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AP
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) is strongly considering a bid for president.
Spend a few days hanging out with political operatives in Austin and you'll come away with two things: A list of restaurant recommendations as long as the margarita menu at Guero's Taco Bar, and a hard time arguing that Gov. Rick Perry won't be the Republican Party's presidential nominee.
In The State Which Must Not Be Messed With, the governor's political skills are the stuff of legend, and the economic robustness over which he has presided is the subject of a steady stream of brags by his fans nationwide. Friends and foes allies alike are impressed with Perry's deft negotiation of the Tea Party and business wings of the GOP. He's a farmer's son who spent a decade building a huge political apparatus in a state so vast that its tourism office advertises that "It's like another country."
And every indication -- including Saturday’s prayer and fasting event in Houston -- suggests he's getting ready to take his Texas show on the road.
"Rick Perry is the best politician to come out of Texas since LBJ," says Jason Stanford, a Democratic political consultant who managed Perry opponent Chris Bell's gubernatorial campaign in 2006. "His abilities are probably on par with Obama's."
Although Perry's announcement is still pending as he gauges financial support from potential donors, few Texans in the know doubt that Perry will jump in. (As local writer Harvey Kronberg said, he is "not exploring a presidential run, he is assembling one.") In fact, a more common parlor game among Republicans is speculating about who may fill his shoes if he packs his cowboy boots and heads for Washington.
That's a scenario that's not hard for many Texans to imagine -- and not because they're all drinking the tequila-spiked Kool-Aid. People here are just used to seeing Rick Perry win.
Their sense of the governor's strength is particularly remarkable because the longest-serving governor in Texas history is hardly universally beloved even within his own party. The political landscape's storied division into hostile fiefdoms --Bush, Paul, Hutchison, Perry -- may well be overblown, but somehow past loyalties never go unmentioned in the statehouse halls or the bars on Congress Avenue. Although the Texas constitution makes the governor's authority fairly weak on paper, Perry has amassed remarkable power throughout his decade-long tenure, in part by appointing allies to posts throughout the state. Those in both parties who have worked against him often add that political revenge -- or at least the threat of it -- can be his weapon of choice when anyone stands in the way of his success.
Still, past enemies in Texas often shrug when asked to lay out a clean line of attack against Perry that would drive GOP primary voters en masse into the arms of a Mitt Romney or a Michele Bachmann.
The man has never lost an election, they say, and most things have already been tried.
Opponents have run against Perry's 2002 transportation plan, a system of new toll roads and railways that would have required a massive land acquisition by the state and could have increased consumer costs. They've tried to paint him as a wine-drinking career politician who has reaped a small fortune from political cronies. They've slammed him for mandating that young girls receive a cervical-cancer vaccine unless their parents opted out. And the governor became a late-night comedy laugh line when he appeared to flirt with secessionism at a Tea Party rally.
After all that, his last really close race was in 1998.
Chief Perry strategist Dave Carney, a man who has worked with Perry for over a decade, doesn't see chinks in his potential-candidate's gubernatorial armor, either. Asked what items on Perry's long record might keep him up at night as a strategist anticipating attacks by political opponents on a national scale, Carney replies bluntly. "Nothing."
Perry’s strengths: His economic record, conservatism, and luck
If and when he gets into the race, it'll be under the banner of his economic record. On Perry's watch, Texas accounted for 37 percent of the jobs created nationwide since the economic recovery began. Over the past decade -- nine years of which were under Perry's tenure -- the state surpassed New York as the nation’s second-largest economy and nipped at the heels of No. 1 California.
(Of course, not every "Help wanted" sign can be traced to Perry policies; the Lone Star State gets a big boost from its geography and oil reserves, and many of its pro-business laws date back to the Ann Richards era. But the tort reform and tax laws Perry signed into law appear to have lured new companies to the state, and -- at least so far
-- he has gained wide recognition for the state's successes, whether he deserves all the credit or not.)
In addition to whatever combination of policy brilliance and good fortune yielded "the Texas miracle," he's in good standing with must-get evangelical, pro-military, and gun rights voters who turn out heavily in GOP primaries. He's a deeply religious man who once took a rainstorm as a divine sign not to leave his family's farm for a new job as a commercial pilot. An Air Force captain who flew C-130's in the 1970s, he would be the only military veteran in the race. He famously shot a coyote while jogging -- an anecdote that signals Rick Perry is the kind of guy who carries a .380 pistol with a laser sight while he's in gym shorts. As many around the country poked fun at him as a trigger-happy Yosemite Sam, a limited edition "Coyote Special" created by the firearm's maker flew off the shelves.
He's also been lucky, a trait that has continued with the development of the 2012 field. Perry’s opening has been paved, in part, by the absence of other big names like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, as well as Newt Gingrich’s campaign implosion (which allowed Carney, who had been working for Gingrich, to return to the Perry orbit). A recent Gallup poll of Republican voters indicated that Perry would debut in second place nationally if he decided to run, beating out Tea Party-beloved Rep. Michele Bachmann and barely trailing presumed front-runner Mitt Romney.
With his ability to mobilize the conservative base (like Bachmann can) and to tap into big business interests (like Romney can), Perry would likely shake loose supporters from each potential rival's base.
"He's a Frankenstein of the best qualities of both of them," said GOP consultant and Texas native Matt Mackowiak, who worked for Perry opponent Kay Bailey Hutchison in the 2010 gubernatorial contest. "That's exactly what many primary voters were looking for."
"People are looking at Michele Bachmann, and saying: 'I agree with her, but this woman kind of scares me,'" said another Texas Republican who has worked against the governor. "Those people are Rick Perry voters."
Those who have watched his campaigns do not doubt his ability to turn his theoretical support on paper into results in the diners and community centers of primary states. Supporters and detractors alike describe Perry as disciplined, driven (some say 'ruthless'), instinctive, and naturally energized by the parade of handshakes and bull@!$%# sessions
that make up a campaign.
And aides say he's prepared to stomach the ugly parts of the contest, too -- the inevitable opposition research hits, attack ads, and rhetorical brawls.
"He enjoys the engagement," Carney said of the governor's campaign style. "He enjoys the battle."
His weakness: Is the country ready for another Texas governor?
So is this man invincible in a GOP primary?
His most immediate challenge may be an inherited one. Both his current job and his gerund-abbreviatin' twang are likely to remind Americans of fellow Texan George W. Bush, a man still solely blamed by almost half of Americans for the country's current economic woes, per a June NBC/WSJ poll.
"I thought when I listened to him talk, I thought he was doing a parody of George Bush," former New Mexico Gov. (and longshot presidential candidate) Gary Johnson recently said of Perry.
While God-fearing-Texas-governor fatigue is sure to influence the race on a national scale, the comparison is less obvious to Texans. A native of tiny Paint Creek, TX (which has a school district so small that its teams play Six-man football), Perry's personal story more closely resembles Bill Clinton's than Bush's. His father was a farmer and World War II gunner; his early life was poor and more influenced by the weather in drought-plagued central Texas than by its oil reserves. He is fond of mentioning that he was an animal science major at Texas A&M, far from the Ivy Leagues that educated Bush, Romney, and Barack Obama.
But Perry's rags-to-riches biography isn't without its cloudy details. He may not be a millionaire on the scale of Romney or Jon Huntsman, but he made substantial profits off of land deals -- including transactions with close confidantes. A long list of Perry friends have gotten rich after entering the private sector. Critics frequently accuse him of cronyism and of placing his career's self-preservation ahead of all else. Perhaps the most glaring example is Perry's abrupt 2009 dismissal of the chair of a forensic panel that was investigating whether or not Cameron Todd Willingham, a man put to death under Perry's watch on charges of killing his three children in a fire, was innocent. That's the stuff of which opposition research is made.
His devotion to privatization and reform hasn't always resulted in data worthy of a proud press release. Texas’ only rival in the percentage of hourly workers who make at or below the minimum wage is Mississippi. The state ranks 43rd nationally in high school graduation. The state balanced its budget despite a multibillion-dollar shortfall earlier this year largely by instituting Spartan cuts to education and human services.
"This guy is Paul Ryan on crack," says Stanford. "Everything Paul Ryan wants to do on a national scale, Perry has already done here."
And then there's, well, Texas.
Perry leads a state that is physically larger than almost 200 countries in the world. It's 25 times the size of Romney's Massachusetts and 87 times the size of Bachmann's congressional district. It has its own pledge of allegiance. Even with its majority-minority demographics, it went for John McCain by almost 12 points in the last election. The official slogan of the Office of Economic Development and Tourism is -- this is actually true -- "Texas. It's like a whole other country."
It's a little different than the rest of the Lower 48. And that could be problematic in a general election, when the game will be to win over swing voters from the Midwest, Southwest, and Mountain West.
"His challenge is being able to move from talking about Texas 100 percent of the time -- which is his narrative -- to talking about it one percent of the time," said Bill Miller, a longtime Austin political consultant who has worked with both Democrats and Republicans in the state.
And it's still unclear whether a decade of what Perry has frequently called "the best job in the world" has completely readied him for a bitter fight for what's very likely the hardest and loneliest one.
"He has never had an effective, funded Republican voice against him in a primary race," said Harold Cook, a Democratic consultant in Texas. "And he's about to."
Leave a Comment:
Oh yeah ..... the guy who says he isn't gay ! Hmmmmmmmmm.
Bring it on Perry...
Nothing says Obama landslide quite like another bible banging TX Governor!
American's memories are not that short!
xxx
"the governor's political skills are the stuff of legend"
If by "political skills" you mean, smoke and mirrors, lying, arm
breakingtwisting, hypocrisy, flip-flopping, and murder, then you nailed it. This guy is the devil. I can't believe anyone outside of Texas would even give this guy a second look. If you hate Washington-type politicians, then you'll find him to be king. He's as slippery and resistant as teflon.Maybe God will tell him to run at his Day of Prayer...or maybe...just maybe...God already told him he is invincible...
...huh...?
...HUH...?
what will fiesty do when obama tanks in the election in 2012?
Sucks we'll never find that out, Mr. Penguin.
"...you are all scared to death of this man..."
How is it some can come up with such a mindless non sequitur?
Ever notice how when liberals point out the many reasons someone like Perry is not invincible, the right immediate throws out the line "you are all scared to death of this man" or Palin or Bachman or whoever.
I'm terrified of Perry Jody, truly terrified.... lmao!
Invincible??!!
Based on what? This guy has a HORRIBLE record when you consult any measure other than his own opinion, he's far out on the fringe on social issues, and he has, as I understand it, a few as yet unexplored skeletons in his closet of the John Ensign and Newt Gingrich variety.
Invincible. Not unless the media WANTS us to buy this drivel.
Do you, First Read?
Otherwise, just report the FACTS instead of the spin and we'll see if Perry is "invincible."
On Tweety's show the other night, he cut someone off who actually wanted to talk about Perry's record and accused the guy of attacking him. Attacking him with his record?
With that as a backdrop, and after what you just said, I'm beginning to wonder what the TRUE agenda is around here.
Jody,
They are projecting their fear of Pres. Obama onto us. That's all. They're afraid and assume we are. With candidates like this, it is impossible for Obamam to lose.
I ain't afraid of no dick-weed.
(I am a little concernded about his followers, though.....)
Perry's just another blow-hard career politician, Geo W Bush must be cringing at the thought of his Texas Gov., inheritor, bringing back to the voters mind "the Texass Destroyer". Even though we all are trying real hard to rid the thought of him from our minds
Wait a sec, this guy hates the US so much he wants to secede from it!
Well after seeing Rick Perry's report card from Texas A&E,
I now understand why the phrase "Ignorant Masses" was created.
Mr.& Mrs. John Q. Public really loves dumb-arse leaders!
GW Bush was a better student than Rick Perry...amazing!
Check it out below!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/61684192/Rick-Perry-s-Texas-A-M-Transcript
TOO funny, Wilberta, and THANK YOU.
The guy who flunked organic chemistry believes he is qualified to tell us all when life begins.
Wilberta, what were Obama's grades? Do you really want to go there? Or, is it racist for me to ask but for you to laugh its ok? What if Obama got a 1000 on his SAT or a 150 on his LSAT but got into Harvard Law, are you going to say he isnt qualified. What if Obama got a c- in Econ 101, how would we view his current stewardship and understanding of running the largest economy in the world? My guess is that this is a path you would be better off avoiding. I respect Perry for releasing his grades as obviously Obama hasnt wanted to do this.
Just a scant 2 1/2 years ago, all the liberals were defending a part time senator from the state of Illinois. The man had no governing experience, had nothing to his credit other than a bunch of "present" votes, a guarded history of associations with radical types and no experience. This man had what many called "extrordinary oratorical skills" and could "wow" the crowds. The smooth silked voice hyptonized many Americans into believing he was "it." The only credit these liberals could come up with was a Harvard Law Review leadership. (To this date we haven't seen any college transcripts). This man with no background check, no experience and zero leadership experience was put in charge of this country.
Now, these same liberals defend this man by completely scrutinizing anyone that appears to challenge him. There's no amount of leadership ability, governing experience, fiscal responsibility attributes or any credit that's good enough for them to ever consider anyone other than Obama. I'm beginning to think it's a sickness. There has to be some sort of hold Obama has over these people. I just don't know what it is... For all practical reasons and principle I wouldn't vote to elect Obama as dogcatcher. I've had to bear his liberal policies, suffer through the apologies, bear the outrage of his ineptness and turn him off everytime he speaks on the television. I can't stand his arrogance, his uppity nature, his narcissism and the view of his snake like tongue. Most of all I see how his policies have effected the economy. This is not the same America I grew up in.
Get real people, Perry will be like Trump. When it comes time for some real scrutiny, Perry will decide not to run. There are skeletons in the closet, but aside from being a secessionist, even just drilling down a little from the surface it is already being revealed how Perry stole the stimulus money from the people of Texas to make it look like he is fiscally responsible, and that all the jobs he created are minimum wage.
If anyone is concerned, just like Palin or batsh!t Bachmann, yes there are legitimate reasons to be uncomfortable about the 3:00AM call, and someone who wanted a default having access to the "button." We've actually lucked out with no disaster during some previous presidents who relied a little too much on delusional callings from God.
Didn't "God" already tell two other candidates to run?
I guess someone needs to tell Perry that "God" already made his choice . . . errrr . . . choices.
Can't wait for nationally televised 2012 debates when Perry and Obama compare their economic successes over the past four years.
Well... well... well...
The skeletons are just tumbling out of Perry's closet:
Hat tip to my good friend Leon for leading me to the 'revelation'...
@Kirk-2957282
Find out about them the same way I did Perry's, obviously they're not a secret. I did the research.
You see "God" did give Rick Perry to many right answers.
However, since President Obama was the president of the Harvard Law Revue....Be careful of the information you are seeking.
i wouldn't want to be responsible for you having a stroke when you learn Obama's grade were EXCELLENT!
GreedyBizOwner:
Same as Ronald Reagan by the same time on his administration (Reagan).
http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/Presidential-Job-Approval-Center.aspx
So......????
Having lived with Rick Perry in some office or another for as long as I can remember, it is incredibly strange to hear that he is actually being taken seriously as a presidential candidate. It is true that in Texas he attracts a number of people who share his folksy far-right perspective, but even many of his supporters find him to be a very difficult man to like (I remember a Texas Monthly cover story some years back entitled "Why We Hate Rick Perry"). Any politician has to have as part of his DNA the aggressiveness to wage political battles. But with the best of the politicians, that warfare is for some cause that they actually think is important. It is exceedingly difficult to see Rick Perry as anything other than a totally self-serving individual who will stop at nothing in his quest for power. Compared to Rick Perry, George W. is downright lovable. I feel sure that in the rough and tumble of the nomination process and, God forbid, the election process, Mr. Perry will fairly easily be revealed as a shallow individual with few scruples. But poor old Texas will take another beating in the process. This is too bad since this state really is pretty neat. Our problems are legion, of course, but the reason the nation sees so many goof balls coming from this place is, IMO, because most Texans are finally just pretty laid back and want to be left alone, leaving the politics to the rabid right who always (at least since Ann Richards) ride roughshod over the vocal but very small group of liberals.
speaking as a resident of TX for almost 30 years:
Yes, Perry really IS that big a douche.
And yes, people here really ARE that stupid.
Well before Perry's time, back when LBJ signed the '65 Civil Rights Act and said immediately afterward that he's just signed away the South to the Republicans for a generation....
.... Texas had a unique species called the Yellow Dog Democrat. So-called because, as the saying went, they'd vote for a yellow dog if it ran as a Democrat.
Skip forward forty years, prove LBJ's prediction was spot on, and those old yellow dogs have the same habit, they just switched parties when it became obvious that the Civil War-era Democrats and Republicans had officially switched places.
@Kirk-2957282
Obama graduated
magna cum laude (not comparable)
So do YOU really want to go there?
Brianb, I completely agree with you having watched the cult grow here in Illinois. As you can tell from this board, there is never any criticism of Obama except he wasnt liberal enough that is sort of fake outrage. With past democratic presidents like Clinton, my friends who supported him and no problem being critical when they disagreed while continuing to support his presidency. With Obama, its like a cult, he can do no wrong and the personal attacks against anyone who might possibly run against him are just so over the top. Someone on here criticized Perry's grades and I remember just a few months ago the screaming of racism etc when Trump wanted to know Obama's grades and assumed he must have flunked econ 101.
Rick Perry never made a promise he could not break.
Batman and Wilberta, Obama refuses to release his transcripts and since I also attended law school, I truly understand what law review means and graduating magna cum laude. I would love to see his law school grades and how he made law review. Grades are only one way you make law review, you can make it via a writing contest and be picked based on recommendations. Actually I hope your right and he didnt get a C in Econ 101. But his refusal to release his grades is odd
Brainb -- Please, get some gravitas (how old are you--just wondering?). President Obama's life achievements, especially considering his beginnings, were impressive even before he ran for senator. Try doing some reading for a change (Wikipedia) instead of parroting skwaking points.
Also, Republican outsiders are clueless about those who pay their dues in the Democrat Party, and not about having a silk voice. President Obama helped many others in the Party--I first heard him speak at the univeristy in my town well before he ran for president--we all knew who he was. Just because you conservatives are ill-informed doesn't make your beliefs true.
The truth is conservatives will hate any Democrat in the White House, but especially a black one. The personal attacks on President Obama far exceed Bill Clinton or any other president of either Party. Yet, there is no basis for it. For example, even though the long-form birth certificate was released, Republican leaders still use terms like "European" or liken the president to an African leader such as Mugabe. WTF?
The Birther conspiracy that an 18-year old woman would fly from Hawaii to Kenya and give birth, and knowing that the baby would become president then had co-conspirators print a fake birth announcement in the local paper, and put fake birth certificates in the recorders office--instead of just staying in Hawaii to give birth, and then naming the baby Barack Hussein Obama even though they knew he would be president one day... Gawd!
And we have Republican douche-bags on record being asked repeatedly if they believe the president was born in the US hemming and hawing, at the minimum saying they don't know -- These are the people we should re-elect in 2012?
Get over it you loser bigots. President Obama is far more qualified than most Republicans now or in the future (even you say the field for president is "unsatisfactory"). So you think Bachmann has a great resume, really, seriously? You people are truly dense. Even Chis Christie is tired of all you crazies, and that's why he's not running.
This guy is conflicted - and no patriot.
all politicians are the same. just dont vote ever again. screw the government. free country? all they do is tell you how to live our life everyday and decide your fate in your own country and across the world. hey lets go on "recess" while our country is pretty much in turmoil, we're being laughed at by the rest of the world, countries who rely on us are losing trust and let us go on recess. how about i want my money back for the damn taxes i pay if you are going on recess now.
its all a game to politicians. come on now.
Perry would be debating himself then, because so far Obama/Dems have had to concede to Republican economic policies starting with further extension of the Bush tax cuts. If the economy is failing, it's because we have been doing the same failed policies of the past during Republican control.
I'll take that one even further. The GOP/TP do not want the economy to improve between now and 2012 because they suck so much that their only hope for re-election is FEAR, and nothing creates fear like a 9-11 attack or a Great Recession, so just be neglectful and let sh!t happen.
Except this time people are on to it -- They've seen the hostage taking and they've seen the markets react to spending cuts only and no plans to create jobs or stimulate the economy. The GOP/TP are nothing but stupid little aresholes.
In case there's a question about this, magna cum laude from law school is a REALLY big deal.
Everybody there is already an honors graduate from someplace.
And this was not just any old law school; this was Harvard.
Before you make fun of something, be sure you know what it is.
Not every law school does it the same way. I graded on, by the way. You?
Though the article praises Perry and all the things he has done for Texas, I would like to take this opportunity to disagree. I think Rick Perry has everyone hoodwinked into thinking he is responsible for creating jobs, he is responsible for the great Texas economy, and he never raised taxes. Of course this is what mainstream media headlines report. Don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to Perry because he is a conservative. I don't care if he was with the Polka-Dot Party. I am just a person who sees a politician, who's sole purpose is to further his own career by pushing his own agenda. Does Rick Perry deserve the credibility? I hardly think so
Texas, indeed, has seen an increasing amount of jobs. I believe upwards of 280,000 throughout the entire state. DFW and Houston has the highest job growth rate in the nation, but the majority of these "created" jobs occur in the areas of education, health, and government. This type of information is all the majority of Texans know because Rick Perry proudly trumpeted these facts with the help of the media. What most people do not know is the fact that when these 280,000 jobs were created, about 50,000 jobs were lost. In the current state of our economy and eyes looking towards cuts in education and healthcare, how many of these "created" jobs do you think will be left? Historically in Texas, it has been a trend for job growth to rise when the cost of crude oil rises. The Barnett shale oil in DFW and the Eagle Ford shale oil in South Texas have increased in production, as well as, tripled in value. This is the #1 reason for job growth in Texas. This has always been the reason long before Rick Perry even took office.
Perry prides himself on low taxes, state sovereignty, and big business. State sovereignty is not a bad thing and he is king at it. As far as taxes go, he claims to have never raised them in all his terms as governor. Though he won't admit it, he has done this numerous times. For example, he has raised business taxes in order to lower property taxes. This may seem like they cancel each other out, but in reality, it produced an increase in tax revenues. On the big business end, I do believe that Perry has contributed a small amount in bringing them here. But only in the form of million dollar grants and tax incentives. While Perry deserves a little credit for this, the fact is Texas' low cost of doing business, low taxes, and the low cost of living is what truly brings business here. And once again, Texas was like this long before Perry took office.
While the nation's economy was starting to tank, Perry was first in line to boast our state's booming economy. We can recall his Texas sized ego when he refused the Federal Stimulus Funds that were offered to the states. But very soon after, Perry accepted the 14 billion dollars while at the same time publicly making Texans believe we didn't need it. 2 years later and 65 billion dollars more in federal funds to balance the current budget leads us to where we are today. In fact, the only federal funds that Perry didn't accept was 550 million to be used towards the Unemployment Funds. This resulted in a shortage of 1.5 billion dollars in the Unemployment Trust Fund. The unemployment rate at this time was at 6%. Texas' current unemployment rate is 8.2% and the national average is 9.2%. No matter how great Rick Perry said we were, the Texas budget problems and declining economy were always leading to where it is now. 27 billion dollars in the hole.
Although I disagree with Perry's credibility and his stance on certain issues, he has done some good for Texas. It just seems that a lot of people are being misinformed about what is really going on in Texas' government beyond the mainstream media's headlines, the showboating, and the smoke and mirrors.
@ Kirk-2957282
In Latin, "cum laude" means "with distinction", and different colleges use different standards.
Universities may call it different names, but the three steps of "cum laude" remain a universal standard for achievement in colleges and universities across the globe.
THESES ARE THE STANDARDS ACROSS THE WORLD!
Anna Molly, no I wasnt fortunate enough. I went to Duke Undergrad and IU law school. Graduated magna but wasnt high enough grade wise my first year to get on law review. So does that make me stupid compared to you know AM? Again you make this issue about me. I agree that his achievements at Harvard appear to be impressive although I know that Harvard does have all 3 methods of making law review. It doesnt matter as it doesnt take away from his achievements. But it is odd that he doesnt release his transcripts when all the others do. Again my point is was about the finger pointing in one direction and of course instead of saying Kirk, you know your right, it is odd that he doesnt release the transcripts because his record should speak for itself. You wanted to go after me personally. Good job AM.
Thanks Wilberta for the lesson and since I graduated with those distinctions I understand them. My point was your double standard not some lesson on cum laude. You guys cant be this dense as to the nuances of your hypocrisy can you?
I so scared to write this because I don't want Perry to find out where I live. The truth is, "ALL" those jobs he supposedly created, are primarily minimum wage and no benefits. Mc Donald's anyone?
Texans still believe their state, is the biggest state, in the union. That misconception gives all those good old boys the attitude, they can have anything they want. Like the presidency? They forgot about Alaska, I would like to forget about Alaska too. Well, not Alaska but Palin. She is slowly fading as the darling, of the Tea Party. Knowing the combined IQ of the Tea Party, they will most likely follow the next shiny object that crosses their collective paths. The question is, does Perry have the "bling" the TP'ers are looking for or are they enamored by, the twinkle in the eyes of Bachman? She looks a little crazed to me but, the Republicans appear to like adamant objects to rally around. Their candidates do need to think much or for that matter do much. They just sit on school chairs like frightening little boys, waiting for someone to dust them off, periodically.
Another Texan for president, why don't we all just leave the country! Even though we love it, the United States has been taken over by the wealthy but inadequate right. "Stupid" is the new word for freedom.
Perry can't win. Romney can't win. Bachmann can't win.
2012's real story is going to be how badly the Tea Party gets hammered in congressional campaigns IF Dems start behaving like Dems. (progressives) - Bernie Sanders could win ANYWHERE! Start talking the talk and walking the walk and the Tea Party will fade away.
Rorschach, best post I've read all day.
I will have to admit, I didn't know much about the guy until recently from all the attacks being launched against him by our friends on the left. After that, I started taking a liking to the guy. He must be doing something right to have liberals whipped in such a frenzy. That is exactly what I've read on this thread. I'm yet to read any substantive opposition to Rick Perry's electability. It's like everyone just glossed over all the accomplishments gained under his tenure, like the fact that Texas has become the second largest economy in the U.S just behind California, and based on the exodus of businesses from this left coast of ours, will soon become the largest economy. If Obama had accomplished half of what Perry has Liberals would have been touting his greatness from the roof tops. But instead all you have to show for your man is a failed economy and the fact that he graduated magna cum laude.
Sandman:
You are aptly named. You obviously have been asleep at the wheel. Perry want to secede from the union and all of the jobs he "created" are of minimum wage with no benefits. The "failed economy" as you put it, was a huge weight around President Obama's neck before he even was inaugurated. You might have slept through this "SANDMAN" but, President Obama was acting as president while Bush was in the schlepping around the White House. I'm keeping my vote for Obama. He will shake off the Tea Leaves and come up with innovative ways to create jobs, with living wages. Perry is an ego in a ten gallon hat.
Kirk, if Obama had all these high honors in education. What more do you need to know? Do you need the breakdown of the grades to make sure he didn't cheat somehow.
There is no way you make it to the top 3-5% with a C in anything.
Meanwhile back at the ranch the republicans steal American for the rich and the voters are stunned, they thought that smaller government was for them. When asked "We were so busy looking for conspiracy theories about Obama we didn't notice what them tax cuts to the rich really meant"
Some of you who post need to have a lesson in common sense. I can not believe some of the things I read. For those who rebuke God, then you my friend better be very careful...God does anger even though he is slow to anger.
Obama is just a man, he is not God.
Look at the men God chose in the past to lead: Moses could not speak well, but God gave him great leadership powers. David was a lowly shepherd, but a man after God's own heart and a great warrior. Mary was a teenager, but God glorified her because of her faith in him.
I happen to believe there are a lot of people like me who still believe our only hope in America is in God, not a man.
just what the country needs, another moron from texas that thinks he can run the country
Oh Brother!
Another practitioner of the plastic Jesus crowd chimes in!
I'll take my chances if it's okay with you buddy! ;o)
hey - i'm from Chicago. this sounds like the PERFECT guy to take out O'bama
i.e. someone who won't bring a knife to a knife fight
Kirk, the problem is people just keep asking. Give them an inch, they want a mile. Satisfy one request, they will just come up with something different. Just because you want to know something does not mean anyone else cares.
Wow the left really hates this guy. Think I need to do a bit more research! lmao....... poor Feisty had to change her panties 12 times tonight!
Sounds like the Obama paid commenters are out in force running the party line up the poll for all to support.
If Obama has done such a phenomenal job, why does he need to raise a billion dollars to run against a bunch of nobodies that stand no chance of defeating him?
Ans: 1) He likes to throw money at problems no matter how much he wastes. or 2) The more propaganda he can spread - the better he'll do. or 3) He just wants to show the rest of the world how many rich supporters he really does have (maybe that's why he sabotaged to debt deal that would have closed $800billion in tax loopholes). or 4) He's afraid he's going to lose. or 5) All of the above.
Hate, we love him, or Bauchman, or Palin, or anyone else running.
Wrong Dan H, it's because he can.
First of all, any article that starts with a reference to Guero's as if it is a decent restaurant has to be suspect. Worst caldo in Austin. Perry ... he is a George Bush wannabe riding on the coat tails of Shrub's political machine. If we elect a former Aggie cheerleader as president, you might as well welcome the next Dark Age.
The following, from a conservative blogger...
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/postmodernconservative/2011/07/04/why-or-why-not-rick-perry/
LOL... LOL... :D
That's hilarious. Wouldn't mind that a bit.
I would just like to say that I am from Texas, born and raised. Still live here and love it.
I say with the utmost confidence that Rick Perry is legally retarded.
After his interview on The Daily Show, I actually covered my eyes in shame and disbelief lol
I don't know, Kirk. You tell me.
You're the one who brought it up, not me. As it turns out, that might not be the smartest move you ever made, Mr. Magna.
I was perfectly content being momentarily amused by Rick Perry's "F" in organic chemistry.
If I were you, i would have let me alone.
I probably didn't say that because I don't agree with you.
I'm not required to agree with you, am I Kirk?
Like I said, you brought it up.
Thank you.
Remember when they said "Liberal Media", and MSN was a part of it? Yea, throw that out the door. I could give 1000 reasons I'd never, EVER vote for Perry. The man is a disaster waiting to happen.
That's all we need is another a$$hole from Texas.
why is it the that Democrats always blame the rich, yet there is not one Democrat in congress that is not rich. even Obama himself is rich. do you really think that any rich person Democrat or Republican is going to pass anything to cut their one throat? really are you that stupid come on, do you really think the are going to raise taxes on the rich when they are the rich? they want us to fight and blame it on the other guy when in fact they are working together to screw us over. Democrats blame the Republicans, Republicans blame the Democrats,in public so we don't see what they are really doing. it is a game to them and the have stacked the deck in there favor.
Wilberta brought it up, I used it to show a double standard and you made it about me personally. No I didn't bring it up. You clearly don't have to agree with me but it would be nice when people didt agree with you, that you showed more respect and compassion for those like me who aren't as fortunate to be as smart as you.
If Obama was so smart, why didn't he turn the country around? He could have easily done without the 5000 job choking new regulations. He intends to bring this country down. By the way, Geithner said there was no chance of a downgrade in April.
Sorry to interupt your your accusatory rant, all the while knowing that Obama had no "Gee, NO TEA PEOPLE" who were willing to meet him in the middle to get ANYTHING done.
Now back to the subject at hand there MAW, Perry is hardly IN and he is veeeeerrrrrry Vincible being yet another arrogant Texan with wild ideas about his place in history and NOthing good for the country or the Middle Class.
He is a card-carrying member of the "I got mine. I want yours too." gang. And they want all of it, every penny they can wring out of everyone's hands through fear mongering and outright, yet legal, theft and massage manipulation. Just may be that God will not make an appearance for this guys let alone His son. This is the kind of guy the good book warns us about. Wolf in sheeps clothing kind of stuff. Watch him close and listen even closer.
i dont care about his C in history, or his D in economics... that's probably above average for a texan.
but his C in gym is unforgivable.
there no way in hell i ever vote for any man that got a C in gym. not sure i'd let a chick slide with a C in gym.
sorry nerds, but a C in gym is an F in life.
Perry has ZERO chance of getting the Republican nomination but I THANK the MEDIA for keeping his name in the public to make the other Republican candidates look GREAT in comparison.
Carry on Media! It's only helping the other Republican candidates who poll way higher than Perry!
Yippee!
TROLL ALERT - digitaldemon62 - post 1.35, first time poster. Posing as disaffected citizen and proposing everyone not vote, troglodyte poster.
With all due respect for my friend Mr. Murray I do believe that the country has seen enough Yahoo's from Texas for a long long long time. Maybe forever. But at least till H&ll freezes over.
Amen IR!
Let alone one who's even crazier then the last idiot from TX!
Red........... And that takes some doing
Is he invincible? Compared to what--the current list of GOP candidates? That's setting the marker down a quite a few notches.
The last thing this country needs right now is another Texas cowboy who struts. Actually, he reminds me of a peacock (no offense NBC).
From what I've heard and read, he's far from perfect, has a lot of baggage and tends to suffer foot in mouth. His "secession" language and threats will matter outside of its popular to say zone.
Why, IR and Red- just listen to the tow of you . You must be afraid of him.
Ain't that right, GreedyBizQuiz or whoever you are?
You mean like 'W'? I didn't think it was possible! lol
You betcha DBO - I'm positively shaking in my stiletto's! ;o))
I remember when Bush was in office the catch phrase about him was, "You think Dubya was bad? Wait until you get a load of this guy."
Also, as far as experience goes, the Texas governorship is one of the weakest in the country. Most of the work is done by the Lt. Gov. who runs the legislature. It's also a two-year off and two-year on position. The legislature only meets every two years.
I am not sure that Perry has the patience for a full-time job.
'Bought as scared of him as that old broke d!ck hound I had to sell off last week.He couldn't perform either.
His "economic record" is one of his strengths? His economic record sounds good, but if you look under the surface, you find that much of it is spin and the actual factual details aren't so great.
Good points, willynel. I take it you're from or live in Texas.
The last thing the country needs right now is any Republican.
There are no moderates in the Republican Party anymore. The Teabag anarchists in the House, which is only one-third of the government, are puppets of the Big Oil rich (Koch brothers, Dick Armey, Bush/Rove types). These Teabagger puppets have successfully used domestic terrorism (of pledges and being "primaried" by the far-right) against the scummy business-owner traditionalists in the Republican Party – who currently benefit from the Bush tax cuts and tax code write-offs, who don't want regulation that reduces their profits such as the EPA, FDA, etc. -- forcing a united Scumbagger Party.
The majority of the nation wants the country to come together. Teabaggers have no interest in the country coming together. Douche-bag liars like Rush Limbaugh who claim progressives want to destroy our current system and replace it with socialism have it arse-backward. The Teabag anarchists want to destroy our constitutional democracy and replace it with a one-party theocratic plutocracy. Though scummy business owners dislike instability and many dislike religious fundamentalism as well, they do like the one-party plutocracy part of Teabagger goals.
Though the fight over the debt ceiling exposed the rift between the Teabag crazies who wanted a default versus the traditional scummy business owners who did not want a default (because they knew it would hurt their profits), ultimately the success of hostage-taking terrorism used against the nation emboldened both factions. Therefore the combined Scumbagger Party will now result in further battles and gridlock with terrorist tactics where ever the opportunity presents itself.
The Teabaggers are irrational ideologue's, who don't care about consequences. The rest of the nation suspected this in 2010 when they rejected unqualified extremists like Christine O'Donnell, Sharron Angle, etc. The traditional scummy business owners in GOP should realize this national view won't change in 2012, and in fact the hostage-taking terrorism bears out the 2010 fears about Teabag anarchists.
Those registered Independent and/or who now self-identify as Independent is skewed because many are Republicans who were fed up with the Iraq war, related spending along with TARP, etc. under Bush/Cheney who registered Independent in protest. These were the so-called Independents who elected Teabag anarchists to the House because of the 'R' next to their name (rather than running as Libertarian or more honestly as Anarchists) -- Some voters did not know they were electing anarchists because the true agenda was not revealed during campaigning (e.g., Scott Walker), rather Teabag anarchists used deceit with populist mantras of jobs, JOBS, JOBS -- Liars!
Look at the polls. People dislike Republicans more than Democrats, and dislike the Teabaggers most of all. The majority of Americans who rejected Teabaggers in 2010 will reject them even more in 2012. Those who voted based on the 'R' next to a candidate's name will be more wary, hopefully vetting these candidates more thoroughly. Democrats who did not get out and vote in 2010 will be more motivated in 2012 -- even if unhappy with President Obama, just to make sure the Teabag anarchists cannot take over.
If these radical Teabag terrorists think they can run things their way now, imagine if they really had a majority – Haunting. If the Scumbaggers are in charge with a majority in congress and/or the White House, they will cause more than class warfare; they will cause a civil war.
There are at least two moderate Republicans in the Senate: Olympia Snowe and Susan Scott, both from Maine.
After reading this “bile” why anyone would want to represent us is beyond me. Put yourselves up for nomination, open your cupboards for examination and see how you’d fare!
Have you ever considered that you and your kind may be the problem behind the leadership we currently have?
First of all, any article that starts with a reference to Guero's as if it is a decent restaurant has to be suspect. Worst caldo in Austin. Perry ... he is a George Bush wannabe riding on the coat tails of Shrub's political machine. If we elect a former Aggie cheerleader as president, you might as well welcome the next Dark Age.
Found a conservative blog with lots of interesting opinions on Perry. Posted one farther up the thread, here is another.
Why (Or Why Not) Rick Perry?
I absolutely don't - and can't - identify with what passes for conservatism today, and the above opinions don't necessarily match my own... for example, Pawlenty who?
I did think this was good counterpoint to the Perry cheerleading squad that's already assembled, and it's counterpoint from a Republican voter.
Perry is carefully crafting his team. He doesn't want to make any mistakes or pay for someone else's. Whoops! Isn't this the man who would be king? What's he doing preparing for a run for the presidency? Where is his allegiance? Besides to his close buddies?
This man has lovely hair but not a brain cell in his head. He has ruined our schools. I wish he would move to another state but not Washington. We are in enough of a mess already from our other governor that went to Wasington.
Like Dubya, except dumber...
My son did not even have a math book to bring home. Lubbock Roosevelt Jr High. They just copied lessons to send home for homework. They just bought a book for each desk that different students sat in through the day. So as a parent you did not get to look at the chapter to get an idea how they were attacking a problem making homework very stressful. I made an A in College Algebra but some of the methods I used 21 years ago did not click with my son. Our kids spend almost half of the year training for standardized testing. I am not overly religious but I remember some things from the Bible. I have watched him pray on TV all day and I checked the book out again and if you read it you will see what HE appears to be to me. Matthew 6: 5,6. Judge for yourself.
A broom handle and a wig is all it will take to beat Obama.
Hope and Change just didn't pan out as promised.
Well, I mean there was a lot of hope, and things sure did change. Too bad it was for the worse.
Spanky..
So the market closes up 60.93. Good day after yesterday and essentially nothings changed from yesterday to today. Nothing..
So which GOPer you backing of the current crowd? Just want to see where your head is?
..and I see that you still like to stir the pot and empty a room in an instant.
Still say Obama is unbeatable with the current crop of GOPers.
Well, that must be what they mean when they talk about the "Generic Republican Candidate" that is beating Obama in the polls while all of the human GOP candidates are trailing in the polls.
[A broom handle and a wig is all it will take to beat Obama.]
WAH! Still haven't washed that sand out of your vagina, huh Schpanky?
You're about as funny as a mole with an irregular border...
Ira, yes...the market closed UP today...
...WHEW...right Schpanky...? WHEW...?
And here you thought you were gonna get another beating...
[..and I see that you still like to stir the pot and empty a room in an instant.]
Ira, you give that Little Rascal waaaaay too much credit...unless you meant it's because he's an empty suit...then I'd say give him ALL the credit!
No one told me JoAnna Smith1 was running next year...
Ol' spanks got a broom-handle Jones going on. That's the second time today he's brough one up.
And it's wearing a wig!
Spanks: "Broomie, your teats is too small and your thing's too tight!"
Broomie" "Spanks- get off my back!"
Mickey, NY
In my personal and professional life I have always tried to treat people with respect. On FR, I don't call names or insult people. At least I try to, maybe I slip up sometimes, but it's not the norm.
So, please, whatever you have going with Spanky, keep my name out of it.
I don't find it funny and it would be up to Spanky to speak for himself.
You have a great weekend.
Ira you are a true man of character.
It won't take much to put the country out of the Misery called Obama.
Debate moderator: "Mr Obama, how do you explain 10% unemployment?"
Obama: "Hope and Change!"
DM: "Ehh, what about the 1% GDP?
Obama: "Yes We Can!"
DM: "Okay, what about all those people on food stamps, do you feel any responsibility for that?"
Obama: "It's George Bush's fault!"
DM: "Okay, umm, thank you Mr. Obama."
Obama: "Win The Future!!"
I can understand that, after the electorate bought the "Obama is a pragmatic centrist" hoax last time out, the left would be aquiver with the idea that they could sling any mud at all at the GOP nominee, and people would vote for Obama again out of fear.
Turns out, folks are not that dumb. In fact, they are darned mad at having been deceived.
So, let me spell it out for you- the electorate does not believe in clones. They understand that being from the same state does not make one person a copy of another.
Perry will get a fair hearing. What he has going for him right now is an employment record that beats Obama's. Telling people that a third of those jobs are minimum wage jobs will elicit a "so what?"- because people who can do math understand that two thirds are above minimum wage.
Talk about the graduation rate will inevitably lead to a conversation about the borders- Obama loses that debate. As an added fillip, it will lead to a thorough airing of Holder's involvement in Operation Gunwalker- probably not a real good subject for Obama to be talking about. See, it will be a campaign- so his lies might be a little difficult to cover up.
You really want to go into an attack on the man's religion? Seriously? And wake up the Jeremiah Wright fiasco?
That leaves you with scurrilous rumors- and while they are not beneath the average democratic operative, I should warn you that such things leave a slimy feel behind, and typically that slime covers the purveyor.
Obama cannot be Zelig this time around. He has a record. I'm pretty sure the electorate is very familiar with that record, and are really, truly, hoping for a change.
JAS1,
While i don't agree with you at all, i can imagine your last post as an SNL skit. Made me chuckle. That's twice today. Oh oh.
Obama has a record? Not to the Leftwingnuts around here. See how they so easily pivoted from it being George Bush's economy to it now being Speaker Boehner's economy. Obama owns nothing and is responsible for nothing to these idiots on the Left.
A record? Not Obama. Remember this from his stupid book: “I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
Obama is for sure a blank. A mistake by the Lake (Michigan).
"Turns out, folks are not that dumb. In fact, they are darned mad at having been deceived."
Well, No Jo- it's Not often that I agree with you, but you are spot on with this one. And since 2010, you can rest assured, you are going to be correct about this statement for a long time to come.
We'll get you to convert B.
JoAnna- Wasn't this vine about Perry? You just can't stop yourself with the Obama bashing, can ya? You better get a therapy group lined up, cuz he won't be gone till 2016! I know I had to find my own group from 2004-2008, LOL LOL
[So, please, whatever you have going with Spanky, keep my name out of it.]
You got it Ira...I apologize.
You have a good weekend as well.
Ira I have not decided on any one yet. Long way to go and all.
And as for my new little pet, please what ever you do don't do anything to disengage him. It really is great to have my own personal groupie. Good or bad, the little dude [dudette?] clearly has it bad for me.
Just think about that for a second - every comment he makes is either directed at me, or refers to me. I can't even get that kind of devotion from my dog.
Now of course we know how this little love novel ends - he/she will yell, scream, jump up and down exclaiming "ME<ME<ME<look at me.
But then sadly, in just a few short days after not getting the attention it thinks it so richly deserves, or hitting the correct mix of medications it will slink away quietly.
It is my hope that by noting it's existence here now, it will re-invigorate and be able to hang around at least thorough next week. And who knows, if I pat it on the head, or in this case kick it occasionally maybe we can prolong the magic.
Any who had a big hearing this am. It went exceptionally well and I am now off with some of the staff to celebrate.
See every one [and especially you my little pet, wink, wink, nod, nod] next week.
Oh yes and to my little friend, please know that I will read all of your love notes, but will not respond. Know to that I always get a smile from each of your attempts, although I have to say you have an unfortunate tendency to repeat yourself. Maybe next week you can step up your game? That would be great. :)
Ira, as many on here already know I am a fiscal conservative so no big fan of Obama's fiscal policies and basic fundamental understanding of economic behavior. That said, I know people who have worked with his wife in her previous life as a lawyer and lots of people who knew Barack personally before running for president or worked for his campaign. From everything I have been told, he genuinely is liked by the people who worked for him and knew him and I trust their instincts. I understand why he is well liked personally and I certainly respect him for what he has accomplished. I agree that normally as an incumbent and well liked personally, its an uphill climb for any republican candidate. I completely agree that even with the current economic climate and low approval ratings, an idealogue candidate like Palin, Bachmann and maybe even Perry would get beat by Obama but I think you progressives would be surprised how close it would be. However, I am curious as to how you think the electoral college fits into someone like Romney, Pawlenty or Huntsmann running against Obama. Dont forget that once someone is picked say Pawlenty who everyone thinks is exciting as watching paint dry, the spotlight shines on that person without comparison to the more dynamic personalities like Trump that tear him down. I think someone like Pawlenty benefits from that but he wont win anyway. But once you look at how the electoral college plays out, it will be very difficult for Obama to win in republican governed states like Ohio, NC, Florida that he carried the first time and in each of those states he is running behind by alot. This election will be decided probably by fewer than 5 states and if Rubio is the VP candidate, Florida will be a huge gain for Republican candidate.
There is a ton of time left and if the economy reverses course and doesnt go into a double dip, all bets are off but I see Obama losing to more independent republicans who dont campaign on the social issues but give lip service to the religious right to get them to come out and vote but just like Obama with "dont ask dont tell" or the anti gun lobby, he paid lip service to these left wing groups to get them to vote but didnt really want to address these issues once in office. What do you think?
Mickey, NY..
Thanks.
Spankin it,
If Perry runs, thats about what you got, a broom handle and a wig. Oh yeah, plus more skeletons in his closet than Jeffrey Dahmer. By the way, when he was Bush's Lt. Gov,. Bush was known as the smart one.
Kirk-2957282.
My man....on a Friday at 5:15pm you want to talk about the electoral college. I want to see my grand children.
Make you a promise...on Monday or whatever day you want..ask me the question again and we can talk about it as well as all the fallacies and misconceptions (sarcasm) in your conservative philosophy.
Deal?
There has yet to be a candidate even remotely talked about that can give Obama a run for his money. You Tea Party loonies are really funny!
"A broom handle with a wig is all it will take to beat Obama"
If this is true, than a broom with a wig is a FAR superior opponent than any of the schmucks than the GOP have put on stage, because all of them get TROUNCED in the polls against our POTUS. And now after the whole debt debacle, the polls will swing even farther Obama's way.After all, who in their right minds would ever think that a Republican congress would WALK AWAY from a Democratic president offering to cut $4 Trillion off the deficit and even concede to Medicare and SS reform????
The Republicans have shot themselves in the foot, and considering their foot is often in theri mouths, the wound may prove to be fatal.
[Maybe next week you can step up your game?]
Well, it has been a bit challenge with you playing with yourself, Schpanky...
I can't believe you're taking this personal...just trying to see just where you stand on the REAL issues...and you keep dodging...why is that? Loose boxers, perhaps? No real thoughts, except what you regurgitate from Drudge, FoxNation, and Andrew Breitbart?
You see, while it's nice and dandy to have an opinion, how about, for once, stand up for your debate, and stop denigrating people to get your point across...anyone can do that...hell, I've been using you as a freaking punching bag for a week, and...nothing...but you're a schmat guy, right?
See you next week...don't forget to add me!
Ira, of course you should go see your grandkids, we can definitely talk again and you can definitely try and get rid of my fallacies and misconceptions of being a fiscal conservative. Its a deal but if we really go down that path, lets exchange emails as I would prefer to provide a little more color to my background and experiences than I would share here. You might then decide that I could actually not be such a bad guy and even know what I am talking about (I know that the progressive hug team would never agree to that). You might even find that I am not nearly as awful as Anna Molly thinks I am.
Either way its a deal and I can keep an open mind ha (definitely sarcasm as my older kids dont believe that at all.)
Kirk-2957282..
Deal...and we're off.
Great weekend.
Not decided?
Pfeh. Of those who will run, or have a strong possibility thereof, my rankings are in the following;
1. Ron Paul - Like his policies or hate them, he's someone who's never been anything but painfully honest.
2. Rick Perry - Who cares if it was minimum wage? He's found the JOBS JOBS JOBS, right? I never heard any of the chanters say '<Good paying> JOBS JOBS JOBS!' Also, look at his state. Lots of colleges, and a lot of unskilled labor too. College kids gets payed little while they're students. Unskilled labor gets payed little because they're imminently replaceable.
3. Barack Obama - Yup. Voted for him in 2008, not happy with him. But he's better than bachmann the fundamentalist, romney the cultist or newt the lecher.
So. Unless Paul or Perry get the GOP nod...I'll be hitting the (D) lever.
Kirk -
You make a good point, and honestly . . . Romney is probably the only candidate that can beat Obama. His problem, however, is winning the primary. You basically have two types of GOP votes: Extremist Ideologues and Moderate Republicans.
Any of the extreme ideologues who push their social agenda will fail to get the independent/moderate votes necessary to beat Obama. Even moderate republicans will be wary of supporting an extreme religious zealot who puts social issues before the economy. So that eliminates Bachmann, and Perry (and Palin if she ran).
Given the more moderate Huntsman, T-Paw and Romney, I think Rom will win between those 3. However, the moderate Republicans who would vote for Romney are basically the same people that would vote for the other two. So this group of non-extremist votes will be split 3-ways. I'm not convinced that this split will allow any one candidate to beat out the popular extremist candidate.
When it comes down to it, the far right will always vote (R) . . . the far left will always vote (D) . . . and the middle will be the deciding factor. The candidate that can play to the middle the best will win. Right now, it looks like the GOP candidates are more focused on playing to the far right, which is good for the primary and bad for the general.
Rick Perry - yuck. I hope Republicans do run him. It will be fun to see him lose.
Rick Perry is one scary individual. First he wants Texas to secede from the rest of the US now he wants to preside over that same country. WTH!!!
He talks to God about rescuing the US then he invites people to his PRAYER summit who think Oprah Winfrey is the Anti-Christ. Huh?
And oh yeah,he has other prayer partners who think Japan's Prime Minister has sexual encounters with othen th an human beings.
It will take Mr. Perry a long time to explain his wacky take on things and who these crazy people are he pals around with.
And if he wins...
We'll go back to the the 19 century.Terrific!!!!What with slavery and all we should balance the budget post haste with all those black folk working for nothing.
Dr sheila, what is your professional opinion of obamacare? Have you reviewed the law?
Please allow me to provide the difinitive "professional opinion" of it:
"It is a start, necessary, and better than we had."
You're welcome.
I'll add my thoughts as well "don'tgiveme". HCR is the beginning, it's heading us in the right direction. It isn't perfect but neither was social security or medicare or the civil rights act either--they were improved as time went by. Prior to the Affordable Health Care Act, insurance companies could deny coverage to children and adults with pre-existing conditions; they could cancel your policy if you became seriously ill or for any reason they saw fit--say you forgot you had something as a child and didn't list it. It will eliminate co-pays for annual physical exams.
Trouble is penquin knows it's a good start but feels compelled to believe the lies told by the GOPTP about the law.
Perry, invincible hardly. Unelectable, most likely. All hat, no cattle! Scared, of what? Not Perry, no way.
Jesus- you think SNL had fun with PALIN???
Just wait.
What would Jesus do ?...Laugh his ass off !
If you like rundown roads, poor schools and an over-rated economy you will love Perry. The energy sector jobs are key to the Texas economic "miracle". Take those jobs out of the mix, and this economy is not so special.
Can you say "Low Wage Jobs?" A lot of Texas new jobs are just that! Texas shares the nations highest proportion of Minimum Wage Workers. That's in keeping with the Republican & Corporations Objectives to Wipe Out American Workers decent wages, then give low wages, "Cheap Labor" like Overseas only then will Corporations bring back the jobs from Overseas. Yes Mr. Perry fits into the Republican group very nicely!
"This year, the Texas Legislature stared down a $27 billion state budget shortfall in part by cutting
public school funding by $4 billion. Class sizes will grow in many schools this
year and popular electives will be eliminated.
Also, reported that "layoffs in Texas Public Schools and State Agencies could chip away at the state's 10-million plus jobs. Some estimates put those Cuts at 100,000 workers.
Sound familiar % consistent with the Republican Party's Agenda, Goals and Asperations?
Cheap wages is why republicans yell a lot about illegals crossing the border but refuse to do anything to change the immigration laws.
They need to start with heavy fines on the companies that hire them.
Charolet, I am a native Texan and I love my State although, at times I am embarrassed at some of the redneck actions that I have seen over the years. I would never vote for Rick Perry for anything. He would be worse than GW Bush and, for the record, Bush is NOT a Texan, he was born in Connecticut. He is a carpet bagger. But, back to Perry and his accomplishments, Our State is facing a shortfall of about $24 billion, we rank near the bottom in healthcare and education. A suburb of Dallas will be charging parents for their children to ride the school bus this next school year. What does that say about the idiot Rick Perry and his leadership or, lack thereof.?
Fining companies will do nothing. They'll move to offshore sweat shops. Remember: the laws were made to benefit the wealthy--not the worker.
Look at Perry's eyes in the story photo. Just look.
The bastard's not all there. I think he see Jesus. I think he's got his thumb up, trying to hitch a ride to the White House from Jesus himself.
One thing is sure, Perry thinks he's wonderful.
Maybe he looks the way he does is because he has a problem with his back and had self stem cell surgery. And maybe his eyes are like Buchmann...Mention one word and "blink" the old eyes stares off into space and the brain washing clicks in.
I also think Perry stood in front of a mirror and practiced Bush's way of speech. He is a scary dude. But, not scary in the fact I think he will be president of the United States.
Obama 2012.
Never trust a man who wears big rings.
GOV. Rick Perry? This man fits the description of the "ANTI-CHRIST" more than Ms. Oprah Winfrey. She is not running for the office of the most powerful leader in the world , with the ability laid at his finger tips to destroy everything and everybody. I live in Texas and I can't understand how this man has stayed in office so long, because, I can't find more than 2 out of 10 people who ever voted for him. I didn't vote for him, and I am 64 years old, and voted and all Texas elections. People be careful this man could very well be the making of the "ANTI-CHRIST" WAR FIGHTER OUT""HOOAY""
I voted for him, my husband did, my mother, my father, and pretty much every person I know. So there you go.
Good article, with one glaring flaw, no one in their right mind thinks Mitt Romney is the presumptive nominee. It might happen -- O.K. But there are some number of contenders that would trounce Romney -- Perry is just one of them.
Kind of boggles that a drooling article like this can be written without mentioning the kind of right wing religious nut jobs Perry hangs out with - idiots who want America to "divorce Baal," idiots who hate teh gay, and just plain idiots. And also, the "Texas Miracle" isn't. The state is a broke, ecologically devastated disaster area full of poorly educated people with bad teeth and worse health making minimum wage. You want a national disaster, go ahead and vote for this idiot.
How can a guy who was talking aabout Texas leaving the Union just over a year ago be taken eriously about wanting to be president. Do Republican voters want to start a second Civil War? this man has serious problems to numerous to mention.
Dude, this administration has done more to polarize this country through class and social warfare of the likes haven't seen since the Civil War.
Dumbest thing i've heard all day.
So the Emperor DOES have new clothes.....I feel like a damn fool.
YellaHammer, you should feel like a fool.
@ yella-hammer, That was the most absurd statement that I have read all day. It is the Tea Party /GOP that has divided this Country. The disgusting way that they behaved during the debt ceiling mess created the situation that we are now in. They did not care if we went into default. Many of the Tea NUTS and even Michele Bachmann voted against raising the debt ceiling. Just say NO to Republicans and most especially NO to the Tea Party in 2012. The Congress has an 84% disapproval rating and that is largely do to the inexperienced far right wing, radical extremists who are determined to undermine this Country. In my opinion they are Traitors to the USA.
This time in our history has caused more sensitivity to class differences. We are entering class warfare and it isn't going to be pretty.
Mr. Perry beseeches god to make him President (or at least that is how I interpret his day of prayer and fasting shindig), Ms. Bachmann senses god calling her to the presidency, I am not a praying man but if I was I would be seeking divine assistance for Mr. Huntsman, I imagine there are the devout who intercede for their favorites, how is god going to decide who gets to live at 1600 Pennsylvania in 2013?
Yikes.
Oh yeah---jobs-a-plenty in Texas. If you have the requisite skills in Texas' predominant industry, Arby's McDonalds, Carl's Jr. and Burger King want to talk to you. If you want to start a fast-food franchise, Texas is your place---Rick Perry and his predecessor have custom-tailored the state's educational system to produce fast-food-ready servers who believe humans lived among the dinosaurs 5,000 years ago. Just make sure you bring your own health insurance, cause nobody here has it. And make your burger joint a fancy place, because the disparity between rich and poor is greater in Texas now than anywhere else in the U.S.
A native Texan
I would never vote for someone who openly advocates treason. If he hates the United States move to Mexico.
and get barry to drive him!!
micheal-3747102
Thats retarted
Perry is acctualy for strong imigration reform. It is acctualy the democraps that want to give into the illegals so they can increase their voting base.
Are you talking about the guy in the white house now? He surely seems to dislike our country. He brought on so many regulations, nobody is hiring.
Maybe I missed the pitcher of Koolaid when it was being passed around the state... Does nobody else in this state realize that under Perry we have seen cuts to public education, research, and family planning (just to name a few good things) while the governor's mansion was renovated and he lived in a rental mansion that cost tax payers about $10,000 a month? For a couple years... Not saying the man doesn't deserve a home, but $10,000 is more than my share of the rent in Austin for a YEAR. He thinks himself to be royalty and wants everyone to think like he does. He openly believes that the only form of sexual education children need is the "abstinence only" approach and that evolution is merely a theory and that we probably came into being by magic. I'm not trying to discredit Christianity, but some politicians (i.e. Obama) do a good job of keeping their personal religious views out of their political views and respect the separation of church and state.
Look at me, a raging liberal... If only the public education of Texas had taught me better, then maybe I'd see eye to eye with this man.
Yet, he was elected three times.
Seems to me that if you hate the governor so much, spud have found a way to leave the state sometime in the last ten years.
lolatics, good points. I've seen several comments here from Texans and very few had anything good to say about Rick Perry.
Yes, he was elected three times. He's a consummate
liarpolitician. In one of the most backward states in the Union. Austin is only one city (and the only place I can live here). The rest of the state is Mississippi, only with better roads.And the last time he was elected, it was with 39% of the vote. Thirty-nine percent for a Republican in Texas.
I am a Texan and I like him. I have lived in California, Arizona and I am currently in Virginia on my way back to Texas. I can't get back fast enough. I believe it is one of the best places to live and there are a lot of people moving to the state. If it was so horrible and he was doing such a bad job people would not be moving there and the economy would not be doing so well. Someone mentioned the job losses in Texas. Anyone want to talk about the space program that was just cut in Houston? Washington caused many people from Nasa to move on and lose jobs they had in the space industry, many I know personally had to pack up and leave homes behind they had for years. So do what you all do best. Blame everyone else..I think Rick Perry would do a great job in the White House. My only issue is he would be leaving Texas.
@ American, I too am a life long Texan, I love the State however, Rick Perry is an embarrassment to the State. In the entire time that Texas has been a State there has been only SIX Republican Governors and two of them were Bush & Perry. And Bush is not even a Texan. The redneck mentality throughout rural Texas is appalling. And thanks to people like Rick Perry, he aims to keep it that way. Please just check out how we rank in Healthcare and education. It is at the bottom of the barrel. I wish that Texans would ride him out of Austin on a rail but, certainly not for him to go anywhere near Washington DC.
You have your opinions. I have mine ;)
The amazing thing is our governor has a very weak office. The Lt. Governor presides over the state legislature. We have a lot of checks and balances.
I am sorry you think the redneck mentally is appalling. I think the Texan mentality is pretty great. We love our state and take great pride in who we are. We know our history. We are friendly and I love that about Texas. We are pretty forward about what we expect. As I said I have lived other places and it has been very difficult for me to adjust. People are just not the same. Living in Virginia has proven to be very difficult. I am very close to DC and I can't wait to get out of here. If you think we are bad in our healthcare and education I suggest you go live in California for a while.My friend just moved there and she has to take her kids to school because they cut the bus system out of the budget this year. Texas isn't perfect but when I get back I will spend the rest of my God given days there. Have a great day fellow Texan ;)
....not everyone from Texas necessarily likes the guy either....just fyi :)
Obama reminds me of the guy who played the president in the movie Idiocracy..... VOTE FORE A BETTER FUTURE IN 2012!
What, you don't have a comment about Perry? Instead just throw away nonsense about President Obama.
He can't even get god to change the weather.
Heh.
The only think I like about this loon is that his last name is the same as Joe and Katy. One is a cool guitarist; the other has big thingies.
Rick has nor is neither.
I was wondering if anyone had noticed that Perry prayed for rain because of the drought, it seems to me that maybe he dosen't have an inside line to GOD because, we haven't seen any rain yet. Today he is heading to Houston to speak to an almost empty stadium to pray for the Nation. That willl most likely do more harm than good.
There were over 30,000 people there and it was broadcast to 1000 churches.
And Marco Rubio as his running mate ???......Talk about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday !!!.....watch out Tombstone !!
more like Ren and Stimpy!
Please, Marco Rubio has an instant replay recorder attached to his brain. Push his button and he can only repeat the same Tea Party rhetoric, over and over.
She will go back to selling Mary Kay cosmetics since the "Hope" won't have the "Change" to pay her to post anymore.
Another Texan in the White House.. are you kidding me?
and with Coat Tails too Bush!
Representing the Wealthy, the Govenor from Texas is (insert name).
Who does the Labor Unions REALLY represent........I'll take Austin over Detroit every time.
Let Perryez and Texico secede.
.
LOL's
I wouldn't vote for this AH at gunpoint.
Or if he was the ONLY candidate running for election. I'd rather the Oval Office be vacant.
If Mr perry is God loving , then I am saint. Why not items what kinna state legislation has passed under his governorship.. No that would be too much of exposing his evil doing. I gonna go throw rock at dogs now.
Another Texan in the white house isn't the problem. Another crony of the Bushes and Dick Cheney is the real problem!! As if BIG OIL isn't raping America badly enough as it is. Put Perry in office and we might as well all start bending OVER right now!!!!