Still No Rain In Texas—Texas Progressive Alliance Round-up

Here is the most current weekly round-up of the Texas Progressive Alliance. The TPA is a confederation of the best political blogs in Texas.

Along with the round-up this week, I can tell you that despite Governor Rick Perry’s call for prayer over this weekend to end the statewide Texas drought, that it is not raning here in Houston. I’m not aware of any significant rain in Texas.

This does not mean that prayer has no meaning. Prayer brings solace and meaning to many people. Maybe what is the case is that the prayers of a state that is inflicting such misery on the poor at the moment in the proceedings of the Texas legislature are not being heard.

If Governor Perry thinks prayer can end the drought, maybe he should consider that our actions as a state are the cause of the drought.

The round-up—

Having previously declared himself out on supporting President Obama’s re-election campaign, PDiddie at Brains and Eggs finds even less to like aboutthe rumored candidacy of Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez for US Senate. Less, as in nothing.

Letters From Texas poked fun at the… um… hard turn John Sharp’s web domain has taken, in which somebody has… ah… erected quite a different focus. But most of the week was spent on more serious concerns — the West Texas range fires.

The first statehouse redistricting map is out, and Off the Kuff has a look at it and some alternatives to it.

Libby Shaw at TexasKaos tells us that When Middle Schoolers Serve in Congress there is price to be paid.

Neil at Texas Liberal noted that Rick Perry has asked Barack Obama and Washington for help with Texas wildfires. While everyone impacted by the fires merits help, it sure is something that Washington-basher Rick Perry feels he must turn to the federal government to solve Texas problems. Where are the Texas Tea Party citizen-volunteer disaster relief teams to help people in need?

Like many of you, the crew at McBlogger is feeling the pinch of higher gas prices. What’s really causing it and what can be done about it may surprise you.

TexasVox brings you a double dose of bad news about fracking: first, thebad news for the climate from shale gas as it could be warming the planet worse than coal and second, the awesome press conference put on by our TPA friend TXSharon about health effects from fracking. Oh, and on a completely unrelated note, you are warned not to go see the new movie version of Atlas Shrugged.

The Texas Cloverleaf looks at the proposed Texas House redistricting implications in Denton County.

DosCentavos opines on state Rep. Leo Berman’s kinder gentler racism through a “cost-saving” English-only bill.

This week on Left of College Station Teddy covers the local politics of the city’s controversial vote to annex the community of Wellborn, and covers the national politics of the Congressional Republicans’ failure to lead by their politicization of military pay. LoCS also covers the week in headlines.

From Bay Area Houston: The Houston Chronicle asks … How stupid are Texans?

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants everyone to know that Victoria DA Hissy Fit’s tainted case against city officials has been dropped.

The Texas GOP released its proposed map of Texas state House districts for the next decade, and Dembones at Eye On Williamson posted about the most oddest shaped district in the map: Gerrymandering Wilco.