The Texas Progressive Alliance is still looking for that first nip of fall in the air as it brings you this week’s blog roundup.

This week on Left of College Station, Teddy writes about why the Tea Party has an expiration date. Also, as the semiannual protest against reproductive rights 40 Days for Life begins, a guest blogger writes about being a pro-choice feminist Christian, and Teddy writes about how the Coalition for Life lies to women. Left of College Station also covers the week in headlines.

Off the Kuff interviewed Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, and Democratic candidate for County Judge Gordon Quan.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme knows that deregulation means more tainted food and more BP disasters like this one.

Bay Area Houston List some alternatives to white-wing wadio in Houston.

Nat-Wu at Three Wise Men examines the situation in Somalia, coverage of which has mostly ceased in the American press.

Jeff Weems, the Democratic candidate for Texas Railroad Commission, earned the endorsement of both the Dallas Morning News and the Houston Chronicle. Keith Hampton, our man for the Court of Appeals, got the DMN endorsement. Bill Moody (Texas Supreme Court),Wally Kronzer (14th Court of Appeals), and Robert Ray (1st Court of Appeals) also got endorsed by the Houston newspaper.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a question for you, Did you know Texas’ public education finance system is hopelessly broken?

WhosPlayin calls B.S. on GOP Congressman Michael Burgess’ taxpayer-funded “survey” over extending the Bush tax cuts. The only options were a dishonest choice of all or nothing, so WhosPlayin posted its own survey with the third option of “extend for the middle class”.

This week at McBlogger, we take a look at Sleazy Todd Staples and his johnny-come-lately advocacy for tougher eminent domain restrictions.

Neil at Texas Liberal noted this week that the party holding the White House has lost seats in the U.S. House of Reps. in 33 of 36 midterms since the Civil War. Neil is not pleased that Democrats may lose some seats in the upcoming election, but these things do happen.

Libby Shaw at TexasKaos explains how one of our smirking Republican friends claim that “The American People Wrote the Pledge” when it was actually Written by Lobbyists Check it out.

The Texas Progressive Alliance salutes the Houston Texans for vanquishing their nemesis the Colts in the season opener as it brings you this week’s blog roundup.

Off the Kuff concluded his legislative interviews with State Reps. Carol Alvarado and Ana Hernandez, and candidates Kendra Yarbrough Camarena and Brad Neal.

Bay Area Houston believes Rick Perry is the Insurance Industries bitch.

John Cornyn, best known as a rapist enabler, is busy throwing cold water on the GOP’s senate takeover chances. Just the other day, Cornyn was throwing cold water on Lisa Murkowski’s senate race. Cornyn’s just a cold, cold guy.

strong>WCNews at Eye On Williamson reminds us that in this election season the GOP candidates don’t want to talk about the most serious issues and We can’t let the GOP run and hide from the issues that matter most.

The GOP would rather climb a tree to tell a lie than stand on the ground and speak the truth. Leo Vasquez and King Street Patriots: PDiddie at Brains and Eggs is looking at YOU.

Justin at Asian American Action Fund Blog points out that Houston Chronicle reporter Chris Moran is a racist for questioning Harris County Judge candidate Gordon Quan’s lifelong residence in Harris County.

McBlogger takes a look at the debate over a Debate and concludes that it’s time to stop asking Perry to debate and instead ask him to answer for his failure.

Neil at Texas Liberal “Likes” Republican Senator John Cornyn on Facebook. Here is what people on Senator Cornyn’s Facebook page said when the Senator said he would be addressing a group of Hispanic lawyers. Many of the comments were not so encouraging.

Libby Shaw tells the tale of Rick Perry’s efforts to “spin” the unspinable – a $19 billion dollar hole in the state budget. Read the details over at TexasKaos . See her take in Watch Rick Perry spin his $18 Billion Budget Deficit.

WhosPlayin encourages voters in Lewisville ISD to vote FOR the two-cent tax increase this Tuesday.

The Texas Progressive Alliance sure hopes that Harris County has a disaster recovery plan for the loss of its voting machines as it brings you this week’s blog roundup.

Off the Kuff had three more interviews this week, with State Reps. Armando Walle, Ellen Cohen, and Kristi Thibaut.

Meet Jeff “The Trucker” Evans, an unemployed 49-year-old whose unemployment benefits were restored by Congressional Democrats after a Republican filibuster caused the payments to temporarily cease. Eye On Williamson explains how misdirected Tea Party anger causes Jeff the Trucker to vote against his economic best interest.

John Cornyn, known as a rapist enabler, decides to waffle on 14th amendment to the constitution. CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is certain that Cornyn doesn’t care about civil rights – just his fat a**.

Over at TexasKaos, lightseeker summaries the latest scandals at TYC. The more things change over there, the more they remain the same, sadly…. Check it out : Texas Youth Commission Abuses Make the News Again.

Neil at Texas Liberal attended press conferences held by both Houston Votes and by a local so-called Tea Party group, as a possible pattern of harassment and intimidation against likely Democratic voters in Harris County may be at work. Also, Neil announced that he will now also be blogging at The Daily Hurricane as well as at Texas Liberal. Neil is also a featured politics reader-blogger at the Houston Chronicle.

WhosPlayin reports that the local school district sent a letter to the Attorney General’s office requesting exemption from release on the grounds that some personal expenses on district credit cards were too embarrassing to release.

The warehouse where election machines are stored erupted in flames last Friday morning, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs had the early line on what it means for Houston and the surrounding area, which represent 15% of the statewide vote tally. Coupled with the histrionics of Leo Vasquez vis-a-vis Houston Votes, it’s going to be a real lively election season (and that’s before a single race gets mentioned).

The Texas Progressive Alliance welcomes everyone back to school as it brings you the best of the blogs for the week.

This week, Off the Kuff did three interviews with State House candidates – Joe Montemayor, Rick Molina, and Silvia Mintz.

Bay Area Houston wonders why the Texas Federation of Pecker Heads have have endorsed Rick Perry.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme calls out all republicans clamoring for ‘small government’. Why do republicans want more tainted food and another BP disaster?

Libby Shaw is fed up with the Party O’ No. She gives us chapter and verse as to why in Bereft of Solutions and Ideas, The GOP Gins Up Controversy. Check it out at TexasKaos.

WhosPlayin posted documents obtained by the Hank Gilbert campaign, showing alarming gaps in Texas food safety, and a Department of Agriculture that seems more concerned about appearances than anything else. On the lighter side, local governments are struggling for cash and seeking corporate sponsorships on public facilities. Hopefully someone will pull the plug on this deal.

PDiddie posts about the hysteria and hyperbole surrounding the Manhattan Islamic center in Mosquerade, at Brains and Eggs.

Neil at Texas Liberal offered up a picture of the excellent new wheelchair ramp on the beach in Galveston. This ramp was paid for with our taxpayer dollars and was built by government, for the good of all people of Galveston and for the good of all people who visit Galveston. Without government, we would live like barbarians to an even far greater extent than we do at current.

The Texas Progressive Alliance is enjoying its last week before school starts as it brings you this week’s blog roundup.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is amazed at how much republicans like John Cornyn hate our constitution and the freedoms it accords us.

Off the Kuff continued the 2010 interview series with conversations with State Reps. Scott Hochberg, Sylvester Turner, and Jessica Farrar.

Neil at Texas Liberal noted that you can register to vote in three languages in Harris County. No matter what the Republicans and the Tea Party folks hope for, we live in a diverse city, county, state, nation and world.

Bad news for Barnett Shale residents: methane + sunlight + oxygen = formaldehyde. Considering the constant, massive fugitive emissions, it’s no wonder we have “astounding” high levels of formaldehyde. Brought to you by TXsharon at Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

The latest broadside from the Back to Basics PAC, “Hands OFF our land!” is a wedge issue for Bill White. It’s effectively separating Rick Perry from rural (mostly Caucasian) Texans. Read it — and watch it — at PDiddie’s Brains and Eggs.

Over at TexasKaos, libby shaw chronicles the latest embarrassment from Louie Gohmert in TX GOP Louie Gohmert Has Melt Down on CNN With no evidence to support him, Louie did what he does best – spews and sputters… Check it out….

This week at McBlogger, we start our long awaited transfer to WordPress and a new design. Come by, check it out and see what Sleazy Todd Staples is up to now.

The Texas Progressive Alliance is pretty sure its invitation to President Obama’s events in Texas were lost in the mail, and we will keep saying that to ourselves as we bring you this week’s blog highlights.

Off the Kuff continued his interview series with Congressional candidate Ted Ankrum and State Representatives Senfronia Thompson and Garnet Coleman.

Staggering levels of formaldehyde in Barnett Shale air and the attempted cover up, breaking news by TXsharon on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

This week on Left of College Station, Teddy reports that the Republican electoral strategy is to conceal their policy agenda, and notes that Congress should do nothing because the Bush tax cuts should be allowed to expire. Left of College Station also covers SMUT and the says Texas Dominates the Recession at a price.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wonders why republicans like John Cornyn want to take us back to pre-Civil War days when blacks were not full citizens of the United States.

What part time governor is also a real estate genius or maybe instead a sleazy grafter? Read Libby Shaw’s take over at TexasKaos in Gov Rick Perry Stuffed His Pockets with $500K from Murky Land Deal.

NatWu at Three Wise Men says that however bad that economic news seems these days, things are actually much worse.

WhosPlayin stepped in it this week by pointing out how the local school district is giving an across-the-board raise to all administrative personnel, many of whom are already highly paid, while some highly-experienced teachers could go without raises this year.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has been skewing the child support statistics to his favor, reports PDiddie at Brains and Eggs.

On a day trip to Galveston, Neil at Texas Liberal took a picture of a portion of the Seawall mural that showed workers in hazmat suits cleaning up muck from the sea. While Galveston is a great place to spend a day and spend a few dollars, the folks there are long-acquainted with toxic spills.

The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes Lois the corpse flower a restful and well-earned dormant period as it brings you this week’s blog highlights.

WhosPlayin posted a document explaining the link between benzene and natural gas drilling and production operations, and examining a few recent air quality studies in the Barnett Shale.

The Texas State Board of Education helps their cronies out and undermines public education with one swift move to support Charter Schools with our money. CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme sees hedge fund operators racking up the $$$.

Off the Kuff took a look at campaign finance reports for Harris County candidates and State Reps. Along the way, he answered the burning question “What kind of man subscribes to Glamour magazine?”

This week, Hank Gilbert continued to dominate Todd Sleazy Staples. See the latest at McBlogger.

Eagle Ford Shale residents already have water impacts from fracking and now eminent domain is headed your way. TXsharon is trying to warn Eagle Ford Shale residents to learn from mistakes made in the Barnett Shale on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

Over at TexasKaos, lightseeker brings together evidence on Rick Perry’s governing sytle in Rick Perry – Death before Bad Image ! Do the Dirt With Bureaucracy! [Updated] .

Neil at Texas Liberal spent the week on vacation in Seattle. While in Seattle, Neil took a boat cruise that went through the Ballard Locks on the Lake Washington Ship Canal. These free government built and operated locks are used by all types of commercial and pleasure craft. As they use this free government service, I’m doubtful that any boat owners go on about socialism or insist on paying what a private business would charge to use the locks.

The right wing unleashed a frenzy of race-baiting last week, from the continuing assault on Ill Eagles to the New Black Panther Party contrivance to the Andrew Bretbart/Shirley Sherrod dust-up. They struck gold with the last one, but all parties involved — from the White House to the NAACP to FOX News — ended the week with egg on their faces. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs summarized the sordid affair.

On July 21st Three Wise Men celebrated six years on the intertubes. Here’s Xanthippas with a retrospective, and some thoughts in general about why we do what we do.

The Texas Progressive Alliance doesn’t need to go to South Beach to form a dream team. We’ve had one all along, and here are the highlights.

Off the Kuff wrote about the problems of how we deal with the mentally ill in the criminal justice system, and a pilot program in Houston to handle the “chronic consumers” more efficiently and compassionately.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wonders why the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges weigh their religious beliefs and superstitions against a defendant’s religion?

Bay Area Houston says that conservative politicians in Houston have declared an end to the “Tax and Spend” name calling in Houston.

TXsharon made a statement at the EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Hearing in Ft. Worth and used industry’s own studies and statements to prove that hydraulic fracturing needs federal regulation under the SDWA. Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

Nat-Wu triumphantly returns to Three Wise Men to write about the possibilty of a double-dip recession and even a third depression on the economic horizon.

Lightseeker ponders Who is Killing our Democracy? as he examines the links between the latest numbers scandal from the Texas Education Agency and the larger issues of the death of public understanding and civil conversation. Check it out : Who is killing our Democracy?

Campaign season is always a blast, especially watching the Democrats beat the fool out of the Republicans. This week, McBlogger take a look at a nice solid beating Hank Gilbert gave Sleazy Todd Staples.

Neil at Texas Liberal is glad that the Green Party will be on the 2010 Texas ballot. Voters deserve options.

There’s a few reasons why Voter ID just won’t fly in Texas, and PDiddie has them at Brains and Eggs.

School districts in Texas are facing an extraordinarily tough year, financially, due to state funding formulas and falling property values. As one North Texas school district considers a tax rate increase, WhosPlayin takes a light-hearted look at some of the dire consequences if we don’t raise school district tax rates.

This week at Left of College Station, Teddy covers the closed meetings, closed books, and the lack of information between the Bryan City Council and BTU. Also, a look at why white America may be in a recession but black America is in a depression. Left of College Station also covers the week in headlines.

The Texas Progressive Alliance is somewhat distracted this week by the upcoming series finale of “Lost”, but managed to stay on task long enough to bring you the blog roundup.

This week at Left of College Station, the spring semester ends at Teddy has made it through another twelve hours of classes. However, Teddy does take a look at the developments in the campaign for TX17, and how the Republicans are attempting to nationalize the midterm elections.

TXsharon took some EPA officials from D.C. on a Barnett Shale tour last week.

Bay Area Houston says Arizona’s Governor Brewer is the new Face of the GOP.

Off the Kuff interviewed Democratic candidate for Lt. Gov. Linda Chavez-Thompson about Arizona’s immigration law and what comprehensive immigration reform would look like.

WhosPlayin has the final results from the Texas DSHS investigation of blood and urine for residents of Dish, TX; the conclusions are not by any means an exoneration for the industry because of significant limitations to the investigation.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme notes the futility of Cornyn and Perry saying they want the Hispanic vote while Republicans simultaneously rev up the Tea Party racists.

Sarah Palin decides to release another book and McBlogger had just a few comments.

At TexasKaos, Libby Shaw has a question: Is Rick Perry’s 2006 Business Tax an Income Tax? According to a pretty sharp legal student, the answer is yes. Who would have thought it, Rick Perry pulling a fast one so he could continue his lower property tax bait and switch scam…..

Announcing the planned City of Houston budget for the year ahead Houston Mayor Annise Parker said Houston has an economy “better than that in any other part of the country.” She said this despite Houston’s high poverty rate, high dropout rate and large number of people without health insurance. These issues, however, don’t seem to be part of Mayor Parker’s agenda for the future of Houston.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson As taxes receipts ebb and budget troubles hit Williamson County the poor and middle class are likely to pay for it, Changes to indigent health care in Williamson County.

A slow post week at Brains and Eggs as PDiddie slid out to Sin City to help his nephew celebrate his 21st birthday. There’s a great old pic of the Golden Nugget — now under the ownership of Tilman Fertitta — from 1946, when PDiddie’s grandfather used to frequent the gambling hall.

The Texas Progressive Alliance is enjoying the May flowers as we bring you this week’s blog roundup.

Texas Oil and Gas Accountability Project is A BIG BUNCH OF MEANIES according to a major industry publication. OGAP is so mean for “setting up shop in Texas” and requiring that industry Drill-Right Texas. And, TXsharon is really, really mean on he blog Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

Off the Kuff had a discussion of the city of Houston’s term limits, which are currently under review.

In a first for WhosPlayin, a local school board trustee is compelled to admit he lied about his criminal record before the “liberal blogger” can write about it, based on act of investigating it.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to point out that border violence precipitated by poor drug policy has nothing to do with immigration reform. Think about it. Don’t let fear mongers fool you.

Adam at Three Wise Men gives us the skinny on the upcoming midterms.

Governor MoFo had a decent media week: his two-month-old shooting of a coyote went national, and he pandered effectively to Texas Hispanics. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs summarizes the manipulations in “Rick Perry’s not bad, pretty good week”.

The Texas Cloverleaf looks at the possibility of the Arizona immigration law coming to Texas in 2011.

Neil at Texas Liberal wrote about one small way he maintains his faith in democracy despite all the dumb things taking place in daily life.

In a week full of immigration policy debates and talk of killing coyotes, Barfly at McBlogger chose to look at something far more troubling.

Bay Area Houston found Rick Perry’s official campaign song, Macho Man by the Village People.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson Lt. Gov. David Dewhursts double standard on spending tax payer money, Please don’t dew us like this.

Libby Shaw discovers the true prototype for Governor Perry’s governing style: Beavis and Butthead. As she tells it: “Rick Perry has as much compassion and empathy for his constituents as would Beavis and Butt-Head. “ She wonders, “…why does Rick Perry have serious problems with outreach programs, whether local, state or federal, all of which attempt to throw life lines to those who are in a desperate struggle, whether it is a financial burden, crippling health care costs, or top quality educational benefits for public schools? Check it all out at TexasKaos.