Moody's DOWNGRADES SH 130 by FOUR Notches!!!

Well, the good news is that if it fails completely, at least there's an asset a new owner can purchase:Highlights: The company that operates the southern leg of the SH 130 toll road may not have enough money to make loan payments next year. That's the assessment from a major financial group which lowered the company's credit rating. The 41 mile stretch between south Austin and Seguin opened last fall. Analysts with Moody's Investors Service...

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Senator Ted Cruz: Abolish the IRS NOW!!!

Here, here, Senat...

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Special Session Politics and Rick Perry's Future

There's been speculation about the politics of this special session(s) of the Texas legislature.  The potential musical chairs of officeholders means people are already angling for future races.  One fact, however, deserves special mention.No one needs this special session(s) more than the man who controls the agenda.To call the general session of the 83rd Texas Legislature disappointing is an understatement.  Legislative...

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Separated at Birth?!?

Texas State Senator Tommy Williams or New Jersey Governor Chris Christie?!?1) 2)3)4)5) 6)7) Answer:Williams: 1,2,5Christie: 3,4,...

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Dannah Gresh: Common Sexual Myths

This was really, really good:Highlights:I didn't suffer any of the physical consequences (of having sex young), but my spirit was impacted; I was depressed. Sex is worthy of more than a casual hook up. Myth #1: You can hook up without committmentDuring sex, your brain releases dopamine and oxytocin, which bonds you to your partner.Friends w/ Benefits might just be physically impossible. Myth #2: You can have great sex without being in love Myth #3: Sexual Pleasure is greatest when you're young and h...

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Come to Austin: An Open Letter to Glenn Beck

Dear Mr. Beck,In case you missed it, last night Governor Perry called a special session of the Texas Legislature.  This could be really good, but it could also be a disaster.  We could use your help.The reason Texas Legislators ignore the will of voters is because they assume voters won't find out.  The Capital press corps LOVES big government, because it increases their own power.  That's where you come in.If you were to PUBLICLY...

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How Handsome is Governor Perry?!?

Well, well, well, the Governor has already called a special session: "By lowering taxes on job creators, opening the door to more higher education opportunities in South Texas, investing in a skilled workforce and keeping our state government efficient and accountable, hardworking taxpayers have freedom, opportunity and peace of mind. However, there is still work to be done on behalf of the citizens of Texas."The special session will consider...

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Recent Texas History: Rick Perry's 2001 "Father's Day Massacre"

The 83rd Texas Legislature is (mercifully) over.  Legislators have done their part.  All eyes now turn to Governor Rick Perry.There is a lot of bad legislation floating around.  Cahnman's Musings will detail some of it in the coming days.  For today, however, we want to remind readers about a recent piece of Texas' political history.In June 2001, following his first legislative session as George W. Bush's successor, Governor Rick...

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Sex Trafficking: How it Works

This video discusses trafficking in Moldova, but similar operations exist across Texas:Highlights: Three types of girls are most likely to fall prey:Victimized @ HomeAbused by BFSingle Mom Girls are usually recruited by someone they know The "Breaking Period;" initial few weeksSystematically gang-raped, beaten, and threatened until she loses her will to escape.Demoralizing Brainwashing. Girls are traded amongst traffickers. Girls are sold for as little as $1 per minute.Brandon Darby has more on Sex Trafficking in Texas he...

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ACTION ALERT: Stop Texas' 26% Spending Increase

The disastrous 83rd Legislature comes down to this, from the Tea Party Advisory Caucus:Fellow Patriots:THIS IS AS URGENT AS IT GETS.PLEASE SPREAD JOANN'S MESSAGE FAR AND WIDE AS SOON AS YOU CAN.___Spending Up 26%! Texas Legislature Takes Wild Left Turn & Spends like there’s No TomorrowAlert from: JoAnn Fleming, Chairman, TX Legislature's TEA Party Caucus Advisory Committee; Executive Director, Grassroots AmericaThe news is bad...

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VETO SB 346: An Open Letter to Governor Rick Perry

Dear Mr. Governor,As the national IRS scandal grows, the Texas Legislature has sent an equally disturbing bill to you. SB 346 is a threat to political free association in the state of Texas, as the Wall St. Journal details:The bill requires that all social-welfare and nonprofit groups that spend more than $25,000 a year on politics report the details of their spending. The groups, which file under sections 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) of the tax...

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Americans for Prosperity and Texas "Freedom" Network Clash over CSCOPE

The audio is a little difficult to pick up at first, but this video speaks for itself:Highlights:When Dan Quinn says no one was pressured over CSCOPE, he's either lying or he's disqualifyingly misinformed.Ditto on Parents being informed.(h/t Texas Watchd...

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ACTION ALERT: No on HB 2836

In a sleazy, end-of-session, move, the Texas House is scheduled to take up HB 2836 today.This bill would gut the elected State Board of Education and replace it with a 'select committee' much friendlier to Big Education:If adopted, the committee substitute to HB 2836 would create an interim study of the TEKS; but out of the 14 members on the study committee, only 2 would be SBOE members who really have a grasp of curriculum standards, testing,...

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The Original, Biblical, Tea Party

From 2 Chronicles 10:The Revolt Against Rehoboam10 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. 2 So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), that Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 Then they sent for him and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our...

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Texas House Committee's $22,000 dinner

In case you're wondering why the 83rd Texas Legislature has accomplished so little, this must-read from the Texas Tribune will answer your questions; money quote:A remarkably expensive meeting of a key legislative committee took place this week: a $22,000-plus affair at an upscale downtown Austin steakhouse for the 15-member House Calendars Committee.That panel, which sets the daily lineup of bills for consideration in the House and thus holds...

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Jesus vs. Muhammad

The latest from Steven Crowder is amazing:Highlights:While Jesus raised adolescent girls from the dead, Muhammad.... Muhammad stoned women, Jesus protected women being stoned. Jesus never owned slaves or killed peop...

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New CDC Reports document American STD rates

Gross, but this stuff has to be documented; money quote:CDC’s new estimates show that there are about 20 million new infections in the United States each year, costing the American healthcare system nearly $16 billion in direct medical costs alone. America’s youth shoulder a substantial burden of these infections. CDC estimates that half of all new STIs in the country occur among young men and women. In addition, CDC published an overall estimate...

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Americans for Prosperity pitches in for Oklahoma

Those dang evil Koch Brothers are at it again; from AFP's Oklahoma director:The devastation in Oklahoma is tremendous.  Yesterday, a massive tornado hit the suburbs of Oklahoma City, destroying thousands of homes, a hospital and even two elementary schools.  The death toll stands at 24 souls and may yet rise, with so many in hospitals and others still unaccounted for.  Many of the victims were children, attending school yesterday.As...

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CSCOPE Fight is NOT Over

Via Texas CSCOPE Review; reposted in full:Teachers Instructed to Save CSCOPE LessonsMAY 20, 2013 BY JANICE LEAVE A COMMENTThe CSCOPE ESC directors announced that they will gut the CSCOPE curriculum by removing every CSCOPE lesson K-12. YEA!Was this done because these Education Service Center directors decided that the CSCOPE lessons are not of a quality that they would want taught to our Texas children? I wish. Instead, this decision...

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ACTION ALERT: YES on SB 14!!!

We've got one last chance to pass transparency legislation in the Texas House.From Americans for Prosperity -- Texas:The goal of SB 14 is to empower Texas voters with easily accessible knowledge of their current local government debt levels while also limiting debt issued without taxpayer approval. SB 14 would also require that special-purpose taxing entities demonstrate that they are serving the purpose for which they were created.From Texas...

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Why did Progress Texas Belittle American Deaths?!?

Progress Texas just shared the following cartoon on their Facebook page:Because Pat Smith is just some crazy right winger, right guys...

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Will Progress Texas Apologize for (at best) mischaracterizing the IRS Scandal?!?

The other day, we called out Progress Texas for claiming they received similar treatment from the IRS as Tea Party groups.  We linked to their IRS application and the application of the Waco Tea party along with highlights from other Tea Party-type applications.  In response, Progress Texas retreated into semantics.We were going to drop the matter, but that was before Friday's bombshell U.S. House hearing.Details that emerged in that hearing...

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OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT: Konni Burton for Texas Senate!!!

Cahnman's Musings wasn't planning to jump into Election 2014 before sine die.  Legislative outcomes during final week of the General session and the upcoming Special session(s) remain our top state level priority.  But it's Friday and this one's a no-brainer.Konni Burton has worked behind the scenes the past few election cycles.  She helped lead the revolution that swept the Tarrant County GOP during 2012.  She also supported...

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Veto SB 15: An Open Letter to Governor Rick Perry

Dear Mr. Governor,I am writing to request you veto the University bureaucrats protection act (aka. SB. 15), which passed the Texas Legislature on Wednesday.University regents are currently hired by an elected Governor.  SB 15 would place this authority in the hands of University bureaucrats who are not accountable to the public.  While the current system is not perfect, keeping these decisions in the hand of a Governor who has to face...

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Did Progress Texas fib about the IRS scandal?!?

Yesterday, Progress Texas claimed that they received identical treatment to Tea Party groups when they applied for tax-exempts status; Progress Texas made the following three claims:While the IRS was screening Tea Party groups, the agency was headed by Doug Shulman - a George W. Bush appointeeMany Tea Party groups operate like political PACs or political parties - which is not allowed under lawIt took us at Progress Texas 479 days to have our tax-exempt...

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ACTION ALERT: YES ON SB 2!!!

After yet another abdication of responsibility by the Texas House over CSCOPE yesterday, conservatives justifiably feel like Charlie Brown with the football; nevertheless, a major school choice bill is scheduled to see the floor today.From Americans for Prosperity -- Texas:In Texas today, we have 315,000 students in over 500 failing schools.  Kids’ futures ride on one five-digit code which they have no control over:  their zip code. Public...

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Open Letter from Conservatives to the #TXLEGE

To triage this ongoing disaster of a legislative session, fourteen conservative groups have released the following open letter to individual members of the Texas Legislature:May 10, 2013 Honorable Members of the Texas Legislature: The Lone Star State has become a model of economic growth through careful adherence to thoughtful fiscal discipline.However, there are some trying to push the state in the directionof more government, more spending,...

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