I’ve Got Both An Obama Sticker And A Green Party Jill Stein Sticker On My Car

I’ve got both an Obama sticker and a Jill Stein Green Party sticker on my car.

You might say that this could confuse people, but many people seem plenty confused regardless of my actions.

The Obama sticker is there in part to annoy mean-spirited folks.

The Stein sticker gives me some hope that things can really be better.

At core the work of freedom and a good society is up to each of us.

Context, a good society, and dumb luck matters—But the work of freedom and a good society  is up to each of us.

Bumper Sticker

While doing some cleaning last week I came across the bumper sticker from my 1997 campaign for the Cincinnati Board of Education.

Though I did not prevail upon the people of Cincinnati to elect me to the school board, I’m glad to report that I was endorsed by the local AFL-CIO, UAW, SEIU, and Stonewall Cincinnati.

I did once win a race for precinct executive in Cincinnati. I think it helped me that I was the only person on the ballot for that high office in my precinct.

Every person has the ability to attend a public meeting, attend or organize a protest, write or call an elected official, talk to friends and family, start a blog, donate money, write a letter to the editor, engage in civil disobedience, volunteer for candidates and causes, and even to run for public office.

The work of freedom is up to each of us.

Holding Out For Nader

At least one good citizen of Houston is still holding out for Ralph Nader to be allowed to take part in Presidential debates.

The 2000 debates between George Bush and Al Gore would have served the public better if Mr. Nader had been involved.

While there is a difference between Republicans and Democrats, the big money donors and corporations seem in firm control no matter what.

Mr. Nader’s citizen activism is still a useful lesson. We as citizens are going to have to take our nation back from the coalition of the wealthy and mean-spirited who often have the upper hand in our political debates.

Cincinnati Tea Party Cell Drinks From Cracked Cup

Above is a picture I took today of a bumper sticker for a Tea Party cell here in Cincinnati.

The sticker reads as a libertarian con job. Unable to ever win more than 1% running as libertarians, they are trying something new.

I guess if social issues matter to you, the Cincinnati Tea Party would have you go elsewhere.

You knew the Tea Party had a lot of crackpot ideas. Based on the image above, it seems the very cup they drink from is cracked.

Why would you put a tea bag in a cracked cup?

The hot water leaks out and scalds people with drastic budget cuts to education and needed social services in these hard times.

The Cincinnati Tea Party cell would no doubt tell you that they have many good ideas on how we should conduct our public affairs.

Yet they are unable to even design a bumper sticker that makes sense.

Examples Of Cross-Party Voting in Texas—Voting Across Party Lines Most Often Does Not Make Sense

Here are two pictures I’ve taken in Houston in recent weeks of some likely cross-party voting this November.

The first picture shows an intent to vote for Democrat Bill White for Governor and Republican incumbent David Dewhurst for Lt. Governor.

The best course would be to vote for Mr. White for Governor and Democratic nominee Linda Chavez-Thompson for Lt. Gov. Ms. Chavez-Thompson has a proven record of advocacy for working people in Texas.

Why would you support for Governor and Lt. governor two people of opposing political ideologies?

The second picture shows support for Houston Mayor Annise Parker, a Democrat who will next be on the ballot in 2011, and Republican Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. Judge Emmett is on the ballot for 2010.

Mr. Emmett is known as a County Judge here in Texas. Outside Texas and much of the south you might call him a County Commissioner.

Gordon Quan is the Democrat running against Mr. Emmett in 2010.

Mr. Emmett’s web home calls him a”conservative pioneer.” Why would you support a person who identifies himself in this way while at the same time supporting a Democrat for Mayor?

In practice, Mayor Parker and Judge Emmett represent in Houston and Harris County an often centrist, business centered outlook that does appeal to some. (Though not me.)  In fairness to Judge Emmett, he is not a nut.  Yet at the same time, neither is he the right person to address the hard economic circumstances faced by so many in Harris County.

As for Mayor Parker, my view is that she willfully ignores issues of extreme poverty in Houston. She also ignores the need for greater Hispanic involvement in our political process in Houston.

Ms. Parker’s voter base is narrow and largely Anglo. She won in 2009 in a election that generated turnout of barely over 15%. While some of Ms. Parker’s supporters see themselves as progressives, economic issues are often not the chief concern of these voters.

There are many people in Houston who could use Mayor Parker’s bully pulpit and advocacy. This support has not so far been forthcoming.

When will liberals, progressives and Democrats ask more of Mayor Parker?

On a larger level, political parties provide a shorthand and a coherence that is useful to the wise voter and to the informed citizen. Politics is at core about beliefs and action rather than about personalities and playing it safe when people need help.

While there will be exceptions, the more practical and intellectually coherent approach to voting is to support a group of candidates who will work towards the same ends.

My Bumper Stickers Are Driving Bill White’s Surge In The Polls—White Just Four Points Behind

The latest poll has Democratic nominee for Governor Bill White within four percentage points of incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry.

Why is former Houston Mayor White doing so well in the polls in Republican Texas?

I feel the reason is the combination of bumper stickers that are on the back of my car. The picture above is of the back of my car.

My call for universal brotherhood and sisterhood is sweeping Texas. Caught up in the good feelings I am engendering is Mr. White.

People see my bumper stickers and they do feel that they love all people in all nations and that we need a new Governor who cares about the needs of average Texans instead of just Tea party extremists.

People in texas are at their best when they agree with my positions.

Please visit the Bill White for Governor web home and see what Mr. White is saying to the people of Texas.

Father And Young Daughter Attacked For Obama Bumper Sticker—My Hail To The Thief G.W. Bush Bumper Sticker

A father and his ten year old daughter were road rage victims in Nashville, Tennessee after being attacked for having an Obama/Biden bumper sticker on their car.

From WKRN in Nashville—

“A Nashville man says he and his 10-year-old daughter were victims of road rage Thursday afternoon, all because of a political bumper sticker on his car. Mark Duren told News 2 the incident happened around 4:30p.m., while he was driving on Blair Boulevard, not far from Belmont University. He said Harry Weisiger gave him the bird and rammed into his vehicle, after noticing an Obama-Biden sticker on his car bumper. Duren had just picked up his 10-year-old daughter from school and had her in the car with him. “He pointed at the back of my car,” Duren said, “the bumper, flipped me off, one finger salute.” …Duren told News 2 that Weisiger honked his horn at him for awhile, as Duren stopped at a stop sign. Once he started driving again, down Blair Boulevard, towards his home, he said, “I looked in the rear view mirror again, and this same SUV was speeding, flying up behind me, bumped me.”…Police say Harry Weisiger is charged with felony reckless endangerment in the incident.”

I once had a bumper sticker that read—“Hail To The Thief–George Bush 2000.”

Knowing that people would tear the bumper sticker off my car, I bought four of them.

In time, the first three were ripped off my car. I was down to the last sticker.

Each time the sticker was ripped off my car, I found it crumpled on the ground near my car.

One afternoon I was driving in Wharton County, Texas and my car broke down. This is when I had the last of the four stickers still on my car.

I bear no ill-will to the people of Wharton County, Texas. But Wharton is a rural and Republican county about 50 miles southwest of Houston and I did not want trouble.

John McCain won Wharton County 65-34 in 2008.

I did not want a sheriff’s deputy to come and club me over the head while I was pulled over on the side of the road. I did not want to be shot by one the fine citizens of Wharton County who was observing the second amendment by packing a rifle as they drove.

So I pulled off the bumper sticker right after I broke down. That was the last of my Hail To The Thief bumper stickers.

Help did arrive and I did get off the side of the road and made it back to Houston.

It should be noted that I lost three stickers in Houston and got nothing but help in Wharton County.

The road rage incident in Nashville is part of a pattern of right-wing assaults on people they disagree with over health care and other issues.

(Below—A billboard that said pretty much what my bumper sticker said. Though my sticker did not have the picture.)

Noel Freeman For Houston At-Large Seat #4—I Wish I Had Something I Could Put On My Car For Mr. Freeman

I support Noel Freeman for Houston City Council At-Large # 4.

I support Mr. Freeman even though he is not as far to the left as I am.

Mr. Freeman offers a solid mix of experience and personal qualities that will well- serve the people of Houston.

Please click here to learn more about Mr. Freeman’s campaign.

Mr. Freeman has been an employee of the City of Houston since 2004. He has worked in the Public Works and Engineering Department and, also, in the Office of the City Engineer.

From day one on City Council, Mr. Freeman will bring a strong understanding of how to assist citizens of Houston in dealing with city government. He will offer comprehensive knowledge of infrastructure issues facing Houston.

In 2009, Mr. Freeman completed studies for a Masters in Public Administration from Norwich University. Mr. Freeman has a Political Science degree from Texas A & M. Mr. Freeman served in Operation Desert Fox as a member of the U.S. Air Force. 

Mr. Freeman was for many years a Republican. As he reflected on the politics of our nation and on his views about public policy, Mr. Freeman became a Democrat. He lists himself on his Facebook profile as a “Moderate Democrat.”

There is something to be said about a person who thinks things out and changes his views. It’s not just that Mr. Freeman came to a point closer to where I am on the ideological spectrum—Though he still has plenty of room for a further shift to the left—it is that Mr. Freeman thought stuff out, saw the facts, and was open to changing his mind.    

A mix of concern over fixed-principles along with open-mindedness is a great combination in a person and in a political leader. It is a sign of personal strength.

These personal qualities along with his knowledge of how Houston works make Noel Freeman an excellent candidate for Houston City Council.

Wanting to show my support, I called Mr. Freeman’s campaign office a few days ago looking for a bumper sticker. The gentleman on the phone said they were not doing bumper stickers for the campaign.

Okay–But I sure wish I had a way to express my support for Mr. Freeman on my car. If Mr. Freeman or someone in his campaign happens to read this post, could they help me out with that?

I’d put a big magnet sign on my car door if they had something like that. Whatever. Anything that does not peel the paint. I’m on the road an average of 40 miles a day and plenty of people would see the car.  

Please click here to learn more about Mr. Freeman’s campaign.

(Below–Car with many bumper stickers. Not my car.)

It Might Be Best If Travis & Alabama Democratic HQ. Had Noriega Bumper Stickers

I visited the midtown headquarters for our Harris County Democratic campaign this morning. This office is located at 3710 Travis at the corner of Alabama & Travis.

I got a couple of Obama bumper stickers.  I asked if they had a Rick Noriega for Senate bumper sticker. They did not. The only other bumper sticker was for State Senate candidate Chris Bell. They did have yard signs for many candidates on the county ticket. 

While at the HQ, I heard another man ask for a Noriega sticker.  

I feel it might be best if this busy campaign office had bumper stickers for all Democrats running in Harris County and Texas. And that it might be best if all candidates on the Democratic ticket in Harris County had bumper stickers in the first place so voters could show support in this easy and accessible way.  

These are my views on this subject.