Harris County Republicans Oppose Cancer Resarch
Tue, 10/16/2007 - 8:59am
Via Charles Kuffner, behold and let the headline speak for itself: "Harris County GOP opposes $3 billion cancer bond plan."
I thought for sure this couldn't be serious. Yesterday I received Representative Ellen Cohen's statement via email, and reading that and seeing Kuff's discussion on the Chron story proved it was all true. As Kuff reproduced her statement, I do so as well, because Representative Cohen explains what is so very wrong with the Harris County Republican Party's decision to come out against cancer research, of all things:
"Today's announcement by the Harris County Republican Party in opposition to Proposition 15 is shocking and upsetting, especially coming during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The bipartisan team that worked on this legislation included prominent Republicans such as Ways and Means Chairman Jim Keffer, Health and Human Services Chair Jane Nelson, and Governor Rick Perry, who I stood with today while visiting M.D. Anderson and urging support of this measure. As a cancer survivor, and the widow of a man who battled valiantly against this disease, and the representative of District 134, I will continue to campaign strongly for this measure. I will proudly stand with Lance Armstrong tomorrow in support of Prop. 15 and will campaign for passage on November 6th. I plan on celebrating with Democrats, Republicans, and independents who realize what this investment means to cancer prevention, treatment, and the hope for a cure. I urge people of all political persuasions to support Prop. 15."
Cohen is a leading voice for Proposition 15. Maybe I'm biased because I am a cancer survivor myself and I've seen it decimate my family and even some of my friends, but I have never viewed Proposition 15 as anything other than an incredibly progressive step forward for Texas.
The Chron article had a few justifications the Harris County crew gave for their decision:
"By this stance, we in no way are implying or should it be construed that we are against solving cancer," said Ron Brunner, precinct chairman for the Greenway Plaza area, who raised the motion.
Brunner says it's "financial folly" for the state to borrow against taxpayer dollars to give out grants with no assurance of a return on investment.
"Loans get paid back, but grants are gone and lost forever," he said.
In the event cancer is cured as a direct result of this money being available, what would the investment's return be? Other than changing the world? Is that not enough?
Just so you know, this wasn't a hotly debated measure that barely passed, either. Their executive committee voted unanimously to oppose Proposition 15. I guess all my talk about division in the Republican ranks doesn't hold true for everything, like when they vote against curing cancer. On that, at least, they all park their cars in the same ideological garage.
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Government Is Not A Business
By Josh Matlock
Tue, 10/16/2007 - 8:26pm
Republicans always seem to want to treat government as a business. They fail to realize serving the public interest adequately often involves an investment of tax dollars with no immediate or quarterly return. Often the return materializes decades later. For example, the return on public education investment takes at least twelve years or more.
Lance Armstrong
By CenTexDem
Wed, 10/17/2007 - 11:17am
CenTexDem
I think it is long overdue to start examining who is behind Armstrong's highly orchestrated movements and what exactly is his connection, if any, to Public Strategies.
I admire Armstrong as an athlete but that is as far as it goes. Everytime I see him he is with John Sharp, Rick Perry, or someone of that caliber and that speaks volumes.
He seems to have the ever fawning Texas press eating out of his hand in the same way that a fellow named George Bush did when he was running for Governor. An all too familiar scenario that turned into a disaster. Every Texan that voted for Bush and every reporter that failed to ask the hard questions contributed to that disaster and should be held accountable.
That goes double for Texas Monthly and that collection of front-runners and ass kissers. It's hilarious watching them all try to jump off the Bush bandwagon now.
Texas progressives should create a fund to raise a monument that will record for all time the names of the jackals, con men, cowards and old fashioned thieves, chicken-shits and charlatans that came together to put Bush in office and viciously attacked anyone who challenged his rise. Every newspaper that endorsed him, every "journalist" or "editor" that blessed him with fawning coverage, every business interest that propelled his assent with rivers of cash should be recorded for posterity so people will always know where to place the blame. The names of the "journalists" should be in bright neon so they can be seen from miles away as you enter or fly over Travis County.