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Township chair: Technology changing politics
By T.L. HAMILTON
Nelda Blair, chairwoman of The Woodlands Township, discussed the shifting map of today’s politics in a post-election panel discussion organized by the Greater Houston Partnership Wednesday.
Blair joined state Sens. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, and Dr. Bob Stein, a public policy expert at Rice University.
Chief among the changes brought about by this election outcome is the way politics is done, Blair said in response to a prompt by moderator Jack Sweeney, publisher of The Houston Chronicle.
“Politics as we know it is over,” she said. “Now we have websites, youtube, e-mail, facebook, myspace and other things that Barack Obama brought forth and took advantage of. These things particularly got the attention of the under-40 voters in a way that they paid attention to.”
When asked whether Palin inspired women to vote, Blair said Sarah Palin, running mate of GOP candidate John McCain, captured the attention of media and voters because she brought something “fresh” to the race.
“But to say that women will vote for someone just because they are a woman is an insult,” said Blair, prompting applause from the crowd.
Still, Blair said Palin energized voters.
“They couldn’t take their eyes off her and they couldn’t stop talking about her,” she said.
When asked about how to approach alternative and renewable energy policy in the future, Blair said Houston should take a leadership position.
“We’re in a position to do so here because we have global research being done in various universities in Houston and at companies like the Houston Advanced Research Center in The Woodlands,” she said. “If we don’t take the lead, who else will do it? Houston is absolutely the energy capital, and it should also become the alternative energy capital.”
Asked about how the elections will dictate the upcoming legislative session, Patrick said in the face of possible increases in federal income taxes, he would try to keep local taxes down, perhaps through lowering property taxes and expanding sales taxes.
“Property taxes don’t go away if you lose your job,” he said. “Taxpayers have no control over property taxes, but they can control how much money they spend.”
Ellis said some issues such as an increase in high school dropouts in inner-city areas simply cannot be improved without spending tax dollars.
“I can’t pray or dream up solutions for these things,” he said. “Programs must be enacted, and that costs money.”
Blair closed out the meeting urging lawmakers to start cooperating.
“We’ll be watching your backs, so go out there, cooperate and do the people’s business, please,” she said.
Jeff Moseley, president and CEO of the partnership, said Blair was chosen for the panel because The Woodlands, as a gateway to Houston, is important to the city and region.
“(It’s) a premier, world-class development and it’s a signature we can all be proud of,” he said. “Blair made some very important points in that Palin energized the race because she was different, but not necessarily because she is a woman, and that lawmakers will need to work on cooperation in the coming years.”
After the discussion, Blair said the election outcome will directly affect the county, by both trickling down from the federal level on economic policy and with local elected officials through the county’s proximity to Houston.
“I think we really have to look at how politics is changing,” she said. “It has really changed in this part of the century through the way people communicate. The way we’ll reach young voters in the future is a whole new world.”
Blair joined state Sens. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, and Dr. Bob Stein, a public policy expert at Rice University.
Chief among the changes brought about by this election outcome is the way politics is done, Blair said in response to a prompt by moderator Jack Sweeney, publisher of The Houston Chronicle.
“Politics as we know it is over,” she said. “Now we have websites, youtube, e-mail, facebook, myspace and other things that Barack Obama brought forth and took advantage of. These things particularly got the attention of the under-40 voters in a way that they paid attention to.”
When asked whether Palin inspired women to vote, Blair said Sarah Palin, running mate of GOP candidate John McCain, captured the attention of media and voters because she brought something “fresh” to the race.
“But to say that women will vote for someone just because they are a woman is an insult,” said Blair, prompting applause from the crowd.
Still, Blair said Palin energized voters.
“They couldn’t take their eyes off her and they couldn’t stop talking about her,” she said.
When asked about how to approach alternative and renewable energy policy in the future, Blair said Houston should take a leadership position.
“We’re in a position to do so here because we have global research being done in various universities in Houston and at companies like the Houston Advanced Research Center in The Woodlands,” she said. “If we don’t take the lead, who else will do it? Houston is absolutely the energy capital, and it should also become the alternative energy capital.”
Asked about how the elections will dictate the upcoming legislative session, Patrick said in the face of possible increases in federal income taxes, he would try to keep local taxes down, perhaps through lowering property taxes and expanding sales taxes.
“Property taxes don’t go away if you lose your job,” he said. “Taxpayers have no control over property taxes, but they can control how much money they spend.”
Ellis said some issues such as an increase in high school dropouts in inner-city areas simply cannot be improved without spending tax dollars.
“I can’t pray or dream up solutions for these things,” he said. “Programs must be enacted, and that costs money.”
Blair closed out the meeting urging lawmakers to start cooperating.
“We’ll be watching your backs, so go out there, cooperate and do the people’s business, please,” she said.
Jeff Moseley, president and CEO of the partnership, said Blair was chosen for the panel because The Woodlands, as a gateway to Houston, is important to the city and region.
“(It’s) a premier, world-class development and it’s a signature we can all be proud of,” he said. “Blair made some very important points in that Palin energized the race because she was different, but not necessarily because she is a woman, and that lawmakers will need to work on cooperation in the coming years.”
After the discussion, Blair said the election outcome will directly affect the county, by both trickling down from the federal level on economic policy and with local elected officials through the county’s proximity to Houston.
“I think we really have to look at how politics is changing,” she said. “It has really changed in this part of the century through the way people communicate. The way we’ll reach young voters in the future is a whole new world.”
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