the BBC is doing a series on Rick Perry and how wonderful he's been for us in Texas...this is one along in the series... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14673985 And the following is mostly quoting Pastor and poverty activist Gerard Taylor:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/219456/20110925/snl-rick-perry-video-gop-debate.htm Perry seems to be having a wee bit of trouble these days.
Perry's Toxic Cloud Perry's Toxic Cloud Many will suggest that where there is smoke, there is fire, and depending on how one interprets "fire", the adage can be deemed true. But in politics, there are no consistent definitions; each day demands anew, and each day is either fulfilled in its own way or not. Texas Governor James Richard Perry seems to be awash in smoke. Maybe there are some mirrors there, too, but the smoke itself seems awfully toxic. On the heels of Perry's "Niggerhead" controversy, the Republican presidential candidate now finds himself in a position of arguing against a Baptist preacher from Dallas who was so kind as to endorse him, but also so stupid as to strike a blow against the campaign: A Texas pastor introduced Rick Perry at a conference of Christian conservatives in Washington, D.C., on Friday as "a genuine follower of Jesus Christ" and then walked outside and attacked Mitt Romney's religion, calling the Mormon church a cult and stating Romney "is not a Christian." The comments by the pastor, Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, injected a potentially explosive issue into the presidential campaign: the belief held by many evangelicals that Mormons are not Christians. The comments at the Values Voter Summit also raised suspicions the attack might have been a way for surrogates or supporters of Perry, the Texas governor, who has stumbled in polls in recent weeks, to gain ground by raising religious concerns about Romney. Jeffress similarly attacked Romney and his faith during the 2008 campaign, and Romney gave a high-profile speech on the topic in response. This time around, his faith has gotten far less attention, until now .... .... Perry and his campaign made clear he disagrees with Jeffress. Asked late Friday in Tiffin, Iowa, whether Mormonism is a cult, Perry said, "no." The campaign initially said the decision to have Jeffress introduce Perry had been made strictly by organizers, including the Family Research Council and the American Family Association, but a Perry spokesman said late Friday the campaign had agreed to it. "It was their suggestion ... They asked our campaign what we thought, and we said OK," Perry campaign spokesman Mark Miner said. (Seattle Times) Jeffress, according to media reports, praised Gov. Perry's Christian faith during his introduction of the candidate to the so-called "values voters" in attendance. "Do we want a candidate who is a good moral person, or do we want a candidate who is a born-again follower of Jesus Christ?" he asked. "In Rick Perry, we have a candidate who is a committed follower of Christ." Perry was impressed by Jeffress' performance and effect: "He really knocked it out of the park!" the Republican presidential candidate exclaimed. But Jeffress was not satisfied simply with that. He spoke with reporters after his introduction, saying that "Mormonism is not Christianity. It's not politically correct to say, but Mormonism is a cult." However, on Perry's behalf, the Baptist minister explained that he did not discuss his disdain for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with the governor. "I'm not insinuating that the governor shares those at all." And, yet, Perry found himself distancing himself from the views of his endorsement later Friday evening. The incident is telling in terms of Gov. Perry himself, his presidential campaign, the Values Voter Summit, event sponsors Family Research Council and American Family Association, and even the Republican Party itself: Jeffress assailed Romney and the LDS church in 2007, prompting Romney to respond with a speech in which he declared, "I do not define my candidacy by my religion". Considering that a summit sponsor, the American Family Association, has argued through organization official Bryan Fischer that the Holocaust was caused by homosexuality, Muslims should be excluded from military service, and that the First Amendment's guarantee of free religion only applies to Christianity, one might wonder why the Republican Party and its candidates are so anxious to play to the "values voters". The answer, of course, is that the GOP needs them. Without such festering pockets of bigotry and hatred on their side, Republicans cannot win. Ronald Reagan recognized this in 1980, rallying Christians to conservative causes. And for over thirty years, as a result, the GOP has become the place to be for American bigots. The persuasive return on the investment has resulted in a string of exclusionary and supremacist battles waged from the right wing, as well as the continued legitimization of public policies so awful that Republican candidates cannot win without the support of those who believe and demand some of the most disgusting and hateful propositions in our society. For those who have heard the decades-long screeds against the arts, single mothers, women in general, ethnic minorities, cultural minorities, and even liberty and justice, the toxic smoke swirling around Perry's campaign is nothing unexpected. "Poisonous language," explained Romney in reply to the Values Voter Summit, doesn't advance our [American] cause. It's never softened a single heart, nor changed a single mind." For Perry, it is one of those occasions that can be defining. As we see, more and more, when things go wrong it's not Rick's fault. But Perry and the GOP should have known better. If they try to say they didn't know they were pandering to hatred, they're only suggesting that they are clueless. It's not much of a campaign slogan, is it? "Vote Rick Perry: He has no idea what's going on." ____________________ Notes: Seattle Times News Services. "Perry backer: Romney in a 'cult,' not a Christian". The Seattle Times. October 7, 2011. SeattleTimes.NWSource.com. October 8, 2011. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2016440479_politics08.html Romney, Mitt. "I do not define my candidacy by my religion". December 7, 2007. News.Salon.com. October 8, 2011. http://news.salon.com/2007/12/06/romney_speech/singleton/ Burns, Alexander. "Romney criticizes summit speaker for 'poisonous language'". Politico. October 8, 2011. Politico.com. October 8, 2011. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/65476.html
Fundamentalist Christians who traditionally vote Republican will have an interesting choice to make next year if Romney is the annointed Republican nominee, and it appears he will be. They will have to vote for a Christian president (President Obama) who is a Democrat or a non Christian (Romney). Because fundamentalist Christians and Mormons for that matter think each is an apostate to Christianity. So these right wingers have a bit of a problem, vote for an non Christian Republican or a Christian Democrat. What a delima. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Of course the Republican Party could nominate Perry, but I think the big money Republicans are not real happy with the prospect of another George II. I think even they (big money Republicans) want some one who is just a little bit competent and I don't think they feel Perry will do well in a general election.
Smarmy Charms The politically astute among the GOP establishment will also be wary of the proposition that Perry's smarmy Texas charm won't play well in the general, especially with this putrid cloud of bigotry he's managed to fart up around himself.
When to think about it, is there other candidates than; nutjob, nutjob, nutjob, nutjob, nutjob and a radical. Now, when considering all the rage against the system going on in the field wouldnt that make the radical a very serious candidate to get the ticket to finals ?
I am not sure what you are trying to say here. The Republican Party appears to be showing signs of fragmenation. The most notable being between the Republican money masters and their followers. The money in the Republican Party favors Romney. The radicals, the middle class followers, are split. They will be forced to vote for a Republican religious apostate (ie. non Christian) or a Christian, a Democrat. Oh the woe. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Romney and Huntsman are not nut jobs. Romney has on occassion tried to talk the crazy talk. But it does not play well on him. And that is one of the problems he suffers with the Tea Party folk. The Tea baggers want a crazy and that isn't Romney or Huntsman. But the money in the Republican Party want someone who can be counted on to play ball. So that means Romney will get the nomination as Huntsman doesn't do the crazy talk. So in the general election next year, the Republican working stiffs are going to have to choose between a Christian which is a Democrat or a man viewed as a religious apostate (Romney) by many Republican voters. How many Christian fundamentalists will vote for a Mormon - a religious apostate?
While at a frat party last night Perry says debate is not his strong suit. I think I am going to vote for the guy. He is much better at repeating the idiotic simpleton nonsense Republicans love so much. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/65720.html The more I see of Perry, the more he reminds me of George junior.
Many fundamentalists likely still think Obama is a Muslim, so I doubt Obama will pick up many of those votes. The best you could hope for is that they won't vote at all or a right wing born again candidate runs as a third party (Obama's dream scenario). Are you talking about Ron Paul?
Yeah you are right. You do have the "DUMB" Factor working for Republicans. One should never under estimate how dumb and misinformed the Republican base can be. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Perry the Wanna-be Birther Rick Perry Parades His Birther Credentials In an interview with Lynn Sherr for Parade, the infamous Sunday supplemental in newspapers across the nation, Texas Governor Rick Perry identified himself as a Birther, although his reason is perhaps the most unique we've heard so far: Governor, do you believe that President Barack Obama was born in the United States? I have no reason to think otherwise. That's not a definitive, “Yes, I believe he”— Well, I don't have a definitive answer, because he's never seen my birth certificate. But you've seen his. I don't know. Have I? You don't believe what's been released? I don't know. I had dinner with Donald Trump the other night. And? That came up. And he said? He doesn't think it's real. And you said? I don't have any idea. It doesn't matter. He's the President of the United States. He's elected. It's a distractive issue. Did you catch that? Here, let's take another look: Well, I don't have a definitive answer, because he's never seen my birth certificate. What the hell? Still, though, Rick Perry refuses to explicitly say that he believes Barack Obama is an American-born citizen. Additionally, his explanation is that, apparently despite the constitution, it wouldn't matter if the president really wasn't born in the United States: It doesn't matter. He's the President of the United States. He's elected. More than the question of whether or not Perry is a right-wing nut job, I think the great indictment of the GOP here is that this is what qualifies as a legitimate attitude for a presidential candidate: He would rather duck the question, and so says that a Constitutional question "doesn't matter". One thing I'll give the Governor credit for is that he doesn't worry about complicated thoughts like, you know, whether the words coming out of his mouth make any sense. ____________________ Notes: Sherr, Lynn. "Rick Perry Hates to Lose". Parade. October 23, 2011. Parade.com. October 23, 2011. http://www.parade.com/news/2011/10/23-rick-perry-hates-to-lose.html
Perry looks like a dumbass when he attacks Romney for that lawn thing. I don't know if his campaign advisers are as stupid as him. He should just bow out.
Perry looks dumb every time he opens his mouth. But then that is his appeal, is it not? The Republican Party/Tea Party seems to like dumb. They put George Jr. in office not once but twice and based on polling 75 percent of them seem to favor the dumb candidates.
Roughly half the Americans are dumb in your opinion since anyone Republican is probably dumb in your opinion. Anyways I ain't gonna play Partisan League Football with you but Perry's take on Romney is seriously stupid, I'll agree Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Perry has released a new ad in which he promises to create 2.5 million jobs in a Perry administration. Pretty impressive, except when you consider that the Obama administration is adding jobs at twice the rate promised by Perry in a Perry administration. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Dumb, meet Dumber. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Obama has yet to cross into positive territory on jobs. We have actually lost over 2 million jobs since he took office.
You should read your own references. It clearly states that no jobs were lost in 2011 and 2010. Jobs have been added to the economy at a fairly steady rate of about 100+K per month since January of 2010. When Obama took office on January 19, 2009 we were in the midst of the Great Recession and had alreadly lost more than 4 million jobs. And in Obama's first month in office (January 2009) we lost almost a million more jobs. Obama took office in the middle of an economic melt down. Additionally employment is a lagging indicator, meaning it takes time for policy changes to affect. By the end of 2009 Democrats and Obama with their stimulus and other actions reversed the dramatic declines in employment that began under the George Jr. (Republican) administration. The facts are that for the last two years, jobs have been added to the economy at more than twice the rate Perry is promising if he should be elected. So if you don't like the speed in which jobs are now being added to the economy, Perry is promising to reduce the number of jobs being added to the economy by more than half. The guy is an idiot. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! He reminds me of another recent Republican president, George Junior.
Mostly in the public sector as states lay off workers. Republicans resist doing anything about this so they have no right to complain about it.
