Remind them their votes can change lives

At this point in the election cycle attempts by candidates to persuade people that they are the best choice are largely over and now their efforts are focused on persuading registered voters to take the time to go to the polls and mark their ballots. Volunteers are working full bore calling voters and knocking on their doors in the hope that they can turn out just a few more votes and that will be the difference between their preferred candidate winning and losing.

I’d be willing to bet that nearly everyone reading this column has either already voted or has plans to vote on a specific day and probably a specific time. As a citizen in a democratic republic in addition to your right and responsibility to vote you have a duty to encourage others to vote as well. Some folks need encouragement to make the effort, some more than others.

Here are a few reasons you can offer that might make them feel it is worth their effort:

Ask the prospective voter if they or someone they care about lacks access to healthcare because they can’t afford health insurance. If they do, then let them know that Democrats like gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez are all are fighting for increasing access to healthcare by expanding Medicaid. Mention that Republicans Governor Greg Abbott has the power to do so with the federal government paying for 90% of it and chooses to let Texans suffer and die instead. Remind them that their vote for Lupe Valdez can make that happen.

Ask a prospective voter if they believe that everyone who works a full time job deserves the dignity of being to live on their own without worrying where their next meal will come from. If they do, then let them know that Democrats like US Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke are fighting to raise the minimum wage to a living wage because no one who works 40 hours a week should live in poverty. Remind them that their vote for Beto O’Rourke can insure the dignity of every worker.

Ask a prospective voter if their children or grandchildren or nieces and nephews deserve a good quality education that will prepare them to provide for themselves and their future families. If they do, point out that Democrats like Texas House District 44 candidate John Rodgers is committed to protecting public education and fully funding public schools so that every child no matter where they live in Texas and no matter how much or how little their parents earn has the opportunity to get a high quality education. Remind them that their vote for John Rodgers can change lives.

What it all boils down to is that those who vote choose the way our government works and who it benefits. Anyone not voting cedes their right to have a voice and allows those who don’t respect the dignity of working Texans, don’t share the belief that every child deserves a high quality education, and only the well of and those with good employer based health insurance deserve medical care for themselves and their families will continue to set the direction of our state and the nation.

Be a leader, be an activist and offer to drive your family, friends and neighbors to the polls if that’s what it takes to get them to vote.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - November 2, 2018

Protecting A Million Texans Requires Your Vote

As if you needed another reason to make time to vote in November think about this, Texas is one of 20 states suing the federal government to take away healthcare from millions of Americans especially middle and lower income Texans. Our Republican Attorney General, Ken Paxton, joined the suit earlier this year in an effort to use the courts to do what Congress chose not to. Paxton is empowered by the fact that Republicans control both houses of the legislature and every statewide office.

The cynical ploy used by the Attorneys General is the claim that since the individual mandate was central to the Affordable Care Act, the fact that Congress repealed it invalidates the entire law. Since 1.2 million Texans are covered through plans purchased via the Exchange created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) having the court decide in favor of killing it will endanger the lives and health of all of them. Of course it won’t have any effect on the 4.5 million Texans denied coverage by Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision not to accept the 90% federally funded Medicaid expansion.

Whether or not Democrats can beat Paxton directly by electing Justin Nelson to replace him or indirectly through electing a majority in one or both houses of the legislature and cutting his budget, it can be done. Readers have three or four ways to protect the healthcare of over a million Texans. They can vote to replace the current Attorney General with Justin Nelson who if elected will certainly withdraw from the suit. They can vote to replace the Governor with Lupe Valdez who can make it known to the legislature that she will veto any budget that continues to fund attacks on the Affordable Care Act. They can vote to replace the incumbent in the House with John Rodgers who would fight to force Paxton to drop the suit by cutting his budget. Rodgers would also demand that the state take the federal money to expand Medicaid which would not only be a boon to those 4.5 million Texans not currently insured, it would also stimulate the economy of the entire state leading to many more jobs and higher paying jobs as well. If you live in the part of Guadalupe County which is in Senate District 25 you can replace the incumbent who is widely recognized one of the worst legislators in Texas with Steve Kling.

On the federal side we have an opportunity to put a stop to Republican efforts to repeal the ACA in whole or in part by taking back one or both houses of Congress. We need to hold onto a House seat by voting for Vicente González so that in other districts where Republican incumbents are in jeopardy of losing their seats we can gain enough to achieve a majority there. This is really important as Republicans in the House are still working to undermine the ACA by any means available. They are also plotting to cut Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid benefits claiming that they are causing a deficit; when in fact that deficit is caused mostly by the tax breaks they just gave big banks and billionaires. A Democratic House majority insures that Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and the ACA all continue to be adequately funded.

There is also the very real possibility of replacing one of the Senate’s most unpopular members if we all get out and vote for Beto O’Rourke. If Texas voters flip that seat it will go a long way toward making it possible to win a majority in the Senate.

Vote! Vote! Vote!

Gubernatorial Candidate Roundup

Early voting in the primaries starts Tuesday next week so let’s time to talk about the Democratic candidates for governor. While there are officially nine, only five are worth talking about as the rest seemed to have filed because they woke up and decided it would be great to be governor. In no particular order the five to actually consider are Jeffrey Payne, Tom Wakely, Lupe Valdez, Andrew White and Cedric Davis, Sr.

Jeffrey Payne seems to be earnest and thoughtful, he’s been campaigning since last fall. Payne is an entrepreneur who owns a wide range of businesses including a court reporting operation and a bar among others. I’m confident he has the best interests of Texas at heart, I think he genuinely cares. My problem with him as a potential governor is he lacks any governmental experience at all.

Tom Wakely is a long time activist, I’ve met him several times over the last few years. Wakely ran for congress unsuccessfully last term, he too has been actively campaigning since last fall. Wakely has made numerous trips around the state and is actively seeking support in some of the more forgotten communities in Texas. His strong populist message deserves the attention of all Democrats and especially voters in underserved communities where raising the minimum wage and treating health care as a human right would go a long way toward improving life. Wakely is a Viet Nam era Air Force veteran and a former union organizer who worked with Cesar Chavez in San Antonio in the 1970’s. He now runs a hospice for the terminally ill. Wakely’s only weakness is that he has no experience in government at any level.

Lupe Valdez is a retired U.S. Army captain, she’s been a federal agent and a four term Sheriff of Dallas County. Valdez is from a large family of migrant farm workers. Her parents taught her to work hard and the value of education which is why she believes we have to invest in Texans and help them find their path whether that’s university without massive debt, free community college, trade skills, or the tools to start a small business. Valdez believes health care is a human right and is committed to expanding Medicaid, passing paid family and sick leave, stopping the attacks on women's healthcare, and ending the medical deserts in urban and rural Texas. Having been elected four times she knows how to campaign and win and having served in public office for over 12 years she has experience in government. I think she’s a solid candidate.

Andrew White is only on this list because he’s generated big money in campaign contributions. White is an entrepreneur like Payne above who has no experience in governance and unlike Wakely has shown no interest in working to make Texas better. When first exploring whether or not to run he publicly stated that he could see himself running as a conservative Democrat or a moderate Republican. That tells me all I need to know as he doesn’t stand for anything. Perhaps he feels entitled as he is the son of former Texas governor Mark White.

Cedric Davis, Sr. is a Desert Storm veteran, as well as civic activist, policeman, teacher, civic leader and the first African American Mayor of Balch Springs near Dallas. Davis wants to raise minimum wage, expand Medicaid by taking the nearly $100 billion available to Texas under the Affordable Care Act. Davis says he’ll work to restore state funding for public education and believes criminal justice reform is an important part of making Texas a better place.