Thoughts on the next Governor of Texas.

Dear reader - this post might be inflammatory, or might anger you. Allow me to issue a disclaimer before you read, and I continue writing. In this post, I am not advocating any specific political party, nor any specific candidate. I am, however, enumerating several concerns I have about the state of my home state, which I love dearly. Problems with this wonderful state have come to my mind recently, and I simply desire to share my concerns with you.

Soon, the great state of Texas will elect a new Governor. For those of you unfamiliar with this post, and our politics, Texans have historically been mistrustful of most forms of government, leading us to create a constitution that dramatically limits the power of the governor. So, the office is mostly a ceremonial one, but one with a very important power - what T. Roosevelt called the “bully pulpit.” The governor is reflective of the majority (hopefully) of Texans, and as such has a very important task. I have assembled this “wish list” of things I hope the next governor will address, and hopefully, solve:

First, the state of highway transportation - as evidenced by Interstate 35. Jen and I recently attended a wedding in San Antonio. The drive, according to the distance and speed, should have taken four hours. It took eight hours, because for most of the distance between Fort Worth and San Antonio, 35 is a four lane highway. Four lanes are simply not enough to handle the massive amount of traffic that travels that corridor daily. Why not fix it? The state doesn’t have the transportation funds to do so - a story that plays out over and over again in many places in the state. Our next governor should attempt to solve this difficult, and widespread problem

Second, the state of public education in Texas. Texas has one of the worst public education systems not only in the United States, but the “western world.” As a former educator, allow me to tell you that the system is a complete mess for the students. Poor funding, confusing standards, and conflicting racial expectations are just a few of the problems students face in the public education system in Texas. Overall, the state is consistently near the bottom of rankings between states, and has been there for years. Our next governor should grab the board of education by the scruff of its neck and set it on a path that creates a quality, meaningful education for all students. One so good that private, exclusive schools are put out of business. Texas should be a beacon of education, not an embarrassment to a great state and nation.

Third, some sort of review of death penalty policies and procedures. Texas has a notorious reputation when it comes to the application of capital punishment. Just las week, I read this article in the New Yorker highlighting the problem:
Trial by Fire, by David Grann
Something must be done to either change the system by which capital punishment is administered in the state, or abolish it altogether. Our great state should not be besmirched by a reputation for executing innocent citizens.

Fourth, address all this secession nonsense. Someone really needs to calm these people down:














































And, no I don’t mean Rachel Maddow. Texans all have a bit of a rebellios streak in them, but frankly, that sort of behavior is disrespectful to our nation, regardless of how we feel about it. As a matter of fact, one of the great early Texans, Sam Houston, fought hard against secession - and I feel that he is still right today. As a Texan, it’s amusing to talk about Texas as a nation, but honestly, Texas as a nation was a mess. It wasn’t until the US annexed Texas that things got better. And, to be frank, Texas would not function without federal money. Personally, I find this offensive, as well as to friends and family members of mine that have served our nation in the armed services. The governor needs to explain to these secessionists that their discourse is not helpful, and to calm down and do something constructive with their passions.

Fifth, do something about our state shrine, the Alamo. This is a personal sore spot to me. I am not going to say much else about my complaints, but if you are curious, look back to this post:
The Alamo
Much like was done with another important Texas site, the Governor’s Mansion, the state should partner with the public to reclaim this sacred site, and erase all the traces of crass commercialism from Alamo Plaza. Restore the walls of the Alamo, and make this a place that celebrates Texas heritage - and not just Anglo heritage, as it tends to do today. Also make it a place of remembrance, not only for those who lost their lives in the Texas revolution, but also a place of remembrance for all Texans who have given their lives in service of their state, and nation.

I hope this makes you think about what you would like to see change with the next governor of Texas. And I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it.

- Jason Dean