Kinky Friedman Closing Gap on Rick Perry

surveyusa.com ^

[Lunatic Fringe]

Perry and Strayhorn have regressed, Strayhorn by a considerable margin, while Bell (15 to 23) and Friedman (16 to 23) have moved up. Bell is finally consolidating Democratic support (from a pathetic 32 percent in April to 44% in July and 55% this time) and is getting more Independents (from 10% to 18%), while Friedman has picked up Republicans (from 10% to 23%) and more Indies (32% to 39%). Both Perry (65% to 56%) and Strayhorn (20% to 14%) have seen their GOP strength decline. Strayhorn has also seen her Democratic support wane, as she's dropped from 30% to 20%.

[Lunatic Fringe]

And don't forget Kinky's stand on abortion:

"I'm not pro-life, and I'm not pro-choice. I'm pro-football."

[Centurion2000]

The business tax isn't perfect, but NO ONE else has come up with a better fix.

There is this little thing called cutting spending.

[msnimje]

Looks to me like he's qualified for the job.

So is Pee Wee Herman.

[no dems]

...I hope he wins, but of course I don't live in Texas...

Not a problem. Choose any Hispanic surname and request an absentee ballot and mail in your vote. As a matter of fact, vote three or four times.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Uh, yeah... see, the Senate is part of the Legislature.

No s**t, Sherlock. And the state Senate did a grand job when the state House ran off out of state. That way, the Governor could be made to look bad by calling a special session, and promoting a business tax that business requested. Go ahead and vote for Kinky, who is supported by New York and California interests.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Strayhorn's biggest problem right now is convincing voters she didn't just die.

LOL!

[msnimje]

Looks to me like he's qualified for the job.

Being eligible and qualified are two very different things.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Strayhorn's biggest problem right now is convincing voters she didn't just die.

Uncanny.

[Fledermaus]

You forget Texas is normally a one term governor state. Only G.W. Bush has won reelection in it's history.

Not saying Perry will lose, just that statistics are against it.

[no dems]

I am also voting for Sekula-Gibbs.

Good for you!!! What are the chances of a write-in candidate keeping Tom Delay's seat in the (R) column?

[no dems]

Yep, and make Texas a laughing stock too.

Not necessary. Perry has done a good enough job at that.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Whoa, you should signal before changing lanes like that. Your original reply was that the Lt. Gov (head of the Senate) has nothing to do with the Legislature (which consists of the House and Senate).

I merely pointed out that the Lt Gov, being head of the upper House of the Legislature, effectively is the most powerful elected politician in Texas. This is school book stuff.

[Texasforever]

Not necessary. Perry has done a good enough job at that.

Oh baloney. He has been a good Governor. This state has boomed for the last 10 years and it is because we have had GOP leadership. We sure as hell don't need a pot head in office.

[jf55510]

He wants education funded completely from Texas dollars, and he wants to raise pay to attract better teachers.

Oh, so he wants to give away hundreds of millions of dollars and raise our taxes to cover that gap and to pay for teacher raises. Hooray Kinky...

[penelopesire]

"You misrepresent his position. The TAKS test is a failure in Texas. The only reason it is implemented is for Federal funding, which Kinky believes is unneccesary. He wants education funded completely from Texas dollars, and he wants to raise pay to attract better teachers.

He recognizes the correlation between education and poverty/crime."

Here is his position on education:

Education
Texas has the second-largest population of any state in the country and three of the ten largest cities. That's an awfully big cart to pull with the horsepower we're currently giving our kids in Texas schools. An educated workforce and top-notch schools are essential to keeping our state attractive to new business, but we're failing the test.

Texas has the 8th largest economy in the world, but we're 1st in drop-out rates and 32nd in education spending in the country.

Teachers' salaries in Texas are over $6,000 below the national average. This lack of respect for the people who do our state's most important job must stop. As governor, Kinky will work to make sure that teachers are paid what they're worth. Period.
The TAKS test and its predecessor, TAAS, were invented essentially to make legislators look good on education. But studies show that rigid enforcement of standardized test scores doesn't help kids learn or make teachers more effective. Teach to the test and kids will learn the test—but not much else.

Sorry..I don't see solutions in the diatribe..perhaps i am not misrepresenting him so much as you are projecting your own mirage unto him.

[Despot of the Delta]

Being eligible and qualified are two very different things.

You don't have to be a lawyer or CEO to be in politics. That's what is great about our form of government and the founding fathers intent is for the common man to hold office. It would be nice to see someone make a decision instead of waiting on a six month feasibility study to make the decision.

[lapsus calami]

 

 

Besides, Texas governors have limited powers, far less than governors in other states.

 

Yah - but don't overlook one thing they can do - appointments. If the wrong person gets in and appoints libs/socialists to this post or that job, could really cause ruin and continue to haunt long after the Gov. that appointed them is gone.

 

Reminds me - there's a couple of characters running for two slots on a state appeals court that are bad news - need to get that arranged and posted around here somewhere.

 

 

 

[jf55510]

There is this little thing called cutting spending.

Which they are doing. However, that isn't enough. The courts mandated a ton of new revenue from the state to schools.

[jf55510]

Not necessary. Perry has done a good enough job at that.

And how, exactly, has he done that?

[no dems]

No one ever had qualifications until they were first elected to public office.
That's how you get experience. I'm thinking of an actor who ran for Governor of California having no experience as an elected official. He won the Governorship and later became President of the United States.

Doggone it, I can't remember his name.