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"Look, we can't stand for this."

I'm exhausted.

As I'm sure most of you picked up on, I took a break from writing a few months before the election -- one more guy on the ground, right? Then November came, and I as everyone else needed some recovery time. But watching cable news for that next month or two sucked away any chance at recovery; the ridiculous quantity of poor punditry, of Republican talking points and Democrats second-guessing Democrats, was just too frustrating. Then a new year comes, and with it a renewed spirit and the desire to address all the burgeoning issues that come from an at times merely misinformed, and at times downright malfeasant elected Republican majority.

And then -- Arizona happens.

Have a Pre-existing Condition? You're Now Insurable

Texans and Americans are seeing visible changes. Thanks to health care reform, Americans who have been unable to obtain health coverage due to a pre-existing condition will now be able to apply for reasonably priced health coverage under a new plan. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will administer the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). The PCIP will offer a benefits rich, moderately priced health package that does not base eligibility on income and does not charge a higher premium because of a medical condition.

Bill White at the 2010 TDP Convention: Speech

Bill White just closed out tonight's convention with a well-written, well-presented speech. I would give you some greatest hits from it, but the Bill White campaign apparently was looking to save me the trouble with the press release they just put out giving the entire speech. Presser after the jump.

State Board Of Education Votes Down In-Depth Study Of First Amendment

Earlier today, the Texas State Board of Education, in a straight party line vote, voted down an amendment that would require Texas schoolchildren to study the reasons why the First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a state religion. The Board's seven Republican Board members voted against the amendment while the Board's five Democratic members voted for it. The amendment was proposed by Board member Mavis Knight (D-Dallas). For a group that has been running around Texas talking about how health care reform is unconstitutional and how Texas ought to re-affirm our sovereignty under the auspices of the 10th Amendment, it reeks of the deepest hypocrisy and the rankest moral dishonesty to privilege certain Amendments in the Bill of Rights while ignoring others. Welcome to Texas, where nothing is off limits for the Texas GOP.

Victor Carrillo: Hispanic Surname Caused Loss

Republican Commissioner Victor Carrillo has served on the Texas Railroad Commission for the last seven years. Commissioner Carrillo's defeat at the hands of accountant David Porter in the G.O.P. primary last night was one of, if not the most, shocking upset of the night for either party. The Texas Tribune's Brian Thevenot blogs this afternoon that Carrillo feels his Hispanic surname cost him the election. Anyone familiar with the xenophobic atmosphere of politics in the Texas G.O.P. these days shouldn't be surprised by such a statement; what is surprising is hearing it come from a Republican office holder.

Tweet This: Your November 2010 Statewide Election Matchups

Governor: Bill White ( @billwhitefortx ) vs. Rick Perry ( @GovernorPerry )

Lieutenant Governor: Linda Chavez-Thompson ( @ElectLinda ) vs. David Dewhurst ( @dewhurst4texas )

The Lay Of The Land, Early March 3rd Edition

Last night's primaries on both sides of the aisle were some of the more memorable ones in my political lifetime. There was contention and drama in both the Democratic and Republican primaries, with statement victories at the top of each statewide ticket with a few incumbents either getting very close calls or being defeated further down the ballot.

2010 TX Primary Elections: Races You Should Be Watching

EDIT: Patrick McLeod gives us a wee-hours rundown of tonight's events.

We have our Election Tracker sidebar up tonight, following a few of the biggest primary races tonight, but as always, there are turning out to be some sleepers and some surprises tonight. Click through to read more about these races.

Liveblogging the Health Care Summit

Today may mark the day that comprehensive health insurance reform lives or dies in the United States, as the President hosts a summit with congressmen from both parties at Blair House starting at 9am CST today to try and work out a bill that will pass both the House and Senate. And we've got it for you here, liveblogged after the jump.

2010 Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Debate

I hope you guys are watching this -- you're not going to get to see another one.

The two presumptive frontrunners for the Democratic spot in this year's governor race, Farouk Shami and former Houston mayor Bill White, are debating in Fort Worth tonight. The debate is hosted by KERA, the local public access station, and can be caught on TV, radio, and on the Texas Debates website.

My opinions after the jump.

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