Tag: Rick Perry

James Richard “Rick” Perry (born March 4, 1950) is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full gubernatorial terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010. With a tenure in office to date of 10 years, 276 days, Perry is the longest continuously serving current U.S. governor, and the second longest serving current U.S. governor after Terry Branstad of Iowa.

A Few Thoughts on the Fox News South Carolina Republican Presidential Debate

Newt scored big points by referencing the Galveston, Texas and Chilean system. He really knew this subject well. His mention of the Principal Group in Des Moines helping administer the Chilean system was great. It is a good starting point on being able to get the facts on this system out to the public. Also, his comments about the estimates by the Social Security Actuary estimating 90-95% of younger people opting into the system, and the building up of an asset that they own where extremely good. He also referenced Martin Feldstein of Harvard for estimating that this system would reduce wealth inequality in America by over 50% over the next generation.

A Few Thoughts on the GOP National Security Debate

Overall: I like the idea of the debate focusing on a single topic. Overall I think this gave the candidates a chance to shine and demonstrate their skills. I think it kept the snipping to a minimum. I enjoyed the debate and thought it was a rare chance to bring to the forefront several serious topics that do not normally get the airtime they deserve.

A Few Thoughts on the CNBC Republican Presidential Debate

this election is going to come down to a question of who best suited to guide the economy going forward. I feel that the CNBC staff brought a level of knowledge about the economy, how businesses work, and the important issues facing us that were sorely missing in previous debates. I thought the questions were very good, much better than any other debate. I also liked the format that spread the time out much more evenly among the candidates and did not simply focus on the front runners. I think this gave the viewers a chance to better understand all the candidates and their positions.

On the various topics in the debate I have the following:……

A Few Thoughts on the CNN/Las Vegas – Republican Presidential Debate

On the various topics in the debate I have the following:

Tax Code: On whether we should replace the current income tax system with a national sales tax? Michele Bachmann said that the government would be too tempted to raise taxes and that we should give the government a new tax. Herman Cain on claims that 9-9-9 would actually raise taxes on low income, he directed people to the analysis on his web site at www.hermancain.com He said that politicians were attacking his proposal because they wanted to

A Few Thoughts on the Bloomberg News – Republican Presidential Debate

I liked the format of having the candidates sit around a table. I liked the commercials by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. I have followed the Peter G. Peterson Foundation for several years. It is a high quality organization that everyone should familiarize themselves with. The format of the debate was a little different than previous debates. Instead of having the moderator rotate the questions more or less evenly, the candidates were given the chance a better chance to provide rebuttals. This gave the front runners a chance to respond when attacked, but it did sideline the lessor candidates. Also as candidates spent a lot of time attacking Mitt Romney or Herman Cain, it didn’t provide much time for Rick Perry who in my mind is one of the top 2 candidates in the field.

Having the candidates ask each other questions: ………

Why Bachmann’s Take on HPV Vaccine is Archaic

It’s no surprise to me that Michele Bachmann would have strong views on Gov. Rick Perry’s executive order mandating girls in Texas receive the HPV vaccine. It is, after all, something that sounds scary… “What? Inject our young girls with a shot that will inoculate them against an STD? They’re so young! Who would do such a thing?”

It’s the perfect platform for a woman as a presidential candidate to speak out on behalf of women everywhere against policies for women created and administered by….men. However, my fear is that in her zeal to call Perry on the carpet and expose this “violation of a liberty interest” she’s missing the point. (and yes I got the point about Merck giving him campaign donations)

Here’s what I don’t get, why so many women seem to be uneducated about a virus which causes cervical cancer.

A Few Thoughts on the Republican CNN/Tea Party Debate

Okay, so I tuned into the debate a little late, closer to the half-time mark than the start; but here are my thoughts on a few topics that were discussed as well as the performance of the candidates.

Overall: I liked the format and the way Wolf Blitzer conducted the debate, himself, and the way he represented CNN. I liked answers by the candidates to the questions posed to them. I thought for the most part they kept it civil and didn’t sling any real mud at each other. They stayed focused on the issues, and almost uniformly presented a theme of personal freedom and responsibility; and a pro-growth economic theme that focused on the ability of the American people and not the government.

Straw Poll Results from Iowa

The Iowa Straw Poll was held Saturday in Ames, Iowa with Michelle Bachmann coming in 1st, with Ron Paul in a close second, and Tim Pawlenty in a distant third. While the major media is most assuredly going to have a field day in talking up the results, I would not read too much into the results for several reasons.