I Digress—Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up

At the bottom of this post is the most recent weekly round-up of the Texas Progressive Alliance. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas.

On a fully unrelated note, I never realized until a few days ago that I could write in color on the blog. I can’t imagine why I will need to write in color on the blog, but it did come as something as a surprise.

So please allow me, just this once, to type my standard reminder to Texas Liberal readers is what is termed by WordPress as “Sea Green”

You always have the option to attend a public meeting, attend or organize a protest, write or call an elected official, talk to friends and family,  start a blog, donate money, write a letter to the editor,  volunteer for candidates and causes you value, and even run for office yourself.  The work of freedom and democracy is up to you. Nobody will do this work for you.

Above is a painting called Green Sea. It was painted by Milton Avery in 1958. Mr. Avery lived 1885-1965

Here are some facts about the color green.

I digress.

At least I digress to the extent that one subject can be removed from another subject in a world where all things are connected.

Connection—And by extension the role of context and circumstance in life, are at the core of the liberal ideology in politics.

We are all connected by the simple fact of existence itself.

What a sharp contrast to the go-it-alone view of the political right, in which nobody is morally obligated to help others.

Here is the round up—-

WhosPlayin has been focused on Lewisville city council elections and the criminal records of two of the candidates, each of whom has assault convictions and each of whom lied on their ballot application.

Off the Kuff discusses the budget deal that allows for Rainy Day funds to be used to close the current biennium’s shortfall.

DosCentavos compares the Mexican-shootin’ Missouri legislator and the goings-on at the Texas Capitol and tell us what Dems should be doing.

Bay Area Houston notes that When the Galveston County Republican Party Chair slept with teabaggers he woke up with a bad taste in his mouth… and no job.

Are you in favor of preserving the mortgage interest income tax deduction, or do you favor phasing it out for larger, more expensive homes and/or wealthier taxpayers — or eliminating it altogether? PDiddie wants your opinion at Brains and Eggs.

Musings gives an update on the ground perspective of why schools need more support staff, not less, in order to ensure student success with the new, more rigorous curriculum and testing mandated by the Legislature and SBOE.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson makes clear that the recent “drama” surrounding whether to spend some of the Rainy Day Fund was done for political cover, better known as The Show.

This week McBlogger takes a look at two crazy people who are, unbelievably, elected officials.

refinish69 at Doing My Part for the Left is disgusted and dismayed at the stupidity that is the Texas Lege. Nothing like a Clean Crapper Bill orprotecting the ignorant to make the state of Texas proud.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme suspects that Republican hateagainst Muslims resulted in fires at a Houston mosque. Republicans have sliced and diced the American public every which way — women, people of color, gays, teachers, nurses, Jews, Muslims and who knows what else. Wisconsin has woken up. Lets hope the rest of America soon follows.

At TexasKaos, lightseeker is Shocked! Shocked! at the new “edited” video that has hit the web. Check out The Media Fail Us Again- of NPR and Edited Videos.

Neil at Texas Liberal came across an example of extreme government direction of our lives.