I'm quite horrified that Texas's secessionist-minded governor Rick Perry is now being presented as the powerhouse Republican who will end the clown-car chaos of the Republican presidential primaries and emerge as the candidate capable of unseating President Obama. He may call himself "Texas's Jobs Governor," but he's a rabid right-wing social conservative, a Taliban-style Christianist, and those Texas jobs are un-unionized, un-insured, minimum-waged burger flipping jobs. There's a great analysis of the politics of narcissistic white resentment behind fans of Perry and Bachmann over at Hullabaloo. Strongly recommended.
Perry seems to believe threatening to kill people is the way to build support for his campaign. First, he bizarrely threatened violence against "treasonous" (Republican appointee) Ben Bernanke for printing up money. Then, he suggested using predator drones along the American border to solve the immigration problem by tidily killing undocumented immigrants via remote control.
Sadly, Perry is not joking about any of this. As Texas governor he has presided over the executions of hundreds of condemned prisoners, included disabled individuals and people widely believed to have been convicted in error. Disgustingly, his support of the death penalty is seen by his supporters of evidence of his balls. And Perry is completely against government regulation of industry, which means you or your child's death from pollution-caused disease or poisoned food or faulty machinery? Not his problem.
(Photo of Rick Perry as a cadet in 1972 snagged from the excellent Rag Blog.)
I get a "sick" feeling in the pit of my stomach when I think about this next presidential election.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I have been reading the Rag Blog thanks to your sidebar note. I really like it. Tx
It's going to be a long year, Annie.
ReplyDeleteYeah Rag Blog runs some really good articles. I don't remember how I found them but I'm glad I did.
Ugh. This guy. How the "poor people aren't doing enough" meme still has traction in a ruined economy is beyond me. Income inequality mirrors what it was in the early 1900s and we're angry at the poor? Perry's opening salvo leaves a lot to be desired, what with the vague "ya'll come down to texas and we'll string you up" imagery and all. If this is the best they've got...
ReplyDeleteish, refresh my memory...why did we take Texas into the union in the first place..?
ReplyDeleteThere must be some redeeming features...but I am having a hard time coming up with even one.
Well maybe the "hook-em" hand sign...when you 'care enough to send the very best'.
Annie I'm told Austin is lovely and liberal (and the home of the Rag Blog). I've only been to Houston which was utterly un-lovely. I would be open to offering it back to Mexico by way of reparations!
ReplyDeleteRemember Ann Richards? What happened since then??
“Ann Richards on How to Be a Good Republican:
ReplyDelete1. You have to believe that the nation's current 8-year prosperity was due to the work of Ronald Reagan and George Bush, but yesterday's gasoline prices are all Clinton's fault.
2. You have to believe that those privileged from birth achieve success all on their own.
3. You have to be against all government programs, but expect Social Security checks on time.”
Ah, yes, she was quite a character. She would be in hog heaven if she were around today.
You are right, I have heard Austin in great. I've been to Fort Worth but spent most of my time while I was there watching the Davis Cup tennis matches and eating really great Mexican food.