I have never written that out because I am proud to be a native Texan. Texas is a different biosphere depending on what part of the state one's in.
I was born in West Texas, desert and flat; went to high school in Houston, oil money, big city, close enough to Louisiana that Cajun, Zydeco and etouffee ain't strangers to us. Always in a pissing match with Big D up there in the High Plains (Southern Oklahoma), and you got East Texas Piney Woods which might as well be Arkansas or Kentucky (please take insult if necessary). Slightly different political biosphere as well, though, like many states in our great Union, the "Haves" like to make the Big Lottery seem possible, so lots of folks vote against their best interests; regular people vote for Richie Rich and not for the Cadillac Welfare Scammers. So, for now, at least, the state stays red.
The rant continues below the Burnt Orange sawed off twisted Longhorn - Gig 'em
Then there is Austin and the Hill Country; Austin, the city of the Violet Crown, gets plenty of press nowadays. Fastest growing city in the country, Liberal mecca for Texans out of step with the Roudy Red Ignorance that the state is nationally known for. I've been here thirty-one years, moved here when I was twenty and Reagan had just taken over the White House to begin the Decline of the United States. So, the town's changed a lot. It used to be impossible to find work here; the State government (we are the capital), the Air Force (the present day international airport was Bergstrom Air Force Base), Post office and University of Texas were about it. But, by offering really great incentives (like extending and paying for sewer lines onto previously environmentally protected areas etc, or gentrifying downtown and East Austin to get the Yuppies to go wild or the Intel to relocate (yeah, the city closed "Liberty Lunch" a brick-walled, very cool music venue, that now would be considered a "jewel" to the hipsters, so Intel would move here and then Intel had other plans and the building was empty for years.- but I'm not holding a grudge. ;) This offering incentives to get companies to relocate to Texas is what Brokeback Rickeh is getting scrutinized for with his "we have the most new jobs in the nation" clap-trap. In this fucked-up leftover Bush (a Texan wannabee) economy, the trend has been to give away so much to get the companies to relocate, that when the jobs comes, no one notices that the taxpayers of the state/city are subsidizing the new jobs which are often immediately taken by people from other states moving here because of the enormous"opportunity" in Texas, which further strains the already maxed out, cut to the bone social infrastructure- schools, hospitals, housing, low income relief are at Third World levels- because Rickeh cuts teachers' jobs while he builds Formula One race tracks and such. But, I digress. It sucks to be a Texan because thoughtless, selfish asshole politicians in the senate that represent the state cannot EVER step out of the pissing range of the tbaggers (Sure, Kay and John- that's warm rain dripping down the back of your neck) and vote with a conscience- take a stand true to the values of this state rather than the dictates of their political bosses. Contrary to most immediate evidence, this state has real values and a real sense of integrity and moral truth. It gets a little fucked up within certain strains, just like other states, but we have produced great people in the public arena, intellectuals and politicians, writers and musicians- all with a tale to tell and a message from the heart. John Henry Faulk, J Frank Dobie, LBJ, Barbara Jordan, Ann Richards, Willie, Molly Ivins, Jim Hightower, Sam Houston, Townes, Stevie Ray, the list goes on. But the present day list is usually represented either by Rickeh, or by gutless wonders who don't have the nerve to vote for an international disabilities act when Bob Dole, a Republican icon, is wheeled out in a wheelchair in support of the proposal- because it may be seen as an endorsement of abortion and the Astroturf Freedomworks tbaggers may go get then a Ted Cruz and your ass will be out of office. Nevermind Kay Bailey is done as done gets, the timer popped, she just hasn't read the damn tea leaves yet. Denial really isn't just that river.
That's what disgusts me and prompted me to share today.
John Cornyn is the epitome of a lack of class and Kay Bailey- don't let the door hit you too hard in the ass on your way out. Or, hell, let it.
My heartfelt thanks to the excellent diary, he's got pictures!, by jimstaro that helped "inspire" this little rant.
EDIT to add Molly and Willie. Mea Culpa.
