SocraticGadfly: Elect #GregAbbott, elect an accomplice to murder

October 08, 2014

Elect #GregAbbott, elect an accomplice to murder

Cameron Todd Willingham, executed by the state of Texas
in the name of junk pseudoscience, political pandering and
legal and personal arrogance. / Photo from PBS
While Rick Perry deserves the primary responsibility for the killing of Cameron Todd Willingham, as Frontline points out (with a new addendum about jailhouse snitch Johnny Webb), Greg Abbott as attorney general deserves his share of blame. That much is quite clear, with more detail here.

Both of them deserve additional blame for an obnoxious self-righteous stubbornness that refuses to ever admit they're wrong. In Abbott's case that same obnoxious self-righteous stubbornness leads him to continue to "sue Obama" over reproductive choice, the environment, and more and waste state money (while losing case after case) to continue to defend an unconstitutional, and unconscionable, school finance system as well as other school issues, and more.

How much more, and in how many ways, will that same obnoxious self-righteous stubbornness out of a Gov. Greg Abbott, continue to harm Texas? Sadly, this is one issue that's not gotten a peep of mention from the Wendy Davis campaign, even with the revelations of Webb happening in just the last few months.

That, though, doesn't really surprise me.

In her pander rightward, Davis has talked very little about criminal justice issues. Hell, she pulled punches on the legalization of pot ... more than Rick Perry.

These issues easily could have been brought up by her. The Frontline episode first ran this spring. Then came Webb's allegations this summer. And now, the repeat of the Frontline episode.

But Davis, like most Dems who pander rightward looking for conservative votes, especially likes to fish in the "tough on crime" waters. Or, at least, not to fish in the "rights of the accused" waters.

And hence, the silence over Willingham, the week knees on marijuana, the lack of discussion about private prisons, and more. All of those elements after the Willingham one would especially appeal to minority voters who traditionally were part of the Democratic base.

But, this isn't your father's, or FDR's, or LBJ's, Democratic party.

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