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My Vote, My Message
Fri., Nov. 1, 1996
Now that we know how Indonesia bought the U.S. Government's silence over genocide in East Timor during this administration (the previous administration did it for free), we may wish to take note of the fact that the Libertarian Party will also be on the ballot on November 5. You do have the power to send a message to the political establishment. Don't waste the opportunity.
Sincerely,
Donald Link
Voices in Williamson County
Editor:This is for your Williamson County readers and voters out there! You have an opportunity for some fresh voices in Williamson County, namely Patty Eason (D) for County Commissioner, Prec. 1, and Jerry Graham (D), State Representative for District 52. It's time we had a woman on the County Commissioner board and it's time we really "cleaned house" in the House and dumped conservative Mike Krusee. (Mike Krusee actually used his affiliation with the religious right American Family Association to help get elected to the Texas House in the past). It's time for some moderate, tolerant voices for Williamson County. Vote Patty Eason and Jerry Graham for '96!
Thanks.
Mike Rayburn
Head Up the Republicrats
Editor:Once again, I am amazed at the Chronicle's head-in-the-sand attitude toward the realities of politics and the dire situation we are in. Your articles whine about injustices (e.g. "Evil of Two Lessers") yet your endorsements continue to pretend the Democrat emperors are wearing clothes. You hold your nose, plug your ears and hum a happy tune. Don't you see how alike these people are? That they have all made and broken promises made to get them into office?
Their problem is a lack of principles: Republican or Democrat, they keep taking our freedoms and property, then giving us little bribes with our own money!
Though you shower the Maharishi's Natural Law "party" with hope and praise, you ignore or misrepresent the only party which stands for the constant principle of Individual freedom, formerly guaranteed by our Constitution: the Libertarians.
Yes, Libertarians are worthy of consideration. For four years we have overcome "Republicrat" barriers to achieve 50-state ballot status. 180-plus Libertarians occupy public office, and Harry Browne is the only candidate who refused to accept taxpayers' money to fund his campaign.
Isn't it time the Chronicle awoke from the trance of liberal mantras? Socialism doesn't work. Conservatives want your kids. The Libertarians are the only political hope of returning to the freedom and justice framed in the Constitution. Despite their promises, the Republicrats will never give up the power and wealth they have stolen from "we" the people. They might redistribute some of it, but remember: If they can do something for you, they can also do it to you! That's why government must be limited.
I think you'll be surprised at the Libertarian turnout this election day. People are discovering the hope our party holds. Even UT has a Libertarian campus group!
Want to know more? Call the Party at 467-1776.
Sincerely,
Dan Kuttner
Editor:
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (people) to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke
Once upon a time, a frog discovered a kettle of water. The water was pleasantly warm, and the frog decided to have a swim. "Ah, this is good!" said he, and he relaxed in the warmth. After a while, the water became hotter, and the frog was heard to exclaim, "Hot Tub!" and again he just enjoyed. Before long, he dozed, while the water became hotter and hotter... but he did not notice. A few hours passed, and the frog was cooked. Whereupon, the owner of the kettle came by, and told his friends... "See? If you throw a frog into boiling water, he'll just jump out. But if you start off slow, you can lure them in, and they'll not notice the rising temperature until they're cooked!"
Like the frog, it is easy for all of us to be lured by warm water, good words, fine promises, and high-sounding ideals. The American people have been lured many times, and the repeated disappointments have created an ongoing political phenomenon... apathy. This apathy is increasingly fortified by the various news media, who pronounce winners based on polling results weeks in advance, and shape those results by the way campaigns and individuals are reported.
The two dominant political parties have become, through lack of campaign finance reform, captives of the multi-national corporations, the same corporations which have come to rule our economy and our political process in much the same way that the trusts of 19th century America did, until Teddy Roosevelt stepped in and provided the leadership to break the trusts. Today, few political leaders seem bold enough to challenge these giants, and the corporate stranglehold continues to grow. Instead of debating about corporate welfare, the focus has been on individual welfare, which amounts to less than one tenth of the amount which corporations are given. It is no surprise than even the Presidential Debate Commission is controlled by 10 large corporations.
Americans, like the frog of our story, wake up before you lose your freedom! Don't listen to the siren song of apathy... "My vote doesn't matter." Your vote is your voice! The two major parties and straight-ticket voting only help advance the cause of the corporations and the developing police state.
Your vote does matter! This year, we have two presidential candidates, Ross Perot and Ralph Nader (write-in) who are aware of what's really happening, and for this cause they were excluded from the Presidential Debates. In this way, the media could dismiss them as inconsequential, but their candidacies are heroic efforts to stem the tide of corporate hegemony. Here in Texas, we have two candidates who are also heroically representing the cause of the people... Democrat Victor Morales and Republican Ron Paul.
Fellow Texans, these are candidates we can believe in, candidates who are not cut from the same old political cloth, candidates who shall make a difference if given a chance. Change is still possible. On November 5, make your voice heard... vote!
Roger Quannah Settler
Lloyd D's Dilemmas
Editor:Austin Voters will have an opportunity to return the U.S. to its former greatness. Our heritage has too long been eroded by our U.S. House of Representatives. This past session Lloyd Doggett has voted consistently to subvert our American Culture. He has undermined the concepts that our Founders intended in the origin of this great country.
His voting record -- following -- supports these facts.
Roll No. Issue Vote
743 Family Tax Relief Against
759 Partial Birth Abortion For
614 Taxpayer Funded Abortion Referrals For
512 Taxpayer Funding for NEA Pornography For
763 Put Parents in Charge of Education Against
619 Taxpayer Funded Abortion For
51 Balanced Budget Amendment Against
277 Congressional Term Limits Against
269 Welfare Reform to Strengthen the Family Against
129 Anti-Crime Legislation Against
41 Tax Limitation Amendment Against
622 Welfare for Lobbyists For
Only twice out of 13 issues did Lloyd D. vote with the majority and that was in support of abortion and pornography funding.
Teresa! You can do a lot better than that. Voters take notice -- a new direction is needed in this District-less government, less taxes, better morality. Vote!
Similarly, Lloyd D.'s economics are no better than his culture. So why should we listen when he says that Mueller Airport should be abandoned when we know it can efficiently serve the state, the National Guard, the business community, and private aviation? The experience of all other growing cities confirms that Austin will desperately need a second airport in the near future. Why demolish this valuable asset and spend many millions of taxpayer money to add facilities at Bergstrom for general aviation? And complicate commercial operations doing so.
Taxpayers, business, general aviation -- speak for your vested interests. The state and National Guard have taken a very responsible position. They should be supported in their effort to retain Mueller. And with so much parking the building space not needed for operations could very effectively be used for education facilities which are sorely needed.
Let us be economical for a change!
Speak! Be heard! Vote!
Sincerely,
Ed Lauffer
Doggett Must Go
Editor:I used to think that the Democrats were the ones who tried to make things right. They seemed to be our watchdogs -- looking for injustices, and trying to make this country a nicer place to live. What happened? When exactly did our Democratic representatives stop watching out for us? Take our very own Austin representative, Lloyd Doggett, who is now running for re-election. This guy actually voted against the $500 per child tax credit and the proposed adoption tax credit. Why?? What is wrong with these proposals? Sure, they came from Republicans, but Doggett should not have let ideological differences overshadow his view of the larger picture. Because it is the Republican who are making so many just proposals, maybe Austin should give them more of a chance. Doggett also voted against lawsuit reform. Why? We need lawsuit reform! So much of our money is going towards court costs for frivolous lawsuits -- money that could go instead to help save our almost bankrupt welfare system. (Another reform proposal that Doggett voted against, by the way.) The only reason that I can think of why a Democrat would actually vote against lawsuit reform is because of the huge amount of money that the Trial Lawyers donate to Democratic campaigns! Doggett should have been serving our interests in Washington instead of his own. It's time to get him out of there!
F.S. Taylor
Morales Played Race Card
Editor:About: Victor Morales. I thought Victor Morales' approach to politics was refreshing and deserved some thought. Then he played the race card, calling U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla a coconut (white on the inside, brown on the outside). Morales' meaning is quite clear -- there is something wrong with being white. I'm white. I also had to have two root canals (subsequently losing one tooth) coming to the aid of a friend getting pulverized by a bigot 20-some odd years ago. The bigot didn't like "longhairs or Mexicans." My friend was/is both. I didn't like racists then and don't now. I can hear the Victor Morales apologists now: "but he apologized!" So did David Duke. Would these same people come running to Duke's defense? I don't think so. Don't misunderstand me, I wouldn't walk across the street to spit on David Duke if he was on fire (piss on him... maybe). Why wouldn't I hold Victor Morales to the same standard?
Sincerely,
Charles Stover
Best Local Squid
To the Editor:I appreciate all the Austinites that again voted me "best local eccentric." I consider it high praise in a city known for its eccentrics. Like Kerry Awn's dream to be voted "Best Participatory Sport," I also dream of winning in another category: "Best Dancer." If you doubt me, I'll probably be doing "the squid" all night long to the Uranium Savages at Hank's Roadhouse on Halloween.
If I may humbly suggest two new categories for next year's poll: "Best Art Car" and "Best Street Corner Trombonist."
Crazy Carl Hickerson
Lee Radziwill: Beans Spilled
Editor:Sorry to be a bit late with this, but, in answer to Stephen Moser's rhetorical question in his article on Jacqueline Onassis in your October 4 issue, "Why... doesn't anyone spill the beans on Lee [Radziwill]?": Little Brown published an unauthorized biography of her, "In Her Sister's Shadow," within, I believe, the past 18 months.
Martyn Hitchcock
Learn Your Surf, Boy
Mr. Lynch,While I don't care about your opinion of my band [Squid Vicious, "Live Shots," Vol. 16, No. 8] either way, (it seems to me that most music critics are frustrated musicians and the rest are frustrated writers) I feel it necessary to let you and every other writer on God's green Earth know that surf music, as a recognized style, was rockin' hard way before Dick Dale started showing off... and long before Quentin Tarantino was even an itch in his daddy's loins. It started before Mr. Dale went trippin', with bands like the Surf-Tones and songs like "Cecilia Anne," which was not written by the Pixies. Thanks for the free press!
Ben Howard
No Tax $ for Holly Move
Dear Editor,I read with interest the letter by Mr. Mason printed in the Chronicle October 11, and found myself in agreement in all but one point -- relocation costs. Unless you lived in the Holly Street neighborhood prior to the power plant being built, why should the taxpayers suffer further political extortion by paying relocation costs for the neighborhood residents advocating closing the power plant? I can certainly recognize that a power plant may not be the best yard art on the block, but how could you have missed it when you were cruising the streets looking for a place to live? I doubt the powers that be draped it with an invisible blanket so they could sneak it by you. Let's face it -- it's huge and the damn thing glows at night like some alien spacecraft -- but you moved there knowing it was there. Why should taxpayers pay to move you? If you move and they built a filling station on your new corner would you call on the taxpayers to move you again?
We have all grown so used to flipping a switch and watching the lights go on while we run to the 'fridge for a cool one before sitting down in front of the TV, that we forget such creature comforts come with a price. I am amazed that people don't come down to the power plant, sit around in lawn chairs, and gaze in gratitude at the wonder of it all. Instead, we hear the cry of another special interest group whining "move it." Was there a mob of taxpayers who singled you out and said "Hey! You guys! -- you have to go live by the power plant?" If not, then quit your bitching....
Sincerely,
Tony Pacatte
Cower to The Big Boys, Neo-Sodomites
Blasphemers & Heretics:Just a few comments about "Mrs. Winik and Her Vicious Circle" [Vol. 16, No. 8]. How dare you compare yourself as a writer in any way while invoking the names of Faulkner, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, or O'Neill! Nor are the other "writers" mentioned (in her attempt at English writing) qualified to speak as writers.... Maybe as drunks, not writers. Who ever told Mrs. Winik she was a writer, lied. None of you neo-Sodomites could even carry Hunter S. Thompson's liver, leave alone his typewriter. Michael Ventura is the nearest thing to a writer employed at the Chronicle. But as for being real writers (and drinkers), you all pale and cower to The Big Boys.
Please spare us such blasphemy in the future.
Kurt Standiford
Stop That Junk Mail
Dear Chronicle Member,I read in your last issue of the Chronicle that there was this guy who was ranting and raving about "junk mail" and he couldn't get a response from any of the places he had been writing. I don't know if this will help, but I got this address off a flyer.
Mail Preference Services
Direct Mail Marketing Association
77 West 42nd St.
New York, NY 10163-3861
Your friend,
Juanita Fralin
