Everybody and his DOG.....Most politicians have huge egos. They would have to and also have the skin of a rhino. Think about it. We (the media) hound them unmercifully, but they tell themselves, “It’s okay. The thousands of people who voted for me know how good and brave and how honest I really am. I’m the man! (or woman).”

So it comes to pass that every politician in Fort Bend, Harris, Brazoria and Galveston counties are now thinking, “Hummmm. I probably should run for Tom DeLay’s soon-to-be former job. After all, what do those other guys (or gals) have that I don’t?”

I’ve even heard that Sheriff Milton Wright told someone that he had been encouraged to run. Pleeeeze. With his big hat and cowboy boots, Wright is an anachronism even in Fort Bend. Sending him to Washington is akin to sending Senator Beauregard Claghorn.

Commissioner Andy Meyers was heard commenting about his try for the office, “Why not? I consider it a free shot. What do I have to lose?” How about your dignity, Andy?

Don’t worry... You didn’t think I was going to give up writing about the school board since we have two new members, did you? Heck, no. Now’s the time to give them all something to think about.

Think about what the voters indicated they felt about the current majority on the board--Lisa Rickert, Laurie Caldwell, Ken Bryant and Stan Magee. I think they pretty well spelled that out at the polls when they overwhelmingly (for a school election) chose new people not associated with any of the above mentioned trustees--a misnomer if ever there was one).

Think about this being the seventh largest school district in the state and they try to get all their business conducted on one night a month. Course it could be like the Texas Legislature when we’re glad they only meet every other year. They can do less harm with less time.

But, Rickert made one of the twice monthly board meetings a “workshop,” whereby business could not be conducted unless it was an emergency. Many people in the district thought she just wanted to silence the public as the y cannot speak during “workshop” meeting. Well, that bites as 49 people signed up to speak at the last meeting. It was 10:30 p.m. before the agenda was even addressed.

Now it’s summertime, and the school district goes on a summer schedule where they are only open four days a week and only have one board meeting a month. I think the seventh largest school district in Texas (which they are fond of touting) needs to be doing a little more managing than the current schedule allows.

Think about the fact that a current internal audit found 21 areas where the human resource department needed remedy. It was the worst internal audit done to date. And think about this, the board majority took the head of the Human Resource department and made her the acting superintendent, even though they had Betty Baitland continuing on salary and they also had a credentialed and highly regarded applicant who agreed to work as Acting Superintendent.

Think about the fact that the district finally went out for bids for a law firm to handle school business and the current firm, hired by Rickert, et. al., Bracewell & Giulliani, didn’t even apply.

Think about Bracewell & Giulliani billing the district a total of $38,337 for part of January and all of February and March, after the board fired long-time attorney David Feldman. All of these charges were for issues dealing with the board and did not include any other type of litigation, and included items such as “extended telephone call from Lisa Rickert, extended attendance at board meeting and extended answering numerous e-mails from Lisa Rickert.”

Oh, no. I’m not going to forget about all this for a long time. And I’m going to make sure you don’t either.

Will DeLay continue to delay.......Although Tom DeLay has announced his official resignation, it sure is taking him a long time to leave. (I think there could be a good country-western title in there somewhere). I was particularly incensed when he was asked to speak at the county-wide Memorial Day Salute to Veterans at the Sugar Land Town Square. I am mad because I remember that DeLay said he and Dan Quail didn’t serve in the armed forces because they wanted to give other less fortunate boys a job.

I am mad because Tom DeLay has thrown the entire Republican Party in Fort Bend, Harris, Brazoria and Galveston counties into disarray.

I am mad because he knew full well that he was not going to run in November, but he wanted to continue to raise money for himself.

I am mad because in the 20 years he was in Congress, he didn’t do great things for Fort Bend, like all the other politicians say--he did great things for Tom DeLay.

I am mad because not only did he usher in a regime of hate in Washington, he brought it back to Texas and as a result, the Texas legislature is just a messed up playing gotcha!

When I called Constable Troy Nehls who organized the event and asked him why DeLay was on the program, Nehls replied, “Because he’s our Congressman,” pointing out that it was not a political event and he had asked Dora Olivio, a Democrat, to lead the pledge of allegiance. (Nah, not political.) He also said that if Lampson is elected, he will be speaking next year. Nehls said everybody was invited and politics was not what it was about, but honoring our veterans was.