Veterans Issues: Edwards Stays in Congress, Duckworth Possible VA Secretary

by: liberaltexan

Mon Nov 17, 2008 at 06:55 PM CST

From Press Release:

This Week in Politics: Transitional Period Begins

by: liberaltexan

Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 03:40 PM CST

President Elect Barack Obama has begun to choose is White House staff, and his first selection was Rahm Emanuel for White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel is a Congressman from Illinois's 5th congressional district, and was the Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2006 midterm elections. According to Politico.com the selection "was a powerful signal of Obama's determination to be effective under the existing rules of the Washington game." While John Nichols of the Nation described the selection of Emanuel as "best understood as a disappointing choice rather than a definitional selection." Jacob Weisberg of Slate described Emanuel in 1996 as "the [Clinton] administration's most diabolically effective tactician."  While Noam Scheiber of the New Republic made a case for Emanuel because no one else had the "combination of policy chops, Hill knowledge, and the understanding of how to mobilize voters that he'll need to pass major initiatives like healthcare reform."

What Rahm Emanuel symbolizes is that while we can expect an Obama Administration to be bi-partisan, we can also expect to see the administration aggressively perusing Obama's agenda. The role of the Chief of Staff is to execute the President's agenda, and no one has argued that Emanuel will not be able to execute with proficiency. There have been those that have characterized Emanuel as a partisan, and there have been those that have characterized him as moderate. However, it does not matter, what matters is whether or not he will be able to execute what it is a President Obama will ask him to do. Barack Obama ran one of the most discipline campaigns that have been seen in politics, and the appointment of Emanuel symbolizes that an Obama White House will be just as disciplined.  

Death Penalty: Why I Stand in Opposition

by: liberaltexan

Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 07:46 PM CST

Standing in opposition to the death penalty is not a position that I have come too lightly, and it is not a position that I have come to without considering the fact that in opposing the death penalty I am defending the rights worst of humanity. However, it is necessary to defend the rights of everyone, even those among us who we have little compassion or empathy for. In fact many times it is those people who need their rights defended the most.

It is not that I do not want people to pay for their crimes; I most certainly want criminals who commit heinous crimes to feel the full brunt of the law. However, I do not believe that putting someone to death is an acceptable form of punishment in a civilized society. Mohandas Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

Yes we can, begins today.

by: liberaltexan

Wed Nov 05, 2008 at 04:42 PM CST

However, after the excitement of the moment has faded and after we have enjoyed this moment just for a while, we must all remember that there is much more to be done. Last night I was surrounded by friends, connected throughout the nation and the world through the pictures that we were all watching, and I heard those words being said, "Yes we can." Those words then turned into "Yes we did." I hope that we all remember that the sweet victory that we have experience should only sharpen are focus that there is much more to be done on the horizon. Our mantra has not changed. We must all now validate our accomplishment with the change that we seek.  

Election Day: Finding the Vote

by: liberaltexan

Tue Nov 04, 2008 at 02:15 PM CST

There are a plethora of campaign signs, but the surprising thing is that even in a country as historically red as Brazos there are still a significant number of Obama signs. At polling places there are also campaign workers working to change minds, and those are the people that can help make the difference. That last contact and last campaign sign that voters see can make the difference.

There will be more Election Day coverage as the day goes on...

Political and social thought...
To the Left of College Station

Young Conservatives of Texas: Politics of the Lowest Common Denominator, Again…

by: liberaltexan

Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 06:32 PM CDT

The Anti-Obama "carnival" took place on the Texas A&M campus in Rudder Plaza, and according to the KBTX report the YCT "encouraged students to throw eggs at a large picture of Barack Obama during a campus demonstration. It was part of what the group called an "anti-Obama carnival. Conservatives said the egg toss was symbolic of Obama's economic policies."

In an interview with KBTX Jay Cunningham, the Executive Director of the YCT, characterized the event as a "great success." Cunningham also said that YCT wanted to bring up issues that they believe Obama supports such as "redistribution of wealth."

Texas A&M University released the following statement:

The Power of Positive Thinking: McIntuff's Take on the Numbers

by: liberaltexan

Wed Oct 29, 2008 at 07:32 PM CDT

This morning on MSNBC McInturff pushed the idea that the majority of undecided voters, which is between four and eight percent, will break for McCain.  

Veterans Issues: How John McCain "Thanks" Veterans…

by: liberaltexan

Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 07:42 PM CDT

Veteran Bloggers: The Case Against Senator John McCain

by: liberaltexan

Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 05:47 PM CDT

Senator John Cornyn Doesn't Support Our Vets

by: liberaltexan

Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 07:47 PM CDT

Live Blogging the Debate

by: liberaltexan

Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 05:50 PM CDT

For more information about Presidential debates visit the Commission on Presidential Debates.  

Veterans Issues: Why Rob Curnock Has Nothing on Chet Edwards

by: liberaltexan

Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 08:59 PM CDT

As a veteran I can say this will complete authority: when it comes to veterans issues Rob Curnock has nothing on Chet Edwards.

Congressman Edwards has a distinguished voting record on veterans' issues. In 2006 Edwards received voting rankings from the Disabled American Veterans of 100%, the Retired Enlisted Association of 86%, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Edwards a grade of A-. In fact Edwards has received a perfect vote ranking from the Disabled American Veterans for the last three years. As the Chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee Edwards increased veterans' health care funding to $11.8 billion and because of his seniority in Congress is able to be a strong voice for veterans.

Young Conservatives of Texas: Politics of the Lowest Common Denominator

by: liberaltexan

Mon Oct 13, 2008 at 09:01 PM CDT

Congressman Chet Edwards was there, and so was his opponent Rob Curnock. Other Democrats that where there included Mark Thompson, who is a candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner, and Susan Strawn, who is a candidate for Judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; Representative Rick Noriega, who is a candidate for Senator, and District Attorney Bill Turner both had representatives there. There was also several other Republican candidates for office represented.

The purpose of the event was to simple give a forum for students to interact with the candidates and ask them questions; and throughout the afternoon all the candidates where available to students and fielded questions and listened to concerns.

The Young Conservative of Texas (YCT) took advantage of the forum, the point of which was for candidates and politicians to interact with the students, to ambush Congressman Edwards.

Rob Curnock: When You're That Far Right, Everyone is to Your Left

by: liberaltexan

Thu Oct 09, 2008 at 07:38 PM CDT

Rob Curnock spoke to a small group of students on a college campus on Wednesday afternoon, and talked for almost an hour without actually saying anything.

Curnock said that Congressman Edwards has "San Francisco values" and is one of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's "top boys in Washington." Curnock spent a significant amount of time attempting to paint Edwards as a far left liberal, but the truth is that Edwards is only liberal when compared to a far right conservative like Curnock.  

Debate Preview: Obama and McCain

by: liberaltexan

Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 07:01 PM CDT