Texas Race For Governor (Rick Perry)

With a much anticipated race for Governor in the Great State of Texas, I thought it might be worthwhile to reintroduce ourselves to the top two candidates. (The top two in my opinion anyway) First, with the help of wikipedia.org, let’s have a look at our present Governor, Rick Perry.

A fifth-generation Texan, Perry was born in tiny Paint Creek, about 60 miles (97 km) north of Abilene in West Texas, to ranchers Joseph Ray Perry and the former Amelia June Holt. His father, a Democrat, was a long-time Haskell County commissioner and school board member. Perry graduated from Paint Creek High School. As a child, Perry was in the Boy Scouts (BSA) and earned the rank of Eagle Scout, as his son, Griffin, would also later become an Eagle Scout. The BSA honored Perry with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

Perry attended Texas A&M University where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and one of A&M's 5 male cheerleaders (called "yell leaders" at Texas A&M). He graduated in 1972 with a degree in animal science. While at Texas A&M University Perry successfully completed a static line skydive at Ags Over Texas (a United States Parachute Association dropzone), the dropzone that was then in operation at Coulter Field (KCFD) in Bryan, Texas, just north of Texas A&M (in College Station, Texas).

Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force, completed pilot training and flew C-130 tactical airlift in the United States, the Middle East, and Europe until 1977. He left the Air Force with the rank of captain, returned to Texas and went into business farming cotton with his father.

Considering what is happening in our country today in regards to health care reform, this may be of interest to everyone…..Early in his term as governor Perry worked to make health care more accessible. He pushed through the State Children's Health Insurance Program designed to insure 500,000 children and convinced the state Legislature to increase health funding by $6 billion. Some of these programs have since faced funding problems. He also increased school funding prior to the 2002 election and created new scholarship programs to help needy children, including $300 million for the Texas GRANT Scholarship Program. Some $9 billion was allocated to Texas public schools, colleges, and universities and combined with a new emphasis on accountability for both teachers and students.

Another element of Perry's platform has been tort reform; as lieutenant governor he had tried and failed to place a limit on class action awards and allowing plaintiffs to distribute awards among several liable sources. In 2003, Perry sponsored a controversial state constitutional amendment to cap medical malpractice rewards; this proposal was narrowly approved by voters.

This legislation has resulted in a decrease in malpractice insurance rates and a marked increase in the number of doctors seeking certification to practice in Texas, bringing skilled practitioners to areas of the state long in need of quality care, although many doctors have cut back on their insurance, which makes it harder for plaintiffs to collect damages.

Perry, a proclaimed proponent of fiscal conservatism, has often campaigned on tax reform and job growth. Perry resisted creating a Texas state income tax and sales tax increases, protected the state's "Rainy Day fund", balanced the state budget as required by state law, and was reelected on a platform to reduce property taxes that exploded with the inflation of property values in the late 1990s and the 21st century. However, shortly after taking office, he backed down from the reduction of residential property taxes. He has been credited with attracting thousands of jobs to Texas in recent years.

In 2005, Perry, a social conservative, signed an abortion bill that limited late term abortions and required girls under the age of eighteen who procure abortions to notify their parents. Under criticism from advocates of choice, Perry signed the bill in the gymnasium of Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Worth, an evangelical Christian school.

Perry is also known for his socially conservative views on homosexuality. He condemned the United States Supreme Court decision in Lawrence vs. Texas striking down sodomy laws and called Texas' last such law "appropriate."

The following has been my only big issue with Governor Perry. But to his credit, he listened to the people and recanted his earlier stand on the project…. Perry has been the lead proponent of the Trans-Texas Corridor, a $145+ billion-dollar project that would encompass multi-lane highways, rail and utilities, speeding the movement of people, products and power across the state. Instead of raising taxes to pay for the project, the project was proposed to be partially financed, partially built and wholly operated by private contractors who, in exchange for a multi-billion dollar investment, will receive all toll proceeds, notably Cintra, a Spanish-owned company, and its minority partner, San Antonio-based Zachry Construction Corporation, one of Texas' largest road construction companies. Some of the more controversial aspects of the project include tolls, private operation of toll collections (at rates set by local municipalities), and extensive use of eminent domain (or the option for landowners to maintain a lucrative equity stake in the project) to acquire property.

Perry has come under fire for opposing the public release of the actual terms of the 50-year deal with Cintra to the public for fear they would chill the possibility of the company's investment; Perry's former liaison to the legislature and expert in public-private partnership, former State Senator Dan Shelly, returned to his consulting/lobbying work with Cintra after securing the TTC deal while on the state payroll. All of Perry's gubernatorial opponents opposed the corridor project. The 2006 state party platforms of both the Democratic and Republicans parties also opposed the current corridor legislation. In August, 2008, Perry co-signed a letter indicating his interest in exploring a variety of approaches to meeting the state's transportation infrastructure needs.

Thank the Good Lord…….Rick Perry supports the death penalty. Perry has been criticized by anti-death penalty groups including some human rights organizations worldwide. Under Texas law, the Board of Pardon and Parole must make a recommendation to commute such a sentence, which the Governor is free to ignore, but the reverse is not true - if the Board does not make such a recommendation the Governor cannot then commute the sentence. The only power the Governor has is to issue one, 30-day reprieve.

This issue is in the forefront in our nations politics right now with the “cap and trade” bill still at play….Perry rejects regulation of greenhouse gas emissions because he says it would have "devastating implications" for the Texas economy and energy industry. Many environmentalists consider this position to be shortsighted and alarmist. Of course, those of us that are normal applaud his stand.

I am a huge proponent of the Tenth Amendment (as are most Texans) so I am very happy to see the Governor stand up to Washington and endorse this resolution……..In April 2009, Perry endorsed a resolution supporting state sovereignty as reserved by the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. On April 9, 2009, Gov. Perry said, "I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state. That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states' rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union."

FYI, most of the people that I know are pro-secession……At a tea party protest held on April 15, 2009, Perry said, "Texas is a unique place. When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that...My hope is that America and Washington in particular pays attention. We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, who knows what may come of that." This has been regarded by some as a strong suggestion by Governor Perry about on his thoughts on secession of Texas from the Union. In reference to Perry's comments, a spokesperson said that Perry "never advocated seceding". According to Time magazine, experts say that Texas cannot legally secede but it may split into five states.

There is more to learn about Governor Perry but let’s not over-saturate our brains. To read more about him, go to the link below. The next time we will focus on Kay Bailey Hutchinson. She too is a fascinating candidate and I expect the race between the two to be exciting.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Perry