Posted on 10/03/2011 1:16:29 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[excerpt of new issue not yet online]
IT WILL BE THE JOBS ISSUE—and Texas’s record in creating them—that will define Rick Perry’s presidential run. Since he became governor in 2001, the U.S. as a whole has had a net loss of private-sector jobs, while Texas—which has only 8 percent of the nation’s population—has had a net gain of 825,000 jobs.
Richard Fisher, president of the Dallas Federal Reserve Board, told me that if you look at the number of jobs created since the recession technically ended in June 2009, Texas has accounted for 48 percent of net new jobs created in the U.S.
Fisher also disparages claims that the jobs are all low-paying jobs at McDonald’s or Walmart, paying the minimum wage, or that they were primarily caused by the oil and natural gas boom. According to Tom Pauken of the Texas Work Force Commission, the annual median wage in Texas in 2010 for all occupations was $31,500 a year, only 7 percent below the national average. That difference is easily explained by the fact that Texas has a younger workforce than most states and a higher percentage of workers in lower-pay agriculture jobs near the border with Mexico. [ CW: Cost of living in Texas is lower than many other states; Texas has no state income tax; Texas is a right to work state.]
As for where the job growth has been, three sectors of the economy have grown faster than the energy sector, which alone added 40,500 net new jobs in 2010. Last year, Texas added 57,900 new jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities; a total of 53,400 jobs in professional and business services; and 44,900 net new jobs in the hospitality industry.
For each of the past seven years, CEOs polled by “Chief Executive” magazine have rated Texas first in the nation for economic development climate and job growth. What is the secret of Texas’s success? Rick Perry isn’t shy about his answer. “It’s all about four points,” he told me. “First, don’t spend all the money. Keep the taxes low and under control. Have regulations that are fair and predictable so business owners know what to expect from one quarter to the next. And reform the legal system so that frivolous lawsuits don’t paralyze employers who are trying to create real wealth.”
If there is on issue which Perry has made a personal crusade, it is lawsuit reform. Working with the legislature, he has helped pass curbs on frivolous lawsuits, implemented a first-in-the-nation system under which loser pays all court costs in many lawsuits, and reformed medical malpractice law.
Dick Weekley, the co-founder of Texans for Lawsuit Reform, says Perry showed genuine political courage in resisting calls for watered-down reforms that wouldn’t have addressed the core problem. He recalls that in 2002 Perry vetoed a bill strongly supported by doctors that would have required them to prompt payment from health maintenance organizations. In the eyes of the tort reform advocates, the bill was a Trojan Horse compromise negotiated between doctors and trial lawyers. “There was a huge response from physicians [against the veto],” Kim Ross, the former top lobbyist for the Texas Medical Association, said. TMA went so far as to endorse Tony Sanchez, Perry’s millionaire Democratic opponent in the 2002 election. “Perry sent a signal that he wanted real reform and would stand his ground,” Weekley told me. “Soon the medical lobbyists playing footsie with the trial lawyers were gone and the obstacles to real reform started falling.” [end excerpt]
to regain momentum,
perry’s got to look presidential.
Well, IF Perry manages a comeback, it will be comparable to Lazarus....
Why didn’t you read the article before posting?
IF you'd rather NOT be pinged FReepmail me.
IF you'd like to be added FReepmail me. Thanks.
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************
“perry’s got to look presidential..”
Hell.
He’s got to figure out stringing nouns and verbs together to form coherent thoughts verbally first.
Perry ain’t the guy.
What do you think of the information in the article?
Bwahaha!!! John Fund tries to convince us that the pro-illegal, government-mandate crony capitalist really isn’t an inside Establishment player and is the tea party answer for our times.
Try again, little fella.
How do you think he’s managed to govern Texas so well, if he can’t talk?
i did.
i simply expressed my 1st amendment opinion.
He can always run for Calderone’s job.
ROFL
**claims that the jobs are all low-paying jobs at McDonald’s or Walmart, paying the minimum wage**
But...but....but..when McDonald’s hired 62,000 in one day, Obama pulled every one of those 62K out of the air and we were to kiss his hand in gratitude for it. /s
The article is a slick attempt to whitewash the inconvenient truths, containing many claims, but no substance in its attempts to do so. It sounds like a press release from one of the coherent members of Perry’s staff.
Folks were glad to see Lazarus ressurect.
I don’t know where you live cuz you seem to have that hidden...but in Texas Perry is known as the come back kid. He is not one you ever count out.
He hasn’t had a serious contender since gaining office. Debates? Few, far between with any of them. He’s got an “R” next to his name and that’s pretty much all it took to stay Governor.
He may be an average-decent speaker from prepared copy, et al, but he’s (clearly) not one to speak spontaneously in any clear or convincing manner. He stumbles, mumbles, and rambles too much. Sounds kinda like an idiot.
His debate performances are not the exception, they’re pretty much closer to the rule.
Then dispute them with your economic numbers for the Texas economy and job growth.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.