Category: Politics

Religion and the White House

I’ve been sitting on this since Friday morning. I’m glad to finally get to post it.
NPR has two stories on faith and religion in the White House.
The first talks about the role religion will play in the race.
The second talks about the hurdle former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney may face as a Mormon.
Here are some poll results from NPR’s website:
Public Opinion Polls Weigh Faith and Politics
Los Angeles Times / Bloomberg
June 2006
Percentage of 1,321 respondents who said they could NOT vote for the following presidential candidates because of religion:
* A Mormon candidate: 37%
* A Jewish candidate: 15%
* A Muslim candidate: 54%
* An evangelical Christian candidate: 21%
* A Catholic candidate: 10%

December 2006
Percentage of 1,489 registered voters surveyed who could NOT vote for one of the following, even if they were presidential candidates nominated by the respondents’ party and even they and the respondents were in general agreement on most issues:
* A Mormon: 14%
* A 72-year-old: 14%
* A woman: 4%
* An African-American: 3%

Newsweek
December 2006
Percentage of 864 registered voters surveyed who would NOT vote for the following for president even if they were qualified for the job and nominated by the respondent’s party:
* A Mormon: 25%
* An African-American: 3%
* A woman: 8%

NBC News/Wall Street Journal
December 2006
Percentage of 1,006 adults who said they were very uncomfortable or have some reservations about voting for a presidential candidate who is:
* Mormon: 53%
* Jewish: 19%
* An evangelical Christian: 54%

ABC News/Washington Post
December 2006
Percentage of 1,005 adults who said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for president who is:
* Mormon: 35%

Fox News/Opinion Dynamics
December 2006
Percentage of 900 registered voters who said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for president who is:
* Mormon: 32%
* Protestant: 6%
* Roman Catholic: 10%
* Jewish: 10%
* A member of the Christian Coalition: 24%
* Muslim: 45%
* An atheist: 50%
* A Scientologist: 53%

Percentage of 900 registered voters who said they be less likely to vote for Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon: 24%

Source: Compiled by NPR from searches of the iPOLL Databank provided by the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, University of Connecticut.

Barack Obama

Oh and Barack Obama announced his campaign for President today. I’m excited to see what happens. He reminds me of a black Jed Bartlett. I hate that I have to point out his race but at the same time I’m really excited to think that America may finally approve of someone other than a white man in the White House.
I posted on Obama’s faith back in October after I read a transcript of a speech he gave earlier in the year. Seems even more pertinent now.
I still love this quote:“I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God’s will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.”

Burnam files House Bill 1000 to create sales tax holiday for energy efficient products

(Austin, TX) – Representative Lon Burnam, D – Fort Worth, has filed HB 1000 that will establish sales tax exemptions on certain energy efficient appliances for three weekends each year. These exemptions would apply to those products designated as “Energy Star qualified” as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy.
“These products use less energy which protects the environment and saves consumers money,” said Burnam. “Our state should recognize the benefit of these products to our communities and should reward consumers who invest in Energy Star appliances with a chance to purchase the products tax-free.”
The bill will grant tax exemptions on clothes washers, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs, and programmable thermostats, as well as refrigerators priced at less than $2,000 and air conditioners costing less than $6,000.
The sales tax holidays would correspond with three high-energy consumption weekends in the summer months. Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and the sales tax holiday on clothing and footwear will be Energy Star tax-free weekends under this bill.
“We no longer have room for the ignorant assumption that there is energy to waste,” said Burnam. “Part of being a responsible citizen is realizing that each of us must do what we can to conserve the energy we have. This legislation will provide an incentive to do the right thing.”

11 days till Obama makes his announcement

Barack Obama is planning to make an announcement regarding his 2008 plans on Feb. 10. I’m excited to see what goes down if he does in fact announce his presidency.
If you haven’t seen it, here’s his video announcement from a few weeks ago.

Or read a transcript.

Burnam Files House Bill 936 To Adjust the Minimum Wage for Inflation

Burnam Files House Bill 936 To Adjust the Minimum Wage for Inflation

(Austin, TX) – Rep. Lon Burnam (D – Fort Worth) filed HB 936 that will adjust the Texas minimum wage for inflation based on the consumer price index today. This legislation follows on the heals of the U.S. House of Representatives, which passed legislation increasing the federal minimum wage to $7.25 over the next two years.

“The federal government made the important first step in raising the minimum wage,ʺ said Rep. Burnam. ʺThe Texas Legislature needs to take the next step by linking the wage floor to inflation. The workers in this state cannot afford to wait years for lawmakers to raise the minimum wage. We need an automatic increase of the minimum wage tied to the cost of living.ʺ

Burnamʹs legislation would cause the minimum wage floor to automatically adjust each year based on the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers as computed by the United States Department of Labor.

Major opponents to the federal minimum wage increase cited the potential damage to businesses that are faced with a sudden wage hike. Because Representative Burnamʹs bill adjusts the wage floor each year based on inflation, this legislation will ensure that businesses are protected from sudden wage hikes in the future.
“This bill will eliminate the time spent legislating the minimum wage in the future,ʺ said Burnam. “It gives Texas workers the dignity of a living wage without having to fight for increases during every legislative session. This is a practical and necessary solution to a problem that affects the working poor all across the state of Texas.ʺ

Currently only the states of Oregon, Vermont, and Washington have laws that adjust the minimum wage annually according to measures of inflation.