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Brazil is everyone’s darling these days, but Mexico’s economy is growing faster at the moment. Mexican GDP advanced at an annual rate of 3.7 per cent in the fourth quarter and at an annual rate of 4.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2011. That left mighty Brazil eating Mexico’s dust. Brazil’s GDP grew at annual rates of 1.2 per cent and 2 per cent in the fourth and third quarters respectively. For all of 2011, Mexico’s economy expanded 3.9 per cent compared with 2.5 per cent in Brazil, according to Bank of Nova Scotia. The Canada-Mexico story isn’t...

Texas governor Rick Perry announced Wednesday night that he would endorse Mitt Romney's presidential bid, hours the campaign of Newt Gingrich — Perry's previous choice — announced that the former Speaker would be ending his bid for the White House. "Mitt Romney has earned the Republican Presidential nomination through hard-work, a strong organization, and disciplined message of restoring America after nearly four years of failed job-killing policies from President Obama and his administration," said Gov. Perry in a statement released by his campaign. "So today I join the many conservative Republicans across the nation in endorsing Mitt Romney for President...

UPDATED: Poll: Cruz gaining on Dewhurst in U.S. Senate race By Kate Alexander | Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 12:31 PM Updated at 2:45 p.m. with comment from Leppert campaign A new outside poll suggests that Ted Cruz is making up ground on Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the Republican pirmary for U.S. Senate. Dewhurst still leads with the backing of 38 percent of the respondents but the support for Cruz has increased to 26 percent in the crowded primary. In January, the last time Public Policy Polling looked at the race, Cruz was favored by 18 percent of those surveyed....

I have been out of the country for some time, so I am confused as to who to vote for to take the place of Kay Barely Texan who is (thank G-d) finally leaving the Senate. So far it looks like Ted Cruz is my choice, but I don't know. I can tell David Dewhurst is the establishment choice, and he's been running sleazy ads like a typical RINO. I also am pretty underwhelmed by his record in the state government, in that he pushed a stealth corporate income tax. That said, I can be persuaded. What say you?

Want to Deprive a Liberal of An Expensive Taxpayer Dinner? Here's a way to IMMEDIATELY take out some of your angst | http://bit.ly/I1XTS2 Texas Trash Talk is attempting to shut down the pilfering of Harris County Texas taxpayers who have been paying for a “fake” school district for nearly 50 years. These bureaucrats had the audacity to ask for MORE tax money after paying the former Superintendent (now Mayor of nearby KATY) $100K and trips to Four Seasons in Washington DC among other things. (They meeting PolitiJim went to the board had a catered lunch and jazz music if you...

The religious leaders endorsing Leppert include: Jeffress, Carlisle, Denison and David Dykes of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler; Randel Everett of First Baptist Church of Midland; Curtis Hail, founder of I Am Second; Jeff and Eileen Hackleman of Family Faith Church of Huntsville, Willis and Coldspring; Keith Craft of Elevate Life Church of Frisco ; Jeff Williams of First Baptist Church of Denton; Hal Habecker of Dallas Bible Church; Dr. Glynn Stone of Mobberly Baptist Church of Longview ;Rev. Mike Fechner, president of H.I.S. Bridgebuilders; Don Stephens, president and founder of Mercy Ships in Tyler; Ann Quest, the former...

Newt Gingrich has been inching towards the door over the last couple of days, admitting that tonight’s Delaware primary is likely a make-or-break situation for his campaign. However, a new poll out today might give the former Speaker some pause. Public Policy Polling shows that Mitt Romney leads in the state of Texas by a 45% to 35% margin, putting Gingrich within striking distance. Coming up lame in his home state, only 14% of GOP supporters support Ron Paul. More encouraging for Gingrich, or troubling for Romney, is that the presumptive nominee is trailing the former Speaker 45% to 40%...

We wish it weren't so. But the evidence keeps coming in that other states, such as Texas and its Sun Belt neighbors, are doing something right in promoting business and jobs creation, and California is doing something terribly wrong. The U.S. Census Bureau just released estimates of the top 10 fastest-growing metropolitan areas, by population, from April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2011. Not one was in California. The fastest-growing was Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, Wash., which grew 4.3 percent during the 15-month period. It enjoys a diverse economy and Washington's lack of a state income tax. Second-fastest growing was Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos,...

When a former U.S. president comes to visit, there’s more to it than rolling out the welcome mat — and there will be two presidents here this week. “There’s definitely a lot of preparation work on the front end,” Palo Duro Canyon State Park Superintendent Cory Evans said. Bill Clinton will speak at 8 p.m. Tuesday at West Texas A&M University’s First United Bank Center. Then George W. Bush will bike the trails of the state park Thursday through Saturday with 20 “wounded warriors” picked for their bravery and sacrifices in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Texas, politicians lack the moral will to address illegal immigration. Despite a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate, no significant legislation addressing illegal immigration has been passed. Yet in a University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll last year, 69 percent of voters in Texas said that the “sanctuary city” policy — in which local law enforcement turns a blind eye to immigration status — is unacceptable and that federal law should be enforced.

Dog died after it was doused in lighter fluid, set on fireDallas police said Friday night that an 18-year-old wanted in an attack on a puppy that died after it was doused in lighter fluid and set on fire had turned himself in. News of the arrest came while several hundred North Texans were gathered for a candlelight vigil in memory of the dog, Justice. The master of ceremonies returned to the stage to announce the arrest, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Justice was burned alive April 2. Dallas police had issued a warrant for the arrest of 18-year-old...

Inundated with angry calls and emails about the fatal shooting of a dog by an Austin officer, the Police Department on Wednesday said the officer involved was reassigned and that administrators are looking closely at the incident and may change policies, even as reports of past complaints about the dog emerged. "This incident has drawn a lot of attention," Assistant Police Chief David Carter said. "We've received a lot of calls, a lot of emails from people who are very concerned. And we are, too." In a case that has received international attention after it went viral on Facebook, Michael...

The influential Dallas pastor who called Mormonism a “theological cult” last fall told News Radio 1080 KRLD Tuesday that “there’s a good biblical case for voting for Mitt Romney.” “Sometimes voting for a candidate is voting for the lesser of two evils,” Dr. Robert Jeffress said in an interview with KRLD. “It’s like my friend Janet Marshall says, ‘Jesus isn’t on the ballot this year, so we have to make choices.’” After introducing Texas Gov. Rick Perry at the Values Voter Summit last October, Jeffress told reporters that Christians should not vote for a Mormon like former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt...

Rock guitarist, conservative activist and Mitt Romney supporter Ted Nugent says he stands by his provocative rant against the Obama administration at last weekend’s National Rifle Association convention, despite mounting pressure from Democrats and an investigation by the Secret Service. “I spoke at the NRA and I will stand by my speech. It was 100 percent positive,” Nugent told the Dana Loesch radio show today. “It’s about we the people taking back our American dream from the corrupt monsters in the federal government under this administration and the communist czars he’s appointed.” Nugent told a crowd of convention-goers that “if...

PALMVIEW, Texas (AP) — A 15-year-old South Texas boy has been charged with nine counts of murder among other charges after a van he was driving crashed, killing nine of the suspected illegal immigrants packed inside. The boy, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, appeared at a probable cause hearing Monday. He was also charged with 17 counts of smuggling a person and causing serious bodily harm including death, and one count of evading.

April 20, 2012 Big Test Set for Tea Party Muscle Fates of Sens. Hatch, Lugar and Other Targets to Signal Staying Power of Republican Insurgency BY NAFTALI BENDAVID Tough challenges to two powerful veterans of the Republican establishment, Sens. Orrin Hatch and Richard Lugar, will signal in coming days whether tea-party activists and their allies still have the power to reshape the party. Mr. Hatch on Saturday addresses the Utah Republican convention as its delegates decide whether he qualifies for a June 26 primary. Failure to win 40% of them would deny him a slot on the ballot, as happened...

“A shoplifing gone bad” is how College Station Police report what witnesses say was a shooting Friday afternoon inside the Wal-Mart at Texas and Harvey Mitchell Parkway. A customer tells partner station Candy 95 as she and her children were loading up their vehicle getting ready to leave, they heard the “pop of a gun”.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry this morning endorsed David Dewhurst for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison... In a tweet this morning, Dewhurst (@DavidHDewhurst) declared, “I’m honored that veteran and conservative champion @GovernorPerry is endorsing our campaign for U.S. Senate"... Perry praised Dewhurst’s loyalty and said he was glad to return the favor.

A licensed vocational nurse shot a young mother and kidnapped her newborn son outside of a pediatrician's office near Houston after lying to her fiance about having delivered his child, authorities said. "She needed to justify that she had a child to her fiance,” said Montgomery County Sheriff's Capt. Bruce Zenor at a briefing Wednesday. Verna McClain, 30, of Houston is accused in Tuesday's fatal shooting of 28-year-old Kala Marie Golden. McClain was charged with capital murder Wednesday, and a judge ordered her held without bond in Montgomery County jail. Investigators said McClain took 3-day-old Keegan after she suffered a...

SPRING, Texas – Authorities say a 30-year-old woman admitted she shot a young mother and abducted her newborn son in a town near Houston. Verna McClain, a registered nurse, is charged with capital murder in the killing of Kala Marie Golden in Spring, Texas, which is north of Houston, Tuesday. Witnesses saw the shooter repeatedly shoot Golden and drive away with her 3-day-old son, Keegan. Authorities found Keegan late Tuesday night.