Texas Governor Rick Perry entered the race with quite a splash this weekend. He even managed to upstage Michele Bachmann’s rousing success in the Iowa Straw Poll, where somehow getting a mere 4,800 conservative Iowans to like you means you are qualified to be President. I wager the student body president of the University of Iowa could claim similar numbers.
The Gipper
One would think that this nation has had enough lately of Texas governors who are proud of their weak academic records and black-and-white God-given view of the world. But Perry doesn’t remind me so much of George W. Bush but of another sunny-eyed optimist who was elected president, Ronald Reagan.
The new sheriff in town
They both look the part, play on their cowboy image and have touted an optimistic vision of an America whose best days are ahead. Voters eat this stuff up. Perry also wins the oh so important contest of being the better beer drinking buddy over Obama.
I voted for Reagan twice. People who rip him forget what dire straits the country was in during the 1980 election. The economy was in a shambles, mortgage rates were in the double digits, the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan and Jimmy Carter wouldn’t venture out of the Rose Garden due to the Iranian hostage crisis.
Since Barack Obama is looking increasingly like Jimmy Carter (they share a weak economy and an image of indecisiveness and lack of leadership) Perry is ready to jump right into the boots of Reagan.
The Obama campaign has spent much time attacking Romney, assuming that he will be their opponent in the fall. But unless Rick Perry pulls a Fred Thompson, and is the great white hype instead of hope, the Democrats will need to redirect their attacks. Otherwise, come January 2013, they will be cleaning out their desks in the West Wing.
Or better yet, President Obama could get some backbone and start acting like the candidate Obama of 2008. I wonder what ever happened to him?
Good points. Couldn’t disagree more about Ray-guns though, as his tenure marked absolute disaster in my life for which he was DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE. (His very FIRST act of office was to eliminate the best job I ever had, coaching children’s theatre.) He was a DISASTER for this country. Simply, I hate his stinkin’ guts. Too bad he’s dead so I can’t give him a good kick! But Rick Perry? SCARY! Couldn’t agree more with your assesment that: “President Obama (should) get some backbone and start acting like the candidate Obama of 2008!” Thanks for the thoughtful post.
Posted by lastcre8iveiconoclast | August 16, 2011, 1:55 pmIt will certainly be an interesting year. Thanks for checking in.
Posted by Thomas | August 16, 2011, 2:00 pmWell, at least with Perry off galavantin’ around the country in his quest for the presidential nomination, we got him out of the state so he can’t inflict any more trauma on Texas’ citizens. He used to be in favor of elected officials resigning if they decided to run for another office during their current term. Wish we could hold him to that now.
Posted by TexasTrailerParkTrash | August 16, 2011, 3:42 pmHas anyone brought that up to him about resigning? Fortunately for him being governor is a part-time job anyway. Thanks for checking in.
Posted by Thomas | August 16, 2011, 4:50 pmi think all of them running for president should resign their official jobs or take a leave without pay letting the opposite party cast a vote in their place. LOL now ron paul upgrades himself to first class by using points he gets from paid air time by the tax payers. why doesnt he use his points for a ticket, saving the taxpayers money; and sit in coach. why dont they pay for their own ticket if the want to go home; most employers do not pay for gas for employees to go from work to home.
Posted by mizclay | January 18, 2012, 4:53 pmIt sure is a crooked system. Here in Pennsylvia I think state legislators have the highest monthly car allowance in the country of about $700/month, for a part-time job. Thanks for your comment.
Posted by Thomas | January 18, 2012, 8:48 pmWhere have you been all my life? I stumbled upon your blog and can’t get enough of it. The roar is so loud from all of the entrenched political warfare, one can hardly think. One of the reasons I’m in your moderate camp is because I got driven out of the more conservative camp (I know, I know, a black conservative — go figure!). I ended up there by mistake because my religious affiliation sold their soul. Once I figured out we were doing a jig with the devil, I went in search for clear-headed people. Thank you for being one! P.S. Rick Perry is from one of my X-religious camps. Be afraid, be very afraid….
http://www.howinthehelldidienduphere.wordpress.com
Posted by etomczyk | September 27, 2011, 2:21 pm