Posted on 05/27/2011 11:11:59 AM PDT by Flightdeck
Consider Barack Obama out for a stiff morning run, battling hills with his little Portuguese water dog. Halfway through his daily route, danger strikes. Secret Service nowhere in sight, a coyote charges Bo, beloved pet of Sasha and Malia. Before the coyote’s jaws can tear Bo's throat open, Obama levels his laser-sighted .380 Ruger. One shot, one kill. Heart still thumping from exertion, Barack re-holsters his weapon, checks his watch, and digs in for the final climb of the trail, a hard day’s work ahead.
What's that? You have trouble seeing Obama as a strong, competent leader with the ability to execute (pun intended)? Does this make Texas Governor Rick Perry--who saved his daughter's pet Labrador in this precise way--a better choice for President? No. Well kind of, but let's go with no for now.
Now picture Barack Obama , captain of industry, receiving his advance copy of the Labor Bureau's employment report in the Oval Office. He reviews the numbers carefully. After digesting the extraordinary number of private-sector jobs created, free-falling unemployment, and ballooning economic growth, Obama finally reclines his leather chair. The numbers are great, but Obama is disappointed, knowing that less government intrusion could have made them even better.
Yeah, neither can I. I have an easier time picturing Stephen Hawking in a Dallas Cowboys uniform, intercepting a Tom Brady slant pass over the middle. And now you may understand why Rick Perry is a better choice for President of the United States. The economy is the most important factor in our country's long-term health, with direct influence on medical care, immigration, national security, and defense.
As governor of Texas for over ten years, Rick Perry has presided over a state that has strengthened national equity and weathered a global economic recession extremely well. Dare I compare Texas to Jackie Earle Haley's character in the Bad News Bears--the chain-smoking 'Kelly' who brought talent to a bunch of underachievers? In a border state with monumental state personnel (and entitlement) requirements, the success of Texas is no accident. Along with state legislatures, Perry deserves credit for specific decisions that removed burdens on growth, and for vetoing others that sought to impose them. Perhaps the most passionate topic debated in the midst of the 2010 elections was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, i.e. Obamacare. Unlike the front-running Republican candidate from Massachusetts, Governor Perry chose the fiscally conservative path to reducing patient costs while increasing the quality of their care. In a controversial stand which cost political capital, Perry sponsored a Texas state amendment limiting doctor malpractice liability. The amendment has been credited for decreasing malpractice insurance rates by greater than 21% plus renewal rebates, as reported by the New York Times. The result was an increase in doctors that doubled population increase in Texas, and initiation of care in previously neglected rural areas. Comparison of conservative medical reforms to the Obamacare prototype in Massachusetts is stark, which is principally responsible for a $20 billion state debt and skyrocketing individual premiums. And if you're pissing off the trial lawyers, you must be doing something right.
Conservative tax policy in Texas is an easy win. Texas has no state income tax, despite multiple democrat attempts to create one. Pending the 2010 numbers, Texas contributes more federal tax revenue than any other state, with the possible exception of California. More importantly, state tax policy frees Texas base equity to grow, which can now be compared as a peer to the economies of Canada, India, and England. Perry wasn't elected three times in a historically democratic state (yes, look it up), by ignoring the link between self-sufficiency and quality of life. The minimum tax and limited government policies supported by the Perry Administration can be directly linked to the job creation that currently defines Texas as a bulls eye for employers.
Texas balanced its budget, as required, on May 26. This fact should evoke both shrugs of disinterest and stunned gasps of surprise. Those of us who consider our children’s future with every waking decision will shrug, because balancing a household budget is no less necessary than having gas in the tank before driving them to school. Yet we also gasp, because there exists a strange genus of humans who are not required to fill up their tank: homo sapiens politicians. Real pain was required to balance the Texas budget, make no mistake. This pain has never been felt by federal politicians, Barack Obama for instance, who have had zero experience governing under responsible balanced budget amendments.
Pain is also required to run steep hills marked by dead coyotes with hollow points in their heads, but we exercise because our long-term health demands it. The United States can only avoid the analogous heart attack by undergoing immediate fiscal exercise. Perry and the Republican legislature deserve legitimate credit for observing discipline that has eluded their federal counterparts, and ensuring the future health of the state, in stark contrast to the suicidal spending policies of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi et al. Unlike California, Texas-based companies and citizens have enjoyed relatively minimal interference, leading to a pilgrimage of Californians to Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Their journey sheds a high-tax, entrepreneur-stifling environment for one of freedom to succeed or fail on their own terms.
Conservative Republicans may appreciate this performance, yet be quick to protest certain pedigree flaws. Most notably, Rick Perry ran for office as a democrat in 1984, and campaigned for Al Gore in 1988 before switching to Republican in 1989. He was 39 years old when he switched, certainly mature enough to recognize his grotesque lapse of judgment. I believe I was eleven, plus or minus a week, when my firm political philosophy was resolved. The demographic political map at the time surely played a role in Perry's initial political identity, and while it is always smart to cast a suspicious eye, Perry's record rejects the typical party-switcher mold. Perry is pro-life, and pushed a non-trivial campaign against elective abortion in Texas with results. Perry also respects and ratified the sanctity of heterosexual marriage, through words and deed. Importantly, Governor Perry has vetoed legislation that didn't sustain conservative policies more than any single Texas governor, save one, in the state's history. It is worth noting that Perry has forcefully rejected the politics of Gore and the left over many years. The perfect conservative candidate? No. But a good one, in my humble opinion. I leave the voter with two thoughts when considering a Presidential candidate:
1) The economic policies of Texas, when generalized, will liberate the inherent productivity of the USA.
2) Rick Perry Is Not Barack Obama.
born March 4, 1950 in Paint Creek, TX (Meets the Jus Soli Requirement)
Parents were
Joseph Ray Perry born 1925 in TX
Amelia June Holt born 1928/9 in TX
Both parents were US Citizens at the time of his birth (Meets the Jus Sanguinis Requirement)
Rick Perry is a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN unlike Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama.
Didn’t he endorse Al Gore when he was running for president and was also his TX campaign manager?
There’s enough RINO’s in this race.
Great post. The more we know about Perry and the rest of the conservative field, the better they look. Pray God that we win with one of them in Nov. ‘12.
Ping, your Texas list may have opinions...
But there's just one word not mentioned that troubles me a lot: Gardasil. That was ugly, and also stank of corruption. What should we think of that?
The mandatory hpv vaccine and the mega-superhighway are my biggest problems with him
Fun fact: if you web-search for “Rick Perry’s hair” you get some amusing results. (No, I am not saying he’d be JUST a good-hair candidate.)
LOL! That’s the best you got - he’s not Barack? And neither is my dog.
I’ll add - Perry is NO SARAH PALIN either.
Rick Perry is a RINO!
Sorry,
Not interested.
See:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2726045/posts
I think there was also a post earlier about him genuflecting before the altar of the Bushes.
I don’t want any more illegal pandering RINOs. One of them helped put Obama in the Oval Office.
Go peddle this pseudo conservative somewhere thanks.
Right, there is no evidence of corruption, but the close relationships between Merck and the govs office is worth a closer look. I’m of the opinion that we could do a lot worse than Perry (Romney for instance), but I would love to support someone like Michele Bachmann as well.
I loved the story also. Too bad the author left out Perry’s dream of the Trans Texas Corridor and his association with the Bilderbergers.
Main strength would be his record, which is good.
Biggest question in my mind: having never heard him address it, is he able to adequately discuss the economy? The dems are apparently going to run against Paul Ryan and his plan -- is Perry up to the task of discussing the economic conditions that it attempts to address?
Not sure why an article about him getting a Republican endorsement is a big deal...
“Unlike California, Texas-based companies and citizens have enjoyed relatively minimal interference, leading to a pilgrimage of Californians to Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.”
Long as they pull their weight and don’t bring any of their wacky ways with them, they’re welcome.
Colonel, USAFR
“The mandatory hpv vaccine and the mega-superhighway are my biggest problems with him”
Mine as well, though I try to weigh them against his desire for a secure border, fiscal conservatism, and strong pro-life stance.
Are you sure about that?
Sounds like Perry is just as set on pushing his agenda on America as Obama is.
Perry's also not the parent of my child. But he acted as though he knows more than every parent of every child in Texas when he tried to force every child to get the vaccine for Gardasil. Perry signed a bill to make Gardasil mandatory for every sixth grade girl in Texas.
Oh, lookie here. Perry has deep ties to the drug company that makes Gardasil. So he's corrupt like Obama, too.
http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/5546651.html
Nice hair, but no thanks.
BTW: I am entirely in favor of the Gardasil vaccine for the children whose parents want to allow them to have it.
It's more about the government (and Rick Perry) sacrificing parents, children, and families by making things MANDATORY for the purpose of paying back political debts.
Rick Perry is willing to trash families and the lives of children, and thus isn't worth a plugged nickel.
Gardisil is a good vaccine. The same EO made it easier for families to opt out of mandatory vaccines. He”s pro-life, pro-family and takes a stand. He makes a great case for the difference between liberty and license. People who take a stand sometimes ruffle feathers. And they occasionally make mistakes. Perry’s mistakes are played up to the amusement of the true RINO”s.
“Long as they pull their weight and don’t bring any of their wacky ways with them, they’re welcome”
A lot of the Cali transplants in my neighborhood were upset about tax policies. If they even pay taxes, or have employees, the odds are we’re getting the productive ones...
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