Alvarado hosts Texas governor hopefuls

By Taylor Short/reporter3@trcle.com

Eleven Texas 2010 gubernatorial hopefuls chimed in on key issues at the second Alvarado High School Debate Club Decision ’09 event Tuesday night.

Of the 11, two democratic and two libertarian candidates preparing for the primaries on March 2 made an appearance. The others appeared in videos or were represented by a member of their party.

Debate and theater teacher Lark Johnston organized the event and said she is already preparing for the 2010 primary winners to return for another forum.

“When we reorganized the debate program, the students wanted to do something that was a fund raiser and a community service project all at once,” she said.

Last year’s event was a little smaller, with speeches from local candidates and Alvarado students speaking in favor of each presidential candidate.

Dozens of students, teachers and community members filled the hall near the AHS auditorium to mingle and ask questions of the candidates or their representatives at tables before the event.

Debate Club co-presidents Jessica Robinson and Samantha Watson opened the event by playing a video sent by Republican Rob Curnock, who spoke against President Barack Obama’s health care plan and the Baucus health bill passed by the Senate Finance Committee earlier that day.

The Baucus plan is named after U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana.

“We don’t need to emulate the Canadian health care system or anywhere else’s. What we have with the private sector is the best in the world,” Curnock said in the video. “The Obama bill is like a guinea pig; it’s not from Guinea and it’s not a pig. There’s no care, no health, just control.”

Curnock last year ran against U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, and said he intends to again challenge Edwards in 2010.

Curnock said he believes anyone who wants health insurance should be allowed access to it and would propose tax breaks for small businesses and individuals who want insurance.

Baker Hughes, Johnson County Republican Party chairman, represented Curnock and spoke about the high price of the Baucus bill, saying it would cost approximately $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years or about $26,000 per year, per family.

Republican Dave McIntyre sent a video as well, and Alvarado student Tyler Dixon gave a speech on Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Gov. Rick Perry spoke in a video about his record since taking office in 2000, saying he vetoed $3 billion in wasteful spending and improved education and border security. He said Texas has been a safe harbor in the economic storm and that it needs experienced leadership.

AHS student Paloma Cavazos introduced Read King, representative for possible Republican candidate Debra Medina.

“There are two elements of freedom in this country; property and guns,” King said. ”We need to protect these things because if we don’t own our property, we are not free.”

If Medina were to be elected, King said, she would be in favor of eliminating private property taxes in Texas.

Between political presentations, elementary students Grace Pearl, Andrew Barajas, Zachary Stephens, Piper Gilbert and seventh-grader Jonathan Carroll were recognized for winning entries in the speech contest.

Potential Libertarian candidate John Spivey said a 70 percent increase in Libertarian votes since the last presidential election shows that the third largest party continues to gather support.

“I think we need free-market capitalism,” he said. “But isn’t that what we have? No, because there are too many rules from Washington.”

He would end eminent domain abuse, he said, and favors a small, Constitutionally-limited government.

The second libertarian hopeful, Steve Nichols, said he wants to reduce utility rates, property taxes and would eliminate toll roads. He said border control can be strengthened, but is not against immigrants who cross the border legally.

“There are still problems at the border. It’s not covered from illegal immigration, drugs and even human trafficking,” Nichols said. “I’m not saying we’re not doing anything, I’m saying what we’re doing is not effective.”

Possible Democratic candidate and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Tom Schieffer emphasized primary and secondary education as the key for today’s children to compete against other countries in the global market.

“I think our kids should be in some sort of learning environment by age 3 or 4,” he said. “We need teachers who worry more about educating students and less about passing a test.”

Democrat Hank Gilbert sent a brief video and Kinky Friedman was discussed by AHS student Felix Curry.

Friedman, who placed fourth out of the six-person governor race in 2006, is running as a Democrat this year and ,like several others, opposes toll roads.

He also would attempt to combat high school dropout rates by giving a $3,000 pay raise to Texas teachers and encouraging after-school programs. Friedman also would support the decriminalization of marijuana and would establish 20 year term limits.

The final possible Democratic candidate, Felix Alvarado, began by asking what a college degree will be worth in 10 years.

“We don’t know what those jobs will be like yet,” he said. “That’s why we need to prepare students for the future and not for a test.”

Alvarado supports a regulated and taxed casino industry in Texas to fund public education and allowing the state to supervise mismanaged school districts.

The parties will select their nominees at the primaries on March 2 and the election will be Nov. 2.