Tag Archives: Barack Obama

New flash: Dropping Medicaid would be bad

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t take my word for it, take the Texas Department of Health and Human Services’ word for it. Opting out of federal Medicaid, something Republican leaders have been considering as a method to wipe out Texas’ estimated $25 billion budget … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

DREAM drama

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In theory, there will be a vote in the Senate on the DREAM Act during the lame duck session. I don’t have a whole lot of faith that the usual Republican intransigence can be overcome, but it’s well worth the … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Because that’s who he is

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Before Thanksgiving, Ezra Klein asked “Why does Gov. Rick Perry want more uninsured Texans?” Consider the case of Texas, which with 25 percent uninsured, leads the nation in not providing for its residents. If the state pulls out of Medicaid, … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Leo Berman addresses the serious, pressing needs

Posted on November 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Elect crazy people, get crazy public policy. Crazy in, crazy out. State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, introduced a bill on Tuesday that would require future presidential and vice-presidential candidates to provide the Texas secretary of state with “the original birth … Continue reading →

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More on Medicaid

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Mike Tomasky on the question of Texas ditching Medicaid: The states’ share of Medicaid costs has been an immense burden for two decades, there’s no denying it. I remember Mario Cuomo complaining about it when he was governor, when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Truck fuel efficiency

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is long overdue. The Obama administration announced new rules [last week] to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants by requiring greater fuel efficiency for big trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles starting with 2014 models. The regulations, the … Continue reading →

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Can we finally get some US Attorneys?

Posted on October 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

A “Republican and former federal prosecutor” named Bill Mateja wrote an op-ed over the weekend that simultaneously cheered and criticized the Republican obstruction of getting US Attorneys nominated for Texas. Why should Republicans, who have played their hand so well, … Continue reading →

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Rick Perry loves the stimulus

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

He just hates to admit it. When 47 state and territorial governors sent a letter on Feb. 22 asking for more federal matching dollars for Medicaid, Perry refused to sign. He likes to talk about how he thinks the American … Continue reading →

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Yes, let’s enroll more kids in CHIP

Posted on September 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

What a great idea. The Obama administration today ballyhooed a new Urban Institute report that suggests a path to enrolling 5 million kids in government-sponsored health insurance who are eligible but not signed up. The report says increasing the number … Continue reading →

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Perry asks for federal education funds

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

About time. Gov. Rick Perry on Friday submitted the state’s application for the money, which is intended to help school districts save teacher jobs now. But Texas faced a bigger hurdle than other states because of an amendment authored by … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s easier than you think to behave responsibly

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

With all the clutching of pearls and threatening of lawsuits surrounding those federal funds that Congress intends to be used for education and not general fund budget balancing tricks, we should all take a deep breath and keep in mind … Continue reading →

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Nominations, please

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope that while President Obama was in town, someone asked him if he ever intends to nominate a US Attorney for Texas? Justice goes on, but Obama could have used those prosecutor jobs to build a farm team … Continue reading →

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There goes the bag drag

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you heard was many thousands of dollars being taken in by the President and the DNC. For the past 22 years, some state Democrats complain, the national party has used Texas like an ATM. The national party’s constant … Continue reading →

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John Cornyn sounds like a Democrat

Posted on August 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

To be more precise, he’s saying something many Democrats around here have been saying for a long time. Days before the president visits Austin and Dallas for Democratic fundraisers, Cornyn lashed out at Obama for focusing his Texas visit on … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The immigration wedge issue for the GOP

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this story. Evangelical ministers in Texas and across the nation are splitting off from the hard right, declaring immigration reform is needed that includes a path to citizenship without first deporting millions of … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

One more thing about polling

Posted on June 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

When I wrote about the Rasmussen problem, I said that they were the only outfit polling on a lot of “issue” questions. That’s not totally true, though nobody does nearly as much of that as Rasmussen does. The UT/Trib poll … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Why should anyone trust the TCEQ?

Posted on May 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Perry wants the EPA to back off. I know, I’m as shocked as you are. Gov. Rick Perry, citing improvements in Texas air quality, asked President Barack Obama on Friday to get regional Environmental Protection Agency administrators to back … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How about filling all of the court vacancies?

Posted on May 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t really have an opinion about the newest Supreme Court nominee, Elena Kagan. There are people I respect who think she’s a good choice, and people I respect who wanted someone else, generally Diane Wood, to be the nominee … Continue reading →

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We whine bigger than other states, too

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Someone please call a waaaaaahmbulance. Since January, besides losing big federal contracts, Texas’ pollution permit process has been rejected for failing to meet Clean Air Act requirements; the state is facing fines for chronically missing food stamp benefit deadlines, and … Continue reading →

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Papers, please

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So if you were to be pulled over by the police today, say for speeding or something, would you be able to prove that you’re a citizen, as the state of Arizona will now require? I don’t know about you, … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Population and voting trends: 2004 and 2008 judicial elections

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So we’ve seen how county returns changed in the Presidential election between 2004 and 2008. Obviously, there are many factors that can affect a Presidential election, even when there’s not really an active campaign going on in the state. How … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Population and voting trends: 2004 and 2008 Presidential election

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Taking a look at the voting trends in the fastest growing counties made me want to know more about this, so I broke out the spreadsheets and took a look. I’ll present the results in a three-part series, starting today … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Special Friday video break: Hell, no, you can’t!

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Finally got a chance to see this: As they say in sports: Scoreboard, dude.

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Where the votes are going

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Matt Stiles looks at Census data and notes a political point. Seven Texas counties — Rockwall, Williamson, Collin, Hays, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Denton — are listed among the nation’s 30 fastest-growing areas, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Health care reform passes

Posted on March 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Finally. By a razor thin margin of 219-212, the House of Representatives tonight passed far-reaching legislation that will lead to near-universal health care coverage in the United States — a goal that has eluded Presidents and Congresses for a century. … Continue reading →

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Why the moon?

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I understand the politics of the fight against NASA cutbacks. Jobs are at stake, even if they are being funded by those evil, dirty, not-job-creating federal dollars. But I’m still puzzled by the whole thing. Texans have so little clout … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Endorsement watch: Obama for SJL

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

President Barack Obama has endorsed Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in her primary for CD18. From the press release: “Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is a tireless champion for Houston’s working families,” said President Obama. “That’s why we need her back in … Continue reading →

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The health care mess

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what will happen with health care reform. But I do know this: It can’t possibly be right for the Democrats to do what the Republicans want them to do. I play tournament bridge, and we bridge players … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

HISD may race to the top

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Despite the earlier decision by Governor Perry to not let Texas compete for “Race to the Top” stimulus funds, school districts like HISD may get the chance to apply for them on their own. President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Department of Transportation makes it easier to do transit projects

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. In a dramatic change from existing policy, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today proposed that new funding guidelines for major transit projects be based on livability issues such as economic development opportunities and environmental benefits, in addition to … Continue reading →

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Some day our US Attorney will come

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As far as I can tell, if Sens. Cornyn and Hutchison have their way, the US Attorney positions in Texas will remain vacant until after the next Republican President is elected. A classic political stalemate pitting Texas’ Democratic congressional delegation … Continue reading →

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How others are viewing the election

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This AP story about the Mayoral runoff election contains a paragraph you won’t see very often. Houston became the largest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor, with voters handing a solid victory to City Controller Annise Parker after … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Turning Texas blue the hard way

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Obama campaign guru David Plouffe comes for a visit and gives his hope-y vision for Texas as a swing state. [Plouffe] says Texas could soon become a swing state and drastically alter the landscape of state and national politics. To … Continue reading →

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Streetcar-mania

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Streetcars may be coming to a street near you in many cities. What links Boise, Cincinnati and Charlotte — and Salt Lake City, Dallas, Atlanta and Kansas City, where streetcar tracks abandoned in 1953 still poke through the city’s weathered … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments