September 1 would have been the 77th birthday of the best Democratic Governor of Texas in my lifetime, Ann Richards. I loved her not only for her wit and her positive stances on civil rights, but the fact that she was a teacher.
No one will ever forget her classic line at the 1988 Democratic National Convention when during her nationally televised speech she said about then President George Herbert Walker Bush in that consummate Texas drawl, “Poor George, he can’t help it, He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.”
Two years later our state treasurer became the 45th governor of Texas. She was the 39th Democrat and the second woman elected to serve in that office. She passed on September 13, 2006 from esophageal cancer, but inspired a legion of young women in Texas and beyond to consider public service.
Rest in peace Governor Ann, you are sorely missed by Texans and your country.
Now let's shift the Eyes of Texas and 'errbody' else to focusing on this week's fool, fools, or group of fools. To keep in the spirit of the Lone Star theme, this week's award will focus on our state fools.
Honorable mention on the national front this week goes to Arizona governor Jan Brewer. She's tripping about the Juan Crow SB 1070 law being mentioned by the State Department in a report to the United Nations' human rights commissioner.
But this week's Shut Up Fool! Award goes to the Texas Republican Party. They have literally taken the name of this award to heart because all of their candidates are refusing to debate their Democratic counterparts.
'Chicken Rick' Perry refuses to debate Bill White, and the GOP State Board of Indoctrination (oops, Education) who are trying to hold onto their seats after last May's conservarewrite of the school curriculum refuse to debate their Democratic counterparts about their sorry records.
Texas GOP...Speak Up Fools!
