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Lampson running for Texas CD14, says Beaumont TV station site

Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson will run for Congress in a district with boundaries similar to the one he served, says the Website of Beaumont TV station KFDM Channel 6. The story noted that Lampson will file Monday in Austin although he has not confirmed information from the station’s sources.

Perhaps, finally, a Democrat coming home where he belongs--in Congress

Lampson, 66, was elected Jefferson County Tax Assessor-Collector in 1976 and served in that office for 19 years. He won the 9th congressional district seat in 1996 defeating controversial conservative Steve Stockman in an open primary runoff. The district included his hometown of Beaumont as well as Galveston and a portion of Houston. Lampson was reelected three terms but his district was gerrymandered prior to the 2004 election, moving the part of Houston which included NASA into Tom DeLay’s district and replacing it with heavily Republican areas to the north and east of Houston. Houston district court judge Ted Poe defeated Lampson during that election and that is how, when I moved back to Beaumont in 2005, I wound up with Poe as my congressman. It still stings to say that.

Since that time Poe, whom I think would rather represent Arizona border areas that would keep him on Fox News when he wasn’t “legislating,” has not faced any serious challenges. That has been much to my, and other non-right wingers, despair.

Lampson ran again in 2006. But it was for the 22nd congressional district spot held by much-troubled Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who wisely chose not to seek reelection again. Lampson left his Jefferson County home to run for the seat, moving to Sugar Land in Fort Bend County. He was defeated in the massive incumbent toss in 2008.

The ghost of Mr. Gerry has taken another turn — thanks to a Republican majority in the Texas Lege — albeit so confusing at this point that thinking about it might make my head explode. The gist of it is that Beaumont has been drawn into to Ron Paul’s congressional district. Dr. Paul is not going to run for reelection because he will be president. Yeah. And I think I see a pig’s butt flying over. The new CD 14 will include Paul’s base of Brazoria County, encompass Galveston county including the Bolivar Peninsula as well as Jefferson County and perhaps, or not, a smidgen of Harris County. If by now you do not know that Beaumont, Lampson’s hometown, is Jefferson County seat then either I have confused you well or there is no hope for you.

No Democrats have filed for the CD 14 primary election, so far. Republican candidates who have filed:

  • Bill Sargent, Chief Deputy Clerk of Elections in Galveston County, web developer, retired lieutenant commander, USNR, former congressional staffer. Moved to Galveston in 2004 from Virginia. Obviously not BOI.

I am unsure of any Libertarian or Green party candidates, if any, who have filed. Thursday had been the last day to file for a place on the ballot for the March 6, 2012, primary election. However, a deal developed by the state Democrat and Republican parties to avoid multiple primaries would move the primary to April 3, if a three-judge panel in San Antonio agrees. To find out the latest on filings and elections, go to the VoteTexas.org Website, from the Texas Secretary of State.

The Republicans may just have themselves an interesting primary for CD 14. We shall see what happens on the Dem front.

 

 

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Smart like Newt. A new Earth. Footsball galore

It’s Monday, if you needed a reminder. Rather than having to use my brain cells one iota more than needed — like that was going to happen — I thought I would pass along a little interesting reading.

The Man Who Knew Too Much

A lot of stories are coming out about front-runner de jour of the GOP presidential pack, former House Speaker Newt “Newt” Gingrich. Many such articles deal with subjects such as his ego and pomposity. Those are not exactly high crimes and misdemeanors but for a party with a solid know-nothing wing it is uncertain how the Newt might fare against, say, a Mormon. As an article I read yesterday, sorry, I don’t remember where I saw it, pointed out, G.W. Bush had a bachelor’s degree from Yale and an M.B.A. from Harvard. Had that not been such public knowledge one would have never known it because he didn’t just play dumb, he played dumb to perfection.

Newt’s business dealings may be the one really difficult spot as a presidential candidate. Here is a Forbes article that examines “Newt as Sleazeball.” I think that in the end most Americans do not care for crooked politicians and many care even less for pompous legends in their own mind who think they are the slickest thing since Butch hair wax. Wow, do you know they still sell that stuff? This Christian Science Monitor piece looks at whether Newt would be the most formidable opponent for President Obama. Many Democrats would d0 the Happy Dance if Newt were nominated, then again, the Republicans will elect just about anything, and have done so.

Finally, Newt paid a visit to New York today to kiss the ring of The Donald. What’s that all about? A new reality show in the making? The Newt Towers. He’p us. He’p us, please!

Kepler 22b: A nice place to be from

Scientists are all excited about the discovery of Kepler 22b, the Earth-like planet with a surface temperature of 72 degrees. Sounds good to me if it rains there.

Some foots-ball talk

It seems as if every year the list of college football bowl games get longer and longer. Bowls are not just the destination for collegiate teams which win their conference but now second and sometimes third and maybe fourth place teams get a piece of the action. Plus adding the name of the corporate sponsor just about makes me throw up in my mouth a little. The Viagra Erection Bowl, the Little Friskies Killer Cat Bowl, the Cruex There’s A Fungus Among Us Bowl, the Amish Quilt Bowl … the list goes on and on.

Finally, the Houston Texans are now 9-3 after beating the Atlanta Falcons using their third-string quarterback T.J. Yates. The win came at the cost of three key players injured with one gone for the season.

It doesn’t matter what Texans haters or Texans self-haters say. It is quite an accomplishment to come so far under so much adversity, including the loss of starting QB Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart last week. Star receiver Andre Johnson, unfortunately, went out in the Texans 17-10 win with recurring problems to his Achilles tendon. Johnson may be back in a couple of weeks but punter Bret Hartmann is lost for the season after suffering a tear to his left anterior cruciate ligament. Inside linebacker Brian Cushing also left the game with a hurt knee but is expected to return next week against Cincinnati. The team has signed a couple of backups, the Cajun Man himself, Jake Delhomme was signed as second-string QB. Delhomme played college ball at Louisiana-Lafayette. He played for New Orleans as well as Super Bowl runner ups Carolina Panthers. Former Texans punter Matt Turk has been signed to substitute for the injured Hartmann.

 

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A day in the life from those with mostly little hope

If I was a Republican — and pigs, of course, could fly — I would be halfway around the proverbial bend by now listening to the myriad of words about and from the mouths of all the 2012 presidential hopefuls. It is just staggering the news and the talking points and the yip-yap flying through the air and over the Internet and onto the printed pages of the media. A more cynical soul might think that this was a GOP prank to show all that the party had, themselves and without help from the legislative branch, invented a full-employment act for journalists and politicos.

Here is a little taste from a day in the life of the chase for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination:

The Godfather of Pizza, Herman Cain, told an Ohio crowd that “stupid people are ruining America.” Cain apparently had that epiphany after having gone through recent sex scandals and news that he allegedly has been carrying on a 13-year affair with a woman who is not his wife. Yesterday he told supporters he was “reassessing” his campaign. Today he sounds like he is still in it. Unfortunately, the thought may not have occurred to Cain that he just might be one of those people to whom he refers.

There is only one Newt. So, he should go by only one name, Newt. Newt, “The Newt,” Newt will tell Sean Hannity in an interview tonight that he helped Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp develop supply side economics and that Newt also helped defeat communism. Although the aforementioned pigs will fly before I watch the interview, I can imagine Newt might also proclaimed that he helped Al Gore invent the Internet, he helped Edward Teller develop the hydrogen bomb and helped Bettie Nesmith Graham (mother of Monkee Mike Nesmith) invent Liquid Paper.

In yet another Faux News interview — Hmm, the network sure showcases a lot of Republicans. Wonder why? — Mitt “Mittens” Romney explained to Fox reporter Bret Baier that he did not exactly know how his position on immigration differed from that of Newt’s. But he’s sure it was somehow different. “Now what was it I said when I was governor of Massachusetts?”

Poor Rick Gov. “Good Hair” Perry. He seems to continue faltering in his quest to regain his status back at the top of the heap. I’d feel sorry for him except I know that if he doesn’t get the nomination — and it looks as if he may not — he will return to Texas and continue to make our lives a living hell. Maybe it’s the pressure of the campaign or maybe he’s been eating peyote buttons but he continues flubbing chunks of information that even an 18-year-old would know, like the legal age for voting. (It’s 18.) (It’s 21 to buy al-ki-haul.)

Michelle “Crazy Lady” Bachmann was supposed to call in to a South Carolina talk radio show the other day. The host waited and waited some more. He finally discovered Bachmann stood him up after glancing up at the TV and seeing her talking on Fox News. There must be some theme here, all these Republican politicians on Fox News!

I would normally make fun of Rick Santorum but for the news that he has been campaigning with a seriously ill 3-year-old daughter. I don’t like Santorum, I think he’s a sanctimonious SOB. But I will say this. I somehow understand his rationale for a campaign which has less than a snowball’s chance. Still, I believe that if I was in his shoes I’d go home and spend however many years, months or days he has to spend with his little girl.

Ron “Dr. No and No Some More” Paul has a 2 1/2-minute Web ad going off on Newt. Newt’s ties to the health care industry. Newt’s flip-flopping. Newt’s taking money from Freddie Mac. Newt’s taking money from the late Bernie Mac. Newt’s taking money from the way late Ted Mack. I watched the ad. You would think Ron Paul wouldn’t use Newt’s name and Newt’s picture so much during those 2 1/2 minutes. You know, even bad publicity is good publicity?

You know that Jon “Not in the Hunt” Hunstman really seems more Democrat than Republican when he uses terminology not heard since the first Clinton presidential campaign. The term “hopeful” really applies to Huntsman. Especially the “hope” part.

 

 

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Sam Brownback, gubernatorial tattle-tale, still sucks

Emma Sullivan does not have to write Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback an apology for her Twitter comment, as she likely would not have done anyway.

The 18-year-old Shawnee Mission East High School senior was making a joke when she tweeted to a friend that after a school-sponsored visit to the Kansas statehouse: “Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot.” Little did Sullivan know that all Hell would break loose. Her inside joke was discovered by the watchful eyes of staffers of the former U.S. Senator and House member — who once considered a run for the GOP presidential race — and she was ratted out to her principal. The staff apparently scans social media daily to see if anyone needs to be hunted down and water-boarded for making rude comments about Gov. Brownback.

Now no school administrator likes waves being made whether it be the size of a tsunami or a fart in the bathtub. One can only imagine the Shawnee Mission East heads of state scrambling for their figurative lifeboats after the Guv’s office called about one of their students.

Sullivan said she was summoned to the office by her principal and told that major damage control was needed. She was ordered to write a letter of apology by today. Sullivan didn’t do it.

Brownback, not calling Sullivan by name, himself apologized for what he termed an overreaction by his staff. I bet the staff was thrilled at getting thrown under the bus for keeping out such watchful eyes. The school district likewise issued a statement to the media, saying Sullivan would not be required to write an apology nor would she be censored. The statement also said the episode resulted in many “teachable moments” with respect to the use of social media. Hey, I once saw Barack Obama from more than 300 yards away. Barack Obama regularly “e-mails me.” And you, the Shawnee Mission School District officials, are no Barack Obama.

That such foolish and anti-democratic actions are generated from Brownback and his camp is not at all surprising. Brownback was linked to the controversial “C Street House,” a well-connected conservative religious ‘frat house,’ in Washington when he was a member of Congress. Other reports have characterized the Kansas Republican as envisioning a “fascist theocracy” in the nation.

Luckily things worked out for Sullivan and she wasn’t subjected to something really stupid like suspension or being prevented from graduation. That would have really been sad but not unpredictable when you have thin-skinned and paranoid pols, as well as school administrators who believe that learning CYA is more important than the ABCs.

 

 

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Gobble GOP gobble

It seems most appropriate that the most recent Republican presidential debate comes just before Thanksgiving. Rick “Man on Dog” Sanitorium says Muslims should be specifically profiled by airport security. Newt “Newt” Gingrich thinks the fascist-leaning Patriot Act should be enhanced. Michelle “the Wack Job” Bachmann says President Obama has handed over questioning of terror suspects to the ACLU. The empty rhetoric goes on and on and on. These candidates are as full of s**t as a Thanksgiving turkey.