Burnt Orange Report

Sherry Boyles Running for State Chair

By Byron LaMasters

And I think that she's one of a few people that would make for a great chair for our party. Check out her website from her run for railroad commissioner. She brings a lot to the table with her campaign. She's young, articulate, attractive, gives a good speech and stays on message (and it's a good message). She also has a pretty strong resume and is widely respected throughout the party. Here's her annoucement via the Quorum Report:

Announcement by Sherry Boyles to Run for State Democratic Party Chair

(AUSTIN) I am running for State Party chair because I am deeply concerned about the direction of our state. At every turn, Democrats fight for laws that would create jobs, improve our schools, and make sure we do the right thing for our fellow Texans. The Republican majority fights for their friends who got them into office with big bucks.

With these big bucks, Republicans engage in marketing campaigns that make you think they are for grandma and little Jimmy down the street. But don’t look at TV ads, look at the votes. When you look at how Republicans actually vote, it doesn’t make sense that Texans would send them to Austin. Texas voters need to know that Republicans are voting against Texans’ pocketbooks, against excellence in education, and against compassion.

Democrats understand the value of education to our economy. Democrats create college scholarship programs while Republicans vote against them. They can talk all they want, but I’m talking about votes. Ask them why they cut the Texas Grant scholarship program, for example.

Democrats fight for funding for excellent teachers and public schools. Republicans cut funding for teachers and schools. This year, the Republican majority succeeded in slashing funds for textbooks for our students. The votes are on record. Texas parents are furious that their schools are choosing which enrichment programs to cut due to financial woes. But school funding took a back seat to drawing new districts so more Republicans can vote against good education laws.

Democrats fight for our most vulnerable Texans so that all Texans have the chance to live well and get through tough times. Republicans cut funding for child health care and for elderly Texans to get the care they need.

I grew up on a farm in East Texas with a father who was a Baptist preacher and my mother was the church pianist and a school teacher. I learned about hard work and taking responsibility. But more important, I learned to care about other people. I know what compassion is and there is nothing about compassion that blames people for pain and poverty. We tell ourselves lies and pretend it is okay to not care about another human being.

Well, it’s not okay that people are losing jobs. It’s not okay that small business owners don’t get the same priority as big corporations. It’s not okay that parents can’t afford health insurance for their families. It’s not okay that our schools can’t pay for textbooks. It’s not okay to act as though people who suffer deserve it.

We talk in big numbers of thousands of children and millions of families affected by laws. But these are people with names.

I will never forget the grandmother who testified before the Legislature a few months ago. She was taking care of her four grandchildren alone. You see, she had lost her daughter and son-in-law in a car accident. She was caring for their four children on a fixed income of $600 per month.

She told the committee in Austin that there were two options. She could get a little help to care for her grandchildren in her loving home. The other option--she would have to give up her grandchildren for taxpayers to pay for these children to live in a foster home. With a Republican majority in the Legislature, the grandmother didn’t stand a chance.

They didn’t care that it would be more costly for the children to go to foster care or that it would affect the children’s lives forever. They are not for grandma’s and little Jimmy’s who may need a grandma to care for them someday.

Our elected officials have an obligation to care about all Texans and to do what’s best for all of us. Texas Democrats fight for all of us so we all have hope and opportunity to pursue our dreams. That’s why I’m a Democrat and that’s why it’s important to me to work on behalf of this party.