Backus cites the need to make government more efficient and less costly, improve our public education system and reduce the embarrassingly high high school drop-out rate – starting with Hays County
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Andrew Backus
By Bob OchoaRoundUp Editor
Andrew Backus is plain spoken. Do not expect polished political platitudes from this man, who some argue is on a kamikaze mission to unseat State Rep. Patrick Rose in the March 2 Democratic primary.
"If you're content with Patrick, fine," Backus, 48, told the RoundUp. "If you're not, then I'm here to serve.
"My position is one of trying to manage things in a sustainable manner, whether water resources or human resources, or any resource. . . . unless we pull together and make better decisions, the sort of status quo vision is to pave over the Hill Country. I don't think that's the quality of life people came here to live."
In response to those who claim he is a one-issue 'save our groundwater' guy, Backus cites the need to make government more efficient and less costly, improve our public education system and reduce the embarrassingly high high school drop-out rate* – starting with Hays County (see links below).
"I've been speaking to teachers and retired school administrators," he said. "The people I've spoken to don't like the standardized testing and the fact that the state is delving into their retirement funds to finance other programs in the state.
"The state doesn't rank well in so many areas (health care and education) . . . the amount of pollution we spit out. The state is advancing at the expense of the environment and its population."
Backus is Rose's first primary challenger in his eight years in office. Rose is shooting for his 5th term and ten years, placing him in that category of office holder that we all start to become wary of right about now – that of career politician.
We might ask, "What good is Rose's experience, tenure and status if he continues to drift away from the interests of the little people who elect him and closer to the people who pay big bucks to keep him in office?"
Backus is a 14-year resident of Hays County, lives in the greater Driftwood area and inside the "enormous" ETJ of the city of Dripping Springs. He is married, 14 years, to Jean Carpenter-Backus, a CPA. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Washington and Lee University, Virginia; and in 1990 received a Master of Arts in Energy and Mineral Resources from UT-Austin.
We asked Backus, why are you doing this, challenging Rose. What kind of support do you expect to receive?
He said, "I'm trying to come up to speed on the issues and want to represent the constituents. That's just the honest truth on where I am. There's an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with Patrick Rose. In the Democratic base there's a significant portion not happy with his performance. I have no idea who I will get support from. If I don't then the people have spoken and say they're quite happy with the politician that has raised enormous sums of money from outside the district."
Backus says he'll have a web site up and running very soon where folks can follow developments in his fledgling campaign.
* IDRA’s annual attrition study finds that in 2008-09, Texas schools lost 31 percent of their students. The same study found the attrition rate in Hays County to be the same as the state rate, averaging 31 percent among Black, Hispanic and White students. See this link: http://www.idra.org/dropout/attrition.php
5 comments:
Detractors say Bachus doesn't have a chance to dethrone Rose -- but I say give him a look. Of course Bachus is not the most charismatic guy but then maybe personality and charm is the sure sign of a politician who speaks out of both sides of his mouth. Rose is actually a perfect Texas Democrat: intelligent, tells constituents what they want to hear, and then makes his big money supporters richer through backroom deals and ignoring the bulk of the electorate who got him there. In other words, he is a moderate Republican. Rose is a great example of the duoploy political system (the "two-headed, one body" monster) America has for so long accepted. It doesn't work anymore, but the voting masses act too helpless to change it. As a result, at the local, county, state, and federal level, we muddle along, giving the rich and the elite from both parties more more and more of our wealth and dignity. But don't do anything about it. Just keep wasting all of our creative energy by continuing to fight amongst ourselves and call each other names while we keep getting screwed by THE MAN.
Plain spoken, honest and married are good attributes, and he's got a good look. . . a possible people's representative diamond in the rough? Let's see how tough he can be on the campaign trail. I hope he doesn't pull any punches. This one is gonna need a good knock down drag out fight. If money is king, Rose wins. If integrity and authenticity are king, Backus wins. Now get that message out to the voters!
Who are the Republicans running against Rose or Backus? Hopefully they can field a candidate who is worthy of a look as well. But then, after seeing one of their ads during the Presidential election last year glorifying Joe the Plumber, I don't hold out much hope. It seems the local Republican Party can't think on their own and continue to field candidates who are religious right, free markets robots who spout talking points for the US Chamber of Commerce and James Dobson. Hey guys, how about a smart libertarian leaning Republican for once.
Or better yet, Hays County could lead the country by starting and supporting an intelligent and viable populace independent third-party movement that represents the growingly disgruntled citizen. There is no better time than now.
If there was ever ONE issue that needs an advocate in the state house, it’s WATER. Try doing anything without it, this issue has long been neglected by the state house & senate and Rose is an obstacle to positive reform of the prehistoric notion of right of capture. Backus knows water and is able to think without $1.1 million incentives that it takes to get Rick Rose, ah Pat Green, ah Green Rose to act. Go for it Andrew and go for us. Water, just try going into the future without it! Water's one issue that can’t be resolved by sharp dressing and hairspray.
Heard a rumor that Conley and GOP mercenaries plan to cross over and vote in the democratic primary for Rose and Barton. Any truth to that? If true, the dems will need to come to their senses quick (if they've got any sense) and come out in force for Backus and Sumter.
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