TTC - Editorial requesting "greedy whiners" to see the upside

An editorial by resident Mr. Waldo DeDuir wrote a letter to the Waxahachie Daily Light editor worth directing your attention to. DeDuir's Letter. Actually I have been good given reason to believe the last name should be "DeCuir". Mr. Waldo DeCuir is a longtime and well-respected resident.

Here's a teaser:

"The farmers and others who own land in the path of the TTC are a bunch of greedy, whiney individuals who are self-centered and they don’t want to give up their land for the Trans-Texas Corridor. Just think of all the great things that can be done if we have the Trans-Texas Corridor. I can’t understand why these land owners can’t look ahead and see all of the great things that can be done if we have the TTC." THE REST

So much for the Democrats looking for fairness in Washington

Have you ever heard of Elliot Mincberg, legal director of the liberal lobbying group People for the American Way? NO? Well allow me ro pass along a little background.

Mr. Mincberg has been the liberal's political pitbull for year. He has done more damage to traditional American culture and conservative issue than most any other activist.

Now his liberal legal tactics and extremism are being put to better use ( WSJ membership may be needed to view).

"For the past six years, the Justice Department has brushed off the concerns of Elliot Mincberg, legal director of the liberal lobbying group People for the American Way. Now, however, his queries could well come with a subpoena.

On Jan. 17, Mincberg started a new job, heading a brand new unit at the Democratic-run House Judiciary Committee: oversight and investigations. “The time is long past due for much needed oversight of the administration in general and the Department of Justice in particular,” the committee chairman, Rep. John Conyers (D., Mich.), said in a statement. He promised an emphasis on “constitutional and civil rights issues.”

Mincberg’s Oversight and Investigations Unit already has one former federal prosecutor on staff, and expects to hire three or four additional attorneys. Earlier today, he helped put together his first hearing, on President Bush’s practice of appending statements that qualify his view of the scope of bills he signs. Next up: a dispute over committee access to confidential orders issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court regarding the administration’s use of wiretaps in counterterrorism operations. So much for the democrats promises to bring back bi-partisan rule. As you may remember, the dem's mantra during the general election is how the republicans have used & abused not only the house mority but the people in general. "

Let's see how far Mr. Mincberg's leadership helps to rectify these perceived wrongs.

ELLIOT MINCBERG: Former Vice President and Legal Director of People For the American Way (PFAW), a national organization with more than 600,000 members and supporters that works to promote and protect civil rights, civil liberties, public education, and a fair and independent judiciary. Mincberg directs much of PFAWs work on judicial nominations, and has frequently spoken and written on the subject, including in the national media. He was formerly a partner at the Washington, DC law firm of Hogan and Hartson, where he specialized in education and other litigation. He received his law degree magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1977.

NEW BILL: Cities should stay out of Day Labor Centers for illegals!

State Rep. Bill Zedler (R), Arlington - Introduced HB904 which would prohibit local governments from getting into the day labor business. Thank you Rep. Zedler for being a conservative voice in Austin.

Ice Storm messes up lots of plans.....

Wow, talk about poor timing. The ice storm that hit North Texas last night happened to be on a scduled holiday (MLK Day). So, school aged students already had the day off and so did many adults. Undoubtedly, turnout at local MLK parades will be affected. Well, at least in Waxahcie it appears the roads & bridges have been well maintained. If you need City of Waxahachie info click here ..... County Information click here

Thank you Rep. Pitts for your efforts....

Once the sting of today's leadership battle fades I believe there will be lessons learned. First, The Texas GOP is an organization of fighters that believe in independent thought. We refuse to sit on the sidelines when we see problems arising. Jim Pitts' challenge to the Speaker is such an example.

It would have been easy to sit on the sidelines to ensure a position of power within the Texas House. Yet, Pitts heard many of the concerns being voiced by his fellow members across the state. Between himself and Rep. McCall a challenge to "business as usual" was mounted.

While Mr. Craddick succeeded in retaining the speakership I believe the Party, and as such, the state of Texas will be better in the long run. True, there may be repercussions for the actions of individuals over the past few weeks. But there should be little doubt the leadership has heard the concerns of its' members.

Moving forward into this years' legislative session hopefully we'll witness a more focused & conservative agenda coming out of Austin. And while compromise is not always acceptable Austin must realize that egos should be set aside and the people's business must come first.

For the resaons above today's excercise was not a waste of time. Let's just hope that the lessons learned will not be soon forgotten.

"Let the Healing Begin....."

It's Over!

PITTS IS OUT OF THE RACE........... To encourage support the current word in that Pitts has put his support behind Craddick.

Who said party politics is a democracy?

Well, at noon today I, like many, logged onto the Texas House website to watch the swearing in and voting of the House Speaker. Like many I am still waiting for a vote for House Speaker.

First, everyone must learn that party politics is not always an excercise in democracy. Power & personal agenda way heavily into most decisions. And the vote for Texas House Speaker is no different. Most of the day's session has been focused on if & when to make each members' votes available to the public. Should the vote be immediately be public or should they wait until after they get their cherished committee assignments?

Blogging from the Texas Capitol

Here's a link to "In The Pink" a bloggers who's sitting somewhere in Austin following the Speakers vote "blow by blow". Bless their hearts..... IN THE PINK

4:52PM. Members are voting on Motion to Table. Motion to table prevails. Now they’re voting on adoption of Hartnett amendment. 96 ayes, 51 nays. Amendment’s adopted. Can someone please tell me what all this means?
Tommy Merritt’s talking about Genesis and the rainbow flag. Somebody stop him before it gets any worse.
5:07PM. Merritt’s amendment for a confidential vote is tabled. I think I may be the only one still watching. HR 35 is adopted by a landslide.

Texas Speaker of the House Race..... Speaker Pitts?

While I must admit biase being from Ellis County it appears the Texas Speakers' race is in Pitts' favor. Given the apparent wholesale backlash to Mr. Craddick's leadership style I image that by this time tomorrow Texas will have a new Republican Speaker of the House.

And his name will be Speaker Jim.....

Ode to the SSC... aka "What the hell send it overseas"

Please see the article below from this weekends Wall Street Journal Online (WSJ Article). The Swiss are celebrating the "Large Hadron Collider" they just finished building. ( See website: LHC - THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER) The article speaks on about the excitement surrounding the potential new discoveries.

Suddenly, while sitting in in Waxahachie, Texas reading this article I had the feeling of Deja Vu. Wait a minute. Wasn't the United States & the Department of Energy building this same project in Ellis County at one time? As a matter of fact, it occurred to me that because of partisan politics the U.S. cancelled the "Super Conducting Super-Collider" (SSC).

At the time the politicians in Washington said that the U.S. couldn't fund such pork barrel projects and the SSC had to be shut down immediately. And shut down they project they did. Several additional years and a few billion dollars later the United States completed the shut down of the SSC.

At the time the American taxpayers received the shaft and Ellis County residents received a $50 million dollar building in the middle of nowhere. As an side fact the inherited buildings were in such great demand that Ellis County just recently managed to sell the collider facilities for a whopping $7 million dollars.

Yet I digress, the real reason for this walk down memory lane is to celebrate the "Large Hadron Collider" LHC. The same project the Americans abandoned several years back is now been completed by the Swiss. Rather than the U.S. owning the rights to any new technological discoveries the Swiss and other countries will.

And I have no doubt that many mysteries will be revealed and great knowledge and wealth will come to those who build this great scientific achievement.

Additional resources: The U.S. LHC Accelerator Research Program (LARP)

SPEAKER CANDIDATES ANNOUNCE SUPPORTERS

Both challenger Jim Pitts and incumbent Speaker Tom Craddick announced some new supporters in a flurry of last minute activity prior to the Tuesday vote for Speaker. Democrats Richard Raymond and Chuck Hopson switched their support from Craddick to Pitts, but they weren't counted on as solid votes for Craddick anyway. Democrat Armando Martinez withdrew his support from Craddick while incoming freshman Democrat Eddie Lucio III endorsed Tom Craddick. REST OF STORY