By Robb Orr and Jennifer Bendery, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
The weather may be cooling, but the climate surrounding the Nov. 8th ballot election is heating up as groups step up their arguments regarding Proposition 2, the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The measure has triggered an ongoing dispute between Attorney General Greg Abbott and Save Texas Marriage, an organization opposed to the amendment, which asserts the measure is rife with "sloppy and misleading" language. In fact, the group launched a campaign stating that the amendment is so poorly written that it leaves room for judges to annul all marriages in Texas; Abbott responded with a letter claiming such an argument is "wholly without merit."
Sensing that time is running out to get voters to the polls, Texans for Marriage, a group backing the amendment, on Friday morning began airing a new television ad in Austin and Houston urging passage of Proposition 2 on the grounds that marriage between one man and one woman is "God's design." Rep. Charlie Howard (R-Sugar Land), co-author of the amendment, said many churchgoers support the measure and will help to "pass this by a wide margin." He added, "What we're doing is saying, 'Here's the law we're going to follow.' It happens to be God's law," he said.
House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) this week agreed with Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that the state should allot emergency funds for textbooks and nursing home reimbursements. But in a letter to Dewhurst, he criticized Perry's request for millions more for trauma care and higher education as being "fiscally irresponsible." On Friday, Craddick also announced that his policy analyst, Stacy Nicchio, will become the House Committee Coordinator on Dec. 1.
In Washington, D.C., President Bush on Monday wasted little time in naming Samuel Alito as his next U.S. Supreme Court nominee after the prior week's crash-and-burn scenario involving his first pick, Harriet Miers. Not surprisingly, reactions to Alito from Texas leaders fell along party lines. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) described the nominee's qualifications as "outstanding" and said he is know for being "a jurist who will not make law from the bench." But Texas Democratic Party Chairman Charles Soechting criticized Bush for "caving in to pressure from the extreme right" by nominating someone so conservative. "The president has opened the door to a divisive nomination fight battle and the scary specter of right wing judicial activism," he said.
What has been described as a judicial merry-go-round this week came to a halt, at least temporarily, when Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson on Thursday appointed Bexar County Criminal Judge Pat Priest to preside in U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay's money-laundering trial. Earlier in the week, Travis County Judge Bob Perkins was removed from the case because of contributions to Democratic causes. Next up was Republican Judge B.B. Schraub, who was barely assigned to the case before removing himself because of donations to Gov. Perry, a key figure in Texas redistricting.
For now, Priest remains the presiding judge in DeLay's trial. But in such a highly political case, which Rep. Terry Keel (R-Austin) described as "a rare animal," attorneys may only be able to reach a consensus on judicial impartiality by finding that elusive Texas judge who has never donated to either party.
Gov. Perry on Wednesday issued an executive order directing TEA Commissioner Shirley Neeley to create a new incentive-based pay system for Texas teachers who succeed in economically disadvantaged schools. Under the governor's directive, schools serving large numbers of economically disadvantaged students that show improvement in performance will be eligible for at least $100,000. The executive order also requires that a minimum of 75 percent of funds go directly to the teachers having the greatest impact.
Perry this week also released the updated Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan for 2005-2010. The plan centers on building a statewide intelligence capability, enhancing multi-agency counterterrorism investigations and reducing vulnerabilities at critical infrastructures to help the state be better equipped to deter acts of terrorism and respond to disasters.
Stating that the cost of treating Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in Texas is a staggering $9 billion per year, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs this week teamed up with Texas health officials to spotlight diabetes prevention through exercise and good nutrition. "Obesity is a risk factor," she said, "and our children simply must start eating more nutritious foods and getting more exercise if we want to get a handle on this disease." She noted that a Walk for Diabetes is set for Nov. 12 in Austin.
The Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) this week released its annual report, The State of Texas Children 2005. The report, which examines the status of children across all of Texas' 254 counties, found that teens are doing better in many areas, particularly with regard to high school dropout rates and teen birth rates. Texas KIDS COUNT director Frances Deviney noted, however, that "when looking at children overall, many conditions have actually gotten worse." The report cites increases in the number of kids living in poverty in addition to decreases in the number of children with health insurance.
Afterthought: Is Texas ready to get Kinky? Some surprising numbers from a recent poll on 2006 Texas gubernatorial candidates suggest Texans are warming up to the idea.
A Zogby poll released this week found Gov. Rick Perry at 42 percent and Democratic gubernatorial contender Chris Bell at 23 percent. Not too surprising, except that the poll found Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman polling at 21 percent, a new high for the humorist and musician. While Friedman still has a way to go if he plans to topple his gubernatorial opponents, it can't hurt that he's about land his own show. Country Music Television (CMT) is proposing a new reality show, "Go Kinky," which will follow Friedman on his campaign for Texas governor. While CMT may not be CNN, Friedman thinks it's the right choice for his campaign because of his "country music roots." The station will air two pilot episodes on Wednesday, Nov. 9th, at 12:00 AM and 12:30 AM.