Tuesday’s ‘Debate’ Means Nothing — Perry’s Pluses Are Still Undeniable
Can we even call what went down at Dartmouth last night a debate? Not in my book. But even so, the word is out that Governor Rick Perry is dead in the water after last night’s “debate” and the reason is that he is a rotten “debater” and can’t translate the Texas economic miracle into greater American lingo-ese.
Perry couldn’t win American Idol, that’s for sure.
But I still think writing off the governor of the most successful state in the union is a mistake Americans might not be able to afford at this point.
The fruit of solid economic policies is undeniable.
I’m old school when it comes to judging a candidate for president. Oh, I find myself getting all emotional and weak at the knees occasionally when I hear a booming speech or a tidbit of soaring, heartfelt oratory. I am, after all, female. But when it comes down to punching that ballot, I’m a real pragmatist looking for a proven track record in a sizable government of a state I admire.
And the more I read these days, Perry’s pluses are still undeniable – in spite of his falling poll numbers. Even if I take two points off Perry’s score for that Texas swagger and another five points for the debates and another ten for the sum of things he’s done against the perfectly conservative creed, that man still comes off looking like a president.
I’m forced to add in a bonus score for Perry due to the fact that by now Americans in the other 49 states are downright desperate for some Texas-brand prosperity.
And no matter how one chooses to slice, dice, or puree Perry’s record, one does not become the longest-serving governor of the second largest and most populous state in the union by happenstance. Perry isn’t the only Texan responsible for the Texas economic “miracle,” but to deny him a large chunk of the credit for such exemplary success in such extraordinarily bad times seems quite stupid.
The evidence of Perry’s economic prowess is clearly on display every time another analyst compares the liberal-utopian state, California, to the conservative-crown-jewel, Texas. California, once the ubiquitously acknowledged “Golden State,” has become the most tarnished bit of junk metal in the entire country. Meanwhile, Texas creates more economic gold for all her citizens every time the conservative legislature and their polished-cowboy governor put their heads together.
Image courtesty: Ivonne Wierink / Shutterstock
True enough. But just the thought of another 8 years defending a President, who isnt able to defend himself, because he cant put a coherent sentence together, is exhausting.
Romney is a soulless bureaucrat without integrity, honor, principles and character, but at least he can talk.
#1:
Romney is a soulless bureaucrat without integrity, honor, principles and character, but at least he can talk.
Yes at least he can talk!
However, the man has gone with and married one woman all his life.I understand to some that isn’t honorable, but sorry I think it is! He has raised 5 honorable sons. His sons love and honor him. I would say this says plenty about his integrity and principles.
I get a little tired of all the bull$&@!! about him! He turned the Olympics around, took $1.00 a year for (I think) 4 years. Left the state with left over money and no bills! I believe it was/is the only Olympics that hasn’t left massive debt. As far as soulless, I thought we all were given souls at birth and as far as I know he is still alive. Would like to know why you would call him that?
From the language you employ, I assume you are not one of his sons.
During the Viet Nam war, Romney got a two different deferments from military service — one when he was in college and the other, on the basis that he was a Mormon missionary doing work in France. What?! You can say that he has gotten more conservative over the years (as have I), but none of his five sons served in the military either. He said something stupid about this, to the effect that his sons showed their patriotism by working on his campaigns. I might vomit.
Just like any of the other Next-In-Line Republicans, I imagine Romney would slide ever leftward once in office. He’s a RINO.
I’m still supporting Perry, debates or no debates. Like Kyle-Ann, I look to his record. Do we want America to look like Texas or Massachusetts? Hmm?
His track record as Governor tells us all we need to know about his integrity and principles.
Here are his principles: He’s a hard leftist.
Here is is integrity: He now pretends to be a conservative.
Hard leftist? You are certifiably insane. Give me one example of Romney’s hard left positions.
Honestly, Romney is a Centrist Candidate. He is not all that Conservative on some issues. Romney is Honest, Has Integrity and does have good morals. I do not agree with everything (we agree probably about 55%, mostly fiscal issues) Socially Conservative? I would rate Mitt – Middle of the Road.
I think Mitt is going to be that Candidate that has to untangle the Obama snafu, and get the Country BACK on track. If Romney is the one to take on Obama, I will back him 100%, though I wish he were more Capital “C” Conservative. Perry is way more of a social Conservative, but his Electability is lower than Romney.
We have to keep our eye on the “Ball” and the ball in this case is electing a Republican Candidate. We have to pick the MOST electable Republican. I think that is Romney.
According to polls this morn on GMA…CAIN is in the lead.
CAIN…and the black liberals are going crazy.
In a contest between a liberal and liberal-lite, the liberal usually wins. In a contest between a liberal and a conservative, the conservative usually wins.
Resist Romney. We don’t need RINOs running, we need elephants stomping.
Now all we have to do is find one…
Have you considered looking at his track record, rather than simply judging him by his current rhetoric?
His track record puts him to the left of most Democrats today.
Mark V makes a good point. Romney’s healthcare fiasco is one evidence of his leftism. His nutcake religion is the overwhelming evidence of his incapacity to make reasoned judgments. His wealth has removed him and his family from the real world and he is way out of touch with the common man. Moreover, he is an hypocrite, as no sane person(and he is sane) really believes all that silly, stupid, satanic mormon feces- and he pretends to do so. If he really believes it, he is a nutcase. If he does not, he is an hypocrite. And we don’t need another hypocritical nutcase for president.The current disease infecting the White House proves that point.
You will have to defend your candidate one way or the other. Do you really think peace will break out between the Progressives and the Republicans just like that b/c Mitt gets in? That isn’t how this game works.
Peace breaks out when the other side is eradicated – that hasn’t happened for the last 100 years and it won’t be happening in the next.
And the People need to get involved anyway. That’s part of the job. Be a patriot and resign yourself.
If the office of POTUS was as Constitutionally weak as the office of the Governor of Texas, the author might have a point. But it isn’t, Texas prosperity is largely due to the fact that the state politicians have very, very little power compared to the other states. That’s because of the state Constitution, not Rick Perry.
How does one become the longest serving governor? Run against openly liberal opponents in Texas time after time. Texas may have made Perry what he is, but the reciprocal is simply not true.
His stance on the second amendment is great, his sound bites about social security are also great. But after that there just isn’t much left. . . except that swagger the author seems to like.
THANK YOU!!!
IF Perry was pushing the Texas SYSTEM as the reason Texas was doing so well and if he said he would try to get the federal system to look more like the Texas system (particularly in regards to getting rid of the income tax and replacing it with a sales tax) then I would walk door-to-door from here to Iowa praising Perry. We have a weak governor and a legislature that only meets for 6 months every 2 years. California has none of that, plus a referendum system that makes things even worse. That which is governed least is governed best; all Texas proves is that politicians (and the people!) have to be FORCED to govern less.
Unfortunately, I think he’s spent too much time breathing his own exhaust fumes and listening to people like Forbes and he actually thinks something he did accounts for the lion’s share of Texas’ success.
I also like to remind everyone that Perry got the job by default when Bush became president in 2000; in 2002 no one ran against him in the primary and in 2006, Perry won with only 39% of the vote. Kinky Friedman, a musician/writer/comedian got 12%. He’s really not considered all that great of a governor here (not terrible, just not great), to be honest– but he’s been who the Republicans have been giving us. His debate performance proves he’s never really had to work hard for it, and that will work against him. Not to mention, he’s yet another career politician– started in 1984, as a democrat. Thought Clinton’s health care plan was a decent idea. Was Al Gore’s buddy; I don’t deny that he may have had a road-to-Damascus conversion, but it smells like political opportunism and do we really need more of that?
You are KIDDING yourself if you take that cop-out.
I’ve followed the governor a long time, and eventually became active in his most recent campaign. Got to speak with him, meet with him on many occasions, at a HUGE variety of venues, got to know him pretty well (as well as a regular citizen can w/out being a political insider). Perry was & still will be ACTIVE in businesses relocating to Texas, he was successful by the way as many who met w/him ended up moving to Texas. His job as governor is to set an agenda for the legislature in an attempt to find a cohesive message on how to move TX forward (hello? State of the State address…… Yep governor’s have those things). In turn legislators bring up bills to the floor of their respective chambers in order to play out the governor’s will; job growth, among other things. The governor is very much responsible for the jobs in Texas! The BS, cop-out that you go by won’t fly. Just proves you use it as an excuse because you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Then he’s also “very responsible” for the “Dream” act, and the Trans Texas Corridor, and dismissing the AZ law as, “not right for Texas”. You can use leftist type attacks all you want, but your personal friendship with him does not make him a better candidate.
JustAl said: Then he’s also “very responsible” for the “Dream” act, and the Trans Texas Corridor, and dismissing the AZ law as, “not right for Texas”. You can use leftist type attacks all you want, but your personal friendship with him does not make him a better candidate.
Fine. Let’s give him ownership – he allowed resident aliens to *pay the same fee* other residents did for college if they had graduated from a TX school & been a resident for 3 yrs and had maintained the grade average required AND pursued a path to citizenship.This bill was signed in 2001. To date, less than 1% of TX students are illegal and the majority of those students are attending not a big ticket university, but a community college. This subject has been ridiculously overblown. Disagree with TX or not, it’s *insignifcant* both by the numbers, and in view of his larger record.
Under the same bill, that instate tuition rate was granted to the residents of all the states bordering TX as well. OH, the travesty – how unfair to the sales-tax paying residents of Texas THAT was, huh?
He got all in for the TTC – and then he got *all out*. No-ones property was seized, and in fact he STRENGTHENED property rights.
He TWICE requested TX address sanctuary cities, and was twice rebuffed. The so-called Texas Tea Party is holding HIM responsible for the failures of the TXleg – which would be the same leg that hasn’t even gotten E-Verify out of committee.
He did say the AZ law wasn’t right for TX – and then he joined the lawsuit against the Feds supporting their right to enforce it.
He passed the Voter ID law.
He restricted drivers licenses to illegal aliens and vetoed a bill that would have allowed the use of a matricula consular, an ID card used by the Mexican govt, that would have also allowed them to get a driver’s license in Texas.
He’s provided human trafficers with stiffer penalties and instant deportation once they’re eligible for parole.
He’s spent $400 million TX dollars guarding our border *for the ENTIRE COUNTRY* and I haven’t heard him lay a blame game on ANYONE else other than the govt that should be doing the job. He’s seized millions of pounds of drugs, about 3,500 illegal weapons and 1000′s of criminals – all while you had no idea he even existed.
Would you like me to go on? Because those are just the high points on Perry’s TRUE “immigration policy”. I’m more than happy to regale you with his accomplishments in the TX economy, for instance that under his guidance, TX has become the 2nd largest economy in the US. Or the fact that every budget he’s signed has made the TX govt footprint smaller. Or that TX leads the nation in foreign trade, rec’d a credit upgrade from S&P while the Fed’s got us downgraded, and that he was sitting Chair of the RGA while they played ping-pong with the unions the last year AND assisted in seating Republican Governors across the land in 2010, which was phenomonally important.
This man has busted his tail for decades weighing in on every issue from a Federalist perspective. He’s getting crucified by Mitt and the media not because he’s such a failure, but because he’s such a *success story*. Romney is the Establishment pick, Cain the TP pick – but he’s not mine. He has absolutely no experience and no business treating the Oval Office like an entry-level position, b/c it’s not.
I hope America gets it’s collective head out and manages to look at the big picture re: Perry’s record. And Cains as well. The media ignored Cain because he wasn’t a threat – they have savaged Perry. Just like they savaged Reagan. For the same reason.
Unemployment rate in TX is 8.5% – about the rate nationally.
Er – what was that miracle again?
(Just a few words from the reality-based community – and now back to your regular programming.)
Well, to be perfectly fair about it all, the office of president is supposed to be “Constitutionally weak” — limited to a very small number of powers and activities. It just hasn’t been treated that way since the Progressive Era, and We the People have failed to rein it in.
That having been said, in our time a great part of a president’s influence is as a communicator (cf. Reagan), which makes Perry’s indifferent eloquence at least a little troubling. Still, he’s good on policy, and appears to possess at least one characteristic — humility — notably lacking in contemporary office-seekers. Just now, I prefer Cain, but if Perry gets the nod, I’ll happily vote for him.
Agreed, 100%!
The POTUS should not be promoting any agenda other than putting America first. As the CinC his/her job isn’t to decide who to bomb, it’s to facilitate the use of the military if Congress mandates that it be used. In this regard, I’d love to have someone of Col. West’s stature in the race. Perry’s military service gives him points here, then again Mr. Cain did important work for the Navy.
Additionally, the POTUS is the chief law enforcement officer, a prime example is the immigration laws which the current occupier flaunts for his own family! Sorry, Perry’s support of the “Dream Act” may be legal, but it’s consequence is to strongly encourage illegal activity.
An un-written, but important part of the job is to be a promoter of our nation and it’s interests, essentially, a national cheer leader. . . rather than a national apologist. And, as you point out, Perry lacks the communication skills for this. Again, Col. West would be the obvious choice, had he chosen to run, but Cain does a pretty decent job here.
I’m not a big proponent of “business experience” for the job of POTUS, since, as outlined above, the federal government should not be run like a business.
But, the fact that Mr. Cain is not a career politician is, I think the best place we have to start. Hell, looking at 90+% of our elected officials, I think we’d be better off with a lottery to pick ‘em.
Make that “Agree, 80%”. I wont support another career politician like Perry.
JustAl”How does one become the longest serving governor? Run against openly liberal opponents in Texas time after time. Texas may have made Perry what he is, but the reciprocal is simply not true.”
Come on, man. He walked away from a 3-way against KBH & Medina w/53% of the vote. He’s the longest serving Governor because overall he’s done a good job and he’s got a reputation that reflects that.
Pandering to Mexican votes in order to keep winning elections isnt really brag worthy….especially to the heartless bastards that comprise the base of the GOP.
I cop to being a heartless conservative bastard, but I am definitely not a part of the GOP base and if the GOP country clubbers think that they can pull off trying to pass off the faux-conservative Perry as the genuine article, they’ve got another think coming.
I’m a “heartless bastard” who believes in the rule of law. I’d vote for Romneycare before I’d vote for Perry and Comprehensive ILLEGAL ALIEN reform.
My money, meanwhile, is helping to fill Cain’s war chest.
I am not voting for Perry. I’ll take Romney over Perry. Cain or Newt. Bauchmann no.
For the heartless bastard, I’ll give you an excerpt from a comment I’d hate you to miss:
He allowed resident aliens to *pay the same fee* other residents did for college if they had graduated from a TX school & been a resident for 3 yrs and had maintained the grade average required AND pursued a path to citizenship.This bill was signed in 2001.
To date, less than 1% of TX college students are illegal and the majority of those students are attending not a big ticket university, but a community college. This subject has been ridiculously overblown. Disagree with TX or not, it’s *insignifcant* both by the numbers, and in view of his larger record.
Under the same bill, that instate tuition rate was granted to the residents of all the states bordering TX as well. OH, the travesty – how unfair to the sales-tax paying residents of Texas THAT was, huh?
He TWICE requested TXleg address sanctuary cities, and was twice rebuffed.
He did say the AZ law wasn’t right for TX – and then he joined the lawsuit against the Feds supporting their right to enforce it.
He passed the Voter ID law.
He restricted drivers licenses to illegal aliens and vetoed a bill that would have allowed the use of a matricula consular, an ID card used by the Mexican govt, that would have also allowed them to get a driver’s license in Texas.
He’s provided human trafficers with stiffer penalties and instant deportation once they’re eligible for parole.
He’s spent $400 million TX dollars guarding our border *for the ENTIRE COUNTRY* and I haven’t heard him lay a blame game on ANYONE else other than the govt that should be doing the job.
He’s seized millions of pounds of drugs, about 3,500 illegal weapons and 1000′s of criminals.
He’s also the one that has repeatedly emphasized that terrorists like the ones just discovered plotting to assasinate the ambassador are among those coming over the border.
Forgive me if I somehow missed all the “pandering” you speak of. Feel free to respectfully disagree with instate tuition, but don’t conflate that *singular issue* with an “immigration policy” or “pandering” for anyone else that knows his record.
Thanks.
As compared to their democratic opposites,”loving legitimates”, who murder babies by the millions and exult in gay sodomy, spend us into ruin and lie constantly?
For me Perry comes off as G.W. Lite.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, ain’t going back.
Compassionate conservatism needs to be shot, hanged, burned and the ashes pissed on.
Amen brother. Another Texan who loves illegal aliens over Americans. Been there. Down that. No thanks.
Right! Instead, vote for the guy you really admire, and enjoy another four years of B. Hussein O as POTUS.Sharia will be lots of fun. Maybe they’ll let you close your eyes as they stone your wife for exposing her ankles, driving a car, or leaving home unaccompanied by a male relative. You’ll be busy with your other three wives, all thos kids and how many concubines. You’ll get in good shape, though, beating her for her many minor offenses. And you’ll have lots of fun blowing up busses full of schoolkids and raping, robbing, torturing and murdering all those kaffirs you raid who won’t convert and pay the extortio, I mean jizya tax. But, a faithful moslem follows the Koran and it requires high level criminal conduct on the part of believers. Have fun!
I puked up my chai latte reading the words of this obviously horned-out author. Did Ms. Shiver even try to hide her physical attraction to Perry? I admit, Perry is a handsome man, but it takes a real womyn of progressive intelligence to set aside base physical attraction so as to freely analyze the facts without allowing a moist emotional barrier to clog one’s thinking. And I think that’s a problem for all conservative womyn; they can’t get beyond pure physical lust. That’s why they keep supporting men who would keep them in the kitchen, bare-footed, crock-pot on full blast, Betty Crocker (that whore) in the oven, and nothing to look forward to except maybe a lame Friday night fish fry at the bowling alley. A vote for Perry is a vote for the enslavement of vibrant, progressive, somewhat bi-curious womyn across this great land of Greenwich, CT. Please use your heads when voting in 2012 ladies!
Get a grip.
LovelyEarth,
Are you serious?! None of the candidates are good looking at all. Now, if that Paul Ryan were running or Darrell Issa (his youth was just reckless enough to make him exciting -ooh! I need smelling salts.)
In other words your fellow lsbians are against Perry. Good! We who support Perry wouldn’t let y’all in the door even if the Creature From The Black Lagoon
was trying to bite your backsides.
Obama will get 40% of the popular vote this time, just because he can’t get any lower. The rest will go to the Republican candidate. It is up to Perry to win some caucuses and primaries if he really wants to be President. Good organization (i.e. money) and lots of good ads (i.e. money) and a good stump speech repeated often can make up for poor debate performances that were seen by relatively few GOP voters. Perry has the ingredients for success, but it’s still up to him to put it together. If I were him, I’d come up with a good reason to quit going to the intra-GOP debates and go to work on the primary voters instead.
What a welcome column.
I first started looking at Perry after Hurricane Katrina, when Texas was not only hit, but had a tremendous influx of LA refugees. People who worked with Perry and for him then still talk about his efforts–when his visibility was an asset, there he was. When someone else knew better, he turned over the job and stayed out of the way. I’m sure that’s why Bobby Jindal endorsed him.
Leadership isn’t just 59-pt plans. It’s reacting well to the unexpected. I think he’s proven himself.
I do think the debate process needs rethinking. Settling on a candidate months before a vote? Hello?
‘Leadership isn’t just 59-pt plans. It’s reacting well to the unexpected. I think he’s proven himself.’
Excellent point!
Perry supports open borders, which means he is no better than Obama.
No he does not. If you do not like him, fine, but do not lie or misrepresent what he says and stands for. No one, including the current President, has done more to secure the border of Texas than Gov Perry. To say otherwise is either a deliberate lie or ignorance.
Open borders? Either you are incredibly ignorant or you are a RINO who hates Rick Perry. Gov. Perry has been tough on the order. Read the report on:
http://www.texasagriculture.gov/vgn/tda/files/1848/46982_Final%20Report-Texas%20Border%20Security.pdf
How sad that at this crucial time in our country, these readers come out with “sound bites” instead of doing proper research on the candidates.
I support Perry, but hope that he will get around to addressing the immigration issue in detail – sooner rather than later – and explain to the astonishingly ignorant among us that the 1,200- mile TX-Mexico border is a RIVER (and not the AZ desert you’ve seen on tv).
When Bachmann said she would build a wall across every mile and every yard of the southern border, I about fell out of my chair. I’d like to see her try. A lot of the Texans who own riverfront properties on the Rio Grande can trace their family’s ownership back to a Spanish land grant, and they’re not the sort of folks who would take kindly to the Gubmint coming in and building a border wall — in the middle of the river OR in their backyard.
What experience does Romney have with border issues?
Perry (correctly) states that protecting the border requires more troops, not a fence.
Where do the fence advocates propose building the fence? On the Mexican side of the Rio Grande? (Good luck getting that done.) In the middle of the river itself? (Absurd.) On the Texas side? (Blocking river access to all Texans.)
Add troops and give them real, not rubber, bullets. problem solved.
Those who think Perry would sign amnesty legislation should realize that Romney is much more likely to do so.
1. I don’t like Perry.
2. That statement is simply a LIE.
Opposing a wall on the Texas border simply means he’s got a functional brain.
Most of Texas’ border with Mexico is a RIVER. Can you comprehend what that means?
If you build it on this side, you prevent ranchers from watering their stock.
If you build it on the OTHER side, you start a war with Mexico.
If you build it in the middle, it washes away pretty regularly.
Perry favors cameras and patrols to secure the Texas border.
That’s a good idea.
I believe that ALL 1200 miles of the Texas border with Mexico is the Rio Grande river. I wondered how long it would take for people to think about that. Obviously, the other eight or so candidates are not ready to think about that. What a smear job being done to Perry. The same drill as was applied to Sarah Palin four years ago. The only difference is that Perry is damned near defenseless when he is being attacked.
I just checked, and it appears you are correct. I had thought there was a small section at the very west extreme that was not the Rio Grande.
For all of you who think Perry favors open borders, read this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/americas/perry-deploys-his-forces-to-protect-texas-border/2011/10/10/gIQAJs1JkL_story.html
I seem to be the only person in the country willing to point out that electability is by far the most important criteria. It makes me a rino or worse, far worse for daring to state a truth that flies in the face of conservative dreams.
Don’t kid yourself that the dogcatcher can beat Obama. Ain’t gonna happen. The billions of dollars of Obama kaka hasn’t even begun to hit the fan yet.
Calling for Republican John F kerry, calling for John F kerry, please report to your electability platform. We have one republican standing in line to pick you as their standard bearer.
How’re Sharon Angle, Christine O’donnell, and J D Hayworth working out for ya?
Mark Levin would rather lose the country than reduce his following by stating the obvious…there are only 2 or 3 Republican candidates remaining who can beat Obama, and none of them is Hermann Cain or Michel Bachman.
You see, the whole country doesn’t exist or vote on the most conservative 2% edge…and people are not going to vote to impose a 9% sales tax on themselves…despite what Levin is absolutely certain about. If they want that, Obama will be happy to comply. I wonder if Levin is as loved by the 98% of the country that doesn’t listen to him as by the 2% that does? And btw, I think he’s right way more than he’s wrong. It’s just that he is wrong about the most important thing of all.
If Obama isn’t defeated. the liklihood is that the US will be irrevocably transformed into a socialist disaster forever…because Obamacare won’t be repealed. (Good luck getting the 2/3 majority in the Senate necessary to override a veto.) But at least there won’t be a rino in the White House. That will make it all worthwhile. And Levin’s audience will increase, and he will be very very proud that he stuck to his principles.
Funny how things work out when you call for someone electable, and the moment a candidate is picked, you turn on them, attack them relentlessly even though they are on your side and make them unelectable. How are those democrats your anyone-that-is-electable crowd ensured won working out for you? In other words, practice what you preach. You argue it is all about getting a Republican, and when one is selected you do not like for the election you sit it out and then say, but they were unelectable. It goes both ways.
The problem I have with Cain is that once he got some traction, I read his plan. Never said a word about him before that. I like him in a lot of ways. But making a radical tax plan the centerpice of a campaign is scary all by itself, since, as I’ve said repeatedly, the tax code may be a mess, but it’s pretty low on the priority list of the country’s problems. The details of the plan, of course, are worse even than the concept. Every single American life would be severely disprupted…for what? It doesn’t lower spending, reduce regulations, address the national debt, and probably wouldn’t even reduce the beaurocracy. It’s like proposing a neck rub as a cure for cancer.
Grover Nordquist came out today against the plan. His approach to taxes surprised me. It’s identical to mine. Fix the existing system, don’t blow it up. I assume his reason is the same as mine. Radical change is too disruptive. The only radical change this country needs is to get rid of Obama and the marxists.
But now that I’m aware of Cain as more than a phenomenon (I guess that makes me unique as well), it’s also abundantly clear that he is the least qualified of all the Republican candidates. I can’t quite envision a man with no experience in elective government running the country. What’s he going to do, use the same “problem fixing” techinques he used at Pizza Hut?
I’d like to see Cain run again for the Senate. Maybe he can get more than 26% of the vote now that the 5% fringe of conservatives have elevated him to sainthood because he has memorized Mark Levin’s talking points.
Foil and Perry
I don’t know, Kyle-Anne. I have absolutely nothing against Gov. Perry. But, if ever there was a candidate who seems likely to paint a “kick me” sign on his backside in the general election…this boy sure fits the bill.
The propaganda machine will be having him eating his own shoe leather on a daily basis. NO…debates and soundbites should NOT be what decides or even informs…which candidate we should select.
But we elected a prom king this past election and somebody is going to have to explain why he should not wear the crown this time…and we simply can’t afford Mumbles, Fumbles and Jumbles to be the delivery weapon.
Weapons of Mashed Contractions will not cut it this time.
In a rigged game, we have to be twice as articulate as the other guy. We have to be sharper, quicker on the uptake, snappier on the comeback.
Sluggish and dim…may not be fair, but perception is a thumb on the scale…and we are simply not able to afford remedial campaigning tips and tricks. This is not to take away from the good points in running a red state well. That is vastly different than being governor of a very blue state, where every internal move is twice as hard.
Garnering Hispanics is also an important element…but winning the independents who are leaving Obama in droves is also very key. Perry has taken an eight count.
Don’t know if he will look up to hear Romney…or 9-9-9.
This.
Obama won partly because McCain was not willing to hammer him, and also because McCain himself bought into so much of the Left’s propaganda.
Being a good debater is an essential skill for a President. Politics is very often about debate. Can you sell your agenda? Can you destroy the opposition’s nonsensical positions.
Bush did not bother to defend himself. He left the Left able to completely control the narrative. You have to be articulate, if you mean to be an effective President. Without it, the bully pulpit means nothing.
Moreover, most folks feel that you can be stronger or more talented, whatever, and it is fine. However, if you are smarter, look out. The converse is also true. It is terrible to seem stupid. This is why the Left paints the Pub candidate as stupid every time. Folks mock stupid. No uninformed voter wants to vote for a joke, and they decide the election.
The ’76 election was close until the debate 4 days before the election. Reagan made it very clear in the debate that he really wasn’t stupid. The election was a blowout. Perry will be portrayed as stupid, and he himself will help. Poor grades in school. Poor debates. He will not be able to remove the stupid label.
That said, he’d win the election, but he’d have small coattails. We have to have the Senate with a huge majority… or… ObamaCare… stays. “It’s the Senate, stupid, or nothing changes.” (TM)
I beg to differ. Obama was going to win the minute he entered the race. He was the epitomy of the democratic party in ideology and he was the antithesis of Bush (smart, elegant and cosmopolitan). He and his handlers understood youth media and could play hardball with the best, which was unexpected by his opponents. It will be a much different election next year…they are still full of fight, but have a record to defend and their novelty has been evaporated.
I have some reservations about Mr Perry, mostly perception problems he presents as his interviews and record are strong. There is no doubt that he is more conservative than Mr Romney and more experienced than Mr Cain (who is from my adopted state of GA!). In the end, I believe he is the strongest candidate.
Oh, no you don’t. We are not going down this road. Do we need some of the ‘Texas Miracle’? Well let’s see what’s under the hood. Texas did add a surprising number of jobs and who are the beneficiaries?
If you guessed Americans or Texans you’d be wrong. The real winners were the immigrants split just about evenly between legal and illegal that received 80% of the jobs. You read that right; 40% went to illegal aliens, 40% to legal aliens, and only 20% to American citizens.
Who are we electing here? The President of North America or the President of the United States. If the POTUS cannot tell the difference between a citizen and a non-citizen, what good is he? The answer is ‘about as useless as teats on a boar hog’.
This whole wet-dream of an article reads like a booster speech by a Harlequin Romance wannabe. The author sounds like she’s ‘jest a little flushed’ and needs some air. Good advice. Look at what Lil’ Bush really has done and then make your decision.
I personally believe that if Republicans run a fake conservative and the Dems run a real liberal the Democrats will win every time. As far as I am concerned, (and history for that matter) Perry is unelectable. Why vote for a fake Republican when you can vote for a real Democrat? Heck, I might even vote for a Democrat under those circumstances. At least you know one of them is going to be true to the colors he’s flying.
This is not about ‘electability’. This is about the country club beltway Republican establishment trying to get their man at the top of the ticket. They would rather lose running an inside establishment milquetoast half-liberal than win with someone not in their social and political circles. If our nominee is not beholden to the beltway or comfortable to the country club set, they would just as soon have a Democrat elected that they do feel comfortable with.
Or, you know, you could apply a teensy bit of critical thinking and have seen there was a problem with those numbers.
http://tinyurl.com/3lkvgfd
I’m sure you were with Lancet when they stated that the American troops had killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis too.
TWS – Nice try. No banana.
Austin – I moved to the DFW metromess from another border state 18 months ago because …………………………. this is where the job was.
I am an engineer for a high tech business with impeccable credentials, higher degree, etc and could not find anything where I used to live or pretty much anywhere else. Luckily I have family in the area and like it plenty fine anyway.
The Dallas Morning News is working the ‘make Perry look foolish, stupid, racist or any thing we can try’ program really, really hard. That shows just how afraid they are of him. He has made blunders and mistakes. He also self corrects pretty quickly it appears. And he is not near as corrupt as the Gov. of where I came from. That guy is icky, sticky crooked.
I am going to start paying attention to the whole political thing, oh, around May of next year. I hope that the country does not allow the Marxists to pick their opposition again and so early to boot.
If the US re-elects the malignant narcissist again, well, then I am going to work at improving the country retreat in a more hastened fashion.
You submitting a pro-Perry link does not make it so. They admit they cannot parse the numbers. Why would you believe their conclusions when they state they cannot support them? It is called wishful thinking. Less charitably it can be called ‘magical thinking’ but I’ll leave that to liberals and the open borders crowd.
3 pages devoted to telling us Perry has such great plusses that he should be the next president. The only thing missing from the argument thow is, I have honestly never heard of a single conservative ideal that he has taken from thought to implementation with himself as the leader getting it accomplished. The one thing you mention is sanctuary city bans, and if I am not mistaken, that has not been implemented yet. So, the great leader is much like Obama in the leadership department from what I can tell, leads from behind. Please educate me on the things he has personally brought forward and gotten accomplished.
It is not the plusses that are being discounted. It is the fact that the man does not have a solid conservative history. HPV vaccine, handled like a progressive would handle it. Immigration, here again, handled like a progressive, and then attacked conservatives the way a progressive would. Invassion of Mexico to fight the drug war, thats just insane, especially when he refuses to build a fence first. Texas Dream act, I personally do not care that the poor children will suffer and it is not their fault, because now he is making it a government caused unfair situation taking college slots away from legitimate United States of America citizens that are also Texas legal residents and handing them over to illegal aliens, which the government is not responsible to, another progressive stance, and it is all heartless to argue against.
The largest state economically is California. For a “No Prize”, name California’s two longest-serving governors … and for triple bonus points, specify whether they were both ardent conservatives, both ardent liberals, or a 50-50 split? ( Hint: their initials are E.W. and E.(‘J.’)B. ).
Hmmm … so is gubernatorial endurance reliable evidence of competence?
—————————————-
Governor of California
URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_California#Age_and_longevity
I’m glad you have shown up, complete with all of the usual trappings. So, do you work for the Obama campaign, or not?
Sorry Kyle-Anne, Perry is NOT the guy.
Will Rick Perry Stand for States Rights?
http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2011/05/will-rick-perry-stand-for-states-rights/
Talking isn’t doing and the main reason a lot, a hell of a lot of politicians get where they are today, is because they are very aware of the old axiom, bull s–t baffles brains.
Perry’s candidacy has been damaged by his incoherent debate performances. I can’t help noticing that he recently had back surgery. A bad, “middle-aged” back can be extremely painful, and the painkillers needed to deal with it can interfere with clear thinking. That might go far to explain his less than optimal responses during the debates.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Good one, Kyle-Anne…good one…I do appreciate some good satire once in a while…
The size of the state that a candidate has been governor of has absolutely NO bearing on their ability to lead the way I want them to lead…
Because this is NOT a command economy.
What Americans want is someone who has the leadership ability and the conviction to follow through on reducing the size of government and getting it out of the way so that WE AMERICANS can get to work turning this economy around.
The last thing we want is someone who panders to illegals, hangs out with La Raza, signs executive orders mandating medical procedures because he knows best (and his buddies will make millions), and can’t articulate a single specific idea or concept whatsoever with regard to his yet-to-be-seen economic plan.
Perry is way out of his depth, and on top of that, his record deserves to be attached to a lifelong Democrat.
Perry may be a fine governor, but that doesn’t mean he would be a good president. Governors do not have to deal with global foreign policy, two wars in the Middle East, a more belligerent China, a crazy North Korea, Iran that’s about to get a nuclear bomb, Israel that’s about to be attacked on all sides by it’s enemies, foreign trade agreements, a shrinking military that’s going to endanger this nation, and an entitlement mentality (including Obamacare) that is going to bankrupt this nation. The person who is going to have to deal with all of that has to be a lot tougher than the governor of a state, even one as large as Texas. I just don’t feel Perry is up for that. Maybe he’s gone as far as he can go, the governor of Texas, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. It just means that if he went any higher he could be a lousy president.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a Romney supporter at all. I would like to see Michele Bachmann get the nomination because she knows how Washington works and she understands the basic problems we face. Was she a governor? No, but she’s spent a number of years in Congress and has a good grasp of the global problems we now face. I’m not hearing any of that from Perry AT ALL. I think we would be fine with a Bachmann/Santorum ticket. I know, I know, but I can dream, can’t I?
Romney may buy his way to the nomination, but money isn’t everything. In order to win, and win big like we did in 2010, you will need the base and the Tea Party to come on board to smash Obama and his minions. Romney does not have that type of charisma that’s needed to get the base excited. To me, Romney is just a richer version of McCain. And we all saw how well that turned out.
I’m sure a lot of people out there disagree with me and they will be calling me every name in the book. But I’m just telling you what I see from where I’m sitting. Take it for what you will. But be polite.
I guess you could say I just don’t have a heart.
Perry will just not have my vote in the Primary.
VOTE CAIN!!!
In November 2012, of course I’ll support whoever is the Republican nominee – ANYONE but Obama!
I don’t care how many terms Perry won in Texas, at the debates he comes across as a fish out of water.
Many Americans gave Barack Obama a chance at “growing in the Presidency” when he had no experience running a large organization previously. To this point, I’d give Rick Perry, Herman Cain and Mitt Romney their due. But much about Rick’s presentation (or the lack of) last night has me convinced that we have another George Bush “Born on Third Base” triple-hitter.
Right now, we all need to be looking in the mirror at our country and be honest with ourselves about the five mistakes in a row we’ve made. From George HW Bush through his son, we had fat-cat rewarding corrupt politicians, each with their various nuances but all in the mold of LBJ. Perry and Romney are no change there, and a slow death is no better than the fast one that Obama’s delivering.
If the middle class is to avoid serfdom, it must elect someone who isn’t an employee of the country club, fat cats and their special interests. Given it’s all coming home to roost now on the collapse of the fat cats Ponzi scheme, I doubt there will be a second chance.
How can Perry not be beholden to big oil? Is it just me or do even his mannerisms aspire to be like a Bush? And how can Romney not be a Kennedy or LBJ Democrat? Actually, Kennedy was a lot more conservative in many areas. Paul’s great except for the frequent interruptions by the aliens communicating from their spacecraft to his head. Bachmann doesn’t seem to know this isn’t an election about social interests; it’s about survival.
Perry had his chance but he’s shown himself to be a poor copy of George W Bush.
Perry is in inarticulate RINO who’s policies of illegal immigration coddling, and child endangerment are legendary. What we need now is more regulations forcing parents to turn over responsibilities that they shouldn’t have to. And of course we need more illegal aliens to the jobs Americans would love to do, but aren’t allowed to.
I just can’t wait for the Perry presidency. He’ll finish off Obama’s job and they can rename the country the Disunited States of Minorities, Victims and Deadbeats.
Another liberal or RINO going after the only real conservative Republican in the GOP race———-They are really afraid of Rick Perry! Sure, he is also the only real genuine Christian. Just think, he just might be able to bring us back to our Judeo/Christian values.
You are oh-so wrong, Elvira. YOU are responding in a typical Leftist name-calling manner. Perry DOES have many problematic things on his record, and his own public appearances have only REMINDED people of them.
If you open your eyes you will see that many conservatives don’t give a flip about a candidates dedication to middle eastern mythology.
The telegenic Romney is the only candidate who has the demeanor to compare favorably in a debate with Obama. The result will be a stark electoral choice:
A leftish, pro-choice, global-warming advocate who inaugurated socialized medicine, versus…Obama.
I guess I’ll be staying home on election day.
AGW legislation is the end of freedom. I will vote for Obama before Romney, because Obama would never get it passed. Faux-Republican Romney might get it passed into law. It would never get repealed.
Please DO NOT vote for Obama (I only hope you were using hyperbole).
REMEMBER: the next President has a number of Supreme Court Justice appointments in his hands.
A vote for Romney isn’t much better than a vote for Obama. With Obama, we’d get openly left wing Supreme Court justices…but under Romney, we’d get David Souter clones, pretending to be conservatives at the nomination hearings, who would become solid members of the liberal block once they were actually seated on the court.
No, thanks.
Oh yes, a vote for Obama (far left extremist, business hating, US despising, socialist/communist) is so much better than someone one who’s business was taking failing companies and turning them around.
MA was going to have health care with or without the governor. That he tried to minimize the damage is bore out by the fact that MA which should have gone bankrupt years ago is still somewhat solvent.
Never let the facts getting in the way of time honored prejudice.
An Obama gridlocked by a conservative congress that won’t let him pass anything is better than a Romney supported even slightly by a congress that let’s him pass anything!
If we’re going to have a leftist, let it be a democrat. If the GOP doesn’t learn this cycle that they can no longer win with liberals, let the lesson be reinforced. Perhaps, someday the GOP would offer up a true alternative to the likes of Obama, but the democrats will never offer up an alternative to the likes of Romney.
Even lukewarm support now by already accepting the time honored GOP tradition of being the “slightly lessor evil” works against true reform. Conservatives need to stand on the roof tops right now and let the establishment GOP know that they will never again vote for a liberal republican like W or Romney.
Till, then, better an over reaching, out in the open leftist.
“. . . where despotism can be taken pure, without the base alloy of hypocrisy.” _ A. Lincoln.
Splendid analysis, Kyle-Anne.
Perry does seem to have much of the basic structure Conservative voters desire.
But; I don’t think he can propel his agenda in Washington. You know that’s a really rough place for any politician.
Perry/Cain would make a superb ticket. Although Gingrich has the tenure, exposure, and battle background that enable him to be very effective in D.C.
Inexperience is a major factor in the failure of the current “administration”. Carrying a governorship to an effective presidency is not a definitive task. Any experience with the D.C. crowd would be a serious enhancement. That’s why I think Gingrich would be an asset.
I’m hoping my turkey wishbone shows some wisdom this Thanksgiving.
This is the key to our problems in America right now…
“It seems to me that this over-reliance on podium-speak and media-blitz and branding claptrap is what got us our President Obama.”
Who is a better exemplar of that shallow bulls**t trait, “Charisma”, than Obama? What more do we need? What better lesson?
Sorry Kyle-Ann, I am a conservate and I love the Tea Party movement. Perry is an excellent Governor. But after watching him doing miserably in the debates, I cannot agree with you. Cain seems to be the best answer for the GOP. He can beat Obama in 2012 and it is time for the single digit people like Bachmann, Santorum, Paul and Huntsman to call it quits.I strongly feel that Cain is the sensible guy for us.
Reuters.com 10-12-11
“Jose, a 16-year-old undocumented student in Pelham, remains in school but worries about what might happen to him.
“Alabama makes me live in fear. If mom drives me to school, a policeman could arrest me just because of the color of my skin,” the Mexican-born Jose said on Wednesday. “I have to be afraid of my teachers, the people I look up to.”
The Obama administration has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, to block the immigration law while it is being appealed.
In a court filing on Tuesday, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange argued against halting the law. He said illegal immigrants take jobs away from legal residents, utilize the state’s public resources without paying taxes and form “a substantial part” of the state’s prison population.”
Hey amigos, head for Texas. Governor Perry will put you to work. The only requirements are being illegal and a willingness to work for the minimum wage. That’s the way it works on the Perry Plantation. Not required, knowledge of the english language or health insurance for your kids.
yeah, I agree with most of the other posters here: Perry’s done. I’m actually surprised he did so well, considering we just had 8 years of a Texas governor as president and I would have thought we’d have lost our taste for that.
we should pretty much accept that Romney’s going to be the nominee, especially now that Christie has endorsed him. I love Herman Cain, but he really knows nothing about foreign policy (even tho I believe his views on the issues are the right ones). Cain might be a good vice president if Marco Rubio is telling the truth about not running.
I have NO REASON WHATSOEVER to just “accept” that Romney will be the nominee!
NOT A SINGLE VOTE has been cast in the Primaries, and YOU want to call the winner?!?
TROLL.
Romeny is another McCain. Please remember that. I still like Perry, Cain,
Newt. Stop calling the race this early. The debate format is horrible but nothing is as bad a another Obama President.
I see the Mittens O’lite brigade is in fine fighting form tonight.
not sure whether this post cheered me up or so many comments make me even more depressed, but sure enjoyed the Disney video.
I truly can not believe people who think they are conservatives believe anyone but Rick Perry is actually electable. If you go along with Romney, half the country might commit suicide rather than endure four more years of Obama.
My vote only counts in the general, so I certainly hope Iowa caucus-goers are better informed than most of this thread.
Leadership fuels confidence, and Perry’s closer last night was spot on:
“Make America America again”
This primary campaign so far seems to be a game in which each player, when called to the fore by the polls, stands up, draws his weapon and shoots himself in the foot. (Bachmann has shot herself twice in the foot, once over Gardasil and now by using the silly and clicheed 666 to demonize, quite literally, a good man. She and Christine “I am not a witch” O’Donnell should form a coven together.) Cain is next. The last ones standing in this game of roulette will probably be the two who are at once most politically experienced AND articulate, i.e. Romney and Gingrich. There is good reason to doubt the conservative protestations of the former. As for the latter, while he seems to really enjoy the advocacy of his excellent conservative ideas, there is an air of insouciance about him that gives me doubt that he really wants to be Chief Executive and Commander in Chief. But maybe he is just that confident in himself.
You are in a Presidential candidate debate and get a question that says what you did in Texas and what the current President did with Solyndra is the same thing and all you can come up with is, …”it is a states rights issue”… REALLY??? That is the best you can come up with?
Nope, Cain is on top for now in my opinion. I like a Cain/Gingrich ticket but then there is no connection to the midwest and the coasts. I also like a Cain/Paul ticket. As long as Cain would sic Paul on the three letter agencies. I don’t give a rats patootie about foreign policy. All that takes is common sense and Cain, Gingrich, Paul have it. Need someone with the backbone to make the hard decisions and not prevaricate or focus group on the needs of America versus the need to get re-elected.
#30: i’m not quite ready to throw in the towel for romney, especially if your criteria for a president is his foreign policy ability. consider obama’s prowess there which was considered by 52% of the nation to be electable (“some say my birth certificate is from another nation. does that count as foreign policy experience?”).
i must be missing it on romney but i have never once thought of him as an individual who has any qualifications on foreign policy. then again, as someone who works in global capital and deals with international regulatory aspects and other dimensions of the capitalist reading of international affairs, i find romney to be someone who thinks eating twice a month at the china buffet as qualifications in this arena.
i’d subsequently expect that cain has quite a command of a similar global business and international affairs, international regulatory, foreign exchange/currency politics, and all other aspects of running a business in a global environment would require. in fact, i’ve been shocked a couple of times in dinner conversations with congressional persons from our region where individuals serving in the House had far less of a command on global affairs. but then, their daily briefings must be limited (or perhaps less frequent).
don’t write a senior business executive as not having foreign policy experience. you may find it’s much more real world, practical, pragmatic and meaningful in moving away from naive, utopianist ivory tower ideology and getting us on track with respect to an emerging China hegemon.
cain may just be the top foreign policy candidate running in both republican and democratic fields.
I am in no mood for another glib and facile speaker. I don’t care if Perry wears his boots on the wrong feet. Romney is a simply toooo smooooth.
‘Nough said: 49 out of 50 states are desperate for anything remotely approaching the Perry-led Texas track record.
The best predictor of future performance is past performace:
Obama – Present and/or golfing
Romney – Yes, No, Maybe
Cain – 999
Perry – More jobs for more people with less taxes and fewer regs
Ah, there’s another reason to NOT vote for Perry; four more years of Texas’ superiority complex. Perry would do a lot better in the polls if he promised to apply duct tape to Texan mouths during his presidency.
I’m sorry, Kyle-Ann, this isn’t a choice of states rights vs Feds authority. It’s the other way around. How can I explain it to you without shots actually being fired. It’s gonna get ugly before it gets better.
Most southern states rights supporters have already armed themselves, as I have. I have already stockpiled guns and ammunition,,, just waiting for the riot to come to my neighborhood. They may get me but I will have gotten 60 of them first. Fair trade in my book.
I love America
I will NEVER vote for a man who panders to ILLEGAL ALIENS and gives a damn about them more than his fellow countrymen. As a matter of fact, any politician who ignores what this invasion is doing to our country and its citizens DOESN’T HAVE A HEART. Any elected official who makes it his business to fight for those who are destroying us is the very definition of a traitor. Perry is toast. He stuck his big fat cowboy boot up his arse with his remarks about the MAJORITY of Americans who want this problem dealt with and soon. He is a clone of George Bush on the illegal invasion issue and that stuck in the craw of millions when Bush defied and ignored the wishes of millions of Americans to get rid of the problem. His solution was to grant them amnesty which would have brought in millions more. Our immigration policies are destroying this country and are the biggest threat to our culture, laws, and how we wish to continue as a people. And for Perry to act as if the rest of us have it wrong and he is holier-than-thou was the last straw.
Here, here. Perry IS toast in my book and for the life of me I have not yet gotten a handle on why so many think Perry is the answer to our electoral win next November. I also agree with the commenter that I don’t want to have to defend another President who can’t stand up and defend himself when attacked as Bush failed to do. Perry is nothing but a distraction.
Agreed. The WORST part of it for me was that he defended it in TRUE LEFTIST IDEOLOGY:
“If you don’t support it then I think you just don’t have a heart.”
Fine. The I DON’T have a “heart.”
And he doesn’t have my VOTE in the Primaries.
Honestly, Romney lost it for me last fall during a documentary/news scoop. The reporter had traveled around with the Romney family and his sons for a considerable period of time. The reporter had in a sense become part of the family but when Mittens was querried he dissociated himself from the fellow with an off hand remark that lacked the grace and acceptance of a Christian response.
Mitt is a robot and as such he is subject to the declarations of his Mormon elders. His place in mainstream politics should be scorn.
As I have said, my problem is not so much with Mitt but with a man who could so easily be deceived by Mormon doctrine. How can such a man be entrusted with clarity of vision?
Mittens is Obama light.
Perry did become and remain Governor by dumb luck and then graft and corruption.
The religious bigotry on this site is appalling.
Amazing how things unravel when Sarah Palin is no longer in the race. America needs saving, not managing, and we’re left with choices I’d have trouble with as Night Manager. So, who loves this country the most? Who, among those on stage would put their life on the line to protect this grand country?
This is not a question you’ll see asked at a “debate” but one that a true conservative must ask themselves when choosing a candidate. You see, whoever it is will be running against The One who hates America in the Jeremiah Wright sense. He hates capitalism, he hates individualism, and he hates freedom. This is who we must contrast and it should be easy, really. Oblame-o has dug himself into such a hole that beating him should be a second thought.
Who among the candidates has the most to thank America for their success? Who among them would lend her (Lady Liberty) his/her coat when the cold winds of reality begin to blow out of the North? When the nasty business of reforming entitlements sends F5 tornadoes of hate her way, who will offer her shelter? When spending cuts must take place in programs never envisioned by our Framers to bring government to heel, who’ll kick the dogs that’ll surely turn to bite her?
You see, America is an idea you can love or hate or be undecided about, but we (conservatives) are tasked with a duty to love (and conserve) her. Love liberty. Love freedom. That’s who we must send into the match against the America-hating Obama. Americans will understand the difference- some even at their own demise. (What good is a pension if your state can’t pay it?)
I haven’t mentioned a candidate purposely, but I feel the one most likely to harbor the feelings I’ve mentioned would likely be one with the greatest ‘rags-to-riches’ experience. Without legal protections, without a Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, we are merely another society of ‘rags-to-rags’ and ‘riches-to-riches’.
My first choice was denied me by unrelenting media/entertainment tactics, perhaps some youthful indiscretion on her part, and an unsavory, predatory author who, oddly enough, was driven by ‘profit’ to enrich himself at ‘my’ expense. Oh well.
My second choice will encompass the same values to the extent that they can and I will not hold anything against them. I will vote for them. America deserves no less from it’s president and I will deliver.
Who among them would lend her (Lady Liberty) his/her coat when the cold winds of reality begin to blow out of the North? When the nasty business of reforming entitlements sends F5 tornadoes of hate her way, who will offer her shelter? When spending cuts must take place in programs never envisioned by our Framers to bring government to heel, who’ll kick the dogs that’ll surely turn to bite her?
Have you ever heard of the Bulwer-Lytton fiction contest? You might be a ringer. Here are the 2011 winners:
http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/2011.htm
This video says it all to me about Romney: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OQoBxZZPqU&feature=player_embedded
I have been a Perry supporter from the beginning. He is the most conservative, most electable candidate running. He’s far more conservative than Romney, and he can raise more money than Cain or Newt. He is also more conservative than GW Bush, so those people who say he’s a Bush clone are just flat-out ignorant.
However, I am tremendously disappointed in him. He obviously did not prepare for these debates. If his team honestly believes “debates aren’t important,” they did Perry a disservice. At this point, his candidacy is done unless Cain and Newt implode. I think Cain may do just that, but I’m not sure that will do Perry any good unless he’s the last man standing as an alternative to Romney.
At this point, the race is Romney’s to lose – which is a shame. After holding my nose and voting for candidates like GHW Bush, Bob Dole, GW Bush, and McCain, I have finally decided I have had enough. I won’t hold my nose again. I’m tired of voting against someone rather than for someone. If Romney wins the nomination, I’m done with the Republican Party. I’ll switch my registration to Independent and vote third party. I’ll never pull the lever for Romney.
Do not be surprised when a president Perry tries to do what Bush attempted with amnesty in 2006.
Shortly after George W. Bush was elected president, Perry wrote a letter to the editor of the Dallas Morning News, “I take strong issue with a news report in the Dallas Morning News mischaracterizing my position on amnesty for undocumented immigrants from Mexico. The truth is, I am intrigued and open to the Bush administration’s amnesty proposal. Most Texans would agree that it’s better to have legal, taxpaying immigrants from Mexico working in the United States than illegal immigrants living in fear of the law and afraid to access basic services.”
The money quote…”The truth is, I am intrigued and open to the Bush administration’s amnesty proposal.”
He also sent a letter in 2006 urging congress to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
Today he claims to be against amnesty.
Perry is Bush revisited. No way. He’s right – I have no heart. Screw you too, buddy. Romney? OK if you like Obamacare and you have a portrait of Nelson Rockefeller on your living room wall. Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich are the real deal. Proven conservatives, not Bushtablishment big-government militarists.
Mitt Romney campaigns better than everyone else because he has more experience “campaigning”. He governs like Bush 41…and would do so as president. He would be punished by liberals for compromising with them…just like Bush was. Perry has yet to articulate why he should be president. Rather than bragging about Texas…he should be laying out specific examples of why Texas is successful. Many of the jobs created in Texas left other states to go there. That isn’t “creation”…as much as it is “transfer”. Nonetheless…the reasons they went to Texas should be shouted from the rooftops by Perry and his supporters…not the fact that they exist.
Perry underestimated his opponents ability and willingness to knock him down. He has been slow to get back up…that’s a problem. His debate performances have been lacking for one reason…He has failed to respond in simple, clear terms…as Herman Cain has done…to a variety of issues. He tends to repeat and return to the same theme, regardless of the question. Last time, it was energy jobs…Great, they matter. But that doesn’t resonate with flyover country as much as it does in energy-producing states. Perry is slipping because he lacks a message to be delivered, pure and simple. Not that he lacks possessing one…but that he has failed to deliver it.
Well I see the Lame Stream Media is doing it’s job, just like the “Won’s” election.
They are picking our candidate on appearance and not experience. I agree with Ms. Shiver’s assessment. It’s time to compare track records and the needs of the country. Perry’s CV stands up to the challenge. It’s the economy stupid. People are begging for smaller government, less business regulation, jobs. Hello! Seems to me they have that in Texas. Add to that no state income tax. Yes, he has not been stellar at “SHOWTIME”. However, we already have the results of that, the failure in the White House, all the unelected czars trying to regulate every little aspect of our existence (control the masses) and a growing list of corrupt scandals. Socialism gone wild!
Those of you who preface your comments with “I’m a conservative” are throwing up red flags. I immediately think your are Trolls. Then whatever follows that first sentence falls in the category of unbelievable.
Romney’s record gives me pause e.g. Romneycare and Climate Chane. Herman Cain is very likable but the 999 plan is not.
I will not be manipulated by the media and was not during the “Won’s” election farce. Did I vote for the Oblamea mystery man? Emphatically NO.
The anti-Perry crowd is desperate to discredit his record but I agree with Ms. Shiver’s assessment.
“Perry’s Pluses Are Still Undeniable”
It always amazes me how many supposedly smart intelligent people put so much faith in a political candidate because of what he or she says on the spur of the moment. Debates may show how witty you are but not how smart. I would sooner see the candidates given several questions weeks in advance to prepare their policies on the questions. Answers would then include thought, research and a realistic approach to the problem not some flippant sound bite answer made for TV.
Debates are meant for academics by academics as they are useless exercises used for puffing up your intellectual feathers. Would you come up with policies affecting the world without serious thought?
Lets just nominate Newt Gingrich and get it over with. Newt would slaughter The One in any debate forum. Newt gets up in the morning and has more ideas before he gets out of the shower than most people have in a whole day. He might be too much of a politician for my taste, but at least he knows his way around Washington well enough to target the sources of a lot of the problems. I am like the first poster, I carried water for Bush for eight years because he was so defenseless on the national stage. He had an excellent idea on how to save Social Security and he couldn’t even get the country to listen to him. I don’t want to go through that for the next several years. Yes, Newt has some old baggage that he carries around badly, but at least he can fight the political battle.
Good article. Points out one single truth, i.e., if one is governor over a natural resource rich state, chances are it will have low unemployment, plenty of job creation, a vibrant economy and reasonable tax policies.
North Dakota is in a similiar situation as Texas. So, is it stewardship of a states resources or the fact that a state is resource rich?
Seems as if evidence points to the latter, rather than the former. Texas Hold ‘em style of governing is exactly the reason why Mr. Perry is doing so poorly in debates. He hates debates. He has a “king” type personality. After all, he’ll argue, just look at how well the State of Texas is doing. He’ll forego fiduciary responsibility (Oath of Office issue) to advance his personal agenda. Two cases in point: tuition reimbursement, and lax deportation policies.
Are these enough to derail a candidates quest for President of the USA, no. They are a forebodng of a deeper character issue, moral and honesty. Mr. Perry feels, deep inside, he has done the morally and honest thing in making key decisions during his tenure as governor. Problem with his decision-making style, is that it comes at the expense of hand-wringing, back-slapping, and testing political winds for decisions aimed at keeping him in office.
What other decisions Mr. Perry has made in the course of trying to keep at the public dole? If it weren’t for the debates, Mr. Perry would have been the anointed one. We The People know how the 2008 anointing has gone…not too well.
If RNC, DNC, MSM and Wall Street (We The Elite People) had only done their homework in 2004 and the 2007-’08 election cycle this disaster Our beloved America is experiencing could have been averted. Need We The People repeatedly make these same mistakes over and over again?
Answer: No. We The People Demand honesty and morality from We The Elite People.
Stop “gaming” the system.
Mr. Cain is where he is because he is what he is. Has a proven track record of making extremely difficult decisions, in critical, dire circumstances (with out any cash cow, benevolent natural resources)with his cunning, mindset and leadership. He was delt a hand and parried it to success, in every instance…bar none. He will surely do the same with his “9-9-9″ idea (maybe with some tweaking).
Vote massively in all Primaries that are upon We The People. This because massive fraud as never before will befall this wonderful country of ours.
God Bless America. Cain Can.
I like Cain too, but any sales tax imposed should be a part of a constitutional amendment abolishing the income tax (so maybe an 13-13 instead of 9-9-9).
Hello?
“Points out one single truth, i.e., if one is governor over a natural resource rich state, chances are it will have low unemployment, plenty of job creation, a vibrant economy and reasonable tax policies.”
California has more resources, natural and human, than Texas yet California suffers none of the positive effects you predict. That fact clearly refutes your premise although I grant better to have natural resources than to not.
I’m still backing Perry. I have not had a chance nor a motivation to watch any of the debates. Debating is not governing.
Perry’s great attraction to me is his track record of FIGHTING liberal initiatives from Washington. His views on the 10th Amendment are right on. Certainly, he has taken positions as governor that we both wish he hadn’t taken but overall, he meets my threshold of “conservative enough” for my primary vote – which is meaningless since I’m in California. He will have to START effectively fighting on the national stage to retain my support and my donations.
Romney is to the left of GWB and his “compassionate conservatism.” However, he won’t be a failure as president but he won’t change history like Reagan did. So if he is the GOP nominee, I’ll support him as I did (cough cough) McCain.
Herman Cain will crash and burn before long. We’re still in the “look ‘em over” stage and while attractive, he lacks the necessary experience in governance and foreign policy to carry the day and then govern effectively. The rest of them are also-rans although I appreciate their contributions (usually) to the national discussions.
nope. in retrospect, perry’s entry into the race has wreaked havoc on the conservative cause. he’s only helped the republican collective. he is pretty much bush 3. texas, as i suspected is not as conservative a state as advertised (i.e., recall the origins of the great society and LBJ).
if i were him and (assuming he really is a conservative and places country above self and party), i’d get out now and limit the damage he is doing to the conservative cause.
dadfly, have you ever lived in Texas? The Johnson/Goldwater election was 47 years ago. Only people who are 69 and older got to vote in that election. (well some who were already dead in south Texas, if I recall) If you were in Texas, were you voting then? If so, you are likely an older geezer than me.
The media is rooting for Romney. That is reason enough to avoid giving him the nomination.
As usual the election will be voting for the lesser of two evils or, the leper with the least number of missing fingers. Obama is only thumbs. Perry at least has a few more fingers than Romney.
Three reasons not to vote for Perry: 1) Soft on Islam, does not understand the danger of cooperating with evil 2) Soft on illegal immigration. If your parents come here illegally, we do not owe you a thing except a free ride home and 3) The jobs he created in Texas are mostly government jobs. How like Obama!
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Is your best friend’s mom the one who keeps sending me those sexy photos and come-on lines in response to my personal ads on Craigslist?
Is she really that hot-to-trot?
f you want a strong country for Illegal Aliens vote for Perry. I’ll go for Herman Cain before I’ll sell out my country .
Many thanks for that, Kyle-Anne. You give me hope. Perry is by far my pick of this present bunch. I would have preferred Paul Ryan, but we live in hope. My choice for a ticket is Perry-Cain, and I pray to God they can sort out any differences for the country.
Romney would be as bad as Mike Castle, and that is one big nightmare!
Yes, Perry-Cain would be my choice. I am weary of this judging our candidates how they speak in these so called debate forums. It is just a media game of “how can I make myself shine”, by trick questions.
The report missed the most important plus factor as far as I am concerned, Is that he had “Tort Reform” passed in his state. God bless him. With a state and nation overpopulated with lawyers, what an accomplishment. Means a lot for the medical and insurance industry. A great step forward in the reduction of medical cost.
Something else that cannot be denied is that Perry has his establishment/ruling-class bona fides, from his practice of doing favors for the politically connected. That makes him another “hold-your-nose-and-vote” candidate.
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