Who Are The Democrats Running In Houston City Election Runoffs?—Who Can A Liberal Support?

Who are the Democrats running in our Houston City Elections?

Runoff elections for Houston are taking place. Early voting ends on December 8 and General Election Day is December 12.

It is important to know who is running as a Democrat for our Houston city offices.

In this way, you can see who will do the least harm once elected.

This is not a hopeful view. It is not a 100% accurate view. But it is true enough.

Urban voters know they vote for Democrats time after time, and that our cities continue to decline.

While much of this has to do with factors beyond the control of city government, where is the effective advocacy and action on behalf of our cities?

Where can a liberal turn?

Where can someone who could use some help from government turn, when Democrats running for city office call themselves “fiscal conservatives” and talk about taxes as if they are the plague?

While I understand why candidates want the police endorsement, there are other things that matter in Houston as well. There is more to the public welfare than fear of crime.

Here are the Citywide races on the Houston ballot—

Mayor

In our Houston Mayoral run-off, both Gene Locke and current City Controller Annise Parker are Democrats.

Mr. Locke consorts with gay-bashers and I don’t see how he can be trusted to do the right thing in any regard. Bigotry towards one is bigotry towards all.

Ms. Parker is, I think, a decent person who has run, in many regards, a shameless campaign.

You have to have a belief in the future unless you are just going to sit around and hope 2012 is for real—So Ms. Parker has my vote. She strikes me as smart and at least aware of a course of action that would benefit Houstonians of all economic classes.

I guess we’ll roll the dice and find out about Ms. Parker if she is able to win the election.

(Below–Rolling the dice in an 1840 painting called The Last Blow by Charles Robert Leslie.)

City Controller—

The Democrat in this race is current City Councilmember Ronald Green. He is running against a Republican.

Mr. Green has not paid all his taxes. I’m not going to vote for a City Controller who has not paid all his taxes.

Mr. Green says is seeking to resolve the matter. I’m sure he is seeking to resolve the matter.

I wish Mr. Green had resolved the matter long before election season.

Not much is more central to how Democrats see the world than using tax dollars to enhance the public condition. I expect little-to-nothing of Republicans. I expect Democrats to pay up on taxes owed.

I won’t be voting for the Republican in this race. I’m going to leave this ballot space blank and let the chips fall where they may.

( Below–The chips are on the table. His Station And Four Aces from 1903 by Cassius Coolidge.)

Council At-Large # 1-—

Real estate agent  Karen Derr is the Democrat in this race. I’ve met Ms. Derr twice and we really did not hit it off. That is my problem. No doubt I was difficult.

Ms. Derr’s web home says she is for ethics and against crime. This is good to know.

Ms. Derr  appears to be a successful hard-working woman. I’ll spin the wheel on Election Day and hope Ms. Derr has a measure of longterm vision to go along with her day-to-day qualities.

(Below–These folks are spinning the wheel in early 19th-century Europe.)

Council At -Large #2—

Both incumbent Sue Lovell and challenger Andrew Burks are Democrats. Ms. Lovell has offered up four years of uninspiring service, but Mr. Burks is not really a credible alternative.  Mr. Burks runs for council every two years and this year lucked into a runoff he has little chance to win based on the first round of voting.

This will be Ms. Lovell’s last term on Council under the current term limits law. It would be great to hear a bit more from Ms. Lovell in this last term on behalf of people often left out at Houston City Hall.

(Here is some disturbing late information about Ms. Lovell. She has been helping a Republican in his effort to win against Jolanda Jones for At-Large # 5. Why must these people do this kind of stuff?)

( Below—In a two-horse race, somebody has got to win. John Herring’s Great Match (The Flying Dutchman and Voltigeur.) From the 1850’s.)

Council At-Large # 5—

Jolanda Jones is the Democratic incumbent in a tough race against a Republican.

I’m going to vote for Ms. Jones. She stresses in her campaign that she is an advocate for all people and not just the privileged.

Is she?

Who knows?

You can’t go by what they tell you— But you can’t leave the process to others when you have your own voice.

My gut feeling is that Ms. Jones cares about people and makes some effort on Council to help folks. She sure is a lot better than her challenger.

(Below–The People! The masses looking to enter Toronto’s Dufferin Racetrack in 1908.)

Houston’s municipal electorate is more affluent than the city as whole.

It is the concerns of this electorate that Houston politicians seek to address.

The fact remains, however, that many in Houston are playing for their last dollar.

These folks, as well as all people of Houston, should be on the agenda at Houston City Hall.

(Below–Gambling With Their Cotton Money. From 1939. Picture taken by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm  Security Administration.)

Dogs Playing Poker Paintings Over 100 Years Old—An Example Of Getting It Right

Above is one of the famous of the Dogs Playing Poker painting.

People make fun of these paintings, but they were created over 100 years ago and are still in people’s minds.

I’m not certain that any blog post I write will still be around in 100 years. Most of us won’t create anything that will still be around in 100 years.

The Dogs Playing Poker series has 16 paintings in total. They were painted by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge in the early 1900’s. They purpose of the series was to sell cigars.

Cassius Marcellus Coolidge lived 1844-1934. Here is information about his life.

I don’t know if Dogs Playing Poker is great art, but it has passed the test of time. The pictures make people happy and don’t hurt anybody.

Anybody who can create something that lasts and that makes people laugh has done something right.

In 2005, two of the original paintings sold for $590,000.

Here is a gallery of paintings by Mr. Coolidge.

Below—His Station And Four Aces.