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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Opinion

Mac McKinnon

Observations

By MacMcKinnon
Enterprise Publisher

Tuesday, September 15, 1998

Texas history facts
appear in free press


I am, and have always been, very proud to be a Texan. There
was once a rumor around town several years ago that I was a
Yankee. Obviously, that was a nasty rumor and I suppose it's
based on the fact that I talk real fast.

Having been stationed with the military all over the world,
I, like all Texans, tended to brag a bit about Texas. At one
point when I was eighteen, I even bragged that Lone Star was
the best beer brewed anywhere.

The truth was that I didn't know any other Texas brewed beer
and I didn't drink beer and still don't because I don't like
the stuff. But, being a Texan, I had to brag that everything
from Texas was the best.

Of course, almost everyone from Texas immediately earned the
nickname, "Tex".

When I, along with some buddies, were atop the Tokyo Tower,
somewhat like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, some young Japanese
students came running up to us and in perfect English,
started asking a lot of questions about the United States.

Then they found out I was from Texas and you can imagine the
questions I was asked - how big was my ranch, how many
horses did I have, how many oil wells, etc.

I had to quickly explain that not all Texans had ranches or
horses or oil wells. That seemed to disappoint them but they
had lots of other questions. It was a very interesting
conversation.

What I'm getting around to is that I like things having to
do with Texas "brags" and have always enjoyed everything
about Texas history.

A man in Austin has launched an effort to educate people
about Texas history and he is doing so by publishing what he
calls a "Bonafide Original Real Texas Calendar." I made note
of this calendar last year when he came out with his first
one.

Now, he has one for 1999-2000 and of course the Texas
calendar starts in March.

Each month has a drawing with a Texas history fact on it.
One fact in the calendar that I found to be ironic was that
in 1830, the Mexican government put a stop to immigration of
people from the United States to Texas. Six years later,
that led to the Texas revolution.

The man who started all of this is Roger T. Moore. He has
now started a True Texas newsletter which I believe will be
published quarterly. It's free to Texans, it'll cost a
Yankee $200 and carpetbaggers will have to pay $1,000.

Moore has also started a line of Christmas cards featuring
Texas history.

His cartoons are featured each week on the front of the
Pecos Free Press.

Anyone wishing to contact Moore about any of his products
can do so by calling 512-236-8281, by faxing 512-495-9347 or
writing P.O. Box 685154, Austin, TX. 78768-5154.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Mac McKannon is the editor and publisher of
the Pecos Enterprise whose column appears each Tuesday. He
can be e-mailed at: bigmac@bitstreet.com

OUR VIEW

Lame president may be what country needs


President William Jefferson Clinton is a liar, a cheat and a
sleaze! So, what's new? We knew he was that when he was
first elected president in 1992. He was elected anyway and
then re-elected in 1996 by the American people. We didn't
support him either time but he is our president, warts and
all.

Do the latest accusations make him a lame duck president?
He's been that since he was re-elected to a second term. The
same applies to all second term presidents.

What about stalemate in government? Hasn't that been a fact
since the 1994 elections when Republicans gained control of
the U.S. House and Senate?

Will he resign? Should he resign? No and no! We've said over
and over that he is a street fighter and he would rather
fight than just about anything else. He's at his best in a
scrap. Several years ago, we suggested that he resign over
some incident - we forget exactly what it was - knowing that
he never would.

Plus, if he resigns he could be indicted. His successor, Al
Gore, would probably give him a presidential pardon but then
Gore has a legal cloud hanging over his head because of
alleged misconduct on political fundraising.

Does anyone really want Clinton to resign the presidency?
Some say he is an embarrassment. Others say we can no longer
believe anything he says. Hasn't this been a basic truth all
along? But Americans like a fighter and the underdog.

But the polls show Americans believe the punishment of
impeachment doesn't fit the so-called "crime." One
Congresswoman on the U.S. House judiciary committee said the
charges don't justify impeachment and that Clinton is a
"bum" for which he can't be impeached.

Exactly what is the crime? Lying about improper behavior?
Don't many of us see ourselves in his behavior. Hasn't just
about everybody involved in improper behavior lied? Most
people probably wouldn't deceive other people in their lie
but desperate people do desperate things.

Why was Ken Starr's investigation of the Whitewater incident
sidetracked into President Clinton's private affairs? Where
are the answers to Whitewater and the Travelgate episodes?
What about the allegations that he no longer sets a good
example for Americans, particularly young people? Did he
ever or has no one been paying attention. Isn't that what
parents are for?

What about the talk that Clinton will be kicked out of his
church? We always believed that churches are hospitals for
sinners.

Was Bill Clinton stalked? It is obvious the answer to that
is yes. He is a man and he is human although he should have
been more mature than to succumb to such temptations. How
much blame does Monica Lewinsky deserve? Who hangs a stained
dress in their closet for a year?

Has Bill Clinton really done a good job as president?
Frankly, he hasn't done a great deal but ride the tide of
good times. But there have been a number of critical
decisions that he has made and done so correctly in our
opinion. And he is as good an actor as Ronald Reagan.

Let's face it. Americans don't like change, particularly
when things are going well. And our nation seems to be doing
just fine. Clinton may get the credit, whether or not he
deserves it. His Democratic party obviously doesn't like
what he has done because it has cost them control of the
U.S. House and Senate.

Let's forget about this hogwash of censure - whatever that
means. This mud all over our country needs to be washed off
end let's get on with our lives.

This newspaper is a bit ashamed to report all the sordid
details of this scandal. It is somewhat akin to yellow sheet
- or tabloid - journalism. All of this debate reminds us of
the McCarthy hearings in the 50s - a whole lot ado about
very little.

We believe in the Jeffersonian theory of the government that
governs least governs best. Maybe this lame duck president
and stalemate in government is just what we need to keep
this country on track. It hasn't seemed to have hurt during
the past four years!

School teachers deserve higher pay


School teachers, obviously, have a very tough job and a lot
is expected of them.

Local school teachers are now being paid the state-mandated
salaries with no local additions to that salary, due to the
financial crunch of not only schools in Pecos, but this
region that has been economically depressed.

That, simply put, is not fair. We're not questioning or
criticizing school administrations because they have done
what had to be done. We just don't like the situation.

Our teachers are some of the best you can find anywhere.
Like anywhere, we have a few duds but as a whole, our
teachers are outstanding. Consider the successes of local
graduates who owe a lot to their teachers.

The structure of teacher pay seems to out of kilter as
beginning teachers make more than entry level people in just
about any profession. However, after 20 years or more,
teachers on the state scale can't double their pay from
where they started.

Sure, some teachers started back when the pay was less than
$10,000 but many of those are now retired. Our point is,
there is no incentive for teachers to stay in the business.
Their only incentive to stay in education is to get involved
in administration and thus they are removed from the
classroom.
Many people simply are not meant for administration and some
aren't meant for the classroom. Everybody has different
talents. We need to keep those who want to stay in the
classroom and make it worth their while.

Sure, a good starting salary is important to luring people
to the teaching profession but we need to keep good
qualified people in the teaching profession, whether or not
the local economy can afford to offer the proper incentives.

That burden should be removed from local shoulders and the
state needs to consider this situation in the session to
start in January.

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Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
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324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net

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