Republican – John Cornyn
As students head toward the polls next Tuesday, we encourage them to cast their vote for John Cornyn in the race for U.S. Senate. Currently serving as the Texas Attorney General, Cornyn has established a long career in public service both as a district judge and a Texas Supreme Court Justice.
Raised in a military family, Cornyn possesses a background that gives him important insight into thinking about issues of national security. His crusades to collect millions of dollars in unpaid child support in Texas and to open government for public scrutiny reflect a compassionate conservativism that is reflective of the state’s political make-up.
While Cornyn has outlined a succinct and workable plan to protect doctors from outrageous malpractice claims by capping lawsuits, his opponent, former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk calls for the nation to balance its budget by operating like a business and brushing out its books. But this approach to national finance is impractical and would put the nation in jeopardy in a crisis such as Sept. 11 where excessive spending was necessary to support crucial programs.
Kirk’s appeal is all in his charisma. He’s an ingratiating man that can win supporters with his natural style. He attaches himself to sexy issues such as corporate reform and long-term development projects to catch the attention of his constituents while ignoring the mechanics and details that make meaningful reform possible.
On television, Cornyn’s more thoughtful and pensive approach to politics may not come off as exciting as Kirk’s razzle-dazzle, but his record shows the successes of the mind of an intelligent man.
When it comes to voting for your next Texas senator, we encourage you to choose the artful over the artificial. Do we want a real senator or just a man who plays one on TV?
Democrat – Ron Kirk
Voters like to pick and choose ideas; we don’t want to go strictly conservative or extreme liberal. Instead, we decide our stance on an issue, then pick the candidate that best represents our values. The days of voting a straight ticket are gone, and candidates must adjust their ideologies to fit ours.
Democrat Senatorial candidate Ron Kirk has done just that. Kirk realizes his party doesn’t have all the answers, and he has promised to work bipartisanly in Senate as he did as mayor of Dallas. “We need to bring people together to find common ground,” he says in a TV ad.
Kirk has his constituents’ interests at heart and will make more progress for us than his opponent, Republican John Cornyn.
Cornyn has aligned himself with Bush throughout the campaign and would side with the GOP, becoming a “yes” man to the party whip. He will bend to follow the herd and big business instead of supporting Texans.
But Kirk knows where he stands on critical issues.
Kirk wants to pass generic dug legislation for all Americans before adding a real prescription drug benefit program to Medicare. Cornyn has criticized Kirk for not having original ideas to make prescription drugs more affordable. Mr. Cornyn backs a pending GOP proposal.
Speaking of drugs, Kirk has tried marijuana, and he bluntly admitted this “sin” while Cornyn refused to answer, saying such questions distract from a constructive debate. What would Cornyn say if he were accused of an affair with his intern? Say his private life shouldn’t enter in public discussion? Voters want to know what leaders do in private. Often those actions determine their behavior in office.
And President Bush’s past drinking and drug problems didn’t deter voters from electing him. Cornyn is afraid and detached from what his voters value.
Kirk’s strength, honesty and willingness to listen to his constituents will make him a force to be reckoned with in the halls of Washington, D.C.
Let’s make sure he gets there by supporting Ron Kirk on Nov. 5.
