Since neither Apos nor anyone else here has posted links or additional excerpts from the actual Ft. Worth Star-Telegram article I’ll go ahead and point out a couple other passages. A couple passages glossed over by the author of the blog Apos cited may help.
The system is not always pretty, but in general it works. Let’s not pretend the interpretation of the law(notoriously vague on religious issues) by the Comptroller is universal among Texans or that it is even supported by a majority. Especially since two Texas courts have shot it down so far. Other evidence that this policy is unpopular would be the large array of religious groups, normally disagreeing on pretty much everything, allied to bring suit to have it changed. The definition of “religion” is a very sticky wicket and so far the courts, who have final say in the matter, have come down on the side of being inclusive. I don’t see this as definitive evidence that Texas is some sort of barbaric wasteland.
One thing that might be mentioned is that Carole Keeton Strayhorn has been at odds with our current governopr Rick Perry (Dubya’s successor) for some time now, and basically positioning herself as a future candidate. Perry hasn’t been doing so well lately - he is so desperate to do something about our budget troubles he has been pushing the brilliant idea of slot machines and other types of gambling to fund our schools! They sure love that idea over in rural East Texas.
Anyway, Texas Democrats have been salivating at the prospect of vicious Republican infighting. After ten years in the wilderness, there is a glimmer of hope. Fundamentally, the Republican bigshots of this state (Tom Delay, Dick Armey, Karl Rove and others) know they have about ten years to win over the majority of the Hispanic vote to their side or else watch the state slip away for good. As a result, they have been acting rather rash at times.
Anyway don’t pin this on all of Texas. Other states have dunderheads for politicians. Since Texas is rather large, ours only have a large screen to project their idiocy on.
I never thought of it that way, racinchikki. Brilliant!
But don’t you know, they were actually fundamentalists. Really. Even though fundamentalism as we know it didn’t really exist until the mid to late 19th century. Just ask the fundamentalists about it. :rolleyes:
