I know and respect a young man who campaigns for Kinky but the only thing I know about him is his plans for dealing with employers who hire illegals, and I love that.
Hydro, here is some info about Kinky Friedman (formerly of Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jew-boys)
Q: Are our border problems important to Kinky?
A: Extremely. Kinky believes the border issue is one of the biggest problems facing Texas today, and it can no longer be ignored. Texas policy under Governor Rick Perry has been "give us your tired, your weak, your poor, your criminals, your drug dealers and your terrorists—welcome to Texas".
If elected, Kinky would meet with Governors Bill Richardson (New Mexico) and Janet Napolitano (Arizona) to develop a coordinated border state plan to supplement federal efforts at stemming the tide of illegal immigration. To date, Governor Perry, a Republican, has not met with Democrats Richardson or Napolitano.
Q: How would Kinky improve the education system?
A: Kinky proposes several options that, if implemented, would bring new money into the education budget and improve the state of education in Texas:
Legalizing casino gambling ("Slots for Tots") to bring in billions per year,
Closing corporate loopholes so that the 10,000 Texas businesses that are not currently paying taxes will be charged,
Increasing teacher salaries—currently $6,000 below the national average,
Establishing a Trust for Texas Heroes program to increase the salaries of teachers, cops, and firefighters through a 1 percent tax on oil and gas produced in Texas
Outsourcing sports funding to sports companies/retailers, and
Stopping the practice of "teaching to the test." The TAKS shouldn't be the sole focus of education in Texas.
Q: What's Kinky's feeling on gun control?
A: The second amendment is every bit as important as the others. Texans have the right to keep and bear arms, as well as to hunt.
Q: How does Kinky feel about Trans-Texas Corridor (and toll roads in general)?
A: Kinky is opposed the Trans-Texas Corridor since it relies on toll road construction. He feels that the TTC is a land grab of the ugliest kind, with land being taken from hard-working ranchers and farmers in little towns and villages all over Texas. The people who will ultimately own that land are the same people who own the governor.
Q: What's Kinky's position on capital punishment?
A: Kinky is not anti-death-penalty, but he IS "anti-the-wrong-guy-getting-executed." Texas needs to take a serious look at the way it implements capital punishment—no one in this state wants the blood of innocent people on their hands.
Q: How does Kinky feel about abortion?
A: Kinky believes in a woman's right to choose.
Q: What is Kinky's position on gay marriage?
A: Kinky supports gay marriage and equal rights for homosexuals. He believes that the constitution protects everyone. As he says, "I believe love is bigger than government. And besides, they have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us."
Q: What is Kinky's position on school prayer?
A: Kinky favors optional, non-denominational prayer in school. He believes there's nothing wrong with children believing in something even if it's a rock or a tree.
Q: What is Kinky's position on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS)?
A: Though many livestock owners agree with the idea of a national tracking system, Kinky believes the proposed system places too much of the burden on the animal agricultural community and should not be mandatory.
Q: What is Kinky's position on stem cell research?
A: Kinky favors both state and federal funding of stem cell research.