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The Texas Blue
Advancing Progressive Ideas

Texas Blue Mailbag #1

Today we're introducing a new feature: The Texas Blue Mailbag! People have actually been writing us letters, and until now we were sometimes remiss in answering them in a timely fashion. From now on, we'll review the letters we received each week, every Friday afternoon. The general email address that both George and I get (and successfully keep up with now) is info@thetexasblue.com, so keep those letters coming.

From GH:

I live in Denton County. Longtime active voter.
No more.
I will not vote electronic without a paper trail.
Absentee ballot is the only option, but not likely as I understand it.
It seems you need a note from your doctor, lawyer or mother (or all three) with a notarized signature.
You have any comments on absentee voting requirements? The Party going to support massive absentee voting?
Thanks.

Josh says: GH, I think the Democratic Party in Texas is concentrating mainly on protecting the right to vote across the entire spectrum, although the mechanics are also important. I know there's legal action being undertaken on a couple of fronts, including the AG's fake voter fraud stuff and a suit against Secretary of State Roger Williams regarding the E-slate voting machines, because votes weren't being counted the same way all across Texas. I don't speak for the Party, obviously, but I know these problems are being paid attention to.

From MK in Dallas:

Good job in keeping us up to date. Would you check out the Foster Children's plight and how the Red Texas House members are using privatization to run the CPS, thus relinquishing the State's own responsibility for 30,000 children. From my own personal investigations (I am a long time editor and investigative reporter, going back to the 1940's, and still smell the ink.

Having ONE VISIT ANNUALLY to a foster home is just short of no visit, in my opinion. THAT IS NOT OVERSIGHT. Kids have died and god knows what else has broken their spirits, body or shattered their psychological well being in the past. The future looks even more glum, but the head of the agency, who admits BIG LACKS in the agency, just asks for more money The System AND PEOPLE in the state agency must be held totally accountable NOW.

George says: I agree. Increased accountability at all levels of government is of the utmost importance. Of course, if someone made a shirt that said "I <3 Bureaucracy!" I would probably wear it. The way I figure, some programs simply require a lot of manpower, and the choice between public and private control basically boils down to whether we want a large government program where we get at least some control over those administering it, or whether we want a large corporation running the program where we get no control at all. That being said, we clearly have to fight in this state to keep that democratic control over our elected government.

From DR:

Alberto is a pro at being a scum bag and enjoying the umbrella provided by another scum bag, but his day will come.

Josh says: You have some strong feelings about Alberto Gonzales, but I can't blame you. For an alternate Gonzales, I recommend Chuy.

From hkms:

Beloved of the Lord,

Congratulations to the progressive U. S. Supreme Court for supporting the sanctity of human life with their decision upholding the constitutionality of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban that was only enacted by Congress due to the support of so many progressive Pro-Life Democrats over the opposition of right-wing Pro-Abortion Democrats and Republicans.

your unworthy servant,
hkms

George says: What? I at the very least am glad to know that we have an unworthy servant now. If I see any right-wing Pro-Abortion Democrats, I'll let you know.

From GN:

Josh thinks he's much funnier than he actually is.

Josh says: George, I know it's Friday, but I'm totally sitting right over here.

Also from MK in Dallas:

To: All Texas Blue
re: The Upcoming Big Battle in the Legislature over privatization of the Child Protective Services even more.

The state agency who is empowered to protect nearly 30,000 children in foster homes has a commissioner totally inept in oversight and care of Texas children.

Under an interim plan, the state contracts out to private groups to FIND foster homes and then puts these contract people in charge of the homes.
OVERSIGHT SEEMS TO BE TOTALLY MISSING. There have been numerous deaths of small children in these foster homes. THE STATE TAKES CUSTODY OF CHILDREN FROM THEIR HOMES, PLACES THEM WHEREVER SOME PRIVATE GROUP FINDS A PLACE, AND THE STATE, DESPITE ITS MANDATE TO PROTECT CHILDREN, HAS LITTLE OR NO OVERSIGHT.

New bills in the Texas Senate, courtesy of Sen. Jane Nelson (R) of Lewisville wants a "test" project of 3,000 children in foster homes
under total privatized contracts, already proved to be inadequate and even criminal in some instances.

The bottom line must be Texas Children, not money! If Texas does not provide a plan which meets federal standards for foster care (I think by June 2008), we will lose federal funds. With a more than $14 billion surplus (says our Republican governor), why not put children first?

George says: Why indeed, Senator Nelson? We should go to her birthday barbecue and ask these questions.

From MS:

Unsubscribe

Josh says: Profound!

From AW in Tyler:

thanks for info...I appreciate and enjoy your publication.

George says: Thank you for the kind words, AW. It's nice to know we have a reader base in Tyler.

JM from Kerrville asks:

HB 1958 and 2226 both deal with solar grid-interconnect. My alternative-energy friends seem to favor 2226, but I think 1958 has a better chance of getting passed. What do you think?

Josh says: This is an older message, and I should have addressed it sooner. Coleman's bill (2226) has had more action later, and not much has been done with Strama and Ortiz Jr.'s bill (1958) since March. I think that from a pragmatic standpoint, I would think that maybe HB 1958 might have had more of a shot out of the gate because it is less specific than Coleman's bill (in that it would apply whether you had solar panels on the roof or a geothermal system in the backyard), but there's a serious argument to be made in favor of Coleman's bill, in that solar power may be more commercially available to the average consumer than the aforementioned geothermal facility. Since there's been more action on 2226 I would say that one might make it, but they're both good bills and could make it out to the floor.

Another from SB:

Hi! Is any one else a little worried about Governor Perry's new Bill that says we can shoot anyone we want to as long as we're in our car at the time?

George says: Um, I think you've now made everyone in the office a little worried. Got a bill number for that?

From JLVP in Bartlett:

Please track SB 1025 and anything having to do with the Trans-Texas Corridor or tolling highways. Thank you so much.

Josh says: I've asked Karl to track this for next week, and we're expecting an article or two from Hank Gilbert in the very near future, so I think I might ask him to treat us to some commentary on toll roads.

From KDS:

Hi, I just read the article by Garnet Coleman on solar power — very hopeful. What can average citizens do to help make this a reality?

George says: I think this should be a referral. I would contact the Texas Environmental Democrats and ask them about the best way to help. You can also contact your representatives and encourage them to vote favorably on pro-solar and pro-environmental legislation.

That's it for this edition of the Mailbag. Keep those letters coming!

George's fat-kid moment!!!

George exclaims,"If you think this is me being a fat kid, you haven't seen anything yet," and then he orders a 1/4 pound slab of fried meat with gravy, mashed potatoes with gravy, bread with gravy, and a chocolate milkshake with gravy (okay, no gravy on the milkshake, but there was a milkshake).

Well played, sir, well played.

Just trying to make you feel

Just trying to make you feel better, Grace. I'm always willing to be milkshake company.

What Do You Want To Drink? MEAT!

For some reason, this reminds me of the episode of "The Ren and Stimpy Show" where Ren adopts the hulking Kowalski, who Ren and Stimpy then take on a picnic. He ends up eating a meat sandwich (meat between two slabs of meat) washed down with a nice glass of meat.

"...no gravy on the milkshake..."

There is such a thing as gravy for a milkshake...whipped cream!

No whipped cream

No whipped cream on it. I take my milkshakes neat.

Thank You George

Whipped cream isn't for cold beverages like milkshakes and frappucinos. Save it for hot drinks like cocoa, or whipped cream's perfect companion, pumpkin pie.

I will confess, however, to occasionally taking aerosolized whipped cream straight from the can; there's something uniquely uncanny about the texture that is addictive....

*********************************************
Just Another Supposed Former Mi Casita Junkie
Send Relief and Carbs to www.spudzeppelin.com
*********************************************

GH in Denton County not voting

I would not, not vote, just in case the e-Slate or whatever machine actually counts votes correctly. I would and do encourage everyone to advocate for a paper receipt, preferably on regular pager, not thermal paper, that would be deposited in a ballot can before exiting the polling place. If enough voters from all parties argue for this, even a return to plain old paper ballots, then maybe historians will look back on this as a mere blip on the radar of the great representative democracy experiment we call the USofA.

Democratically yours
Mark Coomes
http://markcoomes.com

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