Category Archives: Show Business for Ugly People

KBH’s pathetic czar claims

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure this silly WaPo op-ed by our senior Senator, in which she makes wild yet provably false claims about the rise of government “czars”, will be making the rounds of the Texas papers this week, so we may as … Continue reading →

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Retired general calls out Perry

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Damn. A retired Air National Guard general called Thursday with three worries. “Something bad’s gone wrong in this country,” said retired Brig. Gen. Tom Daniels, 62, of Fort Worth. “Something’s wrong in Arlington. Something’s wrong in Austin. And something’s wrong … Continue reading →

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Please go ahead and leave

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the real America haters. And remember that even though he wants nothing to do with them now, because it would look bad, these are the people Rick Perry was speaking to when he spoke about seceding. You can run … Continue reading →

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Textbook ideology

Posted on August 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Who cares about Cesar Chavez and Henry Cisneros when our students could be learning about Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh? The State Board of Education has appointed “review committees” made up largely of active and retired school teachers to draft … Continue reading →

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The new social studies curriculum, so far

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

There’s no reason to believe that the lunatic fringe of the State Board of Education will do anything but push an unrealistic and ideological change to the state’s social studies curriculum. They’ve made that clear by the kind of “expert” … Continue reading →

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Let’s seat those judges

Posted on August 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Traditionally, a President seeks input from a state’s Senators when filling federal court, US Attorney, and US Marshall openings. Also traditionally, when the President and both Senators from a given state are from opposite parties, the state’s Congressional delegation assumes … Continue reading →

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Doing it in the Facebook with the Twittering, HCRP-style

Posted on July 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg checks in on the Harris County Republican Party’s efforts to bring social media skillz to their masses. It’s easy to make fun of them for this – okay, it’s easy to make fun of them in general – … Continue reading →

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What kind of patriot are you, anyway?

Posted on July 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Contrarian reports on more SBOE follies. A reader passed along a link to this Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel story that shows just how much some members of the State Board of Education are trying to slant social studies classes in … Continue reading →

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Watson on unemployment

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. Kirk Watson reviews the bidding on how the state of Texas has handled its unemployment issues. As was noted during this past legislative session by Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken (who was appointed by the Governor and once … Continue reading →

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US Attorney update

Posted on July 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Mary Flood notes that while we still don’t have a nominee for US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, we at least now have a list of finalists. The committee met with the four folks whose names were sent … Continue reading →

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Dewhurst settles financial disclosure complaint

Posted on July 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, now we have an idea of where Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst gets his wealth. The Republican sent the Texas Ethics Commission two corrected financial statements covering 2007 and 2008 filings. The new disclosures show Dewhurst holds a stake in … Continue reading →

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Defining “expert” down

Posted on July 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman editorial board lets us know how Don McLeroy defines an “expert” on something. Don McLeroy, who couldn’t muster enough votes in the Republican-dominated Texas Senate to win confirmation as chairman of the State Board of Education, has a … Continue reading →

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The best way to fix a mistake is to avoid making it in the first place

Posted on July 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In re: the fight over social studies now brewing in the State Board of Education, the problem is described as follows. About 75 teachers, principals, social studies coordinators, college professors, retired teachers and ordinary citizens are developing the new curriculum … Continue reading →

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Dan Patrick on legislative reforms

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I realize that Sen. Dan Patrick writing an article for the Texas Observer is a bit like Geneva Kirk Brooks having a byline in Playboy, but give the man his due: He raises some very good points in his piece … Continue reading →

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The fight over social studies

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve talked before about how the State Board of Education wants to do to history what it’s been doing to science. The Chron adds some details to the discussion. Biographies of Washington, Lincoln, Stephen F. Austin? Not fit reading material … Continue reading →

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On the future of Democrats in Texas

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

By now you’ve probably read Mike Lux’s HuffPo piece (crossposted at BOR) about the future of the Democratic Party in Texas. The main thrust of Mike’s piece is about turnout, and where there’s numbers there’s my curiosity getting piqued. Let’s … Continue reading →

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Perry appoints Lowe chair of SBOE

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The good news is, he didn’t pick Cynthia Dunbar. The bad news is, it’s not clear how much better new State Board of Education Chair Gail Lowe will be. Lowe, co-publisher of the Lampasas Dispatch Record, was first elected to … Continue reading →

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The SBOE’s assault on history

Posted on July 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In my earlier post about the virtues of a pro-science PAC, I mentioned that the State Board of Education had turned its attention towards doing to social studies what it had done to science. Vince gives a great rundown of … Continue reading →

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Dunbar in line to chair SBOE

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The crazy never stops. Critics who engineered the recent ouster of State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy, in part because of his strong religious beliefs, could end up with someone even more outspoken in her faith. Cynthia Dunbar, R-Richmond, … Continue reading →

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Bryan Shaw

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

One gets used to disappointments with Rick Perry. In late 2007, the appointment of Bryan Shaw, a Texas A&M professor and air pollution expert, to the three-member board that oversees the state’s environmental agency drew praise from a prominent government … Continue reading →

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Who are these people?

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, there are vacancies in the US Attorney’s offices in the Southern and Western district offices in Texas, which will be filled by Presidential appointment. Normally, when the President is of one party and both of a given … Continue reading →

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Please join me in supporting Mayor Castro in San Antonio

Posted on June 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

What RBearSAT says. Mayor Julian Castro agreed to serve as Grand Marshal of San Antonio’s Pride Parade this July 4th, becoming the first San Antonio mayor to ever serve in this role. Prior Grand Marshals have included SAPD Chief William McManus, Bexar … Continue reading →

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The DNC comes to Texas

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is a pleasant surprise. Calling Texas “a tremendous growth opportunity for the Democratic Party,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine announced this afternoon that Austin will host the Democrats’ annual fall meeting. The Sept. 10-12 session will highlight positive … Continue reading →

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Cornyn reverts to form

Posted on June 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember when Big John Cornyn was rebuking the crazy wing of the Republican Party for making race-based attacks on Sonya Sotomayor? Apparently, he’s figured out that this put him in the minority of the GOP, because he’s now joined … Continue reading →

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Big John versus El Rushbo and The Newt

Posted on May 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

There’s just not enough popcorn in the world. As if to magnify what are already major differences between elected Republicans and conservative activists on the question of Sonia Sotomayor, check out what conservative senator (and chairman of the National Republican … Continue reading →

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Senate spikes McLeroy

Posted on May 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. The Texas Senate on Thursday refused to confirm Don McLeroy as State Board of Education chairman after an impassioned floor debate. The 19 to 11 party-line vote was not enough to get McLeroy across the required two-thirds … Continue reading →

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Dems say they can block McLeroy

Posted on May 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. San Antonio Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, who chairs the Senate Democratic Caucus, said all 12 Democrats in the Senate plan to vote against the nomination [of Don McLeroy as Chair of the State Board of Education]. … Continue reading →

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Perry’s salvage job

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

How can you tell that sine die is approaching? Governor Perry starts getting involved in the legislative process. Perhaps state lawmakers are fatigued by Gov. Rick Perry’s long tenure or maybe they’re just balking at his leadership, but the Republican-led … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The zombie nominee

Posted on May 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the Senate confirmation of Don McLeroy as Chair of the State Board of Education, which we all thought had been scuttled back in April, got new life earlier this week when Senate Nominations Committee chair Mike Jackson, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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What, me secede?

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Shorter Rick Perry: “I never actually used the word ‘secede’.” Fine, whatever. The judge grants your motion to dismiss on the technicality. But we all know that you’ve raised your national profile while gaining ground in the polls, because the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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What, me secede?

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Shorter Rick Perry: “I never actually used the word ‘secede’.” Fine, whatever. The judge grants your motion to dismiss on the technicality. But we all know that you’ve raised your national profile while gaining ground in the polls, because the … Continue reading →

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Whatever Ricky wants

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s too early to say how much of Rick Perry’s self-proclaimed agenda will get enacted this session, as much of it hinges on the budget reconciliation process as well as on legislation that hasn’t been taken up by one chamber … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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No sunset for SBOE

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, that‘s too bad. Just yesterday the Texas House approved on second reading House Bill 710, which would have made the Texas State Board of Education subject to periodic review by the Sunset Advisory Commission. That vote was 74-68. But … Continue reading →

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Bell lawsuit against Perry advances

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In November of 2007, Chris Bell filed a lawsuit against Governor Rick Perry’s 2006 re-election campaign and the Republican Governor’s Association claiming they illegally hid $1 million in donations from Houston homebuilder Bob Perry. The suit alleges that the RGA … Continue reading →

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