by: Joe Deshotel
On Thursday morning Kinky Friedman, Democratic candidate for Agriculture Commissioner, sat down for an interview with the Texas Tribune’s Evan Smith. Kinky is a well-known but polarizing figure finding himself in a run off with the unknown and plain named Jim Hogan who openly views himself as a protest vote after the party favorite failed to make it out of the first round. Kinky, who gained fame as a Texas outlaw, comedian, and entertainer, is finding that the most difficult part of landing his next big gig is having others take him seriously.
For all the right reasons Friedman wants to legalize pot and hemp which he has made the focus of his campaign but unfortunately doing so is not in the purview of the Texas Agricultural Commissioner. When pressed on this by Smith, he touted the economic and environmental benefits of farming hemp vs. Cotton, our state’s current largest cash crop. He said he spoke to many small farmers who were enthusiastic about the potential for a crop that used 50% less water without any of the pesticides.
He then went on the offensive asking why this Smith seem to be dismissing his policy position as if the “whole world wasn’t talking about this…Lots of candidates are talking about education, but I’m talking about how to fund It,” he said.
Full Article:
http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/14989/kinky-friedman-where-theres-a-weed-theres-a-way