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Thomas Frank in his seminal book, "What's the Matter With Kansas," explains how propaganda promulgated by extreme right-wing groups use wedge issues (abortion, immigration, undeserving folks getting government handouts, gay rights, women's rights, etc.) to get ordinary people to vote against their best economic and social interests. That $32 trillion national debt has gone mostly into the pockets of the wealthy, at the expense of 98% of our population. The Right uses culture wars to drain our treasury.

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You just described Texas, it's not just Kansas anymore.

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I know. I am a 6th generation Texan. My family was among the first white settlors of Texas, arriving in 1830. My great, great uncle, William Depriest Sutherland, age 18, was one of those who died at the Alamo. Some of my cousins now support Texit and some only get their "info" from OAN, Fox and Newsmax. I joined the U.S. Army in 1960, was sent to Monterey, California to learn Chinese at the Army Language School. For me, California was "The Promised Land." I was born in Uvalde and started school there. Miss Annie Robb was a 3rd grade teacher there in 1946-1947. My family moved from Uvalde during the mid part of my 2nd grade so I was never in her class. She wasn't much taller than her students, white haired even then.

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Love the story, keep telling it and be proud Richard . There are a lot of you , and other Texans , aware of what’s going on , the dangers it promotes, who will vote knowing to chose wisely not following the circus act. Thanks you for speaking out! ❤️☮️

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Thank you, Patricia. I am telling more in my reply to Dianna.

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Great family history. Genealogy can make fools of the people who think that there are "pure" anything. We all are mutts,, pretty much

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I’ve loved a lot of ‘mutts’ , Jeri. Have no shame in saying/being ‘ in the fold’. And truly feel compelled to go out and search for the one lost hoping the 99 are safe during my ‘quest’.😉

Love your posts too. Thanks for your wonderful efforts.

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Thank you, from one mutt to another…

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The Texas War of Independence was fought because the white settlors wanted to keep slaves and Santa Anna objected. My great grandfather's brother was the one who died at the Alamo. It was a high price to pay. Our family has a two volumne genealogy put together in the 1950's. Of course, this cousin is not included, neither are some of those who were given up for adoption at birth (out of wedlock) and are just now learning what a huge family they have. We welcome them with open arms.

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Great history your family has!!

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My family history gets more interesting in a number of respects. My great, great uncle, William Depriest Sutherland, had a younger brother, Thomas Shelton Sutherland who became my great grandfather. He was a slave owner and had a daughter with one of his slaves around 1850. We have now connected with her great, great granddaughter through DNA. I have wanted to get together with her as does my cousin, Christy Carpenter, the daughter of my cousin, Liz Sutherland Carpenter. But, she's not up to it at this time. So, perhaps in time.

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And, in addition to Thomas Franks' book, there is the one by Nancy MacLean entitled "Democracy in Chains," described as The deep history of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America," a piercing examination of the Right's relentless campaign to eliminate unions, suppress voting, privatize public education, stop action on climate change and alter the constitution."

In a word - we've got trouble, big time. They've got a 40-year lead on us.

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Indeed they do, and they have set the stage for further cheating. Thanks for MacLean ref.

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Nancy is very good and thorough. She puts to rest any question about whether we're striving to save our democracy. I feel that our goal is that articulated by Frances Perkins last century: "The people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to provide all the people undere its jurisdiction the best possible life." And, add to that Albert Einstein's theory of government: "I am an adherent of the ideal of democracy , although I well know the weaknesses of the democratic form of government. Social equality and economic protection of the individual appeared to me always as the important ommunal aims of the state." We're at war with those who want a white Christian oligarchical autocracy.

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And Florida, Idaho, Arkansas, Mississippi, Indiana, Utah and a few others.

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