Posted on 08/25/2011 12:37:24 AM PDT by hocndoc
Kinky Friedman once ran against Rick Perry for the Texas governorship. So would the singer and writer vote for him for president? Hell, yes! The world’s most famous Jewish cowboy on why he wants to live in Rick Perry’s America. by Kinky Friedman | August 24, 2011 7:45 PM EDT
Rick Perry has never lost an election; I’ve never won one. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with the world. On the other hand, I’ve long been friends with Bill Clinton and George W., and Rick Perry and I, though at times bitter adversaries, have remained friends as well. It’s not always easy to maintain friendships with politicians. To paraphrase Charles Lamb, you have to work at it like some men toil after virtue.
I have been quoted as saying that when I die, I am to be cremated, and the ashes are to be thrown in Rick Perry’s hair. Yet, simply put, Rick Perry and I are incapable of resisting each other’s charm. He is not only a good sport, he is a good, kindhearted man, and he once sat in on drums with ZZ Top. A guy like that can’t be all bad. When I ran for governor of Texas as an independent in 2006, the Crips and the Bloods ganged up on me. When I lost, I drove off in a 1937 Snit, refusing to concede to Perry. Three days later Rick called to give me a gracious little pep talk, effectively talking me down from jumping off the bridge of my nose. Very few others were calling at that time, by the way. Such is the nature of winning and losing and politicians and life. You might call what Rick did an act of random kindness. Yet in my mind it made him more than a politician, more than a musician; it made him a mensch.
These days, of course, I would support Charlie Sheen over Obama. Obama has done for the economy what pantyhose did for foreplay. Obama has been perpetually behind the curve. If the issue of the day is jobs and the economy, Rick Perry is certainly the nuts-and-bolts kind of guy you want in there. Even though my pal and fellow Texan Paul Begala has pointed out that no self-respecting Mexican would sneak across the border for one of Rick Perry’s low-level jobs, the stats don’t entirely lie. Compared with the rest of the country, Texas is kicking major ass in terms of jobs and the economy, and Rick should get credit for that, just as Obama should get credit for saying “No comment” to the young people of the Iranian revolution.
More to the point, could Rick Perry fix the economy? Hell, yes! Texas is exhibit A; Rick’s fingerprints are all over it. He’s been governor since Christ was a cowboy. The Lone Star State is booming. The last time I checked, Texas is kicking in a hell of a lot of the U.S. GDP. Unemployment is lower than the vast majority of the other states. Hell, we could probably even find a job for Paul Begala.
As a Jewish cowboy (or “Juusshh,” as we say in Texas), I know Rick Perry to be a true friend of Israel, like Bill Clinton and George W. before him. There exists a visceral John Wayne kinship between Israelis and Texans, and Rick Perry gets it. That’s why he’s visited Israel on many more occasions than Obama, who’s been there exactly zero times as president. If I were Obama I wouldn’t go either. His favorability rating in Israel once clocked in at 4 percent. Say what you will about the Israelis, but they are not slow out of the chute. They know who their friends are. On the topic of the Holy Land, there remains the little matter of God. God talks to televangelists, football coaches, and people in mental hospitals. Why shouldn’t he talk to Rick Perry? In the spirit of Joseph Heller, I have a covenant with God. I leave him alone and he leaves me alone. If, however, I have a big problem, I ask God for the answer. He tells Rick Perry. And Rick tells me.
So would I support Rick Perry for president? Hell, yes! As the last nail that hasn’t been hammered down in this country, I agree with Rick that there are already too damn many laws, taxes, regulations, panels, committees, and bureaucrats. While Obama is busy putting the hyphen between “anal” and “retentive” Rick will be rolling up his sleeves and getting to work.
A still, small voice within keeps telling me that Rick Perry’s best day may yet be ahead of him, and so too, hopefully, will be America’s.
If what you said in post #9 is true, don’t expect the people to be allowd a straight-up choice between Obama and Palin, if those are the two major party nominees.
Go read the comments under that article.. The libtards are very opinionated at “the beast” LMAO. They go through a list of crappola they blame on Perry, and never consider the fact that those statistics are symptomatic of liberal stupidity come to fruition in the major metro democrat controlled areas mostly caused by illegal aliens.
How long till some freepers start quoting Begala next.
What poll is that? And what’s with the Hoover references?
Well, just let me say this: if Kinky thinks so highly of Rick Perry, why did he endorse ME, KATHIE GLASS, for governor in the 2010 Texas gubernatorial race?
This is the thing that everyone who wants a secure border must realize about Rick Perry: he is for open borders. We know that he is because he has done nothing to secure the Texas border by sending in the Texas State Guard. That's what I ran on and would have done.
If I had been elected governor, how different things would be! We would have a secure border in Texas and maybe Arizona and some of the other states that saw what Texas could do. We would have nullified Obamacare, TSA groping, and a host of other unconstitutional federal acts. The Trans Texas corridor would be DEAD. And our budget would have been slashed — taxes and spending.
And Rick Perry would not be running for president.
Oh, well. Maybe next time.
Axe to grind and all that.
A lot of us are “political opponents” of Tricky Rick, even if we never ran against him. Even if Perry undoes all of 0bama’s acts, if Aztec and other 3rd-World immigration is not stopped, you can kiss America as a free republic goodbye. Just look at California—that’s the future of the U.S., staring us all in the face.
If Perry is elected, someone will have to run a crash course to educate him about the risks of Aztlan and Islam. Frankly, knowing how stubborn and stupid the man is, I don’t place much hope in converting him.
“What poll is that? And what’s with the Hoover references?”
Don’t worry about it. Org has made it his life’s purpose to see that anybody but Perry is president. He even prefers Obama to Perry. And if he doesn’t get his way, he’ll hold his breath.
That is another big strike against Perry, IMO
Don’t bother with him/her. Palinbot on steroids.
If I were inclined to give advice, I’d tell you to just say that say Rick’s in good company!
I’m not second guessing any one or suggesting that I know how they think. Kinky puts his own tho’ts well, though!
What’s your experience in the Legislature?
Where would you get the money to pay the Texas State Guard? How much? Would you spend more than the money we spend now, on the Rangers and the rest of the DPS?
That picture should make it easy!
"Kinky puts his own tho’ts well, though!" The man does have a way with words.
"Where would you get the money to pay the Texas State Guard? How much?" During the campaign I had these numbers at my fingertips, but now I hesitate to cite specific numbers for fear of being off and I don't have time to go look it up. But to answer your question in general terms, our Texas budget has millions for border security, it's just misspent because Rick Perry does not want a secure border. There is a "Strategic Plan" for the State Guard to secure the border, but it's not followed because Rick Perry does not want a secure border.
If it took more money, though, I would have used the line item veto (which Rick Perry seldom used) and called special sessions (another tool Rick Perry also fails to put to good use) to get it done. Border security is ONE thing that Texans would gladly pay more for, and there would be plenty of money after we cut the budget 50% -- which would just put us back where we were when Rick Perry first took office. Finally, if we needed and could not get more funding to secure our border, I would just call for volunteers and contributions, not just from Texans but from all Americans. My campaign received lots of offers to come to Texas and help out because people know that a secure border is essential not just for a strong and free Texas but America as well.
Securing the border is not at all hard to do, but first you have to WANT it, and Rick Perry does not want a secure border.
"Would you spend more than the money we spend now, on the Rangers and the rest of the DPS?" Not really. They have a different mission, and should only be used for border security to help out as needed. The ones I spoke to who had been down on the border knew that they were only there as window dressing and not really supposed to actually try to secure the border.
Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to voice my opinions.
Ah, so you’re naive about the workings of the “Lege” and politics in general. And I thought the Libertarians were against border control.
The Texas Border Volunteers were in our town this month and couldn’t say enough about the hard work, tenacity and good results from the Rangers and DPS.
There are 181 people (more, if you count the Legislative Council, and I would) that you have to talk into any bill. You can’t go ‘round castrating them and expect anything to happen.
Please see the history of CD 22, in DC, when Sekula-Gibbs’ staff quit. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1739784/posts
First, you’d need at least a good number of Libertarian House members and the cooperation of the Speaker and 16 of the Senators.
The line item veto power is very limited. The Governor may delete the large blocks of the budget, but he can’t reassign any moneys. He can say not here, not there or even how. See Talmidge Hefflin’s review -
http://www.texaspolicy.com/pdf/2006-04-PP-GovBudget-II-th.pdf
“”The Texas Constitution gives the governor sole line item
veto discretion to prevent widespread redistribution
within the state due to political power within the
Legislature. Under the current budget pattern the governor
is nearly powerless to prevent wasteful spending
once the funds are committed in an appropriations
bill.””
It’s also unwise to spend the money and political clout that is required to hold a special session. Were you in Austin Friday June 24th or Monday the 27th? Admittedly, there were whiners who complained of being tired, but the real purpose was to stop bills they didn’t want to vote on.
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