Lubbock Left

For your Friday, enjoy a 3-for-1 edition of Lubbock Left.

First, a word on the sad joke that is trickle-down economics / supply-side economics. Check out The Word from Colbert, with possibly the best visualization of trickle-down economics I have ever witnessed. If you prefer slightly more serious fare, check out this column about the political genius of supply-side economics, which has allowed Republicans to claim that the only way to cut deficits is to cut spending (i.e. eliminate all the beneficial social programs they have always wanted to eliminate) while additionally claiming that taxing the rich for their fair share can’t possibly help. Uh huh.

Second, I want to make sure everyone is aware of the growing scandal surrounding Governor Goodhair’s land deal — essentially the same kind of corruption that got Blagojevich impeached up in Illinois. Perry’s land deal is pay-for-play at its finest: hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for nice appointments to Boards of Regents and so forth. This is a serious ethical torpedo that may sink Perry’s campaign.

Lastly, I want to pass on the story of HD85 Republican Candidate Jim Landtroop (LOLtroop?) Campaign’s misadventures at a LULAC scholarship picnic in Plainview last weekend. Pratt and the Plainview Herald have covered it already, but I’ve been talking to some of my friends who were at the event to get their perspective. Apparently, what really happened was that Landtroop did not pony up the requisite LULAC scholarship donation ($100-$300 usually) to be allowed to speak at the event. The whole LOLtroop entourage showed up anyway, campaign T-shirts a-blazin and video camera a-rollin. They were rightfully denied the chance to address the crowd from the mic because they did not donate to the scholarship fund, even though they could have donated on the spot and then be allowed to speak (as Andy Wilson’s campaign did, for example). Instead they got the joy of being heckled (and rightfully so) by the MC as they tried to work the crowd without donating to the scholarship fund. It’s not like the Landtroop Campaign is short on funds — Republican PAC money has been flowing in from around the state, and the Landtroop campaign is even in the process of hiring paid campaign staffers. They could have easily spared $100 for the worthy cause of a scholarship fund, but they chose not to.

What a week it’s been! Republicans have been in top form. I really do think it’s going to be a good November for Democrats at every level.