Texas Governor poll

[rodc13]

The interesting dichotomy of the political spectrum: those are two reasons why I'm voting FOR him!

This is, of course, is why we have elections. Hurray, republic!

[jbenat]

As a moderate liberal (pro-gun, obviously, pro-life, anti-big business, VERY anti-George Bush) I can't really see any good coming from any of these candidates. Also, I don't know if any of you remember that whole debacle with the hurricane Katrina refugees, but Perry demanded that New Orleans compensate Texas for sheltering them. If you ask me, the compassionate is no longer sleeping with the conservative. What happened to giving some help to your neighbor?

Welcome to the bizarro world of the liberal mind!!

[jimlongley]

Seeing the wording of the Bell response, calling the Second Amendment a guarantee of a privilege, my first inclination would be to vote against him. On second consideration I see the word "guarantee" as a commitment. With both of those in mind I intend to contact the Bell Campaign to ask for claraification, that is, if he recognizes the Second Amendment as a guarantee of a right (it is, after all, the "Bill of Rights") or if he really does see it as a privilege.

Well I wrote the Bell Campaign, and what I got back was less than satisfying.

Attached below are, in inverse order, my original email to Chris Bell, and the reply from Adrienne Fischer, complete with word games.

That doesn't make me feel any more comfortable, playing word games makes you appear even less than honest or forthright than the original statement. The simplest thing to do, to clear up any "obscurity" instead of playing word games, would have been to admit to using the wrong term and correct it.

According to my Webster's that definition of a right is far down on the list of definitions. My Webster's also defines a privilege as: "A right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor." Thus, privileges may be a subset of rights, but there are rights that are not privileges, privileges can be granted and revoked, rights cannot.

Herewith, a quote from Wikipedia, note the delineation between rights and pivileges:

"In modern English and European systems of jurisprudence and law, a right is the legal or moral entitlement to do or refrain from doing something or to obtain or refrain from obtaining an action, thing or recognition in civil society. Compare with duty, referring to behaviour that is expected or required of the citizen, and with privilege, referring to something that can be conferred and revoked."

I'll be sure to let my friends know that you would rather play word games than engage in honest discourse and correction of obvious errors. That kind of attitude just smacks of someone who would come back later and say "that depends on what your definition of is is."

Adrienne Fischer <adrienne@chrisbell.com> wrote:

Mr. Longley,

Rest assured that I understand the nature of the guarantees made by our Constitution. However, I believe that simply because something is a right does not preclude it from being a privilege as well. According to Webster's Dictionary, a right is a "privilege to which one is justly entitled." Clearly not every privilege is a right, but every right is a specific kind of privilege.

I apologize for any obscurity in my response.

Adrienne Fischer
Grassroots Coordinator
Chris Bell for Governor
4032 South Lamar, Suite 700
Austin, TX 78704
(512)482-0216 office
(512)444-0216 fax
(713)504-4336 cell

From: James F Longley [mailto:jimlongley1@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2006 2:49 PM
To: cbell@chrisbell.com
Subject: Rights vs Privileges

I am very concerned about a statement you apparantly made, or has been attributed to you by your grassroots organization.

From: Adrienne Fischer [mailto:adrienne@chrisbell.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2006 12:12 PM
To: (address removed)
Subject: Re: What is your position on the 2nd amendment



Chris Bell believes firmly in the privileges guaranteed by the Second Amendment and supports the right of every Texan to own and carry guns legally. However, he feels that it is equally important that existing laws are properly enforced.


...


Adrienne Fischer
Grassroots Coordinator
Chris Bell for Governor
4032 South Lamar, Suite 700
Austin, TX 78704
(512)482-0216 office
(512)444-0216 fax
(713)504-4336 cell


The statement above indicates that the person that wrote it seems to think that a right and a privilege are the same thing. The Bill of Rights guarantees rights, not privileges, and I would very much appreciate it if you would disavow this statement and issue a correction. Absent that I feel that I can no longer consider you a candidate worth my, or my friends' vote.

Jim Longley
209 Exchange Place
Allen, TX 75013-1538

[EricS76]

Anybody else watch the debate on friday night? Very predictable but interesting. I thought Perry and Grandma came out the worst. Perry said numerous times he thought the schools were fine. He got attacked by everybody which is to be expected for the encumbant, but he did not defend himself well at all. Grandma didn't really say anything, just spewed a bunch of typical politician question-skirting. Bell and Friedman came out the best I think. I wish I had a link, but they had a call in or web vote afterwards of who people thought did best. I forget the %, but the order was Friedman, Bell, Perry, Grandma.

[Papalote]

While I voted for Perry in previous years, I will not vote for him this time. The Trans-Texas Corridor is a slap in the face to Texans. This was done quietly as to not gain attention. 500,000 acres taken from Texas landowners for the good of Mexico, Canada, and the Spanish road building firm. (eminent domain) The Spanish will own the roads for many decades. You guys need to read up on this.

http://www.corridorwatch.org

Papalote

[kw5kw]

It's going to be between Perry and Bell...

With Perry we know his views and can work with them.

I don't know Bell, and I don't know if I can take his Liberal attitude on many, many other civil and moral issues.

Russ

[40FIVER]

I just picked up a copy of the FREE MARKET foundation's Voter's Guide. Lot's of interesting stuff in there about the candidates. Go HERE to find it online.

[jbenat]

It's going to be between Perry and Bell...

With Perry we know his views and can work with them.

I don't know Bell, and I don't know if I can take his Liberal attitude on many, many other civil and moral issues.

Russ

TSRA gives Republican Rick Perry a "A+" rating and Liberal Democratic Chris Bell a "C". One thing we do know about Bell is he is a Liberal. Instead of voting for a gun grabbing liberal why don't you just send me your guns and we will all be happy.

[Boma]

I think Rick Perry is going to win, but I'm for Kinky.