First of all, let’s be clear about one thing. What you’re about to read is not a political post. I am not espousing one particular party when I point out the issues with Texas Senator John Cornyn, though I am strongly against what modern Republicans have chosen to represent. I am a fiscal conservative and social liberal, which means I have to vote with the Democrats on social issues and wish there was a party that cared one iota about rational economics. This post is about the kind of person I want representing me, not party or politics of said person.
The United States of America is not supposed to be about one party or another getting their way all the time and doing everything to suppress and repress the other party. It’s supposed to be about compromise and the deep discussion of complex problems and workable solutions. Referring back to the Cornyn quote above, there are not many complex problems that have clear, simple answers, and it’s a cop out to say we can’t address homelessness and school shootings because we don’t have all the answers. What we need is people who want to chase down the answers like lives depend on them…because they do!
Let me share of few of the emails I have received from John Cornyn in recent weeks:
Bill, newly-minted VP pick Kamala Harris is meddling in Texas! She recently joined forces with Hollywood Hegar, trying to drum up support from radical Texas Dems…
Did you see what she said?
IF we flip Texas — we can truly protect our health care from the likes of Sen. Cornyn and Mitch McConnell.
IF we flip Texas — we can take on Big Pharma, the gun lobby, and corporate PACs that have a stranglehold on the Senate — and clean up the influence of big money in our politics.
IF we flip Texas — we can finally represent ALL of Texas and ensure that no community is left behind.
IF we flip Texas — we will flip the Senate.
Bill, they said it loud and clear:
- If they flip Texas, they’re going to strip our private insurance to MANDATE Medicare for None.
- They are going to BAN our Second Amendment rights.
- And they’re convinced, if they flip Texas, they’ll flip the whole Senate, a Far-Left radical’s pipe dream!
This CANNOT HAPPEN.
We have decided to move our efforts toward stopping both MJ and Kamala for the next few days because we believe so strongly that the two of them together would destroy the values of Texas, single handedly. [sic]
So in the opening paragraph he refers to MJ Hegar, a retired Air Force veteran who served in Afghanistan who is also a teacher, as “Hollywood.” She is gaining ground in her efforts to defeat Cornyn in this year’s election largely because she is not speaking the language of division or using scare tactics. For example, Cornyn asserts that if she is elected she will strip away private insurance (Medicare for All polls better than any politician with 70% approval across party lines), ban second amendment rights (no one can ban a Constitutional amendment) and then says something silly about the far-left, of which neither Kamala Harris nor Hegar is a member.
Ok, next email.
The other day, some big names got together to fire up the Liberal Mob all across the country to donate to my opponent…
Mark Kelly, Senate candidate in Arizona and leader of one of the nation’s largest liberal groups advocating for gun confiscation…
Amy McGrath, the leftist trying to unseat Mitch McConnell and flip the Senate blue…
They’re all joining forces… recruiting liberals from all around the country to meddle in Texas by supporting Hollywood Hegar.
Bill, they say they had a goal of $250,000 in just 24 hours, and given the radical liberal star power they had at work, it’s likely they hit it.
That’s why I’m reaching out to you. We need to counter their efforts… and quickly!
Liberal “Mob?” I’m a liberal, but I do not participate in mobs. Amy McGrath is called a “leftist,” yet she, too, served our country with distinction in the Air Force and she’s running against a man who has run Kentucky into the ground in nearly category. They currently rank 44th in health care, 45th in fiscal stability, 38th in education and 39th in economy, for example. My parents live in KY and they very much hope that McGrath wins so they can start addressing the needs of their state.
Next email.
Bill,
Imagine, for a moment, that it’s the year 2025.
The economy never recovered from the coronavirus pandemic. Millions remain unemployed thanks to the leftist Senate majority that continues to block GOP-backed reforms.
Small businesses have tanked due to high taxes; a single-payer healthcare system results in lines around the block for basic treatment; parents have fewer choices than ever for their children’s education.
Bill, is this the kind of future you want?
In order to stop this Radical Left Reality, we need you at the polls this Election Day. Our state and our nation cannot afford to let Texas turn BLUE.
Ummm….why is Cornyn suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting unemployment numbers have something to do with Democrats when the Republican in the White House and the Republican-controlled Senate have presided over the creation of these messes? Democrats took control of the House because Republicans failed to deliver any alternative to Obamacare, which Cornyn attacks later in the email, and Republicans are the ones threatening to defund schools who dare to take appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. What he’s really saying (but not saying) is that Democrats vehemently oppose the school vouchers system that Republicans are dying to implement. As someone who has spent 20 years the classroom and has volunteered extensively in inner-city schools, I can tell you the school voucher system is nothing more than (1) blatant class warfare and (2) a huge giveaway to private schools (which support Republicans, more often than not).
Cornyn’s tone and his words are hostile, misleading and make my stomach churn. I often call his office and ask why he spends so much time doing this kind of thing when he should be talking about the solutions we need and drumming up volunteers to tackle the aforementioned complex problems.
Now I would like to share a couple of emails I have received from Colin Allred (TX-32), whom we elected in 2018 to represent us in the House.
Dear William,
As North Texas continues to battle the coronavirus, I am fighting to protect our health care. At the height of a pandemic, the Trump Administration is pursuing a lawsuit that would gut the Affordable Care Act and strip protections for folks with pre-existing health conditions like diabetes, cancer, or even COVID-19. As your Representative, I want to know how you feel.
Since my first day in Congress, I have fought to stop the reckless lawsuit by this Administration which would repeal the Affordable Care Act in its entirety. We need more access to health care, not less. I’ve repeatedly called on my colleagues and the Administration to end these attacks. Earlier this summer, I helped to pass The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, a bill that would lower costs, further secure protections for people with pre-existing conditions, negotiate lower drug prices and expand coverage.
I have also repeatedly called on state leaders to expand Medicaid, which would help more than 1 million Texans gain access to health insurance.
Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been fighting to ensure our community has the testing resources we need. Testing remains one of the most important tools to combat and contain the spread of COVID-19. When the Administration threatened to withdraw federal support for our Dallas-based testing sites, I successfully fought to extend federal support and get the necessary testing supplies for our community — and this remains a top priority.
Earlier this year, I helped to secure the Garland VA Medical Center, which is now open and providing medical care for veterans, including those sick with COVID-19. Over time, the facility will grow to serve over 184,000 North Texas veterans and will create about 5,000 jobs for our region. This is a big win for our region and our veterans. I will always work to ensure our veterans get the care they are owed.
This pandemic has highlighted the importance of quality, affordable health care and emphasized our appreciation for our health care workers. We can show thanks to front line workers by following their advice: wear a mask in public, wash your hands, and practice social distancing as much as possible. We have a long road ahead, but we are in this together. I will continue to fight to protect health care and expand access for North Texas families.
Please see my website for a list of helpful resources https://allred.house.gov/coronavirus or call my office for assistance.
No name-calling, no misleading or incorrect information about issues. At the end, Congressman Allred even offers resources we can use if we would like to volunteer or need assistance with an issue. I also regularly get phone calls from Allred himself (recorded) asking me to attend virtual town halls to discuss issues facing our state and offer any solutions and be a part of the discussion.
Another email.
Dear William,
I’ve heard from many North Texans concerned about the recent moves to undermine the U.S. Postal Service. I want you to know that I won’t let any politician get in the way of the postal service doing its job on behalf of the American people. As your Representative, my top priority is the health and safety of our community. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are relying more than ever on the postal service for their medicine, paychecks, stimulus checks, and the right to vote.
More than 80 percent of veterans who receive care through the VA rely on the post office for delivery of their prescription medications. The postal service allows our economy to function smoothly and it connects our community safely while we continue to limit our in-person transactions.
Please take a moment to let me know about your experience:
Have you noticed recent changes to your post office service?
Like many of you, I too am deeply concerned with the Trump Administration’s recent appointment of a former campaign donor, Louis DeJoy, as the new Postmaster General. He has since enacted policies to cut costs, which have resulted in long mail delays, undelivered mail, removal of sorting machines and public mail drop boxes, and the elimination of overtime pay for our essential postal workers. The quiet dismantling of our mail system comes as the president has publicly expressed his opposition to mail-in ballots for the upcoming election.
This is unacceptable. As a former voting rights attorney, I am fighting back against this deliberate attack on our right to safely vote. I joined with my colleagues in the House to urge Postmaster DeJoy to address the concerns regarding his operational changes to the postal service. The United States Postal Service has been a pillar of our democracy since our Founding Fathers wrote it into the Constitution. So many of our seniors, disabled veterans, and military service members overseas rely on mail-in ballots every election cycle.
Today, the Postmaster General stated he will pause cuts to service until after the election in November. I believe the post office provides an essential service and there is more work to do to protect the postal service and ensure it continues to provide this essential service to North Texans.
In May, I helped to pass the Heroes Act, which would provide funding for the postal service and security for the 2020 election as part of a second major coronavirus relief package. I will fight to save the post office and continue to push for answers in regards to the Administration’s sudden changes to the postal service.
If you would like to register to vote by mail or find your polling place, you can go to https://www.votetexas.gov. Our democracy works best when everyone participates. If you have been experiencing issues with your mail service, please contact my Richardson office at (972) 972-7949.
Notice the extreme difference in tone from those coming from Senator Cornyn? Lots of facts, language of unity, offers of help with voting registration…in other words, Allred has a servant mentality. He’s working for ME and he wants ME to know it. He wants to know what I think about the big issues facing Texas and our nation. He doesn’t name-call other politicians or distort issues. He’s proactive and hard-working!
President Barack Obama became one of the most respected men of all time on the strength of his vision of a unified America. He believed that red states and blue states could work together for the common good, and we need to elect people who have this same mentality. The language of hate, division and intolerance is not proactive, and threatens to destroy our country.
We need more people like Colin Allred, regardless of party affiliation.
Ishmael's Legacy 