On The Record: Bill Perkison

For this episode of On The Record, we speak with Bill Perkison, SDEC Committeeman for Senate District 24 from Kerrville.

What was your personal progression from the role of activist to the role of SDEC Committeeman?

I just jumped in and started swimming. When I was in high school, I was acquainted with Marvin Watson, who became Lyndon B. Johnson’s White House Chief of Staff and, later, the Post Master General. I did surveys and errands for him, which began my work in Democratic Party stuff.

I went on to college then the service and then started making a living for myself. By the time I moved to Killeen, TX, I became very concerned that the Democratic Party was practically non-existent and that our progressive agenda was being portrayed as bad for the country.

In my mind, our job is to make the government efficient and use as little tax resources as possible to make the government work for all people. It seemed to me that corporate America had bought our government so that it would leave them to decide what was best for us consumers. I do not see that philosophy as what the founding fathers had in mind when they established our government as being “by the people and for the people.” Our liberties, our environment and our safety are too vulnerable when left to the “bottom line” decision making process.

So, I found and became active in the local Democratic Party. After a while as a foot soldier and then Precinct Chair, a number of people in Bell County encouraged me to run for the SDEC position.

How do state politics affect your neighborhood?

In Belton, the state politics of building roads was going to affect my very home site. They were going to build a four-lane highway to connect other farm roads to one another. I understand the need for roads, but not in my back yard. I changed my plans to retire there and moved to Kerrville.

Everyday and in every way, the state, federal, and local government affect the lives of the citizens. It behooves every individual to get involved. The government is running everyday and it will run over you until you stand up for your rights. Individuals need to stand up for the most good for most people.

Do you have any ambition for higher office? Do you have plans to run for any other party office, or possibly even public office?

On a number of occasions I have given it some thought, but I have become aware of and so impressed with the commitment of, time and energy any candidate makes when they run for office that I waited until the urge passed. Candidates pay a huge, huge price when they run and they are deserving of our respect and deep appreciation when they do it for the right reasons. That commitment and sacrifice takes a much younger guy than me.

It also takes a huge amount of money to run and I don’t have that either. I understand why people take corporate funding when they run for office. They almost have to have those resources and because of that, I am a big proponent of campaign reform. Corporate contributions should not be allowed.

Molly Ivins had it right when she suggested that maybe $200 should be the largest contribution a candidate could accept and that those contributions could only be made by individuals residing in the jurisdiction the candidate would be serving. For each office, there would be a minimum amount a candidate must raise in this manor before they could be placed on the ballot. After that, the government would finance the campaign and our media would be required to give every qualified candidate equal time and space for their candidacy. That way, the people would control the candidates, not special interest groups or corporate groups or for that matter, a few wealthy individuals.

What are you looking forward to in the coming cycle?

I would like to see the Democratic Party put the strongest candidate we can in the position to run for president. Hillary is currently the front runner for contributions, but I have my reservations if she can attract enough of us Democrats and those who are in the middle to win in the general election, but I am looking forward to a win for the Democratic Party.

What advice would you give to young people just getting into politics?

Go take over the local Democratic Party. Raid the courthouse and take control. In the Democratic Party right now, all of the members right now are old men and women. The younger generation has become uninterested.

The youth will be welcomed with open arms; all they have to do is show up and get ready to go.

What one thing would you say a political organization never has enough of?

Right now it seems to be money, but the money seems to be related to the number of participants we have in the Party. We need more people and money to be effective.