John Henry Medina

GOP Weekly Address: Plan for Economic Recovery

2009-10-04T02:28:00.007-05:00

U.S. House of Representative Candice Miller from the 10th Congressional District of Michigan delivers the Republican weekly address.

Ohio Vote Issues

2008-10-10T16:25:00.006-05:00

Palestra.net's Tiffany Wilson and Shelby Holliday appeared on Greta Van Susteren's show "On The Record" from the Fox News Channel to discuss the ongoing voting issues they've found in Ohio. Could one "community organization" be helping one party more than the other?

Watch below:

Is ACORN Registering Voters Multiple Times?

2008-10-10T15:17:00.003-05:00

ACORN has been linked to cases of suspected voter fraud in multiple states. Palestra.net's Shelby Holliday talked to Lauren Long of Columbus, Ohio, who says she has been pressured by ACORN volunteers to register countless times.

Watch below:

CNN's "Overwhelming" Obama Bias

2008-10-06T09:11:00.003-05:00

In case you missed it, like I did (was watching Fox News), here's the video of CNN’s Soledad O’Brien rigging a post-debate poll result right in front of our eyes.

“Overwhelming,” indeed.

Hey, how about a roll call, Soledad? Now to my eye, it looks almost evenly split. I counted 13 for Biden...

and I see 11 for Palin...

The difference is two votes… and O’Brien says it is “overwhelming” and “a significant margin" Really? Just goes to show you, if you want Fair & Balanced...Watch Fox News Channel.

Celebrity PSA says "Don't Vote"

2008-10-01T21:35:00.004-05:00

Here in Texas, October 6th is the last day YOU can register to vote. Please register now and have your voice be heard!

www.maps.google.com/vote

Weird Obama Art Car Revealed In Austin

2008-10-01T17:25:00.004-05:00

The city slogan for Austin (TX), where I will begin on air at 96.7 Kiss FM this weekend, is "Keep Austin Weird." Well, I believe this qualifies.

Austin-based bumper sticker company, Bumperactive, designed an Obama-themed bumper sticker for all fifty states. Then someone was willing to plaster them all over her ride.

More pictures of the car and the owner, Holly, are here.

Webcaster Settlement Act Goes To The President

2008-10-01T09:27:00.003-05:00

From AllAccess.com:

The U.S. Senate has passed the Webcaster Settlement Act, designed to allow Internet radio stations to negotiate reduced royalty rates for songs streamed over the Web, according to Digital Media Wire.

The Senate action TUESDAY follows passage of the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives over the weekend. The legislation will now be sent to the White House, where President BUSH is expected to sign it. U.S Rep. JAY INSLEE, (D-WA), sponsor of the bill in House, said after House passage that the Webcaster Settlement Act will ensure the long-term viability of Internet radio.

"This is a truly historic moment for internet radio and its listeners," INSLEE said in a statement after House passage. "There may now be a light at the end of the tunnel in the fight over internet radio royalties."

The bill permits a negotiated settlement between internet Webcasters and SOUND EXCHANGE, which collects royalties for musical performers, to replace the high royalty rates set by the COPYRIGHT ROYALTY BOARD (CRB) in MARCH 2007, according to INSLEE.

Several Webcasters publicly stated that the fees were so high they would be forced out of business. The rate structure for 2008 is $.0014 per performance; that cost goes up in 2009 to $.0018 per performance and in 2010 to $.0019 per performance.

New Ad Shows Obama in True Light

2008-09-30T10:01:00.005-05:00

I was searching the internet today and found this ad by Our Country Deserves Better, it has become a viral hit on the internet. It's not so much what it says about America's most popular governor...It's what it says about Barack Obama.

"Sarah Palin Better Than Barack Obama"

Obama Looks For Teen Actresses to Play Incest-Rape Victims in Anti-Palin Ads

2008-09-30T09:27:00.009-05:00

After the addition of Governor Sarah Palin to the Republican ticket earlier this month, the Obama Camp sent out ads looking for "break your heart" teen actresses to play incest-rape victims for their anti-Palin (and McCain) ads.

Needs of the Many posted the ad that was sent out to actresses in the Las Vegas area:

Click to enlarge.

Here is the wording of the anti-Palin ad:

The actress should be 15-19, and “break your heart” without saying a word. Her role is that of a victim of incest or rape who is now pregnant, and “forced to keep her child b/c Roe v. Wade overturned means no exception for rape or incest.”

And, this is the candidate of hope and change?

By the way- McCain has made it clear that he supports abortion in cases of rape or incest. Governor Palin does not support abortion.

Sen John Cornyn Releases Bailout Statement

2008-09-29T19:59:00.003-05:00

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex) released a statement this afternoon on the failure of the bill in the House:

"The American people demand accountability from Wall Street and deserve transparency when it comes to how their tax dollars are being spent. Many are angry about the current economic situation and frustrated about being presented with an all-or-nothing proposal. I share their anger and their frustrations. The perception surrounding this bill was that it rewarded Wall Street at the expense of Main Street, and I believe that was reflected in today's vote.

"However, simply doing nothing is not an option. The reality is that there has been too much partisanship in Washington, and too much excess by some in our financial markets. A major reason we find ourselves in the current situation is precisely because Congress did nothing to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, when so many of us were calling for reform in recent years.

"It is my hope that the debate this week signals the beginning, and not the end, of a bipartisan effort by Congress to strengthen the economy. Both parties need to continue working together and improve this bipartisan plan to protect taxpayers, small businesses' access to affordable credit, and our economy in the global marketplace. At the same time, the Department of Justice must continue its investigation of those on Wall Street who may have broken the law and contributed to our financial problems.

"I for one am committed to working with members of both parties to do what is needed to get America back on more stable economic footing. To be clear, the current crisis must not be used as an excuse to grow the size of government and increase the tax burden on working Americans who value personal responsibility. Bigger government and higher taxes will only make matters worse, and not better. It is my hope that Congress can set the rancor and partisanship aside and get back to work for the American taxpayers."

SA Congressmen Divided On Bailout Plan

2008-09-29T16:21:00.004-05:00

Members of the San Antonio Congressional delegation are as divided as America over that $700 billion Wall street bailout that went down to defeat today, and several of them crossed party lines to register their concerns, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.

Even though Democrats pushed the bill, and House Speaker made an impassioned and highly partisan speech before the vote urging her fellow Democrats to support it, San Antonio area Democrats Ciro Rodriguez and Henry Cuellar voted 'no.'

"I could not in good conscience support a blank check to those who were irresponsible and got us into this position in the first place," Rodriguez said.

He criticized the bill for not reigning in 'million dollar a month' salaries for incompetent Wall Street executives, for not doing enough to protect middle class taxpayers, and for allowing 'tens of billions of dollars in handouts to be given to foreign investors.'

While Rodriguez and Cuellar were bucking their Speaker and voting 'no,' San Antonio Republican Lamar Smith bucked his fellow conservatives and voted 'yes.'

"This was not about bailing out Wall Street, it was about protecting American jobs, the financial security of families, and the financial future of our nation," Smith said. Smith said taxpayers stood to reap profits made by the investments when the market rebounds and the real estate backed notes begin to regain value.

The other Congressmen in the San Antonio area went more along party lines, with Republican Michael McCaul voting 'no' and Democrat Charles Gonzalez voting 'yes.'

Cornyn Responds To Noriega's Latest Ad

2008-09-29T09:06:00.005-05:00

This past Friday, Rick Noriega a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate against John Cornyn in Texas, released a YouTube video saying John Cornyn received just under $4 million from the "financial industry" and says that Cornyn should return the money "and make a $4 million down payment on the bailout."

Well, if the financial industry's money is tainted like Noriega says, why did Noriega fail to say in the video that Democratic Senators also received money from the "Wall Street friends," including Hillary Clinton ($31 million), Barack Obama ($28 million), John Kerry ($19 million) and Chris Dodd ($13 million). Yet Noriega isn't asking these Senators to return this money. Hypocritical?

Cornyn's campaign spokesman Kevin McLaughlin responded, "Come on Rick, get with the game, this is a time for serious people. While John Cornyn is working in a bipartisan fashion to solve this financial crisis, Rick Noriega is in his basement producing angry, incoherent youtube videos."

Family Doesn’t Want Obama Wearing Troop Bracelet

2008-09-28T12:10:00.006-05:00

Barack Obama played the "me too" game during the Friday debates on September 26 after Senator John McCain mentioned that he was wearing a bracelet with the name of Cpl. Matthew Stanley, a resident of New Hampshire and a soldier that lost his life in Iraq in 2006. Obama said that he too had a bracelet. After fumbling and straining to remember the name, he revealed that his had the name of Sergeant Ryan David Jopek of Merrill, Wisconsin.

Shockingly, however, Staff Sgt. Brian Jopek, the father of Ryan Jopek, the young soldier who tragically lost his life to a roadside bomb in 2006, recently said on a Wisconsin Public Radio show that his family had asked Barack Obama to stop wearing the bracelet with his son's name on it. Yet Obama continues to do so despite the wishes of the family.

Radio host Glenn Moberg of the show "Route 51" asked Mr. Jopek, a man who believes in the efforts in Iraq and is not in favor of Obama's positions on the war, what he and his ex-wife think of Obama continually using their son's name on the campaign trail.

According to the father, Tracy Jopek wrote to the Senator: “She had asked him not to wear the bracelet.”

Barack Obama is using the bracelet to support a position that his father (and Ryan Jopek himself) clearly do not subscribe to, and at the time even the mother that gave him the bracelet didn’t want it used in the media (that comment was made here) and asked him to take it off.

Brian and Tracy Jopek are now divorced. I don’t know what her current thoughts are. But this interview on WPR, from March 20, was interesting. The quotes here are from about 10 to 14 minutes in.

Longoria Parker Urges For Hispanics To Vote

2008-09-28T00:28:00.004-05:00

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria Parker said Thursday that Hispanics could play a crucial role in the presidential election, particularly in swing states, but that many eligible voters remain unregistered.

To urge increased Hispanic participation in the Nov. 4 election, Longoria says, “Go out and tell your families, go out and tell your friends, go out and tell your communities to try to get everyone registered to vote.”

Both campaigns are wooing the increasingly important Hispanic vote, and nonpartisan Hispanic groups have launched unprecedented registration drives.

Sen. John McCain has hired San Antonio marketing guru Lionel Sosa to develop Hispanic outreach efforts for his campaign, which recently began airing a Spanish-language TV ad in Florida that casts Obama as inexperienced and willing to sit down with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez despite his anti-American stance.

A recent poll for the Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times shows McCain leading Obama with Hispanic voters in Florida by a margin of 51 percent to 41 percent.

Nonpartisan groups such as the National Council of La Raza, Mi Familia Vota Educational Fund and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials are working to bring a record number of Hispanics to the polls.

Whose Words Worked At Debate?

2008-09-27T12:55:00.004-05:00

The latest book that I'm reading is by Dr. Frank Luntz, it's called Words That Work and pretty much tells you that "It's not what you say, it's what people hear."

Dr. Luntz also runs his own research company and had a group of undecided voters in Las Vegas rate the debate. So, what words worked for each candidate?

Watch below:

Perry Asked to Extend Voter Registration Deadline for Ike Victims

2008-09-27T09:13:00.004-05:00

Two weeks after Hurricane Ike slammed into the upper Texas coast, things are still far from normal in the Houston-Galveston-Beaumont area, and several activist groups are asking Governor Perry to extend the deadline for citizens of the hard hit areas to register to vote in the November election, 1200 WOAI news reports.

“People in the Houston area really aren’t thinking about registering to vote right now,” said Fred Lewis of the non-partisan group Houston Votes.

The registration deadline is October 6th.

The question is whether the governor has the power to do this. Perry’s office says the only way the governor can extend the voter registration period is if the individual counties formally request it, and so far, no county has.

Lewis says the governor has the power to extend the registration deadline on his own.

Several regions, especially in Galveston, Chambers, and Orange Counties, are still suffering from widespread power and water loss, and the time when these services will be restored is uncertain.

McCain's First Ad About Tonight's Debate

2008-09-26T21:54:00.003-05:00

The debate just ended between Presidential nominees, Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain and already the first ad hits the internet!

Watch below:

TMZ.com's Hottest Politician In America

2008-09-26T19:00:00.007-05:00

One of my favorite websites, TMZ.com, is looking for the Hottest Politician In America and asking fans of the site to send in photos of their local politicians.

Well, let me introduce you to their first Hottie Politician, Carey Torrice, a County Commissioner in Macomb County in Michigan.

Carey Torrice is 31 years old. She was born and raised in Macomb County, Michigan and was elected as a County Commissioner in November 2006 for a two year term. She is a graduate of Chippewa Valley High School and earned an Associate’s Degree from Macomb Community College. She majored in Public Relations and Communications.

She is active in a number of organizations including MADD (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving), the Muscular Dystrophy Association and is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the National Rifle Association.

For more info on her and to see more photos check out her official website at CareyTorrice.com.

Texas GOP Releases New Online Ad

2008-09-25T17:18:00.004-05:00

Barack Obama's campaign is built upon the theme of "change." Looking at his history in the Illinois State Senate, it's hard to find what he actually changed while serving.

The Republican Party of Texas has a new web ad titled Present that brings to light the fact that Obama voted "present" nearly 130 times as an Illinois State Senator. Perhaps that's why his Presidential campaign has been so short on specifics and issues "above his pay grade." When his constituents needed him to be their voice on vital decisions, he took a pass.

Watch the ad below:

Senate Passes Down Syndrome Bill

2008-09-25T09:01:00.007-05:00

For those of you that personally know me, you know that I have 2 special needs sons, one with Down Syndrome and I couldn't imagine my life without him.

That's why I've been following the bill in the Senate that's co-sponsored by pro-life Kansas Republican Sen. Sam Brownback and Sen. Edward Kennedy, an abortion-rights advocate from Massachusetts. Well, I'm happy to announce the bill has been approved unanimously in the Senate this past Tuesday.

This bill is designed to help reduce the number of abortions of babies with Down syndrome and other conditions. Pro-life advocates have been worried about the high percentage of abortions as doctors leave parents with few options when confronted with a disabled unborn child.

Some studies show as many as 90 percent of parents with an unborn baby diagnosed as having Down syndrome having an abortion, because some doctors don't give parents information about caring for children with disabilities and about support services. This bill would require that.

Similar legislation is pending in the House.

P!nk Rips Palin, But Can't Find Iraq On Map

2008-09-24T18:27:00.005-05:00

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Barr Loses Supreme Court Challenge

2008-09-24T09:29:00.000-05:00

The Texas Supreme Court dealt a blow to Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr on Tuesday, rejecting his effort to remove John McCain and Barack Obama from the ballot. The state's highest court offered only a matter-of-fact ruling, stating it denied his maneuver to keep the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees off the ballot.

Barr and the Libertarian Party of Texas argued the two major parties candidates were not officially nominated by their respective parties by the state's Aug. 26 deadline, and therefore their names should not have been certified by the secretary of state.

The court rejected that logic but did not offer any explanation for denying the case.

(PolitickerTX)

NRCC Attacks Rodriguez Ad Weeks After It Airs

2008-09-24T08:21:00.000-05:00

San Antonio congressman Ciro Rodriguez's latest campaign ad, which has been airing for weeks, has been recently attacked by the National Republican Campaign Committee saying, "he's only working hard for his party bosses in Washington."

Find out why from PolickerTX and read Jason Thurlkill's article here.

Obama Releases Official Soundtrack Album

2008-09-20T12:33:00.000-05:00

You knew it was coming...Barack Obama's presidential campaign is now getting an official music soundtrack.

“Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement,” which takes its title from an Obama campaign slogan, features hip hop artist Kanye West, r&b crooner John Legend, singer Sheryl Crow, r&b legend Stevie Wonder and others. It will be available for sale exclusively through Obama’s campaign.

Proceeds from the CD ($24.99 for a digital download, $30 for a physical product) will help fund Obama’s campaign until Nov. 4, Election Day, according Hidden Beach Recordings, which created the CD.

The “Yes We Can” CD is only the latest musical project inspired by Obama. Earlier this year, an all-star music video featuring Legend, Scarlet Johansson, Kate Walsh, Common, and others, led by the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am and titled “Yes We Can,” became a viral sensation, garnering millions of views on the Internet. Will.i.am followed that up with another celebrity-filled video, “We Are The Ones.”

To make sure the CD project met federal campaign standards, Hidden Beach CEO and longtime Obama supporter Steve McKeever said it went through a rigorous vetting process. The Obama campaign purchased the rights to the CD, he said, declining to name the price.

“The artists on the CD “are all being compensated as fair market value for their services,” he added.

After the election, the CD is due to be released through other outlets and Hidden Beach will reap the profits.

The McCain camp said it had no plans to release a CD of its own and greeted news of Obama’s with a dig.

“It’s ironic that on a day when the economy is in turmoil, Barack Obama fails to release an economic plan, but instead chooses a celebrity rock album,” said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds.

Texas posts record voter registration

2008-09-19T11:52:00.000-05:00

While Southeast Texans were hunkering down and picking up the pieces after Hurricane Ike over the weekend, Texas quietly broke its own voter registration record, according to Randall Dillard, a spokesman for Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade.

The previous record of slightly fewer than 3.1 million registered voters, set during the 2004 presidential election year, was eclipsed over the weekend. And that number will continue to grow before voter registration ends Oct. 6.

What that means for the presidential election and a host of other races in Texas, of course, remains to be seen. But if the March primaries are any indication, a large number of those registered voters will actually vote.

Barr loses bid to halt mailing of ballots

2008-09-19T08:25:00.000-05:00

By W. Gardner Selby
AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Libertarian presidential nominee Bob Barr continued his effort Thursday to strike Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama from the Texas ballot.

In Austin on Thursday, Barr accompanied his attorney to request an emergency order from the Texas Supreme Court to stop the state from mailing absentee and military ballots, which is expected to start Saturday. (Barr's attorney, Drew Shirley, is also the Libertarian nominee for a Texas Supreme Court seat.) The court denied that request by the end of the day.

Barr still wants the court to remove the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees from the ballot because, he said, neither met a requirement in state law that nominees file paperwork to be on the ballot 70 days before the election.

Barr, a former congressman from Georgia, conceded that his legal action could result in the U.S. House choosing the next president. Such a long-shot scenario could play out if no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes Nov. 4.

Obama or McCain could fall short of a majority if the state's 34 electoral votes weren't available because the names weren't on the ballot.

Secretary of State Hope Andrade's office has said both Obama and McCain filed by the deadline and then supplemented their filings before the ballot was certified Sept. 3.

It appeared the deadline was likely to generate friction all along because it fell on Aug. 26, a day before Obama was nominated at the Democratic National Convention and eight days before McCain was nominated at the Republican National Convention.
Both conventions were scheduled late in the summer to avoid conflicts with the Summer Olympics.

The court has asked the candidates, the major parties and Andrade to respond to Barr's request by Monday afternoon.

On Wednesday, the state's solicitor general, James Ho, sent a letter to the court calling Barr's request untimely because ballots must soon be mailed to military and other overseas voters — a position revisited in a state brief filed Thursday.

Buck Wood, an Austin lawyer expert in election law, said Barr's interpretation of the law seems correct. But, Wood said, the request could be spurned by the court without explanation.

"The court can turn down a mandamus because they don't like the way you part your hair," he said. "They'll just deny it."

Libertarian says GOP, Dems missed deadline for Texas ballots

2008-09-18T23:32:00.000-05:00

R.G. Ratcliffe - San Antonio Express-News

AUSTIN — The Libertarian Party of Texas and party presidential nominee Bob Barr are asking the state Supreme Court to remove the names of Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain from the presidential ballot.

Barr said the two major parties missed an Aug. 26 deadline for giving the official names of their nominees to the Texas secretary of state for certification. In a filing Thursday, the Libertarians asked the court to halt Saturday's planned mail-out by counties of absentee and military ballots.

At a news conference outside the Texas Supreme Court building, Barr said the state ballot certification law is clear and the court should have no problem ruling in the Libertarians' favor.
“It should require no legal contortions whatsoever to stand for the rule of law,” Barr said. “The law we have here in Texas is not ambiguous. It is not vague.”

If Barr and the Libertarians win the lawsuit, Barr would be the only presidential candidate on the Texas ballot and likely would carry away all of the state's 34 electoral votes.
A lot is at stake for the two major parties in the lawsuit. McCain probably could not win the presidency without Texas, and Democrats are counting on enthusiasm for Obama to help drive turnout and create victories in down-ballot races.

The Libertarians claim both national parties missed a 5 p.m. Aug. 26 deadline for submitting the name of their presidential candidate to the Texas secretary of state for certification.
The Democratic National Convention was occurring as the deadline passed, and the Republican convention occurred a week later.

While neither national party officially had a presidential nominee by that date, both state parties filed paperwork with the secretary of state's office regarding their intent. The office certified McCain and Obama as having positions on the ballot.

The lawsuit, filed this week, contends this amounts to an illegal pre-certification. The state's high court has given the state and national parties until 3 p.m. Monday to respond. The motion filed Thursday seeks to stop the mail-out of ballots until after the lawsuit is resolved.
Texas Solicitor General James Ho in a letter to the state Supreme Court described the lawsuits as “meritless.”

Barr is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who became prominent during the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. He became a Libertarian after leaving office.

First Hispanic Woman Sworn In As Texas Secretary of State

2008-09-18T17:38:00.000-05:00

Esperanza "Hope" Andrade, a San Antonio native from the West Side who was born into a family of cotton farmers, was sworn in as Texas Secretary of State, becoming the first Hispanic woman to fill that position.

She vowed to use her position to "protect the integrity of the election process," and to promote greater voter participation among disenfranchised Texans. She also promised to maintain a business friendly environment for entrepreneurs.

"They say America is another name for opportunity but Texas is the land of unlimited opportunity," Andrade, 58, said in her acceptance speech before hundreds of friends, family supporters and Gov. Rick Perry, who appointed her.

As secretary of state, Andrade will be the state’s chief elections officer, the governor’s liaison on border and Mexico affairs and chief protocol officer for state and international matters.

In remarks before Andrade was sworn in, Perry called his newest appointee "a great champion of San Antonio and a passionate advocate for all Texans."

"It is an honor to have you on our team," he told her.

Photo courtesy of Associated Press

Michelle Obama: Don't vote because 'she's cute'

2008-09-18T16:04:00.000-05:00

Michelle Obama asked voters today to make their choice on the issues, "People shouldn't make a decision this time based on, 'I like that guy' or 'she's cute,'" she said.

The line won a big round of applause. Before it subsided, she interjected: "And I'm talking about me."

Barack Obama's wife, however, is not on the ticket in the presidential election. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is.

Michelle Obama's remarks came at a women's roundtable on the economy in Charlotte, North Carolina. She told the audience of 600 that her husband is the only candidate focused on equal pay, health care, affordable college, teacher recruitment and other issues of concern to women. She said that's what the election should be about.

"We need you," Michelle Obama told the women she addressed in Charlotte. "Our families need you. Our country needs you."

Trisha Redwine, a lifelong Democrat in Charlotte, said women didn't seem to be needed by the Democratic ticket until recently. "It's almost like we didn't even matter until Sarah Palin came into the picture," she said.

Redwine backed Clinton in the primaries and now speaks favorably of McCain's efforts on family medical leave and family-friendly workplaces.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images. Text courtesy of Mike Baker, Associated Press