Oct 19, 2018
"I'm a Democrat." With that opening, I just lost half my audience. If I had begun with "I'm a Republican," I would have lost the other half. To me, that shows our politics is now more tribal than partisan. Partisanship I can understand -- a partisan Republican would have launched into an explanation of why I'm wrong, and I would have responded by trying to prove I'm right. But a tribal Republican immediately assumes I'm evil and thus not worth listening to. While I've been wrong as often as any other fallible human being, I will never concede that I'm evil and sincerely hope that those who know me best do not so characterize me. I can handle being considered wrong and have fun trying to prove I'm not, but being labeled evil genuinely hurts.
However, my personal feelings are not what is at stake here. We face real problems that affect real people's lives: For example, Texas has the largest percentage of uninsured and under-insured citizens in the nation; 25 percent of our children are growing up in poverty (over 30 percent of black and Latino children); our commitment to public and higher education is eroding at a rate that literally threatens our future; foster children are suffering or even dying in the custody of the state; maternal and infant death rates are higher than in many poor countries; and the list could go on. Rather than rationally confronting these problems, we divide into tribes to sow anger and hate. If we could put down the rhetorical weapons and listen to each other, we would probably discover that more unites than divides us. After all, we all want to live in a healthy, prosperous, safe, well educated, compassionate society, but we are too busy fighting to get there.
I hold out hope for combating this tribalism primarily because of
Congressman Beto O'Rourke's Senate campaign. A political consultant recently told me that this is the most important race in the nation because if Beto can win by being "relentlessly positive" it will change the spirit of our politics. He may be the first candidate to visit all 254 counties, listening respectfully to those who disagree with him, and he has managed to do it all without taking corporate or PAC money. While he isn't afraid to take a stand on the issues, he understands that reasonable minds can differ and good people can disagree.
There are no simple answers to hard problems, but all sides have something to contribute in tackling them. Whatever solutions we come up with will likely generate their own set of problems so we will have to do it all again -- that's how democracy works. The great strength of a functioning democracy is not that it delivers perfect, quick solutions to complex problems but that it creates a place at the table for all perspectives. Because we do not currently have a functioning democracy and because we must restore respect and civility before we can fix it, I am actively campaigning in this critical Senate race and hope you will join me. If you got to the end of this letter, I appreciate your listening.
Pat Ledbetter, Gainesville
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Odessa American ~ Martin Villarreal Fort Stockton
Sunday, September 30, 2018
In Friday's debate Cruz said he has traveled across Texas. Beto has traveled to all 254 counties of Texas wanting everyone to come together to address the pressing issues Texans deal with every day.
I want my Senator to have a genuine concern for Texans and make an effort to meet with each county at least once during their term in office!
Mr. Cruz visited every county in Iowa during his run for president in 2016. So the Senator has the drive when he puts his heart into it. I just wish he had that kind of fire and passion for Texas.
Beto has proven he has the endurance, drive, fire, and passion for our state. I believe Beto will truly represent the people of Texas.
>>>>>>
Austin American Statesman October 21
Imagine that: O'Rourke agrees with Trump
In your coverage of the latest Cruz/O'Rourke debate, you report that challenger Beto O'Rourke invoked Trump's "Lyin' Ted" moniker for Sen. Ted Cruz, stating that he agreed with that characterization.
Now that U.S. Rep. Robert Francis O'Rourke has announced that he agrees with President Trump on anything, should not all Democrats vilify him as a horrid, evil, person?
Geoffrey C. Price, Austin
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