Texas Two-Step: Is America Ready for President Perry?

First there was Texan Lyndon Baines Johnson back in the 1960s who became a larger than life accidental president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Then there was George Herbert Walker Bush who made the Lone Star State his residence while building a successful oil business. And, of course, George W. Bush, was a proud Texan who left Austin to run for the White House leaving the door open for his then Lieutenant Governor Rick Perry to take over as governor.

Now, after being in that office for the past decade Governor Perry is approaching the starting gate in the not too distant future to throw his Stetson hat into the ring. Is it too soon after the presidency of George W. Bush for another Texan to try for the White House and win popular support to capture the Oval Office in the 2012 election.

George W. Bush ran in 2000 as a compassionate conservative. After just finishing Governor Perry’s book Fed Up! Our Fight To Save America From Washington I would definitely say he is conservative but would not add the term compassionate in the title to describe him.

It is an excellent title for his book as he really does seem genuinely fed up with many things, first and foremost the federal government in Washington, D.C.

After criticizing in detail the federal government and arguing that his goal is to save the people and the states from Washington and most definitely the Supreme Court one wonders why in the world the governor would want to move to the nation’s capital if it is so terrible.

He argues for states rights throughout his book and really dislikes the New Deal saying …”the whole thing was a fraud and simply does not stand up to history.”

It seems a bit late in time to blame the New Deal for our problems today but he feels the New Deal has set “the stage for a massive federal government” and that progressive politicians have romanticized FDR and his programs in order to justify more federal government spending even though he feels they were bad for the nation.

“This leads me to the great milestone on the road to serfdom: the passage of the Sixteenth Amendment. It gave Congress the authority to levy an income tax on American citizens and absolved the federal government from a previous requirement that any such taxes be returned to states proportionally to their collection. This was the birth of wealth redistribution in the United States.”

The 47th and longest serving governor of Texas doesn’t like the policymaking role of the Supreme Court and offers an answer to this problem by stating : “One such reform would be to institute term limits on what are now lifetime appointments for federal judges, particularly those on the Supreme Court..”

The man who is most likely going to run for the highest position in our federal government feels “our fight is to save America from Washington”.

After reading Fed Up!, my first thought was that this was a well-named book. The governor from Paint Creek, Texas seems quite angry at the way things have gone wrong including the federal income tax, the Supreme Court, the New Deal, Obamacare — which he wants repealed-to the role of some members of his own party who he feels do not believe anymore in conservative views once they have been in Washington too long.

The former Eagle Scout and Texas A&M graduate is ready to join the race for president and we will see if the baggage from the previous president from the Lone Star State is too much and too soon for Perry to overcome.

The governor and former Air Force Captain is very telegenic and has a great economic story to tell about Texas being a leader in job creation in these difficult economic times. The former Agriculture Commissioner certainly has executive experience and is popular with the conservatives in his own party.

The GOP field is still fluid with no overriding frontrunner. The governor of Texas has charisma and can raise money. The question is why would a person who seems to dislike much of Washington want to come and try and govern this place when he could stay back in his state and speak out more forcefully on states’ rights issues from his state capital?

And the big question is: Is America ready again for a conservative president who hails from Texas? And can a politician who believes in a limited central government actually run a central government?

Governor Perry is a politician with a story of successful job creation to tell the American voters but will his story get lost in comparisons to George W. Bush? Or is America so angry and upset up after our pathetic manufactured debt debate that they will turn to the current Governor of Texas who is Fed Up!

Well here's a thread you may want to check out. The original article is a bit biased (all anti-, no pro-) but there's plenty in the comments for some facts both ways. Pretty much the opposite of this article.

To summarize, I'd put Perry right around where Bush is, maybe a little better. The majority of Perry's accomplishments are wind related: he talks a LOT.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2756597/posts

Copied from a Freeper post, but I forgot to grab the screenname:

Rick Perry is seen as the bridge from "old" to "new" -- "lost" to "motivated" -- "rolling backward" to "pushing forward" -- "federal control" to "states' rights."

Blah, blah, blah -- all atmospherics. Where's the beef?!

Where does Rick Perry stand on giving Mexican nationals the vote? He wants to give them a "card" very much like the Mexican matricula consular -- very, very close to giving them Texas driver's licenses, and to giving them voter-registration cards. Motor-voter, remember?

Where does Rick Perry stand on giving away U.S. sovereignty? He talks about "states' rights" as if he thought the 10th Amendment meant something ...... but then he kowtows to the President of Mexico on the "NAFTA Highway".

Where did Rick Perry come down on (illegal) gay adoptions of kids under the orphanage care of CPS? In favor, that's where -- he didn't lift a finger to protect the whistleblower who was fired when Perry was Lite Governor with all sorts of budget and political power over CPS.

Where did Rick Perry come down on passing a law like Arizona's, to try to protect border residents who are being overrun by drug mules and coyotes transporting thousands of people and tons of narcotics across Texas's long border with Mexico?

Where's Perry on the border fence? (Hint: Nowhere!)

Start reviewing his positions one at a time, and it turns out he's only as "conservative" as he minimally needs to be to keep from being thrown out of office on his butt!

He was good for 40% of the general-election vote in 2006, and we're supposed to be overawed by his political pull?

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Provided by Freeper trumandogz:

In 1988 he headed the Gore campaign in Texas

1n 2008 he endorsed Rudy

As Texas governor he has:

Signed legislation to provide in-state tuition for illegal aliens.

Signed legislation to prohibit teens from using tanning salons.

Signed legislation to require high school athletes to be tested for steroids.

Signed legislation requiring adults to wear seat belts in the backseat of cars.

Attempted to mandate that 11 year old girls be vaccinated against HPV.

Signed legislation to give away billions of Tax dollars in the Texas Stimulus bills which gave hundreds of million of dollars to Formula One Racing, The NFL, the NBA, Sematech and Samsung,

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News story via a Houston paper:

"MEXICO CITY — Leading a large delegation of Texas executives trying to drum up business in Mexico, Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday criticized the U.S. Congress for failing to pass an immigration bill that would legalize millions of workers."

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Courtesy of Politicalmom:

Check out this Perry speech:

You really need to read this speech:

“The Rio Grande does not separate two nations, it joins two peoples.”

“Legislation authored by border legislators Pat Haggerty and Eddie Lucio establishes an important study that will look at the feasibility of bi-national health insurance. This study recognizes that the Mexican and U.S. sides of the border compose one region, and we must address health care problems throughout that region. That’s why I am also excited that Texas Secretary of State Henry Cuellar is working on an initiative that could extend the benefits of telemedicine to individuals living on the Mexican side of the border.”

“President Fox’s vision for an open border is a vision I embrace”

Perry's Speech

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Perry on Texas's DREAM Act, a decade later:

"In sharp contrast to the national Republican Party line, Texas Gov. Rick Perry still supports his state's version of the so-called DREAM Act, which permits foreign-born children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state college tuition. "To punish these young Texans for their parents' actions is not what America has always been about," the potential dark horse GOP candidate told the New Hampshire Union Leader in his first New Hampshire interview of the 2012 campaign cycle."

And another of my responses in the middle of that thread, actually responding to Cincinatus' Wife, who started this post.

I have several links in there, just forgot the url tags. I'll relink them for you. As to the others, some of those are comments I've taken from other posts, which include easily-Googled facts about Perry. I'll admit Perry has done some good stuff (such as Rangers on border, even if it was rather limited, and most of what he's "done" is talk). But the number of bad things he's done/said is enough to put him a short ways down the list of good candidates for President. I do think he'd be better than the Obama administration on the border, but I don't think he'd really be good enough. He talks a lot about it, but really hasn't done very much.

On the fence, I do agree that illegals will still enter the country, whether they "dig and tunnel, climb, swim, drive and fly" to get in. A fence isn't THE answer. A fence is PART OF the answer. It is a deterrent that will, initially, slow the illegal entry issue, and when combined with other border-enforcement measures, can help to greatly reduce the number of foreign nationals illegally entering the country. Yet Perry only supports the fence in a few urban areas. Illegals will just walk around them. They already do that plenty in the AZ desert, or through private ranches near the border (NOT the urban areas where the fence would be).

So what all has Perry done for the border?
Lets look at the Ranger border initiative. As per the Ranger's website at TXDPS, The Texas Rangers are composed of 144 officers, up to 170 including admin. For the entire state. Regions K and G (Looks to be about 95% of the southern border, though K is currently part of E, so that's all of the border) are composed of 35 Officers, plus region J (Border Operations) is 6 more. And I'm just assuming the 35 actually assist with the border, which they may not even do. So we have ~40 (or only SIX) Rangers, plus the 200 NG members supporting, which isn't very much for the 1200+ mile border. Add to this that the Rangers are primarily a crime investigative unit, not a front-line border enforcement-trained agency.
Also, Perry has apparently done a bit for border funding, including some anti-gang funding related to border security. My only issue with this is that it comes from Texas funding, even though the Federal government apparently thinks border enforcement is solely a Federal issue, as per Holder and AZ. Though I will admit Perry has tried to talk to Obama/Napolitano about this.
And to continue. Oh, well that's about all I can find on what Perry's done for the border. The rest of it is basically him saying we need to do this, or do that, but that's all it is: talk.

As to the DREAM Act, I know Texas's is much slimmer and more on-topic than the national version. And yes, I did know the specifics of it that you mentioned. However, I don't agree with it, and neither do a large number of people. Being brought here when you were a baby still makes you an illegal alien. Part of the requirement to have access to ANY government-funded service (like higher education) should include proof of citizenship, or a valid, current visa. If someone wants access to these taxpayer-funded services, they should follow the rule of law and file for legal temporary entry/citizenship, like millions of immigrants before them have done. I really think this issue is more of a liability for him than a plus. ESPECIALLY since most people DON'T know the specifics, and the public in general is too stupid to inform themselves.
Also, there's been a more recent push to repeal this law, similar to how OK repealed their version back in 2008. And the law is currently going through the courts. And where did you get the '0' nay votes for it? While the Texas Legislature website shows 0 nays in committee, it doesn't appear to save vote records past 2005...? But per the 'push to repeal law' link above, the actual votes were 27-3 in the Senate, and 130-2 in the House.

Perry talking about amnesty program, 2007.

Perry's speech at border summit, 2001.

Perry still supports Texas DREAM Act, 2011.

Perry thinks a guest worker program shouldn't "reward those who break the law", even though that's exactly what such a program would do for those who are here illegally. Also, supports birthright citizenship. 2006.

Same subject, different article, 2006.

Yes lentulusgracchus -- WE ALL know about the "October Surprise" whisper~~whisper~~~whisper Gay Perry whisper campaign.

*******

I addressed that over here.

And another poster address it over here.

"STOP SPAMMING THE IDIOTIC PERRY IS GAY STORY!!!"

" You keep posting the part of the story with the salacious rumors, but conveniently leave out the part where they never find any evidence that there is any truth to the story!

The part you purposely omit...

For the record, Naked City looked into the Perry rumors when they first surfaced some weeks ago – inevitably accompanied by the warning, “The divorce papers are being filed today!” – and found no evidence of any truth to any of them, whatsoever. Amid much finger-pointing about who was the original source (and which political party he or she belongs to), nobody will go on the record.

The governor's office (perhaps understandably) refuses any and all comment beyond a one-sentence statement from Perry spokesperson Kathy Walt: “These are false, malicious, and hurtful rumors, and the Chronicle's own investigation acknowledges that fact.”

We also know that numerous other reporters, from here to New York, have looked into the rumors, with, as far as we know, an identical lack of results. Nor do we expect anything we say here to have any effect on the rumors, which have become entirely self-replicating as they echo through the blogosphere." Source

This is your style of character assassination Posted on the net:

[“There is a story in politics, commonly attributed to Lyndon B. Johnson, about how LBJ wanted to circulate a rumor attacking his opponent in a Texas election. Johnson, it's said, wanted to spread the story that his opponent liked to have sex with barnyard animals. One of LBJ's aides said, "We can't prove he's a pig f----r."

"I know that," replied Johnson. "I just want to hear him deny it."

”Rush Limbaugh was detained for several hours at the Palm Beach airport yesterday for having non-prescription Viagra (and maybe some other stuff as well, it's not clear). He was returning from the Dominican Republic, a popular "sex tourism" destination where rich white men can have sex with underaged, desperate, sex-slave Dominican girls. Putting two and two together, I wonder: is that why Pigboy was down there, committing legal rape with the help of his non-scrip ED medicine?

I can't prove it. I just want to hear him deny it.”] - End

CWA added to Perry’s support Concerned Women for America –“……”I am honored to be a national co-chair of The Response,” says CWA’s Penny Nance. She adds that members of her group nationwide “are invited to take part in whatever way possible, whether it’s coming to actually be a part of the event, or just praying at home. We believe that it’s just important that women of faith ... come together and pray for our country.”

And in response to the opposition to the prayer event — including the lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation that claims the gathering violates the religious freedom article in the First Amendment — she assures: “We’ll pray for them.”

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“........Miner said people who know Perry understand that two things he feels strongly about are states’ rights and the institution of traditional marriage. “Nothing has changed with the governor’s philosophy here,” he said.

Besides confirming Perry’s support of a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, Miner pointed to the governor’s state record. Perry supported the Texas Defense of Marriage Act and a state constitutional amendment defining traditional marriage, Miner noted.” Source

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“..Ann Hettinger, Concerned Women for America’s state director of Texas, was instrumental in convincing Perry to change his proposal to an opt-in provision. When asked if Perry’s original plans for the HPV vaccine would be an issue if he were to run for president, [CEO of Concerned Women for America, Penny] Nance replied, “It would’ve been an issue IF HE HAD NOT FIXED IT.”

June 13, 2011: Texas Gov. Rick Perry blasted pro-abortion President Barack Obama on pro-life issues “Perry said that, under Obama “our federal tax dollars can now be used to fund abortion all over the world. With the stroke of a pen, abortion essentially became a U.S. foreign export.......”

”Perry has pleased pro-life advocates in Texas many times with signing pro-life legislation — most recently signing an ultrasound bill allowing women to see them before an abortion and hopefully changing their minds on it. He has been strongly supported by pro-life groups. Perry supported or signed into law the Women’s Right to Know Act and the Prenatal Protection Act in 2003, parental consent law in 2005, and funding for alternatives to abortions in 2007 and 2009.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2754085/posts?page=1#1

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