Annise Parker

Houston is the first large American city to elect an openly LGBT person Mayor. This fact is pointed out in publications such as The Economist. Why shouldn't Gays and Lesbians and Transgenders be accepted in leadership roles?

This mayoral campaign was won despite an attack by the religious right a-la Hotze, and despite the fact that Annise had less money than the other candidates. But she had enthusiastic volunteers in spades. This store of psychic energy did the trick.

Annise Parker's inauguration will be held January 4th, 2009. Voter turnout was low, but, the people who cared about any or all of the candidates or issues showed up at the polls. (This was a stealth campaign. Apathy is the norm in the US.)

Parker's sexuality did not become an issue until it was brought up during the runoff election. This was a non-issue for over 50% of the voters who cast their ballot for Annise Parker.

Now all we need is protection against employment discrimination, the end of plebiscite ballot initiatives that strip us of our rights, and a supreme court in California with integrity.

-Jim

Musings About Hotze

hotze aims for moving targets... Click on the previous link to read about how this arch conservative is targeting Democrats that are too liberal. Steven Hotze is sending out e-mails to recruit conservative Republicans. (Conservative is a misnomer.) I can quote this blog article, by John Cobarruvius and Martha Griffin, as saying that the Democrats that are endorsed by this coalition of the religious right all have the following points in common:

* anti-gay
* anti-affirmative action
* anti-choice
* anti-public education

The Democrats endorsed by Hotze are old-school Blue Dog Democrats. Not the kind you take home to mother, not the kind with ideals. They don't believe in much of anything other than getting elected. Texas needs leadership with vision now more than ever.

Steven M. Hotze, M.D., president of Conservative Republicans of Texas, personifies what is the worst in Texas politics today. Their agenda is one of destroying the results of other people's hard work: making Texas more livable for all of us. These are the politics of destruction.

The Conservative Republicans of Texas are inserting themselves into the Houston Runoff election in December, the runoff election between Costello and Derr, and future statewide races. Their goal is to pick off the weaker candidates like an oportunistic gazel.

The success of Annise Parker is like blood in the water for the hungry sharks. Lukily, Annise is an avid swimmer. Annise is swimming against the current. But the tide of politics is changing in Texas.

Read this Texas Monthly Blog about The Hotze Offensive.

Like the moon's effect on the oceans, the antipathy for Obama can be felt here in Texas. It is a downward tug for an exhausted swimmer to fight against. There is a politics that feeds on negative energy. And it is swirling around like Ike near Galveston.