As I might be unable to vote next Tuesday, I went and did the early-voting thing yesterday, punching the “straight Republican” ticket as usual. (Not much of a wait, for a change: only about a hundred people in line ahead of me.)
This time, however, I missed voting for our longtime Republican paisan Sam Johnson, who will be retiring (at age 86, the oldest Republican) at the end of the year.
I cannot say enough good things about Mr. Sam (as we called him): a Vietnam POW vet, an endless opponent of not only the IRS but of the entire federal tax system (“Abolish the I.R.S.!” was once a feature of his website), a champion of veterans’ affairs (duh) and in short, a tireless hardline conservative who even in suburban TX District 3, usually squeaked by with about 65% of the vote, cycle after cycle.
So when people talk about “public service” (not meaning it as a derogatory term), this is what it’s all about. And it’s congressmen like Sam Johnson who make a mockery of term limits initiatives — if his health had been good enough to stay in office (it isn’t), I would have continued to vote for him for the next twenty years. In my entire life, he is the only politician to whose campaign I ever donated money.
Go with God, Mr. Sam, and thank you — thank you — for all your service as a patriot and conservative American.
And a note to Van Taylor (whom I’ve met before and voted for as well), Sam’s likely replacement in the House: before voting on any piece of legislation, ask yourself “What Would Sam Do?” and vote accordingly. You will not be disappointed, and most of all, you will continue to get my vote. Now get in there, and kick Democrat ass. Just like Sam Johnson did.
Damn it: I have tears in my eyes.