CONGRATULATIONS to Marc Brown and the voters of Harris County.
Qualifications trumped party politics last evening in a BIG way....who'd have thunk it?
Don Smyth and now Marc Brown have both successfully demonstrated that the voters of Harris County want a real change from politics as usual. Specifically, the voters were more informed this cycle and were not content to be led like cattle to the political slaughterhouse.
In these two judicial races, proven ability was able to carry the day in Harris County......a welcome setback for the notorious boiler plate political spin machine that rampantly infests the luncheons and high teas hosted by the Republican women's groups.
Although Brown's victory was by the closest margin, he highlighted this awakening on another level.
Brown BEAT the party blue hairs and their despicable spokesman,Terry Lowery, in their stronghold setting....the RUNOFF.
WOW!!!! I hope this symbolic victory becomes a trend.
Jared Woodfill's landslide victory over Ed Hubbard, on the other hand, revealed that if a candidate is to overcome the political machine of corruption, the challenger must have overwhelming qualifications.
Unlike 2008, the ADAs who sought political office were not smeared as Rosenthal lieutenants; but rather were judged on their respective ability and qualifications.
Critiques of the candidates were based on the relative merits supported by objective facts and did not lend themselves to the angry unfounded extrapolations of innuendo and outright defamation of character.
If the Harris County voters continue to support ability and proven qualifications over misleading innuendos and blatant lies; DA Pat Lykos will have cause for concern in 2012.
The "blame Rosenthal dog" won't hunt next go round.....that rabid hound will no longer be able to infect the good and strong sled dogs.
The days of dictatorial rule in Harris County Republican politics took a significant hit yesterday......I hope the paid political whores and their blue haired minions get a knock out punch in 2012.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
WHO IS PAT LYKOS?
Murray Newman's blog harriscountycriminaljustice.blogspot.com/ has exhaustively highlighted the ineptness of Pat Lykos' "leadership" in her blundering role as the "elected" Harris County District Attorney.
I urge readers who support justice, fair play and equal protection under the law, but are not familiar with Mr. Newman's blog, to read it critically......you will be shocked and saddened by his rendition at how the Harris County District Attorney's Office has been compromised and politicized.
An elucidation here on the Lykos laundry list of inappropriate behavior would be both exhausting and redundant; but the unfortunate consequences to the citizens of Harris County are easily apparent.
By all credible accounts, Lykos and her fledgling hand picked lieutenants promote a self-serving policy of arbitrary rule; utilizing fear and intimidation on employees to mask their own incompetence.
An astonishing exodus of seasoned prosecutors has been the result.
After the upcoming November elections, the competent prosecutorial cupboard will be bare.
Throwing the baby out with the bath water is not cleaning house; it is irresponsible behavior.
Prosecutors that endure will continue the chant: "stay under the radar".
The propagation of fearful cowering employees at a district attorney's office to placate the media and Defense Bar's accusation that the alternative is necessarily a "win at all costs" cavalier cowboy prosecutor type is absurd.
Prosecutors are not social workers or preschool teachers. A prosecutor is charged with pursuing JUSTICE at all costs; and everyone is not a winner.
When a prosecutor's work environment has defeated his mindset professionally and personally and by extension he thereby acquiesces when presented with a challenging, albeit righteous, criminal complaint; he has breached his sworn duty.
The disgrace inherent in one's acceptance of a losing mentality--whether in trial or in inappropriate plea deals to avoid courtroom humiliation and repercussions--casts a dark cloud of shame upon the entire District Attorney's office.
It might be politically correct to promote mediocrity in America; but the political beating down of prosecutors is exactly why the Harris County District Attorney's Office needs to be apolitical.
Circumventing the Texas state legislature to ease jail overcrowding and exploiting extra-jurisdictional issues such as illegal immigration is NOT within the course and scope of the elected DA's job description. The focus at DA office meetings with Division Chiefs should be on how to better train and supervise ADAs so that THEY can perform at the highest level; not to provide a figure head DA with bullet points to present at Republican womens' luncheons or media events.
Image over substance seems to have replaced the principle of having the courage to pursue truth and justice to the best of one's ability regardless of difficulty or political fallout.
When the political consequences of a prosecutor's actions become paramount in the fulfillment of her duties; that prosecutor has been rendered ineffective counsel for the people she has sworn to serve.
How dare an elected DA be more concerned with how she is judged by the Houston Chronicle than by the victims of crime who expect a fair and even handed ENFORCEMENT of the laws of the state of Texas?
The ones who never quite measure up on the merits are quick to condemn those that do. The excuse makers and others challenged by mediocrity are eager to discount the means and ability of the prosecutors who consistently bust their butts and win the arduous non-whale cases. To this ilk of angry underachievers, those who successfully prosecute a case without a harpoon must be either lucky or corrupt, racist, theatrical, unethical, Hitleresque, and all things Satanic. In fact, such a prosecutor is reduced to a greater personification of evil than the serial killer sentenced to the "inhumane" death chamber.
Well folks, I submit that luck is nothing more than the result of obsessive preparation that meets, recognizes and seizes opportunity; and luck is running out at the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
I urge readers who support justice, fair play and equal protection under the law, but are not familiar with Mr. Newman's blog, to read it critically......you will be shocked and saddened by his rendition at how the Harris County District Attorney's Office has been compromised and politicized.
An elucidation here on the Lykos laundry list of inappropriate behavior would be both exhausting and redundant; but the unfortunate consequences to the citizens of Harris County are easily apparent.
By all credible accounts, Lykos and her fledgling hand picked lieutenants promote a self-serving policy of arbitrary rule; utilizing fear and intimidation on employees to mask their own incompetence.
An astonishing exodus of seasoned prosecutors has been the result.
After the upcoming November elections, the competent prosecutorial cupboard will be bare.
Throwing the baby out with the bath water is not cleaning house; it is irresponsible behavior.
Prosecutors that endure will continue the chant: "stay under the radar".
The propagation of fearful cowering employees at a district attorney's office to placate the media and Defense Bar's accusation that the alternative is necessarily a "win at all costs" cavalier cowboy prosecutor type is absurd.
Prosecutors are not social workers or preschool teachers. A prosecutor is charged with pursuing JUSTICE at all costs; and everyone is not a winner.
When a prosecutor's work environment has defeated his mindset professionally and personally and by extension he thereby acquiesces when presented with a challenging, albeit righteous, criminal complaint; he has breached his sworn duty.
The disgrace inherent in one's acceptance of a losing mentality--whether in trial or in inappropriate plea deals to avoid courtroom humiliation and repercussions--casts a dark cloud of shame upon the entire District Attorney's office.
It might be politically correct to promote mediocrity in America; but the political beating down of prosecutors is exactly why the Harris County District Attorney's Office needs to be apolitical.
Circumventing the Texas state legislature to ease jail overcrowding and exploiting extra-jurisdictional issues such as illegal immigration is NOT within the course and scope of the elected DA's job description. The focus at DA office meetings with Division Chiefs should be on how to better train and supervise ADAs so that THEY can perform at the highest level; not to provide a figure head DA with bullet points to present at Republican womens' luncheons or media events.
Image over substance seems to have replaced the principle of having the courage to pursue truth and justice to the best of one's ability regardless of difficulty or political fallout.
When the political consequences of a prosecutor's actions become paramount in the fulfillment of her duties; that prosecutor has been rendered ineffective counsel for the people she has sworn to serve.
How dare an elected DA be more concerned with how she is judged by the Houston Chronicle than by the victims of crime who expect a fair and even handed ENFORCEMENT of the laws of the state of Texas?
The ones who never quite measure up on the merits are quick to condemn those that do. The excuse makers and others challenged by mediocrity are eager to discount the means and ability of the prosecutors who consistently bust their butts and win the arduous non-whale cases. To this ilk of angry underachievers, those who successfully prosecute a case without a harpoon must be either lucky or corrupt, racist, theatrical, unethical, Hitleresque, and all things Satanic. In fact, such a prosecutor is reduced to a greater personification of evil than the serial killer sentenced to the "inhumane" death chamber.
Well folks, I submit that luck is nothing more than the result of obsessive preparation that meets, recognizes and seizes opportunity; and luck is running out at the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
NO NEW TAXES ON THE MIDDLE CLASS TO PAY FOR OBAMACARE......THAT IS UNLESS YOU'RE TOO WHITE
On July 1, 2010 the 10% arbitrary tax on tanning booths takes effect to help defray the cost of Obamacare.
So where is the outrage on this racist provision? How does a tax on a racially identifiable class pass Constitutional muster? How about if the government next decides to place a tax on hair relaxers? How about a tax on all Kosher foods? How about a Kotex tax?
A law that permits the United States Federal Government to single out and tax a product or service based on the racial, ethnic or gender makeup of the targeted consumer is blatantly unconstitutional.
This is not a tax on cosmetic enhancement generally; but rather a penalty on a service used almost exclusively by people with white skin.
If the argument is made that tanning booths increase the risk of skin cancers and thereby increase the cost of health care; why are other similarly situated goods and services not treated equally?
Is the government going to tax beach resorts and the owners of swimming pools next?
Artificial sweeteners and red meats are known carcinogens as well so let's tax them too.....at least racism wouldn't rear it's ugly head.
What about fat people? Talk about high risk.
And the Colonists were pissed off about a Tea Tax!
So where is the outrage on this racist provision? How does a tax on a racially identifiable class pass Constitutional muster? How about if the government next decides to place a tax on hair relaxers? How about a tax on all Kosher foods? How about a Kotex tax?
A law that permits the United States Federal Government to single out and tax a product or service based on the racial, ethnic or gender makeup of the targeted consumer is blatantly unconstitutional.
This is not a tax on cosmetic enhancement generally; but rather a penalty on a service used almost exclusively by people with white skin.
If the argument is made that tanning booths increase the risk of skin cancers and thereby increase the cost of health care; why are other similarly situated goods and services not treated equally?
Is the government going to tax beach resorts and the owners of swimming pools next?
Artificial sweeteners and red meats are known carcinogens as well so let's tax them too.....at least racism wouldn't rear it's ugly head.
What about fat people? Talk about high risk.
And the Colonists were pissed off about a Tea Tax!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
The American Revolution: Causes of Conflict
Taxation Without Representation
Excerpts of Kennedy Hickman
As tensions regarding colonial lands and taxation increased during the 1760s and 1770s, many American leaders were influenced by the liberal and republican ideals espoused by Enlightenment writers such as John Locke.Key among Locke's theories was that of the "social contract" which stated that legitimate state authority must be derived from the consent of the governed.
Also, that should the government abuse the rights of the governed, it was the natural responsibility of the people to rise up and overthrow their leaders.
The ideas of Locke and other similar writers contributed to the American embrace of "republican" ideology in the years before the Revolution.
Standing in opposition to tyrants, republicanism called for the protection of liberty through the rule of law and civic virtue.
While many of the Founding Fathers may have had contact with the writings of European thinkers, many other Americans came to their republican beliefs through dissenting churches such as the Puritans and Presbyterians. Through religious study, men like Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, were taught key tenets such as: that all men are created equal, that there is no divine right of kings, and wicked laws should be disobeyed.
Across the colonies, these philosophies were preached by Revolutionary clergy in their sermons....bringing the ideals of republicanism to the masses.
As the British government assessed methods for generating funds, it was decided to levy new taxes on the colonies with the goal of offsetting some of the cost for their defense.
Passed on April 5, 1764, the Sugar Act placed a tax of three pence per gallon on molasses as well as listing specific goods which could be exported to Britain. While this tax was half of that stipulated by the 1733 Sugar and Molasses Act, the new Sugar Act called for active enforcement and struck the colonies during an economic downturn.
The passage of the Sugar Act led to outcries from colonial leaders who claimed "taxation without representation," as they had no members of Parliament to represent their interests.
On March 22, 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act which called for tax stamps to be placed on all paper goods sold in the colonies. This represented the first attempt to levy a direct tax on the colonies and was met by fierce opposition and protests.
In several colonies new protest groups, known as the "Sons of Liberty" formed.
Delegates from nine colonies gathered at the Stamp Act Congress in New York.
Guided by Pennsylvanian John Dickinson, the congress drew up the Declaration of Rights and Grievances which stated that as the colonies had no representation in Parliament, the tax was unconstitutional and against their rights as Englishmen.
In London, colonial representative Benjamin Franklin argued a similar point and warned that continued taxation could lead to rebellion.
Still seeking a way to generate revenue, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts on June 29, 1767. An indirect tax, the acts placed import duties on commodities such as lead, paper, paint, glass, and tea.
As with past taxation attempts, the colonists protested with claims of taxation without representation.
While colonial leaders organized boycotts of the taxed goods, smuggling increased and efforts commenced to develop domestically-produced alternatives.
Over the next three years, boycotts and protests continued in the colonies.
These came to a head on the night of March 5, 1770, when angry colonists began throwing snowballs and rocks at British troops guarding the Customs House in Boston. In the commotion, British troops opened fire on the protesters, killing five (5) Colonists.
Parliament repealed most aspects of the Townshend Acts in April 1770, but left a tax on tea.
Across the colonies, British tea was boycotted and attempts were made to produce tea locally.
In Boston, the situation climaxed in late November 1773, when three ships carrying East India Company tea arrived in the port.
Rallying the populace, members of the Sons of Liberty dressed as Native Americans, boarded the ships on the night of December 16. Carefully avoiding damaging other property, the "raiders" tossed 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor.
A direct affront to British authority, the "Boston Tea Party" forced Parliament to take action against the colonies.
In response to the colonial attack on the tea ships, Parliament passed a series of punitive laws in early 1774.
The first of these, the Boston Port Act, closed Boston to shipping until the East India Company had been repaid for the destroyed tea.
This was followed by the Massachusetts Government Act which allowed the Crown to appoint most positions in the Massachusetts colonial government.
Supporting this was the Administration of Justice Act which permitted the royal governor to move the trials of accused royal officials to another colony or Britain if a fair trial was unobtainable in Massachusetts.
Along with these new laws, a new Quartering Act was enacted which allowed British troops to use unoccupied buildings as quarters when in the colonies.
The colonial leaders began planning a congress to discuss the repercussions of the Intolerable Acts.
Meeting at Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia, representatives from twelve colonies (Georgia did not attend) convened on September 5, 1774.
In the discussions that followed some delegates argued in favor of establishing a new governmental system while others desired to work towards reconciliation with Britain.
In Boston, royal authority was asserted with the arrival of Lieutenant General Thomas Gage
In the spring of 1775, Gage began a series of raids with the goal of disarming the colonial militias. On the evening of April 18, Gage ordered some of his troops to march to Concord to seize munitions and gunpowder. The next morning, British troops encountered colonial militia in the village of Lexington.
While the two forces faced off, a shot rang out.
Though the source of the shot is unknown, it touched off eight years of war.
America is coming full circle......
Monday, March 22, 2010
THE CANDY MAN CAN'T
Well for those of you who thought that America's role as "World Policeman" was inappropriate and too costly..... you ain't seen nothing yet.
America's new role as "World Health Care Provider" will dwarf those fears.
In the Democrats' shear frenzy to pass health care reform they have sold America to the highest bidder.
Not only will the most irresponsible 30,000,000 people residing in the USA now be provided with free or cheap health care at the expense of those Americans that do take responsibility for their lives; but now any foreign national who is able to sneak across our borders will be provided with the same entitlement.
So for the world's medically disadvantaged, fret no more.
The Guatemalan with congenital heart disease, the African with AIDS, the Croatian with prostate cancer, the Chinese with a stroke and the Indian with leprosy-- all you folks need to do is get your butts across the US border and we will provide medical care for whatever ails you free of charge or for a very nominal fee.
And remember, your pre-existing conditions matter not.
For our Canadian friends who need procedures and diagnostic testing but either do not qualify or are on long waiting lists in your homeland of Canada--we welcome you in America.
However, you will no longer have to pay fair market value for your medical care when you come to the US. We will now offer you state of the art medical care once you sign up for our very affordable American health care coverage (unless you can't afford the policy and then it will be free) and once your care is complete you can quit paying for American health coverage and go back home.
Remember, if another health care concern arises down the road that Canada will not cover to your liking come on back to the USA and pick up your temporary health care coverage and you're good to go.
Let's not forget , all that Obama will sign into law tomorrow is the health care template....by 2014 when the legislation takes real effect there will be a public option and a plethora of added bells and whistles.
The only thing there won't be plenty of is quality American trained physicians.
"Uncle Sam's Candy Store" is open for all..........hurry in for the bankruptcy clearance sale.
America's new role as "World Health Care Provider" will dwarf those fears.
In the Democrats' shear frenzy to pass health care reform they have sold America to the highest bidder.
Not only will the most irresponsible 30,000,000 people residing in the USA now be provided with free or cheap health care at the expense of those Americans that do take responsibility for their lives; but now any foreign national who is able to sneak across our borders will be provided with the same entitlement.
So for the world's medically disadvantaged, fret no more.
The Guatemalan with congenital heart disease, the African with AIDS, the Croatian with prostate cancer, the Chinese with a stroke and the Indian with leprosy-- all you folks need to do is get your butts across the US border and we will provide medical care for whatever ails you free of charge or for a very nominal fee.
And remember, your pre-existing conditions matter not.
For our Canadian friends who need procedures and diagnostic testing but either do not qualify or are on long waiting lists in your homeland of Canada--we welcome you in America.
However, you will no longer have to pay fair market value for your medical care when you come to the US. We will now offer you state of the art medical care once you sign up for our very affordable American health care coverage (unless you can't afford the policy and then it will be free) and once your care is complete you can quit paying for American health coverage and go back home.
Remember, if another health care concern arises down the road that Canada will not cover to your liking come on back to the USA and pick up your temporary health care coverage and you're good to go.
Let's not forget , all that Obama will sign into law tomorrow is the health care template....by 2014 when the legislation takes real effect there will be a public option and a plethora of added bells and whistles.
The only thing there won't be plenty of is quality American trained physicians.
"Uncle Sam's Candy Store" is open for all..........hurry in for the bankruptcy clearance sale.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
A PEBBLE IN YOUR SHOE
It seems ever more commonplace today that we are more concerned about the pebble in our shoe than our neighborhood church burning down.
A close friend of mine and Princeton graduate was a die hard Obama supporter until last Thursday. He is smart and well read, works hard long hours and is meritoriously very successful on many levels.
Prior to Thursday, he defined oxymoron.
What soured his support for Obama?
The pebble in his shoe reared its ugly head. The economy had finally started to negatively impact him personally. He tasted a bowl of the government gruel and it wasn't to his liking.
Imagine that!
His kind has no reservations about pontificating their Ivy League liberal elite crap and imposing pie-in-the-sky rules and mandates on others. However, when the folly negatively impacts THEIR personal lives, the consequences are unacceptable.
So now that my old friend is reaping what he has sown for others; suddenly the delusional rules are grossly unfair.
Who knew?
You'd think he was a damn Congressman.
Obama's philosophy of change and hopelessness is nothing new.
He promotes the principle that every person should contribute to society to the best of his or her ability and consume from society in proportion to his or her needs, regardless of how much he or she has contributed.
This mantra sounds eerily similar to a popular slogan of Karl Marx: " From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."
The caveat being that the government, not the individual, shall be determinate in evaluating "need" and "contribution".
Obama's Marxist health care scheme should scare the hell out of every American.
So don't worry about the pebble in your shoe...at the end of the day we'll all be walking barefoot on shards of glass, grateful for a government band-aid.
On a far far lesser scale, the Harris County Republican run-off for the 180th District Criminal Court represents a pebble in the shoes of those of us who work in the Harris County Criminal Justice System.....the rest of Harris County could care less if our church burns down.
A close friend of mine and Princeton graduate was a die hard Obama supporter until last Thursday. He is smart and well read, works hard long hours and is meritoriously very successful on many levels.
Prior to Thursday, he defined oxymoron.
What soured his support for Obama?
The pebble in his shoe reared its ugly head. The economy had finally started to negatively impact him personally. He tasted a bowl of the government gruel and it wasn't to his liking.
Imagine that!
His kind has no reservations about pontificating their Ivy League liberal elite crap and imposing pie-in-the-sky rules and mandates on others. However, when the folly negatively impacts THEIR personal lives, the consequences are unacceptable.
So now that my old friend is reaping what he has sown for others; suddenly the delusional rules are grossly unfair.
Who knew?
You'd think he was a damn Congressman.
Obama's philosophy of change and hopelessness is nothing new.
He promotes the principle that every person should contribute to society to the best of his or her ability and consume from society in proportion to his or her needs, regardless of how much he or she has contributed.
This mantra sounds eerily similar to a popular slogan of Karl Marx: " From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."
The caveat being that the government, not the individual, shall be determinate in evaluating "need" and "contribution".
Obama's Marxist health care scheme should scare the hell out of every American.
So don't worry about the pebble in your shoe...at the end of the day we'll all be walking barefoot on shards of glass, grateful for a government band-aid.
On a far far lesser scale, the Harris County Republican run-off for the 180th District Criminal Court represents a pebble in the shoes of those of us who work in the Harris County Criminal Justice System.....the rest of Harris County could care less if our church burns down.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
2010 TEXAS PRIMARY NUANCES
First of all CONGRATULATIONS to all the primary winners last night.
Even if your folks didn't come out on top yesterday, at least they got in the arena and fought.
Voter turnout was somewhat better than expected; but overall electorate apathy still prevailed making each vote that much more significant. Something to remember in the upcoming November elections.
Texans' anger and trepidation at the unfettered spending and corruption in Washington paved the way for easy victories at the Rick Perry and Ron Paul camps. Sheila Jackson Lee's landslide victory in my district, however, was a shocker. Not just because Sheila Jackson Lee is at the heart of Washington D.C.'s cavalier incompetence; but because of the resentment many of her constituents voiced over her personal arrogance and detachment from our district.
Arrogance and incompetence also took their toll in some of the judicial contests.
Don Smyth trouncing Rachael Ann Palmer for the CCCL #13 judicial bench highlights this best.
Smyth overwhelmingly outclassed Palmer with respect to fund of legal knowledge, judicial temperament, trial experience, impartiality and basic human decency.
Palmer was merely Harris County DA Pat Lykos' protege and was minimally qualified. Thankfully, Lykos' influence over her old guard base was not sufficient to carry the day.
In essence, Palmer's campaign was a referendum on Lykos' political clout.
Lykos' strength is in the runoff process.....period.
The paucity of voter turnout in a runoff traditionally does not reflect the general will of the community; but rather yields a far greater significance to party loyalists who vote in droves and support hard core Party rhetoric over actual qualifications and experience.
It is baffling, therefore, that once a qualified challenger to her hand picked protege announced his candidacy, that Lykos did not fully appreciate the potential fail-safe of a puppet 3rd candidate.
Lykos will not repeat this miscalculation in 2012.......Jimmy Leitner will do her bidding once again in hopes of a runoff and voter apathy.
In the 180th District Court race, Marc Brown was able to secure a runoff with the moneyed but outclassed Danny Dexter.
This needs to be a dress rehearsal for the likely 2012 Harris County DA runoff.
Marc Brown is the qualified and experienced candidate while Danny Dexter is the Lykos-type candidate, albeit with a good disposition.
Incumbent Leslie Brock Yates' loss in her re-election bid to the14th Court of Appeals was a reflection of the public's demand for impartiality and fair play; at least at the appellate level.
Congratulations to Sharon McCally!
PARTICIPATE IN THE RUNOFF PROCESS AND SUPPORT QUALITY, EXPERIENCE AND EQUITY!
Even if your folks didn't come out on top yesterday, at least they got in the arena and fought.
Voter turnout was somewhat better than expected; but overall electorate apathy still prevailed making each vote that much more significant. Something to remember in the upcoming November elections.
Texans' anger and trepidation at the unfettered spending and corruption in Washington paved the way for easy victories at the Rick Perry and Ron Paul camps. Sheila Jackson Lee's landslide victory in my district, however, was a shocker. Not just because Sheila Jackson Lee is at the heart of Washington D.C.'s cavalier incompetence; but because of the resentment many of her constituents voiced over her personal arrogance and detachment from our district.
Arrogance and incompetence also took their toll in some of the judicial contests.
Don Smyth trouncing Rachael Ann Palmer for the CCCL #13 judicial bench highlights this best.
Smyth overwhelmingly outclassed Palmer with respect to fund of legal knowledge, judicial temperament, trial experience, impartiality and basic human decency.
Palmer was merely Harris County DA Pat Lykos' protege and was minimally qualified. Thankfully, Lykos' influence over her old guard base was not sufficient to carry the day.
In essence, Palmer's campaign was a referendum on Lykos' political clout.
Lykos' strength is in the runoff process.....period.
The paucity of voter turnout in a runoff traditionally does not reflect the general will of the community; but rather yields a far greater significance to party loyalists who vote in droves and support hard core Party rhetoric over actual qualifications and experience.
It is baffling, therefore, that once a qualified challenger to her hand picked protege announced his candidacy, that Lykos did not fully appreciate the potential fail-safe of a puppet 3rd candidate.
Lykos will not repeat this miscalculation in 2012.......Jimmy Leitner will do her bidding once again in hopes of a runoff and voter apathy.
In the 180th District Court race, Marc Brown was able to secure a runoff with the moneyed but outclassed Danny Dexter.
This needs to be a dress rehearsal for the likely 2012 Harris County DA runoff.
Marc Brown is the qualified and experienced candidate while Danny Dexter is the Lykos-type candidate, albeit with a good disposition.
Incumbent Leslie Brock Yates' loss in her re-election bid to the14th Court of Appeals was a reflection of the public's demand for impartiality and fair play; at least at the appellate level.
Congratulations to Sharon McCally!
PARTICIPATE IN THE RUNOFF PROCESS AND SUPPORT QUALITY, EXPERIENCE AND EQUITY!
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