Rick Koster for County Commissioner 2010

Cheryl Williams has been reading my web page.  Here are some phrases of mine that she quotes on her site:

"I believe the marketplace is unable to provide social insurance."

"...the auto bailout was done properly."

"We have asked the government to provide... social insurance, [and] we should be willing to pay for it."

"...corporations are amoral actors in our society..."

The quoted passages are from my response to a questionnaire the Tea Party sent me.  The questions were about political philosophy, so I answered in kind.  I'm not ashamed of my answers, but they are clearer in context.  For instance, when I identify corporations as amoral social actors, I simply mean they care about profit and loss, not what's good or bad for Collin County.   

Mrs. Williams doesn't seem to care much either.  Here are some issues that matter to the people of our country that she doesn't quote me on:

• Lavon Lake Bridge:  It is my understanding that Ms. Williams opposes the bridge over Lavon Lake.  How does she plan to ease congestion on State Highway 78 as the eastern portion of the county and Precinct 2 continues to grow?  Where does she stand on the proposed Intermodal facility proposed for Precinct 2?  Can the  traffic these facilities generate be handled without the bridge and improvements to State Highway 78? 

• Employee compensation:  In the last couple of weeks the current Commissioner's court voted 3-2 to lower the retirement matching provided to counties employees.  The act was precipitated by some voodoo numbers presented by Judge Self and constitutes a disgraceful breach of trust with the county employees.  Where does Ms. Williams stand on this issue?  Does she side with Judge Self and his angry Tea Partying supporters, or does she have something reasonable to contribute?  I saw her at the Employee meeting.  She declined to explore the issue with people she hopes to lead.  Take a look at the Collin County Observer and Commissioner's Joe Jaynes blog (http://www.joejaynes.com/blog/) for details.  The Tea Partiers are angry because government has broken faith with them, but here they are intimidating Republicans into doing it.  I don't believe in breaking promises to get headlines.  Does Mrs. Williams?

• Highway Tolling and transportation:  Where does Ms. Williams stand on improving transportation with Toll roads?  Should the roads be private or public?  Should we encourage public transportation around the county?  Have her supporters boxed her in a way that she is unable to do what is right for our county's transportation?  Are we to get lower taxes for tolled roads?

• County Healthcare:  How does Ms. Williams plan to address the county's statutory responsibility for indigent healthcare now that rising healthcare costs are depleting the county's healthcare foundation?

Along with quoting from my responses to the Tea Party questionnaire, Mrs. Williams makes this senseless accusation:

The opponent wants to bring Washington style regulations to Collin County. 

I've been active politically for a number of years.  I ran for the state legislator four years ago, and I'm running for county commissioner now.  In all the speeches I've made and political statements I've written, I never once proposed a regulation.  If a case comes up where I think a regulation is needed, I may propose one, but if and when I do, it won't be Washington style, whatever that means.  I took the kids a few summers ago, to see the monuments and the museums, but that's all I know about the place.

I am a proud Democrat.  I supported President Obama in the 2008 primary and general election, and I stand with him now.  But I also believe in a healthy Republican Party that can provide the balance our communities need. 

It saddens me to behold a Republican candidate pandering to the Tea Partiers for support, trying to scare those poor people, who Heaven knows are suffering enough.

Ms. Williams where do you stand?  Are you with the GOP or with the Tea Party?  You can't have two masters.