Friday Roundup: The Worst Rises To The Top

There's been no shortage of discussion over Texas Monthly's Best and Worst Legislators list. Lo, there was much rejoicing in the streets (for example) over Democratic State Senator Kirk Watson's selection as Rookie of the Year, and rightly so.

A focus of some discussion this morning happens to be who made the "Worst" list, and specifically that the top three state leadership posts were included. Speaker Tom Craddick, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, and Governor Perry won't take much of a hit from this — they are already whipped with such regularity that they must expect it as a function of each news cycle. Also, The List is not a statewide vote of no confidence so much as it is an episode of Paul Burka Explains It All writ large. That doesn't make it any less fun; I'm especially fond of the fact that they broke out the Thompsonian "fear and loathing" to describe the House That Craddick Runs.

I hate to bat #2 with something as dry as eminent domain, but look here for some great reporting: tightening restrictions on local governments' abilities to use eminent domain to seize land for private or economic development has been a popular practice in most state legislatures ever since Kelo. Now the trend has started to swing towards eminent domain's use for public projects as well, much to the delight of people that really really dislike eminent domain. Once, Republicans (!) favored eminent domain for economic development or "economic invigoration" or whatever name they have this week for gentrification, and Democrats were okay with doing it for public works, and everyone in Texas hated it no matter what.

Now Governor Perry must decide to sign the latest Texas eminent domain legislation, which would make any sort of business application for eminent domain in the future almost impossible (Trans-Texas Corridor, hello?) but would also be a popular decision with Texans in general; or he can decide to veto the bill, which most Texans would view as tantamount to Rick Perry making it okay for The Government To Take Your Stuff, but would, in the long run, be advantageous for business interests.

Friday Movie Quote Time: Senator John McCain (R-Swayze) says "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

The Dallas Morning News has not stopped its onslaught of Unfiltered Liberal Sensicality, now editorially calling out the TCEQ for their approval of Oak Grove. I'm still not sure how the TCEQ or anyone can put a positive environmental spin on a coal-burning power plant; even if you have the cleanest coal-burning plant in Ameria, it is still a coal-burning plant. That's like saying "I only stabbed him once," or being valedictorian of summer school.

You may remember from previous editions that we have talked a bit about T. Boone Pickens and what he does when he isn't swimming around in money like Scrooge McDuck. Pickens is currently developing a plan for the largest wind farm in the US to be put in the Texas Panhandle. I have been to the Panhandle, and there is plenty of wind to farm, I tell you what.

Finally today, the word on Scooter Libby's appeal to not go to jail right away is that it didn't work out so well. Notice the snapping Judge Walton did on the academics who submitted a brief in favor of freeing Scooter. Judge Walton snaps hard.