(A caveat: I have always been a liberal, voted Democratic since I turned legal voting age. But lately, it seems there's been a certain amount of apprehension once I get to the polls. This same apprehension is what I credit the thousands of Independent supporters are feeling as well. People, the smart ones anyway, are tired of sub-par candidates and politicians who are out there keeping the Democratic Party from taking control again. The people want a candidate who once in office will be a no-nonsense maverick ensuring that the people's best interests are taken care of. Save for Robert Kennedy, Jr., or Al Gore, I don't see much of that in today's Democrat. What I see are a bunch of tired buffoons whose only weapons of attacking and denouncing the ruling GOP and their ideals boil down to name calling, and a I-wouldn't-do-that-if-I-were-in-office rhetoric. It's tiring to see them answer questions about say-illegal immigration. What would you do, candidate? "Well, I..um, well, we must first take a strong stance against it...and..um..yes, let the people decide...as always, of course...because um...my constituents...you see..." Come on. How about someone who is going to take a strong stance against an important issue and dig his or her heels in when faced with party opposition. What's your stance on illegal immigration, candidate? "We're going to give the nearly twelve million illegal immigrants in this country temporary residency based on their record here in the States. We will impose strict tax hikes on businesses who continue to hire illegal workers. And will implement a guest worker program, in conjunction with the country of Mexico as long as they're willing to do their part in improving their own economy." But, candidate, doesn't that boil down to amnesty? "You're damned right it does. So What! It's the only plan that can realistically work. Any other plan requires too much dilly-dallying around the subject. A responsible government takes immediate, responsible action now. If Congress isn't with me on this, screw them, I'll veto everything they pass along my way until this gets resolved." Jesus, I've gone off on a tangent. Let me just conclude this caveat by saying that we need a stronger pool of Democratic candidates if we're going to be able to fend off stubborn Independents, and take control of this State, and Country again.)
My original intent was to write a long, drawn out post as to the dozen reasons why I feel Kinky Friedman should drop out of the race for Texas Governor. After about five re-writes, I realized I couldn't keep a straight face about it. At least not for the reasons Chris Bell is asking Kinky to step down, and not for the reasons Kinky thinks he's being asked to step down. It goes much deeper for me. There is a larger picture that needs to be addressed here.
According to a poll by the Dallas Morning News, Chris Bell is at a dismal 39% in the polls. At this point it makes Bell look like a talentless football team that got lucky for the majority of four quarters but have awakened a sleeping giant, and are now trying desperately to keep the ship from sinking. Running every 'hail, mary' play in the books. He is as ineffective as the Houston Texans on a Sunday afternoon, and just as likely to screw up any chance of winning before they even take the field. If the poor man hasn't blown it already.
Bell represents what is wrong with the Democratic Party as a whole in this country. They talk a big game against the ruling Party, but seldom offer any true solutions for our State. Problems that lay far beneath the political surface of many a campaign platform. His solutions read like an excerpt from An Idiot's Guide to Running a Mediocre Campaign, or Why the Weasels Will Keep On Winning-A Loser's Story.
Beyond that, what will inevitably haunt this John-Boy from The Waltons turned political heel for the Democratic Party is a cigar chomping, black clad, self proclaimed 'Jewish Cowboy' with all the stubborness and egotistical drive of Ross Perot and Ralph Nader combined. And though Kinky Friedman balks at the term, he is by all accounts and will have the Texas History books remember him as a spoiler. Nothing more, and nothing less. Despite the political platform against corrupt politics that he preaches with a fire and brimstone sermon, or the thousands of overzealous supporters that are buying into it. If Kinky does not cash in his chips and call it a night, he will take down every hope and flicker of light down this dark tunnel of a Republican run Texas with him in November, spelling certain doom for anyone with half a brain who realized how close we had come to making damned sure that wart of a Texas Governor would not slither his sneaky little head into elected office again.
The big picture is this: These two candidates have screwed up any chance of taking control and giving back to the people for at the very least another four years. Four more years! Four more years!
Chris Bell must have known this all too well when he was one of us, once upon a time. But that time has long since passed. He will stand on that cold November day, a monument to the complacency that has become the Democratic Party ethic, and M.O. A legion of dunces with no clue as to what the people really want, and need out of a viable candidate. And no real candidate with the cojones to take things back for us.
