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I grew up in Austin in the 50's and 60's. My father was employed at a fairly high level in the state bureaucratic flow chart, and every year, right before the school year started, he'd give my sister and me a stern warning that we were never, ever, EVER to make a snide or insulting remark about LBJ that might be overheard at school. Our classmates included the children of public officials on all levels, as well as kids whose parents were executives at the one TV station that we were allowed to have in Austin: KTBC/KLBJ Channel 7 (Lady Bird's family). My dad said that a careless comment in a classroom could put him out on the street; LBJ was reputed to have sources everywhere, and his taste for getting even for the smallest matters knew no bounds. My sister ended up marrying into the family of that game warden who busted LBJ for having way too many quail in possession, and who referred to LBJ at the time as a "big-eared sonovabitch"; his job was in jeopardy for years afterward. For all the good social programs LBJ brought about, we grew up absolutely terrified of him.
Having said all that, I wish to hell we had LBJ on our side now, instead of spineless specimens like Harry Reid. We'd be doing a lot better.....
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