Texas GOP Pressing Libertarian Candidates to Bow Out

Looks like a former GOP State Rep called a few Libertarian candidates running in close races and asked them to drop out.

From the Austin American Statesman:

A former Republican state representative called three Libertarian Party candidates for the state House on Friday to request that they drop out of their races rather than take votes from their Republican opponents.

Suzanna Hupp, who represented District 54 in Central Texas for 10 years, said she made the calls Friday because of concerns that the Libertarian candidates would take Republican votes and ultimately give Democrats control over state and national seats.

"The fact is, we've got redistricting coming up in a few years," said Hupp, from Lampasas, who served in the House from 1997 to 2007, "and if the Republicans lose the (Texas) House of Representatives because there are a handful of people mad at them and vote for the Libertarians instead, then we could be in big trouble at the federal level."

...

Hupp said she called three Libertarian candidates in races where she knew the margin between the Republican and Democrat candidate figures to be close in November. However, one day after she made the calls, Hupp said she could remember only two of the three districts where she had intervened.

The two districts, candidates and calls that Hupp remembered were the same two that Texas Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict already knew about and had told reporters occurred.
...
Benedict said he told Libertarian candidates to "sit tight and stay in the race" after the calls were made. "I told them that Republicans need to earn those votes," he said.

It was wrong of Hupp to ask them to step down. However whats more disturbing is the level of hubris it took to make those calls in the first place. Given how long the GOP has been in power in Texas though its not surprising. Interestingly enough the Libertarian candidates may be inadvertently doing more to fix that problem than the state Dems. If that proves to be the case at least here in Texas we might see a few more candidates running that haven't forgotten conservatism's Burkean roots.

Senator Hutchinson to Step Down

From CNN:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison will not seek re-election after her current Senate term and may leave before her term ends in 2012 to run for Texas governor, a spokesman for the senator says.

Hutchison, now in her third full term in the Senate, told Texas Monthly magazine that stepping down in two years "has to be considered." Her comments were confirmed by spokesman Matt Mackowiak.

"Is it better for Texas for me to leave early and give someone else a chance to start building seniority before the class of 2013? I think it probably is," Hutchison said. Excerpts of the interview were posted Monday on the magazine's "State of Mine" feature written by editor Evan Smith.

First let me come clean: I have no love for Kay Bailey Hutchison. She was a rubber stamp Republican for W (save for on immigration issues in which she was a hard liner), she voted for the war and then repeatedly voted against expanding VA facilities in Texas, and her office sent out some really snarky responses whenever I contacted them about various issues of import to me. In fact I supported Barbara Ann Radnowksy during the last election just on the off chance she'd oust Hutchison.

In my opinion Texas (and America) need fewer Hutchinsons and more leaders that will look at all sides of an issue and vote for their constituents best interests rather than their party's. I'm glad to see her go. But I'm not gloating... nope....not gloating at all.

Texas Submerged

Dear Seattle,

You can take your weather back any time now.

Sincerely,

Dyre42

Senate Reneging on TX State Park Funding?

I doubt if anyone but me recalls but I first brought up this topic Jan 20 2006

Senate interest may be waning in parks funding

AUSTIN — The lawmaker pushing a major funding increase for state and local parks is worried that Senate leaders are losing their will to rehabilitate Texas' ailing park system.

"I am concerned. ... There is not really a champion in the Senate," House Culture, Recreation and Tourism Chairman Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, said Friday, three days before the legislative session ends.

"I'm championing it here, and I champion it in the Senate, too," Hilderbran said about his efforts to lift the sporting goods tax cap on revenue that flows to state parks. "I'm going over there, bursting into meetings with the lieutenant governor and other people on other bills, saying, 'What in the hell's going on? You promised this.'"

More than 20 of the state's 31 senators originally signed on to legislation to remove the cap, but questions about the funding and a study of the revenue are dividing lawmakers.

"I'm confident that we are going to have an agreement that's going to be good for our park system," said Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, who is the Senate's chief negotiator for House Bill 12.

A special parks advisory committee led by former Sen. John Montford recommended last year that all of the sporting goods tax revenue go to state and local parks as part of a plan to address chronic funding shortages in the state's 114 parks. Some parks are in serious disrepair and some have had to cut operating hours because of staff shortages. more

This particular item is near and dear to me as we do a lot of camping, hiking, and fishing.

The shame is that had my original proposal been put into motion this would have all been taken care of by now.

H/T to B and B

Texas Divests from Sudan

“Stop the Darfur Genocide Act” Garners Unanimous Support
AUSTIN, TEXAS (May 15, 2007) – Senate Bill 247, the “Stop the Darfur Genocide Act”, passed the Texas House of Representatives unanimously today. The bill has already cleared the Texas Senate and is on its way to the Governor’s desk, pending a procedural vote tomorrow. Governor Perry endorsed the targeted divestment legislation in his inaugural address and State of the State speech.
The bipartisan legislation, led by Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale (R – Tomball) and Senator Rodney Ellis (D – Houston), has over 85 co-authors and enjoys tremendous support from both ends of the political spectrum. Religious conservatives and liberal activists found common ground and formed an alliance to pass the legislation in Texas. The bill is similar to legislation that has already passed in 12 states and is currently pending in 15 others.
SB 247 would require the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) and the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS) to engage and possibly divest from certain companies doing business in Sudan who substantially benefit the central government, provide little benefit to Sudan’s citizens, and who have failed to address their role in indirectly facilitating Sudan’s genocide.
With an approximate value of $426 million in targeted fund holdings, the financial impact of the divestment effort on the Sudanese government is substantial. The amount represents about 0.59% of the assets under management by ERS & TRS.
Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale said, “Texans spoke loud and clear today. We don't want our money being used to facilitate genocide. As compassionate human beings, we can no longer turn our back to the slaughter in Darfur.”

H/T to SAIDC

Lingere store clerk to be labeled a sex offender

Police Raid Lingerie Shop
LUBBOCK, TX -- An obscure law sends one local lingerie store clerk to jail. And now she may forever have to register as a sex offender.
The lingerie store, Somethin’ Sexy was raided by police last week for violating Lubbock`s sexually oriented business ordinance.

"I feel like I`m in 1690 Salem, Massachusetts and we`re looking for a witch to burn" says the store’s owner.

The witch: the owner of Somethin’ Sexy. He`s speaking out about the raid of his shop and the arrest of his employee. Now, if convicted, the clerk will have to register as a sex offender.

"I think it`s ridiculous. She`s not a sex offender, she was selling something that I had instructed them it was ok to sell, I think it`s ridiculous" he says.

Earlier this month, four officers raided the shop, confiscating several toys deemed to be illegal by the Texas penal code. The code states "a person who possesses six or more obscene devices is presumed to possess them with intent to promote the same." In other words, intent to sell. more

There have been several stories not unlike this one in the local papers including crackdowns on a company that hosts novelty parties in private homes. I for one am not fond of overly judicious usage of the sex offender database which now includes teenagers convicted of statutory rape (2 years age difference required). Maybe I'm morally bankrupt for thinking that an 18 year old shouldn't be branded a pariah for life for engaging in sex with a 16 year old (or a 17 and a 15 year old) . The usage of the sex registry law needs to be restricted to its original intent.. But what lawmaker is is going to give his political opponents that much ammunition against them by standing up to fight for "known pervs"?

Note: A similar Alabama law is to be presented to the Supreme Court shortly.

H/T to Pagan Vigil

Texas Senate approves bill telling funds to divest from Sudan

March 20, 2007, 3:14PM

AUSTIN — The Texas Senate unanimously passed a bill on Tuesday that would require two state pension funds to divest from companies doing business with the Sudanese government.

Texas is among a growing number of states seeking to limit or end investment with companies in Sudan, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million been chased from their homes since 2003 because of civil strife. The United States has deemed the murders genocide and has largely blamed the Sudanese government and government-backed militias.

Sen. Florence Shapiro likened the massacres to the Holocaust, which claimed the lives of about 40 of her relatives, including a grandfather, grandmother and an aunt.

"Today we are in the same place, we are back standing together, Jews and non-Jews, Republicans and Democrats, males and females, urban and rural and we are saying loud and clear — never again," said Shapiro, a Republican from Plano.

The proposal now goes to the Texas House of Representatives, where about four dozen lawmakers are co-sponsoring an identical bill.

The measure directs the pension funds for retired teachers and retired state employees to divest from certain international companies that engage in business operations with Sudan's government or have significant involvement in oil related activities or supplying military equipment within the African nation.

more

Problem and Solution Update

So while I was busy working on the proposal to the Sierra Club I came up with a way to fund my proposal and that is this: The creation of a Conservation Impact Fee on building permits. The fee would be based on the total square footage of the buiding project. How's that for an idea?

So then I suggested that the state coordinating group of the Sierra Club compile a list of hunting clubs, fishing clubs, gun clubs, birdwatching groups, and environmental organizations along with the contact emails of their current leader. Then they contact the following two organizations Republicans for Environmental Protection and The Audubon Society and enlist their aid on this project. The list is then split up 3 ways REP contacts the gun, hunting and fishing clubs, The Sierra Club contacts the Environmental groups, and the Audubon Society the birders and enlist their aid in an E-Campaign to promote my idea. We'll have a site for Pennies for Parks set up so that visitors can email or fax the Governor, Ttate Senator and Reps. Info on the campaign will go on everyone's web site and in everyone's newsletter. And voila! An insane amount of support for the Department of Parks and Wildlife with no real money spent. Tada!

Once a year I have a really great idea. Lets hope this one comes to fruition.

Problem and Solution

We got our copy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine and inside on the very first page is a sort of State of the State Parks Address and the long and short of it boils down to this:
1: They get this much money at the beginning of the year: 51 million dollars

2: They pay back this much money in entry fees and sales per year: 32 million

3: Actual cost to the state per year: 19 million dollars for 124 parks and historical sites

4: Which averages out to a cost of 170,000 per park per year or 1 cent per park per Texan

5: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept had to fire 39 employees and eliminate 40 open positions this year due to budget constraints.

Texas ranks 48th or 49th in Park spending.

One Penny Per Park? What a bargain! I mean if I have a Park pass (60$ per year) I can visit every single state park and historcal site in texas at a cost of 61.24$ to me. However I have a son so it costs him a about a buck and a quarter too. So that's 62.48$ as park passes covers everyone in the car.

I'd pay two bucks a year in addition to the parks pass. Hell I'd cut them a two dollar check right now! And I can't think of anyone I know (including die hard Republicans who only own red ties and wear them to work every day) that wouldn't. That'd be a 61% increase in their budget.

Now lets see who I can talk into starting a Pennies for Parks grassroots lobbying campaign.

First up the state chapter of the Sierra Club and then Kinky Firiedman. Why Kinky? Why not?

I'll let you know how it goes.