Who's Your Daddy?

TX Congressional Dist. 17 Election 2006
Van Taylor vs. Chet Edwards

We all know the classic western script where the larger than life cattleman solves the problem of settlers moving in, or the widow owning the land with the spring fed lake, by hiring a dark, nasty man to take care of the problem. The big cattleman never wants to actually know the methods of his man because knowing ignites complicity, which could land even a cattle baron in front of the judge.

The dark, nasty hired man wants power and prestige and he doesn’t care what he has to do to get it. He’s a ham-fisted brawler able to knock a man standing in his way down to the dirt quick. He enjoys eliciting fear when he walks down the street or into a room.

Here in the Brazos Valley that man is Chet Edwards (D) of the spread called District 17. Chet maintains an iron grip on his territory by sinking his big hands into the Federal Trough and bringing home the bacon. Edwards swaggers into town bragging about how he not only pushed aside any lesser beings standing in line at the House Bank but makes it sound like he forced all the other congressmen to toss their own wallets into his hat so he could bring back even more. Like our cattle baron, the recipients of this mammon may not like his methods, but acknowledge he does get the job done. Some may even quietly grin at Chet’s strong-arm tactics; giving a wink and a nod to his devilish nature and marveling at how he seems to get away with it.

But just because Chet brings home the bacon don’t confuse him with Daddy. Chet’s the kind of man that would drive your underage daughter across state lines so she can get an abortion without parental consent. Having a 100% NARAL rating gets big campaign dollars along with the added bonus of striking fear into those suckers in Congress with moral convictions.

As recipients of Chet's money we should be aware of the blood attached. Are we willing as a society to build great monuments at the expense of innocents? Can we maintain an advancing society by undermining the moral foundations? Should we accept the money without asking how it was obtained? Does blood money really spend just like cash?

This election will tell if the Brazos Valley is still a safe place for the settlers or if an immoral thug has outgunned us.

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Matthew 6:24