Home of Today's Common Sense

Published Brownsville Herald August 16, 2010

Some of readers will remember Superman on television in the late 1950’s and the motto at the beginning “Truth – Honor and “The American Way”. These became the seeds of the “Boomer” belief system though they were not always followed faithfully. They were certainly the ideals that we strived for.
A widely touted part of “Today’s American Way” is the “rule of law” which is often pointed to as of supreme importance. Unfortunately, it is found important only when it is convenient.
As one example just look at the immigration debacle! Decades of political interference in existing law and regulation, as well as the ways laws were applied, has resulted in a supremely unworkable system that threatens the one most important job of government – that of ensuring peace and order. We have neither today.
What do our Democratic-Republican rulers do about it? They find ways to enrich their friends with unworkable solutions such as a wall to nowhere on one side, more public programs to support an even bigger government in chosen congressional districts on the other side.
One side say these migrants are taking jobs from Americans. However, we have 10 million or so “temporary workers and families” without any papers, and it has been reported that all but 5% or so, have found jobs, relocated from their place of origin to a place near the job and are pursuing happiness. They did all that without government interference. Could it be that these folks are demonstrating “The American Way” better than us natives? Additionally as they integrate into the communities more jobs emerge to support their particular needs. Grocery stores that cater to the particular tastes sprout up and as residents of other origins develop preferences for the variety of products, a whole system of shipping and marketing develops and these formerly “strange” items become part of the norm in Walmart and HEB. One can find the many varieties available everywhere even in “yankee land” where I grew up.
Our rulers seem to have little interest in doing what is best for the folks like establishing an efficient immigration system that can process a legal application in weeks rather that ten or twelve years as is now the case. Instead, fearing that some faction or other might be inconvenienced or a particular constituency may not secure a big enough piece of the government pie, nothing is done and the rule of law develops another hole.
This approach to peace and order by “Rule of Law when convenient” pervades all levels of government including our counties and cities. In fact the approach is actually learned in local politics and then refined as the office holder becomes corrupted by more and more power.
Perhaps it is most obvious in the Cameron County political machine. As far back as 2006, Mr. Dan Cavazos, the publisher of The Brownsville Herald brought focus on the culture of Cameron County politics and its state wide reputation in an editorial on Page One of the Viewpoints section.
He cited an article in Texas Monthly by Cecilia Balli, a local lady with world quality talent, which described the realities of the political machine that bends rules and laws, passes out favors and largess to supporters and friends, and routinely pressures political workers and voters to tolerate criminal and ethical infractions so that the”in crowd” keeps on doing what they do. Law by Convenience!
This is the “American Way” we are teaching our neighbors, those that we encourage to be like us as well as the next generation now following us into public responsibility.
On the national level we are seeing a public, as demonstrated by the growth of the “Tea Parties”, that is discouraged with the disregard the rulers have for their views. Perhaps it can be remembered that a number of laws have passed Congress that were uniformly opposed by a majority of the public. I filly expect that we will see a genuine revolution at the polls. Locally we actually have a choice this year in the Congressional race. On one side we have Republican Farenthold and Democrat Ortiz splitting the free spending big government vote and Libertarian Ed Mishou advocating a smaller government and the freedom of the individual.
We have a School Board that can not maintain a stable management team, and routinely interferes with employment and other policies that are properly the responsibility of the professional managers. Instead of a focus on overall educational policy, much of the work of the board seems to be to find ways to spend money that benefits themselves, or their friends. We need to encourage heros like former Board member Eleceo Munoz.
I remember watching several board meetings on TV and took note the insightful inquiries advanced by Mr. Eleceo Munoz. One inquiry I took particular note to was relating to a comparison of work done relating to a parking lot versus the amount of work paid for, another was relating to the need for a replacement roof that was only recently done earlier – I still have yet to hear satisfactory answers and no longer see such analysis in the current board..
Probably one of the more curious issues is after many years the continued failure of BISD to publicly address any of the problems identified in the Strayhorn audit and report. It leads me to believe that a policy of inefficiency is being promoted to facilitate questionable practices. The panel of individuals charged with the analysis and review has just faded off into oblivion. Now all we hear is lawyers and lawsuits and more money down the drain.
Past practices at the Navigation District have also exhibited a board concerned with the spending of public funds and interfering in personnel practices in such a way that could be construed as benefiting friends and supporters.
Most recently has been a move to do commission yet another study to attract a Passenger Cruise Ship at a time where high value recreation has slowed because of the economy and that other examinations have repeatedly suggested the lack of a market. Could it be that it would provide more opportunity for the in crowd to benefit from Port financial largess. Perhaps my recent three columns of proven information might be remembered though it might be too late as others may already be working towards that end.