Early Voting

Went and voted.

I met Mr. Omar there, and he was as pleasant and professional as I would have assumed. I told him he was the reason I came out to vote (see below). I believe he is a good man (even if the RC recommended him!) and will represent the city in general and our talented immigrant populations in particular with integrity.

There were two other canvassers there, and coincidentally their candidates were also on my voting list. I do not feel strongly enough about their candidacy to mention their names.

I am not very political, and it was difficult figuring out who to vote for. Basically I wrote down every candidate and did my reading for a week. I put +1next to each name as I read things I thought were going to be helpful to Richardson, and -1 to things that I thought would be hurtful. In addition, any candidate endorsed by the RC was automatically dinged with a -1, but Mr. Omar was able to overcome that. :-)

Here are the things that concern me as a voter:

* embracing our productive diversity. I want citizens around me who want to contribute, who want to educate their offspring, run their own businesses, shop in their own town, run their own lives.

* crappy apartments breeding crime. I know, I used to live in one. I was very glad to have a CHL.

* uninsured and unskilled drivers. Take your life (and your car) into your own hands around SpringValley and Waterview. I try to avoid that area.

* Crime slipping over from Dallas from the South and from Garland on the East.

* residential burglaries, robberies, and assaults

* an intense hatred for officials who seek office for profit or self-advancement rather than for service to their community. Carpetbaggers and the good ol' boy network are not needed.

* wasting taxpayer money.

* hiding government business. Publish/podcast/broadcast! There is no excuse. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

* the COR website, full of unpredictable URLs, and proprietary formats instead of open standards.