What if? Abortion and Immigration May be Related Issues

What if we asked God to raise up an army of believers to bring justice to a difficult social injustice and - pause - He DID it?

What if we prayed for something and God gave us exactly what we wanted but wrapped it up in a box that we didn’t recognize?

I’m afraid there is a lot more to the topic of immigration that many Republican pro-life candidates and elected officials may be missing.

I was fortunate to attend the Texas Press Association summer conference one week after attending the Texas Republican Convention.

What a study in contrasts!

My brain was on overload by the time we left the GOP even though I heard later from friends that we missed more raucous discussion on the floor of the last general session.

One young friend shared how surprising it was to hear grown men have “temper tantrums” while amplifying it over a microphone. Clearly, it was his first convention. Welcome to American politics as usual.

A week later at the TPA a friend reminded me comfortingly that US politics was a “bloodbath” back in the 1800s, too, an era that this newspaper man/author often researches in his personal time.

In spite of the fact that downright meanness seems to be the standard of American politics, I’m tired of unkindness masquerading as “truth.” Truth can be plainly spoken without being vitriolic.

Being a passionate – okay, opinionated - person myself I too get the self-indulgent temptation to speak bluntly without taking a 10 second pause to measure the effect of my words on those hearing them. I try to keep in mind that while God is All-knowing, I’m not. And neither are any of our office-holding, public servants.

Usually, I enjoy the rough and ready nature of Texas politics.

But this time the stakes are high.

As one Texan friend with Latina heritage confided, “No one is in favor of abortion.” Then she added that rhetoric on immigration is “hateful.”

What if, hearing our entreaties for help in the effort to curtail and eliminate abortions in this country, God decided to send a deluge of hard-working, God-fearing people to our aid?

But what if in the complicated, often heart-rending issues surrounding immigration, we failed to recognize the prize? What if in our frustration we failed to have the useful and constructive public conversations that will produce solutions regarding immigration and, instead, settled for sound bites?

What if we simply told God, “Never mind, I’ve decided I’d rather keep my wallet in my pocket. What I asked You for is going to cost me too much in taxes?”

Just a thought.

Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at checklistcharlie.blogspot.com.

Pigeon Prose

Being a columnist is a lot like being an elementary school teacher in this; as much as you try to do your best with each one, sometimes you can’t help but choose your favorites.

AND other columnists send me their own favorites.

I’ve read some doozies; for instance, one about a beloved fat feline that brought tears to my eyes or the one about teenagers that reminded me that all parents are in the same boat…um…car.

Don Comedy, retired newspaperman and a wonderfully witty wordsmith, sent me this gem and I asked him if I could share.

After a vacation from writing, following the sale of the Haskell, Texas Free Press where Don served as Editor and Publisher for 24 years, he’s back at the keyboard.

So here’s the Checklist Charlie pick for particularly pleasing playful pigeon prose. Don writes:

“I recently learned of a $60,000 grant to control pigeons in Hollywood, CA and that the preferred method of control by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was some type of birth control pill. Most of my friends being more of the ‘red-neck’ type however, seem to trend more toward pellet guns.

Now, I’m sure that PETA would much prefer the “pill” over the “pellet”, but in either event, the costs would probably be about the same if you actually paid the pill pushers or the pellet shooters.

One serious potential problem with the “pill” would be in dispensing to pigeons that prefer to perch on Catholic buildings. While PETA prefers the pill, the Pope has previously preached in opposition to the pill. Surely that preference would include the Catholic pigeons that perch on parish parapets.

Now, the Catholics might be ok with the “pellet”, but PETA won’t.

Which causes one to ponder….

If the Pope prefers the “pellet” and PETA prefers the “pill”, how many pigeons could St. Peter pellet, while PETA peddles pills?”

Don’s now in Austin, working as a lobbyist, which is a loss to the newspaper industry.

One of his first jobs while he was still in high school was working as an intern for LBJ. Some of his later adventures in the political arena involve flying all over west Texas in a antiquated two-seater plane with one of his childhood buddies to help his friend get elected to his first regional office. That guy’s now the governor.

Their friendship continues and Comedy still sings praises for Perry’s public service.

Personally, the pigeons and I would like it if Don would take a few months off and write a book. He seems to understand that we have issues.

Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com.

Private Property in Texas

Private property rights probably won’t make the news as a hot presidential election issue, but just wait ‘til the Texas governor’s race heats up.
In 2005, our Supreme Court took a pot shot at redefining eminent domain with the help of Kelo v. the City of New London.
Some folks claim that eminent domain is the friend of progress. Good point. We have roads, sewers, utility right-of-ways, you name it, all because of eminent domain.
Howev er, it is important to keep in mind that eminent domain is also the enemy of private property.
Kelo made it clear that the Supreme Court would tolerate redefining eminent domain to include allowing local governments to force private citizens to sell their land, in order to re-sell it to private businessmen who could develop the property. The idea is that the community will benefit with more tax revenue.
Make no mistake; this is a brand new reason for local governments to use eminent domain.
Given the current push coming out of Austin for a trans-Texas highway, don’t look for our state government to be too eager to limit the use of eminent domain.
If you are not generating enough tax dollars on your private property, folks, you have reason to be shaking in your cowboy boots.
Exactly which Amendment to the US Constitution defines eminent domain?
If you guessed Amendment #5, you are close.
“No person shall… be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
But, it turns out that we can thank the Brits, not the Bill of Rights, for eminent domain.
It comes to us out of English common law. It kinda makes sense in the context of English lords taking their opportunity to restrict the power of the English monarch, putting him under rather than above the law, as in the Magna Carta, signed in 1215.
When you add the context of the War of Independence and you read the words of the patriots in Amendment #5, you get the idea that they were looking for ways to restrict, not enable, governments, too.
Their commitment was to have citizen leaders provide guidance for self-government; apparently they intended for leaders, who would face the accountability of elections, to make decisions that reflected the concerns of local folks.
Personally, I like it best when the City Council or the County Commissioners are making these eminent domain decisions, because I can call ‘em up and chew ‘em out if I think they goofed. Me and a few thousand other citizens.
Local leaders have phone numbers in the local phone book. That’s what I call accountability.
Yep, folks, the issue of eminent domain is back to bite us, right here in Texas.
Our state government is currently staking out the right-of-way for a super-highway right across the farms and ranches of unhappy Texans.
And get this; it’s going to be a toll way. Somebody stands to make the big bucks and you can bet it’s not the farmers.
Of course, on this issue and so many others, I always rejoice when I see my friends in the newspaper business, local reporters, doing their job by asking tough questions.
As well as the Fifth Amendment, this might be a good time to reference Alexis de Tocqueville, the French guy who wrote Democracy in America and is famous for the concept of Tyranny of the Majority.
“When I see that the right and means of absolute command are conferred on any power whatever, be it called a people or a king, an aristocracy or a democracy, a monarchy or a republic, I say there is the germ of tyranny….”
Just a thought.

Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, welcomes comments, particularly different viewpoints, at cathykrafve@gmail.com or http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com.

Favorite Moments from the 2008 Texas Republican Convention

Drama! Laughter! Heartbreak! Hurrahs!
The Texas Republican Convention 2008 had something for everyone.
We all take our freedom pretty seriously in this state, but it can’t hurt to laugh along the way as we are getting worked into a lather with the Presidential elections drawing near.
As tribute to the hard-working men and women who put on the event with the intention of doing their part in the self-governing process, here’s my list of favorite moments at the convention.
-Favorite Missing In Action Candidate: John McCain who didn’t show up.
-Favorite Gag: The cardboard stand-up of McCain positioned in the aisle in front of the video crew and beamed to the big screens with delegates pretending to pose with the absentee candidate.
-Favorite Honor: Local guy and US Congressman, Louie Gohmert, received the Texas Eagle Forum’s Patriot of the Year award.
-Jazziest slogan: I have no idea what it means but my favorite stickers were the ones that labeled delegates “Red Hot.” Everybody was handing out stickers; some delegates reminded me of those VW vans that travel the world covered in stickers. This one actually said “Keep Texas…” in small font and was sponsored by the Growth, Opportunity and Prosperity PAC whoever they are.
-Favorite New faces on the East Texas Political Scene: William Hughey of Marshall in Harrison County who is running for District Judge, and his wife, Willie. His impromptu comments in the Congressional District 3 Caucus meeting received a long and enthusiastic standing ovation.
-Favorite political ad: The “Big Bad John” video put together by US Senator John Cornyn’s staff; it was the most entertaining of the lot. You can check it out at their website, but bet we won’t see the full version on TV. It’s funny, even if you’re not a Republican.
-Favorite Fashion Statement: People wearing Styrofoam elephants on their heads.
-Favorite New Face at the State Level: Dr. Robin Armstrong, Vice Chairman of the Republican Party. Okay, die-hard Republicans probably know this guy, but he was new to me. He is conservative, articulate, and took the time to listen to folks.
-Favorite Houston Restaurant near the Convention Center: The Grove, less pricey than most with a view of the sculpture garden that doubles as a park.
-Favorite fauxpas: When one of the national delegate nominees said he loved his wife and what she did to him…oops…for him.
Attending a party convention for the first time is an amazing and often bewildering experience. Sometimes it felt like a carnival, sometimes like a country western concert, and sometimes, for instance during the prayer breakfast, it felt like a call to worship.
There is something compelling about the process that has developed out of the foundation our forefathers designed.
No matter whose candidate wins in November, we really do live in a land where liberty is a celebration and a call to thanksgiving.


Cathy Primer Krafve lives and votes in Texas. Comments are invited at CaeKrafve2@aol.com of http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com.