I’ve got a confession to make: I’ve been hanging around Republicans for the last six months. And I can’t stop.
Oh, it started innocently enough. During the Primaries the only debates were held for Republican audiences. Then several people kept telling me they liked my viewpoints and speeches so much that if I ever turned Red, I’d have their vote. Even high-ranking Republican ladies started to introduce me as "the nicest Democrat in Collin County".
But after March I just couldn’t stop. I started hanging out at Republican strongholds like Celina and Farmersville, chatting them up in my spare time. Heck I even wore a red shirt every once in a while.
You don’t have to tell me, I know it’s futile. I know Collin County’s so red it makes stop lights look pink, and Joe Jaynes has ten times as much money as I do, and he’s been in for twelve years. He even won 52% of the vote in his Primary. But I just can’t stop. At the Debate Watching Party last week, I spent half an hour talking to three people wearing McCain/Palin t-shirts.
Now it’s become a habit. No longer satiated with my own party, I talk to literally every citizen I can find, not caring who their presidential choice may be, just wanting to engage them in discussions on the issues. I’ll talk with anyone about how we can bring DART further into the County, what we need to do for water planning, and how we can encourage strong business development.
Other Democrats think I’m nuts, but I no longer see Republicans as The Enemy. They’re just fellow voters with a different view on how their government should be run, and that’s okay by me...
As long as they vote Victor, of course.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Thoughts from the Campaign Trail
Why are politicians weird? Because politics is insane.
I have block-walked beneath the gibbous waxing moon. I have broken bread with men who would rather spit on me. And I have kissed babies who were, let’s face it, ugly.
A close friend of mine walks about 10 miles a day at his job in a micro-chip factory, running between computers and manufacturing systems. I asked him if it ever got annoying, and he simply said, “It’s my job.”
I now understand what he means. Elections are all about getting in front of voters, and you can do that one of two ways. Either buy all the signs, postcards, and matchbooks you can, or hit the pavement all day, every day. And the larger the election, the more people you have to meet. I’ve got roughly 350,000 folks in my district we call Precinct 3. Since I don’t have the collected corporate interests of the county in my back pocket, I walk a lot, every day. It’s my job.
This is the world of politics – the challenges of running for office. It’s hard at 4:30 in the morning when you’ve had one hand’s worth of sleep and can’t believe you promised to drive thirty miles for breakfast. But it’s all worth it when someone says, “My hard-core Republican friend said you were the nicest Democrat she’d ever met and that I just HAD to vote for you!”
Every day brings new challenges, from learning that yes, you actually have to ask for money from people, to an opponent who won’t debate you because he knows you have better answers than he does. Whether you’re campaigning for a month or two years, there is a never-ending stream of people who are waiting to tell you that what you did yesterday was wrong. Fortunately there are several people who don’t mind helping figure out what you can do tomorrow to make it better. But in the end of any election, the toughest part is realizing that 70,000 people who hardly know you will pull a lever to decide how nice of a person you are, and how much they trust you.
I have block-walked beneath the gibbous waxing moon. I have broken bread with men who would rather spit on me. And I have kissed babies who were, let’s face it, ugly.
A close friend of mine walks about 10 miles a day at his job in a micro-chip factory, running between computers and manufacturing systems. I asked him if it ever got annoying, and he simply said, “It’s my job.”
I now understand what he means. Elections are all about getting in front of voters, and you can do that one of two ways. Either buy all the signs, postcards, and matchbooks you can, or hit the pavement all day, every day. And the larger the election, the more people you have to meet. I’ve got roughly 350,000 folks in my district we call Precinct 3. Since I don’t have the collected corporate interests of the county in my back pocket, I walk a lot, every day. It’s my job.
This is the world of politics – the challenges of running for office. It’s hard at 4:30 in the morning when you’ve had one hand’s worth of sleep and can’t believe you promised to drive thirty miles for breakfast. But it’s all worth it when someone says, “My hard-core Republican friend said you were the nicest Democrat she’d ever met and that I just HAD to vote for you!”
Every day brings new challenges, from learning that yes, you actually have to ask for money from people, to an opponent who won’t debate you because he knows you have better answers than he does. Whether you’re campaigning for a month or two years, there is a never-ending stream of people who are waiting to tell you that what you did yesterday was wrong. Fortunately there are several people who don’t mind helping figure out what you can do tomorrow to make it better. But in the end of any election, the toughest part is realizing that 70,000 people who hardly know you will pull a lever to decide how nice of a person you are, and how much they trust you.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
I Walked The Line
Fourteen miles on a train is pretty much enough time to make a few phone calls and drink your tea. Fourteen miles on foot is quite a bit longer.
I left the crowd at the Parker DART station at 6:40am on Saturday morning with five supporters who felt as strongly about the need for rail expansion as I did. Even at that early hour, the Plano Parker station was full of people who were travelling to Dallas for a day’s work or arriving in Plano for their job. With 750,000 citizens in Collin County, never a day goes by without industry making its mark.
We walked along the path of the proposed rail line, talking to voters and concerned citizens about the desire to see mass transit grow beyond the city of Plano. Our path took us along the side of the old Southern Pacific Rail - a line of train tracks that extends all the way north into Sherman. DART purchased the entire line in April of 1988, with an eye towards the future. They understood back then that as Dallas, Denton, and McKinney grew, they would need more than simple bus transportation to get them past the year 2000.
We talked about the growth patterns in the North Dallas and Collin County area. Plano was all horse ranches and cornfields when my family moved to Texas in ’76, but now it’s corporate headquarters for several global companies like JC Penny, Frito Lay, EDS, and Cisco. Collin County continues to grow north, with McKinney, Frisco, and Allen passing around the title of "Fastest Growing City In The Nation" over the last five years. The next wave of super-growth is already started in Melissa, Anna, Prosper, Princeton and Celina.
In the end we agreed that cities could not sustain the growth without rail and bus transportation. Will the DART Rail system ever rival the transportation systems of Atlanta or Washington, D.C.? There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to mass transit - the key is simply to compare what we’re doing to the rest of the world and find what works best for us.
It was just past noon when we arrived at St Mark’s Church in McKinney to a welcoming crowd. People are excited about the chance to make a difference in their world - the idea that we can create change in our own society has once again caught fire in America. A few swigs of Gatorade and a pat on the back, and I felt right as rain.
I stood on Sharlene’s pickup and reminded the crowd, "A few years from now when this rail line is finished, you’ll be able to ride in ten minutes what took us all morning to walk. And you can tell your friends that you were here. You helped bring the DART Rail to Collin County for our future!"
Thanks to my fellow walkers: Julie and David Cuniglio, Carman Marshall, Larry and Lou Ann Jackson, Ang and Christian, and Edward and Winter Manuel (my kids). Thanks to everyone who came out in support of what we’re trying to accomplish for our future. Thanks also to my wife Suzi, my manager Sharlene, and my friend John for your support - I couldn’t do it without you!
I left the crowd at the Parker DART station at 6:40am on Saturday morning with five supporters who felt as strongly about the need for rail expansion as I did. Even at that early hour, the Plano Parker station was full of people who were travelling to Dallas for a day’s work or arriving in Plano for their job. With 750,000 citizens in Collin County, never a day goes by without industry making its mark.
We walked along the path of the proposed rail line, talking to voters and concerned citizens about the desire to see mass transit grow beyond the city of Plano. Our path took us along the side of the old Southern Pacific Rail - a line of train tracks that extends all the way north into Sherman. DART purchased the entire line in April of 1988, with an eye towards the future. They understood back then that as Dallas, Denton, and McKinney grew, they would need more than simple bus transportation to get them past the year 2000.
We talked about the growth patterns in the North Dallas and Collin County area. Plano was all horse ranches and cornfields when my family moved to Texas in ’76, but now it’s corporate headquarters for several global companies like JC Penny, Frito Lay, EDS, and Cisco. Collin County continues to grow north, with McKinney, Frisco, and Allen passing around the title of "Fastest Growing City In The Nation" over the last five years. The next wave of super-growth is already started in Melissa, Anna, Prosper, Princeton and Celina.
In the end we agreed that cities could not sustain the growth without rail and bus transportation. Will the DART Rail system ever rival the transportation systems of Atlanta or Washington, D.C.? There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to mass transit - the key is simply to compare what we’re doing to the rest of the world and find what works best for us.
It was just past noon when we arrived at St Mark’s Church in McKinney to a welcoming crowd. People are excited about the chance to make a difference in their world - the idea that we can create change in our own society has once again caught fire in America. A few swigs of Gatorade and a pat on the back, and I felt right as rain.
I stood on Sharlene’s pickup and reminded the crowd, "A few years from now when this rail line is finished, you’ll be able to ride in ten minutes what took us all morning to walk. And you can tell your friends that you were here. You helped bring the DART Rail to Collin County for our future!"
Thanks to my fellow walkers: Julie and David Cuniglio, Carman Marshall, Larry and Lou Ann Jackson, Ang and Christian, and Edward and Winter Manuel (my kids). Thanks to everyone who came out in support of what we’re trying to accomplish for our future. Thanks also to my wife Suzi, my manager Sharlene, and my friend John for your support - I couldn’t do it without you!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Transit for the Masses
I stand amazed that our elected officials continue to be short-sighted and hands-off when it comes to long term planning in Collin County.
We are faced with a light rail mass transit system from DART that will cost hundreds of millions to extend from Plano into Frisco, McKinney, and beyond. The estimates are that it would take roughly $20 million to build 1 mile of rail line. This would place the dream of DART Rail expansion from Plano to McKinney? at over $200 million if we started now. Even Frisco would cost almost half of that amount. A rail line that services even half of the county could run into the billion dollar range.
The need is here today because gas is at $4 a gallon, but we need to plan for tomorrow, even if gas goes down in price. It takes more than knee-jerk reactions to the morning newspaper to build a better future for the county. We need a vision for all of our cities that will serve as a guideline for the future.
The benefits to rail expansion are very real. We are faced with the prospect of doubling the citizenship of Collin County by the year 2030, yet we have NO county-wide mass-transit system. In Dallas, the value of office properties that reside near DART Rail increased 53% more than comparative locations without rail service. Residential neighborhoods serviced by rail increased 39% in value more than other locations.
The University of North Texas Center for Economic Development and Research estimated more than $8.1 billion in economic activity stemmed from the North Texas region’s investment of $4.86 billion to build the current and planned rail systems. When we consider the growth potential of our future, it’s vital to consider how much the entire county will benefit from this planned expansion.
This is project that benefits the entire county, so we need to treat it as such. Can we afford it? Yes. Collin County’s Transportation Budget for 2008 is less than one fifteenth of the $255 million annual budget. This year’s budget increased only 1.84% over 2007, while the county’s revenue increased 11%. Even if we doubled that amount to support a bus and rail system, we would be well within our fiscal guidelines for the county.
The solution is simple. In order to kick off mass transit for Collin County, we need to concentrate on a bus system first, that allows all citizens to enjoy the benefits of mass transit while preparing for the rail system. And our County Commissioners need to step up to the plate and be prepared to use some of the windfall in our County budget to kick-start the rail system.
These facts and figures are available at DART.org and at Co.collin.tx.us.
We are faced with a light rail mass transit system from DART that will cost hundreds of millions to extend from Plano into Frisco, McKinney, and beyond. The estimates are that it would take roughly $20 million to build 1 mile of rail line. This would place the dream of DART Rail expansion from Plano to McKinney? at over $200 million if we started now. Even Frisco would cost almost half of that amount. A rail line that services even half of the county could run into the billion dollar range.
The need is here today because gas is at $4 a gallon, but we need to plan for tomorrow, even if gas goes down in price. It takes more than knee-jerk reactions to the morning newspaper to build a better future for the county. We need a vision for all of our cities that will serve as a guideline for the future.
The benefits to rail expansion are very real. We are faced with the prospect of doubling the citizenship of Collin County by the year 2030, yet we have NO county-wide mass-transit system. In Dallas, the value of office properties that reside near DART Rail increased 53% more than comparative locations without rail service. Residential neighborhoods serviced by rail increased 39% in value more than other locations.
The University of North Texas Center for Economic Development and Research estimated more than $8.1 billion in economic activity stemmed from the North Texas region’s investment of $4.86 billion to build the current and planned rail systems. When we consider the growth potential of our future, it’s vital to consider how much the entire county will benefit from this planned expansion.
This is project that benefits the entire county, so we need to treat it as such. Can we afford it? Yes. Collin County’s Transportation Budget for 2008 is less than one fifteenth of the $255 million annual budget. This year’s budget increased only 1.84% over 2007, while the county’s revenue increased 11%. Even if we doubled that amount to support a bus and rail system, we would be well within our fiscal guidelines for the county.
The solution is simple. In order to kick off mass transit for Collin County, we need to concentrate on a bus system first, that allows all citizens to enjoy the benefits of mass transit while preparing for the rail system. And our County Commissioners need to step up to the plate and be prepared to use some of the windfall in our County budget to kick-start the rail system.
These facts and figures are available at DART.org and at Co.collin.tx.us.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Our Children Lose Out
This month, the County Commissioners decided to fire the Teen Court coordinator. Not because of his work, which has been exemplary over the last two years, or his budget, which has been well within the County's needs. No, they fired him over the fact that he's gay.
Justin Nichols is an openly gay administrator for the County's Teen Court, a group whose goal is to keep high school kids out of the system by giving them a jury of their peers, and to introduce teens who are interested in our court system to how justice works. His work on the Teen Court inspired thousands of students over the years to stand up for their rights and respect our legal system. It is a shame that the selfsame Commissioners who commended Justin for his work this time last year have seen fit to remove him purely out of bigotry. If we cannot have justice for the Court Coordinator, can there really be justice in our Teen Court?
Justin’s accomplishments in the Teen Court have been exemplary. He worked with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to create a pair of scholarships for the students who worked on Teen Court. His leadership helped them win the North Texas Teen Court Competition this year. His leadership and dedication will be sorely missed in Collin County. And I see it as yet another reason why we need change on the Commissioner’s Court this November.
Justin Nichols is an openly gay administrator for the County's Teen Court, a group whose goal is to keep high school kids out of the system by giving them a jury of their peers, and to introduce teens who are interested in our court system to how justice works. His work on the Teen Court inspired thousands of students over the years to stand up for their rights and respect our legal system. It is a shame that the selfsame Commissioners who commended Justin for his work this time last year have seen fit to remove him purely out of bigotry. If we cannot have justice for the Court Coordinator, can there really be justice in our Teen Court?
Justin’s accomplishments in the Teen Court have been exemplary. He worked with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to create a pair of scholarships for the students who worked on Teen Court. His leadership helped them win the North Texas Teen Court Competition this year. His leadership and dedication will be sorely missed in Collin County. And I see it as yet another reason why we need change on the Commissioner’s Court this November.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Oh, What A Day... And Night!
'Twas an amazing experience at the Democratic Party Convention on March 30th. The Campaign Staff arrived in full force, and we gathered more information and talked to more voters than you could shake a stick at. In all, there were over 3,000 delegates and alternates at the convention - and that doesn't include the hundreds of guests (and politicians!)
I had the opportunity to address the convention that evening, and was well received. We spoke with several groups who had some incredible ideas for the race, and many more who had opinions on how the issues of the day need to be handled.
The convention started at 9 in the morning and went on into the night in order for the party to conduct its Primary caucuses. In fact, the final work did not get completed until 7:00am the next day! All in all, it was an amazing experience for both old and young Democrats alike.
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Last Supper Debate
The First Baptist Church of Melissa hosted Collin County’s final Commissioner’s Debate on February 28th, with the help of Star Papers and 90.5 FM. Trey Graham moderated a panel of three journalists, with additional questions from the Internet and from audience members. It was a two hour debate that went by incredibly fast, thanks to Trey’s deft handling!
Alas, it was my last debate with Corbett and Joe together – this Primary season has been spectacular. The three of us have really taken the time to hash out a framework of the issues that face Collin County. It’s given me a powerful understanding of the problems we all face, not just as citizens, but together as a county and as Texas.
The challenges coming out of the Primary are many, but our campaign is ready to face whichever contestant is necessary in order to come out on top in November. Onward and Upward!
Alas, it was my last debate with Corbett and Joe together – this Primary season has been spectacular. The three of us have really taken the time to hash out a framework of the issues that face Collin County. It’s given me a powerful understanding of the problems we all face, not just as citizens, but together as a county and as Texas.
The challenges coming out of the Primary are many, but our campaign is ready to face whichever contestant is necessary in order to come out on top in November. Onward and Upward!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Princeton High Forum
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On Thursday, February 21st I had the opportunity to participate in a Candidate Forum sponsored by the Princeton High School Debate Team and the Princeton Chamber of Commerce. Princeton’s debate team, coached by instructor Kyle Brenner, is in The People Speak’s contest, and has a chance to go to New York for the United Nations Foundation.
This was a good, yet brief, opportunity to debate with Joe Jaynes and one of Corbett Howard’s representatives, and respond to questions from the audience and from students in the crowd. The audience was interested in how we County Commissioner candidates would tackle the growth of the area and how we would face the impending water shortages that are certain to plague Collin County.
After the debate, I had a lively conversation with several members of the Debate Team. We discussed everything from local politics and the growth of Princeton to how Collin County could best tackle our green space issues. These teenagers are excellent speakers and were very well informed on the topics of today! I look forward to speaking with the Princeton Debate Team again, as well as other high school groups throughout Collin County!
Victor Manuel,
Candidate for County Commissioner, Pct 3
This was a good, yet brief, opportunity to debate with Joe Jaynes and one of Corbett Howard’s representatives, and respond to questions from the audience and from students in the crowd. The audience was interested in how we County Commissioner candidates would tackle the growth of the area and how we would face the impending water shortages that are certain to plague Collin County.
After the debate, I had a lively conversation with several members of the Debate Team. We discussed everything from local politics and the growth of Princeton to how Collin County could best tackle our green space issues. These teenagers are excellent speakers and were very well informed on the topics of today! I look forward to speaking with the Princeton Debate Team again, as well as other high school groups throughout Collin County!
Victor Manuel,
Candidate for County Commissioner, Pct 3
Saturday, January 19, 2008
MLK Parade in Plano
To help celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., we joined the Democratic Party’s group with our own pair of PT Cruisers! Thanks to Deloris LaJoy, I had the opportunity to ride in style and visit with the throngs of supporters who lined Plano’s Avenue K in remembrance of the sacrifices Doctor King made for all Americans who want to live in harmony.
We topped off the parade with a presentation from the Mayor of Plano, and then went to raise voter awareness with a Voter Registration drive that lasted throughout the day. All in all, it felt good to connect with friends from all walks of life, and to ensure that people remembered the rights that all people of color have won in America!
Friday, January 4, 2008
Time With The Kids
What could possibly be more important than spending time with our children. As the Primary season grinds on, the time I get to spend with all four of my children is ever more precious. With Patrick in college, Anthony at high school, and Ed & Winter in elementary, every moment with them truly counts.
To say Christmas has been the calm before the storm is only slightly right; Christmas has seen its own share of parties and festivals for my family. It’s really been kind of the mini-storm before the Big Storm in February.
Winter and I took a moment here to go over one of the family picture albums and remember how she got to be such a precocious nine years old, then it’s off to bed for her!
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