GOOD NEWS FROM BASTROP TEXAS

Charlie sent this priceless piece today. The article is rich in its description of the local culture. You do not have to be a Texan to appreciate it for Bastrop is probably not unlike many small towns the U.S. My apologies in advance for some of the language which may be offensive to some. LS


All:

Well, we Texans are nothing if not optimists :-)

Sure hope this guy is RIGHT ...

You think Texas politics have stopped with the mess in DC? Think again ... to paraphrase "The TEXANS (not just the south) will rise again!"

This came (indirectly) through some progressive forums in TX.

Charlie

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Subject: [bushlied] Let me tell you all about Bastrop, Texas

Let me tell you all about Bastrop, Texas

Bastrop is approx. 40 miles east of Austin, in Bastrop county, and is the county seat. There are a lot of both Republicans and Democrats here, maybe more Dems in voter ranks but I'm not sure. Really, people around here go by the farm and ranch land ethos of "good fences make good neighbors". People don't care how you vote as long as you are polite in town, don't come on their land without permission, don't ask favors and don't hunt without permission. The schools are fantastic, the parks are better, and I would probably be shunned for advertising this on the net, because Bastrop county is one of the fastest growing counties in the state because quality of life is so high and cost of living is so relatively low, and people from here don't want anyone else coming.

Bastrop is a small town Texas place caught in the boom time. People move in. People move out. I am not from here, but I am originally from a small town and I understand the uneven and disturbing trends and tendencies of a town on the cusp or just over the cusp of being "Developed". Bastrop is typical Texas. No matter what redistricting happens and no matter what the propaganda tells the rest of the country, Texas is, and places like Bastrop in particular are, inherently Democratic but have lost their way. And I will say this: Texas will swing Democratic with a big, fat, motherfucking vengeance by 2008. Wanna know how I know?

The two big issues in the state Legislature this last session were, Are Cheerleader uniforms too sexy (read: not Christian), and how do we cut more taxes.

Texas can't pay for schools, roads, and the state solution to mental health is bus "retards" and "schitzos" to the Houston Greyhound terminal. The Governor had to call the Legislature back into a special session to pay for education, and they didn't even do it.

I cannot tell you how many white haired, too much makeup wearing, perfume smelling, SUV driving, WalMart shopping, Yellow Ribbon wearing grandma and mommie Texans I have heard FORCEFULLY lecturing that they don't care how many church suppers in support of the troops and how much halfhearted barbershop rhetoric they hear about supporting the
President...: things used to be BETTER in Texas. We are BETTER than all of this.

And for anyone not from Texas or not really in touch with what that kind of predominant sentiment from a place like Bastrop really means, it means people feel taken to the bank and plum fucked over.

I was in a local gun shop (not in Bastrop) and overheard a gallery of ranchers bitching about how the Federal govt. is a threat under Bush. One of the guys laughed and said something like "Remember how we used to complain about Clinton was steady trying to take away our gun rights."

And the other dude said "Yeah, but at least we knew he was our enemy from get. This Bush son of a bitch has played us fools."

The other said to the whole store, "I told you he wasn't from Texas. I TOLD y'all!"

I bought the .45 caliber hollow point 230 grain ammunition for my concealed carry sidearm and walked out a happy man.

Democrats will take back Texas and Republicans will struggle for years and years. It is the epicenter of national GOP corruption and this is only the beginning.

Peace... and don't fuck with Texas.

by bastrop on Fri Nov 04, 2005 at 01:08:36 AM EST

"Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." - F.D.R.