Free Republic

Texas Democrats flee voting to save Voting on Private Plane to Washington D.C.

They're not ALL in D.C.

It was President Nixon’s vision, determination, and courage that opened China to America and to the Western world. As president and for the rest of his life, Richard Nixon worked to build a relationship with China-based upon mutual benefits and obligations that respected America’s bedrock national interests. Today, we in America are obliged to assess whether or not President Nixon’s labors and his hopes for such a relationship have been met or whether they are being undermined. The world was much different then. We imagined engagement with China would produce a future with a bright promise of comity and cooperation....

(photos available at website) In response to evidence of China’s intensified spying on the United States, the State Department has retaliated by expelling China’s consulate from its Houston premises, one of five across the nation. The U.S. has also delayed returning U.S. diplomats to China. To this measured, nonviolent answer to a national-security threat, progressives like Houston-based State Rep. Gene Wu (D-137th District) are venting their outrage. When called out on social media by this webzine and others for blaming America and shilling for the Chinese government, Wu and his allies have called eviction supporters extremists, warmongers, and—as if on...

My NewsBusters colleague Tom Blumer has pointed out how old media outlets have failed to report on the stunning shift in the Reuters/Ipsos poll showing the midterm election choices swinging towards the Republicans. Not only is much of the mainstream media ignoring polls showing this shift they are also failing to report on evidence on the ground in elections themselves that enthusiasm for the Democrats is waning. One such significant bit of evidence occurred in the recent Texas primary runoff elections in which Democrat turnout hit a record low. This was reported by the Texas Tribune, normally a liberal cheerleader for...

Wendy Davis, who lost the Nov. 4 gubernatorial election to Republican Greg Abbott, has won Texas Monthly magazine's coveted "Bum Steer of the Year" award for her "train wreck" of a campaign. The annual awards take a snarky jab at Texas politicians, odd news stories and personalities. Fromer winners include Anna Nicole Smith, Gov. Rick Perry, Lance Armstrong and Tom Delay. This year's cover depicts Davis stepping in a cow patty while wearing the bright pink Mizuno "Wave Rider" sneakers she donned during her 2013 filibuster against Texas' new abortion restrictions that brought her into the national spotlight. The magazine...

James Vanderbilt's Truth, the high-profile movie chronicling the scandal that derailed Dan Rather's career, has gotten the greenlight to begin shooting this fall. Brett Ratner's RatPac Entertainment and Echo Lake Entertainment will finance the movie, starring Robert Redford as the iconic news anchor and Cate Blanchett as Mary Mapes, Rather's producer. At the same time, FilmNation has come aboard to represent international rights and will pre-sell the project to foreign buyers at the Toronto Film Festival, which kicks off Thursday night (based on the cast, it's sure to whet appetites). Mythology Entertainment is the driving force behind Truth, which was...

Legendary singer Willie Nelson will be featured at a high-dollar fundraiser for Democratic governor nominee Wendy Davis. The event will be held April 27 in the Houston backyard of plaintiff’s lawyer Steve and Amber Mostyn, featuring barbecue, Nelson and — for those who stay overnight at the Hotel ZaZa — a campaign briefing on Monday morning.

State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, has reported two million-dollar donors to her campaign for governor: Austinite Carolyn Oliver and Houston’s Mostyn Law Firm.

**** Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean came to Austin Tuesday to rally Democrats. "We are going to take back Texas. And we're going to do it before we take back other states we've lost the last 15-20 years," Dean said during the rally. The former Presidential candidate fired up the troops at Scholz Garten in downtown Austin. Dean predicts statewide and nationally Democrats will make big gains in November. He says between the war in Iraq and deficit, the Republicans have taken the country in the wrong direction.

-- The head of the struggling Texas Democratic Party will quit his post two months before his term was to expire, which could set the stage for a showdown over the leadership of the party that once dominated state politics. Charles Soechting, a lawyer who became state Democratic chairman in 2003 and had planned to step aside when his term ends in June, will tell the party's executive committee Saturday that his last day in the unpaid job will be April 22. The committee, made up of two people from each of the 31 state Senate districts and other party...

Ronnie Earle, the district attorney from Travis County in Texas, finally has made his strongest case for removing a political operative from office -- himself. Yep, time to go, Ronnie. Mr. Earle's brand of political prosecution makes you want to sing "Goodbye Earl," the Dixie Chicks' tune about abusive men. It's easy to dislike Earle's latest target for judicial mayhem. Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay never hides his swagger or his cowboy leadership style. Vocal, tough and unafraid of a fight, DeLay's stick-to-itiveness grates many. But Earle's long-in-the-tooth investigation of Mr. DeLay is not just a grudge of biblical...

AUSTIN — As Texas lawmakers prepare to vote on a massive tax bill, some state Democratic Party leaders and grass-roots organizations are eyeing several Democrats who helped Republicans advance the controversial measure. Democrats who vote against working families could find themselves facing party primary opposition just as six defeated House Democrats did last year, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Charles Soechting hinted. Sen. Frank Madla, D-San Antonio, is one of the lawmakers in the spotlight. Communities Organized for Public Service/Metro Alliance has targeted him for what the group considers a vote against public education and children. "Either do what is right...

Four longtime officeholders in Chambers County bolt Democrats, join regional trend ANAHUAC - Chambers County has joined other fast-growing suburban counties where Republicans are no longer swimming against the tide to win a county office. In fact, Republican contenders for Chambers County offices, which officials said started as a small "wave" in the late '90s, turned into a tidal wave within the past month as four more longtime Democratic officeholders defected to the other side. The four are among the county's more powerful elected officials: the county judge, district clerk, county attorney and county treasurer. They are responding to an...

What with having their presidential candidate beaten by a decisive margin, and having lost seats in both the U.S. House and the Senate, Campaign 2004 was not a heck of a lot of fun for Democrats. Don't get the wrong idea. The party is in no imminent danger of implosion. After all, a few shifts in a few states - Ohio, especially - could have installed John Kerry in the White House. And the Democrats' power base is very much intact. While virtually all of what you might call mid-America is firmly in the Red Zone, the Northeast, New England,...

Five of the Texas Democrats that ran away to hide from their dutity to serve the people of Texas have formed a rock band. See a preview of their new video goto... http://www.texasgop.org/rockstars/

Roddy Stinson: Runagate 10's return to Texas cheered by crowd of 'dozens' San Antonio Express-News How pitiful was the homecoming of 10 Democratic state senators who returned to Texas last week after a lengthy sojourn in Albuquerque, N.M.? This pitiful: "Several dozen supporters showed up at Laredo's airport to welcome the quorum-busters, along with a troupe of elementary school cheerleaders and a high school marching band." (Associated Press) Give crowd organizers credit for doing the best they could in the light of the Runagate 10's unpopularity. (A Scripps Howard poll found that 62 percent of Texans surveyed were critical of...

Here's some Roddy Stinson for you: Roddy Stinson: Who's paying for senators' N.M. visit? (you will be amazed) Web Posted : 08/14/2003 12:00 AM On the sleuthing trail ... CASE: "Roddy, I keep reading that taxpayers aren't paying the expenses of the 11 Democratic senators who ran away to Albuquerque. "I find that difficult to believe. Who is paying their bills?" INVESTIGATION: The senators have told reporters that they are paying for their meals and hotel rooms with "personal funds" or "money from campaign officeholder accounts." Bet on the latter. The scheme to kill congressional redistricting is being financed by...

Friday, August 1, 2003 Gov's. Use of N.M. Police To Protect Texas Dems Draws Blame By Loie Fecteau Journal Politics Writer     Gov. Bill Richardson came under fire from Republicans on Thursday for providing State Police protection to 11 Democratic senators from Texas who are holed up at an Albuquerque hotel.     Sen. Ramsay Gorham, R-Albuquerque, who chairs the state GOP, and Rep. Dan Foley, R-Roswell, criticized Richardson at separate news conferences in Albuquerque.     "Our governor does not need to be involved in protecting them when they are fugitives from their own legislative process," Gorham said in an interview....

There's a poll on KRLD.com asking whether the Texas Democrats are right for leaving, or whether they should get back and do their job. Right now, it's pretty neck and neck. We can change that. ;) http://www.krld.com/Show.cfm?content=promotion_278&title=Listener%20Poll&right=