Who Is The Texas Grinch?

Cornyn Two-Faced on Dream Act

DREAM Act Vote Shows the Two Faces of John Cornyn

Texas' junior senator votes against college access bill after declaring his support to El Pasoans; Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison votes to continue debate on mainstream measure.

(Houston, TX) – Talking out of one side of his mouth when he visits the border, and another when he votes in Washington, Senator John Cornyn once again voted against the children and the future of Texas yesterday.

During an August visit to El Paso, the junior senator from Texas declared his support for the DREAM Act, the El Paso Times reported.¹ Yet, when faced with a vote yesterday, he failed to join 12 of his Republican colleagues – including Texas' senior Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison – in passing the bill.

"I applaud Senator Hutchison for doing the right thing while John Cornyn was backing away from his promise. The DREAM Act benefits those kids who know no other home, had no say in the matter when their parents brought them to America, and who did what we've asked of them by working hard," Noriega said.

The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act would provide access to college for children brought to the United States illegally, and create a path to citizenship for such children so long as they were enrolled in school or the military.

"The DREAM Act is a statement that Texans believe in education. John Cornyn has chosen to reverse his position for political gain, opting instead to exploit the education of Hispanic children to use as a wedge issue," Noriega said.

State Representative Noriega passed a Texas version of the DREAM Act in 2001, which subsequently has allowed over 10,000 Texas children access to college and set them on the path to becoming educated, productive, and taxpaying Texans.

The federal DREAM Act, which fell short of the necessary 60 votes, 52-44, would have granted conditional legal status to those who entered the country before the age of 16, have lived in the United States more than five years, graduate high school, lack a criminal record, and demonstrate "good moral character." Conditional status would be lifted only after the completion of at least two years of higher education or military service, and citizenship could only be applied for after five years.

Last month, Senator Cornyn voted against a State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) bill, and subsequently opted not to override President Bush's veto.

"Once again, Senator Cornyn voted against the children of Texas and against the future. First, he voted against health insurance for children, and now he's voted against education. In Texas, we value children. We don't try to limit their opportunities based on political calculations," Noriega said.

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Campaign Message: Junior John's Healthcare Voting

A recent Houston Chronicle headline states that Senator John Cornyn "touts" health care reform.

But Senator Cornyn has little to brag about: He voted against the reauthorization of health insurance for kids -- twice.

Next week, Senator Cornyn has to decide whether or not he will vote to override President Bush's veto of SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program), the program that provides affordable health care for America's children.

Will you join me and demand that Senator Cornyn override Bush's veto and renew medical care for our kids?

Email Senator Cornyn -- tell him to override Bush's veto and reauthorize SCHIP so that millions of American children have access to health care today!

In the military, we often say, "Lead, follow, or get out of the way." Cornyn has failed to lead on health care in this country -- and when given the chance to follow, he followed in the wrong direction by voting against SCHIP.

Senator Cornyn can either choose to side with over 200,000 Texan children who were knocked off SCHIP in 2003 -- or get out of the way.

Email Senator Cornyn -- tell him to override Bush's veto and reauthorize SCHIP so that millions of American children have access to health care today!

Renewing SCHIP would help working parents, who work day-in and day-out just to make ends meet, provide health insurance for their kids. Don't our children deserve the same quality health care that our Senators in Congress enjoy?

The upcoming override vote is about upholding real Texas values. Real Texas values are about standing up for our children.

SCHIP is supported by members of both parties, including Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison; yet John Cornyn still can't rise above his partisanship -- voting against this legislation twice.

Please join me in this fight to ensure that all children in Texas have health care -- email Senator Cornyn today!

Sincerely,

Rick Noriega
Democrat for U.S. Senate

Email John Cornyn now!

Noriega or Watts Would Have a Tough Time Against Cornyn

This according to a new Rasmussen poll released by Fox-7 in Austin. The poll used automated calling among 500 likely voters, and found that Noriega would do just slightly better than Watts at this point in the race, but Cornyn is currently favored.

Cornyn 53% Rick Noriega 30%
Cornyn 52% Mikal Watts 28%

So what does this mean? We've still got quite a battle ahead of us! At this stage in the Ned Lamont race, he wasn't a candidate, and came out to beat Lieberman in the primary, so it's not an hopeless battle!

In the mean time, check out Rick's Website for what you can do to help, information to print out and distribute, or how to get signatures to support our candidate!

Cornyn <3's Petraeus

We saw it coming when Cornyn stood up for Petraeus on CNN last week, becoming BFF's, but as the Senate considers legislation that can determine the future direction of the Iraq War (i.e. Webb's Dwell Time Amendment), Cornyn will actually take the time to formally write up a Senate resolution... condemning a newspaper ad.

Our men and women, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters are stuck in a quagmire of a war overseas, and Cornyn wants to sit in his corner and have a pity party for himself.

Join Rick Noriega and me as we tell Cornyn to move on from MoveOn, and that there are more important things that we should be taking the time to consider in the Senate chambers.

Will Cornyn Support Troop Time-Off?

Senator Webb describes why it's important to give troops enough time at home in an email from Daily Kos:

"We will be offering an amendment that requires our troops have a 1:1 deployment-to-dwell ratio for active units and members. This is a minimum floor. The Department of Defense's historic policy and current goal is a ratio of 1:2. Currently, Army units are deployed for 15 months with 12 months at home..."

"This Dwell Time Amendment provides a safety net under our troops. However long a servicemember has been deployed, they deserve at least that much time at home. It is a very simple, common sense amendment."

"In July, my amendment received 56 votes. We need just 4 more votes this time to pass this amendment, and I am asking for your help."

Given that John "Corn/Lap-Dog" Cornyn recently staunchly defended Petraeus on CNN, Cornyn not-surprisingly voted in July against giving our troops more time off at home. Both democratic challengers, Rick Noriega and Mikal Watts, support troop withdrawal, with Noriega specifically stating his support of the Webb-Hegel Amendment in a recently released DFT Questionnaire.

But until we can get Rick Noriega in office, we're stuck with Corn-Dog antics. Perhaps we can at least get him to see the light. You can fill out an automated form by following this link, or contact Cornyn's office directly at any of the numbers provided on his website.

Craig Makes Surprise Return to Capitol Hill, Cornyn Still Supporting!

Twelve days before his "intended" resignation, Larry Craig surprises many colleagues by ducking into a policy lunch, before joining the Republicans in the chamber.

"Senators and aides were caught off-guard by the embattled conservative’s appearance in a chamber where many had expected the stigma of a gay sex sting arrest to keep Craig away for good," according to The Hill.

Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), vice chairman of the GOP conference, has stayed mum on the scandal due to the Ethics Committee investigation he may have to help steer against Craig if the Idahoan hangs on to his seat. But Cornyn was supportive with a kind word for Craig on Tuesday, telling reporters that he told Craig, “My family and I are praying for you.”

Rick Noriega Wants to Lead From the Front!

Rick took a few moments last week to discuss what he thought about John Cornyn's support General David Patraeus, and the troop surge.

Watts Calls out Cornyn on Craig

Yesterday Junior Senator John Cornyn told the Dallas Morning News about Larry Craig, "I'm limited in what I can discuss. If a senator is alleged to have violated any Senate rule or regulation or statute, whether or not it's in the conduct of their official duties," seemingly still dodging the issue. Earlier, he made another statement, saying Mr. Craig's political future "is best left up to Senator Craig and his constituents. I make it a point not to comment on the personal problems of other senators."

Apparently, Cornyn actually can't talk about the case, as he serves on the ethics committee that may review whether Craig may be able to continue to serve, but also because he's standing up for his fellow GOPers - but is Craig worth standing up for?

Opponent and San Antonio millionaire Mikal Watts, called Cornyn to "come out of hiding" on the Craig issue, as well as two other GOP Senators that have been in question - David Vitter (LA), who admitted using escort services, and Ted Stevens (AK), whose home was raided by FBI and IRS agents in connection with a bribery investigation.

Cornyn shoots back at Watts, calling it the "desperate cry of a would-be political candidate for attention," and one that ignores his duties as a member of the ethics panel. "I'm trying to do my best to meet my responsibilities here."

Even Sean at Save the GOP jumps in on the issue:

From the files of “You can’t make this stuff up”: There is currently a debate going on at DailyKos over whether Senate candidate Mikal Watts has contributed enough to Democrat legislative candidates to get a free pass for telling a legal opponent that he had effectively bought a Texas appellate court. The Democrats have been in the Majority for less than a year and they have already gone from overlooking their incumbents’ ethical problems to recruiting candidates who think buying the government is acceptable. Not for anything, but if Craig’s alleged conduct was enough to force him out of the Senate, this should force Watts out of the race. I’d say that there should be an investigation of the incident and that Watts should probably end up in court, but we all know how that would turn out.

I'm sorry to say, Sean, that campaign contributions and speech are completely legal (albeit a little shady), while soliciting in a public bathroom most definitely is not. I'm not supporting Watts by any means, as his actions are still quite questionable, but Craig has dug himself a much deeper hole than Watts' and while Craig has voted against legislation for homosexuals, Watts doesn't even have any legislative experience to be a hypocrite in that regard - they don't even begin to compare.

Will Latino Evangelicals Stick With The GOP?

A new report from the Dallas Morning News says that the anti-immigration rhetoric from the right side of the isle may cause Latino evangelicals to sit out next year's election, or even go democratic. We've already explored Latino Republicans crossing the party line to support Rick Noriega, but Latino evangelical Protestants voted nearly 7-to-3 in favor of President Bush in 2004.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez leads the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, a sister organization to the National Association of Evangelicals. He and other Hispanic pastors have been working to pass an immigration bill that secures the borders, creates a guest worker program, and provides a path towards citizenship after paying a fine and proving that they've learned English.

The Bill collapsed, largely due to GOP conservatives like John Cornyn who voted against the immigration acts this that would have provided for a guest worker program, but voting twice in favor of a border fence, and for declaring English as the official national language.

"We were divided on global warming, but not on immigration," says Rodriguez. He thinks Latino evangelicals will likely stay home instead of voting Republican, and Presidential GOP candidates better listen up or risk separating a key component of their voting constituency.

William McKenzie, Dallas Morning News:

The same thing appears true for Republicans like Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who's up for re-election. Based on what I'm hearing, Latino evangelicals will sit out next year's election or go Democratic.

"Xenophobia has triumphed over an appreciation for diversity. They completely abandoned us," says Rodriguez about Republicans with a stance against immigration like Cornyn.

Democratic challenger Rick Noriega calls John Cornyn out on his waffling about the wall: "as he moves to East Texas, he's for the wall, but as he moves to South Texas, he's against the wall...This wall will not work, yet he [Sen. Cornyn] has voted for the wall on two occasions, and he needs to be held accountable for that."