Richard H. Collins has numerous interests that cross many categories. He is also not shy when sharing his perspectives on conservative and liberal politics, education, and on other topics of global concern.
Books
- “Modern Times” and “A History of the American People”
– Paul M. Johnson - “A Tale of Two Cities” – Charles Dickens
- “From Russia With Love” – Ian Fleming
- “The Scarlet Pimpernel” – Baroness Emmuska Orczy
- “The Count of Monte Cristo” – Alexandre Dumas
- Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett
Films
- “Random Harvest” – Greer Garson and Ronald Colman
(“My mother ran into Greer Garson at a Dallas Cowboys’ football game and told her that her performance in ‘Random Harvest’ was her favorite. Greer grabbed her and said, ‘Oh it’s mine too!'”) - “My Favorite Year” – Peter O’Toole and Lainie Kazan
- “M.A.S.H.” – Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould
- “Peter Pan”
- “E.T.”
- “Gone With the Wind” – Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh
- “Casablanca” – Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman
- “Witness for the Prosecution” – Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich
- “Heart and Souls” – Robert Downey Jr
Leaders
with Texas Governor, Bill Clements
- Benjamin Franklin
- Henri lV
(King of France, 1589 – 1610) - Alexander Hamilton
- Ronald Reagan
(U.S. President, 1981-89) - Abraham Lincoln
(U.S. President, 1861-65) - Bob Dole
(U.S. Senate, 1969-96) - Benjamin Disraeli
(British Prime Minister) - James K. Polk
(U.S. President, 1845-49)
Favorite Democrats
- George Christian (LBJ’s Press Secretary, 1966-69)
- W. Lee (Pappy) O’Daniel
(Governor of Texas, 1939-41, U.S. Senator 1941-49) - Robert S. Strauss
(Texas Political Wheeler Dealer) - Lady Bird Johnson
(Wife of U.S. President
Lyndon B. Johnson) - Eddie Bernice Johnson (Congresswoman)
Businessmen
- Louis A. Beecherl, Jr.
- Harold Simmons
- T. Boone Pickens
- Jess Akin
- Lamar Hunt
- John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
Women
- Lorita Moore Keoun
- Ruth Collins Altshuler
- Cleopatra VII
- Joan of Arc
- Elizabeth Dole
- Theodora (wife of Justinian)
Favorite Football Experience
Favorite Sports Teams
Greatest Achievement
- Two outstanding young women as my daughters
First Jobs
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- Dick Collins Puppeteer Age 9-12
- Bank Teller
Personal Quotes
“Sincerity and Truth are the basis of every virtue.”
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“Better to be perceived a Fool than a Fox.”
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“America has gone through booms and busts since its founding. Since World War II we have had a serious economic collapse about every 15 to 20 years and the right investment strategy is the simple old phrase the you buy when people are selling and sell when people are buying.”
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“Adversity builds character – character builds toughness – character and toughness build greatness.”
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“Life is a marathon. Keep running.”
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“When you make a loan that goes sour, drill a dry hole or make a bad investment…Remember, your first loss is your least loss!
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“Political Rule #1. Do no harm.”
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“Good judgment comes from experiences – Experiences come from bad judgment.”
— Old Indian proverb—————————————————————————————————–
“At the heart of progressivism is not a belief in individualism but in a religious fervor to reduce suffering combined through the power of government to change society. Don’t forget – Prohibition was a progressive cause.”
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“A good education is paramount for those who wish to achieve their full economic potential. Too many children in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods are denied the education they deserve. That’s why I am actively involved in encouraging the creation of high-quality charter schools, and providing scholarships that help parents send their kids to the school of their choice and to use technology to help our schools teach our kids effectively.”
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“I believe character can be built. Character and values don’t just help young people prepare for productive lives. They also provide resilience to those cultural influences which can be incompatible to responsibility, ethics and achievement.”
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“The laws of supply and demand do not go away by wishing them so. And the nature of government control doesn’t change simply by saying the word ‘choice’ over and over again.”
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“Texas abounds with outstanding law-enforcement officers, and exceptional drug and alcohol prevention programs. I’m proud to have established awards that honor those officers, parents, teachers and students who work hard each day to reduce crime and drug-use in our state.”
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“In education, technology threatens no one. Effective software and use of computers can make often boring subjects come alive with excitement. It is a teacher’s assistant and an administrator’s aid. It allows for individualized learning paths for all children and can evaluate what works and what doesn’t. It is a huge benefit.”
