Home of Today's Common Sense

Published Brownsville Herald 7/6/2003
I read the letter from Randy Dunn of the Board of Trustees, that was published in the Brownsville Herald on June 1. He mentions much finger pointing and rumors that undermine the good things going on in the school district. It would appear that many of the fingers are indeed pointing in the right direction.
My daughter is a product of BISD and graduated from Hanna and was prepared to successfully complete a rigorous program at the prestigious Trinity University in San Antonio. Her experience has been repeated time and time again as her friends went to other places like Harvard and also did well. The educational system can be proud but it is more than that; it is a partnership with the faculty and the school that brings success. More money only improves the good programs and initiatives it does not make stars out of dung.
Mr. Dunn said nothing about what specific actions would be taken to improve the system using the Strayhorn Report as a guide. More »

In the recent Mayoral election a young man of modest means, Robert Uresti decided to face the electoral machines and the representatives of the elite ruling class with their substantial resources to try to make a change in the priorities of government and how our money was being spent.
This took great courage on his part and resulted in personal costs to himself and his family.
I may or may not agree with his political agenda but I do admire his courage and willingness to face the sometimes rough personal/political attacks to do something for his community other than complain.
I would like to thank Mr. Uresti and his family for sharing part of their life that our community might get better. Mr. Uresti is indeed a hero of the people.
We are in need of more “citizen statesmen of the people” to rise up and return control of our lives and futures to us. Is it time for the return of “El Zorro”? Who will he be?
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In the Herald on Monday, June 16, 2003, I read that a Mr. Novogrodsky had no reason to vote. This perception seems to become more common all the time and many polls indicate that people believe there will be no change, whatever the outcome of an election. I have long held the opinion that there are really no differences in the major political parties today. Each has its pockets of special interest but there are no clear differences as there were in the past when one was clearly for “more federally concentrated power” and the other for “the rights of local states and communities” to control their lives.
Now both parties strive to get into the center ground so that they can hold and increase their power not to advance a firmly held belief.
I submit that the only difference between the two parties is the amount of “socialism” that they want to effect on us, because “only the government knows what is good for us”.
One must remember the lessons of the past whenever the legislators give something that they tell us is for our own good; it costs something in addition to increased taxes; the ability for the multi-headed bureaucracy to also control that part of our lives.
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Published Brownsville Herald June 18, 2003
In the Herald on Monday, June 16, 2003, I read that a Mr. Novogrodsky had no reason to vote. But in fact he did vote. The vote he did not cast supported the winner in the elections he could have voted in.
He voted to accept whatever decisions and actions the officeholder chooses to make.
The people that did not vote in such high numbers have had an enormous impact in recent elections; the nonvoters even elected the President.
Could it be that the reason that office holders do not speak to your concerns is because you do not participate in the elective process in voting in primaries so that good candidates that represent your views will be on the ballot and then in the elections to present the positions represented by the vote in the forum of the elected office.
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