Mixed Silver Lining

According to The Only Paper We've Got (TM),

The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum will close next week if Congress doesn’t reach a budget deal before Tuesday to avert a government shutdown.

In addition, said a notice posted late Friday to the library’s website, "if the federal government is shut down, we will not be able to sell tickets, update this website, blog, post to Facebook, or tweet during this closure."

But it's not total good news:

In late April, the foundation handed over the library and museum to the federal government.

Much of the Bush Center is still operated by the foundation, however. So the center’s main eatery, Cafe 43, and its gift shop would remain open.

I am so relieved.

Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Blog Roundup 130930

The Texas Progressive Alliance is as eager as everyone else for Thursday's announcement as it brings you this week's roundup.

Off the Kuff is glad to see more people questioning the purpose of Rick Perry's job-stealing trips, which do little more than spend tax dollars promoting Rick Perry.

This week, McBlogger tells the story of a man with no plan, who'll get no pay because he caused a delay. While others worked hard, his head was filled with lard. And then he tried to hide, so now we get to chide.

Somebody is going to have to do some dirty work if Wendy Davis is going to get elected governor, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs nominates the Castro brothers.

Sophia at Texpatriate got a special sneak peak of (Houston mayoral candidate) Ben Hall's newest television ad.

Ted Cruz doesn't think waiters and maids deserve health care. CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme doesn't think Ted Cruz deserves to represent Texas.

Neil at All People Have Value made more posts at his new blog. All People Have Value is part of Neil's new website, NeilAquino.com.

Lightseeker at Texas Kaos offers another in his continuing investigation of the education wars. Check out Three Telling Articles on The Education Wars. Give it a look; Rick Perry sure will.

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John Coby mocks Ted Cruz as only he can.

Jason Stanford, on the other hand, sees Ted Cruz as a great gift for Texas Democrats.

Concerned Citizens stands up for San Antonio City city council member Diego Bernal, author of their new non-discrimination ordinance and much more.

Texas Redistricting reports that True The Vote wants to get involved in the voter ID litigation.

The TSTA Blog asks what "education reform" means to Greg Abbott.

Better Texas Blog points out the mental health care benefits of the Affordable Care Act.

Eric Johnson: Water main breaks remind us what’s at stake

This November Texas will vote on nine more of the endless proposed amendments to the state Constitution. Only one of these has gotten much attention. That is number six, which deals with water. On July 8 the only local daily paper we've got ran an article by State Representative Eric Johnson (co-author of this one). That is unfortunately now behind their subscriber wall. His office has helpfully retrieved the text and sent it to me:

Water main breaks in our city have been making headlines. Dallas residents have been met with news of major water mains bursting and flooding city streets on at least four occasions in recent weeks.
Dallas hasn’t been alone in this problem; Anna, just north of McKinney, was left without running water for 16 hours June 25 after a major water main ruptured.

Considering the sheer number of water mains in Dallas (nearly 5,000 miles total) and the harsh temperatures they are exposed to during the summer months, the occasional water main break is inevitable.
However, water main breaks on the large scale that we’ve been seeing — those that spill thousands of gallons of water onto city streets — are a visual representation of what water means to our state and what could happen if we fail to secure an adequate water supply for the future.

The Texas Water Development Board estimates that by 2060, the population of Texas will grow by 80 percent, from 25 million to more than 46 million. And if nothing is done, our water supply will simply not be able to keep up with demand.

Our taps won’t run dry tomorrow or next week or next month. But we must remember that water is a finite resource, and as our population grows at an unprecedented rate, we must be proactive in order to ensure that the water needs of all Texans are met.

In November, Texas voters will be asked to make an important choice about the future of the state’s water supply.
During this year’s legislative session, my fellow state legislators and I passed a series of bills designed to ensure that future generations of Texans will have the water they need.

I was a joint author of one of the most important components of this legislative package: HB 4. This bill put into place an important mechanism for financing the State Water Plan, which is key to securing our state’s water future.
The State Water Plan details strategies designed by each of the state’s 16 regional water planning groups to ensure an adequate water supply for decades. However, in order to finance the State Water Plan, a significant investment from the state is needed.

HB 1025, a supplemental appropriations bill, also passed during this year’s legislative session. It includes a provision that would make a one-time $2 billion investment from the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund, commonly referred to as the rainy day fund, to get the ball rolling on vital water infrastructure projects around the state.
However, this appropriation is contingent upon the passage of another key component of the aforementioned legislative package: Senate Joint Resolution 1, which would amend the Texas Constitution to allow for the transfer of funds contemplated by HB 1025.

Senate Joint Resolution 1 passed both the House and the Senate with broad support. Because it proposes a constitutional amendment, however, it must by approved by voters before it can take effect. The passage of this constitutional amendment is crucial; without it, the State Water Plan is just a bunch of ideas.
While municipal water mains and their maintenance would not be covered under the latest version of the State Water Plan, their breakage is indicative of a larger problem: the aging and overall inadequacy of our state’s water infrastructure.

Watching these busted mains flood our streets with perfectly good water should serve as a vivid visual reminder that Texas needs greater investment in its water infrastructure.

With this in mind, I hope that every one of you will go to the ballot box in November and vote to secure our state’s water future for our children and grandchildren. They’re counting on us.

State Rep. Eric Johnson can be reached at Eric.Johnson@house.state.tx.us.

And, just in case, the usual fair use wall of type:

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Blog Roundup 130923

Off the Kuff implores Sen. Leticia Van de Putte to run for lieutenant governor.  One look at the group vying for the GOP nomination shows how much Democrats need her on their ticket.

Texas Leftist takes an early look at Annise Parker's political legacy as mayor of Houston, and why lacking a third term isn't the only reason it seems incomplete.  Also, we remember some wisdom from Ann Richards on why Texas Democrats are different.

Once PDiddie at Brains and Eggs declared this year's municipal election season in Houston "the most boring ever", things started to pick up a bit.

Horwitz at Texpatriate discusses the controversy that has arisen in a Houston city council election after one leading candidate allegedly made some unspeakably offensive comments.

Over at TexasKaos, Libby Shaw explains that cravenness hasn't gone out of style, no sir. Check out More of the Same. Cruel, Crazy and Craven.

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And here are some posts of interest from other Texas blogs.

John Coby has some advice for David Dewhurst.

The Great God Pan Is Dead showcases an excellent graphical guide to the insurance exchanges.

Better Texas Blog covers young adults and the insurance marketplace.

Texas Living Waters Project calls out Lite Guv candidate Jerry Patterson for his ignorant remarks about endangered species.

Nonesequiteuse has an action item for everyone who believes in reproductive justice.

Prairie Weather examines the link between Obamacare and ego.

TFN Insider reminds us why Don McLeroy should never be allowed near a textbook.

Showing The Expiration Date

Despite their laughable minority outreach program, they still make it plain how much they loathe people darker than Edgar Winter.

--Brilliant at Breakfast

Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Blog Roundup 130916

Off the Kuff suggests a way to measure the effect of the voter ID law in the November elections.

Horwitz at Texpatriate discusses the renewed efforts to bring a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance to the City of Houston.

WCNews at Eye on Williamson points out that the ridiculous has become reality in Texas, thanks to ignorance and lies, in Absurd?

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme notes that the batsh*t crazies on the Texas State Board of Education textbook review board are still pushing creationism in and science out.

Texas is home to two of the top five dirtiest power generation facilities in the United States, and a new report suggests that they are "the elephant in the room" when it comes to climate change. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs thinks he has identified the main culprit, and it's not what you may have first thought.

Neil at All People Have Value said that with the proper balancing of internal life and external life,  the right calculation exists to make sense of life. All People Have Value is part of NeilAquino.com.

Even with a barrage of annoying mailers, emails and kissing babies, elections are very important. Besides being the way we choose new leaders, they are also important to ensure that our currently elected officials listen to the public, and sometimes the only way to hold them accountable for what they do. For all these reasons, Texas Leftist has decided to "take the plunge" with an official candidate questionnaire and endorsement process.

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Here are some other posts from around the Texas lefty blogosphere.

Grits for Breakfast observes that there are now Lexus lanes at the airport security checkpoints, and that TSA groping is becoming something that only happens to poor people.

Hal at Half Empty documents the conservative argument that their Fourteenth Amendment rights trump your First Amendment ones.

Prairie Weather thinks that suburban Texas women are finally wising up.

Socratic Gadfly wonders if Wendy Davis might have a Tony Sanchez problem, and updates his extensive post about the prospects of a Blue Texas.

Dos Centavos posts the speaking engagement details of Episcopalian bishop Gene Robinson's appearance in Houston. Robinson is the first openly gay priest to be consecrated as bishop in a major Christian denomination.

TFN Insider notes that Barbara Cargill, the chair of the Texas SBOE, outed herself again as a creationist, as if the effort to write intelligent design into biology books wasn't enough of a clue for us.

State Impact Texas reminds that the shale oil boom is a bust for Texas roads.

And finally, Txsharon at BlueDaze points out all the fun they're having in Colorado that Dallas missed out on when it denied drilling permits in flood plains.

WHO I'VE HEARD IS RUNNING IN 2014 ON THE DALLAS COUNTY BALLOT

Monday, Dec. 16 -- For Family Dist. 301, three new applications today so far, making five candidates. --5:42 PM.

Saturday, Dec. 14 -- For Constable Precinct 3, the only filed Democratic candidate was disqualified from the ballot over residence, leaving no Democratic candidate there.

Friday, Dec. 13 -- For U.S. Representative, District 30, one candidate's petitions were found insufficient and they were disqualified from the ballot, leaving only two.

Thursday, Dec. 12 -- In the 160th Dist. Court, one candidate's petitions were found insufficient and they were disqualified from the ballot, leaving only one.

Tuesday, Dec. 10 -- The Dallas County Democratic Party has posted all its filings at this page. That page also now (Dec. 17) shows the primary ballot order in races with more than one candidate. We've also posted those filed at the Secretary of State's page here.

Dec. 9 -- In Family Dist. 301, because of the incumbent who had already filed dropping out on filing day, filing in that race only was extended through Monday, Dec. 16, at 6 PM. Any new candidate will still have to submit at least 250 signatures on a petition.

PARTY OFFICES:

COUNTY CHAIR--           INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT DARLENE EWING FILED            DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER: Heath Harris FILED

PRECINCT CHAIRS-- The Dallas County Democratic Party has now put up a page showing those who have filed for the ballot for the 2014 Primary for Precinct Chair. There are ten contests. See this page.

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FEDERAL OFFICES:

US SENATOR--           INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN JOHN CORNYN FILED            REP CHALLENGERS: Dwane Stovall FILED, Erick Wyatt, Linda Vega FILED, Christopher Mapp FILED, Reid Reasor FILED, Ken Cope FILED, Steve Stockman FILED, Curt Cleaver FILED
           DEM CHALLENGER: Maxey Scherr FILED, Michael "Fjet" Fjetland FILED, HyeTae "Harry" Kim FILED, David Alameel FILED, Kesha Rogers FILED -- WARNING: Kesha Rogers is a LaRouche follower.            LIBERTARIAN CHALLENGERS: Jon Roland, John Jay Myers

US REPRESENTATIVE, DIST 5--           INC REP JEB HENSARLING FILED

US REPRESENTATIVE, DIST 24--           INC REP KENNY E. MARCHANT FILED            DEM CHALLENGERS: Patrick Fabian McGehearty FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Mike Kolls

US REPRESENTATIVE, DIST 26--           INC REP MICHAEL C. BURGESS FILED            REP CHALLENGERS: Joel Krause FILED, Divenchy Watrous FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Mark Boler

US REPRESENTATIVE, DIST 30--           INC DEM EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON FILED            DEM CHALLENGERS: Barbara Mallory Carraway FILED

US REPRESENTATIVE, DIST 32--           INC REP PETE SESSIONS FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Katrina Pierson FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Frank Perez FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Edward Rankin

US REPRESENTATIVE, DIST 33--           INC DEM MARC VEASEY FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Tom Sanchez FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Jason Reeves            INDEPENDENT CHALLENGER: Carlos Quintanilla may run

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STATEWIDE OFFICES:

GOVERNOR--           INC REP RICK PERRY Not Running            REP CANDIDATES: Greg Abbott FILED, Larry Secede Kilgore FILED, Miriam Martinez FILED, Lisa Fritsch FILED            DEM CANDIDATES: Wendy Davis FILED, Reynaldo "Ray" Madŕigal FILED            LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATES: Kathie Glass, Gene Chapman, Lee Wrights, Robert Bell

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR--           INC REP DAVID DEWHURST FILED            REP CHALLENGERS: Dan Patrick FILED, Todd Staples FILED, Jerry Patterson FILED            DEM CANDIDATE: Leticia R. Van de Putte FILED            LIB CANDIDATES: Brandon de Hoyos, Ed Kless

ATTORNEY GENERAL--           INC REP GREG ABBOTT Running For Gov           REP CANDIDATES: Dan Branch FILED, Barry Smitherman FILED, Ken Paxton FILED            DEM CANDIDATE: Sam Houston FILED            LIB CANDIDATE: Tom Glass

COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS--           INC REP SUSAN COMBS Not Running           REP CANDIDATES: Debra Medina FILED, Glenn Hegar FILED, Harvey Hilderbrand FILED, Raul Torres FILED            DEM CANDIDATE: Mike Collier FILED            LIB CANDIDATES: Ben Sanders

COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE--           INC REP JERRY PATTERSON Running For Lt Gov           REP CANDIDATES: George P. Bush FILED, David Watts FILED            DEM CANDIDATE: John Cook FILED            LIB CANDIDATE: Ed Tidwell, Steven Childs

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE--           INC REP TODD STAPLES Running For Lt Gov           REP CANDIDATES: Eric Opiela FILED, J Allen Carnes FILED, Sid Miller FILED, Tommy Merritt FILED, Joe Cotten FILED            DEM CANDIDATES: Kinky Friedman FILED, Jim Hogan FILED, Hugh Asa Fitzsimons III FILED            LIB CANDIDATES: Rocky Palmquist, Rick Donaldson

RAILROAD COMMISSIONER--           INC REP BARRY T. SMITHERMAN Running For Atty Genl           REP CANDIDATES: Becky Berger FILED, Malachi Boyuls FILED, Wayne Christian FILED, Ryan Sitton FILED            DEM CANDIDATES: Steve Brown FILED, Dale Henry FILED            LIB CANDIDATES: Mark Miller, Jason Kute

CHIEF JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT--           INC REP NATHAN HECHT FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Robert Talton FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: William "Bill" Moody FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Tom Oxford

JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT, PL 6--           INC REP JEFF BROWN            REP CHALLENGER: Joe Pool FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Lawrence Edward Meyers FILED

JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT, PL 7--           INC REP JEFFREY S. BOYD FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Gina Benavides FILED

JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT, PL 8--           INC REP PHIL JOHNSON FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Sharon McCally FILED            LIB CANDIDATE: Roberto Koelsch

JUDGE, COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS, PL 3--           INC REP TOM PRICE Not Running            REP CANDIDATES: Barbara Walther FILED, Bert Richardson FILED            DEM CANDIDATE: John Granberg FILED            LIB CANDIDATE: Mark Bennett

JUDGE, COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS, PL 4--           INC REP PAUL WOMACK Not Running            REP CANDIDATES: Kevin Yeary FILED, Jani Jo Wood FILED, Richard Dean Davis FILED            LIB CANDIDATE: Quanah Parker

JUDGE, COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS, PL 9--           INC REP CATHY COCHRAN Not Running            REP CANDIDATES: W.C. "Bud" Kirkendall FILED, David Newell FILED            LIB CANDIDATE: William Strange III

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LEGISLATURE:

STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 2--           INC REP BOB DEUELL FILED            REP CHALLENGERS: Mark Thompson FILED, Bob Hall FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Don Bates

STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 8--           INC REP KEN PAXTON Not Running            REP CANDIDATE: Van Taylor FILED

STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 9--           INC REP KELLY HANCOCK FILED
          DEM CHALLENGER: Gregory Perry FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Nicolas Wallace

STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 16--           INC REP JOHN CARONA FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Don Huffines FILED

STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 23--           INC DEM ROYCE WEST FILED            REP CHALLENGER: John Lawson FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 100--           INC DEM ERIC JOHNSON FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Brian Chapman

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 102--           INC REP STEFANI CARTER FILED            REP CHALLENGERS: Linda Koop FILED, Sam Brown FILED, Adryana Boyne FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: George Clayton FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 103--           INC DEM RAFAEL M. ANCHIA FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 104--           INC DEM ROBERTO R. ALONZO FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 105--           INC REP LINDA HARPER-BROWN FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Rodney Anderson FILED            DEM CHALLENGERS: Terry Meza FILED, Susan Motley FILED, Bernice Montgomery FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 107--           INC REP KENNETH SHEETS FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Carol Donovan FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 108--           INC REP DAN BRANCH Running for Atty Genl           REP CANDIDATES: Chart Westcott FILED, Morgan Meyer FILED, Court Alley FILED            DEM CANDIDATE: Leigh Bailey FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 109--           INC DEM HELEN GIDDINGS FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Genevieve Gregory FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 110--           INC DEM TONI ROSE FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Sandra Crenshaw FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 111--           INC DEM YVONNE DAVIS FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 112--           INC REP ANGIE CHEN BUTTON FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Jared Patterson FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 113--           INC REP CINDY BURKETT FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Milton Whitley FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 114--           INC REP JASON VILLALBA FILED

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST. 115--           INC REP BENNETT RATLIFF FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Matt Rinaldi FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Paul K. Stafford FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Kim Kelly

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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION:

SBOE MEMBER DISTRICT 11--           INC REP PATRICIA "PAT" HARDY FILED            REP CHALLENGERS: Lady Theresa Thombs FILED, Eric Mahroum FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Nancy Bean FILED

SBOE MEMBER DISTRICT 12--           INC REP GERALDINE "TINCY" MILLER FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Lois Parrott FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Mark Weter

SBOE MEMBER DISTRICT 13--           INC DEM MAVIS KNIGHT Not running            DEM CANDIDATES: Andrea C. Hilburn FILED, A Denise Russell FILED, Erika Beltran FILED            LIB CHALLENGER: Junart Sodoy

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5TH COURT OF APPEALS DIST:

5TH COURT OF APPEALS DIST, PL 3--           INC REP ADA BROWN FILED

5TH COURT OF APPEALS DIST, PL 6--           INC REP DAVID L. BRIDGES FILED

5TH COURT OF APPEALS DIST, PL 8--           INC REP KERRY FITZGERALD Not Running            REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE: Bill Whitehill FILED

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DISTRICT COURTS:

44TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC CARLOS CORTEZ FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Bonnie Lee Goldstein FILED

68TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC MARTIN JEROME HOFFMAN FILED

101ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC MARTIN "MARTY" LOWY FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Staci Williams FILED

116TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC TONYA PARKER FILED

134TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC DALE B. TILLERY FILED

160TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC JIM JORDAN FILED

191ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC GENA SLAUGHTER FILED

192ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC CRAIG SMITH FILED

193RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC CARL GINSBERG FILED

194TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC ERNEST WHITE FILED

195TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC FRED TINSLEY FILED

203RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC TERESA HAWTHORNE FILED

204TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC LENA LEVARIO FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Tammy Kemp FILED

254TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC JAMES MARTIN FILED

255TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC LORI CHRISMAN HOCKETT FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Kim Cooks FILED

256TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC DAVID LOPEZ FILED

265TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC MARK C. STOLTZ Not running           DEM CANDIDATES: Jennifer Bennett FILED, William R. Barr FILED, Anthony Eiland FILED            REP CANDIDATE: Lisa DeWitt FILED

282ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC ANDY CHATHAM FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Amber Givens FILED

283RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC RICK MAGNIS FILED            DEM CHALLENGERS: Justin Lord FILED

291ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           REP INC Jennifer Balido FILED (appointed by Perry; was DEM INC SUSAN HAWK - Resigned To Run For DA as REP)           DEM CANDIDATES: Stephanie Mitchell FILED, Susan E. Anderson FILED

292ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC LARRY MITCHELL FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Brandon Birmingham FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Janet Cook FILED

298TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC EMILY G. TOBOLOWSKY FILED

363RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT--           DEM INC TRACY HOLMES FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Nigel H. Redmond FILED

CRIMINAL DIST. JUDGE, COURT NO. 1--           DEM INC ROBERT BURNS FILED

CRIMINAL DIST. JUDGE, COURT NO. 5--           DEM INC CARTER THOMPSON FILED

CRIMINAL DIST. JUDGE, COURT NO. 6--           DEM INC JEANINE HOWARD FILED

CRIMINAL DIST. JUDGE, COURT NO. 7--           DEM INC MIKE SNIPES Not Running            DEM CANDIDATE: Elizabeth Frizell FILED

FAMILY DIST. JUDGE, 301ST JUDICIAL DIST--           DEM INC LYNN CHERRY Not running - she filed but then withdrew.            DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES: David Hanschen FILED, George White FILED, Mary Brown FILED, Craig Bonham FILED, Lawrence J. Praeger FILED

FAMILY DIST. JUDGE, 302ND JUDICIAL DIST--           DEM INC TENA CALLAHAN FILED

FAMILY DIST. JUDGE, 303RD JUDICIAL DIST--           DEM INC DENNISE GARCIA FILED

FAMILY DIST. JUDGE, 304TH JUDICIAL DIST--           DEM INC WILLIAM A. "BILL" MAZUR, JR. FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Andrea Martin FILED

FAMILY DIST. JUDGE, 305TH JUDICIAL DIST--           DEM INC CHERYL LEE SHANNON FILED

FAMILY DIST. JUDGE, 330TH JUDICIAL DIST--           DEM INC ANDREA PLUMLEE FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Randall Grubbs FILED

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COUNTY OFFICES:

CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY--           DEM INC CRAIG WATKINS FILED            REP CHALLENGERS: Tom Nowak FILED, Susan Hawk FILED

COUNTY JUDGE--           DEM INC CLAY JENKINS FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Ron Natinsky FILED

COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO. 1--           DEM INC D'METRIA BENSON FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Russell Roden FILED

COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO. 2--           DEM INC KING FIFER FILED

COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO. 3--           DEM INC SALLY MONTGOMERY FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Mike Lee FILED

COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO. 4--           DEM INC KEN TAPSCOTT FILED

COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO. 5--           DEM INC MARK GREENBERG FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 1--           DEM INC DAN PATTERSON FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 2--           DEM INC JULIA HAYES FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 3--           DEM INC DOUG SKEMP FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 4--           DEM INC TERESA TOLLE Not Running           DEM CANDIDATES: Nancy Mulder FILED, Remeko Edwards FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 5--           DEM INC ETTA J. MULLIN FILED            DEM CHALLENGERS: Trey Bunch FILED, Lisa Green FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Leah Lucius FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 6--           DEM INC ANGELA M. KING FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 7--           DEM INC ELIZABETH CROWDER FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 8--           DEM INC TINA YOO CLINTON FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 9--           DEM INC PEGGY HOFFMAN FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 10--           DEM INC ROBERTO CANAS, JR. FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: LeDouglas Johnson FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 11--           DEM INC ELIZABETH DAVIS FRIZELL Running for CDC7            DEM CANDIDATES: Shequitta Kelly FILED, Melodee Armstrong FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL CT OF APPEALS NO. 1--           DEM INC KRISTIN WADE FILED

COUNTY CRIMINAL CT OF APPEALS NO. 2--           DEM INC JEFF ROSENFIELD FILED

COUNTY PROBATE COURT NO. 1--           DEM INC BRENDA HULL THOMPSON FILED

COUNTY PROBATE COURT NO. 2--           DEM INC CHRIS WILMOTH FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Ingrid Michelle Warren FILED

COUNTY PROBATE COURT NO. 3--           DEM INC MICHAEL E. MILLER FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Margaret Jones-Johnson FILED

DISTRICT CLERK--           DEM INC GARY FITZSIMMONS Not Running           DEM CANDIDATES: Felicia Pitre FILED, Kissi Jones FILED, Cathy Sanchez FILED, Rose Renfroe FILED, Tarsha Hardy FILED, Johnny C. Gomez FILED            REP CANDIDATE: Stanley Tungate FILED

COUNTY CLERK--           DEM INC JOHN WARREN FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Emmanuel Lewis Jr. FILED

COUNTY TREASURER--           DEM INC JOE WELLS Not Running           DEM CANDIDATES: David Bradley FILED, Pauline Medrano FILED, Paul Ingram FILED, Bennie Elnora Brown FILED            REP CANDIDATE: Charles Lingerfelt FILED

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PRECINCT OFFICES:

COUNTY COMMISSIONER, PCT. 2--           INC REP MIKE CANTRELL FILED

COUNTY COMMISSIONER, PCT. 4--           INC DEM ELBA GARCIA FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 1, PL 1--           INC DEM THOMAS G. JONES FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 1, PL 2--           INC DEM VALENCIA NASH FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Vic Buchanon FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 2, PL 1--           INC REP GERRY COOPER FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Bruce Parrott FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 2, PL 2--           INC REP MICHAEL WINDHAM Not running            REP CANDIDATE: Bill Metzger FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 3, PL 1--           INC REP AL CERCONE FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 3, PL 2--           INC REP STEPHEN L. SEIDER FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 4, PL 1--           INC DEM NORRIS "STRETCH" RIDEAUX FILED            DEM CHALLENGERS: Ron Bivins FILED, Mary Abeyta FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 4, PL 2--           INC DEM KATY HUBENER FILED            DEM CHALLENGERS: Fred Jackson FILED, Roz Davis-Grimes FILED, Aurelio Castillo FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Michael R. Castro FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 5, PL 1--           INC REP SANDRA ELLIS            DEM CANDIDATES: Melissa Bellan FILED, Sara Martinez FILED, Luis Sepulveda FILED, John McCall Jr. FILED, Robert Carrillo Jr. FILED

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PCT NO. 5, PL 2--           INC DEM JUAN JASSO FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Billy White FILED

CONSTABLE, PCT. 1--           INC DEM CLEOPHAS STEELE FILED            DEM CHALLENGER: Derick Evans FILED

CONSTABLE, PCT. 2--           INC REP MICHAEL GOTHARD FILED            REP CHALLENGER: Ray Nichols FILED

CONSTABLE, PCT. 3--           INC REP BEN ADAMCIK FILED

CONSTABLE, PCT. 4--           INC DEM ROY WILLIAMS JR. FILED

CONSTABLE, PCT. 5--           INC DEM BETH VILLARREAL FILED            DEM CHALLENGERS: Susan E. Lopez Craig FILED, Rick Lozano FILED, Michael Orozco FILED

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Candidates running statewide or in districts that cross county lines file with their state parties in Austin. The Texas Democratic Party now has those who filed with them listed on their blog at this page. The Texas Republican Party lists those filed with them in Austin at this page. Candidates whose districts do not cross county lines file with their county parties. These are shown for both parties on the Secretary of State's website at this page. (Choose Dallas County on the drop-down menu.)

UPDATE 11/14: It looks like the Secretary of State is now dumping in the statewides into each county's page as well. But it also looks like the state party blogs are more up to date on these than the Secretary of State site.

On the list here on this page, I have listed these and other candidates I've heard of, but all of these are unofficial until they actually file. Some of these do have campaign websites or Facebook pages. I've listed the ones I've found so far: email me additions or corrections to stoutdemblog AT yahoo.com. Some have filed campaign treasurers. Some are only considering a race. And some are just rumors.

FILED means the candidate is listed by the state parties on their sites, or by the county parties on the Secretary of State's site.

APPLIED means the candidate has submitted an application to the Dallas County Democratic Party which is still pending final approval. Please note, from the DCDP site: "We have up to five days after an application has been submitted to review it, approve it, and sign it. Usually this is done the same day or no more than one or two days later, but if there is a rush (such as may happen on the last day of filing) this may take longer. At any given time we may have received one or more applications that have not yet been examined, approved, signed, and posted here. That almost never means that there is any problem with those filings. (On the rare occasions when there is a problem, we notify the candidate at once.)"

Flowering Judas

Today what we've been hearing for a while hit the news:

State District Judge Susan Hawk Wednesday announced her campaign for Dallas County district attorney...

On Tuesday Hawk mailed a letter to Gov. Rick Perry resigning from her felony court post.

She’ll also renounce her membership to the Democratic Party and once again become a Republican.

Well, she never really changed. Elected as a Repugnant in 2002 and 2006, she switched only for 2010 when it was obvious to several they had to switch or be defeated.

Hawk intends to mount a campaign that exposes Watkins as unqualified for his job.

That won't work. Period. Can you spell DNA exoneration of the innocent? But that's not really what the Rethuglicans have in mind. It's 1990.

That year Ann Richards was elected Governor. She picked up lots of independent voters, but what really upset the mammoth party was the number of good quiet north Dallas housewives who secretly voted for Ann. And that meant they did not vote straight party, and that hurt their other candidates on the unenlightened side.

This year they see Wendy Davis, and see how her stand motivated women, and they remember Ann and fear the same thing happening again. Putting this youngish blonde white woman on the ballot for DA is an attempt to bring some of those ticket splitters back. This not only may help them in the DA race, but since that contest is not at the bottom of the ballot, they figure they'll keep a few voters back on that side in the lower contests, like County Judge, Clerk, Treasurer, and several county courts.

It's not an insane strategy. It may mean we have to work harder, but their history of actually keeping their voters in line when they try a diversity outreach here in DFW is dismal. More than once they have promised the moon to some minority / woman candidate, who then saw lots of those voters sit on their hands precinct by precinct, and crashed and burned in the election. Their base has a big chunk of bigots of various kinds: racist, sexist, etc. "All isms are alike", as Jean Ball says.

They may not even control their own candidates. One who was already running for DA is not on board:

Hawk will be opposed in the March GOP primary by Dallas lawyer and former county prosecutor Tom Nowak.

Nowak, who in 2010 was fired by Watkins after attending a Republican election night party, dismissed Hawk as an opportunist.

“Dallas County Republicans won’t be fooled by this,” Nowak said. “By having her run against me, I’m sure the Dems hope to have two Democrat candidates in the general election, but I’m confident Republican voters will see through the ruse…I don’t think that changing your beliefs depending on the political winds is an example of integrity in a leader.”

You know, it's really all about him. Can you spell self-obsession? That primary will be fun to watch.

Oh, and by the way, Ms. DINO already had a Democratic Primary opponent. She stopped by the party office today to leave some literature to be passed out at the Pride Parade this weekend. Her name is Stephanie Mitchell.

From The Divine Entrails

... Rep. Michele Bachmann, who is on the House Intelligence Committee because God enjoys irony, has studied the Bible, which is sort of like God’s FiveThirtyEight, ....

Found at Wonkette.

Yeah, sure, but it was really great shooting at that fish in that barrel.

Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Blog Roundup 130909

(Note that this was for Monday, September 9. Blogger has refused to let me post until today. I finally followed the advice at this page.)

The Texas Progressive Alliance sends condolences to Sen. Wendy Davis on the loss of her father as it brings you this week's roundup.

Off the Kuff encourages Sen. Leticia Van de Putte to join Davis on the Democratic ticket as the candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014.

Texpatriate interviews Annise Parker, the mayor of Houston.

Health insurance premiums may go up in Texas. Not because of Obamacare but because Rick Perry and the GOP didn't expand Medicaid. WCNews at Eye on Williamson shows that it's just More of the same from the Texas GOP.

Greg Abbott's appearances on Spanish language media so early in the 2014 gubernatorial campaign reveal he's taking nothing for granted, observes PDiddie at Brains and Eggs.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme knows that Ted Cruz is just another batsh*t crazy Republican. No more. No less. Cruz doesn't care about anybody but himself. Certainly not other Latinos.

Neil at All People Have Value wrote about asking Houston Mayor Annise Parker if she would consider living wage legislation for Houston. All People Have Value is part of the website NeilAquino.com.

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And here are some other posts of interest from Texas blogs.

Offcite continues its look at new school designs with a review of buildings from the 2007 bond referendum.

Jason Stanford marvels at Big John Cornyn's disappearing act, courtesy of his junior colleague.

Better Texas Blog starts the countdown to coverage with an overview of the health insurance exchange marketplace.

Concerned Citizens decries Bible-based bigotry.

Educate For Texas gives an inside look at the so-called "Texas Miracle" in education.

Lone Star Ma commemorates Women's Equality Day.

Texas Living Waters Project explains recent court decisions on groundwater law.

Egberto Willies had a video interview with an African American representative of the Tea Party at a Kingwood festival.

TXSharon at Bluedaze had the news that Josh Fox will be at free screenings of Gasland Part II in San Antonio, Dallas, and Fort Worth later this month.

Grits for Breakfast asks: If Texas justice reforms were so great, why does the state still have the nation's largest prison population?

jobsanger had the poll results that demonstrated an appalling lack of understanding on the part of Americans describing themselves as Democrats and Republicans, and their knowledge about who controls Congress.

And finally, The Texican says that Houston abides.

The First Time As Farce, The Second As Tragedy

Republicans Offer Syria Strategy: “We Must Defund Obamacare” --Andy Borowitz,Sept. 3

"If the President wants to expend resources in going into Syria, maybe you should have to choose between funding Obamacare and funding a war in Syria, can’t do both." --Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, Sept. 5

"Der Lachende hat die furchtbare Nachricht nur noch nicht empfangen." --Brecht

And then run away fast....

He describes how his Klansmen in Montana distribute literature: The paper goes in a baggie weighted with a rock, and is thrown onto people’s driveways.

The Would-Be Founding Mother

In a series of questions and answers, Cheney took on the local press after a question about the News&Guide editorial staff’s “left-leaning” bias.

“We have media outlets in the valley that are not fair and balanced,” she said.

She blamed the newspaper’s editor. “His name is Angus,” Cheney said. Editor Angus Thuermer Jr. wrote an article last week about Cheney posting a $220 bond for the “high misdemeanor” of swearing a false oath to obtain a Wyoming resident fishing license.

“Newspapers are dying, and that’s not a bad thing,” she said. “We’re not depending on the Jackson Hole News&Guide to get the news out. We’re depending on ourselves. We’re going to go over their heads.”

--Liz Cheney, September 3, 2013

I am persuaded myself that the good sense of the people will always be found to be the best army. They may be led astray for a moment, but will soon correct themselves. The people are the only censors of their governors: and even their errors will tend to keep these to the true principles of their institution. To punish these errors too severely would be to suppress the only safeguard of the public liberty. The way to prevent these irregular interpositions of the people is to give them full information of their affairs thro' the channel of the public papers, and to contrive that those papers should penetrate the whole mass of the people. The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

--Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, 16 Jan. 1787

Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Blog Roundup 130903

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with fast-food workers in their fight for economic equality as it brings you this week's roundup.

Off the Kuff covers the decision by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett to reject the petitions submitted by pre-kindergarten advocates to get a referendum on the ballot this November.

We don't just need jobs, we need -- as Theodore Roosevelt advocated -- jobs that pay a living wage. WCNews at Eye on Williamson says that no matter what Cong. John Carter says, a living wage is not a "dumb decision".

Horwitz at Texpatriate notes that Fox26's allegations of exuberant pay raises for Annise Parker's inner circle are a bunch of poppycock, and analysis by the Houston Chronicle article proves it.

The ride-sharing service called Uber is coming to Houston, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs explored both the pros (Part I) and the cons (Part II).

Neil at All People Have Value made some more posts on his new blog. Please look around and offer your comment. All People Have Value is part of Neil Aquino.com. Please consider checking out the full website.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme knows Republicans don't care about the uninsured or about Latinos. That's why Hidalgo and Maverick Counties in South Texas have the highest numbers of uninsured Texans in the state.

=========================================

And here are some other posts of interest by Texas bloggers.

Offcite interviews HISD Superintendent Terry Grier about the design philosophy behind the construction of their new schools.

Flavia Isabel compares Amazon and Tesla.

Better Texas Blog goes on the road for Obamacare education.

Concerned Citizens liveblogs Rep. Joaquin Castro's town hall on immigration.

Equality Texas celebrates the effect that the demise of DOMA had on one bi-national couple.

Greg Wythe published a guide to Texas election code for the Kindle.

Harold Cook is not voting for Harvey Hilderbran.

The TSTA blog chastises George P. Bush for attacking teachers.

Texas Living Waters expresses ambivalence about the water infrastructure referendum.

Juanita Jean documents the lies of True The Vote.

Lastly, BOR keeps track of the abortion battle as it transitions to the regulatory agencies.