Friday Roundup: Paul Burka Knows How To Party

Paul Burka spent most of yesterday doing what he's incredibly good at — covering politics. He wants you to know that he is not a wuss for going to bed. The budget battle went on and on 'til (almost) the break of dawn, and the big (totally not secret!) news is that Rick Noriega proposed an amendment swapping out teacher merit pay for an across-the-board pay raise.

Vouchers took a hit yesterday in the flurry of voting. An amendment which would have allowed kids from poor urban districts to get vouchers for private schools got trounced, 129-8. The Morning News thinks this will be the last try for a voucher bill this session, and good riddance.

The 15th Border Legislative Conference is today, and State Senator Eliot Shapleigh (current friendliest friend of the show) was appointed Vice Chair of the conference by Dewhurst. Shapeleigh talks quite a bit about the border and immigration during this week's Who's Blue and seems to have a pretty good handle on the subject.

Imagine a nightmare from which you cannot wake; in which punishment is never ending; in which you turn on the TV and the brightest spot in your political party's day is MC Rove. If you can imagine these things, a once-rock-solid juggernaut of a national organization, perched on the rain-slick precipice of doubt and darkness, you know how it feels to be a Republican in today's America. The proof, as they say, is in the polls: the Pew Research Center just dropped a new survey showing that among Americans, 35% self-ID as Republicans, and 50% self-ID as Democrats. These aren't likely voters or anything, but it is something to consider.

Teri Sperry reports at BOR that John Courage had some terse words for the Elections Committee yesterday, after they passed some bills which make it more complicated to vote. Anchia, Farias, and Burnam cast the dissenting votes against HB 218 and CSHB 626, which require multiple ID presentation for voting and also add steps to registering to vote as well. The True Courage Action Network has been tracking this legislative shift towards latent voter suppression and they're doing some great work.

Lest you forget that we're electing someone to be President in 19 short months, the news cycle next week will no doubt be dominatd by first quarter finance reports. Things are going to get out of hand quickly, and I expect at least one or two candidates on each side to bail out in early April. After Hillary Clinton transfers her Senate account money over, she will definitely be in the $20 million range and might even top $30 million.

Finally, Dionne over at WaPo laments the relative lack of excitement on the GOP side of presidential things, and points out that Edwards' bold campaigning may be problematic for Clinton and Obama if they try to play it too safe. Some would say now is the time for bold leadership. I would argue that there is never a time for timid leadership. Onward, Excelsior, etc.