Posted on 09/18/2009 12:13:19 PM PDT by Y2Krap
HOW TEXAS CAN SAVE AMERICA FROM WASHINGTON Written by Governor Rick Perry Thursday, 17 September 2009
As the federal government continuously churns out ideas and policies that drive our nation deeper and deeper in debt, citizens and taxpayers are right to be worried.
From federal "stimulus" bills that force state governments to change laws, raise taxes and increase spending, to cap and trade proposals that will run our energy industry into the ground, to emerging plans for an unprecedented and unsustainable expansion of government health care, it is clear that the swollen river of our federal government has overflowed its banks.
Washington is increasingly out of step with folks out here in flyover country who do not share the inside-the-Beltway belief that a benevolent, all-knowing government can expand and encroach without limit, because individual Americans simply cannot be trusted to make right choices.
This mindset has driven the explosive growth of the size, spending and intrusiveness of the federal government. Our founding fathers would be appalled at the way their successors are ignoring individual liberties, contemplating more tax increases, and interfering further into private enterprise.
Washington bureaucrats must be reminded that America is not some windowless laboratory where they can tinker with theories with no regard to consequences. Real harm is resulting from policies that are disastrous for America's future, bankrupting our country, and mortgaging our children's future.
Fear of this emerging future and frustration with an administration run amok are fueling the resurgent interest in the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. "We the people" are standing up and demanding an audience.
It drives the talking heads crazy, but I'm proud of those level-headed Americans who are pushing back through the growing TEA Party movement.
This groundswell of classic American activism is giving citizens a conduit for their beliefs and sending a clear message they will not stand idly by as Washington spends their tax dollars and limits their freedoms with increasing arrogance. I predict that our increasingly frustrated national electorate will look to the states for answers, starting with Texas.
The success of the Lone Star State has proven that the journey to a desirable future begins with fostering individual liberty and encouraging personal responsibility while celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit. Our relative economic strength is proof that people thrive when given the opportunity to strive with minimal government interference.
In 2003, our Legislature's first order of business was tackling a $10 billion deficit. Fortunately, conservative leadership principles prevailed and we cut spending to right our listing ship of state.
Six years later, Texas has a balanced budget with money set aside to cover contingencies and leads the nation in exports, Fortune 500 companies and economic vitality. At last check, our unemployment rate was nearly two points below the national average.
Because Texas leaders not only cut spending but also pushed through tort reform and began sensible investments in job creation, our state is in much better shape than just about any other. Our reformed legal system has not only protected employers from frivolous lawsuits, it has also increased access to healthcare for our citizens while lowering their overall costs.
This continued application of proven, conservative fiscal principles and unapologetic embrace of individual liberty has created a magnetic pull on business owners and citizens looking for a fresh start. We haven't been adding roughly one thousand people to our population every day solely because of our great live music and barbeque.
That certainly doesn't hurt, but folks are more attracted to a climate where people know they can not only risk their capital with a chance for a good return, they can also enjoy a quality of life that is unreachable in most other states. People come to Texas for the modern version of the classic American dream.
Our success notwithstanding, you won't catch Texas resting on its laurels or abandoning its principles. During our recent legislative session, we turned a few heads when we refused federal unemployment funds that would have mandated increased taxes over the long term and more government expansion.
We also cut taxes for 40,000 small businesses, knocked out legislation that would have opened the door to frivolous lawsuits, and passed bills that will improve education by bolstering our universities and increasing accountability in our public schools.
I'm pleased that a number of other states are taking a similar tack by drawing clear lines and standing on proven conservative principles. Fortunately for their citizens, leaders like Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Haley Barbour of Mississippi are also standing tall in the face of a metastatic federal bureaucracy. We can only hope that more states will follow suit and pursue reforms that actually work.
Barring the unforeseen and unlikely event that the powers-that-be in Washington wake up and change their approach, people will continue to press for limited government, endure in their belief in the power of the individual, and cast their lot with the protections of the Tenth Amendment.
Hopefully, exercising our speech rights guaranteed by the First Amendment will finally rouse Washington from its slumber and bring our nation out of this recession, strengthen our Union, and chart a course to long term prosperity and opportunity for all.
Rick Perry is the Governor of Texas.
Why would Texans vote for a mealy mouth RINO?
I know that what you said is correct, BUT...
KBH is a Washington Loving RINO.....
Give me another option.... and I am ready.
Hey, we’ve got some family in Texas and are looking to buy land there now. I retire in just over a year and we’re there. If things keep going the way they are, I hope for
secession.
I understand. There are some things he’s done I like. However the opposite side of the scales is very full.
KBH is even worse. A true RINO, always has been in my estimation.
Truthfully I don’t believe Gov Goodhair deserves another term for several reasons. Not only my unhappiness with many of his decisions but he has been there long enough. IMHO.
I have thought more of the Lt Governor but then again he has been very silent as of late and seems to really like that job ... A LOT!
I don’t think the Dems have a real statewide candidate, at least (for them too) one that has stepped forward currently.
I don’t think much of Kinky’s chances either.
So where do we go? We need some more real conservatives and real Texans to step-up to the plate. NOW!
It is going to be interesting and I think (at this point) Perry will be our last candidate standing.
Will no solid conservatives run for TX office?
I ask the same question about my home state of AZ - why is the best candidate we can put up always a compromise?
I guess my answer lies deeper in State electoral process and the GOP. I’m just tired of poor choices. I’d love a Jindal or Palin for once. I need to read up more on being a commitman.
Yet this does not sit well with me. He has done some good things.
Yet, he also was/is a big proponent of the toll road (transgressing) the entire Mexico to Canada route #35 highway. Most Texans do not support this. There is genuine need to enlarge our highway system.. Only ... not this way: with a foreign building the toll road with monies from ?????? and having control of the toll road for 100 years or whatever term is decided.
The problem is Kaye Hutchinson has been in Washington for 12-14 years; and is not a strong leader. She is too passive. Not really conservative. MO - she goes along to get along. Not what I'm wanting in a Governor. So ... what then?
Perry comes out with this kind of sabre-rattling talk every time before a run up to re-election, and then goes back into hybernation afterward.
Last week he sent the Texas Rangers to secure the border after KBH lashed out at him for his failed promises to do so. Too little too late!
He didn’t attend our Sovereignty or Secession rally in Austin held on August 29th, or accept our million+ signature petition as he was too busy.
I support Debra Medina’s run for Republican nomination for Governor of Texas. She is a true blue Texan and conservative, and a real person - not a teleprompter RINO talker.
Yes, but ... that was then, this is now ... :)
I’ll be there with you.
I heard a bit about Debbie Medina....
She wants to recind property taxes...believing if you pay for your property....it should be yours and not subject to further taxation or in danger of being removed from your possession due to outside forces. We need to look her up and see what all she stands for.
“I have someone saving me a spot there and an oven in the camper so the cookies will be freshly baked when we arrive!”
Hope it was me that had volunteered! I think the only hope is to separate ourselves as marxism and US patriots are not compatible. Even winning back the House, the Senate and the Presidency will not get the job done. There are millions of union, liberal marxists throughout the government bureaucracies and they resist all positive reforms and sabotage all positive efforts. They are in office for life and cannot be fired. Only chance we have is the fire everyone in the government (except military) and start over. Can only be down via secession.
pissant....how is that someone from the socialist shittehole state of Washington has such an interest and opinions of our Governor? Seems like you got more than you can say grace over in your backyard to worry about!
How is it that Ms. Medina proposes to replace the revenues generated from property taxes. Seems to me that this is a classic case of “Talk’s cheap, takes money to buy whiskey”.
My guv ain’t planning on running for Prez. Slick Rick most likely is.
I agree.
If my choices are THIS screwing (Perry) or THAT screwing (Hutchinson), I take THIS one! At least you get yours every once in a while. With that one, you just get screwed!!!!
On a RINO scale, Hutchinson is a 10 and Perry is an 8. Now, I wish I didn’t have to vote for either one of these fools, but again, like every election since Reagan left office, we are deciding not on who we WANT, but who we DON’T want.
That sucks, but until the conservatives actually rebuke the RINOs and get them out of the GOP, that is where we are stuck!
Since property taxes are in place of state tax and the single most taxed in Texaa; how and what is she going to replace it with?
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