Corrupt Money and politics...

In Tarrant County?  You don't say.

The letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says it all.

Reading Linda Campbell's column on Bill Bradley took me back to my 2000 race for Congress against Kay Granger. (See: "Can't Obama and Romney talk solutions?" Thursday) Young and idealistic then, I was all about political campaign reform and envisioned myself viable in a year featuring mavericky reformer John McCain (R) against fellow reformer and policy wonk Bradley (D).

Clearly, I wasn't adept at reading political tea leaves, but I still believe this is the most serious issue facing the nation, particularly following the dreadful Citizens United Supreme Court decision.

Respect for Congress and government in general are at all-time lows, and much of this well-earned disdain is attributable to the public perception that our governmental and political processes are rotten to the core, corrupted perhaps irreparably by vast sums of money injected by wealthy individuals and corporate interests.

I am particularly discouraged that the Democratic Party, which claims to represent America's working families, has not made this a paramount issue of this election cycle. I can only believe that money corrupts, and massive money corrupts massively.

Please join me in letting candidates from all parties know that we will no longer tolerate this unacceptable state of affairs.

-- Mark Greene, Fort Worth

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/07/20/4114551/money-corrupts-the-us-political.html#storylink=cpy

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Made us laugh

A Jeer in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Bait and switch is right on the money, ma'am.

Jeers: To the city of Fort Worth and the Trinity River "Vision" Project for taking what is normally an extraordinary fireworks show and turning it into whatever that was July 4. Thirty tickets purchased for the Cats game = bait and switch. Won't make that mistake again.

-- Alicia C. Miller, Arlington

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Are YOU next?

What happens when it's YOUR water?

WHO owns YOUR water? 

In a-round-about way (some of you will get that) the Tarrant Regional Water District owns your water.  What have they been up to lately?

All things TRV. 

Read about those in Fort Worth with no water.  And "no recourse". 

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Pay attention

They are all playing the same game.  Guess WHO pays?

TTC eminent domain abuse continues

And the eminent domain abuse doesn't stop with pipeline companies. TxDOT just released a Request for Information, June 22, seeking assistance from developers to build ancillary facilities inside the SH 130 tollway in Travis County, including a gas station, garage, store, hotel, restaurant, railroad tracks, utilities, and telecommunications facilities and equipment.

In fact, the deadline for interested developers is this Wednesday, July 23. Though the Legislature thought it took care of this by removing the Trans Texas Corridor from statute last year, Section 228.053 lives on and grants TxDOT the same ability to lease out the public's right-of-way for a private, commercial use.
The naturally occurring economic development alongside our interstate freeways will disappear if the state gets away with picking the winners and losers and monopolizes all the economic development by containing it within public rights-of-way on tollways rather than among private landowners. This also has impacts to local governments who will lose their potential commercial tax base alongside our highways.

Read more on TURF.  You better protect yours.

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What's wrong with Tarrant County?

This.

When a young man who happens to be a Wedgewood Church shooting survivor, an Afghan veteran, a current police officer, a TCU graduate, a devoted husband and father, that wants to serve his county as constable can be sued by a sore loser. 

Read about the lawsuit against Glen Bucy below. Then please go vote.  And tell your friends.  Don't let another Tarrant County election be bought.  Remember, it's YOU who pays.  Early voting is taking place NOW!

Frivolous Lawsuit Filed by Former Constable Candidate Tim Hotchkin Against Glen Bucy For the amount of $322,000

             Glen Bucy, survivor of the Wedgwood Baptist Church Shooting, U.S. Army - Afghanistan Combat Veteran , and Candidate for Constable Precinct 6 was served paperwork pertaining to a lawsuit filed by Tim Hotchkin (former Candidate for Constable). The lawsuit stated "During the campaign, Glen Bucy distributed by hand and U.S. mail a push card flyer comparing himself to his opponents." The suit alleges that the Push card included a number of false statements and omissions. The lawsuit also falsely alleges that Bucy created a fictitious FaceBook account in order to post the aforementioned "Push Card" material.

           Bucy said "Look at the timing of this Lawsuit, it is nothing more than a direct attack on my character. Early voting will start in less than a week and I believe this is a coordinated attack in order to demean my moral and ethical character to win an election to political office. Mr. Hotchkin is a known supporter of Jon Siegel and has given his full support and endorsement to him as well. I did in-fact distribute a comparative mailer before the primary election, however, all information pertaining to that mailer derived directly from the appropriate sources which include: Voting history provided by Tarrant County Elections, Hours of Police Training provided by TCLEOSE,  and Employment history directly from the Constable that fired Mr. Hotchkin." The fact that the card states  Mr. Hotchkin is a Private Security Officer Vs. Private Security Investigator is irrelevant and to my knowledge there isn't a difference between the two. However, in the same paragraph on the mailer I mention that he is a Reserve Officer with 8 years experience. "

          In the race for Constable of Precinct 6, Glen Bucy is the only candidate who is actually a full-time Police Officer. The fact that the lawsuit calls for damages exceeding $322,000 is based on the assumption that Mr. Hotchkins would have won the election if this mailer would not have been distributed. That fact is that the mailer in question was actually delivered the day after the election due to unseen delays having the piece mailed. There is no basis for damages as all information was factual and voters received the piece after Mr. Hotchkin had already lost the election having received only 17.38% of the vote. The lawsuit therefore is nothing more than a smear tactic used late in the election in an attempt to discredit Mr. Bucy.

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Tubing in Tarrant County

Is that the Love Shack flooding?  What's next, the Woodshed?

Maybe next year instead of Tubing the Trinity, you can Tube the Stockyards.  Hopefully someone will test that water.  This tubing location is courtesy of a broken water main in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards.  The picture is courtesy of one of the many folks on the ground around town reporting real news.

Durango asked about the Tarrant Regional Water District testing the water in the Trinity River, as they said they would last year.  Anyone seen the results of that test?  We're told one of our contributors asked WFAA about a follow up story.  No response.  No surprise.

How's that flood control working out for ya, Fort Worth?  No worries, the Trinity River Vision will save you.

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Fort Worth gets "modern" transportation

That's what the Fort Worth Star-Telegram calls the $787 million in grants Fort Worth is getting from the U.S. Transportation Department.  WHERE do you think they get that money?  WHO's do you think it is?

Maybe they could give that money to TXDot, we hear they need more land.  In the meantime, could we get a freeway that works around here?  Any of them.  Any one?

WHY are the getting it?  That may be the kicker.

It was one of 255 projects that the U.S. Transportation Department announced funding for Monday as part of $787 million in grants that were distributed nationwide, all aimed at modernizing and repairing transit systems throughout the nation.

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