He partially redeemed himself with his support of DADT, but he was smart enough to read the writing on the wall: Joementum long ago turned into Joenertia. One strongly held opinion that matches mine:
My corner of Connecticut was covered in ice today, until news broke of Sen. Joe Lieberman's impending retirement. Magically, a warm glow spread. It was a delicious feeling: the end of the reign of the politician I despise most.
Why do I loathe, loathe, loathe my 68-year-old four-term senator? My feelings are all the stronger for being fairly irrational. Lieberman's views are closer to mine than many politicians on whom I don't expend one iota of emotional energy. This, of course, is his power: He never loses his power to disappoint. Then there is the spectacle of it all: After each act of grand or petty betrayal, each time he turns on his former supporters, the Democratic Party and the Obama administration came back begging for more. Throughout the last Congress, he never let anyone forget he was the 60th vote.
Opposed the public option, supported the war in Iraq (he was on teevee yesterday saying Saddam threatened his neighbors and had WMDs), endorsed McCain, spoke at the GOP convention, joined the Republican caucus after that, switched back to the Dems after Obama was elected in order to keep his committee chairmanship.
It's always been all about him, and that's what I disliked the most about the man. Chris Murphy has announced as a candidate, and it will be a great day when we have a real Democrat in that seat.
On the day that Ted Cruz threw his hat into the ring, a new poll shows Ron Paul in a dead heat with David Dewhurst for the GOP primary's US Senate nomination. Let's go to Politics Daily for the excerpt...
On a call with conservative bloggers Wednesday morning, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz announced he would seek the GOP nomination for the seat.
Cruz told the bloggers he was letting them hear his plans first because they will be at the "frontier" of this race.
Now that's what you call sucking up. Cruz is at the very back of the pack as far as name recognition goes, to say nothing of experience. His single claim to respect from the establishment comes in the form of a million-dollar war chest, raised when he was planning on running for Texas Attorney General before Greg Abbott got cock-blocked by Kay Bailey's resignation two-step over a year ago. But Cruz makes up for his shortcomings with inflammatory Tea-ish rhetoric:
During the call, Cruz called President Obama "the most radical president ever to occupy the White House," and said the election is about "which candidate is best prepared to stand up and fight to stop the Obama agenda."
Yawn. This PPP poll bears out that Cruz has a loooong way to go to get credible in the GOP primary. It's the one that has Dr. No on the lead.
If Rep. Ron Paul decides to seek the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican incumbent Kay Bailey Hutchison, he would become an instant frontrunner, a new poll found.
The Public Policy Polling survey showed that Paul, the longtime Lake Jackson congressman and two-time presidential contender, would start the Republican primary race in a statistical tie with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, with other potential candidates in a hypothetical 2012 Senate match-up trailing far behind.
Paul, whose son Rand was elected to the Senate from Kentucky last year, received the backing of 21 percent of Republican voters. Twenty-three percent named Dewhurst, whose personal wealth and name recognition make him a top-tier hopeful, is currently the top pick of 23 percent of GOP voters.
Nobody has mentioned Paul as a contender before today but that will change quickly with this news.
Among other candidates who were tested, Attorney General Greg Abbott polled third at 14 percent, followed by Joe Barton, R-Ennis, 7 percent, Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones, 6 percent, Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, 3 percent, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, 3 percent, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz, 3 percent, and former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams, 1 percent.
I have to say that I still don't think Paul -- or Barton, for that matter -- will make a run, as it means they'd have to give up their seat in the House. But Paul definitely has something to chew on.
Vince shows that Democratic contenders also get swamped in hypothetical matchups, which I would expect to see at this early stage. The numbers barely change among D's and R's. I take this poll as simply a popularity contest of the respective brands.
Dewhurst, for his part, screwed the pooch in his inaugural address yesterday. Paul Burka's comments are nothing short of devastating:
I thought Governor Dewhurst’s speech was all wrong. It was too long, too partisan, too campaign oriented. He had one foot off the platform on the way to Washington.
Sometimes the things he said made no sense at all. Speaking of the early settlers, he said, “Those men and women who made their way to Texas, who settled these unforgiving plains, who sought neither a handout nor a stimulus check — they simply sought freedom.”
Oh, please. Was Stephen F. Austin oppressed in Missouri? Was Davy Crockett in debtors’ prison in Tennessee? Did Jim Bowie face constant harassment in Arkansas? Nobody came to Texas for freedom. They came for cheap land and the chance to make a better life for themselves. Texas is not about noble ideals. It’s about making money.
[...]
Dewhurst is following the Perry model: If you rail enough about Washington, you can make people forget about what is — and what is not — happening here. Which is: a humongous shortfall and a leadership that is willing, even eager, to wrap Texas in a fiscal straightjacket and throw it under the bus to benefit their own political ambitions.
His priorities, Dewhurst said, include securing our borders, encouraging more job creation, passing Voter ID, improve our public schools because a quality education gives every child a chance to realize their dreams, continue building a world class transportation system, make healthcare more accessable and more affordable with better medical outcomes at a lower cost by passing reforms that will lead the nation…
Does he think we’re all stupid? Does he think that anti-Washington rhetoric will make us forget that he is going to whack $25 billion out of the budget? There won’t be enough money left to build a farm-to-market road, much less a world-class transportation system. Quality education with 30 kids in an elementary classroom? A more affordable health care system? More affordable for the state, maybe, after Medicaid has been cut to the bone, but not for you and me.
My reading of Dewhurst through the years hasn’t really changed very much. It comes down to this: He wants to do the right thing, but he can never bring himself to do it. He perpetually runs scared, scared of the tea party, scared of Dan Patrick, scared of Rick Perry, scared of the Republican senators, scared of his own better instincts. And so we get speeches like this one, which doesn’t ring true.
No incumbent in Texas has served longer and is more of a blank slate than Dewhurst. The state's most powerful elected official is an empty suit, and that's why he won't make it to the Senate.
And today was supposed to be a day about Michael Williams, but news about his impending resignation and announcement for the Senate has been invisible. Who knows whether he ceded the cycle to Cruz and Paul, but it seems ignominious that the leaks about him breaking news today turned out to be false.
Tune in tomorrow -- hopefully -- for the Bowtie's response to these developments.
Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams says he has sent Gov. Rick Perry a letter telling him he will be leaving the commission on April 2 to concentrate on a race for the U.S. Senate. ...
... (B)y giving Perry such advance notice, it will allow the governor to consider whether to replace him on the commission. There is discussion in the Legislature with taking the three-member panel down to one commissioner or possibly combining it with other agencies.
Perry could appoint someone to replace Williams on the commission. That appointee would have to stand for election in 2012 to fill the term through 2014.
Williams said he is not overly worried about the possibility of millionaire Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst entering the race.
"One of the lessons of 2010 is that message and the right messenger can trump money," Williams said.
Williams missed an good opportunity to capture some attention with this tepid announcement. Not a good way to start.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has some stern words for fellow Republicans who have been using harsh language about immigrants. Bush said GOP politicians who have demonized immigrants and opposed proposals such as the DREAM Act — which would provide a pathway to citizenship for children brought illegally into the country who excel in school or join the military — are risking a long-term backlash against their party.
Bush is correct, naturally, but to the Teas this is blasphemy. Just read the comments attached to the story. More ...
"It's impossible to imagine that Republican or conservative philosophy could be the majority philosophy if we don't attract more Hispanics to our side," he said.
Bush said that the failure of U.S. immigration enforcement had created a backlash against immigrants, and he said better enforcement was the first step toward passage of policies such as the DREAM Act.
"A great country has to have control of its borders," he said. "If that is done, I can guarantee you that the tone of the immigration debate will change dramatically."
Bush called for "a legalization process — without a doubt" to clarify the status of more than 11 million people currently living illegally in the U.S.
"I think that is policy of common sense, which many conservatives are going to support," he said.
Absolutely laughable in the current environment, isn't it? Give the man points for speaking an inconvenient conservative truth. Then again, what truths are convenient for them?
(That last is teasing, Republicans. Sort of like Olbermann's "Worst Persons", it's humor at your expense. Buck up and take it like a grown-up.)
In other developments the Bush patriarch, Herbert Walker, announced his endorsement for US Senator. It's his old Midland car dealer.
Today, former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams, a Republican, is announcing the backing of former president George H. W. Bush, who will bestow his endorsement at a 3 p.m. press conference at his Houston office.
Williams has had his eye on Hutchison's seat for a while. He did not lose focus even after Hutchison decided to stay in office during her recent unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, which also received the elder Bush's endorsement.
"We announced in January 2009, and regardless of who was in or not, we've never stopped campaigning since then," Williams told the Tribune on the day Hutchison revealed she would not be seeking re-election next year, leaving the seat open.
The Bush endorsement could give his campaign a nice boost, particularly since the field is crowded and Williams doesn’t have the statewide name recognition of someone like (David) Dewhurst, who has held statewide office since 1999. A high-profile endorsement can be particularly helpful early in a campaign as a candidate tries to build momentum and attract donors.
Yes, this endorsement has to be interpreted as an insult to the Lite Gov. Bush 41 has traditionally endorsed the mainstream Republican (like Kay Bailey for governor last year). But if only Poppy had picked the other Williams, I could have titled this post "The Bush Family Affirmative Action Initiative". Alas. Maybe W will help me out shortly.
Roger the Dodger is plenty Tea-flavored, but there's a bum rush to starboard aboard the USS Texas GOP and Michael's big fat head is taking up a lot of the space on that side of the deck. Only Sarah Palin's imprimatur will mean more to the TP than Jim DeMint's, and he's been in the Railroad Commissioner's corner since 2009.
Lightseeker over at TexasKaos offers some ideas on how you can become a civility warrior, starting today. Hint: think leading with good values and standing up for what you want among your friends and colleagues. Check out: How to inject civility when Uncle Joe Starts channeling Glen Beck.
On the scene for the 82nd legislative session's opening day, PDiddie managed to defy the Capitol's tech support department with laptop connectivity issues, and then quickly ran his Android's battery down Tweeting. Still, he managed a Brains and Eggs post about the day 24 hours after the fact.
After reading a Texas tea party blogger who had just attended a Tea Party meeting, Neil at Texas Liberal wrote about the Tea Party vision of America. Will English-only require a federal language bereaucracy? Will deportation of all undocumented persons mean government raids in our homes? Does the Ten Commandments posted at every public building mean that Christianity can't thrive without government support? Will repeal of healthcare reform allow insurance companies to once again cancel the policies of people who get sick?
George at The Texas Blue had been taking some time off post-election... but the reaction to events in Arizona finally pissed him off enough to write. (And just in time for the new legislative session!)
(Former) Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn did not win friends five years ago when she warned Gov. Rick Perry and state lawmakers they were writing the "largest hot check in Texas history" during a tax overhaul that resulted in lower property taxes and a revised business tax.
Strayhorn told them their plan would fall about $23 billion short over a five-year period.
Now, five years later, state leaders are staring at an estimated budget shortfall of nearly $27 billion over the next two years.
[...]
At the time, Perry rejected Strayhorn's warning — saying she underestimated the tax reform and ignored economic growth from property tax cuts.
He also said at the time: "Future legislators are going to have the opportunity to be working with some numbers that are more current than what they're working at today — and some honest numbers."
The governor's office declined to comment about the accuracy of Strayhorn's April 2006 warning.
[...]
Perry spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger said the "Texas economy continues to grow steadily ahead of the nation, and the comptroller's biennial revenue estimate, as expected, is also reflective of the national recession's lingering impact on state revenue."
The projected shortfall reflects the amount of revenue needed to maintain current services, including the cost of educating an additional 170,000 school children during the next two years.
Perry, however, does not address the cost of current services.
"I think we have a budget of $76.5 billion and we're going to live with that. It's only a budget hole when somebody has wished that they had more money," the governor said last week.
So out of one side of his mouth Governor Smirky McHaircut proclaims the Texas economy the envy of the nation, and out of the other blames the effects of the Great Depression of 2010 and its impact on the Texas economy as the budget culprit. I just don't think he can flip-flop fast enough to have it both ways.
Let's sample a bit more from the article, this time from aspiring US Senator Dewhurst:
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said resurrecting Strayhorn's five-year-old forecast is "old news."
At the time, Dewhurst called huge budget shortfall projections "hypothetical and speculative."
He now says he knew that revenue projections from the revised business franchise tax "were inflated" and told Senate members in closed-door caucus meetings at the time that the tax would not perform as advertised.
Dewhurst said he also believed at the time that "we would grow out of it by now."
The lieutenant governor blamed the nation's economic collapse in 2008 for contributing to the state's projected budget shortfall today.
"There is not a $27 billion deficit, and I don't think there is even a $15 billion deficit," Dewhurst said.
Denial is the first stage. Do we have time for these men to get through anger, bargaining, and depression before they can accept reality? The session only lasts 140 days...
Dewhurst's duplicity -- together with a legislature that will demolish an already badly beaten Texas educational system, not to mention a social safety net in tatters -- should ruin his chances for higher office.
Unfortunately it may not.
While "moderate" Republicks will fall over themselves to fall in line behind The Dew, TeaBaggers should be watching him closely, as he is demonstrating nearly perfect Beltway-GOP predilections for deficit spending and ignoring reality. He's exactly the kind of Kay Bailey model they despise. But are they capable of ending his hopes for moving up the food chain?
Yes, I believe that they are. Whether they select one of the Williamssisters or "Mic" Patrick, I think they are up to the task of frustrating a long line of aspiring office-climbers (who are already lining up) by denying Dewhurst the Republican nomination for Senate next year.
And nothing would please me more than to have the most ridiculous nominee possible in 2012 get beaten by a Democrat ... just like what happened in Nevada, and Delaware, and Colorado in 2010.
She still has about a year to, you know, change her mind ...
Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced today that she will retire at the end of her current term, quashing speculation that she would run for a fourth full term in the U.S. Senate.
In an open letter to Texans, Hutchison said she wanted to live "full-time in Texas with my family" and was "forever grateful for the privilege of working for you in the United States Senate."
Hutchison's announcement will set off a wild scramble for the Senate seat the Dallas Republican first won in a 1993 special election against interim Sen. Bob Krueger, D-New Braunfels.
Hutchison said her early announcement "should give the people of Texas ample time to consider who my successor will be."
She pledged to continue carrying out her duties for the next two years "with the same vigor that I have employed during my Senate service."
Hutchison pledged to use her remaining time in the Senate "to fight the massive spending that has increased our national debt, the government takeover of our health care system, and the growth of the federal bureaucracy, which threatens our economy."
Oh just go ahead and walk away now, Kay.
Hutchison had promised to resign from her seat when she announced her 2010 primary challenge against Republican Gov. Rick Perry, but she changed her mind during the campaign.
"I intended to leave this office long before now, but I was persuaded to continue in order to avoid disadvantage to our state," she said.
The disadvantage was you sticking around, honey.
A large field of candidates is likely to seek the seat held for the past four decades by Hutchison and legendary Democratic Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, D-Houston.
Former Texas Comptroller John Sharp and former Houston Mayor Bill White are potential Democratic prospects. Republicans who have expressed interest in the seat include Secretary of State Roger Williams, Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones and state Sen. Florence Shapiro. Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has not announced his plans but is considered a strong contender for the job. (emphasis mine)
Dewhurst has responded that he is too focused on the legislative session to concentrate on this right now. He can only think about one thing at a time, after all.
Less than three hours after telling a luncheon with the Capitol news media that he wouldn't think of running for the U.S. Senate until after the Texas Legislature ends in May, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announced that he will consider running.
I want to thank everybody who came to support me in San Antonio last night. You confirmed to me that I am ready to win this Senate seat tomorrow, or in 2012. Thanks again, and I hope to see all of you again soon.
... but I don't think White will make this race. (Update: Sure enough, he declines.) The Perry campaign accomplished a real smear job on him -- as they did KBH in the primary -- and I just don't think he wants that job anyway. No word from 2006 Democratic nominee Barbara Radnofsky on whether she will enter the fray.
Keep in mind the Green Party has ballot access and will field a candidate in this contest.
Other Republicans I expect will likely make a go are state Sen. Dan Patrick. His Texas radio network gives him much more name recognition than many would think, and he is a Tea Party darling. People like Dallas mayor Tom Leppert and solicitor general Ted Cruz are longshots due to low name recognition and a lack of craziness that the TP prefers.
There may be a few surprise candidates on both sides but nobody who might be considered completely unpredictable. It's nice to see that the 2012 campaign has officially kicked off.
The Legislature began its work Tuesday with a decidedly Republican look and signs of a rightward lurch.
With a slew of newcomers, the GOP has enhanced clout. Influenced by the tea party and an overwhelming House majority, Republicans are poised to cut the budget deeply and push for long-stalled measures on voter identification, immigration, abortion and property rights.
After a fractious fight over whether Speaker Joe Straus was conservative enough, the House re-elected him by a wide margin.
They almost managed to do so by acclamation, but Leo Berman objected, calling for a recorded vote. The count was 132 ayes, 15 nays, and two "present not voting"s.
The no voters were Berman, Phil King, Wayne Christian, Dan Flynn, Bill Zedler, and these ten GOP freshmen: Van Taylor, Jim Landtroop, Jodie Laubenberg, David Simpson, Tan Parker, Ken Paxton, James White, Charles Perry, Cindy Burkett, and Erwin Cain. Rookie legislators Jason Isaac and Bryan Hughes were the "pnv"s, and Lyle Larson abstained.
The five old red dogs know precisely what the consequences are in their defiance, but the green peas are clueless. To vote against an incumbent speaker in your very first action while he's riding a landslide to re-election is no way to get a good committee assignment, to get your bills a favorable hearing in committee, or any other plum from the Speaker's basket.
Frankly I'm surprised that Sarah Davis was smart enough to figure this out. Thank God that moron isn't my representative.
While the governor is not in favor of Arizona-styled legislation criminalizing the appearance of undocumented persons -- TeaBaggers favor this and Berman and Debbie Riddle have already pre-filed bills to its effect -- he had to throw a sop to the TP with his "sanctuary city" baloney. Naturally he is completely unaware that he is a big fat flipflopper:
Perry was right the first time: “The law turns law enforcement officers into immigration officials by requiring them to determine immigration status during any lawful contact with a suspected alien, taking them away from their existing law enforcement duties, which are critical to keeping citizens safe.”
So, Perry was indeed for sanctuary policies (including for state troopers) before he was against them. Apparently he now believes that taking law enforcement officers away from their existing duties does not pose a danger to citizens.
Here's video of the governor embarrassing himself on the issue, courtesy the Texas Tribune:
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden gave a highly unusual speech when he accepted the position of Senate President Pro-Tem, in which he said that education and health and human services would have to be cut to balance the budget. He also said that the franchise tax would probably have to be overhauled. It has never generated the revenue it was projected to and its failure has exacerbated problems with public school funding in Texas.
The state's budget shortfall is massive. Operating under the assumption the state will spend no more during 2012-2013 than it did during 2010-2011, the shortfall is about $15 billion. The Center for Public Policy Priorities calculates that with population growth and increasing demand for state services, that state agencies would need about $99 billion to maintain the current level of service, in which case the budget shortfall balloons to about $27 billion.
This opening day's attendance from the public was considerably down from 2006 and 2008, with even TeaBag Nation not all that well represented. Here's a couple of photos I took after the opening session had ended.
A protest I joined:
A high school mariachi band from Dallas performing in the Rotunda:
(H)ad an interesting day at the Capitol. Favorite part being the Tea Partiers wearing misspelled shirts, proving that education in Texas IS truly lacking. Them trying to correct it by marking a white printed letter out in black Sharpie was just icing on the cake.
The misspell was the anti-Straus people were wearing shirts that read, "Oust Rhino Straus". Well he isn't an actual zoo animal Rhino, it's RINO as in Republican In Name Only. The fact that they started marking out the "H" was amazing. That and the guy who thought he was dressed as Paul Revere and was actually Napoleon.
There were three "Paxton for Speaker" Tea-shirts in Jessica Farrar's office, apparently for the taking, but I passed. My dogs have enough chew toys and fight rags as it is.
Special thanks to Rep. Farrar and her staffer Sarah Melecki for accommodating this non-constituent on her bus over and back yesterday, along with the food and drink and schwag.
Straus is a traditional mainstream Republican who calls himself a fiscal conservative. His opponents, however, do not trust him to lead a chamber amid expectations that lawmakers aggressively will pursue anti-immigration bills, Voter ID legislation and stronger anti-abortion bills (emphasis mine).
I'll be in Austin tomorrow to document the beginning of the atrocities. Follow me on Twitter (link in the right-hand column) for as-they-happen updates or check in here for the occasional in-depth opinion.
