Wendy Davis Is Running For Governor Of Texas

...and I am glad.

I am a Republican and she is a Democrat, so there are things we probably don't agree on, but I think she's pretty cool.  And she seems like a very good woman, a very strong woman, a very intelligent woman.

Wendy Davis is one month and six days younger than I am, so that makes me automatically a bit sympathetic to her.  We grew from girlhood to womanhood during the same times, seeing the same things happen in our country -- although, from very different places.  I've always lived in California, after all.  And I've come to see that being a Republican in California is a very different thing than being a Republican in Texas.  Actually, if I were raised in Texas, I don't think I'd be a Republican.  For example, the other day, I was reading about the "theology" of Ted Cruz's father.  Not to be disrespectful, but that's some pretty scary shit.  And learning about the peculiarities of Texas politics makes me quite a bit more sympathetic to Wendy and her allies, even if I am not perfectly in line with each and every one of their positions.

Why do I admire Wendy as person?  She's had to overcome quite a bit of adversity to get to where she is today.  She married very young and had a baby.  After divorcing -- also at a very young age -- she both took care of her child and worked extremely hard to put herself through school, earning solid grades through Harvard Law.  And she's had a very distinguished and successful career.  If I had tried to do all of the things Wendy has done, I would have collapsed from exhaustion. In fact, I am quite sure that if I married and had a child as a teenager, I would never have graduated from any type of law school, especially Harvard.  I would have been fortunate to earn my paralegal certification (which Wendy did before earning her undergraduate degree).  And if I had managed to become a paralegal, most likely that is what I would have remained for the rest of my working life.  There is no way I would have even dared to dream of becoming a lawyer.  So, being that Wendy and I are the same age, I can easily put myself in her young shoes, and imagine what I would have done had I been in them.  I would also like to point out -- although, it will matter naught to some -- that Wendy had her first baby as a teenager in a day and age when "choice" was a legal option.  And you can see what choice she made and what she did with that choice.  I wish I could say for certain that I would have made the same choice as she did.  But, looking honestly at my 18-year-old self and my 18-year-old relationship with my parents, I'm not sure I can say that.  So, I admire the strength that it took for Wendy to make the choice that she made.  She also seems to have a lovely relationship with her daughters.  This relationship has the potential to be a very good example for other women in Texas -- women of all ages -- as they look to Wendy for leadership.  Because what will encourage women to make positive and responsible choices, more than anything else?  I believe it is having a positive woman to emulate -- a woman who is not preachy or judgmental, a woman who respects the personal autonomy of others, a woman who has most clearly taken responsibility for her own life.  As I look, therefore, at the strength and courage Wendy has shown in living her life, I am inspired to have some confidence in her as she runs for governor of Texas.

I also believe that Wendy truly believes in lifting up those who have been dealt a poorer hand in life.  I think that, if she were governor, she would work to establish a stronger social safety net in Texas.  And that's a good thing, in my book.  

There is a group called Battleground Texas which is backing Wendy Davis in her run for governor.  Yes, they are the "Obama" people, which makes them the "bad guys" to many.  I like them, though.  I see their pictures on their website and it's hard not to like their young, open, happy, hopeful faces.  It's hard to imagine them leading some sort of "evil conspiracy to undermine our government" -- something of which some might accuse them.  And one thing I like about them is how they are driving all around Texas registering people to vote -- including many minority voters and many who have never voted before.  (Yes.  This is all part of the "evil conspiracy" according to some media pundits.)  I don't think it is evil, though.  I think it is awesome.  I think it will be a wonderful thing when Texas has a voter turnout that is more representative of its population.  And, after all, the Battleground Texas people don't know for sure how all these new voters will be voting.  But, to me, they're doing what should be done in a political system like ours. They are trying to build a government that is truly by, of, and for the people.

I was listening to somebody the other day who kind of objects to Battleground Texas and all of its aggressive voter registration drives.  This individual was saying, basically, "Why should we try so hard to register people to vote, if they don't take the initiative to do so themselves?"  This individual is also -- at least a little bit -- of the mindset that it is better if the more "well-educated" people do at least most of the voting.  Now, this person's opinion isn't born of prejudice, mind you, but out of the idea that the more "well-educated" people are more well-informed, making them more qualified to vote.  I, on the other hand, think it's a great thing when everybody who is qualified to vote, does vote.  (I guess this makes me a Radical Progressive, deceptively disguised as a Catholic Republican lady.)  I also think that it is possible to enable most, if not all, of these potential voters to become informed voters.  So, dear fellow Republicans, I have this to say to you.  Instead of whining about Battleground Texas and its ways, start informing all these new voters.  Let them know why they should vote for you.  Be fair, now.  Run clean campaigns.  Run honorable campaigns.  Because, if you truly believe your ways are the best for the people, take your arguments and reasoning to the voters -- ALL of them.  You should have nothing to fear.

Governor Wendy Davis?

As you may or may not know, even though I am a Republican, I am a fan of the grassroots Democratic group known as Battleground Texas.  I love their spirit, their energy, their idealism, their compassion, their positive attitude.  They uplift my sometimes cynical, stick-in-the-mud conservative heart.  I don't agree with every single one of their positions entirely, being that I'm a Republican and all.  But, I do believe they are striving to make the grand state of Texas, and our country, better places to be.

This morning I learned that Battleground Texas is encouraging Wendy Davis (remember the filibustering lady in the pink shoes?) to run for governor.  And if she does run for governor, and if she does win, I don't want to hear any whining from my fellow Republicans.  Because it will pretty much be all their own fault.

And I think Ms. Davis has a pretty good chance of winning, if she does decide to run for governor.  I had a little chat with my husband recently, and I told him this.  He disagreed.  He said that it would be too much of a long shot.  He also thinks that it's extremely unlikely that Battleground Texas will manage to turn Texas blue.  I disagreed.  I have learned a little bit about this group, and they are nothing if not determined, intelligent, and organized.  They know what they are up against, and they are preparing themselves to fight it out over the long haul.  And if they back Ms. Davis, with all of their determined, intelligent organization, I think she has a pretty good shot at winning the Texas governorship.  Especially because she is pretty determined, intelligent, and organized, herself.  I mean, have you read this woman's bio?  She is quite formidable.

Now, as I have mentioned before, my hubby also didn't believe me when I told him that Obama was going to win the presidency in 2008.  Or 2012.  So, I think if Wendy wins the governorship, he should bring me out for a nice dinner.  (And if she doesn't win, I'll bring him out to dinner.  It's a win-win for me, baby.)  And if Battleground Texas does manage to turn Texas blue, I think he should bring me to Hawaii or on a nice cruise.  (Are you feeling sorry for him yet?  You probably should.)

To get back on topic, I believe "Governor Wendy Davis of Texas" might be a pretty cool thing to see.  Sort of like Ann Richards, but the opposite political party.  You might scoff at this.  You might not have liked Ann Richards.  If you don't know who Ann Richards is, she was the Republican governor of Texas when I was younger.  I have to admit that I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to her politics, but I did think she was pretty awesome with her Texas accent and her tough Texan attitude and her power wardrobe.  She was something to see.  And if Wendy Davis wins the race for this public office, she will be something to see, too.

CORRECTION:  Ann Richards was a Democrat.  NOT a Republican.  Mea Culpa.  I have also been told, by a very intelligent reader of this blog, that she was not a very good governor. 

Battleground Texas Could Be Good For The Republicans

What is Battleground Texas?  My understanding is that it is a grassroots organization dedicated to turning Texas blue (like a Smurf) by making a sustained and dedicated effort over time.  And Smurfs are cool, so no insult is intended here.  It is only my strange sense of humor at work.  If you don't know what "turning Texas blue" means, it means transforming Texas from a long-time Republican stronghold to a place that will elect Democrats, at the local, state, and national levels.

This is quite an undertaking, if you know anything about Texas politics.  A lot of Texas Republicans are dubious that it will happen.  A lot of them seem to be turning a blind eye to Battleground Texas, expecting it to fade away.  This is foolhardy, in my little old opinion.  And I know my opinion doesn't count for much.

But, this is the thing.  Have you ever read the ancient work entitled "Art Of War" by Sun Tzu?  I have not read the whole thing, but I have read several parts.  And it seems to me that Battleground Texas is doing everything that Sun Tzu says should be done to achieve victory; and the Republicans are displaying all of what Mr. Tzu describes as the attributes of the Losers. Check it out for yourself, if you don't believe me.

As I have stated before, I am a Republican.  My husband is a Non-Partisan, meaning he is not a member of any political party.  I was a Non-Partisan for a while, but it was kind of boring.  By not belonging to a political party, I felt quite left out of the Big Party that is American politics.  And that was just depressing.  My husband, though, is kind of a "political animal."  He is very interested in politics, keeping himself quite informed.  And well before the election of 2008, well before Mr. Obama became the Democratic Party's presidential candidate in that election, I had a discussion with my husband.  I asserted that I believed Mr. Obama had not only a strong chance of winning the nomination, but he also had a very good chance of winning the Presidency.  My husband strongly disagreed.  He told me that Mr. Obama had very little political experience on the national level, and he didn't believe the Democrats would nominate him.  He also asserted that even if the Democrats did give him the nomination, that the American people certainly wouldn't elect such a neophyte to be their president.  I told my husband that, based on what I was hearing from ordinary people, I disagreed.  I felt that if Mr. Obama campaigned in a smart way, in a way that focused on the needs and concerns of regular folks, that he could, indeed, win.  And he did win, because of the type of campaign that he ran.  A grassroots campaign.  A focused and determined campaign.  And the people who were in charge of his campaign (as well as his 2012 campaign) -- many of them, anyway -- are now running Battleground Texas.

You're in for an ass-whupping Texas Republicans, if you don't open your eyes.

And it will be well-deserved.

And I, even though I am a Republican myself, will be glad to see it happen.  I think it will be a good thing for the Republican Party, for Texas, and for the nation.

(Now all the Republicans are heading to my house for a tar-and-feather party.  So, excuse me while I go lock the doors and windows.)

Why do I think it will be a good thing?  Because over the last many years, I have become a bit disturbed by my party.  It is a party dedicated to smaller government, more efficient government, the idea of subsidiarity, the fostering of the spirit of personal responsibility, valuing personal autonomy and ingenuity.  These are all good things.  The Democrats also hold many of these things in high regard.  But, I have witnessed that, since the early 1980's, the "religious right" has come to have a degree of influence in the Republican Party that I have grown to be uncomfortable with.  And along with the influence of the views of these people, perhaps intertwined with them, have come many other extreme ideas that I don't believe are representative of the views of the majority of the American people. I have heard a lot of conservative rhetoric -- embraced by many Republicans -- that I find quite distressing.   I have also witnessed actions by the Republicans that seem foolhardy, uncharitable, and out-of-touch with reality.

I will just give a few examples.

The Tea Party.  It is my opinion that many of their ideas are not grounded in reality and, if actually enacted, would be disastrous.  For instance, I have heard that some of the Tea Partiers believe we should abolish the Department of Education.  The Department of Education has been quite helpful to many families, including my own.  It has assisted us greatly in sending our kids to college, for example.  I also don't think doing away with The Fed is any kind of a good idea.  And giving out vouchers for people to buy health insurance in retirement seems like a fool's game to me.  I could go on and on...   I know we could argue back and forth for days over these things, but based on the research both my husband and I have done, these are my opinions.  Basically, it seems that the Tea Party wants to return things to the way they were back in 1780, or so.  And that is just not going to happen.  And it shouldn't happen.  Our country has grown and changed too much.  So has the world.

SNAP.  Or food assistance for the poor.  No, I don't think we should cut it.  That would be heartless.

And Texas in particular?  What Governor Perry and his cohorts did regarding abortion was just ill-advised.  They seemed like a bunch of cruel bullies.  I don't like abortion.  I wish there were no abortions.  But, you don't just come in and pull the rug out from under women in that manner.  Abortion is legal.  That is the reality.  If you want to reduce it, do it in a manner that is respectful of the intelligence and dignity of women.  Do it in a way that will give rise to cooperation between people of differing viewpoints.  Do it in a way that is thoughtful and charitable and will foster trust between people.  Dear Republicans, it just seemed like all you were doing was trying to impress each other with your conservativeness.  And combined with your actions regarding medicaid and your views on other social safety net issues, you just came across as heartless.  The results?  A LOT of angry women.  Smart, angry women.  And a shitload of ammo for Battleground Texas to use against you.

These are just a few examples of things that some or many of those in the Republican party have endorsed or done that disturb me.  I have also been distressed at hearing Republicans complain about people who "depend" on the government without wanting to be independent.  I have witnessed first-hand how difficult it is for many people to achieve economic independence in today's world, even though they truly hope to.  I have been disappointed that many Republicans fight meaningful gun control.  I have been disturbed at the lack of a charitable attitude towards illegal immigrants.   I also think the Republicans need to allow for higher taxes on very wealthy people, without giving those wealthy people "legal dodges" so that they can avoid paying those taxes.  And I get very, very disturbed when Republicans say and do many of these things while acting as though God is on their side.  I also do not like it at all when certain groups of people are marginalized by the Republican Party, especially when those groups of people don't conform to the religious ideas of many in that party.  I recall that, not so long ago, many conservatives in government wanted to marginalize Catholics.  And there are probably some states where that is still the sentiment.  So, when I hear that someone in the GOP (I believe it was in Texas) expressed the view that the Republicans in that state don't really want black people to vote, I get kinda miffed.

So, this is why I am rooting for Battleground Texas.  The Republican Party in that state -- and on a national level -- needs to be shaken up and renewed.  And that may mean that a little ass-whupping is in order.   

Salt, Leaven, And Light

As we are all well-aware, unless we are a hermit, there is much political debate going on concerning certain "hot-button" issues.  The things going on in Texas right now are especially engrossing.  And the Catholic Church as an institution and Catholics as individuals have thrown themselves into the fray.  I'm not saying that they shouldn't, but the frantic attitude of some of them disturbs me a little bit.  It's like they think the only way to stop Western Civilization from collapsing is through their political activity. 

Again, I'm not saying political activity by Catholics -- or by anybody else -- is wrong.  But, watching the drama swirling about me has led me to contemplate a few things about which Jesus spoke --   especially his words telling us that we should be "salt," "leaven," and "light" in the world.

As I think about these three things, I am struck by their characteristics, especially in the way Our Lord uses His imagery.  And this blog post summarizes my ponderings.  Take it or leave it.  As you wish.

Salt.  It enhances the flavor of our food.  But, we use it sparingly.  Accidentally put too much into your recipe and said recipe is ruined.  An over-abundance of this wonderful substance doesn't enhance -- but totally masks -- the wonderful flavors of many of our favorite foods.  And I think about this when I think about Catholic political action.  If it is too heavy-handed, it doesn't work.  We are called to be a gentle presence.  Subtle.  Like salt, when used properly.  Maybe overwhelming people with our Catholicism is like putting way too much salt in our chocolate chip cookies.  It only makes people gag.

Leaven.  Like salt, it is used sparingly in cooking.  But, just a small amount makes the dough rise dramatically.  Maybe we should think about this in our interaction with others, in our political activity.  We don't need to overwhelm everybody with our "correctness."  We don't need to act like steamrollers.  We don't need to scream and shout and flail.  We can be like the yeast in the bread -- mixed, almost imperceptively, throughout the dough, but having a powerful effect.  What type of an effect?  A rising, a lifting, an enhancing of the whole body of the dough.  The dough is kept intact and whole, growing larger and lighter.  Not imploding or exploding our collapsing.

Light.  Jesus speaks of a lamp on a lampstand.  When I reflect on this image, I think of a dark home sitting on a hill in the night.  The lamp is lit.  What type of light does it give off?  Is it the light of the high-beams of an oncoming mack truck, blinding you as you try to drive on a winding road at night?  Is it the glare of fluorescent lights in an impersonal office?  No.  It is a warm, inviting light.  It is the kind of light that says, "Come in and rest a while.  Have a cup of tea and a cookie and a chat.  I know you are weary.  Let me offer you my hospitality."  It is also the kind of light that says, "In my conversation with you, I will listen to your concerns.  I will hear your heart.  I will respect you and care for you."  Maybe we should think about being this kind of light when we deal with those on "the other side of the aisle."

Why?  Because "those on the other side of the aisle" are not evil people.  They have good intentions and good hearts and good will.  They are honest and hard-working and intelligent.  They would help you out if you were in a jam.  Maybe they even have something to teach you.  And we need to recognize these things, or we are going to tear our country, our culture, our civilization -- and each other -- apart.  And that doesn't seem very "Catholic" to me.