That’s what commenter “Kinky is Awesome” seems to think. In fact, this person posted an entire post from the Kinky is Awesome blog in the comments section of my post about the recent debate. WordPress seemed to think that this was comment spam, but since it was on topic, I figured why the hell not? and let it in. Still, I wonder if other blogs have recieved similar comments from “Kinky is Awesome.”
So, what makes Kinky awesome? Well, let’s think about what “Kinky is Awesome” said.
Is it his desire to militarize the border and declare martial law? I wonder if Kinky knows what martial law is, and if so is he really in favor of turning the justice system in south Texas over to the military? Is this how he’ll get Chris Bell out of the way since Bell is apparently a terrorist?
Perhaps Kinky is awesome because he supported Bush/Cheney in ’04 and still supports Bush’s middle east policies? Admiration and support for incompetents and incompetence aren’t exactly selling points. Is this really the best time to be talking up your candidate’s admiration for Bush anyway?
“Kinky is Awesome” then goes on to suggest that perhaps I might be a bit worried that Kinky “showed liberal tendencies by voting for a tree-hugger like Al Gore.” Despite the fact that several recent posts on this blog indicate that that might be a selling point, “Kinky is Awesome” tells me that I needn’t fear since Kinky never voted between 1994 and 2004. I guess his conservative principles are intact even if he sold out his apathy. Awesome.
And, no, I didn’t think he’s a liberal because he’s a Jew, but having religious views (which really means political-religious views) “well to the right of Perry’s” isn’t very reassuring whether it comes from a Christian, Jew or anyone else.
The pitch here is basically that Kinky is no liberal. I guess the idea is to help him pull off some of Perry’s conservative support considering that he’s probably gotten all he’s going to get from Bell. Kinky strikes me more than anything else as something of a libertarian, which I prefer over Republicans so, yeah, “Kinky is Awesome,” you’re right he’s better than Rick Perry, but I’d prefer more tree-hugger and a bit less martial law on the border.
James Brush is a teacher and writer who lives in Austin, TX. He tries to get outside as much as possible.
I’m a “practical libertarian pro-business liberal”.
I say “practical libertarian” because I share a belief in governmental noninterference in social choices and small government libertarian values but I don’t vote for libertarians because they never win so I generally look for a candidate with a chance to win but whose valuse are nearest to the libertarians.
I say “pro-business” because I favor less regulation of business.
I say “liberal” because I think the government should stay out of personal social decisions like gay or straight marriage, abortion, prayer in public school, etc.
This election is tough for me.
PRO-BUSINESS ISSUES
First, Perry fails the pro-business test because of Perry’s small business income tax.
Second, Bell fails the pro-business test because he strongly favors regulation; he wants to over-regulate renewable energy, energy pricing, mercury emissions, wildlife habitats, coal plants, minimum wage, development of public land, state parks, privatization of public lands, CO2 emissions, etc. Really the better question would be what DOESN’T Bell want to regulate.
Kinky doesn’t give many details, but his proposal to appoint Willie Nelson as energy czar gives me hope that Kinky understands that Texas should promote energy policy but not impose it by regulation. In interviews, Kinky expresses good pro-corporation views.
Strayhorn is by far the best on this topic. She has laid out her agenda, which includes:
“The General Land Office (GLO) should be … required to target at least 5 percent of all underused lands for sale each year….”
“Less confrontational methods of … enforcing environmental laws often can be more effective than traditional, punitive approaches. The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission should aggressively market its Regulatory Flexibility Program to reduce onerous restrictions on businesses….”
“Create a Bill of Rights for business. Every business has the right to expect state agencies to provide … a commitment to streamlining regulations….”
On these pro-business issues, Strayhorn finishes number 1 and Kinky number 2.
LIBERAL SOCIAL ISSUES
Having narrowed down to Strayhorn and Kinky, I looked at social issues.
Kinky is surprisingly conservative on social issues. These Kinky statements cause me some concern:
“I am going to see nondenominational prayer and the Ten Commandments put back in the schools.”
Discussing the reason why Kinky lost his last political election when he ran as a Republican “my inability to appeal to the religious right … torpedoed my candidacy.”
“I’m not a liberal, believe me. I’m a compassionate redneck, far more conservative than I am liberal.”
“I was for Bush in 2004. He’s a good man trapped in a Republican’s body.”
“Well, actually, I agree with most of political positions overseas, his foreign policy. … I basically think he played a poor hand well after September 11. What he’s been doing in the Near East and in the Middle East, he’s handling that well, I think.”
These statements do not inspire my confidence in Kinky.
Strayhorn, on the other hand, has evolved from a candidate with some unfavorable views on social issues to a candidate who now shares my beliefs on many issues. For example:
Strayhorn once said “I have been a lifelong Democrat, but I’m going to spend the rest of my life vigorously and wholeheartedly in the GOP.” And as a Republican, she was the member of the Legislative Redistricting Board who cast the deciding vote to re-draw Texas House districts as part of TomDeLay’s gerrymandering scheme which has been found to be illegal. But now Strayhorn has moved past that partisanship, and she says “I am a Republican. But I know I must set partisan politics aside and do what’s right for Texas. That is why I am running for governor as an independent.”
On diverting funds from public schools for private school vouchers, Strayhorn said she supported vouchers after she won election as comptroller in 1998 with the help of a loan from voucher advocate James Leininger. But now she has developed a better understanding fo the issue and says she would “veto any type of legislation that puts a single dollar into any voucher program.”
On abortion, in the 1990s Strayhorn signed pledges for the Republican National Coalition for Life to oppose abortion and told Greater Austin Right to Life that she supported overturning the Supreme Court decision allowing abortions. Now she has shown growth as a candidate an she says, “I have made my position very clear. As a mama and a grandmama, I believe in the sanctity of life, but I understand that there are those heartbreaking situations where heartbreaking decisions have to be made.”
CONCLUSION
Strayhorn is best on pro-business small government issues and Kinky is second best. On social issues, Strayhorn has shown growth as a candidate and she better reflects a live-and-let-live attitude of non-governmental interference in social issues than Kinky.
I am supporting Strayhorn.
Kinky sold out his Apathy? wow…what is our nation coming to when some one abandons their big passion, apathy, in favor of knuckleheadedness?
Their is BAD news here. These people are breeding
Voting for Kinky, just like voting for Repucks. Wasted vote me thinks.