TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalIn San Angelo, a Tea Party backtracks from a night of Muslim-bashing
A San Angelo author and Tea Party member has learned that he can bash Islam if he wants.
But even in San Angelo, that doesn’t mean anyone else will listen.
In an bold move defying the stereotype of xenophobic Texas towns, the San Angelo Tea Party has disavowed comments by former President Terry M. Campbell and Grand Prairie activist Dorrie O’Brien at a Sept. 10 meeting on “radical Islam.”
Somewhere along the way, the topic of jihad switched to all people of quiet faith.
According to the news site San Angelo Live, Campbell said the city has “four Muslim families” and “I don’t trust any of them.”
More at http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/09/28/5200937/in-san-angelo-a-tea-party-backtracks.html#storylink=omni_popular?rh=1 .
Republican candidates for Texas AG debate in Austin
Austin–The Republican candidates for attorney general on Saturday had a sometimes prickly debate, where they agreed on most issues but differed sharply on who is best qualified to be the state’s top lawyer.
The forum, part of a weekend public policy and politics convention sponsored by The Texas Tribune, was the first major debate between Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas, Sen. Ken Paxton of McKinney and Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman of Houston. The candidates appeared together earlier this month in east Texas.
During moments of the hour-long debate, the candidates had minor clashes, particularly Branch and Smitherman.
Smitherman, who in recent weeks has made awkward statements about marriage, gay rights and the need to prepare Texas to become an island nation, had to explain his positions to the hundreds of people in attendance.
After the debate, Smitherman and Branch had a heated exchange as they left the stage. Smitherman had earlier questioned whether a couple of tea party leaders had actually endorsed Branch. After they were faced to face as audience members filed out of the room, Branch told Smitherman: “Don’t lie.”
More at http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/09/republican-candidates-for-texas-ag-debate-in-austin.html/ .
[font color=green]I just love it when a group of Republicans get in a cat fight! 
No offense intended to cats or cat lovers.[/font]
Texas GOP House members show approval of new Obamacare attack
As Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, told the House GOP caucus that he favored adding a one-year delay of Obamacare and a repeal of the program’s medical-device tax to the continuing budget resolution before the House, Texas lawmakers enthusiastically endorsed the plan.
Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, confirmed reports that “like 9/11,” he yelled “Let’s roll!” as others applauded.
Boehner earned a big thumbs up from Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, and shortly afterward Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, called Boehner “our great Speaker.” 
The House was expected to vote on the measure later tonight, and the leadership expected a unanimous GOP vote.
More at http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2013/09/texas-gop-house-members-show-approval-of-new-obamacare-attack/?cmpid=hpts .
Months After Vetoing Disclosure Bill, Rick Perry Gets a New Dark Money Group
The cover story for Governor Rick Perry's feud with California Governor Jerry Brown, his job-poaching trip to Missouri and his visit to a Maryland gun manufacturer the day after this month's Navy Yard shooting, is that he's bolstering the Texas economy by spreading the state's low-tax gospel and wooing people and businesses.
No one really believes that. What he's actually doing, according to pretty much everyone, is laying the groundwork for a 2016 presidential run.
The most recent junkets have been financed by a new group called Americans for Economic Freedom, which was established in August using the $212,608 left over from the SuperPAC that backed Perry's woeful 2012 presidential bid.
-snip-
The general consensus, at least among non-billionaires, is that the unfettered flow of anonymous money into political campaigns has a corrosive effect on democracy. That's why a bill to require 501(c)(4) nonprofits to disclose major donors sailed through the Legislature this year with bipartisan support.
More at http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/09/months_after_vetoing_disclosur.php .
Top 16 myths about the health care law
PolitiFact has been fact-checking claims about the federal health care law since lawmakers started drafting the legislation in 2009. Long controversial, the law has been no stranger to attacks by detractors. Here are 16 of the biggest falsehoods PolitiFact has rated.
( Fact-checks are listed in no particular order. The links will take you to a full report and a source list for each fact-check.)
1. The health care law rations care, like systems in Canada and Great Britain. False.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, July 2, 2012, in an interview on Fox News
The health care law is not socialized medicine. Instead, it leaves in place the private health care system that follows free market principles. The law does put more regulations on health insurance companies. It also fines most large employers who fail to provide insurance for their employees, and it requires all individuals to have health insurance. This is unlike the systems in either Britain or Canada. In Britain, doctors are employees of the government, while in Canada, the government pays most medical bills as part of a single-payer system. The U.S. health care law has neither of those features. PolitiFact has rated this claim and others like it False.
More at http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2013/sep/24/top-16-myths-about-health-care-law/ .
Anti-gay ranter San Antonio councilwoman Elisa Chan running for State Senate
Two months after stirring national controversy by condemning homosexuality, Councilwoman Elisa Chan has decided to leave the council to run for the Texas Senate in 2014, challenging District 25 state Sen. Donna Campbell in the March GOP primary.
Chan, 47, is taking on a first-term incumbent from New Braunfels who has strong backing among tea party members and some Republicans. Without attacking Campbell, Chan contends her council service prepares her well for the Legislature, and she hopes to survive the withering criticism generated by her opposition to the city's new nondiscrimination ordinance.
“I know a lot of people in this community agree with me; so I don't foresee any problem, but I would never know until I go out there,” Chan said Friday.
“With my qualifications, my experience, my conservative views, what can I do to make the biggest positive impact to the community? I think this is a good opportunity for me,” she said.
More at http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/article/Chan-confirms-she-s-running-for-state-Senate-4849963.php .
[font color=green]Both Chan and Campbell are terrible candidates and that state senate district is conservative so it looks like we are going to suffer no matter the outcome of the GOP primary. Our best hope is that they managed to smear each other in the primary so that the voters in that district will be repulsed by the GOP nominee.[/font]
Fight over University of Texas heats up between Perry ally, senator Judith Zaffirini (D)
State Sen. Judith Zaffirini has been a staunch supporter of the University of Texas administration and formerly headed the Senate Higher Education Committee. Energy investor Jeff Sandefer has made open records requests to dozens of state agencies asking for information about state business with Zaffirini or her family.AUSTIN — The battle between lawmakers and Gov. Rick Perry’s allies over refocusing the University of Texas has grown more fierce after one of the governor’s advisers targeted a key state senator.
In broad open records requests to dozens of state agencies, energy investor Jeff Sandefer has asked for any information regarding state business or contracts with state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, or her family.
The move follows similarly broad-based open records requests by UT regent Wallace Hall, a Perry appointee. Hall requested thousands of records from the Austin campus that also listed lawmakers and their correspondence with university administrators. Hall has been accused of trying to micromanage UT and engaging in a “witch hunt” to oust president Bill Powers.
The acrimony has led to a rare legislative committee examining the possible impeachment of Hall, of whom Zaffirini has been a critic.
The remainder of the story is behind the paywall at http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20130927-fight-over-university-of-texas-heats-up-between-perry-ally-senator.ece .
'Big Tips Texas' to debut on MTV
No, “Big Tips Texas” is not the new name of a small town in Texas, a la Doug Guller’s Bikinis, southeast of Fredericksburg.
If you recall, in 2012, Guller — the guy who trademarked the word “breastaurant” — bought the land where Bankersmith used to be and renamed it Bikinis, in honor of his chain of sports bars.
But MTV’s new docu-series “Big Tips Texas” is about a group of young women who work at a “breastaurant” in North Texas called Redneck Heaven. The half-hour show, which premieres at 9 p.m. on Oct. 9, most likely will highlight the drama that comes along with working at a popular restaurant-bar. Among the 10 stars are Sabrina, who is trying to save up money to pay for law school at Harvard; the boss, Typhani; the ambitious Kristyn, who dreams of starting her own fashion line; the rodeo princess, Morgan; and “sassy Southern server” Mercedez.
MTV boils the series down to this:
More at http://blog.chron.com/tubular/2013/09/big-tips-texas-to-debut-on-mtv/?cmpid=hpfc .
[font color=green]Confession: On first glance of the picture and then reading the headline I thought that I saw the other "T" word.
Yes, I need to get an eye exam and get my mind out of the gutter.
Note that most of the young women also spell their names that deviates from how they are normally spelled. Does anybody plan to tune in to MTV to watch the show?
My apologies to anyone that might be offended by this thread. However, since the purpose of this group is to discuss all things Texan and I wish to avoid being too risque or provocative, I thought that people should be alerted to this TV show in case someone wanted to block younger members of the family from watching the show.[/font]
Cruz won't give up Senate pay amid gov't shutdown
AUSTIN, Texas —
Ted Cruz says he's not planning to give up his paycheck as a U.S. Senator if there is a federal government shutdown.
Addressing an Austin conference via video feed Friday evening, Cruz said he hoped there wouldn't be a government shutdown. He said he hadn't given much thought to what effect it could have on his Senate pay.
But when pressed he said he "had no intention" of giving up his paycheck.
-snip-
He has vowed to halt funding to the White House-backed health care reform law or shutdown the government trying. But he knew even before he started that his talkathon wouldn't accomplish either.
More at http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/texas/cruz-back-in-texas-after-much-watched-talkathon/nZ8f7/ .
[font color=green]Come on Teddy, it's only a token gesture but you need to stand on principle.[/font] 
150,000 Harris County Voters vs. (Republican Prick) County Judge Ed Emmett
One of the more important measures that you won't see on the ballot this fall in Harris County was an effort to fund early childhood education. The "Early To Rise" campaign collected over 150,000 signatures for the initiative, which would have created a dedicated funding stream for early childhood. The effort was supported by business leaders and education advocates.
However, Republican Harris County Judge Ed Emmett refused to order an election to put the initiative on the ballot.
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the petition signatories, citing the ability of voters to petition for an election to authorize their government to levy and collect taxes for educational purposes. Early To Rise had collected signatures far in excess of the equivalent of 10% of voters in the county in the last gubernatorial election and validated twice as many as required. Unfortunately the 14th Court of Appeals threw out the lawsuit, and the Early To Rise initiative will not be on the ballot.
Now, a new poll finds out that the measure would likely have been successful, had it been on the ballot. Instead, thanks to Republican County Judge Ed Emmett, thousands of Harris County children will lose out on funding for early childhood education and a better start at life.
More at http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/14127/guest-post-150000-harris-county-voters-vs-county-judge-ed-emmett .
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
Home country: United States
Current location: Bryan, Texas
Member since: Sun Aug 14, 2011, 03:57 AM
Number of posts: 112,635
