AUSTIN, Texas — September 12, 2006 — Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman today launched a statewide advertising campaign featuring two new television commercials, Good Shepherd and Clean Energy, Clean Government.
In Good Shepherd, a reference from the Book of John, Friedman refers to career politicians as hired hands and explains that “when the wolves come, the hired hands flee, but the Good Shepherd stays.”
“I want to be your Good Shepherd,” Friedman tells Texas voters.
In Clean Energy, Clean Government, Friedman highlights Texas’ reliance on fossil fuels, stating that “For the first time in history, Texas is importing energy.”
Telling viewers it’s time for a change, Friedman explains that the difference between a politician and a statesman is that “A politician’s thinkin’ about the next election. A statesman’s thinkin’ about the next generation.”
TEN REASONS TO ELECT KINKY FRIEDMAN GOVERNOR OF TEXAS
“Texas can do better.”
1} “MY ONLY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP IS THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS.”
Without a political party to appease or lobbyists to pay back, Kinky will answer only to the people of Texas.
2} WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
Although the Republican and Democrat candidates spent $100 million in the last governor’s race (for a job that pays $100,000 a year!), less than a third of eligible voters showed up at the polls. Texans didn’t die at the Alamo for that.
3} PUT TEACHERS IN CHARGE OF EDUCATION!
They do our most important job, yet teachers in Texas get paid over $6,000 a year less than the national average. Kinky will boot the career desk jockeys out of the education system, put teachers in charge at every level, and end the practice of ‘teaching to a test’ – one that gets dumber every year!
4} KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE.
Texas prisons are filled with drug addicts who are sick, not criminals. Let’s get them into treatment and out of prison, making room to lock up murderers and sexual predators for the rest of their lives.
5} IF YOU’RE BORN POOR, DON’T GET SICK IN TEXAS.
Only one in five children has health insurance in Texas. If the best test of government and society is how it treats its poorest citizens, Texas is failing badly.
6} FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF RELIGION.
Political correctness has become stifling in Texas. Kinky wants to “de-wussify” Texas. People ought to be able to wish each other “Merry Christmas” if they want to. The Ten Commandments shouldn’t be reduced to “The Ten Suggestions.” And a man (or a woman) ought to be able to light a cigar once in awhile.
7} MAKE TEXAS AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN THE EMERGING RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY.
Renewable energy is becoming one of the world’s biggest growth industries, and only 0.7% of Texas’ energy comes from renewable energy. Using proven technologies like biodiesel, (fuel you can grow!) we can expand Texas’ economy, create jobs, and help get America off the “Saudi oil merry-go-round”.
8} THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM IS BROKEN.
The current governor isn’t getting it done. The Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature aren’t getting it done. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, Texas is plumb crazy.
9} THE BEST PEOPLE GET THE JOB.
With no political party demanding patronage jobs for party hacks, Kinky will hire the most qualified person for every job in his administration. Then he’ll get out of their way so they can do their jobs – and make state government really work for the people of Texas.
10} IT’S TIME FOR TEXAS TO DECLARE INDEPENDENCE FROM POLITICS-AS-USUAL.
Texans are the most independent-minded people in America. The last independent governor of Texas was Sam Houston. The time has arrived for the next independent governor of Texas— Kinky Friedman!
