Former Congressman James Traficant of Youngstown, Ohio died recently.

Mr. Traficant was known for his speeches on the floor of the House and for his hair.

Mr. Traficant was expelled from the House of Representatives in 2002 and spent seven years in jail after a conviction for soliciting bribes in exchange for government favors.  

Mr. Traficant may not have been the most honest soul, but at least he served his time.

Serving time is more than happened to the folks who deregulated our financial sector to help cause our never-ending recession, or to the folks who lied about why we went to war in Iraq. 

If you are a big time power broker, you can get away with anything in America.

If you are some clownish small-time Congressman, you might or might not get jail for stealing.

And if you are poor or of color, we are building more and more jails to keep you locked up for as long as we can. 

There are two things Jim Traficant accomplished that most politicians don't achieve---He put on a good show and he paid the price for wrong deeds.

Please read all of NeilAquino.com

A New York Times story about the 2014 U.S. House elections, discusses the efforts of Republican candidates looking for first time election to Congress to move the Republican caucus and the whole House even further to the right.

From the article---

"One nominee proposed reclassifying single parenthood as child abuse. Another suggested that four “blood moons” would herald “world-changing, shaking-type events” and said Islam was not a religion but a “complete geopolitical structure” unworthy of tax exemption. Still another labeled Hillary Rodham Clinton “the Antichrist.”...Then there is Mr. Hice. Having once called evolution a lie from “the pit of hell,” Mr. Broun, the departing representative from Georgia, would be hard to beat on the inflammatory front. But Mr. Hice has a record. He once said of women in politics, “If the woman’s within the authority of her husband, I don’t see a problem. ”...He compared the recent appearance of red “blood moons” to prophecies that preceded the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, Israeli statehood and the Arab-Israeli War of 1967. In a satirical book, he claimed he had found a homosexual agenda to “sodomize your sons” by seducing them “in your schools, in your dormitories, in your gymnasiums, in your locker rooms. "

The views you read above are of people likely to be sitting in the majority caucus of the United States House of Representatives after the November elections. And these extremists are in many respects well in-tune with the people they represent in their districts. 

What we should do with our Republican elected officials is start to define them as moderate Christians or Christian extremists, just like we do when we discuss various Islamic groups in whatever Muslim country we are bombing and invading at the moment.       

These folks are as extreme and as dangerous as any foreign religious warriors and jihadists. We should call them out for just what they are.

Please read all of NeilAquino.com 

Congratulations and support to the folks in Hong Kong protesting for democracy under Chinese rule. 

The Chinese government is a brutal dictatorship.

Please read all of NeilAquino.com 

Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas does not really live in Kansas. 

This recalls the fact that in 2012 that Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana did not live in Indiana any more.

How can at least two of just 100 U.S. Senators not live in the states they claim to represent?  

I don't support term limits, but some of these folks sure are distant from the folks they claim to represent.  

This and the fact that most of them are bought off by big money.

The work of asking for and working for something better is up to each of us.  

You are just going to have to decide that you have had enough.  

Please read all of NeilAquino.com

A hopeful thing in our Texas politics is the Texas Progressive Alliance. I am a member of this organization. 

The TPA is a group of citizen-bloggers who each day observe, write about and take an active part in Texas politics at the local and statewide level.

The work of freedom is up to each of us. 

Each week the TPA offers a round-up of the best in Texas blogging for the week just past.

(Above--The Texas Horned Lizard is an inhabitant  of our great Lone Star State. Photo by Ben Goodwyn) 

Here is the most recent round--up---- 

Off the Kuff highlights the wit and hateful wisdom of Dr. Steven Hotze, one of the leading blights of the anti-gay movement in Texas.

Libby Shaw, writing at Daily Kos, believes there is a simple way to stop the controversial Tea Party candidate Dan Patrick from becoming the next Lt. Governor: Vote for Leticia Van de Putte. How are we going to stop Dan Patrick? Easily. Vote for Leticia.

From WCNews at Eye on Williamson: while Texas has been prosperous in recent years, the prosperity is not being enjoyed by everyone. Abbott's message is good news for corporations, scraps for the rest of us.

The only constitutional amendment on the November ballot commits over a billion dollars a year to state highway maintenance from the Rainy Day Fund. Some think that's a good idea, and some don't. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs thinks -- with the help of Sen. Kirk Watson -- that you should decide for yourself.

Neil at All People Have Value wrote that the recent terrible ambush shooting of Pennsylvania state troopers is believed to be the deed of an extreme anti-government individual. Neil says that police would be better served focusing on real threats than pepper-spraying Occupy Wall Street types or sending tanks to Ferguson, Missouri. APHV is one of many pages worthy of viewing atNeilAquino.com.

Dos Centavos has a couple of posts commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month.  And jobsanger hastwo photos from the Climate March in NYC yesterday.

With the first general election gubernatorial debate in eight years, everyone can agree that it was an exciting week in Texas politics. Texas Leftist has a full review of the contest. Who knew Greg Abbott was such a compelling liar?

Texpatriate had endorsements of one Republican and one Democrat, two Q&As from Harris County judicial candidates, and also responded to the Houston Chronicle's four judicial endorsements. 

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And here are some posts of interest from other Texas blogs.

Tar Sands Blockade has pictures and accounts from their protest last week at the Houston headquarters of Enbridge, which has opened a pipeline to do what Keystone XL has been stopped from doing.

Better Texas Blog presents a report showing the large impact that medical bills resulting from a visit to the emergency room can have.

The Texas Election Law Blog catches Greg Abbott playing the race card in the followup to the Houston Votes story, while Nonsequiteuse pushes back on sexist tropes in the latest reporting of the Wendy Davis divorce settlement.

Newsdesk reminds us that the allegations Davis is making about Abbott in regard to the Texas Youth Commission sexual assault scandal go way back, and the questions she's raising have been raised before without being answered.  And Socratic Gadfly has the answer Davis should have given to Abbott's "Do you regret voting for Obama" question at last Friday's debate. 

Grits for Breakfast puts the privately-run Bartlett State Jail on the list of facilities the Legislature might consider shuttering if they decide to close more prisons.

The TSTA Blog takes Texas Monthly's Erica Greider to task for buying into Republican flimflammery about funding cuts to public schools.

Stephanie Stradley tackles the complex question of what a sensible discipline policy for NFL players might look like.

Unfair Park highlights a video expose of crisis pregnancy centers, including one in Dallas.

TFN Insider noticed the reframing of the equal rights ordinance by the Houston Area Pastors Council, which now asserts that if you support the HERO, you are God's enemy. 

Project Q Houston interviews Mel Gonzales, a transgender student who was named homecoming king at his high school in Sugar Land.

It is not a great picture, but here is Harris Party Green Party Judge Executive nominee David Collins.  

I took this picture last night at a Green Party meet the candidates night. 

There is no Democrat in the race for Harris County Judge Executive. If you want a progressive option in this important race, your best bet is Mr. Collins.


Mr. Collins is focusing on the need for the extension of public transportation in Harris County, on the issue of poverty across the county, the cutting of fossil fuel use in the county and a variety of other important  concerns. 

Here is Mr. Collins' full platform. 

I saw a number of Harris County and statewide Texas Green candidates last night both in person and on Skype. 

The Green Ticket is solid and merits your consideration. 

Green Agriculture Commissioner nominee Kenneth Kendrick is getting attention as a knowledgeable figure running against two lackluster major party nominees.      

Here is the link to the Harris County Green Party. 

Here is the Texas Green Party. This link has a list of all Green candidates in Texas in 2014.

Here is the Green Party of the United States. 

It can be a leap for people who most often vote Democratic to vote Green instead. My view is that we must embrace a mix of conventional and unconventional politics to meet the many challenges of the times. I'd also ask folks who feel left out my the two-party process to consider the Greens as a way to find a hopeful way to engage in politics and public affairs.

Here are the ten core values of the Green Party.   

Please read all of NeilAquino.com

There is no conflict between doing something to support a conventional Democrat running for office on one hand, and being supportive of more unconventional events such as the recent People's Climate March in New York City on the other hand. 

Election results matter even if we are justly skeptical of the process.

Yet also, we clearly see that the traditional political process is failing in many important ways.

Saying that challenges to establishment Democrats will lead to Republican victories or to some sort of mob rule, is asking us to place our bets on a system that is not working and is asking us to ignore theefforts of hopeful and energetic movements that are making a difference.

At the same time, saying there is no difference between the two parties is blind to obvious facts.  Such a view also ignores thew fact that rank-and-file Democrats are good people proud of accomplishments such as Social Security, Health Care Reform and progress in Civil Rights. 

It is impossible to know where the fast and changing course of current events will take the nation and world. Our best bet is to be intellectually open to all the many interesting and positive trends and movements taking place even in these hard times. 

Here is a list of ideas for everyday resistance to this often violent and greedy society.   

The work of freedom is up to each of us. With hard work, imagination and adaptability, we can meet the many challenges of these times.

Please read all of NeilAquino.com 

About the Wendy Davis/Greg Abbott debate this evening in the 2014 Texas Governor's race--- 

I don't think many undecided people watch political debates on TV. 

A good thing you could do to elect Wendy Davis is to make a list of 5 people you know who might vote for Davis if they vote at all, and make a point to contact those people.

I've also made small donation to Davis if you want to help in that way as well. 

Please read all of NeilAquino.com

A hopeful thing in our Texas politics is the Texas Progressive Alliance. I am a member of this organization. 

The TPA is a group of citizen-bloggers who each day observe, write about and take an active part in Texas politics at the local and statewide level.

The work of freedom is up to each of us. 

Each week the TPA offers a round-up of the best in Texas blogging for the week just past.

(Photo above is the Hartley County Courthouse in Channing, Texas.)

Here is the current round-up---

Off the Kuff looked at the Wendy Davis internal poll and the thought process behind it.

Harold Cook demonstrates the dangers of posting in ignorance to official Facebook pages.

Libby Shaw, now writing at Daily Kos, hopes the smart sector of Texas wins over the purposely ignorant. The battle over text books rages on, in An Educated, Diverse and Tolerant Texas vs. the Far Right and the Willfully Stupid.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson -- born and raised in Palestine, Texas and now living in The Woodlands -- found himself outside his community's standards for child discipline (as determined by a Montgomery County grand jury). It was another black eye -- bad pun intended -- for the NFL. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs sarcastically wondered why fans of a violent game played by men with violent tendencies in a country that worships violence would have a problem with a four-year-old boy getting whooped with a switch.

Republican racism has its price. Too bad that the Rio Grande Valley is having to pay it. CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants you to know that Rick Perry's deployment of the Texas National Guard is not just a racist stunt to boast Perry's batshit crazy bonafides.

WCNews at Eye on Williamson helpfully points out that if we aren't getting the government we want, we still must vote: As Bad As Things Might Seem, Not Voting Only Makes It Worse.

Neil at Blog About Our Failing Money Owned American Political System posted about the strong race run by Zephyr Teachout against corrupt business-as-usual Governor Andrew Cuomo in the New York State Democratic Primary. BAOFMOAPS is one of a number of worthy pages to view atNeilAquino.com.

Dos Centavos has the lame response from a TXGOP official making excuses for why Dan Patrick didn't show up for a debate with Leticia Van de Putte on Univision. 

Texpatriate has a passel of endorsements in statehouse races. 

And Egberto Willies had the HuffPo Live interview with Wendy Davis.

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And here are some posts of interest from other Texas blogs.

The Texas Election Law Blog expresses its outrage at the "Greg Abbott crushes Houston Votes" story, and jobsanger circulates SAEN cartoonist John Branch's interpretation of Abbott's message.

Juanita Jean has the most recent example of how Republicans run things when they're the only ones in charge: as illegal as they wanna be.

Socratic Gadfly has a take on the "whooping" Adrian Peterson gave his 4-year-old son.

Grits for Breakfast explores the criminal justice implications of driverless cars.

Hair Balls observes that the demographics of Houston's suburbs and the police departments of Houston's suburbs are not alike.

Unfair Park thinks it may have found the greatest Rick Perry photo of all time.

The TSTA blog has a beef with Todd Staples over Meatless Mondays.

Keep Austin Wonky sees little parallel between the rail proposition on Austin's ballot and Houston's existing light rail lines.

Texas Clean Air Matters explains Elon Musk's love-hate relationship with our state.

Nancy Sims is talking about domestic violence and what we need to do about it.

Nonsequiteuse has three ways to help Wendy Davis and Leticia Van de Putte even if you don't live in Texas.

The Lunch Tray has a problem with how "bake sales" are used to undermine efforts to improve the nutrition of food offered in schools.

The Harris County Green Party will be holding a candidate forum on Monday, September 22.  

I'll be attending this event and I hope you will please consider doing the same.

Here are the details---

The Harris County Green Party will host a forum for its candidates on Monday, September 22, at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 1015 Holman St, Houston, from 7:00 -8:30 p.m.

Candidates on the November ballot for state and local offices will give remarks, take questions from the media, and meet and greet voters and interested guests.  Some statewide candidates will also be available via Skype. 

The most significant race for Harris County Greens is the contest for County Judge, where David Collins is the sole challenger to incumbent Republican Ed Emmett.

For more information on the event or other Harris County Green Party news, contact Laura Palmer at valkyrie@calicodmp.com or at 832-746-906

An important Green statewide candidacy in Texas is Kenneth Kendrick for Agriculture Commissioner.  Neither the Republican or Democratic nominees for this position are competent to serve.  Here is a race where the Green is easily the best option.

Here is the website of the Green Party of Texas.

Here is the website of the Green Party of the United States.  

Please read all of NeilAquino.com