A Canadian acquaintance brought this up from the Independence Movement’s declaration against the Mexican Government in 1836.
“…unless a people are educated and enlightened, it is idle to expect the continuance of civil liberty, or the capacity for self government.”
Fast forward to now and I guess Sam Houston, David Burnet and the other mostly Anglo delegates were being ironic given this state’s frequent everyone for themselves attitude, a core tenant of Shruggalos, Teabaggers and Country Club Republicans.
We really need another independence day in critical thinking since my adopted state’s upcoming primary will determine the winners in critical positions: US Senate, the House, the Texas Legislature (an international embarrassment), statewide spots with 19th Century-esque names (Railroad Commissoner? What railroad?), Lt. Governor and Governor (the latter are elected separately here). Sure Texas will inevitably flip back to Democratic but the Republicans will continue their scorched-earth policies before they’re kicked out. They did this to my old home state and California. I’m not saying the Democrats are without sin; I wouldn’t piss on Rahm Emmanuel, John Corzine, Diane Feinstein or DINOs like them if they were on fire. Yet few sane people can support the Texas GOP and their successful ongoing campaign against reality. It has caused Wendy Davis, this term’s sacrificial Democratic lamb, to “move to the center” already about guns and the issue which put her in the spotlight to begin with, reproductive choice. Wendy is certainly no Ann Richards. Ann would’ve hit the dauphin Greg Abbott back with a backspin on the numerous issues he will screw over half the state’s population on. “Moving to the center” is just Orwellian for conceding to the Right hoping it’ll be enough to neutralize the Far Right. The Democrats having given so much ground over the last 30 years they’ve proven Harry Truman’s old maxim, “If you give a man a choice between voting for a Republican and a Republican. He’ll always vote Republican.”
With all the idiots around here showing off “secede” bumper stickers on their gas guzzlers, maybe Austin should consider the same, become the new West Berlin. Besides, if Austin is such a horrible bastion of Socialists, Hippies and the godless, why do we have lower unemployment, a better quality of life and numerous assholes of all stripes are moving here every day? Nevermind what a cesspool many states the Republicans are completely in charge of receive more Federal welfare to function: the Deep South and the Sparse West.
I’ll close with this image I created of the GOP’s next governor. Don’t let the wheelchair fool you, Abbott is the anti-FDR and evil version of Professor X. Whovians will recognize the villain I’ve patterned him after.
