Early voting began yesterday. If you have already decided who you will be voting for please use this opportunity to vote early. I believe early voting is an important because it gives people a chance to get to the polls before Election Day. Early voting benefit those who have not voted in years, because Election Day just never line-up with their busy schedule, whether it be work or school (college or high school if your 18). Early voting also you the opportunity to fix any problems that might arise at the polls before Election Day.

Like the last elections, previous non- and new voters are going to decide to vote in this election and by spreading the word about early voting we can ensure their vote counted. The sooner you vote, the better.

If you haven’t decided and you live in Bexar County, TX, between now and Election Day, I will give you my endorsement based on my rules. If some candidates feel left out, maybe next time they will think about serving the people instead their time in office serving their own interest.

Get your vote in and then get all of your friends and family to vote as well. The more people that vote, the greater chance this state has of electing a leader that is truly is a reflection of its people.

If Democrats learn nothing else from the 2008 election, winning elections and earning the Hispanic vote are one and the same. Failing to change our strategy affects both the national election and down-ballot races. Branding, messaging, and relationship development are cumulative exercises, and for an audience as neglected and segmented as Latinas/os are, the work to register, persuade, mobilize, and turn out these voters should have started the moment the candidates announced. Sadly, only one statewide campaign, Linda Chavez-Thompson, candidate for lieutenant governor, have taken on themselves to take this message to heart.

Democratic leaders and strategists can no long be complacent in investing significant resources in relevant research, effective message development and meaningful civic engagement. Hispanics did not move towards the Democrats as a result of intensive mobilization efforts or through the delivery of a coherent message by the party or progressive organizations. Instead, Hispanics treated the 2006 and 2008 elections as a referendum on the status quo that swept the Democrats to power.

My endorsement will be based on the campaign as a whole, not to candidates who just give lip serve and then never to be heard from again until the next election. Throughout this election I have met a few candidates who are willing to listen and adopted ideas I provided to their campaign. Oftentimes, there are gatekeepers tend to do more harm than good by closing the lines of communication between the politicians/candidates and their constituents. This will be a contributing factor when I make my endorsement. I firmly believe in the principle that, when everyone is given a say, the best ideas ultimately prevail.

Maybe, in some small way, this can serve as an alternative way of endorsing Democrats for other bloggers. I am not saying we should not vote for those who did not get endorsed. I look as this as way of placing elected politicians and future candidates on notice. If they continue in their wayward behavior, they run the risk of losing in the primaries.

I would like to reiterate the reason for these standards. This is the only way that we can put an end to the recycling of a failed strategic framework that has only delayed the branding and civic engagement efforts needed to increase the Latino/a vote.

Hispanic voters are ready for change and the true fire of change burns within us. My endorsement of a candidate should let Hispanic voters feel confident about voting them and a message to other Democratic candidates they must show they have the strength to take the next step forward to accept and cultivate an environment for Latinos/as to achieve political empowerment.

Barton, a former oil company executive, called BP the victim of a “$20 billion shakedown;” he was referring to the $20 billion compensation fund for the victims of the Gulf Coast’s oil-spill. “I apologize,” Barton told BP chief executive Tony Hayward. “I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case a $20 billion shakedown.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

This did not sit well with Republican leaders. GOP leaders summoned Barton to the Capitol and demanded he apologize. House Republican leadership publicly called Barton’s comments “wrong.”

They even went so far to threaten to strip Barton of his position as ranking Republican on the powerful panel. Rep. Jeff Miller even called on Barton to resign as the committee’s ranking member, calling his remarks “reprehensible” and “out of touch with this tragedy.”

As soon as some Republicans tried to distance themselves from him, Barton was forced to retracted his apology. He stated that he was not defending BP – which he condemns for their actions – but it was an attack on the Obama administration for overreaching in forcing BP to put aside $20 billion.

Barton’s view that the White House has overreached is not surprising. Similar concerns has been voiced here in Texas by Texas Governor Rick Perry and among Tea Partiers.

In a piece by Time, titled simply “Texas Governor Perry Declares War On the EPA,” the story highlights Perry’s opposition to federal regulation of Texas’ powerful oil industries, citing states’ rights issues and the health of the oil industry. After the oil rig explosion in the Gulf, Perry defended BP, by questioning whether the spill was “just an act of God that occurred” and that any “politically driven” decisions could put the US in further economic peril.

“Follow the money”
“Follow the money” and inevitably it will lead you to those who pull the strings. A closer look at the money trail reveals the cozy relationship BP has had with Rick Perry and Joe Barton that has gone on for years. The Lone Star Project has produced a video showing BP’s track record in Texas and Rick Perry’s constant apologies for the corporation.

BP donates $250,000 to the Governor’s mansion
When Rick Perry needed to raise money to restore the Governor’s Mansion after a major fire, he turned to his friends at BP. According to the Austin American-Statesman, “The largest donation is $250,000 from energy giant BP America.” (Source: Austin American-Statesman, January 30, 2009)

Perry paid BP for jobs already in Texas
Perry gave BP $750,000 to create 150 jobs in League City, Texas. It was soon revealed that, “50 already work for BP and live in the area.” One expert called it, “a classic case of getting paid for doing what you’re going to do anyway.” (The Houston Chronicle, January 13, 2005)

Perry has been widely criticized for his Texas Enterprise Fund after a report revealed that almost half of the companies that received taxpayer dollars have, “failed or struggled to meet job goals.” The companies, including key player in the subprime mortgage market Countrywide Home Loans, have been given a total of $363 million taxpayer dollars. (Source: Austin American-Statesman, January 28, 2010)

According to Open Secrets, Rep. Joe Barton has received $1.5 million in donations last year from big oil. Barton’s biggest donor is Anadarko Petroleum ($146,500), a company that drills heavily in the deepwater Gulf. According to Business Insider, Anadarko is one of the top 25 Energy Companies that has suffered from the drilling moratorium.

It is ironic Barton called BP the victim of a “$20 billion shakedown” considering BP first quarter profits rose to $6.1 billion from $2.6 billion a year earlier. The truth is, Barton, who holds a safe seat in Texas, is able to say what of tea partyers and conservatives are expressing. In Texas, the Republican Party has not been afraid to take stands that are far outside the mainstream, knowing they will get a slap on the wrist.

A political stand is necessary to shed light on the way the Texas Republicans like the Rep Joe Barton and Gov Rick Perry have not looked favorably on the rights of the poor and people of color, but rather favor corporations over individuals that elected them. “Power concedes nothing without a demand,” said Frederick Douglass.

While Joe Barton may be safe, Gov. Rick Perry is not. A new Rasmussen poll shows Texas Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill White is running close to Gov. Perry. I am not under any illusion. I know that Bill White is the underdog in this race. Being outnumbered and outgunned is not new. What gets Bill White motivated is the belief in the power of the people. This election about taking a stand to the unlawful conduct of the Texas Republican Party that takes our resources and disenfranchise us and treats us has second class human beings.

We need a leadership we can be proud of and the time is now.

Along with Tom Schieffer’s move to drop out and White’s move, the dynamics changes dramatically. White will now face Kinky Friedman, business owner Farouk Shami, and little known teacher Felix Alvarado in the primary. During White’s announcement, Hank Gilbert announced he too would drop out, White now has to beat out three contenders. In an interesting move on Gilbert’s part, unlike Schieffer who dropped out for White, Gilbert threw his support for Shami.

Can White win? The answer is yes. Gov. Rick Perry is vulnerable and the Republican Party of Texas knows it. They have already started attacking White the moment he announce he was considering running for governor. They are already using Gilbert’s endorsement against White.

Considering Gilbert the lowest number, .3%, out of all the Democratic candidates in a hypothetical matchup against both GOP in the inaugural University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, the GOP doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

Bill White announcement to run for governor is exciting and I can’t wait to help turn Texas blue.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.