cornyn: a slave for special interests

Capitol Annex unveiled a great new video linking Sen. John Cornyn to the special interests. You could say he's been a "slave" for them. Check it out below.

john cornyn: all by himself

The Rick Noriega campaign has released a hilarious new ad poking fun at Sen. John Cornyn, but also raising a pretty valid point. Check it out below:

You can help Noriega today with a $1 contribution. If he gets the most $1 contributions on ActBlue, he can win a $5000 endorsement. So please consider giving $1 right away!

action alert: tell cornyn you oppose hr6845

The following action alert comes from Jennifer McLennan with The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC).

On September 11, 2008, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee (Rep. John Conyers, D-MI) introduced a bill that would effectively reverse the NIH Public Access Policy, as well as make it impossible for other federal agencies to put similar policies into place. The legislation is HR6845: “Fair Copyright in Research Works Act” (http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/HR6845.pdf). ...

HR6845 is designed to do the following:

1. Amend current copyright law (Title 17).

2. Prohibit all U.S. federal agencies from conditioning funding agreements to require that works resulting from federal support be made publicly available if those works meet either of two conditions:

a. They are funded in part by sources other than a U.S. agency, or

b. The results from "meaningful added value" to the work from an entity that is not party to the agreement.

3. Prohibit U.S. federal agencies being able to obtain a license to publicly distribute, perform, or display such work by -- for example -- putting it on the Internet.

4. Makes broad policy by stifling public access to a wide range of federally funded works, and effectively overturns the crucially important current NIH Public Access Policy.

5. Because it is so broadly framed, the proposed bill would require an overhaul of well-established procurement rules in effect for all federal agencies, and could disrupt day-to-day procurement practices across the federal government, including in critical areas such as research to support national defense and homeland security.

6. In particular, the bill would repeal the longstanding "federal purpose" doctrine, under which all federal agencies that fund the creation of a copyrighted work must reserve a "royalty-free, nonexclusive right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work" for any federal purpose. This will severely limit the ability of U.S. federal agencies to use works that they have funded to support and fulfill agency missions and to communicate with and educate the public.

7. The bill is a blunt instrument that uses extremely broad language to override existing procurement law, and as such has serious implications for the entire U.S. federal government far beyond articles resulting from research funding.

8. Because of the NIH Public Access Policy, millions of Americans now have access to vital health care information from the NIH’s PubMed Central database. Under the current policy, nearly 4,000 new crucial biomedical articles were deposited in the last month alone. This proposed bill would prohibit the deposit of these articles, and as a result, researchers, physicians, health care professionals, families and individuals will find it much harder to get access to this critical health-related information.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas serves on the Judiciary Committee, so it is especially important for concerned Texans to contact him. His D.C. office can be reached at (202) 224-2934. A simple 30-second phone call telling the his office that you oppose HR6845 will do the trick.

cornyn senior staffer exposed!

Senator Cornyn: One Tough Hombre

Burnt Orange Report brings us the ad Senator Cornyn aired at the GOP convention. It's set to the tune of Big Bad John. It's hysterical.

The Austin-American Statesman claims Cornyn was in on the joke.

"My staff convinced me it was a good idea,” Cornyn said. “Maybe I need a new staff."

Maybe someone forgot to remind Cornyn's staff that in the Jimmy Dean version of the song, John was buried in the bottom of a worthless pit. It seems an apt metaphor for someone who will soon be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Texas needs a senator who doesn't need Hollywood production values to show he's tough. Texas needs Rick Noriega.

Support Our Troops: Give Them the GI Bill of Rights

The future Freedom Institute must be promsing John Cornyn an endowed chair after he retires from the Senate this fall, along with a seat on the board of a few of the corporations whose water he has carried so dutifully throughout his term. That's the only reason I can come up with for Cornyn's vote against the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Act, also known colloquially as the GI Bill of Rights.

Cornyn's opponent in the November election is a member of the Texas National Guard, Lt. Col. Rick Noriega. In an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle on Monday, Noriega slammed his opponent for his hypocrisy regarding the Iraq war.

Texas needs two senators fighting for our veterans and our families. It is reprehensible that Cornyn supports keeping our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan but refuses to provide for our soldiers once they return home. As a public servant, as a soldier and as a Texan, I am ashamed of Cornyn's continued efforts to deny our troops the benefits they earned defending the United States.

Sen. Cornyn argues that financing higher education for veterans would encourage soldiers to leave the military to attend college. The notion that we should limit benefits to force our troops to stay in the military is morally repugnant. The knowledge I gained while attending college is instrumental in the work I do as a member of the Texas House of Representatives and as a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard. I believe that higher education should be a reality for any American who wants it, and I am disheartened by Cornyn's desire to deny this valuable right to the honorable men and women of the armed forces. A stronger GI Bill will help military recruitment, attracting America's most capable and gifted volunteers to the military during a time when we need more troops than ever.

The G.I. Bill is the right thing to do. Even most Republicans realize that, and for good reason. The original GI bill was an investment in human capital that is credited with transforming the middle class.

For every dollar spent on the bill's cost, the federal government estimates that the country got $7 in return, from both increased economic productivity and taxes generated by the higher income levels of veterans who took advantage of the program.

Bush has already signaled he will veto the bill. An editorial in the NY Times sums up the hypocrisy of our president and his anti-vet supporters rather well.

Having saddled the military with a botched, unwinnable war, having squandered soldiers’ lives and failed them in so many ways, the commander in chief now resists giving the troops a chance at better futures out of uniform. He does this on the ground that the bill is too generous and may discourage re-enlistment, further weakening the military he has done so much to break.

So lavish with other people’s sacrifices, so reckless in pouring the national treasure into the sandy pit of Iraq, Mr. Bush remains as cheap as ever when it comes to helping people at home.Thankfully, the new G.I. Bill has strong bipartisan support in Congress. The House passed it by a veto-proof margin this month, and last week the Senate followed suit, approving it as part of a military financing bill for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Cornyn has indicated he will support the president's veto if it comes to that. Although he never served in the U.S. armed forces, Cornyn thinks he can inoculate himself against his hypocrisy by hiding behind the uniform of someone who did.

"The anti-war crowd is determined to use our men and women in uniform for their political advantage, even if our national security is jeopardized in the process," Cornyn campaign spokesman Kevin McLaughlin said. "The fact that Noriega would associate himself with a group that attacks John McCain [R-Ariz.], an American Hero by any standard, will not go unnoticed by Texans."

Unfortunately, McCain is on the wrong side of this issue as well, refusing to return from the campaign trail to even vote on the bill. As to Cornyn and McCain's concern that the bill will hurt retention by encouraging soldiers to leave military service, they fail to mention the same study found that the additional benefits would increase recruitment by an equal percentage, so the net effect would be neutral.

Texas deserves a senator for whom supporting the troops is not just a platitude; someone willing to fight for the opportunities of all Americans, not just those with the money to buy access and influence. Texans deserve Rick Noriega.

[Disclaimer: I volunteer my time and energy to elect Democrats to office in Denton County and throughout Texas. Join us. ]

true blue

Can you imagine waking up this November to a map of Texas that looked like this?

Well, neither can we, but we're certainly making progress in that direction.

With Sen. John Cornyn polling under 50% now, polling site Rasmussen Reports has added our junior senator to their "potentially vulnerable" category.

Any incumbent who polls below 50% is considered potentially vulnerable. That is especially true when a little known challenger is so competitive in an early general election match-up. The race for President in Texas is also fairly competitive early in Election 2008.

Noreiga leads among voters earning less than $40,000 a year. Cornyn leads among those with higher incomes. Cornyn leads among Evangelical Christian voters and other Protestants. Noreiga leads among those with a different faith background. Both candidates do well within their own party and are fairly evenly matched among unaffiliated voters.

According to Rasmussen, President Bush is polling with mere 45% approval ratings in Texas. And as reported earlier, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are both very competitive in general election polls against Sen. John McCain.

Some have predicted that Texas was cycling blue... but could 2008 be our year?

Republican Faux Wars

Dick Cheney once told us that "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction." We all know how that turned out. Cheney's obsession with Iraq's non-existent nuclear and biological weapons was only the most stellar example of how the Republicans are passing laws, rewriting regulations and even starting wars to protect us from improbable threats.

Let's take an example here in Texas. We know that Jerry Patterson of the General Land Office has stalled the transfer of Christmas Mountains to the National Parks system because they don't allow hunting. Now it appears he may get his wish. After pressure from Texas senators, the Interior Department is proposing new regulations that would allow conceal carry guns in national parks "to ensure visitor safety and resource protection."

To quote Booboo, "Mr. Ranger isn't going to like this, Yogi."

Park rangers, retirees and conservation groups protested the plan, saying it will lead to confusion for visitors, rangers and other law enforcement agencies.

"This is purely and simply a politically driven effort to solve a problem that doesn't exist," said Bill Wade, chairman of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees.

Wade and other critics cited statistics showing that national parks are among the safest places in the country. The probability of becoming a victim of a violent crime in a national park is 1 in more than 708,000 -- less likely than being struck by lightning, the groups said.

The rules change would defer to state and local law, which makes it very confusing and likely unenforceable. So why is it so critical to push an unneeded regulation against a non-existent threat which would produce a policy so incoherent it couldn't necessarily be enforced consistently within the same park?

Well, its an election year and the GOP doesn't have too much to crow about these days. Inflation is the highest in 17 years, housing prices are down double digits, the national debt is approaching $10 trillion, gas prices are approaching $4 per gallon, and then there is a little matter of that war that isn't playing so well in Peoria anymore. If you can't run on the issues, you need to invent one.

So instead of addressing any of our nation's problems with the economy, transportion, health care, fiscal policy; instead of drafting a plan to get us out a disastrous occupation of a foreign land; instead of addressing any of the real and present dangers facing middle America in the 21st century, we get yet another version of the culture wars. Thank you John Cornyn, Jerry Patterson, the Interior Department and the rest of the GOP for keeping issues like these on the front burner. We'd sleep much better in our tent knowing we're safe from Yogi Bear, except with the price of gas who can get to Yellowstone these days?

Cornyn Weighs in on Bush's Budget Proposal

Cornyn issued a statement regarding the release of Bush's fiscal year 2009 budget proposal that said.....very little. But read this statement.

“Now that the President has proposed his annual budget blueprint, the hard work begins in Congress to make sure we fund our priorities while holding the line on spending. The American people are increasingly tired of runaway government spending.

Tired? No argument there.

Now read this statement.

“Like every hard-working American family, the federal government has to live within a budget as well. As a member of the Budget Committee, I’ll do all I can to ensure Congress sets the necessary funding levels for critical areas such as national defense and border security. These are non-negotiable items that we cannot compromise on. “

Do you see the contradiction here? The only programs in the budget that aren't getting frozen (technically a cut, since there is no adjustment for inflation) or being reduced from last year are defense and homeland security. But Cornyn tells us that funding for those programs is non-negotiable.

President Bush unveiled a $3.1 trillion budget on Monday that supports sizable increases in military spending to fight the war on terrorism and protects his signature tax cuts.

The spending proposal, which shows the government spending $3 trillion in a 12-month period for the first time in history, squeezes most of government outside of national security, and also seeks $196 billion in savings over the next five years in the government's giant health care programs -- Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor.

Even with those savings, Bush projects that the deficits, which had been declining, will soar to near-record levels, hitting $410 billion this year and $407 billion in 2009. The all-time high deficit in dollar terms was $413 billion in 2004.

Yes, we are tired of runaway government spending. Tired of an endless war that drains our coffers and burdens future generations with unprecedented debt. Tired of worrying about a future without the social safety nets that we earned through a lifetime of hard work. And most of all, we're tired of politicians who think we can't see through the hypocrisy of their self-serving spin to know when we're being played.

Cornyn's Ode to Carya

Take the quiz. Our state nut is

A) John Cornyn
B) the pecan

If you don't know the answer, read Cornyn's article here.

Cornyn must be considering a job with Texas Parks & Wildlife when he retires from the Senate next year. How else to explain his passion for Texas' flora and fauna?

Cornyn's Hypocrisy on Court Security

Senator Cornyn wants us to know that he takes the safety of our judges seriously. That's why he's so pleased to see the passage of the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called the passage an important step to protect judges, courthouse personnel and their families against increased threats of violence.

Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was an original co-sponsor of the legislation, which was passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate on April 19. “Our democracy depends on our ability to attract and protect dedicated public servants to administer justice. This vital role comes with serious security risks that place judges and their families in harm’s way,” Cornyn said in an announcement late Wednesday.

Cornyn is, of course, hoping that no one will remember his famous quote during the Terri Schiavo controversy, where he suggested a direct link between violence against the judiciary and the actions of "activist" judges.

…it causes a lot of people, including me, great distress to see judges use the authority that they have been given to make raw political or ideological decisions. And no one, including those judges, including the judges on the United States Supreme Court, should be surprised if one of us stands up and objects.....

And finally, I-- I don't know if there is a cause-and-effect connection but we have seen some recent episodes of courthouse violence in this country. Certainly nothing new, but we seem to have run through a spate of courthouse violence recently that's been on the news. And I wonder whether there may be some connection between the perception in some quarters on some occasions where judges are making political decisions yet are unaccountable to the public, that it builds up and builds up and builds up to the point where some people engage in -- engage in violence. Certainly without any justification but a concern that I have that I wanted to share.

I'm sure Cornyn had only the best interests of the judiciary in mind when he tried to warn them of their errant ways. He's certainly not responsible for how some right-wing nut job interprets any of it, right? Joan Humphrey Lefkow, the judge who lost her husband and mother in a double murder that served as the incentive for the security bill in the first place, might disagree. In a hearing designed "to address the possible threat that irresponsible, anti-judiciary rhetoric can pose to the safety of judges, their families, and judicial independence", Lefkow stated:

Fostering disrespect for judges can only encourage those that are on the edge, or on the fringe, to exact revenge on a judge who displeases them."

Fortunately, the pandering politicians who fanned those flames are mostly gone: Tom Delay, Rick Santorum, Bill Frist. Here's hoping our junior senator is not far behind.

Rove and Cornyn Want States to Leave Immigration Policy to Feds

Senator John Cornyn and Karl Rove were in East Texas on Monday to discuss immigration at a panel sponsored by the Texas Employers for Immigration Reform.

It's interesting to watch Rove's moves on immigration. As a political strategist, he's always happy to have a wedge issue to focus voters and the media on something besides the president's shredding of the constitution or his own close calls with justice. But the immigration issue has backfired on the GOP. It's red meat to their base, and at the same time, backlash from the increasingly virulent rhetoric surrounding this issue threatens to undermine a decade of improving relations between the GOP and Latino voters. If the GOP pushes for laws that would please the anti-immigration base of the party, it would also alienate the business world and its funding base, who argue that without immigrant labor, their businesses would shut down.

So the Republicans have been trying to have it both ways - paying homage to the anti-immigrant wing in theory while catering to the corporate world in practice. If you have any doubt about how hard it is to walk that tightrope, take a look at the feedback that Cornyn and Rove received on the right-wing blogs covering the East Texas Panel.

Cornyn was pillaged for suggesting that immigration policy should be left to the federal government, but the biggest backlash came over Rove's comments regarding the question of deportation.

If you think we can take 5 percent of our work force and throw them out, you're kidding yourself," Rove said. "We would suffer serious economic damage. There's a moral cost. There's a practical cost."

Here is the response from a Lone Star Times commenter to Rove's quote.

What Cornyn and Rove mean is: “Monied GOP interests need cheap labor to exploit, so we have to consider the ‘economic’ impact.” Let’s at least tell it like it is.

As with so many other issues that can only be solved through complicated, "nuanced" policies, (think global warming or mideast peace) the GOP doesn't really want to solve this problem. So the best they can do is send the former deputy chief of staff out to try to soften the worst of the rhetoric and hope that the blow-back isn't too bad. And maybe they can blame it all on the Democrats. So far no one seems to be buying it.

john cornyn is actually right about something (and it's about time)

We don't agree on much with Sen. John Cornyn, a tried and true Texas Republican that stands on the wrong side of issues such as SCHIP and Iraq and recently authored a "sense of the Senate" resolution condemning liberal organization MoveOn.org for an ad they took out in the New York Times.

There's not much doubt that we will support the eventual Democratic nominee that will run against Cornyn in 2008. In the primary, Texas Democrats will choose between Rick Noriega and Mikal Watts, both of whom would make an all-around better senator for Texas.

But maybe Cornyn's not all bad.

Here's what Cornyn and his staff had to say in a constituent response email about the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act (S. 988) introduced by Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.

As you know, the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes employers in certain industries to hire temporary and seasonal workers—subject to an annual cap of 66,000 employees—from outside the United States. The H-2B program is designed to help U.S. employers fill a one-time need, seasonal need, peak-load need or intermittent need.

I supported a comprehensive immigration effort that would include a robust temporary worker program that meets the needs of the U.S. labor market. Though the comprehensive immigration reform proposal debated this year could not be adopted because of significant flaws, I continue to push for the Senate to re-engage the debate on immigration reform this year. As an interim step, I support reform measures that will streamline existing temporary worker programs, like the H-2B visa program, as a solution to demands in critical sectors like the Texas landscaping and construction industries. President George W. Bush has recognized the need for such reform and has taken the lead in looking at ways to administratively reform both the H-2B and H-1A seasonal worker programs.

I support the goal of the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act (S. 988) as introduced by Senator Barbara Mikulski. I am also exploring introducing a more comprehensive legislative package designed to create more targeted reforms to both the H-2B and H-2A programs and to permanently re-authorize the “returning worker” provisions introduced in the Save our Small and Seasonal Business Act of 2005 (P.L. 109–13, as amended by P.L. 109–364).

I guess even if you make a career of bad decisions, you'll eventually do something right by accident. Or, he truly stands on the side of small business and supports legal immigrants and seasonal workers, both of which are invaluable to Texans and our state's economy.

Thankfully, Sen. Mikulski was able to protect small businesses for another year by adding language to the 2008 fiscal spending bill. In a press release, the senator said we could count on her to keep fighting for small business.

“Who says my promises made are not promises kept? I told small businesses they could count on me to keep fighting, and I meant it,” said Senator Mikulski. “Without these seasonal workers, many businesses would not survive – forced to limit services, lay off permanent U.S. workers or, worse yet, close their doors.”

The Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act, signed into law by President Bush in May 2005, made significant changes to the federal H2B (non-skilled seasonal worker) visa program. Among the changes, it exempted returning seasonal workers from counting against the national cap of 66,000 people, created new anti-fraud provisions, and ensured a fair allocation of H2B visas among spring and summer employees. This exemption, however, was not made permanent in the 2005 bill, and has to be extended each year until Senator Mikulski’s proposal to make it permanent is passed into law. Last year, a last-minute, one-year extension was included as part of the 2007 Department of Defense authorization bill, but it expired on September 30, 2007.

Senator Mikulski joined Senator John Warner (R-Va.) in March 2007 to introduce a stand alone bill to extend the provision, and also included it as an amendment to the comprehensive immigration packages considered by the Senate this spring. Unfortunately, no bill was brought up for a final vote before the provision’s expiration.

Today’s provision is a one-year extension to allow companies to continue to get the seasonal workers they depend on, and will expire on September 30, 2008.

Mikulski vowed that she won't give up until the fix is permanent. We're glad that John Cornyn stands by her side. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, however, is another story. She is remaining intentionally ambiguous on the issue. A line from her constituent response:

Temporary work visas play an important role in ensuring U.S. companies have the workers they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. However, U.S. immigration policy must ensure American workers have every opportunity to compete for available jobs.

Perhaps she will remain vague, since anything regarding immigration is seen as controversial in Texas. But why is she worried, when she enjoys such high approval ratings? It seems like she has some new career aspirations which might prohibit her from taking any real stances for the remainder of her Senate term.

Texas Blog Roundup: SCHIP Edition

President Bush today vetoed an important and widely supported bi-partisan expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) (H.R. 976).

WhosPlayin takes a look at what the blogs of the Texas Progressive Alliance are saying about this terrible move:

Adam at Three Wise Men writes: Bush uses veto pen to strike health care for kids.

Blue 19th takes Randy Neugebauer to task for being willing to send billions to Iraq, but not to help children at home.

Blue 19th has uncovered a transcript of a secret press conference featuring the President, the Governor, and Rep. Randy Neugebauer. Put your sensibilities on hold and enjoy.

In examining President Bush's veto of the SCHIP reauthorization and expansion, Vince at Capitol Annex notes that this is one of the President's worst actions in office and also points us to statements on the veto from a pair of Texas Legislators: Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio) and Ellen Cohen (D-Houston).


Muse interrupts her outrage at Bush’s SCHIP veto to send him a Bible verse, remind him that his approval numbers are half of the percentage of Americans who approve of the legislation and wonder if next up is clubbing baby seals and drowning kittens.

Eye On Williamson calls Bush and Rep. John Carter on their votes against children, for private insurance corporations and urges the people to get involved, Bush Vetoes Childrens Health Care & John Carter Is Right By His Side.

Matt Glazer of Burnt Orange Report notes that the non-partisan Center for Public Policy Priorities urges Texans to encourage Senator Cornyn and the 18 Texas Congressmen who voted against it to change their votes to override the veto. Matt also suggests that Bush, Perry, Cornyn, and McCaul hate children and encourages us to show our outrage at a rally for kids health.

Charles Kuffner of Off the Kuff notes that Bush is acting ashamed of this veto and explores the numbers needed for an override.

rick noriega comes to unt

Via WhosPlayin:

State Rep. Rick Noriega, Candidate for United States Senate, is coming to the University of North Texas on Tuesday, September 25 in an event co-hosted by The College Democrats and UNT LULAC council #4789. The event will start at 7:00 in the Lyceum with a presentation on the Dream Act, a bill that State Rep. Noriega wrote while he was in the the Texas House.

At 8:00, Noriega will begin his speech, informing campus students as to why he should be the next senator from the state of Texas. A Question and Answer session will follow, so you can find out his position on almost any issue.

This will be a hot race next fall, so use this opportunity to learn about the candidate so you can have an informed voice when you vote.

*LULAC is a non-partisan organization that has not endorsed any candidate for political office

Sincerely,
Joseph Vogus
President of the College Democrats of North Texas

If you're in North Texas, you should definitely check this event out. We have a chance to break Sen. Cornyn's stranglehold on Texas next fall, and this might just be the guy to help us do it.

move on, senator betray us

In a post on Thursday, we told you of Sen. John Cornyn's sense of the Senate resolution that would condemn liberal organization MoveOn.org for running an ad in The New York Times that used wordplay to ask if General David Petraeus was really "General Betray Us."

Democratic rival Rick Noriega, who plans to challenge Sen. Cornyn for his seat in 2008, had this to say about Cornyn's political theatre:

Yesterday, he voted against restoring the Constitution’s basic right of habeas corpus. Yesterday, he voted against the Webb-Hagel amendment, legislation that would have provided a safety net for our troops, requiring that they spend as much time at home with their families as they spend deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. And today? He’s wasting the Senate’s and the people’s time by introducing a resolution about MoveOn.org’s ad!

That's right, Cornyn voted against the Webb-Hagel amendment. Now who doesn't support the troops? MoveOn should run an ad in The Dallas Morning News outing "Senator Betray Us" as the chickenhawk that he is. How dare the Senator waste the Senate's time by introducing his resolution of condemnation in an effort to save face for his buddy Petraeus, all the while voting against real legislation that would support the troops?

Please donate to Rick Noriega and Mikal Watts today. Maybe next session, our Senator won't make the state of Texas look like a joke.

Vote in Democracy for Texas Senate Poll

Democracy for Texas is conducting a poll to determine who will receive DFT's endorsement for the Texas Senate primary: Mikal Watts or Rick Noreiga. To help voters decide, they have posted an extensive candidate questionnaire covering major issues.

To vote, click here.

And, as if you needed any reminder why replacing John Cornyn in the U.S. Senate is an imperative in next year's election, just review Cornyn's plan for supporting the troops. In a Terry Schiavo moment, he sponsored an amendment to condemn Move-On for its Petraeus ad, just after filibustering an amendment by Senator Webb to give the troops more time between Iraq rotations. Good to know the junior senator has his priorities straight.

It's so touching that Cornyn feels the need to protect Petraeus. Someone should explain to the senator that the term "character assassination" is rhetorical. The real dying is going on in the sands of Iraq by an army close to the breaking point, and the Republican rubber stamps don't care.

Cornyn Defends Gonzales to the End

Yet another Bush crony had his wings clipped and is headed back to Texas to wait until the next molt.

Alberto Gonzales may be a pariah to most Republicans, but the administration knew who to call when it needed a talking head on his resignation. As one of the few Republicans still willing to defend "Fredo," Senator Cornyn proves once again that his ethical compass points a few degrees shy of true north.

In an interview about Gonzales, Cornyn responded with a rather telling choice of words.

"I think he was just worn down by the criticism. This thing has a Chinese water torture effect of drip, drip, drip, drip.

And TMPMuckracker notes, all the scurrying around to defend the failed war, er, failed attorney general, must have blown Cornyn's talking points out of order.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has a unique take on what's next to come at the Justice Department in the wake of Alberto Gonzales. Just now on CNN:

"This will not bring peace. This will bring more chaos."

No word yet on whether the chaos created by Alberto Gonzales will follow us home.

If you're from Texas, that's not funny.

Republicans Support the Troops Unless They're Running for Office

The patriots at the The Lone Star Times want to thank Lt. Col Rick Noriega for his service.....as long as he doesn't mention it ever again.

Noriega, who is one of several Texas Democrats running against John Cornyn for U.S. Senate, has served in the military since 1979, including a stint in Afghanistan. He also distinguished himself in the National Guard during the Katrina disaster. And now, as his campaign notes, he is preparing for a two week stint in the National Guard.

But mention any of this, and Republicans cry foul.

Is it a proper way to advance your political career by shouting about your service every chance you get? The reason I ask is because when I see advertisements like this, it makes me question the person’s motivation for his service. Is it really for the country, for duty, for honor? Or is it to have another feather in your cap to attack a political
opponent?

Okay, this is going to be a long slog of a campaign, so let's make sure we understand the rules of engagement (sticking with the war metaphor.) If Democrats call for an end to the Iraq war they are "cut and run cowards." If they tout their own military experiences as proof that they have the leadership qualities necessary to lead our country, they are crass manipulators. If they offer even modest proposals to provide some relief to our suicidal troops, they are undercutting our leaders.

Mr. Noriega is not the right man for Texas. In Mr. Noriega’s campaign email, he derided current Texas Sen. John Cornyn for voting against a bill requiring the military to keep soldiers on leave longer. Sen. Cornyn thinks that should be a military decision.

It's ironic that the gist of the LST post is to excoriate a fan of Noriega's for overstepping the line and insulting the family of a deceased military serviceman. Yet this post is insulting to our servicemen and women on so many levels.

The writer ends with a plug for Cornyn, who never served a day of military service, for standing up for American values, like torture.

Also in Mr. Noriega’s email, he lashed out at Sen. Cornyn for voting against a bill banning the use of torture on terrorists detained in the field. Sen. Cornyn recognizes that putting women’s underwear on the heads of terrorists isn’t life threatening.

Frankly, I'd be willing to forgo the call for an apology to Noriega, if Cornyn would personally put that theory to the test.

introducing rick noriega

It's an exciting time to be a Texas Democrat. 2008 could be the year that we finally turn Texas blue. An entire slate of candidates is ready to make that happen, and that's why they are vying for a spot on the ballot by campaigning in the Democratic primary.

One such candidate is Rick Noriega. Lt. Col. Noriega is running against Mikal Watts, Emil Reichstadt, and anyone else that throws their name in the race between now and the deadline, in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate race. Isn't it nice to have some choices?

Noriega seems ready to take on John "Box Turtle" Cornyn. Here's a recent television ad from the Noriega campaign. Let us know what you think. Is he your candidate?