Don't Like the Headline - Steal All the Papers

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Radio Listeners Surprised by Change

KGBC (1540 AM) in Galveston, Texas has been broadcasting since 1947 under several different formats and about a year ago, the current owners announced that they wanted to return to the station's roots by programming music mixed with local talk.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Ike took a big bite out of advertising revenue, so without much warning, the station switched from classic rock, when it was leased to an affiliate of China's state-owned media.

Rhetorical: What is Quid Pro Quo?

The political briefs column in Sunday's Fort Worth Star-Telegram, included the following quip;

U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, not one to embrace the fight against global warming, just bought a Cadillac DTS that gets 15 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. He mentioned the vehicle — from Classic Chevrolet in Arlington — at a recent news conference and said that if the emission limits proposed at the U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen were in place, he’d be riding a bike instead.

I've sat through video of the Republic detractors' press conference in Copenhagen, but though he took some shots at the President and championed the email allegations along with his cohorts, I haven't heard anything about his car or a bike.

A simple google shows that an individual with Classic Chevrolet donated $2400 to his campaign committee this cycle and the Congressman, along with the dealership's general manager are both quoted in another article, as being in favor of extending "Cash for Clunkers".

I'm not sure how many car dealerships are in Rep. Barton's large Texas district. According to the "PoliTex" brief, his "official car", a Chevy Tahoe was assembled in Arlington, but they don't say who let the lease.

And, I really have no idea how "proper" negotiation of a variably-priced item should be defined, when a Congressman is buying, plus I doubt many of them would be too interested in opening a can of worms.

But still...

Why do you think Rep. Barton told a press gathering, where he bought a car or did the paper just decide to provide the info, free of charge?

Snip: All Politics is Local

“A lot of people think the job of a congressman is voting on national issues. I’m one of 435 votes on national issues, but I’m the only vote we have in the U.S. House to fight for jobs and federal economic development that tie into our private sector,” said Edwards, who’s one of 12 subcommittee chairs on the powerful Appropriations Committee.

“My staff and I spend well over half of our time on these jobs and economic development projects for our district.”

Edwards, whose subcommittee oversees spending for military construction and veterans affairs, ticked off a list of projects that have helped the Waco area on the jobs front and helped its veterans.

(Source)

Texas Tea Partiers: It's All or Nothing

Tea Party groups in Dallas, Austin and Houston have rallied at the offices of Texas gubernatorial candidate, Sen. Kay Baily Hutchison to protest her cloture vote on a Defense appropriations bill because it cleared the calendar for the health care debate.

A filibuster of the defense bill was an agreed-upon tactic by Senate Republicans, but Sen. Hutchinson argues that once the Democrats had found the necessary votes, it was more prudent to support the troops and get them the necessary supplies.