Let me tell you that after doing so, I understand the move by the EPSOA even less.
I wrote about this on my Facebook page when I found out the Border Patrol union endorsed Donald Trump and the ridiculous responses I got from people that I thought were otherwise pretty smart blew my mind. I'm not talking about my Republican friends, they responded exactly how I knew they would. But it was from others who somehow managed to turn this into some weird argument about straight ticket voting, which had zero to do with my point.
Love me or hate me, I have a set of political values I hold true to and for some reason it confuses people why as liberal as I am that I have friends that are Republicans, or worse, Libertarians.
The answer is simple, I can respect someone's political values if they are consistent and hold true to them, even if they are different than mine. Frankly I think most people do.
Often I've been the loudest critic of voices within my own Party for the precise reason that they don't hold true to values and get caught up in factions, cliques, and paybacks rather than sticking to values. I have zero patience for people that will sell out their values for the sake of pretty shit.
And so that brings me to why I am now even more disappointed in a union endorsing a Republican. Especially ones like Buchino and Trump. Why? Because there is something uniquely saccharin about them.
They are the worst type of candidate. They are opportunist.
Before I go further let me explain something. I'm speaking about Buchino as a candidate, not as a person. I don't know him as a person so I don't know if he's as fake as a person as he is a candidate, so my remarks have nothing to do with that. In fact, I'm gonna assume he's a genuine and authentic person as an individual.
I'm part of the Corps of NCO's so I also acknowledge and respect the service of the Sergeant Major. He was Special Forces. So the guy is a certified bad ass.
But that doesn't have anything to do with him as a candidate.
Buchino thinks he's tapped into the pulse of El Paso by trying to essentially duplicate the rhetoric of Donald Trump. He speaks a lot about, and his lit has it as well, not being ashamed of being political incorrect.
The very first line of his literature say, "I will fairly enforce the laws of our Nation and the state of Texas to all persons of El Paso County." First, what the hell does that even mean?
Second, I'll tell you what it sounds like he means.
It sounds a lot like Hey, I'm going to make my deputies start enforcing immigration laws.
That is a big problem.
There are a million and one reasons why El Paso is consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in America, but one of the most important reasons is the fact that our community is made safer because Sheriff Wiles has a good relationship with the immigrant community. That is a big deal. Immigrant communities in other cities have a big problem with issues like domestic violence and other crimes were people prey in the immigrant community because they are less likely to draw attention to themselves and report crimes to authorities.
For most people in the city they don't see the importance of that issue because its PD that responds to calls in the city. But out in the County, its the SO's.
So how do you like that deputies? The guy you endorsed will now have you guys doing the feds' job in immigration and potentially have you guys doing sweeps. Are you really okay with that shit?
Well those are the policies you're endorsing by way of your support for Buchino. The El Paso Times made a similar point about the Border Patrol union doing the same thing by endorsing Trump.
But I get it, he's going for the Sam Elliot thing and you feel that is better than Wiles because you guys want a better contract. First, lets put things in perspective here. I'm a labor guy and even I know you're basically full of it. Y'all have consistently had one of the most favorable contracts in the state, so lets not act like you guys are farmworkers toiling in the fields or hotel services workers fighting for a livable wage.
Second, you think a Republican is going to make a better contract happen for you? When has that ever happened? Go ahead... I'll wait.
Take your time...
I got all day...
Yeah, exactly.
Never.
But don't take my word for it, lets see what else Buchino has to say on his lit. "I will operate the Sheriff's office in a fiscally responsible manner with tax dollars and transparency in our actions."
Hey guys, guess what is one of the largest expenditures for the SO's office and therefore one of the easiest places to make cuts you can brag to the public about?
Your salaries and benefits.
Way to go guys. Another policy position you are supporting through your hard-earned dues money. Seriously, that has to burn a little going down when you realize that you're basically paying, through the dues money that is gonna go to Buchino's campaign, for him to push that narrative to the public.
I honestly wouldn't even be writing much about Buchino if it weren't for the EPSOA endorsement of his candidacy. Why? Because he has no chance of winning.
But the EPSOA and Border Patrol union's recent endorsements of Republican candidates point to a real problem for labor. Republicans have never been a friend of labor, they are the party of the corporations. They want wages low. They don't want to spend money on a good, safe, working environment even if it means more efficient work. Republicans have consistently been the party that wants to dismantle unions.
Take a look around, why do you think Texas is such an anti-union state? Because the Republicans made it that way. Forget a democracy where workers have a right to self-determination where they chose via a vote if they want to be in a union or not. No, in Texas where the part of small government reigns supreme, they want to decide for you the average worker, what is best for you.
Buchino and Trump have something else in common.
Fear-mongering.
To hear Buchino tell it, we are going to be invaded by ISIS by a flock of immigrants crossing the BOTA and heading straight to Vinton. It was hilarious and alarming all at once. He told a Republican group about how much of a threat terrorism is to El Paso because of the Belgium bombings. It was the typical cheap shit an opportunist does instead of engage in real constructive dialogue about the SO's office.
Are there improvements that need to be made with the Sheriff's office? Absolutely. The hit tax payers take by housing federal prisoners is bullshit. Wiles needs to stop acting like that is some cash cow for the taxpayers because it isn't. We need to do something about the downtown jail. Everyone gets their panties in a wad over the amount we paid for the ballpark once (that we are financing over 30 years) but we pay a similar amount in taxes for the old downtown jail that is a money pit.
Chris Acosta needs to understand that her political activity is a liability to the sheriff. It creates enemies for him he doesn't need and often the impression is that the sheriff is okay with what she does. She should spend more time doing her job, what the hell does she actually do for us taxpayers anyway, and less time trying to be a somebody.
But therein lies the rub with Buchino, those issues actually underscore his lack of qualifications for the job.
Let me explain something about Buchino that you'll quickly learn once you kick the tires a little. He's a caricature of a west Texas sheriff. He's got the hat and boots, kicks up the Texas accent, and tries to look the part. Seriously the guy is just missing a duster and a tin star on his western shirt and he has the whole Wyatt Earp starter kit going.
But you know what he doesn't have?
Experience in law enforcement. He talks a lot about having fought the global war on terrorism and stuff like that. In fact he mentions global experience almost as much as Mayor Leeser uses the phrase "going forward".
Buchino likens himself to the Trump motto of being unapologetically politically incorrect. And much like Trump, it appeals to the low end of the gene pool that think that is somehow an endearing quality.
It isn't.
Let me wrap this up with one last point about Buchino. When you hear him speak he likes to say the SO's office is not about politics.
Well there's one small problem with that. Buchino needs it to be about politics, because if it were about qualifications he wouldn't even get a second look. Why? Because he doesn't have any real law enforcement experience.
Thats the dirty little secret about Buchino. Yes he's conducting anti-terrorism activities in a global theater, but you know what he hasn't done? He hasn't been a jailer. He hasn't written tickets. He hasn't responded to a domestic violence call to find out if he's dealing with just a heated argument or if someone is being abused. He hasn't served on patrol in Fabens during an ugly summer dust storm. He hasn't been involved in drug busts. And more importantly, he doesn't know this community.
If he were being hired for the job instead of being elected, he'd never make the final cut of applicants. Hell the really scary candidate running for constable on the westside as a Republican is far more qualified that Buchino to be sheriff.
Buchino has great military experience but his law enforcement experience is non-existent. He's worked for private security firms, sorta like Blackwater. Thats the extent of his law enforcement experience.
And somehow, he convinced these guys to support him?
So I assure you, for Buchino it is ABSOLUTELY about politics - because he'd never get hired based on qualifications!