I haven't talked enough about the race for U.S. Congress in District 24. This district is currently represented by Bush flunky, Kenneth Marchant. Marchant has supported all of Georgie's ridiculous actions, including the invasion of Iraq, and the attempted destruction of social security. It is time to vote this fool out of office.
Fortunately, the voters of District 24 do have a choice this year. Bush's lackey is being opposed this year by Gary Page. Gary understands that a congressman needs to represent all of his constituents, and not just the right-wing whackos. It won't be easy to beat Marchant in this very republican district. But with the public's dissatisfaction with Republican leadership, and Marchant's complete inability to oppose Bush on anything, perhaps there is a chance this year, especially with voter turnout looking like it will be up this year.
Drop by Gary's web site and check him out. I think you'll see that we finally have an alternative in District 24 we can proudly vote for. Reprinted below is a message from Gary Page to the voters of District 24:
Hello, my name is Gary Page and I'm running for Congress in District 24.
I was born in San Antonio Texas into an Air Force family. I grew up around military bases in San Antonio, Taiwan, Germany and Maryland until my father retired in Central Texas. I went to the University of Texas on a Navy scholarship.
It is my intention that I will represent all of the people of District 24 regardless race, faith or party. I believe government should not just represent a majority rule or an established ideology. The Republican party has an agenda and selects candidates supporting that agenda, which implies that citizens are only represented if they subscribe to the ideology or party agenda. I run as a Democrat because I support the principles and values of the Democratic Party.
If elected, I would be obligated to represent and provide access to all of my constituents. My job as Congressman would be to faithfully represent my district in accordance with the Constitution and protect individual rights and privacy. Once in office, I need to accept the reality that I am an American first and a Democrat second.
This needed to be said as I am sick and tired of partisanship replacing patriotism. The needs of the country and the people should always outweigh political posturing and pandering.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
96 U.S. Soldiers Killed In October In Iraq
The month of October has turned out to be the deadliest month in nearly two years for U.S. soldiers. As of this date, 96 soldiers have been killed in Iraq this month. To find a worse month, you'd have to go back to January of 2005, when 107 U.S. soldiers were killed. But there's still several days left in October, and the death toll will probably rise. The month with the highest death toll was November of 2004, when 137 soldiers were killed.
But American deaths pale in comparison to Iraqi deaths. This month has seen an average of 41 Iraqis killed each day. Iraq had been averaging 27 deaths each day, although the U.N. said this number is far too low. The U.N. believes that at least 100 Iraqis die each day in this war.
This begs the question - exactly what are we accomplishing with our continued occupation of Iraq? If we're there to protect our puppet government, then our mission is useless. The present Iraqi government will fall the minute we leave. This is not the government Iraqis would choose for themselves - it's just the government we allow them to have.
If we're there to prevent sectarian violence and needless Iraqi deaths, then we are failing in our mission. In the current situation, we cannot even protect our own soldiers, let alone any Iraqi citizens.
There were no weapons of mass destruction, Saddam has been deposed, and we cannot protect the Iraqis from themselves. There is no legitimate reason for our soldiers to still be in Iraq. We need to stop making excuses and BRING THEM HOME!!!
But American deaths pale in comparison to Iraqi deaths. This month has seen an average of 41 Iraqis killed each day. Iraq had been averaging 27 deaths each day, although the U.N. said this number is far too low. The U.N. believes that at least 100 Iraqis die each day in this war.
This begs the question - exactly what are we accomplishing with our continued occupation of Iraq? If we're there to protect our puppet government, then our mission is useless. The present Iraqi government will fall the minute we leave. This is not the government Iraqis would choose for themselves - it's just the government we allow them to have.
If we're there to prevent sectarian violence and needless Iraqi deaths, then we are failing in our mission. In the current situation, we cannot even protect our own soldiers, let alone any Iraqi citizens.
There were no weapons of mass destruction, Saddam has been deposed, and we cannot protect the Iraqis from themselves. There is no legitimate reason for our soldiers to still be in Iraq. We need to stop making excuses and BRING THEM HOME!!!
Early Voting Numbers Still Up In Urban Countys
Texas Gone Kinky is still tracking the early voting numbers in the five most populated Texas counties, and they are still looking pretty good. All of the counties are showing an increase in voters, except for Harris County, which shows a slight decrease. Here are the cumulative totals for the first three days of early voting:
BEXAR COUNTY
last election..........27,206
this election..........51,267
+88.4%
TRAVIS COUNTY
last election..........25,158
this election..........32,035
+27.3%
TARRANT COUNTY
last election..........39,406
this election..........45,641
+15.8%
DALLAS COUNTY
last election..........50,324
this election..........55,200
+9.7%
HARRIS COUNTY
last election..........42,207
this election..........41,205
-2.3%
Kinky needs the voter turnout for this election to be much larger than normal, and a large turnout usually bodes well for the Democrats also. Does anyone out there know how the vote is going in some of the smaller counties? Is the vote also up in those counties? If you know, I would appreciate the information.
BEXAR COUNTY
last election..........27,206
this election..........51,267
+88.4%
TRAVIS COUNTY
last election..........25,158
this election..........32,035
+27.3%
TARRANT COUNTY
last election..........39,406
this election..........45,641
+15.8%
DALLAS COUNTY
last election..........50,324
this election..........55,200
+9.7%
HARRIS COUNTY
last election..........42,207
this election..........41,205
-2.3%
Kinky needs the voter turnout for this election to be much larger than normal, and a large turnout usually bodes well for the Democrats also. Does anyone out there know how the vote is going in some of the smaller counties? Is the vote also up in those counties? If you know, I would appreciate the information.
TXU Unhappy About Logo On Protest Float
Downwinders at Risk, an activist enviornmental group, has built a parade float that features Governor Rick Perry planting a kiss on a smokestack. The float was built to show opposition to Perry fast-tracking the building of 11 new coal-powered power plants in Texas. The enviornmental group believes the new plants would add more pollution to our already polluted air.
But TXU doesn't like the float one little bit. That's because the smokestack on the float carries the logo of three energy companies. The TXU logo is one of the three. TXU sent the group a letter demanding that they take the logo off the float, and threatened legal action if they didn't.
Yesterday, Paul Levy of Public Citizen, and the group, Downwinders at Risk, both sent letters to TXU replying to their demand. Both letters denied that the use of the logo constitutes trademark infringement. Levy said, "Apart from the other silly claims in your letter, your apparent assumption that members of the public need corporate permission before they may use trademarks to depict companies that they want to criticize is simply false."
Experts in intellectual-property issues agreed with the protesters. John Allison, a professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, said, "They're making fun of these companies. That's not trademark infringement. It's pure political speech, and that's about as constitutionally protected as you can get."
It looks like the logo will stay on the float, even though TXU is upset. Yesterday, the float followed the Perry campaign bus as it went around north Texas. These enviornmentalists have been joined recently in opposition to the new plants by several mayors, including the mayors of Dallas and Houston. Opposition to the plants is growing, because TXU has opted not to use the cleanest technology available. Their new plants would pour tons of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the air. If Perry is not re-elected, it could be a serious blow to the building of the new power plants. All of his opponents are against the building of the plants without cleaner technology.
The other two companies whose logos are on the float, Texas Industries and Ash Grove Cement, have not complained.
But TXU doesn't like the float one little bit. That's because the smokestack on the float carries the logo of three energy companies. The TXU logo is one of the three. TXU sent the group a letter demanding that they take the logo off the float, and threatened legal action if they didn't.
Yesterday, Paul Levy of Public Citizen, and the group, Downwinders at Risk, both sent letters to TXU replying to their demand. Both letters denied that the use of the logo constitutes trademark infringement. Levy said, "Apart from the other silly claims in your letter, your apparent assumption that members of the public need corporate permission before they may use trademarks to depict companies that they want to criticize is simply false."
Experts in intellectual-property issues agreed with the protesters. John Allison, a professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, said, "They're making fun of these companies. That's not trademark infringement. It's pure political speech, and that's about as constitutionally protected as you can get."
It looks like the logo will stay on the float, even though TXU is upset. Yesterday, the float followed the Perry campaign bus as it went around north Texas. These enviornmentalists have been joined recently in opposition to the new plants by several mayors, including the mayors of Dallas and Houston. Opposition to the plants is growing, because TXU has opted not to use the cleanest technology available. Their new plants would pour tons of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the air. If Perry is not re-elected, it could be a serious blow to the building of the new power plants. All of his opponents are against the building of the plants without cleaner technology.
The other two companies whose logos are on the float, Texas Industries and Ash Grove Cement, have not complained.
Bloggers Get Some Recognition
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has an excellent article this morning on how bloggers are becoming effective at raising money for political candidates. The article says that bloggers have raised over $2 million dollars for campaigns nationwide. Here in Texas, liberal bloggers have raised over $125,000 for state and local candidates.
This is just a drop in the bucket when compared to all donations, but it does show a growing trend in American politics toward more online contributions. Political experts expect this trend to continue, with blogs becoming more important fund-raisers with each succeeding election.
The article also featured a couple of local Texas bloggers. Our friends, Anna of Annatopia and Vince of Capitol Annex were interviewed for the article, and Anna even got her picture in the paper. Way to go, guys!
This is just a drop in the bucket when compared to all donations, but it does show a growing trend in American politics toward more online contributions. Political experts expect this trend to continue, with blogs becoming more important fund-raisers with each succeeding election.
The article also featured a couple of local Texas bloggers. Our friends, Anna of Annatopia and Vince of Capitol Annex were interviewed for the article, and Anna even got her picture in the paper. Way to go, guys!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Kinky Winning "Ice Cream Straw" Poll
There have been all kinds of polls in this election year - some were purported to be scientific and some weren't. But I doubt if any of them did it like Beth Marie's Old-Fashioned Ice Cream and Soda Fountain on the Square. This Denton business is conducting a real "straw" poll.
As Beth Marie's customers wait for their order, they are invited to pick their own straw from one of four different boxes. Each box is decorated and marked for a different candidate for governor. On Monday, Beth Marie counts the straws missing from each box, and posts the totals for each candidate.
Kinky is doing well in the "straw" poll. This is how it stands as of last Monday:
Kinky..........169
Bell..........119
Grandma..........109
Perry..........107
The business also conducted the same type of "straw" poll for the 2004 presidential election, and it showed George Bush to be the winner.
In other election-related news, two more college newspapers have endorsed Kinky Friedman for governor. A couple of days ago, the University of Texas' Daily Texan endorsed Kinky. This time it's two north Texas universities. The University of North Texas' North Texas Daily and Southern Methodist University's Daily Campus have both endorsed Kinky. This is encouraging, because Kinky can't win without a substantial portion of the youth vote.
As Beth Marie's customers wait for their order, they are invited to pick their own straw from one of four different boxes. Each box is decorated and marked for a different candidate for governor. On Monday, Beth Marie counts the straws missing from each box, and posts the totals for each candidate.
Kinky is doing well in the "straw" poll. This is how it stands as of last Monday:
Kinky..........169
Bell..........119
Grandma..........109
Perry..........107
The business also conducted the same type of "straw" poll for the 2004 presidential election, and it showed George Bush to be the winner.
In other election-related news, two more college newspapers have endorsed Kinky Friedman for governor. A couple of days ago, the University of Texas' Daily Texan endorsed Kinky. This time it's two north Texas universities. The University of North Texas' North Texas Daily and Southern Methodist University's Daily Campus have both endorsed Kinky. This is encouraging, because Kinky can't win without a substantial portion of the youth vote.
Skinhead Movement Is Larger & More Violent
Some of you may have noticed that on our blogroll is a listing titled SPL Center. This is the Southern Poverty Law Center, and they probably do more than any non-governmental organization to oppose the violent racist groups in this country.
The latest Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Report has some bad news for decent and law-abiding Americans. According to the report, the number of racist skinhead groups has more than tripled in the last four years. In 2002, there were 18 skinhead groups in this country. Today, there are at least 59 skinhead groups.
Mark Potok, director of the Center's Intelligence Project, says, "In the last couple of years, we have seen a significant increase not only in the number of active skinhead groups, but also in the level of violence they are producing. The movement was once dominated by a single powerful organization, the Hammerskin Nation, that tended to keep the lid on violence. Now, we're seeing a large number of smaller organizations vying for power and prominence, and that raises the potential for even more criminal activity."
This is a personal issue with me. I was shot last year by a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, who thought he needed my car more than I did. While this was not a racial incident, it does point to the fact that no one is safe from these violent criminals. If they want something of yours, or if they don't like the way you look, they will maim or kill you in a heartbeat.
Maybe it's time for the FBI to stop eavesdropping on our phone calls, and pay a little attention to these violent and growing groups. This is no "orange alert" terrorist hoax. These groups are real, and they are a constant and looming threat to the security of our country and the safety of our citizens.
The latest Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Report has some bad news for decent and law-abiding Americans. According to the report, the number of racist skinhead groups has more than tripled in the last four years. In 2002, there were 18 skinhead groups in this country. Today, there are at least 59 skinhead groups.
Mark Potok, director of the Center's Intelligence Project, says, "In the last couple of years, we have seen a significant increase not only in the number of active skinhead groups, but also in the level of violence they are producing. The movement was once dominated by a single powerful organization, the Hammerskin Nation, that tended to keep the lid on violence. Now, we're seeing a large number of smaller organizations vying for power and prominence, and that raises the potential for even more criminal activity."
This is a personal issue with me. I was shot last year by a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, who thought he needed my car more than I did. While this was not a racial incident, it does point to the fact that no one is safe from these violent criminals. If they want something of yours, or if they don't like the way you look, they will maim or kill you in a heartbeat.
Maybe it's time for the FBI to stop eavesdropping on our phone calls, and pay a little attention to these violent and growing groups. This is no "orange alert" terrorist hoax. These groups are real, and they are a constant and looming threat to the security of our country and the safety of our citizens.
First Day Voting Figures Are Up
Kinky Friedman, candidate for governor of Texas, has said all along that there must be a larger turnout than the last election, if he is to have a chance of winning. It looks like that larger turnout may be happening. At least the first day's numbers look good. Over at the blog Texas Gone Kinky, the first day numbers are listed for the five largest counties in Texas.
Here is what the numbers look like when compared to the last election:
HARRIS COUNTY
this election.....8545
last election.....5322
up 60.5%
TRAVIS COUNTY
this election.....5009
last election.....4626
up 8.3%
DALLAS COUNTY
this election.....9129
last election.....8172
up 11.7%
TARRANT COUNTY
this election.....7497
last election.....6266
up 19.6%
BEXAR COUNTY
this election.....8195
last election.....5171
up 58.5%
Of course, we'll have to wait until the night of November 7th to know just who these voters are rushing to the polls to vote for, but at least the numbers so far are encouraging.
Here is what the numbers look like when compared to the last election:
HARRIS COUNTY
this election.....8545
last election.....5322
up 60.5%
TRAVIS COUNTY
this election.....5009
last election.....4626
up 8.3%
DALLAS COUNTY
this election.....9129
last election.....8172
up 11.7%
TARRANT COUNTY
this election.....7497
last election.....6266
up 19.6%
BEXAR COUNTY
this election.....8195
last election.....5171
up 58.5%
Of course, we'll have to wait until the night of November 7th to know just who these voters are rushing to the polls to vote for, but at least the numbers so far are encouraging.
'Frank From Atlanta' Says Kinky Is Not Racist
During the one debate in the governor's race, Kinky Friedman was asked about the diversity of his campaign staff. Kinky replied that the highest ranking Black in his campaign was "Frank from Atlanta". Well, Frank is now in Texas and is talking to the media.
Frank Mason, a 62 year old construction worker who lives in Athens, Georgia, says he met Kinky when he performed at the Lone Star Cafe in New York City about 25-30 years ago, and they have been friends ever since then. Frank is originally from New York.
What does Mason think about the charges that Kinky is racist? He says, "I've known the man for 25, 30 years, and he has never shown any signs of bigotry. It's not true at all. It's so sad. This man has a heart of gold. It's a bunch of crap. People are sick and tired of the negative politics." Mason spent the day defending Kinky to the media and making get-out-the-vote phone calls for Kinky's campaign.
Of course, this won't stop the smears from the Bell campaign. Senator Royce West, a Bell supporter, has already started running attack ads in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, claiming Kinky is a racist. This is very disappointing, because I used to respect Senator West. I now see that he's just another politician all too willing to sling mud. Rep. Garnet Coleman, another Bell supporter, is doing the same in the Houston area.
Frank Mason, a 62 year old construction worker who lives in Athens, Georgia, says he met Kinky when he performed at the Lone Star Cafe in New York City about 25-30 years ago, and they have been friends ever since then. Frank is originally from New York.
What does Mason think about the charges that Kinky is racist? He says, "I've known the man for 25, 30 years, and he has never shown any signs of bigotry. It's not true at all. It's so sad. This man has a heart of gold. It's a bunch of crap. People are sick and tired of the negative politics." Mason spent the day defending Kinky to the media and making get-out-the-vote phone calls for Kinky's campaign.
Of course, this won't stop the smears from the Bell campaign. Senator Royce West, a Bell supporter, has already started running attack ads in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, claiming Kinky is a racist. This is very disappointing, because I used to respect Senator West. I now see that he's just another politician all too willing to sling mud. Rep. Garnet Coleman, another Bell supporter, is doing the same in the Houston area.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
A Message From David Van Os
The following is a message from David Van Os to the voters of the great state of Texas. Please consider voting for David on November 7th.
Dear Friends, Supporters, and Visitors,
I pledged to meet the public at every one of the 254 county courthouses in Texas, and I have met my pledge. The 254th whistlestop was last Friday, October 20, at the Travis County courthouse in Austin. From April to October touring Texas occupied most of the time and energy of my wife Rachel and myself.
Seeing and meeting the good people of Texas in every county, together with absorbing the natural grandeur of our beautiful Texas, was one of the greatest experiences of our lives for both Rachel and myself.
Even more importantly, having learned about the concerns of Texans in every part of the state will make me a much better attorney general and public servant.
For example, I now understand much more than I did before about the unfairness of unfounded mandates that state government in Austin imposes upon our rural county governments whose budgets are already stretched to the breaking point. Another example is that I understand more about the struggles that Texas farmers and ranchers face in working hard every day in the face of the price-gouging exercised by monopoly and near-monopoly robber barons in the utility, insurance, and energy industries, because I've learned about it first hand. Now I understand more about a child support enforcement system that treats people as statistics for press releases instead of as human beings with problems. And I understand a lot more now about the actual real-life effects that greedy corporate robber barons like Big Oil and Big Insurance have on people's daily lives. The list could go on and on.
To sum it up, as a result of my journey through Texas I now understand more than ever about why the Framers of the Texas Constitution bestowed upon the people of Texas an Attorney General to be the people's lawyer and champion; and I'm more determined than ever to be that champion for the people.
Greg Abbott is now using his millions of dollars of corporate special interest money to blitz the airwaves with his slick package of lies and hypocrisy. To top it off, he is shamefully using children as stage props for his own glory and ambition. In all the talk about protecting children, you don't hear a word about the real job of the Attorney General, which is to protect our children from growing up into a brave new world where they stand to live their whole lives as indentured servants to the banks, the finance companies, and their own government, thanks to the corporate and governmental war on the middle class. Greg Abbott is a general in that war, leading the charge on behalf of the corporate and political elite to deprive our children of the opportunity to live as free and independent citizens in a Constitutional democracy that protects their rights and liberties.
My fellow Texans, you have the right and the power to fight back. Our forebears in 1776 and 1836 had to charge imperial cannon fire to win our freedom and our liberties. We have it so much simpler. We don't have to charge cannon fire and massed imperial regiments. All we have to do is vote. We don't have to sacrifice at all. The real sacrifice will be if we don't fight back, because then we will be sacrificing the Constitutional birthrights of our children.
Don't let anything stand in your way. Fight 'em til hell freezes over; then fight 'em on the ice.
Respectfully,
David Van Os
Dear Friends, Supporters, and Visitors,
I pledged to meet the public at every one of the 254 county courthouses in Texas, and I have met my pledge. The 254th whistlestop was last Friday, October 20, at the Travis County courthouse in Austin. From April to October touring Texas occupied most of the time and energy of my wife Rachel and myself.
Seeing and meeting the good people of Texas in every county, together with absorbing the natural grandeur of our beautiful Texas, was one of the greatest experiences of our lives for both Rachel and myself.
Even more importantly, having learned about the concerns of Texans in every part of the state will make me a much better attorney general and public servant.
For example, I now understand much more than I did before about the unfairness of unfounded mandates that state government in Austin imposes upon our rural county governments whose budgets are already stretched to the breaking point. Another example is that I understand more about the struggles that Texas farmers and ranchers face in working hard every day in the face of the price-gouging exercised by monopoly and near-monopoly robber barons in the utility, insurance, and energy industries, because I've learned about it first hand. Now I understand more about a child support enforcement system that treats people as statistics for press releases instead of as human beings with problems. And I understand a lot more now about the actual real-life effects that greedy corporate robber barons like Big Oil and Big Insurance have on people's daily lives. The list could go on and on.
To sum it up, as a result of my journey through Texas I now understand more than ever about why the Framers of the Texas Constitution bestowed upon the people of Texas an Attorney General to be the people's lawyer and champion; and I'm more determined than ever to be that champion for the people.
Greg Abbott is now using his millions of dollars of corporate special interest money to blitz the airwaves with his slick package of lies and hypocrisy. To top it off, he is shamefully using children as stage props for his own glory and ambition. In all the talk about protecting children, you don't hear a word about the real job of the Attorney General, which is to protect our children from growing up into a brave new world where they stand to live their whole lives as indentured servants to the banks, the finance companies, and their own government, thanks to the corporate and governmental war on the middle class. Greg Abbott is a general in that war, leading the charge on behalf of the corporate and political elite to deprive our children of the opportunity to live as free and independent citizens in a Constitutional democracy that protects their rights and liberties.
My fellow Texans, you have the right and the power to fight back. Our forebears in 1776 and 1836 had to charge imperial cannon fire to win our freedom and our liberties. We have it so much simpler. We don't have to charge cannon fire and massed imperial regiments. All we have to do is vote. We don't have to sacrifice at all. The real sacrifice will be if we don't fight back, because then we will be sacrificing the Constitutional birthrights of our children.
Don't let anything stand in your way. Fight 'em til hell freezes over; then fight 'em on the ice.
Respectfully,
David Van Os
Supporting Hank Gilbert
As the election draws nearer, I wanted to remind voters of the race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner. This race pits Democrat Hank Gilbert against Republican Todd Staples. There is a clear difference between the candidates in this contest. Staples is the darling of the corporate robber barons. They have given him millions, and therefore his allegiance is to the corporations, and not to the people of Texas. He is just using this office as a springboard for his higher political aspirations.
On the other hand, Hank Gilbert has been involved with agriculture all his life. Hank is not interested in a political career, but in seeing that the Agriculture Department is operated for the benefit of the citizens of Texas. Hank has experience as a rancher, a businessman, and a teacher. He understands agriculture from both the producer's viewpoint and the consumer's viewpoint.
Many urbanites don't pay much attention to the race for Agriculture Commissioner in the belief that the Ag Commissioner really doesn't have much to do with their lives. They are wrong. As Hank says, "If you eat, if you use gas in your car, if you wear clothes, literally if you breathe the air or drink the water in Texas, you should care about the election for Agriculture Commissioner.
No matter who your choice for governor is, I ask you to consider voting for Hank Gilbert for Agriculture Commissioner. Below, I have reprinted a short message from Hank to the voters of Texas:
My name is Hank Gilbert and I'm running for Texas Agriculture Commissioner -- it's the only job I want.
As a life-long agriculture teacher and operator of a family agribusiness, I understand the issues and the needs of this vital Texas industry. For far too long this office has been ignored and used only as a ladder for those with higher political aspirations.
The people of Texas have paid the price.
We are paying for gas that never makes it to our cars because gas pumps in the state have not been checked for accuracy in years. We are paying for vegetables and meats that never make it to our tables because the scales in grocery stores have likewise been neglected.
These are only a few responsibilities of the Commissioner of Agriculture—but they affect all Texans on a daily basis.
There are many, many more complex and important issues—natural resource conservation, food safety, monitoring and inspection of NAFTA border commerce, bio-terrorism and environmental protection—all involving the Texas Department of Agriculture and all important to each and every Texan.
My name is Hank Gilbert and Agriculture Commissioner is the only job I want. I am asking for your vote.
On the other hand, Hank Gilbert has been involved with agriculture all his life. Hank is not interested in a political career, but in seeing that the Agriculture Department is operated for the benefit of the citizens of Texas. Hank has experience as a rancher, a businessman, and a teacher. He understands agriculture from both the producer's viewpoint and the consumer's viewpoint.
Many urbanites don't pay much attention to the race for Agriculture Commissioner in the belief that the Ag Commissioner really doesn't have much to do with their lives. They are wrong. As Hank says, "If you eat, if you use gas in your car, if you wear clothes, literally if you breathe the air or drink the water in Texas, you should care about the election for Agriculture Commissioner.
No matter who your choice for governor is, I ask you to consider voting for Hank Gilbert for Agriculture Commissioner. Below, I have reprinted a short message from Hank to the voters of Texas:
My name is Hank Gilbert and I'm running for Texas Agriculture Commissioner -- it's the only job I want.
As a life-long agriculture teacher and operator of a family agribusiness, I understand the issues and the needs of this vital Texas industry. For far too long this office has been ignored and used only as a ladder for those with higher political aspirations.
The people of Texas have paid the price.
We are paying for gas that never makes it to our cars because gas pumps in the state have not been checked for accuracy in years. We are paying for vegetables and meats that never make it to our tables because the scales in grocery stores have likewise been neglected.
These are only a few responsibilities of the Commissioner of Agriculture—but they affect all Texans on a daily basis.
There are many, many more complex and important issues—natural resource conservation, food safety, monitoring and inspection of NAFTA border commerce, bio-terrorism and environmental protection—all involving the Texas Department of Agriculture and all important to each and every Texan.
My name is Hank Gilbert and Agriculture Commissioner is the only job I want. I am asking for your vote.
Cowboys' Play Is Embarassing Against Giants
The Dallas Cowboys blew a golden opportunity Monday night. They went into last night tied with the New York Giants at 3-2, and the game's winner would be alone in first place in the East Division of the NFL. But it was not to be for the Cowboys. They lost to the Giants 36-22, and dropped their record for the year to 3-3.
This loss was a team effort. Neither the offense nor the defense played well. The offense could not run or pass, and the Giants rush got to the quarterback far too often. In fact, the offense played so poorly that Coach Parcells replaced starting quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, with his back-up, Tony Romo, for the second half. It didn't help. Romo played just as poorly, and had three passes intercepted. But this was not just the quarterbacks playing poorly. The offensive line couldn't seem to block anyone for the run or the pass. Runners were stopped for no gain too often, and the receivers could not seem to get open most of the time. Even T.O. dropped two passes that definitely should have been caught.
Speaking of T.O., when are we going to get to see the "great receiver" that he's supposed to be. So far, T.O. has been just an average receiver for the Cowboys. We've seen the injuries and the complaining, but very little of the "greatness".
I don't want to let the defense off the hook either. They played very poorly. They went into the game as the league leader against the run, but Tiki Barber just ran the ball down their throats, and became the first runner this year to run for 100 yards against the Cowboys. The pass rush was anemic again, giving the Giants enough time to make multiple big plays. This certainly did not look like the awesome defense they were supposed to be.
At the beginning of the season, I thought the Cowboys had a very good team. Last night has me rethinking that. So far this season, they have been a very average football team. Unless they get a lot better quickly, there will be no playoffs for this year.
It doesn't get any easier next week. On Sunday night, the Cowboys will go to Carolina to play the Panthers. Carolina is a very good team, and if the Cowboys play like they did last night, they will be embarassed again.
This loss was a team effort. Neither the offense nor the defense played well. The offense could not run or pass, and the Giants rush got to the quarterback far too often. In fact, the offense played so poorly that Coach Parcells replaced starting quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, with his back-up, Tony Romo, for the second half. It didn't help. Romo played just as poorly, and had three passes intercepted. But this was not just the quarterbacks playing poorly. The offensive line couldn't seem to block anyone for the run or the pass. Runners were stopped for no gain too often, and the receivers could not seem to get open most of the time. Even T.O. dropped two passes that definitely should have been caught.
Speaking of T.O., when are we going to get to see the "great receiver" that he's supposed to be. So far, T.O. has been just an average receiver for the Cowboys. We've seen the injuries and the complaining, but very little of the "greatness".
I don't want to let the defense off the hook either. They played very poorly. They went into the game as the league leader against the run, but Tiki Barber just ran the ball down their throats, and became the first runner this year to run for 100 yards against the Cowboys. The pass rush was anemic again, giving the Giants enough time to make multiple big plays. This certainly did not look like the awesome defense they were supposed to be.
At the beginning of the season, I thought the Cowboys had a very good team. Last night has me rethinking that. So far this season, they have been a very average football team. Unless they get a lot better quickly, there will be no playoffs for this year.
It doesn't get any easier next week. On Sunday night, the Cowboys will go to Carolina to play the Panthers. Carolina is a very good team, and if the Cowboys play like they did last night, they will be embarassed again.
Kinky Favors Political Reform
I have talked about several of Kinky's stands on different issues, but today we examine probably the most important issue - political reform. Kinky has four proposals in his political reform agenda, that he hopes would take Texas out of the hands of the corporations and give it back to the citizens. As Kinky has said, "Politics is the only field where the more experience you have, the worse you get. It's time to clean house."
Kinky's first proposal is to institute a program of Initiative & Referendum. If the state government will not address issues important to ordinary citizens, this would allow the citizens to initiate a vote on issues. Several states already have this and it seems to be working well. Kinky believes, "Real political reforms occur when citizens are able to place their own initiatives on the ballot."
The second plank of Kinky's reform agenda would be to institute Same Day Voter Registration. This would allow a person to register and then to vote on the same day. Experience in other states has shown that this increases voter participation from 5% to 25%. With all our modern technology, there is no reason to have to register a month or more before an election in order to vote. Kinky believes we should be making it easier for Texans to vote - not harder.
The third plank of Kinky's reform agenda may be the most important. Kinky would like to introduce Publically Funded Campaigns. In today's campaigns, a politician is bought and paid for by the corporations before he ever takes office. Modern campaigns cost so much money that a candidate must either be rich, or he must sell out to monied interests. Publically funded campaigns would solve this. This would once again open public service to all citizens. Kinky would pay for this with surcharges and registration fees on lobbyists.
Kinky's last plank is Lobbying Reform. Kinky says we must, "Prohibit any Texas elected official or Texas state employee from becoming a lobbyist in Texas for two years from the time they leave or retire from the state." Under the current system, a public official can sell out the state and be rewarded immediately with a very lucrative lobbying job. Public service was never meant to be the key to becoming rich. We must stop these back-door payoffs.
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Kinky voted early yesterday at the Kerr County courthouse. When asked who he voted for, Kinky replied, "I voted for Kinky. I like where the guy stands on most of the issues."
The election is now upon us, and I urge all Kinky supporters to be sure you make it to the polls. If you can, vote early, but please vote! Kinky needs you, and so does Texas.
Kinky's first proposal is to institute a program of Initiative & Referendum. If the state government will not address issues important to ordinary citizens, this would allow the citizens to initiate a vote on issues. Several states already have this and it seems to be working well. Kinky believes, "Real political reforms occur when citizens are able to place their own initiatives on the ballot."
The second plank of Kinky's reform agenda would be to institute Same Day Voter Registration. This would allow a person to register and then to vote on the same day. Experience in other states has shown that this increases voter participation from 5% to 25%. With all our modern technology, there is no reason to have to register a month or more before an election in order to vote. Kinky believes we should be making it easier for Texans to vote - not harder.
The third plank of Kinky's reform agenda may be the most important. Kinky would like to introduce Publically Funded Campaigns. In today's campaigns, a politician is bought and paid for by the corporations before he ever takes office. Modern campaigns cost so much money that a candidate must either be rich, or he must sell out to monied interests. Publically funded campaigns would solve this. This would once again open public service to all citizens. Kinky would pay for this with surcharges and registration fees on lobbyists.
Kinky's last plank is Lobbying Reform. Kinky says we must, "Prohibit any Texas elected official or Texas state employee from becoming a lobbyist in Texas for two years from the time they leave or retire from the state." Under the current system, a public official can sell out the state and be rewarded immediately with a very lucrative lobbying job. Public service was never meant to be the key to becoming rich. We must stop these back-door payoffs.
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Kinky voted early yesterday at the Kerr County courthouse. When asked who he voted for, Kinky replied, "I voted for Kinky. I like where the guy stands on most of the issues."
The election is now upon us, and I urge all Kinky supporters to be sure you make it to the polls. If you can, vote early, but please vote! Kinky needs you, and so does Texas.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Lyle Lovett To Perform At Benefit For Kinky
Another musician has come out to try and help Kinky Friedman in his bid to be elected governor of Texas. Texas singer and songwriter, Lyle Lovett, will be performing at a benefit for Kinky on Wednesday, October 25th, from 7:00pm until 10:30pm. The event is hosted by Carolyn Farb at 1814 Larchmont Road in Houston. There is a limited amount of space, but reservations can be made by contacting Kay Wicall at 512-326-5465 or 512-947-9642, or you can contact her by computer at kay@kinkyfriedman.com. This one is kind of expensive though - a minimum donation of $1000 is expected.
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