Lubbock Hispanic Assails Record of Retiring Congressman Combest

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal ^ | 11-28-02 | Bidal Aguero, Lubbock, TX

[Theodore R.]

Hispanic Issues Scorecard

West Texas was caught up in Combestmania last week. Stories propagated the good job Larry Combest did in Congress. I don¹t know how many years Combest was in Congress, but to our neglected people, it seemed like 1,000. I say this after reading Combest¹s record in the Congressional Scorecard issued by the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) on issues that affect Hispanics.

The scorecard, available at www.nclr.org/policy/scorecard2002 was produced to show representatives¹ votes on civil rights, education, economic mobility and health. In every bill examined, Combest voted against the recommendations of the NHLA.

Combest¹s positive record on agriculture cannot be disputed. But in looking at his record, we are assured that he voted for the farmer and not the farmhands.

Combest was the first Congressperson that Lubbock has had in modern age. Before him, we saw George Mahon stand alongside Johnson fighting for civil rights, bilingual education and countless other notable causes.

It would behoove our community to assure ourselves of a representative who will be concerned for a people who are now 27.5 percent of the population. Voters should also take into consideration thousands of disenfranchised working people. The Republican president and the Republican Congress will undoubtedly make lives very difficult for many, including middle-income persons who everyday encounter obstacles such as not having a decent-paying job, not having health insurance and other necessities of life.

Let¹s hope that in the upcoming election voters will elect a true voice for all of us, instead of just a few.

Gracias.

BIDAL AGUERO/Lubbock Via e-mail

[Theodore R.]

Actually it was Mahon, Hance, then Combest. The author forgot Democrat Kent Hance, who won this seat in 1978, defeating Republican nominee George W. Bush. Hance later switched parties and served on the Railroad Commission and sought the governorship in 1990.

[okie01]

"The scorecard, available at www.nclr.org/policy/scorecard2002 was produced to show representatives¹ votes on civil rights, education, economic mobility and health. In every bill examined, Combest voted against the recommendations of the NHLA."

Well, since NHLA is an arm of La Raza, nobody should be surprised that Combest voted against its recommendations.

La Raza isn't so much pro-Hispanic as it is pro-Liberal and anti-Anglo. Thus, Sr. Aguero, a lot of conservative Hispanics would be disappointed, indeed, had their Congressman voted with NHLA.