Dig Deeper Texas

Jamie Castillo has an interesting column on the next mayoral contest.

Mayoral contest is tough to gauge

However, that person will have to be well known, wealthy enough to seed their own campaign or capable of raising lots of money in a short amount of time, she said.

Let’s see, apparently these are the qualities necessary to be elected Mayor in San Antonio. I don’t see experience any where on the list–oh, I forget, we don’t do that in San Antonio.

Mayoral contest is tough to gauge

Julián Castro, the former city councilman and 2005 mayoral candidate, and Diane Cibrian, the District 8 city councilwoman, are odds-on favorites to make the race next spring.

But, to this point, neither has been able to lock down sectors of the business community who have been pleased with the tenure of Hardberger and who were attracted to Reyes’ business acumen.

I can’t help but believe that “business acumen” is being used as a measure of qualification and experience. So we either expect our candidates to be successful businessmen or experts at begging for money. From a certain perspective, you could argue that these are important characteristics for a public servant. But I bet that any non-profit or non-governmental organization would tell you that it often takes more than four years to successfully put these talents into play.

San Antonio Mayor, Term Limits

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BexarMet Officially Fires GM | WOAI.COM: San Antonio News

Olivares and his lawyer had a chance to present their side of the story at Thursday night’s board meeting, just minutes before the board voted 6-1 to fire Olivares.

They did it. I find it funny that Blanche Atkinson was the one nay vote. If you remember she is one of the candidates that T.J. Connolly is under indictment for funneling money to. I suppose we should brace for the lawsuits he will be filing now.

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In today’s Michigan Messengar, families who are already struggling with hard times learned yet another reason to be unhappy with the current state of our government,

“We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren’t voting from those addresses,” party chairman James Carabelli told Michigan Messenger in a telephone interview earlier this week. He said the local party wanted to make sure that proper electoral procedures were followed.

The article goes on to claim that these registered voters may not be “true residents.”

If the State of Michigan gets away with a tactic like this, it will only be a matter of time before states like Texas jump on the bandwagon. Your driver’s licence has an old address? Sorry, you can’t vote. Moved across the street? Sorry, you can’t vote. Going to school here but live with mom in the summer? Sorry, you can’t vote.

It will take a strong willed politician to stand up to such tactics. I imagine a maverick would be able to do it; an outspoken individual who fights against the members of his own party to do what’s right. Let’s all ask John McCain to speak out against this outrage!

You can email his Senate office at: http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

or call: (202) 224-2235

Do me a favor… if you send an email or make a phone call, leave a comment!

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Don’t expect to see Sarah Palin on the Sunday news programs. McCain is still busy holding her hand. She’s allowed to attend rallies with Senator McCain, but she’s not to be interviewed on her own.

Isn’t it just plain old sexist to think she can’t manage on her own? If a male candidate were held back for that long, we would begin to wonder what was wrong with him.

There’s a good chance that the McCain camp is just plain afraid that Governor Palin will sound too much like President Bush.

I want to hear Sarah Palin interviewed. I want to hear a few unscripted answers to some tough questions. I want to see how she thinks on the fly. I have a feeling she’ll be very good. But maybe the McCain camp doesn’t like what she’ll have to say.

Sarah Palin will need to learn how to look both ways before they’ll allow her out on her own. I wonder if she’ll see the “no more partisan politics” across the street or if she’ll be blind-sided by the Mack Truck of her faith.

Want to keep track of how long it takes for Palin to conduct an interview? Install a widget from MoveOn.org to help you out.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

John McCain promised to end “partisan rancor,” yet his entire convention was nothing but partisan. He sounds like George W. Bush all over again.

He chose a running mate so far to the right that it leaves moderate Republicans struggling for words.

His solution to high oil prices, “Drill, Baby, Drill.” Sounds like an oil man to me.

His solution to the rapidly slowing economy, George W. Bush’s tax breaks for the rich.

His solution to the Iraq War, the old George Bush policy of stay until we “win.”

How can a maverick agree with George Bush 90% of the time? He’s not a maverick anymore. He’s become the very thing he’s fought so hard against, a partisan politician.

If the McCain/Palin ticket wins this fall, I imagine our nation at war on multiple fronts because McCain will not be willing to apportion troops where they are needed most but will want them to fight battles for all young democracies.

I imagine a nation of foreclosed homes and closed businesses. The rich will merely take their tax free dividends and head overseas.

I imagine a nation of struggling public schools and pregnant teenagers with parents trying to figure out why abstinence education doesn’t work.

I imagine nuclear waste that has no safe disposal and American oil being pumped into a world economy that swallows it whole and never realizes it was even a drop in the bucket.

Since moderation won’t exist in the Republican party, what’s a moderate Republican to do? Vote for Obama. It’s the only chance Republicans have to send a message to the conservative right that people who disagree with them are not all liberals. We’re everyday people. We’re moderate Republicans, we’re Independents, we’re even conservative Democrats. Bring back moderation to the Party of Lincoln and give all Americans a real choice once again. Vote Obama/Biden.

Filed under: 2008 election | No Comments »

www.mysanantonio.com >> Local news - BexarMet attorney is free to talk in probe

The board of the Bexar Metropolitan Water District late Tuesday waived its attorney-client privilege for its general counsel, Adolfo Ruiz, to speak to the Bexar County district attorney’s office and a grand jury regarding their investigation into alleged criminal activities at the utility.

Adolfo Ruiz was right there with Victor Villarreal as the biggest Gil Olivares supporters so I can’t imagine this is a good thing for the attorney. I am really looking forward to the 11th but now I am also looking forward to new indictments coming out of the DA’s office towards Bexar Met.

Technorati Tags: Bexar Met, BexarMet

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It’s Labor Day and it’s time for another weekly roundup of the Texas Progressive Alliance. Click on for the week’s highlights.

Is John McCain’s vice presidential pick some kind of joke? McBlogger’s Mayor McSleaze thinks it’s more like a situation comedy.

CouldBeTrue is happy for Webb County! Finally, the long sheriff’s primary is over and Martin Cuellar is the official sheriff-to-be. And, yeah, the AG is looking into the hinky first recount.

With Tom DeLay and the TRMPAC indictments back in the news, Off the Kuff conducts an interview with Cris Feldman, one of the attorneys who won a civil judgment against TRMPAC for its violations of campaign finance law in the 2002 elections.

Stace Medellin at DosCentavos is celebrating ten years of living in the Houston area. Read about what brought him to Houston and what has kept him in the big city.

Neil at Texas Liberal is glad to note that the Galveston County Democrats Club http://texasliberal.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/galveston-county-democrats-club-is-working-hard-for-victory/ is, as always, working hard for all the people of Galveston County—Both on the mainland and on the island.

The Texas Cloverleaf reminds everyone that McCain is older than fiberglass. His new sidekick leads a state with a population smaller than Collin County. Sitcom indeed.

jobsanger wonders why the Democratic Convention didn’t show a little respect for Lyndon Johnson’s 100th birthday, and prepares to enjoy the prospect of dueling Republican conventions.

What is the linkage between radioactive waste dumps, smear ad campaigns and HD-52 Republican nominee Bryan Daniel? Dembones at Eye On Williamson follows the money trail back to Swift Boat financer, Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons, whose latest smear campaign tries to link Barack Obama to ’60s radical William Ayers.

Doing My Part For The Left’s refinish69 wonders if Texas Deferred Adjudication is helpful or shameful.

North Texas Liberal has video of Sen. Hillary Clinton condemning John McCain’s use of her picture and quotes in his ads.

PDiddie assembled some of the satirical ridicule of John McCain’s selection of Elaine Benes from Seinfeld Sarah Palin of Alaska at Brains and Eggs.

BossKitty at TruthHugger observes “

FEMA Gets A Second Chance - NOLA Redux for “Mother Of All Storms”

and what our fearless leaders plan to do about it THIS TIME.

Vince at Capitol Annex offers his opinion on Michael L. Williams’ manipulation of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. concerning Barack Obama’s experience. For added value, one of Williams’ campaign staffers decided to comment on the post and attempt to defend his boss.

nytexan at BlueBloggin wonders why PUMAs are exhibiting a high level of disrespect to Hillary and her request for full support and asks PUMA, Was It Ever About Hillary Clinton ?

Mike Thomas at Rhetoric & Rhythm is unhappy with some liberal bloggers who decided to label his Congressman - Ciro Rodriguez - as a so-called “Bush Dog Democrat”.

Filed under: Texas Progressive Alliance | 1 Comment »

With McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin (who?) as his running mate, I think everyone agrees that experience is no longer considered a necessary qualification for the presidency. Actually, I think this says a lot more about McCain’s approach to leadership and problem-solving than anything about Palin.

Struggling in the polls, publicity, and funding, needing to re-assure his conservative base of his pro-life credentials and to focus on the “crack” in the Democratic party, McCain picks Palin who has got to be the only pro-life, female governor with a Downs-syndrome baby. Qualifications certainly didn’t figure into the equation. And he accuses Obama of putting politics before the welfare of the country?

If this is how the man makes decisions in a “crisis,” what can we expect from him as president? Address the immediate crisis in the most expedient manner possible regardless of future implications or past statements to the contrary? Oh, is that the “maverick” part?

Let’s face it, McCain is desperate and is shooting from the hip. Of course, while some shots from the hip will hit the target, many more will result in “collateral” damage. Is this the way we want to run our country?

Filed under: 2008 election | 1 Comment »

This election will be decided by a new generation of voters. Many of them are not registered and they don’t think there vote counts.

First, I am challenging you to register to vote:
http://www.bexar.org/elections/Registration/registration.html

If you are already a registered voter, you can use that same website to confirm your name is on the rolls. If in doubt, check. You don’t want to vote on a provisional ballot come election day.

Second, I am challenging you to go by Bexar County Elections Office, 203 W. Nueva, San Antonio, Tx 78207, and become a voter registrar. At the very least, go by and pick up some mail-in registration forms. And then start asking everyone if they are registered. Have a form to hand them if they say NO.

I’ve made it a personal goal to ask every person I have an interaction with if they are registered to vote and that includes the clerks at the grocery store and the parents at the soccer game. I started today and I registered a young lady that works at a local bookstore. She had just moved and hadn’t taken the time to get a form. She admits, she might not have found the time. But she will vote this fall.

You can make a difference! Just be brave and ask! It’s not as hard as you think. A new, progressive voter this Fall, is also a new voter for years to come. This is the way to turn Texas Blue.

Filed under: vote, voter id, voter registration | 1 Comment »

www.mysanantonio.com >> Local news - BexarMet polls will be flooded with choices

The November elections for four seats on the board of the beleaguered Bexar Metropolitan Water District drew 29 candidates by the filing deadline Tuesday, but current board President Victor Villarreal did not join the incumbents in seeking re-election.

Not a big surprise with all the people out there screaming for his resignation. What is an exciting surprise is how many people have filed to run for the BexarMet board.

Technorati Tags: BexarMet, Bexar Met, Victor Villarreal

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