Rick Perry officially launched presidential bid...

[fraga]

Article. (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/13/us-usa-politics-perry-idUSTRE77C1EI20110813?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=71)

All hail George Bush Jr.......Jr....

[boutons_deux]

http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/perry11.jpg


Likely GOP Presidential Contender Rick Perry Thinks Medicare, Medicaid, And Social Security Are Ponzi Schemes

PERRY: I think every program needs to stand the sunshine of righteous scrutiny. Whether it’s Social Security, whether it’s Medicaid, whether it’s Medicare. You’ve got $115 trillion worth of unfunded liability in those three. They’re bankrupt. They’re a Ponzi scheme. I challenge anybody to stand up and defend the Social Security program that we have today

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/08/12/294735/rick-perry-social-security-ponzi-scheme/

Rick Perry Thinks America Desires Another Rigid, Anti-Science, Idealogue Governor From The Great State of Big Oil

Perry is, ironically, the worst of both possible worlds for the GOP. He is easily cast as “George W. Bush The Sequel” because that is what he is: A Rigid, Anti-Science, Ideologue Governor From The Great State of Big Oil. And indeed he is a Tea Party darling for his extremist, wacky statements, such as his talk of Texas secession

Texas under Perry’s watch has also become a thorn in the side of the Obama EPA, with the governor often accusing the administration of unfairly targeting the Lone Star State for political purposes.

Perry’s Texas is a lead challenger to the EPA’s “endangerment” finding that declares carbon dioxide emissions a public health threat, setting the stage for regulations. And last month, Perry lashed out against the EPA for including Texas in a rule aimed at blocking power plant pollution from drifting across state lines, calling it “another example of heavy-handed and misguided action from Washington, D.C.”

… “With a Texan in the race, EPA is going to be right in the middle of the show,” said Mike McKenna, a GOP-based energy strategist.

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/08/12/294664/rick-perry-thinks-america-desires-another-rigid-anti-science-idealogue-governor-from-the-great-state-of-big-oil/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+climateprogress%2FlCrX+%28Cli mate+Progress%29

========


Top 10 Things Texas Gov. Rick Perry Doesn’t Want You To Know About Him

(1) PERRY ALLOWED THE EXECUTION OF A LIKELY INNOCENT MAN, THEN IMPEDED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER: In 2004, Cameron Todd Willingham was executed in Huntsville, Texas after being convicted of arson and the murder of his three children. Even after significant evidence emerged showing that arson had not caused the fire (thus exonerating Willingham), Perry refused to grant a stay of execution. Five years after Willingham was executed, a report from a Texas Forensic Science Commission investigator found that the fire could not have been arson. As the commission prepared to hear testimony from the investigator in October 2009, Perry quickly fired and replaced three of its members, forcing an indefinite delay in the hearing.

(2) PERRY WANTS TO REPEAL THE 16th AND 17th AMENDMENTS, ENDING DIRECT ELECTION OF U.S. SENATORS AND THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX: In his 2010 book Fed Up!, Perry called the 16th and 17th Amendments “mistaken” and said they resulted from “a fit of populist rage.” The 16th Amendment allows the federal government to collect income taxes, which is the single biggest source of revenue, accounting for 45 percent of all receipts. The 17th Amendment took electing U.S. senators out of the hands of political insiders and allowed the American public to decide their representation instead. If Perry had his way, the federal government would be stripped of its current ability to fund highway construction projects, food inspectors, and the military, and the American public would not even be permitted to elect their own senators.

(3) PERRY PROPOSED LETTING STATES DROP OUT OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICAID: Despite the programs’ importance and popularity, Perry has argued that states like Texas should be allowed to opt out of Social Security and Medicaid. Were Perry to have his way on Social Security, “the entire system would collapse under the weight of too many Social Security beneficiaries who had not paid into the system,” notes Ian Millhiser. On Medicaid, in addition to stripping 3.6 million low-income Texans of their health care, Perry’s proposal would actually hurt, not help, the state’s budget deficit. This is because, as Igor Volsky writes, opting out of Medicaid would take “billions out of the state economy that goes on to support hospitals and other providers,” while forcing hospitals “to swallow the costs of caring for uninsured individuals who will continue to use the emergency room as their primary source of care.”

(4) TEXAS IS THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST POLLUTER, BUT PERRY SUED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR DISAPPROVING OF THE STATE’S AIR QUALITY STANDARDS: Texas is the biggest polluter in the country, leading the nation in carbon dioxide emissions. However, when the EPA published its “disapproval” of the state’s air quality standards for falling short of the Clean Air Act’s requirements, Perry sued the federal government to challenge the ruling. Perry’s environmental record doesn’t end there. He is a global warming denier who called the 2010 BP oil spill an “act of God” while speaking at a trade association funded by BP.

(5) PERRY DESIGNATED AS “EMERGENCY LEGISLATION” A BILL REQUIRING ALL WOMEN SEEKING ABORTIONS TO HAVE SONOGRAMS FIRST: In January, Perry proposed requiring all women seeking abortions to have a sonogram at least 24 hours before the procedure. Under the bill, doctors would be required to “tell a woman the size of her fetus’ limbs and organs, even if she does not want to know.” Before a woman is permitted to have an abortion, physicians are also forced to provide an image of the fetus and make the woman listen to the sound of its heartbeat. Perry designated his proposal as “emergency legislation,” allowing the bill to be rushed through the legislature. He signed it into law last month.

(6) PERRY GUTTED CHILDCARE SERVICES EVEN AS TEXAS CHILDHOOD POVERTY HIT 25 PERCENT: Facing a $27 billion budget deficit this year, Perry decided to gut child support services, despite a report from the Center for Public Policy Priorities that found nearly one in four Texas children lived beneath the poverty line. Instead of raising revenue like California, a state facing a similarly sized deficit, Perry scaled back more than $10 billion of child support over two years. As Think Progress’ Pat Garofalo noted, these cuts were proposed despite Texas’ possession of a $8.2 billion rainy day fund.

(7) PERRY WAS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF TEXAS’S ANTI-SODOMY LAWS: Perry was a strong proponent of Texas’s anti-sodomy law that was struck down in 2003 by the Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas. Calling the law “appropriate,” Perry dismissed the Court decision as the result of “nine oligarchs in robes.” Even after being struck down, Perry supported the Texas legislature’s refusal to remove the law from its books.

(8) PERRY IS A STIMULUS HYPOCRITE WHO LOUDLY CRITICIZED FEDERAL RECOVERY MONEY BUT USED IT TO BALANCE HIS STATE’S BUDGET: As the nation struggled to avoid economic collapse in 2009, Perry was a vocal critic of Congress’s recovery package, even advocating that Texas reject the money because “we can take care of ourselves.” Months later, after Perry was able to balance the state’s budget only with the aid of billions in federal stimulus dollars, Perry again repeated that he would reject federal funding, arguing that the government “spends money they don’t have.” Five months later, Perry again took advantage of federal funding to issue $2 billion in bonds for highway improvements in Texas. Even so, the state faces a $27 billion budget deficit.

(9) PERRY SAID THAT TEXAS MIGHT HAVE TO SECEDE FROM THE UNITED STATES: One hundred and fifty years ago, Texas and other southern states seceded from the Union, resulting in a bloody Civil War. 148 years later, Perry floated the idea that Texas may again have to secede because of a federal government that “continues to thumb their nose at the American people.” Perry was roundly criticized for his proposal, yet he repeated his threat the next month on Fox News, telling host Neil Cavuto, “If Washington continues to force these programs on the states, if Washington continues to disregard the tenth amendment, who knows what happens.”

(10) DESPITE HAVING THE WORST UNINSURED RATE IN THE COUNTRY, PERRY CLAIMS THAT TEXAS HAS “THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE COUNTRY” : On Bill Bennett’s radio show last year, Perry claimed that “Texas has the best health care in the country.” In reality, Texas has the highest rate of uninsured residents of any state. More than one in four Texans lack coverage; the national average is just 15.4 percent. As such, there are more uninsured residents in Texas than there are people in 33 states. Despite Texas’s low coverage rates, the state has some of the most restrictive Medicaid eligibility thresholds, and Perry has even proposed dropping out of the program. Texas also has an inordinately high percentage of impoverished children, yet Perry opposed expanding the successful State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/06/10/241830/top-10-thing-texas-gov-rick-perry/

=======

[Vici]

lol I wonder if his "friendliness" with other male workers come out.

[SnakeBoy]

http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/perry11.jpg


Likely GOP Presidential Contender Rick Perry Thinks Medicare, Medicaid, And Social Security Are Ponzi Schemes

PERRY: I think every program needs to stand the sunshine of righteous scrutiny. Whether it’s Social Security, whether it’s Medicaid, whether it’s Medicare. You’ve got $115 trillion worth of unfunded liability in those three. They’re bankrupt. They’re a Ponzi scheme. I challenge anybody to stand up and defend the Social Security program that we have today

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/08/12/294735/rick-perry-social-security-ponzi-scheme/


Rick Perry Thinks America Desires Another Rigid, Anti-Science, Idealogue Governor From The Great State of Big Oil

Perry is, ironically, the worst of both possible worlds for the GOP. He is easily cast as “George W. Bush The Sequel” because that is what he is: A Rigid, Anti-Science, Ideologue Governor From The Great State of Big Oil. And indeed he is a Tea Party darling for his extremist, wacky statements, such as his talk of Texas secession

Texas under Perry’s watch has also become a thorn in the side of the Obama EPA, with the governor often accusing the administration of unfairly targeting the Lone Star State for political purposes.

Perry’s Texas is a lead challenger to the EPA’s “endangerment” finding that declares carbon dioxide emissions a public health threat, setting the stage for regulations. And last month, Perry lashed out against the EPA for including Texas in a rule aimed at blocking power plant pollution from drifting across state lines, calling it “another example of heavy-handed and misguided action from Washington, D.C.”

… “With a Texan in the race, EPA is going to be right in the middle of the show,” said Mike McKenna, a GOP-based energy strategist.

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/08/12/294664/rick-perry-thinks-america-desires-another-rigid-anti-science-idealogue-governor-from-the-great-state-of-big-oil/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+climateprogress%2FlCrX+%28Cli mate+Progress%29

========


Top 10 Things Texas Gov. Rick Perry Doesn’t Want You To Know About Him

(1) PERRY ALLOWED THE EXECUTION OF A LIKELY INNOCENT MAN, THEN IMPEDED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER: In 2004, Cameron Todd Willingham was executed in Huntsville, Texas after being convicted of arson and the murder of his three children. Even after significant evidence emerged showing that arson had not caused the fire (thus exonerating Willingham), Perry refused to grant a stay of execution. Five years after Willingham was executed, a report from a Texas Forensic Science Commission investigator found that the fire could not have been arson. As the commission prepared to hear testimony from the investigator in October 2009, Perry quickly fired and replaced three of its members, forcing an indefinite delay in the hearing.

(2) PERRY WANTS TO REPEAL THE 16th AND 17th AMENDMENTS, ENDING DIRECT ELECTION OF U.S. SENATORS AND THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX: In his 2010 book Fed Up!, Perry called the 16th and 17th Amendments “mistaken” and said they resulted from “a fit of populist rage.” The 16th Amendment allows the federal government to collect income taxes, which is the single biggest source of revenue, accounting for 45 percent of all receipts. The 17th Amendment took electing U.S. senators out of the hands of political insiders and allowed the American public to decide their representation instead. If Perry had his way, the federal government would be stripped of its current ability to fund highway construction projects, food inspectors, and the military, and the American public would not even be permitted to elect their own senators.

(3) PERRY PROPOSED LETTING STATES DROP OUT OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICAID: Despite the programs’ importance and popularity, Perry has argued that states like Texas should be allowed to opt out of Social Security and Medicaid. Were Perry to have his way on Social Security, “the entire system would collapse under the weight of too many Social Security beneficiaries who had not paid into the system,” notes Ian Millhiser. On Medicaid, in addition to stripping 3.6 million low-income Texans of their health care, Perry’s proposal would actually hurt, not help, the state’s budget deficit. This is because, as Igor Volsky writes, opting out of Medicaid would take “billions out of the state economy that goes on to support hospitals and other providers,” while forcing hospitals “to swallow the costs of caring for uninsured individuals who will continue to use the emergency room as their primary source of care.”

(4) TEXAS IS THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST POLLUTER, BUT PERRY SUED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR DISAPPROVING OF THE STATE’S AIR QUALITY STANDARDS: Texas is the biggest polluter in the country, leading the nation in carbon dioxide emissions. However, when the EPA published its “disapproval” of the state’s air quality standards for falling short of the Clean Air Act’s requirements, Perry sued the federal government to challenge the ruling. Perry’s environmental record doesn’t end there. He is a global warming denier who called the 2010 BP oil spill an “act of God” while speaking at a trade association funded by BP.

(5) PERRY DESIGNATED AS “EMERGENCY LEGISLATION” A BILL REQUIRING ALL WOMEN SEEKING ABORTIONS TO HAVE SONOGRAMS FIRST: In January, Perry proposed requiring all women seeking abortions to have a sonogram at least 24 hours before the procedure. Under the bill, doctors would be required to “tell a woman the size of her fetus’ limbs and organs, even if she does not want to know.” Before a woman is permitted to have an abortion, physicians are also forced to provide an image of the fetus and make the woman listen to the sound of its heartbeat. Perry designated his proposal as “emergency legislation,” allowing the bill to be rushed through the legislature. He signed it into law last month.

(6) PERRY GUTTED CHILDCARE SERVICES EVEN AS TEXAS CHILDHOOD POVERTY HIT 25 PERCENT: Facing a $27 billion budget deficit this year, Perry decided to gut child support services, despite a report from the Center for Public Policy Priorities that found nearly one in four Texas children lived beneath the poverty line. Instead of raising revenue like California, a state facing a similarly sized deficit, Perry scaled back more than $10 billion of child support over two years. As Think Progress’ Pat Garofalo noted, these cuts were proposed despite Texas’ possession of a $8.2 billion rainy day fund.

(7) PERRY WAS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF TEXAS’S ANTI-SODOMY LAWS: Perry was a strong proponent of Texas’s anti-sodomy law that was struck down in 2003 by the Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas. Calling the law “appropriate,” Perry dismissed the Court decision as the result of “nine oligarchs in robes.” Even after being struck down, Perry supported the Texas legislature’s refusal to remove the law from its books.

(8) PERRY IS A STIMULUS HYPOCRITE WHO LOUDLY CRITICIZED FEDERAL RECOVERY MONEY BUT USED IT TO BALANCE HIS STATE’S BUDGET: As the nation struggled to avoid economic collapse in 2009, Perry was a vocal critic of Congress’s recovery package, even advocating that Texas reject the money because “we can take care of ourselves.” Months later, after Perry was able to balance the state’s budget only with the aid of billions in federal stimulus dollars, Perry again repeated that he would reject federal funding, arguing that the government “spends money they don’t have.” Five months later, Perry again took advantage of federal funding to issue $2 billion in bonds for highway improvements in Texas. Even so, the state faces a $27 billion budget deficit.

(9) PERRY SAID THAT TEXAS MIGHT HAVE TO SECEDE FROM THE UNITED STATES: One hundred and fifty years ago, Texas and other southern states seceded from the Union, resulting in a bloody Civil War. 148 years later, Perry floated the idea that Texas may again have to secede because of a federal government that “continues to thumb their nose at the American people.” Perry was roundly criticized for his proposal, yet he repeated his threat the next month on Fox News, telling host Neil Cavuto, “If Washington continues to force these programs on the states, if Washington continues to disregard the tenth amendment, who knows what happens.”

(10) DESPITE HAVING THE WORST UNINSURED RATE IN THE COUNTRY, PERRY CLAIMS THAT TEXAS HAS “THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE COUNTRY” : On Bill Bennett’s radio show last year, Perry claimed that “Texas has the best health care in the country.” In reality, Texas has the highest rate of uninsured residents of any state. More than one in four Texans lack coverage; the national average is just 15.4 percent. As such, there are more uninsured residents in Texas than there are people in 33 states. Despite Texas’s low coverage rates, the state has some of the most restrictive Medicaid eligibility thresholds, and Perry has even proposed dropping out of the program. Texas also has an inordinately high percentage of impoverished children, yet Perry opposed expanding the successful State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/06/10/241830/top-10-thing-texas-gov-rick-perry/

=======

^ Proof the left is worried.

[djohn2oo8]

lol I wonder if his "friendliness" with other male workers come out.

huh?

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Oh boy corso!

[boutons_deux]

The left ain't worried, just putting out the facts on Jimmy Ricky in retort for VRWC hate media, stink tanks, and Fox Repug propaganda network putting out lies and slander on Barry and Michelle.

[TE]

If he wins the nomination, he won't be able to do much of anything on his Tea Party agenda.

[TheProfessor]

^ Proof the left is worried.
From what I gather, the left is salivating at the idea that Perry might win the nomination. His agenda and record are kryptonite with independents. And even if he does not win, he'll manage to do massive damage to Romney, who is the only candidate polling competitively against Obama at the moment. I don't think he should be underestimated and he'll have massive amounts of money behind him, but he will have difficulty competing at a national level.

[baseline bum]

From what I gather, the left is salivating at the idea that Perry might win the nomination. His agenda and record are kryptonite with independents. And even if he does not win, he'll manage to do massive damage to Romney, who is the only candidate polling competitively against Obama at the moment. I don't think he should be underestimated and he'll have massive amounts of money behind him, but he will have difficulty competing at a national level.

Bush won two elections only getting the Christian conservative vote when going against two horrible Democratic candidates. Perry doesn't have the great "I was a stupid drunk until Jeebus saved me" story to go preach to the churches, but I think he'll still get a great turnout from that bloc. Plus he's going against another weak candidate who isn't inspiring anyone.

[baseline bum]

Funny quote I found from yahoo...



Gov Perry publicly prayed for rain and Texas is still in a horrible drought. Now he’s praying for America – I’m not too thrilled where this is going.

[SnakeBoy]

Bush won two elections only getting the Christian conservative vote when going against two horrible Democratic candidates. Perry doesn't have the great "I was a stupid drunk until Jeebus saved me" story to go preach to the churches, but I think he'll still get a great turnout from that bloc. Plus he's going against another weak candidate who isn't inspiring anyone.

I think the left is underestimating what a slick politician he is when they think Perry is going to run a "christian" campaign like Bush. He didn't mention God at all in his speech today. His little prayer convention gimmick wasn't so much him saying "I'm a christian" as it was him saying "I'm not a mormon".

[clambake]

when did he say he wasn't a mormon?

[DarrinS]

I hate when politicians pander to Christians.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/images/2008-01-21_obama_faith_2.jpg

[clambake]

darrins says the christians voted for obama, lol

[SnakeBoy]

And even if he does not win, he'll manage to do massive damage to Romney, who is the only candidate polling competitively against Obama at the moment.

Perry hasn't even begun campaining so any polls on him vs Obama at this point simply aren't valid.

Every presidential primary seems like groundhog day to me with the other side claiming the candidates will damage each other for the general election. If it was actually the case then Obama would have lost because of his battle with Hillary and Bush would have lost because of his battle with McCain. It never happens. The right will support whomever wins the nomination and independents aren't going to start paying attention until next summer.

[Proxy]

Perry/Bachmann ticket

*vomit*

[TheProfessor]

Perry hasn't even begun campaining so any polls on him vs Obama at this point simply aren't valid.

Every presidential primary seems like groundhog day to me with the other side claiming the candidates will damage each other for the general election. If it was actually the case then Obama would have lost because of his battle with Hillary and Bush would have lost because of his battle with McCain. It never happens. The right will support whomever wins the nomination and independents aren't going to start paying attention until next summer.
Agreed to an extent. But I would suggest the political backdrop will be different in 2012. Should Romney come out of the primaries lacking tea party support, a third party candidate could drain significant conservative votes. It may prove harder to have the Republican base coalesce around their candidate. Regardless, all hypothetical at this point.

[Creepn]

I thought most christians viewed Obama as the anti-christ.

[boutons_deux]

Why Rick Perry Won't Win


Here are the top ten reasons why, despite all this, I think Perry is a weaker candidate than he's being made out to be:

1 Everyone looks good before they get into the race. Remember how great Tim Pawlenty was supposed to be? But just wait a few months for Perry to get beat up by his opponents, for the oppo research to kick in, for all the big profiles to start appearing, and for a gaffe or two to get some play. He'll start to look distinctly more human then.

2 He's too Texan. Sorry. Maybe that's fair, maybe it's not. But even in the Republican Party, not everyone is from the South and not everyone is bowled over by a Texas drawl. Perry is, by a fair amount, more Texan than George W. Bush, and an awful lot of people are still suffering from Bush fatigue.

3 He's too mean. He'll have a hard time pretending he's any kind of compassionate conservative, and outside of Texas you still need a bit of that. Aside from being politically ruthless and famous for holding grudges, Perry's the kind of guy who almost certainly executed an innocent man, never pretended to care about it, and brazenly disbanded a commission investigating it. This famously produced the following quote in a 2010 focus group: “It takes balls to execute an innocent man.” In Texas, maybe that works. In the rest of the country, not so much.


4 He's too dumb. Go ahead, call me an elitist. I'm keenly aware that Americans don't vote for presidents based on their SAT scores, but everything I've read about Perry suggests that he's a genuinely dim kind of guy. Not just incurious or too sure about his gut feelings, like George Bush, but simply not bright enough to handle the demands of the Oval Office. Americans might not care if their presidents are geniuses, but there's a limit to how doltish they can be too.

5 He's too smarmy. He might be fine one-on-one, but on a national stage Perry looks like a tent revival preacher or a used car salesman. Again: this might play OK in Texas and a few other places, but it will wear thin quickly in most of the country.

6 He's too overtly religious. Even Bush soft pedaled his religious side for the masses during his first campaign and did most of his outreach to the evangelical community quietly. Outside the Bible Belt, Perry's fire-and-brimstone act is going to be hard to take.

7 Policywise, he's too radical, even for Republicans. "Social Security is a Ponzi scheme" goes over well with a certain segment of the tea party, but not with most of the country. Nor does most of the country want to get rid of Medicare and turn it over the states. Nor do they think global warming is a hoax, and they don't really think all that kindly of people who muse publicly about seceding from the union. Bush was able to soften his hard Texas edge with a genuine passion for education. I'm not sure Perry can do that.

8 Despite conventional wisdom, about half of the GOP rank-and-file aren't tea party sympathizers (see Question 3G here). Of the half who are, Perry is going to have to compete with Michele Bachmann and possibly with Sarah Palin. Mitt Romney, on the other hand, has the non-crazy half of the party almost to himself. Huntsman isn't going to provide him with any serious competition there, and Pawlenty is rapidly becoming a non-factor too. I think this is an extremely underappreciated dynamic right now. Yes, Republican primary voters tend to be more conservative than the party as a whole, but there are still going to be a lot of non-tea partiers who vote, and they don't have a lot of good choices other than Romney. What's more, a fair number of tea partiers like Romney too (see Question 19 here). This is a pretty good base to work from.

9 Perry's campaign is going to be heavily based on the "Texas miracle." But this looks a lot less miraculous once you put it under a microscope — and pretty soon it won't just be churlish lefties pointing this out. You can be sure that the rest of the Republican field will be hauling out their own microscopes before long.

10 Republicans want to beat Obama. They really, really want to beat Obama. Romney is still their best chance, and down deep I think they know it.

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/08/why-rick-perry-wont-win

[fraga]

Perry/Palin 2012

[FuzzyLumpkins]

What really has me concerned about Perry's rhetoric is shit like:


every program needs to stand the sunshine of righteous scrutiny

This type of nonsense is the same type of rhetoric that was being used for the basis of Bush's foreign policy. The whole 'evil' adversarialism that we were force fed as our young were sent off to die.

Now i do believe that the reinstating farm subsidies had much more to do with the rural constituency than the Bible thumping despite displays of your naive idiot GOP electorate du jour held up by the Democrats every so often but if i am going to have to contend with a despot i would much prefer he not be a zealot or one that caters to zealots.

[DarrinS]

What really has me concerned about Perry's rhetoric is shit like:



This type of nonsense is the same type of rhetoric that was being used for the basis of Bush's foreign policy. The whole 'evil' adversarialism that we were force fed as our young were sent off to die.

Now i do believe that the reinstating farm subsidies had much more to do with the rural constituency than the Bible thumping despite displays of your naive idiot GOP electorate du jour held up by the Democrats every so often but if i am going to have to contend with a despot i would much prefer he not be a zealot or one that caters to zealots.

You thought that quote about "righteous scrutiny" was some religious statement? GMAFB

[FuzzyLumpkins]

You thought that quote about "righteous scrutiny" was some religious statement? GMAFB

I guess you thought the axis of evil rhetoric was nice and secular too. the sunlight of righteous scrutiny. You never been to church or read a bible or are you intentionally trying to be stupid?

[ElNono]

Maybe God told him to run... good for him. Too early to call anything really, IMO.

[Blake]

You thought that quote about "righteous scrutiny" was some religious statement? GMAFB

Based on who said it, I did.

[JoeChalupa]

I'll say Perry wins the nomination. Perry/Romney vs Obama/Clinton

[DarrinS]

I guess you thought the axis of evil rhetoric was nice and secular too. the sunlight of righteous scrutiny. You never been to church or read a bible or are you intentionally trying to be stupid?

Do atheists have any words for good and evil? Or, are those meaningless concepts to them. I suppose they could've been described as the axis of man-made disaster seekers.

[DarrinS]

I'll say Perry wins the nomination. Perry/Romney vs Obama/Clinton

Why automatically put Obama on the ticket?

[ElNono]

There's certainly the kind and the asshole. Then there's the bible-thumper...

[JoeChalupa]

Why automatically put Obama on the ticket?

Why not? He is the incumbent and unless someone else wins the nomination, which I don't see happening, it is his to win/lose.

[TheProfessor]

Why automatically put Obama on the ticket?
You believe he'll be primaried?

[DarrinS]

You believe he'll be primaried?

Why would he NOT be? Carter was.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Do atheists have any words for good and evil? Or, are those meaningless concepts to them. I suppose they could've been described as the axis of man-made disaster seekers.

You really are a good little minion. Spinoza, you are not.

Darkness, evil, wicked, light, good, righteous. All terms that any American elementary school child should be able to recognize as being judeochristian rhetoric. the new and old testament translations are page after page of use of them.

That you do not have the ability to discern that especially coming from those two men just goes to show how worthless you really are.

[Proxy]

Why would he NOT be? Carter was.
Hopefully this country isn't idiotic enough to elect anyone from the GOP this year.

[boutons_deux]

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/images/about/fl-bio-img.jpg

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/firstlady/

[TheProfessor]

Why would he NOT be? Carter was.
I don't really see a progressive candidate the far left would rally around. Potentials like Russ Feingold wouldn't run with what is at stake. I also expect the Republican primary to lurch pretty far right, which should help Obama consolidate his party.

[boutons_deux]

"Why would he NOT be?"

Because there is probably no other Dem with a chance of beating him, while risking hurting him with attacks. So primarying him could end up costing the Dems the WH. Fucking stupid, but I doubt you can grasp it.

[boutons_deux]

Rick Perry's Army of God

A little-known movement of radical Christians and self-proclaimed prophets wants to infiltrate government, and Rick Perry might be their man.

On this day, the Lord’s messengers arrived in the form of two Texas pastors, Tom Schlueter of Arlington and Bob Long of San Marcos, who called on Perry in the governor’s office inside the state Capitol. Schlueter and Long both oversee small congregations, but they are more than just pastors. They consider themselves modern-day apostles and prophets, blessed with the same gifts as Old Testament prophets or New Testament apostles.

The pastors told Perry of God’s grand plan for Texas. A chain of powerful prophecies had proclaimed that Texas was “The Prophet State,” anointed by God to lead the United States into revival and Godly government. And the governor would have a special role.

The day before the meeting, Schlueter had received a prophetic message from Chuck Pierce, an influential prophet from Denton, Texas. God had apparently commanded Schlueter—through Pierce—to “pray by lifting the hand of the one I show you that is in the place of civil rule.”

Gov. Perry, it seemed.

At the end of their meeting, Perry asked the two pastors to pray over him. As the pastors would later recount, the Lord spoke prophetically as Schlueter laid his hands on Perry, their heads bowed before a painting of the Battle of the Alamo. Schlueter “declared over [Perry] that there was a leadership role beyond Texas and that Texas had a role beyond what people understand,” Long later told his congregation.

The movement’s top prophets and apostles believe they have a direct line to God. Through them, they say, He communicates specific instructions and warnings. When mankind fails to heed the prophecies, the results can be catastrophic: earthquakes in Japan, terrorist attacks in New York, and economic collapse. On the other hand, they believe their God-given decrees have ended mad cow disease in Germany and produced rain in drought-stricken Texas.

Their beliefs can tend toward the bizarre. Some consider Freemasonry a “demonic stronghold” tantamount to witchcraft. The Democratic Party, one prominent member believes, is controlled by Jezebel and three lesser demons. Some prophets even claim to have seen demons at public meetings. They’ve taken biblical literalism to an extreme. In Texas, they engage in elaborate ceremonies involving branding irons, plumb lines and stakes inscribed with biblical passages driven into the earth of every Texas county.

http://www.texasobserver.org/cover-story/rick-perrys-army-of-god

[boutons_deux]

Rick Perry Says Social Security And Medicare Are Unconstitutional

[PERRY:] I don’t think our founding fathers when they were putting the term “general welfare” in there were thinking about a federally operated program of pensions nor a federally operated program of health care. What they clearly said was that those were issues that the states need to address. Not the federal government. I stand very clear on that. From my perspective, the states could substantially better operate those programs if that’s what those states decided to do.

So in your view those things fall outside of general welfare. But what falls inside of it? What did the Founders mean by “general welfare”?

[PERRY:] I don’t know if I’m going to sit here and parse down to what the Founding Fathers thought general welfare meant.

But you just said what you thought they didn’t mean by general welfare. So isn’t it fair to ask what they did mean? It’s in the Constitution.

[Silence.]

http://www.readersupportednews.org/off-site-opinion-section/72-72/7009-rick-perry-social-security-and-medicare-are-unconstitutional

[boutons_deux]

Bachmann Refuses To Say What Spending She Would Cut If Her Plan To Not Raise The Debt Ceiling Were Followed

TAPPER: Right, so what would you cut? What would you cut?

BACHMANN: Well, immediately what need to do is recognize that we will tell the markets that we will pay the interest on the debt, don’t worry about default. Number two, we will pay our military, and anyone who’s currently on Social Security, you get paid. But beyond that, I would bring all members of Congress together — and this isn’t some project for ten years, fifteen years down the road — and we’re going to reform entitlements.

=========

She, and they all, LIE by hiding what they will cut, because they know it would political suicide.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Why would he NOT be? Carter was.
And Carter won. There's no way someone else is the democratic nominee (as happy as I'd be if that were the case).

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Republicans are massively shooting themselves in the foot if anyone but Romney gets the nomination. Romney would mop the floor in an election against Obama, heck as someone who's obviously liberal on the vast majority of issues I'd vote for Romney at this point.

[Wild Cobra]

^ Proof the left is worried.
No shit. My first quick scan tells me these are at least mostly reasonable.

(1) PERRY ALLOWED THE EXECUTION OF A LIKELY INNOCENT MAN, THEN IMPEDED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER:

This is hard to say. Hindsight has it's moments, but I read two things about this case that make me understand Perry's will to see it through. Before his execution, his wife changed her tune. This most certainly isn't good news for him. Only one in nine independent forensics experts disagreed with the evidence. Of course, the media wouldn't have a story with the other 8. Considering only one expert said the fire wasn't arson, I agree with Perry's firing of the board.


(2) PERRY WANTS TO REPEAL THE 16th AND 17th AMENDMENTS, ENDING DIRECT ELECTION OF U.S. SENATORS AND THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX:

I think the 16th amendment needs revised, but not eliminated. I agree with repealing the 17th.


(3) PERRY PROPOSED LETTING STATES DROP OUT OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICAID:

The devil's in the details. The federal parts of course would still be in effect. States should not be obligated for medicaid expenses voted in by the federal government. You know, the states rights thing.


(4) TEXAS IS THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST POLLUTER, BUT PERRY SUED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR DISAPPROVING OF THE STATE’S AIR QUALITY STANDARDS:

They are also the biggest state in many ways. California is the only state with a larger population, and by about 50%. They get a significant part of their electrical power from the Columbia River. Arizona doesn't have that luxury. Texas is also spread out more, people probably commute farther. Isn't there also a large livestock industry producing methane?

Again, the devils in the details. I'll bet Texas isn't as bad as made out to be.

Anyone do a per capita pollution, excluding livestock and energy?


(5) PERRY DESIGNATED AS “EMERGENCY LEGISLATION” A BILL REQUIRING ALL WOMEN SEEKING ABORTIONS TO HAVE SONOGRAMS FIRST:

At least someone is looking out for innocent life.


(6) PERRY GUTTED CHILDCARE SERVICES EVEN AS TEXAS CHILDHOOD POVERTY HIT 25 PERCENT:

Poverty...

My God. We probably have the richest poor people in the world. How can we call them impoverished?


(7) PERRY WAS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF TEXAS’S ANTI-SODOMY LAWS:

As a population, we have always regulated morality in some degree or another. I personally think this was a better nation before such disgusting practices are now mainstreamed.


(8) PERRY IS A STIMULUS HYPOCRITE WHO LOUDLY CRITICIZED FEDERAL RECOVERY MONEY BUT USED IT TO BALANCE HIS STATE’S BUDGET:

I don't know the details here, but it's not hypocritical to want a share that everyone else gets. Might disagree with why, but still right to want a piece of it since it comes from Texas tax payers too.


(9) PERRY SAID THAT TEXAS MIGHT HAVE TO SECEDE FROM THE UNITED STATES:

That would be awesome to see!


(10) DESPITE HAVING THE WORST UNINSURED RATE IN THE COUNTRY, PERRY CLAIMS THAT TEXAS HAS “THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE COUNTRY” :

Can someone show me a that in fact percentage of covered people correlate to quality of care?

I have found that paying out of pocket gives a person better health care than someone stressing the insurance system.

[4>0rings]

Don't forget to cup the balls WC.

[baseline bum]

Republicans are massively shooting themselves in the foot if anyone but Romney gets the nomination. Romney would mop the floor in an election against Obama, heck as someone who's obviously liberal on the vast majority of issues I'd vote for Romney at this point.

The thought of voting for Obama sickens me, but not nearly as much as having the GOP in the white house after they take the Senate and already control the House.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The thought of voting for Obama sickens me, but not nearly as much as having the GOP in the white house after they take the Senate and already control the House.
I don't care about the party Romney belongs to, the fact is he's the one candidate (including Obama) with a proven track record of turning deficits into surpluses at the executive level in both government and business.

He was governor of Massachusetts, god knows that doesn't happen with a Republican unless the guy is moderate to a large degree. Teabaggers will have a much tougher time going against a Republican in office who wants to take away corporate tax loopholes.

The fact a dumb cunt like Michelle Bachmann or a dumbfuck evangelical like Rick Perry are challenging Romney tells a lot about the retarded bible bangers who vote in the Republican Primary.

[vy65]

No shit. My first quick scan tells me these are at least mostly reasonable.

This is hard to say. Hindsight has it's moments, but I read two things about this case that make me understand Perry's will to see it through. Before his execution, his wife changed her tune. This most certainly isn't good news for him. Only one in nine independent forensics experts disagreed with the evidence. Of course, the media wouldn't have a story with the other 8. Considering only one expert said the fire wasn't arson, I agree with Perry's firing of the board.

I think the 16th amendment needs revised, but not eliminated. I agree with repealing the 17th.

The devil's in the details. The federal parts of course would still be in effect. States should not be obligated for medicaid expenses voted in by the federal government. You know, the states rights thing.

They are also the biggest state in many ways. California is the only state with a larger population, and by about 50%. They get a significant part of their electrical power from the Columbia River. Arizona doesn't have that luxury. Texas is also spread out more, people probably commute farther. Isn't there also a large livestock industry producing methane?

Again, the devils in the details. I'll bet Texas isn't as bad as made out to be.

Anyone do a per capita pollution, excluding livestock and energy?

At least someone is looking out for innocent life.

Poverty...

My God. We probably have the richest poor people in the world. How can we call them impoverished?

As a population, we have always regulated morality in some degree or another. I personally think this was a better nation before such disgusting practices are now mainstreamed.

I don't know the details here, but it's not hypocritical to want a share that everyone else gets. Might disagree with why, but still right to want a piece of it since it comes from Texas tax payers too.

That would be awesome to see!

Can someone show me a that in fact percentage of covered people correlate to quality of care?

I have found that paying out of pocket gives a person better health care than someone stressing the insurance system.

“ This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding. ”

[vy65]

I don't care about the party Romney belongs to, the fact is he's the one candidate (including Obama) with a proven track record of turning deficits into surpluses at the executive level in both government and business.

He was governor of Massachusetts, god knows that doesn't happen with a Republican unless the guy is moderate to a large degree. Teabaggers will have a much tougher time going against a Republican in office who wants to take away corporate tax loopholes.

The fact a dumb cunt like Michelle Bachmann or a dumbfuck evangelical like Rick Perry are challenging Romney tells a lot about the retarded bible bangers who vote in the Republican Primary.

It looks like Romney doesn't hate dude on dude butt sex enough to garner tea party support. The sad thing is that I've never voted republican, but I'd probably vote for Mitt if he got the nomination.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

It looks like Romney doesn't hate dude on dude butt sex enough to garner tea party support. The sad thing is that I've never voted republican, but I'd probably vote for Mitt if he got the nomination.
Yup, that's the Tea Party. They claim to be so worried about getting the country outa debt and saving our economy, but the one candidate with a proven track record of turning deficits into surpluses won't win the primary because he doesn't thump the bible enough.

[boutons_deux]

Mormon cultist Willard ain't gonna do at all well with "Christian" extremists,and any Repug winner needs them desperately.

[DarrinS]

I don't care about the party Romney belongs to, the fact is he's the one candidate (including Obama) with a proven track record of turning deficits into surpluses at the executive level in both government and business.




???

Obama's track record of what?

[ElNono]

???

Obama's track record of what?

I think he means 'out of all candidates (including Obama)' he's the one that has the track record.