-Caveat Lector- http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/politics/recommendations/1623619
Oct. 20, 2002, 12:41AM FOR KIRK The better candidate in race for U.S. Senate seat In the important race for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Phil Gramm, the Chronicle believes that Ron Kirk is the better choice and recommends him to voters in the Nov. 5 general election and in early voting, which began Saturday. Kirk, the Democrat in the race, is an Austin native and former mayor of Dallas. He says Houston voters need not worry that he will favor the needs of Dallas over those of the Houston metropolitan area in Senate votes, pointing out, for example, that he'd oppose budget cuts that would hurt the space program, which he recognizes is a national asset. And he is well aware of the challenges here that could use a senator's Midas touch, including flooding in the Texas Medical Center, transportation and rail, and pledges to work with local leadership to find solutions to those problems. Kirk says he would support unilateral action against Iraq if necessary, discerning that the gravity of the decision to be made lies not only in protecting national security, but avoiding providing justification for other states to unilaterally attack their enemies, such as China against Taiwan. His pledge to work with President Bush on Iraq is apparent in his stated willingness to take the administration's word that Saddam Hussein poses an imminent threat of nuclear or chemical attack. Noting that Bush had no trouble getting judicial nominees approved as Texas governor, Kirk believes the president would have less trouble now if he appointed more moderate candidates. Still, Kirk says, Bush has earned the right to make judicial nominations that reflect his philosophy, and he therefore will support Bush nominees, barring any extraordinary defect on their part. Kirk says he is open to making the Bush tax cut permanent, but feels it would be prudent, with the economy in flux, to wait to make that decision. He says the best approach to dealing with the pending crisis in the Social Security trust fund is to "stop stealing from it, stop borrowing from it, and pay down the national debt." The Chronicle encourages him to reconsider his opposition to privatizing any part of Social Security. More inclined to seeking out cost- effective renewable energy sources, Kirk opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a nonsolution to the nation's over-reliance on imported oil. Kirk has been criticized by his opponent for his attendance at a rally co- sponsored by a rap musician, but the Chronicle believes the notion to be absurd that Kirk's presence was tantamount to support for negative values associated with some rap music. Such rallies to encourage young people to participate in the electoral process are positive and necessary. Kirk is an attorney who earned his law degree at the University of Texas and is a partner with the law firm of Gardere Wynne Sewell. He worked for two years in Washington as a legislative assistant to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen and says he learned much to emulate from Bentsen. Kirk was appointed Texas secretary of state in 1994 and became Dallas mayor in 1995. Kirk says he wants to be judged on his record, and he has a fine one. As mayor, he ended acrimonious and racially divisive politics in short order after taking office, and he built coalitions that helped bring a $420 million sports arena to the city and win voter approval of the $246 million Trinity River economic revitalization project. The candidate says his priorities, if elected, would be education and solving the crisis of health care, including the problems of growing numbers of uninsured Americans and unaffordable prescription drugs. Kirk's suggestion -- that Congress should engage in a wide- ranging discussion on "what our common values as a nation are," in terms of border security, the poor, education, the elderly and education, as part of the overall debate on the national budget -- makes enormous sense. As a centrist Democrat, Kirk would add an element of partisan balance -- and therefore power -- to the Texas delegation in the U.S. Senate. He has the experience, the ability and the record to give Texas voters confidence he'd do a fine job on their behalf in Washington. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! 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