Candidates for Texas Senate
... worked hard and paid into social Security all their lives. They must get the benefits they earned and no one should be able to cut those benefits or take them away” (www.ronkirk.com/). The Republican candidate John Cornyn supports a plan that would “Protect Social Security as a safety net for everyone, personalize Social Security to make it work for future generations, and preserve the contract of Social Security for every recipient” (www.johncornyn.com/). On the homeland security issue both candidates believe that improving local security and first responders such as paramedics, firemen and policemen is essential because in the case of an emergency these people will be the first ones to respond and they should be prepared. John Cornyn has a more extensive view on homeland security, addressing many issues related to homeland security, he supports the military and believe that we should improve it by giving it more funds, he supports “president Bush’s command of the on going war against terror and his request for additional resources to allow our armed forces to meet the challenge” (www.johncornyn.com), he also thinks that protecting our borders is essential, but he opposes the use of military to patrol the borders, he wants to preserve gun rights and he thinks that international terrorism should be recognized as an act of war. Ron Kirk focuses on the local security factor, “he believes that states and cities have to receive the resources and support that they need to swiftly identify and rapidly respond to any terrorist threat. As a mayor, he knows how important it is to ensure that local communities and not bureaucracies get the new funding and resources associated with all of these proposals” (www.ronkirk.com), and he also strongly supports the President and our troops as they work to defend America. On the education issue both candidates support Bush’s plan Leave no Child Left Behind Act, and they focus on public education. “John Cornyn believes every child deserves an opportunity to learn in a good, safe school. He will promote policies that encourage marriage and extend the benefit of two-parent support to as many children as possible. Cornyn believes the border region of South and West Texas deserve extraordinary attention from state and federal authorities so that the citizens of that region enjoy education, health and economic benefits commensurate with other Texans” (www.johncornyn.com). He supports funding for Hispanic serving institutions, the increase of funding for special education, and support good teachers program which offer bonus and privileges to teachers. Ron Kirk strongly believes that we should make schools a better place so the schools can make the students better citizens; he believes that it is necessary to implement a high quality character education program. Both candidates are also somewhat concerned with the environment, John Cornyn says that he is “strongly committed to taking aggressive steps to reduce pollution, address global climate change and conserve our natural resources” (www.johncornyn.com), while Ron Kirk seems to have the same opinion, but neither candidate gives us a detailed information about their concerns with the environment. The only candidate that diverges extremely from the democrat and republican candidate on this issue is the Green Party candidate Roy Williams. Williams have a detailed plan for Texas regarding the environment, he is the only candidate with an environmental platform, he b...