It has come to the attention of the Border Ambassadors network that Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff is once again planning to exercise his dictatorial powers under the Real ID Act. Such a waiver, if filed, would encompass the Continental U.S., specifically from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. That would encompass the entire US-Mexico border.

As a child raised in this great country, I was taught to believe in a loving God, the Creator of the heavens and the Earth. I was also taught that, while under human rule, America was the one place on Earth that protected the precious freedoms with which our Creator endowed us.

It’s no secret any more. Texas will play the role of king-maker come the March 4 Texas primaries.

For the first time in over half a century, Texas will play the pivotal role in the selection of the party candidates that will face off in the general election for President of the United States. Particularly interesting is the fact that for the first time in US history, the Hispanic population of Texas is being courted as key players in the primaries. The real pivotal point, however, will be in South Texas, the Texas-Mexico border region.  If Barack Obama hopes to win Texas, he must win in South Texas.

Only the Democratic Party seems cognizant of and desirous enough of the now powerful Hispanic vote that they are willing to invest deeply to get it. Of the two Democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, it has long been presumed that Hillary has the advantage in the Hispanic vote, especially those in Texas. She especially recognizes the power of the South Texas. She just launched her Texas campaign in El Paso and has already opened offices on the Texas-Mexico border. Yet, her presumed advantage is about to change, especially when the Hispanic population comes to grips with the fact that the Clintons are not the champions that they have projected themselves to be.

February 11, 2008

To: Governor Rick Perry, State of Texas

From: Jay J. Johnson-Castro,

Reference: Texas-Mexico Border Tourism Task Force…of the Rio Grande Corridor

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Governor Perry,

From 2002 to 2005, I served on the Tourism Advisory Committee, one year outside the Office of the Governor and last two years under the Texas Department of Economic Development and Tourism. During those post 9/11 years, the Texas-Mexico border came under an assault of border bashing that emanated from outside the border region and outside Texas.

For the three years I served on TAC and ultimately being the only member from the border region, it became obvious to me that the State of Texas was doing little to nothing to shore up the tourism along the Texas Mexico border. For three years I endeavored to champion the border region before my fellow committee members as well as a Tourism Director who had never visited the border and who was offended that I would even suggest that she visit the border region before viewing our region with indifference.