These are all legitimate questions.
Yes, they are and you're just scratching the surface. The problem with Perry is that he will say anything to anyone and cut any deal to get elected. It's all he knows, but of course, that cuts against the grain of the constant propaganda narrative from the Perry spin machine.
Came out against Mitt Romney on the topic of “knowingly hiring illegal aliens”.
The way Perry approached this was unbecoming. He sounded like a child on a school playground.
Romney revealed that yes, he had become aware of illegals on the lawn crew. You gotta be kidding me.
Perry approached this as some sort of bombshell revelation that would expose Romney and his hiring of illegals.
Perry's attempt was to fend off criticism of his In State Tuition rates for children of illegal aliens.
This topic still rubs Texans raw. We have large swaths of Houston (sanctuary city for illegals) that are unrecognizable as an American city.
These illegals have poured into the State of Texas and setup subcultures that look identical to the streets of Laredo or Matamores across the Mexican border.
Perry did the Texas two step in his lethargic support of Arizona's anti-illegal law. He said he supports Arizona, but that this same law is not right for Texas.
HUH? Texans are furious over illegals. We celebrate our Tex-mex culture, but we never intended for illegals to come here and literally setup little Mexico's.
The overwhelming majority of people have never been to the Mexican border. They'll visit nice lil vacation spots like Cancun.
Our border with Mexico is a national security threat and warrants the resources necessary to protect our citizens. Essentially all Perry has done is continually blame the federal government.
Perry may say the border is safer because of HIS actions, but it ain't so. The Texas border area remains largely a lawless area where murder, smuggling, kidnapping, gun/grenade battles are an everyday part of life.
So, instead of blaming the federal government, why not ban sanctuary cities, do away with benefits that are magnets, beef up the boots on the ground on the border.
Hell, it wasn't until Perry began his run for president that a voter ID bill passed in Texas. For a decade, illegals were actually voting in our elections...surprise surprise.