Texas Gov. Rick Perry is expected Saturday to announce he will run for president in 2012. He is scheduled to officially throw his hat into the ring at a RedState conference in Charleston, S.C. His announcement is timed to coincide with the Ames straw poll in Iowa and will surely put a damper on the results of the poll. The conservative Texas governor will immediately command big numbers in the polls and is the stiffest competition for Mitt Romney.
On the surface, Perry appears to have some solid stances on issues close to the hearts of many Americans. He has been a proponent of tort reform, spearheading a crack down on frivolous lawsuits. He has pushed his state to reduce emissions and develop renewable energy sources. Perry is also standing on the shoulders of his economic record and job creation in Texas, though there is some debate as to whether or not his budget is balanced anywhere other than on paper.
Constitutional Concerns
On the other hand, numerous actions, opinions, and stances of the governor are unpalatable to many Americans regardless of political affiliation. Perry has been in the spotlight often during his political career, and not always in the prettiest light.
The most recent and glaring example of this is his recent "day of prayer" dubbed The Response. A number of protests and even a lawsuit popped up in response to The Response, pointing out that it is unconstitutional for the governor's office to sponsor an event such as this. He can participate, help, and support all he wants, even recommend, but to sponsor an event of this nature is inappropriate.
Veto! Veto! Veto!
Gov. Perry is also well known for excessive use of his veto power. On June 17, he vetoed more than 20 bills in one day, including a bill to ban texting and driving. In 2001 he set a record, vetoing 82 pieces of legislation in a single session. This sort of brazen use of power is concerning. Perry's desire to have things done his way is also visible in the story of Texas Supreme Court Justice Steve Smith, with whom Perry refused to meet. The governor proceeded to prompt and fund Smith's challenger in 2004.
Party Acceptance
Tea Partiers and other conservative Republicans may be hard-pressed to accept him as one of them and will assuredly point out their problems with Perry. For example, he started out as a Democrat and served as campaign chairman for Al Gore in 1988. He has vacillated on some key issues, like same-sex marriage. As Perry is vetted over the coming months, these issues and more will be brought to the forefront, discussed, and debated. Only after everything has been aired out will the validity and efficacy of Perry's bid for the White House be determined.
zindagi na milegi dobara sail sail haven haven paranormal activity 2 audi a5
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.