Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up—The Work Of Freedom Is Up To Each Of Us

Below is the most recent Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers working for a better Texas.

As I say each time I post the round-up—Every Texan and every American has the ability 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, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and to run for public office.

We can also seek to impact society by consistently acting in a way that reflects our best values. Or by working on an artistic or creative effort that expands the range of thought and imagination we have in our society.

I repeat these thoughts so often on the blog because there is nothing more important I can say.

Here is the round-up along with some bonus posts from other top Texas bloggers—

Off the Kuff looks at how the 2012 election results differed from 2008 in State Senate and SBOEdistricts.

DosCentavos‘ Fidencio Leija reports on the work of HOPE in the End of Course testing debate.

There is a troll hiding in plain sight on the United States Supreme Court, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs says it’s going to take a lot of willpower not to feed it.

Over at TexasKaos, Lightseeker reports on the charter school money grab, aided by the usual suspect. Check it out – Charter Schools Make Play for Huge Increase in Public Funding.  

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants you to know that a couple of our Supreme Court Justices don’t appreciate racism. Lets hope that number rises to at least five for the Voting Rights Act.

The problem for our state’s “leaders” is that they’ve been telling us for so long that we have a spending problem, they have no answer when it becomes obvious that we don’t have a spending problem. That’s why WCNews at Eye on Williamson says we have a lack of spending problem in Texas.

Neil at Texas Liberal did not post so much this past week. However, Neil remains at work on a new website to be published this April to be called NeilAquino.com. This website will have a photo essay extolling the intellectual virtues of everyday life , a metaphorical history of existence, some poems and a blog about the 2013 City of Houston elections. For the TPA round-up this week, Neil has submitted a popular Texas Liberal post about the famous Dogs Playing Poker paintings.

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And here are some more interesting posts from Texas blogs.

See creationism opponent Zack Kopplin on the Bill Moyers show, via Creationist Vouchers.

Brewed and Never Battered and Open The Taps give an update on the legislative effort to improve the lot of Texas microbreweries and brewpubs.

Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up—The Work Of Freedom Is Up To Each Of Us

Below is the most recent Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers working for a better Texas.

(Above–El Paso from space.) 

As I say each time I post the round-up—Every Texan and every American has the ability 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, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and to run for public office.

We can also seek to impact society by consistently acting in a way that reflects our best values. Or by working on an artistic or creative effort that expands the range of thought and imagination we have in our society.

I repeat these thoughts so often on the blog because there is nothing more important I can say.

Here is the round-up—

Off the Kuff looks at the partisan shifts in State Rep districts from 2008 to 2012.

We have enough money in Texas to fund our needs public education, expanding Medicaid, as weel as transportation and water infrastructure projectes. But our current leaders don’t see it that way. WCNews at Eye on Williamson shows that their adherence to ideology over what’s best for Texas is the problem, Transportation funding, the state budget, and ideology.

Two issues in the Texas Lege last week — one of them the regulation of payday lending operators — show bright potential for bipartisan legislation. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs is encouraged by the news.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants you to know that Lamar Smith is a dim bulb going for same old Republican ‘ideas’ on immigration.

At TexasKaos, Libby Shaw asks if Ted Cruz has any decency. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Read all about it here: Senator Ted Cruz: Have You No Decency?

Neil at Texas Liberal wrote about Houston Mayoral candidate Ben Hall. Neil is still posting at Texas Liberal every few days. However, Neil is most at work at a new website that will be up in April that will feature a photo essay focusing on the value of the things that are around us each day, a metaphorical history of the universe and the Earth, some poems, and a new blog on 2013 City of Houston election politics.

Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up—Citizen Bloggers Workiing Hard

Below is the most recent Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers working for a better Texas.

As I say each time I post the round-up—Every Texan and every American has the ability 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, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and to run for public office.

We can also seek to impact society by consistently acting in a way that reflects our best values. Or by working on an artistic or creative effort that expands the range of thought and imagination we have in our society.

I repeat these thoughts so often on the blog because there is nothing more important I can say.

The work of freedom and justice is up to each of us.

Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up—The Work Of Freedom Is Up To Each Of Us

Below is the most recent Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers working for a better Texas.

As I say each time I post the round-up—Every Texan and every American has the ability 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, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and to run for public office.

We can also seek to impact society by consistently acting in a way that reflects our best values. Or by working on an artistic or creative effort that expands the range of thought and imagination we have in our society.

I repeat these thoughts so often on the blog because there is nothing more important I can say.

The work of freedom and justice is up to each of us.

Here is the round-up—

Off the Kuff discusses what some new state legislators are saying about education and the questions they should be asking but aren’t.

The GOP is for more of the same — demonizing the poor and less fortunate — while the Democrats are for finding reality-based solutions that help everyone get ahead. WCNews at Eye on Williamsonpoints this out: Fairness and equality (are) missing from Texas economy.

There were a few under-reported environmental developments in Texas last week, so PDiddie atBrains and Eggs reported on them.  

BossKitty at TruthHugger had to laugh at the low-brow War on Kwanzaa, then got riled at the Sunday Morning talk shows: Drop the script written by bitter old men!

Over at Texas Kaos, Libby Shaw explains how John Cornyn threatens to wreck our government. Check it out.

Neil at Texas Liberal posted that he left the woods for the safety of the city.

Tar Sands Protesters Are Texas Progressive Alliance 2012 Texans Of The Year

The Texas Progressive Alliance, a consortium of Lone Star-based liberal weblogs, has selected the protesters of the Tar Sands Blockade as Texans of the Year for 2012.

The award has been given annually to the person, or persons or organization, who had the most significance influence — for good or ill — on the advancement of progressive interests and causes over the past twelve months.

“As with previous winners (like Fort Worth city council member Joel Burns in2010, the Harris County Democratic Party’s coordinated campaign in 2008, and Carolyn Boyle of Texas Parent PAC in 2006), the Tar Sands Blockaders represent what progressive Texans strive for: correcting injustices through direct action. Sometimes that takes place at the ballot box, sometimes in the courtroom, and once in a while it happens in the streets. In 2012, it happened in a handful of pine trees in East Texas,” said Vince Leibowitz, president of the TPA.

The Tar Sands Blockade began when TransCanada, the company constructing the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline, began seizing property from East Texans via eminent domain to connect the pipeline, which will transport tar sands oil from Canada to refineries in Houston and Port Arthur. Despite the fact that the pipeline hasn’t yet been approved by the US Department of State,TransCanada and other operators have been busily cutting down swaths of forest, appropriating the land along the route as necessary, and when challenged by the small group of people protesting, responded with threatening measures and occasionally brute force.

When petitioning, lobbying, and public hearings failed to slow the construction of the pipeline, concerned citizens took to non-violent protests, risking arrest in order to demonstrate the will and demands of Texans concerned about the environment, about the nation’s continuing dependence on dirty fuels, and the collaboration of government officials with the corporate interests. A group of protestors climbed into a stand constructed in a grove of pine trees and halted construction for weeks.

The movement began in June of 2012 with the formation of the Tar Sands Blockade, and the first lawsuit was filed in July.

As construction began in August, protestors began putting themselves on the line. Seven protestorswere arrested in Livingston, Texas just before the Labor Day holiday. Even as a judge allowed TransCanada to seize a swath of farmland in Paris, Texas, more protestors chained themselves to construction equipment in rural Hopkins County.

The New York Times and the Washington Post picked up the story in October.

Along with the property owner, actress and activist Daryl Hannah was arrested as the two women physically blocked a piece of heavy equipment and its operator from clearing land for the pipeline. Even as the number of arrests climbed past thirty, the protests grew. A few days before the November election, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein was arrested at the construction site in Winnsboro. In Cherokee County, sheriff’s deputies pepper-sprayed protesters. All of this occurred while the legal battle went back and forth — in December, a judge granted, then vacated, his temporary restraining order on pipeline construction.

And the efforts to stop the pipeline continue today, even as its construction proceeds apace. On November 29, Bob Lindsey and prominent environmental activist Diane Wilson were arrested by Harris County sheriff’s deputies outside Valero’s refinery in the Manchester neighborhood of Houston, where the pipeline will terminate. They chained themselves to tanker trucks outside the gates, were promptly taken into custody, and continue a hunger strike to this day that adds the humiliating and disgusting conditions of Harris County’s jail to the list of outrages.

With training and mobilization of additional protests and protestors scheduled for early January, 2013, there will be more to report on this action.

The Texas Progressive Alliance salutes those who have sacrificed so much of themselves to underscore the seriousness of America’s fossil fuel addiction, and how the system of corporate and political corruption has come to manifest itself in the controversy surrounding the Keystone XL pipeline.

Runners-up for this year’s Texan of the Year included the following…

— The emerging scandal of the Texas cancer research organization, CPRIT;

— The spectacular failure of Governor Rick Perry’s presidential campaign;

— Attorney General Greg Abbott’s woeful losing record in court in his many lawsuits related to the federal government, including redistricting, voter ID, Obamacare, etc.;

— Senator Wendy Davis of Fort Worth, who defied conventional wisdom and was re-elected to the Texas Senate despite the best efforts of Republicans to deny her;

— The expansion of the Texas Congressional delegation to 36 as a result of the 2010 census and apportionment of extra seats based on population growth in the Lone Star State. New Texans in Washington DC include former Democratic state representatives Pete Gallego and Marc Veazey, but also — and unfortunately — ultraconservatives Randy Weber and Steve Stockman.

Texas State Rep. Dwayne Bohac Thinks Jesus & Christmas Are So Weak In Texas That Government Regulation Is Needed To Prop Them Up—The Merry Christmas Bill

Texas State Representative Dwayne Bohac thinks that “traditional” observances of Christmas and Hanukkah are so weak and under threat in Texas that government regulation is required to prop them up.

Here is what Rep. Bohac is proposing for the upcoming legislative session—

“Today, State Representative Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) pre-filed legislation to protect the freedom of Texas Independent School Districts to acknowledge and educate students on the historic and cultural roots of traditional winter celebrations and holidays such as Christmas and Hanukkah. 

The “Merry Christmas Bill,” which is expected to receive bipartisan support, affords students, parents and educators the right to celebrate on school property with displays associated with those holidays, including Menorahs, Christmas trees and Nativity scenes.  The bill also clarifies the right of school districts and their staff to use traditional winter greetings such as “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Hanukkah” or “Happy Holidays” on school grounds.”

District 138 Representative Bohac represents a portion of Houston in the legislature.

Above you see Mr. Bohac in front of the Christmas Tree that is located in the Texas House chamber in Austin.

Here is speculation about the likely pagan origins of the Christmas Tree tradition from a web site called All About Jesus Christ. I studied this tree for a few minutes on Rep. Bohac’s Facebook page and saw nothing religious on it at all.

I guess Rep. Bohac picks his battles.

Is it really so that teachers and students in Texas can’t say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah” to each other? I have not heard any complaint in the current holiday season that these words are not allowed to be spoken in our public schools. Rep. Bohac’s press release that I link to above offers no specific examples of anybody being prohibited from exchanging these holiday greetings in Texas schools.

Are these traditional observances really so weak even here in conservative Texas that they require government regulation to thrive?

Mr. Bohac suggests government regulation just as the extreme right-wing National Rifle Association last week proposed an armed government presence in all schools.

Does Rep. Bohac believe that government regulation is the answer rather than trying to win the minds and hearts of his fellow Texans with a strongly articulated faith and with quality arguments for his views?

Does Rep. Bohac see his God as so weak that he must intercede on His behalf?

How fortunate it is that we have Rep. Bohac and Texas state government to defend Jesus and Christmas, since it appears from the necessity of the Merry Christmas Bill that the God-fearing people of Texas are not up to the task themselves.

Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up

Below is the most recent Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers working for a better Texas.

(Above–A Texas Christmas ornament. Please have a nice and safe holiday.) 

As I say each time I post the round-up—Every Texan and every American has the ability 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, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and to run for public office.

We can also seek to impact society by consistently acting in a way that reflects our best values. Or by working on an artistic or creative effort that expands the range of thought and imagination we have in our society.

I repeat these thoughts so often on the blog because there is nothing more important I can say.

The work of freedom and justice is up to each of us.

Off the Kuff says that the voters have done a pretty good job of imposing term limits on the Legislature.  

BossKitty at TruthHugger asks when is enough enough? What is it with sick white boys?

Governor “Fetal Pain” finally called the special election in SD-6, and some candidates jumped in and some are staying out. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the latest.

It’s unlikely that the candidate of the”middle of the road” business/corporate interests for Texas House Speaker, aka Joe Straus, will lose. But Democrats should have some fun with the contest anyway: In race for Speaker, Democrats should stir the pot, says WCNews at Eye on Williamson.  

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme was surprised to find out that RedState hates Texans for Lawsuit Reform, too.

Neil at Texas Liberal wrote about the real St. Nicholas. He might have had a hard time in Texas as he was against the death penalty.

Prehistoric Landscape In Houston

Above is a picture I took in Houston a few weeks ago that felt to me what a prehistoric landscape where dinosaurs lived would look like.

You never know what you will find when you drive around and look at the world.

You can see dinosaur tracks in Texas at Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, Texas.

The new paleontology hall at the Houston Museum of Natural Science is very good.

Prehistoric Life by DK Publishing is a great resource to learn about the history of life on Earth.

What The Map Will Look Like After Texas Secedes—Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up

Below is the most recent Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers working for a better Texas.

(Above–What the map of North America will look like after Texas secedes. Or at least how the map will look until Mexico invades to take the “nation” of Tejas back.) 

As I say each time I post the round-up—Every Texan and every American has the ability 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, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and to run for public office.

We can also seek to impact society by consistently acting in a way that reflects our best values. Or by working on an artistic or creative effort that expands the range of thought and imagination we have in our society.

I repeat these thoughts so often on the blog because there is nothing more important I can say.

The work of freedom and justice is up to each of us.

Here is the round-up—

Off the Kuff notes that for the second election in a row, the city of Houston voted 61% for President Obama. Keep that in mind the next time someone tries to tell you that Texas is Austin surrounded by a bunch of Republicans.

Success for Democrats in Williamson County has been few and far between in recent years, and has only come through hard work. WCNews at Eye on Williamson points out that little has changed: It won’t just happen…(continued).

Barack Obama’s re-election to the presidency, just as his first election, is defined in large measure by the pathetic quality of his competition. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs observes that while Republicans have only themselves to blame for their circumstances, maybe it’s time for the victors to help them work through their bitterness.  

BossKitty at TruthHugger believes it’s time to instruct those we elected to legislate responsible actions and stop polluting America’s water: Water – Supply and Demand, Cause and Effect.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme notes that establishment Republicans hate their base. I can understand that.

Neil at Texas Liberal said that the table of self-respect is always set. The question is will people show up?

Texas Lt. Governor Candidate Jerry Patterson Is Prepared To Shoot—Though The Target Is Not Clear

Republican Texas Land Commissioner and 2014 Lt. Governor candidate Jerry Patterson is prepared to shoot.

Though I’m not sure who Mr. Patterson  is shooting at in the context of 2nd Amendment issues because nobody is coming to take your gun.

Could Mr. Patterson appear any more weak and insecure than he does in this picture?

But if going on about guns will keep these folks from some other issue where a real debate is taking place then I suppose it is for the best.

While this society is in fact blood drenched in gun related violence, there is no credible nationwide effort to address this concern.

Just today there was workplace gun violence in Houston.

From the Houston Chronicle—

“A salesman shot and wounded his manager during an argument at a car dealership along Interstate 10 in west Houston Friday morning, officials said…The shooting happened in an office at the dealership, police said. The salesman and the manager got into an argument that escalated into a scuffle, and the manager was wounded.”

The gunmakers collect the cash as people buy more and more guns, the pandering politicians stay in power, and folks keep dying.

The Things I Have Done With Time Alone—Time Alone Is Excellent

I’ve got a 47 hour stretch with no work and with nobody else at home.

Here is how I have spent the first six hours of this time alone.

First—I got a can of clam chowder for dinner at Walgreens as I drove home from work.

Below you see the food aisle from where I got the chowder at a local Walgreens. They got everything you need in that aisle so long as you don’t need very much.

I also stopped at Memorial Park here in Houston on the way home and took a 3 mile walk on the jogging trail.

While walking I read Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. I’ve been walking and reading on the Memorial Park trail for 14 years so far and have not bumped into anything yet.

There certainly is wickedness at the core of our national history when you read how we double-dealt the native population at every turn in the 17th century.

I’m reading Mayflower to study up for Thanksgiving.

I’m sure that Thanksgiving is not all about food and then rushing out to buy stuff as soon as your meal is over.

Once home I fell asleep for 2 hours and had a dream that I was walking along the ocean in Corpus Christi, TX, and that I saw a seal.

I suppose I had the dream about Corpus Christi because I was recently looking at some pictures of a trip I took to Corpus in 2008.

Visit Corpus Christi for a good time. All the Texas coast has interesting things to see.

Below is the picture I took four years ago that formed the central image of my dream.

There was once a Caribbean Monk Seal that had a range just south of Texas. But people killed them all. There are no seals in the Gulf of Mexico.

Click here to read about this seal and where it lived before they were all killed.

After waking up from my dreamy nap, I busted open the clam chowder for a fine dinner and have now moved on to writing a blog post.

With six hours down and 41 hours to go, who knows what more will happen with my excellent time alone.

Election Day Is Here—Jill Stein For President—The Work Of Freedom Is Up To Each Of Us

Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States.

(Above–The Bald Eagle is a symbol of our nation.)

I have already voted for Green Party nominee Jill Stein for President of the United States.

I believe that Ms. Stein is the only candidate for President speaking honestly about climate change, our economy that is rigged for the few at the expense of the many, and about the ongoing attacks in our nation against the right to dissent.

Here is the website for Ms. Stein.

If I lived in a contested state I would have voted for President Obama because I believe there are meaningful differences between the two parties.

Here is a list of Green Party candidates in Texas for 2012.

If there is no Democrat on the ballot where there is a Green–or if the Democrat is unlikely to win—please consider the Green and help build a strong voice for the left that will move the Democratic Party just as Libertarians have moved the Republican Party.

It is also possible the day will come that Greens win elections.

An important local election here in Harris County, Texas is for Texas House District 134. I live in this district.

Centrist Ann Johnson offers a hopeful voice against first-term Tea Party extremist Sarah Davis.

Here is the website for Ms. Johnson. 

Texas political blogger Perry Dorrell has compiled two excellent lists on who a liberal or progressive might consider in Harris County and in Texas for 2012.

Here is Perry’s post for federal and statewide offices.  

Here is Perry’s post for Harris County and state legislative races. 

No matter if Mr. Obama or Mr. Romney wins the Presidency tomorrow, big money will still call the shots.

The work of freedom is up to each of us.

Every Texan and every American has the ability 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, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and to run for public office.

We can also seek to impact society by consistently acting in a way that reflects our best values. Or by working on an artistic or creative effort that expands the range of thought and imagination we have in our society.

It is after the votes are counted that the real work will begin.

Who Can A Liberal Support In Harris County And Texas In 2012?—TPA Round-Up

Here is the weekly posting of the Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers working for a better Texas.

(Above–Texas and all the nation will be voting on Tuesday, November 6. Image by TUBS.)

In addition to the fine posts linked to below, I’d like to also please offer the endorsement list for candidates in Houston and Harris County as compiled by my friend and fellow blogger Perry Dorrell at the great Texas political blog Brains & Eggs. 

Here is Perry’s post for federal and statewide offices.  

Here is Perry’s post for Harris County and state legislative races.  

Perry has done a lot of work on these endorsement lists at his blog, and what he has determined merits a look.  They are the best lists I’m aware of who a liberal might consider at the ballot box in Harris County and Texas in 2012.    

As I say every week in this post—Every Texan and every American has the ability 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, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and to run for public office.

We can also seek to impact society by consistently acting in a way that reflects our best values. Or by working on an artistic or creative effort that expands the range of thought and imagination we have in our society.

I run these words each week in this space because there is nothing more important I can say.

The work of freedom and justice is up to each of us.

Here is the round-up—

Off the Kuff looks at the 30-day finance reports for various legislative races.  

BossKitty at TruthHugger is sick of the prevailing backwards attitude of some GOP candidates. Maybe their flawed understanding demonstrates where America’s education system has failed:Legitimacy Denied for Rape and Climate. And, with permission, is able to share this awesomeRepublican Rape Advisory Chart that speaks for itself. And BossKitty sees significance in the clash between a hurricane and a cold front: God’s Will And The 2012 Election.

The Texas Cloverleaf asks if no paper ballots mean no problem at the polls?

It’s closing in on 10 years since the GOP took full control of Texas. WCNews at Eye on Williamsonhas a rundown of how things have changed.

Not all Republicans favor rapists… but all rapists — just like all racists — vote Republican. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs gets the breaking news straight from a rapist himself.

Rick Perry has his own Solyandra problem Libby Shaw tells us about the governor’s high tech investment bust. Unlike the phony baloney Soladra issue, Rick’s little scheme managed to pick four losers to back. Read all about it at TexasKaos.

At the local level, Neil at Texas Liberal said that Ann Johnson merits your support and your efforts in Texas House District 134. At a global level, Neil said that global warming may well play a part in the big super storm impacting the United States.  

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to know how shooting a truck full of unarmed Latinos from a helicopter can be good criminal justice procedure for the DPS?

Sarah Davis Is A Tea Party Extremist And Is Way Out Of Touch With Texas House District 134

Tea Party extremist District 134 Texas State Representative Sarah Davis says she is “The True Voice of Independence.”

Ms. Davis was first elected by a small margin in the Tea Party 2010 election year.

134 is a centrist moderate district and Ms. Davis realizes this fact.

That is why Representative Davis does not discuss the fact she is quite at home with the Tea Party, and quite at home with Tea Party attacks on public education and on health services for women.

Ms. Davis would rather you believe that she is “The True Voice of Independence.”

You see above that Rep. Davis is an enthusiastic backer of the “Tea Party Message.”

Ms. Davis is helping hold up the Tea Party message for all to see—Ms. Davis is the person on the left holding the sign—just as she supports and bolsters Tea Party extremism in the Texas House of Representatives.

A better option for Texas House District 134 is centrist Ann Johnson. 

Ms. Johnson has been endorsed by the Texas Small Business Association. 

For the Texas Small Business Association to endorse a Democratic challenger over a Republican incumbent suggests that not only does Ms. Davis embrace far right views, but that she is also seen by even usually supportive groups as unable to deliver effective leadership.

The Houston Chronicle has endorsed Ms. Johnson.

Here is part of what The Chronicle said about Ms. Johnson—

…..voters deserve a representative who doesn’t just avoid bad votes, but leads on good ones. We believe Democratic challenger Ann Johnson can be that sort of leader. …Johnson began her career as a prosecutor at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, where she was known for her no-nonsense, hardworking attitude. After leaving the prosecutor’s office, she dedicated herself to the world of juvenile law, where she focused on issues like child exploitation and sex trafficking – two issues that need the attention of the Texas Legislature….Johnson’s focus on juvenile issues doesn’t end at the courtroom. On the campaign trail, she rattles off embarrassing statistics on Texas kids – we’re 43rd in high school graduation rates, 45th in SAT scores, and have the highest percentage of children without health insurance. Texas should not be content with these rankings, and Johnson certainly isn’t, advocating smart educational investments like all-day Pre-K and capping class sizes….In this race, Ann Johnson is the better bet for Texas’ future.”

The race in District 134 offers a clear choice.

One one hand there is a hard-working moderate who has shown herself able to win the support of even Republican-leaning advocacy groups.

On the other hand there is a Tea Party extremist who pretends to be something she is not, and who is unable to earn the backing of the Texas Small Business Association.

As a fellow resident of 134, I ask you to please consider voting for Ann Johnson.

Jim Dougherty Running As Democratic Nominee In The 2nd Congressional District Of Texas—Read Why He Feels He Merits Your Vote

Jim Dougherty is the Democratic nominee for the 2nd Congressional District of Texas.

Above you see a picture of Mr. Dougherty.

The Republican candidate is incumbent Ted Poe.

The Green nominee is Mark Roberts.  

Here is the website for Mr. Dougherty.

Here is a map of the 2nd Congressional district.  This Houston-area district was radically redrawn in the most recent Congressional redistricting.

Here are facts and dates relating to voting in Texas in 2012.

I asked Mr. Dougherty to write a brief essay for the blog about this campaign.

Here is what he said—

Politics is caring about people- family and others, assuring opportunity for all, giving back to the community, and being a force for the betterment of our surroundings.  It is about being principled while finding the common ground for an ordered society, and doing it honestly and with integrity, always thinking forward, and seeking best practices for governing and civic involvement.  I am running for the newly configured Congressional District 2 with the belief that in order to be the best we have to understand the evolving needs of our neighbors and be committed to represent their point of view in Washington.

I entered this race knowing the odds.  But I also know our country needs to be flexible.  Our people and our Congress need to come together to get things done.  We have an incredible opportunity to do just that.  My experience as an attorney, CPA, mediator, small business owner, former prosecutor and Board member of various nonprofit organizations –civic, educational, cultural, business, recreational, legal, and religious—has provided me the ability to collaborate, listen, communicate and build consensus.

I built my business fighting for peace, equality, and justice; nurtured my family and raised my two children in Houston.  I know we have greater potential to make an even bigger impact for our country and our world by working together. Washington policies matter and Texas needs a voice that will represent the 100 percent!