Daily Archives: 07/20/2008

(Community Matters) How clever of Michael Barnes. While on vacation in Montana, he’s slowly unveiling this year’s annual Fortunate 500. No doubt previously written and saved in draft form, easily converted to publish from the road. Nina Seely & Andy Roddick leading the Style & Sports lists. Fortunate 500

(Community Matters) Fannie/Freddie in the Economist here

(Community Matters) Lots of discussions on the opportunity to Paint Texas Blue. Folks 40 and over seem to think we have, at best, a shot of winning the 5 seats necessary to turn the Texas House Democratic. The 20- & 30- something political entrepreneurs (Steven likens them to artists) believe we can do that and win Texas for Obama.

I’m told there are over 1,500,000 unregistered voters in Texas – two-thirds Hispanic and most of the others Black (the majority African American). By far the majority of these are in Harris County, evidently a Texas county completely out of control. Republicans have had Harris County locked up for several years. Electeds and political professionals recount how Tax Assessor-Collector, Paul Bettencourt (R), effectively suppresses minority votes by taking names off the rolls for simple address changes. reducing the hours of early voting and indiscrimantely challenging black and brown voters at the ballot boxes. Plenty of coverage on R scandals in the county – including shamed district attorney Chuck Rosenthal. There’s a real opportunity to turn Harris County blue. Dallas went blue the last election cycle.

This year’s Democratic presidential primary engaged unlikely voters as no other. If we build on this momentum and motivate voters to pull the “D” lever when they vote for Obama, we might just celebrate Texas as a blue state come Nov. 4th.

(Community Matters) Maybe not but there’s a lot there

Shawn Kiehne (aka El Gringo) photo NYT

The New Mexico native has a love for Mexican music and the Mexican people, and he’s not afraid to say so publicly nor to criticize 43’s ridiculous immigration control policies (which was one area where 43 stood tall until caving to unfounded fears wing nut fears). NYTimes article here

(Community Matters) Obama, even if he won with 100% of the vote, he wouldn’t be able to pass a single law. – Mario

(Community Matters) You gotta love Dana for worrying about this for the rest of us. here