Saturday, July 17, 2010
Shysters
To be fair, and as a quote in the New York Times article that inspired this post points out, "not all [car] dealers are shysters."
Those that are, however, can continue their shysterism unimpeded thanks largely to Republican Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas.
As the Times reports:
No one should be surprised that a Republican senator acted to protect a moneyed special interest like car dealers. What should be asked of Republicans, though, is why people who constantly pound on their chests and wrap themselves in the mantle of support for American troops are so unwilling to protect them from an enemy at home.
Those that are, however, can continue their shysterism unimpeded thanks largely to Republican Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas.
As the Times reports:
"Sometime next week, President Obama will finally sign a financial reform bill.
Plenty of banks will have to deal with messy new rules, but one big winner in
the 'spare me from further regulation' sweepstakes was auto dealers.
Mr. Obama wanted the new consumer financial protection agency to oversee dealers and the loans they arrange for consumers. So did many consumer groups and military organizations, because crooked dealers have taken advantage of many young soldiers.
But the dealers prevailed, winning exemption from oversight by the new agency, in part through the efforts of Senator Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas."
No one should be surprised that a Republican senator acted to protect a moneyed special interest like car dealers. What should be asked of Republicans, though, is why people who constantly pound on their chests and wrap themselves in the mantle of support for American troops are so unwilling to protect them from an enemy at home.
Cry Me A River
The Austin American-Statesman brings us the story of a former bus driver who feels he's been slighted because of his religious beliefs.
The Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) is a publicly-funded entity and that makes Graning, by extension at least, a government employee. If he was running some private taxi service, I'd have no issue with his decision. It would be his fare to lose. As a CARTS employee, he had a duty to provide the service he was paid to provide to anyone eligible to receive that service.
It's also worth pointing out that a trip to a Planned Parenthood clinic does not mean an abortion is about to be performed. Planned Parenthood provides an array of services. A half-brained notion on the part of some "minister" (especially one who hasn't figured out how to dupe enough followers out of thier tithes to avoid having to get a real job) is not enough to justify a public service to anyone.
I have to assume that, as an apparent religious conservative, Graning is probably also a limited government conservative. As such, what the hell was he doing working for a public transportation service in the first place? Once again, the hypocrisy of conservatism shines through.
"A former bus driver has sued the Capital Area Rural Transportation System,Frankly, I think that Edwin Graning, the "ordained Christian minister who is opposed to abortion" and is no longer a bus driver, needs to put on his big boy pants and realize that his rights don't trump anyone else's.
charging that the nine-county transit service discriminated against him based on
his religion when he was fired for refusing to drive a woman to a Planned
Parenthood clinic in January."
The Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) is a publicly-funded entity and that makes Graning, by extension at least, a government employee. If he was running some private taxi service, I'd have no issue with his decision. It would be his fare to lose. As a CARTS employee, he had a duty to provide the service he was paid to provide to anyone eligible to receive that service.
It's also worth pointing out that a trip to a Planned Parenthood clinic does not mean an abortion is about to be performed. Planned Parenthood provides an array of services. A half-brained notion on the part of some "minister" (especially one who hasn't figured out how to dupe enough followers out of thier tithes to avoid having to get a real job) is not enough to justify a public service to anyone.
I have to assume that, as an apparent religious conservative, Graning is probably also a limited government conservative. As such, what the hell was he doing working for a public transportation service in the first place? Once again, the hypocrisy of conservatism shines through.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Harold Cook Responds
Following yesterday's criticism on these pages of the latest press release from the Hector Uribe campaign, Harold Cook has made his rebuttal. I encourage you to read it and I thank him for making it. Not only does Cook answer my complaints, but he also provides a great deal of information about Uribe's positions on the issues in the Texas Land Commissioner race.
Thanks to Cook's rebuttal, I now know that Uribe has already debated his Republican opponent, I know where he stands on energy issues, I am reminded of his speech to the Texas Democratic Convention, and I know what a Commissioner Uribe would do about the Christmas Mountains.
Cook also reports that I can expect a written reprimand from Charles Kuffner for my suggestion that he and I are of the same mind on the latest Uribe press release. I'll link back to that reprimand when it comes.
Thanks to Cook's rebuttal, I now know that Uribe has already debated his Republican opponent, I know where he stands on energy issues, I am reminded of his speech to the Texas Democratic Convention, and I know what a Commissioner Uribe would do about the Christmas Mountains.
Cook also reports that I can expect a written reprimand from Charles Kuffner for my suggestion that he and I are of the same mind on the latest Uribe press release. I'll link back to that reprimand when it comes.
Labels: campaigns, Hector Uribe
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Uribe's Ubiquity
Hector Uribe is apparently everywhere. At least, that's what his campaign press people (or, perhaps, person) want us to think.
Less than two weeks since his last campaign press release drew sharp criticism from this blogger, his latest press release is not much better. He's gone from bragging that he saved someone's life to bragging that someone is vicariously living his life.
I will make no attempt to justify someone falsely using the candidate's photo on an Internet dating profile, and I fully support Uribe's efforts to get the fictitious profile taken down, but to issue a press release broadcasting this foolishness to the public (or hoping that Texas media outlets will do the broadcasting for him) is just plain silly.
The tongue-in-cheek tone of the release makes it that much worse. Reminding us that Uribe is an occasional actor with professional head shots does absolutely nothing to make him a more credible candidate.
Uribe's campaign should be using its press releases to attack the Republican incumbent and to announce Uribe's own policy ideas (assuming they actually exist). There's a lot to attack about Jerry Patterson. His record as the custodian of state lands is a terrible one. He's also a pompous ass, but Uribe's campaign seems to be doing all it can to bestow that insult on its own candidate.
The man behind the Uribe campaign press releases is reportedly Harold Cook. The author of his own usually humorous blog about Texas politics, Cook seems to think that getting a chuckle is the sole purpose of all political communication. Sadly, that's not how politics work in the real world. This is especially true in Texas, where the reactionary right has kept Texas Democrats in the political wilderness since 1994 largely by scaring the shit out of people.
Thankfully, I'm not alone in thinking that the Uribe campaign is bringing mockery upon itself. I can only hope that Cook, Uribe, or somebody else in that camp will wake the hell up before November. By then, we may have all enjoyed a few laughs, but we'll have no prospects for a better Texas Land Commissioner.
Less than two weeks since his last campaign press release drew sharp criticism from this blogger, his latest press release is not much better. He's gone from bragging that he saved someone's life to bragging that someone is vicariously living his life.
I will make no attempt to justify someone falsely using the candidate's photo on an Internet dating profile, and I fully support Uribe's efforts to get the fictitious profile taken down, but to issue a press release broadcasting this foolishness to the public (or hoping that Texas media outlets will do the broadcasting for him) is just plain silly.
The tongue-in-cheek tone of the release makes it that much worse. Reminding us that Uribe is an occasional actor with professional head shots does absolutely nothing to make him a more credible candidate.
Uribe's campaign should be using its press releases to attack the Republican incumbent and to announce Uribe's own policy ideas (assuming they actually exist). There's a lot to attack about Jerry Patterson. His record as the custodian of state lands is a terrible one. He's also a pompous ass, but Uribe's campaign seems to be doing all it can to bestow that insult on its own candidate.
The man behind the Uribe campaign press releases is reportedly Harold Cook. The author of his own usually humorous blog about Texas politics, Cook seems to think that getting a chuckle is the sole purpose of all political communication. Sadly, that's not how politics work in the real world. This is especially true in Texas, where the reactionary right has kept Texas Democrats in the political wilderness since 1994 largely by scaring the shit out of people.
Thankfully, I'm not alone in thinking that the Uribe campaign is bringing mockery upon itself. I can only hope that Cook, Uribe, or somebody else in that camp will wake the hell up before November. By then, we may have all enjoyed a few laughs, but we'll have no prospects for a better Texas Land Commissioner.
Labels: campaigns, Hector Uribe
