Saturday, September 30, 2006

Taking Bets. Will the E-N Publish?

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(Little Larry at the Clinton Library)

(Treasurer Terry was pretty upset by an article about Little Larrys' opponent's homecoming party/puff piece written by Mauro Robbins in the Express-News; so he wrote the following LTE. Ya think it will be published? Nah, neither do we.)

Mr. Robert Rivard
Editor

The tone of Maro Robbins piece about Frank Corte's homecoming has led to some confusion about Larry Stallings' military record. Whether it was poor sentence construction on Mr. Robbins' part, or a sneaky attempt to discredit Mr. Stallings without actually coming out and doing so, the piece seems to call Mr. Stallings' military record into question. While it is easily verified through public record, I would also like to personally attest to his military experience. Mr. Stallings, (Major, U.S. Army Ret.) has served in our armed forces for over 30 years, fought in two wars, and was awarded both the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star for his service. I can testify to this record because for a good chunk of that period I served along with him. And although I am a long-time Republican myself, I believe he is the best candidate running for District 122. I feel strong enough about it, I am not only supporting him, I am his campaign treasurer.

Larry and I, as most military men would be, are relieved and grateful to see Mr. Corte come home from Iraq safe and sound, both for his sake and for the sake of his family. And Mr. Robbins, you are absolutely right, it is no surprise that Mr. Stallings was not in attendance at Frank Corte's homecoming. He was not invited. Furthermore, he was out of the state...taking his son, a product of public education in Texas schools, to start his first year at Harvard University.

Terry Mayclin
San Antonio, Texas

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Look At What This Man Does...

When you start looking at Frank Corte's Lege record, two thoughts come to mind throughout the process. The first one is "Oh no he din'nit!" and the second is This is going to take awhile!"

But this stuff right here? Is a pretty good start.

Frank Corte’s Greatest Hits -- Part One

In March of 2005, Frank Corte proposed a bill to give pharmacists the right to refuse to give women their prescribed contraceptives.

Key Quote:

Having a choice is what prompted state Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Antonio, to propose HB 16 that would allow pharmacists not to fill prescriptions they find morally or ethically objectionable. This includes abortion and emergency contraception medication. "We have had some [pharmacists] tell us that they wanted similar protection of [the] law that doctors and nurses have for moral or ethical objections," said Corte, defending the bill's intent.

[…] Corte remains confident about HB 16. He said he thinks he can garner enough support to get the bill passed."I feel the committee is favorable. I think I can get it out of committee," he said, referring to the State Affairs Committee, which is reviewing the bill.

From: The Daily Texan


In Feb 2005 Corte went after all the judges who have been granting bypasses of the Parental Notification Law to minor girls seeking abortions with a bill that seeks to make these bypass proceedings, therefore the very lives of the aforementioned girls, be made public.

Key Quote:

“With House Bill 17, Rep. Frank Corte hopes to place a bull’s eye on every district judge in Texas who dares approve an abortion for a minor under the state’s judicial bypass law. Texas law states that a minor who does not wish to have a parent or legal guardian notified that she intends to have an abortion can seek a judicial bypass hearing. The hearing determines if she is mature and sufficiently well-informed to decide to have an abortion performed without notice to a parent or legal guardian, if notifying a parent would not be in her best interest, or if notification could lead to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Under current law, Chapter 33 of the Texas Family Code stipulates that bypass proceedings at the trial court level and at the appellate level are confidential, privileged, and not subject to disclosure, discovery, subpoena, or other legal process (that would normally be available to the public in other civil actions). However, Rep. Frank Corte wants to amend Chapter 33 to make this information public.”

From: The Texas Observer


In Jan 2005, Frank Corte introduced a bill to allow parents of underperforming kids to have a voucher of about $6000 to allow them to “escape” failing inner city schools. No matter what your position on voucher programs, the problem here is that Corte has consistently voted AGAINST measures that were designed to support the failing public schools he is now railing against.

Key Quote:

Representative Corte and other voucher advocates claim that students ought to be given the ability to escape "failing public schools." However, his record indicates that he has voted against efforts to strengthen public schools. For example, in 1997, he voted against a constitutional provision to guarantee equitable education funding for all children statewide. […] In 1995, he also opposed class-size limits in elementary schools and supported a proposal to hire uncertified and untrained teachers.

From: Blogcritics.org

In December 2002 Frank Corte decides that pre-abortion informed consent should include a full color slide show of fetuses and gestational information.

Key Quote:

When a woman decides to abort a human growing in her body, it should be assumed she has given the matter careful consideration. But in case not, let her view full-color photos of fetuses. You know, to help ground her decision. That’s San Antonio Rep. Frank Corte, Jr.’s definition of "informed consent."

The color pictures are just some of the information that H.B. 15 would require doctors to offer. More forms to sign thanks to the Limit Big Government crowd. Doctors would also make available materials that describe the gestational development of the fetus in high detail, list public and private services available during pregnancy, and remind the patient that she can get child support from the father, among others.


From: The Texas Observer

In October 2002, Lobby Watch reports that Frank Corte KEPT the $2000.00 in campaign contributions he received Michael and Monica Ellis, who have ownership in Metabolife, the makers of the weight-loss supplement that contains ephedra, a drug similar to methamphetamines known by the street name “speed.” Even George W. Bush figured this one out.

Key Quote:

After press reports recounted how Metabolife’s Michael Ellis and Michael Blevins were busted as a result of a 1998 raid on a speed lab, ex-Governor George Bush returned $10,000 that he received from the men in 1998. […] Another San Antonio legislator who carried Metabolife water, Rep Frank Corte, Jr., also appears to have kept $2,000 that he received from Michael and Monica Ellis.

Source: Lobby Watch

The real question, gentle readers, is not why Larry Stallings is running against Frank Corte, but what took him so long.


(Reprinted from 11/30/05, just in case ya missed it.)