November 6, 2006 - News

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."  -- Plato

(%Greeting%):

You have helped us in the past, and we need your help again.  In particular, I ask for your support in three State Board of Education (SBOE) races.  If you don't pull a straight ticket GOP vote, be sure you don't forget these three.  If you personally do not live in these districts, you surely know one or two or more friends or family members who do.  The races of particular interest include:

SBOE District 9:    Vote Don McLeroy (R).  Never in SBOE races has the line of demarcation between candidates been clearer.  Don McLeroy, a favorite of conservatives in his district and around the state has been an SBOE member since 1999.  Prior to that Don was on the school board of the Bryan ISD.  Don has been instrumental in the wildly popular revamping of the way the TEKS are written, in order to give teachers both more freedom and more direction on how and what to teach rather than just 'teaching the test' that no one likes.  Don is on the board of directors of a Christian Adoption Agency (Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach).  He teaches Sunday school and is active with the Boy Scouts.  Before going into dentistry, (getting his DDS at the University of Texas Dental Branch), he obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M, placing him at the "top of the class" of all SBOE members in being able to analyze technical and science issues.²  He also served in our military armed forces.  Don has the background, morality, and good sense to continue serving us well on the SBOE.

His opponent, an activist democratic party "leader" (not "grassroots") from Illinois, is on the Board of Directors supporting her local Planned Parenthood Clinic that performs abortions.³   I doubt she brags about that on her campaign flyers. 

Don McLeroy is clearly on the side of the culture of life, while his opponent is clearly on the side of what has been described as the culture of death.   How can his opponent rationally hold a position that they can simultaneously be in favor of teaching kids and in destroying them?

Make sure you and your friends vote for Don McLeroy.

SBOE District 5:   Vote Ken Mercer (R).  This district includes parts of San Antonio and surrounding areas.  Conservatives elected Ken Mercer, a conservative former Texas House member, by a wide margin in the primary, ousting an incumbent who had not always been friendly to conservative ideals.  Vote for Ken.

SBOE District 10:   Vote for Cynthia Dunbar (R).  This district stretches from SE Houston to parts of Austin.  Like Ken, Cynthia was the winner of the primary in an open seat, winning the heart and votes of conservatives by a wide margin.

Bond Issues:   On bond issues around the state, (such as the $250,000,000 one where I live), I would strongly encourage you to "just say no".  The oft-made comments that these will not raise taxes are disingenous.  In a nearby district, over $200 per square foot was spent on "classrooms".  How much per square foot did your house cost?  These bond issues often are squandering tax money on dubious projects, are a way of bailing out poor planning, and are raising taxes on future generations of taxpayers.

The two wars we are engaged in, cultural and against terrorism, cannot be lost or walked away from.  The future of civilization as we know it is at stake.  President Lincoln referred to America as the "last best hope of earth"¹ .  Those words, and how we rise to the occasion fighting the twin cultures of death and terrorism, will define the future for us and our children.  If America fails, who will step up to the plate?   France?   China?   Venezuela?   Iran?

Gary Bauer of the Campaign for Working Families and formerly of Focus on the Family and a Presidential candidate recently observed that the heroic souls on Flight 93 did something very American before storming the terrorist hijackers who had already killed several with smuggled-on boxcutters.  They voted.   And then they did their duty for what was best for the country.  It speaks volumes that the Democratic Party's last minute strategy is to tell Americans not to vote at all.

SBOE member Terri Leo (R-Spring) recently noted that Plato once said, "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."  The Democratic Party is hiding all of its top 'stars' this past week (like Nancy Pelosi, Teddy Kennedy, Al Sharpton, Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry), because they know that their campaign to keep people like you and I from voting is failing at the last minute.  Polls show a surge in those who will vote straight ticket for the Republican party, undoubtedly helped by John Kerry's disrespect for our military servicemen and women (along with Clinton, Pelosi, Kennedy, et.al.) . 

We are not asking you to be heroic and sacrifice your life fighting hijackers--just exercise your right, privilege, and responsibility to vote like Americans have for over two centuries in this "last best hope of earth".

Thank you.

Mark Ramsey

¹President Abraham Lincoln message to Congress, December 1, 1862, Washington, D.C., about one month before the Emancipation Proclamation.

² Don McLeroy website www.DonMcLeroy.com

³ Opponent's website, and at http://www.pphouston.org/site/DocServer/Fall_2004.pdf?docID=1561.