SC to settle election scuffle in TX - map signed by Perry accused of diluting minority voting power

Supreme Court to settle election district scuffle in Texas as a map signed by Rick Perry is accused of diluting minority voting power

Texas’ March primary will likely be delayed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday blocked the use of state legislative and congressional district maps that were drawn by federal judges.

The court issued a brief order late Friday that applies to electoral maps drawn by federal judges in San Antonio for the Texas Legislature and Congress that would have ensured minorities made up the majority in three additional Texas congressional districts.

The justices said they will hear arguments on January 9th, likely delaying the scheduled March voting primaries that would use the maps, to the end of May.

The judges issued the new maps for the 2012 election in Texas after a lawsuit was filed in San Antonio over redistricting maps drawn by the GOP-led Legislature.

The Supreme Court’s order brings to a halt filing for legislative and congressional primary elections that began November 28.

....In the second of two separate court cases in the redistricting fight, a federal court in Washington has refused to approve the Legislature’s redistricting plan without a trial, agreeing with the Justice Department that there was sufficient evidence to question whether it hurt minority representation.

Like other states with a history of racial discrimination, Texas can’t implement new maps or other changes to voting practices without federal approval under the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

The state asked a court in Washington to sign off on the maps, but those judges refused.

Judicial activism is alive and well; working tirelessly to overturn the voters -- costing millions to litigate and could delay Texas' March primary vote.

Texas and Gov. Rick Perry are constantly battling Federal regulations and litigation on many fronts.

The 1964 Voting Rights Act is still used to deny a Texas GOP legislature their right to draw state district lines.

Presently, Texas' Photo Voter ID Bill (signed into law this year) is sitting on AG Eric Holder's desk for "review."

Rick Perry has been fighting the Feds on how to spend Texas' education dollars and has been victorious. There will be many more battles.

Rick Perry is fighting the Energy Dept/EPA on crippling energy regulations on plants that are causing rolling blackouts in Texas.

Rick Perry is fighting the Federal government's neglect to secure our INTERNATIONAL border and make them pay the costs Texans have had to bear from their lack of action.

Rick Perry won the right (Supreme Court case) to display the 10 Commandments on the grounds of the Texas state capitol.

Rick Perry’s Air War (with the EPA)......."Texas alone opted for the unfriendly approach. It’s the only state that did not issue a plan for compliance—and Perry has made it clear that Texas has no intention of complying. The move was a blatant slap to the Obama administration—and once again gave Perry the national spotlight. Defying the climate rules offered him the perfect opportunity to loudly decry the science of global warming—which in his book Fed Up! he calls a “contrived phony mess that is falling apart under its own weight”—and to slam EPA as a “rogue agency” with an “activist mind-set” that has “targeted Texas.” Such rhetoric is viral catnip to the tea party voters who could help catapult Perry to the 2012 presidential nomination."....

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Gov. Perry sued for Texas' money (without Washington telling us how to spend it) -- And won! Promise Kept.

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SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES- VAN ORDEN v. PERRY.. ………”The Chief Justice, joined by Justice Scalia, Justice Kennedy, and Justice Thomas, concluded that the Establishment Clause allows the display of a monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments on the Texas State Capitol grounds. Reconciling the strong role played by religion and religious traditions throughout our Nation’s history”…….

States File Amicus Brief to Support Arizona SB 1070 "Last Wednesday, the attorneys general of eight states and one U.S. territory filed a “friend of the court” brief in the federal lawsuit (U.S.A. v. Arizona) to support Arizona’s new immigration enforcement law, SB 1070. (Cox Press Release, July 14, 2010). Led by Michigan Attorney General Michael Cox, other signatories included the attorneys general from Florida, Alabama, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Because the federal court has limited the length of such amicus briefs, the states’ argument goes straight to the heart of the federal complaint: preemption. (Id.)"..............

In a statement released with the brief, Michigan Attorney Michael Cox said, “Arizona, Michigan and every other state have the authority to enforce immigration laws, and it is appalling to see President Obama use taxpayer dollars to stop a state’s efforts to protect its own borders.” (Cox Press Release, July 14, 2010). Others who joined the brief sounded a similar note. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cucinelli remarked, “[F]ederal law expressly allows states to arrest people who are not legally present in the United States. Arizona’s law doesn’t change any of this. That’s why we are stunned that the government has sued Arizona.” (Cucinelli Press Release, July 14, 2010). South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said South Dakota joined the amicus brief because federal authorities aren’t doing enough to enforce current immigration laws. “We felt it was right for the state of South Dakota because this is really a public safety issue,” said Jackley. (KSFY.com, July 15, 2010)

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer thanked Cox and the other attorneys general for supporting her state: “The United States was founded as a nation of laws and not of men, and I am deeply grateful for the national outpouring of support for the rights of states and the rule of law.” (Politico, July 14, 2010)."

Betting on Rick Perry - a winner in a GOP year, with no need in the world to win liberal approval ………..”IT WILL BE THE JOBS ISSUE—and Texas’s record in creating them—that will define Rick Perry’s presidential run. Since he became governor in 2001, the U.S. as a whole has had a net loss of private-sector jobs, while Texas—which has only 8 percent of the nation’s population—has had a net gain of 825,000 jobs.......

If there is on issue which Perry has made a personal crusade, it is lawsuit reform. Working with the legislature, he has helped pass curbs on frivolous lawsuits, implemented a first-in-the-nation system under which loser pays all court costs in many lawsuits, and reformed medical malpractice law.

Dick Weekley, the co-founder of Texans for Lawsuit Reform, says Perry showed genuine political courage in resisting calls for watered-down reforms that wouldn’t have addressed the core problem. He recalls that in 2002 Perry vetoed a bill strongly supported by doctors that would have required them to prompt payment from health maintenance organizations.

In the eyes of the tort reform advocates, the bill was a Trojan Horse compromise negotiated between doctors and trial lawyers. “There was a huge response from physicians [against the veto],” Kim Ross, the former top lobbyist for the Texas Medical Association, said.

TMA went so far as to endorse Tony Sanchez, Perry’s millionaire Democratic opponent in the 2002 election. “Perry sent a signal that he wanted real reform and would stand his ground,” Weekley told me. “Soon the medical lobbyists playing footsie with the trial lawyers were gone and the obstacles to real reform started falling.”………………..

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AND now the TMA is endorsing Gov. Rick Perry. They understand now what he was doing would HELP them.

...."The Texas Medical Association’s political action committee recently endorsed him for president, and its members are helping him raise money and make connections with medical groups in other states.".... source

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A letter describing one Texan’s experience with these reforms: “I live under the light hand of the Texas system–a hand that Governor Perry has done everything in his power to make lighter.”…………. Texas Gov Rick Perry Is The Only Right Choice For The 2012 GOP Nomination

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Rick Perry: "I will work to make D.C. as inconsequential in your lives as possible."

November 16, 2011

Dear Leader Pelosi,

After reading about House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer’s outburst over my “Overhauling Washington” plan, I wonder if his obstructionism reflects your own opposition and that of the Democratic Caucus to urgent reforms the American people so vehemently demand.

After increasing the debt by $4 trillion in less than three years, no one can believe that Americans are satisfied with business as usual, and that a permanent political class in Washington can get us out of the mess you and your colleagues have created.

A part-time Congress with half the pay would still make $38,000 a year more than the average American family. Do you truly oppose lawmakers spending more time in their districts? Is it so important for the Washington power brokers to build their fiefdoms of influence, including providing bailouts to Wall Street while businesses on Main Street are being boarded up every day?

Here is the fundamental question: do you believe Washington is broken? Before answering that question, consider these facts:

1) the Washington Metro area is now the most affluent metropolitan area in the country because lobbyists, contractors, elected officials and bureaucrats have been insulated from the economic ruin prevalent in the private sector;
2) Congressional office budgets have doubled since 2000 while employers all across America are laying off workers;
3) Our nation’s total debt is nearing the size of our nation’s economy, increasing our dependence on competitors like China;
4) The number of Americans out of work has increased by more than two million since January 2009, despite the massive stimulus package Democratic leaders promised would revive the economy, and;
5) on top of the job-killing spending policies of the previous Congress, employers are faced with a staggering $1.1 trillion in costs related to federal regulatory compliance.

Do you truly believe the answer to massive debt, over-regulation and bloated big-government policies is to continue to protect the status quo, which enriches and empowers Washington insiders at the expense of the American People?

My plan would overhaul Washington, eliminating certain agencies and reducing the size and scope of others. It will force Congress to make the tough decisions to balance the budget or require a further reduction in their pay. It would end lifetime appointments to future appointees to the federal bench. I don’t want to tinker around the edges when the American People demand a complete overhaul of Washington.

Let me conclude with an invitation: I am in Washington Monday and would love to engage you in a public debate about my Overhaul Washington plan versus the congressional status quo. I think it would be a tremendous service to the American public to see a public airing of these differences. Let the people decide. If Monday doesn’t work, perhaps we could find a time in Iowa over the course of the next month to discuss these issues in front of the people of America’s heartland.

Should you choose not to respond or engage in such a healthy discussion, I will take it to mean you will continue your obstructionist ways in the face of much needed Washington reform.

Sincerely,

Rick Perry
Governor of Texas

Rick Perry on Congressional Insider Trading [:24]

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Nov. 13, 2011: “Pelosi fires back at ‘60 Minutes’ report on ‘soft corruption’”

“Pelosi and her husband participated in an initial public offering of Visa in 2008, according to CBS. They bought 5,000 shares at the initial price of $44; two days later, shares were trading at $64, CBS said.”.......... Source

Pelosi Bashes Catholics: 'They Have This Conscience Thing'... “After having some of her behind the scenes shenanigans exposed, Nancy Pelosi has turned to her friends in the MSM to help her with damage control. The effect is something akin to watching what scrambles out after you overturn a large rock.

Pelosi sought to defend herself from allegations that she and her husband made millions from insider trading in what the Washington Post calls a wide ranging interview……..

……Pelosi added a startling, if inadvertent, admission. Addressing the effects such [ObamaCare] legislation would have on Catholic health care providers, Pelosi said:

"I'm a devout Catholic and I honor my faith and love it . . . but they have this conscience thing."…….

Dec 8, 2011: Atheists fight Texas nativity display "Here’s something you probably haven’t heard of before: There’s a Christmas display on government property, and a non-religious group wants it to be taken down. Oh wait. That happens all the time.

The War on Christmas’ latest battlefront is in Athens, Texas, about 75 miles southeast of Dallas, where a nativity scene in front of the Henderson County Courthouse has drawn the attention of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, KHOU reported.

The nativity is put up by community volunteers, and residents haven’t complained or offered up other religious displays, but the church-state separation activists (the same guys who sued Rick Perry over his prayer rally and fought to get the Day of Prayer declared unconstitutional), still aren’t OK with it. They’ve suggested to a sign that reads “There is no God, no devils, no angels or heaven” and that, “Religion hardens the heart and enslaves minds,” the station reported.

Still, the Freedom from Religion Foundation may find some hearty opposition to their proposed signage, especially in Texas. More than 80 percent of Americans said they support religious symbols on public land and Christmas celebrations in public schools in a 2010 poll."......

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....“I’m not ashamed to talk about my faith,” he says in the first spot. “Some liberals say that faith is a sign of weakness. Well, they’re wrong.” In the second ad, titled “Strong,” Perry bravely comes out as a follower of Christ. “I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian,” he says, before vowing that “as President, I’ll end Obama’s war on religion.”

......But most flagrant is Perry’s reference to “Obama’s war on religion".....Time

Rick Perry Interview with NH Union Leader

Over an hour of discussion - a normal conversation - not "gotcha" or high-octane, political talking points.

economy
education
balanced budget
drilling
regulations
debates
Romney Care
in-state tuition
HPV shot
border security
Barack Obama
Federal mandates
no pandering for votes
terrorists using U.S. Mexican border
immigration reform
no Fed Dream Act or amnesty
AZ law
work-visa program
examine what our national work force needs are
jobs in Texas - full picture
free-trade
manufacturing in China vs U.S.
wages hurt by the cost of doing business - onerous regulations
Texas right to work state but he's always been endorsed by Teamsters Union (jobs)
multi-national companies (U.S.)
jobs, spending, taxes, regulations
trade laws and tariffs
subsides and tax credits
energy and market place
taxes and lobbyists
Marcus Luttrell
family decision re presidential run
Parade interview "birther" "news"
Afghanistan -- special ops war, troops, Obama policy, war on terror, more funding for technology and R&D
Foreign policy dependent on our economic strength
debating Obama
campaign commitment in NH
review candidates' track record
roughness of campaign -- in to win -- facts can be hard-hitting
Social Security, jobs, national security, being truthful
discusses education, EPA, Energy, HHS
states rights
state transportation infrastructure
ObamaCare, medicare, medicaid, healthcare
Tom Cobrun, Bobby Jindal, Paul Ryan
health care insurance - state by state
health care in Texas, access, tort reform
judges, Supreme Court, federal courts
baseball

"Texas Gov. Rick Perry today signed a law that will free Texans from the federal government’s impending incandescent light bulb ban:

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The measure, sent to Gov. Rick Perry for consideration [he subsequently signed it], lets any incandescent light bulb manufactured in Texas – and sold in that state – avoid the authority of the federal government or the repeal of the 2007 energy independence act that starts phasing out some incandescent light bulbs next year.

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Texas wasn’t the first state to explore this kind of legislation: South Carolina has advanced a similar bill and, last year, the Arizona legislature passed a bill to the same effect — but Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed it.

Few issues illuminate the consumer will to choose — and the disparate faith in consumers of liberals and conservatives, as revealed by proposed policies — as clearly as the federal government’s light bulb ban. As Heritage Foundation energy analyst Nick Loris puts it, “Consumers can make intelligent decisions on their own without the government forcing choices upon them.”

Not surprisingly, environmentalist groups — chief among them the New-York based Natural Resources Defense Council — wanted Perry to veto the bill. But the governor’s slick signature on this is yet one more reason to like the man many want to run for president." Everything’s bigger — and now also brighter — in Texas

OK, Cincy, enough of your bullcrap.

This "Judicial Activist" is named Xavier Rodriguez. He was appointed by your beloved idol, La Raza Rick, as a Republican to the TX Supreme Court despite his record of being a liberal Democrat. Republican voters were not amused and voted his butt out in the next primary for an actual Conservative. La Raza Rick worked tirelessly to run THAT man, Steven Wayne Smith, off the bench at the next election. Meanwhile, Rick's good buddy in the White House appointed FAUX Republican Rodriguez to the federal bench where he issues garbage rulings attempting to deprive the TX legislature of its proper role in redistricting.

You need to acknowledge that had Rick Perry never appointed that liberal phony Rodriguez to the bench, most likely that ruling would NOT have occurred at all, necessitating an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Don't crap in our hats, Cincy, and tell us it's chocolate pudding. Your boy is 100% responsible here. Own up to it.

Meanwhile in Texas, Gov. Perry's law requires the TX environmental agency to make a economic impact statement that can be used to override economic "benefit."

"Another new measure made tightening air quality permits on the oil and gas industry more difficult. That law, which Perry signed in June, requires the Texas environmental agency to analyze the effect of new regulation on the economy - including how it might hurt a company - before implementation. The economic impact could override the environmental benefit of the new regulation. The new law reflects Perry's contention that global warming is a questionable theory and that regulation always creates an adverse business climate." Perry Slashed Environmental Enforcement in Texas

FLASHBACK: Texas Dems Fled State In 2003 To Block GOP Re-Redistricting Plan "Back in May 2003, Republicans in Texas wanted to redo the 2001 redistricting plan to pick up an easy four seats in the House of Representatives. Problem was, just like Fitzgerald and Walker in Wisconsin, they needed a quorum in the legislature to get anything done.

So Texas House Democrats skipped town.

Republicans called out the state troopers and even the Texas Rangers (the ones in law enforcement, not baseball) to hard them back to Austin. But they’d all holed up in a hotel just across the border in Oklahoma, and didn’t return until they’d secured a promise that the redistricting plan would be shelved.

That summer, Governor Rick Perry called a special legislative session to renew the fight. For round two, 11 of the state’s 12 Democratic senators high-tailed it to Albuquerque for a month, frustrating Texas Republicans once again. The standoff continued until one of them returned to Texas, and the redistricting effort passed."....

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