Posted on 07/23/2011 1:57:55 PM PDT by AmericaTalks
There has been much buzz about the possibility that Texas Governor Rick Perry will throw his hat into the GOP presidential ring. Many conservatives and Tea Party activists see him as a very attractive and viable candidate, one who would liven up a field that seems devoid of exciting prospects.
But before Republicans start salivating too heavily, it is important to examine Perry closely. His conservative bonafides leave much to be desired.
Let's examine his record.
Prior to 1989, Rick Perry was a Democrat, who supported Al Gore for president. Perry was Gore's campaign manager in the state of Texas that year.
As Governor of Texas, Perry would have us believe he is a small government guy. But the facts say other wise.
Total spending in Texas the year he became governor in 2000 was approximately $49 billion. Last year it was approximately $90 billion. That is hardly reducing the size of government over a 10 year period.
The total debt of the state of Texas has more than doubled since he became governor. The debt to GDP ratio in Texas is 22.9% and the debt per citizen is $10,645. That's worse than California.
Perry claims he is for keeping taxes low. Not true. He has raised taxes repeatedly during his tenure as governor. Texans have higher taxes and fees than they had before he was elected.
While everyone lauded Perry's leadership by pointing to the low unemployment rate in the Lone Star State, it should be noted that 23 states have a lower unemployment rate than Texas. And Texas has the highest percentage of workers making minimum wage out of all 50 states. In 2007, 221,000 residents of Texas were making minimum wage or less. By 2010, that number had risen to 550,000.
The education system in Texas is abysmal. Barbara Bush, in an op-ed piece in the Houston Chronicle, wrote:
• We rank 36th in the nation in high school graduation rates. An estimated 3.8 million Texans do not have a high school diploma. • We rank 49th in verbal SAT scores, 47th in literacy and 46th in average math SAT scores. • We rank 33rd in the nation on teacher salaries.
What does that say about the stewardship of Rick Perry with regard to education?
Rick Perry also claims to have a tough stance on illegal immigration. But the facts indicate otherwise.
He signed the DREAM Act in 2001, giving in-state tuition to undocumented students. Perry said at the time, "We must say to every child learning in a Texas classroom, ‘We don’t care where you come from, but where you are going, and we are going to do everything we can to help you get there". This measure is similar to the one the Democrats are pushing at the federal level, one which conservatives vehemently oppose.
Perhaps the biggest issue people opposed to the nanny state should be concerned about is Perry's issuance of an executive order back in 2007 that would have forced almost every single girl in the state of Texas to receive the Gardasil vaccine before entering the sixth grade. Perry was in the tank with Merck. There were apparent financial connections between Merck and Perry reported by news outlets, such as a $6,000 campaign contribution and Merck’s hiring of former Perry Chief of Staff Mike Toomey to handle its Texas lobbying work.
The Texas legislature put the kibosh on that idea by crafting a bill that overturned the executive order.
Subsequently, very serious safety issues with the vaccine came to light. The biggest problem with regard to the Gardasil issue was that Perry appeared to be condoning premarital sex, or at least assuming that middle school girls were going to be engaging in sexual activity, which is the only way that the cervical cancer that the vaccine prevents can be contracted. Many parents and conservatives were justifiably outraged.
When one takes into account these facts about Rick Perry, the only conclusion that can be reached is that Perry is for the expansion of government and its intrusion into our lives.
On Perry's possible run for the White House? No thanks. I think I'll pass.
Listen to America Talks Monday through Friday at 6 pm Eastern Time and Saturdays at 9 am Eastern Time on www.blogtalkradio.com/americatalks and at www.americatalks.com.
The Gardasil EO allowed parents to opt out. Therefore your statement that amost all girls would be forced to receive the vaccination is incorrect and intentionally misleading.
As a society, we usually vaccinate children at early ages to prevent them from becoming infected with various diseases later in life when they are exposed to such diseases. Vaccinating children early does not assume they will or will not be exposed to a disease. It’s a preventative measure.
I’ve lived in texas since 1993. Perry is practically invisible! I’ve not heard a speech he’s given, heard a policy pronouncement, or seen him do much of anything. Governor Nobody!
I think he’d avoid the “face time” needed to get things done as a president. I’ve heard of low-profile leaders, but Perry seems to have no-profile. This observation from someone just 80M south of Austin.
Several of the issues, brought up in this article, are exacerbated by a common problem, illegal migration of poor illiterate Mexicans. They contribute significantly to the low wages, poor school performance, and health problems.
Texas is doomed. Babies of Mexicans already outnumber all other births in Texas. It’s just a matter of time. By around 2050, Texas, as we’ve know it, will be history.
As for Perry as a presidential candidate, he does not impress me. I’m sure hoping we can do better. But, we know how that hope thing goes.
Actually, I *know* where he got it because a quick Google showed the number appears in older posts like this one at Daily Paul, pimping Ron Paul, and RBN, pointing to usdebtclock.org.
Unfortunately for this lying idiot writer and those sites, usdebtclock.org shows 18.66% as Texas Debt to GDP TODAY.
Who is Barbara Bush to lecture Perry on education performance in Texas or anywhere for that matter? I remember her husband wanted to be the "education president" in 1989 and then her son conspired with Ted Kennedy on "No Child Left Behind" modeled after Texas education!
Blah, blah, Gardasil, blah, blah, Democrat, blah, blah.
I think all of us here need to work REAL hard and compile a long and detailed list of what is wrong with Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachman, et al, then send it to the DNC. I am sure they could use some new talking points. Seems like the Texas-friendly thing to do.....They will probably thank us by sending the RNC a similar list about what is wrong with BO....../sarc/
Perry was actually a middle-aged man when he decided it would be better for his future political prospects in an increasingly conservative TX if he turned Republican. And almost 20 years later, his choice for the Republican Presidential nomination in the last election was...Rudy Giuliani. Yet we’re supposed to believe, solely on the basis of his rhetoric, that he’s a pro-life Christian conservative. Rhetoric is a politician’s shtick. It’s usually no more reliable than a used-car salesman’s sales pitch.
Perry just signed SB7 to defund Planned Parenthood and all its affiliates in Texas which excludes Medicaid abortions.
Your out of date Gore connection leaves out that Gore was proLIFE when Perry was a democrat. Perry has no democrat in state office. What do you have?
“We may be on the grounds of a Christian school today, but our message speaks to all who believe in standing up for the unborn, all who cherish strong, traditional families, regardless of party, ethnicity or creed –the quiet majority who understand that families are the building blocks of civilization, who recognize that marriage must be defended because it is the glue that binds the very fabric of society, who know that for families to thrive, parents must be involved in their child’s every decision, and who believe in their heart of hearts that for the dignity of mankind, every human being from the womb to the grave must be treated as precious, worthy of protection, and welcomed in life as a living being created in the image of God.” ~Governor Rick Perry, June 2005
His most recent pandering speech to La Raza was last July. There may be some even more recent and I’ll find them if they are.
I’m compiling a list to hand out at tea party events.
Aside from the Paul clan, who would you support?
Yup, that’s what our side does best, goes after our own. Romney’s not perfect, nor is Perry, nor is Santorum, etc., and our people will pick them apart ‘til the cows come home.
And we will have another 0bama regime until 2016!
rickperryfacts Rick Perry Facts
Rick Perry can cut the mustard.
23 hours ago »
rickperryfacts Rick Perry Facts
It’s shorts-wearing weather again. Guess who you can thank for that? Yep. Rick Perry invented Summer. And shorts.
22 Jul »
rickperryfacts Rick Perry Facts
If Rick Perry were to sing happy birthday to you personally, it would add an extra year to your life.
22 Jul
http://twitter.com/#!/rickperryfacts
Written and promoted by liberals who know he would KO Obambi if he were to win the nomination.
Brought to you by the same crows who told us that McCain would be the best candidate for the Republicans.
Keep your ideas to yourselves. The Party will select its candidate.
He is cheering on the power of state governments to do anything they want. He would be okay with legalizing any crazy or perverted thing at a state level I guess.
Perry is not “cheering” gay marriage. He is absolutely personally opposed to it because he believes it has horrendous consequences on our society and especially on children. However, he believes that the Constitution gives the states the power to decide the issue and not the federal government. Therefore, he signed a constitutional amendment in Texas to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
The longer she delays announcing her candidacy, the longer she keeps the ruling-class RINOs, state-controlled media, DemocRAT and Republican opponents, etc. in complete and total disarray.
Why should she give up her strategic advantage?
To make it "fair" for the RINOs and 'Rats?
Joe Straus and Lt Gov DewCrist worked hard to kill any conservative things this session.
Between the Paul/Palin bots located mostly in the South it’s clear why we lose in ‘12. These goons are not about winning and they’re not about running off Obama. They’re about chewing up our best and most likely winners with marxist talking points against them and to be cheered by the Left in favor of following Sarah who is not running and Ron who is, over the proverbial cliff. Clearly the Left must be cheering these losers.
Except that land grab didn’t actually happen and that toll road wasn’t actually built.
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