Remember back in 2003, when the lead singer of the Dixie Chicks Natalie Maines said during a concert that she was ashamed the President of the United States was from Texas.
Her shame wasn't based on the fact that George W. Bush lied us into an unnecessary war or was squandering the federal budget surplus he inherited from President Clinton. She was ashamed of W because he was so damned dumb.
Unfortunately, the Dixie Chicks were blacklisted by radio stations across America after Natalie merely stated the obvious. How could anyone dispute that W wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer? Afterall, he's the guy who said: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
Who can forget when W asked Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso this brilliant question in 2001: "Do you have blacks, too?"
Let's face it, W was a late night comedian's best friend. He had more flubs than Donald Trump has bad hairs on his head. But I guess lots of Americans (particularly the willfully ignorant who make up the GOP's base) are enamored with stupid. They embrace it, celebrate it...but just don't want anybody calling them or their leaders up on it.
Although I live in Florida now, I'm originally from Texas. Like the Dixie Chicks, I'm ashamed that W is from Texas. But really, it didn't begin or end with him. W is just one of the many in a long list of embarrassingly dumb politicians elected by my fellow Texans. Let's see, for starters there's Dick Armey, Tom DeLay, Rick Perry and the latest bird who flew over the cuckoo's nest en route to Washington -- Senator Ted Cruz.
For a minute, I was chuckling at the prospect of the GOP nominating Perry as its 2012 presidential candidate. I see him as W, Jr. But somehow the GOP wised up and kicked him to the curb after he exposed that he's probably too dumb to be President even by Republican standards.
Who can forget this disastrous, yet priceless and revealing moment at a Presidential Debate when Perry completely disqualified himself by saying: "I will tell you, it is three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, Education, and the -- What's the third one there? Let's see… The third agency of government I would -- I would do away with Education, the -- Commerce and, let's see. I can't. The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops."
He still hasn't figured out what the third agency is. But not to worry, Texans have sent someone to Washington who will make Perry and W seem like the children of Einstein: Senator Ted Cruz, known as the thinking man's tea partier. Not quite a badge of distinction in my book.
He embellished his "I'm not smart" credentials even before winning election in November by reportedly saying he was "thankful" for Hurricane Isaac because it's caused VP Joe Biden to cancel a campaign swing through Florida. Blatantly insulting the LGBT community, Cruz served Chick-Fil-A sandwiches at his primary victory party. As Mother Jones reported, Cruz and RWNJ Glenn Beck believe that a United Nations treaty, called Agenda 21, “will force Americans to live in ‘hobbit homes’ and forcibly relocate residents from rural areas into densely populated urban cores.” Cruz believes Medicaid is unconstitutional, called Social Security a ponzi scheme and campaigned on how he helped the State of Texas kill an illegal alien. Pure lunacy.
Other stupid things Cruz has said:
"When a mayor of a city chooses twice to march in a parade celebrating gay pride that's a statement and it's not a statement I agree with."
“Sharia Law is an enormous problem.”
"I think President Obama is the most radical president this nation's ever seen."
“I’m pretty certain Mitt Romney actually French-kissed Barack Obama (during their third debate).”
Reckless. Ridiculous. Just plain ignorant. But Sarah Palin was so impressed she endorsed him in his bid for the U.S. Senate.
Hey, are we sure Sarah Palin isn't from Texas? Even if she's not, if she moves there, she's more than dumb enough to win an election. Texans seem to have a penchant for electing dumbbells. And so does my adopted state of Florida. See Rick Scott.