Posted on 06/06/2011 6:55:44 AM PDT by jbwilson
In recent years, Texas Governor Rick Perry has made quite a name for himself as a champion of state sovereignty, as an outspoken supporter of the right to keep and bear arms, and as a proponent of reigning in unlawful searches by TSA agents. But with the media now abuzz about the possibility of a Perry presidential run, I’m forced to wonder if these reputations are well-earned or if Governor Perry simply knows how to say the right things at the right time to stir up his political base.
How many times during his decade-long reign as governor of Texas has Rick Perry “put his money where his mouth is,” so to speak? Despite all of his strong rhetoric, Governor Perry seems surprisingly reluctant to throw his political weight behind any freedom-ensuring legislation that is even the slightest bit controversial (he’s much less reticent when it comes to requiring 12-year-old girls to get vaccinated for STDs).
During the 2011 regular session of the Texas Legislature, Governor Perry stood idly by as the federal government strong-armed Texas lawmakers into killing legislation by Representative David Simpson that would have prohibited federal agents at airports from performing invasive searches without probable cause. And he lifted nary a finger to facilitated passage of legislation, also by Representative Simpson, that would have guaranteed the Second Amendment rights of those Texans working and studying on college campuses.
When it became clear that a few spend-happy Democrats were going to force the Texas Legislature into a special session, many Texans assumed that Governor Perry would add these two important bills, both of which have broad support among legislators, to the agenda. But so far, the governor has remained silent on both issues. And now many pundits are suggesting that Perry won’t add these bills to the special session because doing so might not bode well for his potential presidential campaign.
Governor Perry loves to play up his image as a “cowboy” or “true Texan,” bragging about shooting a coyote on an Austin jogging trail (a dubious story he’s failed to corroborate with either a police report or a dead coyote) and peppering his talk with folksy Texas sayings. But at the end of the day, he may very well be just another opportunist politician looking for his ticket to D.C. At the end of the day, there may be one folksy Texas saying that does sum up Rick Perry: “He’s all hat and no cattle.”
-J. Wilson
“I have never fully agreed with any President or Presidential contender. That said, if we continue to look for perfection, we will end up with the one for another four years. We need to look at the positive things the candidates have done instead of always the negative. Not for or against Perry at the moment.”
I disagree. We need to know where they have stood in the past—good or bad—simply because it may reflect where they go in the future. Perry is a candidate who as Texas Governor hasn’t exhibited a reflexive principle beyond getting elected to ever higher office. I don’t foresee him being a bad candidate if he runs, but I don’t trust him to be a good President.
Worth repeating, as Gov. Goodhair has a lot more influence over the legislooters during special sessions.
Most folks don't realise how restrictive the laws are regarding handguns in Tx. They are much more restrictive than the common perception.
No it is a valid warning that Perry is a POS. Don’t be fooled by this phony. He is bought by the world elite.
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