And we're back!
Not since 1980 have we seen such a late collapse as is befalling the McCain campaign. A dead heat going into the last few weeks, Reagan won by 10 points.
And while Carter was largely overtaken by events in Iran (much like the current economic crisis is killing McCain), the difference then was that Reagan stood tall in the debates and showed he could lead. The difference now is that McCain and Palin are showing up to these debates and proving the opposite.
There's nothing more deadly than a self-inflicted wound.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
State Rep. Louis Renault Shocked, Shocked! at Electricity Bills!
Here we go again.
So State Rep. Phil King, Chairman of the House Committee on Regulated Industries, says that the price of electricity is unacceptably high. Of course, every time we go down the supposedly rosy path to deregulation, we all pay more.
Opponents of deregulation warned of higher costs (and poor service) to consumers, while proponents argued that increased competition would drive down costs. It seems to me that the competition argument always wins out, but is never correct.
Airfares (fares are down, so is service, while fees are up, even for checked baggage and even soda). Insurance rates. Electricity. College Tuition.
It seems that "deregulation" has basically become a code word for "more expensive."
So State Rep. Phil King, Chairman of the House Committee on Regulated Industries, says that the price of electricity is unacceptably high. Of course, every time we go down the supposedly rosy path to deregulation, we all pay more.
Opponents of deregulation warned of higher costs (and poor service) to consumers, while proponents argued that increased competition would drive down costs. It seems to me that the competition argument always wins out, but is never correct.
Airfares (fares are down, so is service, while fees are up, even for checked baggage and even soda). Insurance rates. Electricity. College Tuition.
It seems that "deregulation" has basically become a code word for "more expensive."
Friday, May 30, 2008
State Sen. Louis Renault and Colleagues Shocked, Shocked! at Tuition Increases
Sorry for the infrequent posting lately, but we've just been swamped. And frankly, that makes it kinda tough to think of anything interesting to say. And I don't post when I don't have anything interesting (to me) to say.
So a State Senate panel raked some public university regents over the coals this week for increasing tuition by as much as 50% over the past 5 years.
That is, since they gave them the power to do just that.
They were all Shocked, Shocked! about how expensive an education has gotten in this state and how it's getting more and more out of reach for average Texans at a time when we should be doing more to enhance the competitiveness of our workforce.
Reminds me of Captain Renault, Prefect of Casablanca, who is handed his winnings after declaring his shock to learn that there is gambling going on in Rick's Cafe Americain. Like those members who voted for tuition deregulation, he tolerated it until someone more powerful wanted to shut it down (in his case, Major Strasser of the Luftwaffe, in the case of the Senators, the voters.)
I was lobbying in 2003 when that stinker of a bill passed even though most members had to have been against it. Like a lot of legislation, people held their noses and voted for a bill they didn't like because someone higher up required them to. Same with the budget that year that Pat Haggerty described from the front mic with a big ol' raspberry. I'm gonna miss him.
So a State Senate panel raked some public university regents over the coals this week for increasing tuition by as much as 50% over the past 5 years.
That is, since they gave them the power to do just that.
They were all Shocked, Shocked! about how expensive an education has gotten in this state and how it's getting more and more out of reach for average Texans at a time when we should be doing more to enhance the competitiveness of our workforce.
Reminds me of Captain Renault, Prefect of Casablanca, who is handed his winnings after declaring his shock to learn that there is gambling going on in Rick's Cafe Americain. Like those members who voted for tuition deregulation, he tolerated it until someone more powerful wanted to shut it down (in his case, Major Strasser of the Luftwaffe, in the case of the Senators, the voters.)
I was lobbying in 2003 when that stinker of a bill passed even though most members had to have been against it. Like a lot of legislation, people held their noses and voted for a bill they didn't like because someone higher up required them to. Same with the budget that year that Pat Haggerty described from the front mic with a big ol' raspberry. I'm gonna miss him.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Runoff, Belated.
I started to write this post last week, then got sidetracked and never finished it. It has been WAY too busy for posting lately, but I'll try to keep up (hear that, muse?)
Congrats to our favorite DeSlayer, Richard Morrison, on his runoff victory for Ft. Bend County Commissioner. Flip side, he won't have Tom Stavinoha to kick around anymore since he lost his primary runoff. What is his problem with guys named Tom, anyway?
By the way, my mom lives in Greatwood; she went to vote in the runoff for Morrison, finally finding the place after some searching. She told me that a card-pusher for a certain candidate for Congress told her that he just KNEW the former Congresswoman could count on her support. Not in this lifetime, she replied. No matter, she wasn't voting in their runoff, anyway.
But now she won't get the chance to vote against her again, which brings me to my next point--we are finally rid of her. I hope she doesn't run for anything again. Did anyone honestly believe she got 42% of the vote as a write-in last time? I read that they were counting as votes obvious slams and variations on her name that were clearly meant as jokes.
Now if we could just end this presidential primary and get on with it.
On to November!
Congrats to our favorite DeSlayer, Richard Morrison, on his runoff victory for Ft. Bend County Commissioner. Flip side, he won't have Tom Stavinoha to kick around anymore since he lost his primary runoff. What is his problem with guys named Tom, anyway?
By the way, my mom lives in Greatwood; she went to vote in the runoff for Morrison, finally finding the place after some searching. She told me that a card-pusher for a certain candidate for Congress told her that he just KNEW the former Congresswoman could count on her support. Not in this lifetime, she replied. No matter, she wasn't voting in their runoff, anyway.
But now she won't get the chance to vote against her again, which brings me to my next point--we are finally rid of her. I hope she doesn't run for anything again. Did anyone honestly believe she got 42% of the vote as a write-in last time? I read that they were counting as votes obvious slams and variations on her name that were clearly meant as jokes.
Now if we could just end this presidential primary and get on with it.
On to November!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
April Fool!
OK, this really has nothing to do with April Fool's Day, but I had to get this off my chest: I'm getting bored with the Democratic Presidential Primary.
Ever since the Texas Primary ended, I have paid less and less attention to it. If I have to read one more story or one more blog entry about superdelegates or last Saturday's Senatorial District Conventions, I'm gonna scream.
Yes, Hillary won the popular vote here, keeping her campaign alive to fight another day. Yes, Obama won more Texas delegates based on his strength in urban areas and the dedication of his supporters who showed up to caucus on March 4th and again on Saturday. Blah, blah, blah.
No wonder these people have to come up with such great stories as what Obama's pastor thinks or whether Hillary is paying her bills. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO TALK ABOUT. Even McCain's having a hard time getting any run, and he's the freakin' Republican nominee for chrissakes, after nearly being out of it in the early-going.
I blame all this on the stupid states around the country that just had to move their primaries up to February 5 or before. Just think, week after week there'd be a contest in one state or another, going all the way to June. Florida and Michigan would have counted for something. Instead, we had a frantic Winter followed by a few big contests in the Spring, separated by a month or more. BORING!
Ever since the Texas Primary ended, I have paid less and less attention to it. If I have to read one more story or one more blog entry about superdelegates or last Saturday's Senatorial District Conventions, I'm gonna scream.
Yes, Hillary won the popular vote here, keeping her campaign alive to fight another day. Yes, Obama won more Texas delegates based on his strength in urban areas and the dedication of his supporters who showed up to caucus on March 4th and again on Saturday. Blah, blah, blah.
No wonder these people have to come up with such great stories as what Obama's pastor thinks or whether Hillary is paying her bills. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO TALK ABOUT. Even McCain's having a hard time getting any run, and he's the freakin' Republican nominee for chrissakes, after nearly being out of it in the early-going.
I blame all this on the stupid states around the country that just had to move their primaries up to February 5 or before. Just think, week after week there'd be a contest in one state or another, going all the way to June. Florida and Michigan would have counted for something. Instead, we had a frantic Winter followed by a few big contests in the Spring, separated by a month or more. BORING!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Puma Primary; Hillary Surprises
Obama won Monday's Puma Primary, but lost the popular vote yesterday. After the caucus delegates are apportioned, it looks like there will be about an even split of delegates, which means the fight will go on at least to Pennsylvania but probably beyond.
First to the Puma Primary. Starting late last week, I had a strange feeling that Obama had peaked in Texas. The talking heads (of which I am now one, more on that later) last night said the "3 am ringing telephone" ad must have had something to do with late deciders breaking for Clinton, but I felt it coming before.
First, his rise in most polls leveled off. Second, a lot of people I talked to said they were starting to feel uneasy, that the the Obama campaign seemed a little too cult-like for their taste. One even described feeling "creeped out." I still felt optimistic about his chances of winning here, but thought it wouldn't be easy. Then I went shopping on Monday night.
I admit, not a representative sample, but anecdotally speaking, it looked like Obama fever was catching, and especially susceptible were the young. I went to the Puma store at the Galleria to get a new pair of golf shoes (their golf gear is fantastic-looking). A hip store full of young people browsing the selection of jackets and shirts. And everyone who worked there was for Obama. All around college-age, one African American male (who was actually wearing an Obama t-shirt at work), a couple of young Hispanic males and one Hispanic female. To a person they were all for Obama and they all were planning to attend their precinct conventions.
But Hillary esta fuertisima. I wrote before about Hispanic voters in places other than the border area being an important target for Obama; it looks like they either couldn't get traction or dropped the ball. Almost no visible presence in the Houston Hispanic community that I could tell. It was all Hillary.
Driving past my polling place yesterday, one of the largest Hispanic precincts in Harris County, I saw NO Obama signs at all, but several for Hillary, including a hand-painted one that read "Hillary, we got your back." Must have been a result of the hard work and institutional support by all the Hispanic elected officials who endorsed her early on and in the past few weeks. Congratulations are in order for pulling out the big wins yesterday.
By the way, I am now a political pundit. I appeared live from a studio in downtown Houston on a worldwide Al Jazeera news broadcast to talk about the Texas Primary, which was viewed by 70-80 million people; 300,000-400,000 here in the U.S. (making their audience slightly larger than MSNBC, if not as mainstream). Still, it was my first such experience and it was truly an honor, and I hope to do it a lot more often.
First to the Puma Primary. Starting late last week, I had a strange feeling that Obama had peaked in Texas. The talking heads (of which I am now one, more on that later) last night said the "3 am ringing telephone" ad must have had something to do with late deciders breaking for Clinton, but I felt it coming before.
First, his rise in most polls leveled off. Second, a lot of people I talked to said they were starting to feel uneasy, that the the Obama campaign seemed a little too cult-like for their taste. One even described feeling "creeped out." I still felt optimistic about his chances of winning here, but thought it wouldn't be easy. Then I went shopping on Monday night.
I admit, not a representative sample, but anecdotally speaking, it looked like Obama fever was catching, and especially susceptible were the young. I went to the Puma store at the Galleria to get a new pair of golf shoes (their golf gear is fantastic-looking). A hip store full of young people browsing the selection of jackets and shirts. And everyone who worked there was for Obama. All around college-age, one African American male (who was actually wearing an Obama t-shirt at work), a couple of young Hispanic males and one Hispanic female. To a person they were all for Obama and they all were planning to attend their precinct conventions.
But Hillary esta fuertisima. I wrote before about Hispanic voters in places other than the border area being an important target for Obama; it looks like they either couldn't get traction or dropped the ball. Almost no visible presence in the Houston Hispanic community that I could tell. It was all Hillary.
Driving past my polling place yesterday, one of the largest Hispanic precincts in Harris County, I saw NO Obama signs at all, but several for Hillary, including a hand-painted one that read "Hillary, we got your back." Must have been a result of the hard work and institutional support by all the Hispanic elected officials who endorsed her early on and in the past few weeks. Congratulations are in order for pulling out the big wins yesterday.
By the way, I am now a political pundit. I appeared live from a studio in downtown Houston on a worldwide Al Jazeera news broadcast to talk about the Texas Primary, which was viewed by 70-80 million people; 300,000-400,000 here in the U.S. (making their audience slightly larger than MSNBC, if not as mainstream). Still, it was my first such experience and it was truly an honor, and I hope to do it a lot more often.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
When Politics and Basketball Collide
Just going to make an observation, and let you all figure out if it has any symbolic meaning:
1. Senator Barack Obama spoke to a large crowd on the home court of the Houston Rockets last night. The Rockets, playing at the same time on the road, defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to keep pace in the NBA Western Conference playoff race.
2. Former President Bill Clinton spoke to a large crowd on the home court of the University of Houston Cougars tonight. The Cougars, playing at the same time on the road, lost to the UAB Blazers, probably blowing an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
Is this a sign?
1. Senator Barack Obama spoke to a large crowd on the home court of the Houston Rockets last night. The Rockets, playing at the same time on the road, defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to keep pace in the NBA Western Conference playoff race.
2. Former President Bill Clinton spoke to a large crowd on the home court of the University of Houston Cougars tonight. The Cougars, playing at the same time on the road, lost to the UAB Blazers, probably blowing an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
Is this a sign?
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