Jason Stanford Consultant Weighs in on Politics and Civic Duty

Jason Stanford is a seasoned consultant who has made a name for himself in the world of politics. He's worked with high-profile clients and has a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in this field.

Stanford's experience in politics is extensive, having worked as the executive director of the Bullock Texas Issues PAC. He's also served as a communications director for the Texas Democratic Party. These roles have given him a unique perspective on what it takes to navigate the complex world of politics.

One thing is clear: Stanford is passionate about civic duty and believes that every citizen has a role to play in shaping their community.

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Jason Stanford is a Democratic consultant who writes columns for the Austin American-Statesman and MSNBC. He can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @JasStanford.

Stanford has a strong opinion on the role of lobbyists in politics. He points out that lobbyists like Bill Hammond often have a significant influence on the legislative process.

Hammond, the president of the Texas Association of Business, was accused by Stanford of belittling Texas moms and mocking their children when they spoke out against overtesting. Hammond even hired a plane to circle the capitol with a banner that read, “Is 37 percent correct on algebra too hard?”

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Lobbyists always seem to find a way to influence the system. Jason Stanford's column highlights this issue, pointing out that even after a backlash against overtesting in 2013, lobbyists continued to wield significant power.

In Texas, lawmakers included a ban on testing lobbyists from serving on advisory boards in the law rolling back testing requirements. However, this didn't stop lobbyists from finding other ways to exert their influence.

Bill Hammond, a politically influential lobbyist and president of the Texas Association of Business, was accused of belittling Texas moms and mocking their children when they complained about overtesting. Hammond hired a plane to circle the capitol with a banner reading, "Is 37 percent correct on algebra too hard?" in an attempt to discredit their concerns.

The legislature passed testing relief, but Hammond was still put on the Accountability Policy Advisory Committee by the Texas Education Commissioner. This move was seen as a violation of the legislature's intention to keep industry people from running the show.

Hammond has been critical of the APAC's recent recommendations, arguing that 15 percent of Texas schools should be labeled as failing. However, this would be the third level of politics imposed on the accountability rating, with arbitrary numbers used to determine passing and failure rates.

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Jason Stanford thinks we should try national service, and he's not the only one. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, a retired general, has dedicated his retirement to evangelizing for national service.

McChrystal wants to broaden the concept of service beyond the military, so that everyone can serve, not just those who join the military. He thinks this would fundamentally change both the young people who serve and the country as a whole.

At its peak, McChrystal imagines up to a quarter of each generation giving up a year for national service. This would make serving a rite of passage for young Americans.

McChrystal's plan isn't without its problems, however. He originally spoke of reinstituting the draft, but now he wants to make national service voluntary. He hopes to imbue it with a coercive prestige that makes people feel uncomfortable if they don't participate.

McChrystal's idea is to ask people in the future, "Where did you serve?" and make those who can't answer feel very uncomfortable.

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