OCTOBER 20, 2006 1 $2.25 OPENING THE EYES OF TEXAS FOR FIFTY ONE YEARS rison companies scavenge Raymondville BY FORREST WILDER I 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 I I I 1 1 I I ••• •• • •• I II I II I I . • " 1" I I TANN! itAlttaitefeemr... &gam' ISM ,-47041SAllai Wekome to Prisonvil le 1111111 I I 10191 74470 89397 4 \ OCTOBER 20, 2006 own TheTexas Observer ALL ABOUT ANN Molly, I have so loved your writing Didn't know her. Never was in her FEATURES over the years, and this tribute to Our presence. Voted for her before mov- Lady Ann did her so much justice ing to the East Coast in 1991. (Just ["A-men. A-women. A-Ann," October JAILBAIT 8 returned to Texas this spring.) Prison companies profit as 8]. Her voice flowed through yours. For six years I lived in northern Thank you. Raymondville's public debt grows New Jersey. Every time I saw Ann by Forrest Wilder Duana Welch Richards on TV making a visit to New Via e-mail York, my embarrassment at being a Texan lifted briefly. She made me feel DEPARTMENTS I didn't really begin to appreciate Texas proud again. She put a GOOD FACE till I moved to Washington State, right on Texas, something it hasn't had in DIALOGUE 2 as Ann became governor more than six years. Well, more like I never realized what an incredible EDITORIAL 3 12 years, but you get my drift. Political Science woman she was and what loss I feel I am so sad she is gone. What a great now that she is gone. She embodies all human being. POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE 4 that is dear to me about the place. Plus Gayle Childers Denton Molly could not be a better writer for Via e-mail CAPITOL OFFENSE 6 the topic. I love 'em both and thanks Better Debate Than Never for covering someone who is certainly What a wonderful article and great a hero for Texas, a big figure like photos. A nostalgic (and informative) ANDREW WHEAT 12 LBJ, one that stood out in the Texas trip down memory lane of the 30 A Family Affair political scene that actually tried to years I lived in Austin. make a difference. MOLLY IVINS 14 Thank you, Molly Ivins! Ring the Bell for a Texas Democrat Brian Cobb Linda Davidge Olympia, WA San Jose, CA JIM HIGHTOWER 15 Cleaning Up Congressional Corruption DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS Sadly, we have two corrections to report from our October 6 issue: OPEN FORUM 16 The Wizard of Os In "Houston, We Have Hope for Denis," we misspelled the last name of by Ronnie Dugger the Democratic candidate for House District 133. Our apologies to Kristi Thibaut. BOOKS & CULTURE In "A-Men. A-Women. A-Ann.," we were off by two years in dating the Newt Gingrich and Co. takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives. It was 1994, POETRY 21 by David Garza not 1992. In our defense, it seems like they've been in power forever. We regret the errors. CORMAC MCCARTHY 22 IMAGINES THE END by Steven G. Kellman Statement Of Ownership, Management And Circulation The Texas Observer (541-300), 307 W 7th St., Austin, TX 78701, is published biweekly, except OUT OF AFRICA 24 during January and August when there is a 4 week break between issues (24 issues annually) by David Theis for a subscription price of $32.00. Publisher, The Texas Democracy Foundation; Executive Editor, Jake Bernstein, Editor Barbara Belejack;. Owner: The Texas Democracy Foundation, 307 SWEET, CIVILIZED, AND SAPPED 28 W. 7th St., Austin, TX 78701. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average Data and for Issue by James E. McWilliams Date 9/23/05. (a) Total Number of Copies: avg. 8345, actual 8700. (b) Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (b l) Paid or Requested Mail Subscriptions Outside-County: avg. 6617, actual 7637; (b2) Paid or Requested Mail'Subscriptions In-County: avg. 866, actual 0; (b3) Other Non-USPS AFTERWORD 31 Paid Distribution: avg. 90, actual 90; (b4) Other Classes Mailed Through USPS: avg. 0, actual iLas Manitas Pam Siempre! 0. (c) Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: avg. 7573, actual 7727. (d) Free Distribution by by Jim Hightower Mail: (dl) Outside-County: avg. 144, actual 344; (d2) In-County: avg. 73, actual 0; (d3) Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS: avg. 90, actual 200. (e) Free Distribution Outside the Mail: Cover illustration by Matt Bors avg. 28, actual 0. (f) Total Free Distribution: avg. 329, actual 544. (g) Total Distribution: avg. 7903, actual 8700. (h) Copies Not Distributed: avg. 442, actual 429. (i) Total: avg. 8345, actual 8271. (j) Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: avg. 96%, actual 93%. Signed Lara George, Circulation Manager, 10/17/05. 2 THE TEXAS OBSERVER OCTOBER 20, 2006 EDITORIAL Political Science exas Democrats are having And yet somehow Democrats can't attack a legless Vietnam veteran— trouble convincing them- quite believe. It's not that Democrats Georgia's Max Cleland—as soft on ter- selves that victory is within don't see what a decade of Republican rorism? As revolutionaries they disdain reach this election cycle— rule has wrought—and fear for the the rules and would rather attack straw even though the evidence is future because of it. Hell, most of the men than participate in real debates. everywhere. One of the few country feels that way. Public opinion From a distance, they seemed a likeable Tfacts that seem to unite a majority of of the White House and the Republican bunch. Only now, among the American the voting population is that they don't Congress is in the toilet. In Texas, electorate, familiarity has bred contempt. like Governor Rick Perry. In the state Democrats understand better than It's clear the Uniter-Not-the-Divider House, only four Democratic pickups Republicans that the budget choices wears no clothes. Even the court herald (not an impossibility) could signal the of today will determine the social and Bob Woodward has declared it thus. end of Speaker Tom Craddick's reign. economic realities of tomorrow. Three Maybe Democrats refuse to believe Nationally, the Democrats need 15 seats decades from now the state can be a because their candidates project the to retake the U.S. House. There could booming economic powerhouse or an earnestness of do-gooders rather than be as many as 40 contested House anarchic third-world economy depend- the magnetic certainty of the radical. races at the end of the day. A few are ing on how seriously Texas takes its Take for example gubernatorial candi- turning into easy wins: Republican health care and education responsi- date Chris Bell. The man doesn't have money has refused to compete with bilities at this moment. Add Perry's much Elvis, just a stubborn confidence Nick Lampson for Tom DeLay's Sugar contributor-driven agenda of the Trans- and the promise of common sense over Land seat; the GOP candidate is a Texas Corridor and school vouchers ideology. The other side has perfect hair write-in. The felonious sleaze from the and the stakes this Election Day are and a sheen of folksy charm. Even Bell's Jack Abramoff scandal has already sent clear. In Washington, Democratic con- independent challengers have funny Republican Congressman Bob Ney into trol of the House means, above all, one-liners and fiery stump speeches. "I retirement and soon to jail. The Mark oversight. A functioning intelligence liked Bell;' one political science gradu- Foley-Congressional Page scandal is system in perilous times, constitutional ate in San Marcos told the Texas State threatening to engulf a number of GOP rights like habeas corpus, and societal University Star after the Texas guber- members including, ironically, the compacts like social security all hang natorial debate, "but I don't think he chairman of the National Republican in the balance. has what it takes to be elected as far as Congressional Campaign, Rep. Tom Still Democrats hesitate. Republicans charisma goes." Reynolds. The Senate is also in reach. have spent the past decade beating The simple truth is that if Democrats The Republican National Committee Democrats like redheaded stepchil- just went to the polls this November has all but abandoned Pennsylvania, dren. The minority party has the aspect 7 and voted for their candidates, Rick Montana, and Rhode Island. They've set of the whipped dog about them. The Perry and his ilk would be history. It's up a "firewall" strategy to try and hold Republicans are masterful campaigners; apathy and cynicism, not Republicans, onto Ohio, Tennessee, and Missouri. brazen and ruthless. Who else would that are the true enemies of change. ■ THE TEXAS OBSERVER I VOLUME 98, NO. 20 I A Journal of Free Voices Since 1954 Founding Editor Ronnie Dugger James McWilliams, Char Miller, USPS 541300), entire contents copy- rates on request. Microfilm available Executive Editor Jake Bernstein Debbie Nathan, Karen Olsson, righted ©2006, is published biweekly from University Microfilms Intl., 300 N. Editor Barbara Belejack John Ross, Andrew Wheat =r except during January and August Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. when there is a 4 week break between Associate Editor Dave Mann Staff Photographers Indexes The Texas Observer is indexed Publisher Charlotte McCann issues (24 issues per year) by the Alan Pogue, Jana Birchum, Texas Democracy Foundation, a 501(c)3 in Access: The Supplementary Index Associate Publisher Julia Austin Steve Satterwhite to Periodicals; Texas Index and, for Circulation Manager Lara George non-profit foundation, 307 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Telephone the years 1954 through 1981, The Texas Art Director/Webmaster Matt Omohundro Contributing Artists Observer Index.