Abbott found 26 cases to prosecute - all against Democrats, all but one against blacks or Hispanics. Of those, two-thirds were technical violations in which voters were eligible, votes were properly cast and no vote was changed
Abbott
Dallas Morning News | By Wayne Slater AG Greg Abbott's Failure to Find Widespread Voter Fraud Won't Bolster His Voter ID Appeal – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott says he'll appeal the Justice Department's rejection of the Texas voter ID law, which would require voters to show a photo identification in order to vote. The law would have gone into effect by the May 29 Texas primary. But it's been held up in court amid challenges that it's actually aimed at depressing the minority vote, largely Democrats. Republican Abbott is looking to run for governor in 2014 and he has been promoting the voter ID idea, which is popular among Republicans.
Several years ago, Abbott announced there was an "epidemic" of voter fraud in Texas and he launched an investigation. But his investigation and subsequent prosecutions failed to confirm any such epidemic. Abbott found 26 cases to prosecute - all against Democrats, all but one against blacks or Hispanics. Of those, two-thirds were technical violations in which voters were eligible, votes were properly cast and no vote was changed. None of the cases would have been affected by the voter ID requirement. A spokesman for Abbott defended his crackdown on vote fraud, saying it's a very real problem. Still, the voter ID idea is a staple among Republican politicians in Texas and other states that have adopted similar voting requirements.
Army Corps Launches Study of Proposed South Texas Offshore Wind Farms | Caller-Times | By Mark Collettee CORPUS CHRISTI TX (March 15, 2012) — The Army Corps of Engineers is preparing for an environmental study of a proposed offshore wind farm poised to become the first in Texas. The first public meeting on the project is planned for March 28 in Brownsville. The Corps is accepting public comments that will help define the scope of its environmental study, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2014. Environmental groups are tracking the project and have raised concerns about the turbines' effects on birds and sea life. Austin-based Baryonyx Corp. wants to install about 200 wind turbines in each of three areas off the South Texas coast. The environmental study covers two areas, which the company calls its Rio Grande and North Rio Grande leases, in state waters off South Padre Island.25,000 Fewer School Employees | The Texas Tribune | By Ryan Murphy and Morgan Smith (March 5, 2012) – Since the start of the legislative session, speculation has abounded about how cuts to public education would affect educators' jobs. With the release of the 2011-12 school district employment figures, the Texas Education Agency has an answer. Schools employ about 25,000 fewer employees than they did at this time last year — a 3.8 percent decrease that includes teachers, administrators and other staff.
It will take more to answer how budget cuts have affected the state’s public schools, but the figures provide a window into the kinds of decisions the state’s 1,200-plus school districts and charter schools are making to cope with a $5.4 billion reduction in funding.
Reductions in Hays County school districts:
Hays CISD Full Time Employees 2011 1040.96 / FTE 2012 1005.92 / -3.55%
San Marcos CISD 2011 540.92 / 2012 531.86 / -1.67
Dripping Springs ISD 2011 282.46 / 2012 278.36 / -1.45%
Wimberley ISD 2011 149.71 / 2012 142.01 / -5.14%
Total: 55 positions
Here are some initial takeaways:
- There are fewer teachers in public schools — just under 11,000, about a 3.2 percent decrease.
- The most commonly eliminated positions were those having to do with teacher support — staff members who help educators with professional development outside of the classroom, often filling in for overstretched principals.
- No positions are safe. Districts are trimming staff in all areas, from administrators to librarians to teachers aides, to yes, teachers.
Also: the numbers from the current school year come with the caveat that many districts, depending on their financial status, will undergo further cuts next year.
25 comments:
Of course the Texas Voter ID law is fortunately unconstitutional.
It is nothing more than a poltically hateful and undemocratic way to screen out voters who don't just vote like a right wing talking point computer.
The Texas Voter ID bill is simply designed to target seniors, students and minorities in Texas. These groups are the first to realize that the policies of these nutty Republican legislators in Austin are pushing policies that are more and more fascist - primarity repressing women and minorities.
Now, I am no big fan of the weak sister Eric Holder, who runs the US Justice Department. But at least he and Obama have the sense to block these nation-wide bogus Voter ID laws being paased in the expremist right wing states.
81 of the 254 counties in Texas do NOT have a location to obtain a Texas Driver's license or Identification, ‘nuf said. The Republicans don’t want their grandmothers to vote 'cause they know their grandchildren.
It is unfortunate that you dislike the Voter ID Bill. Without such legislation, how will you keep felons from voting? How will you know if they are voting? I suspect that you favor the kinds of elections like LBJ's where the dead voted in alphabetic order. But, according to Boschert logic, keeping out dead or unqualified voters is 'hateful', never mind that it opens the door to voter fraud, like we saw in the 2008 election at several locations in Texas.
It is not surprising that you call the law fascist, as the ruling regime signs executive orders commandeering ownership of food, transportation, etc. From what I know of fascism, it is when the government takes things over, rather than when the government wants to make sure that you are who you say you are. With such twisted definitions of fascism like you are using, it is easy to see how someone could get confused on where the actual fascism is occurring. Let me see if I understand your logic. Government takeover of health, agriculture, etc. is deemed in the public interest. Checking ID's for voting to insure there is no voter fraud or felons voting in violation of the law is more threatening to us than the massive federal power grab. I believe that is how your definition of fascism works.
My spouse was an election judge for 13 years, working every election during that period. There was never a case of voter fraud in that precinct.
Where are all the cases of voter fraud Abbott needs to justify this law? Answer, they do not exist. Well there is the case of Charlie White, the Republican Secretary of State in Indiana, who was recently convicted of voter fraud. And the Republican Texas Railroad Commissioner who is required by stature to live in Austin, yet filed for State Senate claiming to live in San Antonio.
Wait maybe the law should focus on Republican office holders.
Mr. Joe Tex -
Isn't the requirement for a particular photo ID just to exercise our Constitutional right to vote just another means of putting BIg Government in place? It's just another regulation. It doesn't protect the ballot box. It protects the Republican party. And allows Big Government to swell even larger.
And are convicted felons prohibited from getting a driver's license? no. Does it say on their driver's license they are convicted felons? no. So how does the voter ID law keep them from voting? It doesn't.
Our Attorney General pursued a number of alleged voter fraud cases. Most of them were dismissed. And , moreover, most of those cases concerned mail-in ballots. Voter ID does not address mail-in ballots.
I'm getting pretty disgusted with people who rage against Big Government - and then mindlessly support bills that require additional regulations: like Voter ID, restrictions against contraception, telling the medical profession how to do their job when it comes to their patients, what we can and cannot teach in our local schools , etc.
If you were really against Big Government - you would be standing up against this type of legislation. But you aren't.
You're just a sheep in wolf's clothing.
It's time to get real.
- Lila Knight
@Joe Tex,
Finally a voice of reason in the Democrat created dustup over voter ID legislation. I'm sure Rocky will come back as he always does to get the last word. He looks at Blogs as video games where the last one commenting wins.
The Democrats want the illegal aliens, felons and prisoners to be able to vote along with other criminals since that includes a large portion of their voters. I am amazed at the excuses the Looney left uses to criticize requiring identification to prove you have a right to vote. I wonder how many of these Democrats would want to get on a plane headed for the Middle East that didn't require Photo Identification.
It is very telling that Holder, the Obama appointed loser tries to overturn the Law we are all in favor in the Lone Star State. Make no mistake it is the Obama regime that is exhibiting fascist acts.
Oh I hate to fulfill last Anonymouse's stereotype of me but his political inanity is just too obvious to ignore.
He and Joe Tex are typical of the mindlessness of the right wing in Texas. They believe anything their political brainwashers throw at them.
Everyone but the right wing supplicants know that the fear and hate claims of voter fraud are exceedingly and obviously exagerated as an excuse for the nutty state republicans around the nation to suppress voter democracy and wire their elections. It is a joke.
I challenge both Anonymouse and Joe Tex (isn't he a black soul singer from years past?) to show all of us readers credible and convincing statistics about rampant voter fraud.
They won't be able to.
Here is the thing with the right wing supplicants: They can't back up anything they claim with facts. It is always just political talking points that they just mindlessly beliee because it fits their existing view of some liberal or communist government conspiracy.
Show us the voter corruption facts, Anonymouse, then you can get the last word.
It your evidence is credible.
Rocky,
It is sad that when someone disagrees with you, they are given a dose of your hate in the form of calling them 'mindless right wing'. You are assuming that I am mindless and second, you are assuming that my politics are right wing.
My concern was that you were labeling the voter ID as fascist, which is a mis-use of the term, given the takeover of health care, banks and other businesses by the government, which truly is fascist, yet you ignore.
From my discussions in the past, you ask for facts, then do not listen to them. In the case of voter fraud, you can look at the 2008 election and the fraud caught on tape at Sheila Jackson Lee's polling site, the fraud in Dallas with the Sepulvuda election along with the findings of "True the Vote", but you are more interested in rhetoric than facts. Even the WimDems have links for Black Box Voting which focuses on voter fraud on their website, but as you allege, that is not a problem in this area, which we should not be concerned about. I guess all the allegations of voter fraud in Wimberley a few years back were just elements in someone's imagination. But I guess these are not facts, just rhetoric as you claim: "They can't back up anything they claim with facts. It is always just political talking points that they just mindlessly believe because it fits their existing view of some liberal or communist government conspiracy. " The Wimberley elections, the Dallas election, the Sheila Jackson Lee episode in your mind are just talking points.
Joe the Tex,
Tell us what the actual numbers are for all these voter fraud cases you claim.
Show us readers the big voter fraud numbers that justify the all of a sudden big government "anti-government" right wing politicians to suppress voters with these bills.
And for your edification, what you are calling "fascism" is corporate welfare, not government takeover.
The banks control the Federal Reserve Board, not the other way around. No bank was ever taken over by the government.
And ObamaCare is based on Republican Party mandates from the 1990s the are written by the health care sector to force Americans to buy PRIVATE health care insurance. The government does not own these companies.
General Motors is the absolute only government takeover of any company that collapsed from the Clinton-Bush greed years.
Get your political-economic terms in line with reality.
We live in a lobby money corporate welfare state, Joe, not a government takeover state.
Allegations are just that, allegations. Facts are a different matter. Bottom line AG Abbott has failed to produce any evidence of actual voter fraud.
Tex, pony up one case of voter fraud A Abbott has prosecuted. Please. Just one.
Wait. You can't. He hasn't. They don't really exist.
I can't figure out who I hate the most - Obama the African or Romney the Mormon.
I would vote for Rick Santorum but I hate Catholics. I could vote for Ron Paul, but I hate old people.
I couldn't havve voted for Michelle Bachman because I think women should stay in the kitchen and not be heard.
But worst of all, I hate bigots.
Anonymous,
In regards to voter fraud, the Attorney General Greg Abbot has prosecuted 26 cases. http://eyeonwilliamson.org/?p=2090 If my math is correct, 26 is more than zero. Granted, this is not a large number, but 26 is more than 0 as you claim.
26 cases for one of the largest states in the US!
Texas, with millions of voters.
26 cases?
Boy, that sure mandates a brand new state law that costs millions of dollars to make the voting changes to the system and makes the federal government sue Texas which forces the state to use millions of our tax dollars to defend a law that is based on 26 people (or is it Huntsville escapees?).
Thank God, Joe Tex and his patriotic cohorts are protecting the great state of Texas from all 26 criminals - probably lefty radicals, jihadists, right wing hate group members and senior citizens and black people - trying to scam the system.
At least, Joe, you were humble enough in your text to silently admit your numbers - or shall I say Greg Abbott's numbers - are ridiculously low to warrant a Voter ID law.
Last Anonymouse exemplifies the thinking of his right wing fascist ilk.
"Democrats don't want any laws regulating voting because it is their voters that are most likely the to cheat or commit fraud."
So the the women and minority hating white Party can find maybe 26 fraud cases in Texas (of which their party will not say how many are by right wingers) and they pass a smear campaign law like the Voter ID law.
This is the only way the Rep party can guarantee that voters won't wise up to their insanity.
Block democracy anyway they can. And don't wear hoodies, that's for sure.
Hey Joe Tex
We're all still waiting on a voter fraud conviction other than the Republican Sec. of State in Indiana.
Anonymous April 1, 2012
Rocky what is wrong with you! It doesn't matter if you are Red, Yellow, Black, or White you have to show a photo ID at the doctor's office, for medical testing. to drive, etc. Your hate needs some modification. Social Security numbers, if made up or taken from Ancestry.com of a deceased person are sold to immigrants at flea markets. Most that no longer drive have a photo ID.
Your hate is unbecoming you are too smart for hate to identify you.
Anon April Fools Day. Just went to the Dr., didn't have to show ID. Bought a prescription drug, didn't have to show ID. I have to be licensed to drive, but unless I'm stopped, I don't have to show ID,
And BTW, none of those activities are Constitutional rights, like voting.
To Anonymous, April 2, 2012
ervergul tergd Just wait requirement for photo ID will soon be your experience too. I have not experienced photo ID at a pharmacy.
Anonymous
It is sad that when someone disagrees with Rocky or Emancipator, they are immediately branded with the label of 'hate'. The people who are hating are those who hate any truth or disagreement with their mind locked views. I was asked for numbers and provided them and am now labelled as being a 'hater'. That sounds like others have problems with 'truth'. Should I use the term 'truth haters' to describe Emancipator and Rocky?
In doing more research, a democratic film producer named Bettina Vivano started to do a documentary on voter fraud in the 2008 democratic elections, yet withdrew after intimidations (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-MzKvVi1FI&feature=player_embedded#!)to see for yourself. Make up your own mind and decide rather than call any disagreement hate and resort to attacks on the facts.
Hey Tex.
A week has gone by, and still the only conviction for voter fraud is a Republican office holder.
Anonymous, another week has gone by and the investigator James O'Keefe showed how bad things were by voting in Washington DC as "Eric Holder". Here is the report and video http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/04/09/Okeefe-Holder If that does not wake people up to how bad voter fraud is, there is not much else I can tell or show you that you would believe.
From one questionable source, Vivano, to another, O'Keefe. But still no convictions.
Bravo Tex. You have trotted out a birther in Vivano, where her only evidence is Bill Clinton said. Last time I checked ex-Pres Clinton was not known as a truthly guy. And in second place, a great film editor in O'Keefe, who has already pled guilty in one of his "exposes" and it would look like faces another criminal charge here. And BTW, since O'Keefe os a GP operative, that would mean, once again, only Repubs commit voter fraud.
Tex, since you have not posted any evidence of a conviction for voter fraud that the ID bill would prevent, here's the link.
http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2012/apr/17/greg-abbott/greg-abbott-claims-50-election-fraud-convictions-2/
Please note of the 300+ cases, there are only two (2) cases that the ID bill would have prevented.
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