My Uncle Paul used to be somebody. He was a successful businessman and community leader of Houston, Texas. Eventually he retired, and spent his days alone in the kitchen, playing his version of solitaire with a deck of Dallas Cowboy's Cheerleaders playing cards.. He woke up every morning, and put on his business suit as if he was going to go to work again, but Uncle Paul could no longer do his job, for he suffered from senile dementia. It was a good thing Uncle Paul retired when he did. The kitchen was often ripe, as he wore the same old, green suit for days on end. His hands trembling as he shuffled the cards with that toothless smile of his. A smile of pleasure that only fondling America's sweethearts could bring. He was a throwback to a time long forgotten. When white men were men and everybody else didn't really matter. Many in my family saw uncle Paul as somebody special, but I just saw an old man who soiled his pants and had to be looked after by others, for he could not form a rational decision on his own. Who really knows what he had to do to get to where he was? What types of boys clubs and secret societies he was a member of. I've never in my life met anyone like uncle Paul until this election year, then low and behold:
It's him.
I mean to a T.
I'm not sure how sincere my uncle Paul's ties were to that 'old time' in the American south, but I'm damn sure about this man's, and his intentions if elected...
Go on Paul. It's past time for you to hang it up.
Go sit in your kitchen, shuffle your cards and smile.
UPDATE: Ron Paul is the guy they unmask at the end of every "Scooby-Doo" episode.
"and I would have got away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids."
The Texas Progressive Alliance thinks that watching football this past weekend -- in particular the Houston Texans' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals -- was a much better use of your time than watching the 388th and 389th Repubican presidential debates. Here's this week's roundup.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the fact that our politics can't be fixed until the money is taken out of our political process: It's the money.
The case against the Texas Republicans' redistricting argument (beginning before the SCOTUS on January 9) rests almost entirely on two generations of legal precedent. And with a Court that has indicated an interest in eviscerating the Voting Rights Act, precedent doesn't mean diddly, either. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs elaborates.
BossKitty at TruthHugger has had enough of the religious bullying by the 2012 Republican presidential candidates, specifically Rick Santorum. Why do we need a Jesus candidate?
BlueBloggin sees the consequences of not paying attentionwhen corporate-funded American politicians make it easy to break environmental rules, ruin natural resources and not be held accountable to the human victims.
Neil at Texas Liberal noted a certificate he received in the mail from the Department of Veterans Affairs that noted his recently deceased father's military service. Neil's dad, a Korean War combat veteran, would have been glad that the certificate was signed by Barack Obama and not by a draft-dodging liar like George W. Bush.
Michele Bachmann jumps out of the clown car as God finally let's her in on the joke.
Her message to Iowa: Mom. Apple pie. Doomsday.
Ron Paul get's the under thirty vote. Who knew Iowa was so full of Hitler youth?
If Rick Santorum could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.
Do you think Mit Romney can carry Utah?
Rick "The Dick" Perry waffles after a poor showing in Iowa, threatens to quit, then does a little sidestep and gets back in the race.
Texas taxpayers funding his campaign will have to grin and bear it.
Meanwhile, Texas teachers, firemen, police, state mental patients, children living in poverty and all of our lungs are suffering under the yoke of governor shitbag.
A right winger told me that all those problems were a result of bordering Mexico. To him and to governor shitbag I give a Chris Matthews 'Ha!'
Oh, and Newt Gingrich accusing someone of being a liar is like Don King accusing someone of having a bad haircut.
The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes everyone a happy and prosperous New Year as it brings you the first roundup of 2012.
There were two big redistricting stories last week, and both favored the plaintiffs against Texas and its retrogressive maps. The DC Court issued its decision defining preclearance standards, and the Justice Department filed an amicus brief with SCOTUS arguing it should use the interim maps drawn by the San Antonio court. Off the Kuff has the details on each.
More Dallas wastewater is headed for Houston, as a project to route more of the Trinity River toward the Bayou City moves forward. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs says that he can't wait to pour a tall glass of Metroplex toilet water.
Neil at Texas Liberal posted about a longtime musician friend looking to form a new protest band in Cincinnati. It's unlikely that anybody in Texas will be able to join this band. But that's not the point. The point is that we all have talents, and we should work hard to make the best use of our talents in the big political year ahead. Don't just sit around and let somebody else generate content for you to consume.
The Lewisville Texan Journal (formerly WhosPlayin) examined TxDOT right-of-way purchases along the I-35E corridor in Denton County, finding that the state was paying much more for properties than the tax roll values. Denton County's Republican County Judge Mary Horn, who is spearheading the effort to expand the road with toll lanes received $993,000 for an investment property she had, which was 19.7 times more than what it was on the tax rolls for.
The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes everyone is enjoying their holiday as it brings you the last roundup of the year.
Last week's House Republican cave-in on the payroll tax cut extension is intertwined with the Keystone XL pipeline: both have to be decided upon again in 60 days. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has some discussion about the implications.
Neil at Texas Liberal posted the Occupy Houston response to felony charges for some Occupy protestors who took part in civil disobedience at the port of Houston. This is a matter that should be of concern to all progressives, political advocacy groups, and civil libertarians.
Federal court judge Sam Sparks gave an early Christmas present to Texas microbreweries and their customers last week. Off the Kuff explains.
BossKitty at TruthHuggeris very pleased with Congressman Lloyd Doggett. The Texas Republicans are still trying to mess with Lloyd's district. Bosskitty shares an example of how Lloyd responded to an email concerning the HR 10 vote: UPDATE: Response to HR 10 Consequences
