Campaign Watch

Strayhorn endorsed by Independent Texans

Independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Strayhorn received the endorsement of Independent Texans Wednesday.
The group is the only political organization representing independent voters in Texas.
“Independent Texans is a ‘fusion outfit,’ Independent Texan founder Linda Curtis said.
“We support candidates of any party affiliation that we believe will recognize the state’s 4.2 million independent voters and the fastest growing voting block”
Strayhorn received an overwhelming 87 percent of Independent Texans’ votes for endorsement.
“We are with Carole not simply because we like her, but because we like that she is preparing with us for a durable long-term movement to clean up and open up Texas politics,” Curtis said. “What’s more, Carole has demonstrated, for several years now that she knows who we are because she’s one of us. We are not just swing voters with no particular overriding concerns. In fact we are united to put an end to the petty partisanship which is killing American democracy.”
Strayhorn said she was pleased to receive the groups’ endorsement.
“I am honored to receive the endorsement of Independent Texans,” Strayhorn said. “I pledge to put principles above politics and people before parties and to help Texans win their most powerful political reform tool -- statewide initiative and referendum. In addition, as an independent, I continue to challenge all the candidates running, in all races, to support initiative and referendum along with an independent redistricting commission. Our political leaders need to be independent and to focus on the state’s real critical issues of our children, our elderly, education, health care, and fiscal responsibility rather than partisan power struggles. For too long, Texans have made it clear they want real concerns solved not studied, and they want the opportunity to make them the law of the land.”
Initiative and referendum, the right of the citizenry to override their legislature through petitioning for a vote of the people, has been enjoyed by citizens in 24 mostly western states for over a century.
Texans have I&R rights only at the municipal level.
Along with Strayhorn, independent candidate Kinky Friedman received 9 percent of the support of Independent Texans.
Libertarian James Werner received 2 percent and the remaining 2 percent abstained in the endorsement vote.
Although Rick Perry and the Democratic nominee, Chris Bell were on our ballot, neither received any support.

Kinky to speak at Equity Center

Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman is scheduled to speak at the 6th Annual Seminar on School Finance and Legal Issues on July 21-22 at the Austin Marriott North in Round Rock.
According to a spokesman for the seminar, “this seminar has consistently broken the mold for financial and legal conferences by providing attendees with not only captivating and knowledgeable speakers, but solid, personalized, hands-on information that can be utilized immediately upon returning to the district.”

Bell criticizes Perry for ignoring Texas veterans

At the 86th Annual State Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars last week, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Chris Bell criticized Gov. Rick Perry for failing to provide tax relief to more than half a million disabled and elderly veterans and refusing to fund stem cell research while Texas veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from brain and spinal cord injuries.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are around 1.7 million veterans in Texas, including 558,787 veterans who are senior citizens and therefore ineligible for the property tax relief promised by Perry. This omission disproportionately harms Texas’ veteran population, since the number of veterans over 65 is expected to double over the next 10 years.
“The lobbyists for the oil and gas companies and the utilities got a $400 million tax holiday on top of all their property tax cuts—but my dad and the other half million or so veterans over 65 didn’t have a lobbyist, so they didn’t get a tax cut,” Bell said. Bell is the son of a disabled World War II veteran. “When I’m governor, my dad and any one of you won’t need a high-dollar lobbyist. And you’ll get the property tax cut you deserve.”
Bell has joined State Rep. Elliot Naishtat in calling for a state constitutional amendment providing proportionate tax relief for all Texans and protecting the tax freeze granted to seniors and the disabled.
In his speech, Bell continued his call to end Rick Perry’s embargo on stem cell research in Texas.
According to Bell, stem cell therapy has emerged as the most promising treatment for the increasing number of brain and spinal cord injuries in soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The National Naval Medical Center reported that 83 percent of wounded Marines and sailors suffer from some sort of brain damage; the highest incidence was among 21-year-olds.
“It is not enough save the life of a soldier if we don’t do everything we can to restore the quality of that life. And stem cell research is offering these brave men and women new hope,” said Bell. “When Jesus healed the lepers, he didn’t call a pollster. I believe that God gives us science and technology to help our fellow man. When it comes to getting a veteran out of a wheelchair, finding a cure for Parkinson’s, the disease that took my mother, or discovering new treatments for cancer, which almost took my wife, there is nothing I won’t do to promote stem cell research right here in Texas.”
Bell has also announced plans to make state paid life insurance premiums for members of the Texas National Guard serving in active federal duty in combat zones a top priority of his administration, providing soldiers with $250,000 in federal life insurance benefits.

Perry announces funding to help crime victims

Gov. Rick Perry announced this week funding $26.7 million to help crime victims.
The grants are awarded under the federal Victims of Crime Act fund (VOCA), which supports programs that address family violence, child abuse and sexual assault, and provide support services to help victims recover from the effects of crime through counseling, advocacy and intervention.
“These funds will support programs that protect victims, administer justice, and provide a safer living environment for all residents of Texas, particularly our most vulnerable citizens and Texas youth,” Perry said.
Programs receiving VOCA funds provide services to crime victims in an effort to restore their mental and physical health.
For example, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs throughout Texas will receive $4.4 million to support efforts to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the foster care system.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will receive $1.6 million to provide services to victims of drunk driving across the state, including referrals to support groups, legal advocacy, accompanying victims to the hospital or to court, and providing assistance with crime victims’ compensation applications.
The grants are administered by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division (CJD).
Each year, the Office of the Governor awards more than $113 million in grants for a variety of juvenile justice, criminal justice and victim services programs.