More Quick Hits

Thanks again Governor Perry!!

Yet Mr. Perry wasn’t lying about those “tough conservative decisions”: Texas has indeed taken a hard, you might say brutal, line toward its most vulnerable citizens. Among the states, Texas ranks near the bottom in education spending per pupil, while leading the nation in the percentage of residents without health insurance. It’s hard to imagine what will happen if the state tries to eliminate its huge deficit purely through further cuts.

Quick Hits

Thanks Governor Perry!

So why haven't we heard more about Texas, one of the most important economy's in America? Well, it's because it doesn't fit the script. It's a pro-business, lean-spending, no-union state. You can't fit it into a nice storyline, so it's ignored.
But if you want to make comparisons between US states and ailing European countries, think of Texas as being like America's Ireland. Ireland was once praised as a model for economic growth: conservatives loved it for its pro-business, anti-tax, low-spending strategy, and hailed it as the way forward for all of Europe. Then it blew up.

Should I Stay or Should I go?

If this is true:

But the stem cell battle is not just a high-profile clash of values. The dispute provides a sharp focus on how science may help reshape America. Several states have set aside billions of dollars to support stem cell research, and the new federal money Obama is promising will generally flow to those areas. That means states supporting stem cell research will experience an economic windfall while attracting highly educated technology workers who tend to vote Democratic. The more conservative states restricting stem cell research will attract fewer funds and fewer socially liberal voters. In short, a state's stem cell policy will influence electoral results and help determine whether a state turns red or blue.

...then what should one conclude from this?

Texas researchers who thought President Barack Obama’s executive order lifting the restrictions on embryonic stem cell research would finally free them to ramp up work with the cutting-edge science are facing a new obstacle: the state Legislature.

Eighteen of the state’s leading scientists signed a letter sent to the Legislature Monday objecting to a provision inserted in the Senate budget bill last week that would ban state funding from supporting research involving the destruction of human embryos.

“Such an amendment would be detrimental to Texas,” said the statement. “A ban would halt ongoing research projects and negatively impact the ability of Texas academic health institutions, both public and private, to competitively recruit and retain world-class scientists, professors and students in the biological sciences.”

Texas, home of the hardboiled morons

First, take the creationists:

And Patton has the unmitigated gall to declare that it’s a lie to assert the reality that the overwhelming consensus among scientists is that evolution is as much a fact as anything in science is.

Given the extent of his lying, it would make perfect sense if you came to the conclusion that even his professions of religious belief were also a lie, that in fact all he cares about is political legitimacy for his lunatic, far-right ideas.

That's something I've always wondered about those who go against the teachings of their religion in the name of said religion. For example, if you're hustling your sheep for cash in the name of Jesus, doesn't that mean that you have contempt for his teachings?

Then there's governor "good hair" and his band of merry idiots in the state legislature.

After Gov. Rick Perry's recent comments about some Texans talking secession from the union made national news, legislators are considering issuing a "cease and desist" order to the federal government.

"This state prefers, to the greatest extent possible, to control our own destiny," said Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, one of several members co-sponsoring the measure. "We prefer that federal government limit the amount of federal mandates it forces upon the people of Texas."

As Jon Stewart says "I think you're confusing tyranny with losing."

Stewart mocked Andrew Breitbart, a former editor of the Drudge Report, who now runs his own Web news portal, for saying that since Obama became president, his children’s public school no longer used the term ‘St. Patrick’s Day’ but rather, ‘Potato Day.’

“I’m not Irish but I’m not sure ‘Potato Day’ is more politically correct than St. Patrick’s Day. I think it might be worse,” laughed Stewart before going on to say:

“And while President Bush was the one who started the bailout, nationalizing an insurance company, added a $17 trillion drug prescription entitlement program, had a government-mandated public school initiative, literally titled ‘No Child Left Behind,’ wiretapped citizens without warrants, created secret internment camps in international waters behind the reach of our justice system and allowed his vice president to live in a netherworld between the executive and legislative branch…Only now with the advent of ‘Potato Day’ has tyranny come to our shores.”

Stewart advised angry Republicans that they were "confusing tyranny with losing." “Now you’re in the minority, it’s supposed to taste like a sh** taco.”

I have nothing to add...

Come in Earth, can you hear me?

Some days it's hard to live in Texas, even in Austin. I work for a technology company that is in the process of offshoring as fast as they can, both personnel and manufacturing plants. We've had continuous rounds of layoffs for the last 3 years. The CEO took the opportunity last year to host a McCain rally featuring Phil "degregulatin'" Gramm on company property. To top it off, yesterday and today I had to listen to the emboldened wingnuts yammering about "tea parties".

I've worked here 10+ years. For eight of those years, shrubby was the President. The wingnuts were loud and proud and the rest of us kept the topic to actual work (what a concept). Since the election, the wingers were pretty quiet...until yesterday.

I know of four or five people in my area who blew off business meetings to head on down to San Antonio (home of the gullible dumbass) to worship their hero Glenn Beck. Some of those "left behind" were busy calling to get all the updates.

By the way, if you want a chuckle some time, Google "San+Antonio+flouride".

Anyhoo...today they are all back in the office feeling good (except for the hangovers) and talkin' loud. Here's what I found out today:

1. Conservatives rarely "rally" as they all have jobs. The same guy bragging about this was minutes later telling someone to make a Friday meeting early since he's out the door at 2pm every Friday. I guess the thousands laid off from this company in the last few years have all been liberals.

2. There were (I freaking kid you not) *black helicopters* hovering over the San Antonio teabagathon taking pictures with "facial recognition software". Just...wow.

Texas better get blue in a hurry or I'm out as soon as the economy picks up. Doug Sahm, Stevie Ray, Freddie King and Lightnin' Hopkins only have so much hold from the grave...

On a related topic, I went on foxnews.com last night to see what was going on. In the "You Decide" section they had the following question:

YOU DECIDE: Will Washington Respond to Tea Party Message?

My response:

SuxToLose says:
April 15, 2009 at 10:00 pm
What message?? Is it that you don’t think that 95% of Americans deserve the Obama tax cuts? Or is it that federal income tax should be abolished, thus defunding the military? Or is the message that it’s not fair that the “conservative movement” is wasting away? Gee, why would Obama ever call you bitter?

Just curious.

but alas, the teabaggers didn't want to play.