Remembering Big Tex

 A symbol of Texas died today.

Haters of the Fair will say,

"GOOD!"

"I'm glad he's dead."

"He got what he and all the other Riff Raff deserve..."

They'll line the streets in celebration just like a jihadist nation celebrates a terrorist attack.

"Burn the sum bitch down!"

"Bout time."

"Death to Big Tex Infidel!"

"The Fair's too expensive, anyway."



Lovers of the Fair will mark this day, they will morn, and they will remember.
They will remember the Texas Giant who greeted them each year for 60 years.
They'll post pictures of their children sitting under that big grin, eating a Fletcher's, drinking a lemonade, and remember the good times.
They're the ones who know that you can never destroy Big Tex, his memory remains.




Politicos will say it's an 'act of aggression' sanctioned by a Rick Perry led super majority.
They'll say that deregulation lead to the disaster, that if only we had more "women electricians" looking after Tex, this would have never been.
That this was clearly a "message" from the Tea Party for the liberal media to "back off" on Ted Cruz.

'This is how the cartel operates.'

"Big Gay Tex" had to go, he was stripping away our southern baptist value system, one blue jean leg tucked into boots and flaming gay shirt with scarf at a time.

Even the Mayor of Dallas was on hand to express his condolences and lend support.




A photo op of GIGANTIC proportions, Mike Rawling's vows to rebuild a faster, smarter, stronger, and more flame retardant "Big Tex".

Some reactions from around the state:

 Isn't it ironic? Don't you think? Is The symbolic gesture of Texas Hospitality up in a flash of flame and a puff of smoke a most disturbing omen or a representation of a decade of embarrassing policies that destroyed public education, indebted it's future generations and belittled and bemoaned it's working class (illegal aliens).....?

 Seeing Tex that way, charred me for life. 

Way too friendly and accepting of different types of folks to be a Republican.

 Tex was a pot smoking, treehugger for sure.

Goodbye Big Tex. Vaudeville is officially dead.

RIP Big Texas. They could bury you in the Dallas Cowboy stadium since they aren't using it for anything.

 And of course,

OH THE HUMANITY!!!

Even Tex chimed in, and created his own grief support group:

 HOWDY FOLKS! It's your ol' pardner, Big Tex, and I'm here to tell you that the smoke got me good but I'll be recovering and back bigger and better for my 61st birthday next year. Leave me a message 'cause it shore do help me heal faster!

https://www.facebook.com/bigtexgriefsupport

As for today, in all it's solemness, I say the end is nigh.
Surely this is an omen.
I don't want to live in a Texas without Tex,

and neither do you.


 

God, If You Let A Man Like That Go. . . .

I do a lot of driving in Dallas.

Passing the yard signs for Romney/Ryan, and Jeb Hensarling,  I shuttered to think what type of neighbors I have? I can't help but wonder if these folks are the "Seniors" in the area, or maybe there's some "Highland Park money" in east Dallas that I don't know about? Though their numbers are sparse, their presence is felt. What's not felt is the support for President Obama. 4 Years ago every other yard had an Obama sign in it, 2/3's of the cars on the road were covered in O's. In my hood -which consists of about 1500 homes- There are no Obama signs, no stickers. Barely a one...
If they're like me, they've decided to support the presidents' reelection without advertisement.
Living in today's Texas it's just not worth it. It's not worth the risk of having our tires slashed, our houses sprayed with bullets, or firebombed.
Thank you Texas Tea Party.
Thank you for all your good work...

I whipped into Racetrack to fill up. There was a car wreck in front of the station -pretty bad one- and an attendant outside emptying the trash cans. I hopped out and started to tend to the fuel,  I asked the attendant if anyone was hurt -fire and ambulance were on the scene- he said "no, don't look like it" The name on his shirt said "Robert." He was an African American man about my age(40), "thank the Lord nobody was injured" Robert said. I said 'yes, thank the Lord.'



Seeing the wreck and surveying the damage I uttered, 'insurance will take care of that, that's why they make us have it.' Robert nodded, we both agreed, cars were easier to replace than people.  If you've ever had your car damaged by someone else, and you've gone through the insurance process, then you realize how important it is for ALL of us to have it. Robert seemed to be on my wave.
I exclaimed, 'and that's why they should allow ALL of us have access to HEALTHCARE, as well!!!'
Robert looked at me and smiled.


 I popped the cap and began fueling, I told Robert from where I was standing, it seemed that the blood of our ancestors was enough of a price to guarantee affordable healthcare for all. He concurred and added, "my Brother and my Auntie both served in Iraq, when they came home, they never looked the same again..." "We can't let those who fight to protect our freedom, we can't let them down when they get back home." I agreed, those folks are 'serving and deserving,' I said,  'and those folks are the 47%.' The very people charged with keeping us safe abroad, are the ones who according to Mitt Romney,  "take no responsibility for their lives." Think about that.
Also, I couldn't help but be reminded of all the veterans benefits that have been blocked by the Republican congress during Obama's first term. Don't forget that.

The bell on the pump rang out, my credit card accepted, I was on my way.
I told Robert, 'Looks like WE know who we're voting for!' He laughed and continued to service the station. As I drove away I was reminded of a scene from the 1998 movie, Primary Colors.
Great movie.
(I mean really great. For me it's one to watch again and again.)

Our exchange reminded me of a scene from the Mike Nichols film.
Cut to a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shop at night.
It's brilliantly lit with bright neon green and warm pink...  
Inside sits Gov. Stanton and a shop employee pouring his coffee, Danny.
Henry, the Governors aid, walks in with bad news...
You know the scene...

And these problems are nothing compared to what folks go through.

                Losing their jobs, losing their homes.

                Keep that in mind.

                Keep the folks in your mind.

                It's about them, isn't?

                It's about them. It's about history.

                That's truer for Susan than for me.

                It's always been about them.

                Like this fella, Danny Scanlon.

                He's worked every day since he was 14.

                Couldn't get insurance, couldn't get his leg fixed.

                Doesn't complain. Doesn't do any one any harm.

                Aching to do good.

                God, if you let a man like that go down. . . .

                you don't deserve to take up space on the planet.

                We won't let him go down.

This election isn't about billionaires and multimillionaires.
It's about the 'Roberts' and the 'Danny's' out there.
Don't let them go down.
Vote Obama!

The Weekly Wrangle

The Texas Progressive Alliance and this week's roundup are both certified 100% malarkey-free.

Off the Kuff takes a look at how many seats the Democrats are likely to pick up in the Legislature this November.  

BossKitty at TruthHugger sees the meningitis outbreak as another nail in the coffin, driven home by the right-wing corporate oligarchy's war on regulations and existing laws. Voters who don't put 2 and 2 together about the consequences of deregulation are allowing manufacturing shortcuts to hurt all of us. Deregulation mantras are bought and paid for by corporate greed: My Profit Is Worth More Than Your Safety. Yes, the government can help people, and until Democrats in Texas remind people of that, they'll keep losing.

And from WCNews at Eye on Williamson on that topic: Democratic success in Texas is tied to voters seeing government as on their side.

Mitt Romney's slight increase in polling popularity in the wake of the first debate is most attributable to single women, who apparently allowed his economic appeals to overcome their concerns about that whole War on Women thing. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs thinks that if President Obama doesn't make his case for a better economy, he's stupid.  

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wonders why so much of the drill baby drill energy is going out of our ports. Who's getting that energy?

Libby Shaw at Texas Kaos explains the Romney plan in terms even a child can understand, in Starving Big Bird, Children and the Poor. Check it out.

Sunday Funnies