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DMN - Editorial: The McCall Doctrine
Editorial: The McCall Doctrine
Sunday, November 22, 2009
DMN Suburban Editorial Board
Plano voters will notice something missing when they step into the voting both next year – the McCall name.
Collin County has been represented in Austin by Brian McCall for nearly two decades, but the veteran House member has announced that his current term will be his last.
The McCall name has commanded respect in Plano as well as through the state Capitol. His community can take pride in the person it has sent to Austin since 1991, both for what he accomplished and the way he did it with integrity.
Before this year's legislative session neared, McCall was part of a small group of Republican lawmakers who sought change in the House's authoritarian, partisan leadership.
Joining with Democrats in deposing Speaker Tom Craddick, they rallied around Joe Straus of San Antonio and pledged more evenhanded guidance. They promised that all lawmakers would have a shot at getting their bills to the House for a vote – not just those whose ideas fit the leadership agenda.
McCall became one of the Straus lieutenants and controlled the flow of legislation through his chairmanship of the Calendars Committee.
Members credited him with making good the promise of fairness for members regardless of party, and the statistics backed up the praise.
Going back to his early terms in the House, McCall made a difference. He passed legislation in 1995 to create the state's DNA registry, which has evolved into an invaluable tool for freeing innocent people and convicting the right ones, and also passed the state's first anti-stalking bill. In 1999, he authored a tax-cut bill credited with saving taxpayers more than $3 billion.
His tenure in the House been notable, too, for the principled way he conducted himself. That is exemplified by his decision to return the $150,000 in political contributions that he collected since the end of the 2009 session, his last.
In searching for a replacement, the Plano community should ask prospective candidates if they will sign onto what we can term the McCall doctrine. Here are four main points, taken from McCall's retirement announcement from last week:
- Show up for work every day of every session and keep my head in the game.
- Be a gentleman, even in a rough-and-tumble political environment
- Always have respect for, and a willingness to defend, the process.
- Think for myself instead of being hypnotized by the various scorecards of the special-interest policy groups du jour.
- Remember that the job is temporary.
9 comments
Why must you taint a tribute to McCall with derogatory comments about Mabrie and Wayne?
The filing deadline is just around the corner. Feel free to throw your hat in the ring.
Plano has been honored to call Brian McCall its representative in Austin for almost 20 years. He is a gentleman and a statesman, and whoever replaces him will have big shoes to fill.
However, I don't like that McCall supported a bill that would have resulted in an increase of our gas tax by 33% and doubling our car registration, to raise over $30 billion for light rail in North Texas.
I'm always wary when Democrats laud a Republican. They don't typically laud moderate Democrats. Look at what they did to Lieberman, for example.
I like Wayne Richard, based on his Web site. I'm curious what Davis Standard has against Mabrie Jackson and Wayne Richard.
Let's start with Wayne - I have 100% confidence that America is growing tired of the political my way or the highway approach. It doesn't work. It is failure waiting to happen. What does Wayne actually know? It's scary how good of a question that is. What does he actually know? He knows how to say no. Ok, what else? And, if that's all it takes, then couldn't anyone do that job? Think about that, all you have to do to be a solid "conservative" is go down there and say no to everything. Heck, in that case, I could think of about 12,000 people in district 66 alone that could do a good job down there. I want someone to throw some real issues at Wayne, bills and upcoming legislation and see if he has even heard of it. I believe that he is a Tea Party opportunist hoping that this culture of no and hate will carry him to Austin. I hope that it does not. He is a nut.
Mabrie- Again, I don't know what makes Mabrie qualified for this job. She was a council member that couldn't even finish one term. Is that what were looking for in qualifications to represent us in Austin? If so, I was on a board for 2 years between 1994-1996, I must be way overqualified because I actually served my entire term. Maybe I should consider running. And she keeps applauding herself as a "conservative" and I just don't understand it. She made one manipulative vote and now she has the right to say her record resembles a devout conservative? I should run for office one day and say, "you know what, I could have shopped at Target where things are expensive, but I chose to shop at Walmart because prices are lower, I am no doubt a strong fiscal conservative". And bam, there you have, I'm a self-proclaimed conservative and the people will love me. Maybe I should stop writing on this blog and go look for a treasurer. Be right back.
"Do you remember Brian being the driving force behind the largest tax cut bill in Texas history (1999)?"
No, I wasn't here in 1999. It's weird that he would turn his back on those principles in 2009 and back a bill that would have resulted in a 33% increase in our gas tax and doubling our car registration.
Making ad hominem comments about those two individuals isn't a valid argument as to why they shouldn't be elected.
There are issues. Discuss the issues and what their positions are on those issues and which positions they hold that you disagree with.
I provided you with a specific bill that McCall supported as an example of something I didn't agree with. You seem to only be capable of waving your hands and shooting out Target/Wal Mart analogies and misrepresenting Wayne as someone who only says no and Mabrie as someone with no valid experience to run.
You are proving my point. I would love to discuss issues with them, but they are more concerned with calling themselves "conservatives" than they are at addressing issues. Where do they stand on the issues Scott? I'd love for you to tell me, but the problem is that you don't know. No one knows because they don't address issues. Courting the far right wing is more important than addressing issues. Right?
I don't know about Mabrie.
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