Saturday, September 09, 2006

"Texas doesn't have a law that can’t be repealed or an elected official that can’t be voted out of office.”

Van Os makes local whistle stop in election campaign

9/9/06

By Jerrie Whiteley
Sherman Denison Herald Democrat
Copyright 2006

Calling on Texans to help him bring Texas out of an age of greed, Democrat David Van Os, brought his “whistle stop” campaign for Texas attorney general to Sherman Wednesday. Standing near the steps of the Grayson County Courthouse, dressed in a button-down blue shirt, a black vest, a white hat and light colored pants, Van Os said his victory in the race will spell doom for the “robber barons” in the oil and insurance industries.

He said he plans to try to break up the mega monopolies that are practicing in Texas in what he called a violation of the Texas constitution. Van Os said the actions of those companies and the politicians they support has led to “an age of greed” that is unlike any seen in recent memory. He said the state has laws against such centralization of economic, and therefore political power, but no one seems to want to use them.

Van Os vowed he will use those laws to go after those industries if he is elected.

He faces Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in November’s general election.

Van Os, a self professed, “boat rocker” has gone up against Abbott in the past. The two faced off in a race for seat on the Texas Supreme Court in 1998. Abbott won that round, but Van Os said he doesn’t think Abbott’s luck will hold.

The power of the state of Texas, Van Os said, belongs to the people of the state of Texas. It is theirs to take back and Van Os said he hopes they will join him in a fight for a return to democracy.

The San Antonio attorney who specialized in labor law reminded those who attended his rally in Sherman that people in the state of Texas can’t afford gas for their vehicles, insurance for their homes or health insurance for themselves. He said that puts Texans in a bind that they should be able to look to their attorney (general) to help them escape. However, Van Os said, contributions from big companies have made many politicians resistant to the call to take industry to task.

Van Os vowed not to join the “silk-stocking social clique that runs Texas government as if it were their private club,” if elected. He said he will fight against them to help Texans get some relief.

Van Os also said he plans to fight against the Trans Texas Corridor. He said many Texas politicians would like the residents of Texas to believe that the TTC is “done deal.”

Not so, said Van Os. He said the state doesn’t have “a law that can’t be repealed or an elected official that can’t be voted out of office.” Van Os urged people to keep fighting the issue “till hell freezes over and then continue to fight it on the ice.” He said the TTC plans to tear up thousands of acres “of the best farm land” in the state and put the land once used to feed millions “in the hands of foreign company that will take the toll money and send it back” to its country of origin.

The 56-year-old Texan said if voters listen to the pundits at “big papers” they might think he doesn’t stand a chance because Abbott is raising more money. However, Van Os said, he doesn’t think the ability to raise big money from large corporations is an indication of the ability to represent the people of the “grand state of Texas.”

He said he hopes the people of that state agree with him in November.

© 2006 The Associated Press: www.heralddemocrat.com

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