How We Do Things in Texas

This is how we get things done in Texas. When you want to curry favor with public servants, people who live on the taxpayers’ dollars, you make them really generous but completely anonymous gifts. You do something like giving each and every sheriff’s deputy in Fort Bend County, Texas a token of your appreciation to the tune of $1000. Something that happened here in Fort Bend County earlier this year.

And according to the District Attorney, it’s all perfectly legit if you don’t know who the donor is. How can you turn a blind eye at a traffic infraction, or any other kind of crime in the county if you don’t know who gave the money to you?

Well, no one but the county sheriff, anyway.

And he says that he isn’t going to say who the mysterious donor was.

So it’s OK.

Well then what about throwing a party? A fundraiser? What about getting local citizenry who don’t have something to do on a weekday for 3 hours to all come down to the “Texas Roadhouse” a new restaurant that just opened in Rosenberg and show the city fire department their appreciation for all that they do?

That’s what they are going to do according to this piece that I found in FortBendNow today. The public is invited – all of those who don’t have anything to do between 11 AM and 2 PM next Thursday anyway – to come down and have lunch and then they only pay what they choose to pay.

Apparently there is no limit.

What a deal.

And apparently, because no one has brought it up, this is OK because they’re going to use the fundraiser money to buy “much-needed equipment.” So anonymity isn’t a problem here and party goers are free to attend without putting paper bags over their heads.

Or wear Halloween masks.

Well I guess I’m lucky that I don’t live in Rosenberg because I work for a living and will definitely not be available to attend the fundraiser on that day. Because I wouldn’t want to be a Rosenberg resident who failed to pony up. Because on the day that one of these poor schmos’ houses catch fire they have to hope that the Texas Roadhouse restaurant doesn’t have a grease fire that day.

Or the day that one of the party goer’s cats climbs up a tree and refuses to come down.

Because we are only human and humans do have their priorities.

Noriega Offered Assistant Secretary Post; Declines

Former state representative and senatorial candidate Rick Noriega has revealed in a newsletter to supporters that he was recently offered a position in the Obama Administration but decided not to accept the offer.

“Last week I was contacted and asked if I would consider a post as Assistant Secretary of Defense (Reserve Affairs) with the Secretary of the Air Force. I declined the position. I remain open to a position in President Obama's administration, one that is aligned with my core competencies. I am most honored to have been called. It is hard to consider leaving my family again, and I am not yet sure what the final outcome will be.”

Rick is right. Rick is a ground pounder, not a flyboy. Rick is used to dealing with soldiers whose hands are calloused, not manicured. I agree with this and call on the Obama Administration to take note of the talents that this man offers our nation’s military.

In another statement, Noriega announced that he has accepted the position of Vice President of Community Relations at Neighborhood Centers, Inc., an organization that once helped his own family through hard times, and “includes centers such as Ripley House, Head Start programs, senior programs, charter schools and more. It is a $ 200 million operation, caring for Houston's seniors, youngsters and needy, giving folks a hand up, not a hand out.”

As I have written in other posts on this blog, public service is what this entire family is about. It’s really too bad that more Texans didn’t agree with Democrats that Rick Noriega would have made a superb US Senator, much better than the one we have saddled ourselves with for another six years, a real shame – doubly – because his former opponent continues to vote against the interests of his own state, and takes campaign contributions from crooks and drug money launderers.

But our loss is Neighborhood Centers, Inc.’s gain.

Noriega Serves, Cornyn Mugs In Front of the Cameras With Chertoff

What are the two Texans who are vying for the same seat in the US Senate doing in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike? Well I just got an email message from Rick Noriega, telling me what he will be doing, despite the fact that we are only 6 weeks from the beginning of early voting. Rather than tell you I’ll let you read it for yourself. It’s short, sweet and to the point:

Dear Hal,

I hope this note finds you safe.

Hurricane Ike's effects have been devastating. It's critical we get millions of Texans the help they need.

I reported to Camp Mabry, serving with the 36th Division Headquarters, Texas Army National Guard, with the G-3 section charged with operations and planning. During this time, I am canceling campaign events.

I encourage you to volunteer with your local Red Cross.

And please consider making a donation to the Red Cross.

Together, we can make a difference.

For Texas,

Rick Noriega

Disclaimer: Rick Noriega is a member of the Army National Guard. Use of his military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense

Camp Mabry is the headquarters for all Texas military services. Rick will be using his management skills to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts in the areas devastated by Hurricane Ike.

John Cornyn, on the other hand, continues to stand in front of the cameras as he and the senior senator from Texas, Kay Bailey Hutchison, go on tour with FEMA director Michael Chertoff.

Here is a small part of his press release:

“Today I joined Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in surveying the regions that suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Ike.”

Cornyn continued with fawning praise of Rick Perry, Michael Chertoff and FEMA in general. This amid news that the two gentlemen are very busy pointing fingers at each other and everywhere else. Amid news that food, water and supplies have again not made it to the devastated areas because of FEMA’s world renowned lackadaisical organizational skills.

Now in response to Ike, John Cornyn’s staffers decided to pull his television ads that were scheduled to begin airing on Friday.

“Cornyn, who appeared at official government events over the weekend
connected to the hurricane, said now is not the time for campaigning. He said he
wasn't necessarily referring to Noriega.”

No, not necessarily. In actual fact. Too bad Big Bad John didn’t check to see what national guard reservists usually do when disaster strikes. Had he done so, maybe he wouldn’t have fired a bullet into his foot in full public view.

So what are our two senatorial candidates doing in response to Hurricane Ike? Well isn’t it obvious? They’re each doing what they do best. Cornyn is best at mugging for the cameras, looking important, and very, very concerned.

Rick Noriega is best at service to the people who are in crying need. In his role as incident commander at the George R. Brown Convention Center after Hurricane Katrina hit, Noriega proved his calm, competent ability to get things done.

Now John Cornyn has looked real nice on TV all this weekend. Each and every white hair was in place as he read his prepared statements into camera lenses. But that notwithstanding, I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have a US Senator who knows how things work and how to get things done.

I’ll be voting for Rick Noriega.

Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund is Broke

I noted it first on Susan’s not-a-blog, and then heard the news on my own TV during a Houston news conference with a local Red Cross worker speaking along with FEMA director Michael Chertoff (aka Skeletal Mike). He revealed, as it turns out, some old news, that the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund is broke, and that they have been borrowing money to come to the aid of flood and hurricane victims.

This news is 3 months old.

The news broke on June 17th this year, as seen in this Washington Post article by Philip Rucker.

While the article notes that the Red Cross has, in the past, come under some suspicion by donors when it is constantly changing its leadership, running into blood problems, and the questions over how contributions are handled, I think that problem is superfluous to this situation. Those problems have always been with the Red Cross, but they never ran out of money before. Not until this year when prices of fuel and food has soared. Says Rucker:

“On the cusp of hurricane season, Red Cross executives said the charity has raised just $3.2 million for the Midwest floods and painted a dire picture of its overall disaster relief finances. They said many donors are giving less because of rising gasoline and food prices and the collapse of the housing market. Also, the absence of a major U.S. catastrophe since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 has made it difficult to galvanize donors.”

Last night I sat through the John McCain/Barack Obama Columbia University Public Service Forum. McCain stressed the point that government cannot be looked to as the 100% solution when it comes to public service, that private groups, he emphasized faith-based organizations, should step up. Private groups like the Red Cross.

Here’s my point: how can John McCain expect private community service groups to step up and help when his party has driven the country’s economy into the ground? Private public service groups depend on donations to do their work. Donations that have dried up as people have had to change their spending habits and go into survival mode.

Another reason why messing with the economy should not be something left to Republicans anymore.