Abortion rights activists endorse Chris Bell, slam Bob Gammage.

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The growth of the federal government is responsible for the growth of lobbyist influence in Washington.

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Scott Henson, a blogger down in Austin, has a great piece today arguing that Texas’ policy of prison for non-violent offenders is making Texans less safe. He argues that because Texas prisons are full – in a state that had its prison capacity grow five-fold since 1980, mind you – we’re making room for thousands of new, non-violent offenders through the brilliant expediency of releasing violent offenders. Scott quotes former House Corrections Committee Chairman Ray Allen (R-Grand Prairie) who is fond of saying Texas should imprison only people "who we're afraid of, not those we're only mad at."

Check his commentary.

How does the Florida Court decision forbidding education vouchers help poor families seeking a better education for their children?

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12.7 Percent Increase in Total Foreclosures and 7.7 Percent Increase in New Foreclosures Mark Sharpest Rise in Inventory Since March 2005.

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The Dallas City Council gave the first stage of go ahead Wednesday to a program to install red-light cameras at a number of Dallas intersections, joining six other North Texas cities with an automated ticketing system in place or in the works.

The bidding authorization process begins next week for cameras and the private companies to run them, with the possibility of having them installed and operational as soon as late summer.

Dallas will follow the model of having an independent private company install the cameras at certain intersections, and the company will then collect fees from the owner of any registered vehicle that runs the red light. The private company will get a portion of each $75 fine – which is a point of contention for critics of the system.

Backers of the of red light cameras point out that it is safer to monitor red light violations by camera than for police to issue tickets, since the latter usually involves a police officer following the violator through the red light.

Red light cameras appear to be effective. A 2005 Federal Highway Administration report, drawing information from more than 130 sites, found that the cameras were associated with a decrease in right-angle crashes. A 2005 Cochrane Review found that red light cameras can reduce the number of injuries from car crashes at intersections by up to 30 percent, though the article's authors also noted that most studies did not account for the spillover effect, in which the presence of cameras at intersections might cause different crash rates at those nearby.

But then there are the other issues. Is it equal protection when running a red light in front of a camera results in a $75 administrative fee, while doing it in front of a flesh and blood cop is a substantially higher penalty? What about concerns from privacy advocates who see the cameras as further proof that “Big Brother” is watching, and voice concerns that private companies have access to government databases? And some are concerned that red light cameras take the emphasis off safety and focus it more on revenue generation.

More to come as this bidding process gets under way.

Dallas is the “Meanest City” in all of Texas -- and the sixth meanest in the nation when you throw in cities from the Other 49 -- for homeless folks, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless in a study published today.

In a report oddly titled “A Dream Denied: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities” – begging the question of whether anyone’s dream really is to be homeless – Dallas is knocked for ticketing panhandlers, outlawing the taking of shopping carts from store grounds, and the current proposal to ticket people who give to panhandlers.

Leaving aside broader philosophical arguments over civil liberties, police priorities, and the seemingly random battles that Mayor Laura Miller chooses to cling to – who wants their hometown known as “Most Welcoming to Scary Street People?”

The full report can be found here and the page on Dallas can be found here

The good news: Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Rayfield Wright were just announced as among the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The bad news: Morning News football writer Rick Gooselin is not willing or able to handle his job as unofficial "campaign manager.'' So, Cowboys fans and Cowboys players, don't get your hopes up, y'all:

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