Sunday, June 18, 2006
Big Highways and the Immigrants Building Them
The conservative...let's call it a publication...Human Events is sounding an alarm that could be a tipping point for the GOP here in Texas.
President Bush and (his replacement) Texas Governor Rick Perry have been quietly working to build the Trans-Texas Corridor, (TTC) a massive highway that would be the first leg in a major expansion of certain highways key to trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
While seemingly happy that this project would not involve a number of unions (like the Longshoremen, for example), Human Events seems concerned that this is some sort of sinister plan to put the U.S. into a situation similar to that of the European Union. They're also up-in-arms (as usual of late) about the idea that anything...but especially brown-skinned people...might come north of the Rio Grande.
"The details of the NAFTA Super Highway are hidden in plan view. Still, Bush has not given speeches to bring the NAFTA Super Highway plans to the full attention of the American public. Missing in the move toward creating a North American Union is the robust public debate that preceded the decision to form the European Union. All this may be for calculated political reasons on the part of the Bush Administration."
"A good reason Bush does not want to secure the border with Mexico may be that the administration is trying to create express lanes for Mexican trucks to bring containers with cheap Far East goods into the heart of the U.S., all without the involvement of any U.S. union workers on the docks or in the trucks."
Now, I have my own issues with the TTC, but I don't fear the same things the herd at Human Events does. Furthermore, the author of the article cited above collaborated with the "swift boat" group and G. Gordon Liddy, crooks and liars all. Still, I do love watching conservatives bicker...especially when their hatred of government projects mixes with their hatred of Mexicans.
President Bush and (his replacement) Texas Governor Rick Perry have been quietly working to build the Trans-Texas Corridor, (TTC) a massive highway that would be the first leg in a major expansion of certain highways key to trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
While seemingly happy that this project would not involve a number of unions (like the Longshoremen, for example), Human Events seems concerned that this is some sort of sinister plan to put the U.S. into a situation similar to that of the European Union. They're also up-in-arms (as usual of late) about the idea that anything...but especially brown-skinned people...might come north of the Rio Grande.
"The details of the NAFTA Super Highway are hidden in plan view. Still, Bush has not given speeches to bring the NAFTA Super Highway plans to the full attention of the American public. Missing in the move toward creating a North American Union is the robust public debate that preceded the decision to form the European Union. All this may be for calculated political reasons on the part of the Bush Administration."
"A good reason Bush does not want to secure the border with Mexico may be that the administration is trying to create express lanes for Mexican trucks to bring containers with cheap Far East goods into the heart of the U.S., all without the involvement of any U.S. union workers on the docks or in the trucks."
Now, I have my own issues with the TTC, but I don't fear the same things the herd at Human Events does. Furthermore, the author of the article cited above collaborated with the "swift boat" group and G. Gordon Liddy, crooks and liars all. Still, I do love watching conservatives bicker...especially when their hatred of government projects mixes with their hatred of Mexicans.
Let Them Fly Delta!
In the latest Marie Antoinette moment to come from the Bush White House, ABC News is reporting that Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has been abusing a taxpayer-funded private jet.
"Leavitt was not supposed to use the jet for normal business travel, but according to Health and Human Services records, he used it to travel to 91 cities this year for meetings on health policy and to sell the administration's controversial Medicare drug prescription plan."
That's right, kids. Mikey's been pimping on your dime. Meanwhile, the medical folks trying to handle medical emergencies have had to make other arrangements.
"Twice this year, the CDC has needed the plane for medical emergencies, but Leavitt was using it. So the CDC had to hire another jet at additional expense. Republicans have generally defended Leavitt, but Democrats are demanding an explanation."
Leavitt has also been using the plane to scare up visions of a bird flu pandemic. If it comes, will the folks at the CDC in Atlanta be able to get Tamiflu to the west coast? Not if Mikey's out pimping again.
"Leavitt was not supposed to use the jet for normal business travel, but according to Health and Human Services records, he used it to travel to 91 cities this year for meetings on health policy and to sell the administration's controversial Medicare drug prescription plan."
That's right, kids. Mikey's been pimping on your dime. Meanwhile, the medical folks trying to handle medical emergencies have had to make other arrangements.
"Twice this year, the CDC has needed the plane for medical emergencies, but Leavitt was using it. So the CDC had to hire another jet at additional expense. Republicans have generally defended Leavitt, but Democrats are demanding an explanation."
Leavitt has also been using the plane to scare up visions of a bird flu pandemic. If it comes, will the folks at the CDC in Atlanta be able to get Tamiflu to the west coast? Not if Mikey's out pimping again.
Pass The Aspirin
My poor little blog. So neglected. I skipped the entire month of May.
The Texas Democratic Party Convention is now a week behind me. The too-much-politics hangover is finally wearing off.
It's time to try (again) and make a regular go at this thing, so I've done some house cleaning. You'll see some changes to the links in the sidebar. I've added a couple of blog links and updated the candidate links.
Look for some post-convention blogging soon. I learned some things about our candidates. We have a good slate, but no money to promote them. A couple of our candidates actually have the qualifications to do the job (gasp!), so maybe we can make some purple headway in this very red state. I'll be blogging on that soon.
My goal is one post...at least one...every day. We'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, I want to pick a fight with another blogger. Edward Sanders, in declaring his newfound appreciation for Johnny Cash, says that he can detect no particular political leaning in Cash's songs. See if you can spot the doublespeak.
"I did realize by listening to Cash's word that he was neither conservative nor liberal, populist nor progressive hero [sic]. He was his own man who wore black for the 'man in jail who has longed served his time' and the poor and beaten down."
As I responded, "the last time I checked, the only people advocating for prisoners and the poor were liberals, progressives and populists."
Silly conservatives.
The Texas Democratic Party Convention is now a week behind me. The too-much-politics hangover is finally wearing off.
It's time to try (again) and make a regular go at this thing, so I've done some house cleaning. You'll see some changes to the links in the sidebar. I've added a couple of blog links and updated the candidate links.
Look for some post-convention blogging soon. I learned some things about our candidates. We have a good slate, but no money to promote them. A couple of our candidates actually have the qualifications to do the job (gasp!), so maybe we can make some purple headway in this very red state. I'll be blogging on that soon.
My goal is one post...at least one...every day. We'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, I want to pick a fight with another blogger. Edward Sanders, in declaring his newfound appreciation for Johnny Cash, says that he can detect no particular political leaning in Cash's songs. See if you can spot the doublespeak.
"I did realize by listening to Cash's word that he was neither conservative nor liberal, populist nor progressive hero [sic]. He was his own man who wore black for the 'man in jail who has longed served his time' and the poor and beaten down."
As I responded, "the last time I checked, the only people advocating for prisoners and the poor were liberals, progressives and populists."
Silly conservatives.
