More Tolls Coming To LBJ

The Texas Transportation Commission just approved LBJ 635 in Dallas to be rebuilt and become a partial toll road. The managed lane concept is the new orgasm for TxDOT, and it was overwhelmingly approved 5-0.

 

635 will be rebuilt (even though they just got done widening the thing a year ago). It will feature 6 "depressed" lanes operating as managed lanes. This means if you want to waste money and become depressed, then use the lower level. this apparently will not be a tunnel, as the original design called for. An additional 8 lanes will be cantilevered on top of the managed lanes. 635 is already currently 8 lanes wide in many places, so essentially we're paying to have those lanes raised to include a new toll road underneath them.

 

The new road will be owned by TxDOT, built by Cintra, and tolls collected by NTTA. Got enough hands in the cookie jar? TTC chairperson Dierdre Delisi called this a "victory" for North Texas. But at $445 million in tax dollars, and tolls placed on 6 lanes, we wonder who the winner is here?

Toll Road v. Flood Control? Toll Road Wins

The Army Corps of Engineers finally admitted the Trinity River levees suck ass. What is City Hall's response? Build the toll road. Worry about the levees later. Typical Dallas foresight.

 

Remember this when you go to the polls in Dallas in May to vote for new councilmembers. Your current council wants you to drown -- either by water or by tolls.

Censure Leo!

We surely do love our right wing nuts in the TX Legislature. But this one takes the cake.

Leo Berman (R-Tyler TX, Brooklyn NY) is old school. And by old school, we mean a racist. Our friendly Texas Yankee told a Chinese immigration lawyer to "kiss my ass" and to "go home", presumably to China. He could of course meant go back to Dallas, but not likely. That is why CensureLeo.com has been formed to call for a house resolution censuring the state representative for conduct unbecoming.

We wonder where it went wrong. Why is Berman so angry with everyone? He especially hates foreigners, and especially illegals. If you'd like to hear his response to Vince at Capitol Annex, check out the local news clip from Tyler. Berman believes he should only be censured if he punches someone, or shoots them. Those are his words.

Some anger management classes might be in order.

Texas Blog Roundup

It's Sunday night, the Oscars are over (Sean Penn, we love Commie homos!) and that means it is time again for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Round-Up.

WhosPlayin presents a short video about what oil and gas pipelines have done to Dish, TX.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme encourages adults not Republicans to frame and address the problems drug cartels bring to Mexico and the US.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is appalled at the gullible taxpaying public who falls for the most obvious preparer scams. Stimulus Rebate Good - Fast Refunds Bad

The Texas Cloverleaf talks about the possibility of a Sam Rayburn Tollway in DFW.

jobsanger posts about the conviction of Jim Adkisson, who entered a peaceful church with a shotgun and began to kill those he believed to be liberals in Right-Wing Hate "Warrior", and says the hate-talkers of the right like Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, O'Reilly and others must accept their share of the blame.

This week, McBlogger took a look at the President's housing plan and found things to like but one really giant thing to hate.

Neil at Texas Liberal writes about the frustrating choices light rail involves in Houston and recalls former Houston school Board member and councilmember Eleanor Tinsley as someone who thought that Houston had value.

Off the Kuff takes a look at the case against Justice Sharon Keller.

Industry officials expose environmental impact of Barnett Shale drilling rig. By TXsharon on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS

nytexan at BlueBloggin is appalled that The White House is involved in Karl Rove's deal cutting with Congress. Obama, Like Bush, Seeks To Delay Rove’s Testimony. Like Bush, Obama is meddling with the operations of the Justice Department.

At Texas Kaos, Liberal Texan takes a look at what's in the stimulus for Texas-you know, the the stimulus Rick Perry wants to piss away because it will hurt him in a primary for national office.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson discusses this sessions attempt at transportation financing, Enough of the half-measures and tinkering.

The connection between Texas' junior senator, a Houston financier-turned-crook, and a beautiful Caribbean island is explored by PDiddie of Brains and Eggs in Cornyn, Stanford, and Antigua.

Vince at Capitol Annex notes that the kind of waste being deposited right now in Andrews County isn't exactly what the legislature intended when--greased up with cash from nuclear waste interests--it passed a law in 2003 to allow the dumping of low-level radioactive waste in Texas.

Sam Rayburn Tollway?

In its infinite wisdom, NTTA wants to rename SH 121's new toll road to a more suitable name. It isn't a state highway anymore, now is it bitches?! The NTTA board has suggested 3 options, none of which include Cesar Chavez: Interurban Tollway, 121 Tollway, and Sam Rayburn Tollway.

121 Tollway is probably the most logical, so it doesn't confuse the shit out of people coming from other cities. Remember when the George Bush Turnpike was state highway 190? Until recently, so did most online maps. And it is hella confusing to motorists who don't know otherwise. Interurban Tollway has the most irony. The Interurban was an electric rail system (in the early 20th century!) that connected surrounding cities, something no toll road owner wants anywhere near its pay roads. Last but not least, Sam Rayburn Tollway. Sam Rayburn was the longest serving Speaker of the House in the US Congress. The Dallas Morning News might think it is a great honor to name the highway after Rayburn, but as a Democrat who couldn't be bought or sold, we think he would roll over in his grave!

NTTA claims to be taking comments and even suggestions for other names if you email them at TalktoNTTA@ntta.org by March 6th. Anyone want to start the next Cesar Chavez campaign?

GOP Chair To Kick It Mad Freestyle

New RNC Chairman Michael Steele is telling his GOP colleagues to kiss his black behind. Realizing his party is heading down the toilet, he is coming up with new ways to get new voters.

 

Steele has already been quoted as saying he would like the GOP to be more inclusive to LGBT people. Now, he wants it to bring in the urban young voters it so desperately lacks. His new campaign will be, and we quote, "off the hook". He wishes to go beyond the "cutting edge" that Democrats are doing and even target "one armed midgets". No lie. He said that. We kind of doubt disabled little people would vote Republican, but you never know.

 

Steele, a former Lt. Governor of Maryland, is a rising star in the Republican Party. But we think after this attempt to earn more street cred, the GOP establishment may very well send him packing. Don't get "too black" or they don't want anything to do with you.

 

But it the interest of fairness and bipartisanship, we have a rap that Steele is free to use to attract some homeys for a nominal writer's fee.

 

The G O P wanna make mon-ey

Rock your ice and your bling

Then sip on your tea

 

We don't like the chronic

We're a plague like bubonic

If you roll with us, you won't need that job at Sonic

 

Republicans be that clique for the best

but if you are too black, we might end up too messed

in the pants, polyester, nobody do it better

 

Bristol Palin is the bomb

and might be the mom

of that baby that you bringin'

but Sarah isn't singin'

 

Strip yo baby and yo mama

Ignore Barack Obama

Republicans get rid of all that drama

 

We can hold it down

G O P diss that frown

What is all that fuss if urban kids vote with us?

 

Midgets! Yeahhh! 2009 keepin' it real! Peace! We out!

 

 

 

 

 

Nation's Worst President? Not George W. Bush

Since we do not learn much from our past, and often recent history is all our brains can remember, most of us would say George W. Bush was the worst President ever. Maybe even worse than Herbert Hoover. If we based it on economics, that may be true, but according to a new survey by C- SPAN of historians, neither one place in the bottom 5.

In the new poll, Abraham Lincoln scores 902 out of a possible 1000 to hold the top spot. Rounding out the top 5 are George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman. To make our Republican friends happy, Ronald Reagan climbs into the number 10 position in the 2009 poll.

But the bottom of the list may be most surprising to us. Worst President ever? James Buchanan. Out of the 10 categories rated, Buchanan is utterly dismal in all of them. George W. Bush has 6 horrible Presidents to thank, since he ranks at number 36. But Herbert Hoover is not one of them, coming in at number 34. So if someone says "Bush is the worst President since Hoover", that would be a more accurate statement. And that is pretty damn bad.

Texas Blog Roundup

It is Monday, and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Round-Up.

Off the Kuff takes a look at the early possibilities for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2010.

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a serious look at Speaker Straus' Committee Assignments.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to know howpolice officers can mistake a 12-year-old black girl standing in her own yard for 3 white prostitutes?

WCNews at Eye On Williamson has noticed there's been plenty of misinformation about the the New Deal during the stimulus debate. This week was no different, Another misleading GOP talking point on the New Deal.

McBlogger takes a look at the current economic situation in light of renewed attacks on the stimulus plan. His conclusion is that you really shouldn't listen to those on the right since they don't, you know, understand what's going on or have an accurate read on historical analogues.

Are you terrorized by Barnett Shale gas well compressor noise? If so, you aren't the only one. TXsharon knows about a recent court case that might be helpful. Learn about it on Bluedaze then help us get OGAP here so we can rein in out of control drilling.

Possible KBH replacement, TX Sen. Florence Shapiro, does some political posturing with the new "MySpace bill".The Texas Cloverleaf reports.

Neil at Texas Liberal reviewed structural causes of longterm poverty. Also, Neil determined that the song running through his mind for the past 20 years was Bring Me Edelweiss. It's a song from an Austrian techno-dance group. Check out the video.

John Coby at Bay Area Houston thinks the leadership at the University of Texas is a bunch of Rotten Teasip Bastards and the Student Government leaders are a bunch of Teasip wusses.

DosCentavosopines onSenate Bill 320; a bill to require any Justice of the Peace in a county of 200,000+ to be a licensed attorney. And Stace is not happy at all about it.

jobsanger expresses his disappointment in Panhandle legislator Warren Chisum in "Chisum's Law Is Abject Failure" and celebrates Chisum's fall from his powerful chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee in "Chisum And Swinford Are Out".

Xanthippas at Three Wise Men examines the claim that groups on the left are in the pocket for the Obama administration, and have sacrificed their credibility on issues like the stimulus package.

The two front-runners for the Democratic nomination for Texas Governor in 2010 are Kinky Friedman and Tom Schieffer. Seriously. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the details.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is is angry at the sloppy traffic cops we call the US Strategic Command. They oversee our Space Surveillance Network tracking thousands of pieces of space junk orbiting over our heads every day. So, is this just a movie to them? Shouldn't they sound nsome kind of alarm when a collision is imminent? There is Serious Space Debris - US Command Fails Role As Traffic Cop.

WhosPlayin wonders why roadside puppy sales continue despite a new ordinance banning it in Lewisville.

TX House Committee Assignments

The TX House Committee assignments have been released today. Democrats get some key chair and vice chair positions, but are still positioned to where the committees hold Republican majorities to control legislation in and out. Denton County reps hold some interesting seats.

 

Burt Solomons was named to the Calendars Committee, and made Chair of State Affairs. We find this one amusing. State Affairs will hear the proposed statewide smoking ban (HB 5) introduced by Myra Crownover. Burt Solomons was the main opponent to the bill in the last session. Get ready for a rumble!

 

Myra Crownover was named to the Appropriations Committee, and made Vice Chair of both the Energy Resources Committee and Federal Economic Stabilizing Fund Committee. All 3 of those are dangerous and do not bode well for liberals in Texas. Crownover is an oil driller and owns gas wells. Wonder what energy she would suggest using?

 

Tan Parker was named to Pensions, Investments, & Financial Services Committee, and made Vice Chair of the Technology, Economic Development, & Workforce Committee. Going to find us some jobs, Tan? And, no. We don't want to work at the steak house. We like our ties intact.

 

That said, it will be an interesting 81st Legislature.

Shapiro Wants To Take Away Your Porn!

Ok, she doesn't want to take away everyone's porn. Just sex offenders.

 

TX State Senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) wants to crack down on child molesters doing it in the Facebook with the Twittering, or even the MySpace. SB 689 wants to compile the email addresses and cell phone numbers of registered sex offenders. Somehow this will prevent them from accessing online porn and talking to underage teens online, even though you can continually create anonymous email addresses all over the web.

 

This sounds like a novel idea, except there is already a law passed this past October that requires offenders to register their emails, IM, etc. with the National Sex Offender Registry. Sounds like someone is doing some posturing for the US Senate race?

Texas Blog Roundup

It's Sunday night, Adele received the Best New Artist Grammy (aka Kiss of Death award), and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's weekly round-up. Enjoy this week's look at the best of the TPA.

TXsharon made another video this week and it's gross! Watch it on Bluedaze then answer this question and this question if you can and know that HELP IS ON THE WAY!

And speaking of Oil and Gas, WhosPlayin analyzed a contract his city of Lewisville made, leasing its mineral rights cheap to purposely bring in oil and gas development to the suburban Texas city of 92,000.

The Texas Cloverleaf brings you the Trinity Toll Road Boondoggle, soon to be funded by your tax dollars.

There are four US Attorneys in Texas. Off the Kuff takes a look at the people who want one of those jobs.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is concerned about the changing mental state in America. Are people becoming meaner? What do you think about our Mean Economy Spotlights Mean Spirits - Op Ed

Violence in Mexico and on the US border can't be ignored any longer. CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants Hillary Clinton, not Glenn Beck, to provide solutions.

Adam at Three Wise Men explores the possibility of Howard Dean as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Neil at Texas Liberal writes about President Obama's policies for rural America. Our cities and rural areas have more in common than we realize. It would be good if urban and rural office holders in the Texas Legislature would think about and talk about how they could help each other.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the fireworks over UTIMCO this week in Oh, the outrage!.

Over at Texas Kaos, lightseeker asks How Long Will We Have to Put Up With these Arrogant Tools? What has set him off is deposed Czar Craddick's last corrupt act - destroying potential evidence of big a tool he is and was.

jobsanger tells us A Tale Of Two Coaches. Both are winning high school coaches, but one is a real teacher and the other is an embarrassment.

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the fact that State Rep. Sid Miller (R-Stepehenville) is spending campaign cash to buy stocks in companies like AIG, Halliburton, and more.

Trinity Boondoggle Really Is A Boondoggle

We hate to say we told ya so, but we told ya so. The proposed Trinity River Toll Road, to be placed inside the levees of the waterway in downtown Dallas, is now projected to cost $1 Billion more than NTTA can afford. That means if they build it, taxpayers will foot the bill to build a road they will also later have to pay tolls on to actually use!

 

NTTA projects the total cost to run $1.8 Billion. NTTA says they can not set up a bond of $1 Billion on what is essentially a bridge and not a highway (that is news to us!). But never fear, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert says the fine citizens of Dallas have many buckets to dip into for funding. Those buckets include $84 Million from the City of Dallas (your money), $150-200 Million from the state motor fuels tax (your money), federal funds & energy incentives (your money). That sounds like a lot of your money in those buckets.

 

So when is a boondoggle actually a boondoggle? We think we are already there.

Sarah PAC? God Help Us

If you enjoy shooting wolves from helicopters, then Sarah PAC is for you! We thought we were rid of the lipstick pig this past November, but by golly she just won't go away, gee willikers.

 

Palin's new PAC says it is "Dedicated to building America's future, supporting fresh ideas and candidates who share our vision of reform and innovation." So, can we start by including Palin in the "not so fresh" category and automatically strike her from being supported? The PAC also believes the Republican Party "is at the threshold of an [sic] historic renaissance that will build a better future for all." Renaissance? Really?

 

This is good and bad news. The bad news for the GOP is that Palin will be a presidential candidate in 2012. The good news for Democrats is that Palin will be a presidential candidate in 2012. Either way, we get 8 years of President Obama. Thanks Sarah PAC!

Bill White Spices It Up

Something prompted Houston Mayor Bill White, or his inept PR people, to impose his image in between that of Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama for an ad on MLK Day.


There have been many subsequent Photoshops of Bill. We unveil to you the latest, designed by the team here at the Leaf.

We haven't decided on a name, but we're leaning towards Old Spice or White Spice.

Texas Blog Roundup

It's Sunday night, the Terrible Towels are waving in victory, and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Blog Round-Up.

In her first ever YouTube video, TXsharon shows the emissions boiling into the air when a Barnett Shale gas well undergoes hydraulic fracture.

jobsanger examines the modern Republicans who call themselves conservatives, but have betrayed the beliefs and philosophical standards of past conservatives in Where Are The Real Conservatives?

Nat-Wu at Three Wise Men has something to say about the student loan mess that's making it impossible for many young adults to attend college these days.

The Texas Cloverleaf shows that pictures can tell a thousand words. And the pictures of ships at anchor in Singapore is telling the world we are screwed.

Burnt Orange Report discusses the over 22,000 voters being purged from the Hidalgo County Voter Rolls.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme explains how the Republican free market principles work in real life using contaminated peanut butter as exhibit A.

Redistricting isn't just a state issue. The City of Houston is under pressure to redraw its City Council lines Off the Kuff takes a look at where this stands.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is amazed at the social progress creeping around the world. America elects a half black, half white President. Iceland appoints an openly lesbian Prime Minister. Whats next? Yes We Can - Iceland Courageous

Easter Lemming Liberal News writes his congressman while considering the Republican death spiral.

WhosPlayin announced 46,000 layoffs this past week - just in the blogging industry.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson points out John Carter's latest shenanigans in Carter's political ploy, the "Rangel Rule".

Things can get pretty ugly between fans of competing sports franchises and we at McBlogger were not immune as Cap'n Kroc and Harry tear each other apart.

Over at Texas Kaos, Libby Shaw's keeping an eye on Senator Jackass of Texas as he tries to heighten his national profile at the expense of American families. in his latest hit, the buckskin fringed one votes against children having health care. Again.

The Republicans are having an identity crisis, and the election of Michael Steele as RNC chair is not likely to help them solve it. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs observes that Rush Limbaugh is still calling the shots, and they are all cheap.

Neil at Texas Liberal offers some thoughts on city elections in Houston.

John Coby at Bay Area Houston publishes what Rick Perry really said at his campaign kickoff speech in the Capitol.