More Texas voting

[Slacker]

The probably isn't bad enough to be posted in the Pit, but I'll put it here in hopes that that the conversation will descend into an all out flame-a-thon. Anyway...

I think I'll just vote straight-party Communist this year. I have no friggin idea who to vote for.

I am against the death penalty. Sanchez doesn't have a problem with it. That's bad. Perry likes it so much, he opposes creating a "Life without parole" sentence in Texas, presumedly because it'd take a few cases away from death row. That's worse. Perry also vetoed a bill that would have allow judges to overturn jury verdicts in death penalty cases when the defendant is mentally retarded. I don't necessarily hold that against him though, because from what I've seen the bill was poorly executed (cough).

I want to see something happen with education. 60% of teachers in Texas quit within the first five years, and with good reason. The job sucks! I do LAN administration. I work 8 hours per day, and I take an hour break at lunch. When I get home, I play on the PS2, watch TV, or read until bedtime. My wife teaches first grade. She is at the school on average about 9 hours per day, and gets about 20 minutes to eat (which means that she can't leave for lunch). When she gets home, she typically has around two or three more hours of work to do, which means she works around 55-60 hours per week. She'd make more money if she worked the same hours at Pottery Barn.

Both candidates talk about raising teacher salaries, or providing bonuses as rewards for further certification or training. Sanchez is particularly adamant on this topic, although he never mentions where he's going to get the money to pay for his ideas. However, salaries are not necessarily the only problem - the pay would be almost fine if the workload was different. We need smaller class sizes, and teachers' days need to be adjusted to accomodate a normal lunch break, and at least an hour or two without the kids to grade papers, meet with parents, or tend to the other 100 responsibilities they have to put off until after-hours otherwise.

As for the rest of the issues - looks like the same crap with a different spin.

Regarding the Senate race - John Cornyn wants to drill in Alaska, and opposes making voting available on the Internet. Could it be because a good number of the people who would be voting online would not be voting Republican?

Now where's that coin?

[minty green]

Originally posted by Slacker
I am against the death penalty. Then vote out the incumbents on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals,* whose enthusiasm for executions has turned the death penalty in this state into a bad joke.

*As distinguished from the Texas Supreme Court, which does not handle criminal cases. You should therefore vote for Tom Phillips and Margaret Mirabal in the Supreme Court races without the slightest worry that those votes will ever result in somebody's execution.

[Soup_du_jour]

Man, minty! Really hitting the stump for those guys, eh?

[butter pie]

Am I supposed to vote tomorrow?

[minty green]

Indeed. Phillips should be reelected because he thoroughly deserves it. Mirabal should be elected because she has been a very solid, middle-of-the-road appellate court judge for a decade or so, plus the Republican candidate is a total asshat. I have a couple friends who used to work at the court, and those friends are moritified that Smith may actually get elected. When asked about him, even Rick Perry said that he was "working harder for some Republican candidates than for others."

That's Margaret Mirabal (http://www.judgemargaretmirabal.com/index.htm), Democratic candidate for Place 4 on the Texas Supreme Court. Yes, it really is important.

And I'm not affiliated with either campaign. ;)

[SpazCat]

Originally posted by Slacker
at least an hour or two without the kids to grade papers, meet with parents, or tend to the other 100 responsibilities they have to put off until after-hours otherwise.



Do teachers in Texas not get planning periods? We get them in NC and they are wonderful. The best ones are third period (in block schools) because they're two hours long. Although you still have to be on campus because "someone might need you."

I have a pin that will solve all your gubernatorial problems. It says "Wouldn't You Really Rather Vote For Kermit?" Everyone in Texas: Kermit for governor!

[elucidator]

As a recovering Texan, I am still much interested in the goings on of my native state. (Three things there are not: there are no ex-Jews, no ex-Catholics, and no ex-Texans)

I would be tickled half to death to see a black man take the seat previously occupied by the Senator from Money, Phil Gramm. I have often despaired of ever seeing any real change in Texas, which somehow seemed determined to defy any concept of evolution. But it seems that the influx of Latinos into the Texas mainstream has had some amazingly beneficial effects. Gracias, companeros! Venceremos!

Still, its a tough fight, and can't be too surprised to lose. But even the chance is a marvelously hopeful sign!

[elucidator]

[aside to Minty]
Thought about you today when I read the New York Times, about some guy about to be executed who is schizophrenic, always has been, and was so whacked on anti-psychotics that he was actually snoring during his trial.

They're kidding, right? Just another snotty New York story about how Texans are knuckle-walking trogs who might execute a parakeet just to keep in practice.

Say it ain't so, Minty

[minty green]

Dunno. My appellate cases go to the Tx. S. Ct., not the CCA. Do you have a cite, by any chance?

[minty green]

Of course, my ignorance on a particular matter should not dissuade anybody from booting the bastards on the CCA, which I regard as the worst court in the entire nation.

[elucidator]

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/04/national/04DEAT.html

If you haven't already, you got to "log in" but they dont seem to do anything with it, I've been on for about a year or so, and I dont seem to get any NY Times spam.

[minty green]

He sounds pretty well crazy. Two questions, then: Is he crazy now (can't execute somebody if he doesn't understand what's going on), and was he crazy then (can't convict somebody who didn't understand what he was doing was wrong). No idea on the former, but a jury presumably decided on the latter that he knew what he was doing. He's toast.

Of course, if we had a court of real judges on the Court of Criminal Appeals instead of nine folks who got there because they like killin' people, maybe there would be some legitimate impediments to conviting and killing crazy people.

[Siegfried]

Well, I just did the deed. Woke up early this morning, got dressed, and walked a couple blocks to the polling location (which happened to be a Methodist Church. And they had refreshments!).

Being a Harris County resident, I got to use one of those new eSlate voting machines. It was quick and painless to use. It was no where near as complex or scary as I had thought it might be. You sign the voter roll, take a number to the judge, they give you a random access code, and then it's to the eSlate with you. The election judge and alternate judge were both very helpful.

I got there at about 8:30 this morning, and I was the 84th voter to vote in my preceint today. From what the election clerks told me, it's been a steady stream of people. The line was short -- only about ten people with a five minute wait on the eSlates.

Not bad for my first time voting.

[elucidator]

Cheez Louise, I voted at 8:30 am too, here in MN and the place was packed! Rumor floating around said they were expecting about a 70% voter turnout!

[Liberal]

Slacker

If you're voting communist to oppose the death penalty, would that be more along the lines of the Stalinist type (executed 43 million), the Maoist type (executed 38 million), the Leninist type (executed 4 million), or the Marshal Tito type (executed 1.2 million) communism?

[Slacker]

Originally posted by Libertarian
If you're voting communist to oppose the death penalty, would that be more along the lines of the Stalinist type (executed 43 million), the Maoist type (executed 38 million), the Leninist type (executed 4 million), or the Marshal Tito type (executed 1.2 million) communism?

lol at least it worked as a deterrent at that point.

I assume you know this, but just in case: I was joking. I'm a die-hard moderate!

[lieu]

"and those friends are moritified that Smith may actually get elected."

minty, I'd not realized Smith was the opponent. Yeah, my dad called just to say don't vote for Smith, that he was completely incontinent.

[minty green]

It wouldn't surprise me if Smith peed all over himself on a regular basis too. :)

BTW, if it's not too personal, what's your dad do that he knows who Smith is?

[lieu]

Economic forecasting for universities and corporations. He's got to stay very well read.

[minty green]

Does he have any opinions on how we can get rid of the asshat now that he's been elected?

:(

[ScoobyTX]

The one redeeming thing is that Smith is but one of nine. How many SCOT cases come down to a 5-4 vote?

Mirabel was one of the two Ds I voted for; the other was Sharp. Both of these votes was due to the Rs in the races being complete asshats.

[minty green]

A fair number come down 5-4, actually. Also, a single asshat judge may have a disproportionate impact on the cases the court chooses to review, since that only takes four votes. But more important still is his potential impact on how the court conducts its work internally. He shows every sign of being incompetent, which will inevitably interfere with the court's work. It's been more than two decades since a truly incompetent judge sat on that court (though a number of them in years past have been plain old lazy jerks). Second, he's a divisive pain in the ass with no respect in the legal community or political circles. By most accounts, it has been a pretty collegial court for some time now (with the exception of the short-lived dustup over the parental notification law). This may change that very quickly, especially with four new judges on the court.

God, what a debacle. Maybe this will finally prompt the legislature to do something about judicial selection next session. I wouldn't count on it, though. :(

[Spavined Gelding]

Hey, minty, come back home. All we have to deal with up here in the frost belt is a Chief Justice who is channeling Louis XIV.

From your comments I take it that the Texas election resulted in a Court you aren't all that happy with. We all have our cross to bear, but most of us soldier through--I'm confident you will to.

[minty green]

No, I'm pretty happy with most of the other members of the Court. I voted for three of the five winners (all Republicans, and all with Democratic challengers) precisely because I thought they were excellent judges. It's just that this Smith guy is a complete nincompoop. He's got the charm of Pat Buchanan, and the intelligence of Keanu Reeves.

Besides, I am home. Iowa was just a 3-year vacation. :)