Best of the RightOnLine

You may need to do a "cut and paste" of the websites below, but we will work to provide you with the best of the blogging that is "RightOnLine"...

Dallas Blog
Otto and Paxton are Great Choices to Head Select Committee
Tom Pauken, Apr 29, 2008 17:57:11 GMT

Old Government Road
And Not A Girlfriend Among The Bunch
Apr 26, 2008 17:45:42 GMT

Question For Perry
Apr 26, 2008 00:58:31 GMT

Looking Ahead At The Likely Battle Grounds
Apr 26, 2008 00:36:04 GMT

BOR Starts Off Its 6th Year Right Where The Other 5 Left Off…Spewing Crap All Over The Web
Apr 25, 2008 03:38:27 GMT

KVUE Political Junkie
Breaking: US Supreme Court Upholds Voter ID
Apr 28, 2008 16:01:38 GMT

Those Crazy Bloggers
Apr 25, 2008 06:07:47 GMT

Kuff’s World
Thoughts on "Houston Have Your Say"
Apr 25, 2008 20:19:18 GMT

Postcards
Was Perry trying to scoop Hutchison?
Apr 26, 2008 20:09:36 GMT

State of Mine
Peggy Noonan: Bush Has Lost Texas
Apr 25, 2008 13:42:05 GMT

Texas Politics
U.S. Supreme Court says Voter ID is OK
Apr 28, 2008 16:42:21 GMT

Texas Weekly
Out There: Hello, Goodbye
Apr 28, 2008 14:34:44 GMT

Bay Area Houston
Senator Estes calls for teaching the Koran in public schools
John Coby, Apr 28, 2008 14:25:00 GMT

It's tort reform, stupid!
John Coby, Apr 28, 2008 10:12:00 GMT

Eye on Williamson County
Texas Blog Round Up (April 28, 2008)
Apr 28, 2008 13:47:49 GMT

Off the Kuff
You may say it's not about tort reform, but it is
Apr 28, 2008 01:46:11 GMT

Dallas ISD Debt: $1,512,559,288

Something to think about before going out to vote on the Dallas Independent School District's $1.35 billion -- that's a b -- school bond election May 10.

Dallas ISD Bond Debt: $1,512,559,288

While we're at it, here's the City of Dallas bond debt figure: $5,769,648,609.


Source: Texas Bond Review Board local government debt database

The Economics of College

In today's Townhall.com update, Thomas Sowell has the second part of a great treatise on the cost and economics of a college education. Here's hoping he turns this into a book. You can read part one here.

What will happen to the poor if there are no government subsidies for college?
If this argument is meant seriously, rather than being simply a political
talking point, then there can always be some means test used to decide who
qualifies as poor and then subsidize just those people -- rather than the vastly
larger number of other claimants for government largesse who advance toward the
national treasury, using the poor as human shields.

Vote Against Bond Proposals

It seems like every year, we the taxpayers, are asked to spend more tax money on these long-term loans. I saw a sign this morning that said "Vote yes on the School Bond. For the Children." I urge every voter to vote down these bond proposals.

If these school board administrators were really passing these proposals for the children, they we would not be having extraordinarily high drop-out rates. We would not be talking about shutting down at least three schools in Austin. If these bonds were going to strengthen public schools, why do teachers need to constantly go over the heads of their local school board and appeal to the State Legislature for raises each year? Last time I looked, the State Legislature is not responsible for hiring and firing teachers in local school districts...that is up to the local school districts themselves.

These bond proposals are not for the children. In fact, the debt we as a society are racking up is hurting our next generation. Local government debt has risen 5 times greater than the rate of inflation in the last thirty years in Texas. The City of Austin alone has a greater debt to taxpayers than the entire State of Texas! And they continue to ask for more loans! The real loan crisis in this country is not with home mortgages, it is with cities and local school boards continuing to receive taxpayer funded loans that can never be paid back by the current generation!

One of the premises of the State Legislature is to not tie the hands of future Sessions of the Legislature with debts, programs, and taxes that the future Legislature cannot control. In essence, local school districts, cities, and county governments break this premise every year in local elections by saddling future school boards, future County Commissioners, and future City Councils with additional debt and programs that cannot be paid by the current revenue stream.

Our public debt at every level is too high. It is up to you, the taxpayers, to vote down every new bond proposal that comes up on the ballot and to ask the tough question of your elected official, "What are you doing to lower my taxes today?" If the elected official cannot answer that question, it is time for a replacement.

Vote no on your local bond proposals on May 10.

The Travis Monitor: AISD Bond Proposal

The Travis Monitor: AISD Bond Proposal

There's some great information on Austin ISD's upcoming bond proposal over at Travis Monitor.

Saturday, May 10 is Election Day - on the ballot are city council and municipal offices, school board, and of course, this school bond. It is vital to the future financial health of our city and our school district to vote down this bond. Vote "NO" on the AISD bond proposal on May 10!

For more information on the growth of local debt and spending, check out Americans for Prosperity today.

July in Austin -- Be There or Be Square

I am at the Sam Adams Institute at the Samsphere in Denver at a gathering of bloggers from across the country. Sam's putting together these important schools across the country -- and is coming to Texas to help Americans for Prosperity-Texas with our July 18, 19 Summit in Austin...Defending the American Dream, and creating that Cybercity on the Hill. Yes, we'll be focused on how to carry the modern conservative movement forward onloine.

What young person do you know who wakes up in the morning, puts their slippers on, goes outside to get the paper, pours a cup of coffee, and sits down to read the paper. Nope, it ain't happenin'.

Young voters and older voters alike are inreasingly getting their news off the internet.

We'll focus on how we can build on the right -- and be RightOnLine! It's the future, and we free-enterprise folks need to do a better job getting our message out there.

for information, stay tuned to www.DefendingTheDream.com and check out www.AFPTX.org.
July 18-19 in Austin -- be there or be sitting home reading the newspaper complaining about the mainstream media...

Did I mention that the DailyKos/Netroots Nation's annual convention will bring thousands of liberal bloggers making Austin even weirder. National media will be focused on how the left is taking over the blogisphere. They'll be wrong.

Global Warming Hot Air Hoax -- calculate the costs

Buckle your seat belts, folks – we may or may not have any Global Warming, but if some lawmakers in DC have their way, you WILL have a global warming tax.

If they succeed in scaring us into global warming hysteria, your freedom will be threatened and energy costs will balloon to outrageous levels.

Join Americans for Prosperity for the Hot Air Tour stops in Texas. They will have a hot air balloon in Dallas on May 2 at 8:30 am at SMU and in Houston at 6:30 pm at Bear Creak Park.

We’ll talk about the ballooning costs of energy if we adopt the global warming alarmists’ schemes.

You won’t want to miss the Hot Air Tour. Stay tuned for more information

Gun toting Texas legislator

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- State Representative Borris Miles (D-Dist 146, Houston) has been indicted on two counts of deadly conduct. The indictments stem from two different incidents on the same day back in December. The first incident happened during a Rockets/Mavericks game at Toyota Center. At a facility lounge, Miles allegedly pulled a gun on TSU regent Willard Jackson's wife. The second incident took place at a party thrown by businessman David Harris later that same night. At the party, Miles allegedly pulled a gun on Harris.

Apparently, Miles allegedly pulled the gun inside the swanky Lexus Lounge at the Toyota Center. They then moved on to the St. Regis hotel, where the alleged incidents there have been well documented.

Here's the low-down: Miles was elected in November of 2006. He has been assigned to the Government Reform and Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committees.

So he has turned to guns? Must be one of those frustrated small town boys Obama was talking about. Will Miles turn to religion next?

WAAAAAA Watson

It was reported in the Austin America-Statesman in January that Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) criticized Lt Gov David Dewhurst for not appointing enough Democrats (read it K I R K W A T S O N) to key committees.

Let’s think about this – Sen. Watson is a freshman senator. He serves as Vice chairman of the powerful Transportation and Homeland Security, and he serves on Jurisprudence and Nominations Committees, the Select Committee on Emerging Technologies and Economic Development, the Business and Commerce Committee, and the committee of the Whole.

Just what is freshman Senator Kirk Watson complaining about?

And what is Lt. Gov. Dewhurst doing to make Sen. Watson happy?

If asked on MSNBC by Hardball’s Chris Matthews, chances are Sen. Watson will be left speechless…he’ll have to get back to you.

No intelligence allowed

If you are like me and a Ben Stein fan (SteinGirl - oh, yeh!) you won't want to miss seeing this trailer to his movie Expelled. Not only does the brainy Stein have nice looking knees, but he's typically hilarious as he exposes the science's community denial of a supreme being. It's worth a watch:

http://www.expelledthemovie.com/enterflash.phphttp://www.expelledthemovie.com/enterflash.php

And April 18, you'll find me at the movies.

Parent PAC runoff cash dump fails, taxpayers declared winners

The Texas Educrat PAC made a last bid for success in HD 144, where Fred Roberts and Ken Legler were duking it out to replace conservative hero Robert Talton. The PAC gave $10,000 to Roberts in an attempt to boost his campaign at the last moment.

And.....it failed.

Legler won on Tuesday night, and the taxpayers of Fort Bend County can breathe a sigh of relief. Legler signed the Defending the American Dream pledge put forth by those stalwart defenders of your pocketbook, Americans for Prosperity.

Chalk another victory up for taxpayers!

We pay for their waste...what a stinky deal.

Hello to the readers of "The Voice of the Taxpayer"! This is my first post with ya'll, so please be kind. Feed me comments! :) Now on to the meat of the matter: waste, fraud, and abuse of our taxpayer money by our government employees.

Whatever happened to holding public office and demonstrating trustworthiness in stewardship, honor in conduct, and integrity of character? Are those basic values out of fashion or not expected for those working in government? Waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars run rampant throughout all levels of government and the costs to the taxpayer are enormous.

“Taxpayers deserve honesty,” says Americans for Prosperity - Texas Executive Director Peggy Venable, “We continue to see fraud, waste and abuse of public dollars, to the tune of millions of dollars.”

Instances of justice are served up to taxpayers by way of small victories, however. Temple’s Mayor Pro-tem Martha Tyroch just lost her bid for state representative likely due to her outrageous spending habits using the Temple city credit card, information made public prior to the election. On May 10, voters in Palmer will have a chance to decommission Councilman Mike Greenlee should they deem his 1990s-era expenditures at strip clubs and bars using his city credit card abuse of taxpayer money. The Ellis County Press covers the front page story here.

Taxpayers should not have to go to work every day to earn a living, take care of their families and pay their taxes, knowing that millions of their tax dollars are wasted, abused, and used fraudulently. The good news is there are some elected officials who do consistently side on behalf of the taxpayer and trustworthiness in stewardship. During the 80th Texas Legislative Session in 2007, Sen. Dan Patrick introduced SB 1190 that would have established a commission on state government spending to address waste, fraud, and abuse in state agency operations. It was left pending in committee at the close of the Session.

Our lesson is this: they’re using our money so we have every right to oversee its use. Americans for Prosperity – Texas (AFP) can help you plug in to your local and state government so you may serve as a citizen watchdog for government spending. If abuse of your taxpayer dollars makes your blood boil and you want to do something about it, please call AFP at 512.476.5905.

Mojo Craddick

I’m a West Texas girl (Mojo, Mighty Panthers!) and see my hometown area as the big winner in the legislative run-off. Tryon Lewis won 3 to 1 in a race that Buddy West should have never entered. West had served West Texas, and could have returned home a statesman. It’s tough to let go of power, and perhaps harder still to let go of a grudge. West was widely reported to have disliked Texas House Speaker (and neighboring legislator) Tom Craddick. But Midland and Odessa are connected, and voters want legislators working together.

Some Odessans said West looked tired and not well. Whey my Mother’s long-time neighbor stuck the Lewis sign in her yard, Tryon Lewis had the election in the bag. Those little gray-hairs have the Mojo going and when they are jump ship, it’s indication of a revolt.

Others said they were ready for fresh leadership in a legislator who has energy and enthusiasm, and who can work with leadership.

Congratulations to Judge Lewis - soon to be Rep. Lewis -- who ran an honorable campaign.

Mojo Craddick

- Peggy V.

Tom Craddick Appoints Members to the Business Tax Advisory Committee

Speaker of the Texas House Tom Craddick appointed Representatives Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) and Myra Crownover (R-Denton) to the Business Tax Advisory Committee today. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst will appoint two Senators. Comptroller Susan Combs will serve on the Committee as will 14 Texas citizens.

The business tax was created in 2006 during the Special Session of the 79th Legislature. The goal of the business tax was to generate revenue so the State Legislature could buy down property taxes from local school districts. In reality, the Legislature expanded the existing franchise tax which Republicans fought for 15 years to remove from law after Governor Ann Richards signed it into law.

I would have preferred to have Representatives John Smithee and Ken Paxton as members of the Business Tax Advisory Committee as both of these fine men serve on the Ways and Means Committee and have studied this issue in depth. Also, both of these men voted against the expansion of the franchise tax.

It should be noted the bill (HB 3, 79S3) that expanded the franchise tax was passed 80-68, by a Legislature controlled by Republicans. The Republicans that voted against the business tax were:

Dwayne Bohac (Houston)
Carter Casteel (New Braunfels)
Linda Harper-Brown (Irving)
Will Hartnett (Dallas)
Harvey Hilderbran (Kerrville)
Charlie Howard (Sugar Land)
Bryan Hughes (Mineola)
Delwin Jones (Lubbock)
Bill Keffer (Dallas)
Jodie Laubenberg (Rockwall)
Ken Paxton (Frisco)
Debbie Riddle (Houston)
John Smithee (Amarillo)
Robert Talton (Pasadena)

Of these Republicans, Carter Casteel and Delwin Jones are RINO's and were voting against Craddick, not against raising taxes.