener world after all.
Presidential Politics: Any one who's entertaining the thought that Obama won't run for a second term put that away right now. The thing is, this time, he'll be vulnerable as the economy will really start to shudder under the weight of unsustainable government spending. Obama's going to have to start discussing large tax increases to fund his agenda, although he won't have much success passing them with a Republican Congress in place who has no desire to commit political suicide. The key will be who the Republicans run against Obama. Do they pick the next person in line? (Romney, McConnell et al.) A parody candidate? (Palin, Barbour etc.) Or do they think outside the box and bring in a serious candidate that can win? (Mitch Daniels, Marco Rubio are the two that come immediately to mind)
ChronBlog admits the obvious: Sometime in 2011 (perhaps after the Lege session) ChronBlog is going to announce all of it's State and National politics will be covered by a Hearst Pool. The D.C. & Austin bureaus will be all shared content and they will add more lifestyle reporters with the extra money. As mentioned earlier, they'll also abandon the Metro beat in favor of just running the organizations press releases. The Apple Dumpling Gang will continue to churn out content, will continue to get almost everything wrong, and the downward slide of America's worst big city daily will continue.
And finally.......
Change coming for HCA: I'm currently involved in some side projects that I expect to blossom during 2011. If all works out as I expect, HCA will be more focused on "Noise Machine" posts and some in-depth, investigative stories on a local level. I also plan to move to a dedicated web-site for HCA sometime in 2011, ditching the current format and moving to something that's more multi-media friendly.
With that in mind, lets take a look at some things that MIGHT happen in 2011 but probably won't:
Mayor Annise Parker vs. Houston City Council: 2011 will be the year of jockeying for position. With C.O. Bradford, Jolanda Jones and Mike Sullivan all trying to out-anti-Parker the other in hopes of unseating Parker in 2012. It's going to get ugly. The HCA official prediction is that some local blog will be leaked our local leaders' pet names for one another: "Crime Lab", "Ms. the Tenth", "Mr. Irrelevant" and "GLBT agenda".
Eversole Resigns: It's (thankfully) going to happen. Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole will resign as a result of his federal indictment. The Commissioner's Court (Read: Steve Radack) will then pick his successor. This successor will be former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt, who will come out of retirement "for the good of the County". There will be serious discussions of having the replacement decided by a slap-fight between HCRP's Jered Woodfill and HDCP's Gary Birnberg. HCA's official position is to ratify the latter option.
Metro pulls defeat out of the jaws of victory: The "New" Metro will revert to "Old" Metro tactics and declare the opening of .7 miles of new toy train track as a "significant development" in Houston's transit future. In order to make way for this new line 57 bus routes will be eliminated. ChronBlog will stop pretending and just run Metro press releases verbatim as original stories. At some point in 2011 Anti-Metro activist Tom Bazan's head will finally explode.
It's the end of political blogging as we know it: At their beginning, political blogs were a rowdy sort. They were the place that political outsiders went to vent, and gripe about things their chosen parties were doing wrong. Of late, many political blogs are official (if not publicly acknowledged) PR outlets for their party of choice. They coordinate talking points, disparage the other team, and add virtually nothing new to the political discourse. The next logical extension is for the InterLeft to devolve into nothing more than vulgarities repeated ad nauseum while the Bloggers O' the Right limit their topics to Obama's citizenship, immigration and Dan Patrick's latest
Speaking of Dan Patrick: In 2011 the ambitious (yet results poor) TX State Senator for District 7 will formally announce his intentions to make a run for Kay Bailey Hutchison's Senate seat. His political platforms will include adding "In God we Trust" to every sign in America, anywhere, creating FIVE new legislative groups with the intention of catering to the Tea Party and getting his name in the press. His Democratic opponent will be Chris Bell.
The "green" economy will finally be exposed as a sham: This one will actually happen, as increasingly difficult regulations force Big Oil to move more and more resources overseas there just won't be surplus jobs in green energy to fill the void. Still, this result will be applauded by the ecomental movement whose biggest problem in 2011 is going to have to find creative ways to not admit that wealth and humans are what they're really fighting against. A poorer world is a greener world after all.
Presidential Politics: Any one who's entertaining the thought that Obama won't run for a second term put that away right now. The thing is, this time, he'll be vulnerable as the economy will really start to shudder under the weight of unsustainable government spending. Obama's going to have to start discussing large tax increases to fund his agenda, although he won't have much success passing them with a Republican Congress in place who has no desire to commit political suicide. The key will be who the Republicans run against Obama. Do they pick the next person in line? (Romney, McConnell et al.) A parody candidate? (Palin, Barbour etc.) Or do they think outside the box and bring in a serious candidate that can win? (Mitch Daniels, Marco Rubio are the two that come immediately to mind)
ChronBlog admits the obvious: Sometime in 2011 (perhaps after the Lege session) ChronBlog is going to announce all of it's State and National politics will be covered by a Hearst Pool. The D.C. & Austin bureaus will be all shared content and they will add more lifestyle reporters with the extra money. As mentioned earlier, they'll also abandon the Metro beat in favor of just running the organizations press releases. The Apple Dumpling Gang will continue to churn out content, will continue to get almost everything wrong, and the downward slide of America's worst big city daily will continue.
And finally.......
Change coming for HCA: I'm currently involved in some side projects that I expect to blossom during 2011. If all works out as I expect, HCA will be more focused on "Noise Machine" posts and some in-depth, investigative stories on a local level. I also plan to move to a dedicated web-site for HCA sometime in 2011, ditching the current format and moving to something that's more multi-media friendly.
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