Let Us Learn. Or Make Us Pray. DON'T Heart Huckabee.

About 14 years ago, here in the great state of Texas, we had a remarkably progressive Governor who was gearing up to run for re-election. Her likely challenger was the doofus son of a former president. No one really gave him much of a chance. After all, he was kind of a simpleton. He had never held elected office. He had never really had much interest in politics beyond partying at the White House. And everything he’d ever touched in his professional life had been a COLOSSAL failure. (Foreshadowing, anyone?)

But now, he was born again. Clean and sober. And the next thing you know GW and his loverly librarian wife are in THE FUCKING WHITE HOUSE?!?!?!?!?

I throw this out as a cautionary tale. Lots of smarties are shaking their heads at the Right Reverend Huckabee. (Seriously, people, this is what we should be calling him. By his own perception, he is guided more by God than by Governance, so why not drop the bullshit Gov. title and call him what he is).

My fear is that we are not taking the Huckabee threat seriously. Through whatever excuses we care to offer, we Smart-Americans allowed the stupid people to ambush us. Twice. We shake our heads and wonder how we could elect someone as ridiculously stupid as GW, but there is a fair likelihood that RR Huck will take the Republican nomination.

And that, my friends, is a frightening thought. I’m sure you’ve seen the latest quotes? Huckabee wants to remove one of the fundamental tenets of the Constitution, namely the separation of church and state.

He thinks gay marriage is on par with bestiality. Ironically, as loyal readers know, bestiality is legal in 19 more states than gay marriage. I’m betting his home state of Ar-kin-saw is on that list. Maybe that explains his confusion.

I could go on and on (actually, I kind of already have!), but know this: Huckabee wants America to be ruled by “God’s law.”

So much for “land of the free.”

Now let’s make sure it’s still the “home of the brave.” Encourage the Republicans you know (admit it, you know a couple) to denounce Huckabee. I don’t know why it is, but it seems the less education you have, the louder you scream, the more you want uninformed vitriol to be heard.

Maybe it’s that everything seems black and white when you’re stupid. Maybe as you get more learnin’ you discover all these nuances and shades of gray.

Simple people want to keep it simple. But sometimes it's just not. Sometimes it's VERY complicated. Which is why we MUST elect smart people. And to do that, smart people need to get off their asses.

Second, make sure you contribute, campaign and vote. When you’re having cocktails or folks over for dinner, let politics in the room. Having a spirited conversation about the issues facing our country may have been considered impolite by our parents, but it is critical now.

And when someone says that Sens. Clinton and Obama are “unelectable” make them explain why. I’m shocked at how many people repeat this old saw as if it’s carved in stone. If we WANT them to be electable, they will be.

And as much as I love fodder for this blog, I would love even more for America to not be the butt of an international joke anymore.

Smart-Americans, it's time to fight. Are you with me?