Wright N. Justice's blog

There was much anguish before the inauguration about the decision to allow Rev. Rick Warren to offer a prayer at the beginning of the ceremony, but no one discussed the prayer at the end. Rev. Joseph Lowery, a pioneer in the civil rights movement, set just the right tone for the beginning of the Obama administration with his beautiful prayer that playfully ended with language and terminology from the 1960s.

How do you know if you are registered to vote?

First, you should have received a Voter Registration Certificate in the mail. This year, the card is an obnoxious orange color, unless you are a UT grad in which case it is the most beautiful orange you have ever seen.

Don't have a card like that? You can check on the internet to see if your registration is active. Here is the link for Fort Bend County: Voter Database Search. If you go to the bottom of the page, you don't have to give your date of birth.

If your search comes up empty, you may be registered in a different county. Try this link to the Secretary of State: Texas Voter Frequently Asked Questions

Now that the movie "W" has opened in theaters and George W. Bush has one foot out the door, it's time to write his legacy. I'll go first, then you try your hand at it. Are you ready?

George W. Bush, conservative Republican: deficit-financed tax cuts for the wealthy, two deficit-financed wars, and the deficit-financed nationalization of the banking system after a near collapse of the economy. (Oh, and did I mention that Osama bin Ladin is still free?)

Sadly, it appears that the Republicans have successfully "starved the beast". The phrase refers to the Republican strategy of cutting the revenue stream (taxes) to the Federal government so the government can not afford new social programs. Why Americans would vote for politicians who refer to our government as a "beast" and actively campaign to destroy it is beyond me and is a topic for another time.

Today, the economic crisis created by deregulation of the financial services industry and an unjustified trust in free markets whose only goal is short-term profit has left the next President severely handicapped. There is now intense pressure on the revenue stream because of the nationalization of the banking industry (I never thought I would write that), endless spending on a war of choice in Iraq, and economic depression that will require additional spending to assist individuals and local governments. It will be difficult to nearly impossible to pass any meaningful healthcare reforms if it involves federal spending.

I missed the latest "limited-time only" burrito variation at Taco Bell. I missed the latest "limited-time only" flavor of Blue Bell (mainly because I didn't have electricity for 12 days). But I'm not going to miss out on voting this year. Neither should you. If you moved within the county, you can update your voter registration online. If you just moved into our county, you need to re-register. Here's the link. Please use it. Now. If you don't, we could all be selling apples to Wall Street bailout millionaires. http://www.co.fort-bend.tx.us/getSitePage.asp?sitePage=5661

Not long ago, if the local Republican Party or any of the local clubs needed some funds, they would call a few highrollers and schedule a banquet at a swanky hotel. Everyone would dress up, Jeeves would bring around the car, and then Mr. and Mrs. Republican would enjoy a night of carping and sniping at fellow Republicans while pretending to like them. In the process, they would all open their checkbooks and, like honey from the rock, the money would flow to the local Republican Party. That was then, this is now.

My, how times have changed.

"The only issues they agree on are education, immigration, Iraq, abortion, Supreme Court judges, Social Security, tax breaks for the wealthy, wiretapping, trade, healthcare, the Middle East, same sex marriage and Medicare."

Stephen Colbert

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/06/19/the-word-the-lexicon-artist/

The Republicans are trying to scare America, again. This time, they warn that a President Obama and a Democratic Congress will increase taxes and send the economy into a tailspin. Here's the truth so you can explain it to a child, or to your Republican brother-in-law:

We are conditioned early and often not to accuse another person of being a "liar". Culturally, it is one of the harshest insults that one can hurl. Factually, it can be difficult to prove. That is why lawyers rarely accuse witnesses of being "liars". They will show that the witness has "changed his story" or is "mistaken on the facts" or any one of a number of euphemisms for lying.

Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.

President Bush, on the flight deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, May 1, 2003

America sent you on a mission to remove a grave threat and to liberate an oppressed people, and that mission has been accomplished.

President Bush speaking to troops in Qatar, June 3, 2003

The President never said "mission accomplished."

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, May 1, 2007