Steve’s Weblog

From the Lone Star Project, comes this tidbit about Republican Congressman John Carter:

Texas Republican leads partisan attack while hiding over a quarter million dollars in personal profits

Texas Republican John Carter (TX31 – Round Rock) is the lead Republican attack dog in a harshly partisan effort to vilify a senior Democratic member for reporting errors on financial disclosure forms. Recent news reports, however, confirm that John Carter himself hid as much as $300,000 in personal profits gained from the sale of Exxon stock. When confronted, Carter’s office denied the profits saying the “disclosure reports are accurate… no capital gain was made.” (Source: Roll Call , October 21, 2009) But, when documents proving the transactions were produced, Carter was forced to change his tune and admit that he had filed false reports and conceded that corrections must be made. Carter’s violations might be seen as inadvertent and even forgivable had they not exposed his utter hypocrisy, especially in light his recent vicious floor attacks against a respected colleague.

Will one of his staffers rise up to defend him again?

I sent an email to KayBee asking her to support the Hate Crimes bill, her response is classic Republican:

Hate Crimes Legislation: I oppose attempts by some in the Senate to attach legislation that is not germane to these defense measures. One such example is the Hate Crimes Amendment that was introduced by Senate Democrats. I have voted against this measure in the past because it has nothing to do with the underlying defense bills. I also oppose hate crimes legislation on its own merits, because I continue to believe that all violent crimes should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, regardless of the underlying motivation.

In reviewing these two defense bills, my priority is to represent the interests of the large military community in Texas, to enhance our bases, and to support service members and their families. I will continue to work to support military and veterans issues, and to enhance funding for military programs, as this legislation moves forward. It is my highest priority to ensure that our troops are paid and that our military is at full operational readiness.

I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will not hesitate to contact me on any issue that is important to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

She appreciates hearing from me, and I shouldn’t hesitate to contact her on any issue that’s important to me, and she’ll continue to ignore my communication anyway.

Why bother?

From the Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama Back to School Event:

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Let’s hope your parents don’t keep you home.

I’m kind of amazed at all the chatter about keeping the kids at home for Obama’s televised speech to all school children next week. Where was the feigned outrage when George W Bush or Ronald Reagan spoke to school kids? What’s driving the outrage anyway, could it be that maybe they’re afraid that their children might actually learn something from Obama’s talk that makes them as parents appear just a little less educated themselves?

Check out this cartoon: http://community.thetimes-tribune.com/blogs/johncole/archive/2009/09/05/school-daze.aspx with a satirical look at why it’s so important to get a good education.

I’m certainly not what anyone would refer to as religious, but I was raised Catholic by my parents. I’ve heard this Gospel before, it’s a common choice to be read at Catholic funerals, and as I was watching the funeral mass for Ted Kennedy yesterday, I thought this reading was really appropriate considering what Kennedy did for those in need throughout his political career, and especially in light of his push for health care for everyone.

To the least of my brothers
By Jesus Christ

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

(Matthew 25:31-46)

Hey Representative Carter, didja see this? Autumn over at Pam’s House Blend calls your attention to this New York Times article:

New Impetus for Bill Banning Anti-Gay Bias at Work

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 27, 2009

Filed at 2:59 p.m. ET

Momentum is building for Congress to pass the first major civil rights act protecting gays and transsexuals, supporters say, and one of the stars in the debate is a barrier-breaking transgender staffer on Capitol Hill.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, would prohibit workplace discrimination — including decisions about hiring, firing and wages — based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It would exempt religious organizations, the military and businesses with less than 15 workers.

The driving force behind the bill has been Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the longest-serving of the three openly gay members of Congress. He expects hearings on the measure to be held this fall.

More at NY Times

In 29 states, it’s still legal to fire someone because they’re gay; in 38 states it is legal to fire someone for being transgender.

Thousands of hardworking lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans have lost their livelihoods simply because of who they are. HRC is working to end this bitter injustice by passing a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a federal bill that would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote employees simply based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Senate has, for the first time, introduced a fully-inclusive ENDA. Send your Senators a message today and encourage them to co-sponsor this critical legislation. Click over to Change.org to sign the petition, and send your Senators a message!

Representative John Carter (R-TX) came to a town hall meeting at IBM in Austin yesterday, and I had the opportunity to ask him about why he voted NO on ENDA (employee non discrimination act). His answer was along the lines of he believed that being gay wasn’t an attribute that deserved protection from discrimination. So, as I often do, I wrote a letter to his office…

Wrong Answer John

I asked you about your NO vote on ENDA yesterday at IBM, a place that has had a non-discrimination policy for GLBT people since 1984. In your world, apparently, there are forms of discrimination that are OK, because that’s how I understand your answer. You’ll notice the room was flat silent after your answer. You disrespected all of us in the room, and IBM, who, as a company, has come out in support of a fully inclusive ENDA.”

Senator Edward Kennedy said: “The promise of America will never be fulfilled as long as justice is denied to even one among us,” when speaking about ENDA. “The Employment Non-Discrimination Act brings us closer to fulfilling that promise for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens.”

Obama: Innovation key to improving the economy
As recession winds down, ’spirit of innovation’ essential to future prosperity

By Darlene Superville, Associated Press Writer
On Saturday August 1, 2009, 10:34 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Future economic prosperity depends on building a new, stronger foundation and recapturing the “spirit of innovation,” President Barack Obama says.

“Innovation has been essential to our prosperity in the past, and it will be essential to our prosperity in the future,” Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address.

Yahoo Finance

Avery Ranch Golf Tournament will start in the afternoon on July 3, more info at the Avery Ranch Golf website.

Avery Ranch will be hosting Fireworks again this year on July 3, after Dark, viewable from the Avery Ranch Golf Course and the Avery Ranch Main Amenity Center.

This year the live music at the Main Amenity Center starts at 6:00 PM and will feature the Moonhowlers, a local Rockabilly band. Plus there will be food available and the Games2U trailer will be there.

Carrie Prejean Stripped Of Miss California Title

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Carrie Prejean has been stripped of her Miss California title.

“The Miss California USA Organization, in conjunction with the Miss Universe Organization and with the blessing of its owner, Mr. Donald J. Trump, announced today the termination of Carrie Prejean as Miss California USA 2009, citing continued breach of contract issues,” the Miss California Organization said in a statement to Access Hollywood.

Yahoo!

Equality Texas will be marching in the 2009 Pride Parade and we want you to join us!

Bring your family and friends and meet us at Auditorium Shores as we march to show our pride! We haven’t gotten word as to where in the lineup we will be, but our pickup truck will have Equality Texas banners on both sides! We shouldn’t be too hard to spot.

What: Austin Pride Parade

When: Saturday, June 6th, 8:30PM

Where: Auditorium Shores, meet us between 7:45 – 8PM

BREAKING: NH Passes Marriage Equality; On to Governor

June 3, 2009 4:16PM
Michael Cole
This news just in from HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse on the gound in New Hampshire…

After reaching a compromise on religious liberty language over the weekend, the marriage equality bill passed both houses of the state legislature today and now goes to Governor John Lynch for his signature. The state Senate passed the bill this morning 14-10 and the state House just now 198-176.

With the Governor’s signature, New Hampshire will be the sixth state to grant same-sex couples equality under the law through civil marriage. We’ll be updating Back Story through out the day with stories, photos and videos of the incredible work that went into making this historic day possible.

HRC Back Story

why I don’t eat at Chik-fil-A:

Today, Chick-fil-A is lending its support to the tea party protesters by providing a “free medium iced tea with any purchase.”

From ThinkProgress

Today, Vermont became the first state ever to grant same-sex couples the freedom to marry through the legislative process – making it the fourth state with full marriage equality. What’s even more incredible: it required a two-thirds majority to override the Governor’s veto, and they did it!

You can expect the radical right to be out in force today, of course. They’re up in arms over this victory and the ruling last week that brought marriage equality to Iowa.

I just sent a thank-you note to the leaders of the Vermont Legislature, to make sure the right-wing cries of outrage aren’t the only voices they hear. I hope you’ll join me:

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/vt_victory/

Then, please pass this along to everyone you know (especially in Vermont, but across the country as well).

marriage for all

Iowa Supreme Court: Ruling Upheld, Denying Gay Marriage Unconstitutional

WHO Staff Writer

April 3, 2009
Same-sex couples across the state of Iowa can now get a marriage license. The Iowa Supreme Court handed down its decision on legalizing same-sex marriages Friday morning, upholding a lower court’s decision that prohibiting same-sex marriages is unconstitutional.

WHOTV

marriage for all

Hail damage means extra business for glass repair shops
3/26/2009 8:32 PM
By: News 8 Austin Staff

Vehicles with broken glass weren’t hard to come by at Binswanger Glass Company Thursday afternoon.

Rest of the story and video at News8Austin.

we’re never going to get to Executive Platinum status this year!!

ABIA reports drop in number of travelers in March
3/13/2009 4:19 PM
By: News 8 Austin Staff

March is a busy month for travelers with South by Southwest, spring break and March Madness taking center stage there’s certainly enough to keep the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport a high traffic area.

ABIA officials said they’ve seen a slight decrease in the number of travelers this March compared to last year.

From News8 Austin

We were really disappointed with the Kite Festival this year… Zilker Park is all torn up under construction, with most of the park closed behind temporary construction fencing. So there was way less space available for flying kites this year than there has been in the past. The single largest open area available for flying kites (with no trees) was roped off for large specialty kites, which are kind of neat, but they weren’t even flying them at the time when we got scolded for flying one of our kites too close to that roped off area.

Anyway, we parked near the Town Lake Animal Center at 1156 West Cesar Chavez between Lamar and Mopac, and rode our bikes over to Zilker, since there was no parking available at the park. We had picked up a sub at Jersey Mike’s and sat on a rock, ate our lunch and watched as people tried to fly their kites in light wind. It did seem like it was more crowded this year, maybe because there was a lot less open space… The weather was definitely nicer this year, Nhut took a bunch of pictures which I posted in my gallery. There’s one shot in there where I actually did get the kite we picked up in Shanghai up in the air for a bit. And Nhut had some getter luck with one of the nylon kites we brought with us.