I wonder what the record is for longest Speaker’s vote in the House is…
The story so far: Basically, the Geren compromise, which would have involved written votes for Speaker that were kept under wraps until after committee assignments were made, went down to defeat by an 80-68 margin. This vote, more than the one that followed, which required the votes to be made public immediately following the tally, has Craddick lieutenants feeling optimistic. And now it looks like it’s all over. Jim Pitts has withdrawn and stated that he will vote for Craddick, to “begin the healing” and presumably to spare any further retribution for his supporters. Rats.
Depressing thought of the day: Was Paul Burka really a kingmaker? I don’t even want to contemplate it.
Bleah. Enough of that. I’m taking a break.
Replacing Craddick with Pitts may not have been in the best interest of Texas Democrats anyway. Craddick is still a good target for Democrats. Demonizing the Democrats who supported Craddick is not a good idea either. I don’t have much respect for Turner, but I do respect Bailey, and I do believe that there are more useful things for us to do than attacking these people. I would say that it is past time to organize the Texas House on partisan lines, divide all the committees on the basis of the overall House division, and allow the party caucuses to select the members of those committees. Once the House is organized that way, then there would be a more persuasive basis for attacking Democrats who vote for a Republican speaker.
If Burka is a kingmaker, God help Texas.
I thought Burka was one of the least astute bloggers on the governor’s race – totally non-serious.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/community/blog/paulburka/2006/11/kinky-for-governor.php
Alec Baldwin writes about Lieberman which seems appropriate for today.
from:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alec-baldwin/time-is-up_b_38240.html
This party needs to send a strong signal, and that is that loyalty matters in partisan politics.
snip
Lieberman needs to go to the shed. For a very long time. Gotta get his mind, right. And when he comes out, ask him, “Are you a Democrat, Joe? Or aren’t you?”
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Texas Democraddicks?
Criticism? Justified.
Challengers? Of course.
…………
Journalists know better than to call any election early.
So given your link to the article in which Republican Rep. Krusee says that “Burka helped,” I am left with no choice but to never buy Texas Monthly again.
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The reason all of this is so important is because trying to reverse a very dangerous Climate Collapse requires our best politically as time is running out.
Hurricane season is coming up, and it is very troubling that especially Republican politicians and businesses are blocking understanding and problem solving of Global Warming–more correctly thought of as a tipping point, saturation point or cliff–Climate Collapse. Horrifying.
But, I was wrong to be so partisan when some Republicans were willing to challenge Craddick while some Democrats were not.
If these Republicans who challenged Craddick also are realists as regards Climate Collapse and our needing to do something fast and smart about it…then my great apologies.
Political divides when done correctly are only useful to advance problem solving, especially, when it is to address something so serious and life threatening to us all as Climate Collapse.
To honor the Republicans who challenged the status quo to (hopefully) advance even somewhat those goals that could enhance all of our survival, thank you. Thank you very much.
Please continue to resist for all these correct reasons and get those wayward Democrats to come along too.
Need more persuasive information:
http://www.amazon.com/Internal-Combustion-Corporations-Governments-Alternatives/dp/0312359071
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on C-Span BookTV
Monday, January 15
12:05 am
Edwin Black, Internal Combustion: How Corporations and Governments Addicted the World to Oil and Derailed the Alternatives
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Edwin Black makes the case that a FAX machine is more important than votes at this point to encourage Corporations, Governments, Universities who have fleets of cars to build the demand for better vehicles.
see:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/10/15/ING3JLM9771.DTL
Auto fleets could put U.S. on the green highway
It’s going to take momentum to leave gas behind
Edwin Black
Sunday, October 15, 2006
In the absence of a government-launched Manhattan Project to ignite the alternative fuel revolution, the public must turn not just to the White House or the state capitol but also to the largest fleet owners in the country. Carmakers such as Honda, BMW and Toyota are waiting for only one thing before they commit their considerable resources away from gasoline cars and toward hydrogen, electric, natural gas or other alternatively fueled vehicles. Those companies want tangible demand. Fleets — governmental, commercial and private — have a compelling volume purchasing power no automaker can ignore.
snip
Today, alternative fuel vehicles are ready — or fast becoming ready — to roll out en masse. If fleet managers adopted a green fleet initiative, that is a hierarchy of purchasing that mandates hydrogen cars first, fully electric cars second and CNG cars third, the race would be on among all truck and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers from GM to Mercedes to be the first to fill those orders. Volume purchasing would multiply and accelerate the technology, bring down costs and migrate such vehicles swiftly from commercial fleets to average consumers.
snip
Governments and regimes since the time of the timber-hoarding pharaohs have declined to embrace a public policy that exercises sane stewardship over energy and those who control it.
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Please, it is time. Thank you.