Or, as some readers have suggested,
does he have a larger scheme -- or
schemes -- in mind?
To answer this, first we have to answer
the question: Just who is Charles Butt?
Could he be described as being another
GORGE-ous Grand Old Rich Guy of
Education? Given the amount of money
he's poured into trying to institutionalize
children as young as four in pre-school
where they would be subject to
indoctrination by their government
handlers, this seems a good time to take
a closer look. As LBJ used to say,
"Come, let us reason together."
does he have a larger scheme -- or
schemes -- in mind?
To answer this, first we have to answer
the question: Just who is Charles Butt?
Could he be described as being another
GORGE-ous Grand Old Rich Guy of
Education? Given the amount of money
he's poured into trying to institutionalize
children as young as four in pre-school
where they would be subject to
indoctrination by their government
handlers, this seems a good time to take
a closer look. As LBJ used to say,
"Come, let us reason together."
First, the source of
Charles Butt's billions
"The story of H-E-B began more than a
hundred years ago in a tiny, family shop
in Kerrville, Texas
. . . . Today, H-E-B boasts more than 300
locations throughout Texas and northern
Mexico and employs upwards of 60,000
people." (SOURCE--Microsoft, 2007) HEB
"operates supermarkets and food / drug
Charles Butt's billions
"The story of H-E-B began more than a
hundred years ago in a tiny, family shop
in Kerrville, Texas
. . . . Today, H-E-B boasts more than 300
locations throughout Texas and northern
Mexico and employs upwards of 60,000
people." (SOURCE--Microsoft, 2007) HEB
"operates supermarkets and food / drug
There is also a formal organization which had 20,000
members as of February 2009; like a Ponzi scheme or
cult, the fresh recruits have been exhorted to go home
and enlist more members. "There are 150,000
teachers in Texas," was the clear directive to the school
executives gathered in an Austin ballroom recently --
meaning, "Go home and get your teachers to join."
members as of February 2009; like a Ponzi scheme or
cult, the fresh recruits have been exhorted to go home
and enlist more members. "There are 150,000
teachers in Texas," was the clear directive to the school
executives gathered in an Austin ballroom recently --
meaning, "Go home and get your teachers to join."
Are the four Grand Old Rich Guys of Education ("GORGE") of Texas
schools public servants -- or merely self-serving folks GORGE-ing at our
schools public servants -- or merely self-serving folks GORGE-ing at our
All-day pre-K for 4 year old children.
These children would be institutionalized
for most of their waking hours and subject
to government indoctrination by paid
handlers rather than remaining in a loving
and caring home environment.
Compromised accountability.
Although Charles calls for "strength-
ening" our current accountability system,
the program he outlines would bring about
the exact opposite result.
Deprive all students of an equal
opportunity for a full academic program.
Charles wants to segregate kids who are
interested in auto repair and such -- the old
"votech" track -- into separate learning
programs so they can enter the "workforce."
(There's no mention
of encouraging kids to think for themselves
so that they can start their own
businesses.)
More here.
These children would be institutionalized
for most of their waking hours and subject
to government indoctrination by paid
handlers rather than remaining in a loving
and caring home environment.
Compromised accountability.
Although Charles calls for "strength-
ening" our current accountability system,
the program he outlines would bring about
the exact opposite result.
Deprive all students of an equal
opportunity for a full academic program.
Charles wants to segregate kids who are
interested in auto repair and such -- the old
"votech" track -- into separate learning
programs so they can enter the "workforce."
(There's no mention
of encouraging kids to think for themselves
so that they can start their own
businesses.)
More here.
| P E Y T O N W O L C O T T |
How we take back our children's education: one person, one question, one school at a time. |
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| Copyright 1999-2008 Peyton Wolcott |
"Walk softly and carry a big stick." -- Teddy Roosevelt "Trust but verify." -- Ronald Reagan |
| Just because you can doesn't mean you should. |
| H o w w e t a k e b a c k o u r c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n: o n e p e r s o n , o n e q u e s t i o n , o n e s c h o o l a t a t i m e |
| Conservative Commentary - "Raise Your Hand" & Texas public ed's GORGE-ous (Grand Old Rich Guys) lobbyists |
HOME
| What Charles Butt wants |
| Donna Garner on "Raise Your Hand" |
| Houston ISD supe Abe Saavedra at the podium celebrating what the Mexican American School Boards Association called their "Triple Crown": Abe in Houston, Rubén Olivárez in San Antonio, and Mike Hinojosa in Dallas. (Photo taken by Peyton Wolcott at TASB/TASA convention - Dallas, October 2005) |
When will AASA, TASA & the other 49 state administrator associations start promoting pre-embezzlement internal trainings to school superintendents? When will our school superintendents and school board members start paying closer attention to their fiduciary duty-of-care responsibilities? They must -- and now -- if our great public schools are to remain strong and locally governed. |
| Connie Calloway (Collage by Peyton Wolcott) INSET: Former Katy ISD (TX) supe Leonard Merrell was my first historical collage, here as King George III. Thanks to readers for their suggestions; who knows who'll be next? |
"The CEO's of the United States are the Louis XIV's of the 21st century." --Gerald Celente |
| "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs." --Thomas Jefferson |
| The nation's 1st & only daily conservative public education commentary |
| And what is this "Raise Your Hand"? The umbrella name for billionaire San Antonio grocer Charles Butt's vehicle for introducing his desired liberal/progressive social changes to Texas schools, "Raise Your Hand" is an ambitious multi-step |
Raise your hand
for a handout
By Donna Garner
February 18, 2007
Ex-Texas Senator Bill
Ratliff and Ex-Texas
Commissioner of
Education Mike Moses
must believe that Texas
citizens are all brain dead.
These two men evidently
think we have forgotten their
role in Texas' public school
problems.
NEW SPECIAL
INTEREST GROUP FORMED
Ratliff and Moses are
continuing to swill from the
education trough by
forming a new
organization called Raise
Your Hand to pressure the
people for more tax dollars
for Texas' public schools.
Have these two
gentlemen any credibility
on the subject?
William Murchison said it
best in the 2.16.07 Lone
Star Report, "...keep a
country mile away from
Raise Your Hand, and
from Bill Ratliff, and from
Mike Moses, whose
solution for dealing with
a sinking boat is to pour
some more water in the
gunwales."
Before we citizens put our
trust in Raise Your Hand,
let's do a quick study of its
leaders, Ratliff and Moses.
RATLIFF: ROBIN HOOD,
LOSS OF LOCAL
CONTROL BY TEACHERS
Not only did Ratliff author
the failed and oft-
maligned Robin Hood Plan,
but he also drafted SB 1 in
1995 which stripped local
teachers of control over what
they taught.
Due to SB 1, Texas
teachers have lost control
over their day-to-day
instruction and instead
must follow the poorly
constructed Texas
Essential Knowledge and
Skills (TEKS) standards.
The English / Language
Arts / Reading TEKS are
particularly egregious
because they are not
explicit, measurable, or
specific for each grade
level; and the curriculum
requirements listed in the
ELAR/TEKS are much too
numerous for a teacher to
cover thoroughly in a
year's time. Therefore,
teachers flit from one
TEKS element to the next,
never really having time to
make sure students gain
mastery.
It is these poorly written
standards (the opposite of
back-to-the-basics
curriculum requirements)
upon which the much-
despised TAKS tests are
based.
RATLIFF: LOSS OF
CONTROL BY LOCAL
SCHOOL BOARDS
As the author of SB 1,
Ratliff is also responsible
for taking the authority
away from elected local
school boards and placing
that power into the hands of
unelected
superintendents.
No longer do locally
elected school board
members have any real
control over the all-
important issues of
personnel hiring and
district curriculum
decisions. Local school
board members' duties
have basically been
reduced to (1) hiring and
firing the superintendent,
(2) buying and selling
property, and (3) setting
board policy (e.g., those
items which involve board
members themselves --
elections, vacancies on
the board, travel and
reimbursement policies,
etc.).
RATLIFF: LOSS OF
CONTROL BY ELECTED
SBOE
At the state level, Ratliff
tried for years to replace
the elected State Board of
Education (SBOE) with an
appointed one.
Appointed boards really do
not care what voters want.
They will do the will of
whoever appoints them
and of the lobbyists who
orchestrate from a
distance. Ratliff's SB 1
reduced the authority of
the elected SBOE and
enhanced the power of the
unelected Texas
Commissioner of
Education who at the time
was Ratliff's joined-at-the-
hip ally, Mike Moses.
Ratliff always pretended
that the SBOE had lost
control over textbook
content; and until
Attorney General Greg
Abbott's 2006 opinion, the
SBOE was shut out of
fulfilling its lawful
responsibilities. For
eleven years the Board
labored under Ratliff's
false interpretation; and
during that time, numerous
inferior textbooks were
placed in front of our Texas
students.
Because of Ratliff's
influence on SB 1, elected
SBOE members cannot
even elect their own
chairperson; the Governor
appoints one.
RATLIFF: TAXPAYER-
ENRICHED OPPORTUNIST
Ratliff is a registered
lobbyist and has made
large sums of money from a
number of clients
including the Texas
Association of School
Boards (TASB). Having
retired from the Texas
Senate in 2003, he began
representing TASB on
May 10, 2004. That year he
received up to $99,999.99
from TASB, and again in
2005, and 2006.
We taxpayers paid Ratliff's
rich lobbying fees because
the membership dues that
education entities pay to
join TASB come from our
taxpayers' dollars.
Because the TASB dues
come from public funds,
we taxpayers are actually
paying TASB to lobby
Legislators for more
school funding so that
our taxes will increase.
We are paying to lobby
ourselves!
MOSES: HIT-AND-RUN
ARTIST
As Texas Commissioner
of Education, Mike Moses
oversaw the creation of
course standards (TEKS)
which have proven
dysfunctional, particularly
in English / Language Arts /
Reading (ELAR). Now the
Texas State Board of
Education and the Texas
Education Agency are trying
to undo the damage by
rewriting these TEKS.
MOSES: THE TAKS
MONSTER
The public tends to vent its
wrath against the TAKS
tests, but TAKS tests are
based on the faulty TEKS. If
the foundation (TEKS) is
weak, then the house
(TAKS) built upon that
foundation cannot stand.
Mike Moses was directly
responsible for the entire
TEKS process, thus
making him responsible
for the TAKS.
Students, parents, and
educators dislike intensely
the unfair accountability
system built on these tests.
Parents, students, and
educators are obsessed
with the TAKS --TAKS
units, TAKS practice tests,
TAKS preparation tools,
TAKS information
booklets, TAKS activities,
TAKS projects, TAKS data,
TAKS testing strategies,
TAKS benchmarks, TAKS
tutors, TAKS tests. This
constant emphasis on the
TAKS is destroying
teachers' creativity and
students' interest in
school, thus contributing
to the drop-out problem.
According to Jamie Story,
education policy analyst at
TPPF, "Every hour of every
school day, 93 students
drop out of Texas public
schools."
It is disingenuous of
Moses to expect the
taxpayers to pour more
money into the public
schools to fix the mess
that he helped to create.
MOSES: TAINTED
ADMINISTRATION IN
DALLAS ISD
The Dallas Morning News
has found multiple
dubious behavior patterns
during Mike Moses' watch
as Dallas ISD
superintendent.
Allegations have surfaced
about out-of-control
spending with school
credit cards, lost dollars
for health plans, abuse
of federal e-rate funds,
irregular technology
vendor contracts,
misspent federal bilingual
education funds, costly
deals with Kinko's,
apparent conflicts of
interest involving Voyager
Expanded Learning,
contributions by computer
vendors, questionable
bond sales, multiple
teacher grievances,
eyebrow-raising private
consultancies, lucrative
Coca-Cola contracts, and
special privileges for
vendors participating in
the Education Research
and Development
Institute (ERDI)
conferences.
MOSES: GOLDEN
PARACHUTE
Meanwhile, Moses
received the highest
superintendent's salary
in the nation ($340,000
per year, excluding
benefits) even though
eleven school districts in
the country were larger
than Dallas ISD.
When the DISD problems
began to surface in 2004,
Moses resigned and
walked away with an
additional $480,850. Along
with his ongoing and
lucrative superintendent
search business, he now
receives a yearly TRS
pension of $224,400
per year. Note that Moses'
wealth comes from
taxpayers' dollars.
MY RECOMMENDATION
Instead of expecting the
taxpayers to pour more
millions into our public
schools, why not expect
the schools to live within
their means.
Before the last legislative
session, Texas was
already spending over
$10,400 per public school
student, and those figures
have increased
substantially since
then. I agree with Peggy
Venable of Americans for
Prosperity who has said,
"Texas schools do not
have a funding problem.
We have a spending
problem." Case in point:
The education dollars
heaped upon Ratliff and
Moses by our state.
MY QUESTION TO
RATLIFF AND MOSES
Sen. Ratliff and Dr. Moses:
Before we taxpayers
decide to support Raise
Your Hand with you two
altruists at the helm, how
about disclosing your
lobbying contracts (and
benefits) with the
companies who stand
to profit if more taxpayers'
dollars are given to the
public schools?
____________________
Donna Garner is a retired
Texas teacher and served on
the TEKS writing team for
English / Language Arts /
Reading (ELAR). She is also
the lead writer of the Texas
Alternative Document for
ELAR. She is presently the
writer/consultant for an online
tutorial to help people (ages 10
through 100) improve their
ELAR skills. She can be
reached at
wgarner1@hot.rr.com.
Copyright 2007 Donna Garner
for a handout
By Donna Garner
February 18, 2007
Ex-Texas Senator Bill
Ratliff and Ex-Texas
Commissioner of
Education Mike Moses
must believe that Texas
citizens are all brain dead.
These two men evidently
think we have forgotten their
role in Texas' public school
problems.
NEW SPECIAL
INTEREST GROUP FORMED
Ratliff and Moses are
continuing to swill from the
education trough by
forming a new
organization called Raise
Your Hand to pressure the
people for more tax dollars
for Texas' public schools.
Have these two
gentlemen any credibility
on the subject?
William Murchison said it
best in the 2.16.07 Lone
Star Report, "...keep a
country mile away from
Raise Your Hand, and
from Bill Ratliff, and from
Mike Moses, whose
solution for dealing with
a sinking boat is to pour
some more water in the
gunwales."
Before we citizens put our
trust in Raise Your Hand,
let's do a quick study of its
leaders, Ratliff and Moses.
RATLIFF: ROBIN HOOD,
LOSS OF LOCAL
CONTROL BY TEACHERS
Not only did Ratliff author
the failed and oft-
maligned Robin Hood Plan,
but he also drafted SB 1 in
1995 which stripped local
teachers of control over what
they taught.
Due to SB 1, Texas
teachers have lost control
over their day-to-day
instruction and instead
must follow the poorly
constructed Texas
Essential Knowledge and
Skills (TEKS) standards.
The English / Language
Arts / Reading TEKS are
particularly egregious
because they are not
explicit, measurable, or
specific for each grade
level; and the curriculum
requirements listed in the
ELAR/TEKS are much too
numerous for a teacher to
cover thoroughly in a
year's time. Therefore,
teachers flit from one
TEKS element to the next,
never really having time to
make sure students gain
mastery.
It is these poorly written
standards (the opposite of
back-to-the-basics
curriculum requirements)
upon which the much-
despised TAKS tests are
based.
RATLIFF: LOSS OF
CONTROL BY LOCAL
SCHOOL BOARDS
As the author of SB 1,
Ratliff is also responsible
for taking the authority
away from elected local
school boards and placing
that power into the hands of
unelected
superintendents.
No longer do locally
elected school board
members have any real
control over the all-
important issues of
personnel hiring and
district curriculum
decisions. Local school
board members' duties
have basically been
reduced to (1) hiring and
firing the superintendent,
(2) buying and selling
property, and (3) setting
board policy (e.g., those
items which involve board
members themselves --
elections, vacancies on
the board, travel and
reimbursement policies,
etc.).
RATLIFF: LOSS OF
CONTROL BY ELECTED
SBOE
At the state level, Ratliff
tried for years to replace
the elected State Board of
Education (SBOE) with an
appointed one.
Appointed boards really do
not care what voters want.
They will do the will of
whoever appoints them
and of the lobbyists who
orchestrate from a
distance. Ratliff's SB 1
reduced the authority of
the elected SBOE and
enhanced the power of the
unelected Texas
Commissioner of
Education who at the time
was Ratliff's joined-at-the-
hip ally, Mike Moses.
Ratliff always pretended
that the SBOE had lost
control over textbook
content; and until
Attorney General Greg
Abbott's 2006 opinion, the
SBOE was shut out of
fulfilling its lawful
responsibilities. For
eleven years the Board
labored under Ratliff's
false interpretation; and
during that time, numerous
inferior textbooks were
placed in front of our Texas
students.
Because of Ratliff's
influence on SB 1, elected
SBOE members cannot
even elect their own
chairperson; the Governor
appoints one.
RATLIFF: TAXPAYER-
ENRICHED OPPORTUNIST
Ratliff is a registered
lobbyist and has made
large sums of money from a
number of clients
including the Texas
Association of School
Boards (TASB). Having
retired from the Texas
Senate in 2003, he began
representing TASB on
May 10, 2004. That year he
received up to $99,999.99
from TASB, and again in
2005, and 2006.
We taxpayers paid Ratliff's
rich lobbying fees because
the membership dues that
education entities pay to
join TASB come from our
taxpayers' dollars.
Because the TASB dues
come from public funds,
we taxpayers are actually
paying TASB to lobby
Legislators for more
school funding so that
our taxes will increase.
We are paying to lobby
ourselves!
MOSES: HIT-AND-RUN
ARTIST
As Texas Commissioner
of Education, Mike Moses
oversaw the creation of
course standards (TEKS)
which have proven
dysfunctional, particularly
in English / Language Arts /
Reading (ELAR). Now the
Texas State Board of
Education and the Texas
Education Agency are trying
to undo the damage by
rewriting these TEKS.
MOSES: THE TAKS
MONSTER
The public tends to vent its
wrath against the TAKS
tests, but TAKS tests are
based on the faulty TEKS. If
the foundation (TEKS) is
weak, then the house
(TAKS) built upon that
foundation cannot stand.
Mike Moses was directly
responsible for the entire
TEKS process, thus
making him responsible
for the TAKS.
Students, parents, and
educators dislike intensely
the unfair accountability
system built on these tests.
Parents, students, and
educators are obsessed
with the TAKS --TAKS
units, TAKS practice tests,
TAKS preparation tools,
TAKS information
booklets, TAKS activities,
TAKS projects, TAKS data,
TAKS testing strategies,
TAKS benchmarks, TAKS
tutors, TAKS tests. This
constant emphasis on the
TAKS is destroying
teachers' creativity and
students' interest in
school, thus contributing
to the drop-out problem.
According to Jamie Story,
education policy analyst at
TPPF, "Every hour of every
school day, 93 students
drop out of Texas public
schools."
It is disingenuous of
Moses to expect the
taxpayers to pour more
money into the public
schools to fix the mess
that he helped to create.
MOSES: TAINTED
ADMINISTRATION IN
DALLAS ISD
The Dallas Morning News
has found multiple
dubious behavior patterns
during Mike Moses' watch
as Dallas ISD
superintendent.
Allegations have surfaced
about out-of-control
spending with school
credit cards, lost dollars
for health plans, abuse
of federal e-rate funds,
irregular technology
vendor contracts,
misspent federal bilingual
education funds, costly
deals with Kinko's,
apparent conflicts of
interest involving Voyager
Expanded Learning,
contributions by computer
vendors, questionable
bond sales, multiple
teacher grievances,
eyebrow-raising private
consultancies, lucrative
Coca-Cola contracts, and
special privileges for
vendors participating in
the Education Research
and Development
Institute (ERDI)
conferences.
MOSES: GOLDEN
PARACHUTE
Meanwhile, Moses
received the highest
superintendent's salary
in the nation ($340,000
per year, excluding
benefits) even though
eleven school districts in
the country were larger
than Dallas ISD.
When the DISD problems
began to surface in 2004,
Moses resigned and
walked away with an
additional $480,850. Along
with his ongoing and
lucrative superintendent
search business, he now
receives a yearly TRS
pension of $224,400
per year. Note that Moses'
wealth comes from
taxpayers' dollars.
MY RECOMMENDATION
Instead of expecting the
taxpayers to pour more
millions into our public
schools, why not expect
the schools to live within
their means.
Before the last legislative
session, Texas was
already spending over
$10,400 per public school
student, and those figures
have increased
substantially since
then. I agree with Peggy
Venable of Americans for
Prosperity who has said,
"Texas schools do not
have a funding problem.
We have a spending
problem." Case in point:
The education dollars
heaped upon Ratliff and
Moses by our state.
MY QUESTION TO
RATLIFF AND MOSES
Sen. Ratliff and Dr. Moses:
Before we taxpayers
decide to support Raise
Your Hand with you two
altruists at the helm, how
about disclosing your
lobbying contracts (and
benefits) with the
companies who stand
to profit if more taxpayers'
dollars are given to the
public schools?
____________________
Donna Garner is a retired
Texas teacher and served on
the TEKS writing team for
English / Language Arts /
Reading (ELAR). She is also
the lead writer of the Texas
Alternative Document for
ELAR. She is presently the
writer/consultant for an online
tutorial to help people (ages 10
through 100) improve their
ELAR skills. She can be
reached at
wgarner1@hot.rr.com.
Copyright 2007 Donna Garner
They're so GORGE-ous . . . .
TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION's PREMIER LOBBYISTS:
Why should we raise our hand for these Grand Old Rich
Guys of Education today? We did what they wanted in
1995 and look at the mess we're in now.
By Peyton Wolcott / Wed., Jan. 28, 2009/12:16 a.m. Updated Mon., Mar. 2, 2009 / 7:03 am
TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION's PREMIER LOBBYISTS:
Why should we raise our hand for these Grand Old Rich
Guys of Education today? We did what they wanted in
1995 and look at the mess we're in now.
By Peyton Wolcott / Wed., Jan. 28, 2009/12:16 a.m. Updated Mon., Mar. 2, 2009 / 7:03 am
| L to R: Sandy Kress, Mike Moses, Bill Ratliff, David Thompson -- with too many lobbyists to mention except by category (Special thanks to Mr. Fish for original image) |
Is Forbes-listed San Antonio, Texas
billionaire grocer Charles C. Butt merely
another left-leaning inherited-wealth
activist?
billionaire grocer Charles C. Butt merely
another left-leaning inherited-wealth
activist?
combination stores under several banners, including Central Market, H.E.B. Marketplace, H.E.B.
Plus, H.E.B. Pantry Foods, H.E. Butt and Mi Tienda, a Latino-themed store." (SOURCE--Chain Drug
Review)
Forbes lowers Butt's rank
Although Charles' wealth has remained constant in actual dollars ( $2.2 billion ) from 2005 to
2008, Forbes has kicked Butt's ranking among America's 400 wealthiest Americans down to 205
in 2008, from 112th place in 2005.
Butt outspends Leininger
Plus, H.E.B. Pantry Foods, H.E. Butt and Mi Tienda, a Latino-themed store." (SOURCE--Chain Drug
Review)
Forbes lowers Butt's rank
Although Charles' wealth has remained constant in actual dollars ( $2.2 billion ) from 2005 to
2008, Forbes has kicked Butt's ranking among America's 400 wealthiest Americans down to 205
in 2008, from 112th place in 2005.
Butt outspends Leininger
| You may have noticed in a recent report by my Austin bureau colleague R.G. Ratcliffe that grocery store executive Charles Butt has emerged as one of the biggest political donors from San Antonio. He has given more money — $1 million — than fellow San Antonio businessman James Leininger, who has given $720,000 to state candidates and committees so far this year. And while Leininger's primary interest is promoting tax-paid vouchers to allow some students to attend private schools, Butt is a strong supporter of the public school system. The vast majority of Butt's contributions, $785,000, in this election cycle went to Texas Parent PAC, an anti-voucher political action committee that was instrumental in several races for the Texas House. He was the PAC's single biggest donor by far. (SOURCE--South Texas Chisme) |
Q: Is Charles Butt looking out for his
commercial interests at the expense of
U.S. security -- and, according to Time
magazine, the wishes of most of his U.S.
grocery customers?
Butt, who owns grocery stores in Mexico, has given
substantial sums to Texas Senator Kay Bailey
Hutchison (right), who opposed and de-funded the
U.S.-Mexico border wall.
commercial interests at the expense of
U.S. security -- and, according to Time
magazine, the wishes of most of his U.S.
grocery customers?
Butt, who owns grocery stores in Mexico, has given
substantial sums to Texas Senator Kay Bailey
Hutchison (right), who opposed and de-funded the
U.S.-Mexico border wall.
According to Time Magazine, "Most Americans, 56 to 40
percent, want a border wall built along Mexico and
America...all the way across. 62 percent of Americans
want the mili- military to guard the border. 51 percent
want all illegals deported, and the border sealed...
(SOURCE--DirectorBlue.Blogspot)
percent, want a border wall built along Mexico and
America...all the way across. 62 percent of Americans
want the mili- military to guard the border. 51 percent
want all illegals deported, and the border sealed...
(SOURCE--DirectorBlue.Blogspot)
"Raise Your Hand" if you know the answers
to any of the above.
Here at right are clues from the handouts last week at
the Austin Hilton "Raise Your Hand" event:
to any of the above.
Here at right are clues from the handouts last week at
the Austin Hilton "Raise Your Hand" event:
| From top, clockwise: San Antonio grocer (HEB, etc.) Charles Butt with Texas politicians: House Education chair Rob Eissler, new House Speaker Joe Strauss (from San Antonio), Senate Education vice chair Dan Patrick, Senate Education chair Florence Shapiro |
| Mr. Butt spends $320,000 on lobbyists for 2009 (as of March) |
Given the amount of money San Antonio
grocer Charles Butt is pouring into the
passage of legislation during the 2009 Texas
Lege in order to advance his pet social
causes, this seems a good time to take a
closer look at the company he keeps.
Whether or not one man spending inherited
wealth should be able to control the lives not
only of future generations of Texas school-
children but also the finances of the parents
and taxpayers who are going to have to foot
the costs of Charles' bills is a good question.
In answering that question fairly, the company
Charles keeps -- the lobbyists he's paying to
get his new laws passed -- certainly deserve
a closer look.
grocer Charles Butt is pouring into the
passage of legislation during the 2009 Texas
Lege in order to advance his pet social
causes, this seems a good time to take a
closer look at the company he keeps.
Whether or not one man spending inherited
wealth should be able to control the lives not
only of future generations of Texas school-
children but also the finances of the parents
and taxpayers who are going to have to foot
the costs of Charles' bills is a good question.
In answering that question fairly, the company
Charles keeps -- the lobbyists he's paying to
get his new laws passed -- certainly deserve
a closer look.
ANYTHING FOR A BUCK
Meet the folks Charles Butt pays
$320,000* to lobby our Texas Lege
to "Raise Your Hand"
By Peyton Wolcott - Sat., Feb. 7, 2009 /1:00 a.m. -
Updated Mon., Mar. 2, 2009 /5:59 a.m.
Meet the folks Charles Butt pays
$320,000* to lobby our Texas Lege
to "Raise Your Hand"
By Peyton Wolcott - Sat., Feb. 7, 2009 /1:00 a.m. -
Updated Mon., Mar. 2, 2009 /5:59 a.m.
Let's start with
Randall H. 'Randy'
Erben (below left)
and Brenda
Eschberger. The
lists of their lobby
clients are revealing.
Randall H. 'Randy'
Erben (below left)
and Brenda
Eschberger. The
lists of their lobby
clients are revealing.
| ANOTHER OF MR. BUTT'S LOBBYISTS Randall H. 'Randy' Erben $2.65 million (00013689) (512)472-1682 807 Brazos Suite 402 Austin, TX 78701 |
| ANOTHER OF MR. BUTT'S LOBBYISTS Brenda Eschberger $410,000 (00029854) (512)480-8444 919 Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78701 |
Brenda Eschberger
used to lobby for
tobacco interests and
now includes among
her clients outdoor
billboards; she
already holds 41
contracts worth as
much as $410,000
thus far, and the Lege
is just starting up.
used to lobby for
tobacco interests and
now includes among
her clients outdoor
billboards; she
already holds 41
contracts worth as
much as $410,000
thus far, and the Lege
is just starting up.
| Brenda Eschberger was a lobbyist for Philip Morris, Inc. in 1995. Eschberger has knowledge of the tobacco industry’s lobby tactics employed in Texas. (SOURCE--U.S. District Court, et al) |
She's also listed by Texans for Public Justice
as part of their "Exposing the misuse and
abuse of the public commons" effort:
as part of their "Exposing the misuse and
abuse of the public commons" effort:
| July 18, 2007: Peddling Welfare-Privatization Boondoggles / Appendix: Texas Social Service Privatization Lobbyists, 1997-2007 (max. value of contracts: $80,000) |
| Sin-tax opponent RJ Reynolds boosted its lobby spending 67 percent. The soda-pushing Texas Beverage Association spent $225,000 in the specials after sitting out the regular session. . . . Special Sessions Newcomers - In addition to the lobby clients that increased their lobby expenditures, 61 clients that were not registered in the regular session decided to hire lobbyists during the 2005 special sessions. Sin-tax interests again topped this list of new lobby clients. The top new client was the Texas Beverage Association, a soft-drink trade group that may have helped let the fizz out of junk- food taxes. The beverage group paid 10 lobbyists—led by Public Strategies—up to $255,000. |
| Raise Your Hand for Public Schools/Raise Your Hand Texas 816 Congress Suite 990 Austin, TX 78701 Anderson, David D. (00053708) 823 Congress Suite 900 Austin, TX 78701 $25,000 - $49.999.99 Jones, Neal T. Jr. (00013745) 823 Congress Suite 900 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Raise Your Hand for Public Schools PO Box 302183 Austin, TX 78730 Eschberger, Brenda (00029854) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Girard, Charles H. (00058717) 504 West 14th Street Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Johnson, Michael J. (00055885) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Kelley, Russell T. (00013737) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Kemptner, Sara (00057952) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 McGarah, Carol (00051437) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 McGarry, Mignon (00012905) 504 West 14th Street Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Sabo, Jason T. (00052402) 1122 Colorado Street Suite 102 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Waldon, Barbara (00057030) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Raise Your Hand Texas 816 Congress Ave Suite 990 Austin, TX 78701 Ratliff, William R. (00020737) P.O. Box 1218 Mt. Pleasant, TX 75456 $25,000 - $49.999.99 Raise Your Hand 327 Congress Suite 450 Austin, TX 78701 Erben, Randall H. (00013689) 807 Brazos Suite 402 Austin, TX 78701 $50,000 - $99,999.99 Wakefield, Kakhi Huffaker (00062269) 807 Brazos Street Suite 402 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Yarbrough, Brian G. (00037475) 807 Brazos Suite 402 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 |
Yum-Yum: Products produced by Brenda's
client the Texas Beverage Association
include such ingredients as high fructose
corn syrup, caffeine and low-calorie
sweeteners. Also from TPJ re the 2005 Lege:
client the Texas Beverage Association
include such ingredients as high fructose
corn syrup, caffeine and low-calorie
sweeteners. Also from TPJ re the 2005 Lege:
| Brenda Eschberger at billboard convention in Puerto Rico (March 2008) |
| 'Raise Your Hand' entities: TEC-registered lobbyists (Jan.-Mar. 2009) |
$410,000 - Eschberger, Brenda
(00029854) (512)480-8444 919 Congress
Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701
3M Company Less Than $10,000.00
Accenture LLP Less Than $10,000.00
Aetna Less Than $10,000.00
Air Evac EMS Less Than $10,000.00
American Airlines Less Than $10,000.00
Aqua Water Supply Less Than $10,000.00
AT&T Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
BEPCO L.P. Less Than $10,000.00
Chesapeake Energy LessThan$,$10,000.00
City of Amarillo Less Than $10,000.00
Collin County MUD Less Than $10,000.00
Cottonwood Financial Less Than $10,000.00
Credit UnionLeg.Coalition Less Than $10,000.0
Crow Family Pshp Less Than $10,000.00
Dallas Regional CofCLess Than $10,000.00
Dell Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
Denton County Dev. Less Than $10,000.00
Denton CountyWSD4Less Than $10,000.00
Denton CountyWSD7Less Than $10,000.00
ETX Med.CtrHealthcareLess Than $10,000.0
EMC Corporation Less Than $10,000.00
Entergy Texas Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
First Southwest Co. Less Than $10,000.00
Fort Worth Chamber Less Than $10,000.00
General Motors Corp.Less Than $10,000.00
H-E-B Less Than $10,000.00
Hicks Sports Group Less Than $10,000.00
Hillwood Dev. Less Than $10,000.00
Holt Texas Ltd. Less Than $10,000.00
LCRA Less Than $10,000.00
NTX Texas Tollway Less Than $10,000.00
NRG Energy Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
Outdoor Ad Assn TX Less Than $10,000.00
Peter O'Donnell Jr. Less Than $10,000.00
Raise Your Hand Less Than $10,000.00
Richard C. Strauss Less Than $10,000.00
San Antonio Spurs Less Than $10,000.00
Teaching HospitalsTX Less Than $10,000.00
TX BeverageAssn Less Than $10,000.00
TWU Foundation Less Than $10,000.00
Trinity Industries Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
(00029854) (512)480-8444 919 Congress
Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701
3M Company Less Than $10,000.00
Accenture LLP Less Than $10,000.00
Aetna Less Than $10,000.00
Air Evac EMS Less Than $10,000.00
American Airlines Less Than $10,000.00
Aqua Water Supply Less Than $10,000.00
AT&T Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
BEPCO L.P. Less Than $10,000.00
Chesapeake Energy LessThan$,$10,000.00
City of Amarillo Less Than $10,000.00
Collin County MUD Less Than $10,000.00
Cottonwood Financial Less Than $10,000.00
Credit UnionLeg.Coalition Less Than $10,000.0
Crow Family Pshp Less Than $10,000.00
Dallas Regional CofCLess Than $10,000.00
Dell Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
Denton County Dev. Less Than $10,000.00
Denton CountyWSD4Less Than $10,000.00
Denton CountyWSD7Less Than $10,000.00
ETX Med.CtrHealthcareLess Than $10,000.0
EMC Corporation Less Than $10,000.00
Entergy Texas Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
First Southwest Co. Less Than $10,000.00
Fort Worth Chamber Less Than $10,000.00
General Motors Corp.Less Than $10,000.00
H-E-B Less Than $10,000.00
Hicks Sports Group Less Than $10,000.00
Hillwood Dev. Less Than $10,000.00
Holt Texas Ltd. Less Than $10,000.00
LCRA Less Than $10,000.00
NTX Texas Tollway Less Than $10,000.00
NRG Energy Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
Outdoor Ad Assn TX Less Than $10,000.00
Peter O'Donnell Jr. Less Than $10,000.00
Raise Your Hand Less Than $10,000.00
Richard C. Strauss Less Than $10,000.00
San Antonio Spurs Less Than $10,000.00
Teaching HospitalsTX Less Than $10,000.00
TX BeverageAssn Less Than $10,000.00
TWU Foundation Less Than $10,000.00
Trinity Industries Inc. Less Than $10,000.00
Below is the list of all of Brenda's lobby
clients registered with the Texas Ethics
Commission as of February 2009:
clients registered with the Texas Ethics
Commission as of February 2009:
More lobbyists paid
by Charles Butt and
Raise Your Hand
entities:
by Charles Butt and
Raise Your Hand
entities:
| HEB Grocery P. O. Box 839999 San Antonio, TX 78283 Gilbert, Don A. (00030056) 401 West 15th Street Suite 870 Austin, TX 78701 $50,000 - $99,999.99 |
* (Texas Ethics Commission as of Feb. 2009)
And Mike Moses (see "Raise Your
Hand for a Hand Out" at far right here)
and Bill Ratliff dreamed up "Raise
Your Hand," which appears to want to
drive the next generation of drecky
unproven edu-reforms designed to
benefit liberal social engineering
agendas and the vendors who sell
programs supporting them.
The group's consigliari, David
Thompson, has, with Mike Moses, a
Hand for a Hand Out" at far right here)
and Bill Ratliff dreamed up "Raise
Your Hand," which appears to want to
drive the next generation of drecky
unproven edu-reforms designed to
benefit liberal social engineering
agendas and the vendors who sell
programs supporting them.
The group's consigliari, David
Thompson, has, with Mike Moses, a
| When the Texas public school principals attending the "Raise Your Hand" conference at the Austin Hilton were told "You are the best and brightest," no one raised their hand to disagree or to question the accolade, like, "Based on what criteria have you determined that we are the best and brightest?" |
superintendent search firm, School
Executive Consulting, Inc. Dave on his
own is a registered lobbyist for the
Texas Association of School
Administrators among others; he
collects as much as (declared)
$155,000 annually, from this one
Executive Consulting, Inc. Dave on his
own is a registered lobbyist for the
Texas Association of School
Administrators among others; he
collects as much as (declared)
$155,000 annually, from this one
he's not collected sizable fees from--who
is known as the filer of a SLAPP suit. A
former partner at Bracewell & Giuliani,
Dave left to start Thompson & Horton, a
boutique law firm in the same building
and stairwell comprised of "women and
minority attorneys [who] will make up a
majority of the ownership of the new
firm." Gee, what contracts might this give
T&H a leg up on?
Bill Ratliff pushed through the rewrite of
the Texas Education Code in 1995 which
included the weakening of Texas' elected
trustees' powers then hung out his
shingle as a registered paid lobbyist and
went to work for TASB explaining his new
governance model, the "Team of Eight."
To expand on that, he's also got a sweet
side gig, the Bill Ratliff School Executive
Academy of Northeast Texas, a
"Superhighway," he calls it. But wait,
there's more! "The Education Service
Center/ Region VIII and the Bill Ratliff
School Executive Academy of Northeast
Texas have developed an Alternative
Certification Program for Superintendents
in collaboration with Texas A&M
University-Commerce, the ESC VIII
Regional Council, the ESC VIII Advisory
Committee, the Superintendent’s
Association of Northeast Texas, and the
Small Schools Association of Northeast
Texas," at $3,000 per. And, according to
the Austin Chronicle, he also appears to
not get along so well with chicken farmer
Bo Pilgrim.
Hey, here's an idea: Let's collectively
raise a hand for this energetic bunch--
and gently encourage them to step away
from our kids and our schools. And, if
they really care about our kids as much
as they say they do, given that all four
Grand Old Rich Guys of Education have
been made wealthy by anyone's
standards from GORGE-ing on taxpayer-
funded public education monies, why not
do everything pro bono from here on out?
Whadya say, guys? Are ya in? We'll raise
our hands to say "Bye-bye" to you on your
way out the door, with our most profound
and heartfelt gratitude and blessings for
your departure.
---------
P.S. While researching Bill Ratliff's
current lobbying activities (below left), I
came across various names for "Raise
Your Hand." According to the Texas
Comptroller there are two entities:
is known as the filer of a SLAPP suit. A
former partner at Bracewell & Giuliani,
Dave left to start Thompson & Horton, a
boutique law firm in the same building
and stairwell comprised of "women and
minority attorneys [who] will make up a
majority of the ownership of the new
firm." Gee, what contracts might this give
T&H a leg up on?
Bill Ratliff pushed through the rewrite of
the Texas Education Code in 1995 which
included the weakening of Texas' elected
trustees' powers then hung out his
shingle as a registered paid lobbyist and
went to work for TASB explaining his new
governance model, the "Team of Eight."
To expand on that, he's also got a sweet
side gig, the Bill Ratliff School Executive
Academy of Northeast Texas, a
"Superhighway," he calls it. But wait,
there's more! "The Education Service
Center/ Region VIII and the Bill Ratliff
School Executive Academy of Northeast
Texas have developed an Alternative
Certification Program for Superintendents
in collaboration with Texas A&M
University-Commerce, the ESC VIII
Regional Council, the ESC VIII Advisory
Committee, the Superintendent’s
Association of Northeast Texas, and the
Small Schools Association of Northeast
Texas," at $3,000 per. And, according to
the Austin Chronicle, he also appears to
not get along so well with chicken farmer
Bo Pilgrim.
Hey, here's an idea: Let's collectively
raise a hand for this energetic bunch--
and gently encourage them to step away
from our kids and our schools. And, if
they really care about our kids as much
as they say they do, given that all four
Grand Old Rich Guys of Education have
been made wealthy by anyone's
standards from GORGE-ing on taxpayer-
funded public education monies, why not
do everything pro bono from here on out?
Whadya say, guys? Are ya in? We'll raise
our hands to say "Bye-bye" to you on your
way out the door, with our most profound
and heartfelt gratitude and blessings for
your departure.
---------
P.S. While researching Bill Ratliff's
current lobbying activities (below left), I
came across various names for "Raise
Your Hand." According to the Texas
Comptroller there are two entities:
| David Thompson 2004 Robin Hood trial (PHOTO--Peyton Wolcott) |
RAISE YOUR HAND
FOR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS
32024213194
78204
RAISE YOUR HAND
FOR TEXAS
EDUCATION FUND
12038185778
78204
FOR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS
32024213194
78204
RAISE YOUR HAND
FOR TEXAS
EDUCATION FUND
12038185778
78204
And, surprise, surprise! David
Thompson (see above) is a registered
director for "Raise Your Hand For Public
Schools."
Here at right is the group statement from
one table's participants at the January 28,
2009 "Raise Your Hand" conference at
the Hilton in downtown Austin, Texas for
principals who had participated last
summer in a conference at Harvard
regarding that experience:
Thompson (see above) is a registered
director for "Raise Your Hand For Public
Schools."
Here at right is the group statement from
one table's participants at the January 28,
2009 "Raise Your Hand" conference at
the Hilton in downtown Austin, Texas for
principals who had participated last
summer in a conference at Harvard
regarding that experience:
Below is a photograph of one table's
"group statement" at the January 2008
"Raise Your Hand" event at the Austin
Hilton. If these folks are truly Texas'
"best and brightest" -- as described
by paid Raise Your Hand lobbyist Mike
Moses -- no wonder the students in
their care can't read and write such
that half entering college -- the lucky
ones who don't drop out of high
school -- need remedial work in core
subjects:
"group statement" at the January 2008
"Raise Your Hand" event at the Austin
Hilton. If these folks are truly Texas'
"best and brightest" -- as described
by paid Raise Your Hand lobbyist Mike
Moses -- no wonder the students in
their care can't read and write such
that half entering college -- the lucky
ones who don't drop out of high
school -- need remedial work in core
subjects:
| [Note spelling and excessive capitalization] |
O
O
O
O
O
| QUESTION: Couldn't the principals have learned that they are "facing the same challenges" and saved their districts the loss of their work time by instead simply emailing each other? Couldn't they also have learned this by talking to one another at the many other taxpayer-funded edu-conferences they already attend? |
O
O
r-e-l-e-v-a-n-t
| UPDATE: Texas Representative Diane Patrick's HB 130 pre-K bill -- part of the "Raise Your Hand" initiative -- was vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry on Friday, June 19, 2009; although this webpage achieved its goal of stopping the government-run warehousing of our youngest and most vulnerable children -- and subsequent exposure to brainwashing -- this page still has value as a means of tracking public ed's perennial players, including its GORGE-ous lobbyists. |
| Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (IMAGE SOURCE below) |
program which includes hiring Texas public ed top-gun
lobbyists -- GORGE-ous (Grand Old Rich Guys) such
as Bill Ratliff, Mike Moses and David Thompson, along
with a host of other lobbyists -- have undertaken the
task of persuading the Texas Lege to pass his laws
that Texas schoolchildren and taxpayers will ultimately
foot the bill for.
Charles has sent hundreds of Texas administrators to
a series of seminars, some at out of state destinations
such as Harvard, all designed to indoctrinate and
enlist them in advancing his causes.
lobbyists -- GORGE-ous (Grand Old Rich Guys) such
as Bill Ratliff, Mike Moses and David Thompson, along
with a host of other lobbyists -- have undertaken the
task of persuading the Texas Lege to pass his laws
that Texas schoolchildren and taxpayers will ultimately
foot the bill for.
Charles has sent hundreds of Texas administrators to
a series of seminars, some at out of state destinations
such as Harvard, all designed to indoctrinate and
enlist them in advancing his causes.
| Mike Moses was among the speakers at the Austin Hilton podium on January 28, 2009 advocating for "Raise Your Hand" |
| How wonderful it would be if Mr. Butt stopped spending so much cash on social engineering and instead plowed some of it back into his grocery stores by cleaning up the ice machine area and restrooms and improve the quality of his produce; a few strawberries with old brown stems were sold for $4.99 last Valentine's Day after they were dipped in chocolate. |
| Call it the prayer of your customers: Instead of spending your revenues on lobbyists, Mr. Butt, spend it on HEB stores. |
| Compare and contrast chocolate-covered strawberries from Mr. Butt's store above with these below with green stems from another resource. |
kids' education troughs?
Hard to say.
They keep coming at us with new
ideas such as "Raise Your Hand"
(more below) and the Sandy
Kress/Mike Moses/DavidThompson
/Don McAdams* "Common Ground"
paper (not to mention the new
"visioning" report from such 21st
Century Skills folks as Phil Schlecty
and Willard Daggett, "Creating a
New Vision for Public Education in
Texas") -- but the new ideas always
entail putting more of our tax dollars
in their pockets.
Vendors, lobbyists, call them what
you will. They want our money,
despite the fact that what they've
been selling us -- since 1995 when
SB 1, the rewrite of the Texas
Education Code, passed -- has not
only been wasteful but also has not
worked.
Hard to say.
They keep coming at us with new
ideas such as "Raise Your Hand"
(more below) and the Sandy
Kress/Mike Moses/DavidThompson
/Don McAdams* "Common Ground"
paper (not to mention the new
"visioning" report from such 21st
Century Skills folks as Phil Schlecty
and Willard Daggett, "Creating a
New Vision for Public Education in
Texas") -- but the new ideas always
entail putting more of our tax dollars
in their pockets.
Vendors, lobbyists, call them what
you will. They want our money,
despite the fact that what they've
been selling us -- since 1995 when
SB 1, the rewrite of the Texas
Education Code, passed -- has not
only been wasteful but also has not
worked.
Who are these GORGE-ous guys?
Sandy Kress is a lawyer and also a vendor's representative/lobbyist for
Pearson, the British-based education giant who profits from the
accountability testing that's key to the No Child Left Behind legislation
Sandy's credited as being the architect of; how circular is that?
Sandy Kress is a lawyer and also a vendor's representative/lobbyist for
Pearson, the British-based education giant who profits from the
accountability testing that's key to the No Child Left Behind legislation
Sandy's credited as being the architect of; how circular is that?
| Clockwise from top right: Mike Moses, Bill Ratliff, J. David Thompson III, and Sandy Kress (PHOTO--John Anderson/Dallas Observer) |
revenue stream alone. He's also an attorney with a lucrative private
school practice--name a MALDEF/ Robin Hood lawsuit in recent memory
school practice--name a MALDEF/ Robin Hood lawsuit in recent memory
| (From top) Russell T. 'Rusty' Kelley, Carol McGarah, Mignon McGarry & Michael J. Johnson |