Texas Governor Rick Perry’s Amazing Track Record

Texas Governor Rick Perry, the longest serving governor in the country likes to brag Texas under his brand of Republican leadership gained more jobs that any other state in the nation. This turns out to be entirely true. But, it may not be quite the rosy picture the governor paints. 

Texas is #1 in jobs creation? 

* Heck, that's nothing! Texas ranks ‘First’ in many other areas too!

• Number of Executions­–1st 
• Percent of Uninsured Children–1­st
• Percent of Population Uninsured–­1st
• Percent of Non-Elderl­y Uninsured–­1st
• Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions–­1st
• Amount of Hazardous Waste Generated–­1st
• Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Water–1st
• Amount of Volatile Organic Compounds Released into Air–1st
• Amount of Recognized Cancer-Cau­sing Carcinogen­s Released into Air–1st

Some other high Texas rankings:

• Percent of Children Living in Poverty–4t­h
• Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Middle Class–5th
• Percent of Women Living in Poverty–6t­h
• Teenage Birth Rate–7th
• Percent of Women with Pre-Term Birth–9th
• Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Poor–9th
• Foreclosur­e Rates-10th
• Births to Unmarried Mothers–17­th

Alas, Texas is well down the scale in other areas:

• High School Graduation Rate–43rd
• Health Care Expenditure­es per Capita–44t­h
• Women’s Voter Registration­–45th
• Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Scores–45t­h
• Percent of Population Who Visit the Dentist–46­th
• Retirement Plan Participat­ion–47th
• Median Net Worth of Households­–47th
• Mortgage Debt as Percent of Home Value–47th
• State Aid Per Pupil in Average Daily Attendance­–47th
• Average Monthly Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Benefits per Person–47t­h
• Percent of Population with Employer-B­ased Health Insurance–­48th
• Average Credit Score–49th
• Women’s Voter Turnout–49­th
• Per Capita State Spending on Medicaid–4­9th
• Percent of Low Income Population Covered by Medicaid–4­9th
• Workers’ Compensati­on Coverage–5­0th
• Per Capita State Spending on Mental Health–50t­h
• Percent of Non-Elderl­y Women with Health Insurance–­50th
• % of Population 25 and Older with High School Diploma–50­th
• Percent of Pregnant Women Receiving Prenatal Care in First Trimester–­50th

Lord, protect us from Texas Governor Rick riding in on his evangelical white horse to ‘save’ the nation!

* Thanks to poster AerinGael in CNN 8/14/11 

A Capitalistic Oligarchy

It is glaringly obvious our democracy ain't that any more, and is now wholly subordinated to Capital (with an uppercase ‘C’), big corporations and uber-wealthy individuals. For all intents and purposes, the United States is now become a feudalistic super-oligarchy run largely for the benefit of Capital.

We can not blame this on any particular political party as both are hugely guilty of carrying water for Capital, although Republicans have certainly become the poster child of late.

Capital being inorganic, is incapable of feeling, thought or emotion. Consequently, we, “The People” should always keep the following things in mind about Capital and Capitalism:

• Capital has no conscience;
• Capital has no morality;
• Capital does not care for justice;
• Capital does not care for legalities;
• Capital does not care for fairness;
• Capital does not care for freedom;
• Capital does not care for the environment;
• Capital does not care for individuals;
• Capital does not care for society;;
• Capital does not care for humanity;
• Capital does not care for democracy;
• Capital does not care for the future;
• Capital fares well under Fascism;
• Capital fares even better under right-wing dictatorships; 
• Capital fares best of all in an oligarchy;
• Capital fares least under a democracy which cares for the welfare of all its people;
• Capitalism abhors and is the mortal enemy of equality;
• Capitalism cares ONLY for MORE Capital gotten NOW or in the very near future;
• Capitalism cares in the end, ONLY for Capital!

NOTHING else really matters. NOTHING ELSE.  NEVER FORGET THIS!

Anyone who doesn’t understand these things is fair game and a ready sacrifice for the alter of and in the favor of Capital and Capitalism.

Karl Marx and Lenin based their revolutions on these notions. When their revolutions manifested under the ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’ as the Communist Party, problems and chaos arose. First Fascism, and later Capitalism used the resulting excesses to demonize, Communism, and conveniently, by extension any ideas of socialism.

I notice where true socialism is tried it is usually successful, and always without exception, broadly and viciously attacked by Capital. This has gone on so long now many, perhaps most, people in the western world are now so propagandized they think of socialism if not actually evil, as disagreeable. Anyone in America openly advocating programs to help 'people' is invariably labeled ‘liberal’ and quite often as ‘unpatriotic’,  ‘communist’, and even ‘traitorous’. Such is the power of Capital and its propaganda, it persuades many people to go against their own interests. The Tea Party is a good example of that.

I happily embrace the label ‘liberal’ myself as I see that as progressive and good. 

Capital has proven expert at working behind the scenes to effect change for its benefit. Flying under most people’s radar screens for at least the past two decades is a shadowy, secretive group which is very successful, and now on the verge of grabbing the entire pie. I like to think I am politically aware, and pay attention, but only recently learned of this organization, financed 95-99% by Big Business, i.e., ‘Capital’. It’s tentacles are everywhere, in every state and national capitol, and all in between. If you care about your country and democracy it will scare you to death. It is nothing short of hideously EVIL, and solely the invention of Capital.

I knew things were bad, but never suspected such evil. I guess in hindsight I should have known better. I will go into further details in a later blog posting, but you can look into this malignant tumor before then by googling the term: 

 “American Legislative Exchange Council”

Fair warning: Better have some nausea medication handy.

Rick Perry Connects With Jesus

Texas Governor Rick Perry, very satisfied with himself after his big Prayer meeting was relaxing in his hotel room in a fancy Houston hotel when the telephone rang.  Perry never answered telephones unless he expected a call. He answered this call, but found it was not who he expected:

Perry:  “Hello . . . ”

Jesus:  “Rick Perry, are you there?”

Perry:  “Who the hell is this?”

Jesus:  “It’s me. Your Lord and savior. Are you sure you’re Governor Rick Perry?”

Perry:  “Yep, Goddamned right I am sure! Now, who in hell is this and how in hell did you get this number?”

Jesus:  “I’m the Lord, Jesus Christ to you. And I have any number I want. All by myself I’m kinda like an early version of the internet, only I just ‘know’, you know. Sorta like ‘Dex Knows’ - only better and quicker.”

Perry:  “Yeah right! Jesus Christ my aching ass! Now, how’d you get through on this damned line anyway?”

Jesus:  “You were in the bathroom snorting coke just now, Ricky boy, now weren’t you? Right?”

Perry:  “ . . . . . wha . . . . how, what the hell . . .?”

Jesus:  “And, right now you’re wearing your favorite pink silk Speedo briefs with the little valentine hearts on them too, right?”

Perry:  “(Gasp!) . . well, . . . no, er. well, yeah, ah . . . . now, wait just a damned minute! How do you know all this shit anyhow? Are you stalking me?”

Jesus:  “I told you I was Jesus Christ, didn’t I?”

Perry:  “Well yeah, but . . . “

Jesus:  “And, when you answered the phone you figured I was that cross-dressing transvestite you arranged for earlier to come have a little fun right?

Perry:  “Jesus Christ!”

Jesus:  “Yes, that’s exactly right! Now that you are getting your mind straight, I need to have a little chat with you.”

Perry:  “Holy Shit! Gosh, er, Jesus, I mean, Lord - I’m sorry about all that stuff - I didn’t mean none of it. You just caught me off guard you see, and I was just testing to find out who was violating the law or something by calling me. Understand? Jesus, you do understand, right?”

Jesus:  “Oh sure I understand Ricky. I know all about you evangelical Christians. I’ve been dealing with your types for centuries. And, a lot of them are enjoying a hot time in Hell right now too, let me tell you. But, that’s another matter for another time as far as you are concerned. Right now I want to talk to you about your so-called prayer meeting.”

Perry:  “Oh, Jesus! Right Lord! I hope you liked it . . . .I, I tried to be make it good for you.”

Jesus:  “Sure you did Ricky boy. But both you and I know that’s a total crock of bullshit. You did it for one reason and one reason only, and that’s because you want to make a run for the presidency and figured on grabbing the evangelical vote.”

Perry:  “No, no, ah, er, it’s not like that at all . . . . I’m a totally faithful and sincere Christian, Lord. I’m right there in your corner like I’ve always been.”

Jesus:  “Oh sure you are Rick, when it’s convenient. But, let’s cut to the chase, shall we? You are a lying frigging hypocrite and we both know that. So, quit your weak and whiny lying will you? Frankly it’s cowardly, embarrassing  and wastes my time.”

Perry:  “No, really, I . . . .”

Jesus:  “Shut the hell up Rick, and listen! Any more lying and I’ll nail your ass right now!”

Perry:  “Yessir. I’m listening Lord . . .”

Jesus:  “Good. Now, about that so-called prayer meeting. You know praying for jobs is a crock, right?” 

Perry:  “Well, no, yeah, I, er, ah . . .”

Jesus:  “Shut up Rick. Don’t try to lie to me, or I’ll fry your ass. Praying for jobs, or anything like that is totally stupid, a fairy tale. But then no one ever said either you or evangelical Christians were the sharpest knives in the drawer, did they?

Perry:  “Well, no, er . . . but, “

Jesus:  “I told you to shut up Rick. I mean all that praying for rain you had folks doing for Texas back in April really worked, didn’t it? That should have told you something right there.”

Perry:  “Well, I thought . . .”

Jesus:  “Shut up Rick. That’s just the trouble, you don’t think. Maybe you can’t think. You figure you can grab some easy votes by playing up to the evangelical crazies, and you might be right about that, but that’s it. All that bullshit praying for rain won’t and didn’t bring any rain, did it? None. Zippo. Nada. ”

Perry:  “Well, er . . .”

Jesus:  “I told you to shut the hell up Rick. Now zip it!”

Perry:  “Yessir. Zipped.”

Jesus:  “Good. Now, keep it that way. Praying for rain and jobs is one thing, but all that craziness about ‘Praying the Gay Away’ just takes the frigging cake. When I heard that crap I just about pulled the plug on your ass, Ricky boy. But, then I though, ‘Well, why not? Why not let that obtuse asshole show the entire world how stupid he really is?’ And, that’s working in spades too, let me tell you. Everybody has you spotted now Rick. Trouble is, you loopy evangelicals have it all completely wrong. Pray the gay away my flowing purple robe! Don’t you imbeciles realize gays are part of God’s plan too, just like Blacks, and Mexicans and midgets, Norwegians, geniuses, and the blind, lame and alcoholics, and so on and on and on? Even you noxious evangelicals are part of God's plan, and what in Hell makes you think that you, you idiots, get to decide what is to be and what isn’t to be? Huh?”

Perry:  “Well, I . . .”

Jesus:  “Shut the hell up Rick.”

Perry:  “Yessir.”

Jesus:  “And, then I found out no non-Christians would be allowed on the stage or to speak at your prayer meeting. I gotta tell you Rick, when I heard that, I just about showered the wrath of God down on the whole damned shooting match. Still might, because I know who you are and where you live. I’m still mighty pissed, but I think I'm gonna let that slide for now, for most of you idiots.”

Perry:  “Yessir.”

Jesus:  “And Rick, this is just a friendly call for the sake of your family, a fair warning if you will, so listen up.” 

Perry:  “Yessir?”

Jesus:  “Rick, make damned sure your life insurance is paid up and your will is up to date, OK?”

Perry:  “Jesus Christ!”

Jesus:  “Yepper! You got that right!”

The Tea Party Nation

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Don’t want no stinking immigration,

Don’t want no stinking taxation,

Don’t want no stinking innovation

Don’t want no stinking information,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Don’t care about no education,

Don’t care about no medications,

Don’t care about no starvations,

Don’t care about no stimulations,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

We created a huge conflagration,

We created an outrageous situation,

We created some big complications.

We created political devastation,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

We want a complete GOP abdication,

We want a complete GOP subordination,

We want a complete GOP reformation,

We want a complete GOP mutation,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

We don’t worry about our defamations,

We don’t worry about our disseminations,

We don’t worry about our intimidations.

We don’t worry about our reputations,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

We will dictate the political equation,

We will dictate the laws and regulations,

We will dictate on business domination,

We’ll dictate as toadies for big corporations,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

We don’t care about no calculations,

We don’t care about no privations,

We don’t care our Washington delegations,

Create havoc, despair and deprivations,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

We reckon democracy is an aberration,

We reckon tolerance is an aggravation,

We reckon equality is just a creation,

Of liberal and socialist imaginations,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

We don't care about no cooperation,

We don't care about no moderation,

We don't care about no mediation,

We don't care about no conversations,

Teabillies will run the Tea Party Nation.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

What have Democrats and ‘Liberals’ ever done for America?

What have Democrats and ‘Liberals’ ever done for America?

Take Thomas Jefferson for starters. Jefferson, considered the first ‘liberal’ president, was sworn into office on March 4, 1801 as a ‘Democrat-Republican’ who were the liberals of their day. He  was thought of as the ‘People’s President’ and sometimes called the "Negro President" since his election victory was gained through the ‘Three-Fifths Compromise' which fractionally counted slaves in slave states, providing more electoral votes for those states. Jefferson, being a 'planter' who owned slaves was viewed favorably by the agrarian southern states and their votes inflated by the slave component put him over the top in the election.

Jefferson’s  presidential opponent was John Adams of the Federalist party, the arch-conservative group of the time, led by Alexander Hamilton who was killed by Aaron Burr in a duel in 1801. US President John Adams described Hamilton in 1815 as "the most restless, impatient, artful, indefatigable, and unprincipled intriguer in the United States . . .” Sounds just like a Karl Rove kind of guy doesn’t he?

What did Jefferson, this ‘First Democrat’ and liberal of his times ever do for America? Try these from our history:

Jefferson was one of the Founding Fathers;

Jefferson was principle author of the Declaration of Independence;

Under Jefferson the US purchased the Louisiana Territory from France now, 23% of all current US territory, and includes:

all of Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska;

parts of Minnesota that were west of the Mississippi River;

most of North Dakota,;

nearly all of South Dakota;

northeastern New Mexico,;

northernTexas; 

portions of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado;

Louisiana west of the Mississippi River, including the city of New Orleans. 

Another Democrat-Republican: James Monroe What did he do?

Monroe annexed Florida and ‘West Florida’ from Spain in 1819!  

Take yet another Democrat, President James Polk. What did Polk do? Well actually, Polk annexed more territory for our country than anyone else, even more than in the Louisiana Purchase:

This Democrat negotiated the Oregon Territory Treaty of 1848 and the Mexican Cession of 1848 which added 1.2 million square miles of territory to the United States; 

Mexico's size was halved, while that of the United States increased by a third; 

California, Nevada, Utah were added;

Most of Arizona, and parts of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming were included in the Mexican Cession;

The annexation of Texas was recognized.

Take yet another Democrat, Franklin Pierce. What did pierce do?

Pierce negotiated the Gadsen Purchase, which added an area the size of Scotland to the United States. including most of southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.

Take yet another Democrat - Andrew Johnson. What did Johnson do?

Johnson bought Alaska from Russian in 1867!

If we took out all the land area contributions to our country made by liberal Democrats, the rest of us would never again have to listen to the rantings of right-wing crazies from: 

Arizona, Arkansas, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, most of Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, most of North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming!!

Those bozos would all still be polishing the brass on their saddles, jingling their spurs, drinking strong Spanish coffee or Russian slibovitz and taking their siestas through the noon hours! Amazing, isn’t it? Liberal Democrats are the ones who made American territory what it is today! Trouble is, we evidently got a lot of immature idiots along with the territory.

In fact, the ONLY territory gained by the United States under ANY Republican President, which is now a state are the Hawaiian Islands, annexed in 1898 President William McKinley. Hawaii was run as a virtual Republican oligarchy controlled by five private monopolistic companies until becoming a state in 1959. Puerto Rico was annexed at the same time - and under similar auspices, and you understand how Puerto Rico is, don't you?

That sounds exactly right for the way the Republicans like to run things doesn’t it?

Deniamentia in Wingnuttia

I made an unplanned trip to Wingnuttia just today. It was a mistake. I have been there before and thought I knew something about the place, but it changed since I last visited. Used to be there were just a few crackpots wandering around waving around flags with rattlesnakes on them and words saying ‘Don’t Tread On Me’ and ‘Time To Reload’. A lot of those people seemed to be Social Security types - on the ‘government dole’ if you will, not that it seemed to matter to them while they are whining about the expenses of the US government.

There are more younger people in Wingnuttia these days - strident and militant, demanding, irrational sounding people. Leadership appears to be transient and rotates around among Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman and some guy named Rick Santorum to name just a few. The message has not changed, except it is more grim, and the mania has gotten worse. Quite a few of the Wingnuttian leaders are limping around with injured feet, apparently from shooting themselves in the foot while snap-shooting from the hip I suppose. Many others show bruised lips and tongues from the disease very common to their culture: FITMD, or “Foot In The Mouth Disease”, sometimes referred to by others as “Shitlips” in the vernacular.

But, I digress. I wasn’t headed to Wingnuttia when I landed there, but Norway, where a tragedy of epic proportions occurred yesterday. I simply wanted news about that and went online to check the story. Turns out the author of this unspeakable act was a Christian fundamentalist, racist and right wing extremist - the very same sort of person as the inhabitants of Wingnuttia.

While still in the Norwegian story, I unfortunately strayed to take a peek at some of the online comments to the story, only to find myself instantly transported deep into the heartland of Wingnuttia. Blam! There I was!

Wow, those Wingnuttians sure get exercised when anyone associates their kind with anything like this! I think it’s a form of deniamentia. Wingnuttians as a culture, are accustomed to laying blame on ‘anyone but us’ and when anything strikes close to home, collective fuses seem to start shorting out all over the place.

The Wingnuttia national news organ - Fox News - did not even mention the ‘right wing Christian fundamentalist’ component at all until virtually every other news organ on the planet spelled it out for them - in stark, simple terms. Then, it was ’Katie, bar the door!’. Wingnuttians came out in swarms to defend Christianity, extremism, right-wing nuttiness, racism and fundamentalism - while taking zero acknowledgement of their roles in the nurturing of such acts as happened in Norway.

Today’s Fox News headline banner reads for example, “Puzzling Portrait Emerges of Gunman ….” as if the fact that he is a rightwing, racist Christian fundamentalist is totally irrelevant. And comments from Wingnuttians to Fox News and others were rabid in their deniamentia. Here are just a few examples (Note, I’ve left the spelling and syntax just as it appears in print):

From the Portland, Maine Press Herald: “A Christian is one who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christ never went around murdering people., This man is not a Christian. Before folks claim the title of Christian they really should find out what it means.”

From ‘roberta7709’ to Fox News: "Evidently the liberals in Norway have opened the floodgates to immigration from the dark-skinned world. A lot of the kids killed are dark skinned and are connected to the liberal/labor political party.  The country has much larger entitlement programs than the US.  I understand that when you get married in Norway, the government gives you a few thousand for furniture and to set up your new home. So, it is easy to see why the immigrants would flock to Norway, and why the natives would be unhappy."

(Gosh, that one rolls racism, immigration, ‘entitlement programs’ [wingnuttease for ‘socialism’] and liberals all into one neat package! Impressive!)

‘quidestveritas’, comments to Fox News: “This guy was a Christian by NAME ONLY.  He obviously wasn't a practicing Christian . . . “.

And, one posted by nw5052001, again to Fox News: “Its a fact the rest of the world has been making warnings about multiculturalism being a failure..the liberals support it and laugh at the warning......thinking only they know best…”

Posted by ‘dleebro’ to CNN: “What a tragedy! Also regretable is ABC's repetition of another news source that the man arrested is a Christian fundamentalist.”

Another to CNN by ‘shalvah_42000’: “He is not a Christian nor represents Christians or conservatives. If he was a Muslim you would all have a different attitude so I don't appreciate the anti-Christ and anti-conservative point of view.”

And, by ‘jls1950benn’ to CNN: “Just because a christian goes out and murder ...proves that that person was never in fact a Christian in the first place: he was merely making a pretense - a self-deluded imposter . . . “

See what I mean? Deniamentia is rising to be an extremely serious epidemic in Wingnuttia. I’m so sorry I had to go there today - and I couldn’t even get my passport stamped. . . .

Famous Last Words

Subject: Marksmanship

"They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist . . . ."

    ~Confederate General John Sedgwick the instant he was killed by a Federal sniper's bullet at the battle of Spotsylvania, 1864.

Subject: The Titanic

"There is no danger that Titanic will sink. The boat is unsinkable and nothing but inconvenience will be suffered by the passengers."

~Phillip Franklin, vice president of the White Star Line, operators of the Titanic in 1912 before her maiden voyage.

Subject:  The Stock Market

" Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau."

~Irving Fisher, early 20th century stock expert three days before the 1929 stock market crash.

Subject: Pearl Harbor

 “Whatever happens, the U.S. Navy is not going to be caught napping.” 

~Frank Knox, U.S. Secretary of the Navy,  Dec. 4, 1941

Subject: Television

"Television won't be able to hold onto any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night."

~Daryl Zanuck, movie studio executive in 1946

Subject: Online shopping

“Remote shopping, while entirely feasible, will flop - because women like to get out of the house, like to handle merchandise, like to be able to change their minds."

~Time Magazine in 1966 - in 2010 nearly $173 Billiion was spent in online shopping.

Subject: US Mail

“Before man reaches the moon, your mail will be delivered within hours from New York to Australia by guided missiles. We stand on the threshold of rocket mail.” 

~Arthur Summerfield, US Postmaster General in the Eisenhower administration. It still takes four to six or more days to get a letter from the east coast to the west coast

Subject: Atomic energy

"Atomic energy might be as good as our present-day explosives, but it is unlikely to produce anything very much more dangerous.”

  ~Winston Churchill, 1939

Subject: The Internet

“(the internet) will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse.”

~Robert Metcalfe,founder of the 3Com digital electronics company and a professor at The University of Texas at Austin.

Subject: The Beatles

"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." 

~Decca Records, 1962.

 “(they are) so unbelievably horrible, so appallingly unmusical, so dogmatically insensitive to the magic of the art, that they qualify as crowned heads of anti-music.” 

~William F. Buckley, founder of the National Review,1964

"The only thing different is the hair, as far as I can see. I give them a year.”

~Ray Bloch, musical director for The Ed Sullivan Show, 1964

Subject: The End of the World (and ‘some people just never learn')

"When September 6, 1994, arrives, no one else can become saved. The end has come." 

~Reverend  Harold Camping- 1994

"And now, we have no option. We can't say 'maybe' 'it's possible' 'it looks very probable...' No way! We have to say this is what the Bible teaches! This is fact! May 21, 2011 is the day of the Rapture, it is the day that Judgment Day begins..." 

~Reverend Harold Camping 2011

"Thus, we must realize that October 21, 2011 will be the final day of this earth’s existence." 

˜Reverend Harold Camping, 2011