Getting Political in Tomball
Yesterday afternoon I took a leisurely drive out to the northwest side of town to the community of Tomball, Texas. Well, perhaps “leisurely” is not quite the right term – I actually crept for almost two hours through the afternoon “rush hour” of Houston to get there. But the destination was worth the trip.
Yesterday evening I attended my first political rally ever. I have been an active voter since I was old enough to register, even voting absentee from oversees during the last presidential election, but that had always been the extent of my involvement. (Other than the occasional issue blog, of course.) Yesterday I took the next step in becoming active in government, one which will undoubtedly lead to more and more active involvement.
Yesterday in Tomball, conservative radio talk show host Dan Patrick made his official announcement that he is running for election for the Texas Senate, District 7. Dan, who is also the owner of KSEV Radio (700 AM in the Houston metropolitan area), would most likely be best remembered by most of my local readers as the sports guy on KHOU Channel 11 from the early 1980s. Dan has been an active member of the Houston community since he arrived in the fall of ’79, and can even be credited (or blamed, depending on your point of view) for bringing conservative talk radio to Houston. But back to Tomball...
I will admit that I was a bit nervous when I first walked into the Main Street Crossing, where the event was being hosted. I noticed right away that mine seemed to be the darkest skin in the place, but I quickly realized that no one else seemed to notice the same thing. While I was greeted warmly at the door with a handshake and a campaign sticker, most everyone else had their eyes focused on the platform at the front of the hall where Dan Patrick, fellow radio host Edd Hendee and our Harris County Tax Collector Paul Bettencourt were holding court.
As those who know me would expect, I first made my way straight to the food. (Chips, sandwiches and some of the best pepperoni pizza I’ve had in a while were the main offerings.) Next I found an empty spot (standing room only) and started listening as Dan talked about why he decided to join the political fray.
As outlined in his “Patrick Pact with Texas,” Dan’s campaign platform is simple. And it parallels what he has been preaching over the airwaves for several years now. And despite your political leanings, I cannot help but think that most of those reading this would agree with these goals:
1. Reduce the financial burden on Texas homeowners caused by uninhibited tax growth. Too many in our community have seen their taxes increase each year until they can no longer afford to live in the home that has housed their families for years.
2. Secure the Texas border and stem the flood of illegal immigration. The financial burden and increase in crime caused by the increasing flow of illegal immigrates through our southern border threatens to overwhelm our entire state. According to Dan, “Until we stop the illegal flow of people coming in this country, our property taxes will continue to go up, our school taxes will go up, the cost of health care will go up.” And when you add to that the ability of foreign terrorists to steal into the country due to the same lack of enforcement of current laws, we must all be concerned about the border situation.
3. Reform education funding to concentrate more of the money on actually educating our children. The local school budgets, administration and building expenses have grown exponentially, while less and less attention and funding are being given to the teachers and the education of our young people.
4. Put the people before the legislative payroll. In the last state legislative session, absolutely nothing was done to ease the tax burden on the people, despite the urgings of grassroots efforts like CLOUT Texas (Citizens for Lowering Our Unfair Taxes), or to pass meaningful education reform. Yet at the same time, the Texas House and Senate managed to pass legislation to increase their own pensions by approximately 22 percent to almost three times that earned by veteran Texas teachers, and four to five times that received by the members of the United States military who have devoted their lives to protected our lives and our freedom.
As you can see, it is time to get involved in local politics. I’m not saying you have to vote for Dan Patrick. But get involved. Vote! Contact your own elected representatives. Let them know how you feel about the issues that are plaguing our city, state and nation today. And encourage your family, friends and neighbors to do the same. Get political, and get active. I know I will.
To check your current voter’s registration information and get a list of your current elected representatives, click here. To get information about registering to vote, click here. And for a list of contact information on elected officials, from the President all the way down to Texas state representatives, click here.
Yesterday evening I attended my first political rally ever. I have been an active voter since I was old enough to register, even voting absentee from oversees during the last presidential election, but that had always been the extent of my involvement. (Other than the occasional issue blog, of course.) Yesterday I took the next step in becoming active in government, one which will undoubtedly lead to more and more active involvement.
Yesterday in Tomball, conservative radio talk show host Dan Patrick made his official announcement that he is running for election for the Texas Senate, District 7. Dan, who is also the owner of KSEV Radio (700 AM in the Houston metropolitan area), would most likely be best remembered by most of my local readers as the sports guy on KHOU Channel 11 from the early 1980s. Dan has been an active member of the Houston community since he arrived in the fall of ’79, and can even be credited (or blamed, depending on your point of view) for bringing conservative talk radio to Houston. But back to Tomball...I will admit that I was a bit nervous when I first walked into the Main Street Crossing, where the event was being hosted. I noticed right away that mine seemed to be the darkest skin in the place, but I quickly realized that no one else seemed to notice the same thing. While I was greeted warmly at the door with a handshake and a campaign sticker, most everyone else had their eyes focused on the platform at the front of the hall where Dan Patrick, fellow radio host Edd Hendee and our Harris County Tax Collector Paul Bettencourt were holding court.
As those who know me would expect, I first made my way straight to the food. (Chips, sandwiches and some of the best pepperoni pizza I’ve had in a while were the main offerings.) Next I found an empty spot (standing room only) and started listening as Dan talked about why he decided to join the political fray.
As outlined in his “Patrick Pact with Texas,” Dan’s campaign platform is simple. And it parallels what he has been preaching over the airwaves for several years now. And despite your political leanings, I cannot help but think that most of those reading this would agree with these goals:
1. Reduce the financial burden on Texas homeowners caused by uninhibited tax growth. Too many in our community have seen their taxes increase each year until they can no longer afford to live in the home that has housed their families for years.
2. Secure the Texas border and stem the flood of illegal immigration. The financial burden and increase in crime caused by the increasing flow of illegal immigrates through our southern border threatens to overwhelm our entire state. According to Dan, “Until we stop the illegal flow of people coming in this country, our property taxes will continue to go up, our school taxes will go up, the cost of health care will go up.” And when you add to that the ability of foreign terrorists to steal into the country due to the same lack of enforcement of current laws, we must all be concerned about the border situation.
3. Reform education funding to concentrate more of the money on actually educating our children. The local school budgets, administration and building expenses have grown exponentially, while less and less attention and funding are being given to the teachers and the education of our young people.
4. Put the people before the legislative payroll. In the last state legislative session, absolutely nothing was done to ease the tax burden on the people, despite the urgings of grassroots efforts like CLOUT Texas (Citizens for Lowering Our Unfair Taxes), or to pass meaningful education reform. Yet at the same time, the Texas House and Senate managed to pass legislation to increase their own pensions by approximately 22 percent to almost three times that earned by veteran Texas teachers, and four to five times that received by the members of the United States military who have devoted their lives to protected our lives and our freedom.
As you can see, it is time to get involved in local politics. I’m not saying you have to vote for Dan Patrick. But get involved. Vote! Contact your own elected representatives. Let them know how you feel about the issues that are plaguing our city, state and nation today. And encourage your family, friends and neighbors to do the same. Get political, and get active. I know I will.
To check your current voter’s registration information and get a list of your current elected representatives, click here. To get information about registering to vote, click here. And for a list of contact information on elected officials, from the President all the way down to Texas state representatives, click here.
Posted by Songbird at 5:12 PM
1 Comments:
YEA! we have gumption in the Governors office. It is about time.
Thanks I am one true supporter of Texas..LET ROLL!
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