Posted on 08/16/2011 6:35:06 AM PDT by hocndoc
There's been an email going around with out and out lies about the Texas economy and half truths or lies about our Governor Perry. I worked on this last weekend, sitting up most of Sunday night and rechecking my facts and numbers this morning. Here's the truth:
To everyone thinking about Rick Perry for President:
#1 Rick Perry is a "big government" politician. When Rick Perry became the governor of Texas in 2000, the total spending by the Texas state government was approximately $49 billion. Ten years later it was approximately $90 billion. That is not exactly reducing the size of government.
During that same period, Texas' population increased by about 20% ( and we grow 1000 - 1300 people a day from people moving in from all over the US) and aggregate inflation over that period was about 25%. So the actual growth of government was 39% over 10 years, or less than 3% per year.
#2 The debt of the state of Texas is out of control. According to usdebtclock.org, the debt to GDP ratio in Texas is 22.9% and the debt per citizen is $10,645. In California (a total financial basket case), the debt to GDP ratio is just 18.7% and the debt per citizen is only $9932. If Rick Perry runs for president these are numbers he will want to keep well hidden..
These are completely false numbers. In fact, Texas received a credit upgrade this week.
Go to the US Debt Clock Website or Texas' Debt Clock. I checked this morning, August 16, 2011, in order to make sure I had the correct numbers: Texas has a debt to GDP ratio of 18.5% and a debt per person of $8345 - down from last week's $8930.
The truth is that Texas is second lowest State in debt compared to personal income. Half our our debt is bonds voted on by the People at election time. The other half is mostly "self-supported debt" - like student loans - that is paid off when people pay interest on the loans. Texas has decreased "non-self-supported debt" by 16%.
More here: http://www.willisms.com/archives/2011/08/texas_interest.html
#3 The total debt of the Texas government has more than doubled http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2010/mar/04/bill-white/white-says-texas-debt-has-doubled-under-perry/ since Rick Perry became governor. So what would the U.S. national debt look like after four (or eight) years of Rick Perry?
The "more than doubled" number includes city, county, and school districts -- not just State debt. See # 2 and the link that notes that the People voted to allow TXDOT to borrow money (Bonds) in 2001 and voted to sell bonds for the creation of the Texas Cancer Prevention and Research Institute. Everyone should quit voting for more debt when those amendments come up at election time!
#4 Rick Perry has spearheaded the effort to lease roads in Texas to foreign companies, to turn roads that are already free to drive on into toll roads, and to develop the Trans-Texas Corridor which would be part of the planned NAFTA superhighway system. If you really do deep research on this whole Trans-Texas Corridor nonsense you will see why no American should ever cast a single vote for Rick Perry.
The Legislature stopped the above, Perry signed the Bill. But, the Legislature introduced Regional Mobility Authorities, etc., which can make these deals. It was on the ballot and the People of Texas voted to pass the Constitutional Amendment to allow borrowing in the form of bonds in 2001.
Perry put SB 18, a bill to protect private property rights from the misuse of eminent domain, on his "Emergency" fast track this year and signed the Bill into law at the first Regular Session. That law limits the use of eminent domain to public use, requires a formal "bona fide offer" process, mandates a market price and allows the original owner to buy the land back in 10 years for the LESSER of either the original price or the current market price if it's not used for the stated purpose.
#5 Rick Perry claims that he has a "track record" of not raising taxes. That is a false claim. Rick Perry has repeatedly raised taxes and fees while he has been governor. Today, Texans are faced with significantly higher taxes and fees than they were before Rick Perry was elected.
These are cigarette taxes, user fees, etc. that were raised when the school property tax was lowered in 2006.
#6 Even with the oil boom in Texas, 23 states have a lower unemployment rate than Texas does.
And 26 States have higher rates.
We are increasing jobs faster than most and have produced more NEW jobs than all the other States put together.
Our unemployment rate is impacted by our illegal immigrants and legal immigrants. 1000 people come in legally each day. If the rest of the US were adding jobs at the rate that Texas is, the US unemployment rate would be 7.9%.
#7 Back in 1988, Rick Perry supported Al Gore for president. In fact, Rick Perry actually served as Al Gore's campaign chairman in the state of Texas that year.
Al Gore was Pro-life, Pro-marriage, and Pro-Israel in 1988 - he got most of his grief in that race from opponents backing Jesse Jackson because he was Pro-Israel.
Governor Perry's dad was a Democratic County Commissioner. Governor Perry said in 1985 that he was going to make the Democrats move right. By 1989, he changed Parties. His home County still voted Democrat in 2006.
#8 Between December 2007 and April 2011, weekly wages in the U.S. increased by about 5 percent. In the state of Texas they increased by just 0.6% over that same time period.
Texas' annual wages have grown significantly faster than other big States. We didn't lose jobs in the first place.
The false number proves that there's lies, darned lies and statistics. (That, and don't use Rachel Maddow for your source.) It costs less to live here, too.
#9 Texas now has one of the worst education systems in the nation. The following is from an opinion piece that was actually authored by Barbara Bush earlier this year....
• 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.
These numbers are useless without telling us what the same numbers were before 2000. Are we better or worse than we were?
They are strongly influenced by the poor performance of the school districts in the inner cities of Houston, Dallas, and El Paso, plus our border areas. It's aggravated by the illegal aliens that are unstable or just through the State.
#10 Rick Perry attended the Bilderberg Group meetings in 2007. Associating himself with that organization should be a red flag for all American voters.
Governor Perry was invited to speak as the Governor of the State of Texas, which would be the 17th largest economy if we were an independent Nation.
On the other hand, Margaret Thatcher was a member.
#11 Texas has the highest percentage of workers making minimum wage out of all 50 states.
At least they're working and not on unemployment. Our job force and our job numbers are growing much faster than the rest of the Nation.
#12 Rick Perry often gives speeches about illegal immigration, but when you look at the facts, he has been incredibly soft on the issue. If Rick Perry does not plan to secure the border, then he should not be president because illegal immigration is absolutely devastating many areas of the southwest United States.
Governor Rick Perry is for border control and has the record to prove it:
Perry has always advocated for “boots on the ground” at the border, but has been unable to get the Feds to send the manpower. He’s advocated letting the military practice the use of unmanned Predator aircraft along our border ("They’ve gotta practice somewhere” )
There are National Guard troops on the Border. Perry has repeatedly asked for more and recently won approval for the 1200 (we only got about 250) that have been deployed to stay longer. Read this news report from a year ago.
As a direct result of the Governor alerting the Texas Republican Congressman about Obama’s plan to remove the National Guard after less than 6 months, we'll have them longer. News report, here, from last month about the extension.
More, here http://www.freerepublic.com/%5Ehttp://wingright.org/2011/08/06/perry-palin-fish-or-cut-bait/
Watch and listen to Governor Perry talking with Greta van Susteren about the border. boots on the ground, and the problems with the fence. (You can see and hear the Texas Ranger helicopters in the background.)
He created the Ranger Recon force, sending 150 Texas Rangers (one riot, one Ranger) to the border along with helicopters and Texas Guardsmen. He demanded and got National Guard and two unmanned drones. He got the National Guard deployment extended beyond the original 6 months. Unfortunately, Texas only got 1/4 of the Guardsmen and 2/8 of the drones.
Texas (with our costs from the ICE detention center detainees being dumped in the State by Homeland security, support of Katrina refugees, our natural disasters like Ike, wildfires, and tornadoes) is expected to pay for our own Guard if we want them here after September.
Texas has spent $200 million a year on the cost of jailing illegal aliens that the feds bring here. We’ve spent $79 million of our own Texas tax funds on troops, helicopters.
The Legislature refused to fund his virtual border, so he used money from the Governor’s discretionary fund. In some cases, local sheriffs and cities refused to cooperate.
Here’s an article from January of this year showing resistance from border Sheriff Wiles.
#13 In 2007, 221,000 residents of Texas were making minimum wage or less. By 2010, that number had risen to 550,000.
More Rachel Maddow.
AT LEAST THEY'RE WORKING!!! (Do you want the Federal Government to raise minimum salary, again? Or how about a Chicago-style "living wage" requirement that runs businesses out?)
#14 Rick Perry actually issued an executive order 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 would have put parents in a position where they would have had to fill out an application and beg the government not to inject their child with a highly controversial vaccine. Since then, very serious safety issues regarding this vaccine have come to light. Fortunately, lawmakers in Texas blocked what Perry was trying to do. According to Wikipedia, many were troubled when "apparent financial connections between Merck and Perry were 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."
Gardasil is a good vaccine. The truth, according to a complete review by the CDC and the FDA, is that there have been no Deaths due to the vaccine.
I've covered this subject in an earlier review at this blog.
I have never accused someone of being a drama queen, but...dayummmm.
I assume you live outside the norm, shunning contact with the outside world.
A direct quote from the CDC website...."....all 50 states require certain vaccinations for children entering public school."
Okay, let's do that. Mitch Daniels took office in 2005. In 2004, the last year before Daniels took office, Indiana had the 6th lowest per capita spending, and the 8th lowest spending to GDP ratio. That same year, Texas had the 4th lowest per capita spending and the 4th lowest spending to GDP ratio.
In 2010, Indiana had gone from the 6th lowest to the 10th lowest in per capita spending, and had gone from 8th lowest to 17th lowest in spending to GDP ratio. During the same time Texas remained at 4th lowest in both per capita spending and spending to GDP ratio. So while Texas spending remained fairly constant on a per capita and proportional basis, Indiana was spending a lot more per person and as a percentage of GDP.
Indiana also went from the 24th highest debt to GDP ratio to the 17th highest, and from the 26th highest to the 19th highest in per capita state debt during Daniel's administration. During that period, Texas went from 3rd lowest to 2nd lowest in both categories of debt.
So it appears that state debt and spending went up in Indiana under Daniels, while it went down or remained constant in Texas under Perry.
“all 50 states require certain vaccinations for children entering public school.”
“
Which is another reason why so many millions homeschool. These politicians are sick individuals: They claim shots are needed only for “optional” public schools but then try to say all children must attend those “optional” public schools.
The legislature mandated vaccines. I have fought mandated vaccines at Texas Medical Association meetings and in Austin. I definitely fought the opt out and then the yearly opt out.
The blog talks about the legislature’s requirement in 2005 that the health dept require a new form with a “secure seal.” Every year. The Dept was making it very hard to obtain that form. The Governor made it easier.
Here is a different take on Daniels and Indiana. Bear in mind that it matters what you start with: http://www.wpri.org/WIInterest/Vol20No1/Ruhl20.1.html
Here the NYT notes that Daniels held the growth in spending below the rate of inflation, something that Perry did not accomplish: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/business/economy/05leonhardt.html
I don’t want to be sidelined into a discussion of Daniels and Perry. Nevertheless, Daniels has done more to manage the fiscal situation responsibility in Indiana than Perry has in Texas. Again, if you really knew the inside game here you would see that Perry and the worthless Rs in Austin closed our roughly $17 billion budget gap by deferring payments into the next fiscal period, which is a move exactly out of the Arnold, Brown, and Davis playbook in CA. And the reason for the dishonest accounting tricks was exactly the same - no one wants to anger powerful taxeating constituencies.
Perry talks a hardcore conservative game, but the reality is something else. Other Texans will tell you the same thing. He is certainly conservative enough to be unelectable to statewide office in CA, but that doesn’t make him a hardcore conservative. We could do a lot worse than Perry, but there is no point in buying into an illusion.
You have overlooked one particularly delightful thing about our governor: “moderate” Rs (especially Eastern “country club” Rs) and liberals hate him - not so much because of his policies, but because in terms of background and culture he is everything that they loathe. I remember the look on Dan Rather’s face when he had to announce that Reagan had won. I would love to see Matthews’ face if he has to announce that Perry has won (if it were Bachmann, Matthews wouldn’t make it on camera because he would have had a stroke and would be frothing at the mouth while writhing on the floor.)
What kind of person would I be if I sent my kids to a public school?
Here is the site where you can go and actually look up the growth in spending for all of the states, and not rely on the New York Times: US Government Spending.
Nevertheless, Daniels has done more to manage the fiscal situation responsibility in Indiana than Perry has in Texas.
I'm sorry, but the numbers don't bear that out.
Again, if you really knew the inside game here you would see that Perry and the worthless Rs in Austin closed our roughly $17 billion budget gap by deferring payments into the next fiscal period, which is a move exactly out of the Arnold, Brown, and Davis playbook in CA.
Perhaps you might consider that the reason for that was because state revenues went from $85.5 billion in 2008 down to $45.6 Billion in 2009 - an almost 50% drop in one year. It wasn't caused by massive overspending by the state or fiscal irresponsibility - it was caused by a loss of revenue. That left a big hole in the budget. However, the next year, revenues started to increase again, to $62.5 Billion. Now, do you think they should have massively increased taxes in order to cover a short-term hole in the budget? Or was it better to cover the hole with cuts and budget transfers for one cycle? Which is the more "conservative" solution? Higher taxes or budget cuts?
By the way, don't even think of comparing Texas to California on budget hijinks. What happened this year was a one-time deal in Texas - California has been using smoke and mirrors to balance the budget for at least 10 years.
Voter ID
Eminent domain
ultrasound with requirement for the abortionist to give informed consent 24 hours before abortion
Defund planned parenthood
end hospital district funding for abortion
loser pays
And this is just a bit of this year
Watch all this disappear if he becomes POTUS.
Don’t trust him. He can yap his gums all day.
Nations largest Abortion Mill (Planned Parenthood) opens it’s offices in Houston, TX.
The Times is right on this one, and your revenue numbers are wrong. It appears that you are confusing numbers from specific sources with the total revenue. You can find 2008 and 2009 (and more) here: http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxbud/revenue_hist.html If you look carefully you will see that total revenue for 2009 was about $84 billion, while 2008 was about $87 billion.
The reason for the budget shortfall was a combination of a very moderate fall off in revenues and a refusal to do much to thwart the taxeaters’ demands on the spending side. You are right that the current deceitful budget that Perry signed is something that isn’t all that common in the history of Texas budgeting, but I didn’t say that it was. Rather, my point was that this massive CA-style budget fraud was signed-off on by Perry. In his defense one could argue that it is more a reflection on the Rs in the legislature, but Perry certainly didn’t make it an issue, and he should have.
Part of what you are not taking into account is that Perry has presided over a state that generally has not engaged in as many fiscal follies as other states. Perry isn’t responsible for that. Moreover, although Perry for most of his tenure has not been a wild spender, this last budget will become an issue in his campaign because it is grossly irresponsible.
Daniels, on the other hand, inherited significant economic problems. In response, he has fired government workers, held spending below the rate of inflation, etc. Perry hasn’t done anything like that. In fact, Perry has been adding large numbers of government workers, as was pointed out in the candidate debates in Perry’s re-election.
Just comparing a few numbers for the two states doesn’t get to the point, however. The issue is, what has the governor done with the hand he was dealt? Perry got a relatively good hand and, until this year, didn’t worsen it. Daniels got a bad hand, but has markedly improved it.
Perry is not the stout conservative that you think he is, but he is also not the RINO that others are irresponsibly calling him. Having said that, he is probably about the best we can do under the circumstances.
Considering the discrepancy in the amount of the shortfall, I will accept your source as correct on that. However, that does not change the data on the total increase in per capita spending over the 10 years or the figures on the debt. We will have to agree to disagree on whether or not Perry is a “strong conservative” based on that data, and disagree on whether Mitch Daniels or Perry has the better fiscal record. Obviously, I think my argument on those points are better supported by the data, but just as obviously, you disagree, and I don’t think we are going to persuade one another.
I keep hearing this he'll "do nothing" but I can plainly see he's already done plenty on the border and immigration. Here's some of what I found:
The "big sin" he's associated with is a Texas dream law from 10 years ago which passed with veto proof majorities. It was tightened unanimously by the legislature in 2005. A repeal bill never even made it out of committee this term. Here's an FR thread explaining the Texas dream law.
Perry's signed bills against human trafficking (HB 1372, 4008 & SB 11 of '07), on increased border security (probably the Rangers on the border he's mentioned; HB1 of '07), for tougher employer sanctions (HB 1196 of '07), on document fraud (HB 126 of '07) and signed Voter ID. Source: http://www.txcc.org/illegal-immigration & Reuters (Voter ID signing)
As he's mentioned, he did send Rangers to the border: Texas governor sends Rangers to Mexico border (2009)
He also mentioned arial assets on the border:
Texas Gov. Rick Perry says Predator drones should patrol Texas border (2009)
Texas gets a second aerial drone for border security (2011)
He's not for amnesty or "pathway to citizenship" as a reward:
In A December 2006 editorial, Gov. Perry wrote: "I would rather know who is crossing our border legally to work instead of not knowing who is crossing our border illegally to work. A guest worker program that provides foreign workers with an ID removes the incentive for millions of people to illegally enter our country. It also adds those workers to our tax base, generates revenue for needed social services and it can be done without providing citizenship." and "Along with millions of Americans, I think it is wrong to reward those who broke our laws with citizenship ahead of those who have followed the law and are waiting to enter this country legally. And like millions of Americans I do not support amnesty." (Emphasis mine.)
Source: http://governor.state.tx.us/news/editorial/10326/
He's a critic of E-Verify's lack of impact on Texas but it is used in thousands of Texas business although not required. However, Texas does require and use the I-9 "employment eligibility" forms which is where E-Verify is supposed to take its info. So in a real sense Texas already verifies eligibility, and under Perry it became harder on employers who violate the law and those who provide documents to defraud employers. Hutchison says Texas state doesn't use E-Verify to weed out undocumented workers applying for jobs (PolitiFact, 2010)
A mandatory E-Verify bill failed to pass the Texas legislature this year Business leaders say mandatory ‘E-Verify’ plan would harm small businesses (2011)
(Some say I-9 forms are meaningless but if I-9 is meaningless and that's where E-Verify gets its data what the hell use is E-Verify other than getting a greater error ate?)
Ban on driver's licenses for illegals (SB 1). ID measure passed quietly, while sanctuary cities bill died noisily
A bill banning "sanctuary cities," added by Perry to the recent special session, passed the Senate but failed in the Texas House. Same story as above: ID measure passed quietly, while sanctuary cities bill died noisily
And that's not everything.
He’s been in office for 10 years. There is no reason for me to believe that he will change.
There is evidence that the Governor follows through:
Choose Life license plate
Parental notification, tightened up the regs and statutory requirements,
Women’s Right to Know, beefed up this year, requiring the abortionist to personally handle the informed consent, 24 hours before the abortion.
Defunding Planned Parenthood and forcing Travis County Health to stop paying for elective abortions with County or City taxes.
Voter ID
Eminent Debate
So what? He doesn’t have to change. he will be the same RINO as before; but maybe worse.
You said he’d change and now, you make the statement that he’s a RINO or become worse. (after ignoring our new voter ID, new ultrasound bill, new requirement that abortionists personally meet with women to inform them of the age and stage of the child 24 hours before the abortion, the new eminent domain law, and all of the rest of the accomplishments listed on this thread.)
Can you give an example of when the Governor moved from the right to the left? From his record. when he changes his mind, he moves farther right.
The “Republican Liberty Caucus” is the Ron Paul/Debra Medina group.
http://www.rlc.org/2010/12/07/rlc-gathers-coalition-to-support-ron-paul-chairmanship-bid/
Look, I respect you hocndoc; I just don’t agree with you. I said he doesn’t have to change; but he may be worse.
That new eminent domain law won’t last if we get the Corridor. I didn’t ignore them. We are immigration friendly. Do you honestly believe that Voter ID will not be ignored? He either wants votes or cover his rear end.
Move right to left? He’s been doing the Charles During shuffle in Best Little Whorehouse in TX for years.
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