Politics

IdolHands takes a look at BarackObama.com and JohnMcCain.com to see how they stack up against each other in standards-compliance and design. The verdict? Republicans still have work to do.

A pedestrian was struck by a Houston Metro Rail train earlier this week. One of nearly 40 rail accidents that go unreported or underreported. Another glimpse of things to come for Austin.

Two stories today on illegal immigration. First, the Statesman has a report about state Sen. Dan Patrick and Rep. Frank Corte, Jr.'s request to the Attorney General to issue an opinion on the policies of "sanctuary cities" (like Austin) that restrict the ability of local police to enforce immigration laws. Cities like Austin argue that police should be focused on crime, not immigration. Entering the country illegally is a crime.

Also, the Travis Monitor reports on the upcoming state house district 50 race between Democrat incumbent Mark Strama and Republican challenger Jerry Mikus. North Austin conservatives will be interested to know that their representative voted in favor of giving illegal immigrants welfare.

I blogged about this a couple of weeks ago. AISD met last night to take public input on a proposed property tax increase to pay for teacher raises and benefits. No one opposed to the increase showed up for the meeting. The board will vote next Monday to put the proposal on the November ballot.

I'm not vehemently opposed to giving teachers a raise personally. I just wish any tax increases would be matched with a complimenting increase in accountability.

Our mayor and city council... the bigger the price tag, the more they seem to like any proposal that comes to the chamber.

The Travis Monitor: Up in Smoke - Austin's BioFuel Boondoggle

Valleywag has more on T. Boone Pickens' energy scam:

Greenwashing: T. Boone Pickens proves where there's a drill, there's a way

Greenwashing — the practice of gussying up old-fashioned capitalism as newfangled Earth-saving — is an art form. I used to think local greenwashers Pacific Gas & Electric and spam-prone solar shill Steve Westly were the masters. But they look like rank amateurs compared to Oklahoma native T. Boone Pickens. The man is a case study in how to effectively cloak your greed in green. As a result, he's won plaudits, taxpayer money, and eminent domain over private property. The latest example?

Update: The Travis Monitor has more.

District 50 state rep. and uber-liberal Mark Strama extolled the virtues of the Democrats' "Drill nowhere. Drill never. Pay more" energy plan last at the Travis County Democratic Issues Policy Forum.

Sticking to the party talking points, Strama repeated the asinine "we can't drill our way out" meme (maybe not, but more drilling would certainly move us further toward energy independence than sitting on our hands) and claimed that even Republican T. Boone Pickens agrees. Blue Dot Blues has the real story on T. Boone's plan and it ain't altruism.

Predictably, Strama blamed Republicans for "making families suffer" because of their energy policy, but neglected to point out the fact that gas prices have risen 74% since the Democrats took control of congress.

Quid Nimis has been blogging about the Russian attack on Georgia since the outset. The Illustrate Conservative wonders, where's the outrage from the chronically-outraged?

Hmm... Fodder for the chain-emailers and something for Obamatons to cry foul over no doubt, but Obama holds both US and Kenyan citizenship.

h/t Libertarian Republican

O-no by Quid Nimis