For better or worse, times have changed. Brady and the Texas Hill country are no longer forgotten and ignored by Austin and Washington DC.  The bureaucrats and politicians have extended their reach and consolidated their power. The law is no longer what local rich families say it is. The law is what faceless bureaucrats, lawyers and politicians in Washington and Austin say it is. We will call this faceless army of pestilence "The Man"

Brady has been able to postpone and evade facing that fact simply because there isn't much in Brady to steal. "The Man" took his time to introduce himself. When he finally did, he liked the look of the water, game, farms and ranches around here. Particularly the water, because "The Man" is thirsty, very thirsty. That is another story for another day.

Right now, we just want to notice there is an new boss in town and he isn't related to the old bosses. The old bosses are long dead and gone. Their descendants have spent their inheritance, respect and power. There is no one to oppose the new boss but you, the people.

"The Man" is visiting Brady again to demand his due. He comes with harsh threats and pretty promises. The threats are real but the promises are conditional.

The people of Brady and their leaders should pay careful attention to the terrible high price of accepting those promises as well as the terrible high price of not accepting them. We should consider carefully because we have but one life to give and only one soul to sell. Before you decide, look at the evidence.

"The Man" promises free or cheap money but then tells us how to spend it. If someone else dictates how to spend it, is it really yours? Why doesn't he just spend his own money and leave us out of it? The answer is that "The Man" doesn't have any money of his own. All he has is what he takes from you and your fellow citizens.

The promise is hollow but the threat is real. How does playing that game work out for the people?

"The Man" paid for renovating the McCulloch County Courthouse. It looks great but the people of McCulloch County don't own it any more. The citizens can't even hang  a Christmas star on it or fix a leak in the roof without doing it like "The Man" says and paying his agents.

Brady has a nice new hospital that operates exactly like "The Man" says and offers what he wants you to have for medical care. Brady has new schools that teach exactly what "The Man" says. Then take the time to talk to some of the people living in subsidized housing and find out exactly what it is like to live on what "The Man" gives you.

Your elected leaders (and the people they hire) have chosen for you. They chose for you when they took The Man's "free money". It came with conditions that make every citizen subservient to the "new boss in town".

You, the People have one choice left - to find new community leaders who will cut a better deal or keep the current "leaders" who sold out cheap.

Think it over. There is no easy answer.