Tommy Williams' Sham Transportation "Hearing"

With transportation funding legislation having now failed three times this year (during the general session and two special sessions), one might think the 83rd Texas Legislature would solicit greater citizen input during their FOURTH attempt.

Nope.

According to the Texas Tribune:

After Dewhurst referred the bills to the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate recessed so the committee could briefly meet at the desk of Senate Finance Chairman Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands. In less than 3 minutes, the committee held a hearing on both bills. Nichols briefly explained both measures and Williams, surrounded by a small, standing group of Senators, legislative staffers and reporters, asked if there was any "public testimony." There was not. The committee then voted both bills to the Senate floor 10-1, with state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, voting no. [Emphasis ours]

 In other words, even after this transportation nonsense has failed three times, Republicans in the Texas Legislature are still trying to force it through without outside input; kudos to Senator Patrick for voting against this insult to the public.

Agenda 21 and Rising Cost of Living

This morning, we read this piece from Stanley Kurtz:

A year ago, I published Spreading the Wealth: How Obama Is Robbing the Suburbs to Pay for the Cities. There I described the president’s second-term plan to press a transformative “regionalist” agenda on the country. Early but unmistakable signs indicate that Obama’s regionalist push is well underway.

....

The new HUD rule is really about changing the way Americans live. It is part of a broader suite of initiatives designed to block suburban development, press Americans into hyper-dense cities, and force us out of our cars. Government-mandated ethnic and racial diversification plays a role in this scheme, yet the broader goal is forced “economic integration.” The ultimate vision is to make all neighborhoods more or less alike, turning traditional cities into ultra-dense Manhattans, while making suburbs look more like cities do now. In this centrally-planned utopia, steadily increasing numbers will live cheek-by-jowl in “stack and pack” high-rises close to public transportation, while automobiles fall into relative disuse.

....

[discussing one such example in the San Francisco Bay Area]

In effect, by preventing the development of new suburbs, and reducing traditional single-family home development in existing suburbs, Plan Bay Area will squeeze 30 years worth of in-migrating population into a few small urban enclaves, and force most new businesses into the same tight quarters. The result will be a steep increase in the Bay Area’s already out-of-control housing prices. This will hit the poor and middle class the hardest. [emphasis ours]

 This got us thinking about some of our recent efforts locally and at the state level.  One common denominator all this crap shares is that the policies we're fighting increase cost of living.  That's true whether the proposed policies emanate from your local city council, Washington, or the United Nations.

And that's how you fight it.  Americans are too apathetic to learn about some obscure policy coming out of the U.N.  But if you tell them "project 'x' is going to cost you $300 per year, project 'y' is going to cost you $500, and project 'z' is going to cost you $200" then they'll care about that tangible $1000.

Cost of living is a tangible mechanism to fight land-use central planning, whether the central planners are your local city council, the United Nations, or anyone in between.

Josh Charles: On Righteous vs. Evil Money

"Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,But a just weight is His delight."
 Proverbs 11:1

 A fantastic (if verbose) piece from Josh Charles on the Biblical Origins of Sound Money:

The subject of money is far too vast to cover in one blog post, and certainly so when the goal is to expand on principles found both in the Bible, and the writings of the American Founders.  But this Proverb, far from teaching us about long-lost ancient methods of money counting is in fact teaching us about a fundamental principle of money in general, and one which in the 21st century world we have completely forgotten, and which doesn’t even play a role in our banking system any longer: money has an objective value, not the value one man or a small group of men arbitrarily places on it.  In other words, it has an “objective” value because the society, or the market, have agreed on a set value for a set denomination of coin.  In the early days of the United States, this was accomplished by defining a “dollar” as a set amount of gold or silver, an amount that did not change, and which, if altered, could legally result in the death penalty.  So objective money has a value that is the same today as yesterday, and tomorrow it will be the same as today.  “But God never said an ounce of gold was worth a certain amount of money?”  You are correct, but He did say that the concept of money is something which, when put in the “scales” could be measured in truth and justice.  In other words, the God of this universe has said He loves honest money, and money can only be honest when its value is known, accepted, and not secretly altered for private gain.  Honest money, at the end of the day, is inseparable from honest labor, honest business, and an honest society.

So in the ancient days, what would people do with this money and the scales used to measure it to make them “false”?  Well, many things, but for our purposes, I will highlight the two most important ones.  First, the person having his coins weighed could do what is called “coin-clipping,” by which he would clip just a small portion of the coins off (meant to be imperceptible to the one weighing the coins), and then take all the clippings, melt them down, and have “more” of the precious metal.  In other words, it would be like someone hopping on their computer, and printing more dollar bills without anyone ever knowing.  The officials of the Roman Empire famously did this in order to “add” to the treasury of Rome (although the people eventually caught on to their schemes, and the economic results were disastrous).  While it no longer matters (because our coins are no longer made of precious metals as they used to be), you will notice a series of ridges on the edge of our coins.  These ridges were put in place to avoid coin-clipping, so that if the coin was clipped, it would be immediately obvious.  Second, the person who had the scale could alter it in such a way as to make the supposed weight of the coins in question less than they in fact were, thus increasing the amount of coins that the person needed to give him (to enrich himself, or the government on behalf of whom he was collecting the coins).  Is any of this beginning to sound familiar?

....

This turn of events is not only a lie, but it is a spit in the face of justice, for more than any other, it deprives by ever encroaching degrees, and with ever increasing ferocity, the working man and woman’s ability to earn an honest and secure living for their families.  Those who have the least recourse for their financial woes are those who are most at the mercy of such a corrupt system.  We as Christians need to know what God’s Word says on this subject, and we as Americans need to know what our Founders said about it as well.

 Read the whole thing here.

Blue Dot Blues: Austin vs. Texas

Blue Dot Blues has a great piece on the symbiotic cultural relationship between Austin and the rest of Texas:

Conservative Texans outside Austin have this reaction to Austin conservatives – “Really?  You must have your work cut out for you.”  And when they see an Austinite with tattoos and piercings and dyed hair, outsiders shake their heads and lament about Austin’s weirdness.  It’s more or less the opposite reaction that liberals outside Texas have.  And you know what, both sides are wrong about Austin, because both sides assume that Austin is politically and culturally radical and “different” from the rest of Texas.  After seven years here, and nearly twenty as a Texan, I think the reality is that Austin couldn’t exist anywhere but Texas.  It is left-leaning and it is less a melting pot than a chunky stew, but it’s essentially Texan, a place where cowboy boots coexist with flip-flops, where country music is as hardcore as rock (and Austin is more of a country music city than Dallas or Houston these days). It is really hard to quantify, what “Texan” is, when trying to explain it to people who haven’t experienced it.

Austin has a reputation, prides itself on, being “weird,” and it’s a reputation earned long before hippies took up residence south of the river.  Consider that the original name was “Waterloo,” a name famous even then for what happened to Napoleon when he reached the original.  Not exactly a warm, welcoming name!  This entire area, stretching into the Hill Country, has attracted people who didn’t “fit in” wherever they came from for nearly two centuries.   And Austin has always been a collegiate town, at least since Reconstruction.  Texas itself is a state for misfits, and Austin as the capital city exemplifies that.  It started out that way and remains so today.  It isn’t any wonder Texas attracts people at the rate of 1000 a day, largely other Americans who are finding they can’t keep swimming in the current elsewhere.

Why is Austin more palatable – “totally different” – to liberals?  I submit that it isn’t so much the politics as the culture, which is something Heather Wilhelm talks about in her article.  Culturally, Austin is quite different than most of the state – more casual, more diverse.  But it’s still Texan in flavor, which is probably why some liberals are completely turned off after they experience it for longer than SXSW. 

 Cahnman's Musings has always found tales of Austin's liberalism, much like Mark Twain's death, to be greatly exaggerated.  Having grown up in New York City, and having lived in and around Los Angeles for five years, we know the left.  The Austin crowd has never cut it.

Having lived in Austin for almost six years, we've always found the culture to be Lone Star drinking hipster slacker douche bags an apolitical form of libertarianism.  The problem is that those libertarian-leaners don't vote.  The local progressive mafia, by contrast, gets their people out.

The government of Austin and Travis County has never reflected the truth of its inhabitants.  City council elections haven't hit 10% turnout in two decades.  There is a good chance that will change next year.

Besides, bastions of progressivism don't defeat school bonds....

Joe Straus planning a 2015 tax increase?!?

So says David Dewhurst:

.@DavidHDewhurst says Straus has told senators he wants a transpo crisis in 2015 to increase pressure for taxes #mysa #hounews #txlege
— Peggy Fikac (@pfikac) July 29, 2013

In today's San Antonio Express-News, Peggy Fikac details Straus' approach:

“Legislators know that Texas needs a much more comprehensive approach to funding our growing state's growing transportation needs, and another 30-day special session will not change that,” Straus said. “Until members are free to consider real options, beyond simply shuffling taxes from one purpose to another, we will not find a responsible solution to this issue.”

 Of course, with this being Joe Straus, one should always be cautious with any talk of "real options."

BREAKING NEWS: Transportation Funding Likely Dead for Second Special Session

Cahnman's Musings briefly swung by the Texas Capitol an hour ago.  We had seen on Facebook that the House was scheduled to vote on HJR 2 around five.  We arrived immediately following the conclusion of the vote.

A conservative Representative informed us of the result.  Because SJR 2 would enable a Constitutional Amendment it needed 100 votes to pass.  It only got 84.

We asked this Representative if he thought transportation funding could still rear it's ugly head before the session ends tomorrow at midnite.

"Not unless they can come up with sixteen votes" was his reply "and that ain't gonna happen."

In the extremely likely event of a third special session, conservatives must shift the focus to spending.  The reason this transportation deal hasn't passed yet is because voters don't trust the Republicans on spending.  Republicans need to earn back the credibility they frittered away during the general session if they want voters to trust them with more of their money.

-----

Update: Despite openly carrying water for the big spenders (pun intended), KXAN has more....

Freedomworks announces John Cornyn protests across Texas

From Freedomworks' Grassroots director:

John Cornyn  left from Senator Lee’s fight to Defund ObamaCare. 

Cornyn should be doing everything he can to fight Obama’s health care takeover. Yet pressure from Mitch McConnell made him squirm, and Cornyn abandoned Senator Lee.\ 

We need to find out why he refuses to stand with Mike Lee and do everything he can to protect Texas from ObamaCare. 

Will you join activists from across the Lonestar State as we pay a visit to John Cornyn’s district offices? 

Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and Rand Paul are doing everything possible to stop ObamaCare from being implemented. Yet the GOP Establishment is working to stop them. 

John Cornyn is standing with the Republican elites instead of Texas. And you deserve to know why. 

Texans need answers on why their Senator is standing with the Republican Establishment instead of Texas. Join me and other activists as we visit his district offices to find out why.

You can find Senator Cornyn office locations here.

Matt Rinaldi Makes It Official

Matt Rinaldi officially jumped into the race for HD 115 today; from his campaign website:

Irving, TX-- Matt Rinaldi today announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for Texas House District 115.  Already armed with strong grassroots support, Rinaldi provides conservative opposition to incumbent Rep. Bennett Ratliff, who is widely regarded as one of the most liberal Republican representatives in Austin. 

“Conservatives in northwest Dallas County have gotten a raw deal this session,” said Rinaldi. “Rep. Ratliff has aligned with Democrats as often as his fellow Republicans on the most important legislative votes this session and has compiled the most liberal voting record of any Republican freshman in Austin.  He voted to increase the size of government by 26% from the previous session and then voted to dip into our state’s savings so he could spend even more.  Ratliff’s efforts put Texas’s financial future at risk.  As a conservative running to represent the voters and not Austin lobbyists, I will be a principled voice for smaller government, secure borders, protecting the sanctity of life and preserving our Second Amendment rights.” 

Rinaldi’s announcement comes less than a month after Ratliff spurned Governor Perry’s request to keep the State House redistricting maps the same as the previous maps and attempted to draw Rinaldi out of District 115 without a vote. The incident caused public outcry from Republican voters and Ratliff’s fellow legislators.  

(h/t Macias Strategies)

This is great.  Bennett Ratliff is a Straus crony who is part of a corrupt family that is in the pocket of big education.  While this is not (yet) an official endorsement, we wish Matt the best of luck in this primary.

More Transportation Shenanigans from Texas House Republicans

A couple of must read pieces from Empower Texans on transportation shenanigans currently playing out in the Texas House; from Transportation U-Turn:

As the Wall Street Journal and the Texas Public Policy Foundation have independently verified, the legislature went on a wild spending spree in 2013 – spending approximately 25% more than in the 2011 session. And they just can’t stop.

The current special session features a call to provide better funding for transportation. Legislators are instead just creating new diversions for spending without any real protections. (Sensible policies, like ending the 25 percent gas-tax diversion to public education, or dedicating the vehicle sales tax to roads, are being ignored.)

Meanwhile, lawmakers want to start diverting half of the money flowing into the Economic Stabilization Fund (the so-called “rainy day” account) over to TxDOT. In the first special session, conservatives successfully inserted a constitutional “floor” ensuring the ESF couldn’t be drained and left for dead.

Yet for all practical purposes, the new compromise in the current special would do away with the idea of a protective floor. Rather than constitutionally protect the Economic Stabilization Fund by a establishing a defined floor, spendoholic legislators want to give the Legislative Budget Board – comprised of the House Speaker, the Lieutenant Governor and their appointees – the authority to set it.

Not a sound idea, unless the goal is to never have a meaningful floor.

 From 'Optional' ESF Protection:

You may recall the legislative members of the LBB are also charged with picking the “spending limit” for budgetary purposes. Of course, the LBB has always exceeded the “population-plus-inflation” figure, using a fictional “projected personal income growth” as their unlimited limit  – essentially allowing them to set a moving target depending on their spending appetites for the upcoming session.

 Whatever happens in the next few days, we're going to have to beat this crap at the polls in November....

Sex and the City and Unrealistic Expectations

A surprisingly honest examination of myth vs. reality from writer Emily Shire:

I finally got to watch my first episode of “Sex and the City” in 2002 on a family vacation in a hotel with premium cable. Although the viewing experience was punctuated by my parents shouting “close your eyes” every time Samantha brought out her vibrator (which happens a lot in this particular episode, “Critical Conditions”), I instantly fell in love with the humor, fashion and fierceness of the series. Never before in a sitcom had I heard women discussing sex, power and relationships so unfiltered. I knew when I grew up I wanted to be just like these confident, glamorous women.

But as I re-watch the series over a decade later as a single woman living in New York City, I find myself distracted by how unrealistically dreamlike their jobs, apartments, clothes, trendy nightclub jaunts and, most of all, sex lives are.  I still very much enjoy the series, but the glitter of “Sex and the City” has somewhat faded as I’ve grown to realize these women inhabit a world so glamorous it glosses over reality.

....

If Carrie’s, Miranda’s, Charlotte’s and Samantha’s jobs, apartments and clothes looked too good to be true, their sex lives looked flat-out damn amazing. While the four women’s open discussion of sexual desires, problems and queries was ample, the sex itself the majority of the time was pretty stunning. From Samantha coming almost always without fail to the sexy boudoir shots of Carrie in subtle black lace bras, the sex looked either incredibly fun or incredibly elegant.

....

Unfortunately, after watching the series as young teenagers, my friends and I embraced not only the cosmopolitans (which we quickly realized were not a particularly affordable habit), but the expectations that glitzy sexual and romantic adventures were just around the corner. To a degree, that was a good thing. As a result of “Sex and the City,” we grew up never fearing being single, no small feat compared to earlier generations of women. Who wanted marriage when we would make love in a firehouse or be whisked onto a horse-drawn carriage through snowy Central Park by a mysteriously sexy older Russian?

However, once we were older and entering the “real world,” we were disappointed and convinced we were doing something wrong for not having the apartment, parties and, most of all, sex that Carrie showed us we could, and should, have. We expected the hardest part to be finding a man who could meet our sexual needs, not to be struggling to figure out and articulate them ourselves. Like a cooking show that presents a few ingredients and then immediately cuts to a perfect chocolate soufflé, “Sex and the City” never gave us the guidance to put it all together. I recognize that television’s first job is to entertain, not to educate, but for a generation of girls who idolized [emphasis mine] the Fab Four, the show left us grappling with an illusion of what sex is supposed to be like.

While we've lived in Texas for six years, Cahnman's Musings grew up in New York City.  We went to prep school on the Upper West Side during SiTC's first two seasons.  We returned during the show's final season and stayed through its early run on TBS.  To be honest, there were times in the mid-2000's when we were little more than the token Republican in an SiTC vignette writ small.  We've lived large chunks of this lifestyle.

That's what makes Mrs. Shire's examination of SiTC culture refreshing.  Mrs. Shire admits the sex is rarely good, the drinks are really expensive, and that this lifestyle begets neurosis.  Having correctly diagnosed the problem, however, Mrs. Shire whiffs on the solution:

It makes perfect sense that by the time “Girls” premiered on HBO in 2012, my peers and I were craving messy, unsatisfying, awkward sex and life in general on TV. We wanted to see the raw, unfiltered  discussions and portrayals of sex that “Sex and the City” did so well, but we also wanted it real: the insecurity, the pressure to please, the confusion. We wanted TV that not only encouraged us to embrace our sexuality, but to openly share what perplexed us, frightened us, silenced us.

Which is not to say “Girls” is better than or, for that matter, even as good as “Sex and the City.” It certainly is a response, which in and of itself says a lot.

Having lived the reality of Carrie Bradshaw's lifestyle, Mrs. Shire tragically chooses to follow up with Lena Dunham.  While SiTC at least produced a seductive illusion, Girls is gross and lame.  The solution is to stop chasing the dragon of consequence free promiscuity, not climb further down the rathole of sexual Marxism.

Pastor Danny on Canadian Medicine

Last week, while on a mission trip to Toronto, our pastor suffered a calf injury that necessitated a trip to a Canadian emergency room; from his letter to the congregation:

Healthcare in Canada is difficult and while sitting in a packed waiting room to see the orthopedic doctor, there was much complaint by the Canadians about the healthcare. We are heading in this direction in the USA under our current political leadership. I wish those in Washington could have sat with me in the hospital here in Toronto and heard the outcries that I heard from the Canadian people themselves.

 From our student pastor, Chad Hampton:

The situation is complicated because Canada’s socialized healthcare system means it is nearly impossible for someone to get an MRI.

 Sigh, way to go America....

Dan Branch and Common Core-style Data Collection

Six weeks ago, we discussed HB 2103, a disastrous law passed by the Texas Legislature during the general session.  At the time, we wanted Governor Perry to veto it.  Unfortunately, in one of the worst moves he's ever made, he signed it into law.

In late May, Donna Garner explained:

[Author's note: This WaPo article is about a similar Federal program]

In a Washington Post article dated 3.13.13, (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/03/13/lawsuit-charges-ed-department-with-violating-student-privacy-rights/ ), the U. S. Dept. of Ed. Is being sued because of the changes made to the FERPA law under the Obama administration.  Now private companies and foundations under the cloak of “promoting school reform” are allowed to get access to private student (and teacher) information. No parental permission is required, and student ID’s are linked to their private information.

A database funded by Bill Gates called iBloom, Inc. has already collected personal student data from seven states and will most likely morph into the national database under the Common Core Standards Initiative.

According to the Washington Post article, the information already collected “holds files on millions of children identified by name, address and sometimes social security number. Learning disabilities are documented, test scores recorded, attendance noted. In some cases, the database tracks student hobbies, career goals, attitudes toward school – even homework completion.”

.....

[This is about the Texas Program]

State education agencies from other states can negotiate agreements for these Texas education research centers to share Texas data.

The research centers can also form agreements with local agencies or organizations that provide education services to Texas students, including relevant data about former students of Texas public schools.

 Earlier today, while looking into another topic, we made an interesting discovery about HB 2103.

Who was it's primary sponsor?!?

Dan Branch.

Greg Abbott Obtains MAJOR Medicaid Fraud settlement from Planned Parenthood

Score one for the Good Guys:

Texas Attorney General’s Office Obtains $1.4 Million Settlement against Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast for Medicaid Fraud

Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast fraudulently billed Texas Medicaid program for products, services either not provided or not necessary

HOUSTON – The Texas Attorney General’s Office today concluded the State’s Medicaid fraud investigation into Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Inc. Under today’s agreement, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast must pay $1.4 million for fraudulently overbilling the taxpayer-funded Medicaid program.

Read the whole release here.

One of our worries about Greg Abbott's gubernatorial campaign has been whether the day to day operations of the AG's office would suffer as a result; obviously, at least for now, the answer is no.

Actual Feminist Reactions to the Royal Baby

Cahnman's Musings doesn't have much to say about the Royal Baby, but some feminists believe he shouldn't be referred to as a 'boy' or a 'prince' until he has a chance 'to choose his gender identity':

(h/t the Young Cons Facebook Page) 

(Author's Note: Charles C.W. Cooke is a National Review writer; we conjecture he was joking.)

-----

In an "unrelated" story, Christian women are being raped in Egypt, but nary a peep from these 'feminists.'

Who is the Woodhull Sexual "Freedom" Alliance?!?

Holy mess, did we just discover one of the most frightening progressive groups ever: The Woodhull Sexual "Freedom" Alliance.

(Author's Note: All points of emphasis are in the original text unless specifically noted.)

Now who, pray tell, is the Woodhull Sexual "Freedom" Alliance?!?

The Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance (WSFA) is always working to advance the recognition of sexual, gender, and family diversity. As the nation’s leading sexual freedom and human rights organization, honored by Proclamation in Washington, DC, we are uniquely positioned to bring together allies and partners, thereby maximizing our effectiveness and theirs. Together, with your support, we can move mountains! - See more at: http://www.woodhullalliance.org/about-us/#sthash.FTqzgwVe.dpuf

The Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance (WSFA) is always working to advance the recognition of sexual, gender, and family diversity. As the nation’s leading sexual freedom and human rights organization, honored by Proclamation in Washington, DC, we are uniquely positioned to bring together allies and partners, thereby maximizing our effectiveness and theirs. Together, with your support, we can move mountains! 

What did they do last year?!?

We launched the Family Matters Project, which is dedicated to advancing and protecting the fundamental human right to family by eliminating discrimination based on family structure and relationship choices.

 What do they oppose?!?

Prostitution-free zones:  Working with United Nations human rights treaties as a foundation, we testified in Washington, DC against proposed “Prostitution Free Zones.” Our testimony pointed out the PFZs violate DC’s own human rights policies, the US Constitution and the United States’ commitment to the United Nations with regard to ending violence against sex workers.

No condoms as evidence:  Part of an on-going effort to eliminate the use of condoms as evidence of commercial sex work in New York, Woodhull joined advocates representing a broad coalition of public health and reproductive rights advocates, civil and human rights organizations, LGBT groups, and sex workers’ rights organizers to meet with dozens of legislators to ask for their support in moving New York SB323/A1008 to a vote in 2013!

 But at least they have a solid understanding of their friends and enemies, right?!?

We continue to work collaboratively with other organizations, even at the level of the United Nations, to advance and affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right...
As part of this collaborative effort, we participate in the ongoing United Nations Universal Periodic Review monitoring process for human rights violations in the United States.

 Now, who was Victoria Woodhull?!?

Victoria preached a doctrine called “Free Love” that included the odd notion of marrying for love, as well as an easement of the divorce laws. She was radical even by today’s standards, asserting: “Women are entirely unaware of their power. Like an elephant led by a string, they are subordinated by just those who are most interested in holding them in slavery…Sexual freedom means the abolition of prostitution both in and out of marriage, means the emancipation of woman and her coming into control of her own body, means the end of her pecuniary dependence upon man…means the abrogation of forced pregnancy, of anti-natal murder of undesired children and the birth of love children only.” [emphasis mine] 

 That's just their "about me" page; there's a lot of other terrifying crap on their website here.

-----

Update: Seriously, these people are insane.

Victoria preached a doctrine called “Free Love” that included the odd notion of marrying for love, as well as an easement of the divorce laws. She was radical even by today’s standards, asserting: “Women are entirely unaware of their power. Like an elephant led by a string, they are subordinated by just those who are most interested in holding them in slavery…Sexual freedom means the abolition of prostitution both in and out of marriage, means the emancipation of woman and her coming into control of her own body, means the end of her pecuniary dependence upon man…means the abrogation of forced pregnancy, of anti-natal murder of undesired children and the birth of love children only.” - See more at: http://www.woodhullalliance.org/about-us/about-victoria-woodhull/#sthash.CCy2JR8M.dpuf

We continue to work collaboratively with other organizations, even at the level of the United Nations, to advance and affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right - See more at: http://www.woodhullalliance.org/about-us/#sthash.FTqzgwVe.dpuf

We launched the Family Matters Project, which is dedicated to advancing and protecting the fundamental human right to family by eliminating discrimination based on family structure and relationship choices. - See more at: http://www.woodhullalliance.org/about-us/#sthash.FTqzgwVe.dpuf

History Lesson: The 1970 American Psychiatric Association Convention

During the recent abortion debate, several people privately bemoaned the demonic and sophomoric tactics of the pro-abortion mob.  They interpreted these actions as another sign of cultural decline.  Unfortunately, this sort of intimidation has a long history among advocates of casual sex.

 A major turning point in the American sexual revolution was the 1970 meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Francisco.  The sexual 'liberationists' of that era were attempting to 'persuade' the APA to abandon their conviction that a number of sexual activities (primarily, but not exclusively, homosexuality) were deviant.  They used the exact same tactics as the pro-Abortion crowd at the Texas Capitol.

Allan Sherman explains this event in his 1973 book Rape of the A*P*E*:

The American Psychiatric Association held it's 1970 convention in the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco....In the middle of [the] speech both doors of the Fairmont Ballroom burst open.  Down one aisle marched the Gay Liberation Front; down the other came Women's liberation, both shouting obscenities and throwing brassieres and dildos. (emphasis mine) (262/3)

 Conservative activist Ryan Sorba goes into more detail:

[I]n 1970 the leadership of a faction of pro-sodomy psychiatrists within the APA planned a “systematic effort to disrupt annual meetings of the American Psychiatric Association.” Although politically motivated protests directed at psychiatrists had taken place prior, one can see the beginnings of a coordinated effort to politicize the APA at its 1970 annual meeting in San Francisco....Pro-sodomy activists took over the podium and microphones. Then, Konstantin Berlandt, of the Berkeley chapter of the Gay Liberation Front, “paraded through the hall in a bright red dress. Paper airplanes sailed down from the balcony. With two papers still unread, the chairman announced adjournment.”

 There's nothing new about what we saw at the Texas Capitol two weeks ago.

Inside the Reagan Library: The Hollywood Years

Great video from the Reagan Library about the Gipper and the Golden Age of Hollywood:



Highlights:

• Appeared in 53 films from '37 to '63.

• President of Screen Actors Guild (1947 - 1952)
• Developed his visceral dislike of Communism when he had to deal with the investigation into Communist subversion in Hollywood during the 1940's.

• Developed his views on the economy while working for General Electric.

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BONUS: Here's Reagan's Most famous movie line ever:

Greg Abbott (plus free Beer) draws ENORMOUS Crowd in Austin

Cahnman's Musings attended Greg Abbott's Austin campaign kickoff event earlier tonight in Austin.  We didn't take notes or pictures.  We thus write from memory.

We were impressed.

Between Rick Perry's various campaigns and Ted Cruz's race last year, we've attended A LOT of campaign events in Austin.  Tonight was unique.  We've never seen this many people at an event for a Republican candidate.

There were easily 500  to 750 people present.  This wasn't just tea party folks.  Everyone was there.

General Abbott stated his opposition to having government pick winners and losers in the economy.  The implicit rebuke was obvious if subtle.  He made his opposition to crony capitalism in Austin clear.  Although he "didn't want to look backwards" regarding the current budget, General Abbott stated his opposition to future spending.  Cahnman's Musings looks forward to hearing General Abbott address these questions in detail.

The most impressive aspect of the event, however, was the size and energy of the crowd.  It packed out the side room at Scholz Garten.  Heading into Election 2014, Cahnman's Musings is VERY happy with the enthusiasm we will likely see at the top of the Republican ticket.

Time will tell, tonight's Abbott campaign event in Austin deserves an A+.

Hooking Kids on Sex (Warning: EXTREMELY Graphic)

American Life League does a phenomenal job going through Planned Parenthood's website to catalog what they're teaching young children and teenagers;  WARNING: It AIN'T Pretty....



Highlights:

•  "Age appropriate" is a standard set by Planned Parenthood so they can sell pornography to children disguised as science.

• Planned Parenthood's goal is to create sex addicts; the gateway drug is masturbation.
• "It's Perfectly Normal" is the book they want to put in every classroom in America

• In 1969, Planned Parenthood explicitly stated that they want to encourage Homosexuality as a form of Population Control.

 ----

You can read our manifesto on this topic here.

Judge Tim Sulak and the El Paso Stadium Boondoggle

Cahnman's Musings frequently listens to talk radio via 690 KTSM in El Paso.  Because we listen to this station, we've kept an eye on the ongoing boondoggle of El Paso's new minor league baseball stadium.  It was strong armed through the political process through the usual suspect of local government contractors and special interests.  When citizens objected, they took the city to court and (through some weird foible in state law), it ended up in the Austin courtoom of Judge Tim Sulak.  In that ruling, Judge Sulak did what Judge Sulak does best:

District Judge Tim Sulak on Wednesday sided with the city of El Paso, ruling that the process to demolish city hall and move forward with the ballpark project was legal. 

"It is my judgment, based on the evidence, the authorities and the arguments that the authority to issue and the actions taken to secure or obtain, the public securities are legal and valid," Sulak said at Wednesday's declaratory judgment hearing.

....

Wednesday's ruling also allows the city of El Paso to sell bonds to fund the project.

....

The decision can be appealed, but the Judge set a surety bond of $1 million.That means if they appeal within 30 days, the opposition of the city needs to put that money up.

In other words, Judge Tim Sulak has a pattern of making it prohibitively expensive for concerned citizens to challenge big-government special interests.

With Pro-Life Legislation Passed; Texas House Republicans Return to Old Tricks

Having passed the pro-life legislation, Texas House Republicans are doing what they do best and hoping the voters won't notice; a must-read piece from Empower Texans, money quote:

To no one’s surprise, the Texas House choose easier spending over common sense protections for the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund. When given an opportunity to put a “floor” for the ESF into the transportation funding bill debated yesterday, 20 moderate Republicans sided with Democrats instead of conservatives. 

During the 1st special session, House and Senate leaders tentatively agreed to a transportation-funding bill SJR 2 that would have diverted half of the oil and gas severance taxes that fill the ESF into the State Highway Fund. To ensure that the would still maintain a healthy balance despite half the revenue, the Senate added a provision to stop the funding diversion if the balance fell below a minimum threshold.

This time around, House leadership caved to Democrats and passed out of the Appropriations committee without the same constitutional protection for the ESF that was present in SJR 2. With reasonable protections on the ESF, reports say, Democrats would withdraw their support of the bill – which would have made it much more difficult to meet the 100 vote threshold needed to pass a constitutional amendment.

Freshman State Rep.Ron Simmons offered an amendment to add the safeguard provision back in, requiring the ESF to have balance equal to 1/3 of its capacity before oil & gas taxes could be funneled off. Of course, moderates seeking more sources of revenue sided with Democrats and supported a motion to table the amendment on unofficial count of
70 – 49.   

One positive to take away from yesterday is that only 92 members voted to pass HJR 2 on 2^ndreading. Because it amends the state constitution, it will require a hard 100 votes on 3^rd;reading in order to be submitted to the voters in November. Though with more than 20 members absent, House leadership will be whipping hard for eight more votes by the time they reconvene on Thursday.

 This is disappointing, but not surprising; read the whole piece here.

Debra Medina's Super Crappy Fundraising

Cahnman's Musings found an interesting nugget in the fundraising chart Must Read Texas posted yesterday:

In the comptrollers race, Debra Medina has only raised $55,000.  That's worse than disappointing.  It's pathetic.

This is shame. Being comptroller plays to Debra Medina's strength in a way being Governor never did and never will.  Debra Medina is notorious for being a pain in the you-know-what and asking unpleasant questions of government agencies.  They hate when she does this.  Asking fiduciary questions of governmental entities is a major component of the Comptroller's job.

Debra Medina could be a really good Comptroller; Cahnman's Musings urges her to step up her game!

Judge Tim Sulak Kept Dead People on Texas' Voter Rolls

After yesterday's travesty, this ruling from last year isn't surprising:

Texas officials were temporarily barred by a state judge from ordering county election officials to purge presumably dead voters from registration rolls because the initiative may violate the election code. 

The ruling came in a lawsuit filed yesterday by four Texas voters who were told they would be purged from voter-registration lists as deceased. They asked state court Judge Tim Sulak in Austin to stop the state from striking about 77,000 names from the rolls, arguing the plan violates the Texas election code and the U.S. Voting Rights Act. 

The secretary of state is “restrained from further instructing the counties to remove any other names from the voter rolls,” Sulak said in his order. “Plaintiffs are entitled to temporary injunctive relief.”

In other words, yesterday wasn't the first time Judge Sulak abused his office to protect governmental entities from citizen inquiry.

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Reader can contact Judge Sulak via his campaign Facebook Page.

Who are the Bro-Choicers?!?

This is brilliant:



Highlight:

"I hear Planned Parenthood rallies are a pretty good place to pick up chicks!"

Everything You Need to Know About Dan Branch in One Headline

Apparently, Dan Branch is one of only four candidates to whom Dubya has given money since leaving office:

Former President George W. Bush gave Dan Branch $5,000 last month for his race for attorney general.

....

Bush gave $1,000 to Branch in both 2010 and 2011.

Now that Branch sees daylight and can try to move up — because Attorney General Greg Abbott is running for governor — Dubya upped his contribution to $5,000

Cahnman's Musings already had already ruled out supporting Branch in this race; this is yet another reason.

Evolution vs. Science

An awesome new film from Living Waters ministry uses the words of leading Darwinian evolutionists to illustrate the absurdity of their position:



Highlight:

"The problem with those who don't see evolution is that they don't have imaginations."

 You can read ICR's review here.

Freedomworks Talks Battleground Texas

This is a few weeks old, but we didn't see it during the abortion debate:



Highlights:

•  Activists are getting turned off by the GOP's shenaningans.
• Personal Note: DUH 

•  The state GOP has yet to reveal their plan.

• 9.5 million Latinos in Texas but only 2.3 million voted last year

• A clear, consistent message of limited government and economic opportunity appeals to all demographic groups.

• For the Record: Colorado was NEVER a solidly red state

On Planned Parenthood's Central Lie

Sunshine State Sarah (of Texas) was at the Capitol Friday night and got disgusted enough with the lies of Planned Parenthood that she addressed them specifically; money quote:

Regarding the message itself, note the language PP suggests that you send to your state senator:

Please oppose all efforts to restrict women's access to the Pap tests, breast cancer screenings, and access to birth control that are important to our health. These attacks on women's health will deny access to basic care to thousands of women and will limit access to safe, legal abortion in Texas.

First of all, HB2/SB1 have nothing to do with Pap tests, breast cancer screenings, or contraceptives. Not a darn word of the bill addresses those issues. There is also nothing in the bill that "denies access" to health care for women. In fact, during this year's regular session, the Legislature actually increased state funding by $179 million dollars for women’s health services including annual visits, preventative screening, and contraceptives. 

It's doubly ironic for them to make this argument because it's been well-documented that Planned Parenthood doesn't actually perform any mammograms at any of their facilities nationwide. Not a single one. Never have. 

What the bill actually requires is for abortion clinics to meet the same safety standards as ambulatory surgical centers. Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, the fact is that abortion is a medical procedure and, like with all medical procedures, there can be risks and complications. The bill requires clinics offering abortions to meet the same standards as clinics that remove your tonsils, perform cataracts, or other similar outpatient surgical procedures.

....

Anyway, if a clinic doesn't want to invest the resources necessary to comply with the bill, they can still continue to remain open and provide women’s health services such as obstetric care, annual gynecological visits, and  (gasp!) even contraceptives. 

Planned Parenthood's ad is beyond misleading: it is a blatantly false representation of what HB1/SB2 actually do, and is an egregious attempt to scare women.

 Read the whole thing here.

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In other Texas Abortion News, Students for Life (with whom we were holed up) has posted their account of Friday Night:

The sound in the rotunda was like nothing we have had ever heard before. It was inhuman, almost demonic. They chanted slogans like, “Whose choice? My choice” and “Pray, You’ll Need It, Your Cause will be Defeated” while periodically breaking into primal screams that echoed around us. As we watched from the top floor with a group of pro-life students, surrounded by a deluge of orange shirts, we could see DPS officers move into the crowd below to remove the blue shirts that had been peacefully praying amongst the crush of angry protesters.

....

As the situation grew uglier, DPS directed all pro-lifers to leave the rotunda for their own safety. The mob did not care for or respect the well-being of anyone wearing blue. Pro-life senators and representatives were offering their offices as safe places for us. Most of the Students for Life of America students and staff had already left the rotunda. And as our team directed the retreat, some of our staff found themselves stranded on the top floor with a few students, looking for a way out. They took the elevator to the bottom two floors, but found their paths blocked both times and had to ascend back up to the top of the building. They then found a side staircase that brought them down to the ground floor. But, as they rounded the final curve to the landing, they stopped dead in their tracks; they were again confronted by a sea of orange shirts.

Confident in the presence of news cameras to keep them safe, our team managed to slide along the railing, cut through the swarm of angry pro-aborts and escape behind them. Texas Representative Bryan Hughes offered our team and students safe haven in his office (guarded by DPS officers), where we gathered to watch the end of the debate and anxiously awaited the final, victorious vote on the Senate floor shortly after midnight.

 Read their full account (and watch the videos) here.

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Update: Candy Noble has another fantastic account of the week here.

Judge Tim Sulak Demands $15 Million Taxpayer Ransom

"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."
Eighth Amendment, United States Constitution

Cahnman's Musings spent the morning at the 353rd District Court of Travis County, Judge Tim Sulak presiding.  We were there to observe the Travis County Taxpayers Union's (TCTU) lawsuit against Austin Independent School district (AISD) we've discussed previously.  To quote Wendy Davis, we witnessed a raw abuse of power.

Judge Sulak ruled in favor of the district.  That wasn't surprising.  The outrageous part was the shackles Judge Sulak put on a potential appeal.

Judge Sulak ruled TCTU must post a $15 million bond ($15,000,000) to protect the district before an appeal could proceed.  Obviously, TCTU doesn't have that kind of money.  In other words, a Democrat judge made it prohibitively expensive for a citizens group to petition their government for redress of grievances.

On one level, this isn't surprising.  Judge Sulak and AISD are part of the Travis County's progressive mafia (Sidenote: This is the same progressive mafia that is protecting Rosemary Lehmberg).  On the other hand, demanding a fifteen million dollar ransom to allow a citizens lawsuit against a governmental entity to continue is (to our knowledge) unprecedented.

In announcing his ruling, Judge Sulak admitted that, even if he disagreed with it, TCTU made a reasonable case against the district.  Judge Sulak's ruling was designed to protect AISD from having the case heard in front of judges who aren't in the pocket of big education.  This isn't over....

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Readers can contact Judge Sulak via his campaign Facebook page.

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Update: More from Fox 7 Austin:

How to Have a Spirtual Conversation

This fall, almost 300 churches across Austin, TX are going to engage in Explore God, a campaign that seeks to answer spiritual questions people have in our 92% unchurched city.  The campaign will produce a series of videos that will equip believers to discuss God with their unsaved friends, co-workers, and associates.  This is the first video:


Explore God Training Session 1: How to Have a Spiritual Conversation from Hill Country Bible Church Austin on Vimeo.


Highlights:

• A spiritual conversation is always two ways
• Not a lecture
• NOT a sales pitch

• Attitude - Accepting, Listening, and Loving
• Not confrontational or harsh

• Don't interrupt

• The Holy Spirit is ALWAYS the third party in the conversation

• People are more open to spiritual conversations than you'd think.
• Don't like arrogance or condescension.

• Our part is planting and watering; not forcing change.

• While people are open to spiritual matters, they lack Christian vocabulary and Biblical knowledge.
• Jesus spoke in everyday language; that's why he used parables.

• Be bold, but graciously so.

• Let the conversation start naturally.

• Walk, don't wave -- Talk to folks with whom you interact regularly about their lives

• Icebreakers -- Anything that turns the conversation towards spiritual matters
• "Did you grow up in Church?!?"
• "What is your spiritual background?!?"
• "How do you get through tough times?!?"
• "Do you ever hope there's more than this?!?"
• "How do you deal with uncertainty?!?"

• Jesus asked questions and listened.

• Next step -- Lunch or Coffee
• Invite them to Church
• Send them info

Do New York Jets support Islamic Terrorism?!?

As a lifelong fan of the New York Jets, Cahnman's Musings was disappointed and disturbed to read this report from Breitbart Sports yesterday.

Last April, the Jets used their fifth round draft pick to select Oday Aboushai, a Palestinian (*) offensive linemen who was born in Samaria and grew up in Brooklyn.  While Aboushai possesses physical stature, he lacks athleticism.  The football justification for this pick is questionable.

Aboushai's life off-field, however, includes the following:

• Denying Israel's right to exist

• Helping to raise money for a money-laundering Hamas front-group.

• Attending a conference whose organizers have praised Hitler and denied the Crucifixion.

 This is an alarming draft pick.  The Jets owe fans an explanation, especially after their shameful treatment of Tim Tebow.  It appears the New York Jets are more concerned with faithful Christians than open terrorist sympathizers.

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Cahnman's Musings urges readers to contact the following institutions:

New York Jets:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jets
Twitter: @NYJETS

National Football League:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nfl
Twitter: @NFL

WFAN Sports Radio New York:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wfan660
Twitter: @WFAN660

New York Post:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nypost
Twitter: @NYPOST

New York Daily News:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thenewyorkdailynews
Twitter: @NYDAILYNEWS

[NY Jets Owner] Robert Wood Johnson Memorial Foundation:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RobertWoodJohnsonFoundation
Twitter: @RWJF_PubHealth

Council on American-Islamic Relations -- New York
Twitter: @CAIRNewYork

Livestream of the Bloodthirsty Texas Capitol Mob

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
 Psalm 23:4

Cahnman's Musings is currently holed up in an undisclosed location at the Texas Capitol.  We are not in danger in any way shape or form.  The Department of Public Safety has asked pro-lifers to stay away from the mob.  We might risk the mob in a little bit.  You can witness events outside the Texas Senate chamber here.

And yes, this is our 666th post!