Hal's blog

Singer/Songwriter Hank Woji was on his way through town from his digs in Terlingua, Texas and volunteered to perform some of the songs from his repertoire to the delight of last Saturday's club meeting attendees.

What is true is that in Hank Woji progressives and liberals across the nation will continue to have a populist singer and musician in the tradition of the venerable Pete Seegar.

But don't just take my word for it.

I received an intriguing email message from Governor Howard Dean today. One that I thought I should pass on in case you didn’t. It's also on Facebook.

Now I am nowhere near an expert on this, and have to bow to others to show the way, but I have been hearing a back and forth on whether healthcare reform can be passed without the 60 Senate votes needed to halt a filibuster in the Senate, and move a bill to the floor for an up or down vote.

Well, not up at the county elections office website, anyway. Not yet anyway. But I got a call this evening advising me that the commissioners court was indeed apprised of the voting locations – my previous informer was misinformed by the elections office worker – and it actually appears on yesterday’s agenda, Item 30 on yesterday’s agenda.

Did you miss the November meeting of the Fort Bend Democrats? It was an easy thing to do.

First, it was impossible to get a meeting place reserved for our usual Saturday morning at 10 AM meeting.

Anywhere.

Second, the meeting was announced late and took place on a school night.

But that didn't keep away the impressive crowd that did come and fill the seats set out in the George Library downstairs meeting room. So that we had to get more chairs out.

That was a nice problem to have.

[Cross Posted from Half Empty]

In a story buried in the Houston Chronicle on November 10th we find that Precinct 1 Commissioner-Elect Richard Morrison has a full plate of ethics reform to serve to the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court when he takes office in January.

The hors d’oeuvres to this 7 course meal are pasted below from Morrison’s website where you can also get a copy of the full resolution.

I. CONTRIBUTION LIMITS

• Starting with the 2010 election cycle, limit individual contributions to a County Jude or County Commissioner to $250.
• Limit PAC contributions to $500.

II. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 

• Any gift in excess of $100 to a County Judge or County Commissioner (or immediate family members) from a party with business before the County will require that Judge or Commissioner to recuse themselves from ruling or voting on that issue.

We, the terminally unhip, want to thank all of you who have left comments and suggestions about what is to go into our Election Night CD. We listened and made adjustments and have a play list now that we think will impress [nearly] everyone. We would have included more suggestions, but obviously a CD is space-limited. So here, without further ado, is the official Fort Bend Democrats Election Night Party Play List*:

For those who want to vote a straight Democratic ticket this year, and haven't done this before, let me assure you that it is a snap.

I have only used the Hart Intercivic "dial a vote" machine since optical scanners went the way of Betamax, so take that as a caveat. But this thing is fast. 

Guess what are dressing up the exterior of the our Rosenberg Headquarters now? None other than two Barack Obama paintings.

Real nice ones, too.

You don't believe me, take a look below.