Candidates reach out to limited-government voters

By George Schwarz

The Amarillo Independent

With a statewide primary election six months away and a high-stakes general election a year from now, candidates are ramping up visits to the Panhandle. And as the reddest part of the red state, recent candidates have represented the limited-government philosophy.

Sunday, Jeff Daiell, one of several Libertarian candidates for that party’s gubernatorial nomination, spoke before nine people at La Fiesta. And Monday, Debra Medina, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, spoke before about 35 people at the Southwest Library.

Daiell, of Houston, joined Austin-based Robert Butler, the state Libertarian Party’s executive director. Daiell would become the nominee should he be chosen at the state convention in June 2010, Butler said.

Medina faces the daunting task of overcoming political power-players Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

“It feels like David and two Goliaths,” she said, adding she would try to overcome their fundraising and recognition factors. “I think that any other time in our recent political memory, we’d say that it’s an almost insurmountable challenge. Something’s happening. It’s happening in Texas. It’s happening all across the country. People are waking up to the reality that our government elected officials, by and large, are making themselves wealthier and us poorer and this is the time for — for such a time as this — for a common person, for a common man, to step to the plate and say, ‘I’m here to represent all Texans.’ And that’s what I’m doing.”

The Beeville native said she’s been a Republican activist for 20 years and the party platform most reflects her ideas about government and its role in society.

During the interview, Medina said she has been a strong backer of the death penalty and has openly said, even before the Todd Willingham case, that some crimes are so heinous that death is the only just punishment. Government should ensure justice, but it’s also government’s role to defend the innocent and make sure the system is fair.

She was strongly critical of Perry’s handling of the case.

Perry approved Willingham’s 2004 execution despite last-minute appeals that the investigation that helped convict him was flawed. Perry has also refused to reveal his decision-making process and recently shook up the state’s Forensic Science Commission, delaying a report that might have shown Texas executed an innocent man.

“We cannot be afraid of the truth and that looks like we’re afraid of the truth,” Medina said. “That commission needs to do its work … all Texas needs transparency and understand what those findings are so that we can deal with the reality of what’s going on in our criminal justice system.”

She said Perry undermined the justice system by replacing (Forensic Science Commission) members.

She said she backs the Texas Constitution when it states marriage is between one man and one woman.

She also called for an end to property taxes, replacing revenue with a broader sales tax, which she called less regressive than property taxes. She also opposed a state income tax.

What sets her apart from the limited-government Libertarians?

“Libertarians tend to be pro-choice,” she said. “I’m a very strong pro-life advocate and so that’s one major difference between the Republican Party and the Libertarian Party and between myself and the Libertarian Party.”

Libertarian Daiell said he is pro-choice, but that the “beltway parties” don’t talk about making foster care and adoption easier as an alternative to abortion. They are more interested in pushing the “hot button” than discussing alternatives.

“Hopefully, we can move to the day when there are no abortions because there are alternatives available,” he said.

He also broke with Medina on the death penalty.

Daiell said some crimes warrant execution.

“But I’m not willing to risk the execution of a single innocent person,” he said. “I would favor doing away with capital punishment as a practical matter because there is a chance that an innocent person could be executed. I’m not willing to be part of that.”

As for gay marriage and civil unions, Daiell said the state shouldn’t be involved, leaving the issue to the private and religious sectors.

“If the state is going to recognize a contractual relationship called marriage, then it has to be equal for all individuals whether it’s same-sex couples or mixed-sex couples,” he said.

Butler said Amarillo lacks an organized Libertarian Party.

“And so, one of our biggest goals today is to try to find Libertarians and help them organize here,” he said.

Butler achieved part of his goal when James A. Hudspeth of Dumas filled out the papers to run for state House District 87, a seat currently held by David Swinford.