Texas Social Studies Standards

As you know, Texas is conducting a controversial re-write of their social studies standards. This gained notice because a very conservative cluster of school board officials basically hijacked the Board and began pushing through really objectionable stuff. Here's a summary. Because publishers historically have written their high school materials for Texas and then adapted them for other states, this raised concerns that kids nationwide would be using conservatively biased textbooks. This has so alarmed people that legislators in California proposed a bill barring any Texas standards from California schools. Heck, this whole brouhaha even made the Daily Show.

Well, I'm here to offer an publisher industry insider update on this whole mess. The executive summary is: let's all take a deep breath and wait a bit. The TX Board did finally approve amendments to their standards but because they created such a stir they had to roll back some of their more egregious changes. So, while there is a standard calling for a look at the Constitution and Bill of Rights for the lack of the phrase "separation of church and state," Thomas Jefferson wasn't pulled from the standards. Also, they may be re-re-visited. Three of the most conservative members are lame ducks and the incoming folks have pledged to re-open this debate--something they can legally do when they take office in January. And, the state legislature has threatened to refuse funding for the textbook adoption with these standards.

And, as always, it comes down to that funding. Across the country, school districts are facing massive budget crunches and are trying to reallocate money set aside for textbooks and materials, controversial or not, to payroll to keep teachers. Texas has already postponed their science adoption because of budget issues. If science is delayed, you know social studies will be. In the end, it could all be much ado about nothing.

Texas Update

Rick Perry won outright. No runoff. It will be interesting to see how far he slides toward the center in the general. He's scary conservative but I believe his craziest moments have come from pandering rather than a true desire to say, secede from the Union. He'll probably still continue Texas on the road to fully mimicking a third world petro-state, though.

Primaries!

It's gubernatorial primary day in Texas! I guess the Dems are having a primary, but it doesn't really matter. The GOP primary promises to be a corker, though. Incumbent Governor Rick Perry has skewed way right--secession talk right--in response to a challenge from Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Perry's favored but might not get the 50 percent needed for an outright win because of the surprisingly strong Tea Party candidate, Debra Medina. Medina was actually possibly going to beat Hutchison (despite sharing a name with the second holiest city for Muslims) but lost momentum when she actually made Glenn Beck scoff by not flatly denying 9/11 "truther" conspiracy theories. Anyhow, the race could be tight.

Meanwhile, in our great state, our great party is scrambling to find a viable lieutenant governor nominee. Via Politico, the Illinois Democratic Party is literally asking people to apply online. I need to go update my resume!

Possibly the Real Reason Dave Feels Sick at Work Today

I actually came across this article from the Sunday NYT Magazine late, but have been following the general story for a while. Basically, an archconservative bloc on the Texas State Board of Education is leading an effort to re-write the states social studies standards to better align with their agenda. It's all of the Christian nation, rah-rah-Reagan stuff we've come to know and love. Er, fear. Anyhow, it's a big, big deal because Texas, due to its size and the way it buys books (well explained in the article), pretty much determines the content for every textbook in the nation.

The stuff making me feel lightheaded? Well, that's actually the lingering effects of a case of flu or Jeff Davis' Revenge picked up in Atlanta last week. But, the bits about my company kow-towing to the Texas conservatives didn't help.

Virginia Delegates Strike a Blow Against Brave New World, Satan

As reported in this Washington Monthly post, the Virginia House of Delegates just passed a bill forbidding employers and insurance companies from implanting microchips on people without their consent. Mind you, no employer or insurance company has yet attempted to implant any Virginians with microchips (that we know of). The VA House is just forward-thinking that way.

Here's where things get Jesus-freaky: while the chief sponsor of the bill wrote it to defend Virginians' privacy, some delegates passed the bill to protect humanity from the antichrist. As they explained it, some fear that these microchips could be used as the "mark of the beast" described in Revelations. Not so fast, Satan! You have to get up pretty early in the morning to fool Virginians.

Oh, and Georgia's legislature is apparently prepared to follow suit. Sheesh.

Wily Dems in Tennessee

Thanks to the Washington Monthly, I learned that there are some tricksy Dems and one ballsy, turncoat Repub. To set the scene, the TN GOP stood poised to control the TN State House of Reps for the first time since Reconstruction and to elect fire-breathing conservative Jason Mumpower as speaker. Well, it didn't work out as planned:

When lawmakers returned from break, now an hour into session, they tackled the Speakers position. Representative Jason Mumpower of Bristol received the first nomination. Republicans hoped to end the nomination process there, but after more political wrangling, allowed Democrats to submit a candidate.

What happened next some may describe as the political play of the decade as all 49 Democrats backed Kent Williams, a Sophomore Republican from Carter County, a district just miles from Mumpower's hometown.

During the voice vote on the Speaker's position, the House clerk called every Democrat first, then every Republican, except Williams. The 49 to 49 split was then decided by Williams.

Williams accepted the position amid cheers and boos, prompting state troopers to enter the House chambers ready to respond to an outburst.

According to the Nashville Tennesseean these legislative shenanigans pretty much derail the TN GOP's legislative agenda. Awesome.

An Open Letter to Virginia

Dear Virginia,

You mean a lot to me. You educated me from grade 3 through college and my aborted master's degree. Many of my fondest memories are of times spent in Virginia. I met my wife there, and we started our lives together on your side of the Potomac.

You mean a lot to the country as well. Sons and daughters of Virginia guided us to independence, crafted our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and set the foundations of our judicial system. You gave America its first African American governor. You gave us Five Guys.

But, you have a dark side, too, Virginia. America's first African slaves came off the gangways on your shores. You certainly weren't eager to accept racial integration. Without you there would have been no Confederacy, a fact you seem awfully proud of to this day. Virginia, you have a disturbing number of monuments celebrating and roads named after the leaders of America's most violent insurgency. Don't even get me started on Lee-Jackson Day.

The larger point, though, is that you have often set the pace for the country as a whole. Tomorrow, you have the chance to make history yet again by voting for Barack. Sure, we can win without you, but you can settle the election before many in the West even get to vote.

Regardless of what you do, I will always have love for you. But, I'll be a little prouder of my affection should you help usher Barack into the White House.

Sincerely,

Dave

GOP worried about Virginia and lots of other stuff

McCain removes ads from DC/N.VA stations and has only visited once since his nomination. Not looking good.

And the big picture is looking really really good. 60 seats in the Senate? It could happen, just ask Liddy Dole and Norm Coleman.

Morning Roundup

Pelosi Paid Husband with PAC Funds--Good lord, like we need this distraction

Ifill Releasing Pro-OBama Book-- according to FOX News McCain didn't know about this when he agreed to Ifill as the debate moderator. Betcha Palin withdraws...

And now for some good news, in a new poll Obama leads in OH, FL and PA. Gotta see what Nate thinks about this poll.

The Senate steps up.

Nate Silver analyzes the post-debate polls.
"So Obama may not have persuaded that many voters on Friday night (I don't think his performance, frankly, was all that persuasive). But he may have reassured and locked in some of his soft supporters -- perhaps Clinton voters and working class Dems."

Ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy

from kos

Right now Colorado, Iowa, and New Mexico look solid for Obama, giving Obama a 273-265 lead. If New Hampshire flips Red, it would give us that dreaded 269-269 tie. But that is looking increasingly unlikely. Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia are all virtually tied. Any of those could provide the necessary padding. And while not the closest right now in terms of the polls, the next biggest flip might very well be Indiana -- the Obama campaign has a stellar ground operation in the state, while McCain has completely ignored it. Nevada has nine McCain offices, NC 14, OH 45, and VA 13.

Indiana? Zero. With a little love, McCain might pull Indiana safely out of play, but they're operating under the theory that if they've lost Indiana, they've already lost enough states to lose the election. Given how tight the other "tipping point" states are, and how fiercely they are being contested, ignoring Indiana may prove to have been a bad call when all's said and done.

Given the trends right now, I still think Obama wins this thing with over 300 EVs. 322-216 to be exact, with Obama holding all the Kerry states, plus picking up Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Virginia. Of those, I'm least confident in Ohio, but we are otherwise looking pretty good. This week. Remember, this race can and has turned on a dime. We can't get complacent.

p.s. Take a look at West Virginia, where the composite has McCain up by just 4.6 points. That's a state Bush won by 16 points in 2004, yet there is the Appalachian state looking to buck trends and assumptions about its voters by outperforming Kerry with an African American. I'd love those numbers to hold up. It might be too late in the game to seriously contest the state, but it would be a beautiful trend to build on moving forward to 2010 and beyond.

Update: Newly released Ras poll has Obama leading 50-45 in Virginia, up from a two-point deficit three days ago. That's a seven-point swing in a matter of days.

Same deal with Florida. It was a 51-46 McCain advantage three days ago. Now it's down to a single-point, 48-47.

Obama's Looking Good in NC

screw new hampshire.

check it out

25,000 show up in charlotte for obama

Mr. Cool

including my cousin, erin, and my mom--both previous hill-raisers. the latter texted me, and i quote, "so excitin'! lines blocks long!! nc goin democratic (after) 30 years!! obamas adorable." (notice how she's stopped using the letter "g" after 4 years in the south).

according to the charlotte observer: "The crowd got so large, they lifted the barriers to areas that had previously been cordoned off to try and accomodate the overflow. Some people even started breaking through hedges and climbing low walls just to be able to hear him."

erin promised to send me a pic, will post when i get it.

also, according to daily kos daily poll: obama 49, mccain 42. and that, my friends, is damn good news. if the economy needs to tank for people to realize that republicans=bad, bring. it. on.

oh, and on 60 minutes just now i'm pretty sure that mccain, when asked if we were in a recession said: "technically, i don't know". and that pretty much sums it up.