Texas Considering Confederate License Plates To Honor Treason And Slavery—TPA Round-Up

At the end of this post is the weekly round-up of the Texas Progressive Alliance. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers who are working hard for a better Texas.

Every Texan has the ability 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, and even run for public office. The work of freedom is up to each of us.

With the round-up this week is news that the State of Texas is seriously considering a license plate honoring the Confederate army and the brutal and treasonous causes the Confederate army fought for in the Civil War.

Above you see an image of the license plate.

Some will claim that honoring the traitors who fought against American armies so that black men and women might remain slaves is a matter of culture or regional identity.

(Below–Southern culture and regional identity from the years before the Civil War.)

I’m certain that when borderline disloyal politicians like Texas Governor Rick Perry drip the hateful words of secession and nullification that all they have in mind is the protection of a noble heritage.

None of it has anything do to with a black President or increasing numbers of minorities in the U.S. or the desire of big corporations to be free of federal safety and environmental regulation.

Where was all this Tea Party talk when George W. Bush was running up the debt  and raising the debt ceiling 19 times?

The State of Texas can offer these license plates to Texas motorists. Politicians in Texas and elsewhere can talk about secession and nullification of federal laws. I welcome all free speech in our great federal union.

For those of us who think that the outcome of the Civil War should stand, we need to remain aware that the enemy defeated in 1865 never goes away in this country.

The round-up—-

We have our first poll of Texas for next year’s presidential contest and Off the Kuff says that so far 2012 still looks like 2008.

Last week WCNews at Eye On Williamson posted on the Texas Republicans’ latest health care scheme: House GOP follows Oklahoma and Georgia into misguided health care compact.

Bay Area Houston has a theory about Rick Perry’s veto of the texting-while-driving ban.

Have Republicans Taken Over North Korea?—It Is Obama’s Fault

North Korea has lobbed shells at South Korea.

Two South Korean marines were killed and many houses were destroyed.

(Above–North Korean soldiers peering into South Korea. Like you and I, these troops in the picture are people in a world they did not create.)

This took place on Yeonpyeong Island. This is not the first conflict between the two Koreas over this island.

President Obama has said that the United States will help defend South Korea if that is what is required.

With all this trouble, I found myself wondering if Mitch McConnell and John Boehner had taken over North Korea.

We already know the Republican Party wants the economy to fail as long as President Obama might get the credit for things going better.

We also see with the START Treaty that Republicans will undermine our foreign policy  for no other reason but to offer up opposition.

A New Korean War could be used to go after President Obama in many ways—

* President Obama could be blamed for failing to keep the peace.

* When focusing on war strategy, the President could be attacked for not working on job creation.

* The need to fund the New Korean War could be used as a pretense to further gut the social safety net.

* Munitions blasted into the air during the war could be blamed for climate change— Though even better for this purpose would be an exchange of nuclear weapons.

* Both North Korea and South Korea are in Asia. Since many Muslims live in Asia and since Obama is a Muslim, the New Korean War would be the fault of Muslims like Obama.

* And, of course, a New Korean War would show that this is the right time for tax cuts. The fact that the sun rises in the morning is also a reason for tax cuts.

The Republican party is very clever to take over North Korea. They will no doubt be able to cause a lot of trouble for President Obama while running North Korea.

Beyond hassling Mr. Obama, it has been more than 7 years since Republicans lied to start a war. I’m certain they feel it is time to start a new war under false pretenses.

Here is some basic history of the Korean War. A well-reviewed book on the Korean War is David Halberstam’s The Coldest Winter.

Here are facts and  history about North Korea from the BBC.

Here are facts and history about South Korea from the BBC.

(Above–American troops in the Korean War. The killing goes on and on in this part of the world. My father was a medic in the Korean War. I’m certain he saved many lives.)

Since He Won’t Debate, What Type Of Empty Chair Should be Set up For Rick Perry?

The League of Women Voters of the Houston Area and the Harris County Department of Education are hosting a debate for our Texas Governor’s Race.

This debate will be held at 6PM Sunday, October 3 at the Harris County Board of Education building located at 6300 Irvington Boulevard in Houston.

(Above–Incumbent Governor Rick perry refuses to debate this year. I think the League should set up an empty chair for the Governor. Above you see a Saddle Chair.  Maybe the Governor would attend if he could imagine himself a cowboy during the debate.)

The debate will be moderated by Melanie Lawson. Her name sounds familiar for those of you who live in Houston because she is an anchorperson on the TV news.

(Above–I think all Texans would enjoy seeing Governor Perry sitting in a Garden Egg chair. This chair was designed in 1968 by Peter Ghyczy.  Photo by Paulscf.)

The Democratic nominee for Governor—Bill White–-and the Green nominee–-Deb Shafto-–are scheduled to attend this debate.

The Libertarian nominee will be there as well. I don’t want to mention that person’s name. If you’re really a Libertarian, you’ll look it up yourself and not count on me to do that for you.

Though if you are a Libertarian, I bet you’ll take Social Security when it is time and I bet you’ll call the local fire department if your house is on fire. It is services for others that Libertarians don’t like.

( Governor Perry might attend the debate if chairs were set up in a palatial setting that reminds Mr. Perry of the $10,000 a month rental home he has been living in since the Governor’s mansion burned down. Picture taken by Hennrik Bennetsen.)

Incumbent Governor Rick Perry will not be at the debate. Mr. Perry is refusing to debate Mr. White and his other opponents.

It is not really so much that Governor Perry is afraid to debate Mr. White.  It is, instead, that Mr. Perry has a small lead in the polls and his base of supporters does not care if he debates or not. It does not serve the Governor to debate. The fact that a debate involving all candidates would serve the democratic process is not so important to the Governor. It is about that is best for Rick Perry instead of what is best for the people of Texas.

(Above–The League could bring a park bench in for the Governor.  Photo taken by James Perry.  Seeing a public asset, the Governor could seek to privatize the bench by selling it to a company that would charge a fee or toll to citizens who wished to sit on the bench.)

Listening to others in a debate can be difficult when your personal and political identity is often rooted in disliking people, and in being afraid of people not like yourself in our minority-majority state. This describes the mindset of many Tea Party/Republican voters in Texas.

By not debating and by refusing to meet with newspaper editorial boards, Mr. Perry helps his supporters live in their own private world.

It is world where Federal Health Care Reform is rejected even though so many in Texas have no health insurance.

(See here all that Health Care Reform does for hard working Americans. These are benefits that any American might require at any time.)

It is a world where treasonous talk of secession from our nation is okay.

It is world where the response to high school drop out rates, is to refuse federal education dollars that are correctly tied to maintaining a consistent level of education funding in upcoming years.

It is not such a nice world.

Hopefully, Mr. Perry will soon come to the realization that the people of Texas deserve to see all the candidates for Governor debating the issues on the same stage.

(Above—The chair Governor Perry merits most for his petulance. Photo taken by Yvwv.)

Threats Against Democrats Made By Conservatives Must Be Monitored As Possible Seeds Of Terrorism

Threats are being made against Members of Congress who voted for the Health Care Reform bill.

From the New York Times—

“Representative Steny H. Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland and the majority leader, said at least 10 House members had raised concerns about their personal security since Sunday’s climactic vote, and Mr. Hoyer characterized the cases as serious. At least two Congressional district offices were vandalized and Representative Louise M. Slaughter, a senior Democrat from New York, received a phone message threatening sniper attacks against lawmakers and their families. Ms. Slaughter also reported that a brick was thrown through a window of her office in Niagara Falls, and Representative Gabrielle Giffords, Democrat of Arizona, said Monday that her Tucson office was vandalized after the vote. The Associated Press reported that the authorities in Virginia were investigating a cut propane line to an outdoor grill at the home of a brother of Representative Tom Perriello of Virginia, after the address was mistakenly listed on a Tea Party Web site as the residence of the congressman. Representative Bart Stupak, Democrat of Michigan and a central figure in the measure’s abortion provisions, reported receiving threatening phone calls. Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest-ranking black lawmaker in the House, said he received an anonymous fax showing the image of a noose.”

These types of threats are at the very least acts that merit placement on some type of watch list, and that merit further monitoring and investigation by the the proper authorities.

With all this talk about secession and nullification and with all these threats about votes taken as part of the legitimate workings of our democracy, it is time to wonder about the basic Americanism of many on the right.

Why don’t conservatives want to be part of our country and why can’t they accept the results of the ballot box?

And of course we can’t forget terrorist tax hater Joseph Stack who earlier this year smashed his plane into the side of the IRS building in Austin, Texas.

Threats against Democrats and against people who don’t agree with the far right-wing agenda of the Tea Party and of today’s Republican Party, must be kept under close review by law enforcement and by federal agents responsible for preventing acts of terror.

We can’t allow another Timothy McVeigh to do terrible harm to federal employees and other decent Americans.

Son Of Man Killed By Tax-Hating Terrorist Joseph Stack

Here is a video clip of Ken Hunter. Mr Hunter is the son of Vernon Hunter. Vernon Hunter is the IRS worker who was killed by the terrorist tax-resister Joseph Stack. Mr. Stack is the person who flew his airplane into the side of the IRS building in Austin, Texas last week.

Vernon Hunter was father of six, a Vietnam veteran, and a dedicated public servant.

Some people think Mr. Stack is a hero of some sort. Yet the clear fact is that a person who flies an airplane into the side of the building is a terrorist.

Paying taxes is part of what makes us citizens in a free society. The person who resists paying taxes with violence is a terrorist and a traitor.

Governor Rick Perry—A Friend Of Acorn And Of America When He Finds It Useful To Be So

Texas Governor Rick Perry is a study in hypocrisy.

Below are two pictures that show Governor Perry as a hypocrite.

First is a picture of Governor Perry with members of Acorn.  I took this picture from a recent Burnt Orange Report post.  This picture was taken in 2005 as the Governor signed a housing bill.

Now Governor Perry is criticizing his 2010 Republican primary opponent for Governor of  Texas, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, for skipping out on a Senate vote that would have denied funding to Acorn.

It seems that not so long ago that Governor Perry was more than happy to be seen in the company of Acorn and it’s representatives.

The second example of what a fraud Governor Perry is, is this picture below where Governor Perry leans in front of the flag of the United States. (He’s leaning–right? Like he’s going to ask you your phone number or ask you your sign.) Governor Perry said recently that treason would be an acceptable option if some folks in Texas were sufficiently upset with policies coming from our elected officials in Washington.

Governor Perry should stay away from our flag if can’t be loyal to our federal union. The course of treason has been attempted before in our national history.

And don’t forget—Many Texas Republicans are open to a course of treason.

It is reaching the point where many Southern Republicans and Republicans across the nation are of questionable loyalty to our nation.

Texas Liberal Video–Reading Federalist Papers At Site Of Texas Independence To Assert Federal Power Over The States

Above is a video of me reading a brief passage from Federalist Paper #9 at the San Jacinto Battlefield State Historic site. This reading  is in response to recent disloyal comments by Republican Texas Governor Rick Perrry suggesting that  Texas might wish to consider leaving the union.

The video runs 1 minute and 40 seconds.  

The San Jacinto Battlefield Site is where Texas won independence from Mexico in 1836.

Here is information about what Governor Perry said about Texas possibly leaving the union.  

Here is information about Federalist Paper # 9 and about the Federalist Papers.  As I say in the video, Federalist #9 asserts the supremacy of the Federal Government over the authority of the individual states

Here is the link for visiting the San Jacinto Battlefield Historic site in LaPorte, Texas. LaPorte is just outside of Houston. 

Here are facts about the Battle of San Jacinto from the excellent Handbook of Texas Online.

As you heard in the video, I was at the battlefield on a windy day. Here is an explanation of wind.

In the video you can see the wind move the clouds that are in the background. Here is an explanation of why clouds are white along with other facts about clouds.  

48% Of Texas Republicans Say Texas Would Be Better Off As An Independent Nation

A Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll reports that 48% of Texas Republicans believe Texas would be better of as an independent nation  rather than remaining part of the United States. 35% of all Texans hold this view.

Please click here for the full poll.

Another result is that Texans disapprove of Barack Obama by a 53%–45% margin. If they don’t like him now when he has a national 64% approval rating, it seems an uphill climb to win the state in 2012.

(Texas is one of four states with a majority-minority population. Most of those minorities are Democrats as are a substantial portion of white voters.  Where are these folks? Are they illegals? Do they only have cell phones and can’t be reached for surveys? Are they citizens who don’t vote? I’m sure it’s a little bit of all that. In any case, it’s frustrating.)

I’ve addressed the disloyal comments of Texas Governor Rick Perry and Congressman Ron Paul a couple of times this week here at the blog. Regular readers may note that this is more often than I generally acknowledge the existence of the Republican Party.

I think criticizing the same people time after time is a waste of time and effort. Life is short and there are so many other things to address. I don’t think repeating the same thing over and over changes people’s minds.

But I feel the point should be made that these folks are so extreme. Can you even imagine that the comments of Governor Perry have made secession something we are talking about? How can real progress ever be made in this state when the governing party consists of people who hold these views?

In Washington, we see a Republican Party that seems to have learned nothing from the failures of the last 8 years. In Texas, we see this extremism in its full flowering.

It seems clear that the main loyalties of the American right are concentrated on anger and grievance and not directed towards our nation and its people.

Congressman Ron Paul Is Second Elected Republican To Talk Treason

Republican Congressman Ron Paul of Texas is the second elected Republican in the Lone Star State to talk treason in recent days. (Photo of Rep. Paul, in front of our flag, above.) (Here is a map of the areas represented by Rep. Paul.)

Here is what Rep. Paul said—

“[Perry] really stirred some of the liberal media, where they started screaming about: ‘what is going on here, this is un-American.’ I heard one individual say ‘this is treasonous to even talk about it.’ Well, they don’t know their history very well, because when you think about it… it is very American to talk about secession. That’s how we came in being. Thirteen colonies seceded from the British and established a new country. So secession is a very much American principle….”

Rep. Paul terms himself a libertarian, even as he asks for $398 million in earmarks from the most recent federal budget, but he is an elected Republican in our Congress. 

Last week Republican Texas Governor Rick Perry said Texas could consider leaving the union if it felt oppressed by the federal government. The federal government has of late been oppressing Texas with hundreds of millions of dollars in stimulus funds 

Is the Republican Party of Texas loyal to our union or is it not? What do they think Ronald Reagan would have thought about this disloyal talk? 

A recent Rasmussen poll reports that 18% of Texans would vote to leave the union if they had the chance. Another 7% are not sure. That is 25% of folks in Texas would would support or consider supporting leaving the union.   

What share of Texas rank-and-file Republicans hold this view? It seems that at least 40% or so of Texas Republicans must hold this view. I doubt it is Democrats that support this position of treason and blind anger.

It’s not just Texas. National Republicans had little problem with putting secessionist Sarah Palin within close reach of the White House. 

If Republicans and conservatives want to equate our elected President Obama and our elected Democratic Congress to taxation without representation, they are free to do so.

What I will do, as will liberals and Democrats across the nation, is salute the flag of the United States of America.

 

National Republican Party leader and conservative leader Rush Limbaugh has defended Governor Perry’s views on treason.  Given Mr. Limbaugh’s wide following with conservatives, one would be fair to conclude that the option of tearing the nation apart is a mainstream Republican view. 

Ideally in our democracy, competing political parties would offer differing views on the issues before the nation and the people would decide which views they feel are best.

But if Americans have cause to question the loyalty of one the two main parties, and have reason to question the loyalty of the conservative movement,  then we may reach the point where Republicans and conservatives can no longer be seen as legitimate participants in the national political debate.

Texas Governor Rick Perry Talks Treason

Texas Governor Rick Perry has said Texas has the option of leaving the Union if it does not like what the federal government is doing.

He said this despite the blood shed in our Civil War to preserve the Union and to free the slaves. 

( 4/20/09 Update–Now a second Republican is talking treason.)  

( 4/24/09 Update —Half of Texas Republicans share this disloyal view.)

(Below–After Gettysburg.)

Here is what Governor Perry said—

“Texas is a unique place. When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that,” Perry said. “My hope is that America and Washington in particular pays attention. We’ve got a great union. There’s absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, who knows what may come of that.”

According to the Handbook of Texas Online, Governor Perry is wrong that Texas can leave the Union. What it can do is divide into five states. Also, an 1869 Supreme Court case denied Texas the right to secede.

Governor Perry joins Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as open to secession. 

At the same time, this Voice of America story discusses Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s report that right-wing terror groups in the United States may be on the rise.

With leading Republicans talking the hateful language of disunion, right-wing fringe groups need only look to the news of the day to find ideas and support for their actions.