Small Town News

The light at the end of the tunnel

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KYLE CITY LIMITS

In light of this newspaper's merciful policy of calling a political truce the two weeks before any election, it is absolutely without chagrin that I put my final two cents in and close up these festering files. I'm glad it's almost over. I'm not even worried about the outcome.

I think that the honest, diligent folks amongst us will survive - especially those candidates with that tea-party-loathed "experience," like Doggett and Rose. They've proven themselves over and over and voting against them would be like shooting yourself in the foot. It's just not prudent to clean house with a blow torch.

An interesting fact which I discovered while perusing the voter's guide, though: Of the 10 incumbents running completely unopposed, five of them are Democrats and the other five are Republican. How's that for balance?

And as involved as I feel that I am in the whole political scene, when I printed out November's sample ballot last week, it was nine pages long with names of candidates I didn't even recognize, running for offices I was totally unfamiliar with. And although I had been watching Ray Bryant's tenacity in his bid for County Commissioner, I had only a vague idea that we were going to be voting on candidates vying to head commissions with oddly nondescript monikers like Agriculture, Railroad (which, ironically, has nothing to do with trains), and the General Land Office (not to be confused with the specific land office).

And while we're at it, it looks like we're in the market for a surveyor, a comptroller, a sheriff and a couple of different clerks. And judges and justices? Jesus, there's a jillion (sorry, I just liked the alliteration). But, honestly, there are 17 open slots on our courts - from supreme to criminal to civil - and it seems like it would be judicious to get to know a bit about these candidates in light of the fact that they're going to be making decisions about your life on all kinds of levels.

Which leads us to the State Board of Education which is in the process of making decisions about our children's education. Reality-challenged Ken Mercer has once again publicly decried evolution by writing an op-ed piece in the San Antonio Express News stating: "For example, have you ever seen a dog-cat, or a cat-rat?" What?

Then, to keep those late-night talk show jokes about Texas coming, in response to a question on his stance regarding comprehensive sex education at age-appropriate levels, he spouted: "We want kids to be aware of what's out there, but we do not want a 'how to' manual." God, I just shudder every time he opens his mouth.

Luckily, we have Rebecca Bell-Metereau at the ready. Level-headed and pragmatic, this Fulbright Scholar will be the ballast the State Board of Education needs. In this specific race, Bell-Metereau is a no-brainer.

Onward and upward, which leads us to our wispy gubernatorial race which has been a head-scratcher from the get-go. We have accrued a mammoth debt. Environmentally, Texas is trashing our planet on par with entire countries around the world. We rank fourth in teen pregnancies nationwide with the highest high school dropout rate to match. I won't even venture into the cronyism and substandard ethics oozing out of the governor's rental mansion. Perry's closetful of skeletons is so bloated he isn't even trying to keep them cloaked anymore.

And White just stands there grinning like a country boy even though, with the hand he's been dealt, he should be feeling armed and dangerous. We all know that it's time for Perry to just "git on down the road" and join the ranks of all the fat cats and bureaucrats that he's been making richer and more undeservingly influential these past 10 years. And to start picking up his own tab for that $10,000-a-month mansion he's lounging around in.

White has the smarts and the integrity to make this state a better place for all of us and we just need to give him the opportunity to do it. I guess it's hard to get out of the shadow of Mr. Charisma's swaggering bravado when you are, honestly, just an intelligent, decent man with a plan.

So, finally this is it. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Take a look at the campaign signs in your neighbor's yard. Open up a dialogue, get information and talk about issues that concern you. Check out the voter's guides in the Hays Free Press and the Austin American Statesman. Early voting has already begun and will run seven days a week through October 29.

Through it all, though, you need to keep in mind that there's a straight path which leads from the marble steps of the nation's capitol to the granite steps of our state and county court houses, to the wooden steps leading up to your front porch. This election effects every single one of us. Use your voice.

brenda@haysfreepress.com



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© 2010 The Free Press Buda, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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