My first impression of Texas was driving up on a gigantic overpass and seeing a large sign urging me to "Fasten your seatbelt."

"Okay," I thought, a little bit puzzled, wondering if Texans don't fasten their seatbelts enough, as if in some sort of country freedom and pride.

And then once I passed the crest of freeway, I saw a patrol pulling over some driver in a truck.

Republicans seem to have a lock on both the Freedom and Law-and-Order demographics. And yet, those two are inherently contradictory. I guess the Conservatives are marketing Freedom as some sort of Sheriff in the Wild West.