Burnt Orange Report

how pathetic is it that a state democratic party can't raise more than $4,000 in a month.

How pathetic is it that you can't be adult enough to give us a name or e-mail to direct our comments to.

Giving money to the Texas Democratic Party is like throwing money in the fireplace. I don't know how they justify paying consultants $5,000 to $9,200 a month with nothing to show for it.

By the way, don't they have $250,000 to build a permanent headquarters? Oh yeah, they spent it on consultants.

it's pathetic that we keep playing party politics.

Democrat"well i hate your party!!"
Republican "oh yeah well i hate your party!!"

the truth is, is that we know. lets get over ourselves and get something done for a change.
america's going down the shitter as far as i'm concerned and something needs to happen fast.

Party matters. What "gets done" has a lot to do with which party is in the majority.

We could most likely improve what "gets done" if we restructured the Democratic Party in Texas. I needs some leadership.

I just hope that whatever money it recieves - it spends on Texas House and Senate races rather than the Gov. race where there is a better chance to make progress.

The Texas Democratic Party has no consultants. That's part of the problem. The best strategist they had recently left after working for free for most of the past two years. The myth of a $250,000 fund to build a permanent hqs gets repeated by the misinformed or the willfully ignorant. But it never existed. And even if it did, it didn't get spent on consultants.

I hope that everyone who bothered to comment also bothered to give at least $20 to Turn the Capitol Blue! (Nothing like a bunch of armchair quarterbacks to shake things up).

If everyone really wants to get something done, then jump on a campaign and start helping out for little-to-no money....

*crickets chirping in the background*
Now don't everyone run away from your computers at once!

I will donate to specific democratic campaigns. With me working for Kinky Friedman (advance field) I dont think I want some of my money helping Chris Bell.

I give plenty of money to individual Democratic candidates here in Texas.

I won't give money to the Party because it doesn't do anything except pay high dollar consultants to write memos and take credit for the victories of Democrats they allegedly "helped." And yes, until they ran out of money, they were paying consultants $5,000 to $9,200 a month. That may make sense during a campaign, but during an off year is crazy when the party is broke.

Are there any individual or collective victories that the state party could be credited for in the past 10 years?

There are not. I worked on Rep. John Mabry's re-election campaign out of waco. The state party helped in no way at all. It was considered the first or second most contested seat (depending on who you talked to) and they in no way helped out.

Now after seeing that, why in the hell would I give money to them when I can send it to individuals and possibly see better results. I refuse to sit around and "praise" the TX Democratic Party when they really dont do anything. There needs to be some boots to some asses or something of the sort to get things moving and shaking up there.

I'm just guessing but maybe the party is spending too much time yackety-yacking (read: trying to be strategists) and not enough time pounding the pavement and phone lines for money and volunteers for organization. Press releases and speeches don't win elections. Maybe it's time to bring in someone like Cecile Richards and start all over.

What are the rules for recalling a Chair or Exec Dir of the Party?

what consultants are you talking about grube? why don't you just come out and say it? and by the way, the campaign never ends. there are no more off years.

It has been said many times, but i guess you need to hear it again: The party only played in challenge and open seats and the house campaign committee was to handle the incumbent races. the party was under strict orders not to get involved in those other races.

sorry about the loss of mabry, he was a great member of the lege and you should be proud to have worked for him. too bad you have since turned to the dark side to work for a candidate whose #1 priority seems to be to boost his profile to sell books.

and by the way, is Hubert Vo not a big enough victory for you?

1. Independent candidates are not the dark side, unless you consider Sam Houston a member of that "side"....and maybe you do.

2. Kinky has plenty of money and doesn't need a campaign stunt to sell books. Is it so hard to believe someone like him actually cares about Texas enough to try to fix some of the problems by running for governor? Or is that job only there for people with r's or d's next to their names?

3. Dems should pay attention to what Kinky is preaching. His message actually resonates with voters and if you peel back a few layers you will notice that his ideas, his message is firmly rooted in the principles that the democratic party used to hold dear...and then abandoned completely during the 90's when we were trying to hold onto slim majorities by appealing to the lowest common denominator of voters.

d'guy. I never made a comment about consultants - that was someone else. Get your facts right.

Also, I have not turned to the dark side. I do not find Chris Bell appealing. Kinky is arguably more progressive that Chris Bell and has unique ideas. Bell is to busy giving press releases and talking about this "mainstream" idea that he has. Texas needs something unique, it needs a leader with bold ideas, someone who can bang heads aganist the wall if needed and to stand up and say enough is enough. That is why I support Kinky enough that I have gone to work with him.

Also just so you know, Kinky's very existance in the race will bring out at least a half million new voters - many of whom will vote for Democrats in local races. That is another reason I am working for him. I think that in the larger picture I am giving some help to the party statewide by convincing new voters to get involved in this election.

If you still dont consider him to be a threat - then pay attention to this. I stood with Kinky on the stage at the Willie Nelson Picnic on the 4th of July. He gave a stump speech to a crowd of 25,000+ people who all went insane when he came out, and were even louder after he talked. Perry cant do that, and Chris Bell cant for sure.

One more thing.

I lke working for him because he is inspiring. He has been successful at everything he has ever done.

He graduated as a Plan II Honors student from UT, served for several years in the Peace Corp, people told him he couldnt write music and he became famous, people told him he couldnt write, and he wrote 22 novels - several of them are best sellers.

He has always beaten the odds and refuses to give up, how can you not like that?

you may be right. maybe chris and perry can't do that. i remember another guy who did that. i think his name was kucinich.

and don't get me wrong. I don't think he is dumb. i like his animal stuff. his books are meteocre at best, but he is a funny guy.

hey, if Texans want to elect the class clown for governor go for it. i don't think he would be worse than perry.

one, Kucinich never had a crowd of 25,000. Two, I can think of another guy who did that, howard dean. Who happens to be running the party now. Huh.

Well Dean was also a Presidential candidate. That is much different than a Gov. race.

D'guy,

Are you actually claiming the party played a large role in Vo's victory?

Did David Leibowitz or Mark Strama win because of the party?

Don't make me laugh.

The fact that you would even ask your last question, Jobyu, shows how out of the loop you are. Talk to any of the three legislators you mention. I suspect all three will tell you that, yes, the help they got from the state party in feneral and from Take Back Texas especially helped make the difference in their races -- and in Vo's case, in his election challenge, as well.

Grube:

Kinky is arguably more progressive that Chris Bell and has unique ideas.

Well, let's see. One candidate wants to build a fence to seal off the border from Mexico. That same candidate also favors school prayer. Tell me again who's the progressive?

(Funnily enough, those stances are not mentioned on his Why Not page. It's as if he's not proud of them or something.)

Charles,

First off, loose the attitude. I can tell you that if anyone is proud of what he is trying to do and accomplish, its Kinky Friedman. I have spend more than enough time with the man to know that first hand. He is serious.

We have had many roundtable discussions about what we want the border policy to be. We have also run these ideas by many in the Mexican-American community, and to your surprise - not ours - it holds up very well. Infact, the Exec. Director of the Political Asylum Project of Ausstin has even signed up as one of our volunteers.

Kinky believes in letting the "god of your choice bless you." What is wrong with a brief moment of silence to let people pray as long as it is not being led by a certain religion. Now you Mr. Kuffner might have a problem with it, but a large number of voters in the State of Texas love the idea. I wear one of our campaign shirts all the time which says "May the God of your choice bless you." I cannot tell you how many times I have recieved positive comments about it, or am asked about where to get one.

He also wants us to be able to display the ten commandments - or as Kinky likes to call them - the 10 suggestions. Do you recall how many people rallied behind Gregg Abbott when he made a stand for the ten commandments on the Capitol lawn?

I urge you to read a book called "God's Politics - Why the right is wrong and left dosent get it." A very good book.

You see, Kinky is an independent and thus is given the oppurtunity to give bold ideas. You would be surprised how many people love them. Being a progressive cannot be calculated by just 2 issues, but rather your overall stance. I think that if you look at the issues point by point - from gay marriage to biodiesel - kink is one up on Bell.

If you are so gungho on Chris Bell, tell him step up to the plate and play ball.

Im positive I will remain a democrat for the rest of my life and I refuse to follow the theory that I have "turned to the dark side" because I work for a candidate whom I believe in and inspires me. I once was doing some campaign work in the Waco area and saw a sign at the McLennan County Republican's booth. It read "real republicans vote straight republican." I remember why I liked being called a democrat so much - we are free thinkers with unique ideas and do not fit into the one-minded thought theory that rings so loudly on the right. And yes, sometimes some of us even think that whom we find the better candidate to be, might not be connected with the party. Then again I remember - democrats are the first ones to argue for my right to do so and thats why democrats hold their heads higher.

Grube --

I for one don't doubt that you believe in the principles of the Democratic party, yada, yada, yada. But here's why lots of Dems -- myself included -- resent Friedman's candidacy:

Go back to your last campaign experience -- Mabry's race. The district was heavily Republican (like TX), but the 2002 cycle had proven a D could win given the right circumstances (just like many of us feel an D can win statewide with the right amount of dissatisfaction with Perry on his/her side). So it's gonna be a tight race. You know Mabry can compete in rural towns like McGregor, West, Crawford and Moody; and in some parts of the city proper like West Waco and North Waco. But "Doc" has the suburbs in Woodway that turn out like crazy locked up, and he'll compete well in the rural precints...so it's gonna be close. Now let's toss in a third party candidate. He appeals to some dissaffected liberals, moderates, progressives, populists, etc. (like so many Waco Ds who hated Mabry first "I'm a conservative" TV apot), and some Rs might like what he has to say -- but c'mon now, you've campaigned in Woodway -- you know how Republican partisan loyalty works, those guys aren't leaving their party. So this third party candidate comes in, raises a litte money, makes some noise, and gets 12% of the vote (and god, I'm being generous with that arbitrary number). How the HELL could John Mabry even have broken 45% in 04 if some friggin' yahoo who appealed to populists and progressives was pulling 12%, or 10% or even 5%?! Doc's margin would have grown and you damn well know it.

You know that if an 3rd candidate with appeal to progressives and populists was in your last race, Mabry wouldn't have come as close as he did -- and deep down you should know that if Kinky makes the ballot he will gurantee Perry's reelection.

So, seriously man, do what you gotta do, but don't pretend that you don't know what the consequences will be.

I am very aware of the consequences. I believe in Kinky and his ideas. What more can I say? If I piss other dems off for working for him, then so be it, but I will always know that I did something that I believed in I cannot ask much for from myself.

But what if Kinky gets 250,000 - 500,000 new voters to the polls and dems pick up several house seats? Is it a loss then? In my mind no. I have said it many times and will say it once more. Texas is unique, if this was any other state I would not support him. I believe in the spirit of a representative democracy and what it stands for. If I am able to partake in something that brings thousands of new voters to the polls, then I think I have helped in accomplishing something great.

But like many, im done with the arguing. Maybe we can have a campus debate in the future. College republicans, Udems, and students supporting Kinky. Who knows, maybe it will be fun

No way I'll vote for Kinky. Right out of the box, he put out a flyer urging people to not vote in our primary, presumably because Kinky needs non-primary voters to sign his petition to get on the ballot.

Screw him. If he's so damned progressive, why isn't he running as a D?

Probably because he as running as a problem solver and not a politician.

Again, more new voters = many more possible votes for local races = take back the house.

Gov. dosent have any damn power anyways.

JSG,

I'm all for new voters, unless of course you just bring out a bunch of other rednecks like Kinky.

If you want new voters, go get them. But quit discouraging people to not vote in the Democratic Primary.

Given the low turnouts in recent years, ahem, how hard could it be?

Grube, you instantly put me off by your tone in responding to Kuffner like that. He's has forgotten more about politics than most of us, including you, will ever know, so show some respect.

That being said, as a long-time dem supporter, campaign worker, and funder -- paltry contributions I admit because I don't make that much, but contributions nevertheless -- I'm pretty discouraged. I come to this website to get inspired, and you really help with good ideas and unremitting support for the party. But I just can't see that Bell has a chance in hell, so I can't blame people for going outside the party. We have to find a way to get someone truly impressive in the running for Gov, and I can't see it happening this cycle. I know those of you who work so hard in the party don't want to hear that, but that's how I see it.

On the other hand, I've heard D's and R's alike -- especially R's who can't stand Perry but know he will win the primary - say they're voting for Kinky. That's pretty interesting all by itself. A couple of his positions may be odd (e.g., god-of-choice-school-prayer), but I don't really find them offensive.

I say get Carter Casteel to switch parties and run for Governor. She just sounded pretty frustrated on the floor. Bet she's ready.

JWR .. why resent Kinky? he has the right to run, if he can get on the ballot. resent that the party cannot/has not inspired.

Yes, I do appologize for being a bit snippy. I do respect the work that anyone has done for the democratic cause no matter how big or small - dont get me wrong there.

I have given my reason for supporting Kinky had have many more that I have not shared. I would bet that supporters of Chris Bell feel the same way about him.

Nevertheless, disagreement and debate about policy and candidates is a core values for people involved in politics. I shall close this chapter from my end for now, I hope to see some healthy debate in the future.

Keep your eye out for Kinky on campus - I promise it will be a great show.

kinda like a cloud i was up way up in the sky.
and i was feeling some feelings you wouldn't believe.
sometimes i don't believe them myself and i decided i was never coming
down.
just then a tiny little dot caught my eye.
it was just about too small to see.
but i watched it way too long.
that dot was pulling me down.
i was up above it.
now i'm down in it
shut up.
so what what does it matter now.
i was swimming in the hate now i crawl on the ground.
and everything i never liked about you is kind of seeping into me.
i try to laugh about it now but isn't it funny how everything works
out.
i guess the jokes on me.

i used to be so big and strong.
i used to know my right from wrong.
i used to never be afraid.
i used to be somebody.
i used to have something inside.
now just this hole it's open wide.
used to want it all.
i used to be somebody.
i'll cross my heart and hope to die.
but the needle's already in my eye.
and all the world's weight is on my back and i don't even know why.
and what i used to think was me is just a fading memory.
i looked him right in the eye and said "goodbye."