Texas GOP opposes critical thinking

Proudly ignorant?

One of our eagle-eyed readers emailed us to point out this unbelievable passage in the RPT 2012 platform, as adopted at their recent statewide conference.

"Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority."

What this really means is that the GOP is doubling down on learn-by-rote fact recitation – of the kind spearheaded by the worst of the pro-testing advocates, and locally by IDEA Public Schools, which has committed to the anti-analytical direct learning model (aka "press button A, B or C.")

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Supreme Court hears Texas redistricting case; minority representation & maybe Voting Rights Act at stake

We're coming into court season, and the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to change the world on a number of fronts, or at least try. (I'll have more about the whole court problem shortly — it's not just the Supreme Court that's at issue.)

One case before the Court this season involves the redistricting map for (ready?) Texas. You can guess what happened: The population grew by a lot; most of that growth was Hispanic; Republicans own the legislature; the legislature has a map; and Washington has a Voting Rights Act.

It's a sure-fire party mix. Here's Slate's Dahlia Lithwick with the details (my emphasis and paragraphing):

The good folks of Texas have an election looming. Specifically, on April 4 (already pushed back from March 6) they are meant to go to the polls to vote in a primary. That’s problematic because they currently have no districting maps.

Or, to be more precise, they currently have three. They have the map that was used 10 years ago, before the population expanded by 4.3 million voters (of whom 65 percent are Hispanic), thus requiring that legislative lines be redrawn to reflect that minority voting will not be diluted under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. (That will mean four more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.)

Then we have the redistricting map drawn by the GOP-dominated Texas legislature, which is also obsolete, because under Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, states with a history of discrimination in voting must be “precleared” by either the U.S. Justice Department or a federal court in Washington, D.C., before any election-related modifications can be put into place. A federal court in Washington is set to decide whether the Texas redistricting plan will be precleared, but possibly seconds before the April primary.

Enter the third set of maps, cooked up by a federal court in Texas—in part at the behest of the federal court in D.C., and several minority groups who say the new maps drawn up by the legislature in no way reflect the minority growth in the state. The Texas court thus drew up a set of “interim maps” to get Texas through this election crisis.

One might think that with two federal courts working off three sets of maps, over two dueling sections of the Voting Rights Act, all on a ticking deadline, the worst possible decision would be for yet another court to step in.

One would be mistaken. And so last December the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the interim maps and agreed to hear a challenge from Texas Republicans who don’t think the Texas courts were sufficiently deferential to the Texas legislatures’ maps in drawing up the new maps. The whole heap of it was argued this afternoon [January 9] at 1 p.m., and by the time the lawyers sat down at 2:20, it was clear that the justices had done little more than get us 80 minutes closer to an April deadline without much hope of solving the problem, much less solving it yesterday.

Got that? Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act requires that minority voting not be diluted. Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act requires that states with a history of voting discrimination have their redistricting maps precleared in Washington. Those precleared maps may not be available in time for the election (and in fact, may not be cleared, given the propensities of Texas Republicans).

Which brings us to the actual problem for Republicans — the existence of a "voting rights act." The state of Texas is arguing that the legislature's map be given automatic "deference," something that Justice Sotomayor says would amount to "turning Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act on its head."

As you can see, there are clearly two targets here. One is the redistricting map. Will Texas Republicans successfully blunt the voting power of almost 3 million Hispanics for the next decade?

The other target is the Voting Rights Act itself, especially Section 5. From Lithwick's report:

Justice Anthony Kennedy says, in a manner likely to strike terror into the hearts of anyone who thinks this case will spell the death of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, “Isn’t it odd that this is a Section 2 suit but Section 5 seems to be driving it?” In case you’re wondering whether he thinks it’s unfair that the states with a history of racial discrimination bear extra burdens under Section 5, he then adds, “Texas is at a tremendous disadvantage here!”

Will the nakedly partisan Republicans on the Supreme Court (which chose this case on its own, remember) find a way to achieve either or both of these goals?

It will be a hard slog no matter what they do — three maps (none of which passes full legal muster); three courts (Supreme Court, a D.C. district court and its preclearing decision, a Texas lower court with its interim map); and a very tight deadline.

It's not certain the Gang of Five will succeed; but they're sure putting on a wonderful show of trying. A good clear article, and a good case to keep an eye on. (Additional analysis here if you're so inclined.)

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Texas Gov. Rick Perry considers 2012 presidential run

Does the welfare mama really think he has a chance? The GOP already has the guy who created Obama-care at the state level in Massachusetts running, so why not? Go figure.

"I'm going to think about it," the Texas governor told reporters at a bill signing in Austin today, per the Austin American Statesman. "But," he added, "I think about a lot of things."

NOTE FROM JOHN: It's hard to imagine Rick Perry being a serious candidate for the GOP nomination. There have been serious rumors for years about Perry's sexual orientation, and in today's hardline GOP even the rumor of being gay would pretty much nix getting the nomination. Read the rest of this post...

Texas chops $34 million from Forest Service during wildfire problem

Much like the fake outrage about the Obama Administration's stimulus plan that was used to fun most of the Texas budget last year, the outrage over the Obama administration's assistance to Texas has also been fake. The administration has sent a considerable amount of assistance to Texas on numerous occasions. Now we find that Texas is chopping the budget for the team most in need during the wildfire outbreak. It is a state where the GOP owns all branches of the government so there are no excuses. ThinkProgress has more on the exaggerations and lies deep in the heart of Texas by the governor. Read the rest of this post...

Texas moves to ban TSA "groping"

As long as it includes the rent-a-TSA (that the GOP loves so much) this is good. It's still unclear why the GOP thinks that rent-a-TSA solves the TSA problems, because it doesn't since they still follow the same procedures as the TSA. Reuters:

Transportation Security Administration agents could be charged with a misdemeanor crime, face a $4,000 fine and one year in jail under the measure.

The proposal would classify any airport inspection that "touches the anus, sexual organ, buttocks, or breast of another person including through the clothing, or touches the other person in a manner that would be offensive to a reasonable person" as an offense of sexual harassment under official oppression.

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Texas gov. again whines about federal aid

He's going to have to decide whether he believes in the need for federal taxes or not. One day Perry is for Texas leaving the union and the next he's complaining about not receiving enough federal tax dollars. People like this can never see any legitimate issues when others need financial assistance but when it's them, suddenly the money should be easy to round up. During the stimulus debate Perry couldn't stop bashing it, yet that money covered 97% of state deficit.

Pick a position and stick with it, Rick.

Perry protested what he views as a lack of response from President Obama 13 days after his request for emergency funds, though federal agencies such as the National Park Service have supplied firefighters to support the state.

"There is a point in time where you say, hey, what's going on here. You have to ask why are you taking care of Alabama and other states? I know our letter didn't get lost in the mail."

But an administration official with knowledge of federal assistance provided to Texas tells CNN the state has been already been allocated 16 fire management assistance grants that provide financial support for the specific purpose of fighting fires. Texas has been approved to receive six more grants of this kind to aid state and local governments with firefighting efforts that include equipment, field camps, mobilizing and demobilizing activities. The most recent fire management grant was approved Wednesday.

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Texas House approves tax cuts for yachts over $250,000

It's especially curious since most of those yachts are now built in China. Why do Texas Republicans want to encourage new business in China as opposed to in the USA? Obviously they hate America.

The Texas House Ways and Means Committee has approved a tax break for those who want to buy yachts costing $250,000 or more.

In a vote late Thursday, the committee approved a bill by Houston Republican Rep. John Davis. The proposed law would cap the maximum sales tax the state would collect on the sale of a personal boat.

Davis says the measure is needed because Florida has a similar law and boat buyers are going there to make their purchases. The measure passed on an 8-3 vote along party lines.

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Anti-govt, anti-tax, anti-stimulus Texas governor now begging for federal funds

So the same person who complained about the stimulus yet kept his state afloat because of the stimulus money is now asking for federal tax dollars to help with wildfires. If Perry had his way, there would be even fewer federal tax dollars. Where does he think this money is going to come from? It always seems to be the states that complain the most about taxes who are always grumbling for more tax dollars. It's not that their requests are unreasonable, but when they make it their mission to attack the system and then come forward with hands out, then there's a big issue. What a complete fraud.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry sought additional federal help in battling wildfires across his drought-parched state as a woodland blaze gutted at least six homes on Sunday and threatened hundreds more in Austin, the state capital.

An estimated 1.5 million acres of tinder-like brush and grasslands have gone up in flames in Texas since January 1, about half of that during the past week alone under some of the driest conditions in Texas history.

Some 220 homes in all have been lost, according to a letter released on Sunday from Perry to President Barack Obama requesting a federal disaster declaration.

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GOP's Texas budget cuts may cost 600,000 jobs

If only Texas could promote extreme right Christian ideas to distract voters from their failure to deliver jobs. Sorry guys but you've already played that hand for years. Now that the stimulus money is gone, there's nobody left to blame except the GOP clowns who own the economic problems. CNNMoney:

Texas could see more than 600,000 jobs disappear if lawmakers adopt the $83.8 billion budget that will go before the state House late next week, according to a state agency.

Harsh spending cuts in the budget could cost more than 263,500 private sector jobs and 343,000 government positions over the next two years, according to estimates released Wednesday by the Legislative Budget Board, a bipartisan committee.

This projection, which is based on mathematical calculations, runs counter to the pro-job push underway by Gov. Rick Perry and Republican lawmakers.

You think? Read the rest of this post...

Elderly and gun owners exempt from Texas voter ID law

Next up, all Republicans are exempt from Texas voter ID. It's already more than half way there. It's possible that some Democrats were trying to help elderly voters who may not have a photo ID but senior citizens in Texas heavily break for the GOP during the elections. Slate:

I'll stress it again: These were bipartisan changes to the law. They are also going to help Republican voters. In 2008, a decent year for Texas Democrats but the last one for which exit polls are available, John McCain beat Barack Obama by 34 points among voters who were 65 and older; McCain had only won statewide by 10 points. We don't have a clean poll like this that tells us how gun owners voted in 2008, but the data is clear; gun owners favor Republicans.

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GOP assault on teachers continues - Texas $9bn short

How does the GOP think the US is going to recover and compete globally with these attacks? In many cases, the costs will be pushed from the state level to the local level so wealthier areas will find a way to fund schools. (Yes, that means higher taxes but the state people can still claim that they didn't raise taxes.) For students living in lower income areas, they will be economically punished. The Republicans ran on right wing agendas but they never said it would be this extreme. The far right, radical agenda is likely to stir Democratic voters in 2012. The big problem though is that the Democrats are still afraid to confront this extremism and shift the country back to the center. How inspiring is it to vote for "we stink but the other team is worse?"

Robert Scott, Perry’s appointed education commissioner, has said he needs at least $6 billion more than legislative leaders have proposed just to keep the schools functioning.

On this weekend’s rally, Perry added, “I welcome folks to come to Austin and be engaged in the process. But I also remind them that Austin, Texas, particularly when we’re talking about schools, is not the be-all, end-all from the standpoint of decision-making.”

Lawmakers have proposed budgets that would leave schools more than $9 billion short of the money they need to fulfill current law. Many school districts have looked first to reductions in their administrative and nonteaching force before cutting teachers.

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Texas may let kids brings guns to class - what do you mean I didn't get an A?

How could anything possibly go wrong with this?

Texas is preparing to give college students and professors the right to carry guns on campus, adding momentum to a national campaign to open this part of society to firearms.

More than half the members of the Texas House have signed on as co-authors of a measure directing universities to allow concealed handguns. The Senate passed a similar bill in 2009 and is expected to do so again. Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who sometimes packs a pistol when he jogs, has said he's in favor of the idea.

Texas has become a prime battleground for the issue because of its gun culture and its size, with 38 public universities and more than 500,000 students. It would become the second state, following Utah, to pass such a broad-based law. Colorado gives colleges the option and several have allowed handguns.

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Texas drives Amazon out of state over dispute

While Texas may have some merit in its dispute, driving an existing facility out of state and losing the chance to add another 1,000 jobs during one of their worst economic periods may not help with the "Texas Miracle" storyline that is rapidly crumbling. Again, Amazon has had the same legal issue elsewhere but something tells me the Democrats would be crucified by the GOP if the tables were turned.

Rick Perry, destroyer of jobs.

Amazon.com Inc., the world’s largest online retailer, said it will close a Texas distribution facility on April 12 because of a tax dispute.

“Despite much hard work and the support of other Texas officials, we’ve been unable to come to a resolution with the Texas comptroller’s office,” the Seattle-based company said today in an e-mailed statement.

Amazon received a request from Texas last year for $269 million in uncollected sales tax, with the state contending that since Amazon has a facility in Texas, it should be collecting such taxes for online purchases. Amazon has been involved in similar battles in states including New York and North Carolina.

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Faced with $27 billion budget deficit, Gov. Perry focuses on abortion, anti-immigration and voter ID

He sounds a lot like the House GOP leadership. Ignore the real issues and go for the social issues that are only divisive and have nothing to do with getting people back to work. Perry is clueless.

The state ranks last in the country in percentage of adults with a high school diploma and first in the share of the population without health insurance.

"Governor Perry has been waking up in a very different reality than most citizens of Texas," State Senator Wendy Davis, a Fort Worth Democrat, said at a press conference. "Their reality is becoming starker by the day."

The governor also called on state lawmakers to quickly approve a list of "emergency" proposals. These include implementing stricter voter identification requirements, requiring women seeking an abortion to first view a sonogram, targeting cities that provide sanctuary to undocumented immigrants, strengthening the rights of property owners in cases of eminent domain and calling for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Republicans in Ohio are following a similar path with an urgent focus on abortion. Yes, the employment and economic problems are all solved now that abortion is at the top of the list. Read the rest of this post...

'Texas Miracle' looks worse by the day

Maybe, just maybe, the exodus from California to Texas didn't really happen the way Governor Perry said. Was it cheap labor and cheap land plus high oil prices that created the illusion of prosperity? Whatever it was, Texas is not and was not the "miracle" that the Republicans bragged about. People like Perry loved taking shots at California during their troubles, so now he will have the opportunity to have the favor returned. The real tragedy here is that the already suffering poor in Texas are going to be walloped by the Republicans. That's what they always do. LA Times:

Even Perry's claims of companies that have decamped from California to lay down roots in Texas appear to be overblown. When the Austin American-Statesman looked into the Texas governor's boast that there were 153 such companies in 2010, reporters found the claim included California firms that stayed put but maybe opened a Texas branch. The newspaper concluded that Perry's figure was grossly inflated.

Perry's staff said the governor was too busy to be interviewed in Austin last week. Media reports later revealed that he was on a five-day trip through California, which involved trying to coax companies east. His spokesman refused to name the companies.

The state's dogged determination to not tinker with its tax system or lean on business in other ways is certain to win points with some executives. But some Texans question whether business leaders will tolerate the resulting deterioration of public infrastructure, particularly in the education system.

So when are we going to see a 60 Minutes episode on the Texas Miracle? They slobbered all over Chris Christie yet somehow keep ignoring Texas. Read the rest of this post...

Governor Perry to slash child services spending as Texas child poverty hits 24%

That's what they call "compassionate conservatism." Read the rest of this post...

Texas GOP Governor Perry used stimulus money to cover 97% of state deficit

Typical Republican hypocrite. As you might have guessed, Perry had complained about the stimulus being a waste of money.

Perry also likes to trumpet that his state balanced its budget in 2009, while keeping billions in its rainy day fund.

But he couldn't have done that without a lot of help from ... guess where? Washington.

Turns out Texas was the state that depended the most on those very stimulus funds to plug nearly 97% of its shortfall for fiscal 2010, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

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Texas chops nearly $14 billion from budget

Only $13 billion more to cut until they reach the $27 billion mark. What's going to be left of the education system by the time the Republicans are finished their chopping?

About $13.7 billion would be cut from the next Texas budget, affecting schools, health care and almost every state agency, according to a draft sent late Tuesday to lawmakers and leaders.

Public schools would have their funding cut by $5 billion under the budget draft, while Texas colleges and universities would see a $771.6 million reduction.

The draft also calls for cutting $2.3 billion in state general revenue funds from Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and other health and human services. The Texas Historical Commission would see its funding drop by almost 80 percent.

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Texas Republicans: What $27 billion deficit?

Facts can be so overrated sometimes. The previous reports were obviously all wrong and the politicians are correct. Let's take a guess and see who is going to get clobbered (again) by GOP budget cuts.

That is no comfort to Texas state agencies, or those who depend on them for employment or services. The state comptroller says Pitts has $72.2 billion in state money to spend, which is about $15 billion less than he had when he drafted the last budget in 2009.

These agencies generally expect the same amount of money every two years. If they are lucky, they get a slight boost to make up for inflation and increases in the population. They don’t have the luxury of starting from a blank slate every two years the way state lawmakers do. Outsiders say the last budget was already bare bones, and these cuts will be devastating.

"Texas is short $27 billion to keep doing what we’re doing," said F. Scott McCown, the executive director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, an organization that advocates for the poor. "If you won’t want to educate all of our kids, if you don’t want to provide financial aid to worthy students in higher education, if you don’t want to meet the critical needs of Texas families struggling to deal with the recession, then we’re not short $27 billion."

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Texas deficit may be even worse than previously believed

Well, they do say everything in Texas is bigger. It looks like that also includes financial problems. Let's see how Governor Perry tax-cuts his way to even with this.

Texas is expected to collect $72.2 billion in taxes, fees and other general revenue during the 2012-13 budget, down from the $87 billion used in the current two-year budget, Comptroller Susan Combs announced Monday.

That puts the shortfall at $27 billion given that maintaining services would run $99 billion for biennium.

Collections for the current budget will come in $4.3 billion less than budgeted.

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