http://www.katyfreeway.org/SH6_IH610_cross.html
Posted on 12/12/2004 7:28:40 AM PST by Theodore R.
Hutchison holds tense meeting with Perry supporters in El Paso
EL PASO (AP) — U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison reacted angrily recently after several El Paso business leaders suggested that she not challenge Gov. Rick Perry in 2006 because their large campaign contributions to state leaders have increased the city's influence in Austin.
During the private luncheon last week, Hutchison, R-Texas, was asked to instead run for re-election for the Senate. She responded by denouncing the role large contributions play in state government, some of those attending said.
The meeting was organized as a briefing by the senator on various issues, but several Perry supporters turned the conversation to the upcoming gubernatorial election.
Many of those at the meeting agreed the discussion got severely strained after some of the business leaders mentioned their large contributions to Perry, also a Republican. Hutchison has said she hasn't decided whether to run in 2006.
El Paso businessman Woody Hunt said he reminded the senator that El Paso had not fully participated in state politics in the past and has long been neglected. He and others decided to open up their checkbooks and become players.
"We need to be better connected to the state. We need to be able to have access. We need to be able to communicate," said Hunt, who's donated almost $200,000 to Perry in the past four years, campaign finance records show.
El Paso businessman Ted Houghton, said he didn't expect Hutchison to react the way she did.
"That's when the meeting fell apart, unfortunately. Our point was, we like what we have for El Paso and we like what we have for the state of Texas," he said.
The senator's spokesman, Dave Beckwith, said Hutchison reacted to Perry supporters specifically touting the accomplishments produced after significantly stepping up their political contributions.
"Senator Hutchison is appalled that people are being strong-armed, feel they have to hand over huge contributions in order to be heard in the state's political process," Beckwith said Friday.
"What she's been hearing around the state is encouragement — to provide the leadership to clean up that system."
That response from Hutchison's office brought a quick response from Perry's campaign.
"Others can deal in the Washington-style politics of personal destruction and blind ambition to do what is best for themselves, but Governor Perry will continue to be a strong, ethical and effective leader for El Paso and Texas as a whole," said Luis Saenz, Perry's campaign director.
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Information from: El Paso Times, http://www.elpasotimes.com
KBH is far more conservative than Perry and anyone who doesn't think so cannot support the claim with facts. KBH has a 90%+ lifetime conservative rating in the Senate and trailed Gramm by only a handful of points.
We tend to lose her on women in the military, where the Governor would have no say, and abortion. That said she always votes against partial birth and late term abortions, again an area that under the Texas system she would have little say about. Further given her age, I suspect she only wants one term.
Perry is a fool, though I'm tired of those who claim he can't keep his pants on since they offer nothing but rumor. He has been liberal on taxes, judges, vetoing bills that he doesn't understand and in general is a hair combing, pretty boy, RINO .... and those are his good points. The grass roots in my area are sick of him, thought the Christian Coalition is not likely to back KBH in a primary.
CA 91 had managed toll lanes added inside the still existing FREE LANES. The variable pricing is to try and maintain speeds of 55mph in the toll lanes by raising prices whenever the lanes start to bog down. Since there is always the parallel freeway option, how the heck is the gov't telling someone when to drive?
It is basic supply and demand, and when the demand is so high that it overwhelms capacity, these ADDITIONAL toll lanes are a good idea to provide another alternative. The driver then has a choice of continuing to travel for free or pay a premium to bypass the congestion. That's called capitalism.
But since you claim to have spoken on camera at a meeting about toll roads 4 years ago, obviously all this has been pointed out to you before, yet you choose to exaggerate and lie about it. Tells me all I need to know about you.
"So Perry has a plan to toll all of the Katy Freeway?....."
The plan is clearly inferred from the TTC Report. One of the routes closely parallels Interstate 10. You cannot have a toll road compete against a freeway without the toll road losing BIG-TIME - you will never get a trucker to pay 50 cents per mile to go on those roads (they don't even make that much). That is why the report needs to leave open the option of converting freeways to toll roads.
The only other option is to let our existing freeways "wither on the vine" - and maybe that's part of the plan.
I guess having a lifetime conservative rating of well over 90% doesn't count? If that's not good enough then almost everyone is a RINO to you.
"It is basic supply and demand, and when the demand is so high that it overwhelms capacity, these ADDITIONAL toll lanes are a good idea to provide another alternative. The driver then has a choice of continuing to travel for free or pay a premium to bypass the congestion. That's called capitalism.
But since you claim to have spoken on camera at a meeting about toll roads 4 years ago, obviously all this has been pointed out to you before, yet you choose to exaggerate and lie about it. Tells me all I need to know about you."
Getting a personal. Oh well. I'm not sure how you link my opposition to what was they were doing to Katy to the TTC plan (since they're several years apart), so I'll that one go.
Now, you may call it capitalism when the government gets into punishing people who don't obey their edicts on how to live their lives. I tend to have another term for it...
Theodore is about as negative a person as you will find posting from Texas.
I hope she runs for Gov. That way she will have to give up her Senate Seat to a real Republican, and then we can defeat her in the GOP primary for Gov.
No.
http://www.katyfreeway.org/SH6_IH610_cross.html
Strayhorn (and all her aliases) truly is a RINO and I've refused to vote for her every time her name comes up. I still remember her as the liberal mayor of Austin (I realize that last phrase is redundant) when she was Carole Keeton McLelland some 20+ years ago.
As for Perry and Hutchison, I have my gripes with both but I'd rather we not have a battle royal about it and let a Democrat sneak in. I don't honestly know why KBH wants the job.
It's up to date as I understand. But, again, this plan pre-dates the TTC. I-10 cannot be allowed to compete against the new toll road that will essentially run parallel to it.
"As for Perry and Hutchison, I have my gripes with both but I'd rather we not have a battle royal about it and let a Democrat sneak in. I don't honestly know why KBH wants the job."
Kay is probably eying the top spot and knows the Senate is no a good launching point. CKS looks like a real loser from everything I've seen posted about her.
The concept is to avoid going through the Federal govt. and losing tax revenues due to excessive costs/losses of doing it that way.
But I will tell you something that I tend to support - but only if it's implemented properly:
That would be charging people by the mile to drive. That way everyone pays, not just people on limited access roads. After all, the money is needed. But it's hard to see how the government could do it without intruding into everyone's vehicle - but there are ways.
I-10 cannot be allowed to compete against the new toll road that will essentially run parallel to it.
"You are overreacting. Paying for new highways by charging tolls is the new way of doing it across the country."
See next post. My problem with today's tolling is that you're punishing people for driving on the roads that they should be driving on (limited access) and thereby rewarding people who drive on side streets - and that's because it's easier to capture money from captives. If you charge by the mile, you at least even out the incentives. Tolling is fine in principal, but it shouldn't be used if it crosses up the incentives.
That would be charging people by the mile to drive.
Be careful out there. And, yes, there are moves at the federal level to essentially turn over the freeways to the states. I do see I-10 having to be tolled for the governor's plan to work. In Ohio they have problems with trucks avoiding the Turnpike and crashing in the middle of nowhere, and they only charge 4 cents per mile (for cars, not sure about trucks). Money is a very, very strong incentive and people should be careful about how that incentive is applied.
Actually a governor has some say on abortion. Sure, they can't sign a bill banning abortion, but there are reasonable restrictions that can be placed on abortion. For example, cutting any state funds to Planned Parenthood, changing Texas's parental notification abortion law into a parental consent law, and blocking any state plan promoting stem cell research.
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