FEC reports: Maffei didn’t have enough money for a recount
When U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei considered asking for a hand recount in the 25th Congressional District race nearly two weeks ago, his decision may have come down to one crucial issue beyond the ballot box: money. Maffei’s effort to raise…

Study: Millions could lose health coverage if Texas opts out of Medicaid
The report issued today from the state Health and Human Services Commission says that Texas’s withdrawal would cost the state twice as much in foregone federal aid.

Medicaid a ‘no-win dilemma’ for Texas, state study finds
AUSTIN – Up to 2.6 million Texans could lose health coverage if the state opts out of Medicaid , but rising costs make the program very hard to maintain, a new state study warns.

Winter meetings primer: American League teams
The rich are getting richer, the Cliff Lee watch is on, and nobody seems to want to play in Baltimore or Seattle.

Being a politician was never meant to be a career job, now we have fat, old, self righteous men and women retiring from Washington. Corruption on both sides of the isle runs rampant, political votes are bought by special interest groups and lobbyist. Now we are in debt to a Communist country! On top of that they are going to start drilling in Texas while our government allows stupid eco-nuts to hand cuff us from utilizing our own resources!

The Lobbyist Retirement & Security Act of 2011
In January of 2011, Virginia Speaker William Howell will bring a bill to the floor of the Virginia H

Losing your hair, whether it is from chemotherapy or other conditions, can be traumatic. Especially for women who wear their hair like a crown, it can be a big part of their confidence. To help women regain that confidence, a local wigmaker offers custom wigs made from real human hair. Stephanie Caillabet worked in the Hollywood film industry for 14 years, building wigs and doing makeup for movies and shows as popular as the HBO series Six Feet Under. She was all but retired when she got a call to make a wig for well-known Texas lobbyist Andrea McWilliams. The moment she put the wig on Andrea’s head her heart strings were pulled. “It was overwhelming because it was just so intensely beautiful,” Caillabet said. “When I saw what it did for her, I just couldn’t do anything else.” Since 2004, she has been making custom wigs in central Texas for women who’ve gone through chemotherapy, or have lost their hair due to other conditions. It takes 120 working hours to make just one wig. Caillabet buys real human hair from a company but sometimes people donate hair to her. She not only makes full wigs, but partial wigs for people who’ve only lost some of their hair. Prices for the wigs vary.

Local open borders advocates sprang to action this month when lawmakers in Austin began to introduce legislation to consider in the coming year.

Equal Voice Network, which consists of 10 social advocacy groups, is mobilizing to get local government, business and other entities to oppose state bills that they say are anti-immigrant, racist and harmful to the Rio Grande Valley.

Several bills recently introduced in the Texas Legislature deal with immigration.

One would make being in the U.S. illegally an act of criminal trespass. Some would require police to check the immigration status of people arrested or detained, like legislation implemented in Arizona. One would require public schools to keep track of alien children. Some would prohibit governments from using public money to print information in a language other than English. Others would deny state money to so-called sanctuary cities where immigration law is not fully enforced.

“With the urgency that legislators immediately began introducing anti-immigrant bills, we realized we needed to act with urgency,” said Neha Singhal, coordinator of special programs for La Union del Pueblo Entero, a San Juan-based immigrant advocacy group that works with Equal Voice.

LUPE and Equal Voice met Monday to begin forming a coalition to fight the bills. Some 35 to 40 people attended, representing business, agricultural, educational, social and governmental entities.

The group intends to push organizations to draft resolutions opposing passage of select bills. In early January, it plans to have a rally on the steps of the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan Del Valle-National Shrine, 400 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd., San Juan. Members expect to be joined by several thousand volunteers as they then take the resolutions to the state capital while key bills are in committee.

“In Austin, 2,000 people can match those guys’ lobbyists,” said Michael Seifert, coordinator of the Equal Voice Network, referring to the bills’ advocates.

Equal Voice has identified 34 bills it regards as harmful or at least as cause for concern. Discussions are under way regarding which of them should be top targets for derailing.

On Tuesday, the San Juan City Commission approved a resolution condemning legislation that would require law enforcement to question a person’s immigration status. Commissioner Armando Garza, who is also a member of Equal Voice, introduced the measure. He said a state senator and representative had contacted him to seek assistance in opposing the new bills.

Alton, Brownsville, Cameron County and Hidalgo County have passed similar resolutions.

Local advocates for immigrants said their concerns about the new bills extend beyond the sphere of social justice. They also fear the measures would hurt the Valley’s economy by harming business relations with Mexico.

The issue is of crucial importance, and they are readying for a fight, they said.

Seniority gaining clout for Kaptur, 9th District
By TOM TROY BLADE POLITICS WRITER Asked at a political event earlier this week to name her biggest selling point for re-election, U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) named some of the programs she has supported, in education, highway and rail transportation, energy, and defense. “All of that would be put in abeyance,” Miss Kaptur said. “No freshman would be able to pick those pieces up.” That …