E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSLess than four months before the first GOP nominating contests are expected to begin, the narrative of the 2012 presidential primary is shaping up to sound something like this: Texas Gov. Rick Perry will pit his unapologetic anti-establishment rhetoric against Mitt Romney's discipline, network of political professionals, and appeal to a broad general electorate.
While the GOP contest might not be that clear-cut in reality -- and the race is sure to see more twists and turns ahead -- that's still a metaphorical shootout that Perry would like to have.
After all, he won a similar fight two years ago without appearing to break a sweat at the end. And it's a playbook he might rely on more heavily after a series of tough debate performances, as well as his upset loss at the Florida Straw Poll.
Perry's 2010 gubernatorial primary contest against Kay Bailey Hutchison should have been a nail-biter. By many accounts the most popular politician in Texas, Hutchison was known as a competent fighter for the state's interest, and she had the backing of Karl Rove and other establishment Republicans. And after winning only 39% of the vote in his 2006 re-election as Texas governor, Perry was facing lower approval ratings and grumblings about his decision to run for a third term.
But Perry, a cotton farmer turned politician, sensed a change in the weather.
On Tax Day 2009 -- as most D.C. Republicans were warily eying "Tea Party" groups and gingerly testing what looked like cracks in the Republican Party's foundations -- Perry was donning a bomber jacket and taking the stage at a rally of those frustrated Texans.
"I'm just not real sure you're a bunch of right-wing extremists," Perry bellowed to activists in Austin. "But if you are, we're with you."
The Tea Party crowd erupted in cheers:
April 16: Texas Gov. Rick Perry addresses a tax day "tea party," telling the audience that Washington is overturning their rights, and ignoring limits on federal power.
After the same event, Perry suggested to reporters that Texas could secede from the union if Washington “continues to thumb their nose at the American people.”
The anti-Washington wave wouldn't crash nationwide for another 19 months on Election Day, but with those statements, Perry positioned himself at its head.
“That was the tipping point in the race” said Southern Methodist University political science professor Calvin Jillson. “Perry understood that there was a change taking place in public perception of government."
Branding “Washington Kay”
At the same time, Perry's team was discovering that Hutchison's support was more shallow than it seemed -- especially among those in the new movement Perry was riding.
"Kay was casually well-liked," said Perry pollster Mike Baselice. "She hadn't had a real challenge since her special election. A lot of people just said, 'Oh yeah, Kay's great.’ But as soon as you explained her record to Republican primary voters, they took off and ran the other way. They had no idea."
Team Perry set out to make sure those voters got an idea.
Texans soon started hearing their senior senator dubbed "Kay Bailout" to underscore her support of the unpopular TARP bill. Perry's opposition research website lived atwww.WashingtonKay.com. Hutchison’s record on earmarks -- in earlier times viewed as a quantitative record of a lawmaker's willingness to fight for federal resources for the state –- became one of her greatest liabilities.
"Every time they talked about her, they talked about her in the context of Washington," said former Hutchison staffer Matt Mackowiak. "Votes, earmarks, lobbyists, PAC fundraisers. They talked about 'career politician and Virginia resident Kay Bailey Hutchison.' They could get about seven insults in seven words there."
Perry also ran relentlessly to Hutchison’s right on social issues -- in particular, hammering her on her more moderate position on abortion. As Hutchison pleaded for primary voters to see that her rival “talks like a conservative, but governs like a liberal,” her support continued to collapse.
The effectiveness of Perry’s message -- and the discipline with which he and his team executed it -- left his opponent dazed. Days before Perry thundered to a 20-point victory in the March 2 primary, a stunned Hutchison told the Associated Press she never thought Texans “would buy” her competitor’s tactic.
“I didn’t think that anyone could turn my success in producing results for Texas into a negative,” she lamented. “But I think that he has attempted to do that and that is what I’ve been having to fight against.”
Parallels to the present
Just as Hutchison tried to paint herself as the reasonable, measured alternative to a governor whom even some allies teasingly refer to as “Yosemite Sam,” Perry’s main 2012 rival was quick to make the argument that the Tea Party favorite’s policy positions are too extreme to win over voters in a general election.
Romney, himself a former presidential candidate and the son of a three-term governor and onetime White House hopeful, is -- as Hutchison was -- more the favorite of the “establishment” Republicans publicly reviled by Perry.
Specifically citing Perry’s tough talk on Social Security, Romney said earlier this month that Republicans “will be obliterated as a party” if they choose Perry as their nominee. (That sentiment is echoed by Rove -- the same GOP strategist who backed Hutchison in 2010 -- who now calls Perry’s position on Social Security “toxic” to the GOP. )
Romney also has stressed that he's the more electable Republican. "I’m going to be a Republican candidate who can win," he said last week. "I say that with significance."
Perry, a Texas A&M graduate who is careful to point out that he wasn’t “born with four aces in my hand,” has responded by needling the kind of “established Republican who circulates in the cocktail circuit that would find some of my rhetoric to be inflammatory.”
That’s a familiar-sounding line from a candidate who once praised outsider queen Sarah Palin for making liberals and D.C. media elites “foam at the mouth.”
Perry’s gleeful blasting of the Beltway during the GOP primary is undoubtedly resonating with voters, who have vaulted him to the top of national polls. But it is less clear that his anti-Washington playbook from 2010 will be as effective against a GOP rival who has never held federal elected office.
“It’s a problem for Perry,” said one Republican operative who declined to be named because of employment by a group that will not endorse in the race. “Romney may have some allies and fundraisers in Washington, but that doesn't connect to voters in Iowa. They don't know who those people are.”
And Romney, an energetic candidate with a deep-pocketed team of opposition researchers, might be better equipped than Hutchison was to deconstruct Perry’s popularity with Republicans in his idiosyncratic home state.
“The campaign that Perry’s running right now is the campaign that has served him very well in Texas,” Jillson says. “But it’s an open question as to whether it translates to the national level.”
Leave a Comment:
Now he's living like Jed Clampett only the tax payers are picking up the $10K a month tab!
It will work fine if the race is to the BOTTOM!
America hasn't forgotten the last C-minus 'scholar', TX Governor, religious zealot... just YET!
Slick Rick enjoys shooting coyotes from his 'cement pond'...
By pointing out that Perry was a cotton farmer, I am curious just what circular argument that MSNBC is trying to make?
Keep trying to make the Bush argument as well, as it appears based on his governance, we have "Bush Lite" in the White House right now.
This election won't even be close. Whether it's Romney, Perry, or someone like Christie, it won't even be close. The horrendous leadership these last 32 months will be enough for the country to pick a president that is really ready for change, and not the one that gives the everyday boring speech, followed up with yet another photo-op and fundraiser.
Perry has not expressed one original, new idea. Of course he will do in the future what has worked for him in the past. Double down, cowboy; double down. And BTW, the USA is not Texas.
Should Perry win the nomination, before he ever gets to his first debate with our President, unemployment in Texas will be above the national average.
It is already higher that it has been at any time since the 80’s.
You are so right. Perry just doesn't know how to borrow and spend like Obama does. Not even close.
Obama's big idea in 2009 - "Lets create jobs by spending money we don't have on infrastructure and 'shovel ready' projects"
Obama's big idea in 2011 - "Lets create jobs by spending money we don't have on infrastructure and 'shovel ready' projects (we'll just call them something else)"
Explain the "original, new idea" in that thought process Ronnie. Other than just changing the name of the program.
I hope unemployment in Texas will not be above the national average, for apparent selfish reasons.
One thing about the Hutchinson/Perry primary - One ill advised strategy that some Democrats employed was to vote in the R primary for Perry thinking that the hard leaning Governor would be easier to beat then the more moderate Hutchinson in the general. Didn't work. A big reason that Perry won by 20 points.
Interesting thing about Romney believing that feigning support for Social Security will help him in the General election. He will not make it the cut through the primaries if he doesn't begin to spin the GOP talking point about SS. Haven't seen all of his debates but in one of them he actually sounded like a Democrat with his support for the safety net program.
For all of you that belittle and mock Gov. Perry he apparently is speaking to a lot of people. With these difficult conditions it is going to be hard to be an incumbent.
Rick Perry indeed packs a lot of negatives in his baggage. One of the worst is the shocking news out of Austin that the stae's universities are planning to close the physics program in nearly 100 state schools:
http://drich13.newsvine.com/_news/2011/09/26/7969490-texas-plans-shutdown-of-nearly-100-university-physics-programs?threadId=3230976&commentId=58395219#c58395219
This is the kind of uninformed, short-sighted public policy that Perry and the Tea Party want to impose on the country?
"Tear it down" may have been popular among Texans, but it is madness for the United States.
White Collar Auto
Perry points this out himself. What circular argument is HE trying to make?
You got it Houston......
additionally Slick Rick is proud of finishing in the top 10 of his graduation class of 13 in Paint Creek!
...Ignorance celebrated!
@John-A
From my previous post this morning:
Another point is the claim that we need more graduates and that more money is needed to achieve this goal. I would question this. Do we need more graduates in total or more engineering and science graduates? During tight budget times is not more prudent to focus educational investment to create the resources that the country needs, rather than a diffuse general investment in higher education? No disrespect to the liberal arts, but I'm fairly sure we would not be scared of China and India if they were pumping out millions of English majors, or History majors or Philosophers.
Texas has lowest high school graduation rate.....
http://www.statemaster.com/graph/edu_hig_sch_dip_or_hig_by_per-high-school-diploma-higher-percentage
Lowest in mental health care...http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2010/jan/12/marc-katz/marc-katz-says-texas-last-spending-mental-health-c/
Texas is number 1 in child hunger....http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2010/jul/03/carol-morgan/morgan-says-were-no-1-child-hunger/
Highest percentage of minimum wage workers....http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2010/may/13/linda-chavez-thompson/texas-has-highest-proportion-workers-earning-minim/
Highest rate of child fatalities for abuse and neglect...http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_bbedabed-da2d-5b8e-81db-29a2c5c05320.html
Last in spending to prevent child abuse and neglect....http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_bbedabed-da2d-5b8e-81db-29a2c5c05320.html
Very true.
But Texas is alot closer to the USA than the European style socialistic state that Obama is determined to turn / "transform" it into.
Some further observations are in order:
First, rationing educational scope is overall bad policy. It's exactly why economists usually should never be in charge of public policy. There is much more to the matter than merely "efficiency." (And the same goes for putting engineers in charge of public policy.)
Someone else commented on the topic of cutting Texas' university physics programs that of course the students might look to private schools instead - if they were able to get in, if they could afford the tuition, and only if enough such students wanted to enroll in order to even find a program at the private schools. That's the problem with the Libertarian concept - the only services or programs offered are those that profit. That's exactly why a state institution (for more than just education) is necessary: The society's greater needs are involved.
Here's a broader treatment of the topic I posted earlier, too:
The modern world as we know it was germinated in the 1660's when Newton, Hooke and a batch of other "Natural Philosophers" created the Royal Society in Britain. During the ensuing "Age of Reason," they led the world in an explosive growth of mathematics (practical and theoretical), anatomy, surgery, chemistry, and what came to be known as the science of physics. All of us in any particular discipline - mine is maritime history - stand on the shoulders of those giants.
Among their contributions was a significant expansion in music theory, optics, architecture, metallurgy, and the plastic arts.
They also set loose an accelerating understanding of medicine that revolutionized the world by the end of the 1800's.
Now we look at the incredibly naive proposed policy in Texas, driven entirely by accountants and statisticians (who do not understand their debt to science). It is a tragic retreat from the nearly 400 years of progress made in the world.
What short-sighted foolishness.
"If you hate wascally wabbits...then i do too!".
Yeah...That won't win the general election.
He's thrown a shoe and is about to throw the rider.
I think their strategy should be:
DON'T DEBATE!
But if we can look past politics the bigger issue to me is that there is no demand for it. That is why I posted the comment earlier. We do not have enough students (my own kids included), who want to study science and engineering. I disagree with you that education should not be rationed. We cannot afford to become a country of writers and philosophers. To fund the arts at the same (or greater) level as science and engineering, simply because it's where the demand is, means that we will be able to pay for neither in a generation. Educational funding by the government must reflect national priorities and not individual wishes.
I can understand the difficult position the Republicans are in with this field of candidates. They must play to the Tea Party which has already destroyed the GOP. By that I mean in the internet age very little goes unnoticed - including resurrecting the Civil War.
I can't understand MSNBC's fascination with Perry, except they're trying to push him so he can run against Obama. Perry is the least likely of the Republican top contenders to actually land the Presidency, so I guess he's being put in the light so often to give Obama a bigger chance. He needs all the help he can get.
Obama could make one very smart move if he would dump Biden and get Hillary to run as his VP.
And the right talks about the left being socialists and communists. Unbelieveable. This is the pattern that doomed the Soviet Union.
Why? I am neither on the right nor left on all issues. I am a fiscally conservative. Socially, I'm for live and let live and I don't care what you do in private (or even in public in most cases). However, we have limited government funds and these should be directed at the greatest needs. When it comes to education, this is in the areas of Science, Technology and Engineering, not Journalism and Literature.
It's the same principal as you can vaccinate 100 kids for $1,000 or keep one old person alive for a year. Where would you put the money? Unlike those on left though, I understand that resources are finite and tough choices have to be made.
The sad thing about both parties is that they will not face up to the truth that we are going to have to shrink government services AND pay more for those services.
hs 321:
You have it exactly backwards; MSNBC is trying to destroy Perry because he is the most likely of the current GOP candidates to win the presidency. Contrary to the crap that Dennis from Columbus Ohio tried to feed us, Texas unemployment is right in the middle of the pack (of states), and job availablity at present is good and getting better. Jobs will be the issue that determines the election, and Perry has had the most success among the candidates.....and certainly better than the clueless Obama!
Alan:
Your 1.20 comment is excellent, and I agree except for the last line. The Tea Party faction of the GOP is all FOR shrinking goverment and paying our way as we go. As a matter of fact, we can name names of entities that could be eliminated or drastically downsized.....Dept of Education, TSA, NEA, FEMA, EPA.....
Cutting education for whatever reason is sheer lunacy.
The more Perry talks, the more that realizaton that he is not a candidate that is smart enough to be the President. All that he needs is one intelligent question, and he falls into pieces. A High school student has a better chance to answer the questions better than him.
Maybe he should not have cut the education budget! He is living proof how a person can not run based just in dogma and ideologies...People need to have an education, and believe in science.
The only thing I like about Perry is his suggestion that Texas could secede from the United States. I'd vote for that.
America held hostage, day 269
Obama/Biden 2012
Texas refineries may get back $135M, but at schools' expense
Three commissioners appointed by Gov. Rick Perry may grant some of the nation's largest refineries a tax refund of more than $135 million — money Texas' cash-strapped schools and other local governments have been counting on to help pay teachers and provide other public services.
Read more: Mywesttexas.com: Local http://www.mywesttexas.com/news/local/#ixzz1Z5ou69vK
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
So any form of generic education spending is effective and must be protected? ...and then there was $14T debt. You realize that to maintain our current level of government services we are borrowing 40 cents on the dollar? You realize in 10 years we will have millions more retirees that will be demanding government resources? Tell me how we pay for all this?
Don't get me wrong.....Not Pro-Obama...............we just can't afford Perry!!
I have sifted through the GOP wannabes. Perry has loads of baggage that include college educating those in this country illegally, TP favorite in spite of that? Romney, Huntsman, nor Cain can get the Southern bible thumper vote--2 Mormons and a person of color. Bachmann is bat @!$%# crazy and Ron Paul lives in 1840.
What ya got? Nothing
skip, that is old and tired dude!! Don't make me tell these people why Texas doesn't fall into the gulf..
Nice job with the indians though!
Do you suggest that we keep spending gross amounts of money funding the military, rescuing other countries, paying the tuition of illegal aliens, but totally undermine education for American children?
Perry's Texas is taking Physics off the books at several colleges. Who needs physics when you got faith I guess.
Can't get back to the bronze age fast enough.
To be honest, Perry's record on higher education (or eductiaon in general) here is hard to define. Yes, the entire HECB is Perry's animal, every one a Perry appointee. So Policy is being funneled through them. Yet he also has been a proponent of student-friendly policies that are designed to keep effective educators in the university system, possibly at the expense of the tenure system (I can't completely be sure of exactly that, as I've only had the media filtered version of that dustup. I'd have to read the full recommendations, but it's not easy to get.) He's mainly being blasted on the latter for bringing politics into the university government realm, for which he should be lambasted. He's been trying it directly, but appointing regents and aids to push his ideas, and indirectly via the HECB.
For about the past 10 years or so, the creedo at Texas universities has not been "publish or perish" but "patent or perish". This is being primarily driven by the HECB, which is stacked with a bunch of businessmen who view the universities as a potential profit center. And typical of most C-level folks, they know they want a profitable product, but have no idea what really makes it work.
Unfortunately for the physics folks, it really is a speciallized field that few folks want to go into. The job market for a physics degree is not that large, once you take the university openings out of the picture. However, it is probably the fundamental science underscoring all the other sciences: chemstry, electronics, engineering, astronomy, nuclear science, weaponry design, etc......
I guess all the bad numbers from Texas come from the ILLEGAL immigration, like it is in California. However the wrong aproach to provide state tuition to illegals make Texas a sweet pie, inaugh to jump the fence.
oskar, I live in Texas, and the only jobs being creating are at Mickey D's, Walmart, and the like. And you better be able to speak spanish if you want to work there. It's even more helpful if you are a "recent immigrant", wink-wink, nudge-nudge.
Where.............Sure not what I am seeing!
Going back to the neanderthal age should not be too hard for Perry.
NT Daily.com
Perry puts Texas education in peril
January 25, 2011 by Views-Editor
Filed under Opinion
In May 2010, Gov. Rick Perry turned down a possible $700 million in federal funding for public education because the states would have to meet a national standard to qualify for the Race to the Top grant. The only other state that had an issue with the condition was Alaska.
The median teacher salary in Texas is $48,950, which means that $700 million could fund about 14,300 Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers across the state.
If Obama faces Perry ... all of you die hard Obama haters should take out your crying towels early ... there is no way a Texan dumber than Bush will take the White House!!!
The country is desperate ... not retarded ............
@Zorroaca44 I've been a registered republican since I was 17 and joined the army. I'm 43 now and would switch to independent in a heartbeat if perry becomes the candidate. I can't put my finger on when exactly the republican party became synonymous with right wing neocon christofacism but I think it's time to rethink my party.
Alan, don't you realize that telling people what sort of education they can have is the second most extreme socialist agenda, the first being telling people what jobs they'll get after that. That's what the USSR did. As a progressive, I find that idea to be so far to the extreme left that I can't even understand why someone would raise the possibility. We need to put our higher educational system into super-overdrive in America. Companies are begging for people that know math related sciences, but you can't force people to become that. They have to WANT to, and the "I'm proud that I graduated 10 out of 13" model has to go the way of extinct animals everywhere. The desire to learn math and science starts at an early age. With me, I was memorizing the names of Astronauts in the Apollo program at 2 years old, and was always encouraged to be smarter then the rest of the class.
When being intelligent is the new cool and being ignorant is berated as the lazy attitude that it really is, we will turn things around, and start inventing things again.
This is a problem for the Republicans, because they don't want critical, independent thinkers. NCLB is a republican wet dream, because it teaches our kids how to repeat what their told, and not to think about it. I'm sure the Japanese Kamikazes had the same mind set.
Once people start looking critically at the GOTP agenda, it all falls apart, and I'm sure that scares the crap out of them. They just want FoxBots that can repeat the talking points without even questioning the underlying truth of them, and so far, they seem to have a pretty good bunch of bots going.
Perry's own statement:
stands as testament to that ideal.
.......But the facts shows he is not a right wing extremist, his credentials in immigration say something different, he just want their support.
I keep hearing people from the Republican side of the aisle say Obama is "Bush Lite", but if that's the case, why don't they vote for the Republican in Democrats clothing then? Amazing thought!
Tex,
Talk about old and tired? The reason Texas doesn't fall into the ocean is because we can't let that happen. Texas has become TOXIC and the ensuing environmental disaster would be unthinkable. It would make the BP oil spill look like spilled milk.
(Now see, that's original and clever).
Forty years ago I lived in Texas. I used to love Texas. I loved the people, the cities, just about everything about the Lone Star state. But Texas has changed. They have become so full of themselves, they are re-writing their history books to reflect their peculiar mythology. In my opinion, they have started believing their own PR.
We've had enough of Texans in the White House. We don't need another Bush and Perry is nothing but a Bush re-tread.
But thanks for the civil response, you didn't call me any names and hopefully I reciprocated in kind, it's good that we can have a discussion, air our differences, and always remember that we are all Americans and deserve a certain respect from one another.
When you guys want to climb down off that high horse and rejoin the United States I'll be glad to welcome you home. But until then, I'd sell you back to Mexico in a New York minute and give Puerto Rico the title of 50th state, if they want it.
Go Sooners.
America held hostage, day 270
Obama/Biden 2012
Ahem... We told you so! We warned everyone from the very beginning to take a very close look at Mr. Perry before making any rash decisions, I'm glad to see a lot of y'all heeded our advice.
And Romney, an energetic candidate with a deep-pocketed team of opposition researchers, might be better equipped than Hutchison was to deconstruct Perry's popularity with Republicans in his idiosyncratic home state.
It's fun watching the Republican Party self-destruct. Kinda of reveals the emptiness of their platform at its core. They are all panders and scyncophants for the wealthy. No substance there, a genuine record of achievement or a true conviction to easily defend.
Amy:No substance there, a genuine record of achievement or a true conviction to easily defend
I hope and pray that the President tries to run on his "record".
It seems right now he is planning on running against anything but that.
Panders? What would you call his speech to the CBC this weekend? Trying to channel his best "Non-Harvard" accent?
So it the republican party that is self-destructing Amy?
Huh. Cause see I'm looking at the Virginia CNN poll - you know the one where Romney, Perry and the generic beat Obama, and where Obama has lost 20 points off of what he got back in '08.
Oh yeah, and you do remember '08 - when it was all dems, all the time. In fact according to so many blue pundits and pollsters the Republicans were done for "40 years."
So as you compare the relative positions of the two parties today, vs. just 2 and 1/2 years ago, you conclude it is the republicans, not democrats that have self destructed?
That's pretty rich, even for First Read Amy. Me I am super thankful that Obama has single handily ended so many important debates we have been having. Like:
1. Unsustainable spending is horrible, and Kensyian monteary policy is worse;
2. that something called "green shoots" will produce jobs or viable or competitve energy;
3. That you cannot raise taxes in a recession.
4. that the government can do anything efficiently, cost effectively, or not waste money.
So Amy talking about self destruction - when is either the Jobs bill or the Buffett Rule going to come up for a vote?
Remember when Republicans accused President Obama of "dithering" when he didn't immediately send military help to the Libyans overthrowing Qaddafy? Remember when they switched that to say he was spending money we didn't have on air strikes? Remember when Obama's team at the UN won unprecedented cooperation from Libya's neighbors, so we didn't have to spend our own money taking down another middle eastern dictator?I know it's hard for Republicans to recognize success, but what happened in Libya is what most experts would call a SUCCESS.
Gee amy, I remember the President saying we would "Be ther for Days not weeks or months"
Surely you remmber that? Why are we still there, months later?
How much money has the United States spent in out third war?
Why are there "Boots on the Ground" now when we were promised there would be no boots on the ground?
Success? Mission Accomplished?
Come on Amy, give it a shot, why?
"days not weeks"
He was talking about being in the lead … everyone except a few like you know that!!!!
But Dennis, we were never in the lead. NATO had the lead.
Britian and France had the NATO Lead.
Everyone except a few like you know that, right?
And just for fun, the Spartans and the Cornhuskers are going to make the Buckeyes sorry they ever cheated over the next two weeks.
It seemed like a threat.
Lets see Obama stand up to another constituency group of his and tell them to "quit complaining".
Ahh rebups, never saw a fact they could not change. WCA. The US lauched the first strikes against Libia both by sea and air. We handed that over to Nato in stages until we only had a supporting roll with air tankers and eyes in the sky. As for boot on the ground the British have boots on the ground but the US does not. No US troops have been on the ground involved in military actions.
Spanky, there you go again, were are the jobs the republicans promised us, and here they are again ready to shut down the government that should be good for unemployement numbers of course you will blame obama for that right. Same old crap Spanky got anything new.
Seems to me that the conservatives who actually vote want someone like Perry but the money people who fund the candidate will settle for Romney but would really like someone who they could get the conservatives to vote for while controlling themselves. Why aren't they willing to let the primaries actually happen and see who comes out on top?
Hey Tis:
By Scott Wilson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 10, 2011
President Obama is content to let other nations publicly lead the search for solutions to the Libyan conflict, his advisers say, a stance that reflects the more humble tone he has sought to bring to U.S. foreign policy but one that also opens him to criticism that he is a weak leader.
More Tis:
U.S. Boots on the Ground in Libya, Pentagon Confirms
By Justin Fishel
Published September 12, 2011
| FoxNews.com
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/12/us-boots-on-ground-in-libya-pentagon-confirms/#ixzz1Z5IbRg6j
Despite repeated assurances from President Obama and military leaders that the U.S. would not send uniformed military personnel into Libya, four U.S. service members arrived on the ground in Tripoli over the weekend.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/12/us-boots-on-ground-in-libya-pentagon-confirms/#ixzz1Z5ICKnni
Maybe 4 troops don't matter to you Tis, but I am sure they matter to their families.
SPANKY
Just like your GOP/TP, you've got nothing new to say or add. You're simply clueless and one thing I know for sure is that you're enjoying your tax welfare like GE and want's it like that forever. Anytime you open your mouth, out goes me me me me. How many jobs have you created with all the tax welfare/largess you've received from this same government you hate so much?
Government efficiently provided you with the opportunity of internet to spew your selfish love for yourself and yourself only.
Ohmy God 4 really 4 troops on the ground. That is what you are excited about 4 what are 4 troops going to do, route out the bad guys, Maybe lead an invasion. I have no doubt that if they have families they are concerned about them but we have more news people on the ground than that. And what the problem with Obama letting other countries in the region work out the issues in Libia, its not like they are close to our boarders, unless you want America to rule the world that would work out nicely right!. He said our involvment would be limited and that is what has happened so what is your issue beside BS. 4 troops and you are throwing a tissy fit.
I got no problem with other nations leading the charge in Libya, Tis.
I got a problem with you lying.
What part abpout what I stated and backed up is false, compared to the lies you posted?
Try the truth Tis, it will set you free.
A tissy fit? Really? What the hell is that?
JoAnna, YOU are a constituent of his. Are you going to help the country? Or are you just going to complain?
To all the Perry supporters, when you go to his debates and meetings, make sure you bring a "BARF BAG" with you.
It will save the Cleaning Bill for your clothes!
Here's Ricky "The Texas Taliban" in a nutshell: All Aggies are losers. Ricky Perry is an Aggie. QED: Ricky Perry is a loser.
WCA -- can you please start quoting a more reliable news source than FOX?
And BTW, I seem to remember a very high ranking official in the Bush administration saying we would be in Iraq for "6 weeks - tops". Aren't we still there?
Me4,
How about jumping up here and kissing my Aggie A$$..............I didn't support that idiot until now..May have to change my mind!!
You know what you call an Aggie 5 years after graduation?????????? BOSS!!
Perry is not a True Ag. No True Ag would be caught dead in a t-sip shirt, even at the national championship game. (We might have were something showing support, like some I saw, but not an out-n-out pure t-sip shirt like he did.)
Absolutely True!!
WCA, linking Fox Propaganda will get no traction anywhere but a Fox forum. We lead the strikes until NATO got up to speed, and stepped back. Is there anyone, I mean really anyone, that thinks we can afford another war paid for by money borrowed from China? Thank God we didn't get involved it in trying to ruin another country's rebellion.
And WCA, if your really are White Collar Auto, do you work for a foreign auto company? Are you unhappy that you didn't get help to stay afloat and American companies got help from American taxpayers so they could continue to do business? You seem pretty bitter for a car guy, albeit a management guy, unless you just didn't get anything from the restructuring that has allowed GM and Chrysler to come back successfully.
I've never owned a foreign car, and never will. You?
Did anyone over the weekend how Fox was defending the tax subsidies for the oil companies. I think we can all agree that those need to go considering how the oil companies have been the most profitable companies in the last decade. Why even a decade ago, they didn't want the subsidies, Cheney shoved those down their throats and we're now holding the tab for it
That picture of Chris Christie in the earlier article reminds me of a combo of Jabba the Hutt and Sally Struthers.
That's racist.
Yeah, Jabba has feelings, too!
Hey, so does Gloria.
There seems to be a great deal of "behind the scenes" effort by the GOP to get Perry out. It's crazy. Way way way too early for him to step out.
Couldn't they wait until people actually cast a vote before throwing him to the wolves for goodness sakes?
They want him to step aside for the aristocrat - Romney. The white knight evidently. Who was 47th here in job creation. Who behind the scenes made our Governor Jane Swift step aside, to make room for Romney, the white knight.
Leave Perry alone. He's in this race to win. See if he can do it. Or Cain. Evidently voters aren't connecting with Romney in Florida either.
Who had the audacity to go to Michigan over the weekend. Yes, Romney.
Romney 2008/TProgress: If General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.
__________________________
Why should they stick with Romney and not Perry. They were both wrong on the auto bailout.
Oh wait! Republicans don't care if you're wrong. Neither does the media.
_________________________
Thomas Jefferson seems to be the most liked of all Founding Fathers. People didn't like John Adams' personality.
Yet people/historians seem to forget - it wasn't Adams who owned slaves. It was Jefferson.
Shouldn't that count for something as far as the future of our country? Evidently not.
We're running American Idol contestants in the GOP for the Presidency.
It doesn't matter what your track record is. And Romney's is horrendous. Perry's may be as well. But it is foolish to assume Romney is the smart one.
He's not, but the press will continue to paint him as some sort of "moderate". He ain't.
He's a typical cold as ice businessman.
Pleeeeaaaase, don't let them run Perry off until he's decided to resign as governor to focus on his campaign! Think of us poor, suffering souls down here in Texas.
And yes, John Adams was "obnoxious and disliked" during his time. However, without his championing the cause of Independance, we'd still be singing "God Save the Queen" instead of "America (My Country, Tis of Thee)" or "The Star-Spangled Banner". Jefferson, while for independance, was really brought in because of his elloquence with pen.
And while on the subject, if any of the current-day TeaPartiers were to read Jefferson's original draft of the declaration, they would be appalled and declare him a blatant liberal.
I do think Jefferson is the best icon for the Tea Party. The GOP should stay away from him. As I understand the Tea Party, they want us to go back to being an agrarian country, with higher education available to the upper class only, no banks, no taxes. Jefferson was all over that. The idea of an industrialized nation was so poisonous to him, that he alienated many of the other founding fathers arguing against it.
Yet industrialization turned us into what we were in the '40s-'60s: The most powerful nation on earth (people may think the USSR was competing with us, but the only thing they had was a huge military, they were always backward in every other respect, so America was always the one true powerhouse, due to diversification and a strong industrial backbone, unions, and a "can do" attitude). Jefferson was wrong on what would make this country great, just like the tea party is wrong on what would make us great again.
The GOP, on the other-hand, should all have a picture of Hamilton's face tattooed on their butts. He espoused almost everything they stand for. The only thing the GOP is doing that flies in the face of Hamiltonian ethics is the dropping of tariffs. He said taxes were an unreliable way to pay for government. Well, back then, when the tax collector went into back-woods Alabama and never returned, that was true. We have better methods in place now, so if we don't run the government on tariffs, we'd better get our taxes in order. He also stood for a central bank, founded it, and started the national debt by lending money to the states to pay their solders after the revolution. The GOP (no matter what lies they use in public) are all about keeping the banks going, because that's how they make the most money. That's why Bush, the easily persuadable, followed GOP establishment policy, and signed TARP as fast as it got to his desk. He even railed against congress for wanting to think about the consequences of TARP. How soon we forget. Well, some of you forget.
So when it comes to founding fathers, and ideologies, whether they realize it or not, the TP and GOP are diametrically opposed; even more opposed then the establishment GOP and the Democrats. I said it before, and I'll repeat myself: the TP will be the Scorpion on the back of the GOP as they cross the river. They will likely destroy each other.
Some of the advisors to Perry have names like "Pit Bulls' and 'Nitro"....Wow!
Allegedly helped mold Rick Perry into the pistol packing zealot we now see, per an article in the San Antonio Express News!
Hey, how about a picture of Sadam and Rick, both waving their pistols in the air? Yeah!
These same Pit Bulls have been a part of Perrys team for decades......In their minds, they take no prisoners..They are Perrys inner circle.....Dave Carney, James Leininger, and of course Mr. Toomey himself!
From the Out House to the White House!.....lol
I wonder if Silly Sarah got that Pit Bull line from Perry?
This has gotten so confusing even the right does not care who to pick, anyone can beat obama, even a cotton farmer. What does it matter he could be a bean farmer, if that is what he did before politics then that was his profession. No hidden agenda just a statement of fact unless you know more about his past than the rest of us and would like to pass on the info. As for anyone against Obama, find another 12 to run maybe you will get lucky and find a real contender, appearently your don't care which one just find someone who can beat him because the crowd you have now can't other wise you would have a front runner in more than one state at a time. Maybe each one can pick up two states each and split the rest. Way to go Righties
Games;
All partisan games, sales pitches, positioning, appearances, spin and talking points.
For Christian based candidates, where are their truths, morals and ethics?
The November 2012 elections will NOT be a game to be won at all costs as the Republican candidates are doing now, but a serious contest of effective administration and management of our nation...but they don't seem to get it. It is like they just like to play... Grab headlines and free publicity, "Hey, look at me. Did you hear my clever retort? Did you get my good pun?"
Effective (with the voting public) - maybe...
Harmful to America? most likely...
Idiotic? Definitely!
President Obama for President 2012. 4 MORE YEARS!
Your opening sentence describes liberals, their politicians and this President to a TEE. I dont recall and truths, morals or ethics being avoided like the left. 4 more years of Obama is just another 4 more years of destroying the private sector, Union kick backs, political donor kickbacks, spending what we dont have, continued rise of unemployment and Socialism. No thanks to 4 more years if this crap
I don't know how you could consider voting for Obama again. His plans are to starve children. While he did a fine job of executing Osama Bin Laden, he does not support providing for the least fortunate of the children living in this country. If you are for the death penalty, you should certainly vote Obama, if you are for feeding hungry children, you should vote for whatever Republican or Tea Party candidate gets the nomination. With them, at least the children won't have to starve to death.
Just how has President Obama destroyed the private sector? Always with the over the top accusations. I too hope you get a brain one day.
OMG what if President Obama raised taxes and destroyed America like Clinton. The republicans are so afraid that one of President Obama's ideal might work and do something for Americans that all they can do is obstruct and hope that faux propaganda can shift the blame to democrats.
Obama gave 1/2 a billion dollars to a company that was destined to fail because the owner give him some money to spend on his election. Do you have any idea how many starving children we could feed with a half billion dollars. Obama believes that getting elected or re-elected is more important that starving children. I think American children should be allowed to eat before we spend tax dollars re-paying people that buy elections.
JC: Where did you come up with that out in right field spin? The Republicans or Tea Party are gong to feed the children? Since when? What have you been smoking. What have they ever done to feed the children??
For all those who use the words: "lefty-lib", "lib", "libbie", "liberal" -- as if it they were derogatory words..., you should know how doing so, also marks you to be as "profoundly stupid" as sara palin has been called out for being (BELCHmann, inclusive).
Liberals, you see: Have dibs on the origin of the ideas and development of the three concepts of, Liberty, Democracy and Freedom.
Those three concepts were not born from the thinking of preachers, popes, kings, queens, dictators, bush "deciders", airheads, or conservatives of any color, form or flavor of religion!
You might want to remember this as "LIBS WITH DIBS ON LIBERTY, FREEDOM, & DEMOCRACY"
Or, simply as, "LIBS WITH DIBS ON DEMOCRACY"!
BEING FREE OF TYRANNY IS THE SAME AS BEING FREE OF RELIGION, AND IGNORANCE.
So, for you self-described "conservatives": republicans, and religious-right, moral majority, family value republicans, t-bagger types -- you all really do need to either go hide under your individual rocks, go live in alaska, or get yourselves a basic education from somewhere other than Faux news.
They passed a budget that includes funding for feeding destitute children as well as school lunch programs. Harry Reid has blocked the legislation in the Senate. He won't let anyone vote on it. He obviously wants to not pass the Republican for political reasons. He should pass the budget so these starving to death children can eat. The Republicans have done their part, why doesn't Obama ask Harry to pass the budget. They both seem to want to starve children. It seems to be the new Democrat way. Starve the children and then try to convince everyone that it is the Republicans fault.
Bush gave 3billion dollars to a private contractor in IRAQ that had strong connectionsto his Administration and now those funds cannot be accounted for. That is 6 times the loss to tax payers than what you are talking about.
Moon River,
Why do the libbies want to starve children. How does this display a support for Freedom and Democracy? It seems to me that the only purpose is to kill children. I'll take the family values group that believes human life is more important that getting re-elected any day.
Dennis, so your point is that it is OK since Bush did it. I don't like that Bush did that, but apparently you like it because it allows Obama to do the same thing. You must be one of those people that thinks getting Obama re-elected is more important that feeding hungry children. Where is your compassion? Humanity?
Actually feeding hungry children is being blocked in the House by the Tea Party members. Where is their compassion?
No, I don't think it is okay for any President or any Congress to reward any compant that has ties to them.
The house is not blocking any bills that support direct funding for feeding starving children. You have simply made this up.
I'm glad that you agree that what Obama is doing is as bad as what Bush did. I know you will say that Bush was 6 times as bad, but I don't think that is the case; Obama spent about a trillion on paybacks to his donators.And by the way, I think we should expect our elected officials to be better than 1/6th as bad as the last guy...
Not as Stupid..."All partisan games, sales pitches, positioning, appearances, spin and talking points."
Getabrain..."Your opening sentence describes liberals, their politicians and this President to a TEE."
Getabrain....that particular style of campaigning has been successful for the Dem/Libs in the past. A sad reflection on a particular section of American voters.
This will be a vote against all of the negative things that has occurred in the last 3 years , no matter who is at fault , and this does go back at least 10 to 12 years ago, we have structural issues in the Gov. as well as the regulations of wall street and tax issues as well....Our Gov. no longer has the people in their best interest, we need to change term limits , how much they are paid and their benefits after their terms end ... we the people are not far apart on the issues , they , the parties want us to disagree on every issue to keep their own interest and greed in power, what is the answer ??? Not good in the next 10 years if things don't change !!!
Nope... the country is on track to do a "Germany of the 1920".... I hope it will not happen.. but you have wackos' running and when you have wacko's running, it only takes a minority of the voting public to get them into office. They then pass laws which prevent them from getting out of office.... you can see it now in this "fake" voter ID problem... the only purpose of this is to get as many possible voters knocked off the Dem's as possible... Too bad for our country.....
Are the Dems the only group that use fake voters?
Possibly, because the Reps understand that it's easier to rig the machines -- especially since the majority have no way of being verified.
The GOP-catering to the religious right is a modus operandi of the most immoral, treasonous, sleazy, greedy, deceitful, hypocritical group of criminals our nation has ever endured!
There is no such thing as a political party named the GOP...!!!!
"GOP”, is merely a label for, "WALL-STREET": the greediest, shadiest, most subversive, cheating, lying, manipulating, corrupted, money-mongering, profiteering, bottom-feeding bottom-liners, low-lives, on all of Planet Earth!! And, they do not give a damn how many middle and lower class individuals their "real agenda" hurts... FASCISM is their only agenda!!!
The bunch of GOP hacks -- Wall-street hired-hacks -- in the House, are non-stop trying to undo the consumer protection regulations that would stop another scamming of the American economy, as they did under the bush-idiot! Wall-Street is actually trying to gain not only the removal of those Obama- placed consumer protections, they are trying to further deregulate wall-streeters completely!! INSANE!!
They are also working to remove the consumer protections of what is called Obamacare -- the GOP has no intention what-so-ever to try to actually repeal Obamacare -- they just want to tweek it to make it a grossly incredibly windfall-profitable landslide for health insurance companies!!
How? By removing all the consumer protections, while in fact putting more teeth into the "individual mandate".
You see, the actual underwriting of the Bill was done in large part by the health-insurance industry themselves, and the individual mandate was, "their profit-assured darling". What the GOP-wall-streeters are trying to do now, is quadruple the penalty to citizens who refuse to buy health insurance!! This will force even more people to buy it, even if they do not want or need it!!! The GOP hacks are doing exactly the opposite of what they touted with, "repeal and replace" -- and there have been no proposals what-so-ever from the GOP to fix the broken healthcare system in this nation.
All we have heard is -- the fear-pandering, and wickedly draconian rush to bust unions, fire teachers, fire fire-fighters, police, etc.... all in the GOP’s hired-gun, grand quest to further lower taxes for the ultra-wealthiest -- all smoke-screened by a twisted sense of "budgeting", while actually scheming to privatize Medicare and Social security -- as a hugely profitable enterprise for... DEREGULATED WALL-STREETERS!!
The fact is -- the GOP -- in being merely a puppet conspiracy of Wall-Streeters, is better understood as being a elitist, high-treasonous, CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY– no more, and no less.
These are not people anyone should vote for -- they should all be ARRESTED FOR TREASON!!!
If anyone watched Boardwalk Empire on HBO, you'll know who I mean when I say Perry reminds me of that FBI agent.
I view Perry as more of an Elmer Gantry type figure. ;-)
Wow you are right there is a good resemblance. But the guy from Boardwalk seems to have the same demeanor. I think it's the look in their eye.
Perry's "Texas Economic Miracle" isn't so miraculous once you take a closer look.
Also worth note -- Texas' high sales and property taxes are hardest on those with the least.
http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/09/25/3395762/is-texas-really-a-leader-in-low.html#ixzz1Z5RC06tV
more of the usual lies about Texas
Sales Taxes-Texas ranks 11th
http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/26269.html
Property Taxes-Texas ranks 12th
http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/1913.html
NO State Income Tax
As a percentage of home value that you claim- Texas only has ONE county in the top 20 and it's ranked 19th
http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/27095.html
Larry, did you miss the part about those comments coming from a Republican pollster?
Rick Perry is a disgusting joke. There is not one man on either side that can hold a candle to the continuously ignored Ron Paul.
Pretty soon, we will be saying Slick Rick who. Good job by the other Republican-Tea Potty at throwing Slick Rick under the bus.
Did Fiesty, Bev, or Amy kick off those bedroom slippers yet?
You all should learn from your leader.....
Obama certainly learned how to roll over!
Long Live the Tea Party!
right Grover,
how dare we insist that the Federal government return to following the Constitution
how dare we insist that the Federal government be fiscally responsible.
how dare we follow the advice of the founders
Samuel Adams stated: "The utopian schemes of leveling [redistribution of wealth], and a community of goods, are as visionary and impracticable as those that vest all property in the Crown. [These ideas] are arbitrary, despotic, and, in our government, unconstitutional."
"To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Joseph Milligan, April 6, 1816
"That is not a just government, nor is property secure under it, where the property which a man has in his personal safety and personal liberty, is violated by arbitrary seizures of one class of citizens for the service of the rest." James Madison 1792 Essay on Property
“If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, and are the sole and supreme judges of the general welfare, they may take the care of religion into their own hands; they may appoint teachers in every State, county and parish and pay them out of their public treasury; they may take into their own hands the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union; they may assume the provision of the poor; they may undertake the regulation of all roads other than post-roads; in short, every thing, from the highest object of state legislation down to the most minute object of police, would be thrown under the power of Congress… Were the power of Congress to be established in the latitude contended for, it would subvert the very foundations, and transmute the very nature of the limited Government established by the people of America.”
– James Madison, Letter to Edmund Pendleton, January 21, 1792
Grover, I see you come from the Saul Alinsky rules for Radicals school. when you can't argue the facts, make up lies and insults
Alinsky who?
Perry is a clone of George W. Bush. His love for the illegal Mexicans surpasses any love he might have for the American taxpayer. Bush and Perry will not be happy until every single Mexican is over here and being fed, housed and educated by Americans. As he said you don't have a heart. So this for him is a moral issue and not a political issue. He will never change his position on this and the danger is when he is in the White House he will pass Amnesty on day one.
James: AMEN! Live in Austin and wondering why Perry can travel over the U.S. pursuing his personal interestes while the citizens of Texas are paying for half of it, aside from the fact he is being paid to govern Texas and is not showing up for work. He is a con artist to the first degree. I was sort of excited that he might win the prez and leave Texas. Well, that's not going to happen. Fire departments cut and a lot of Texas has burned to the ground. Cut education and now they will close 15 schools in Austin. He found the budget to completely remodel the governors mansion, while he rents a 10K/mo house and taxpayers pay his expenses. Perry and his rich cronies thought they could step out and bs the whole United States, but they're not dealing with illegal immigrants and it's not working for him. People are fed up and this election will be very interesting.
James, he does not love all of them, just the rich ones that can get him re-elected over and over.
We have a complete idiot in the White House right now that's makes Bush look like a genius. MSNBC is going to fight this fight as long as they can, they're like rats only they will go down with the ship instead of looking for dry land. Obama has been a dismal failure. If you go back and read any of his campaign speeches you'll see that he's nothing but a lot of talk and not a lot of action. Any challenger will be better than what we have today. "Hope and Change", what a crock!
Your crazy, your perception of reality is distorted.
lukewarm
don't you think you're the idiot who that cannot back up his/her bla bla bla claims with a single reference for discuss at least?
I can back me calling you an idiotic jackass.
1 Health care reform
2 financial reforms
3 repealed DADT
4 where's OBL
5 STIMULUS that worked
6 GM, Chrysler are back on their feet
7 over 2m private sector created.
8 spot on in Libya.
you see, that's how not how to be an ass.
Progressive..name calling..that is a strategy for the Dems..isn't it?
progressivegirl
we can hardly take your statement seriously when a progressive is a marxist who is afraid to admit it.
And since liberals and "progressives" hate our constitution and individual liberty with the right to the pursuit of happiness, we have to question your ability to even for reasoned conclusions.
Larry Robinson-1323081
you're still running with this mentality? really? Rush, Faux news, Beck, Bachman and the rest of them capitalist dudes feeds you all with hate and you go to bed hating and waking up with distorted views of how your world has been destroyed while they smile to their banks. WHAOOOO.
"that's how not how to be an ass." ROFL. No an ass is a mule. You are a sheep. I see that list over and over again by the left. Doesn't get any more funny the more it is posted. Just boring talking points with little substantiation. Your number 1 is hilarious. Can't believe you started with that one. 3 Such a big issue to strengthen the US. 4 opportunistic. 5 barely. 6 jury is still out on Chrysler. 7. like to see that list and what industries. And 8. Jury is way out on that one. We'll see what happens when the dust clears. (If you would like a preview, just watch Egypt going forward)
Pen,
unlike you I exercise my intellectual capacities by actually reading history and the constitution, researching, and even spending most of my political time on LEFTIST sites. I don't need a someone else to form my views, unlike liberals.
I've spent over 50 years doing so and will stand firm that I am on the side of liberty and the Constitution versus the marxism of the Democrats (and yes they are marxist if you use the communist manifesto as a baseline)
Larry Robinson - perhaps you should re-read history AND the constitution. Your ideas don't fit the constitution and your grasp of history is biased - at best. I'm not sure what you believe constitutes liberty but it is far from reality. I am an Independent but certainly consider the Democrats to be following the constitution much more than today's GOP. And, don't even start the Communist garbage.
W. Goin - Guess you and your flock of sheep drink Obama-aid instead of bottled water and wine with your cheese.
Surely American voters will NOT elect another Texas Cheerleader for President. Tricky Ricky is full of BS.
If cain won in Fl then romney or perry is not too popular in Fl . Which is by the way a SWING State. Fl might go blue.
Progressive..You are unfamiliar with these elections..Romney has barely been visible in Fla yet..He hasn't campaigned there like the others have..
I think Only the Press and Texans take for Real this Crazy?!
This is what happens to someone who grows up to be a Politician !
The fat lady has already sung. This crazy nut case is outta here!
Boy it would be great if Texas seceded! They'd become an instand third world country. They'd have to raise enough money (can you say tax hikes anyone) to pay for schools, roads, bridges, their own army!! etc. etc. Plus they'd have to move the American Quarter Horse Association from Amarillo, move the National Cutting Horse Association from Fort Worth, move the National Reined Cow Horse Association world show from San Angelo and any Texas horse trainer would have to get a visa to travel to major shows in the US, but what the heck. The country of Texas would be quickly taken over by Mexico!! Gosh that'd be FUN to watch.
CAS - Mexico wouldn't take texas!
Idoldoll-Didn't Perry agree to fund a race track or something like that? This while he continues to cut spending on education and health care. People who back him and still sees what he's done to Texas are either incredibly stupid or stupidly naive. If you Tea Party backers and Republicons read the Paul Ryan budget, you're reading the Great Obstructionist Party's manifesto. When your children don't have enough Medicare coverage, and their Social Security is gone (learn your U.S. history and what became of America's elderly during the Great Depression, this is why we have it). If you think your kids will have a better standard of living than you, go ahead and vote for the Republicon moron of your choice. Remember, you get the government you deserve.
Doug,
We've had enough of the socialism of the past 100 years!
We've had enough of the redistribution of wealth schemes (as Samuel Adams called them).
We've had enough of people no longer being responsible for their own lives
Grow up and be a man instead of a parasite
There is no way this dime store cowboy can win a national election. In a one party state, Texas, after two terms of governor, he only received 39% of the vote in his last win. He is not very fast on his feet. Not the brightest bulb in the package, and he has never met a corporation he would not sell out to. The pay for play cronyism will be his undoing, if his extremist positions on social security don't do him in first.