Rick Perry and the Texas Recession

Once again, Gov. Rick Perry opens mouth and inserts foot. His latest gaff regarding the State of Texas is on the recession. He actually asked, "We're in one?" while referencing a article which stated Texas would be one of the first states to come out of the recession. Even if joking, this is inappropriate. Just because Rick Perry hasn't felt a change in his lifestyle, doesn't mean the recession has missed Texas. His bubble of life is one of privilege paid for by the citizens of Texas, many of whom are struggling to pay their own bills, much less Rick Perry's. As a citizen of Texas, I am tired of being the butt of the late night comedians' jokes about Gov. Perry's continued inability to live in the real world. He has a house and staff paid for by the State of Texas, a car and gas with driver paid for by the State of Texas, a salary which has been unaffected by the recession and evidentually, an inability to read the newspapers and blogs published in his own state. First he jokes about Texas becoming a nation of its own and now he denies the hardships being faced by the citizens of the state he represents. He also thought it was okay to receive a homestead exemtion on a home he currently doesn't live in; living in the house is a very simple rule to follow. When is the man going to learn we are tired of his blindness to the common man? Maybe when the next election rolls around and he is out of a job, he will grab a clue.

The recession is here in Texas. It rears its head daily in the cost of housing, groceries, gas, electricity and the loss of jobs. Fast food rstaurants used to be the haven of teenagers for employment, but not anymore. Our teenagers are competing for jobs with laid off adults. These adults are desperate enough to work for minimum wage. Anything to put some food on the table. The recession may not have hit Texas as hard as it has California or Florida, but it is here. Part of our problem is the influx of persons displaced from their home states by the recession. People move in looking for jobs and instead join the ranks of unemployed. Struggling to provide the most basic of needs to your family makes you part of the recession.

The State of Texas and Gov. Perry have spent the last couple of legislative sessions mandating cuts accross the board to state agencies. Would this be occurring a state free of the recession? NO!! The man has been a active participant in this argument with agencies struggling to supply services to the citizens of Texas while their budgets have been torn to shreds. Does he not remember the state agency infighting for funds.  Maybe having the same hairstyle for the past 20 years isn't just a fashion flaw, but also is more telling in that he is living in the past and the recession wasn't happening then, so it can't be now.

Mabye what Rick Perry meant was that he and his rich buddies are uneffected by the recession; therefore, it is a nonissue for him. Rick Perry will follow the money, anything to have coiffers which will be able to fund a reelection campaign. He changes parties whenever the current party he is a member of falls out of favor. His only platform seems to be Get Rick Perry elected. He jumps on the bandwagon of issues such as property owners rights only after it looks like enough big land owners will be affected and this may affect his fundraising. He truely seems to believe any publicity is better than no publicity.

To be honest, I have never been a Rick Perry fan. I find him to look like a plastic action figure and his actions and words don't endear him to real people. I will admit I voted for him the first time, but realized my mistake on vote 2 and voted aganist him that time. The pitful part of that vote was it wasn't so much for the person I voted for as a vote aganist Perry. The problem with the last election was not that Perry won by a overwhelming majority, but that those voting aganist him didn't get there votes tied together behind one candidate. Not having term limits on politicians is really hurting this country. Entitlement is not something a politician should feel. Texans don't want a George Wallace era like Alabama suffered through. We need to vote Rick Perry out of office. Texas deserves a Governor who understands the issues of the citizens of Texas, not someone who thinks the suffering of those citizens is a joking matter.