By now, you’ve all heard about Perry’s connections to a racist epithet on a rock at a hunting camp. While this has created a justifiable stir, and some have speculated that this will be Perry’s undoing, it’s probably not an issue with his Tea Party base. In fact, for them, this may provide further proof that he’s “one of them”. Given everything else that is transpiring, and the short memories of low-information voters, it's a setback but it’s not the end for Perry.
Nobody seems overly perturbed either about the fact that one of Perry’s (very few) clever quips about the border fence (“If you build a 30-foot wall from El Paso to Brownsville, the 35-foot ladder business gets real good”) to his 2006 Democratic challenger, Chris Bell. Perry spokeswoman/translator/apologist Catherine Frazier pointed out on Friday that
“This issue is not about who has claim to a clever punch line, but about protecting American lives and securing the border through sensible and effective strategy”.
Well, Cathy, it’s actually about Rick keeping a porous border to enable his cronies to have continuing access to an immigrant work force who will work for less than minimum wage, tolerating unsafe work conditions, and never speaking up for fear of deportation.
Perry's got a real Perry's Immigration Paradox on his hands: keeping his pay-to-play cronies happy with lax immigration policies, or convincing the ankle-biting Teabaggers that he shares their loathing of Brown People and will have them shot on sight if they approach our sacred border. If you're keeping score at home, here's a hint: follow the money. Until Perry's elected - and even then - his allegiance will always be to the corporations. You can always get more voters, but those rich donors must be appeased.
We’ve got lots of problems with Rick Perry here in Texas. Chief among them these days is the fact that, regardless of the travails of his long-suffering constituents, Perry Simply Does Not Care.
Read on below this Depressing Realization for more...
As chronicled in Texas Drought Impacts, A to Z, many people were already in dire straits as a result of our epic drought. Add in the recent wildfires, and
you have problems of epic proportions. People have lost loved ones, homes, businesses, natural resources, and for many, entire ways of life.
Throughout this ordeal, Perry has been out of the state, debating, campaigning, and best of all, shaking down deep-pocket donors, eager to buy into his pay-to-play brand of politics. He's had plenty of setbacks - enough to finally compel our reclusive first lady to leave her secure bunker and venture out on his behalf.
We'll see how well the Anita Perry to the Rescue approach works.
Meanwhile, back at the charred ruins, our people struggle to rebuild and start over. In early September, 16 of our legislators wrote to Perry,
“asking that he call a special legislative session to tap into the rainy day fund to fight wildfires and help with recovery efforts”.
Their page-and-a-half letter netted them the following heartfelt response:
Dear Representatives,
Thank you for your letter dated September 9, and for sharing your thoughts regarding the state’s response to the wildfires that have ravaged Texas in recent days and months. Having seen the devastation wrought by these fires and talked to some of the people affected, I understand the grave enormity of the situation. I always value the input of our state’s leaders, and I appreciate your taking the time to share your concerns and suggestions on how to address this disaster.
Shorter version: “please pound enclosed sand”.
I don't know how much of the "devastation" he saw, or how many "people affected" he really spoke with. That's really not his style. fter all, as chronicled in Texas Wildfires, Perry couldn't be drag himself the 30 miles from Austin to Bastrop to join other Texas officials in addressing the public at the height of the wildfire losses.
As many hardworking Texas families went to hell and back, he couldn't make this short trip, due - reportedly - to "logistical issues". I'm not sure that I'd classify lack of a heart as a "logistical issue".
Of course, he's perfectly capable of jet-setting around the country, dining with Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch, and attending donor events every hour of the day and night. Those folks - in Rick's delusions of adequacy - are his real constituents.
Meanwhile, the long-suffering "little people" of the Lone Star State wind up with worst-in-class education, health care, air quality, workplace conditions, and public services. Who but Perry would have cut state firefighting budgets by 75% in the midst of the worst drought on record? What could possibly go wrong? It's not as though we'll run out of people to fuel the "Texas Miracle".