Sen John Cornyn isn't happy with the way things are going with the bailout:

“Over the past year, the Federal Reserve has taken unprecedented action in the marketplace by providing almost $2 trillion in taxpayer-funded loans to troubled financial institutions. This is in addition to the $700 billion approved by Congress to fund the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Unfortunately, the Federal Reserve has refused to submit to even the most modest level of transparency regarding its actions. This should trouble taxpayers and policymakers alike. It certainly troubles me.

“There cannot be accountability in government and in our financial institutions without transparency. Many of the financial problems we are facing today are the direct result of too much secrecy and too little accountability.

“During consideration of the economic rescue bill, I made clear that my support for this critical effort hinged on stronger management, oversight and transparency. At a time when American taxpayers are being asked to provide unprecedented loans to get our economy back on track, they deserve to know how and where their money is being used.

“The Federal Reserve needs to step back from its irresponsible position and comply with this Freedom of Information Act request. Transparency and accountability are needed now more than ever.”

He isn' the only one worried. We all are.

'One Tough Grandma'is back!:

"Carole Keeton Strayhorn (perhaps you know her better as "One Tough Grandma") who seemingly has run for every political job in Austin, is preparing to throw the proverbial hat in another ring.  This time, it's for Austin mayor, a position she occupied from 1977 to 1983, before becoming Texas Railroad Commissioner, Texas Comptroller and an unsucessful candidate for governor in 2006."

What's in a name? Apparently the 'blackness' of it can keep you from becoming a judge:

"The night Mekisha Murray became one of only four Harris County Democrats to lose a judicial race, her husband had a quick and stinging analysis: “You have your mother to blame for this.”

And perhaps, she did. But more so, the discriminating voters of Harris County, who apparently were turned off by Mekisha’s uncommon, or ethnic-sounding name."

For the life of me I don't see how they can possibly have any evidence that that was the reason. But Mekisha is convinced. She is in the process of getting her name changed to 'Jane." I kid you not.

It's looking like Speaker Craddick will survive once again..with the help of...Democrats:

"A few Texas House Democrats could lift Republican Tom Craddick — pasted by foes for everything secretive, bullheaded and wrong at the Texas Capitol — to a fourth two-year stint as speaker of the House.

This is so even though for the third straight election cycle, House Democrats this year closed on Republicans, leaving the GOP with a taut 76-74 majority."

Guess we will just have to see.  

With gas prices so low, T. Boone Pickens has put his Texas wind farm project on hold. I think as long as gas prices remain low, people don't really care. They only care about alternative energy sources when it paying for gasoline hurts their pocketbook.

Blue Dot Blues has a list of favorites and not so favorite Bill filing that started in the Texas Legislature this week:

• - Worst bill of early filing so far is Rep. Mark Strama's HB 105, the "Campaign Fairness Act," which creates contributions limits for executive and legislative offices.  
• - 2nd worst bill of early filing so far is Rep. Fred Brown's HB 100, which would change (lower) the legislative requirement of history and civics courses in our state universities.
• - My favorite piece of legislation to date is Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa's tuition limitation bill, SB 105, which puts a moratorium on tuition increases at state universities for two years, and then only allows tuition hikes to happen at the rate of inflation each year after that.  It also requires a majority vote of the student body to increase any fee.  Six Republicans are backing this, including Senators Tommy Williams, Dan Patrick, and Jane Nelson.  Bully for them, and bully for Sen. Hinojosa!
• - Rick Perry vs. Kay Bailey Hutchison.  It's generally assumed that these two will be battling it out for the Republican nomination for governor in 2010.  Mark Davis brought up the salient point - if we're trying to get back to our conservative roots, neither Perry nor Hutchison really help us there.  I'll have more on this later.
• - Michael Steele vs. Newt Gingrich.  I'm leaning toward Newt (have you seen American Solutions?), though I like both.  Sean Hannity has endorsed Michael Steele.  
• -Conservative movement?  Let's start with the Republican Party.

•  

• There is such a thing as a lawyer everyone liked. One such a man passed away this week in Corpus Christi. The best obituary I've ever readhere. 

•  That's about it for around Texas this week!