The Port Lavaca Wave (Port Lavaca, Tex.), Vol. 124, No. 44, Ed. 1 Saturday, March 14, 2015 Page: 4 of 12
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A4 ►► FORUM
THE PORT LAVACA WAVE
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2015
THE FORUM
Bill Clinton remembers Bob Armstrong
Senate bills set
DAVE McNEELY
Courage a key part of journalism
MELONY
OVERTON
to
Great relationships make life special
THETORT
Share your thoughts - send letters to the editor to
editor@plwave.com.
A
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“Courage. What makes a
king out of a slave? Courage.
What makes the flag on the mast
to wave? Courage. What makes
the elephant charge his tusk
in the misty mist, or the dusky
dusk? What makes the muskrat
guard his musk? Courage. What
makes the sphinx the seventh
wonder? Courage. What makes
the dawn come up like thunder?
Courage. ”
-The Cowardly Lion, The
Wizard of Oz
Hi everybody,
By the time you read this I
will be on the way to Phoenix to
had
Land
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CUMMINS COMMENTARY
"Your life goes as your energy flows
JIM CUMMINS
Guest columnist
of
6
LAVACA WE
www.portlavacawave.com
Serving Port Lavaca and Calhoun County since 1890
107 E. Austin, R0. Box 88, Port Lavaca, Texas 77979-0088
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ED STERLING
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TPA MEMBER 2015
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATIO N
stage for tax, debt
release
Clinton named Armstrong
assistant secretary for land and
minerals management at the
United States Department of
the Interior in 1993. He served
until 1998.
At Armstrong’s memorial
service
6, at
United
meet with two dear old friends,
doctors Bill Frank and Tom
Cotton, to play a little golf and
catch up with what’s happening
in everybody’s life. We have all
been friends for over 50 years.
Tom and I became good friends
at the University of Illinois
where he was pre-medical
and I was pre-dental. Bill and
I became good friends at Fort
Carson in Colorado after we
both came back from Vietnam.
One day Bill and I were
having lunch in the officers
club when Bill suddenly jumps
up and starts yelling and
hugging some guy who had just
walked in. When I finally got a
good look at him I realized it
was my old friend Tom. Bill and
Tom had become good friends
in Vietnam. So I jumped up
and joined the party We have
all remained good friends for
all these years. Relationships
like these are what make life
special.
I have a question for you.
Have you gotten off to a good
start in the new year? Do you
feel like you are on the success
curve or the failure curve in all
when others are wrong or the
situation is genuinely unfair,
you keep your life’s reins in
your own hands.
We must realize that
negative and difficult things
happen to all of us. Many of
them are mostly or completely
out of our control. It’s how
we view and react to these
circumstances and conditions
that make the difference
between success and failure
and that is completely within
our control.
Warmly,
Jim
most does not come from
within me, but from within the
person who invites a reporter
into their environment or
their situation, into their
issues and their passions, into
their emotions and feelings,
those people who are willing to
share their ideas and insights,
or their fears, hopes and goals.
My courage to ask comes
from their courage to tell.
Journalism takes courage.
Let me rephrase that.
Journalism, the good, honest
kind takes courage. There, I
like the sound of that better.
I say journalism takes
courage because when a
reporter arrives on a scene
or takes that first step into
someone’s life he or she often
goes where no man or woman
has gone before, whether
they find themselves within
an artist’s private studio or
sitting across from someone
else, only a table between them
while delving into the deepest
* '
smartest advisers in the world
any time you need them. But I
want to offer another kind of
deal:
If you ever need someone
to laugh with, or cry with, or
someone to scream at to keep
from going “plumb off” or to tell
a new joke to or hear a new joke
from, or someone with whom
you can just put your mind in
neutral and just be plain you for
a while, remember that most of
the time I’m just 3 blocks away.
This service is called “Dial
a Bro. ” I know you have lots of
new friends. But you sure do
have one proud old one named
Bob.
“That was Bob in a nutshell.
He was the ultimate Be Happy
Do Good Guy He made those
of us he touched happier and
want to do better. We’ll miss
you Bob. We’ll always love you,
always remember, and always
with a smile.”
part of that person’s psyche.
A reporter may have
questions prepared, but one
never knows if the question
will be answered, if it will be
answered to your liking, if the
question will anger, sadden or
overjoy the subject, or whether
it is the right question to ask.
All a reporter really must
be concerned with is having
the courage to ask.
If a subject refrains from
answering a question, reword
it, or ask another question.
The same goes with asking a
question that does not elicit
the intended response. If a
question angers or saddens a
subject, a reporter should not
back off, but gently observe
the emotion, feel it if you can,
and ask why this question
angers or saddens them so.
If they smile or laugh when
asked something, go with that
emotion, too. That is how you
know a subject trusts you if
they can share a laugh with
you.
Some subjects are difficult
approach-death, crime,
the different aspects of your
life?
There is one attitude,
one state of mind, which
overwhelmingly predominates
either side of the curve. The
predominant state of mind
displayed by those people on the
failure curve is blame. People
on the failure curve are masters
of blame. They blame everyone
and everything—the economy,
the oil crisis, the government,
their parents, their boss, their
co-workers, their employees,
the rich, the poor, life itself.
The predominant state
of mind displayed by those
people on the success curve is
responsibility They take full
responsibility for who they are,
where they are and everything
that happens to them. Taking
responsibility liberates you.
In fact, it is probably the most
liberating thing there is, even
when it hurts, even when it
doesn’t seem fair. When you
don’t take responsibility,
when you blame others, fate
or chance, you give away your
power. When you take and
retain full responsibility, even
Bill Clinton met Bob
Armstrong in 1972. Clinton, 26,
was organizing Texas for the
1972 Democratic presidential
campaign of George McGovern
and Sargent Shriver.
Armstrong, 39,
been elected Texas
Commissioner in 1970. While
other statewide Democratic
officials avoided McGovern and
Shriver like lepers, Armstrong
and Agriculture Commissioner
John C. White stepped up to
front the campaign.
The Clinton/Armstrong
friendship continued through
Armstrong’s death March
1, 2015, of congestive heart
failure. He was 82.
After 1972, Armstrong was
commissioner through
when Mark White
beat him in the Democratic
governor’s primary White
unseated Republican Gov Bill
Clements, and in 1985, named
Armstrong to the Texas Parks
and Wildlife Commission.
Armstrong and parks
acquisition manager Andy
Sansom saw their 17-year dream
come true, when Texas finally
bought a 212,000-thousand acre
ranch next to Big Bend National
Park. Now the Big Bend Ranch
State Park, it more than doubled
state park acreage.
From 1991 until 1993,
Armstrong was energy adviser
for Gov Ann Richards.
Clinton, meanwhile, was
elected Arkansas attorney
general, then governor, and in
1992, President of the United
States.
violence, mental/terminal
illness, natural disasters and
so on and so forth. And it
can take all the deep breaths
and courage a reporter can
muster to attempt to make that
phone call or knock on that
door for answers. What helps
me is the realization that the
person on the other side of the
recorder could be breathing
and mustering just as much as
I am.
The courage does not end
with asking questions. Courage
is a product of conviction.
In this respect, courage then
mingles with confidence
because after the questions are
asked a reporter must use his
or her unique voice to present
the information to the public
in a way that stays true not
only to their own writing style,
but that it remains accurate
and within the spirit and scope
of the idea or focus he or she
originally had for the story, or
with what the story demands
must be told.
But the courage within
journalism that I admire the
USPS-438-780
TANIA FRENCH
Editor and Publisher, ext. 103
SHERRY FICKLEN
Coming Ups/Youth, ext. 117
KAYLA HARVEY
Classified Dept., ext. 104
KAYLA MEYER
Newsroom., ext. 114
MELONY OVERTON
Newsroom., ext. 115
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AUSTIN — A trio of
powerful state senators, along
with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, on
March 5 jointly announced
the filing of legislation they
coauthored to cut taxes and pay
off state debt.
Patrick, who presides
over the 31-member Senate,
Senate Finance Chair Jane
Nelson, R-Flower Mound;
Senate Business & Commerce
Chair Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler;
and Senate Finance Vice
Chair Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa,
D-McAllen, each delivered
brief statements.
Patrick said the state
constitution limits spending
to no more than the growth
of the Texas economy and
appropriations intended to cut
taxes or reduce state debt also
count against the spending cap.
The legislation, in the form of
a bill and a joint resolution,
if passed and signed into law,
would allow voters to decide
whether or not to exempt tax
cuts and debt payments from
the state’s constitutional
spending limit.
“Debts today become taxes
tomorrow,” Hinojosa explained.
“As Texans we pride ourselves
as a pay-as-you-go-state, but in
the past 12 years our state and
local debt has skyrocketed.
As responsible stewards of
taxpayer dollars we need to rein
in our dependence on debt and
get serious about paying off
our current outstanding debt.
Exempting appropriations
for tax relief and debt relief
from the spending cap will
free up more dollars for
critical areas like education
and infrastructure in the state
budget without busting the
constitutional spending cap.”
The legislation has been
sent to the Senate Finance
Committee for consideration,
and companion bills have been
filed in the House by state Rep.
Jim Keffer, R-Eastland.
Transportation bills
pass
On votes of 28-2, the Senate
tentatively approved two
measures intended to increase
transportation funding.
Committee Substitute
Senate Bill 5 and Senate Joint
Resolution 5 by Transportation
Committee Chair Robert
Nichols, R-Jacksonville, would
let voters decide whether to
approve a split in the state
motor vehicle sales tax. The
bills have moved to the House
for consideration.
As CSSB 5 is presently
worded, the first $2.5 billion
in that class of revenue would
go into general revenue and
the next $2.5 billion would
be dedicated to the Texas
Department of Transportation.
Further revenue collected by
the state would be split so the
comptroller would deposit 50
percent to the State Highway
Fund, 30 percent to the general
revenue fund and 20 percent to
the Available School Fund.
Sens. Rodney Ellis,
D-Houston, and Kirk Watson,
D-Austin, cast votes in
opposition. In an excerpt from
a longer statement explaining
his vote, Ellis said, “Dedicated
funds are poor public policy
simply because they limit
flexibility This year a critical
need may not be as critical next
year, and funding cannot follow
problems. By constitutionally
dedicating this funding, we are
creating a new multi-billion
dollar hole that is going to be
difficult to fill during years
when the budget is tight.”
Unemployment rate
falls
Texas’ seasonally adjusted
unemployment rate fell to
4.4 percent in January down
from 4.6 percent in December
2014, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics announced last week.
Texas Workforce
Commission on March 6
reported the adding of 20,100
seasonally adjusted non-farm
jobs in January for a total
increase of 392,900 jobs over the
year. “We are pleased to see that
the growth of jobs in our state
is continuing,” said Andres
Alcantar, chair of the Texas
Workforce Commission.
Texas employers added
20,100 jobs including growth
in nine of 11 major industries
in January, which is a great
testament to the strength and
resilience of our economy and
labor market, Alcantar said.
Hope Andrade,
commissioner representing
employers with the Texas
Workforce Commission, added,
“The latest labor market
data indicates that Texas is
approaching the 12 million
jobs milestone, with 11,769,600
jobs now in Texas. Employers
continue to propel Texas on a
path paved with growth and
innovation.”
DPS increases
enforcement
Texas Department
Public Safety on March
announced an increase in DWI
patrols from March 7 to March
22.
State troopers will focus
on high-risk locations at times
when alcohol-related crashes
are most frequent and in areas
with high concentrations of
Spring Break activity
During last year’s Spring
Break enforcement period,
state troopers made 1,389 DWI
arrests, some 18,886 speeding
citations, 3,343 seat belt/child
safety seat tickets and about
23,600 other citations. Also,
state troopers made 861 fugitive
arrests and 728 felony arrests
during the period, the agency
reported.
Thursday, March
Austin’s University
Methodist Church,
Armstrong’s wife of 31 years,
Linda Aaker, read a letter
Clinton sent to her, their son
Will, and Armstrong’s older
children from his previous
marriage, Martha Louise,
Shannon and Landis:
“Hillary and I so wish we
could be with you and all Bob’s
friends to celebrate his life and
the joy he brought into all of
our lives.
“Like many of you, I’ve
spent the last couple of days
reliving my life with Bob
Armstrong. When I first met
him in 1972, he already felt like
an old friend.
“He agreed to co-chair the
state McGovern Campaign, a
really smart career move for
an up and coming politician in
Texas. And he did it with good
humor, gusto, and the hands-on
leadership he brought to every
job.”
Armstrong never got
rattled, Clinton wrote, even
when Shriver’s plane was two
hours late for a Texarkana rally
“Bob was so upbeat that
afterward we went to the
Texarkana Howard Johnson’s
and stayed up all night as he
picked his guitar and told his
stories.
“A couple of days later
we lost Texas two to one. Bob
kept us smiling. I remember
thinking it’s a good thing we
didn’t win; then Bob would have
been so high we would have had
to give him tranquilizers.
“For more than forty years,
from Texas to Washington and
back, on golf courses and in
his Austin haunts, I loved every
minute of the ride. Roy Spence
said Bob’s law of life seemed to
be: Be Happy and Do Good.
“We can never forget how
much good he did in Texas
as Land Commissioner and
on the Parks and Wildlife
Commission, and across the
country as Assistant Secretary
of the Interior for Land and
Minerals Management, where
he led the efforts to establish
the Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument and to save
Yellowstone Park by acquiring
a massive mining operation
nearby before it could do any
harm.
“And he always did it
the right way—he never
treated any of his opponents
as enemies, and they wound
up respecting and liking him.
Every President should be so
lucky to be represented by
someone like Bob.
“After Bob came to
Washington, we enjoyed a lot of
golf, even though Linda laughed
at us when (son) Will beat us
both badly and often. We also
exchanged several letters. His
were better than mine. Here’s a
portion of one of my favorites:
I know you have the best and
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French, Tania. The Port Lavaca Wave (Port Lavaca, Tex.), Vol. 124, No. 44, Ed. 1 Saturday, March 14, 2015, newspaper, March 14, 2015; Port Lavaca, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1301425/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Calhoun County Public Library.