Friday, August 12, 2011

I Hate Blogging Politics, but ...

Now that is is clear my old bud, Texas Governor Rick Perry, is going to toss his Aqua Net into the ring and make a run at the presidency I feel obligated to comment. If the hair spray reference in that first sentence gave you pause let me introduce you to Rick.


Does he look like a man that would risk mussing so much as a single hair with a hat?

Now me and Slick Rick have a bit of relationship which you can catch up on here, and here.

The gist of those posts are this.

1) I make a disparaging comment of Mr. Perry

2) Weeks later I get an email from a member of Mr Perry's campaign team (he was seeking reelection for Governor at the time) The email describes me as both an influential Texan and a long time supporter of Rick Perry. The letter urges me to blog about my support of Mr. Perry's bid for another term as Governor.

3) I post a letter clearly stating I do not like or support Perry. I end the post with a sarcastic letter addressed to the campaign chairwoman. 

4) Weeks pass by and I receive another email from the woman. This time thanking me for my support and as a sign of thanks it includes a personal invite to a meet and greet session with Mr Perry during a private/invitation only function of his upcoming visit to Amarillo.

Sadly, I was out of annual leave and could not take off from work to attend. I would have loved to have gotten a picture of me and Slick Rick to aid in my mockery of Rick Perry but alas it was not meant to be.

Come December, Perry will have served as Texas Governor for 11 years. As George W. Bush's  lieutenant Governor he took over when W became president. I'm going to go on the record here and say W I think Bush did a fine job as governor. It wasn't until he sold his political soul tot he Devil for the presidency and became some kind of Aww-Shucks-Good-Ol' Country-Boy that I lost respect for the man. He didn't pretend to be stupid or behave like a backwoods hick while either campaigning or serving as Texas Governor.

But back to Perry.

Yesterday I wrote this Facebook post ...

I'm torn whether I want Rick Perry to run for president or not. On one hand, it might be the only way to end to end his monarchy here in Texas, but on the other I have an intense dislike for the fellow and I'd sure hate to see him in charge of the entire nation.
The post prompted several people to ask why I specifically will not vote for him. Along with info in those previous posts here are a few reasons why I will not vote for him to be President Of the United States. I will also point out out here that I will not be voting for the incumbent President either. Should it come down the those two names on the ballot I will most likely vote for the Libertarian candidate as my political opinions lean that direction anyway.
Perry's political career began in 1984, when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat. Yes, that's right folks. The Republicans party's poster boy once was a Democrat. A democrat that served as Chairman of Al Gore's Texas campaign during the 1988 presidential primaries. A year later Perry jumped ship and joined the Republican Party.

Why? Pure speculation on my part but I feel as he did it because Democrats have ZERO chance of getting elected to statewide office here in Texas. Only because of idiotic statements by Clayton Williams did Democrat Ann Richards when the Governorship for a single term back in the 80's.

In 2003, Governor Perry proposed the Trans-Texas Corridor, a 4,000-mile highway cutting a swath thought the state. His plan laid claim to half a million acres of farm and ranch land. After the State spent more than $50 million overwhelming statewide opposition killed the plan.

In 2007, Perry signed an executive order (before the state legislature could ever discuss or vote on the issue) making Texas the lone state in the nation to require 6th grade girls to receive a vaccination against a sexually-transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. Why? Rick will no doubt say he was concerned for this girls but the fact is Perry's former chief of staff had left that position to work as a lobbyist for Merck. And guess what Merck just happened to be the maker of the mandated vaccine. 

Back in 2009 Perry made headlines for grandstanding and refusing Obama's stimulus money. He was a bit quieter 4 months later when he asked the federal Gov't for  $170 million to bolster the states unemployment fund.

Perry described the oil spill in the recent Gulf Oil Spill as an act of God. Never mind the the gross negligence that has been brought to light by BP and others involved in the Deep Horizon.  

Really I could go on for a while but this post is long enough. I view Perry as a win at all cost carer politician. Yes, he has done some good things. Texas is leading the country in job creation. I happen to agree with his stance on gun control, parental permission for underage abortions, and he swiftly ended all gas price gouging immediately after 9/11, but I believe he will make deals and show favor to his friends and financial contributors without regard to to the welfare of the nation. Therefore Rick Perry will not get my vote to run this great nation.

6 comments:

Rick Daley said...

It's nice to have the opinions of a Texan to recap the history.

I don't like him because I believe in a separation of church and state and he holds political prayer rallies in stadiums. He will never get my vote. Neither will Michelle Bachmann or Rick Santorum, for the same reason.

I have nothing against personal spiritual and religious beliefs, but I cannot support a politician who re-interprets the Bible based on political whims and uses millennia-old allegories to craft modern-day laws.

Personally, I think if Jesus were to come back and see how these people are corrupting his teachings, he would puke.

I could vote for Romney, because I think we is practically guaranteed to keep his religious views away from policy decisions. It would depend on his VP pick, though. I was leaning toward McCain until he tapped Palin.

I don't plan on voting for Obama. He has no spine and his sense of compromise equates to "screw us all."

I like some of the things Herman Cain said in the debate last night, I could support him as well.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I'm sure he's praying for you, Travis.

the walking man said...

Just another lying hypocrite politician one of thousands. I would leave the box blank before I voted for pArry. I am still undecided on Obama, I have to see who his opposition would be and i DO remember when George Romney was governor of Michigan. He was fair and able to work across the aisle for the betterment of the state but this Mitt of his would be better named Mutt because he like all other "Gordon Gecko's" bought companies, fired all employee's offered some of them a job at 25% less in wages with minimum benefits, sold off the remaining pieces and made tens of millions for himself each time.

They are all dogs in the hunt for the race to have one of the best paying jobs in the world and have all sold themselves to someone to finance their race INCLUDING Ron Paul.

If there is a hell for mortal man to be in for eternity it is a certainty that there will be more than a few politicians dwelling there.

DrillerAA09 said...

Personally, I have come to that point that I have almost NO use for politicians, regardless of party. I simply don't trust any of them. They do not have the best interest of the country in mind, they are only interested in doing whatever it takes to get elected...or re-elected.
I would never vote for Obama and I don't see anyone from either party that is worthy of my vote next year. That is a sad situation.

Jerry said...

I am reaching the point where I almost feel as though I need to apologize for foisting our Texas politicians on the nation. The fact that Rick is promoted as the savior gives me a bit of a sick feeling.

texlahoma said...

I agree with you and you have laid out some good reasons to not vote for Perry. I'd like to add one.

The Bilderberg Group wants Rick Perry to be president.

Anyone who is for personal freedoms and who wants the United States to remain a sovereign nation should be very much against this group and certainly anyone they endorse.

From 2007 - "Gov. Rick Perry is flying to Istanbul, Turkey, today to speak at the super-secret Bilderberg Conference, a meeting of about 130 international leaders in business, media and politics," reports the Dallas Morning News.

http://www.infowars.com/bilderberg-convenes-as-rick-perry-hinges-on-2012-run/