The Unloading Zone: Ken Paxton Responds to: "Rep Paxton, you're confusing me...."

Four days ago, I wrote a post entitled "Representative Paxton, you're confusing me...." in which I thanked Mr. Paxton for sending his constituantes a sample ballot prior to the election and for being one of the authors of "Its time to meet the challenge" but my disappointment and confusion that the sample ballot was bi-lingual.

Mr. Paxton very kindly responded by email yesterday and here is his response:

Dear Mr. Unloadingzone,

Thank you for your email and for your support. I understand and share your frustration regarding the issue of illegal immigration.

The information I sent in last week's Capitol Steps came from the Collin County Office of Elections' website. The ballots, written in English and Spanish, were just links the Elections' Office offered, so I could not modify their text. I thought overall, however, that this information might be useful to my readers, as my office had received numerous calls from constituents needing information on where to vote. I appreciate you taking the time to point this out, though, and I will definitely consider your suggestion next time I send out this type of information.

I appreciate all of your correspondence and your commitment to the issue of illegal immigration. It takes having more people speaking out to change the actions of elected officials.

Best regards,
Ken

Please, dear readers, don't consider this a softening of my position on English-only for all government communications, but Mr. Paxton's explanation makes sense and it was better to have a bi-lingual sample ballot than none at all. That's one thing I never understood since moving to Texas: up north, they actually mail each registered voter a copy of the sample ballot a week or so before the election so you would have time to study it, mark it up, and even take it to the ballot box with you to make sure you voted the way you wanted to.

In Texas, without actions like Rep. Paxton's, if you don't subscribe to (in my case) the Dallas Morning News or miss the one edition where they print the sample ballot, you're winging it at the ballot box. More people would probably vote also if they felt confident on how they would be voting once they got to the voting booth.

At any rate, I will continue to loudly express my opinions on illegal immigration and anything else I feel passionate about. Mr. Paxton, I'm not a one-issue kind of guy as my post blasting the Shell-Game NTTA is playing in paying the $3.3 Billion "bonus" to North Texas for the S.H. 121 contract illustrates. I also plan an updated post on Snus, which is not anything Austin has to worry about but interests me (and according to Google Analytics) my readers a great deal too.

Mr. Paxton and I attended the Maher Maso for Mayor of Frisco kickoff event last night and I had hoped to meet him in person. Sadly, there were so many people there and my wife and I were Maso volunteers, thus being run ragged, that the opportunity never occurred.

One point I want to make is that despite my disagreements (and occasional Kudo's) with Mr. Paxton, that some politicians DO listen and respond to their constituents. Take his advice and contact your government representatives on issues which you are passionate about. Some may ignore you, (vote them out) but the better ones will listen....and sometimes even agree with you. Make your voice heard.