Texas … Like a Whole Other Country

Like a Whole Other Country!

Well there has been talk recently of Governor Rick Perry and his comments on “secession,” which weren’t really all that controversial unless you took them out of context (the media doesn’t do that right). Yet, with all this talk about how “crazy” it is to talk about secession … Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is already thinking ahead, trying to beat Perry to the punch. In a recently released (and since edited) list of foriegn countries visited by the Secretary, Texas was listed between Turkey and Switzerland among the 16 countries that the Secretary has visited. Clinton was in the “state” to accept an award from Planned Parenthood in Houston and to appear at Dallas’ Women’s Museum — and not to work on diplomatic relations.

The Huffington Post (not generally a regular read for me) has a screen cap of the list still: CLICK HERE

Breaking: Clinton Confirmed to State, Holder on Hold

The United States Senate has voted 94-2 to confirm Sen. Hilary Clinton (D-NY) to the position of Secretary of State in the Obama Administration. This would mean that Texas’ two senators Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Sen. John Cornyn voted in the affirmative. The two ‘no’ votes came from Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC).

I think it was good for Sen Cornyn to hold up this vote at least one day so that the concerns of Senators could be heard about Fmr. Pres. Clinton’s Global Initiative and donors and their possible impact on now Sec. Hilary Clinton and her decisions and the recomendations she might make to Pres. Obama. Those concerns were presented to the whole Senate, and were able to be addressed by Clinton’s most ardent supporters. While some criticize Cornyn and now Vitter and DeMint for their actions on this nomination, I say that this is the process. If a President’s nominees are simply to be acknowleged by voice vote then why even have a confirmation process at all?

In other Breaking News, the confirmation of Attorney General-designate Eric Holder is … well … on hold. Sen. Arlen Spector (R-PA) has complained about the “hurried” confirmation process. Republicans on the hill want Holder to answer more questions about his involvement in the controversial “Rich pardon” during the Clinton (Bill that is) Administration. Specter announced that Republicans were asking to excersize the option they have to delay a committee vote (Senate Judiciary Committee) for one full week. Again, I have to say this is the begining of Republicans starting to get their spines back. We can not be afraid to ask the hard questions, make touch decisions, and go against the public desire sometimes for what might be best for the country. While we can’t always go against public opinion, at times it is necessary. Nothing is wrong with wanting to ask more in depth questions of someone who will head the Justice Department. These are important appointments and important positions, nobody should sail through, if there are questions that need to be asked … ask them. Once they hold the office, its more difficult to remove them than it is to vote no on them. I personally don’t know much about Holder or Obama’s other stalled appointment of Treasuery Sec. who doesnt pay taxes but if the Republicans want to ask questions they need to ask them and get straight and real answers.