The other convention on March 29th

Most of us in Texas know that by state law, the 2 big political parties are holding their county/state senate district conventions. For the Democrats this will be a contentious high turnout event. The Clinton camp has made it very clear that they want to challenge every possible precinct caucus and Obama delegate that they can to reduce the strong advantage that the Obama campaign has had in grassroots organizing.

Obama's campaign is training its delegates and preparing them for the convention process. Interesting to see the striking differences between the two campaigns.

For those who are in the Dallas Diocese of the Episcopal Church there is another convention on the same day. The diocese is electing a Bishop Suffragan, who is the assistant bishop for the diocese that runs from Dallas to Tyler to Texarkana. Big area to cover, so the diocese needs a second bishop to support the declining Episcopal parishes. For those who have been tuned into the controversies in the Episcopal Church, you will recognize that the Dallas Diocese and Bishop Stanton who runs it have been in the center of the conservative movement to disrupt the Episcopal Church. Bishop Stanton was one of the founders and has been a sponsor of the American Anglican Council (AAC) which was created with money from right wing extremists such as the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD).

None of the candidates appears to be a moderate; as with all "conservatives" they appear to want to return to some fantasy about how good the past was....at least what they fantasize it was. Maybe when manly men were priests and women were there to do the baking and stay out of the pulpit. Or maybe they're afraid that a real homosexual might out them, perhaps. Certainly makes you wonder if they can keep another bishop suffragan around. They're lasting 2-3 years and then gone.