Walt Wilson

Wednesday, 07/15/2009 - 17:22

Bill White has been dodging issues since rumors of Kay Bailey Hutchison's departure from D.C. opened the way for him to run for U.S. Senate. Even though the Metro light rail connecting the Med Center to downtown has been a success, Bill White has been reluctant to tackle other promising transportation initiatives, like a Metro rail from downtown to Richmond. Part of the reason for this foot dragging is probably attributable to White's reluctance to make decisions that may allienate voters on the eve of his campaign in 2010. Mayor White's refusal to disclose the details of Vicar's departure may be another example of political manuevering. White is probably counting on votes and money from airline employees and major airlines, and he doesn't want to ruffle feathers. I am not saying Bill White is tainted or that he hasn't been a good mayor (he has), but it would be so refreshing to have civic leaders who are soley concerned about Houston and improving the city in the long term, instead of using it as a stepping stone for their careers. I believe Houston would benefit from electing leaders who were born in the city and have lived here their entire lives. Newcomers to Houston simply are not as likely to have the city's interests at heart when making decisions. These days, Baby Boomers mostly run politics because they are a huge cohort and are in their political prime in terms of political influence. This generation has given us a lot of great things but good governance and commitment to civics are not among them. This generation was scarred by its experiences while coming of age politically. The Kennedy assassination, a brutal shock, occured roughly during their early-mid teens. Then came the Vietnam War where the government turned out to be fallible. And then, worse of all, the Watergate Scandal rocked the nation to its core by undermining once universal faith that its most visible was on the up and up. A few minor incidents followed 1974 and did nothing to heal the deep crisis of faith in America: Nixon's pardon by President Ford outraged many, especially boomers who were demanding accountability; then came the malaise during the Carter years. The two hundred year anniversary of America in 1976 was hardly a time for celebration. All these events occurred when Baby Boomers were coming of age, and the impact of such experiences left a psychological imprint of unique proportions. In short, the generation which grew up on "Leave it to Beaver" and the Beatles became jaded, lost faith in the American system of government, and could not escape a general attitude that civics was for the birds. It is no surprise that this generation has a marked disregard good government & civic piety. Boomers look out for themselves and their children, everything else be damned, including their resonsibility to the community. So it is best to on your guard while this group holds the reigns of power, and we should watch their dealings with intense scrutiny. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Boomers are so competetive they would rather break the rules than endure a setback, like losing an election, in the eyes of their peers. The result is that they avoid making tough decisions in office rather than jeapordize their careers and reputations. That is not to say Baby Boomers are all warped, but most of them are to some degree. People are a product of their experiences more than anything else, and this generation is no different. In the future, it may be best to look to candidates who are elderly & wise, or to youthful candidates who are full of energy and purpose, to be the stewards of the community\'s interests. A mixture of sagacity and youthful passion are a good mix.

Jennifer Peebles

Wednesday, 07/15/2009 - 18:26

Walt, Thank you for reading us and for taking time to write in. I think you have posted our longest comment so far! We appreciate it! Take care, Jennifer P jennifer@texaswatchdog.org