Friends of Walmart?

Just got a mail piece at home that looks a lot like political mail, except it's aim is to convince me that the "Heights Walmart" is a good idea. Sent out by an outfit in Dallas called Valentine Direct Marketing, and a quick Google search of the name reveals this hit from a 2004 post by Kuff:

http://www.offthekuff.com/mt/archives/003781.html

If you want to let The Friends of Walmart know you feel about they're little establishment, let 'em know here:

http://walmarthouston.com/

Who's Runnin' for City Council?

I know it's a tad early, but you know that it's only about 5 months before candidates can start raising money for the 2011 Houston City Council races this year. Anybody know who's gonna be running? Comment with names, and a little bio if possible.

Remember Me?

Well, i just noticed that it's been about 14 months since my last post. That's just too long!

Couple of things: Landslide Victories is no more. Since last year, I have been doing PR/Marketing/Public Involvement Communications for the firm my wife Shannon and her business partner Paula Arnold founded in 2003, and my days working in the political arena are about over. I'd welcome the opportunity to design mail or other materials, but general consulting and DEFINITELY political fundraising is a thing of the past. Actually, just too busy for it truth be known.

Also, with the addition of the littlest family member, 9 month-old Roger Marcel, to go with my adorable 5 year old who accompanied me to the Dianne Reeves concert tonight, the idea of hanging around a political headquarters at all hours is just not that appealing anymore.

Now, that's not to say that I'm not paying attention. To the contrary, it's nice to have a disinterested distance from the fray to watch stuff, and I have to say that the mayoral runoff sure got nasty quick.

I'm gonna make one point--experience tells me it is unlikely that the Harris Co. Tejano Dems and HBAD would have cracked on Annise for minority hiring if someone associated with the Locke campaign hadn't asked them to. And apparently, that person hadn't checked out Andrews Kurth's record that closely before doing it.

Having said that, Locke's campaign seems to be a lot more aggressive, and maybe even visible, in the runoff than the Parker campaign, and that may be trouble for her. This is gonna be close I think.

Also, glad to see that Mayor White is in the Governor's race. Like Kuff and others, I have really hoped for him to make that race for a couple of years now.

Party like it's 1980

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.

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."

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.

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!