Wendy Davis (1)

How to express what this book means to me, to my loved ones, to my Texas? If you think you know the whole story, I promise you, you don't. If you are a woman or love a woman, or have a sister or daughter or mother, you need to read this book.

Read it to gain understanding of what happens to women because they are women. Read it for inspiration on education. Read it for a very interesting civics/ government lesson. Read it for the inside story on the dramatic filibuster last year. It will sadden you, inspire you, and fill you with hope. It might even make you mad enough to stand up and do something.

There are not many Wendy Davises out there. I don't think I could have done what she did. And I worry for my daughter's generation as they face no choices. Most women, especially now in battleground Texas will not be able to rise above and gain education rather than sink in the hopelessness of poverty like modern day Fantines.

Stay with me for a minute as I go to that place that ties us all up - with good reason - but I have a different point. Did you know that as of this month there are less than 8 open abortion clinics in the state of Texas? And that we lawyers are already hearing of girls - who can afford it - going to Oklahoma? Texas is about to have a baby boom. We have balanced our budget by: cutting funding to education, to women's clinics and needs, and to the poor. We have refused the federal government's Medicaid plan. And we have closed down abortion clinics. (I guarantee you that we are headed back to the back room very dangerous abortion days. I'm not talking morality here. I'm just being pragmatic). We are a border state. And now we are about to have a baby boom. Can someone please tell me what is the plan if we continue in this course? What are we going to do with these huddled masses, these poor? Deny them healthcare. Deny them education. (Welcome to the state that ranks 49th. But hey! We have some fantastic football stadiums!) And ensure that their reproduction rate soars. Keep them in their place. The Perfect Storm. Unless we learn to speak up like this person has.

Women -and you men who love us- we have got to stop being silent and ignoring the issues. This is the wakeup call. The title of the book is perfect because so many women are afraid, for good reason. I know it took me a long time to learn to not be afraid, and I'm still learning it. This book has helped me on that journey.… (meer)

This book is worth reading.
I have read books by political leaders, prior to upcoming elections they are involved in. Usually each author has a different style and that is present here.

Usually a full length book by a current political leader will enlighten the reader on a few things he or she has missed, as well as provide a more detailed character and personality of the author than the reader had before reading the book. This is very true with this book.

John McCain's two books and Barak Obama's books are about the same style and both authors provide a good insight on their values.
Hillary Clinton's recent book about her State Department years and Wendy Davis' book however represent completely different styles, with different focus on the type of content. In Mrs. Clinton's recent book you get a detailed reference on the government foreign policies she helped put in place and a few details of foreign dignitaries. Wendy Davis chose to focus on beliefs and the people and events that influenced her beliefs. These events are told chronologically as a biography and the reader can see what life experiences she had that provided her with detailed experience on some topics. She describes her school experience from kindergarten through Harvard Law School. She describes her work experiences from waitress through corporate lawyer. She covers marriages from her grandparents through her own. She describes child raising through experience, and she describes her role representing voters during the various positions she has won election to.

Toward the end of the book she discusses the dilemma encountered by most elected officials,, that of desiring to do what they feel is right, what their voters want done, and what their political party desires be done. Often the three choices are not well aligned. Wendy Davis comes across in this book as John McCain does, as an independent thinker. Both try to educate the public and their respective political parties of what they feel is the best public policy Educating the public comes out in the Hillary Clinton book also but more so in Wendy Davis' book. In the end both John Cccain and Wendy Davis honor the voters who elected them, but I like that effort of trying to align the parties and voters on what policy seems best prior to the vote on the policy.
I recommend this book , especially tor Texas readers. I would also probably recommend a book by or on Greg Abbott, also running for Texas governor but I'm not aware of one at the moment.… (meer)