Objective review of Republican candidates for President

[eyeresist]

I know very little about Perry.  Why the negativity?

No national leader should be called "Rick". "Kevin" was bad enough....



Apologies to all the Ricks and Kevins here!

[Josquin des Prez]

Well Bachmann won the straw poll... a clear sign that she's too extreme to win the election.

She's extreme only in her pathological need to please:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/bachmann-if-we-reject-israel-then-there-is-a-curse-that-comes-into-play.php

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Ron Paul is a doofus who doesn't know anything about economic policy - especially monetary policy - or foreign policy or domestic policy.

Paul may be a "doofus," but I would vote for him if only based on his foreign policy. Close down the American Empire before it strangles us. The other Repubs are just cheerleaders for the military-industrial complex.

[Brian]

I know very little about Perry.  Why the negativity?

(Bearing in mind these facts may have changed since I moved to England)

The state school board has rewritten history standards to emphasize conservative values and be kinder to the antebellum south.

Rick Perry has suggested - though not yet acted on - a plan to more directly influence the curricula of and classes offered by public universities. A pretty unanimous faculty rebellion scared him off.

We've had to watch Perry make trips to places like Israel during his governorship, which is something all states sit through when they know their governor is going to run for president in a couple years. But Perry's also been sending moronic letters to the State Department letting them know his urgent opinions on Israel.

There are some questions about things like shady land deals with friends; a Republican congressman sold him a lot in the Hill Country for $300,000 which he then sold to (no joke) an international arms dealer for $1.15 million.

During his last governorship race, Perry defeated the mayor of Houston, Bill White. White had won his second term in Houston with a nigh-Iranian 91% of the vote, but it was because he led a city which had met its pollution clean-up goals ten years ahead of schedule and he had even lowered taxes. Rick Perry won by refusing to participate in any debate, riding the assertion that any Democrat is a shill of Obama and "Washington", and trusting the Texas masses to vote Republican as they always do.

Our education system has overtaken Mississippi's as the worst in the US.

Thousands of jobs have been created during Perry's tenure; almost all are minimum wage and an unknown number are taken by immigrants, so the net effect is negligible.

Texas has gone from a balanced budget under Bush (oddly enough) to a $27 billion deficit.

Texas has an estimated 2 million children without access to health care.

Then there's The Response, the day-long "prayer rally" Perry suggested and nominally presided over at Reliant Stadium. Among the pastors and megapastors helping 30,000 people to "pray for America" were Dr Dobson and John C. Hagee. Perry says that, since he did not officially endorse the Response as governor but merely initiated and inspired it as a private individual, he did not cross the line between church and state.

Regardless, Rick Perry may be the evangelicals' man. (That website is down right now but the host has some kind of automatic cache view generator.)

EDIT: Oh, goodness, I forgot that whole episode where Perry turned up at a Tea Party rally and told the crowd that if Texas didn't like how Washington governed it, they could always secede. Don't get me wrong; the guy's very smart - insofar as he is preternaturally gifted with a knowledge of what positions to take far in advance in order to make himself as popular as possible with his target audience. Aside from the response to Hurricane Ike, taking in Katrina refugees, and bravely demanding HPV vaccines for teenage girls (over the protests of the abstinence crowd*), I can't think of a single example of Perry "governing" my state in an important way.

*though it should be noted that I was never given a sex ed course, and that I still have to wikipedia-search anatomical and other things I get confused about.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Perry also suggested invading Mexico:

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20101119-Perry-backs-sending-U-S-5391.ece

[Herman]

but he has arguably the best hair.

[eyeresist]

She's extreme only in her pathological need to please:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/bachmann-if-we-reject-israel-then-there-is-a-curse-that-comes-into-play.php

So she IS a nut. At first I thought that must be an Onion headline, but I guess I forgot how screwy the US is these days.

[lisa needs braces]

Dang, looks like Pawlenty is dropping out. Too bad. He seemed among the least odious of the bunch along with Huntsman.

[Szykneij]

From today's Boston Herald:

[lisa needs braces]

But Pawlenty's affected southern accent was pathetic.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

No national leader should be called "Rick". "Kevin" was bad enough....

Both much better than "Mitt." What kind of politician calls himself after a piece of baseball equipment?

[Szykneij]

Both much better than "Mitt." What kind of politician calls himself after a piece of baseball equipment?

Well, you can't get any more American than Baseball, Hot Dogs, and Apple Pie.   

[Todd]

Perry also suggested invading Mexico

Well, the US does that about once every century, so now wouldn't be a bad time.  Hopefully such an adventure would end up more like the first invasion than the second.  Think of the beachfront investment properties . . .

So she IS a nut.

I thought my initial post made that clear.  Whatever you do, do not read about her views on homosexuality.  Hey, a Karger-Bachmann debate might be fun to watch.

[DavidW]

Well Pawlenty dropped out, so that one can be scratched off of the list.

[Todd]

Well Pawlenty dropped out

Who?

[DavidW]

Who?

Exactly!

[Mirror Image]

Doesn't really matter who they get to become president. Every politician's hand is reaching in the same pot. This country has gone to hell.

[DavidW]

Wow MI you are a cynic!

[Mirror Image]

Wow MI you are a cynic!

Well I've tried to find the good in this country but it's excruciatingly difficult to find.

[Mirror Image]

Sorry to disappoint my fellow Americans here on GMG, but I'm just being honest.