Monthly Archives: June 2011

TPA Roundup

Posted on June 27, 2011 | Comments Off

The Texas Progressive Alliance is ready to say “Sine Die” for the second time as it brings you this week’s roundup.

The Congressional map got its final legislative approval, and Off the Kuff analyzes the new districts.

This week WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the (in)action at The Lege. Quorums were broken and tempers flared, This week’s Political wrap-up, GOP laziness was the theme.

Bay Area Houston thinks the Texas Tea Party is calling for an immigration raid on homebuilder Bob Perry for his roll in killing their sanctuary bill.

This week, McBlogger tells us exactly why a federal debt default isn’t a good thing.

Rick Perry’s ‘aids’ (sic) are preparing to respond to the ‘crusted-over rumors’ of the governor’s alleged homosexual liasons. Chief ‘aid’ (sic) Dave Carney emphasizes that Perry is the ‘most tested’ candidate on the Republican side. Seriously, that’s what Politico wrote. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has a screen shot.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme sees republican hate meets the greed of Rick Perry crony, Bob Perry. Greed wins.

Libby Shaw gives us the skinny: Rachel Maddow Debunks Rick Perry’s “Texas Miracle” Myth . Check it out at TexasKaos.

Public Citizen’s TexasVox shows us that while Houston implements water restrictions to deal with this global warming-enhanced drought, San Antonio is trying to do something about it by retiring their coal plant and making heavy investments in solar.

Neil at Texas Liberal compiled a Fourth of July reading list. As fun as it might be to blow off your fingers as you set off fireworks in violation of drought-mandated brushfire rules, it is even more fun to learn about your past. If you allow others to define your history—as, for example, we have allowed crazies to take over the symbolism of the Boston Tea Party—such folks will most likely use this power to also screw up your future.

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Posted in TPA Stuff

NALEO: Hispanic Voter Participation Will Increase in 2012

Posted on June 23, 2011 | Comments Off

Latinos will turnout in record numbers in the next Presidential election, with at least 12.2 million casting ballots, according to projections released today by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund.  This analysis also reveals that Latinos will account for a significant share of the electorate in several states. 

In fact, NALEO states that Latino voters may account for as much as 8.7% of the American electorate in 2012. And Texas is among the states in which the Latino electorate may make a difference in 2012.  According to NALEO, it is expected that in California, New York, and Texas, one out of every five voters will be Hispanic; while in New Mexico, Latinos will comprise 35% of that state’s electorate. Ultimately, a 26% increase from 2008′s Latino turnout is expected–over 12 million voting across the United States.

To continue reading post, click here.

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Posted in Houston Dems '12, LatinoVote '12

Conservatives Attack Long-Term Citizen for Speaking Spanish

Posted on June 13, 2011 | Comments Off

I remember the stories my mom and dad would tell me about how gringos (bad anglos) would treat them the minute they spoke one word of Spanish back in the day. Mom told me that one teacher would hit her on the hand with a ruler. Hell, Dad would tell me how gringo restaurant owners treated him while in uniform when her served in the National Guard. Of course, this was in the 40s and 50s.

It’s 2011 and some in the Texas Legislature still feel the need to attack Latinos for speaking Spanish, even when they do what most other citizens don’t do, such as testifying before a legislative committee. Such was the case when Santolin Aguirre, representing the Coalition for Immigrant Rights of Austin, was berated by conservative Texas Senator Chris Harris after he testified in Spanish (with a translator). Harris and others on the committee felt “insulted” for some reason, but frankly, as officeholders, they should feel honored that Texans feel the issue of legalizing racial profiling in Texas is so abhorrent that they would go to the Capitol and speak against it.

Monday was quite the day for conservative Tea party zealots. Joining Harris in spewing hateful rhetoric were the “Immigration Reform Coalition of Texas” in which they said the problem with the legislature is the existence of 30+ Hispanic representatives, which makes me question the sincerity of conservatives who are attempting to recruit Hispanics despite all of the hate.

If anyone should be insulted, it’s those of us who do not agree with those who chose to dial “1″ for racist.

Here’s the video of what occurred:

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Posted in Bigots and Liars, DREAM Act, Immigration, LatinoVote '11, LatinoVote '12, Texas Lege, U.S. Ethnic Relations

Rick Perry’s Tent Revival Coming to Houston

Posted on June 6, 2011 | Comments Off

When Rick Perry prayed for rain earlier this summer, I didn’t know what to think, other than:  Is this a joke? The photo the Texas Tribune used of him looking up to the sky was quite the side-show. Of course, we all know that it was Obama’s visit which made it rain.

It is hard to believe Rick Perry’s sincerity as a Christian given that he cares little for the future of Texas: he supports cutting public education by $4 billion, cutting university/college funding by another $1 billion, putting at risk thousands of immigrant families with hateful legislation, and gutting health care programs that help the economically disadvantaged, among other unChristian actions.

So, I’d like to know for what exactly he is praying? Certainly not to increase the number of high school graduates. He doesn’t seem to care about “closing the gaps” by defunding our colleges and universities. And we all know how he feels about Latinos and immigrants. And he is a champion for that Republican health care plan of “don’t get sick.” So, what’s the deal?

Is he praying for his messed up view of morality where Gays don’t exist, or are simply in hiding? Is he praying for a return to the good ol’ days before the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act were established? Is he praying for women to be subservient? That’s what I get from this statement:

“Given the trials that beset our nation and world, from the global economic downturn to natural disasters, the lingering danger of terrorism and continued debasement of our culture, I believe it is time to convene the leaders from each of our United States in a day of prayer and fasting, like that described in the book of Joel,” Perry said.

Some will say that this tent revival is all about Iowa.

Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, called the rally “an obvious appeal to fundamentalist Christians, who comprise 60 percent of the turnout in the Iowa caucuses.”

That makes sense.

Still, for whatever the reason, this side-show detracts from the real problems Texas is facing and that Rick Perry has avoided and/or caused  since he was Lt. Governor. The people of Texas can either be made fools or point out the fools amongst them and elect people who will fight for the children of Texas.

But that takes voting. And come 2011, 2012, and 2014, and beyond, we must vote like our lives depended on it.

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Posted in Houston Dems '12, LatinoVote '11, LatinoVote '12, Redistricting '11, Republinutiness, Texas Lege

SoTe: How Special Shall The Session Be?

Posted on June 1, 2011 | Comments Off

The 82nd Session of the Texas Legislature came to an end, you may have heard. After Texas Senator Wendy Davis of Fort Worth brought the proceedings to a standstill as she filibustered SB 1811, a fiscal matters bill which would have allowed public schools to lose $4 billion, no other compromises on the bill were had, thus forcing a call for a Special Session. In this post, we look at two issues which directly affect the future of Hispanic Texans that will and/or may be called up during the up-to-30-day special session.

[Read the rest at Somos Tejanos]

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Posted in Immigration, LatinoVote '11, LatinoVote '12, Redistricting '11, U.S. Ethnic Relations