By: Chris Calvin, Ph.D.
Last spring I was fortunate enough to be a volunteer going door to door distributing campaign literature for several underfunded but highly ethical and principled candidates for office, a rarity these days in corporately funded/steered races. These were people of integrity I knew I could trust and believe in and not your usual blithering group of opportunist.
During this fascinating experience I was privy to many unsavory actions and sometimes being the target of some of the local papers that had already accepted a plethora of campaign dollars in exchange for their unwavering endorsements. One publisher going as far as to attempt to chase several volunteers in her SUV, including myself, out of a neighborhood in violation of federal election laws…..what some won’t do for a buck.
Having studied much about the graft and corruption that has become a pervasive main-stay in our local community you would think I would be prepared for actions of some of these local publishers and their slippery campaign poli-tricks. But rather than spending the next few lines scribbling about the land development companies public relations people behind much of these shenanigans and their lock on advertising dollars and political influence in our community, I want to spend a few minutes to praise in name the local papers that do not sell out to puppet politicians or the corporate ad dollars that often come attached.
In a democracy a free press is essential and the challenge for publishers and editors seems complex. After-all how do you balance all the competing financial interests of a paper these days against the interests of the residents? What was observed during that election cycle is how this paper, Fortbendnow, Fort Bend/Sugar Land Sun, Fort Bend Herald and our neighborhood section of the Houston Chronicle did such a fine job providing campaign information on all the candidates whether or not they had bought column space or advertising. One local crony politician even called for a public boycott of this paper when it continued to report the facts in the local races. I guess he wasn’t too pleased with his coverage or the tapes that were linked online involving some of his less desirable comments and lies at the polls. Maybe he should have been showing potential voters his campaign financial reports and voting record instead.
Yes a free and fair press is essential in our republic and a necessity to the survival of the constitution, which seems under assault almost daily. While we can trust some, we should not trust all media. My hearty congratulations to those news agencies that can stay above the chaff and attempt to keep the public truly informed and not just led like mindless sheeple. The old saying, “just follow the money” really does have more meaning every election cycle. Let us hope we can find more locals of good character that can stand up to the political machine that feeds off our taxes and directs our current choices for office.
Early voting begins October 18th and continues through October 29th with election day November 2nd. Please do your homework before you go to the polls and vote your conscious no matter which party you may be in!
Honesty is neither conservative nor liberal. Honesty is honest, that’s all. We need honest journalism and we need people who do research and follow the money trail. Politics is generally dirty but the bright light of truth helps to keep things clean.
Mr Calvin are you a progressive or a conservative?
Why not admit the truth and get it over with, this is a meeting place for neo-socialists.
Why isn’t there an editorial from Rick Miller FBCGOP Chairman? I see them in the Ft Bend Sun and other local news sources.
When the facts come the same ones are exposed again and again.
Just got back from Austin…. It seems that many are now seriously discussing Corporate Welfare and the hijacking of our economy. If you call yourself a “conservative” and you do not understand or do not “believe” corporate welfare is perhaps the single largest problem we face today, then please turn off Fox News and educate yourself.
In addition to my 1st post, looking through ALL older articles on FBNow on Chris Calvin is important. But again, I state and ask: When I currently type in ‘Chris Calvin’ in FBNow’s search, a plethora of articles come up. However, with one article I clicked, I noticed no comments show. They are closed. Is there a reason for this?
Strong support FORTBENDNOW help to get out the public words for true
tobe review by the public another press medias todo an improve.
hilarious
how funny
Its the public time an/or turn to speak by stepping forward to get out the word of truth tobe understood with facts in hand, as needed to increase voter(2010) turnout every year to prohibit below ten percent voter turnouts in previous years. High public turnouts will increase communty security an more
Yes, we support free press that will inform public truth presently, an forward future for effective leadership by elected officials an justice that cost taxpayer dollars! Paper trail election is a freeway for voters voice tobe counted, after an before annual elections. Digital voters machine alone is not good enough for a true election voters turnout numbers to count, an elected officials an party against paper trail for voters turnout tobe finalize is against justice.
Touche’
One of the greatest privilages to be an American is to be able to vote in “free elections”.
Isn’t it a shame, that as a nation we can’t figure how how to stop letting Special Intrest groups buy elections, from the local to the national level.
PACS should be limited or eliminated all together , and Maximum contributions limits. This would put America back in the hands of the voters instead of special intrest groups.
Until then, the greatest privalege we have is to vote. Maybe we can vote out the special intrest gruops some day.
When I currently type in ‘Chris Calvin’ in FBNow’s search, a plethora of articles come up. However, with one article I clicked, I noticed no comments show. They are closed. Is there a reason for this?
Excellent Post!
Democracy has its failings, but it is still the best form of government. What makes it a better form of government is if every voter studied and reviewed the issues and candidates prior to voting.
As a voter, there is an immense amount of time that I do prior to voting and I almost feel cheated when I talk to my friends that vote straight ticket for one party or another. I would rather they did not vote at all. These people are deciding the tax rate I pay to the candidates that are deciding about the quality of schools my kids will go to, to the candidates that will government my existence.
We deserve better; we deserve an informed voter. The newspaper used to be such a place to get unbiased – I have not been able to look at a Houston Chronicle since 2000. I have searched candidate websites and other organizations like league of women voters, but I still have to weed through the minutia and their own agenda. At the end of the day the only guarantors of freedom are guns, gold, and an informed electorate.
“The press cannot and must not take sides, place blame or sling mud…just tell the story and we will do the rest.”
I think Mr. Magee hits the nail on the proverbial head. Even if they give preference to paragraph location (first half or second half) they include it, rather than pretend the opposition doesn’t exist.
Funny you should mention your block runner experience. I had breakfast last week with the guy who took your picture.
Your comment,I think this a personal attack against Christ Calvin.
Because you seem a picture.
Is there a story behind the picture?
Just maybe someone else seem this so call block runner experience happy,however that publisher did not interview one know who seen it unfolded.I not me.
Just the publisher view point.
FtBdConservative,Is it hard to swallow what stanmagee statement say.It
a must read.
It is hard to refudiate your logic.
I think you meant to say repudiate.
“When Sarah Palin decides regular English words aren’t good enough, she’ll just go ahead and make a new one. Here, Refudiate bridges the gap between…”
I’m aware of how Ms Palin used refudiate, and how the dems reacted when she used it. Thats why I used it.
Thanks for the clarification…simply making a conservative observation. BTW, true conservatives are those who know and feel what is like to have nothing.
I understand, most dems are conservatives and the filthy rich cannot be conservative.
See what I mean Noel.
I have no problem with a free and open prerss as long as it is fair and balanced. A press which denegrates one side or the other since its owners are bought and paid for by the side they promote, is not doing its job as a free press. Tell us the story, good or bad and don’t give us your opinion, let us decide. And, don’t poke your finger in the eye of a party you do not like…leave that up to “we the people.” The press was designed orginally to report the full truth when the government tried to make the people fear it. The press cannot and must not take sides, place blame or sling mud…just tell the story and we will do the rest.
stanmagee:You mention: A press which denegrates one side or the other since its owners are bought and paid for by the side they promote.
There one that stick out in my mind in Fort Bend County.That person for that paper promote one sided veiws.I myself stop read that one news paper.
I totally agree with your statement
Dr. Calvin,
Your editorial perfectly describes the challenges that the public faces when the media must cater to the business interests that make this media possible. I too like FortBendNow, but public radio and other nonprofit sources are other excellent resources. Thank you Dr. Calvin for an excellent editorial and all the work you do.
As concerns the chase scene from hell; There are some news outlets that are as surreal as many of the elected officials who purport to serve us.
A go one Chris Calvin.
Tell it how it is.
On the vote date let kick out the crony politician.
Dr, Calvin,
The sacred ballot box must transcend to meet the demands of today. If I can check my account, transfer money, print checks online, then I predict we will be able to cast our sacred votes via telephony devices and internet thus eliminating/reducing the number poll workers, polling sites, all together. This too shall come to pass. Anyone want to help in the programming development?
Your issue of Free (Reliable) Press is limited to those who are themselves free and not enslaved by the dollars of others. FBN has done an excellent job in providing non-bias reporting and hopefully we can spawn them in ground delivery, which has proven to be environmentally unfriendly. Until such time, we have to continue blogging, submitting op-ed articles, and talking it up every chance we get. Remember, potential energy leads to inertia if stagnation prevails.
Paradigm paralysis…we need forward thinking government. If one can pay bills online, then this should be a thing of the past. Microsoft (Xbox 360) has introduced technology that makes using remote controllers obsolete. When there is a will, there is a way but you need people who have the motivation to implement…