A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?

Subject: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: Genie
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 10:33 PM

OK, I know maybe this thread should be in B(reeze) S(hooting), but it IS about a musician -- and a "folk singer" of sorts: Kinky Friedman.

If you watched 60 Minutes tonight, you know Kinky is running for Governor of Texas as an independent.   

I figure if Jimmie Davis could be the "singing Governor" of Louisiana -- two non-consecutive terms -- then why not Kinky as one for Texas?

I can just imagine the innauguration ball, with songs like "They Ain't Making Jews Like Jesus Any More," "Asshole from El Paso," and "Ride 'Em, Jew Boy" as theme songs. LOL

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: Pauline L
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 10:42 PM

Do you remember what Tom Lehrer said about Ronald Reagan when he was governor of California? Someone who can "give the public a song and dance."

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: number 6
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 10:43 PM

I saw that segment tonite also Genie ... why not have Kinky as Governor is what I say ... the innauguration would something like Texas hasn't seen in a long, long time!

sIx

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: Genie
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 10:56 PM

At least Kinky plays guitar better than George W. Bush! LOL

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: number 6
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 10:59 PM

Right on there !!

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 11:30 PM

That wasn't Ronald Regan in that song, that was George Murphy.

Hollywood's often tried to mix
Show business with politics,
From Helen Gahagan
To Ronald Reagan,
But Mister Murphy is the star
Who's done the best by far.

Oh gee, it's great,
At last we've got a Senator who can
Really sing and dance!
We can't expect America
To win against its foes
With no one in the Senate who
Can really tap his toes.

The movies that you've seen
On your television screen
Show his legislative talents at a glance.
Should Americans pick crops? George says "No,
'Cause no one but a Mexican would stoop so low."
And after all, even in Egypt, the pharaohs
Had to import
Hebrew braceros.

Think of all the musicals we have in store.
Imagine: Broadway Melody of 1984.
Yes, now that he's a Senator, he's really got the chance
To give the public
A song and dance!


Kinky is an Independent and Carole Keeton Strayhorn is an Independent. She has done some half-way decent work, but I wish she'd chosen a party because it would make it easier for Friedman to win. Anything to get rid of that incompetent Brylcreem guy Perry.

SRS

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: GUEST,Texas Guest
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 12:01 AM

Unfortunately most of the folks who will elect a governor for Texas lack the knowledge, concern and care to cast a vote for an individual who could make a positive difference in two vital areas of concern in Texas - education and the environment. After all, we sent the other forty-nine states our thimble-wit from Austin back in 2000 and look what he's done for us - any questions?

The Kinkster's got my vote, but all that means is unfortunately he won't be elected; we'll end up with another thimble-wit, male or female, #1 or #2. Fortunately we have a "mute" button on our t.v. controller here at home; but, come to think of it, Perry and Strayhorn won't be running campaign ads on PBS now, will they? Always look on the bright side of life. Cheers.

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: Genie
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 01:30 PM

Yeah, TG, but thimble-wit had Karl Rove behind the curtain pulling the strings (as part of the strategy to take the White House eventually). Will The Rovester be doing this kind of thing re the TX gubernatorial race now?

I fear you're right -- my favorite candidates usually lose, too -- but Kinky has an advantage, publicity-wise, over other non-politicians. He's an entertainer, semi-famous, and (maybe most importantly) very controversial.   

Of course, I hope he doesn't act as a spoiler. But, given his stance on some things like prayer in the school and posting the Ten Commandments on courthouses, he may be a spoiler on both sides of the spectrum. (Somehow, I doubt that he's anti-NRA, either.)

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 02:42 PM

Yeah, I saw the 60 Minutes feature last night and it almost made we wish I lived in Texas so I could vote for him.

If I remember his remark correctly: "Politics is the only field where the more experience you have, the worse you are!"

Self-evident, but someone needs to say it--and KEEP saying it!

It takes me back to Paul Woodruff's book, First Democracy : The Challenge of an Ancient Idea, in which Woodruff describes the parts of Athenian democracy that really worked well. One of the better ideas was that public officials were not elected by a system of parties, candidates, and a popular vote (which the Athenians knew could be very quickly cobbled and corrupted), but from the citizenry at large—by lottery. This way, there could be no "professional" or "career" politicians. In Athens, public education was excellent, and Athenian citizens were charged with the responsibility—as their civic duty—of keeping up on current affairs, because they might suddenly find themselves in office, selected at random by the lottery. At the end of their term of office, a jury of 501 citizens (deemed too big to bribe and also selected by lottery) would examine the citizen-official's record in office and either honor him or ostracize him on the basis of his performance.

Athenian democracy had a lot of flaws. It was men only (women not allowed to participate, although there were many men at the time who said that this was not only wrong, but an egregious waste of intellectual power) and some wealthy Athenians kept slaves (there were also those who protested against this). But what they did well, they did very well indeed!

Worth thinking about.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: A 'Singing Governor' for Texas?
From: Ron Davies
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 10:18 PM

Texas already had one, I think. A colorful character but a worm of the first order.

"Pappy" O'Daniel, a carpetbagger from Kansas, wrote poetry and songs, I believe sang, or at least read poetry on the air to instrumental accompaniment. An aw-shucks guy who seduced the mothers of Texas by purring to them on the radio how noble they were, and won the support of lots of ordinary citizens by running against the political establishment with snake-oil ideas about providing social security etc., ideas he never intended to carry out, being actually indebted to the oil industry--the obvious source of funding for these schemes.

Among other things, before his Texas political career he tried to prevent Bob Wills from getting radio jobs, after he had fired him (for cause). Also sued Bob for $10,000 in 1933.

Then later, beat LBJ for Senate, since as a strict dry-state man, the beer interests thought he'd be less trouble in the Senate than staying as governor--so they arranged for the late votes necessary to beat LBJ after he had announced the total of his votes.

Kinky's got to be better than that.