Tonight is the night that KUHT channel 8 runs the debate between SD11 candidates Joe Jaworski and Sen. Mike Jackson. Or, at least, the debate that would have been between Jaworski and Jackson if Jackson had kept his word and bothered to show up. I'm not sure how it will play out, though having been a guest on Red, White, and Blue myself, I have every confidence that David Jones and Gary Polland handled Jackson's school-skipping with ease. If they had an empty chair, or a cardboard cutout, to stand in for him, that would have been entirely fitting. Tune in tonight at 8 to see for yourself.
Meanwhile in Fort Worth, Sen. Kim Brimer stepped out from behind his attorneys long enough to actually engage Wendy Davis in a candidate forum. We all know how busy he is these days filing appeals and whatnot, so let's all be grateful that he managed to work this one in. A statement from the Davis campaign is beneath the fold.
Kim Brimer once again displayed how out of touch he is with the concerns of Tarrant County families at a League of Women Voters candidate forum last night.Posted by Charles Kuffner on October 11, 2008 to Election 2008Brimer made repeated attempts to sugar coat his less-than-impressive record on the issues, claiming success in working to benefit groups like children and seniors - groups which many experts say have been gravely hurt by Brimer's votes in the Texas legislature.
"We've invested in million of dollars in our seniors in the form of certification, regulation and outreach for senior citizens," Brimer said, not giving any specific examples.
Davis countered by reminding the audience that Brimer voted for HB2922, a 2003 bill that had dire consequences for children and seniors in low- to middle-income families.
"I believe Mr. Brimer doesn't care about our children, and he doesn't care about our seniors. Why else would he have voted in 2003 to remove 230,000 children from the Children's Health Insurance Program, and why would he remove 25 percent of a long-term-care seniors' meager allowance from $65 to $40 a month . . . money that they use to buy their toothpaste, their deodorant and their greeting cards to their grandchildren," Davis said.
Davis pointed out that her early life experience would guide her in standing up for the groups that most needed the legislature's help in difficult economic times.
"As a young single mom, I had to balance some very tight budgets, but I never did that at the expense of my children, and I won't do that to your children either," Davis said.
By the way, Joe Jaworski was the only candidate that showed when Texas Watch came to Houston. He came at the perfect time to speak of what he and thousands of families are dealing with as far as insurance. Alex Winslow and his outstanding group are going across the state talking in regards to Texas having the highest premiums for home owners in the country and they problems they have when submitting claims.
Joe spoke of what families are going through with the disaster of IKE and I would assume he is speaking first hand. After listening to him I would have to say the people of Galveston would be fortunate to have a representative like him in SD11.
Wonder if the Chron. will endorse an empty chair next???