Conservative

With a day off and a cold rain in North Texas, it was a good day to sit at home, do laundry, pay bills, organize the dishes and do some blogging. This is my third blog of the day, the second on this particular blogging location. (I maintain a seperate blog where I am collecting radio stories.) While the lovely Miss Carol is off doing her calls as Nurse Carol, I've taken the time to turn on the radio and listen to one of the local news stations.

This being the day before an election, not a good idea.

Tuesday, March 2nd is Primary Day in Texas. Time to roll out the voting mat (which had been out for "Early Voting" for at least a fortnight) and select the Party Candidates for next November's general election.

Here in Texas, the focus is on the Republican candidates and the Republican candidates are out in full force on the radio hoping that you and I will vote for them. And to secure your vote, all of the candidates seem to be trying to position themselves as the most "Conservative" candidate available.

That's been the buzzword, "Conservative".

There are three candidates for Governor on the Republican ticket and each of them is emphasizing how much more conservative they are than their opponents. U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson has been defending Texas' "Conservative" values in the Senate... "but yes, you've also voted for the evil Obama's stimulus package" chimes in Rick Perry, the man who has been living in the Governor's Mansion for the past 10 years. While that cat fight has been going on, Debra Medina, a candidate either endorsed or put up to running by archconservative Ron Paul has been parroting the same tired conservative lines, to the point of not eating the left wings of chickens at chicken barbecues.

I'm more conservative than you are!!!

It's not just the candidates for Governor. I've been bombarded with radio ads for local office holders from dog catcher to county commissioner, all with the same lines. "I'm a pro-life conservative and that's why I should be elected!" Sort of sad that the judges who swear that they are against legislating from the bench are also telling us that they are pro-life... if a case were to come along which would help out the pro-life cause, do I really think that a pro-life judge would be entirely objective and not be tempted to legislate from the bench? Heck, there was an ad played by one of the candidates for Texas Railroad Commissioner this afternoon in which the candidate said that he was proudly pro-life! So what does being pro-life have to do with the regulation of mineral resources and transportation which is in the realm of being a Texas Railroad Commissioner anyway?

Just as absurd are the cards we've been getting in the mail asking us to vote for local judges, telling us that we should vote for them because they haven't imposed new taxes upon the innocent citizenry. Thank God for that piece of news... I mean, other than enforcing Homeowners' Associations as legitimate entities and allowing them to levy fines and demand taxes (HOA fees are taxes, plain and simple), how can a judge impose new taxes anyway... unless, of course, he's legislating from the bench.

And apparently, one of the candidates for County Judge actually does legislate from the bench, as he claims that not only has he cut taxes, but he's slashed government growth! So, the logic here is that it is OK to legislate from the bench, but only if you are either a Republican or a Conservative. I really don't buy into that line. By the way, the piece of mail that that particular candidate sent showed a photo depicting animal cruelty. He had dressed up a poor little Chihuahua in cotton balls with the line that his opponent is a "Wolf in sheep's clothing". The indignity of it all!!! For one, no self-respecting sheep would be caught dead wearing cotton! For another, using a Chihuahua for a prop insults the dignity of the Chihuahua and could be an indication of latent racism... Chihuahuas being Mexican dogs, and all.

Thankfully, Tuesday is less than 24 hours away. Actually, even less, as I am finishing this blog on Tuesday morning. Results in the evening, followed by a sigh of relief. Only 8 more months until the general election.

Perhaps I'll remember not to listen to commercial radio from now till then.

Be Seeing You!