Harvey Kronberg carves open the rotten fruit

Just the teasers from his "Daily Buzz" today:

WILL THE TEA PARTY BE THE NEXT ELECTION ALBATROSS

List of constituencies angry with intransigent Congress grows

"Well, apparently they can’t govern," a rueful Republican business lobbyist told me after the Tea Party dominated House Republican Caucus rejected a once in a generation budget compromise: three dollars cut for every dollar raised.

A Democratic consultant angry at President Obama described the compromise as: "…we surrendered and they wouldn’t accept it.”

Another business lobbyist who lives and breathes polling reported a Republican Campaign Congressional Committee source worrying that GOP House numbers are worse than during Terry Schiavo and that the RCCC will not have the dollars to defend a hundred seats.

I stopped laughing at the GOP's dysfunction once it became apparent that they were asking for Jesus' input on how to vote on the debt ceiling. I interrupt Harvey to give you Dana Milbank at the WaPo:

With the nation just days from a default, the chamber is at the mercy of a handful of people who believe they are on a mission from God.

“Where’s the chapel?” Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) asked as he emerged from an arm-twisting session with Majority Leader Eric Cantor Thursday night. The freshman lawmaker explained that he wanted to “go to the divine source.”

In a room off the Capitol Rotunda, Scott joined a prayer session with fellow South Carolinian lawmakers. “I hope the Lord. . . gives men wisdom when they desperately need it,” Scott explained.

As it happens, the Lord gave Scott the wisdom to oppose Boehner. “I think divine inspiration already happened,” Scott said. “I was a ‘lean no’ and now I’m a ‘no.’” And he’s not much worried about default, saying: “I hope the Lord blesses our nation in a way that is measurable.”

The Lord will surely bless the nation with higher interest rates, if not outright economic collapse, in a default.

As bad as that is, this smells even worse.

AG OPINION TAKES WILLINGHAM CASE OFF THE TABLE FOR FORENSICS SCIENCE COMMISSION

Whether or not there was bad science will never be resolved

From the Attorney General's Opinion:

"Although the Forensic Science Commission may conduct investigations of incidents that occurred before September 1, 2005, the law that created the Commission prohibits the FSC from considering evidence that was tested or offered into evidence prior to that date. The Forensic Science Commission's investigative authority is limited to those laboratories, facilities, or entities that were accredited by the Department of Public Safety at the time the forensic analyses took place. The FSC may not investigate fields of forensic analysis expressly excluded from the statutory definition of "forensic analysis." Forensic analysis that is neither expressly included nor excluded by the Act or DPS rule, but that falls under the generic definition of "forensic analysis" found in section 38.35(a)(4), is generally subject to FSC investigation, assuming all other statutory requirements are satisfied."

Greg Abbott once again plays Tom Hagen to Rick Perry's Vito Corleone.

And this is the guy who wants to be the next governor or lieutenant governor. And only the fortuitous calamity of Rick Perry being elected president and David Dewhurst being elected senator in 2012 will stop him, too.

God Bless Texas (with fewer conservatives, please).

Friday Praise God Funnies

Because tar sands oil is "good"

Behold the Ethical Oil campaign.

"Forced Labour? Or Good Jobs?"
Degradation? Or reforestation?
Funding terrorism, or peacekeeping?
Persecution, or (gay) pride?
Indigenous peoples killed? Or hired?
Conflict Oil? Or Ethical Oil?

George Orwell would be so proud.

My phone call to John Culberson this morning *update*

One of his very courteous staff members took my call a few minutes ago. I said this:

"In 1985, the top five percent of households, the wealthiest five percent, had net worth of $8 trillion. Today, the top five percent have net worth of $40 trillion. The top five percent have gained more wealth (in 25 years) than the whole human race had created prior to 1980." That's a quote from David Stockman, Ronald Reagan's budget director, in 2010.

Please remind the Congressman for me that we do NOT have a SPENDING problem in this country; we have a REVENUE problem. We have a revenue problem because of George W. Bush's two wars and tax cuts for the afore-mentioned wealthiest Americans, and because W's buddies on Wall Street wrecked the economy before he could leave office in the fall of 2008.

And please ask Congressman Culberson, respectfully, to stand down; move out of the way and let the grownups raise the debt ceiling. And then a discussion about solving the budget deficit created by Bush can take place, separately from that. The President has indicated his willingness to have that conversation and make that deal.

Ask Congressman Culberson for me to please STOP holding the full faith and credit of the United States government hostage to his extreme partisan agenda.

She was very pleasant and polite and actually let me say all of that.

One more thing: as a result of 2012 redistricting I will be represented by Sheila Jackson Lee. Really, that's a blessing from the Invisible Man in the Clouds, also known as the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Update: MoveOn.org activists went to Culberson's office Wednesday for a noon meeting, and here's the report on that.

About fourteen of us met with several press people outside the building at 11:45. Channel 2, Fox News, and an “independent news photographer” were there. Mary Schultz read her prepared letter which the whole group had signed. We then went up to the office, where we all were greeted quite politely and brought into the conference room, which we filled. Members of the group, which included Jerry Wald and Charlie Mauch of the Houston Peace and Justice Center, were articulate and well-informed and our discussion lasted about an hour. However, Culberson’s chief of staff made it quite clear that Culberson was totally unyielding about raising any taxes on corporations or the wealthy. Their main reason: the corporations might move ALL of the jobs overseas. ... Another very important thing he told us –- their office has received many, many phone calls telling them NO TAXES, but they don’t hear from our side.

Oh he hears. He just doesn't listen. Here's the appropriate response to "the corporations might move all the jobs overseas":

Henry Ford, one of this nation's most successful businessmen, saw the value of paying well-above-prevailing-scale wages to his employees. It reduced turnover and absenteeism and made his company a model corporate citizen for its time. One of the "family values" we have lost in this country includes our corporations treating all of their people -- not just the executives -- like members of its family. Perhaps Congressman Culberson could use his influence with business leaders to remind them of Henry Ford's words:

"There is one rule for the industrialist and that is: Make the best quality of goods possible at the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages possible."

A far cry from exporting jobs overseas, to be certain.

The Weekly Wrangle

The thoughts and prayers of the Texas Progressive Alliance are with the people of Norway as we bring you this week's roundup.

Off the Kuff has an update on redistricting litigation that's being filed.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the Lite Gov.'s latest move: Dewhurst announces for Senate, commits to gutting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

A couple of Republican bloggers thought they were breaking news with murmurings of a Texas Senate Demoratic primary challenge by Sylvia Garcia to Mario Gallegos. By the end of the day the senator, the former county commissioner, and their shared political consultant shot the rumor down in flames. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs reminds you why you just shouldn't believe anything posted on conservative blogs.

Lightseeker at Texas Kaos takes a shot at connecting some sad dots in Republican Lies, their connection to our looming doctor shortage and corporate power. It turns out that making public policy by using the repeated Big Lie will come back to bite you in the ass after all.

Neil at Texas Liberal has begun to read Rick Perry's book "Fed Up!" Neil is finding this great work to be very enjoyable so far.

At WhosPlayin, Regina responds to all those forwarded emails, and gives a dozen good reasons why she can't support Rick Perry for President.

Sunday Funnies

Cenk Uygur explains why he parted company with MSNBC

Link this video to the definition of integrity in the dictionary.

Speaking on his "Young Turks" show, Uygur said that, though the ratings for his show had been satisfying MSNBC executives, his "tone" had not. According to his version of events, his departure from the network was the culmination of a lengthy struggle with MSNBC management who wanted him to be more buttoned down.

Uygur said that, in April, MSNBC president Phil Griffin called him in for a talk. Griffin allegedly told him that "people in Washington" were concerned with his tone on the show.

"'Outsiders are cool, but we're the establishment,'" Griffin said, according to Uygur, who said he was also told to book more Republicans on the show. He claimed to have been stunned by the conversation, and said he ignored Griffin's advice.

Though his ratings increased, Uygur said that, a couple of weeks ago, he was informed that he would not be getting the permanent slot at 6 PM, but was instead offered a smaller contributor role for twice the salary. He said he turned it down because, in his words, he did not want to work at a place "that didn't want to challenge power."

See you on Current, Cenk.

Update: More Cenk, from the Sunday 7/24 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources ...