“But the kind of swagger which plays in Texas does not play in the rest of the (higher-IQ) states.”
I wonder why so many yankees are moving here if it doesn’t play well. Maybe they are just coming here to raise our collective IQ? Oh joy then we will be smart enough to Let unions control us and democrats rule us/S
I fear the kind of mindless populism which says "Perry was governor of a big state. Anything good about that state is directly due to him." Remember that a lot of the new jobs in Texas migrated from other states; which makes him look good: but in the end that is a zero-sum game. In order to solve the recession/depression we need brand-new jobs.
Secondly -- I find the spin for Perry about Gardisil (it wasn't mandatory, but it was so it could be Medicaid eligible), about the Trans-Texas Corridor (all tolls collected by a FOREIGN COMPANY), about globalism (addressing La Raza as though among friends, his comments with the President of Mexico), etc., to be an insult to any thinking person's intelligence.
Hence the low-IQ crack.
Look, if your candidate has flaws, consider them in the broad context and explain how they are correctable or whatever, or show how the accusation is flawed. This is for the Presidency, and through the Supreme Court, much of the future of the country. It is FAR too important of sectarian cheerleading based on parochial loyalties: which is why for example I couldn't support T-Paw despite his sterling tax-cutter credentials.
But a disproportionate share of the Perry backers seemingly expect everyone to join in fealty to him just because he's "a good ole boy." We had that under George Bush '43 and he paved the way for Obama and nearly destroyed the GOP brand through profligate spending. And McCain got the nod in 2008 because "it was his turn."
The GOP must move past this if it is to survive as a national party; perhaps even if the country itself is to survive.
Cheers!