2010 Gubernatorial Endorsement

Well, without any further fanfare, I am hereby endorsing Rick Perry for Governor of the Great State of Texas. Granted, this is not the strongest of endorsements, since Perry has had his share of screwups. But, why is he being endorsed? Simple--there are two reasons. First, because through the economic crisis that has swept the country, Texas has maintained one of the strongest economies, and lowest unemployment rate, and I think at least some of the credit should go to our Governor. The main reason is that there simply is no one else whom I can support. Larry Kilgore is a joke. Debra Medina supported Ron Paul, which in my mind makes her a joke as well. Kay Bailey Hutchinson claims to be a fiscal conservative, even though she voted for the 700 billion dollar bailout. She is also pro-choice (don't believe me? Go here), and I absolutely refuse to support a pro-choice candidate under any circumstances. So, in light of the other options, vote for Rick Perry for Governor!

Interview with Larry Kilgore

Here is my interview with Larry Kilgore--take it as you wish.

Q: I have read some on Wikipedia about you, but it was pretty limited, so tell me about
yourself. Schooling (primary and secondary)? School age programs and awards? Family? Career?
A: I was born and raised in Amarillo Texas across the street from Mesa Verde Elementary School where I attended school in the first grade. Due to the United States government forced busing program, I attended Robert E Lee Elementary three miles away during second through sixth grade. I attended Travis Junior High, Palo Duro High and Amarillo College. I was very involved in the Royal Ambassadors Program at First Baptist Church. I was employed at Sutphen's BBQ, Peking Chinese Restaurant and McKenzie's Interior Design.

At age nineteen I enlisted in the United States Air Force. After completing basic training, I attended electronics school at Keesler AFB. I served in Lajes Field, Portugal and Cheyenne Mountain NORAD. While at NORAD I volunteered to wear a key to participate in the launch of nuclear weapons if so ordered. After serving in the Air Force as a NCO, I started a career in wireless communications.

In 1989 I married my virtuous wife, Valerie. We have three teenage children. My 17 year old daughter and 15 year old son have graduated from home school and my 13 year old son is participating in athletics in government (public) school.

Q: You got 150,000 votes last election (in round numbers), how did you do it? How big was your campaign? Are you trying to replicate the "magic"?
A: Actually I received 226,649 votes in the 2008 Republican Primary. Money raised totaled 0.03% of what the opponent received. However, votes received totaled 18.5% of what the opponent received. The reason there was such a large vote percentage for myself without the advantage of large donations was due to Texans' desire for freedom via secession. And secession is still my main issue.

Q: Against Rick Perry raising $4 million in just 9 days, do you think you are a good enough fundraiser to compete?
A: Perry or Hutchison will win the fund raising war. However elections are won by votes and not by money.

Q: Do any "big name" Texans support you?
A: One thing I like about social networks is the ability to quickly identify supporters. And all of them are important, even the "small name" people.

Q: Texas Secession--why?
A: Washington continues to ignore the 10th amendment and Texas is not in a suicide pact with the US government. Until Texas independence, Washington's mandates on transportation, education, housing, health care and family issues will continue. Texas GOP Platform page 8 and 20: "We support state sovereignty reserved under the Tenth Amendment and oppose mandates beyond the scope of federal authority. We support downsizing of the federal government in order to re-establish states’ rights."

Q: Do you really consider the state to be a slave to the US?
A: Yes. 76% of the Texas budget is education, health & human services. And we receive federal funds for these programs only if we obey their mandates. Texas government has been overruled by US on the issues of alcohol, drugs, abortion, adultery, marriage, sodomy, death penalty, education, housing, employment, etc. Texans currently have no jurisdiction on Security, Immigration or Trade Agreements. Texans are forced to participate in Social Security & Medicare. Yes, Texans are slaves to the US government.

Q: Would the US really let its second largest state just leave?
A: The USSR peaceably separated and the USA can accomplish the same feat. The US Congress will need to work on a separation plan so the US government will be prepared to fairly and equitably divide assets & liabilities with states that request independence.

Q: Besides Texas Secession, what sets you apart from the other candidates?
A: Secession is so huge an issue that all others pale in comparison. I have not heard the other candidates speak about issues involved in running a new country with a new constitution.

Q: Perhaps I should rephrase that. Besides secession, what are your "pet peeves"?
A: Unlike my opponents I actually have a plan that will allow local communities to make decisions for themselves on the issues of Education, Health Care, Criminal Justice, retirement, etc. The other candidates may want to do something about these issue, but I am the only one offering a viable solution.

Q: What do you think of the other candidates (Perry, Medina, Hutchinson)?
A: Any of the candidates mentioned would probably do a wonderful job leading the nation of Texas via the parameters provided in the new Texas constitution. However, unless they pursue secession they will just become a slave governor reporting to their US masters.

Q: Do you honestly think you can win, or are you just trying to pull the discussion your way?
A: 2006 was Goliad. 2008 was the Alamo. 2010 is San Jacinto.

Q: If someone wanted to donate money or volunteer for your campaign, how would he/she go about it?
A: To volunteer or donate please visit www.larrykilgore.com or email info@larrykilgore.com or call 817-453-5744.

Heads-up

I am just giving all of y'all a heads up, keep watching the blog--in the next couple of days, I will be posting an interview that I was able to conduct with Larry Kilgore (candidate for Texas governor).

Minor(ish) Candidates

Debra Medina:
I must admit, I had never heard of Debra Medina until someone commented on a post of mine, and told me to check her out. So, I did. Unfortunately, I could not find out too much about her, but what I did was this. She is from Beeville Texas, with two children. Her education includes a Nursing Degree from Baptist Memorial Hospital System, and a Bachelor of Science and Business Management from Le Tourneau University. Apparently she is currently the President/CEO of Prudentia, a medical claims management firm. She is the chairwoman of the Wharton County Republican Party. As far as I can tell, she has never held office. Reading the "issues" section of her website, she sounds like pretty typical Republican fare. That is until I read two things, first she wants Texans to use ballot initiative to force Republican candidates to support, or at least not harm, the Republican platform. The second is that she was the state director for Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty. Now, I have this thing against Ron Paul since he and his supporters usually come across as moonbats. And before the election, I would have supported the ballot initiative idea, but I saw that the Democrats have a winning idea with allowing people to adjust to their districts, to be able to take the other party's turf. So, that is two strikes against her, in my book. However, it is still to far away from the election to pass judgement, so I will wait, and learn more about her before I decide who I am gonna support.

Larry Kilgore:
You can sum Larry Kilgore up in two words: Texas Seccession. I do believe that is enough to say about him, but I will give you his background regardless. He is from Amarrillo. He served in the USAF from 1984-88. He has run for a variety of offices, from congress (in CO) to US Senate against John Cornyn, but has never won. Here is a complete list:

• Colorado Republican Primary HD40 1994
• Colorado Republican Primary HD40 1996
• Colorado Constitution Party General Election HD40 1998
• Texas Republican Primary HD93 2004
• Texas Republican Primary Governor 2006
• Texas Republican Primary US Senate 2008
• Texas Republican Primary Governor 2010

It is not to early to make a call about Kilgore: no. While I respect that he is very religious, seccession is absolutely the wrong course of action to take, at the moment.

Kinky Friedman:
How could it be a race for Gov without him? Well, he is running again, this time around trying to get the Democratic nomination. Kinky was born in 1944, and was a singer/comedian, as well as a novelist, and a columnist for Texas Monthly. He gained notoriety for his 2006 campaign for Governor, featuring the themes of "How Hard Could It Be?" and "Why The Hell Not?" He gained 12.6% of the vote, to come in fourth. He has also run (1986) for Justice of the Peace in Kerrville, but, predictably, lost. As I said, he will be running as a Democrat, which is good, since many of his ideas are more towards the Democratic side. He is pro-choice, anti-death penalty, and pro-gay marriage. And being a joke, he should be a perfect fit over there.

Texas Governor's Race 2010 (Continuation)

Well, I must admit something to you. I incorrectly predicted which race would be the really big one. I assumed that it would be for the Governor's Mansion, but I was wrong. The big race for 2010 (or a special election before that) is for Kay's Senate seat. Several of my main ideas for candidates have announced, or are discussing a run for her Senate seat (Michael Williams, Roger Williams, Greg Abbot, David Dewhurst, Bill White, etc). So, this post will conclude my analysis of the Governor's Race. I will soon start analyzing the Senate race.

Kay Bailey Hutchinson

Kay Bailey Hutchinson. Everyone has been talking about her. But who really knows who she is? Hutchinson was born on July 22^nd, 1943. She was raised in Texas City. She went to University of Texas, and got a Law degree. She was unable to get a job as a lawyer, and so she started working for a Houston news channel as a reporter. In 1972, she was elected to the State House, its first Republican woman. In 1990, she was elected to the office of State Treasurer. This was in a Republican year, which also swept Perry into office. Her big break came in 1993, when Lloyd Bentsen resigned his seat to become Secretary of the Treasury. In the election to finish his term, she won with 29%. In the runoff, she won 67% of the vote. Hutchinson cruised to easy victories every time she has run for re-election. In 2006, she became chairwoman of the Republican Conference, widely considered to be the number 3 position in the Republican leadership ladder. In 2008, she announced that she would not seek re-election to her leadership post, and that she would retire in 2010. On December 4^th, she formed an exploratory committee for a gubernatorial run in 2010.

Hutchinson is an extremely popular Republican who stands a good chance of defeating Perry. Perry really has only one issue that h can use. Kay Bailey Hutchinson is mildly pro-choice. This is unknown to most Republicans, and is a serious problem if they can be told that she is. She was a member of WISH List, which is the largest PAC for pro-choice Republican women. She has stated that she does not believe that abortion should be outlawed, and that Roe v. Wade was the correct decision by the Supreme Court. This is extremely alarming for me, as an ultra-conservative. I am extremely unhappy with Rick Perry, but I simply cannot support someone who is pro-choice. I will feel a little more sure about her if she resigns her seat. Soon.

Texas Governor's Race 2010

2010 Texas Gubernatorial Candidates

With the election over, it is time to start looking at the future. I will start discussing the 2010 gubernatorial election. I will be discussing each candidate, posting my article on each, one at a time. I will order the article with the first part being a biography of the politician, and the second part being my analysis of their chances. One thing is for sure: this election is going to be a battle of heavy weights, and it will be played for keeps. At the time of this writing, it appears that at least three of our most powerful politicians will be running, leaving only one of them an office when this is over. This will also create some room for younger politicians to move up the political “food chain” into the vacant offices.

Rick Perry

Rick Perry was born on March 4^th 1950, near the family ranch in Paint Creek, Texas. He received his Eagle Scout, and then went to Texas A&M University to study Animal Science, hoping to become a veterinarian. Becoming a veterinarian didn’t pan out, but he did spend time as a yell leader at A&M, a coveted position. After school he spent five years piloting C-130s in the Air Force. In 1977 he returned to the family ranch to take up the family trade. In 1984, he won his first public office, as a state representative. He was elected as a Democrat. He remained a Democrat until 1989, when he was passed up for a leadership position, and then switched parties. In 1990, an up and coming political consultant named Karl Rove saw an empty suit where he could put hi talents to work. Perry became one of his creations, and ran for his first statewide office, winning a surprise victory for the position of Agriculture Commissioner against a popular incumbent. This was one of the first signs that the Democrats’ control of the state was starting to fade. In 1998, Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock announced that he was retiring, and Perry announced that he would run for the seat. Now, in many lesser states, the office of Lieutenant Governor is nothing more than an honorary, meaningless office. However, in Texas, the Lt. Governor is more powerful than the Governor, because no legislation can come to the Senate floor, and sub-sequentially be passes, without his personal approval. This puts him in an excellent bargaining position. He served in this office until 2000, when Governor George Bush resigned to become President. Perry survived his re-election, coasting to a 58%-40% victory even though he was outspent by more than 2 to 1. One of his more controversial issues was his role in forcing through the new redistricting plan that was masterminded by Tom Delay. He also pushed through a plan for a new superhighway from Dallas, through Austin, to the Mexican border. This was approved, but two years later, was stopped by the state legislature. The most controversial issue, was when he signed an executive order requiring all Texas teenage girls to receive the HPV vaccination. This made the conservative state incredibly angry, with the state legislature overturning his order with an almost unanimous vote. He won re-election in a 4 way race, with a 39% “majority”. This has caused his nickname of “Governor Goodhair” to be replaced with “39% Perry”. On December 21^st, he will become the longest serving governor in Texas history.

Perry has many problems with the conservative base of the Republican party, and must survive a definite nomination battle. However, he does have a few advantages. First, is that he has a fundraising advantage, with over insert number million dollars. Second, he is the sitting governor of the state which will cause many loyalists to vote for him. Third, he is 100% pro-life, which is in opposition to one of his primary opponents.

Hutchinson forms exploratory committee

Well, no surprise, but Kay Bailey Hutchinson has formed an exploratory committee to look into a possible gubernatorial run. So, everybody knew that she was going to do this, so the fight is now on. Personally, I am waiting to see if she resigns her Senate seat to prove that she really wants this job. If she does not, she may have a hard time convincing me to support her.

Texas Governor's Race 2010 Part 1

Texas Governor’s Race 2010

The race for Governor in 2010 has started to have almost as much speculation as the 2008 elections. I will discuss many of the possibilities. These fall onto two groups: announced, and potential candidates. I have split it into two parts to publish.

Announced Candidates

Rick Perry

Rick Perry is, at the time of this writing, the only announced candidate. Rick Perry is currently the longest serving Governor in Texas history. His candidacy for a third four-year term is unprecedented in Texas, in fact, he had to announce, after his official announcement, that he was indeed really running. He won his last general election victory with only thirty nine percent of the vote. Since he became Governor in December of 2000, he has become characterized as a RINO, Republican In Name Only. He did, in fact, only become a Republican in 1989 after being passed up by the Democrats for a leadership position in the Texas Legislature. He has served the state as a Texas Legislator (1984-90), Agricultural Commissioner (1990-98), Lieutenant Governor (1998-2000), and Governor (2000-Present). Quite a resume. He has hurt his support among conservatives with his support for the Trans-Texas Corridor, support for raising the business tax (to lower the property tax), and his Executive Order requiring all young ladies eleven and older to be immunized for HPV. The word on the street is that Perry, or as his opponents call him, Governor Good Hair, will not be re-nominated by the Republicans.

Non-Committal Possibilities

Kay Bailey Hutchinson

Kay Bailey Hutchinson is the senior Senator from Texas. She was first elected to the State House in 1972, where she served until 1976. After that, she served as State Treasurer from 1990-1993 (that office was dissolved in 1994). She was elected to the Senate in June 1993 where she is still serving. She has been making noises about running, however, there is a large chunk of conservatives who will not support her because she is mildly pro-choice. It is widely thought that she will be the Republican nominee, and since she won re-election with 62% of the vote, she would probably be elected.

John Cornyn

John Cornyn is the junior Senator from Texas. He has served as San Antonio District Judge (1984-90), Texas Supreme Court Justice (1990-97), Attorney General (1998-2002) and Senator (2002-Present). Unlike most of the people listed here, Cornyn has made absolutely no indication that he will run. He is, however, the dream candidate of the very large, very powerful, conservative faction of the Republican Party.

David Dewhurst

David Dewhurst is currently serving as Lt. Governor of Texas. He is widely thought to be considering a run. His main problem is that he has been seen as being to cozy with lobbyists. However, if he does not run he will most probably be forced to fight a fierce fight for re-nomination for Lt. Governor.

Dan Patrick

Dan Patrick is the State Senator from District 7, in Houston. Patrick is seen by many as the savior of the Republican conservatives. He owns two radio stations, one in Dallas, and one in Houston, so he is able to spread his message pretty easily. He has shown his political muscle in the defeat of his political enemy, Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale. This did anger many conservatives around the state. He has also opposed the attempt by popular Houston State Representative Charlie Howard to run for a State Senate seat. One of his supporters has put a fifty foot sign along I-10 urging a Draft Dan Patrick movement, an organization has also been founded for this purpose, however, it has never left the ground. Dan Patrick would be a very formidable candidate.