New Who's Blue, News Roundup

This week's episode of Who's Blue? features a conversation with State Representative Paula Hightower Pierson. We discuss the mood in Austin during the first week of the session and the rampant growth underway in North Texas.

According to population trends and US Census data, Texas is set to gain at least two Congressional seats and electoral votes when they are reapportioned in 2010, and possibly as many as four. This piece from the Chron features various analysts and operatives who put good money on those seats going to the Houston and DFW areas. I find it interesting that even GOP strategist Royal Masset admits that "...[t]hose seats will almost certainly be Democratic seats."

Scooter Libby's perjury and obstruction of justice trial is underway, and for everything you ever wanted to know about him but were afraid to ask, the New York Times has you covered. For instance, I was not aware that he once took action to show solidarity with the Black Panthers during his Yale years, and I never would have imagined him at Vietnam War protest. As you assume, so shall you conclude.

The Supreme Court decided not to get into another eminent domain battle, this time over whether or not economic development constitutes public use. The same law firm that represented the plaintiffs in Kelo represent the clients in this case, the Institute for Justice.

Republican Mike O'Day won the runoff in District 29 against Republican Randy Weber. O'Day will replace Representative Glenda Dawson, who died in September. Dr. Anthony DiNovo was the lone Democrat in the special election and he failed to make the runoff.

Burka reports that George Bush's pick for Republican National Committee general chairman is meeting with stiff resistance from Texas Republicans. At issue is Senator Mel Martinez' support for the inclusion of amnesty provisions in any immigration policy overhaul. I'm not sure why Bush would gamble with this guy for an appointment that doesn't mean much, and risk opening up the interior party friction to public scrutiny.

Lastly, the snow storm finally happened. Or the ice storm. Or whatever, depending on where you live. So at least we can put that behind us until the next freaking weather event.