Monthly Archives: November 2008

(Community Matters) Steven and I had dinner with KaosPilot CEO, Chister Lidzelius last night at Julio’s. KaosPilot is an entrepreneurial business program in Denmark focusing on sustainability, diversity and social innovation. Steven’s a huge fan and has taught there. Obvious they are big fans of each other.

A a terrific school with innovative teaching methods and very cool social entrepreneurial projects, which of course I love. More on them here

(Community Matters) Well, I do worry that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Nevertheless, it does look to me as if we’re likely to have 59 Senate seats with Al Franken winning Minnesota here.

So that would leave Georgia’s senate runoff between Republican Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin.

hmm, was going to stay out of this because not sure 60 seats in D’s long term interest. However, here’s information on Chambliss’ Senate voting:

• Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP. (Mar 2008)
• Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
• Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
• Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
• Voted YES on funding for health providers who don’t provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
• Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
• Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
• Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance. (Dec 2006)

• Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)
• Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC. (Jul 1999)
• Rated 7% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
• Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
• Rated 11% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)
• Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage. (Jun 2008)

• Voted NO on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore. (Mar 2005)
• Voted YES on reforming bankruptcy to include means-testing & restrictions. (Mar 2005)
• Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)
• Supports requiring schools to allow prayer. (Jan 2001)
• Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer. (May 1997)

• Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jun 2007)
• Voted NO on factoring global warming into federal project planning. (May 2007)
• Voted NO on $3.1B for emergency oil assistance for hurricane-hit areas. (Oct 2005)
• Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record. (Dec 2003)
• Voted NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity. (Mar 2006)
• Voted NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility. (Nov 2007)

(Community Matters) Last of a breed. May he rest in peace. here

(Community Matters) GOP dirty trickster comes clean and regrets helping Bush get elected. Could be the start of a national healing process if others will apologize too. here

(Community Matters) Had the most baffling breakfast meeting this morning. Met with a group representing an East Austin neighborhood. Here’s a group advocating for philanthropic funding, and one of the four neighborhood advocates – the one who doesn’t even live in the neighborhood – proceeded to malign my friends (major Austin philanthropists), insult me and my involvement in this project, and express frustration that we weren’t funding his organization.

Good thing he left the meeting early. The other three advocates more level-headed and appropriately ambitioned, intent on helping the targeted population rather than any other objective.

Moral of this story for anyone trying to enlist my assistance in fundraising, not helpful to speak ill (especially untruthfully) of my friends, insult me and place your organization’s ambitions top of the list. And, frankly, organizations with leadership so developmentally challenged and entitlement-oriented are not likely to gain my support – really calls into question their choices on leadership. The neighborhood, that’s another story. Still love it. Still interested in helping.

(Community Matters) Can’t believe I’ll miss the East Austin Studio Tour but Steven and I are headed to Houston to see Bob Clyman’s Secret Order at the Alley.

Edward G. Vormann

This tour of East Austin galleries is one of my favorite events each year – over 200 artists at over 150 galleries this year. I highly recommend it.

(Community Matters) It was striking to hear today on NPR that FDR legislatively accomplished his New Deal with only 80ish Republicans in the House and 16 or 18 in the Senate. Gives pause to the range of options for Obama.

(Community Matters) Always a blast to start off a day with Amy Rudy and Liz Watson – as I try to do three days a week, but usually only two. Amy & I take pilates from Liz on Mon, Wed and Fridays.

EF staff – outstanding. Staff retreat at my house today. Turning an approved strategic plan into a working plan with specific measureable deliverables isn’t always easy but we got it done. Plus, plenty of due diligence on a potential new business model, increasing earned income opportunities to at least 1/3 of our operating budget. All while still raising over $1.3mm for other nonprofits, organizing at least 10,000 volunteer hours and facilitating leadership projects bringing together business and social entrepreneurs.

DLA Piper – their annual holiday season event at a very cool place downtown, the Tap Room. Who wasn’t there? Saw so many including Kim Hughes, Tom Ball, Lori Hawkins, David Lack, Tony Plohetski, Bill Bock, Paul Hurdlow, Elisabeth Anderson (just back from maternity leave and looking fantastic), Thom Singer, Custis Hoge, John Gilully, Tommy Daevenport and many, many others.

Barbara Wohlgemuth, she’s back from Cape Cod and we met for dinner to remember Kay Longcope’s on what would have been her 71st birthday. So good to have Barbara back in town.

Still Fountains, stopped in for the run through of Highway Home – they’d just finished Them. Good gosh, can’t believe how far it has come and great seeing the set under construction.

(Community Matters) I don’t defend illegal immigration, and it’s a reality we must deal with. Extraordinary numbers of employers – especially in the construction business – depend on them. Aren’t those tax dollars paying all the road crews I pass by every day?

If Rick Perry, David Dewhurst & Tom Craddick – empowered by the likes of Bob Perry, James Leininger, UT regent types and their brood of GWBush enablers – continue on their anti-immigrant quest (thank god regular vehicle check points were withdrawn), you’ll see Texas go permanently blue a lot sooner than 2016.

(Community Matters) Sure, let’s try to make this administration’s impact on our country permanent. here

(Community Matters) I joined Professor Ostrower’s class in the school of fine arts today. It’s a class on philanthropy in the arts and the students had made grant decisions and were presenting. I picked, poked, prodded and offered observations – and since I’m almost 50, couldn’t resist telling stories. Nice being back in the classroom.

(Community Matters) Breakfast this morning with AISD board chair, Mark Williams. Can’t believe we didn’t already know each other. Tons of friends in common. He’s a smart & charismatic guy. We’re lucky he serves. Should bump up after this.