Chupacabra Report

More news that gets my goat.

-Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack (R-Gridlock) reversed himself last week and announced that he will seek re-election next year to help elect other Republicans on the ticket. Do you think he means to resign after the election like Judge Robert Eckles, or “Virginia Tom” DeLay? Maybe he found out that he’ll lose his $10,000 a month consulting contract if he no longer has influence to peddle. I hope his double-dipping makes him vulnerable. Radack’s made a career of beating up on the County Hospital District, maybe some smart Doctor will run against him.

-Two local state legislators have joined local smogville mayors to stop Bill Whites’ efforts to clean up Houston’s toxic air. Rep. Wayne Smith, (R-Baytown) and Sen. Mike Jackson, (R-LaPorte), knowing which side their bread is smutted on, have introduced a measure to prohibit any municipality from regulating pollution beyond its city limits.
As I remember, the legislature acted on this issue in the last session, asserting their sole authority to collect campaign cash from polluters, the Texas version of emissions trading.

-And Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey was on NPR this morning telling how he ran afoul of the House leadership in 2004 when he wouldn’t go along with their cutting $750 million from the Veterans healthcare budget. Tom DeLay fired him from his post of Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee and purged members who wouldn’t play games with veteran’s healthcare. DeLay has a book out this week. I enjoyed Lou Dubose’s book ABOUT Tom DeLay, but I’m not interested in what he’s selling.
Juanita at Kiss My Big Blue Butt points out the tags that Amazon customers have put on DeLays’ book; they include criminal, felon, liar, hot tub, pig, and assgasket. Don’t buy books by crooks.