County Judge Liz Sumter and Progressives on the Ropes, and the Anatomy of a Political Takeover

This engagement will be down and dirty. It will be a classic battle between the forces of Good and The Dark Side

Where the GOB Party is succeeding, flourishing and dominating, the good-hearted, do-good progressives are failing miserably – lacking in money, cohesiveness, good strategists and basic media smarts.

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By Bob Ochoa
RoundUp Editor

Not three weeks have passed since the incredible results of the Incredible Election of 2008 and we already are hearing boastful calls to unseat County Judge Liz Sumter in 2010.

Look at these excerpts from a Hays County newspaper quoting Pct. 3 commissioner Will Conley (R-Wimberley), fresh off his impressive reelection and feeling his oats, and his 207 million dollar road bond:

"I think the court will continue to set policy predominately [sp] through its commissioners. I believe that last week just validated that. That's just where our county is and that's what we need to do for the next couple of years until we find an appropriate replacement for our county judge."

"Conley said the 2008 election outcome would have the effect of curtailing the county judge's clout for the next two years."

Notice the words "appropriate replacement," and Conley's edict that Sumter (D-Wimberley) is, in effect, toast.

And this from the same area newspaper:

"With 2008 in the bag, conversations about the next county election already have begun. Barton and Conley have said they may consider a run for county judge in 2010, but both men said they would not want to run against each other as opponents. But in the meantime, the five members of the court are stuck with each other and say they'll try to get the job done despite personal and political differences."

Also this from Pct 2 Commissioner Jeff Barton (D-Mountain City):

"Charles O'Dell and that group create a lot of sound and fury but signify relatively little, and I think most people were able to discern that. It would have been disastrous for Hays County to see them gain much traction."

Notice the words "that group." Remind you of that televised presidential debate when John McCain referred to Barack Obama as "that one"?

And in the same newspaper report, this from Sumter: "I think we all have a lot of common goals we can all rally around."

That's a money quote from an arguably honest, progressive and conciliatory politician, in denial . . . read: "I'm toast."

Can we get an AMEN! for honesty and transparency . . . I don't think so

Folks, the Battle Royal is now engaged for wholesale control of our county government. The crowd that is winning is, shall we say, less inclined toward enlightenment. (Whatever pleasure in the natural landscape and country lifestyles that you enjoy, please, enjoy it even more now while it lasts.) Nowhere in the afterglow of the local election results are we hearing alleluias for honesty, transparency and the common good. Not surprising, really. Those are old-fashion values. What is playing today in Hays County is big bossism, greed and dishonesty.

The coming engagement will be down and dirty. You can already see it. Conley and Barton are the lead attack dogs on the court. Oh, there'll be lots of smiles, group pictures and back slapping, but it will boil down to a classic battle between forces of Good and The Dark Side. Forget about Democratic or Republican dominance, or bragging rights about who can best deliver smart growth for the business and real estate crowds as well to the environmentalists. In this home grown Armageddon there will be an amalgamation of both parties into one unholy alliance, led by the big bosses. The Machine Party, The Build and Develop Party, The Bulldoze Party, the Party of the Good Old Boys (GOB). Cliches, yes. But it is what it is.

Look at these quotes from the same area newspaper pushing the county's "east-west divide" meme, and you get a better view of the unfolding strategy to replace Sumter:

"The eastern half of the county largely supported Democrat candidates, while the west voted more Republican. Additionally, voters in the east voted in favor of the road bond in significantly larger numbers." "We have major population centers that have different outlooks," said former Kyle mayor and current Buda councilmember Sandra Tenorio.

"Our County Judge in Wimberley probably needs to pay a little more attention to what some of the feelings are in the rest of the county, because the differences are real."

Can you see where it's going?

Got to hand it the GOB. They have some savvy strategists and a barn full of loyal play makers. They're getting better at what they do. They are expert at doling out favors. For years, they have been placing people in the right places. Dare I say they've got their tentacles in every council chamber and school board in the county, too. They've got their bag men, their organizers, their media outlets, and hoards of voters who will buy in to their superficial and misleading positions. The special interest money is coming their way like never before to ply their work.

Progressives can chew but they can't chew and walk at the same time

Where the GOB is succeeding, flourishing and dominating, the good-hearted do-good progressives are failing miserably – lacking money, cohesiveness, good strategists and basic media smarts. Many of the key progressive players have been compromised, beaten down or disheartened. Prior election successes (Sumter's and Karen Ford's wins in '06 and the May '07 road bond's failure) proved that the do-good progressives could chew. This year's election, however (Klepfer's defeat, the road bond's passage and McCain's win over Obama in Hays County), proved that they can not chew and walk at the same time.

George Lakoff, one of the father's of the study of modern linguistics and its application to political strategy, would have a field day with the GOB's game plan. For that matter, so would Karl Rove.

Both Lakoff and Rove understand the importance of first framing, then controlling and repeating the issue and message, then going in for the kill. The GOB is in the final stage.

Thus the newspaper quotes above. They are from a story in a recent issue of the Free Press (print circulation principally around Buda and Kyle), owned by long time Democratic party boss and mouthpiece Bob Barton, father of Pct. 2 Commissioner Jeff Barton. Bob also is father and mentor (metaphorically speaking) to many eager and ambitious political operatives around the county, including Conley. His reach, along with that of his political and business chums, runs pretty wide and deep.

Framing the message, controlling the message

Story lines printed in the Free Press often bounce around other media outlets in the county like an echo. What you have in the story with the quotes above is the latest drum beat to the network. It is especially framed for the reading and voting public. You've got to watch carefully for these things. They are not stand-alone pieces, but part of a larger coordinated plan being worked at every level.

We can see the "frame" messages in the article. From Conley: Sumter's power has been "curtailed" by the election results, she's no longer relevant, the commissioners (Conley and Barton) must now pick up the slack and lead, she's out of step with the voters and needs to be replaced with an "appropriate replacement" (like me or my buddy Jeff). No one in the article disagrees with that assessment, not even Sumter. The message is being framed inside the voters' minds: the commissioners court is broken and needs fixing.

Barton and Conley are considering a run for county judge in 2010 but they don't want to oppose each other. Message frame: "Barton and Conley are friends. It's okay to be friends and to be from different parties. Democrats and Republicans are united, just not with Sumter. A vote for Barton is a vote for Conley and vice versa." Barton Jr. dismisses "Charles O'Dell and that crowd (including Sumter)" and calls their approach "disastrous." Frame: "The opposition are a bunch of miscreants and cannot be trusted to run our county government."

County Judge Sumter's quote essentially conveys reconciliation in a story replete with criticism against her administration and her base of supporters. Frame: "Sumter is on her back, she's not strong enough to defend herself, concedes defeat, and must be in la-la-land."

Look again at Tenorio's quotes etching the East Side versus West Side image in voters' minds, as she belittles Sumter for her misbehavior. Tenorio's words are an echo, reinforcing a political message and strategy.

Months ago, Barton the Senior penned a column in his newspaper, shortly after the defeat of the '07 road bond, that laid out the east-west argument. The "zealots" and "no-growthers" in the western half of Hays County had stolen the election and denied the east side of critical transportation improvements. The latest incarnation of the argument is poor versus rich.

In the poor-rich frame, the West Side is no match for the East Side at the polls. Guess which side has more votes? That would be the East Side – by a landslide. The West Side poses no threat to the Democratic power brokers, as it tilts Republican and has sent Conley back to the court for a second term. And now that West Sider Conley has linked arms with the Democratic power brokers, the circle is complete.

In the end game, there are no real parties left, that is, with any real principles or values to compare and contrast. Voters will continue to play-act going to the polls, staying loyal to their parties. But the party bosses, having covered all the bases, will be left holding the loot. Smart guys.

Watch it all play out in the months ahead.

And watch for the attack lines against Judge Sumter. They might be refined and rephrased but will stay the same essentially and reported with more frequency as time goes on. Watch and listen also for the repeaters, or enforcers, of the message on the ground. That will be your cue to either salute or engage . . . or turn tail and run for the tree covered hills – whatever is left.

Voters of all stripes best sharpen up their inner senses. The election of 2010 for county judge will be a choice between what is fundamentally Good and The Dark Side. In this great battle, no one with an appreciation of plain ole Good can afford for the Dark Side to win.