Rick Perry No Stranger To Controversial Views

Rick Perry No Stranger to Controversial Views

By Jay Root

Excerpts on history of Perry:

“Gov. Rick Perry was the first to admit that his views on a host of hot-button political issues - from letting states legalize marijuana and same-sex marriage to describing Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme” - could cause him heartburn in a race for the White House.

On the day he was re-elected to an unprecedented third four-year term as Texas governor, Perry said the string of controversial ideas in his Washington-bashing book, Fed Up!, would make him a downright unattractive presidential contender.

“The best concrete evidence that I’m really not running for president is this book,” Perry said in early November. “You’re going to see me talking about issues that, for someone running for president, it’s kind of been the third rail.”

Things have changed, of course, since Election Day 2010. Back then, Perry said there was no way he would run for president. Now he’s actively considering it, and critics are sure to pore over Perry's 26-year career in elected office, his writings and his actions, for fodder in a possible presidential race.

As Perry openly toys with the idea of taking his ambition nationwide, voters across the country are just beginning to get acquainted with the brash Texan, who generally doesn’t back away from controversial positions even in the face of harsh criticism.

Perry has made the same argument about same-sex marriage. He’s against gay marriage himself - reflecting the conservative state he represents - but he has argued in favor of allowing each state to decide for itself what its policy will be.

“If you don’t support the death penalty and citizens packing a pistol, don’t come to Texas,” Perry says. “If you don’t like medical marijuana and gay marriage, don’t move to California.”

Perry has also argued for a complete overhaul of government entitlement programs. He wants more private sector solutions and less spending on taxpayer-supported programs such as Medicare and Social Security, a shift that he says would give people more freedom to take care of their heath and retirement needs without government assistance. Critics say it will leave a large swath of America, particularly the elderly, with less health care and financial security when they need it the most.

Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia and veteran presidential campaign analyst, said the 2012 GOP primary is a good forum for Perry to be putting forth edgy proposals. Tea party enthusiasts are demanding that politicians shake up Washington and enact deep spending cuts.

“I don’t think he has a thing to worry about on these items in the Republican primary. There are a lot of cross currents that will protect him,” Sabato said. “So many of them have unorthodox positions. It’s a choose your poison type of election year for Republicans.”

But Sabato said Perry would likely face blowback on his ideas from independents and, of course, Democrats if he makes it into a general election contest against President Barack Obama. Sabato also said there are other positions Perry has taken in the past - positions that don’t make into Fed Up! - that could dog Perry in a Republican primary race.

Chief among them is the governor’s unsuccessful attempt in 2007 to require that teenage girls be immunized against Human papillomavirus, or HPV, the most common sexually transmitted sexual disease and a known cause of cervical cancer. During the 2012 governor's race, Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison repeatedly criticized Perry for issuing the executive order that was later overturned by the Texas Legislature.

The governor noted that parents could opt out of the provision, but critics said parents should be able to opt in voluntarily instead. On the political front, it sent Perry’s social conservative base into an uproar over fears that the vaccine would encourage sexual promiscuity among teenagers.

Perry said he knew he was “going to take a political hit” when he signed the HPV order but still believed it “wasn’t a bad idea.”

“At the end of the day, I did what was right from my perspective,” he said.

While Perry is sure to face criticism from fellow conservatives should he jump in the race, Sabato said it would be even worse if he reverses positions.
“He would look like a wishy-washy flip-flopper if he moves away from that. He’s stuck with it,” Sabato said. ‘He has set the standard of the tough-talking Texan who tells it like it is....if he loses his brand, then what’s he got? He’s just another candidate running for president.’ ”

read full article:

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-p...ick-perry-no-stranger-to-controversial-views/
…….

So the republican/T-bagger newest entry into the largest group of republican/T-bagger wannabe’s has some luggage he will be carrying into the political presidential campaign and his history will blow him right out of the primary once it gets into the media’s superlative exploring techniques.

In the meantime, he will serve well in giving Michele Bachmann a couple of whammy headaches as he delves into her IRS thievery and lies. Ron Paul is about the only credible candidate as of this date that can withstand any and all ‘ghost’ candidates. It is just too bad that he was demonized by the republicans in the last presidential election, and ruled out as an out-of-touch-with-reality demented politician by competitors.

 

Go Perry. The guy actually has a record. He knows what works and what doesn't.

He has created more jobs than Obama and is finally a guy who can put an alpha male back into the white house.

 

But at what cost? Along with his awesomeness has come some of the worst environmental scores found in the nation and the worst health insurance coverage in the nation. Go Rick Perry?

 

WOW! yep, how very controversial!

1), 2) Perry is acknowledging the intent of the US Constitution - imagine that. Marriage is not mentioned in document, therefore it is a matter left to the states. Perry is showing respect for the constitution and the rights of other states to enact policies that wouldn't pass in Texas.

3) again, so controversial! privatization of social services has been an on-going process at the state level for nearly 2 decades.

4) yep, vaccines are controversial! definitely we should never prevent a young woman from developing cervical cancer! how evil, how controversial. and lets do away with the polio vaccine too, while we are at it.

 

prove it. he's better than Obama.

 

.....

Better still, prove to us Perry is better than Obama.

 

Just look at his record. He has created more jobs than Obama.

He has been gov. for 10 years, he has done things. All Obama has done is spent other peoples money.

My 2 year old nephew could do that.

 

Nov 2012. You'll get all the proof you need.

 

http://communities.washingtontimes....5/governor-perrys-biggest-problem-rick-perry/

 

get it all out now libs...go ahead, keep crying it up.

 

So I'm assuming you can't argue against what I posted?

 

Are you stating that pollution is all Rick Perry's fault? that he is the one to blame?

if so, than Obama is to blame for all the murders in the nation, all the thefts, all the wars and soldiers that are killed, all the drugs smuggled into the country, and I could go on and on...

 

......
1) A governor does not have the right to acknowledge the 'intent' of our Constitution. He is usurping the power of Congress and the USSC.
2) No state needs the respect of Rick Perry especially when denying equal rights to others because of their sexual orientation.
3) Privatization of services belongs in the controversial realm because citizens have paid into Social Security all their productive years...and when GW Bush rifled taxpayers' funds dry, then he wanted to privatize the system.
4) You miss the whole point: it was the word "REQUIRED" that was very controversial. The idea that a governor of a state could mandate that every girl entering sixth grade be required to get a vaccine is repulsive and draconian in nature. We are a civilized Democratic nation and like to make up our own minds. What if Perry had mandated a required vaccine be given to every boy entering sixth grade so that he could not receive nor spread an infectious disease?..how would you feel about that?

I realize that republicans/T-baggers don't accept the criteria that a Democratic society where everyone is equal, is the accepted practice, but
they have alot to learn about Democracy......

 

First, I don't trust Perry, but must admit, I agree with him now and then.
Diseases, depending rate of transmission and herd immunity threshold, may or may not require mandatory vaccine, so perhaps Perry had good intention, but didn't seek appropriate advice.
States rights, now that may be something the tea parties talk about, but I don't think most members are willing to see it through when it comes to moral and personal issues, i.e. homosexual marriage and pot. Just look at how Paul is being attacked.
Gun control and taxpayer-supported assistance will have him in such shaky position that the GOP probably won't nominate him. Its more important for Reps to win against BO and keep the status quo than actually rattling the DC cage.

 

.....

...and so will you...

 

The environmental record goes back to energy policy. You'd have a tough time arguing that he has nothing to do with energy regulations in the state of Texas.

 

you should realize that anything not specifically listed in the constitution, the states and local governments are to handle right?

it is up to the governors and state legislatures to handle anything not listed in the document, therefore you are completely wrong.

 

I guess the EPA has failed. hmmm why do we need them again?

 

No state can live up to the impossible standards of the wacko's at Obama's EPA and still have an oil industry.

And no oil industry means no jobs.

Which would mean the Obama economy in Texas instead of the Perry economy.

 

He's given the EPA the middle finger. It's the Governor's fault. Unless you want the federal government interfering?

 

1) one of the interesting things that a pro-business environment can do is create jobs! and that is the story of Texas during the Obama depression - Texas has the jobs.

2) yes, that is correct, Perry is fighting to protect Texas jobs associated with the petrochemical and petroleum industries from the destructive hand of Obama

3) in other words the social workers are upset that we Texas taxpayers refuse to spend as much per capita on social programs and the economically moribund blue states. perhaps the social workers and their putative clientele should move to the blue states.

26% of Texas children are not in poverty. most of that made up 26% is made up of illegal aliens Texas is forced by federal judges to educate in our public school systems, so now those illegal invaders need to : hop on the bus and head on home.

 

1) one of the interesting things that a pro-business environment can do is create jobs! and that is the story of Texas during the Obama depression - Texas has the jobs.

2) yes, that is correct, Perry is fighting to protect Texas jobs associated with the petrochemical and petroleum industries from the destructive hand of Obama

3) in other words the social workers are upset that we Texas taxpayers refuse to spend as much per capita on social programs and the economically moribund blue states. perhaps the social workers and their putative clientele should move to the blue states.

26% of Texas children are not in poverty. most of that made up 26% is made up of illegal aliens Texas is forced by federal judges to educate in our public school systems, so now those illegal invaders need to : hop on the bus and head on home.

 

I see Perry's statements as "straight talk" that people may appreciate.

This is far from something that would disqualify him from contention or severely damage his chances.


If THIS is the "dirt" they dug up, Perry must be pretty clean.

 

At what point does such a poor environmental record endanger its citizens?

Got a source for this?

 

No he doesnt continueing policy set by previous gouvenours and screwing up anything you try doesnt really give a lot of confidence. What was the deficit, 27 billion? Gutting almost all state departments borrowing and dipping into emergency funds to limlit the deficit doesnt either.