Just sent this Fax to Governor Rick Perry's office

It was nice to see this statement from my Governor, Rick Perry in which he said, in part, the following:

...the piling on by the political left, and their cohorts in the media, to use the massacre of little children to advance a pre-existing political agenda that would not have saved those children, disgusts me, personally. The second amendment to the Constitution is a basic right of free people and cannot be nor will it be abridged by the executive power of this or any other president."

While I applaud Mr. Perry for speaking out, his response is reactionary in nature. As we well know, after four years of Obama, reactions are what he thrives on because it means he can get a rise out of his opponents while remaining on offense.

It's time for his opponents to go on offense, which is what prompted me to fax this one page letter to Governor Perry's office after reading his statement:

January 17, 2013

From: Ben Barrack
To: Governor Rick Perry

RE: SANDY HOOK VS. FAST & FURIOUS

Governor Perry, it was nice to see your public statement that the President's exploitation of the Sandy Hook shootings 'disgusts' you. Thank you for making it.

It's now time to go on offense by contrasting this administration's urgency on gun control after SANDY HOOK with its stonewalling in OPERATION FAST & FURIOUS. We now know what that was about and the exploitation of the Sandy Hook shootings only further demonstrates it.

FAST & FURIOUS was about putting ASSAULT WEAPONS into the hands of Mexican drug cartels so that those guns could be used to murder people – including children – whose deaths could then be exploited for the same reason the Sandy Hook murders are being exploited. That purpose was and is to create the political climate for more gun control.

The problem was that FAST & FURIOUS blew up in the administration's face when whistleblowers came forward after the death of Brian Terry.

The Obama administration went to work exploiting Sandy Hook within minutes. On the day of the shootings, Rep. Jerrold Nadler said the president should 'exploit' them. Two years after F&F was exposed, Obama is still asserting Executive Privilege to prevent the truth from coming out.

The reason there was no urgency in FAST & FURIOUS was because it was the Obama administration's fault.

The Obama administration (DOJ / ATF) intentionally put THOUSANDS of assault weapons into the hands of bad guys whom they knew would use them to murder far more people than were murdered at Sandy Hook.

Shining a spotlight on FAST & FURIOUS as this administration exploits SANDY HOOK would put Obama on defense.

After all, his hero – Saul Alinsky – did say that “the ends justify almost any means”. He also dedicated his book to Lucifer.

There is a true leadership vacuum on the Republican side of the aisle in this country. All someone has to do is fill it without concern for the mainstream media's reaction. The first step is going on offense with the truth.

Regards,
Ben Barrack
Talk show host / 1400 KTEM
benbarrack@yahoo.com

Here is Perry's contact page. You can fax his office at 512-463-1849. There are also other fax numbers listed for members of his administration that might need to hear from you.

Video: Texas Governor went after Turkey in Presidential Debate, how about in his own State?

In one of Rick Perry's last debates, he publicly singled out Turkey for its increasingly Islamist government. This tells us that he must have a significant understanding of the dynamics behind what makes that government work. One of those dynamics is a Turkish imam named Fethullah Gulen. However, Gulen lives in the Untied States and his schools have a significant presence across the United States, to include Texas.

As the video points out, public tax dollars have been used to build a Gulen charter school in Perry's backyard - Austin, TX. The Harmony School of Political Science and Journalism has been built to "influence the next generation of politicians, voters, and news writers."

Must-see video:



h/t Donna

Debate Video: Rick Perry compares himself to Tim Tebow

This was a big eye-roller, from both the standpoint of the comparison as well as the delivery. Rick Perry was asked to allay concerns that he wouldn't do well in debates with Obama because of his debate performances as a nominee candidate. He started out ok but then took a leap he shouldn't have. He invoked the name Tim Tebow and stumbled through his analogy before delivering what he obviously thought was a strong punchline; the audience reacted like a crowd at a football game would, to an incomplete pass.



h/t Stage Right Show

Debate Video: Mitt Bets Perry 10k, Loses with Voters

The damage Rick Perry did to himself when he drew at 52 second blank in a previous debate may have been done to Mitt Romney in this latest one. In essence, the Texas governor went back to the line in Romney's book that was taken out in a later edition.

Back in the September debate, Perry brought up the fact that Romney's first edition said Romneycare should be applied nationally.

Via ABC News:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said during the Florida debate that Romney took out the single line that suggested the Massachusetts health reform law could be applied to the country. The line that is removed in the paperback version reads, “We can accomplish the same thing for everyone in the country.”

Perry brought it up again last night and Mitt had no response. Consequently, he reverted to a childish tactic. He stuck out his hand and offered to bet Perry 10k.

Not only was that an inadvisable response to an indisputable fact highlighted by Perry but that's a lot of money for Iowan voters who probably didn't appreciate Romney's ability to put that much money on the table over such an issue.

Perry did it all with a smile, too. This one may have cost Mitt some real percentage points.

Via Breitbart:

Video: Rick Perry Draws another Blank, Gets a Lifeline

This is what we call compounding the problem. If Rick Perry hadn't had that 52 second blank spot in a debate, this probably wouldn't be newsworthy but he's developing a bit of a reputation here. The good news for him this time is that others around him knew who he was referring to when discussing Barack Obama's two 'activist' Supreme Court appointments, even if Perry could not remember the names. During the debate, no one knew what Perry had in mind so no one could help him. Mitt tried when he suggested the third agency Perry would cut was the EPA but that wasn't it.

This time, Perry was able to say 'Mantamayor,' which helped get him a lifeline.

Nonetheless, these types of faux pas will be magnified for Perry more than anyone else and he can't do this if he hopes to get back in the race.



h/t Hapblog

Outrage at Texas School District! Paging Rick Perry...

The Temple Independent School District (TISD), near Fort Hood, recently sent home flyers with children. The flyers were promoting 'College Vocational Night for Hispanics' and even informed people not to allow concerns about 'Residency Issues' to deter them from coming. Basically, illegal aliens are being invited to the event. For good measure, each attendee will receive one food voucher per family per month.

Initially, your outrage might be directed at the school district (mine was) but remember, our Governor here in Texas (Rick Perry) signed legislation that made it perfectly legal for illegal aliens to attend Texas colleges at in-state tuition rates.

Big h/t to Lynn Woolley

The quintessential example of what's wrong with Rick Perry is on display in Temple, TX:

Video: Mitt Romney's Achilles Heal Exposed in Debate

The candidate who landed the hardest blow on Mitt Romney was named Rick but his last name wasn't Perry; it was Santorum. By far, the achilles heal of Mitt Romney is ObamneyCare. For some reason, Rick Perry decided to go to the mat with Romney over the latter's hiring of a landscaping company that used illegal aliens, despite the fact that Rick Perry's most powerful ad was a recent one that masterfully highlighted the similarities between Obama and Romney while pointing to the fact that the former Massachusetts governor edited one sentence out of his book that called for government run health care across the United States. This is bad for Romney because his defense of Romneycare has been that he DOESN'T think it's right for the country. That position doesn't square with the sentence in his book that he had taken out and that is his biggest weakness.

In essence, Santorum used the content of Perry's ad and while Perry can be heard in the background of this clip echoing the charge brought up by Santorum, the Texas governor not only blew a big opportunity but he came out looking petulant by going after Romney on the illegal immigration issue.

Here is the exchange where Santorum successfully exposed Romney's biggest weakness. Via The Blaze:



Here is the excellent ad recently released by the Perry campaign that Santorum actually benefited from:

Video: Perry Slams Romney on Obamacare-Lite

Ever since Rick Perry got in the race, conservatives have been quite reluctant to go after him because they saw the race that is more than a year away, coming down to him and Romney. With Perry viewed as the lesser of two evils, conservatives didn't want to go after him much out of fear they might cut off their noses to spite their faces, and get stuck with Romney. From day one, I have rejected this strategy. It is defensive and Perry is NOT a conservative. Now, as we see the rise of Herman Cain, we may have the next best thing to conservatives vetting Perry; Perry and Romney destroying each other is one heck of a good option and here is a primary example of how it works. Team Perry has plenty of campaign cash and ads like this will only help the likes of Herman Cain, who didn't have to spend a dime in creating it.

I don't want Rick Perry anywhere near the White House at a time ripe for a true conservative but this is one HECK of a powerful ad. I hope Herman Cain took some time to call the Texas governor and thank him.



h/t Hot Air

Video: Piling On Rick Perry's Demise with Lip-Reading

Rick Perry may have had his 'read my lips' moment when he said that if you don't support in-state tuition for illegal aliens, 'you don't have a heart' but this is sheer awesomeness. I bet he wishes he would have said these things instead of what he said at last week's debate but because he said what he said, this is nothing more that gratuitous piling on. Perry is down but it's too early to officially call him out. This video might just help, not because it's actually real but because the words that sync up more than just casually to how Perry's lips move may just make you wonder how much sense he actually made when he said whatever he truly said. Does that make sense?

It will after you watch this.



h/t Hot Air

Obama Mocks Texas, Blames Fires on Global Warming

A good friend of mine is doing contract work in Bastrop County, Texas. He tells me they're up to 2,000 homes being destroyed. The view from the ground elicits 'war zone' comparisons and leaves one seeing little difference between these Texas wildfires and the destruction wrought by hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. He also said FEMA came in thumping its chest and provided virtually no assistance. Despite all of this, Barack Obama decided to pile on by politicizing this 'natural' disaster while mocking Texas governor Rick Perry for not believing in man-made global warming.

Via LA Times:

Reporting from Woodside, Calif.— President Obama, speaking at a fundraiser in the Bay Area on Sunday night, said the behavior at the Republican presidential debates was at odds with core American values.

"Has anybody been watching the debates lately?" the president said at the home of John Thompson, chairman of Symantec.

In a reference to the GOP front-runner, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Obama said: "You've got a governor whose state is on fire denying climate change. It's true."

Aside from this despicable attempt to politicize a natural disaster to push an agenda, it's not a far cry off from Louis Farrakhan saying that Bush blew up the levees in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

h/t GWP

Video: The Real Rick Perry Unmasked Himself in Debate

Remember the scene in 'Backdraft' where DeNiro takes Donald Sutherland's character - an imprisoned pyromaniac - in front of the parole board and gets him to show them he's still crazy? Therein lies a metaphor for last night's debate. With voters playing the role of the parole board, Perry playing the role of Sutherland, and the immigration issue playing the role of DeNiro, Perry may have torpedoed his chances with the American people when he defended his in-state tuition for illegal aliens position by saying if you don't agree with him, you 'don't have a heart.' The boos were cacophonous BEFORE Rick Santorum jumped on Perry's illogic by saying it makes no sense to subsidize a benefit for illegals that US citizens don't receive.

Hopefully, last night's debate will end the Tea Party's infatuation with Rick Perry. Mitt Romney sounded much more conservative.

Via from MediaIte via Weekly Standard:

Debate Videos: Candidates Finally go after Rick Perry

Last night's debate was the first indication that Republican candidates had any real interest in seeing the bloom come off the Rick Perry rose. In this first video, both Santorum and Bachmann go after the Texas governor for his signing of the Texas DREAM Act, which grants in-state tuition for illegal aliens. Santorum hits Perry first but Bachmann delivers the money line when she says that people who break our laws should not be eligible for government benefits. Perry's defense was quite pathetic and may have done him more harm than if he'd have deferred. He implied that those who disagreed with him were racist when he said he wasn't going to hold back benefits because of someone's last name.

Via CNN:



Bachmann wasn't done. Neither was Santorum. Both also went after Perry over the Gardasil controversy. Bachmann got the better of it when she went for the jugular by rightly pointing out that not only did Perry sign the Executive Order that mandated 12-year old girls be vaccinated for a sexually transmitted disease but in doing so, he helped his former chief of staff who was a lobbyist for Merck, the company responsible for the drug.

CLICK HERE to watch.

Then, after the debate, Palin piled on, saying that the crony capitalism displayed by Perry in the case of Gardasil is exactly the thing she stood up against when she was governor of Alaska. If pressed for time, the good part comes at about the 6:45 mark.



h/t Breitbart

The Vetting Begins: Rick Perry's Crony Capitalism Problem

Looks like the Houston Chronicle is sinking its teeth into Rick Perry's ties to Houston homebuilder Bob Perry. It seems that the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC) was created to help builders deal with homeowners who wanted to hold them accountable. Though not related to Rick, Bob and the governor have an historically cozy relationship. Shortly after giving Governor Perry a big, fat campaign contribution, Bob's attorney was magically appointed to serve on the commission by.... Governor Rick!

Via Houston Chronicle:

In its brief but controversial life, the Texas Residential Construction Commission won far more detractors than admirers. Former Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn called it "a builder protection agency" that created additional roadblocks for homeowners living with shoddy construction. To Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, the agency served only "to shield home builders from being responsible" for defective work. The Texas Sunset Commission concluded the agency did "more harm than good."

The TRCC, however, had at least one friend who mattered: Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, who has given Gov. Rick Perry more than $2.5 million during his tenure in office. An advocate for the agency from its creation in 2003 until it closed its doors in 2010, the homebuilder's imprimatur was significant. His lobbyists played a key role in its inception; his company's general counsel, John Krugh, was appointed to serve on the commission by Gov. Perry, no relation to Bob Perry, one month after the homebuilder gave a $100,000 campaign contribution to the governor.

Now dormant, the TRCC serves as a case study of how wealthy contributors can shape public policy. In this year's hard-fought Republican presidential primary, the agency likely will get renewed scrutiny as Perry's Republican competitors search for ways to distinguish themselves from the Texas governor. In a speech last week in Iowa, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin took aim against career politicians who reward their campaign contributors with government favors.

If the name Bob Perry sounds familiar, it is indeed the same Bob Perry who co-authored a letter with Grocery store magnate Charles Butt. That letter was addressed to Governor Perry during the last Texas special legislative session. In it, the two men made known that they would be VERY displeased if the tough sanctuary cities legislation got passed.

Rick Perry was in a pinch. He had to put it on the special session agenda because of constituent support. It ultimately died in the legislature, in part, because Rick skipped town after introducing it and refused to fight for its passage.

We're learning why.

h/t Free Republic

Message from a Texan: Don't Drink the Perry-Aid

Conservatives need to be careful that the fervor they have for Texas governor Rick Perry as the Republican nominee doesn't cause them to abstain from vetting him. Remember, that's what happened with Obama in 2008. I'm not comparing the two men; Perry would be an exponentially better president than Obama. The point is that Perry is NOT the man portrayed by his tough campaign talk. As Obama falls in the polls, the electability of a true conservative increases. A Rick Perry presidency would be the equivalent of electing a RINO at the end of the Carter administration. Don't settle in RINOville folks. Please.

Don't Drink the Perry-Aid
Ben Barrack

As a Texan who studies politics for a living, I beg conservatives not to eat the red RINO meat Rick Perry is throwing their way right now. The gap between his Tea Party rhetoric and his deeds is cavernous; he wants you to cross that bridge without looking down. Doing the latter would quickly send you back where you came from.

Of course, Perry's history includes a gig as Al Gore's campaign manager and support for HillaryCare. In 2001, he signed hate crimes legislation; he also supported the Trans-Texas corridor. In 2007, he signed an Executive Order that mandated all 12-year-old girls be vaccinated against a particular kind of venereal disease with a drug called Gardasil. The public outcry was fierce and the governor relented when he could not overcome legislation that overwhelmingly rebuked him. This is all to say nothing about Perry's coziness with individuals whose allegiance to the US should be questioned.

While in New Hampshire recently, Perry called the idea of a border fence “nonsense.” In 2001, Perry signed Texas' version of the DREAM Act; it allows illegal aliens to pay in-state college tuition. Yes, an American citizen from Oklahoma would have to pay more to attend the University of Texas than would an illegal alien.

Then, last year, when his border state colleague, Jan Brewer, was locked in a battle with the Federal government over Arizona's tough immigration law, SB 1070, not only was an expression of solidarity with Arizona absent, Perry took it a step further. He said such a law would not be right for Texas.

Now, fast forward to the September 7th MSNBC debate. In particular, consider the issue of repealing Obamacare. Perry pledged that, if elected, the first thing he would do would be to sign an Executive Order granting waivers to all 50 states and then said he would work to repeal Obamacare “as much as it can be.” Neither assertion instilled much confidence for a full repeal. In fact, when one looks at Perry's record and compares it with rhetoric intended to demonstrate he's read the tea leaves properly, the disparity is very significant.

The most recent legislative sessions in Texas – one regular, one special – may provide a look into what a Perry presidency might look like. When the regular session started, Perry put sanctuary cities legislation at the top of the list, as an emergency item. As governor, that's all he could do, really. The sausage would made by a legislature equally responsible for choosing what got processed. Perry's proclamation was music to the ears of conservatives but the odds of something getting to his desk were long. Perry wasn't responsible for putting bills on the agenda and such legislation was unlikely to overcome required super majorities. The sanctuary cities bill – which would have prevented municipalites from instructing police officers not to check immigration status during taffic stops – died and Perry could say he did all he could. Aw, shucks.

Then, when a Democrat unwittingly filibustered a bill that couldn't be left unresolved, Perry had to call a special session; he immediately had more power. Not only could the governor suddenly put bills on the agenda but super majorities were no longer required. With sanctuary cities legislation being the only “emergency item” not resolved, it should have been the first order of business for Perry, right? It wasn't. The governor waited several days before putting it on the agenda. Upon doing so, he did virtually nothing to help push it through. In fact, when two of Texas' wealthiest men – Charles Butt and Bob Perry – threatened to withhold contributions to the Republican Party if the legislation passed, Perry's silence practically communicated a desire that it not reach his desk at all.

Another bill of great significance when it came to Perry's allegedly tough stance on states rights was the TSA anti-groping legislation, which would have made it a misdemeanor for TSA agents to grope airline passengers in Texas. Passage of this legislation would demonstrate Perry was ready to back up his rhetoric with action. It's true that the governor placed the bill on the agenda but again, he did so three weeks into a 30-day special session and the bully pulpit remained vacant as the legislation died. Nothing illustrates this disparity between words and actions better than a video of Perry on April 9, 2009, just six days before the first Tea Party. As you watch, think about the fate of the two bills Perry refused to fight for when it mattered most.

The best indicator of future behavior is past behavior. When you look at Texas governor Rick Perry's actions, you will see an executive whose political rhetoric is not met with a matching dose of political will, not by a long shot. If it's important for conservatives to elect a president who will doggedly pursue things like the repeal of Obamacare, Perry's record demonstrates he's not your guy.

If you contrast Perry's performance at the MSNBC debate with that of Michele Bachmann, relative to repealing Obamacare, Bachmann showed more resolve, resolve that she has a history of backing up with action. Unfortunately, the congresswoman from Minnesota may not have what it takes to overcome the perception that Rick Perry is the Tea Party candidate of choice. There is another woman who might; her name is Sarah Palin.

Rick Perry's Relationships and National Security

As a Texas talk show host and writer, I've had the opportunity to watch Rick Perry govern. He's not the conservative Tea Party candidate his rhetoric is leading people to believe. It is important for people to understand that the red meat Perry is throwing, while enticing, is not even close to being representative of his actions. Perry needs to be vetted and his rhetoric should not intoxicate the Tea Party to the point of not doing so. By just accepting Perry's words without looking at his actions, the Tea Party risks doing exactly what the Obamautomatons did in 2008.

Are Rick Perry's Relationships a National Security Threat?
Ben Barrack

In 2000, Rick Perry's gubernatorial predecessor, George W. Bush, was endorsed for president by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), the American Muslim Council (AMC), and the American Muslim Alliance (AMA). Since then, CAIR's mask has come completely off – despite mainstream denials – and the AMC is now defunct after its founder was convicted of financing terrorism. The leaders of all four groups have expressed support for Hezbollah and Hamas.

With the influence of Americans for Tax Reform president, Grover Norquist, George Bush shockingly continued these relationships after 9/11 when he met with leaders of CAIR, MPAC, and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) multiple times; all are Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated groups. In some ways, Bush's cozy relationships with these leaders after 9/11 may have done more long term damage to the United States than Osama bin Laden did himself; the Brotherhood continues to acquire political power despite espousing the goals of al-Qaeda (if not its means).

Voters who are leaning toward Rick Perry for president may be setting themselves up for a similar fall based on similarly disturbing relationships. For starters, like Bush, Perry seems to have a rather comfortable relationship with Norquist, who has a history of campaigning for the Texas governor and even joined him on a trip to the Bahamas at his own expense. The notion that Norquist has Perry's ear, let alone his loyalty, is more than a minor problem.

There is also a disturbing narrative that's been developing relative to Perry's relationship with the Aga Khan, the recognized leader of the Shia Ismaili sect of Islam. That narrative says that the Aga Khan represents one of the more benign sects of Islam; this notion should be rejected. There is actually strong evidence that the Ismailis and the Muslim Brotherhood are more willing to work together than such a premise would permit.

Consider the case of Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University. He is also prominent member of the Institute of Ismaili Studies in the UK. His biography at the Rumi Forum points out that Nasr was the first Aga Khan professor of Islamic studies at the American University of Beirut. In a speech given by Nasr at MIT, he admitted to starting a Muslim Students Association (MSA) chapter at MIT decades earlier. The MSA is a Muslim Brotherhood group. Said Nasr:

“I feel very much at home not only at this university, but being the first muslim student ever to establish a muslim students' association at Harvard in 1954, to see that these organizations are now growing, and are becoming culturally significant.”

Further evidence that the Aga Khan's sect of Islam is willing to work with the Muslim Brotherhood can be found in Illinois; Governor Pat Quinn recently announced the creation of the Muslim American Advisory Council there. Security General of the ISNA, Safaa Zarzour, and Executive Director of CAIR, Ahmed Rehab, are both members. Joining them on the Council is Murad Moosa Bhaidani, president, His Higness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Council for the Midwestern US. In essence, a regional Aga Khan is serving on a council alongside Muslim Brotherhood leaders.

Consider the case of former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Farouk Shami, a Palestinian whose father worked with troops led by former Muslim Brotherhood leader and Hitler ally, Haj Amin al-Hussaini, according to Red County. When he was defeated in the primary by Bill White, Shami endorsed Perry. Why would a Democrat with a platform to the left of his party's nominee, endorse the Republican incumbent? This endorsement was curious indeed but not if the Aga Khan's Ismaili sect is comfortable working with the Brotherhood.

According to Daniel Greenfield, the Halal food law that Perry signed was lobbied for by a man named Mohamed Elibiary, who is not only serving as a US Homeland Security advisor but also has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. As a Palestinian whose father worked with forces loyal to a Muslim Brotherhood leader, perhaps Shami's endorsement was meant to nudge Perry even further toward supporting the Islamic agenda, in much the same way that CAIR, MPAC, the AMA, and the AMC did with Bush.

As if that weren't enough, it's been learned that the Aga Khan Foundation and the University of Texas successfully enlisted the help of Perry in 2004 to create the Muslim Histories and Cultures (MHC) curriculum, which Jihad Watch's Robert Spencer says has not only been scrubbed from the internet but also from the Google cache, an extremely rare occurrence.

Perhaps even more dangerous is the movement of Turkish imam Fethullah Gulen. His Gulenist schools are prominent all over Texas. According to Donna Garner, Perry feigned ignorance when asked about the schools' dangerous intentions. If Perry wants to be president, ignorance on this matter should disqualify him instantly, especially with the rate of growth such schools are seeing in his state. Fethullah Gulen is perhaps the most dangerous Islamist in America today.

The Muslim Brotherhood has stated that it wants to destroy the United States from within. George W. Bush inexplicably showed solidarity with Brotherhood leaders after 9/11. Based on their endorsement of him in 2000, he was beholden to them to at least some degree. To what extent do his gubernatorial successor's questionable alliances make Perry beholden to those who would do us further harm?

Again, to reiterate, Perry's rhetoric is nowhere close to his actions. In my next post, I will hopefully lay that out sufficiently for readers.

Looks like Tea Party is Buying Rick Perry's Rhetoric

It's really unfortunate that Texas Governor Ricky Perry is siphoning off so much Tea Party support with his rhetoric. To his credit, he did it again in the MSNBC debate but as a Texan, I can tell you his words are not met with his actions. There was one specific topic that came up last night that should illustrate the point perfectly. When the subject of Obamacare came up, Perry said he would do all he can to repeal as much of it as he could. He seasoned the red meat by implying that he would use an Executive Order to do so.

This is just rhetoric and if there is any candidate who has a track record that demonstrates he will NOT be effective in doing what needs to be done when it comes to Obamacare, it's Rick Perry.

Consider this year's Texas legislative session. When the regular session began, Perry put 'Sanctuary Cities' legislation up as a priority item. However, as Governor, he could not put bills on the floor; his power was limited. Ultimately, the bill died in the regular session because it couldn't overcome the required super majorities. Then, a special session was called when some necessary legislation hadn't been passed. Perry had much more power in the special session. It was he who would put bills on the agenda and no super majorities were required to pass legislation.

He waited too long to put the Sanctuary Cities bill on the agenda and then skipped town. This legislation addressed the only remaining 'emergency item' Perry had identified at the beginning of the regular session; it should have been one of - if not the - first items added to the special session agenda. He did not use the bully pulpit and the bill died. Not only that but two of Texas' wealthiest men - Grocery store magnate Charles Butt and Developer Bob Perry - threw their weight around and threatened to withhold contributions to the Republican Party if the bill was passed. Reports were that these threats dealt a mortal wound to the bill. If the Texas governor couldn't hold firm to his principles in Texas, what makes us think he will do the same with Obamacare?

Conversely, it was Bachmann who last night best laid out her priority to take Obamacare out by its roots by pushing legislation that would do so. Perry does not have that kind of political will and if he is elected president, he will not pursue the repeal of Obamacare like Bachmann would. That said, if Congress put such a bill on his desk, he would probably sign it but the importance of repealing Obamacare is severe enough that any presidential candidate should have to lay out exactly what he or she would do.

Video: Al Sharpton Does it Again, Thinks 'Galileo' is Three Syllables

There was a downside to MSNBC carrying last night's debate I hadn't considered. It meant that MSNBC commentators would be on-hand afterward to analyze it. Of course, that roster now includes Al Sharpton, who completely mispronounced Galileo's name. Earlier in the debate, Rick Perry made reference to Galileo while defending his stance on man-made global warming. After the debate, Sharpton expressed his apoplexy over Perry invoking the name by referring to him as 'Galeo.'

Via Breitbart:

Why Palin is Most Certainly Electable

I've grown rather weary of the narrative / premise that says Sarah Palin is not electable. It's simply not true and here's why. Led by the country's biggest RINO, McCain's campaign was all but dead until he named Palin as his running mate. If not for the financial crisis in October, the race would have been much closer. In fact, McCain / Palin was polling ahead of Obama before the crash. McCain's trip to D.C. after suspending his campaign was a disaster. The point is, McCain didn't lose because of Palin. He was as close as he was BECAUSE of her.

Another factor that shouldn't be forgotten is that Obamamania was at a fevered pitch in 2008. Today, there IS no Obamamania, only prideful, partisan, and socialist defenders.

Take into account that as a Vice Presidential candidate, Palin was able to inspire an apathetic conservative base to hold their noses and vote for McCain. Imagine what she could do as a presidential candidate with someone like Marco Rubio on the ticket at a time when this country is souring on Obama by the minute.

In 2008, McCain / Palin garnered 173 electoral votes to Obama's 365. Based on the Tea Party movement, the rise of conservatism in general, and Obama's failings, I think it's relatively safe to say that Palin / Rubio would pick up the same states McCain / Palin did in 2008. So, what states that Obama picked up then could Palin / Rubio pick up now?

Quite realistically, Palin could pick up Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. That would give her 315 electoral votes while only needing 270, so she wouldn't have to win all of those states.

For some inexplicable reason, the right in this country has bought into the narrative that Palin is not electable and polls are suggesting that 70% of Republicans don't want her to get into the race, largely because of that and their infatuation with Rick Perry.

Don't drink the Perry-aid, folks. He is NOT a conservative; he just knows how to season the RINO meat before he throws it your way.

h/t RCP for the map.

Video: Rick Perry says Idea of Border Fence 'Nonsense'

As a conservative Texan, I've been quite disappointed by the warm reception Rick Perry has gotten across the country. The gap between his conservative rhetoric and his actions is cavernous. Unfortunately, conservatives all over the US appear to be drinking the Perry-aid. Folks, don't do it! This guy is NOT a conservative. He just knows how to throw the tastiest red meat. Here is but one small example. Yesterday, while in New Hampshire, he told the crowd that the idea of constructing a wall on the Texas / Mexico border is 'nonsense.' Granted, he said it after calling for drones to be used up and down the border. That line got a laugh because of Perry's delivery but the room went noticeably silent when he dismissed the idea of a border fence. By calling such an idea 'nonsense,' he came precariously close to calling those who want one, nonsensical.

Also, for those who don't know or remember, after Arizona passed SB 1070 last year, Perry said such a bill would 'not be right for Texas.' Not only that but he showed virtually no solidarity with Governor Brewer.

Anyway, here's a glimpse of the real Rick Perry:



h/t GWP

Texas Governor Rick Perry Endorsed Hillary Care in 1993

It would seem Mitt Romney has a new weapon in his battle with Rick Perry. In particular, whenever the Texas Governor decides he wants to score some points by attacking his opponent for RomneyCare in Massachusetts, he needs to be ready to defend his endorsement of HillaryCare in 1993. Both are practically mirror-images of ObamaCare. What people need to understand about Perry is that he is long on rhetoric and short on conservatism as a guiding principle. He's following Donald Trump's playbook but he might just meet the same fizzling-out fate if these things continue to surface.

Via Daily Caller:

Texas Governor Rick Perry has been among the most vocal critics of President Obama’s health care reform initiative, and of Mitt Romney’s preceding health care program in Massachusetts. But in 1993, while serving as Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Perry praised the efforts of then-first lady Hillary Clinton to reform health care, a precursor to Obama’s health care reform efforts.

In a letter to Clinton, who is now U.S. Secretary of State, Perry wrote: “I think your efforts in trying to reform the nation’s health care system are most commendable.”

“I would like to request that the task force give particular consideration to the needs of the nation’s farmers, ranchers, and agriculture workers, and other members of rural communities,” Perry continued, noting his administration’s focus on economic development for rural Texans. “Rural populations have a high proportion of uninsured people, rising health care costs, and often experience lack of services.”

“Again, your efforts are worthy,” Perry concluded, ”and I hope you will remember this constituency as the task force progresses.”

Conservative voters are being fooled by this guy's rhetoric. In 2001, Perry signed hate crimes legislation; in 2007, he signed an Executive Order mandating all 4th Grade girls be vaccinated against a sexually transmitted disease; he was Al Gore's campaign manager; he supported the Trans-Texas corridor; and now this.

Read it all.