So you are wondering what the Cheese Tray Awards are? It is very simple. One of my favorite sayings is "Do you want some cheese to go with that whine?" I plan to start awarding the Cheese Tray Awards to the biggest whiners in politics and boy do we have a lot of them today.
Follow me below the fold to see the Biggest Whiners in Politics.
Answer: Perry and the Republican legislative majority knew. But "get my ass re-elected and damn the consequences tax cuts" were always more important than serving the well being of Texas school children.
I have blogged on this again and again. On this issue, it hurts to be right, over and over again. It really is about the children and how a cabal of useless drones and greedy time servers served themselves at the expense of our future.
It's Monday, and that means it's time to show some love for the best posts from the members of the Texas Progressive Alliance for the preceding week. Check out the best that the Alliance has to offer, brought to you this week by refinish69 at Doing My Part For The Left.
I am always concerned when I blog. I want to offer my readers something more than just a rehash of the headlines. Additionally, I don't want to be one of those bloggers who are basically one song wonders. But, what am I do to do when Rick and his Republican buddies are revealed over and over again as the incompetent , greedy hypocrites that they are?
(Jamie Leigh Jones is an American hero who deserves our support. Many thanks, cactusflinthead, for sharing this diary with us. - promoted by boadicea)
Hooray for U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison not compelling her to go to arbitration. Obviously Halliburton and KBR wanted this kept quiet. Jamie Leigh Jones absolutely refuses to go away quietly; Testifying before Congress , allowing her name to be published, going on Dan Abrams and pursuing the trial. The AP story that ran in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is given more treatment later.
I am so glad that the judge did not shuffle this under the rug of arbitration. It is much more available to public scrutiny in a courtroom than in an arbitrator's hands. The rape kit evidence was given to the security for KBR by the doctor. She was held for 24 hrs, imprisoned in a shipping container with armed guards. One of the guards actually let her use his cell phone and she called her dad. Who had already contacted Ted Poe(TX-02). Who got on the job immediately.
The little bitty Tribune"I became involved in this issue nearly three years ago when my constituent called me asking for help for his daughter, Jamie Leigh Jones," Poe stated in written testimony. "The United States government has a responsibility to protect American civilians who work in support of an American military mission overseas. The government affords these protections to American citizens on American soil and to American soldiers in combat, but the government doesn't know how to react when the crime involves contractors. This is unacceptable."
Apparently she at least gets to bring this to a civil trial, even if there is no shot at criminal charges. KBR and Halliburton did not want any sort of trial. I am sure they were willing to pay her off, but she doesn't want to hide. Public disclosure of the events is at the core of her effort.
Star-TelegramWashington-based attorney Stephanie Morris said her client is pleased that she will have the opportunity to bring attention to the case.
"We are extremely excited we can now go forward and present the case in the public arena and make the public aware of what been going on overseas in Iraq. Halliburton has ratified gross sexual conduct by their failure to act," Morris said.
snip
Halliburton's attorneys argued in March that the employment agreement Jones signed says any claims made by an employee against the company that in any way touch on his or her employment have to be settled through arbitration, in which a third party would resolve the case through a private hearing process.
The decision by U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison says the court will not compel the plaintiff to go to arbitration for her claims related to being assaulted. However, those claims cannot be pursued until other workplace-related claims are arbitrated.
"We entirely conceded those could go to arbitration," Morris said.
This is not going away for KBR. This is going to be nasty and rude. I want to hear how they defend themselves. It is not going to be pleasant for Jamie Leigh Jones by any stretch. No, it will surely mean her being cast as a willing participant in her own rape. But, despite the attacks that will come and have come her way already, she is willing to pursue this case in the full light of the public arena. I applaud her for her continued struggle against KBR and for the District judge not allowing KBR to sweep this under the rug. This was a decision for disclosure and openness.
She even has a foundation now to help others who suffered through similar circumstances.
Jamie's FoundationThe Jamie Leigh Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping United States citizens and legal residents who are victims of crime while working abroad for government contractors and subcontractors. We demand government contract corporations and government entities to act responsibly, and be held accountable to provide a work environment free of sexual harassment, and limit the potential for abuse. We insist contractors to disclose criminal activity to employees and prospective employees so that they can make educated decisions regarding their safety. We work toward the day when all US citizen contractors will be able to work without fear, consternation, and safety concerns.
It is sad that we have to have a foundation to protect people who should not have to worry about such things. I hope they take KBR for millions.I hope the Congress acts soon to enact laws to prosecute the lawless contractors, not only for crimes like this, but they myriad of other laws that have been utterly ignored. Sounds like I ought to fire off another email to Chet Edwards.
This is my first venture into Texas Kaos. It was requested that I cross-post this from the Evil Orange Thanks for the invite.
John McCain's wobbily responses to questions about his solicitation of Rev. John (anti-Catholic, etc.) Hagee's endorsement will be bad enough for Republicans to defend.
McCain, however, isn't the only Republican who may have to defend getting close in any way to Hagee and his ilk.
In the first frames of the video below, notice who is standing at Hagee's right side. As you'll see below, that person is Sen. John Cornyn, and after seeing the frame in the clip, is it any wonder that he is having so much trouble overcoming the challenge from Democratic opponent Rick Noriega?
Last night Brett Shipp, again, exposed the "cozy relationship" Texas Railroad Commissioners have with the oil and gas industry. I call the commissioners Paid Protectors of Oil and Gas, but I'm a blogger so I can say that where Shipp can't be quite so blunt. Still, Shipp does an admirable job of telling it like it is.
Are Texas Railroad Commissioners too cozy with the oil and gas industry operators they are supposed to be regulating?
Rick Noriega's had an excellent week-including two separate polls showing him within 4 points of Junior John Cornyn.
That's got the national Netroots (at Dkos and elsewhere) very excited.
Rick's campaign blog is kicking into gear as well, and to cap off the week, Rick himself will be liveblogging over at the Great Orange Satan this afternoon. 2 p.m. Eastern, 1 Central.
See my shopping spree below (I got you universal health care, but I couldn't find a bow big enough to fit).
I made a movie, funded schools and teachers, and bought myself a secret island fortress, and still had almost half a billion left to burn to celebrate the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.
On Tuesday May 6, Barack Obama won the North Carolina Primary 56% to 42%. The Indiana Primary was so close that no one would call it till almost 1 am eastern time and even after all that time, Hillary went from a 15 point lead in the polls to narrowly squeak by 3& over Obama. She only has a lead of 22,412 votes in Indiana. They are still counting absentee ballots in Indiana and that lead will narrow if not disappear.
UPDATE:CNN Former Sen. George McGovern urged Hillary Clinton Wednesday to drop out
of the Democratic Presidential race.
McGovern, who had endorsed Clinton, told CNN he was switching his support to endorse Barack Obama.
UPDATE: Hillary's lead in Indiana down to 14,413 votes with one county still at 99% of the votes counter
Help out the volunteers and staff for Obama in North Carolina and Indiana. Some of the great folks over at Daily Kos are working to feed all the campaign offices in both states. Please recommend and volunteer to feed an office if you can. We need to get the diary back up on the recommended list. Please pass this message on to anyone you know who is an Obama supporter.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
Sending food to campaign offices is an in-kind campaign contribution. Just keep in mind, anyone who contributes to this effort must be a US citizen eligiible to contribute, and the cost of the deliveries counts towards the $2,300 max.
In-Kind Contributions Form [PDF]
EXTRA IMPORTANT: Please fax the form and receipts for yor purchases to the attention of Obama HQ Finance Compliance staffer
Alexa at (312) 819-2088.
(Thousand dollar crappers and freeloading on your tax dollars-that's the Craddick way. - promoted by boadicea)
Embattled Speaker of the Texas House, Tom Craddick recently attacked three opponents for extending state health insurance for employees who only work part time.
It's Monday and time for the Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Blog Round-Up
CouldBeTrue from South Texas Chisme notes Republican-run government
favors crony money over Texans' health. Asarco, a proven polluter, is given a permit to start
polluting again and Abbott says lead poisoning landlords have a right to privacy.
