CD 22 Update: Meeting with David Wallace
I met with Mr. Wallace, Sugar Land Mayor, today. Please note that he is the only one of the CD22 hopefuls who I have met with personally, so I'm sure my scrutiny will be a little harder on him, and I give him big bonus points for being willing to put himself in front of me like he did. So, let me state at the outset: he's impressive, very polished and attractive. I fear, however that this is so to the point perhaps of being a little smarmy.
He does likes to name drop a little, which with the names he dropped, I kind of can't blame him too much, as he apparently worked with Lady Thatcher for a time and was very involved in high level circles. He apparently almost died in the bottom of a swimming pool because he mentioned it 3 times as proof of how much he values the sanctity of life. Of course points for him because he didn't go into the whole "that's how I found Jesus" schtick, because those people bug the crap out of me. Guess what, Jesus ain't lost, but I digress.
With regard to some issues, he was brutally honest, for example, he stated that he was strongly pro-life but understands that the public will only take so many abortion restrictions. He made an odd, but astute comparison to coming out in favor of the 5% appraisal cap because he doesn't believe that the State Legislature has the political will to go with 3%, so you have to take what you can get. I can see his points and was interesting how he recognizes the political realities of our shitty system. On a few issues, however, he kicked around my questions without actually answering them.
These are some of my concerns, based on the questions I asked.
**He didn't know the Brady Bill so couldn't say whether he would've supported it, which to me makes him weak, or at the very least, a tad unknowledgeable on 2nd Amendment issues. His other 2nd Amendment answers were fine though.
**He didn't know which 3 federal government departments or programs he'd abolish. For any traditional conservative 3 is the bare minimum no brainer, and that spelled potential big spender to me.
**He couldn't explain to me why he wouldn't totally defund the UN and kick 'em out of NYC, only that we need something like the UN but perhaps it should be with only free and democratic nations. I personally don't see the need for any world body debate clubs where we're constantly kicked in the balls and then are expected to pay the bills.
**He also couldn't explain what the Department of Education was really good for, and why it shouldn't be abolished, even though he conceded that private industry could handle student loans.
**He danced like an old disco pro on a question about a guest worker program but says he doesn't like either the House or Senate bill because both are too compromised. I know he favors strict border enforcement, but other than that, I didn't get much.
As a constitutionalist, however, in my opinion this was very telling. He didn't know what the Enumerated Powers Act was and wasn't sure if he'd support it. He went into this diatribe about making sure you know the impact of your legislation, but seemed to have no concern for the actual constitutionality of what Congress was doing. He stated that the way he saw it, if a law is unconstitutional then it will be challenged. At that point, I simply stated, "well that didn't really work for McCain-Feingold now did it?"
[Chirp Chirp]
At this point, his assistant who came along with him to take notes gave me this kind of "who farted at the table" look.
:-O
Hmmmmmm...duh.
All that stated, based on my post from the candidates forum, here's how I'd rank the candidates I have had contact with, in order, if I were the Philosopher-Queen of CD22 and the decision was all my own:
1. Charlie Howard
2. Mike Jackson
3. David Wallace
4. Robert Talton
5. Shelly Sekula-Gibbs
6. Andy Meyers
7. Tom Campbell
8. Tim Turner
I will, however, be the first to state that I don't think it will go that way, at least in Harris County. With all the rumor mill I'm hearing, I think the primary race in Harris County will be between Talton and Gibbs. Of course after the convention this weekend, it all could change. We'll just have to wait and see.
He does likes to name drop a little, which with the names he dropped, I kind of can't blame him too much, as he apparently worked with Lady Thatcher for a time and was very involved in high level circles. He apparently almost died in the bottom of a swimming pool because he mentioned it 3 times as proof of how much he values the sanctity of life. Of course points for him because he didn't go into the whole "that's how I found Jesus" schtick, because those people bug the crap out of me. Guess what, Jesus ain't lost, but I digress.
With regard to some issues, he was brutally honest, for example, he stated that he was strongly pro-life but understands that the public will only take so many abortion restrictions. He made an odd, but astute comparison to coming out in favor of the 5% appraisal cap because he doesn't believe that the State Legislature has the political will to go with 3%, so you have to take what you can get. I can see his points and was interesting how he recognizes the political realities of our shitty system. On a few issues, however, he kicked around my questions without actually answering them.
These are some of my concerns, based on the questions I asked.
**He didn't know the Brady Bill so couldn't say whether he would've supported it, which to me makes him weak, or at the very least, a tad unknowledgeable on 2nd Amendment issues. His other 2nd Amendment answers were fine though.
**He didn't know which 3 federal government departments or programs he'd abolish. For any traditional conservative 3 is the bare minimum no brainer, and that spelled potential big spender to me.
**He couldn't explain to me why he wouldn't totally defund the UN and kick 'em out of NYC, only that we need something like the UN but perhaps it should be with only free and democratic nations. I personally don't see the need for any world body debate clubs where we're constantly kicked in the balls and then are expected to pay the bills.
**He also couldn't explain what the Department of Education was really good for, and why it shouldn't be abolished, even though he conceded that private industry could handle student loans.
**He danced like an old disco pro on a question about a guest worker program but says he doesn't like either the House or Senate bill because both are too compromised. I know he favors strict border enforcement, but other than that, I didn't get much.
As a constitutionalist, however, in my opinion this was very telling. He didn't know what the Enumerated Powers Act was and wasn't sure if he'd support it. He went into this diatribe about making sure you know the impact of your legislation, but seemed to have no concern for the actual constitutionality of what Congress was doing. He stated that the way he saw it, if a law is unconstitutional then it will be challenged. At that point, I simply stated, "well that didn't really work for McCain-Feingold now did it?"
[Chirp Chirp]
At this point, his assistant who came along with him to take notes gave me this kind of "who farted at the table" look.
:-O
Hmmmmmm...duh.
All that stated, based on my post from the candidates forum, here's how I'd rank the candidates I have had contact with, in order, if I were the Philosopher-Queen of CD22 and the decision was all my own:
1. Charlie Howard
2. Mike Jackson
3. David Wallace
4. Robert Talton
5. Shelly Sekula-Gibbs
6. Andy Meyers
7. Tom Campbell
8. Tim Turner
I will, however, be the first to state that I don't think it will go that way, at least in Harris County. With all the rumor mill I'm hearing, I think the primary race in Harris County will be between Talton and Gibbs. Of course after the convention this weekend, it all could change. We'll just have to wait and see.
posted by J at 2:51 PM
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