When None-of-the-Above is Really Needed
The Dallas Morning News made an endorsement in the nasty Republican primary runoff for the Texas House District 112 seat. The News endorsed Jim Shepherd in the primary, but now holds its nose and recommends Angie Chen Button in the April 8 runoff. Chen Button is picked over Randall Dunning because of her "involvement in North Texas civic organizations" like DART, and because of her support for funding of UT-Dallas and the Dallas Community College District. The News fails to mention that the DART board was recently embarrassed by a billion dollar budget shortfall. Chen Button is a CPA and a member of the DART board's audit committee.
The News does say that Chen Button "needs to articulate her views better." That's an understatement. A Web site that strongly favors her opponent neatly satirizes a typical Angie Chen Button response to a direct question about the DART budget scandal:
"This a very important question. Very important and I am so glad you ask this question. First of all the bridges you cross before you come to them are often over rivers that aren't there. Don't forget that. Now, the transit agency made a mistake and a mistake is simply another way of doing business. I can tell you from first hand experience that to err is human, but to blame someone is politics. And remember this: it's not the bullet that kill you, it's the hole. And so it is in the accounting business. Lots of holes but the important thing is not to believe everything you think. Am I making myself clear?So, why did the News endorse Chen Button over Randall Dunning? In short, because Dunning is a conservative wingnut. The News uses as example the fact that Dunning signed a petition advocating ending government involvement in education. That means federal, state and local. That means no oversight, regulation, teacher certification, achievement testing, etc. That means shutting down or selling all public schools. That means no vouchers for private schools. That means no tax subsidy of any kind. The organizers of the petition helpfully suggest that friends and relatives of your children could be urged to give money instead of toys for birthdays and holidays to make up for the lost government funding. And neighbors without children could be encouraged to voluntarily donate money to their neighbors with children to fund home schooling or private schools. Really.
Dunning's wingnut ideas don't stop with government involvement in education. They extend to the subjects Dunning believes children should be taught. That doesn't include evolution. In an Amazon.com video review of Icons Of Evolution, Dunning says:
"This is a fine video that explores icons of the cult of Darwin and the fanatical attempts of the neo-Darwinians to suppress all challenges to their quaint little belief. I deduct one star because it is too short. There are so many other important frauds and deceptions in need of being addressed that permeate this amazing movement that seeks to convince rational people, through a series of 'just so stories', that they somehow descended from rocks."It's not just education that drives Dunning over the edge. The First Amendment freedom of religion is seen as anti-Christian bigotry. In another book review, he vows:
"Many who have been abused and hectored by anti-Christian bigots are now activists who are being elected to public office. (Fear this, Liberals!) The day will come when the so-called 'separation of church and state' will be relegated to the dust bin of history."Dunning praises an Ann Coulter book for "exposing the enemies of America for what they are: Traitors, liars, perverts, tyrants, despots, etc." He dismisses anyone who dares offer contrary opinions as liberals "venting their spleens of the yellow bile of abusive, tiresome, tormented, liberal rage and angst." And he ought to know. The Dallas Morning News says "it's hard to anticipate [Dunning] breaking with his ideology for his constituents'needs." No kidding. Masterful understatement, that.
Voters in House District 112 ought to reject both of these candidates. That means the staunchly Republican district ought to at least give the Democrat on the November ballot, Sandra Vule, a fair hearing. Can she possibly be worse than Dunning or Chen Button?
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