Alternate History The State of the Future TL

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McDaniel
3:37 PM CST, Wednesday, November 5th, 1986
James E. Rudder State Office Building, Austin, TX

May 25th, 1984: Governor White with incoming General Counsel Leslie Benitez & outgoing General Counsel (later TX Secretary of State) Myra McDaniel during press conference inside the Reception Room of the Governor's Office at the TX State Capitol in Austin.
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It was a packed conference room inside the James Earl Rudder State Office Building in downtown Austin, where TX Secretary of State Myra McDaniel addressed reporters on the uncertainty of the hotly-contested TX gubernatorial election of 1986. "I understand there is serious allegations of voter intimidation, aggressive tactics in terms of not putting polling stations in particular precincts, voters not getting put in their proper voting precinct, disenfranchisement, etc., I want to be very & strongly clear: there is no place for voting intimidation, disenfranchising Texans of their basic right to vote in elections, or any other disgusting, despicable act of heinous sinister intent of any kind whatsoever. After discussion with our legal team of the TX Secretary of State's Office & procedures in moving forward, I have concluded that there will be a statewide recount in all 254 counties beginning sometime this week. More details will come out later on this week as we're going to cross our I's & dot our T's until we can officially declare a winner."

 

[49ersfootball]

Results of Statewide Offices
Wednesday, November 5th, 1986
Austin, TX
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TX Governor (100% of the Precincts reporting)
Mark W. White, Jr., (D-incumbent): 1,913,446 (49.56%)
William P. Clements, Jr., (R): 1,912,938 (49.40%)
*Statewide Recount underway in all 254 counties.

TX Lieutenant Governor (100% of the Precincts reporting)
William P. "Bill" Hobby, Jr., (D): 2,032,781 (61.37%)✔
David Davidson (R): 1,231,858 (37.19%)

TX State Attorney General (100% of the Precincts reporting)
James A. "Jim" Mattox (D-incumbent): 1,735,820 (51.58%)✔
Roy Barera, Jr., (R): 1,588,464 (47.20%)

TX Comptroller of Public Accounts (100% of the Precincts reporting)
Robert D. "Bob" Bullock (D-incumbent): 2,416,658 (90.02%)✔
George Meeks (LIB): 267,872 (9.98%)

TX Commissioner of General Land Office (100% of the Precincts Reporting)
Garry Mauro (D-incumbent): 1,975,042 (61.36%)✔
MD Anderson (R): 1,180,815 (36.69%)

TX Commissioner of Agriculture (100% of the Precincts reporting)
Jim Hightower (D-incumbent): 1,948,736 (59.93%)✔
Bill Powers (R): 1,238,436 (38.16%)

TX State Treasurer (100% of the Precincts reporting)
Dorothy "Ann" Willis Richards (D-incumbent): 2,425,836 (91.68%)✔
Robert F. Reid (LIB): 220,024 (8.32%)

TX Railroad Commissioner-Place 2 (100% of the Precincts Reporting)
John Sharp (D): 1,939,596 (57.38)✔
Milton Fox (R): 1,328,199 (38.40%)

 

[49ersfootball]

The Long Statewide Recount.....
9:58 AM CST, Monday, November 17th, 1986
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It had been less than 13 days since Election Day & 16 million Texans still didn't know who won the 1986 TX Gubernatorial election between incumbent TX Governor Mark Wells White, Jr., (D) & former TX Governor William Perry Clements, Jr., (R). Election administration officials from all 254 counties had been tasked by the TX Secretary of State's office to conduct a major statewide mass recount & full-scale canvassing of votes, making sure none of them had any irregularities to combat allegations of voter fraud, possible voter intimidation allegations, etc.,

While the other down-ballot statewide offices were decided on November 4th from Lieutenant Governor all the way to the TX Court of Criminal Appeals including legislative & countywide elections, the main topic of discussion was the Gubernatorial election of 1986: many Texans asked "Who could've won the Governorship ?" "What's taking them so long to declare a winner ?" "How long will Texans have to wait until official certification ?"

This major full-scale statewide recount would continue to drag on for the remainder of the month & possibly dragging into December 1986.....

 

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BREAKING NEWS: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LONGHORNS FOOTBALL COACH FRED AKERS FIRED AFTER 10 SEASONS WITH (88-30-1) OVERALL RECORD INCLUDING 1 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (1983) & 3 SWC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1977, 1981, 1983)
11:27 AM CST, Saturday, November 29th, 1986

In a not so surprising move, the University of Texas at Austin System Board of Regents voted to fire Texas Longhorns Football Coach Fred Akers after 10 seasons with 1 national championship (1983) & 3 SWC conference championships (1977, 1981, 1983).

On Saturday, Akers became the first coach in the 93-year history of the school's football program to be dismissed.

He posted the third-best won-lost record in the history of the Southwestern Conference, but his final team had the Longhorns' first losing season in 30 years.

Akers was not present at the news conference in Austin, where University of Texas Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds announced Akers' dismissal. Akers spoke with CBS Sports in a halftime broadcast interview during the Southern Cal/Notre Dame game that he was surprised & disappointed with the decision to fire him.

 

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Clements Campaign's Strategy in the statewide recount
3:18 PM CST, Saturday, November 28th, 1986
Dallas, TX

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While at his residence in Dallas, former TX Governor William P. Clements, Jr., (R) was working aggressive strategies in combating voter fraud allegations that had been popping up in some of the state's largest cities particularly Houston. GOP strategist Karl Rove, US Treasury Secretary James A. Baker, former US Rep. Kent Hance (D-TX) & several others were inside Clements' study office & they discussed the ongoing situation with the long statewide recount in all 254 counties.

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Rove & several of his fellow GOP strategists continued to engage in numerous attempts to stop the recount, overturning the results by filing 63 lawsuits across the Lone Star State in several counties (all of whom were dismissed or withdrawn), some GOPers had gone so far as to spreading conspiracy theories alleging fraud, pressuring state election officials & legislators to change the results in Clements' favor, pressuring the US Justice Department to declare the 1986 TX Gubernatorial election "corrupt" & intervene, objecting to the certification of the results in the TX State Capitol among other manipulative tactics....

During the long dragged-out Election Night of November 4th, Clements asserted without evidence that there was "tremendous corruption & fraud going on," adding: "If you count the legal votes, I easily won this election by a lot. Now if you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal this election from us & we cannot allow that to happen!"

 

[49ersfootball]

Governor White
3:35 PM CST, Sunday, November 29th, 1986
Somewhere in Dripping Springs, TX

November 23rd, 1986: Governor White speaking with reporters before heading to Thanksgiving holiday break.
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During this long-dragged out statewide recount, Governor White & his family were spending time at the private summer retreat in Dripping Springs outside of Austin for the Thanksgiving holiday break. It was a much-needed time for the White's to spend the Thanksgiving holiday together because of the constant group of TV reporters barging on the grounds of the TX Governor's Mansion in Austin in the aftermath of November 4th. At the same time, Governor White was in contact with senior members of his campaign management team, getting detailed updates & also hiring lawyers to stop possible voting intimidation efforts from restless, triggered Clements supporters, etc.,

White also along with TX Secretary of State Myra McDaniel, both recused themselves from the entire process. Daniel, who had to certify the election results, said she would certify any final result presented to her after the full statewide recount. Many politicians on both political parties & the press praised White & McDaniel for their respectable handling of the ongoing situation. However, United States Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) already began putting White on full-blast: accusing the Governor of having the TX Secretary of State's office & local elections administration officials of undermining the will of Texans & intentionally rigging votes on behalf of the Governor's reelection campaign. The White campaign, however, chose not to dignify that attack with any response.

 

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TX Supreme Court's bombshell ruling....
4:00 PM CST, Sunday, December 7th, 1986
TX Supreme Court Building, Austin, TX.

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All eyes were turning toward the TX Supreme Court to do something as the long-dragged statewide recount & canvassing continued non-stop. On November 30th, the TX Secretary of State's office certified Governor White as the winner of the 1986 Gubernatorial election. Clements formally contested the certified results. A state court decision overruling Clements was reversed by the TX Court of Appeals, which ordered a recount of over 70,000 ballots previously rejected as undervotes by machine counters. The US Supreme Court decided not to get involved in what they viewed as a "state matter". However, the TX Supreme Court immediately halted that order the next day, with TX Supreme Court Place 4 Raul A. Gonzalez (D) issuing a concurring opinion that "the counting of votes that are questionable legality does in my view threaten irreparable harm to petitioner" (White).

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On December 7th, the TX Supreme Court ruled in a per curiam decision (asserted as 8-1 vote) that the TX Court of Appeals overstepped their judicial authority & were illegal in over-reaching. The TX Supreme Court went further that requesting a statewide recount of ballots in all 254 counties was unconstitutional on equal protection grounds, & in a 9-0 vote reversed the original decision by a local state district judge. With only three HRS remaining until the December 14th deadline, the TX Supreme Court's order effectively ended the full statewide recount & the official certification total held altogether.

 

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11:00 AM CST BREAKING NEWS: 1986 TX GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION HAS BEEN DETERMINED: TX GOVERNOR MARK WELLS WHITE, JR., (D) REELECTED BY SUPER RAZOR-THIN MARGIN; DETAILS COMING IN....
Monday, December 8th, 1986
TX Governor's Mansion, Austin, TX.

Governor White congratulated by Lieutenant Governor Hobby & Speaker Lewis at the TX Governor's Mansion in Austin after being officially declared the winner of the 1986 TX Gubernatorial election.
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Over a month after the election, all of the 3.9 million ballots cast in TX were thoroughly & successfully recounted without difficulty. On the morning of December 7th, all 254 counties reported to the TX Secretary of State's office in Austin their findings & developments. The election board led by TX Secretary of State Myra McDaniel certified the final outcome the next morning. The reported result was:

TX Governor (Statewide Recount & Recanvassing)
Mark W. White, Jr., (D-incumbent): 1,957,646 (49.51%)✔
William P. Clements, Jr., (R): 1,956,021 (49.49%)

Inside the TX Governor's Mansion, Governor White sat back in his rocking chair & grinned to both Lieutenant Governor Hobby & Speaker Lewis. "We did it. We actually did it!" gleefully said White with a sense of satisfaction. "With all of the damming proof of Clements & his cronies over at the SMU Board of Governors heavily involved in the pay-to-play corruption schemes involving the football program over there, he won't be in the Governor's Mansion again. His sorry ass will be in the big house if I have anything to say about it." Hobby laughed heartidly, reached over & patted White on the back. Hobby was of course excited that White had been reelected in spite of the negative headwinds facing him. Hobby & many others campaigned heavily for him in the closing stretch & the work successfully paid off. It was a job well done. But secretly, Hobby realized that White all but declared his intention of seeking a 3rd term in 1990 & that his own political career was coming toward a close as many ambitious politicos such as TX Comptroller of Public Accounts Bob Bullock (D) & TX State Treasurer Ann Richards (D) were both gunning for the Lieutenant Governorship in just 4 years.

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BREAKING NEWS: FORMER TX GOVERNOR WILLIAM P. CLEMENTS, JR., (R) CONCEDES 1986 TX GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION
12:00 PM CST, Tuesday, December 9th, 1986
Dallas, TX.

Former TX Governor William P. Clements, Jr., (R) concedes.
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He couldn't fathom how did he lose to "that incompetent lawyer" in back-to-back elections. Now the moment had come for former TX Governor William Perry Clements, Jr., (R) to address his supporters by conceding the 1986 TX Gubernatorial election to TX Governor Mark Wells White, Jr., (D).

Crowd: "Clements! Clements! We want Clements!"

Clements walks up to the podium with his family seated in the front row including several high-ranking TX GOPers such as United States Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) & others.

Clements: "Thank you so much for coming. Thank you.[Crowd cheers, Clements smiles.]

I want to use this opportunity to speak with all of you this afternoon. My wife, Rita, who was the best First Lady that the State of Texas has ever had [Crowd cheers as she waves to the cheering crowd of supporters] and had accomplished a lot as our First Lady during my four years as Governor.

Now I want to thank all of my supporters throughout this large, wonderful great state of ours and the millions of Texans, who put their trust in me. Despite our aggressive hardworking efforts, we came up short in one of the most closest gubernatorial elections in Texas history. I also want to tell of you that your hardworking efforts, volunteering, helping going door-to-door in all 254 counties as well as getting out the vote wasn't in vain because I strongly believe the Republican Party of Texas is on the move and we are growing into eventually making our party thrive into the future going forward....

On a personal level, I feel like I have let all of you down, that I did not win this election. You did the best you could, and for that, I am proud of all of you. Having served as US Deputy Secretary of Defense, US Secretary of Defense under Presidents Nixon, Ford, Rockefeller and Brooke respectively and finally serving as the 42nd Governor of Texas had been the honor of my life.

Now let us leave all of the division behind us and work for the betterment of Texas we all desire. We have seen enough division and hyper-aggressive partisanship that had rampaged our beloved state over the past four years. It's now time for unity in the State of Texas. Thank you very much for listening and I bid all of you goodbye."

[Crowd cheers & applauds as Clements leaves the stage].

 

[49ersfootball]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER II OF THE STATE OF THE FUTURE
Governor White's victory speech....

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[49ersfootball]

Governor White's victory speech
3:00 PM CST, Tuesday, December 9th, 1986
Governor's Office Reception Room (2nd Floor), TX State Capitol
Austin, TX.

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Less than 4 HRS after Clements conceded the 1986 TX Gubernatorial election, Governor White held an impromptu press conference inside the Reception Room of the Governor's Office on the 2nd floor of the TX State Capitol in downtown Austin, where he delivered his victory speech thanking his family, friends, supporters & Texans who stuck with him through thick & thin during tough times of the campaign & pledged to continue building on the State of the Future:
"Good afternoon my fellow Texans. I am deeply encouraged that after a long, difficult & hard-fought campaign in a year that was dealt with hyper-partisanship divisive wedge issues that was an attempt in distracting from focusing on the issues that Texans care about, a majority of Texans have decided that this administration's efforts in making education reform, fixing our infrastructure, diversifying the Texas economy into the 21st Century & among a whole countless list of accomplishments over the past four years, will continue into the next four years. I want to thank my beloved wife and your First Lady, Linda Gale White, my children: Wells, Andrew and Elizabeth: you've sacrificed a lot over the years and without y'all, none of this would've been possible.

Now that the campaign is over, we need to focus on the issues facing Texans such as finding alternative ways in stopping an economic recession: diversifying our economy, encouraging industrial, commerce, business; recruiting industries, businesses from other states and even several countries to invest in the State of Texas because we know that oil & gas won't last forever as we're on the verge of closing out the 1980s with heading toward the 1990s in just a few years from now. It is very important that the State of the Future continues in making Texas a better place than we found it as well as having the next generation of Texans remember what we did here.

I should once again note the following: businesses, industries, small business owners, entrepreneurs including many Americans are moving to Texas at a faster pace & they're going to be at several factors: education, housing, public safety, quality of life because before they invest and move here, they're going to ask tough questions & want strong, specific answers. I am confident that business leaders in this state of ours convince industries and businesses in bringing jobs to millions of Texans as we're moving toward the end of this economic recession.

In regards to the next campaign in four years, I am announcing that I plan on seeking reelection as your Governor in 1990. Now that we've gotten that little part out of the way, I'm eager to answer some of your questions on the 70th Legislature...."

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[49ersfootball]

Ramifications of White's reelection victory
Tuesday, December 9th, 1986
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Once it was confirmed by the TX Secretary of State's office via full statewide canvassing in all 254 counties that Governor White had been reelected by a super razor-thin margin, the political musical chairs (some on whom in the down-ballot statewide offices, who were plotting for 1990 on the original assumption on a Clements win) got slammed shut considering that during yesterday's press conference in which White confirmed he announced plans on seeking reelection to a 3rd term in 1990, which if completed, would make him the Lone Star State's longest-serving TX Governor in state history with 12 years of service by January 17th, 1995 including being the 4th TX Governor to serve 3 terms since Allan Shivers, Price Daniel & John Connally. White's other two predecessors: Preston Smith & his protege, Dolph Briscoe lost their reelection bids for third terms in primary elections in 1972 & 1978 respectively.

Due to the realization of White seeking reelection in 1990, the political dominoes in the down-ballot statewide offices began to slowly take shape ahead of the upcoming legislative session of the 70th TX Legislature:

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*TX Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (D), who had originally planned a gubernatorial bid in 1990, decided not to do so because he wanted to focus his energies on the upcoming 70th Legislature coming in the spring. There were signs however, that Hobby's political career was coming to a close (more on that later) as several ambitious down-ballot statewide officeholders began jockeying for his job, the Lieutenant Governorship in four years....

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*TX Comptroller of Public Accounts Bob Bullock (D), who is considered one of the most influential & powerful down-ballot statewide officeholders in the Lone Star State, was asked by journalists if he was interested in seeking the Governorship. Bullock bluntly said he wasn't interested in seeking the job, having lost that desire after seeing Briscoe, Clements & White getting the job over the years.

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*TX State Attorney General Jim Mattox (D) announced his intention to seek the Governorship in 1990 regardless of who won the 1986 TX Gubernatorial election between Clements & White; despite warnings from fellow TX Dems that he was risking his political career & future by challenging an incumbent Governor, Mattox believed he would be a better choice for TX Dems in the next election. Many political analysts theorized a potential runoff could be nastier between White & Mattox as it would drain critical resources for the general election against whoever the TX GOP nominated..... There would be other potential names being floated as potential candidates, which might have a crowded primary.

 

[49ersfootball]

More of the political ramifications of Governor White's reelection victory
Tuesday, December 9th, 1986

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*TX State Treasurer Ann Richards (D) had originally considered running for Lieutenant Governor in 1990, but when advisers close to Richards warned she would be going up against State Comptroller Bob Bullock (D) in a potential ugly primary, she backed out of that including rejecting offers to seek the Governorship due to an all-out dragged out ugly primary between Governor Mark W. White, Jr., (D) & State Attorney General Jim Mattox (D) including several others who could jump in. Richards was intrigued about running for the United States Senate in 1990 against United States Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) in what one political analyst viewed it as "Clash of the Up & Comers of Texas Politics".

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*TX Commissioner of General Land Office Garry Mauro (D) had considered seeking the office of TX State Attorney General since Mattox was vacating that job in challenging Governor White in the upcoming Dem Gubernatorial primary fight in four years, but Mauro decided his services were much needed to stay where he is in the TX General Land Office & announced plans on seeking reelection in 1990.

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*TX Commissioner of Agriculture Jim Hightower (D) announced he would seek reelection in 1990 & had been facing some controversy during his time running the TX Department of Agriculture with scandals popping out of the woodwork (more on that later in the TL).

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[49ersfootball]

BREAKING NEWS: KOREAN PRESIDENT CHUN DOO-HWAN ASSASSINATED IN BUSAN OUTSKIRTS; DETAILS COMING IN.....
Wednesday, December 10th, 1986

It was early Wednesday morning December 10th, 1986 when the entire world woke up to the shocking news, learning that Korean President Chun Doo-hwan, who had been the 11th & 12th President since September 1st, 1980, was assassinated in a violent ambush while riding in a motorcade to a scheduled business convention dinner in the outskirts of Busan, Korea.

Martial Law has been declared throughout the entire country; ABC News reported that US President Ronald Reagan has deployed additional US military troops to the DMZ & the Korean Peninsula (over 57,000+). The Republic of Korean Ministry of Defense has confirmed that an investigation into the assassination is underway....

DETAILS COMING IN: STATE FUNERAL HELD FOR PRESIDENT CHUN
Monday, December 15th, 1986

State Funeral of President Chun Doo-hwan on the grounds of the Korean Military Academy from December 15th, 1986.
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An estimated 3,000 people attended the State Funeral of the late Korean President Chun Doo-hwan on the grounds of the Korean Military Academy in the suburbs of Seoul. The service lasted close to 2 full HRS, 57 minutes.

Among those in attendance: US Secretary of State George Shultz, French President Francois Mitterrand, Brazilian President Jorge Sarney & several other foreign dignitaries; Korean President Lho Shin-yong was among several Korean government officials in attendance as Lho delivered remarks honoring Chun's legacy & noted several of Chun's accomplishments in office.

Following the State Funeral, the 21 Cannon Salute was fired by the Field Artillery Regiment of the Republic of Korea Army; then a 3-volley gun salute was fired followed by the musical sound of Taps. Soon afterwards, the hearse containing the flag-draped casket of the late President Chun including several limousines accompanied by vehicles of the Korean Presidential Security Service & law enforcement vehicles slowly left the grounds of the Korean Military Academy.

The slow-moving funeral procession drove all the way to Seoul Memorial Park where the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Honor Guard took President Chun's flag-draped casket out of the hearse & marched all the way toward the entrance of Seoul Memorial Park: the Korean national flag was folded & given to Chun's widow, former Korean First Lady Madam Lee Soon-ja. Once the Honor Guard saluted the casket of the 11th & 12th President, it was placed on a large cranking crate as it was slowly taken inside the private crematorium on the grounds of Seoul Memorial Park; Rite of Committal was performed for the last time before Chun's casket was taken away & placed all the way to a private cremation room where Chun was cremated in a private ceremony.

It was reported that Chun requested to be cremated to avoid desecration of his gravesite; the Chun family was given his ashes following the private ceremony. Sources from KBS News reported that the Chun family will scatter his ashes in parts of the country.

 

[49ersfootball]

COMING UP THIS WEEK IN CHAPTER III OF THE STATE OF THE FUTURE
Inaugural Balls: Tuesday, January 20th, 1987

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[49ersfootball]

Chapter III: Inauguration Day
Tuesday, January 20th, 1987
Austin, TX.

TX Governor Mark Wells White, Jr., (D) greeting well-wishers during the Inaugural luncheon.
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[Part I]: It was an extremely cold Tuesday morning as a mild crowd of attendees gathered on the South Grounds of the TX State Capitol to attend the Inauguration of Governor Mark White (sworn in for a 2nd term) & Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (sworn in for a 5th term). Earlier in the day, the White's & Hobby's attended a church service in West Lake where moving & patriotic musical selections were performed. Fast forward to the Inauguration festivities & among the attendees included former Governors Price Daniel, John Connally, Preston Smith & Dolph Briscoe; former Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes; down-ballot statewide officeholders such as State Attorney General Jim Mattox, State Comptroller Bob Bullock, Commissioner of General Land Office Garry Mauro, State Treasurer Ann Richards, Commissioner of Agriculture Jim Hightower, Railroad Commissioners Jim Nugent, John Sharp & Mack Wallace including Justices of the TX Supreme Court & Judges of the TX Court of Criminal Appeals.

The University of Texas Longhorn Band performed "God Bless America" as the US Armed Forces Color Guard posted the colors (flags of the United States & TX), which were placed on each side of the inaugural platform. Soon afterwards, the Ross Volunteers of Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets raised their swords very high as the 19 Cannon Salute was fired loudly by the Artillery Unit of the TX Army National Guard as Governor White & his family arrived, walking up to the platform to a round greeting of cheers from the crowd; they were followed by Lieutenant Governor Hobby & his family including Speaker Lewis & his wife, Sharon as well as TX Supreme Court Chief Justice John Hill & his wife, Bitsy.

 

[49ersfootball]

University of Texas at Austin/Howard Scripps Polling Survey (December 17th, 1986-January 6th, 1987):

Do you approve or disapprove the job Governor Mark W. White, Jr., (D) is doing ?
Approve: 37%
Disapprove: 55%
Undecided: 7%

Do you approve or disapprove the job Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (D) is doing ?
Approve: 58%
Disapprove: 20%
Undecided: 16%

Do you approve or disapprove the job United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) is doing ?
Approve: 57%
Disapprove: 28%
Undecided: 3%

Do you approve or disapprove the job United States Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) is doing ?
Approve: 45%
Disapprove: 32%
Undecided: 13%

Do you approve or disapprove the job President Ronald Reagan is doing ?
Approve: 64%
Disapprove: 20%
Undecided: 16%

 

[49ersfootball]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER III OF THE STATE OF THE FUTURE
Profile on Houston, TX Mayor Kathy Whitmire (D) & how she shook up Houston politics
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[49ersfootball]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER III OF THE STATE OF THE FUTURE
February 4th, 1987: Governor White delivers 3rd State of the State Address to Joint Session of the TX State Legislature

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[49ersfootball]

The State of the Future continues
Tuesday, January 20th, 1987
TX State Capitol South Grounds, Austin, TX.

Inauguration Day: Tuesday, January 20th, 1987: TX Governor Mark W. White, Jr., (D), TX First Lady Linda Gale White, TX Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby (D) & TX Second Lady Diana Hobby during the Inaugural Parade.
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[Part II]: Speaker Lewis walked up to the podium to announce the Oath of Office will be administered to Lieutenant Governor Hobby by Chief Justice Hill.

Hill: "Lieutenant Governor Hobby. Are you prepared to take the Oath of Office ?"
Hobby: "Yes, I am prepared to take the oath."
Hill: "Please put your left hand on the Sam Houston Bible, raise your right hand & repeat after me your Oath of Office. I, William Pettus Hobby, Jr., do solemnly swear...."
Hobby: "I, William Pettus Hobby, Jr., do solemnly swear..."
Hill: "that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of Lieutenant Governor of the State of Texas."
Hobby: "that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of Lieutenant Governor of the State of Texas."
Hill: "and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State..."
Hobby: "and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State..."
Hill: "and I furthermore solemnly swear that I have not directly nor indirectly paid, offered or promised to pay..."
Hobby: "and I furthermore solemnly swear that I have not directly nor indirectly paid, offered or promised to pay..."
Hill: "contributed or promised to contribute any money or valuable things, or promised any public office or employment as a reward for the giving or withholding a vote in the election at which I was elected. So help me God."
Hobby: "contributed or promised to contribute any money or valuable things, or promised any public office or employment as a reward for the giving or withholding a vote in the election at which I was elected. So help me God."

Speaker Lewis then introduced State Senator O.H. "Ike" Harris, Jr., (R-Dallas), who then presented Lieutenant Governor Hobby to the Joint Session.

Lieutenant Governor Hobby then delivered his fifth Inaugural Address as TX's 38th Lieutenant Governor:
"Governor and Mrs. White, Speaker and Mrs. Lewis, distinguished State officials and guests, members of the 70th Legislature, ladies and gentlemen:

The celebration of our State's 150th anniversary has just ended. It was spent recalling Texas' proud past and worrying about our troubled present.

Now let's look at the future. The future lies exactly where the founders of the Republic of Texas knew it would, in education. The Congress of the Republic committed considerable resources to educate future generations.

By 1990, we should be the second largest state in the nation, having passed New York late this decade. And by the year 2000, we are likely to have more than 20 million citizens, 3 million more than now.

But the most significant change will be in the way we earn our living.

We have had a prosperous economy, but it was a colonial economy. We were dependent on the export of natural resources, as historian T.R. Fehrenbach, who sits on the platform today, has taught us.

Texans have always been adaptable and pragmatic people. They quickly learned the cattle technology of the Mexican vacqueros. They figured out how barbed wire and windmills could create a cattle empire on the high plains. They took oil drilling technology from Pennsylvania and created Spindletop.

Education is as much a tool for the high-technology frontier of the 1980s as those things were tools for an earlier Texas.

In the future, fewer jobs will be based on natural resources. In the 1980s, Texas lost approximately 234,000 high-wage jobs in mining and manufacturing. The sectors of the economy that are now the fastest growing-defense, biotechnology, telecommunications, health care, finance-that is the future.

Those jobs require skills. By the year 2000, between 16 and 25 percent of all jobs will require some college education.

We must provide an education that lets every Texan grow just as much as he or she can.

But we are still far from having even a literate work force. More than one-third of our adults don't finish high school. Nearly one-fifth don't finish the eighth grade. Our dropout rate is much too high when one-third of our high school students don't graduate.

Those figures have ominous implications when you consider that 85 percent of the inmates in the Texas prisons are dropouts. About 63 percent of the parents who receive Aid to Families of Dependent Children are dropouts. Some 60 percent of those below the poverty level are dropouts.

We are not doing well enough. The State is not doing its job if Texans cannot compete in the new economy.

The State is not doing its job if it promises smaller classes for elementary school children and pre-kindergarten classes for the disadvantaged and then goes back on that promise. It is not doing its job if it shortchanges minority children who need more help, not less.

Increasingly, we took to our colleges and universities to produce the ideas that will create new jobs. We have never lost the entrepreneurial spirit that now must create jobs from the ideas, technologies, and products that spring from research.

Our universities are victims of a brain drain. The word has gone out to the country's academic world, in the words of Texas A&M University President Frank Vandiver, that "Texas turned its back on the future and marched firmly toward oblivion."

In the past 18 months, 388 faculty members quit our State universities. Two hundred thirty-five of them left to take jobs in other states. And 315 prospective faculty recruits refused jobs at Texas institutions of higher education.

Why? Because they thought the long-term outlook for higher education was better in other states.

It is time to send a different message to the nation, one that says Texas intends to have a world-class system of higher education.

We need to support our public colleges and universities in a way that does not fluctuate with the price of oil. It doesn't make sense to let an Arab sheik decide the quality of education in Texas. It doesn't make sense to balance our budget at the expense of higher education.

We need to give our universities the flexibility they need to manage their budgets and people. And the universities must make the best uses of the resources provided. They must react quickly and responsibly, directing those resources to the needs of the future, rather than the needs of the past.

We need to reaffirm our commitment to educational opportunity for every Texan. Our goal should continue to be a higher education for every qualified student.

Here is a ringing declaration to the world that Texas does cherish learning and research and training, that the State does believe that the quality of life is a product of the quality of minds.

Return on investment in education is a long-term venture, but history is on our side. To do less will condemn the State to a long night of ignorance, a result that would not be appreciated by the far-sighted Texans who have gone before us. More important, it is a result that would condemn us in the eyes of future Texans.

Texans have never been unwilling to sacrifice for what was important . They sacrificed at the Alamo and because of that we are an independent people. They sacrificed in the difficult early days of the Republic. They sacrificed in the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and we benefited from those sacrifices. Can we do less for future generations?

No Texans I know want to handicap their children with a poor education. No Texans I know want to live in a second-class State.

Education may be expensive. It is not a luxury. If we join hands, if we make the right decisions now, if we make them on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and don't let them be made in the Persian Gulf, we can make Texas proudly into the next century. Thank you."

Soon after Lieutenant Governor Hobby finished his inaugural address, Speaker Lewis walked up to the podium & mentioned to everyone that the Oath of Office for the Governor would be administered to Governor White by Chief Justice Hill.

Hill: "Governor White. Congratulations on achieving another four years. Please put your left hand on the Sam Houston Bible, raise your right hand & repeat after me your Oath of Office. I, Mark Wells White, do solemnly swear..."
White: "I, Mark Wells White, do solemnly swear..."
Hill: "that I will faithfully execute the duties of the Office of Governor of the State of Texas and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State..."
White: "that I will faithfully execute the duties of the Office of Governor of the State of Texas and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State..."
Hill: "and I furthermore solemnly swear that I have not directly nor indirectly paid, offered or promised to pay, contributed, nor promised to contribute any money or valuable things or promised any public office or employment as a reward for the giving or withholding a vote in the election at which I was elected. So help me God."
White: "and I furthermore solemnly swear that I have not directly nor indirectly paid, offered or promised to pay, contributed, nor promised to contribute any money or valuable things or promised any public office or employment as a reward for the giving or withholding a vote in teh election at which I was elected. So help me God."
Hill (shaking hands with Governor White): "Congratulations Governor White & good luck to you."
White: "Thank you very much Mr. Chief Justice. I really appreciate this."

(Crowd cheers as Governor & First Lady White kiss, hugging their three children).

Speaker Lewis then walked up to the podium to introduce Governor White, who then delivered his second Inaugural Address:

Governor White: "Lieutenant Governor Hobby; Chief Justice Hill and members of the Texas Supreme Court and Judges of the Texas Court of Criminal Court of Appeals; Speaker Lewis; Governors Daniel, Connally, Smith and Briscoe; members of the Texas State Legislature; Congressmen; Dignitaries and my fellow Texans.....

It is a great honor once again, to continue serving as your 43rd Governor of the Lone Star State (applause from the crowd).

The inauguration of a governor is not about a celebration of festivities, but it is a true moment of continuity in how democracy works for all Texans. To those, who who supported someone else in the last election, I am here to tell you that I am your governor too (applause from the crowd). From the start of this administration four years ago, when I addressed you on the State of the Future, I discussed the diversification of our economy in terms of technology, industry, commerce and building new ways as we're moving towards the 21st Century. I also brought up the issue of education, where I pledged to our teacher all over the state they would get the increases of pay raises they rightfully deserve over their years of service in school districts no matter if they're rural or urban.

First, the battle over Education Reform continues in this second term: we've got court challenges from opponents, who have been openly hostile towards our hardworking reforms, the same reforms which was easily passed in the Legislature less than three years ago during a major special session, which is known as House Bill 72 and I signed it into law. My administration will continue to block the efforts of the opposition, whose goal is dismantling these hardworking reforms in getting students focusing on their academics so that they can pursue other opportunities whenever they graduate from high school. Our teachers, who had to take testing examinations, got the experience and qualifications needed to ensure they're better appreciated.

Second, the Texas economy might have suffered some setbacks in recent years, but I promise to everyone listening this precise and clear message: Texans will always persevere, survive and surpass this economic downturn that has engulfed our great, beloved state including many other states across the nation. I am confident that we will come out on top once the recession is over forever. My administration is working with members of the business community in recruiting countless businesses, companies, industries and others to come to Texas, where the population is growing and the opportunities are unlimited.

Third, we will continue to be aggressively tough on crime. Texans demand that the death penalty is enforced aggressively and I have strongly kept this sacred pledge on this issue as well including enforcing the death penalty 100 percent. I believe that a governor can send a message to the criminals, who are terrorizing families, committing robberies, rapes or murders that the days of criminals roaming free are OVER! (loud cheers from the crowd). Texas law enforcement agencies all across this state and coordinating with our federal law enforcement partners, will finally win the War on Drugs, which has devastated millions of Americans over the years.

Fourth, the State of the Future is still alive and well, despite what some skeptics in the press, political opponents, and many in Washington, DC, all of whom to be ignorant of the progress this administration has been making over the past four years during tough times. It means the State of the Future is focused on the next generation of Texans and not the next election. We all need to remember that!

Fifth, Texas will be leading on the epicenter of economic opportunity and becoming an international hub of investments as many people all over the world have heard stories about the Lone Star State. As you know, there are several foreign Consulates and other diplomatic branches being placed throughout Texas such as the Philippine Consulate General's office in Houston, the Taiwanese Economic Trade Development Office in Dallas, Korean Consulate General in Dallas, Mexican Consulate General in San Antonio, the Australian Consulate and Trade Development Office in Houston including the Indian International Development Office right here in Austin. This shows that Texas is moving years and decades ahead because our population is at 16 million and growing fast, which will total 45 million by the year 2050.

Sixth, the 70th Texas Legislature is going to be one of the most productive, effective and prolific. It's important that the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker and both chambers of the Texas State Legislature all work together in making sure job creation, economic diversification, recruitment of out-of-state and international businesses and industries can make Texas the greatest place to work, live, and raise families.

Bilingual education is also important because there are many young Texans speaking three or six different languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, French and Tagalog. Everyone should know by now that Texas is changing and getting more diverse, which will become a minority-majority state by the cusp of the 21st Century. Many decades from now, when the next generation of Texans read the history books and will lead our state in the future, they're going to remember how we came here to tackling the toughest issues of the day, taking the biggest risks and standing by our principles in light of the consequences, let's get to work.

Thank you very much for coming here today and God Bless Texas!" (rounds of applause from the crowd).

Following Governor White's inaugural address, Speaker Lewis came to the podium to introduce the Reverend William A. Lawson, senior pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church of Houston, TX, who delivered the benediction. Afterwards, the University of Texas Longhorn Band performed "Texas, Our Texas."

Once the inaugural festivities concluded, there was a BBQ luncheon on the South Grounds of the TX State Capitol where hundreds of Texans participated in a massive luncheon that included baked beans, potato salad, lots of BBQ, ice tea & water.

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Later that afternoon, the Inaugural Parade took place on Congress Avenue, where a long line of participants passed by the reviewing stand where Governor & First Lady White including the First Family waved at many of those marching past them: Lamar High School Marching Band, Baylor University Golden Bears Marching Band, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets, the University of Texas Longhorn Band, Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm Band, Texas Southern University Ocean of Soul, University of Houston Cougars Band, Texas Tech University Red Raiders Marching Band, TX Army National Guard (where Governor White saluted them), the TX Air National Guard, TX State Guard, Houston Police Department, Travis County Sheriff's Department including the Austin Police Department, etc.,