Farouk is an arrogant braggart

by: ManOverBoard

Tue Feb 09, 2010 at 05:05 AM CST

If he has 100,000 private sector jobs in his back pocket, why will the title "Governor" get those jobs filled faster?

Does Farouk plan to have Texas taxpayers subsidize his commercial ventures? If not, then what is he waiting for? JUST DO IT, Farouk, if you can.

Farouk knows how to market low tech hair dryers to vain ladies in a niche market. Does that mean he knows how to put everyone to work making solar panels?

Are we to believe that Farouk alone holds the keys to the mysteries of the "Green Economy?"

This man has no humility.  

Brazos Valley Report: Filing Ends and Primary Campaigns Begin

by: liberaltexan

Tue Jan 05, 2010 at 06:55 PM CST

The campaign for the Republican nomination for Congressional District 17 is much more crowded than it was last year. Last year's Republican nominee, Waco businessman Rob Curnock, is joined by fellow Waco businessman Chuck Wilson, College Station nurse Timothy Delasandro, Houston businessman Bill Flores, and Texas A&M security expert Dave McIntyre. The Republican primary will probably be between Curnock and McIntyre, however, Flores is well funded and will be able to spend more than the other candidates. Democratic Congressman Chet Edwards is going to have a financial advantage over whichever Republican emerges from the primary. How the Republican primary evolves is going to greatly affect the general election in November and whether or not a Republican candidate can serious challenge Edwards.

Texas State Senator Steve Ogden had announced his retirement and State Representative Dan Gattis appeared to be the front runner to receive the Republican nomination for the vacated Senate seat. However, after Gattis withdrew from the campaign for personal reasons Ogden decided to run for reelection and facing a primary challenge from Ben Bius. Ogden will be campaigning as his experience as a State Senator, but the budget and the economy are going to be central issues in the campaign.  

Texas State Representative Fred Brown is facing a primary challenge form three candidates; former Brazos County Tax Collector Buddy Winn, former candidate for Brazos County District Attorney Rick Davis, and Blinn College professor Blanche Brick. During the 2008 election Left of College Station reported on the almost unopposed Republican, who only faced a Libertarian opponent in the general election. However, during the primary Brown will face a longtime Brazos County  public office holder in Winn, and candidate that will pull no punches during the campaign in Davis. Brown's record as a legislator will be the focus of the primary debate, including the dubious distinction as being named by Texas Monthly as being a piece of furniture.

More Below the Fold...

Should we keep the Two-Step?

by: RBearSAT

Tue Dec 23, 2008 at 06:04 AM CST

Obama Plans to Propose Changes for Presidential Selection

by: RBearSAT

Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 04:04 PM CDT

I know we've debated this issue in here several times but it looks like the Obama camp is proposing a review possibly leading to changes.  Many of the changes listed in the post adddress issues that have been discussed in here such as allowing absentee voting for caucuses, avoiding the bunching of states on particular days, and a review of the calendar from the current traditional one.  This is a good sign and something that will hopefully avoid the situation of 2008. We'll see what happens next week at the convention.

TDP Primary/Caucus Committee Holds First Hearing

by: David Mauro

Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 00:18 PM CDT

Note: It was my initial intention to liveblog the first hearing of the Texas Democratic Party Primary/Caucus System Committee, chaired by Senator Royce West. Unfortunately, I ran into some internet problems, but here is a report of what I saw, including pictures, that continues after the jump.

The movement to end the Texas Two-Step, as many have been saying for a long time, is about a lot more than Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

For those who were still trying to paint this as Clinton “sour grapes”, the first speaker at the “End the Texas Two-Step” press conference was quick to put that to rest.

“I’m not sure that it matters,” Peter Nolan began, “but I am and was a supporter of Barack Obama.”

Nolan is right: it doesn’t really matter. His support of Obama is only relevant because some have tried to dismiss those opposed to the Two-Step as bitter Clinton supporters. That is just not the case, and anyone who attended the hearing can attest to that.

And Nolan wasn’t the only Obama supporter at the hearing. I happened to be sitting next to Amy Esdorn, a graduate student who was unable to attend the caucus because of her class schedule.

Esdorn conceded that while Obama may have benefitted from the two-step system in the short run, the results of the primary were really irrelevant at this point.

“[Ending the caucus] is exactly the kind of change Barack Obama stands for,” she said.

“My vote should not count more than someone from the Rio Grande Valley or El Paso just because I’m from Travis County,” Martha Smiley said during the press conference.

Johnnie Limon of Austin held one of the more humorous signs to be seen at the hearing. “Two-Step at the Broken Spoke, One Step at the Polls,” his sign read.

Wendell Scott, a Gonzales County resident who wrote the anti-Two Step resolution and voted for Barack Obama, held a sign that said, “TDP leaders violate their own rules.”

Sue Berkel, a Clinton national delegate, stressed that the caucus could stay in place as a means for delegate selection, even if popular vote became the only means for delegate allocation.

Senator West called the meeting to order just before 10:2am.

To read about what happened during the hearing and to see more pictures, click "THERE'S MORE"

 

Waco Tribune-Herald: Texas Two-Step is "Undemocratic"

by: David Mauro

Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 10:47 AM CDT

The Waco Tribune-Herald editorial board has come out against the the prima-caucus system the Texas Democratic Party used to allocate delegates in this year's primary.

Texas Democrats have their own version of the Texas two-step that is unpopular and undemocratic.

This version of the two-step needs fixin’ before the next big dance is called in 2012.

It had been so long since the outcome of a Texas Democratic primary had any impact on the outcome of a presidential race that the flaws with the party’s two-step primary process went unnoticed.

The early state primary competition has generally settled on a nominee before Texas Democrats had an opportunity to cast ballots for their favorite candidates.

This year, however, contest between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama was still neck and neck when Texans turned out to the polls for the March 4 primaries.

Unlike Republican voters, or Democratic primary voters in other states, Texas Democrats were required to cast ballots for the candidate of their choice when the polls were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and then turn around and convene in precinct conventions, or caucuses, later that evening if they wanted to take full advantage of their opportunity to support their candidate.

This process, which actually is a lot more complicated than it sounds, generated a great deal of confusion and hard feelings on primary night. It also resulted in Clinton winning the popular vote and Obama picking up more Texas delegates once the final tally was determined long after the primary election.

Texas Democrats who voted for their favorite candidate during the day but could not return later that evening to attend their precinct conventions ran the risk of seeing their vote diluted through the extra step of the caucus system.

The purpose behind the caucus system was to increase party participation among Democrats. This year it increased turmoil and feelings of being disenfranchised.

Democratic leaders need to pick one system or the other — just not both.

Challenge to SD 29 Delegation Officially Filed with TDP

by: carmelita

Sun Apr 13, 2008 at 07:16 AM CDT

Mr. Williams opened his remarks by stating that he is first and foremost a Democrat, that he would vote for the Democratic candidate in November, and that this dispute is, largely, a "family" dispute.  As with any family that has disputes, we Democrats are, first and foremost, a family that unites in common purpose.

But he went on to say that as a 50-some odd old black man, he had some serious issues with oppression, and he characterized what went on at the Senate district caucus as "oppression."

He then stated he had filed and intended to pursue, an official challenge to the El Paso delegation with the Texas Democratic party.  He gave Chairman Anchondo and the radio host a copy.  

Link to NewspaperTree story below.

Nelda Spears Won with a Capital "W" (2nd)

by: Justice

Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 08:50 AM CST

The Tax Collector's race was the 31st race listed on the ballot.  As might be expected, there was some ballot drop-off from the Presidential race, where 185,596 people voted, but 155,322 people voted in the Tax Collector race.  

There were more ballots cast in the Tax Collector's race--way down the ballot--than any other race except the Presidential race.  There were more people voting in the Tax Collector's race than the 2nd-on-the-ballot race for U.S. Senator (139,537 votes) and the 27th-place District Attorney's race (140,310 votes).

Nelda won more than the election.  She kept her integrity and her dignity.  She stayed out of the dirty, deceitful political games that Glen Maxey wanted to play.  The enormous turnout in this race and the trouncing Nelda gave Maxey is a testament to the standards that Democratic voters have set for their political candidates and for their office holders.

If Glen Maxey wants to sell anyone political consulting services in the future, he will have a lot of explaining to do about how he conducted his own campaign and why he lost so big.  Maxey did not win a single one of the 210 precincts.  Running against Nelda was a bad idea in the first place and Maxey's negative campaign tactics turned a bad idea into an unmitigated disaster for himself.

The big lesson for elected officials is:  

Do your job well, and the politics will take care of itself.

TX-Sen: Out of State View

by: Bob Brigham

Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 05:50 AM CST

I don't live in Texas.

But I want to tip my hat to BOR regardless. Thanks for kickass coverage this primary and effective activism -- even if there is still more to do against Craddick and company.

It now comes down to Lt. Col. Rick Noriega. I, for one, am confident John Cornyn is going to get one giant shitburger of a race. After the jump is why I contributed another $25 to Noriega -- it has nothing to do with him winning the nomination.  

How Michigan and Florida can count and Obama can win

by: matthew_lt

Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:17 PM CST

The Obama campaign can come out smelling like roses and possibly land a blow on Clinton's chin. Obama should tell both the Michigan and Florida legislatures that they want their citizens votes to count and to that end he is willing to donate $5 mill to each state to help pay for the caucuses (which most news sources are citing as costing $10 mill). He should then turn to Clinton and ask for her to pony up the other $5 mill per state. She has the option of saying "no" and looking like chump or dolling out the $5 mill per state from her campaign funds. It's a put up or shut up moment. Let Obama use his pocketbook power to hit Clinton where it hurts.

The caucuses would obviously favor Obama, but if it comes down to it then Obama can probably pony up half of the $20 mill price tag for a "re-primary" in Florida and still won more than a couple "good sport" votes. Obama still has the money and can ask Clinton to put up or shut up.

The real hang up in both states isn't the willingness to have "do-overs" but the availability of funds to run a caucus/primary. Before this turns into a very, very ugly fight at the convention credentials committee and the party loses entire populations of supporters in Michigan and Florida (which will hurt the party in November) this should be dealt with.

This is Obama's argument to win. He has to side with the voters, this is all about hope and change and protecting the rights of every person, this is Obama's campaign in a nutshell. Simply, Obama can tell Clinton to put up or shut up and can win this battle of the war.