Why America needs Governor Perry to run

Renew America ^ | 5-27-2011 | Chris Adamo

[smoothsailing]

Rick Perry endorsed Rudy Giuliani, campaigned for him in some of the primary states, went on Fox News and other media and talked about how wonderful Giuliani was. Does this mean that we should all support Giuliani?

I wouldn't support Rudy Giuliani even if he had the endorsement of Sarah Palin, Ronald Reagan, and the United Federation of Planets.

[af_vet_rr]

I'll try and give you links to the points you mentioned. I'll warn you now, the corridor stuff is insane. There is so much going on there, with all of the personal and working relations between the involved parties, including some lobbying for Cintra, then working on Perry's staff, then going back to lobbying for Cintra, as well as all of the actions that TxDOT/Perry/etc. engaged in. Because of how much TxDOT and Cintra tried to keep secret, even filing lawsuits to keep stuff secret, and because of everybody involved, I honestly don't think we'll ever have a full accounting of everything that transpired.

With the Trans-Texas Corridor, Perry was pushing for what would have resulted in the purchase or confiscation of land to handle 4,000 miles of roads, passenger rail, freight rail, pipelines, etc. That 4,000 miles of roads, rails, and pipelines and right-of-ways plus associated facilities was going to take between 500,000 - 550,000 acres. The corridors would be up to 1,200 feet wide. Texas DOT has removed many of the links about the Trans-Texas Corridor - you can see various versions of their website at Archive.org, http://wayback.archive.org/web/20070815000000*/http://keeptexasmoving.org by clicking on the dates that have archives. Some of the specific facts of the size were preserved on Archive.org at http://web.archive.org/web/20051227194640/http://www.keeptexasmoving.com/publications/files/ttc_report_summary.pdf which also mentions the cost - $145 billion to $183 billion. There have been larger eminent domain projects, but those were at the federal level for parks and military bases. I'm not aware of any larger eminent domain projects pushed by the state of Texas. Even the largest state park in Texas, Big Bend Ranch State Park, is around 250,000 or 300,000 acres and some of that was donated and not taken by emminent domain.

The newborn DNA project. The Texas Department of Health Services was storing blood samples from newborn infant which are normally used for screening of various diseases, beyond the stated purposes. In 2002, the state of Texas began keeping the blood samples rather than destroying them, and using the DNA to perform genetic testing and other research or passing it to other organizations without the knowledge or consent of parents. 800 of those DNA samples ended up in a federal database. Texas A&M stored the samples and along with SDHS determined who got what access. This happened between 2002 - 2009. The Texas Department of Health Services has published what research projects used the DNA samples stored at A&M, as part of the settlement and legislation from the Texas legislature. It was a very extensive list of organizations that received those samples or were able to work with them at the A&M facilities, as you can see from the list. If you read the emails that were published during the lawsuit/settlement, the state was very aware that parents would not be happy with this, as they denied A&M permission to publicly talk about the program. Perry could have put a stop to it when the public heard about it, but he chose to let it go to court, thereby using taxpayer money to defend the program. Once the public began to hear a lot more about it, the state quickly settled. If you need more, Googling Texas DNA newborns will turn up a lot of information.

Perry attended the Bilderberg conference in June of 2007, and it was widely reported, to the point that Perry's secretary joked about him learning the "secret handshake". link 1, link 2. The Dallas Morning News has the interview with Perry's press secretary where he joked about the secret handshake stuff, but since they've re-organized their site, old links are broken. Some FR threads with a post repeating the Dallas Morning News article complete with joke about handshake.

There is so much crazy crap going on between Perry, Giuliani, and Cintra, and various Perry aides that would be working on Perry's staff one year and then working for Cintra the next. I would seriously do some research on Dan Shelley and his ties to Perry. He helped get Cintra's foot in the door, then worked on Perry's staff drawing a state salary, then went back to work for Cintra. While sifting through some of these links, I found out that a Cintra partner was trying to buy over 40 newspapers that were along the proposed TTC routes, and may have bought up to 42 of them. That is something I didn't know and raises even more questions about all of this. this FR thread covers the start of that attempt, and of course the company in question is foreign. As for the plans of the TTC, I would go through Corridor News as they have full reprints or good summaries of a lot of the newspaper articles dealing with the TTC and they cover a lot of the smaller issues that are lost in the details including a lot more names and specific areas. Free Republic is also a good source as there have been many threads about the links between Giuliani's law firm and TxDOT/Cintra. There was a good thread about Perry trying to give the leasing rights of a Dallas bypass to Cintra covering 50 years in return for a few billion dollars to TxDOT, except that TxDOT tried to prevent other companies from bidding on it, and part of that bypass was build with public tax dollars which meant double-taxation. Liz usually posts a lot of good information covering the Giuliani/Perry/Cintra angles. This site actually has a good article covering a lot more of the specifics of the actual corridor, including more about the high speed rail lines. TxDOT tried to keep the financial and development parts of the agreement with Cintra confidential. You had Perry handing out no-bid contracts such as the one for the first segments from San Antonio to Oklahoma, claiming, and I quote the Governor's office: "no cost to taxpayers" which is funny since the state would be confiscating land through eminent domain, which would cost taxpayers, and since taxpayers would have to then pay to drive on those roads, and since some of these roads had been started or partially built with tax dollars. Ironically, the Texas Attorney General agreed that since the deal had been signed, it should be revealed, which pitted the Attorney General against TxDOT. There were lawsuits against the AG to keep the records private (good summary here reprinting some relevant articles). More, including some FR comments about keeping it private. There were other lawsuits, including discussing whether the state was using taxpayer money to push ads supporting the TTC and lobbying politicians. The state cannot lobby politicians to support its projects. The Transportation Commissioner even told people that the state was hiring lobbyists to try and sell it which made a lot of us go "huh?". The legislature did step in and knock down the lengths of some of the private contracts down to under 50 years. If you want to go back to 2002, this article has a lot of information about the early players and some of Perry's donors.

It gives me a headache reading through all of the connections involving the TTC.

Obviously you are familiar with Perry endorsing Giuliani and going on Fox News to stump for him and you are aware of both Perry and Giuliani then endorsing John McCain. You're also obviously aware that Perry was the Chairmain of Al Gore's Texas campaign in 1988.

By the way, I strongly agree with you that Romney is a frontrunner only because of the MSM, just as what we saw with McCain.

[af_vet_rr]

I wouldn't support Rudy Giuliani even if he had the endorsement of Sarah Palin, Ronald Reagan, and the United Federation of Planets.

One thing I don't understand, and I'm not accusing you of this since you feel about Giuliani the way I do, is that I see people who loathe Giuliani, whether for his liberal views on relations with Mexico, his pro-abortion stance, his pro-homosexual stance, or what have you, but they'll turn around and support somebody like Rick Perry. Perry went on national TV telling Americans that Rudy Giuliani was the best choice for President. He stumped hard for Giuliani.

Maybe a lot of people don't care about things like abortions, but I never could understand how a supposed pro-life supporter like Perry could campaign hard for a pro-abortion candidate like Giuliani.

I can come up with excuses - friendships, partnerships, that kind of thing, but I still come back to how can somebody who is pro-life campaign hard for somebody who is pro-abortion. In my youth, I didn't care as nearly as much about abortion as I do these days, but after my daughters gave me grandchildren, my attitude changed drastically.

I have acquaintances and family who are pro-abortion, but I could never support them for a political office, especially one like the Presidency.

[smoothsailing]

We share a common outlook on the sanctity of life, and like you I could never support a pro-abort candidate.

When it comes to endorsements by politicians, sometimes I just scratch my head. The endorsement game has always been a strange political thing to me. Maybe it’s the old “politics makes strange bedfellows” rule at work.

A pro-life pol endorsing a pro-abort pol makes no sense to me either (Perry-Giulianni). But then what about a pro-life pol endorsing a pro-life pol who endorsed a pro-abort pol (Palin-Perry-Gilianni). How many degrees of seperation are necessary to avoid guilt by association? I don’t know, it makes my head spin.

I see Palin endorsing Perry as a plus for Perry. But Perry endorsing Rudy is definitely a negative.

For now at least, I’m convinced that Perry will require a great deal more scrutiny before I jump on his bandwagon, but I’ll keep an open mind about it.

[philman_36]

Well I just wasted my time on the other thread when you’ve already been here.

[xzins]

personally, I don’t see the hpv vaccine as any different than any other vaccine. In this case, though, parents had an opt-out, so I don’t find it offensive at all. If you don’t want it, then you don’t get it. I fail to see the problem.

Should the government be involved in health issues? Absolutely, when it comes to communicable disease.

[Clara Lou]

Rick Perry is a bold and unapologetic politician. Texas governorship allows him a lot of face time, but it’s the Lt. governor that wields the power. Rick is a politician with Democrat activity in his background who holds his finger to the wind to see how it blows and then speaks.

I’d hold my nose and vote for him over Giuliani and Gingrich and Romney in the primaries. I’d hold my nose and vote for him over Obama without thinking twice. But Rick is pretty much a RINO. Rick is just a politician. Period.

[LibertarianInExile]

“Just one thing: George P. Bush?”

Jeb’s kid. Who is trotted out to talk about how racist some immigration policies are and is the next Bush who will be touted for public office. I’m betting Rick Perry is the Bush family’s pick this time because he’s been a good soldier for them and the other corpoglobaloney types.

[LibertarianInExile]

“His lieutenant governor is also a fraud (David Dewhurst) is also a liar and a fraud who carries the water for the white house.”

Amen to that. I’m looking forward to Dan Patrick running against him for the Senate. I don’t like everything about Patrick, but I’m sick of lifetime politicians like Dewhurst and Perry representing Texas. That TSA bill would have done what needed to be done, put Barry into direct conflict with a state and forced him to put up or shut up on child molestation—instead of acting like it’s just something we all have to deal with. Dewey and Goodhair made sure THEY didn’t become the face of a new federalism, because that’s just not what the RNC and its corporate backers want them to be, dangit!

[LibertarianInExile]

Let’s start with your most egregious lie, that Perry is:

“Pro-Secure Borders”
OH, GIVE ME A BREAK! Talking tough and fast-tracking this year does not make up for failing to show leadership on this issue throughout his entire term of office. He’s coddled sanctuary cities—until now. He’s said Arizona’s immigration law is wrong—until now. He’s done jack on the border, when he could have been a leader. He was ready to Kelo up TTC and hand all that Texas property to Mexico; he’s just as eager to do that to the rest of the country if he sets foot in the White House. He’s not pro-secure-borders AT ALL.

“Pro-Life”
If this is true he could have fast-tracked anti-abortion legislation any number of times over the last few sessions. I’m sorry, when did that happen before this year...

“Pro-Gun”
...about the same time he fast-tracked guns to protect students on campus? That, of course, was not on his emergency list, was it? He’s been governor since Bush left. Where was Perry on that issue in 2005? 2007? 2009? None of these were emergency issues until he started “not” running for President. And of course, he endorsed Al Gore and Michael Dukakis, and when you think of pro-gun, you think Michael Dukakis first, don’t you? Perry can shoot all the coyotes he wants, but it doesn’t make him a Second Amendment hero.

“Pro-Family / Pro-God / Pro-America”
I bet he’s against flag burning and for apple pie, too. All non-issue fluff to fill out your list here. But hang on—if he’s so pro-family and pro-God, where is he for increasing school prayer in Texas? Absent, that’s where. Haven’t heard anything from him about that, or the Texas Board of Education’s textbook troubles, because ol’ Slick Rick keeps his name out of the limelight when it comes to anything that might mess up his political hair. And if he’s so pro-America, how come he started right off the block appointing leftists to Texas political offices like Henry Cuellar, Elizabeth Ames-Jones (a liberal who wanted to end judicial elections in Texas) and Xavier Rodriguez?

Pro-Spending Cuts / Pro-Fiscal Responsibility
He increased the franchise tax and hasn’t cut CPS, DOT, TEA, THECB, or any of the huge Texas state departments that a conservative would be eager to slice and dice. Plus, he has been sitting on slush funds—like the Texas Enterprise Fund—that taxpayers have paid for, and he’s used that money to pay off his buddies and supporters, like Countrywide and F1. Security costs for his junkets overseas are legendary (but I guess only Obama deserves criticism there). Yeah, he’s Mr. Fiscal Responsibility all right.

Pro-Business/Pro-Trade
I bet he is, when it comes to his buddies. But when it comes to the average business, paying the franchise tax and heck, even paying Texas’ property tax at home is a heck of a burden. Sure, some taxes are better than they are in other states. But we’re still paying for everything he wants in the huge bureaucracy that is Austin. And it’s hard to see how he’s pro-American and pro-American-business when he doesn’t care about secure borders, borders which let illegals flood out American laborers. Maybe you meant to say he’s pro-businesses that hire illegals.

“Pro-Justice”
Why did he sign the so-called “Hate Crimes” law then? Why did he appoint the self-described David Souter of the Texas Supreme Court? Why has he loaded the Texas judiciary with RINO appointments from city firms that donate money to his campaigns, while passing over conservatives with actual GOP credentials?

“There is a point at which reality bites deep when erroneous reports surface. There is no basis for challenging Perry’s conservative credentials. He has governed as a conservative. He has made mistakes. He has corrected those mistakes.”

He’s made mistakes because he’s not a conservative. He has governed as a conservative because Texas governors don’t do much governing, and the legislature and Dewhurst won’t let him govern as a liberal. He’s corrected his mistakes where forced to do so by conservatives, which is why he’s now shamelessly pandering to them after years of ignoring them.

“Texas is a conservative model for America: no income tax, vital economy, moral strength, and a place to raise a family. That sure isn’t my state of Ohio, nor is it Calif, Michigan, PA, etc. Texas is far better off than those states, although Kasich is attempting to put the pieces back together again in Ohio.”

I’m in Texas right now. I know it’s better than Ohio. But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect, and it sure isn’t because of Rick Perry’s leadership that Texas is better than Ohio.

“There is no point in attempting to destroy our few tested conservative leaders in order to further one’s own favorite conservative leader. If we’re going to injure people, then let’s injure rinos like Romney, Giuliani, etc.”

I’m fine with injuring RINOs and supporting conservatives. You just need to recognize them. And by the way, Perry ENDORSED Giuliani in 2008. So perhaps his (and your own) vision of what constitutes a RINO may be a bit fuzzy.

“How many of us former supporters of GW Bush wouldn’t welcome him back with open arms rather than continue down the socialist path with Barack Obama? With all his warts, GW was FAR better than Obama.”

How many of us former supporters of GW Bush don’t recognize that electing Dubya—and nominating McCain—LED to Barack Obama, because the American people didn’t believe in Republican conservatism any more? Sure, W was better than Obama. McCain probably would have been better than Obama, too. But electing a truly conservative president in 2000 or nominating a conservative in 2008 would have been far better than electing a W or McCain, and wouldn’t have resulted in an Obama in 2008, either. Didn’t McCain teach you that the GOP’s Tea Party base won’t accept RINOs, more Dubai sellouts, or settling. Picking Rick Perry would be settling at best and a sellout leading to more Obamas at worst.

[LibertarianInExile]

"Let’sd take the spin off this cue ball and say it like it is. First, the vaccine (HPV prevents cervical cancer) had been approved by the FDA. In fact, my daughters had the vaccination as had their obgyn’s daughter. This was just opposition politics by the group who is against all and any child vacc’s - basically nut job fringe."

Those opposing Rick Perry on the Gardasil mandate were generally not against child vaccines. We were against him PERSONALLY mandating BY EXECUTIVE ORDER that every female student of the state of Texas take a new vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease--and we were against having the state cover one red cent of the cost. Circumcision provides protection against some diseases, too, but I bet you and Perry would be against mandating that for all male students and I'm sure you would be against Texas taxpayers paying for any of it. And I'm sure most conservatives are against government by executive order.

"About stealing land from farmers; we need to build new roads here in Texas asap. The state is growing much faster than we’re currently able to build roads. So, just as an fyi, it takes two things to build roads, and that would be land and money. So, in order to obtain new land for new roads, yes, imminent domain must be applied and obviously land has to be purchased from current landowners so to build the roads. Concerning money; There is resistance to an increase in the gas tax. So, Perry has been turning to the toll road concept. Again, keep in mind it takes money to build roads. Gotta come from somewhere. Personally, I lik the toll concept. I live in the DFW metroplex and thereby am very familiar with the concept. I use the toll when I am in a hurry and don’t use it when I’m not. Btw, and just a side note, Texas is one of the few states that builds nice two and three lane (each way) service roads along side of their tolls. So, if one doesn’t want to pay, there’s good service roads available, at no cost. Anyway, needed to shed some light on a few things...."

The state is growing much faster than we’re currently able to build roads because Perry is not willing to lead on that issue, but instead found it important to be a leader on the issue of building a road from Mexico to Oklahoma. TTC wasn't about building roads in DFW or any metroplex or FOR Texans. It was about grabbing a huge swath of Texans' land to make it easier for multinational companies to get goods from other countries through Mexico to the rest of the U.S. I happen to like fewer tax dollars lifted from my pocket, seeing my gas tax used for roads I use, and not having to pay the government multiple times to exercise my right to travel. Meanwhile, Rick Perry has proven over the years that he is perfectly satisfied with the size of DOT and toll road commission staff, spending gas tax on bureaucrats and feel-good advertisements, and giving away the power of the state to Mexican companies and drug companies contributing indirectly to his campaign. And no, there is NOT as much good service available at no cost, when gas tax dollars are used on studies for toll roads and bureaucrats INSTEAD OF ROADS. And we both know those great service roads aren't being built on the side of toll roads, so if you want to go where the toll roads go, you pay or "drive" elsewhere (usually in standstill traffic).

[itsahoot]

Bibi is that smart.

Yep, he gave land for peace before, how did that work out? Oh I know, he is backed into a corner and must get tough, but the people of Israel, will throw him under the bus soon enough if things get tough. Clinton and a conservative republican strategizing whole different matter.

[smoothsailing]

Well I just wasted my time on the other thread when you’ve already been here.

lol. Actually I started both threads, so don't let my presence here surprise you!

There's a wealth of information on Perry at the link below. Since I'm still learning about him, I'll leave it to you to sort it all out...

Rick Perry is a Moderate Conservative

[snoringbear]

“And we both know those great service roads aren’t being built on the side of toll roads, so if you want to go where the toll roads go, you pay or “drive” elsewhere (usually in standstill traffic).”

I’ll not bother with responding to all the trivia you espewed. I will respond to one of your statements; “And we both know those great service roads aren’t being built on the side of toll roads, so if you want to go where the toll roads go, you pay or “drive” elsewhere (usually in standstill traffic).” Not true, I live very close to Sam “Rayburn, GWB Toll and N. Dallas Toll and I am on them or on their service roads daily. Their service roads are all excellent. And, as I stated either two or three lanes each way. Sure, these roads stack up during peak rush hour periods but virtually every road in the metroplex does. That’s why we need to build more and fast. Remember, repeat after me, it takes two things to build roads, money and land. :)

[LibertarianInExile]

In my experience, where service roads next to toll roads have been ‘built’ in Texas, it’s only because the toll roads are replacing or built in the footprint of prior non-toll-roads. Maybe I’m wrong about that being the case in Dallas, but it’s certainly true in the Austin area.

And I must say, I appreciate that your only response is to decry the remainder of my comments as trivial. Obviously, my other post was dead on, since your only response is ad hominem.

[philman_36]

Yep, he gave land for peace before, how did that work out?
Ummmm, as far as I know his land for peace proposals failed. Unless you've got a link to something of which I'm unaware?

[snoringbear]

“since your only response is ad hominem.”

Uhh, excuse me... And, what would you call your circumcision analogy? Yep, lots of logic there! LOL!

[philman_36]

Actually I started both threads, so don't let my presence here surprise you!
Right over me.

It just made me wonder why you flagged me since my replies were already there. Just "one of the many" on the ping list I suppose.

[philman_36]

Oh, BTW, an individual provides the answers for that "quiz".
I don't see Perry himself taking the quiz. I see you answering them as you perceive him to be to get the outcome you've posted.

[smoothsailing]

I don't see Perry himself taking the quiz. I see you answering them as you perceive him to be to get the outcome you've posted.

Now that's just plain silly.