What Does Gay Marriage Have To Do With Agriculture ?

The last couple of weeks Hank Gilbert, Democratic candidate for Agriculture Commissioner, has been traveling the state of Texas introducing his plan to reform the Department of Agriculture. Now he is continuing his tour of Texas cities to tout his new biofuels plan for the state. Hank knows what this state needs from its Agriculture Commissioner, and he is keeping his eye on the target and letting the voters know what he would do if elected.

So what is his opponent talking about? Same-sex marriage! Now this may be a topic that appeals to his right-wing base, but it has absolutely nothing to do with Texas agriculture. Even if he is re-elected as Agriculture Commissioner, there would be nothing at all he could do in that position to either prevent or promote same-sex marriages in this state. That is not within the mission of the Department of Agriculture, nor should it be.

I'm betting that no matter what they think of same-sex marriages, the farmers, ranchers and consumers of Texas would rather hear what the Agriculture Commissioner is planning to do about food safety, farm and ranch viability and profitability, accurate weights and measures, markets for Texas agricultural products -- you know, the things an Agriculture Commissioner can do something about.

I think it's time for Todd Staples to start talking about agricultural issues instead of trying to fire up his base on issues he can do nothing about. Hank Gilbert (pictured) thinks so too. Here is what Hank has to say on the subject:

"I've spent the last two weeks on the campaign trail talking about real reform for the Texas Department of Agriculture-from weights and measures to funding to increase agribusiness in Texas to protecting Texans from eminent domain abuses."

"My opponent, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be focused much on agriculture at all. He's kind of like a kitten playing with a ball of yarn. If you hold an anchovy over his head, he forgets all about that ball of yarn; it is kind of how Todd Staples is with this issue."

"People elect their Agriculture Commissioner to do something about agriculture, not to serve as the state's de facto bedroom police."

"Perhaps if Todd Staples put some of the energy he's put into fighting gay marriage into actually reforming the Texas Department of Agriculture, consumers might not find gas pumps and grocery store scales with expired inspections as frequently as they do. Maybe if Todd Staples wasn't so focused on gay marriage, some of the food safety debacles that have happened on his watch wouldn't have happened."

"Isn't it time for Todd Staples to stop beating up on gay and lesbian Texans whose taxes have paid his salary as a career politician for years? Staples has done more than enough to make miserable the lives of people who've never done anything to him, and it's not protecting marriage, it's just being mean to the citizens of this state, and their families-who do nothing but work hard everyday. Maybe Staples could learn something from them."