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Remember last spring TCR wrote around a year out is the time to look at the polls to see if we would have a competitive Presidential race.
Well we are there and the latest Ipsos/Cook Political Repeat poll shows overall approval for Bush is now at 51% and the re-elect numbers show 35% definite for Bush, 26% definite for someone else and the rest undecided.
The 2004 campaign will be a challenge and we will need to work very hard to win.
Bring Home Our Jobs
Tax Code Now Works Against It
The media as well as many voters are concerned about U.S. jobs going off-shore.
I recently came across an idea by Senator John Ensign (R-Nevada) and Representative Phil English (R-Louisiana) called the Invest in USA Act. This bill would open a six month window for companies with foreign earnings to bring their money home without paying a lot to the IRS -the bills would lower taxes on funds brought home from 35% to 5.25%.
Estimates are this could lead to the creation of around 400,000 new jobs in the next two years. This sounds like a no-brainer - let's get going, write your congressman and senators and ask them to support this bill HR1162 and you can e-mail your member at www.house.gov after finding your representative. Do it today.
TCR Candidate Questionnaire - Part 2
The Questions With TCR's Position In ( )
- Do you support a 5% cap per year on the increase in appraised value for real property as the state house passed in the last session of the legislature? (Yes)
- Do you favor the requirement of a super majority prior to raising tax rates? (Yes)
- Do you support the modification of the affirmative action program so it will be need-based and have graduation features? (Yes)
- Do you support ending term limits for elected officials? (No)
- Do you believe in coordination of government functions where practical between the city and county? (Yes)
- Do you favor outsourcing of city functions that don't pass the yellow pages test (if someone in the private sector does a city function more efficiently and at a lower cost) in order to control overall city spending? (Yes)
- Most agreed, the top two priorities for city spending are public safety and roads (infrastructure), what is your third priority?
- Do you support the current Metro Rail referendum? (No)
- Should the total City budget grow faster than the combined increase of inflation and population? (No)
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TCR CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES |
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OFFICE |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
TCR SCORE |
|
|
CITY COUNCIL At Lrg 1 |
|
|
Andrew Burks Jr |
NR |
|
Mark Ellis |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Basic Services water & sewer, parks & libraries |
Y |
N/Y |
100% |
|
James Galvan |
NR |
|
Brian Wozniak |
NR |
|
Don Seributra |
NR |
|
|
CITY COUNCIL At Lrg 2 |
|
|
John Elford |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Two 4yr terms |
Y |
Y |
Jobs &Economic Development to help pay for safety &roads. |
N |
N |
100% |
|
Gordon Quan |
Y/N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Affordable housing |
Y |
N |
81% |
|
|
CITY COUNCIL At Lrg 3 |
|
|
Peter Brown |
NR |
|
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs |
NR |
NR |
Y |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
Y |
NR |
|
Renee Hicks |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Quality of Life |
N |
N |
100% |
|
Jolanda Jones |
NR |
|
|
CITY COUNCIL At Lrg 4 |
|
|
Bert Keller |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Protect the tax base-privatization of city services when cost
effective and improving collections. |
N |
N |
100% |
|
Sue Lovell |
NR |
|
Thomas Zermeno |
NR |
|
Ronald Green |
NR |
|
|
CITY COUNCIL At Lrg 5 |
|
|
Michael Berry |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
N/A |
N |
N |
100% |
|
Dwight Boykins |
Y |
Y |
Y/N |
N |
Y |
Y |
Transportation |
Y |
N |
81% |
|
Aloysius Hoang |
NR |
|
Beulah Shepard |
NR |
|
Mindy Terence |
NR |
|
Willie Wright, Jr |
NR |
|
|
CITY COUNCIL DIST C |
|
|
Mark Goldberg |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Eliminate wasteful spending |
? |
N |
100% |
|
Malaki Sims |
NR |
|
Tasso Triantaphyllis |
NR |
TCR Comments - all of the no response candidates ought to tell you something. In City Council Position 1 - Mark Ellis is the leader of the fiscal conservatives on council and deserves re-election. In City Council Position 2 - John Elford is the pick over Gordon Quan, a nice fellow who has never cast a fiscally conservative vote and probably never will. City Council Position 4 - Bert Keller is generally pro-business and anti-tax. His recent vote against a 1 cent property tax roll back was of concern, as well as his claim to be favorable toward the present discriminatory affirmative action program, but his opponents are not with us on any issues so he is the choice.
For At-Large Position 5 - this is more difficult, my partner on television, Democrat David Jones, reports that many key Democrats two years ago were told by conservative Michael Berry that he agreed with the Democrats on most issues - so which is he? I don't know for sure; but based on his City Council voting record he's one of us. Dwight Boykins, the other major candidate, is likewise with us on most issues but doesn't have a voting record. He has attracted bipartisan support due to his work in Washington and in Austin for a major local university and because of Berry's last minute move on this race. The African-American community is very upset with that development.
For At-Large Position 3 - Both Renee Hicks and Shelley Sekula-Gibbs are identified and active Republicans whose answers or record are similar.
Finally, District C - Mark Goldberg has been a steadfast and courageous advocate of fiscal sanity at City Hall and needs to be re-elected.
Democrats Grid For Battle
DLC Says Democrats Can Win
In a recent article in the Democratic Leadership Council's magazine Blueprint (www.ndol.org). Al From and Bruce Reed in memos make the case for a democratic victory in 2004. I am going to give you the highlights under the theory it's good to know the opposition.
First, the Democrats say, "… it's a choice between two centuries", suggesting the GOP will return to an America of privilege and exploitation like the late 19th century. They also say the Bush foreign policy is based on "chronic unilateralism and depends on military force", which will reduce U.S. power to promote democracy and market economics.
Second, what is their battle plan? They adopt Bill Clinton's ideas. "1) Reassure voters that he'll keep what they like about George W. Bush's policies; 2) tell them some things they don't know about George W. Bush - and wouldn't like if they did; and 3) show that he'll give them what a second Bush administration won't."
So how do they turn Clinton's battle plan into a winner?
(1) Match Bush's strength on national security.
(2) Make Bush run on his record. They say his economic record is the worst since Hoover and he will preside over a net job loss - the first president since Hoover. To do so they also say Bush has abandoned the Republican tradition of keeping government spending in check. They recommend not seeking to take away middle-class tax cuts and in fact say they should support lower middle-class taxes and raising taxes on the wealthy (TCR Comment: the politics of envy). They also say Bush is responsible for 32 states raising taxes and fees!
(3) Tell America they'll do better. Democrats say Bush has no agenda for the middle class but Democrats do - grow the economy, create jobs, raise incomes, reform government not just expand it and not be afraid to use American power in dangerous times.
(4) Be patient - a year is an eternity in politics. They say the nation will hear a single Democratic voice soon who will force Bush to take responsibility for the consequences of his policies.
(5) Let hunger for a better President trump anger toward Bush.
They say remember the Democratic base is not the only people who vote - independents and Republicans will make up about two thirds of the electorate next fall. Anti Bush fervor won't beat him alone. They say they must convince voters who like Bush to reject his politics and hire someone else. They believe the middle class is in play and if the Democrats get them, the GOP is out.
TCR Comments - This was an eye opening memo, read it and understand the challenge ahead.
About Your Editor
Gary Polland
is a long time Republican spokesman, fund-raiser and leader who
recently completed three terms as the Harris County Republican
Chair. During his time as Chairman, Gary was described as the
most successful county Chairman in America by Human Events.
For six years, Gary put out a bi-weekly newsletter which he has
continued due to requests from many Republican activists.
Tune in Thursday
Nights - Houston Warner Cable channel 17 for Texas Politics-The Real Deal
with co-hosts David Jones and Gary Polland, awarded Cable T.V. personalities of the year by the Houston Press.
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