David Ortez - A Political/Social Thought Blog

Six Answers for the Runoff

david — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:29:42 PST

Charles Kuffner posed six question for the upcoming December Runoff Election here in Houston. I decided to take a stab at them for today’s post.

1. What will Peter do?

Peter Brown will make an endorsement. He will endorse Annise Parker but will that result in more votes for Parker … that I am not sure. I do not expect Peter Brown to get too heavily invested in the Annise Parker campaign other than the televised press conference in which he touts her service and leadership. Peter Brown will then quietly depart the political scene until the election is over. Ideology wise, he and Parker are closer in line than he is with Gene Locke.

Then, again … the word on the street is that the African-American coalition that stuck its neck for Peter Brown will coax him into endorsing Gene Locke. I do not see that happening since Peter Brown is Independent and has no future political aspirations so he won’t be compelled to meet their demands.

2. Where's the money?

It is no surprise that both the Gene Locke and Annise Parker campaign are running on fumes … but that was expected. Now, the most important goal is to begin fundraising to reach the airwaves. I expect the Gay community at the National level will play a more active role in supporting Parker … at least monetarily wise. Luckily, Parker boasts the most donors than Gene Locke who has maxed out on some*. This may play a critical role during the home stretch but I expect Parker to reach the airwaves in two weeks if not by Thanksgiving for sure.

As for Locke, he may better poised to start hitting home by the end of next week … that is all of course if we all assume that donations will start pouring in for these two candidates.

If the money does not trickle in … then no worries for the Parker campaign because they have been the only campaign to work under a budget that was much lower than Locke or Brown. They are more apt and versatile to getting their money’s worth. Their ground game is better off than Locke and that may prove decisive in a low-turnout election where money is tight for both campaigns.

3. What about the Republicans?

We underestimated Republicans the first time around but then again … there was a constitutional amendment and there was actually a Republican candidate. I do not expect Republicans to turnout for Locke like they did for Roy.

Unfortunately, for Republicans … they have two undesirable choices for Mayor and I expect them to not be compelled enough to vote for anyone in particular. Sure, there will be a few that will come out of the woodwork to vote for Locke but if Hotze and Patrick come within 100 feet of Gene Locke like Charles has mentioned … it may backfire on Locke. There is bi-partisan endorsements and then there is Partisan endorsements and it could prove to be a game changer for Parker if Locke gets the endorsements of those two controversial Republicans.

As for the Controller’s office … Green will have little difficulty in claiming victory. He has name recognition and support from the community at large.

Now, Jolanda Jones … as long as she keeps clear of any controversy and can get out the vote … she will do fine.

District F will be a bit trickier than I expected. It will all come down to Al Hoang getting his supporters to vote for him. If they fail to show up then expect a win for Mike Laster.

District A will be similar to District F but Lane Lewis has been able to get a grass roots movement moving along. Brenda Stardig should win it but I would not be surprised if Lewis gives her a run for the money.

4. How negative are things going to get?

There is no question that the campaigns will go negative … the real question is when and who. This is where I expect bloggers to cause a mess. Locke has failed to build a blogger base that lives on the Internet. These folks will be the ones digging up as much dirt about the candidates as possible. I expect things to turn sour for Locke and the main stream media will be sucked into it as they report on what bloggers like myself are finding out.

The reason I hear that Peter Brown lost was because he went negative … the second reason is because he used a photograph of Gene Locke in his attack ad. According to numerous folks that I have spoken to since the election … they speculate that African-Americans turned on Peter Brown after they saw that Gene Locke was black and he was being attacked by an “old white man.”

What does that mean … it means: Do not attack folks to the point that it becomes the catalyst for the other side to A) Drive up Donations and B) Turn out the Vote!

5. Who will the Chron endorse?

The real question is … Will it matter who the Houston Chronicle endorses? I think they will go with Annise Parker due to the novelty of endorsing the first gay mayoral candidate of a large U.S. city. Then, again … I won’t be surprised if they side with the business side of politics and endorse Gene Locke in order to avoid rocking the boat.

6. What will early voting look like?

Early voting could be as low as 20% but I expect the same enthusiastic 30% to vote on December 8 and mail their ballots in by December 12. It will come down to early voting in my opinion. The election will be decided by the outcome of December 8 and December 12 will just be reflection of what occurs on December 8. Expect the 5 week delay and Christmas shopping to take a toll on the voter turnout.

What do you think? Do you agree with my analysis or do you have a different opinion?

Update: *Max out in this context does not imply that donors can no longer contribute the maximum to Gene Locke or Annise Parker. Thank you to Martha Griffin for clarifying that point in an email.

Health Care Reform for the Ages

david — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:08:25 PST

Thank you, Peter Brown!

david — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:33:35 PST

I was going to entertain the reason why Peter Brown did not earn a spot in the run off in December but I decided against that sort of negative outlook.

Instead, I would like to thank the Peter Brown campaign.

Thank you for believing in Houston.

Thank you for inspiring so many folks from diverse demographics. It was cool to step into the Heights Theatre … and see it packed with a young people that you thought you were at the United Nations.

Thank you for telling us what you envisioned and how you wanted to make Houston “an even better Houston.”

Thank you for staying positive for so long … and I understand that the last week … was just that … the last week.

Thank you for challenging the paradigm and setting the new standards in Houston politics. Do you not think that we will now have mobile campaigns, tweet ups, contests, multi-lingual yard signs and innovative ways of using social media?

Thank you for having two great, awesome young and passionate staffers … Mike and Matt were great at keeping in touch with me.

Most of all … thank you for running for office … you were always the underdog and not many folks believed you had a chance. Your impact to this campaign was that I challenged myself to think … that Houston can be that word class city that other cities will emulate.

Houston Election 2009

david — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:53:13 PST

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=17cb094f1b&amp;amp;amp;quot; mce_href=&amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=17cb094f1b&amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;gt;Houston Election 2009&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Let's Get the Party Started!

david — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:23:33 PST

So, you voted and you want to celebrate with your favorite candidates but you aren't sure where to go? Well, check out the following list and get the party started!

Annise Parker for Mayor
Hilton Americas
1600 Lamar
7 PM

Gene Locke for Mayor
Hyatt Regency
1200 Louisiana
7 PM to 11 PM

Peter Brown for Mayor
Heights Theater
311 W. 18th Street
7 PM

Roy Morales for Mayor
Crowne Plaza Medical Center
8686 Kirby
7 PM

Herman Litt for At-Large 1
Ninfa's
3601 Kirby Drive
8 PM to 10 PM

Karen Derr for At-Large 1
Hearsay Gastro Lounge
218 Travis St.
7 PM to midnight

Rick Rodriguez for At-Large 1
The Press Box
209 Jackson (between Congress and Franklin)
7 PM to 11 PM

Stephen Costello for At-Large 1
Campaign HQ
3637 W. Alabama, Suite 450
7 PM

Lonnie Allsbrook for At-Large 1
Beer Island
2631 White Oak Drive
6:30 PM to 10:30 PM

Council Member Sue Lovell At-Large 2
4511 Montrose Blvd. in Chelsea Market
7 PM

Noel Freeman for At-Large 4
Onion Creek in the Heights
3106 White Oak

C.O. Bradford for At-Large 4
CWA Union Hall
1730 Jefferson
6 PM to 11 PM

Council Member Jolanda Jones At-Large 5
Club One
723 Main at Rusk
7:30 PM

Lane Lewis for District A
Cazadores
11031 NW Freeway (290@ W. 34th)
7 PM to 11 PM

Council Member Wanda Adams, District D
G & Z's Coffee Shop
4412 Almeda
7 PM to midnight

Oliver Pennington for District G
Rajin Cajun
4302 Richmond
7:10 PM to 10:10 PM

Dexter Handy for District G
21 Briar Hollow Lane
7 PM to midnight

Alma Lara for HISD Board District 1
Tepatitlan
4720 Main
7 PM to 11 PM

Harris County Democratic Party
Birraporetti's
500 Lousisiana
7:30 PM to midnight ($25 charge)

Thanks to Martha Griffin for posting.

Houston Mayoral Matrix

david — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:12:24 PST

For those on the fence or those that decided to procrastinate ... this is a quick guide to the policies of each of the major candidates running to be the next mayor of the City of Houston.

You may download a PDF for your printing pleasure and feel free to pass it around. Good luck to the candidates!

Who is Roy Morales?

david — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:21:16 PDT

Alright guys over at the Annise Parker, Gene Locke and Peter Brown campaigns ... I know this week has been stressful and it will only get worst but lets all enjoy this 1 minute and 20 second advert at the expense of Roy Morales.

When I first saw this ad ... I thought it was a joke ... sort of like the time when Morales claimed that he would try to bring Walt Disney to the 713 to fill that void and eyesore that sits on 610.

I hope Morales really did not pay to produce this advert. I mean come on ... for 30 seconds these guys are just showing off their bikes. Then they go into this ridiculous and forced conversation on "who" Roy Morales is ... at all places of ... a bar.

Well, let's just say ... this is my favorite ad this election cycle. Enjoy!

Houston Mayor Bill White Defends Annise Parker

david — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:42:54 PDT

Bill White has been quiet … too quiet if you ask me but today he came out of the rock he has been hiding under (ergo his Senate Campaign Race) and stepped up to the plate to set the record straight.

In a mailer sent out to potential voters by the Peter Brown campaign … it alleged that Parker “twice missed legally required deadlines for preparing the city’s official financial reports.”

Bradley Olson adds, “The mail piece accuses City Controller Annise Parker of missing reporting deadlines for annual audits and “significant deficiencies” that left “Houston's financial security at risk.”

So, what did current Houston Mayor and United States Senator hopeful say about these allegations?

Bill White states, “The city has not been put at financial risk. The Controller is not responsible for these delays and the reasons for delays were discussed openly at City Council meetings with some frequency.”

Score 1 for Annise Parker and 0 for Peter Brown, right?

Well, the Peter Brown campaign is sticking to their guns and not budging an inch. Even after Annise Parker has called for Brown to “correct the record and withdraw his misleading accusations” … the Brown campaign claims that the “mailer is well documented.”

The mailer does have citations, unfortunately … the only copy I have seen is such a low resolution image that I cannot decipher the url or the original source.

I am not surprised that Peter Brown has responded to attacks from both Gene Locke and Annise Parker … what surprises me is how long it took for him to react.

The mail piece has become a rallying call for the cash strapped Parker who is running on fumes at $83K … the last time I saw … just days before election day next week.

Parker has asked supporters to help her raise $100K in the next 24 hours (most likely TV money) in response to the “deceptive attacks on Annise.”

Brown’s attack has been rather low-key as it only appeared in print material and I have not heard of a commercial whether it is on the radio or television regarding this matter.

I am curious though of the other allegations that Brown asserts about Parker which are that Annise Parker:

Supported a “rain tax” for drainage and proposed a new garbage tax for trash pickup
Pocketed a $14,000 pay raise - a pay raise refused by Mayor White – today Houston is in a recession and $1.5 billion in debt

What are the facts and the truth regarding these claims? Do they hold any water?

Did You Know?

david — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:03:02 PDT

Did Locke Copy or Steal?

david — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:09:38 PDT

Gene Locke must have gotten the latest memo that shows him behind Annise Parker and Peter Brown even though he has managed to out raise them both and get more endorsements than all of the candidates combined … but he is stuck at the bottom just shy of being humiliated by Roy Morales.

Then, I got word of his latest television advert and I was excited … finally we will get to see some good stuff. If, Locke was going negative on the radio and chipping away at Peter Brown … accusing him of buying votes ... I could only imagine the havoc his new ad would bring.

That’s not my spin … it is the Houston Chronicle’s claim that I read in “Locke ad: Brown tried to buy black support” and boy was I excited about Locke’s TV ad … sort of like a little kid on the eve of Christmas who has been waiting for Santa Claus to deliver on the goods.

To my dismay though and like a fat kid in dodge ball … Locke was out! He missed his mark and was not able to deliver with his ad. In fact, I thought it was a carbon copy of the Parker ad theme “Only One” and perhaps he did that on purpose … who knows.

The ad states:

“Only one candidate for mayor has been endorsed by the Houston Chronicle (pause) and Houston’s Police and Firefighters (pause) it’s Gene Locke.”

My qualms with the ad is the deception that occurs through omission … although that omission in this case is only represented via a pause and the use of the conjunction “and” to tie both of the predicates to a subject together.

Bradley Olson of the Houston Chronicle states:

“Locke is the only candidate endorsed by the Houston Chronicle...and police and firefighters, much as I am the only reporter covering the mayoral race...who is at the Houston Chronicle and six feet tall.

The paper co-endorsed Locke and Parker, so while it's not correct to say Locke is the only candidate who got the nod, he can still claim the statement is true because after the brief pause he includes police and firefighters.”

Greg Wythe adds:

“The opening half of the opening line, regarding Gene being the "only one" endorsed by the Chronicle, evoked laughter. For Team Locke's sake, they should hope I'm the only one who heard it that way. It's usually not a good sign for an ad to inspire that kinda reaction.

The ad itself looks good, but it strikes me as the type of ad you'd want to saturate the airwaves with in the first half of October, not as your closing argument with voters.”

One can see that the Locke camp is feeling the heat and they have to go on the offensive the rest of the way if they wish to be duking it out in December. As Pablo Picasso stated, “Bad artists copy. Great artists steal!” … which did Gene Locke do?

Did You Know?

david — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:11:52 PDT

David’s Election 2009 Cheat Sheet

david — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:38:48 PDT

Friends and family have hounded me on my recommendations for this November 2009 election. I will reserve my choice for Mayor because I expect a runoff and I do not want to appear to have a bias.

Rest assure ... I have made my choice for Mayor and all I can really say is that at the end of the day it was rather easy for me to make that decision because the candidate I will vote for is the most qualified of the three. Here is a hint though ... their yard sign is in the above photograph. Without further ado here go my endorsements:

State of Texas, Constitutional Amendment Election

Proposition 1 – “authorizing the financing, including through tax increment financing, of the acquisition by municipalities and counties of buffer areas or open spaces adjacent to a military installation for the prevention of encroachment or for the construction of roadways, utilities, or other infrastructure to protect or promote the mission of the military installation.” (AGAINST)

Proposition 2 – “authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property's value as a residence homestead.” (FOR)

Proposition 3 – “providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes.” (FOR)

Proposition 4 – “establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund.” (FOR)

Proposition 5 – “authorizing the legislature to authorize a single board of equalization for two or more adjoining appraisal entities that elect to provide for consolidated equalizations.” (FOR)

Proposition 6 – “authorizing the Veterans' Land Board to issue general obligation bonds in amounts equal to or less than amounts previously authorized.” (AGAINST)

Proposition 7 – “to allow an officer or enlisted member of the Texas State Guard or other state militia or military force to hold other civil offices.” (FOR)

Proposition 8 – “authorizing the state to contribute money, property, and other resources for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of veterans hospitals in this state.” (FOR)

Proposition 9 – “to protect the right of the public, individually and collectively, to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico.” (FOR)

Proposition 10 – “to provide that elected members of the governing boards of emergency services districts may serve terms not to exceed four years.” (FOR)

Proposition 11 – “to prohibit the taking, damaging, or destroying of private property for public use unless the action is for the ownership, use, and enjoyment of the property by the State, a political subdivision of the State, the public at large, or entities granted the power of eminent domain under law or for the elimination of urban blight on a particular parcel of property, but not for certain economic development or enhancement of tax revenue purposes, and to limit the legislature's authority to grant the power of eminent domain to an entity.” (AGAINST)

City of Houston, Council Members, District A-I

District A – LANE LEWIS

District B – JARVIS JOHNSON

District C – RANDY LOCKE

District D – WANDA ADAMS

District E – MIKE SULLIVAN

District F – MIKE LASTER

District G – DEXTER HANDY

District H – ED GONZALEZ

District I – JAMES RODRIGUEZ

City of Houston, Council Member, At-Large Position 1-5

At-Large Position 1 – HERMAN LITT

At-Large Position 2 – SUE LOVELL

At-Large Position 3 – MELISSA NORIEGA

At-Large Position 4 – C.O. “BRAD” BRADFORD

At-Large Position 5 – JOLANDA “JO” JONES

City of Houston, City Controller – RONALD GREEN

HCCS, Trustee, District III – DIANE OLMOS GUZMAN

Did You Know?

david — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:58:25 PDT

On the Eve of Early Voting

david — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:27:08 PDT

Today is the big day in which folks will begin to cast their ballots and decide who will lead Houston for at least the next 2 years but most likely the next 6 if history proves to be any indicator on how our system works.

The most recent Houston Chronicle/Zogby poll does not look pretty for Gene Locke. No matter how many endorsements he gets or that he is the defacto Democratic Party candidate … times are hard for the former City Attorney turned Andres Kurth partner.

Perhaps, the information that reminded folks that he earns about $640 an hour while representing the City of Houston hurt a bit. It could also be the incompetence of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority which is bleeding money left and right … and the responsible party at moment is Gene Locke. Maybe, it is the ill delivered allegations attacking Annise Parker regarding the city budget … Parker was able to dodge that swipe and convinced us all that Locke is just confused about the city budget. At the end of the day … it could just be the poorly run campaign that was not able to capitalize at opportune times.

One thing is for sure though … if the polls are any indicator of what we shall expect on November 3, 2009 … it's that Peter Brown and Annise Parker are headed to a runoff. But, you cannot count out Locke just yet … 36% of those polled are still up for grabs which is more than enough to cause an upset.

Then we have to think of the ballot setup and everyone who knows anything about politics knows that location matters. Peter Brown could not have asked for a better spot … coming in first on the ballot while unfortunately for Locke … he is last. The first candidate benefits from a 5% voter increase because let’s just be honest … some folks will A) be too lazy B) be ignorant and not know who to vote for or C) not understand how to operate the machine and thus the first candidate will benefit because it is the first choice.

So, it seems that Peter Brown’s ads have worked … I spotted them at least twice this weekend … once during the UT vs OU (Sucks!) game on Saturday and during the Phillies vs. Dodgers National League Championship Series game last night.

According to the poll … Brown and Parker are in a statistical tie, which is better news for Parker than it is for Brown because no matter how much money he has thrown into the race … he has only benefitted marginally against Parker. I do not know how long Parker can keep that up once her bank account begins to run on fumes and Brown begins to stimulate the Houston economy a second time from his checking account in order to seal the deal in December.

Then the Houston Chronicle pulled a WTF? when they decided to co-endorse Parker and Locke … they might as well have thrown Brown in because that endorsement is useless. Who the hell goes into the ballot to vote and gets to split their vote. I agree the candidates are great and they have excellent ideas on how to make the city an even better Houston. The co-endorsement is as useless as Michael Steele is to the GOP … or is it more like Rush Limbaugh when he doesn’t get to pop his “prescription” pills.

All these “What ifs?” can really torment someone that does not have access to a magic 8 ball. One thing is for sure … today you can join Annise Parker and cast your vote at 9AM at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center located on 1475 W. Gray in Houston, Texas 77019. Coincidentally, that is where I voted for the first time in my life when I drove in from Austin, Texas to vote for Mayor Bill White.

You can click here to find out the nearest locations and times for early voting centers in Harris County. With 2 weeks left … candidates let's get ready to rumble ...

Did You Know?

david — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:05:18 PDT

The Human Side of Gene Locke

david — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:45:43 PDT

Bradley Olson of the Houston Chronicle has a touching piece on Houston Mayoral candidate Gene Locke. It reflects on Locke’s modest beginnings and helps to enlighten potential voters of his unfamiliar background.

I will note parts of the story that I found interesting. The first would have to be how Locke decided to become a lawyer.

Olson states:
"After dropping off a car for repairs, he told church members, he was led by God to the downtown campus of South Texas College of Law and into an impromptu meeting with an associate dean, where he was admitted on the spot. Upon hearing about his good fortune, a co-worker at the refinery offered to cover for him on occasion so he could study or rest enough to be a successful student."

Then there were Locke’s roots as a community organizer fighting for civil rights issues in Houston. Olson adds, “His rhetoric at the time, much as it was among young African-American activists in the late 1960s, was tinged with frustration and veiled threats. He was quoted calling police “licensed killers” and saying AABL [Afro Americans for Black Liberation] aimed to “dehonkify” the university.”

It would all end with a trial in which he testified that he did not encourage the destruction of property … the university student center in this case, after protestors reacted “to news that he had been beaten by three white students.”

Locke notes, “I probably, like so many other young people at the time, engaged in hyperboles and passionate rhetoric that when you look back on it, you wonder, ‘Who said that and why?”

Did You Know?

david — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:18:41 PDT

Houston Rocks for Annise Parker

david — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:50:48 PDT

I love hearing about the grassroots movement that certain Houston Mayoral candidates inspire in volunteers and supporter. Take for example Annise Parker … she was able to take advantage of the unique opportunity to share Jason de Kanter’s contribution to the campaign.

Jason was just an everyday Houstonian that began to support Parker before all the cool kids joined the club. Jason committed countless hours to the campaign but then reality struck and his real job came calling.

Jason had to devote more of his time to his job at a local food production. That did not stop Jason from finding a way to give back to the mayoral candidate he will vote for in November … he donated his entire overtime paycheck to the Annise Parker campaign and was featured during a last fundraiser push by the campaign.

Then you have Michael Pomeroy who is also a volunteer and supporter of the Annise Parker campaign. Michael was so inspired by the Parker campaign that he wanted to go above and beyond much like Jason. So, Michael was able to organize with some assistance from the campaign “Houston Rocks for Annise” as a fundraiser event.

Michael connected with local bands in the Houston area via social networks like Twitter and has put together a benefit concert for Annise Parker on Saturday, October 10, 2009 at The Backroom. You can check out bands like Benjamin Wesley, Picture Book, Maggy Adeleye and Football, etc. at the event.

The Backroom is located at 3718 Main Street at Alabama. $10 dollars get you through the door but it is greatly encouraged to donate more. You can check out the website to find out more information.

I think it is cool to find out of these interesting behind the scenes stories during the campaign. It truly says a lot about a candidate … when they can encourage their supporters to “make a difference” and go that extra mile for a campaign.

Kudos to Jason and Michael!

Follow the Money and Other Observations

david — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:55:08 PDT

In case you were not able to attend yesterday’s debate … I was there to live blog the event and Martha Griffin offers her insight on the event and Charles Kuffner adds his two cents.

Bradley Olson captured the true essence of the event by claiming “the four candidates vying to become Houston's next mayor emerged from the first major debate of the campaign Sunday evening unscathed from any attacks or gaffes, choosing instead a style that may not have cost or won them any votes.”

In other words … it was as exciting as watching paint dry … which is pretty exciting if it happens to be burnt orange. For a political junkie as myself I love watching a debate (yesterday wasn’t a debate) in which the candidates take the opportunity to hold the other one accountable.

Yesterday … I saw none of that and I guess I have not missed out much over the past three months. Since this was a televised debate … I was expecting Parker going after Locke and Brown after Parker and Locke after Parker or Brown and Morales jumping up and down asking “when is it my turn?” but of course all I got was the most serene … calm ... courteous politicians that only seem want to attack each other behind the scenes and not in front of them.

The filing deadline was today and everyone is making a fuss about who raised the most and who has the least but I want to touch upon what this really means as we hit the home stretch to election day.

Martha Griffin and John Coby have some great stories regarding Gene Locke and a possible conflict of interest. Did you know Locke makes $640 an hour as general counsel for the Sports Authority? Who wants to leave making that much money in order to take a pay cut to be Mayor of Houston?

My apprehension and any potential voter should stop themselves and ask why is Gene Locke getting all the endorsements from the Democratic establishment … sprinkle in some Republican big wigs and voila it seems rather unanimous how big business wants to win?

This is of concern to me because … with all those endorsements who will he govern for … the people or the businesses that are footing the bill so that he becomes Mayor? Please folks, be skeptical of Locke’s endorsements … they are too good to be true and when I get a bad vibe … my intuition is usually right.

Locke has great ideas and he is a great candidate that anyone should vote for in a heartbeat but at the end of the day one must be on high alert for any ulterior motives.

But … then you have Annise Parker who “critics” claim is being funded from San Francisco to be the next Mayor. Although, I have not found any proof of this and believe me I have gone through her finances and just because a couple of people sent $25 dollars from the Bay Area … it suddenly isn’t a conspiracy.

My concern with Parker though is that she is cash strapped. Let’s call it what it is … it seems Locke was smart enough to dump Sue Walden because Parker only raised $425K and Locke easily doubled that with $949K.

But … that is not my concern … it is the cash on hand that may be an indicator of what to expect before Election day. Parker only has $222K on hand. What does this mean? With so little cash … Parker may have to join the dark side and go rogue … unleashing negative attacks on Locke and Brown in order to get into a run off.

What the campaign finance numbers do tell me is that apparently San Fran is not funding her campaign but if she can stay clean, as a whistle there is hope for her. Annise Parker has great ideas and she is a great candidate that anyone should vote for in a heartbeat but at the end of the day one must be on high alert for any negative attacks directed at Peter Brown or Gene Locke and take those with a grain of salt.

And finally … last but not least is Peter Brown who has the most money than the other candidates. With close to $2 million in the bank ready to be unleashed this month … Brown can single handedly stimulate the Houston economy with his own finances.

But … that is my concern … Brown raised the least out of all the candidates and has self-financed his own campaign. Why would a wealthy person do this? What is at stake for them? Why does he really want to be Mayor?

Folks have to ask themselves these questions … at the end of the day perhaps Brown and Locke really want to improve Houston and thus they are willing to take a pay cut in order to make Houston better.

Peter Brown has great ideas and he is a great candidate that anyone should vote for in a heartbeat but at the end of the day one must be on high alert and ask themselves why would he bankroll his own campaign to that degree and at the end of day will he be able to deliver?

Folks … you have three great candidates but before you pull the lever on any given individual … try to understand who they are and where they want to go with the city.

The questions I ask do not necessarily mean that A) Locke has already sold out to the Establishment B) Parker will resort to negative attacks in order to win and C) Brown can not deliver because he is self-financed … look at current Mayor Bill White who footed his own bill … he is leaving office as one of the most popular Mayors of the 713.

Rally on the Green: Houston Mayoral Candidate Forum

david — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:10:04 PDT

&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;altcast_code=451103f34c&quot; mce_href=&quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;altcast_code=451103f34c&quot; &gt;Rally on the Green: Mayoral Candidate Debate&lt;/a&gt;

Gene Locke’s Ad Debuts

david — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:14:42 PDT

Not to be outdone … the Gene Locke campaign decided to release their first ad before it begins to air next week. Perhaps, they felt the pressure after both Annise Parker and Peter Brown released their second and third ads respectively. An insider informed me that Locke filmed for the ad just one week ago … last Friday … so it makes sense why they leaked to the local media that their ad was on the way and unleashed it on the public before it even hits the airwaves.

Now, let’s get one thing straight … the ad is the best one at introducing the candidate to the general public … there is not doubt that the other first adverts were hybrids of bio pieces intertwined with policy initiatives.

That being said though … this is the worst advert of them all. Such harsh words but hear me out … it isn’t because it fails to do it s job … on the contrary it introduces Locke to potential voters as this likable person that pulled himself by the boot straps to become a successful member of society. After watching this ad … I like Locke even more and it portrays him in a positive light but this is NOT the ad that Locke needed to release.

Locke is heading into a race where Brown has monopolized the airwaves for close to a month. He also has an uphill battle against a popular City Controller that has been in Houston politics for over a decade. By all accounts he is an underdog under normal circumstance but he does have the support of the big wigs and the Democratic political establishment.

To be critical of this ad should not imply that I do not support Locke … but Locke had the most to gain from this ad. I had a nice discussion with some of Locke’s staff during their first Social Media Summit and I specifically told them … if you release an ad without your text message campaign … you might as well not air the damn thing. Jesse Dickerman seemed to fight me on the issue and seemed out of touch when it came to implementing an effective media strategy.

Then again … what do I know right … they pay these guys the big bucks to consult but give me a break … they failed to use Gene Locke’s logo and instead replaced it was some generic looking one that seemed to remind me more of United Airways.

Locke’s ad should have been inspirational and thought provoking … anything short of an epic movie trailer would not have satisfied these elitist taste buds. At the end of the day the ad accomplishes what it sets out to do and other for the not so minor flaw of not implementing a call to action via their mobile campaign … the ad is will stand out compared to the other two for taking a more laid back approach to introducing Locke to Houstonians.

So, What are the other bloggers saying?

Nancy Sims states, “Overall, it’s a good ad. Locke appears very warm and genuine. Since people pay as much attention to the “look and feel” as they do the words, that should serve him well.”

Charles Kuffner states, “It’s a good effort. The spot is biographical, and Locke has a substantive resume to discuss, so it touches on a number of accomplishments that has has. Locke comes across a competent, gets-things-done kind of guy.”

Greg Wythe claims, “All in all, a nice looking spot that introduces himself. This isn't by any means bad - first ads are basically designed to be introductory in nature. But since I'm among those that was paying attention to the Mayor's race for quite a while, I'm hopeful that the second one is a bit more informative.”

Karl Thomas Musselman states, “This is a solid ad from Gene Locke, starting with the introduction and carrying on through to the end. Even though it is largely a biographical ad, the visuals are well put and there is a string of narrative that ties him to some highlighted goals, right through to a solid finish. I actually wanted to watch this ad multiple times, not because it confused me, but because it made me feel good. And I'm an Austinite.”

Martha Griffin claims, “I'm not sure reminding people he was City Attorney back in the day is all that helpful. I've talked with quite a few long-time Houstonians who when hearing that one fact - "Gene Locke was the City Attorney under Mayor Bob Lanier," shudder and ask who the alternatives are.”

Bradley Olson states, "One interesting note before the ad: Much as City Controller Annise Parker has not used the word "controller" in her two ads so far, Locke also does not refer to his current profession as a law partner at Andrews & Kurth, the perch from which he played a major role in downtown revitalization."

What did you think of the ad? Did you like it? Did you dislike it? Was it the best of the three first ads?

Examining the Ads

david — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:05:25 PDT

I have not had a chance to comment on the recent advertisements by Annise Parker or Peter Brown. I have decided to examine each ad and the assertions made by each candidate.

Parker has a nice ad that touts her resume while delivering subtle jabs towards Peter Brown. The first ad if one already forgot … had subtle jabs at Gene Locke and for a day or two bloggers on the Locke end were able to spin the ad into this manifesto that would get rid of stadiums and the arts in Houston. Luckily, the Parker campaign was on the ball and they were able to quickly suppress those allegations … proving Parker’s long track record of supporting the arts.

This time though … the Brown campaign did not unleash the dogs on Parker and the issue has remained ... at just that. It is a bit ironic I will note though that Annise Parker begins the video by stating, “Leadership means more than plans” … yet she has three out four screens in the background that have the word “plan” on the screen. Talk about a major #fail there.

All jokes aside though, the ad portrays Parker as the only candidate that “delivers” on her plans … in a way implying that Brown may not be able to “deliver” and then she goes on to back up her claims.

Parker states, “I’m the only candidate for Mayor who fought to audit city departments. We cut waste and fraud and freed up millions for priorities like public safety.”

While these assertions are true one must take them in with a grain of salt. This does not mean that Gene Locke or Peter Brown would not have done the same if they were the City Controller … who in fact has the only authority to perform those actions … but it does aid in justifying how Parker has been able to deliver.

Her “Hire Houston First” would give Houston workers priority on city projects but that does necessarily mean that they would win the bids … they just have a better chance of winning a bid but at the end of the day if Acme from Dallas, Texas can undercut a Houston firm … guess who will get the job?

Parker then claims, “I’m the only one who spent 20 years in the Oil and Gas business.” I surmise that this statement is made to build rapport with the energy community and further justify how she can deliver on making Houston the world headquarters of the energy economy.

Overall, the ad does a great job of presenting Parker in positive light and although there are subtle attacks to a candidate … it does not overshadow the overall message. In a race where it seems that the three candidates agree on more things than they disagree … she needs to stand out and explain why even though Gene Locke and Peter Brown are good choices … she is the best choice. The ad succeeds and in doing this and much more.

The third Peter Brown advert seems to be an homage to “public safety.” I don’t understand why this is even an issue … in fact I think the REAL issue is transportation and getting a damn public transportation infrastructure ergo Metro LightRail setup as soon as possible.

KHOU polls indicate that Houstonians number one concern is “public safety” and thus it sheds light why even Parker joined in on the theme.

As for Brown’s goals and claims in the third ad, he states, “We’ve got to have more police officers in the neighborhood and on the streets … patrolling and walking on the beat.”

Politically … I agree … Policy wise I disagree. It sounds nice to potential voters when they hear “more police officers … patrolling and walking on the beat,” but let’s get one fact straight … community policing does not work … not because it is not possible but because there is no such thing as community policing … every agency in the United States uses the word loosely and thus an effective strategy is not implemented correctly.

It seems that Brown may have a trick up his sleeve though. He wants to have a “real time crime center using state of the art technologies” such as Google Maps and the Internet …. Woohoo!

Seriously, though … this is where I really agree with Brown. We need to coordinate policing strategies … we need a crime center that tracks patterns and can anticipate crime areas so that police can properly staff police in regions where it seems more logical.

I whole heartily support decentralizing our police station so that Houston Police can be broken into smaller components and thus be held more accountable while allowing more flexibility in implementing their own custom crime fighting strategies without the micromanagement from the head honchos.

But … here is the kicker … Annise Parker’s public safety plan calls for “neighborhood policing” and a “real time crime center” and at the end of the day it seems to mirror Brown’s plan.

So, what have we learned … in order to win … the candidate’s need to differentiate themselves in order to win … and the one that can convey this message to potential voters ... will end up taking home the prize.

LSAT Study Time!

david — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:30:46 PDT

I apologize to all my readers for the lack of content in this past month. As some of you may know ... I am currently studying for the LSAT so I can go off to law school in 2010.

In the mean time though I will not be posting much content until after Saturday, September 26, 2009. I will still be active on Twitter though so you can follow me @davidortez and until Saturday ... hold tight!

Peter Brown introduces Mobile Campaign

david — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:46:16 PDT

For the past 5 months I have been following the Houston Mayoral Candidates as they sprint along on this marathon we call an election … to be the next Mayor of the City of Houston.

Along the way only one candidate had implemented a Mobile Campaign … although rather weak in my opinion … at least people could connect to Gene Locke via their cell phone.

Well, apparently Peter Brown has joined Locke and in his new mailer he has implemented a call to action (thank God someone is finally listening!) in which he askes potential voters to connect with him via Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and get this …. their cell phone!

I was tipped off inadvertently after receiving an email from Matt Haridgree informing bloggers of the Flickr location of Peter Brown’s First Mail Piece.

Martha Griffin adds, "As far as I know, he's [Peter Brown] the first one to send out mail. I saw a mailer from him - large, 17x11, folded - that was quite good. It had the same look and feel as his website and commercials - very positive and focused on his experience and building a better Houston."

Peter Brown is serious about becoming the next Mayor of Houston and his actions in the past two weeks have been crystal. Brown was the first candidate to introduce a television ad and radio ad. He has started to mail out material to prospective voters and now he is connecting to folks via those same channels.

You can check out my TwitPic to what happens when you text “PETER” to “30364” from your cell phone.

Let’s see what kind of surprises the other campaigns pull this week.

Bipartisan Kick in the Pants

david — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:16:40 PDT

Peter Brown is 2 for 2!

david — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:29:01 PDT

Peter Brown has rolled out Television Ad number 2 and like any good sequel this one gets the job done.

Once again, Brown delivers a positive, dynamic, polished ad that introduces potential voters to his "Blueprint" for a better Houston.

In this advert, Brown emphasizes on neighborhood policing, smart development and bottom line budgeting. This translates to: safer communities with low crime rates, practical living initiatives that will somehow target our traffic problem and cutting spending.

Seems like a win win situation for me. The only concern I have is the "smart development" portion ... which the narrator claims will be "a common sense plan for Houston’s businesses, neighborhoods, and parks … to combat flooding and cut congestion … improving our quality of life."

Thw word development sounded like "zoning" at first and with Brown being an architect ... I would not be surprised if that is what he meant.

After digging around on his website ... I could not find any evidence that indicates that Brown wants to change the landscape of Houston ... at least when it comes to zoning.

I offered my two cents on Peter Brown's "Blueprint for Traffic" which offers his vision and proposals in dealing with congestion in Houston.

Peter Brown claims:
“As an architect, I know what it takes to turn a blueprint into a building, taking a plan and putting it into action. I know how to get the job done. My background as a businessman -- managing a national firm, meeting payroll, growing a business, and creating jobs -- is exactly the type of experience our next mayor will need to make Houston even better.”

We'll see if Houstonians agree this November. As for the ad ... what did you think? Was it a hit or miss?

P.S. The only criticism that I have about the ad will be the same that I had for the first ad ... giving the Peter Brown Campaign the benefit of the doubt ... I will surmise that this ad was created around the same time as the first one and thus my suggestions could not really be entertained ... right? (wink, wink)

Obamas Speech to Kids

david — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:11:21 PDT

Los Tigres Del Norte – La Granja

david — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:28:37 PDT

I love politics … and I love it when it is inserted as social commentary in works of art. Case in point … the latest single from the popular band, Los Tigres Del Norte, who hail from northern Mexico.

Los Tigres Del Norte are not new to the scene … they have been around since the late 60s and have been awarded multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy awards along the way. They specialize in corridos (ballads) and offer political/social commentary in many of their songs.

I remember explaining to Becky while we were in Barcelona, Spain who the band is and why they are famous. After listening to them … she fell in love with their accordion infused music. It is the lyrics that continue to amaze me.

In the latest single, La Granja, which means “farm” in Spanish seems to be an Animal Farm inspired, metaphorical critique of the current Mexican environment in a post Vicente Fox administration. The song does not shy from talking about the unstable, corrupt, violent and greedy political climate that affects the Mexican people.

I found it interesting that they decided to make their video animated and used animals to represent figures or persons responsible for the current plight that haunts Mexico. Perhaps, by making it cartoonish it appeals to a greater audience and minimizes the critique … making it more subtle for those not keen to the message … I do not know … what I do know is that it is a great song! Like anything that threathens the establishment it ends up being censored and the word on the street is that the Mexican Government has already banned the song from airplay on the radio stations in Mexico.

Before, I translate the lyrics though … I do have to give some background information on the protagonist and the cast members. It is important to understand who they represent to better comprehend the commentary. Understandably, I am not an expert in Mexican politics and must rely on my personal interpretations of contemporary news events to explain the song … in other words … you may see it differently and as such … no one is wrong. Please do share your perspective as it does help in the discussion.

The Cast:

El Granjero – This is the “Farmer” who lives in “La Granja” or the farm. He represents the Mexican people and is the worker. He keeps the country running through hard labor and becomes a victim due to the drug trade.
La Perra – This is the “dog” that is kept chained up … it represents insecurity caused by the political party PRI once they failed to control the “narco-state” that as political entity they held a monopoly on.
Puerco (Puerquitos) – This is the “Piggys” and refers to “politicians” but those in particular from the PAN political party that rely on “pork” to enrich themselves much like in the United States. The difference between “porking” in Latin American and the U.S. is that money is set aside for a job like a road … let’s say $100,000.00 and only about $10,000.00 is actually spent on the construction … no one ever knows what happens to the other $90,000.00 … wink, wink … or is it oink, oink!
El Zorro – This is the “fox” and is a direct representation of the former Mexican President Vicente Fox who belongs to PAN. Not much interpretation needed on this one.
El Gavilán – This is the “hawk” that based on the context of the song I believe refers to Juan Camilo Mouriño Terrazo who was a PAN politician that died in November 2008 under unusual circumstances after the small plane that was carrying him crashed in an upscale-neighborhood, Las Lomas, as it was descending to land in Mexico City. Mouriño was the Secretary of the Interior for current President Felipe Calderon and was “in charge” of the “War on Drugs” in Mexico.
Los Pollitos – These are the “chicks” who are a direct representation of the “press” and like little chicks they like to talk.
El Conejo – This is the “rabbit” and it can be interpreted to represent “drug dealers” or the “narco-state” in Mexico.

The Lyrics with my Translation:

Si la perra esta amarrada
If the dog is tied up
Aunque ladre todo el día
And it barks all day
No la deben de soltar
You should not let it go
Mi abuelito me decía
That is what my Grandfather would tell me
Que podrían arrepentirse
Those would regret it
Los que no la conocían
That did not know her

Por el zorro lo supimos
We found out from the Fox
Que llego a romper los platos
Who arrived to break plates
Y la cuerda de la perra
And the dog’s leash
La mordió por un buen rato
The Fox bit for a good while
Y yo creo que se soltó
And I believe it has been freed
Para armar un gran relajo
To create a big mess

Los puerquitos le ayudaron
The piggys helped out
Se alimentan de la granja
They feed themselves from the farm
Diario quieren más maíz
Daily they want more corn
Y se pierden las ganancias
And they lose the profits
Y el granjero que trabaja
And the farmer that works
Ya no les tiene confianza
Does not trust them anymore

Se cayó un gavilán
A hawk has fallen
Los pollitos comentaron
The chicks are asking
Que si se cayó solito
Did it fall by itself?
O los vientos lo tumbaron
Or did the winds bring it down?
Todos mis animalitos
All my animal friends
Por el ruido se espantaron
Were frightened by the noise

El conejo esta muriendo
The rabbit is dying
Dentro y fuera de la jaula
While inside and outside of the cage
Y a diario hay mucho muerto
And daily there are many dead
A lo largo de la granja
All over the Farm
Porque ya no hay sembradíos
Because there are no crops
Como ayer con tanta alfalfa
Like there was yesterday with so much hay.

En la orilla de la granja
On the edge of the Farm
Un gran cerco les pusieron
A big fence was built
Para que sigan jalando
So that they have to continue to work
Y no se vaya el granjero
And the farmer cannot leave
Porque la perra lo muerde
Because the dog is biting him
Aunque el no este de acuerdo
Even though he does not agree

Hoy tenemos día con día
Now we have day by day
Mucha inseguridad
More insecurity
Porque se soltó la perra
Because the dog has been unleashed
Todo lo vino a regar
And messed up everything
Entre todos los granjeros
Amidst all the farmers
La tenemos que amarrar
We have to tie her down.

What do you think? Did you get the same message I did? Did you like the song? Was it catchy? Let me know! Especially you Becky since you are in Mexico and can get an insider’s perspective better than I can.

Teachable Moment

david — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:45:03 PDT

Round 1: Locke vs. Parker

david — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:15:44 PDT

Well, I predicted that Mayoral Race would begin to heat up after Labor day but I was wrong. It seems that I was about a week premature and the catalyst seems to be the City of Houston's budget.

Gene Locke states:
"In approximately 100 days time, using the same budget figures, Ms. Parker told us the budget was 'balanced' and now she says there's a 'shortfall.' As a business leader who considers stability and consistency the keys to economic confidence and growth, I don't think the people of Houston need erratic budget projections. What they deserve is consistent and reliable information from the City Controller."

Annise Parker states:
"Once again, we see that Gene Locke is not up to the job of being mayor. In his statement, he is apparently confused about discussion of last year's budget and the current budget's shortfall. Had he bothered to pay attention to City Council meetings or monitored media clips during the budget process in June, he would know his statement is entirely inaccurate. Locke's promises of new city departments, new museums and increased government spending to his insider friends would lead to tax increases or cuts in vital services, such as public safety. With crime on the rise and jobs disappearing, Houston cannot afford another politician who is stuck in the past and can't understand when one fiscal year ends and a new one begins.

Perhaps Mr. Locke should consult Mayor Bill White who today praised Controller Parker for her professionalism and her role in dealing with these tough budget issues."

Interesting right? Bradley Olson has some more background information regarding the issue.

Now for my two cents ... I am disappointed in the Locke campaign for not addressing the issue at hand. Regardless of the word usage by Annise Parker ... this was a great opportunity for Gene Locke to propose his ideas of how to address the alleged "shortfall"in the budget.

Instead we have criticism of a public official for not providing "consistent and reliable information" as a City Controller ... say what? This is a Mayor's race, not a City Controller the last time I checked.

I am not taking a position regarding the word usage of "shortfall" since I have not reviewed the relevant documents. I am not endorsing one candidate's position over another regarding this matter.

I am only disclosing my opinion regarding Locke's approach in addressing this issue. He could have delivered a knockout punch had he criticized Parker for flip-flopping (which I am not claiming that she is or she is not) on the budget status and then offered his vision of how he would solve the problem.

Maybe I am asking for too much, regardless ... Let the games begin!