“It’s often hard to discern the difference between Texas Tough and Texas Stupid” (Molly Ivins)

The columnist Molly Ivins (1944-2007) was no fan of Texas governor and United States president George W. Bush (whom she nicknamed “Shrub”). Ivins wrote in her column on May 31, 2001 in The Nation, titled “Shrub Flubs His Dub”: “It’s often hard to discern the difference between Texas Tough and Texas Stupid.”
 
“Texas tough” is a term that has been applied to the Texas penal system, or anything that’s more than just “tough.”
 
‘Texas stupid” means very stupid, or more than the average level of stupidity.
 
     
Wikipedia: Molly Ivins
Mary Tyler “Molly” Ivins (August 30, 1944 – January 31, 2007) was a populist American newspaper columnist, political commentator, humorist and bestselling author from Austin, Texas.
 
The Nation
Shrub Flubs His Dub
By Molly Ivins
May 31, 2001
Austin
Oh, sure, blame it on Texas. It’s all our fault Jim Jeffords walked. Many, many people in Washington are assuming “the Texans” in the White House are responsible for this massive screw-up. Whereas everybody in political Austin assumes it. It’s often hard to discern the difference between Texas Tough and Texas Stupid.
       
Corrente
“Texas stupid”
Iraq Clusterfuck Department of All The Damn Gall Texas
Sun, 12/31/2006 - 5:37pm — lambert
(...)
NOTE Pre-emptive strike, here: “Texas Stupid” does not imply that all Texans are stupid; rather, it implies either that in Texas, stupidity is outsized, like everything else; or that there is a brand of stupidity peculiar to Texas. In either case, as Molly Ivins writes, “It’s often hard to discern the difference between Texas Tough and Texas Stupid.” And that was back in 2001.
 
Austin (TX) Chronicle (February 9, 2007)
‘Texas Tough’ Sex Crime Wave Hits the Dome
BY WELLS DUNBAR
(...)
“Two strikes, and you’re out, forever,” said Dewhurst. “There’s tough, and then there’s Texas tough.”
(...) 
As even Dewhurst should know, there’s “Texas tough,” and then there’s Texas stupid.
   
Ironicus Maximus
Monday, March 30, 2009
Texas! Motto: Ain’t No Stupid Like Texas Stupid
Frequent readers of this blog probably need to reevaluate their priorities…er…we mean have enjoyed several previous visits to the Lone Star state with us, most recently to examine Governor Perry’s principled stand against the commie Obama’s free money handout.
     
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
More Texas stupid
Posted by Afrit007 on April 10, 2009
Just when you thought our elected representatives couldn’t get any more stupid, we have this from Texas:...