As the Texas Transportation Commission met last Thursday in Fort Worth, Democratic candidate for governor, Hank Gilbert, was launching a solutions campaign to address our growing transportation problems in the Lone Star State. The praise continues to roll in for Gilbert on his plan as WFAA's Inside Politics weighed in on the launch this morning:
Colleen McCain Nelson:
Well it's a bold move for sure. It's tough to campaign on a tax increase, but he actually acknowledged the reality that Texas has billions and billions of dollars in transportation needs and no good way to pay for them. Credit for acknowledging the reality and it was also an attempt to get some attention in a race where he has been overshadowed by some of the other candidates. He said 'look at me I have an idea' and he gets points for that.
Gromer Jeffers:
The 'no toll roads' will help, but you're right it will be tough to campaign on a tax increase. Give him credit; he is trying to develop a solution to a problem that has been around for awhile. He is talking about solutions. Ideas. He is being bold.
Since 2006, Gilbert has been hands on with the transportation issue and has worked hard to bring down Rick Perry's Trans Texas Corridor boondoggle. It should come as no surprise that the East Texas rancher has come up with a thoughtful, comprehensive plan to address our transportation problems.
Gilbert's plan mirrors the Local Option Tax plan that many North Texas legislators, Republican and Democrat, championed as a step forward on the transportation debate in solving transportation problems. I agreed that the plan was at least offering a solution and deserved an opportunity to be considered; however, the legislation was killed during the 81st legislative session and our transportation problems continue to escalate.
Consultants, pundits, and political talking heads will say that it is political suicide to talk of increasing taxes in an election year. The fact is that Republican and Democratic candidates have chosen to think about their political careers versus embracing profiles in courage moments and addressing the realities of our problems we face today. It is easy to campaign and say "cut taxes," but it is a heck of a lot harder to balance budgets, address problems, and plan for the future without money in the kitty. Giving money away to the fat cats of our society while alley cats are left to scrap is no way to run government, but that is how Republicans like to govern.
Hank Gilbert stepped out with a profiles in courage moment this past week and declared that this campaign wasn't about him, but about doing what is right for Texas--consequences be damned. How refreshing!
Rancher Hank Gilbert, recipient of roughly 1.7 million votes as the Democratic candidate for Agriculture Commissioner in 2006, continued his campaigns media blitz by landing on WFAA's Inside Politics in the DFW market.
Gilbert, in his always so folksy manner, artfully articulated to Watson and Dallas Morning News political writer Gromer Jeffers, why he feels he has crossover appeal:
Hank Gilbert is a guy just like everybody else who is watching this broadcast. I grew up in rural East Texas--the son of two Union parents who owned a farm where every dollar counted. My wife and I sit around the kitchen table a couple of times a month just like most everybody else in this state does--trying to figure out what we can pay that time of the month on bills. I'm no different than anyone else. What I am not is an entrenched politician like most of the people in this race.
That's a powerful, connecting statement from Gilbert. You best believe that hundreds of thousands of Texans sit at the kitchen table on a weekly basis trying to figure out what bill is to be paid and what bill has to wait to be paid. Hank has crossover appeal because he really is like every other mainstream Texan out there who wants answers to the problems we face in our state.
Watson and Jeffers, apparently not satisfied with Gilbert's answers, continued to press him as to how a Democrat can win in 2010:
I don't know that the "D" or the "R" at the end of a name is as important as the candidate and the message that they are putting out there. The thing about Texans--we're just like the weather. We change and we change constantly. People ask me about that "D" and "R" stigma and I was in Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas---twice in the past there weeks. And on talk radio shows, Fox shows, and conservative callers are calling in and saying 'hey, I'm a Republican. I put Rick Perry where he is. I voted for him every time he was on the ballot. But next November I'm voting for the guy you have in your studio because he sounds like me and talks like me.' People ask me about that "D" and that "R?" R stands for rancher and D stands for dirt. We're just like everybody else out there. We want to make a difference for everybody in this state regardless of political affiliation or socio-economic status.
It was a good interview for Hank and I encourage you to check out the full deal. I was hoping that Watson or Jeffers would ask Hank about the recent dustup between his and Schieffer's campaign regarding their respective platforms on education. Last weeks catfight, where Gilbert essentially accused Schieffer of plagiarism, was the first such tussle we've had between declared candidates in the Democratic primary. I was curious to see if the feud would continue or if Gilbert would focus instead on the Republicans. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to hearing from my friend Hank Gilbert when he comes to the Mid-Cities Democrats meeting on October 22nd.
