I've become interested in a potential Perry run in the past month as the speculation has intensified.
While I think Perry has impressive positive arguments he can make, it's the negatives that need to be addressed.
From what I can gather, there seems to be three major bones of contention. The Guardasil E.O., the Trans Texas Corridor, and illegal immigration.
Perry will have to be able to deflect all three with compelling explanations, because it's obvious his detracters will unload on him. The passion displayed by a number of freepers, and notably a segment of the Texas contingent, shows that to be the case.
I believe Perry would trounce Obama on the immigration issue, although he would take heat in the primary.
He could probably deflect TTC as an internal state matter than voters outside of Texas won't focus on, although he would have to be ready to state his position on imminent domain and unregulated Mexican truckers in the primary.
The Guardasil E.O. is his biggest liability, as I see it. He'd better be ready for that one. When you start messing with children's health and parental rights you better have your ducks in a row.
The opt-out feature and the 18 month delay in implementation are probably politically to his favor.
Putting aside the charges that he and his staff were joined at the hip with Merck, it could be argued that his intentions were good, but he didn't let his head catch up with his heart. Nevertheless, what he did was boneheaded, unilateral, and dangerous. Hopefully he learned from the experience and has the character to admit it.
I've no doubt left alot out, considering Perry's long history, but the three points I mention seem to be the highest flying red flags.
All said and done, and given the existing Republican field, I'm not prepared to dismiss Perry at this point. My main goal is the defeat of Obama in 2012, and I'll support the candidate who has the best chance of doing that.
My main goal is the defeat of Obama in 2012, and I'll support the candidate who has the best chance of doing that.
I agree. I do draw the line, though, on social, moral issues (abortion, homosexuality). I will never, knowingly, vote for a professed, confirmed pro-abort. So, Giuliani, for instance, would never get my vote.
I sure do understand that sentiment, but I see so many people being driven by fear about general election polls when the general election is over a year out.
Frankly, I think we need to do more than just beat Obama. If we elect another Bush type, we're not going to SOLVE any of the problems we have now and we can kiss our future goodbye.
Jim DeMint once said "I’d rather lose fighting for the right cause than win fighting for the wrong cause." I submit that the right cause is to elect a conservative with a record of LEADING on important issues. We need someone who doesn't need to be smacked in the head to know what common sense is. We need someone who doesn't put his/her finger in the wind to see which way to go on an issue.
If we give that up to pick someone who 'can win', based on polls this far out and the commentary of pundits who are wrong on every major issue of the day, we've already lost.
When looking at potential candidates, I wish we'd stop looking at the superficial and start looking at real substance.
Does --insert candidate here-- have a record of tackling corruption in both political parties? This is a very important issue to me, since damn near everything in this country from the President on down to our local community, is filthy and corrupt at every level and in both parties.
Does --insert candidate here-- have a record of educating people about issues and swaying public opinion on them? The Democrats are going to use their usual demagoguery to vilify everything we want to do to actually fix things. We need someone who can break it down and is willing to put in the time to change minds and make people aware of what the plans are?
Does --insert candidate here-- have a record of actually getting big changes that nobody ever thought possible done? Because we have a lot of big things that our political class thinks are impossible to do. And if we don't do them, we're going down the tubes.
I'm going to add more to this list of questions, but if I don't hit post now, I'm going to lose my whole work day typing this. ;)
If I could plug Rick Perry or any other candidate's name into those questions and answer 'yes', I'd be maxing out contributions to any of them and working my butt off for them through the election. So, if someone comes up with another candidate who fits that bill, I'm ready to support them.