Asking my opinion, part 1

Charlie Gonzalez -- or at least some group using his name -- asked my opinion on several items related to the election. It came in the form of a large card with several hypothetical and real races ranging from president to county court at law judge along with thirty or so questions about whether I approve or disapprove of several hot-button issues, and topping them all was the phrase, "If you were to vote today -- how would you vote for the following?"

Now, Gonzalez is my representative, and I'm not particularly fond of him. But it's not often that a political entity asks my opinion in such a way that I think they might actually pay attention to it. The card was postage-paid, and it urged me to remain anonymous in my answers, so I think it was a legitimate survey with a more-than-decent chance of getting its results counted. Whether or not Gonzalez actually sees the results may be another concern, but I think someone will be paying attention to my answers.

So I answered it, and sent it back.

I won't get into all of the actual who-would-I-vote-for scenarios (although my favorite was a hypothetical four-way race for president that featured Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and Mike Huckabee), but I think I would like to talk a little about the approval questions. As I said, there were about thirty, so I won't address them all in this one post, but here are the first eleven:


Do you approve of President Obama's performance as President?

I said NO. I'm not a Republican or a Democrat, but I can't stand it when a government gets spend-happy. I wasn't happy when George W. Bush started the whole bailout wagon train just before he left office, and I absolutely hate how Barack Obama has taken the reins and steered that train into an orgy of stimulus spending.


Do you approve of the performance of the U.S. Congress?

Does anybody? I said NO.


Do you approve of Senator John Cornyn's performance as U.S. Senator?

I said YES. I don't know Cornyn that well, but I can't remember anything he's done that's turned me off to him.


Do you approve of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson's [sic] performance as U.S. Senator?

I said YES, but just barely. Her Senate tenure is getting close to twenty years, which I think is a bit long in any one office. It might be time for her to go.


Do you approve of Governor Rick Perry's performance as Governor?

I said NO. I don't have anything against Perry, but I've never been completely impressed by him (except for that time he took out that coyote!). Meh.


Do you approve of Susan Reed's performance as District Attorney?

I said YES, but only because there was not an option for I'm-kind-of-in-the-middle-but-I'm-sort-of-leaning-one-way-more-than-the-other.


Do you approve of Amadeo Ortiz's performance as Sheriff?

Who? Seriously, I don't think I've heard anything significant from this guy since he took office. I said NO because I have nothing to judge approval on.


Do you approve of Julian Castro's performance as Mayor?

I said NO. Castro and his brother are career politicians, raised to be that way by their mother. The longer politicians are in office, the more I am suspicious of them, and these twins have been groomed for office since they were kids. Julián would have to really impress me with something to think otherwise.


Do you approve of Nelson Wolff's performance as County Judge?

I said NO. See explanation immediately above.


Do you approve of the performance of our City Government?

Hahahaha! Prigs in council? NO.


Do you approve of the performance of our County Government?

I said NO.


More next time.