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.

The Little Texan In Her Pink Shoes

Did y'all see Texan Wendy Davis filibustering a couple nights ago?  It was a pretty awesome sight to behold, whatever your opinions on women's issues may be.  

I am the same age as Wendy.  She was born one month and six days after me.  I was reading a bit about her, as I had never heard of her before her filibuster, and she is a pretty incredible person.  She married and had a baby as a teen, got divorced, became a paralegal, worked her way through college and law school, and went on to have a fantastic career.  If I had tried to do all those things, I would have had a nervous breakdown.  My hat is off to you, Wendy!

And as I watched this darling lady in her pink shoes and the reactions she got from the crowd and on Twitter, I tried to just quiet myself and ponder things.

This is what I have pondered.

Yes, I am a Catholic.  Yes, I am a Republican.  I take being a Catholic pretty seriously.  Being a Republican?  Not quite so much.  Though I appreciate politics and understand their importance, I do not possess enough of the ideology of either of the major parties to be entirely faithful to one or the other.  And I have actually switched party affiliation more than once.  I may do it again.

What do I like about the Republicans?  I have generally been drawn to the ideas of limited government and subsidiarity.  I also liked Reagan a great deal.  If you are a Democrat, you will probably gag at this, but Reagan was to my generation what Obama is to the current generation of younger people.  Things pretty much sucked in the late 70's, and Reagan gave us his version of "hope" and "change."  He had a positive attitude, a good sense of humor, and he was unflinchingly brave in the face of the things we viewed as threats to our freedom.  Of course, he also scared the crap out of a lot of people.  I understand that.  But, I liked him.  I still do.  I know he made mistakes.  I know he was not perfect.  I am not defending everything he did.  But, he sort of gave our nation a much-needed kick in the pants and a shot in the arm and a little bit of pride and confidence where it was very lacking.  If you don't believe me, go and watch that new movie about the Iranian hostage crisis that stars Ben Affleck.

As a Catholic, though, I also appreciate many, many things about the Democratic party.  I am quite sympathetic to their ideals of social justice and their desire for a strong social safety net.  And -- having children in their 20's who are struggling to begin careers in the current economy -- I am really starting to appreciate their desire for some type of national health insurance system.  And I have to say that "Obamacare" has been a Godsend for us -- especially since my 23-year-old daughter has many health problems.  I don't know what we would have done to affordably provide for her healthcare needs -- especially considering the current state of the job market for young people -- without the new laws. 

Why have I told you these things? It is so that you will have more understanding of where I am coming from when it comes to my thoughts about Wendy and her pink shoes and standing with her and all. 

I have to admit that my first reaction in watching Wendy was to "root" for the Republicans.  Then I started to pay more attention and learn more about what the GOP members had done.  It seems like they basically tried to throw a Hail Mary pass at the last possible moment.  They said that their proposed laws would protect the health and safety of women.  Frankly, I don't really buy that.  I think they were just trying to get abortion clinics shut down.  And this seems, to me, like a dishonest, heartless way to reduce abortion rates.  And I don't think it will protect the health of women, either.  Because, in the current environment, given the current state of our culture, women will not say, "Oh, I am pregnant and I am not happy about it.  But, I will just have this baby and all will be well."  They probably won't do that.  They'll most likely try to find some way to get an abortion, anyway -- a way that will probably be less safe than if the current clinics had stayed open.  And they will get angry.  They will get angry at the mean men who appear to be bullying them.  They will get angry at the heartless and ignorant men who keep saying things like, "A woman's body has a way to shut those things down."  It's like these Republicans just attacked a relatively peaceful hive with a flame thrower.  Way to burn bridges, GOP members.   

So, here we have this image.  An image of a little lady in pink shoes -- a woman who was a teen mom herself, who chose to have her baby in an era when she could have chosen otherwise -- facing down these hostile people.  Even I -- Catholic that I am -- was quite moved by this.  And now I hear that the governor has called a special session to go through the whole issue again.  Hello, Governor.  You think Wendy is going to back down this time?  I don't think so.  She's probably in training right now to take you on.

At this point, I have probably succeeded in alienating practically everyone who is reading this.  Sorry about that.  But, if you care to read on, I will tell you what I think would be a more positive approach to this whole thing.

I would like to see the people on "both sides of the aisle" respecting each others concerns and appreciating the merits of each others arguments.  I would like to see the Republicans being honest about their goals and measured in their approach.  I would like to see the Democrats trying to understand that most Republicans don't want to oppress women.  (Well, at least the ones in California don't.  I'm not sure about the ones in Texas.)  I think the governor should cancel the special session he called and wait until the next regular legislative session, when all of this should be taken up in a thoughtful, respectful, unhurried way.  I want to see everybody calm down and deal with the issue in a rational manner.  If that is possible in Texas. ;-)